The sun had barely risen over Pachgaon when the school courtyard filled with the sound of young voices reciting the Preamble in perfect unison. At the Vidyalaya, it was an ordinary morning assembly, no ceremonies, no rehearsals-yet in this simple routine, seeds of something extraordinary were being sown.

Across the road, students at the Government Senior Secondary School gathered in the digital library. Some watched an RSTV documentary on the making of the Constitution, while others displayed artworks representing its elements-the Preamble as the roots, Fundamental Rights and Duties as branches and the Constitution itself as the trunk. The mild winter air seemed to whisper that a quiet civic transformation was taking place.

Chandra Jyoti Abhiyan: Civic Values in Action

This transformation is driven by the Chandra Jyoti Abhiyan, a district-wide civic campaign led by Nivrutti Somnath Avhad, CEO of Dholpur Zila Parishad, Rajasthan. The initiative embeds constitutional values-justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, not as abstract ideals but as lived experiences. Rooted in NEP 2020, it emphasizes civic education, computational thinking and teaching AI, empowering students and teachers to engage with democratic and technological processes.

The Abhiyan draws strength from convergence. Schools, libraries, Panchayats, NGOs, CSR partners and community members come together using existing resources rather than creating new structures. 

Digital Samvidhan Ghar: Repurposing the Old, Shaping the New

A key pillar of the initiative is the Digital Samvidhan Ghar (DSG) model-an affectionate, warm, people-centric space that goes far beyond a library. DSGs reinvent unused or dilapidated government buildings into vibrant, technology-enabled civic learning libraries. Without constructing new infrastructure, the Abhiyan repurposes these assets, saving taxpayer money while deepening community ownership.

28 DSGs are already functional with CSR support from SBI Cards, and another 50 DSGs will be completed soon with CSR support from IIFCL (DFS), taking the total to around 80 libraries. Each DSG is equipped with Wi-Fi, tablets, computers, solar lighting, clean washrooms, accessibility ramps,CCTV where feasible and bilingual book collections. Over 120 civic and learning activities take place every month from reading circles and exam preparation to Gram Sabha-linked discussions.

Sustainability Through Community Ownership

Sustainability is built through a multi-layered structure:

• Library Management Committees (LMCs) are formed in every village, headed by the Gram Sevak and comprising teachers, SHG members,retired officials,youth and the Sarpanch.
• Every library has its own bank account, community user list and contribution model.
• Funds are earmarked in the GPDP for regular maintenance.
• A Samvidhan Mitra in each library handles daily operations with a small stipend.
• A District Digital Library Task Force ensures policy alignment,ease of replication, and deep community mobilisation.

This model ensures that DSGs are not government-owned spaces alone,they are people’s institutions, maintained as collective assets.

AI a Core Pillar 

A major highlight of Chandrajyoti is the integration of AI education, strongly rooted in NEP 2020’s emphasis on computational thinking, digital literacy and future skills. Dholpur is investing significantly in AI training for teachers and students, ensuring that constitutional awareness is complemented with 21st-century readiness. DSGs will serve as hubs for AI learning,coding sessions and digital upskilling, creating a district prepared for the future of work.

Civic Learning: From Awareness to Action

The Abhiyan follows a simple but powerful behavioural-change framework:
Soch (Spark) → Samajh (Reflect) → Sankalp (Commit) → Sakriyata (Act) → Samavisht (Embed).

Through morning prompts, wall murals, Baal Sansads, debates, quizzes, project-based learning, and community dialogues, over 50,000 students across 350+ schools are engaging deeply with constitutional values. More than 200 teachers, especially Political Science teachers,have been trained under Mission Karmayogi and NEP 2020 to make civic education interactive, contextual, and experiential.

A Triangular Model of Development: State-Market-Civil Society

The Chandrajyoti model stands out for its efficient resource mobilisation and coalition building. It brings together:

• State (government systems, policies, GPDP funding)
• Market (CSR partners like IIFCL and SBI Cards)
• Civil Society (NGOs, community groups, youth)

This triangular partnership strengthens local SDGs, builds social capital and transforms civic spaces into platforms for empowerment.

A Vision for the Future

The initiative demonstrates that the true architects of India’s future are its citizens-walking the journey from Soch to Samavisht, shaping the nation with understanding, commitment, and action, towards a Vikasit Bharat 2047. Through digital Savidhan Ghars,multi-stakeholder support and civic engagement, Dholpur is scripting a story where constitutional values, technology, and education converge to build an empowered, informed and participatory society.