GO Lab and ShikshaLokam join forces to explore how governments can support grassroots movements for education reform
The GO Lab is pleased to announce a new research partnership with ShikshaLokam, a leading education non-profit in India, to investigate how governments can meaningfully support grassroots social movements driving change in public education systems.
The GO Lab is pleased to announce a new research partnership with ShikshaLokam, a leading education non-profit in India, to investigate how governments can meaningfully support grassroots social movements driving change in public education systems.
This collaborative project will examine the interaction between governments and grassroots social movements in the pursuit of improved educational outcomes in India’s public schools. Focusing on Shikshagraha, a growing initiative led by ShikshaLokam, the research will explore how 'state-society partnerships' function in three diverse states, Bihar, Nagaland, and Telangana.
The aim is to consolidate learning on how collective impact efforts can lead to systemic school improvement. In doing so, the project hopes to generate insights that are not only relevant to India, but also useful for policymakers and practitioners working to strengthen education systems in other contexts.
Fieldwork will include interviews with a wide range of stakeholders, from grassroots organisers to senior bureaucrats, and in-person focus groups to validate and refine the findings.
Neeraj Doddamane, Chief Strategy Officer at ShikshaLokam shared his reflections on the partnership:
The project will produce a range of outputs designed for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers alike. These include a practical playbook for district-level reform, a policy brief on government engagement with social movements, and a comparative analysis situating Shikshagraha within global experiences of collective impact. Findings will also be shared at high-profile events such as InvokED and the Social Outcomes Conference.
Dr Mara Airoldi, Principal Investigator on the project added:
This partnership reflects GO Lab’s broader commitment to understanding how collaborative, citizen-driven approaches can improve public service delivery. By bridging grassroots energy with government capacity, the project hopes to unlock new insights into what it takes to build more responsive, inclusive education systems.