UNNAYAN SARAN
Chhapra Writes a New Education Story
Powered by Technology, Driven by Community
Unnayan Saran brings the proven Unnayan model to Saran district, giving thousands of government school students in Chhapra access to the quality education they deserve.
INTRODUCTION
Following the success of Unnayan Banka—which earned national recognition including the Prime Minister’s Excellence Award for transforming government education through technology—the model was expanded to Saran district to bring the same innovation-driven approach to thousands more students across Bihar.
Launched in August 2018 by the District Administration of Saran in partnership with Eckovation and SARAS, Unnayan Saran began as a pilot in just 5 government schools. Encouraged by strong improvements in student engagement and learning outcomes, the initiative rapidly expanded to 70 schools and today reaches 95 government secondary schools, impacting more than 40,000 students across the district.
Built around smart classrooms, daily digital learning sessions, OMR-based assessments, and data-driven academic monitoring, the programme brought greater accountability and consistency to classroom teaching. The impact was visible not only in academic performance but also in student participation, with school attendance increasing by approximately 150% after implementation.
For the students of Saran district, Unnayan transformed the classroom experience—making learning more engaging, progress more measurable, and education more accessible through the effective use of technology.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
Saran is one of Bihar’s most populous districts, with a dense network of government schools serving hundreds of thousands of students from rural and semi-urban backgrounds. Despite its relatively accessible location, Saran faced the same structural challenges as many of Bihar’s districts: inadequate teaching infrastructure, inconsistent teacher attendance, poor learning outcomes, and limited accountability in the public school system.
Government secondary school students in Saran — especially those from low-income families — had limited access to quality supplementary education. Private tuitions and coaching centres were largely unaffordable. And while the district had schools, it lacked the systems and content needed to make those schools genuinely effective.
The Unnayan model, proven in Banka just one year earlier, offered a ready solution: structured digital content, daily assessments, AI-powered tracking, and a community engagement framework that had already produced measurable results. Saran was ready for its own education transformation.
STORY OF NASEEM SIR
For Naseem Akhtar, a mathematics teacher from Mashrak, the daily struggles of traditional education changed the moment mobile technology entered the picture.
Through the “Mera Mobile, Mera Vidyalaya” program, the limitations of standard rural infrastructure gave way to an interactive, digital ecosystem. Students who once hesitated to participate began utilizing the Unnayan platform to eagerly post geometry proofs and complex math queries, often studying and asking questions late into the night.
The transformation was profound—Naseem found himself reinvigorated, rapidly sharing solutions straight from his smartphone and receiving heartfelt thanks from students as far away as Kolkata.
This mobile-driven innovation didn’t just upgrade the government schools in Saran; it proved that with accessible technology, the eagerness to learn in rural communities knows no bounds.
From 5 Schools to District-Wide Impact
Schools Covered
95
Students Reached
40,000+
Attendance Growth
150%
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Unnayan Saran?
Unnayan Saran is an education initiative launched in August 2018 by the District Administration of Saran (Chhapra), Bihar, in collaboration with Eckovation and SARAS. It brings the award-winning Unnayan technology-education model to government secondary schools in Saran district.
Q: How does it differ from Unnayan Banka?
The core model is identical — smart classrooms, daily digital lessons, OMR assessments, and AI-powered tracking. Unnayan Saran is the replication of Unnayan Banka in Saran district, adapting to local context and community needs.
Q: What subjects are covered?
The programme covers science, mathematics, and social studies for Classes IX and X, mapped to the Bihar State Board (BSEB) curriculum.
Q: How does SARAS contribute to Unnayan Saran?
SARAS handles field coordination, community mobilisation, school monitoring, teacher support, and impact data collection — ensuring the programme reaches every eligible student and delivers measurable outcomes.