IAS Sachin Gupta, a 2018 batch officer of the Haryana cadre currently posted as Deputy Commissioner of Rohtak has positioned the district as a frontrunner in foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) reforms in Haryana through the initiative ‘Padhe Rohtak Likhe Rohtak.’ The programme addresses learning gaps faced by children in their early years through a systematic process that strengthens classroom teaching,uses data to track progress and involves the community.

Launched in July 2025,the initiative covers 100 per cent of Rohtak’s 211 government primary schools. One of its most impactful innovations is the introduction of the ‘Zero Period’ a compulsory daily remediation slot added into school timetables across the district. This allows teachers to focus exclusively on identifying student weaknesses ,ensure targeted instruction and remedial support for those who need it most. The simplicity and effectiveness of this low-cost, high-impact model led to its adoption across all 22 districts of Haryana, a district-led reform shaping state education policy.

The impact is significant, sentence reading proficiency improved from 28 per cent to 64 percent marking a 128 percent increase while subtraction proficiency rose from 44 per cent to 78 per cent, a 77 percent gain. These outcomes were tracked using Digital Skill Passbooks, a child-wise monitoring system that enabled teachers and administrators to identify learning gaps in real time and plan targeted remediation. Additionally regular data-backed reviews at the school, cluster, block and district levels ensured consistency and accountability in execution.

Infrastructure reform formed another key pillar of the initiative. Rohtak established NIPUN Vatikas a child-friendly, activity-based learning spaces designed to strengthen literacy and numeracy readiness with minimal recurring costs. Apart from this, 50 Anganwadis were also upgraded so they can work as pre schools helping children easily transition and build skills. 

A defining feature of Padhe Rohtak Likhe Rohtak is its emphasis on community ownership. Through Parent-Teacher Circles and a structured home-reading movement over 12,000 parents are actively engaged in their children’s learning journeys, inturn extending literacy practices beyond classrooms into homes. Teachers too benefited from clearer assessment frameworks, level-based worksheets and visible progress tracking, building instructional confidence and motivation.

The initiative’s outcomes have received recognition by the Hon’ble Governor of Haryana and the Hon’ble Education Minister acknowledging Rohtak’s model as a standout example of community-driven FLN reform. In recognition of its innovation, scalability and measurable outcomes ‘Padhe Rohtak Likhe Rohtak’ was also conferred the Good Governance Award.

As the programme moves from initiative to institution, looking ahead Rohtak is now targeting 100 per cent NIPUN coverage by March 2026.

In addition to this a similar governance philosophy is being visible in Rohtak’s health sector. The district has launched Swasthya Vahini, a mobile healthcare initiative delivering free high-end diagnostics, including mammography, directly to villages through a camp-mode saturation strategy. The initiative screened over 1,000 women, conducted 469 mammography scans and identified 106 critical anaemia cases, reinforcing the administration’s emphasis on early intervention, last-mile delivery and data-backed follow-up.