State of School Leadership in India- Study with Alokit (Ongoing)

Populi is partnering with Alokit on an ongoing study to understand the real-world roles, responsibilities, and lived experiences of school leaders across government schools in Delhi, Telangana and Pune. As Alokit focuses on strengthening school leadership as a critical lever for improving education quality, this study aims to generate nuanced insights into how school leaders navigate academic, administrative, community, and operational demands on a daily basis.

Through surveys, in-depth interviews, field-based case studies, and a review of government job descriptions and support structures, Populi in partnership with Alokit is documenting how school leaders spend their time, what they prioritise, and the systemic barriers and enablers that shape their work. The insights emerging from this study will inform Alokit’s leadership development programs, strengthen policy-relevant knowledge on school leadership, and help build a more evidence-driven approach to supporting headmasters and principals across states.