Pilot Project to Enlist Ex-Servicemen as Teachers The Central Government is working on a pilot programme Vidyanjali to involve retired teachers, retired government officials including retired defence personnel, retired professionals, people from Indian diaspora and women who are home makers to volunteer for co-scholastic activities in schools. These volunteers will not be replacement for regular teachers and will not be involved in formal teaching. In a meeting of State Education Ministers held on February 08th, 2016 by the Ministry of HRD, nineteen States/UTs had expressed willingness to participate in this programme on pilot basis. Teachers of Government and aided schools undergo annual in service training for professional development which is supported under Centrally sponsored schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). This information was given by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.
