PAL Works: Launch of India's first collective to drive system-wide adoption of Personalised Adaptive Learning in school education
PAL Works, a pioneering body committed to accelerating the adoption of Personalised Adaptive Learning (PAL) across India's public education system, was launched today in New Delhi. This powerful coalition brings together EdTech innovators, education nonprofits, research experts, ecosystem enablers, funders and philanthropies, and supportive government bodies - uniting diverse expertise to transform learning outcomes for every child in India by leveraging Education Technology (EdTech) effectively.
The nation stands at a pivotal moment in its education journey. With foundational learning receiving focussed attention under the Government of India's NIPUN Bharat Mission and digital adoption rapidly advancing across states, the opportunity to embed contextualised, evidence-based and tech-enabled solutions at scale has never been greater. In the presence of leaders from across the education ecosystem, the convening 'Learning for All, At Scale: Exploring the Role of Innovation, Tech, and Partnership' hosted by PAL Works, focussed on what it will take to make this vision a reality in India's classrooms.
Why PAL Works and why now?
Indian classrooms are highly diverse with students at varying learning levels, making it difficult for even the most skilled teachers to cater to each child's individual learning needs. As a result, many students struggle to keep pace with grade-level expectations, leading to widening learning gaps and even dropouts. Addressing this problem at scale is vital to realising the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat'.
PAL software solutions use technology to assess each student's learning level and deliver tailored instruction, adjusting content and pace in real time. This student-centric approach enables every child to learn at their own pace, significantly improving learning outcomes, up to two times what an average child in Indian learns in a year - especially for those who start out behind. PAL also empowers teachers with actionable data and supports the creation of more inclusive, effective classrooms across India.
Multiple research studies have shown the effectiveness of PAL in diverse classrooms, including in Indian contexts. It has been endorsed by critical national education frameworks, including the ICT Framework for Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI Guidelines. PAL solutions are already being implemented across many states, including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, reaching thousands of schools, teachers and students.
In a rapidly changing world, it is important to leverage technology at scale to accelerate the unique learning journey of each child in India. PAL clearly offers that possibility. PAL Works is committed to working with key stakeholders to help deliver the promise of education and progress to the nation.
Quotes from leaders:
'Learning levels in Indian classrooms are highly heterogeneous, with students at diverse points on the learning curve. Heterogeneity also exists in the skills and strengths of teachers. Personalised Adaptive Learning (PAL) is proven to address this heterogeneity very effectively. I am hopeful that PAL Works will accelerate the growth of India's EdTech ecosystem, fostering collaboration and sustainable impact across the country.'
- Dr. Santhosh Mathew, Country Lead - Public Policy and Finance, Gates Foundation
'The potential of PAL is nothing short of revolutionary. When implemented at scale, it transforms the classroom from a one-size-fits-all model to a dynamic environment where every child's learning journey is recognised and supported. For too long, schools across India have adopted EdTech solutions without evidence. It gives me immense pleasure to see the evidence-backed approach that PAL Works and its members are taking. To me, solutions like PAL, grounded in rigorous evidence, will chart the future of education in India.'
- K. Sandhya Rani, Board Member- CRISP, Former Commissioner, School Education, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh
"The launch of PAL Works marks a pivotal step in India's education ecosystem. This collective is bringing together the deep expertise of EdTech innovators, implementation muscle of technical partners, research capabilities from experts, and strong support of ecosystem enablers like Central Square Foundation. It hence has the potential to generate the much-needed momentum for an evidence-backed learning approach like PAL. Leveraging EdTech for learning is a core part of our system-reform work, and we are seeing early green shoots in student learning outcomes in states like Andhra Pradesh. We are excited about and committed to support the role that PAL can play in laying the foundation of a Viksit Bharat where all students learn and thrive.'
- Shaveta Sharma-Kukreja, CEO and MD, Central Square Foundation
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