What if children were allowed to learn curiously, freely, and with purpose? When confined by rigid timetables, standardized assessments, and top-down pedagogies, learning often fails to honor the individuality of each child. Across India, students are slotted into competitive hierarchies early on, leading to undue pressure, uneven development, and a distorted sense of self-worth. Meanwhile, international best practices emphasize autonomy, peer learning, and differentiated instruction, however, few Indian institutions have truly internalized this shift.

Centering choice, reflection, and curiosity as the foundations of lifelong learning, Vineet Dubey, Founder, Open Minds World School established the school based on a student-centric learning model that signifies 19 years of research. Vineet Dubey is a dynamic entrepreneur with a diverse portfolio spanning manpower, IT, robotics, and water industries in both India and the USA. His passion for education is exemplified through his role as a Founder at Open Minds World School, where he contributes his contemporary business acumen to foster innovative learning environments.

Tucked away in the outskirts of serene town of Shivamogga, Open Minds World School doesn’t resemble a typical educational institution. Founded by a team of committed educators and thinkers, the school is born from a fundamental belief that every child is extraordinary, and education must be designed to let that genius surface, rather than suppress it with conventionality. The result is a school where there is no regimented routine, and students are not passive recipients of information but active participants in their development. “We don't have a timetable in the school, in fact, our children choose what to study, and at what time”, says Kiran Kumar, Managing Trustee, Open Minds World School.

From as early as Class 1, students enter the classroom of their choice, engage with materials, books, digital content, peer discussions, and work independently before presenting their learning for mentor evaluation. These evaluations are based on five parameters, namely memory, knowledge, comprehension, inference capability, and application. Students must earn ten out of ten credits in each concept before progressing. This system ensures mastery over memorization and places equal weight on intellectual curiosity and practical understanding. And if a child struggles, the system bends, not the child, providing more time, guidance, and opportunity.

Meeting the Learner Where They Are
In preschool and lower grades, the focus is on building over 300 foundational skills, ranging from motor development to cognitive and linguistic capabilities. Montessori materials are used, but always in alignment with the school’s unique philosophy of child-led discovery. In Grades 3 to 5, children explore nearly 100 subject concepts and 50 language topics, learning independently but under the constant, quiet observation of mentors who guide, not instruct.

From Grade 6 onward, the model shifts subtly to incorporate collaborative group learning. Students engage in research-based projects, critical thinking exercises, and group presentations. NCERT textbooks serve as reference material, but the real learning takes place in conversations, reflections, and debates. In the senior most grades, students even take on the role of facilitators, teaching their peers and internalizing lessons through dialogue and demonstration, a method shown to boost retention by more than 90 percent.

Open Minds World is a school where there is no regimented routine, and students are not passive recipients of information but active participants in their development

Learning Design Beyond Academics
Each student is required to study ten subjects, including core disciplines like mathematics, sciences, social sciences, and languages, as well as electives in foreign languages, fine and performing arts, co-curricular activities, and sports. The aim is not to produce test takers, but well-rounded individuals capable of leading, collaborating, and creating.

Vineet Dubey, Founder

Open Minds World School maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any form of discrimination, academic or otherwise. There are no competitive rankings, no winners or losers, no gold medals or last places. Every student is treated with equal respect, their progress measured not against peers but against personal growth milestones.

The school’s weekly credit-based evaluation system ensures consistency while avoiding the stress and stigma of traditional examinations, at least until Grade 5, when formal assessments are first introduced. This philosophy aligns seamlessly with India’s National Education Policy 2020, which calls for a more holistic, flexible, and multidisciplinary approach to learning.

Open Minds World School presents a departure from conventional schooling rather than a modification of it. Rooting its practices to the constructivist philosophy, its approach is designed to foster leadership qualities in students. Students benefit from greater flexibility in learning and is ideal for parents who prioritize holistic education methods.

The model aligns with the vision laid out in the National Education Policy, offering a practical example of how such principles can be implemented. In a landscape where educational innovation often faces institutional inertia, the school provides insight into the outcomes of a learner-centric model. By prioritizing student agency and adapting to individual needs, it can contribute to the ongoing discourse on the future of education in India.