Reimagining Education: SCNC 2025 Sparks Visionary Reforms

The 12th School Choice National Conference (SCNC 2025) held in New Delhi spotlighted crucial education reforms. Focused on governance, learning outcomes, and student-centered financing, it emphasized the shift from rote learning to enquiry-based education as necessary to build a future-ready system in India.

The 12th edition of the School Choice National Conference (SCNC 2025) took place on November 24, 2025, at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, gathering over 150 key stakeholders in education. As it returned to an in-person format after six years, the conference presented a vital forum for discussing education governance reforms, enquiry-based learning, and student-centered financing.

In a powerful keynote address, Baijyant "Jay" Panda, Member of Parliament, underscored the fundamental importance of education governance in shaping India's future. He argued for systemic reforms like Direct Benefit Transfers in education to prioritize learning outcomes in education policy. Ashish Sood, Delhi's Minister of Education, advocated for teaching students how to think rather than what to think, emphasizing funding students over schools.

During discussions, Vedita Reddy, Director of School Education, highlighted the importance of safe and inclusive environments for quality learning, while Dr. Sanyam Bharadwaj from CBSE emphasized transitioning to competency-based assessments. Asmita Satyarthi and Gurcharan Das stressed compassion and independent thinking as integral components of the education system. Dr. Amit Chandra of the Centre for Civil Society emphasized the alignment of policy, assessments, and governance for real transformation.

(With inputs from agencies.)