Frequently Asked Questions

The ACP is a 3 year graded program on Human Possibilities. It is based on Swami Vivekananda’s Universal Idea of the Potential Divinity of Man. It proclaims that ‘Each one of us, carries within, a vast infinite source of power, strength and goodness’. Currently, the Program is conducted primarily for students of standards 6-7-8 0r 7-8-9 all over the country.

Yes, the ACP envisions to include all students within its fold. It believes that every child, irrespective of his or her religious faith, economic background, social status etc. has infinite possibilities, which can be awakened. The role models and explorations included in the modules, contain people from different faiths and walks of life. Currently, the Program is running in schools regardless of the religious affiliations of their management.

The ACP does not believe in preaching high moral standards based on prevalent societal norms, where students are told to do the right thing and forbidden from doing what is considered wrong. On the contrary, students are shown multiple scenarios, Case studies, Quizzes etc. that allow them to discover alternative choices available in a given situation. Rather than following the traditional method of ‘teaching’ the do’s and don’ts; the prime focus of the ACP is to ‘facilitate’ the discovery of new ways of dealing with real life situations, so that a child can be well equipped to face life challenges better. We use a Value Assimilation Technique and Facilitation Practices developed after much research and piloting by Illumine Knowledge Resources Private Limited, Mumbai

The Year 1 focuses on enabling the ‘Discovery’ of the Infinite Possibilities in students. In Year 2, the focus is to assist the ‘Deepening’ of the learnings. The modules in Year 3 aims at showing how our possibilities can awaken in every aspect of life and how certain practices or ‘Pathways’ ensure that they happen even more often.

A structured program is one where there is a clear outcome intended at the end of the program. The program comprises of 48 modules, to be covered over the period of 3 academic years. Each module has some key learnings which could be discovered by the students themselves. The ACP is a graded program because the awakening takes place over 3 consecutive years and students (as well as teachers) have to go through the program in a sequential manner to get the optimal results.

Teaching mode helps a student to know something intellectually, while facilitation mode helps them to discover on their own. Values such as courage, harmony etc. need to be freely chosen and assimilated by students. They cannot be taught in a top-down fashion. There is no “right” and “wrong” which is applicable to all students at all times. Furthermore, such possibilities are inherent in them and all they need is someone to guide them to understand this and awaken these by themselves through open discussion and peer learning.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and its affiliated organizations such as the Kendra Vidyalayas (KV), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNV) as well as select schools under the Government of Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have an MOU/letter of Agreement with RKM, Delhi.

The program that was initiated by the RKM, New Delhi was fully endorsed by the CBSE. Since the CBSE affiliated schools are spread all over the country, the program became PAN India. All schools are welcome to participate.

The ACP Kits are copyrighted material with a substantial cost of development and production involved. Currently, we provide each school, 2 kits free of charge for each year. Wherever more kits may be required, the principal may write to us with justification for extra kits. Also, the kits are the property of the School and not of the trained teachers.

They may request in writing to Swami Shantatmananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi with full justification for more Kits for consideration. Accordingly, suitable steps may be taken.

The Ramakrishna Mission, Delhi had conducted a pilot program of 5 modules in 50 schools of the Delhi NCR, prior to conceiving the 3 years graded ACP. The success of this program led to the development of the ACP. While developing the ACP, Illumine Knowledge Resources Private Limited (a highly reputable HR company), ran pilot programs of the 16 modules in several schools in Mumbai, including some in the Dharavi slums. Based on the pilot study, the program was upgraded and given its final shape.

Ideally, students of all age groups should benefit from the ACP. However, since resources are limited and a beginning had to be made, it was decided to run the program with the students of class 7th, who are old enough to understand and make responsible choices when exposed to various options made available through slides. That is also the age at which cognitive experts thought it best to introduce a program of discovery of new ways of thinking. These ideas could be then deepened in class 8th, and further in class 9th, students are shown various pathways (pro-active practices) which will help them awaken all their infinite possibilities.

All Citizens of India are our stakeholders. Governments, School Authorities, Parents, Teachers and Students are the immediate beneficiaries of the program. We are contactable at values@rkmdelhi.org.

. If parents are sensitized about the value of the ACP, they can actually create a conducive environment for the children to reflect deeply upon their learnings. In fact, parents play a crucial role in shaping the personality of their children. Hence, a basic awareness of the program is important. It is an essential aspect, which needs to be tapped into; but for want of ample human resources and a dedicated program suited for them, it is necessary for the schools to reach out to the parents during PTA Meetings and inform them about the program. The program could also find its mention in the School Magazine. Newsletters, creation of a Value Club with involvement of Parents could also be tried out keeping the ideas and approach of ACP in mind. If required, our RKM resource persons can be invited to address the parents in the PTAs. Further, we are working on developing a program specifically for the parents. Any ideas or plans regarding the same are welcome.

The Program is currently being implemented through 18 Regional Centers spread throughout the country. The different centers are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, North-East, Odisha, Punjab, Raipur, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

. Electrical power supply, Laptop/Desktop Computers, Projector or Smart Boards.

. In order to assess the impact of this program on students, we need to conduct this program nationwide in a uniform (standard) manner using facilitation methods that are best likely to bring out the expected key learnings. Since teaching and facilitation are fundamentally different, teachers need to be constantly aware of the new technique of facilitation. The Manuals/CFTs offer enough tools and trigger questions to assist the teachers.

Generally, the ACP begins in Class 7th (middle school) and goes unto Class 9th (high school). Yet, for some reasons, if certain schools cannot take up the program further in class 9th, then it can be implemented from Class 6th itself and covered up till Class 8th. Here in this case, Class 6th shall be Year 1; while Class 7th will be Year 2 and Class 8th will be year 3.

Currently, we do not have any such format of the ACP that can be taken up for students of Junior Schools. Nevertheless, we encourage volunteers to come up with ideas regarding the same. A think tank could be developed to speculate upon various aspects of the plans and ideas to expand the scope and reach of the ACP.

For a teacher to be able to facilitate the discovery of the infinite possibilities in a student, mere conceptual knowledge of the modules is not enough. They should have actually had the experience of facilitating the ACP in a classroom set up before taking up the training for the next year. The entire program is about experience and assimilation, not about learning concepts.

No. Since the ACP is a graded program, unless a teacher is trained in Year 1, he/she will not be able to comprehend the depth and the key insights of Year 2 & 3. Furthermore, the teacher should have already conducted the Year 1 modules in class, before attending Year 2. Similar will be the case with Year 3.

Adequate time needs to be given to the student to explore, reflect and assimilate values. One class of at least 45 minutes per week is the recommended time to be devoted to conduct the ACP classes and could ideally be included in the timetable as such. It is not advisable to rush through all the sessions in a week or two, as adequate reflection will not be possible

The program will be a success if committed teachers are facilitating the program over a long term; much depends on the continued relationship between the teacher and the student (at least for three consecutive years).

Not at all. Rather the facilitators are encouraged to use local language wherever English/Hindi is less prevalent. This will ensure better exploration, discovery and deepening of understanding.

The ACP believes in assimilation of values by students who would ‘Choose’ to do so without fear or compulsion. There is no judgment, evaluation or comparison whatsoever. The real impact of the program can only be assessed years later by the qualitative difference observed between students who had undergone the program over others who were not exposed to that.

The expected outcome of the program is that the students are able to take crucial decisions in their life based on values, which they freely choose to live by. Their choices are well thought out and are responsible ones, which shall benefit not only themselves, but also a larger section of the society around them. Also, that they awaken many Universal and Unique possibilities and live extraordinary lives, which shall be an inspiration for others.

Outcomes cannot be tracked fully during the three-year period the student undergoes the program. Impact on life can be gradually felt by the student themselves and all those that are closely connected with their growth like teachers, parents, relatives and friends. Some efforts are being made to capture how students are slowly awakening their possibilities by understanding that they can do so if they try. However, it is our firm belief that these small seeds of values will help awaken the student to be the kind of citizens India and the world can be proud of.

The implementation of the ACP is monitored in private schools by RKM resource persons, who visit schools for class observations. In Government Schools, KVs, and JNVs, along with this handholding by RKM resource persons, some officials also report the implementation of this program to the Government, the KV Sangathan and the Navodaya Samiti.