Ashish Sood has decided to conduct ongoing interaction sessions with heads of Delhi government schools entirely through virtual mode following an appeal by Narendra Modi to reduce avoidable travel and encourage more efficient governance practices.
The move is part of an outreach programme organised by the Directorate of Education to strengthen administrative coordination and improve school functioning across the national capital.
What the programme focuses on
The interaction sessions are designed to facilitate direct discussions between the Education Minister and government school heads on issues including:
Academic planning
Learning outcomes
Infrastructure gaps
Administrative coordination
Student welfare
Implementation of education initiatives
The programme is also intended to identify operational challenges faced by schools and improve policy execution at the ground level.
First session held physically
According to officials, the first session covering East Delhi Zones 1 and 2 was held on May 12 through physical interaction.
To reinforce the message of sustainable and accessible transport, Ashish Sood reportedly travelled to the venue using the Delhi Metro and later used a battery-operated rickshaw.
Following this session, authorities decided that all remaining meetings under the programme would be conducted virtually.
11 sessions planned across Delhi
The Directorate of Education has planned 11 interaction sessions covering all 28 education zones in Delhi.
The next online meeting is scheduled to include:
Zone 24
Zone 26
Zone 27
Zone 28
These zones fall under South, Central, and New Delhi districts.
Officials have directed regional and deputy directors of education to ensure participation from all government school heads under their jurisdiction.
Guidelines issued for online participation
The Directorate also released participation protocols for virtual meetings, including:
Timely login by participants
Use of official school names and designations
Maintaining professional conduct during sessions
Ensuring confidentiality of meeting links and proceedings
The guidelines aim to ensure administrative discipline and smooth coordination during online interactions.
Part of larger school review exercise
The virtual meetings are linked to a broader 11-day district-wise review campaign launched by the Delhi Education Department.
The exercise covers nearly 1,000 government schools and focuses on:
Academic standards
Infrastructure quality
Administrative bottlenecks
Student welfare concerns
Safety and security issues
Officials said the review will also identify “dark spots” or unsafe areas within school premises from a student safety perspective.
Governance and sustainability angle
The decision reflects a broader governance trend toward:
Digital administrative coordination
Reduced official travel
Lower logistical costs
Sustainable public administration practices
The shift also demonstrates how virtual governance mechanisms introduced widely during the pandemic continue to influence administrative functioning in education systems.
For Delhi’s education administration, the online interaction model may allow faster coordination across zones while reducing travel-related disruptions for school officials and government staff.
