Reimagining Business Education With Purpose

• Adult literacy is crucial for global economic development, individual empowerment, and progress toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
• The Birla Institute of Management Technology in India strives to improve adult literacy through Saksharta Abhiyan, a student-driven initiative that teaches reading and math skills to members of its support staff who missed formal schooling.
• The grassroots initiative was created not only to make education more accessible and inclusive, but also to nurture responsible future leaders.

 
Access to quality education is instrumental to societal progress. It reduces inequality by providing individuals with better career prospects and economic stability, which in turn improves the general economy.

Perhaps no aspect of education is more important than the ability to read. Adult literacy is fundamental for humans to achieve their full potential. The skill is essential not only for individual empowerment, but also for economic growth, scientific advancement, sustainable development, and cultural preservation.

It’s no wonder, then, that “quality education” is among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—SDG 4, Target 4.6, specifically addresses universal adult literacy and numeracy. Similarly, in 2020, India’s government developed and proposed its National Education Policy. Emphasizing adult education and lifelong learning, the policy aims to achieve 100 percent adult literacy by 2030. This effort includes helping adults who missed formal schooling develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills, as well as critical life skills. 

As stewards of leadership and innovation, business schools must champion this inclusive model of continuous education. We must ensure equitable access to education that nurtures the spirit of lifelong learning in every individual, expanding the boundaries of learning to include our students, staff, and all other stakeholders in our local ecosystems.

At Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH) in Greater Noida, India, we want to extend the purpose of management education beyond classrooms and corporations in ways that support inclusive education. This ideal inspired our school to launch Saksharta Abhiyan in 2024, an initiative whose name translates to “literacy mission.”

In addition to promoting a culture of inclusion for our support staff, Saksharta Abhiyan raises awareness and appreciation of the importance of literacy among our postgraduate students, as they help our housekeeping, security, and other support staff develop basic reading and life skills. The initiative reinforces the idea that learning must extend beyond the classroom to uplift every stakeholder in the institutional ecosystem.

Delivering Our Literacy Mission

Saksharta Abhiyan began with brainstorming sessions between the co-authors of this article, the head of administration, and the supervisor of the support staff. During those sessions, we first carried out an assessment of the support staff to identify the areas of greatest need.

Eventually, faculty designed the structured literacy program, which comprises weekly modules taught over 30 weeks. Our students also helped design a bilingual curriculum in English and Hindi, which covers basic reading and writing, everyday mathematics, financial and digital literacy, and mental well-being.

Saksharta Abhiyan reinforces the idea that learning must extend beyond the classroom to uplift every stakeholder in the institutional ecosystem.

The program’s 30-week schedule is organized around the following topics:

• Module 1: Introduction to Literacy (Weeks 1–4). Participants learn the alphabet and basic pronunciation, as well as how to write their names and common words, recognize and read simple sentences, and form and write basic sentences.
• Module 2: Practical Literary Skills (Weeks 5–16). They practice filling in personal information on forms, are introduced to numbers and dates, and learn about bank forms and terms (including the importance of signatures).
• Module 3: Functional Literacy (Weeks 17–24). Participants work on reading and understanding workplace notices and instructions, as well as understanding money (including doing basic arithmetic, counting money, and making simple transactions).
• Module 4: Advanced Literacy and Independence (Weeks 25–30). They then move on to advanced reading and writing skills, undergoing an intermediate assessment in week 25 and a final assessment of all skills in week 30.

Our first pilot of the program began in October 2024, with each 30- to 60-minute session held on campus. To maximize participation, classes were scheduled immediately after the staff’s regular working hours. Program participation was voluntary, because we did not want to impose the curriculum on the staff—rather, we wanted it to resonate with their needs and tap into a desire to upskill themselves. In total, 24 staff members engaged with the course during the pilot. 

The Saksharta Abhiyan pedagogy is learner-centric and uses audiovisual aids to reinforce the subject matter. The course also integrates aspects of gamification through the use of quizzes, guesswork exercises, and hands-on practice to enhance learner engagement.

Turning to Our Student Volunteers

The modules were taught primarily by volunteer management students who are members of the school’s United Friends of the Earth (UFE Club). However, because more students expressed a desire to join the effort, we also included student volunteers from outside the UFE’s membership.

We took special care to choose only students who are passionate about creating societal impact. Around six to seven student trainers worked with participants at different points throughout the program.

Two BIMTECH students teach literacy and life skills to staff members as part of the school’s 30-week Saksharta Abhiyan course.

All student volunteers were trained to deliver the curriculum, as well as to demonstrate empathy and respect for others, before they began working with program participants. They were provided with all necessary support, including classroom space, infrastructure, and materials. Faculty supported and mentored student volunteers behind the scenes.

At the end of the course, the student trainers received certificates of appreciation for their contributions. Additionally, faculty conducted regular assessments to track learner progression and gain insights that will be used to tailor future instruction.

Going Beyond the Curriculum

Although Saksharta Abhiyan is literacy-focused, students often covered topics that went beyond the literacy and numeracy curriculum. At the suggestion of staff participants, they also taught topics such as digital literacy (creating email accounts, conducting online searches, using smartphones, and downloading apps) and financial literacy (opening bank accounts, withdrawing money, and operating an ATM).

On average, 15 to 20 participants attended any given class session. Initially, participants were shy and inhibited. It took a few sessions for them to open up and interact with the student trainers. The classroom atmosphere transformed into one of co-learning, with both our students and program participants learning from one another.

A participant in the Saksharta Abhiyan course.

In the short span of 30 weeks, we saw visible transformation in many of the participants. One of the support staff told us how this program boosted her self-esteem and has empowered her to talk to her school-age children more confidently.

Through our faculty’s assessments of the program, we learned that participants need more time to gain a broader range of skills that are important to daily life, especially regarding digital literacy and financial literacy. In the future, we plan to design more sessions focused on these practical skills.

When Everyone Learns, Everyone Leads

Saksharta Abhiyan addresses more than SDG 4. It also supports SDG 3 (good health and well-being) by helping individuals feel more confident and empowered, as well as SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) by using education as a way to bridge the gap between communities that have access to basic education and those that do not.

The program also has transformed our classrooms into communities where our management students connect with stakeholders, contribute meaningfully to society, and learn from the lived realities of the participants. Saksharta Abhiyan gives students an opportunity for deep personal growth as they gain empathy and a tangible understanding of inclusive leadership.

Saksharta Abhiyan has transformed our classrooms into communities where our management students learn from the lived realities of the participants.

As the students act as facilitators and mentors, they come to understand the importance of going beyond topics such as analytics and artificial intelligence. Moreover, they learn to appreciate the importance of equity, empathy, and perseverance in creating positive social impact. This work forces them to step out of their comfort zones to become facilitators of change.

We were especially proud of our Saksharta Abhiyan student volunteers and UFE Club members when they were recognized by the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). In June, they received a PRME Global Students Sustainability Award at a ceremony held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

BIMTECH plans to expand the club-driven initiative, institutionalizing the program as a flagship societal impact initiative that combines purpose-driven education and community engagement. We will deliver the next session in October, when we hope to increase enrollment to 30 participants. We also would like to increase the program’s outreach beyond BIMTECH to those in the surrounding community in need of literacy. By doing so, we not only will bring literacy training to members of the community, but also will open opportunities for more student trainers to engage with and participate in the program.

What began as a small initiative has blossomed into a model of social responsibility, and we now look at our literacy mission as the beginning of a much loftier vision. We plan to use what we have learned with Saksharta Abhiyan to build a larger ecosystem where lifelong learning is available to all.

In the process, we want to train responsible business leaders to lead with empathy, purpose, and systemic awareness. Through Saksharta Abhiyan, we want to contribute to the creation of a more equitable society.