What problem are you trying to solve?
My core concern is simple: India’s education system trains students to obey, not to think.
We reward rote learning, punish curiosity, and confuse marks with mastery. The result?
Students who crack exams—but struggle to learn independently once the syllabus ends. Our mission is to help students become lifelong, self-directed learners. It’s a big hairy audacious goal – which is why we build and share in public so we can learn from feedback.
Why are you running three different projects? Isn’t that overkill?
This is the most common criticism—and it’s a fair one. Yes, we are working on three different models:
- ApniPathshala – www.apnipathshala.org
- ApnaPC – www.apnapac.com
- Ekalavya (our AI tutor) – www.ekalavya.io
But here’s the key point critics miss: 👉 These are not three ideas. They are three expressions of the same idea. The idea is simple:
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Put the student first by giving them autonomy and agency.
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The setting changes.
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The philosophy does not.
What is the common denominator across all your projects?
Autonomy.
Every decision we make starts with one question: “Does this give the student more control over their learning?”
Traditional education is adult-centric: Teachers decide what to teach, Coaching classes decide the pace,
Institutions decide success
We flip this completely.
Our systems are designed so that students learn how to learn, make choices, reflect on mistakes, and take ownership of their progress.
What is ApniPathshala, and why did you start there?
ApniPathshala wa s our starting point because environment matters.
Many students from poor families don’t have:
- Quiet homes
- Supportive parents
- Safe spaces to explore curiosity
ApniPathshala is a community-based digital learning center that provides: A safe, distraction-free learning space, Access to technology , Caring adult supervision (not authoritarian teaching)
- It’s not a coaching class.
- It’s not a school.
- It’s a learning ecosystem.
Students come to learn by choice, not by force.
Why wasn’t a learning center enough? Why build ApnaPC?
Because great pedagogy without great tools is like teaching physics without a lab.
We quickly realised:
- Phones are terrible learning devices
- Shared computers limit independence
- Schools don’t track real learning
So we built ApnaPC—an educational computer designed specifically for students.
It includes:
- A customised operating system
- A built-in Student Safety Solution
- Digital tracking of each student’s learning journey
ApnaPC ensures that technology empowers students, instead of distracting or exploiting them.
Why not just use existing laptops or tablets?
Because they weren’t designed for education. Commercial devices optimise for: Entertainment, Advertising, Engagement addiction.
We optimised for: Focus, Reflection and Learning continuity.
ApnaPC is not about specs.
It’s about intentional design for student growth.
Why did you build your own AI tutor (Ekalavya)? Aren’t there many already?
Most AI tutors are: Generic, Western-centric and Exam-agnostic.
Indian students—especially JEE aspirants—need something different.
Ekalavya is built to:
- Explain concepts patiently
- Encourage questioning
- Adapt to the student’s level
- Work in an Indian context
Most importantly, it doesn’t replace teachers. It amplifies the student.
Isn’t AI risky for education?
Absolutely—if used badly.
AI can:
- Promote shortcut thinking
- Encourage dependency
- Kill curiosity
That’s why we designed Ekalavya with strict guardrails:
- No spoon-feeding
- Emphasis on conceptual clarity
- Encouragement of self-reflection
Good AI doesn’t think for students.
It helps students think better.
How do these three projects work together?
Think of them as a virtuous cycle:
ApniPathshala provides the learning environment
ApnaPC provides the learning infrastructure
Ekalavya provides the learning companion
Each improves the other through real-world feedback.
- We observe students.
- We learn from their struggles.
- We iterate relentlessly.
This is not a finished product.
It’s a living system.
Are these projects final, or will they keep changing?
If they ever stop changing, we’ve failed.
- Education is not a factory.
- Students are not widgets.
- Learning is not linear.
Everything we build is: A work in progress, Continuously tested by real users and Constantly refined through feedback.
We believe in learning in public, just like we expect students to do.
Who is this approach best suited for?
Students who: Want to understand, not memorise and Are tired of fear-based coaching
Want to take ownership of their learning ; If you want guarantees, shortcuts, or rank-manufacturing—this isn’t for you.
But if you want to become a confident, independent learner, you’re exactly who we’re building for.
What does success look like for you?
- Not toppers.
- Not rankings.
- Not marketing testimonials.
Success is when a student can say: “I know how to learn anything on my own.”
That skill lasts a lifetime. Exams don’t.
How can students participate in this journey?
- By using it.
- By questioning it.
- By breaking it.
- By helping us make it better.
Help us improve India’s first free AI Tutor for JEE students at
👉 app.jee.eklavya.io
We want students to become independent, self-directed, lifelong learners.
That’s the real revolution.