Community Resources and Partnerships/India General Support Project/WikiPathshala:Learn, Lead, and Connect

statusWithdrawn

India General Support Project

WikiPathshala: Learn, Lead, and Connect

proposed start date2025-06-01

proposed end date2026-07-31

applicant• Nivas10798

organization (if applicable)• N/A

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Universal Code of Conduct

Applicant information

Organization name or Wikimedia Username for individuals. (required): Nivas10798

Are you a first-time applicant? (required)

You are applying as a(n). (required): Individual

Are your group or organization legally registered in your country? (required): No

Please provide links to the following documents if they are available

These documentation can be provided in your local language(s), no translations required.

Organizational website
Detailed financial reporting and/or audits
Documentation of the governance structure, board list, governance processes
Documentation of the general assembly decision on your plan

Main proposal

1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be a title for the Meta-Wiki page. (required): WikiPathshala: Learn, Lead, and Connect
3. Proposed start date. (required): 2025-06-01

4. Proposed end date. (required): 2026-07-31

5. Does your organization or group have an Affiliate or Organizational Annual Plan that can help us understand your proposal? If yes, please provide it. (required): Yes; [1]

6. Does your affiliate, organization or group have a Strategic Plan that can help us understand your proposal? If yes, please provide it. (required): Yes; https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bRP-sruT2F8s5NHERFDpgy_jjo91JU48cDgP59L5eg8/edit?tab=t.6hs2b1dcmuyp

7.1. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required): India

7.2. If your project includes in-person activities, are there any international participants travelling to India for them? (required): No
7.2.1. List all countries of participation. (required)

N/A

7.3. Will the project be transferring funds to any international participants? (required): No
7.3.1. List all international participants receiving funding and their countries. (required)

N/A

8. What are your programs, approaches, and strategies? What are the challenges that you are trying to address and how will your strategies support you in addressing these challenges? (required)

Wikimedia projects in Indian education face a dichotomy; while students and educators widely use Wikipedia for academic work, there is limited understanding of how these projects are built, the effort behind them, and the quality discourse surrounding them. This has led to a scenario where Wikimedia projects are unofficially used but officially discouraged in academics. Earlier Wiki Education programs by CIS-A2K and other stakeholders, such as those at Christ University (2013–19) and Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University (2020–21), attempted to bridge this gap by integrating Wikimedia into higher education. Despite the success in various aspects, such as supporting students in learning digital and language skills, these initiatives encountered challenges ranging from expectations to execution difficulties.

Building effective Wiki Education Program collaborations in India has its challenges, as aligning program goals with institutional expectations requires clarity on the benefits for students, educators, and institutions. Establishing well-structured courses, training materials, and a strong support system is essential for successful engagement. Additionally, integrating Wikimedia into academic spaces requires thoughtful adaptation, as traditional teacher-student dynamics differ from volunteer-driven communities. A key challenge in this process is the mixed perception of openness within academia. While many educators recognise its value, their engagement is often influenced by institutional norms and peer expectations. Addressing these gaps through structured programs, demonstrating the educational value of Wikimedia, and aligning with institutional priorities can help bridge this divide.

On the other hand, the Wikimedia movement in India has engaged a few passionate educators and student leaders who recognise the value of integrating Wiki and Open Knowledge Education Programs into academic institutions. They see the potential of such initiatives in equipping students with essential digital skills while also enriching Wikimedia platforms with quality content and active contributors. In various leadership and strategic discussions, these educators and student leaders have emphasised the need for broader institutional support to scale and sustain these efforts, highlighting the growing interest in formalising the Open Knowledge Movement's role within the education system.

In addition, research by Ashwini Lele, commissioned by CIS-A2K, underscores the potential of Wikimedia and Open Knowledge projects under NEP 2020 to enhance interdisciplinary learning, digital literacy, and multilingual content development by integrating Wikimedia projects into higher education curricula. The study Open Movements in India: Idea and Expression (2013-23) by Soni Wadhwa further recommends key Wikimedia stakeholders in India (then A2K team), to “work with more educational institutions to spread awareness about openness among faculty members, sensitising them towards the need to contribute to it and also use it as a resource for teaching and research”.

Our Strategy

Shifting the Focus Beyond Content and Community Growth Metrics: Traditional Wiki Education Programs (WEPs) in India have primarily measured success through content contribution and student Wikimedians’ retention. However, a key lesson from past initiatives is that focusing solely on these metrics, especially in the early stages, often leads to challenges in maintaining content quality, long-term engagement and sustainability of these initiatives. Instead, our approach moves away from this model to create a more sustainable impact by aligning Wikimedia with Pedagogic Goals, building a platform for hosting courses, tracking metrics, and focusing on long-term impact.
Aligning Wikimedia with Pedagogic Goals: Our program integrates Wikimedia and Open Knowledge activities to support educational objectives, helping students and educators develop essential digital-era skills. Success is defined by educators effectively incorporating open knowledge into their courses, students gaining research and digital literacy skills, and increased awareness of Wikimedia platforms. We aim to align our work with recent educational reform, the National Education Policy 2020, to position ourselves effectively, leverage evolving opportunities, and engage with the education system at scale. Additionally, during later stages, we plan to develop a scalable approach that can be adapted by other Global Majority countries beyond India.
Building a platform for hosting courses and tracking metrics: To support the implementation and continuous improvement of the course curriculum, having a dedicated platform will play a critical role in both delivery and analysis. The proposal also plans on exploring existing free and open-source platforms, particularly those aligned with wiki-based education models and modifying them or developing a new platform from scratch. This platform will include essential monitoring and evaluation features that enable tracking of learners, their engagement, performance metrics, and feedback. These insights will help refine the course for future iterations and make it scalable for similar educational initiatives.
Sustaining Engagement and Institutional Integration: We prioritise retaining educators and student leaders within the Wikimedia movement as Wiki Education leaders and fostering the sustained adoption of open knowledge courses. By working on creating, testing, and integrating these courses in educational institutions, we aim for lasting engagement and deeper institutional support for Wikimedia in education. In the long term, we also aim to support systemic changes in the education system by promoting a sense of volunteerism, enhancing understanding of Openness, and establishing Wiki Education as a co-learning space for educators and students, transcending traditional roles.

Overall, we aim to create, test, and eventually scale an alternative WEP model that fosters a thriving co-curricular culture of Wikimedia and Openness within the current education system in India.

Activities and Approaches

Following are our activities and approaches to implement our strategy mentioned above:

Course Development & Wikimedia Integration: Develop Wikimedia-based courses to equip students with digital, research, and open knowledge data literacy skills. These courses will provide structured engagement with Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikidata, and Wikisource by fostering or promoting critical thinking and content evaluation while aligning with Wikimedia movement goals.

Courses will cover digital research, free knowledge creation, language technologies like localisation tools, OCR, and open data literacy, offering hands-on Wikimedia contributions to reinforce learning.
Instead of creating content in English first, we will develop courses directly in Indian languages like Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, and Tulu, collaborating with local communities. Once refined, they will be translated into English and other Indic languages, ensuring accessibility and cultural relevance.

Academic Collaborations & Institutional Partnerships: Work with institutions in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, where active Wikimedians and educators show interest. Initially, we will collaborate with 3-4 institutions to co-create courses aligned with frameworks like the National Education Policy 2020, ensuring effective piloting, testing, and refinement for wider adoption.

Expert Engagement & Wikimedia Community Support: Engage academic experts, researchers, and educators to guide course development. Wikimedia communities will support by mentoring students, sharing resources, and strengthening institutional engagement to ensure practical impact.

WikiCamp for Scaling Engagement: Organise a WikiCamp for co-learning, discussions, and skill-building with students, educators, and Wikimedians. This will deepen engagement, strengthen partnerships, and provide select participants with internships to sustain long-term involvement.

Impact

This initiative is designed to generate meaningful and sustainable change in the intersection of Wikimedia and education in India. By shifting the focus from purely content-based metrics to long-term educational outcomes, this project will strengthen the foundation for integrating Wikimedia and Open Knowledge into higher education systems.

A core impact will be the creation of openly licensed course content that can be freely accessed, adapted, and reused by educators, students, and institutions across India and the Global South. The courses developed will promote digital and research literacy, and enhance learners' critical engagement with open knowledge platforms such as Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikidata, and Wikisource.

To support this learning at scale, the project will also develop a dedicated learning management platform tailored to Wikimedia-integrated education. This tool will allow educators to host courses, assign Wikimedia-based tasks, track learner engagement and performance, and receive feedback—all crucial for iteration and scaling. The platform will serve as a model for open, wiki-aligned education technology that others can build upon.

Through partnerships with educational institutions in multiple states and active involvement of Wikimedia communities, this program will demonstrate how structured Wiki Education Programs can thrive within academic ecosystems. It will also help reposition Wikimedia as a legitimate pedagogical tool aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, contributing to interdisciplinary learning, digital empowerment, and open knowledge creation.

In the long term, this work will help shift institutional perceptions of Wikimedia and openness, encourage systemic adoption, and cultivate a network of educators and student leaders who can champion open knowledge education. By promoting a co-learning approach and fostering volunteerism, the project lays the groundwork for a scalable, replicable, and culturally grounded Wiki Education model—not only for India but also for other Global Majority countries exploring similar educational transformations.

9. What categories are your main programs and related activities under? Please select all that apply. (required)


Category	Yes/No
Education	Yes
Culture, heritage or GLAM	No
Gender and diversity	No
Community support and engagement	No
Participation in campaigns and contests	No
Other	No

Education

9.1.1. Select all your programs and activities for Education. (required): Wiki Camp, Research, Wikidata programs, Wikimedia Commons programs, Other Wikimedia project programs, Other activities; Other programs and activities if any: We will come up with some toolkits for specific things, such as a volunteerism Toolkit and try to get it translated into a couple of Indian languages.
9.1.2. Select all relevant audience groups for Education. (required): Secondary school students, Vocational, tertiary, or higher education, Teachers or professors; Other groups if any: N/A
10. Please include a link to or upload a timeline (operational calendar) for your programs and activities. (required): [2]

11. Describe your team. (required)

People who are leading the program and taking care of other responsiblites:

Pavan Santosh: Co-lead - The co-lead oversees the overall planning, execution, and impact assessment of the WikiPathshala program. They develop strategic approaches to outreach, engagement, and long-term sustainability, ensuring the program effectively meets its objectives. A key responsibility is coordinating with both Wikimedia and non-Wikimedia partners to establish strong collaborations that support the initiative. The co-ead also supervises the development of training modules, resource materials, and participant onboarding processes. Additionally, they monitor program progress, address challenges, and take corrective measures to ensure the successful implementation of activities.
Nitesh Gill: Co-Lead - The Co-Lead supports the Lead in executing various aspects of the program, including managing logistics and coordinating events such as workshops, training sessions, and in-person meetings. They play a crucial role in engaging with participants, mentors, and partners to facilitate smooth communication and collaboration. Additionally, the Co-Lead contributes to the creation of program resources, assists in reporting and evaluation, and helps address any operational challenges. In the absence of the Co-lead (Pavan Santosh), the Co-Lead steps in to ensure continuity and effective program management.
Nivas Ramisetty: Tech & Learning Evaluation Specialist: They play a vital role in managing the technical aspects of the WikiPathshala program while ensuring systematic learning evaluation and documentation. They oversee digital tools, platforms, and technical infrastructure to support smooth program operations, including training sessions and collaborative activities. Additionally, they are responsible for tracking learning outcomes, analysing engagement metrics, and compiling reports to assess the program’s effectiveness. They document best practices, challenges, and participant progress to refine future iterations of the initiative. By integrating technology with structured evaluation, this role ensures data-driven improvements and sustainable knowledge-sharing within the program.
Operational Support: The Operational Support Specialist ensures the smooth execution of the WikiPathshala program by managing logistics, coordination, and administrative tasks. They facilitate event planning, travel arrangements, and resource distribution for in-person and online activities. Additionally, they handle communication between participants, mentors, and partners, ensuring timely updates and seamless collaboration. They support budgeting, documentation, and troubleshooting operational challenges to maintain efficiency. Their role is crucial in keeping the program organized, responsive, and effectively executed.
Advisor: The Advisor will provide strategic guidance and expert insights to strengthen the WikiPathshala program. With long-term experience in Wikimedia, strategy building, policy-making, partnerships, and education programs, they will help shape the program’s direction, ensuring alignment with global best practices and movement priorities. Their key responsibilities include advising on content strategy, engagement models, and sustainability plans. They will support partnership development by leveraging networks within and beyond Wikimedia. Additionally, they will provide input on governance, policy frameworks, and impact assessment to enhance the program’s effectiveness. Their mentorship and thought leadership will be crucial in cultivating a scalable and sustainable education initiative.

12. Will you be working with any internal (Wikimedia) or external partners? Describe the characteristics of these partnerships and bring a few examples of the most significant partnerships. (required)

Yes, we have significant experience in education program initiatives and actively collaborate with both Wikimedia and non-Wikimedia partners. Our partnerships are essential for expanding outreach, strengthening program impact, and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Internal (Wikimedia) Partnerships

We continue to work closely with Indian Wikimedia community members and affiliates engaged in educational initiatives. Additionally, we have initiated discussions with the Wikimedia Education Foundation, which has expressed its support as a thinking partner. Their expertise in global education programs will provide valuable insights and strategic guidance to enhance our initiative.

External (Non-Wikimedia) Partnerships

Beyond the Wikimedia ecosystem, we collaborate with various educational institutions and organizations that support open knowledge and digital literacy. These partnerships help us integrate Wikimedia projects into academic curricula and engage students and educators effectively.

Future Collaborations

Based on recommendations from our existing partners, we are in the process of reaching out to additional organizations and institutions that align with our mission. In the coming months, we aim to establish new collaborations to further strengthen the program’s reach and impact.

These strategic partnerships will ensure that WikiPathshala is well-supported, sustainable, and capable of empowering new contributors in India’s knowledge ecosystem.

13. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select all that apply. (required): Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement, Invest in Skills and Leadership Development, Innovate in Free Knowledge, Evaluate, Iterate, and Adapt

Metrics

Wikimedia Metrics

14. Please select and fill out Wikimedia Metrics for your proposal. (recommended)

14.1. Number of participants, editors, and organizers.

All metrics provided are optional, please fill them out if they are aligned with your programs and activities.

Participants, editors, and organizers
Metrics name	Target	Description
Number of all participants	120	N/A
Number of all editors	100	N/A
Number of new editors	80
Number of retained editors	20
Number of all organizers	12	N/A
Number of new organizers	5	N/A

14.2. Number of new content contributions to Wikimedia projects. (recommended)

Contributions to Wikimedia projects
Wikimedia project	Created	Edited or improved
Wikipedia
Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata
Wiktionary
Wikisource
Wikimedia Incubator
Translatewiki
MediaWiki
Wikiquote
Wikivoyage
Wikibooks
Wikiversity
Wikinews
Wikispecies
Wikifunctions / Abstract Wikipedia

Description for Wikimedia projects contributions metrics. (optional)

Other Metrics

15. Do you have other quantitative and qualitative targets for your project (other metrics)? (required): Yes


Other Metrics	Description	Target
Number of Educators and Academicians who trained in rolling out Wiki Courses	fterPeople who belong to academia or Educational Institutions that will become part of the program	130
Number of partnerships with Educational and Pedagogical Institutions	Number of organisations/institutions with whom we are expecting to partner with and continue after the project finishes	6
Tool development (to manage, deliver, and measure online wiki learning content)	To manage, deliver, and measure online wiki learning content	1
Assets created (course content developed) as part of the program	Course content developed as part of the program	5
N/A	N/A	N/A

Budget

16. Will you have any other revenue sources when implementing this proposal (e.g. other funding, membership contributions, donations)? (required): No

16.1. List other revenue sources. (required)

N/A

16.2. Approximately how much revenue will you have from other sources in your local currency? (required): N/A

17. Local currency: Indian Rupees (INR)

18. What is the requested amount in Indian Rupees? (required): 7088760 INR

19. Does this proposal include compensation for staff or contractors? (required): Yes

19.1. How many paid staff members and contractors do you plan to cover with this General Support Project? (required): Four staff members out of which two are Project Co-leads, one for Tech & Learning Evaluation Specialist and one for Operations Support

19.2. How many FTEs (full-time equivalents) in total will be covered with this General Support Project? (required): None

19.3. Describe any staff or contractor changes compared to the current year / ongoing General Support Project if any. (required only for returning applicants): None

20. Please provide an overview of your overall budget categories in your local currency. The budget breakdown should include only the amount requested with this General Support Project. (required)


Budget category	Amount in local currency
Staff and contractor costs	1860000
Operational costs	700000
Programmatic costs	3666000

21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)

[3]

Additional information

22. In this optional space you can add any other additional information about your proposal or organization that you think can help us when reviewing your proposal. (optional)

By submitting this proposal request you agree with the Institutional Partner Privacy Policy, Application Privacy Statements, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.

Yes

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