The Peoples' Institute for Re-thinking Education and Development

Modern Schooling and the Corporate Agenda

Manish Jain is a leading critic of the "hidden curriculum" of modern compulsory education, and the founder of Shikshantar, The Peoples' Institute for Rethinking Education and Development, based in Udaipur, India. This talk was given at The Economics of Happiness Conference, held in Berkeley, California, in March 2012. To learn more about their work, go to LocalFutures

Tags: 
deschooling
localisation
critiques of modernity
globalisation

Out of the Box

Concert by inmate-learners on Fateh Sagar at the World Music Festival. 

On Modern Servitude

A scathing look at modern systems.

School Chale Hum: The Inside Story

The Emperor Has No Clothes....See what life is like in the factory schooling system. Film by Qudrat. Song by Shakti Singh and Tarun Arora. 

Re-imagining Nai Taleem: Rajendra Singh on Education

A short interview in Hindi with Shri Rajendra Singh, Gandhian environmentalist and 'waterman of India' on his thoughts on education.

School Choice Conference

Vidhi Jain speaks at the 10th School Choice National Conference, organized on 14 December 2018 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

Ecoversities Gathering Mexico 2019

A beautiful invitation from the Ecoversities Alliance planetary gathering in Mexico 2019.

LSUC2020 Craziness

This short film gives a glimpse of Life outside the formal LSUC Sessions.

Gaon ka Vikas?

The Swaraj Jail University held a one week Mime Theatre workshop with Susanta Das (actor and director, Kolkata) in February 2020.

Instead of Schooling - Vidhi Jain

Vidhi Jain speaks at the Economics of Happiness Conference in Ladakh, 2019

Banyan Roots

Come learn about an organic store in Udaipur that has a dream to make Mewar - beautiful and healthy.

Samdhong Rimpoche: Thoughts on Swaraj

Professor Samdhong Rimpoche, former Prime Minister of the Tibetan exile community, shares some words of wisdom on Gandhi's Hind Swaraj.

Kishore Saint: Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the hind swaraj today series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj in our lives.

Kiran Gulrajani: Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the hind swaraj today series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj in our lives.

Ram Ram Udaipur - E5

Here is the 5th episode of Ram Ram Udaipur, featuring Dr. Jaya Bhavsar and Dr. Ruchi Dixit from Sankalp. 

Ram Ram Udaipur - E4

Ram Ram Udaipur is a local Mewari tv show in Udaipur. This episode features Avinash Nigam, bird conservationist.

 

Localization: for People and the Earth

Join the International Alliance for Localization.

Ram Ram Udaipur - E3

This episode features Eco-Hut founders Guddi Prajapat, Vishal Dhaybai, Ritesh Shekhawat.

Jyotibhai Desai: Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the hind swaraj today series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj.

Walkouts Network

Safar: Story of Ajay

Ajay is from Delhi. He grew up as an orphan and then was enrolled in Karm Marg. He is a khoji in Swaraj University.

Walkout Stories: Shakruk Art

This is the story of Shahruk who is a walkout and a self-designed learner in Shikshantar.

Unlock Your Year - Gap Year Summit 2020: Sakhi Nitin Anita

Listen to Sakhi from Nashik, currently a PhD student in the UK, share about why she took a gap year after class 7 and after class 12.

Unlock Your Year - Gap Year Summit 2020: Anshu Dewan

Listen to Anshu Dewan, corporate leader with Dharampal Satyapal Group, share about why corporates prefer people who have taken a gap year.

Unlock Your Year -- Gap Year Summit 2020: Rajeev Dubey

Listen to Rajeev Dubey, Principal Advisor with Mahindra and Mahindra Group, share about why businesses prefer people who have taken a gap year.

Unlock Your Year - Gap Year Summit 2020: Sonam Wangchuk

Listen to Sonam Wangchuk, educationist in Ladakh, share about the benefits of taking a gap year.

Unlock Your Year - Gap Year Summit 2020 - Kiran Bir Sethi

Listen to Kiran Bir Sethi, educationist in Riverside School, Ahmedabad, share about the benefits of taking a gap year.

Alternative Lifestyle Ads

Alternative ads for cycling, zero-oil cooking and aloe vera. 

School Chale Hum: The Inside Story

The Emperor Has No Clothes....See what life is like in the factory schooling system. Film by Qudrat. Song by Shakti Singh and Tarun Arora. 

Exams Kill

Please support this campaign by taking a selfie with a sign that says #examskill and posting on facebook, twitter, social media.

Walkouts: Learning Without School

A great film on learning without school in the Swapathgami network. This film shares stories of different walk-outs not drop-outs!!

Dil Khush

What do you want - Khushi( Happiness), Santushti( Satisfaction) or Shanti(Peace)?

Oasis India 2010

One week community learning and gifting initiative with friends in Shivaji Nagar

Swapathgami Cycle Yatra

Twenty-five bicycles are parked outside Shikshantar, bedecked with ribbons and balloons, papier-m├óch├® masks and puppetry, hand-held drums and flu

52 Parindey...Eco-Careers for the 21st Century

The Year On Campaign is excited to introduce the crowd funding trailer for 52 Parindey which is a project that has been developed with Rahul Karanp

Jhappi for Peace

Feel the magic of the 20-20 Campaign - try 20 giving hugs for 20 seconds each per day.

Innovations in Shiksha

Creativity in Education Conference

100 educational leaders came together on March 14-15, 2024 for the Creativity in Education Conference at Delhi which was hosted in collaboration wi

Glimpse into Reimagining Education Workshop

A glimpse into highlights of the Reimagining Education Workshop hosted by Manish Jain and Swaraj University.

A Day in the Life of Unschoolers Ecovillage

The Unchoolers Ecovillage is based in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. We invite families to come explore natural learning and living with us.

Reimagining Nai Taleem - What is meaningful education?: A Conversation with Jyoti Bhai Desai

Jyotibhai Desai is one of the most creative and radical Gandhian educationists in the world.  This film explores some of his ideas and experiments.

Why You Should Design Your own Learning

Vidhi Jain, in her eye-opening TEDx talk about unschooling, talks about how we can break from the culture of schooling and design our own education

Homeschoolers in Creativity Adda

This is a documentary video made by the Community Media Lab students in Creativity Adda Delhi on Harjas Singh and family.

Shikshantar Learning Resource Center

Come visit Shikshantar Resource Center for Unschoolers, Free Learners, Walkouts, Misfits ito learn more about how you can reclaim control over your

Is Unschooling in a Government School Possible?

Prabhakant Jain shares his experience with unschooling his son and helping to launch Creativity Adda Delhi.

Re-imagining Nai Taleem: Rajendra Singh on Education

A short interview in Hindi with Shri Rajendra Singh, Gandhian environmentalist and 'waterman of India' on his thoughts on education.

Out of the Box

This is a little behind the scenes film about the Jail University Band, Out of the Box, performance at the Udaipur World Music Festival.

Re-imagining Nai Taleem: How Do We Transform Education?

Key mindset shifts for reimagining education narrated by Nariman Moustafa.

Seekhne ka Safar: A Film on Natural Learning

A beautiful film on natural learning made during the Swapathgami Filmmaking Workshop.

Tribal Creativity Adda

A short film on the Creativity Adda unschool in a government school in Surata tribal village, Dungarpur.

Creativity Adda Girls Summer Unschooling Camp

This special Summer Unschooling Camp was held in Delhi Lancer Road government school for girls as a prototype for a new Creativity Adda

The Unschoolers Winter Camp 2017

A little glimpse into the Unschoolers Winter Camp held at Shikshantar, Udaipur, from Nov 1-Dec 30, 2017.

Re-imagining Nai Taleem: Norma Alvares on The Pedagogy of Open Houses

Some stories about families learning together from social visionaries Norma and Claude Alvares during the Swaraj University Wisdom Weekend

Re-imagining Nai Taleem: Norma Alvares on the Pedagogy of Lights out

Some stories about Families Learning Together from social visionaries Norma and Claude Alvares during the Swaraj University Wisdom Weekend.

A Week in the Life of Creativity Adda

Imagine a space where government school-going children have freedom to pursue and develop their interests everyday without textbooks, exams, or marks

Udaan Creative Learning Park

Here are some 2013 glimpses of Udaan self-designed learning project with children from ragpicker

Re-imagining Nai Taleem: Preeti, Mukti, Abhivyakti

This film features the late Narayan Desai, writer, Gandhian activist, freedom fighter, chancellor, homeschooler from Gujarat, India.

Re-imagining Nai Taleem: Mera Atma Shikshak, Mera Karm

This film is about the late Sri Dayalchand Soni, a Gandhian thinker, writer, activist, educator, school principal, and owner of a flour grinding mill.

Wisdom and Salt Water

The film  is a recording of a gathering of families and individuals that met in Deer Park, Bir, Himachal Pradesh in India in April 2011, to discuss

Families Learning Together Gathering Indore

Glimpses of the Families Learning Together meet that was held in Indore in 2010.

A Day in the Life of Swaraj University

Rama Barhat shares her experiences as a Khoji at Swaraj University and also how she feels her learning has been different from other University stu

Children Being in the World

A film based on the research of K B Jinan which shows the richness of learning spaces and processes in daily village life.

Re-imagining Nai Taleem: Helena Norberg Hodge on Education

Interview with Helena Norberg Hodge, author of Ancient Futures and Economics of Happiness

Join the Tika Tippani Dialogue

The Families Learning Together group has produced this animation to raise a dialogue around the issues of vaccination.  

Creating learning ecosystems instead of schooling cages:Vidhi jain at TEDxLBSIM

Vidhi Jain talks about the power of learning cities and learning eco-systems

Multiversity Network | Experience with Self-Designed Learning | Arjun Aiyer

Swaraj University Khojis were invited to the Multiversity Conference in Malaysia

Multiversity Network | Experience with Self-Designed Learning | Aviral Mittal

Swaraj University Khojis were invited to the Multiversity Conference in Malaysia to speak about their experiences with self-designed learning.

3 secrets to practicing self designed learning | Lakshmi Gunashekar | TEDxBhilwara

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences.

What if learning was possible without degrees?: Rahul Hasija at TEDxMasala

What would happen if we went about pursuing education outside the walls of an institution; what can we learn from just travelling, writing, dancing

TEDxSPSU - Reva Dandage - Adventures of learning in a real faltu University

Reva Dandage is the co-founder and director of Swaraj University, an alternative university with a focus on self-design learning, including explora

Owning your Learning: Sakhi Nitin-Anita at TEDxYouth@Anaikatti

Sakhi has decided to take her education seriously and hence does NOT go to college.

Udaipur as a Learning City

Gavri

A short film about the tribal ritual performance called Gavri. 

Be the Gift Festival

See how we shared the spirit of the gift culture at the Be the Gift Festival on Fatehsagar Lake, Udaipur.

Seva: Pyaoo

This film highlights the tradition of pyaoo in Udaipur as a Learning City. Film by Ashish Sharma.

Swaraj Shakti Girls

This is a glimpse of Swaraj University leadership development program for tribal girls in Udaipur.

Creativity Adda Musical Learning Journey to Udaipur

Learners from Creativity Adda visited Udaipur for the World Music Festival.

Istemal: For Climate Change

In the spirit of the Slow Fashion movement, Istemaal is a cloth re-purposing project started to provide a possible solution towards the waste and o

Jail University - Sohan Lal

This is a Kabir sufi song sung by Sohan Lal, an inmate-learner in the Udaipur Jail University.

Jail University - Code Red Climate Wake Up Call

The Swaraj Jail University held a 1 week Mime Theatre workshop with Susanta Das (actor and director, Kolkata) in August 2021.

Jail University Stories: Ganesh Pargi

This is the story of Ganesh Pargi. He is a Art Faculty-Inmate at Central Jail, Udaipur. He belongs to the tribal area of Dungarpur.

Out of the Box

Concert by inmate-learners on Fateh Sagar at the World Music Festival. 

Happiness Udaipur!!! Chair Zumba with JJ Clown

Have a break during you zoom calls with Chair Zumba starring JJ the Fitness Clown in Udaipur as a Learning City. Shikshantar Films 2020.

DIY Udaipur: Upcycling with Bamboo

Here is a little video how to make beautiful photo frames with bamboo.

Ram Ram Udaipur: Jazbaa

This film is about an inspiring female auto rickshaw driver in Udaipur, affectionately known as Auto Aunty.

Urban Edible Fruit Forests

One of Udaipur's eco-heroes, 80+ yr old R.S. Bhandari, shares about his fruit forest at his residence in Fatehpura.

Hass Gulla!!! 12 - Mukesh Meghwal

Hass Gulla is Udaipur's first Mewari Comedy Channel.

Grandmothers University: Usha Kunwar

Where can we look for wisdom to get out of the planetary mess that we are trapped?

Grandmothers University: Zero Waste Cooking Mango Peels Subzi

The Grandmother's University project was initiated by Shikshantar to share traditional wisdom of Mewar.

Grandmothers University: Zero Waste Cooking Banana Peels Subzi

The Grandmother's University project was initiated by Shikshantar to document traditional wisdom of Mewar.

Udaipur Local Farmers Market

Grow Local. Buy Local. Eat Local.

Happiness Udaipur: Sukoon Inspiring Giving

Can you survive merely on love? Do you know of a place where love is the only currency? Do you think a world without money is possible?

Gaon ka Vikas?

The Swaraj Jail University held a one week Mime Theatre workshop with Susanta Das (actor and director, Kolkata) in February 2020.

The Parrot's Training in the Jail University

Here are some glimpses of a mime theatre performance by inmate-learners in the Swaraj Jail University.

Happiness Udaipur: Dancing Magicians

Dancing Magicians from Belgium in Udaipur Learning City performing in Sukher Orphanage, free learning centers and at government schools around the

Swaraj Jail University, Udaipur - An Introduction

The film features the highly innovative Swaraj Jail University based in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.

Jail University Musicians - Bablu bhai

This is a Bulleh Shah Sufi song sung by Bablu bhai, an inmate-learner in the Udaipur Jail University.

Jail University Musicians - Parmeshwar Bhai

This is a sweet love song written, composed and sung by Parmeshwar bhai, an inmate-learner in the Udaipur Jail University.

Jail University Musicians - Judge Bhai - Honto pe naam tera

This is a spiritual love song written, composed and sung by Judge bhai, a learner-inmate in the Udaipur Jail University.

Jail University Musicians - Sanjay bhai

This is a love song sung by Sanjay bhai, an inmate-learner in the Udaipur Jail University.

Udaipur Learning City unConference 2016

Enjoy some footage of the Udaipur Learning City unConference which took place on Sept 18, 2016.

Happiness Udaipur: Dariya Dil Foot Path Library

An experiment with Gift Culture and Sharing by the lake, Udaipur

Banyan Roots

Come learn about an organic store in Udaipur that has a dream to make Mewar - beautiful and healthy.

Happiness Udaipur: Sukoon Free Store

Come find out ways in which you can open your heart and soul with others.

Ram Ram Udaipur - E6

Check out the new episode of Ram Ram Udaipur!!! This episode features Shri Padam Singh Rathore, renowned snake-catcher and animal lover, and Shrima

Happiness Udaipur: Clowning Without Borders

Happiness Udaipur collaborated with Clowns Without Borders to visit several hospitals and communities in Udaipur to share joy, laughter and friends

Grandmothers University: Summer Natural Drinks Festival 2016

Some glipmses of the Summer Natural Drinks Festival hosted by the Slow Food Network of Udaipur in May 2016

Cycle Marathon 2014

Harawal is an initiative taken to promote cycling in Udaipur city.

Ram Ram Udaipur - E5

Here is the 5th episode of Ram Ram Udaipur, featuring Dr. Jaya Bhavsar and Dr. Ruchi Dixit from Sankalp. 

Rangoday

This is a beautiful film which explores the city of Udaipur through its colors.

Colors of Devotion

This is a film about Shri Rajaram Sharma, a Picchwai artist from Udaipur.

Ram Ram Udaipur: Pukhaar

Meet Bhuvnesh Ojha and his group Pukhaar who is setting up tiny forests in Udaipur as a Learning City. Shikshantar Films copyleft 2020.

Hamo Desi Mela

This film is about local neighborhood fairs to promote localisation and swaraj in Udaipur.

Eco-tourism in Udaipur

Hear what Tourists have to say about tourism in Udaipur and the City of Lakes.

The Gifts of the Soil - Urban Organic Farming

This film features the stories of two remarkable individuals, Sumit Vaishnav and Sandeep Bordia, who are working on urban organic farming in udaipur.

Udaan Green Theatre Festival

Scenes from the Udaan Green Theatre Festival held in Udaipur, 2009. Hosted by Shikshantar. Film by: Axieno, Aman, Vidhi and Vishal.

DIY Udaipur: Geodome Style

Come check out the geodome made from natural bamboo at shikshantar. Film by Kiran Patil (Swaraj University Khoji).

Ram Ram Udaipur - E4

Ram Ram Udaipur is a local Mewari tv show in Udaipur. This episode features Avinash Nigam, bird conservationist.

 

Udaipur's Edible Fruit Forests

One of Udaipur's eco-heroes, 80+ yr old R.S. Bhandari, shares about a fruit forest at his residence in Fatehpura.

Regenerating our Learning Commons

This is a short video about Udaipur as a Learning City and the core ideas of re-creating learning commons in Cities like Udaipur.

Mithai Milan: A Festival of Healthy Sweets

A festival of Healthy Sweets had been organized as a part of Udaipur as a Learning City to explore, experiment and devour sweets made without proce

Ram Ram Udaipur: Chocolate Amla Candy

A glimpse of the Amla Ka Mamla Food Festival hosted at Shikshantar. Also celebrating Slow Food Terra Madre  Day.

DIY Udaipur: Green Shaving with Aloe Vera

Dr P C Jain shares how he shaves with Aloe Vera. You can also grow Aloe Vera in your own home.

Happiness Udaipur: Game-a-thon

Join us at Gulab Bagh park in Udaipur every Sunday early morning for the Game-a-thon. The Game-a-thon is a cooperative games festival that began in

Happiness Udaipur: The Shop of the Open Hearted

Watch this video to find out how you can organize a Dariya Dil Dukkan in your organization, conference, workshop or community

Happiness Udaipur: Welcome to Hulchul Cafe

Learn about Hulchul Saturday Cafe which promotes slow food and gift culture in Udaipur.

Happiness Udaipur: Tokriwala

This is a film about a local basket maker and an social entrepreneur who wants to make him rich.

Hass Gulla!!! 6 - Shail Choyal

Hass Gulla is Udaipur's first Mewari Comedy Channel.

Hass Gulla!!! 3 - Sandeep Sen

Hass Gulla is Udaipur's first Mewari Comedy Channel.

Hass Gulla!!! 1 - Mahesh Nayak

Hass Gulla is Udaipur's first Mewari Comedy Channel. Here is a preview demo episode of Mahesh Nayak who lives in Dewali.

Ram Ram Udaipur - E3

This episode features Eco-Hut founders Guddi Prajapat, Vishal Dhaybai, Ritesh Shekhawat.

Learning Societies Network

LSUC2020 Craziness

This short film gives a glimpse of Life outside the formal LSUC Sessions.

LSUC2017 Bangalore

Enjoy some glimpses of LSUC2017 in Bhoomi College, Bangalore.

Nayanika's Vlog on LSUC 2019

Get a little taste of LSUC 2019 in Odisha.

Vlog on LSUC2019

Vlog by Qudrat from the LSUC2019 in Odisha.

A reflective film about LSuC Sardarshahr 2016

LSUC is aimed to get people together who work on sustainable living, unlearing process, home learning, creative works etc.

Anuradha Joshi: Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the hind swaraj today series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj in our lives.

Samdhong Rimpoche: Thoughts on Swaraj

Professor Samdhong Rimpoche, former Prime Minister of the Tibetan exile community, shares some words of wisdom on Gandhi's Hind Swaraj.

Kishore Saint: Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the hind swaraj today series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj in our lives.

Kiran Gulrajani: Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the hind swaraj today series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj in our lives.

Pawan Gupta: Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the hind swaraj today series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj.

Jaipur Learning City Unconference

Some Glimpses of the rocking Jaipur Learning City Unconference. More fun coming up!

Gustavo Esteva: Thoughts on Swaraj

This short film is part of the Hind Swaraj Today series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of Swaraj.

Tejinder Walia- Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the Hind Swaraj Today Series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj.

Claude Alvares-Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the Hind Swaraj Today series, which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj.

Some glimpses of Noida NCR Learning City Unconference

Some photos from the Noida NCR Learning City Unconference held on Sept 19, 2015.

Other Worlds of Power

This is a beautiful film about the Learning Societies Unconference that was held during the World Social Forum 2004 in Mumbai.

Jyotibhai Desai: Thoughts on Swaraj

This film is part of the hind swaraj today series which seeks to explore the essence and relevance of swaraj.

Communities of Practice

Indian Multiversities Alliance Gathering 2023 Hyderabad

Glimpses of the IMA gathering in Hyderabad, 2023.

Ecoversities Asia Gathering

Glimpses of the first Ecoversities Asia Gathering in Bangkok Thailand in September, 2022.

Ahimsa Conversations

Manish Jain explores the idea of non-violence in conversation with Rajni Bakshi.

Future of Education

This a talk on the Future of Education given by Manish Jain in the Dragon Dreaming International Conference. 

UdaipurTimes Hindi Interview with Manish Jain

The Udaipur Times team, led by Alfiya Khan and Farhina Ansari, speak to Manish to explore his insights, purpose and vision for Shikshantar and the

Power of One Series in Hindi

Oasis-Gujarat hosts a conversation with Manish Jain in Hindi on his thoughts on education.

World Localization Day - McEducation for All

Listen to Manish Jain speak about McEducation for All and the 3 Ds (Debt, Diploma, Deadlihoods) on World Localization Day 2020.

World Localization Day 2020

Manish Jain and Shikshantar Andolan was thrilled to partner with Local Futures and Helena Norberg Hodge to co-host World Localization Day 2020. 

Localization, Slow Food and Happiness

Listen to Manish Jain speak about Localization, Slow Food, Happiness and Well Being at the Indigenous Terra Madre 2015 in Shillong by the Slow Food

School Choice Conference

Vidhi Jain speaks at the 10th School Choice National Conference, organized on 14 December 2018 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

Ecoversities Gathering Mexico 2019

A beautiful invitation from the Ecoversities Alliance planetary gathering in Mexico 2019.

Unlearning to Learn

Listen to Manish Jain speak at the ColaborAmerica Festival in Brazil.

Instead of Schooling - Vidhi Jain

Vidhi Jain speaks at the Economics of Happiness Conference in Ladakh, 2019

Escaping the American Dream

Talk by Manish Jain at Economics of Happiness Conference in Ladkah.

Gift Culture and Swaraj University

Interview with Manish Jain on how to build your own ecoversity or alternative university based on the gift culture with Global Ecovillage Network i

Monoculture of the Mind

Manish Jain speaks at the Economics of Happiness in Byron Bay, 2019.

An Invitation to Malala

An invitation to Malala to rethink education at the Voices of Hope Conference, New York.

Schools kills Creativity

Watch Vidhi Jain's Josh Talk on How Schools kill creativity and why she chooses to unschool.

Localization: for People and the Earth

Join the International Alliance for Localization.

Western-style Schooling, Unemployment, and Cultural Breakdown

This is Manish Jain's plenary talk at the Economics of Happiness conference, held in Portland, Oregon in February 2015.

Localizing Knowledge, Decolonizing Our Minds

Shikshantar participated in the Economics of Happiness conference in Byron Bay (Australia)

Modern Schooling and the Corporate Agenda

Manish Jain is a leading critic of the "hidden curriculum" of modern compulsory education, and the founder of Shikshantar