Vadodara is building Gujarat's first school complex designed entirely under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with two government schools being redeveloped at an estimated ₹15 crore each. The Concept School project will house kindergarten through Class 12 across three language mediums on one campus, a model meant to cut drop-out rates by eliminating the need to change schools between stages.
Two pilot campuses take shape in Vadodara
Work is progressing at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee School in Atladara and will be followed by Kavi Premanand School. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation, Samagra Shiksha, and partner organisations are collaborating on the initiative. An English-medium block, built with Round Table support, is already in use, and a four-storey academic building for Classes 1 to 8 is under construction. Once complete, it will house about 26 classrooms and dedicated labs for artificial intelligence, robotics, science, and computing.
A Hindi-medium block has been finished with United Way backing. Plans include a nursery-kindergarten building and an auditorium above the Hindi-medium section. A higher secondary wing with four to six classrooms will be added, and its laboratories will be shared with students from neighbouring government schools to extend their reach.
Campus built around safety, inclusion, and teacher development
The campus will be barrier-free, with ramps, accessible toilets, and resource rooms for children with disabilities. Security features include an automated boom barrier, digital ID card scanning, and CCTV surveillance across the site. Solar power will supply classrooms, corridors, and playgrounds. Cluster Resource Centre and Urban Resource Centre offices will operate near the entrance for administrative convenience.
Teachers will receive modern teaching aids and continuous professional development and training programmes aligned with the NEP. A School Complex Management Committee will oversee operations, and a separate teacher committee will focus on making classroom activities effective.
Expansion roadmap targets all 126 municipal schools
Dr Vipul Bhartiya, Administrative Officer of the Vadodara City Primary Education Committee, said, "Both existing schools will be transformed into integrated School Complexes, enabling students to complete their education from kindergarten through to Class 12 without changing campuses. The initiative aims to reduce school dropouts by providing a seamless educational journey in one location."
He added, "Gujarati, Hindi and English-medium education will be available within the same campus. While secondary education is already being offered, the Higher Secondary section will also be introduced as part of the redevelopment project." A proposal has been submitted to redevelop Kavi Premanand School into a dedicated sports complex with capacity for around 3,000 students. Under a 'Vision-2030' roadmap, the committee plans to convert all 126 municipal schools-currently serving nearly 50,000 students-into NEP-aligned integrated campuses.
Why this matters for education professionals
The Vadodara model puts the NEP's school-complex framework into practice inside a government system, not a private one. For educators, it signals a shift toward multi-medium, KG-12 campuses with dedicated AI and robotics labs, inclusive infrastructure, and built-in teacher upskilling. As more municipalities watch this pilot, the demand for staff who can work across language mediums and integrate emerging tech into core instruction will grow.
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