Siksha-Satra

Siksha-Satra, an integral part of Visva-Bharati, was established on July 1, 1924 as an experimental School at Santiniketan in the residence of Santosh Chandra Majumder. The school was later shifted to Sriniketan in the year 1927. Rabindranath had conceived that Siksha-Satra would perform the most significant function of Sriniketan, in helping students to the attainment of manhood complete in all its various aspects. The primary objective of Siksha-Satra is to educate one’s head, heart and hands not merely to be in readiness for all emergencies, but also to be in perfect tune in the symphony of response between life and the world.

       The poet confesses, “… I myself attach much more significance to the educational possibilities of Siksha-Satra than to the school and college at Santiniketan which are everyday becoming more and more like so many schools and colleges of this country: borrowed cages that treat students’ minds as captive birds whose sole value is judged according to the mechanical repetition of lessons prescribed by an educational dispensation foreign to the soil”. He had visualized that the ‘Poet’s School’ would one day realize his dreams.

     Mahatma Gandhi came to visit Siksha-Satra in 1925 and became so pleased with its activities that he wanted to borrow the services of the Headmaster of Siksha-Satra for giving shape of his own plan of Basic Education. The Basic Education of Mahatma Gandhi started in the year 1937.

     In 1982, Siksha-Satra became an independent Unit of Visva-Bharati gaining its complete administrative control (earlier it was a part of Palli Samgathana Vibhaga). The junior division NCC unit was opened at Siksha-Satra in 1982 and NSS unit was opened in 2009. In 1988, Santosh Pathshala, the Kindergarten Institute at Sriniketan was opened under the administrative control of Siksha- Satra which later became an integral part of the school. The students of Santosh Pathshala move on to Siksha-Satra after successful completion of two years of Pre-Primary schooling.

     In 1976, when the 10+2 system of education was introduced all over India, Uttar Siksha Sadana came into existence as a separate unit of Visva-Bharati for classes XI and XII. However, in 2009 the Academic Council of Visva-Bharati decided that the students will benefit more if they remain within the careful guidance of their respective institutions after completing Class X. As a result, Uttar Siksha Sadana was merged with Siksha-Satra and Patha-Bhavana and, at present, both the schools offer Pre-Degree course for Natural Science and Social Science.

     In respect to objective, curriculum, pedagogy and methodology, Siksha-Satra today functions as a Non-residential Institution offering several subjects of study unique to its nature. The students of Siksha-Satra appear in the School Certificate Examination after Class X and Pre-Degree Examination after Class XII conducted by Visva-Bharati.

       Santosh Pathshala is a component of Siksha Satra. In 1988, Santosh Pathshala was established in the memory of Sri Santosh Chandra Majumder, the first Principal of Siksha-Satra, one of the most dedicated co-workers of Gurudev Rabindranath, the pioneer, in forming and developing Sriniketan. The school is known for its unique approach to education, which includes an emphasis on practical learning and community engagement.  Children are admitted to Santosh Pathshala at the age of 4+ years. Advertisement for admission to Santosh Pathshala is generally published in September every year. Candidates will have to apply Online through Visva-Bharati Website. Candidates are selected on the basis of Computerized Random Selection (Lottery). Classes of new academic session normally commence in January every year.