How 50000 Kids Live the Constitution Every Day: An IAS Officer’s Bold Experiment in Dholpur, Rajasthan

On a warm afternoon in Katelapura village of Rajasthan’s Dholpur district, the Government Upper Primary School buzzed with unusual excitement. Small hands clutched slips of paper, the sound of campaigning echoed in the courtyard, and children queued at makeshift polling booths.

They weren’t just electing class monitors; they were voting for their own Bal Sansad (children’s parliament). Soon, results were announced: a health minister, an education minister, a sanitation minister — all under the watchful guidance of teachers.
“Earlier, we only read about democracy in books. Now we practise it,” smiles teacher Darshana Devi.

This exercise is part of a campaign spearheaded by IAS officer Avahad Nivrutti Somnath, CEO of Zilla Parishad, Dholpur. At its heart lies a simple but powerful idea: to bring alive the very first page of every school textbook — the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.

Breathing life into the Preamble

“Most of us grew up seeing the Preamble at the start of our books, but we never paused to explain why it was there,” recalls Darshana. “We rushed straight to Chapter One, ignoring that page as decorative.”

It was Nivrutti who asked teachers and students to stop and reflect. Why was India’s guiding vision given pride of place? Why did the National Curriculum Framework of 2005 make it mandatory?

Once those questions were raised, the Preamble shifted from static text to living dialogue. Fifth-graders asked what secularism and fraternity meant. “They understand complex terms now. Such analytical thinking was unthinkable earlier,” says Darshana proudly.

From classrooms to competitions

Launched just last year, the campaign is already reshaping classrooms. Students who had never spoken in public now debate constitutional values at the block and district levels.

“My small, interior school produced district-level debate winners,” beams Darshana. “That showed us how much confidence and critical thinking had grown.”

Children began connecting lofty ideals with daily life: What does justice look like in the classroom? How does equality play out in the village?

The Bal Sansad, once symbolic, became functional. Students initiated the first independent flag hoisting. Ministers were assigned real responsibilities: the child health minister monitors cleanliness, iron-folic acid distribution, and hygiene awareness.

For Nivrutti, this was never academic. “Society is changing so rapidly. We need citizens who understand their role in democracy. Not just complain about the system, but realise that sovereignty lies with you,” he says. “The Preamble is both seed and compass — plant it in young minds, and it will guide them as citizens.”

Reviving dead spaces: libraries for the people

The campaign didn’t stop at classrooms. Nivrutti turned his eye to neglected public buildings — dilapidated panchayat halls, abandoned schools, forgotten government structures.

“These buildings were nobody’s property. Some were used to tie cattle or store fodder,” he recalls. His solution: convert them into village libraries.

In the first phase, 28 such spaces were transformed with CSR support from SBI Card (Rs 2.2 crore) and government funds. Today, 18 libraries are functional.

Each one is thoughtfully equipped: solar power, safe drinking water, toilets, digital infrastructure, smart TVs, computers, tablets, and curated books beyond textbooks. Importantly, they are managed by communities — teachers, retired principals, volunteers, and panchayat members — ensuring continuity beyond bureaucratic transfers.

Now, students preparing for competitive exams flock to these hubs. Girls, once restricted, find safe spaces to study. Constitution Clubs meet here to debate Preamble values. Villagers proudly call them hamari library (our library).

“Students who are studying in these libraries will participate in democratic processes such as Gram Sabhas and village development plans,” says the IAS officer.

To implement the campaign, Nivrutti adopted the five ‘Sa’ framework, which he describes as both a way to shape behaviour and a way to review it.

• Soch (Spark): Using assemblies, constitution walls, and community cues to spark curiosity.
  

• Samajh (Reflect): Encouraging deeper understanding through classroom dialogues and library reading circles.
  

• Sankalp (Commit): Students and parents pledging to join the DSG and participate in Gram Sabha meetings.
  

• Sakriya (Act and Share): Activities like Bal Sansad, debates, quizzes, office tours, and student-led library sessions, with public sharing.
  

• Samavist (Embed): Ensuring these practices are woven into school calendars, PRI agendas, and library SOPs so they last beyond one-time events.
  

“These steps are tied to specific activities and indicators, giving the district a clear monthly review framework,” he explains.

Linking libraries with the Constitution

The connection is deliberate. After reciting We, the People of India in class, children step into libraries where they encounter Ambedkar, Gandhi, Nehru — the architects of those words.

Competitions like CEO for One Day let winners shadow the district CEO, experiencing governance firsthand. Teacher workshops help integrate constitutional values into everyday pedagogy.

The goal is ownership, not rote learning. “Children now ask: Why didn’t we know this earlier? What was India like before 1947? How did we become a democracy?” says Darshana.

Small stories, big change

The impact shows in everyday voices. Shaurya, a Class 5 student, explains, “Social justice means not discriminating against anyone. Political justice means that when everyone gets employed equally, everyone can vote wisely.”

For him, the Bal Sansad is real democracy. “I voted for a friend because he cleans the roads and collects garbage every day. That felt like real leadership,” says the boy, who dreams of joining the Army.

Nivrutti shares how change is unfolding in villages: a girl who had once dropped out of school now spends her evenings in the library, preparing to become a teacher; a shy boy who once avoided speaking now confidently leads the morning assembly by reading the Preamble. “Across villages, children are realising that democracy is not about one person’s will, but about collective decision-making,” he notes.

In Korpura village of Ibrahimpur panchayat, a young girl who moved back from Jaipur to prepare for her exams says she finally feels safe here — a place where she can pursue her aspirations with confidence.

“Our effort is to build local solutions for local problems, rooted in the principle of subsidiarity — the very foundation of Panchayati Raj. For this, we have adopted the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approach, which allows us to learn, adapt, and respond effectively to real challenges on the ground,” explains the IAS officer.

Looking ahead, Nivrutti hopes that just as every panchayat today envisions a school, an anganwadi, or a hospital, libraries too will become a part of this vision — safe, inspiring spaces where children can learn, grow, and imagine better futures.

As of now, 18 libraries are fully operational, 10 more are under renovation, and 50 in the pipeline. Already, over 50,000 students have participated in debates, assemblies, and competitions rooted in the Preamble.

“These are small victories,” he says. “But they show the Constitution is alive in our villages.”

For Nivrutti, this is just the beginning. “If one girl gains the confidence to chase her dreams, if one village reclaims a public building — that is success,” he reflects.

The ultimate vision? A generation that doesn’t just read but lives the Constitution

“In Dholpur’s dusty interiors, children are discovering democracy not as an abstract idea, but as lived experience,” says Darshana. “Life has come to the first page of the book.”

Edited by Vidya Gowri; All images courtesy Avahad Nivrutti Somnath.