Healthy Intervention: IAS Rajarshi Shah’s Aarogya Pathshala takes health education to schools in Adilabad, Telangana

For Collector of Adilabad IAS officer Rajarshi Shah (2017 batch), children's health is an important part of education. Through Aarogya Pathshala, he is working to help students develop healthy habits and get access to basic healthcare in government schools.

Health education is now part of the school curriculum in Adilabad, reaching around 250 schools and 13 junior colleges. It aims to make health awareness a regular part of school life and encourage children to follow healthy practices from an early age. “Our main focus is on inculcating good healthy practices among students” Shah quoted

Under the programme, one health-related topic is covered every day, with six topics taken up each week. Teachers have been provided with study material to explain these topics through classroom lessons and practical activities.

A key part of Aarogya Pathshala is the creation of health profiles for students. Class-wise health cards are prepared to record basic health details. Teams under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) collect these details during their visits to schools.

“Every standard will have basic health parameters and the RBSK teams, when they visit the schools, record these health parameters,” Shah explained.

The initiative also addresses specific health needs. The administration has partnered with NGOs to distribute sanitary napkins to girl students. Eye check-up camps are being organised and spectacles are provided to students who need them. Another component involves developing tree gardens in schools adding both environmental benefit and practical learning.

Launched in 2024 on Children's Day, Aarogya pathshala initiative has continued into subsequent academic years with sustained success by placing student wellbeing alongside academic learning. The initiative has also received a SKOCH Award.

By making health a part of everyday school activities, the programme aims to help children understand the importance of personal hygiene, healthy habits and regular health check-ups.