How a Simple QR Code is Opening School Doors for Children in Delhi

In a unique move to make school admissions easier, the Delhi government has launched a QR code-based initiative to help identify and enrol out-of-school children. These QR codes are pasted in public places like slums, construction sites and shelters, where people can simply scan them to fill out a form requesting help with school admission.

I wanted to write about this topic because it’s one of those rare examples where technology is being used in a very simple but powerful way to solve a ground-level problem. Many families living in tough conditions like jhuggis or construction camps may not even know how or where to enrol their children. Government schemes exist, but they are often out of reach due to poor awareness. This QR code drive helps break that gap between policy and people. As someone interested in education and social equity, I think this step deserves attention, especially because it shows how local-level innovation can lead to real change.

What Is the QR Code Education Initiative?

The Delhi Education Department has started putting up QR codes in areas where out-of-school children are most likely to be found—such as under flyovers, jhuggi clusters, near labour camps, shelter homes and other urban poor localities. These QR codes are linked to a Google Form, which anyone can fill to inform the government about a child who is not going to school.

Once the form is submitted, a special team from the Directorate of Education visits the area, verifies the case, and helps the child get enrolled in a nearby government school. The idea is to reduce dependency on formal offices and bring the admission system to people’s doorsteps.

Who Can Use It and How?

This drive is open to anyone—parents, relatives, neighbours, social workers, or even passersby. All they have to do is:

Scan the QR code using any smartphone.
Fill in details like name, age, location of the child and the name of the person referring.
Submit the form.

No documents are required at this stage. Once the team visits and confirms the child’s situation, they help with the entire admission process, including arranging necessary documents.

Why This Approach Matters

There are thousands of children in a city like Delhi who are not in school due to poverty, migration, or simply because their parents don’t know how the system works. Traditional campaigns often miss these children because they don’t reach their living areas.

This QR code method solves two problems at once:

Accessibility – Anyone with a phone can fill the form in less than 2 minutes.
Accountability – The form goes directly to the education department, cutting delays.

Also, since the form is digital, the government gets real-time data on where the problem areas are, making it easier to plan further outreach.

Early Impact on Ground

As per reports, hundreds of such QR codes have already been pasted across Delhi. In areas like Sarai Kale Khan, Sangam Vihar, and parts of East Delhi, many children have already been enrolled after someone filled the form for them.

What’s impressive is how even children are using this—some kids who already go to school have helped their neighbours by scanning the code and filling the form. This shows how tech, when kept simple, can be used by anyone regardless of age or income.

How Can This Be Taken Forward?

If this works well in Delhi, other states can easily adopt it too. It doesn’t cost much. All that is needed is:

A simple Google form linked to a QR code.
Teams to follow up on each form.
Publicity in local language through posters, social media, and radio.

Also, the government can train teachers and community volunteers to paste these QR codes in more remote parts of the city.

Education and Employment Can Transform Society: Dinesh Gundu Rao Highlights the Way Forward

During a recent public address in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stressed that education and employment are two powerful tools that can shape the future of any society. He pointed out that when people are educated and have meaningful jobs, they can rise above social divisions, poverty, and other long-standing issues. His statement came while addressing students and faculty at a function organised at Srinivas University, where he also touched on the importance of knowledge-driven growth.

I felt the need to write about this because it’s rare to hear such a strong political focus on the link between education, employment and overall societal transformation. We often hear about schemes, budgets and infrastructure, but rarely is the bigger picture discussed—how these two sectors can change the life of a common person. This topic matters to all of us, especially the youth, who are navigating a fast-changing job market while also dealing with rising academic pressure. By writing about this, I hope more people start thinking seriously about how education is not just about degrees, and employment is not just about money—it’s about dignity, stability and progress.

Why Education and Employment Matter Together

Education and employment are often treated as separate issues, but in reality, they go hand-in-hand. Education gives people the ability to think, create and contribute. Employment gives them the opportunity to apply what they know, support their families, and be part of the economy. According to Dinesh Gundu Rao, these two pillars must be developed together if we want a fairer and more productive society.

He stressed that:

Lack of access to education pushes people into poverty.
Unemployment leads to frustration, crime, and brain drain.
A society that fails to create job-ready youth will always remain unequal.

This is why investing in schools, colleges, and job-oriented courses is not just a policy decision—it’s a moral responsibility.

Government’s Role in Creating Equal Opportunities

During the event, Rao mentioned that governments should focus not only on building schools and colleges but also on ensuring the quality of education. He said students from rural areas often struggle because they don’t have the same access to English-medium teaching or computer labs as those in urban areas. This kind of inequality reflects in the job market too, where rural youth get fewer chances.

He also pointed out that:

Many graduates remain unemployed or underemployed because they are not industry-ready.
There is a big gap between what is taught in classrooms and what the job market demands.
Career counselling and vocational training should start at the school level.

According to him, if we want to see real change, we need long-term thinking and serious government commitment—not just one-time policies or election promises.

Importance of Social Harmony for Progress

One of the key messages Rao delivered was about unity. He said education should be a tool to unite people and not divide them. The minister raised concern about how communalism and polarisation are slowly taking attention away from important issues like job creation and educational reform.

He added that:

When youth are unemployed, they are more vulnerable to divisive ideologies.
Education can help people develop critical thinking and tolerance.
A strong education and employment ecosystem reduces dependence on populist politics.

He urged young people to stay informed, ask questions, and focus on real-life issues rather than distractions.