Pankaj Kumar — Block Education Officer, Mori, Uttarkashi
An Education Officer Working at the Grassroots
Shri Pankaj Kumar, presently serving as Block Education Officer (BEO), Mori Block, District Uttarkashi, represents a grassroots approach to school education—one that focuses not merely on files, statistics and online portals, but on reaching the school, teacher and child in some of the most difficult geographical conditions of Uttarakhand.
Having spent more than a decade in the government education system and served in remote and challenging blocks, Pankaj Kumar has developed a close understanding of the realities of rural and mountain education.
From the Indian Navy to Education Administration
Before joining the education administration, Pankaj Kumar served in the Indian Navy for around 15 years. The discipline, sense of responsibility and ability to work in difficult circumstances developed during his naval service have continued to influence his approach to public service.
He subsequently joined the Government of Uttarakhand, serving initially as a Review Officer in the Uttarakhand Secretariat and later entering the education administration. Since 2015, he has worked as an Education Officer, including responsibilities as Deputy Education Officer and Block Education Officer.
His professional experience has given him exposure to both government administration and grassroots educational challenges.
A Journey Through Remote Uttarakhand
Pankaj Kumar has served in some of the geographically challenging parts of Uttarakhand, including Chakrata and Mori.
His present posting at Mori has provided him with an especially close view of the difficulties faced by remote communities.
In several villages, the challenges are not limited to classrooms. Road connectivity, mobile networks, difficult terrain and access to basic services directly influence the functioning of schools.
Teachers and officials working in such areas often have to perform their duties in circumstances very different from those in easily accessible urban locations.
Education Beyond the Office
One of the distinguishing features of his working approach has been an emphasis on school visits and direct interaction with teachers and students.
Rather than viewing educational administration only through reports and statistics, he believes that an officer needs to visit schools, understand local problems and encourage teachers working in difficult circumstances.
He has visited schools in remote areas where reaching the school itself can require considerable travel on foot.
His approach is also based on motivation and support rather than fear. He has expressed the view that administrative action should ultimately help teachers perform better and should preserve human dignity while ensuring accountability.
Initiatives for Children in Remote Areas
During his tenure, he has been associated with initiatives aimed at improving educational opportunities for children from disadvantaged and remote communities.
Among these are efforts connected with the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Boys' Hostel at Arakot, intended to provide residential educational support to boys from difficult-to-access areas.
He has also been involved with educational initiatives concerning KGBV girls, hostels, digital learning, scholarships and academic support.
A scholarship initiative in memory of his late mother has also been conceived to encourage meritorious girls after Class 10, reflecting his belief that educational opportunity can change the trajectory of a child's life.
Technology in the Mountains
A major challenge today is bringing remote schools into the digital education ecosystem.
Schools in Mori may face connectivity problems, yet they are increasingly required to maintain data and participate in various online educational platforms.
Pankaj Kumar and his team have been making efforts to update school information, student data and digital platforms despite these ground realities.
As he puts it in spirit:
“We may not be able to perform 100 percent immediately, but we are trying our level best.”
This is perhaps an important characteristic of grassroots administration: recognising the gap between policy expectations and ground realities while continuing to work towards the objective.
Change Makers
Pankaj Kumar has also tried to use social media as a platform for sharing stories of teachers, students, schools and communities of Uttarakhand.
Through his Change Makers initiatives and educational communication, he highlights positive work happening in government schools and brings attention to issues faced by teachers and students in remote areas.
His interest extends beyond routine administration to rural education, educational awareness, public service and community development.
A Simple Philosophy
His working philosophy can perhaps be expressed in four words:
Reach. Listen. Support. Transform.
For an officer working in a block like Mori, transformation does not always come through large projects.
Sometimes it means reaching a school that has no road.
Sometimes it means encouraging a teacher posted far from home.
Sometimes it means helping a child from a remote village access residential education.
Sometimes it means sitting with students, listening to their aspirations and making them believe that their geographical location does not have to determine their future.
And sometimes, it simply means working on a holiday because an online system has to be updated and the schools cannot wait.
The Larger Vision
Pankaj Kumar's experience reflects a larger reality of Himalayan education: access is itself an educational challenge.
For remote blocks like Mori, improving education requires more than recruitment and infrastructure. It requires understanding the terrain, supporting teachers, strengthening connectivity, encouraging communities and ensuring that children living in the remotest villages receive opportunities comparable to those available elsewhere.
His journey—from a Navy veteran to government administrator and grassroots education officer—is ultimately a journey of continued public service.
The uniform changed.
The workplace changed.
But the commitment to serve remained. 🇮🇳
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