Research and Advocacy

Practice-based research from real classrooms, and educational advocacy that carries those learnings to educators, institutions, and policymakers across India.

Overview

Our Approach

For over two decades, Muktangan has demonstrated what is possible in public education. Our commitment goes beyond implementing effective practice - we systematically learn from our own work, document what we discover, and share those insights to strengthen education well beyond our own schools.

At Muktangan, classrooms are places of both learning and inquiry. Every day, teachers, school leaders, and children help us deepen our understanding of what effective education looks like. The knowledge we generate strengthens our programmes and feeds wider conversations on improving education.

We believe educational innovation creates meaningful change only when it is systematically studied, openly shared, critically examined, and thoughtfully adopted by others. Research helps us improve our work; Educational Advocacy carries those learnings to educators, institutions, and education systems across India.

Our Research and Educational Advocacy work is anchored by the Muktangan Education Forum (MEF), which serves as our institutional hub for research, documentation, and knowledge dissemination.

Muktangan teachers and researchers documenting classroom practice

At a Glance

Two Decades of Practice-Based Learning

Over 20 years of practice-based research emerging from real classrooms
Research and Educational Advocacy anchored by the Muktangan Education Forum (MEF)
Collaborations with leading national and international universities and researchers
Research presented at state, national, and international conferences
Publications, webinars, public dialogues, and knowledge-sharing initiatives
Contributions to government consultations, curriculum development, and education policy

Muktangan teacher conducting practitioner inquiry in the classroom

Inquiry From the Classroom

Practice-Based Research

Every Muktangan school functions as a living laboratory, where educational ideas are implemented, observed, refined, and evaluated.

Unlike traditional academic research that often begins with theory, our work begins with practice. We examine the everyday experiences of teachers and children to understand what works, why it works, and how it can be strengthened and adapted for different contexts.

Our areas of inquiry include: teacher education and professional development, early childhood education, inclusive education, social and emotional learning, constructivist pedagogy, and community engagement.

Our approaches include: practitioner inquiry by teachers and school leaders, action research within classrooms, faculty-led reflective inquiry, documentation of innovative practices, programme evaluations, alumni surveys, and collaborative studies with universities and independent researchers, including postgraduate and Ph.D. research projects.

Ethical Oversight

Muktangan Independent Ethics Committee

The Muktangan Independent Ethics Committee (IEC) is an advisory body that guides the ethical conduct of research involving Muktangan's students, staff, or institutional processes.

It reviews both internal studies and external research proposals submitted to Muktangan Education Trust. For externally funded projects, a dual approval process applies - first by the sponsoring institution's ethics board, then by the Muktangan IEC.

The IEC is chaired by Prof. Anuradha Bakshi, retired Principal and Professor of Human Development at Nirmala Niketan College of Home Science, University of Mumbai. Its members include Prof. Sujata Sriram (Dean, School of Human Ecology, TISS), Prof. Geeta Chopra (Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi), Ms. Khyati Sampat (Assistant Professor, Human Development, Nirmala Niketan), Ms. Dymphena Dias (Advisor and former CEO, Muktangan), and Mr. Brajeshwar Pandey (parent and Manager, KKC & Associates LLP).

To submit a proposal to the IEC, download and complete the application form and email it to jhelum.mukherjee@muktanganedu.org.

Collaboration

Research Partnerships

Collaboration strengthens our work. We partner with researchers, doctoral scholars, universities, foundations, and development organisations to deepen our understanding, validate our approaches, and contribute to the wider field.

Our collaborators, past and present, include scholars from:

Azim Premji University Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) University of Cambridge University of Oxford University of Pennsylvania Bath Spa University

Explore Research

Researchers from partner universities visiting Muktangan schools

Ongoing Research Partnerships

Judging the Efficacy of Muktangan Pre-School Toolkits in Nanded District of Maharashtra: A Research Study
Principal Investigators: Jhelum Mukherjee and Zainab Bhinderwala. Co-Researchers: Dr. Rohan Kamle, Bhavana Sharare, Buddhapal Dumave, Kshitija Nagmode, Raja Bombarde, Rajatkumar Gajbhiya, and Rohit Devsarkar.

This study evaluates Muktangan's Pre-School Toolkits within the Anganwadi Transformation Project in Nanded, Maharashtra, where 500 Anganwadi workers (Sevikas) are being trained to deliver play-based, child-centred ECCE practices in line with NEP 2020, across 250 Anganwadis.

Constructing Inclusive Education in the Indian Context: Listening to Voices on the Ground
Principal Investigators: Prof. Ankur Madan (Director, School of Education, Azim Premji University, Bangalore); Dr. Radhika Misquitta (Co-Principal, Gateway School, Mumbai); and Dr. Seema Nath (Director, School Services, Ummeed Child Development Center, Mumbai). Advisor: Prof. Maya Kalyanpur (University of San Diego, USA).

Beyond Muktangan

Educational Advocacy

Generating knowledge is only the beginning. Through educational advocacy - rooted in over two decades of working alongside teachers, children, families, and communities - we share what we learn with educators, institutions, governments, and policymakers.

Mumbai Education Dialogues

A flagship platform bringing together educators, researchers, school leaders, civil society organisations, philanthropists, and policymakers to discuss pressing educational challenges and identify practical solutions.

Muktangan Webinar Series

Regular webinars featuring practitioners, researchers, and thought leaders who share emerging ideas, classroom innovations, and effective practices with educators across India.

Publications & Research Papers

Our faculty and collaborators publish papers, case studies, practice notes, and research articles, and present regularly at regional, national, and international conferences.

Capacity Building

Through the Muktangan Education Forum, we support NGOs, schools, education departments, and teacher educators by translating our learning into workshops, mentoring, professional development programmes, and institutional partnerships.

Explore Advocacy

Recognition

Key Milestones

As one of India's longest-running community-based public–private partnership models in education, Muktangan contributes to policy and system reform through sustained engagement with governments and educational institutions.

Global Recognition & Research Partnerships

Muktangan is a proud member of the Global Schools Forum, a community supporting 30,000+ schools across 51 countries.
Muktangan has been featured in Catalyst 2030's report "Pathways to Transforming Education," launched at the Solutions Day Summit, United Nations.
Researchers from prestigious universities including Cambridge and Oxford have undertaken studies and internships on various aspects of our model.

Policy Influence & National Committees

Our faculty and leadership have participated in government consultations on school education and shared implementation insights.
Muktangan was invited to join the State Early Childhood Care and Education steering committee, represented by our Leader – Early Childhood.
During the drafting of NEP 2020, the committee invited our Founder Director, Mrs. Elizabeth Mehta, to share her inputs.

Partnerships & Government Collaboration

As one of the few successful Public–Private Partnership (PPP) models, Muktangan was invited to the Government school partnership consultative meeting hosted by the Department of School Education & Literacy, MHRD.
Our Founder was invited to an MHRD consultative meeting to conceptualise the establishment of a Central University for Teacher Education.

Education Leadership & Curriculum Development

Muktangan was invited by MSCERT, Pune to join the D.El.Ed curriculum design committee.
Our ECE Leader was invited to the state-level consultation and development of the school-readiness programme Vidya Pravesh, hosted by SCERT, Pune.
Our faculty have presented research at conferences including the International Conference of Education 3 (Jai Vakeel Foundation & SNDT Women's University), the National Early Years Conference (AECED), and the Play and Early Learning Environment Conference (Azim Premji University).

Why It Matters

Why Research and Educational Advocacy Matter

Lasting educational change requires more than successful programmes. It requires thoughtful inquiry, honest reflection, collaboration, and the willingness to share what works.

Our research lets us continuously improve our own programmes; our Educational Advocacy ensures those learnings reach teachers, school leaders, researchers, governments, and policymakers - allowing the experience of one community-based model to contribute to stronger education systems and better outcomes for children everywhere.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Practice-based research begins with real educational practice. At Muktangan, teachers, school leaders, and researchers systematically study classroom experiences, teaching approaches, and programme implementation to generate knowledge that strengthens education.

Our work begins in classrooms rather than laboratories. The insights we generate emerge from authentic teaching and learning, and are strengthened through collaborations with leading universities and researchers.

We study our programmes, document what we learn, and share those insights through publications, webinars, conferences, public dialogues, professional learning programmes, and policy engagement.

Universities, researchers, governments, NGOs, foundations, and education institutions in India and internationally, including Azim Premji University, TISS, Cambridge, Oxford, Pennsylvania, and Bath Spa University.

We welcome collaborative research projects, postgraduate and doctoral studies, programme evaluations, practitioner inquiry, and institutional partnerships that contribute to educational knowledge. Proposals are reviewed by our Independent Ethics Committee.

Through publications, government consultations, curriculum development, policy dialogues, conference presentations, and sustained engagement with education leaders, we contribute practical insights that strengthen public education systems.

Good ideas improve classrooms. Shared knowledge transforms education systems.

Whether you are a university, government agency, NGO, philanthropic organisation, researcher, or education leader - join us in advancing research, strengthening practice, and shaping the future of education.