Improving access to quality education at scale requires more than strong policy or committed organisations working in isolation. Increasingly, public-private partnerships (PPPs) are emerging as an effective means of combining the strengths of governments, non-profits, and the private sector to reach more children, strengthen public education systems, and deliver long-term outcomes.
Across India, these collaborations are taking different forms. Some focus on improving learning outcomes inside government schools, while others strengthen nutrition, leadership, school management, or holistic student development. Together, they demonstrate how collaborative models are helping expand educational opportunities for children across the country.
1. Christel House India Partnering with TMC to Deliver Holistic Education
While many public-private partnerships focus on improving specific aspects of schooling, some are rethinking the education model itself. Christel House India has partnered with the Thane Municipal Corporation to establish a CBSE-affiliated English-medium school that combines quality education with healthcare, nutrition, counselling, transportation, life skills, and career support for children from underserved communities.
The partnership operates on a model where the municipal corporation provides the infrastructure while Christel House India delivers its holistic education programme. The campus has begun with students from Kindergarten to Grade 2 and will eventually serve over 1,800 children through Grade 12, while continuing to support graduates for five years as they transition into higher education and careers.
2. Akanksha Foundation Reimagining Government School Management
Akanksha Foundation has demonstrated how NGOs can work alongside municipal governments to strengthen public education without replacing it. Through partnerships with municipal corporations in cities such as Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Nagpur, Akanksha manages the day-to-day academic operations of government schools while local authorities continue to provide infrastructure, utilities, student kits, and mid-day meals.
Its cost-sharing model, including partnerships where municipal corporations reimburse part of the per-student cost, illustrates how responsibilities can be shared to improve educational quality while leveraging existing public infrastructure.
3. Pratham Education Foundation Taking Proven Learning Models to Scale
Pratham’s long-standing collaboration with government school systems shows how successful grassroots innovations can evolve into system-wide reforms. Beginning with remedial education programmes inside Mumbai Municipal Corporation schools, the organisation developed approaches such as Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL), which have since influenced education programmes across India and internationally.
Its partnerships with governments have enabled evidence-based teaching methodologies to reach millions of children through existing public education systems rather than creating parallel ones.
4. Kaivalya Education Foundation Strengthening Public Education Systems
While many education partnerships focus directly on students, Kaivalya Education Foundation works at a systems level by partnering with state governments, district administrations, school leaders, and education officials. Its work focuses on strengthening leadership, governance, and institutional capacity within public education.
By collaborating with governments as well as philanthropic and development organisations, the foundation demonstrates how improving educational outcomes often begins with strengthening the systems that support schools themselves.
5. Akshaya Patra Foundation Addressing Classroom Hunger Through Collaboration
Good learning depends on more than what happens inside the classroom. Through its implementation of the PM POSHAN initiative, Akshaya Patra Foundation has shown how public-private partnerships can address one of education’s most fundamental barriers: nutrition.
Working alongside the Government of India, state governments, corporate partners, and philanthropists, the organisation has built one of the world’s largest school meal programmes. Leveraging technology, large-scale kitchens, and coordinated partnerships helps ensure that millions of children receive nutritious meals that support both attendance and learning outcomes.