“..I saw first-hand the tremendous power of the Internet to transform human behavior and unlock new opportunities. I knew then that my mission in life was to leverage this technology for good.”
​– Bratati Ghosh, Chairman & CEO at Turn the Bus

The power of digital learning in education forms the central ideology rotating the wheels of Turn the Bus. Over a period 5 years (2018-2023), what initially began as a WhatsApp Group consisting of 1000 students in 2020 is now a community of 300,000+ students enrolled on Turn the Bus app, enabling them to access top-quality learning content using their smartphones.

Turn the Bus is a technology-driven educational nonprofit to address educational disparities, particularly focusing on minimizing income disparities in rural Bihar. Our story started with engaging with JEEViKA  “Didis” back in 2018, where they expressed the need for quality education and diversification of livelihood options for their next generation. In collaboration with JEEViKA, that conversation has now evolved into creation of Turn the Bus educational app, which includes:

• Over 380 hours of online educational materials created by our exceptional cohort of almost 400+ volunteers
• 1677 video lectures in Hindi spanning 22 subjects
• The subjects are in alignment with the curriculum of grades 10-12 under the Bihar School Examination Board

Further, we recognize the importance of job-ready skills and vocational courses for students and developed our Livelihood Training courses in collaboration with UdayanCare. These contain modules like Solar Enterprise, Entrepreneurship aimed at enhancing the students’ skills and practical knowledge.
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As a technology-oriented nonprofit, our core philosophy revolves around leveraging edtech innovations for imparting education. In line with it, we collaborated with a team of students from Carnegie Mellon University to deploy a prototype AR/VR solution for Class 12 Physics lab experiments. Upon completion, this pioneering project will allow students to engage in interactive virtual experiments and visualize theoretical concepts such as Ohm’s Law, electromagnetism, etc.

At the grassroots level, we are very hands-on in interacting with our students and understanding how we can optimize student learning. Our team holds frequent visits to immerse ourselves in the community we serve, gaining valuable insights into their needs and preferences. Our app contains feedback loops and student engagement database, which enables us to keep track of our students’ efficient learning. To further ensure sustainable pedagogy, we are constantly evolving our technology and educational policies.

Our story of turning the educational bus for students in rural Bihar towards improving their career trajectory stands as a testament to the constant dedication of our team, collaborative partners, and our supporters. It encapsulates a tale of weaving a new narrative—one where smartphones are used to disrupt the cycle of poverty and reshape learning for children in rural Bihar. Here are some recounts of our students on how our app has helped them:

“लाभदायक है, मन तो करता है एप्प खोलकर वीडियो देखते रहूँ, जो सब्जेक्ट मुझे पसन्द है, उसके वीडियो देखने में बहुत मजा आता है और उसपे ही ज्यादा फोकस करती हूँ।“
(Translation: The app is very useful. I feel like opening the app and keep watching the videos. I enjoy watching video of the subjects I like and I focus more on those subjects.)
 
“मुझे बहुत अच्छा लगता है कि घर बैठकर ही पढ़ा ई कर सकते हैं बिना कहीं गए ही ।“
(Translation: I really like the fact that I can study at home without going anywhere.)