27/02/2026
An interview with our school Chairman highlights the vision we have as a school.
Board results are a natural outcome of strong conceptual learning, not sole purpose of schooling: Rakesh Kumar, Chairman, Manas International School
Rakesh Kumar, Chairman of Manas International School, Dhanbad, discussed the schoolтАЩs shift towards competency-based, experiential learning aligned with NEP 2020, alongside structured integration of AI with ethical safeguard.
He stressed teacher training, fair assessments, and focusing on students' well-being and future skillsтАФnot just exam scores. In this interview, Rakesh Kumar explains how the school's approach has shifted to mastery-based learning, skill-building, and safe AI use. It keeps strong board exam results while prioritizing student happiness and teacher growth.
Q. How has Manas International SchoolтАЩs academic philosophy evolved in recent years, particularly in balancing board results with skill-based and experiential learning?
Rakesh Kumar: Our academic philosophy at Manas International School has evolved from a marks-first approach to a mastery-and-meaning approach without compromising board performance. While board results remain important, we now see them as a natural outcome of strong conceptual learning, structured practice, and student agency rather than the sole goal of schooling.
Academic excellence continues to be non-negotiable, but we have consciously shifted from content-heavy lessons to experiential, skill-based, and practical learning models rooted in our Dhanbad community context. Skill-based and experiential components are embedded within mainstream academics through structured projectsтАФlike local environmental initiatives and cultural collaborationsтАФapplication tasks, and collaborative learning instead of being treated as add-ons.
Assessments are now blended, combining tests with presentations, reflections, and product-based outcomes so that learning becomes visible beyond marks. Simultaneously, the teacherтАЩs role has been redefined from content delivery to learning design, enabling classrooms where students explore, apply, question, and create while maintaining academic rigour. This prepares them not just for examinations but also to develop critical thinking and adaptability.
Continuous teacher evolution through micro-credentials, ideathons, and peer-led innovation ensures that classroom quality, not just infrastructure, becomes our defining strength.Over time, AI integration, interdisciplinary learning, and skill-building have moved beyond pilot initiatives to become embedded in Manas International SchoolтАЩs identity, shaping students who are confident, ethically grounded, and future-ready.