India Says ‘No' to Rote Learning: Landmark School Movement by LEAD Group Crosses 15 Mn. Pledges

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India's first 'Freedom From Rote Learning' School Movement has already garnered more than 15 million pledges from teachers, students, parents, school leaders and other education leaders nationwide. Launched by LEAD Group, this 2025 Independence Day movement calls for an end to the biggest obstacle facing India's education system today – rote learning, or the still-rampant practice of memorising facts without understanding. It marks India's first truly nationwide push to transform learning culture in schools.
Indias First Freedom From Rote Learning School Movement
India has nearly 248 million school students studying in ~15 lakh schools. And yet, rote learning has held back the country's education system for decades. As a result, a majority of students in India's smaller towns and cities feel unprepared for 21st century careers. Talented yet lacking in skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration, these students struggle with low confidence levels because of a lack of conceptual understanding of subjects.
'15 million+ pledges prove India is ready to move from rote to real learning, fulfilling NEP 2020's vision of turning every child into a thinker, not just a test-taker,' says Sumeet Mehta, CEO and Co-founder, LEAD Group. 'By mobilizing millions and shaping India's first and largest nation-wide movement to support deep, conceptual education, we're building a nation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, and lifelong learners,' he said.
'The Quit Rote Learning movement strikes at the heart of what education must become: not rote recall-oriented, but rooted in meaningful understanding and application. With millions already part of the movement, India is demonstrating its readiness to nurture curiosity, creativity, and competence in every learning space-exactly what our students need today,' added Smita Deorah, Co-CEO and Co-founder, LEAD Group.
LEAD Group invites educators, policymakers, parents, students, teachers and all Indian citizens to join this transformative mission: to pledge, adopt, and support a learning system where understanding triumphs over memorization. See more details at freedomfromrote.com.
About LEAD Group
LEAD Group is Indias leading Learning Systems company dedicated to transforming school education at scale. With a presence in 8,500+ schools across 400+ towns and cities, LEAD Group today reaches nearly 40 lakh students and empowers 60,000+ teachers. Since its founding in 2012, LEAD Group has been committed to delivering an international standard of education to schools across India. LEAD Group combines research-backed curriculum and pedagogy with cutting-edge technology to enhance student learning outcomes and teacher effectiveness. LEAD Learning System helps partner schools provide holistic education, equipping students with the skills and confidence to succeed in 21st century careers, and in life.
Founded by Sumeet Mehta and Smita Deorah with the mission to transform school education in India, the Group continues to set new benchmarks, inspiring the next generation of learners and educators.