Full Breakdown
PCMC Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj English Medium School’s Community Reading Movement
9/9/2026, 2:29:36 AM
Core Initiative – Structured Daily Reading
PCMC Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj English Medium School in Kasarwadi, Pune, has re-engineered its curriculum around a “Drop Everything and Read” (DEAR) period that occurs each morning for four days a week across all grades. Teachers read silently alongside students, and dedicated library periods, reading journals, read-athons, storytelling sessions and author visits reinforce reading as a visible, shared activity. The school’s library remains open after hours, with more than 50 students choosing to stay back daily. The approach emphasizes student choice of books and discussion-based engagement, shifting literacy from a prescribed task to a participatory culture.
Outcomes – Literacy Gains and Academic Success
According to the school’s own reporting, 100 % of primary-level pupils achieved grade-level reading benchmarks within three years of the program’s implementation. In the upper grades, the reading gap narrowed by an estimated 60 %–80 %. Approximately 75 % of students now borrow library books regularly, averaging one book every two weeks. The first Grade 10 cohort under the new model attained a 100 % pass rate on the state board examination.
Broader Impact – Community Change and Aspirations
The reading movement has extended beyond the classroom. Local leaders altered a statue in the community’s principal park, replacing a sword-bearing figure with one holding a book, symbolising the shift toward a “book village” vision for children, families, and residents. The school serves many first-generation learners for whom English is a third language, and it provides sustained access to books for families previously facing high illiteracy and informal-labour-driven poverty.
Future Directions – Expanding the “Book Village” Concept
School officials describe the ongoing goal of transforming the surrounding region into a “book village,” where reading spaces and resources are integrated into daily life for the broader community. Continued author visits, expanded library hours, and increased student-led publishing—over 15 books authored by more than 100 students—are planned to reinforce the culture of reading and sustain the gains achieved so far.
