State Council of Educational Research and Training (MSCERT), Maharashtra

Mass Media Department

Establishment of the Department

The Council was established in 1964 as the “State Institute of Education.” At that time, the Publication Department functioned as an independent department. The main function of this department was the production, printing, and distribution of the magazine Jeevan Shikshan to schools. Therefore, this department was popularly known as the “Jeevan Shikshan” Department. As per the Government Resolution dated 17 October 2016 regarding the reorganization of SCERT and DIET by the School Education and Sports Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai, the name of the Jeevan Shikshan Department was changed to the “Mass Media Department.”

Jeevan Shikshan: The Official Journal of the School Education Department

Started in the 19th century, Jeevan Shikshan is the first educational magazine in Maharashtra dedicated exclusively to education and serving as a guide for teachers, parents, and supervisory authorities in their educational work. If one goes through the old issues of this magazine, which has witnessed several transformations in the field of education, one can clearly observe how education has evolved month by month since the 19th century through its pages.

Recognized as the official journal of the School Education Department of Maharashtra, the magazine Jeevan Shikshan is published by the Mass Media Department of the State Council of Educational Research and Training, Maharashtra, Pune. This magazine acts as a link between government vision and policies, action programmes, and their expected implementation and outcomes at the school level. With a glorious legacy of 163 years, the magazine has become a favourite among officers and teachers across the State due to its structure, innovation, and attractive presentation.

From the four percent contingency expenditure allocated to Zilla Parishad primary schools in the State, nearly 60,000 schools receive free monthly copies of this magazine. In addition, the magazine is made available to subscribers and donors at concessional rates through postal services. At present, the annual subscription fee of the magazine is ₹300, and the price of each issue is ₹30.

During the British period, a college imparting Sanskrit education was established in Pune in 1821, which was later converted into a teacher training centre (Poona College). In May 1861, this college started a 24-page periodical priced at ₹2, known as the “Poona College School Paper,” also called Pathshala Patrak. The Superintendent of Poona Normal School, Shri Krishnashastri Talwekar, was the first editor of this publication. From 1863, editor Kero Laxman Chhatre renamed it as Marathi Shala Patrak. Subsequently, the college principal, Krishnashastri Chiplunkar, became the editor and introduced scholarly essays and analytical articles in English and Sanskrit. However, despite its significant contribution to shaping Marathi educational writing, the magazine ceased publication in 1875 due to certain reasons. In 1890, editor Ramchandra Bhikaji Joshi revived and continued the magazine for several years through the Chitrashala Press. Eventually, in July 1911, the magazine was handed over to the Training College.

Over time, the magazine came to be known as “Marathi Shikshak.” Later, in 1928, its name was changed to “Primary Education.” From 1956, when Shri G. H. Patil was the then Principal of the Training College, the magazine was renamed “Jeevan Shikshan.” Inspired by Mahatma Gandhiji’s philosophy of Life Education, the name “Jeevan Shikshan” was adopted and has continued to be published under the same name till date. Initially, the Principal of the College served as the editor. Subsequently, after the establishment of the “State Institute of Education” in 1964, the responsibility of editorial work was entrusted to the then ex-officio Director, Dr. Chitra Naik. Since then, the Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training, Maharashtra, Pune, has been serving as the Editor of the Jeevan Shikshan magazine. Enriched by the writings of eminent authors such as Anutai Wagh, Indumati Shirwadkar, S. M. Joshi, Prof. Bokil, Prof. Vasant Desai, and Yadunath Thatte, this magazine continues to be equally cherished by teachers even today. Innovative initiatives undertaken by officers of the supervisory machinery and teachers for the holistic development of students, along with their experiences, are regularly documented and published in this magazine. Snapshots of various student activities conducted in schools are also published in each issue.

The State Council of Educational Research and Training, Maharashtra, Pune, is a premier apex academic institution actively working to enhance the quality of school education in the State. Established in 1964, the institution is actively involved in various initiatives such as in-service training for teachers, development of school curricula, educational research, creation of teaching-learning materials, and publication of diverse educational resources.

The magazine Jeevan Shikshan is based on life skills essential for the holistic development of students. Through Jeevan Shikshan, emphasis is placed on developing skills such as stress management, communication skills, decision-making ability, problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork. These skills play a significant role not only in students’ academic success but also in their personal and social lives.

Through the Jeevan Shikshan magazine, teachers are also provided with information on techniques necessary for the personality development of students. The magazine guides teachers on how to integrate life skills into their teaching-learning process, thereby enriching students’ academic experiences. It also enhances the capacity of teachers and supervisory officers by providing updated information on emerging techniques, methods, ideas, concepts, and research in the field of education. In addition, special issues of the magazine are published every year on contemporary and relevant themes.

Even during the COVID period, the magazine continued to be published smoothly without any interruption. At present, a Publication Advisory Committee has been constituted at the State Council of Educational Research and Training, Maharashtra, Pune, to oversee the functioning of the magazine. The committee is chaired by Hon. Rahul Rekhawar (IAS), Director. The Joint Director, Smt. Anuradha Oak, serves as the Executive Editor, and the Deputy Director, Smt. Jyoti Shinde, serves as the Co-Editor. Committee members include Deputy Director Dr. Kamaladevi Awate, DIET Principal Representative Shri Namdev Shendkar, Assistant Director Shri Harish Borawake, and Senior Lecturer Sachin Chavan. Additionally, Shri Shrikant Chaugule, Shri Salil Waghmare, Shri Ajit Rakshe, and Shri Sanjay Jagatp are working as members of the Editorial Board. Overall supervision is carried out by Shri Arun Sangolkar, Head of the Mass Media Department, who also serves as Member Secretary of the Committee and Editor of the magazine. Overall, the Jeevan Shikshan magazine serves as an effective tool for the development of students’ life skills and for enhancing teachers’ instructional competencies.

Jeevan Shikshan – Special Achievement

The magazine Jeevan Shikshan was honored by the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, Pune, for its academic excellence, its long-standing tradition of 161 years, and its significant contribution to the field of education. After evaluating the Diwali Special Issue published in October 2022, the committee conferred the Late Jankibai Kelkar Memorial Award upon the magazine. The award comprised a cash prize and a certificate of honor. The award was presented by renowned litterateurs Hon. Rajan Khan, Hon. Prof. Milind Joshi, and V. D. Pingale. On behalf of the magazine, the award was accepted by Hon. Dr. Neha Belasare, Deputy Director; Hon. Kamaladevi Awate, Deputy Director; Hon. Namdev Mali, Assistant Director; Hon. Dipak Mali, Administrative Officer; Salil Waghmare, then Superintendent; and Shri Arun Sangolkar, Head of the Mass Media Department.

Publication Advisory Committee :

Sr. No.	Name	Designation	Position in the Committee
1.	Shri Rahul Rekhawar (IAS)	Director	Chairperson
2.	Smt. Anuradha Oak	Joint Director	Executive Editor
3.	Smt. Jyoti Shinde	Deputy Director	Co-Editor
4.	Dr. Kamaladevi Awate	Deputy Director	Member
5.	Shri Namdev Shendkar	Principal, DIET, Pune	Member
6.	Shri Harish Borawake	Assistant Director (Accounts)	Member
7.	Shri Sachin Chavan	Senior Lecturer	Member
8.	Smt. Aparna Shendkar	Superintendent	Member
9.	Shri Arun Sangolkar	Senior Lecturer	Member Secretary and Editor

1. Editorial Board :

Sr. No.	Name	Designation	Position in the Board
1.	Shri Shrikant Chaugule	Headmaster	Member
2.	Shri Salil Waghmare	Retired Superintendent	Member
3.	Shri Ajit Rakshe	Teacher	Member
4.	Shri Sanjay Jagatap	Teacher	Member

2. Departmental Post Structure :

Sr. No.	Name of the Post	Sanctioned Posts	Working Posts
1.	Deputy Director	01	01
2.	Senior Lecturer	01	01
3.	Lecturer	01	00
4.	Superintendent	01	01
5.	Subject Assistant	01	00
6.	Clerk / Data Entry Operator	03	02
7.	Contractual Appointment of Non-Government Personnel with CSR Support	01	00
8.	Class IV	01	00
Total		10	05

3. Important Government Resolutions :

Sr. No.	Details	Government Resolution
1.	Reorganization of the Progressive Educational Maharashtra Knowledge Authority	School Education and Sports Department, Government Resolution No.: DIET 4516/(40/16)/Training, dated 17 October 2016
2.	E-Tendering	Industries, Energy and Labour Department, Government Resolution No.: BHANKAS-2014/Case No. 82/Part-III/Industry-4, dated 6 December 2016
3.	Regarding enhancement of the annual subscription of the magazine “Jeevan Shikshan”	School Education and Sports Department, Government Resolution No.: Sankirna-2018/Case No. 125/Training, dated 10 December 2018
4.	Regarding review of educational books, materials, e-materials, short films, and films	School Education and Sports Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai, No.: Sankirna-2020/Case No. 25/Training, dated 5 March 2020
5.	Regarding fixation of training rates and training venues for state-level to taluka-level training under the School Education and Sports Department	School Education and Sports Department, Government Resolution No.: RAPRADHO 4215/(38/15)/Training, dated 24 July 2017
6.	Reading Movement in Maharashtra	School Education and Sports Department, Government Resolution No.: Sankirna-2023/Case No. 360/SD-4, dated 22 November 2023

4. Objectives / Functions of the Department :

To disseminate information on new techniques, ideas, concepts, research, etc. in the field of education to teachers and officers of the supervisory machinery through the magazine Jeevan Shikshan and other publications.
To provide support and guidance to primary teachers in addressing issues encountered in day-to-day teaching.
To disseminate innovative initiatives implemented by teachers across the State.
To communicate information regarding changing education policies, assessment methods, and innovative educational initiatives to schools and teachers.
To provide a platform for reading to teachers.
To develop library books under Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI and make them available to schools.
To promote a culture of reading in schools.
To conduct a detailed educational review of films received from film producers or the Government and submit reports to the concerned film producers or the Government.
To conduct a detailed educational review of printed materials (books, magazines, etc.), e-content, educational material kits/cards/posters/games produced by private publishers, and submit reports to private publishers/companies or the Government.
To disseminate developments in the field of school education widely through social media platforms.

Various Programmes / Activities Implemented by the Mass Media Department Year-wise :

Sr. No.	Year	Details
1	2021–22	Production of the magazine Jeevan Shikshan Vachan Yatri (Reading Campaign) Documentation of best educational initiatives for the Shagun Portal Teacher Talk Parents Talk
2	2022–23	Production of the magazine Jeevan Shikshan Review / Evaluation of films and short films Review / Evaluation of e-content, printed material, and books
3	2023–24	Production of the magazine Jeevan Shikshan Reading Movement in Maharashtra Printing and distribution of books for library activities under Samagra Shiksha: – For Classes 1 to 5: Marathi – 54, Urdu – 42 books – For Classes 6 to 8: Marathi – 14, Urdu – 2, Hindi – 2, English – 2 books – For Classes 9 to 10: Marathi – 10 books Total books – 126 Review / Evaluation of films and short films (12 films) Review / Evaluation of e-content, printed material, and books (109 books) Effective use of social media
4	2024–25	Production of the magazine Jeevan Shikshan Production, printing, and distribution of library books under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme (four media – Marathi, Urdu, Hindi, and English) – For Classes 1 to 3: Number of books – 56 – For Classes 4 to 5: Number of books – 45 – For Classes 6 to 8: Number of books – 46 – For Classes 9 to 10: Number of books – 19 – For Classes 11 to 12: Number of books – 09 Total books: 175 Production, printing, and distribution of library books under the PM SHRI Scheme (four media – Marathi, Urdu, Hindi, and English) – For Classes 1 to 3: Number of books – 06 – For Classes 4 to 5: Number of books – 05 – For Classes 6 to 8: Number of books – 31 – For Classes 9 to 10: Number of books – 09 – For Classes 11 to 12: Number of books – 04 Total books: 55 Review / Evaluation of films and short films Review / Evaluation of e-content, printed material, and books Effective use of social media

Educational Material / Magazines / Books
Various Programmes / Activities Implemented by the Mass Media Department Year-wise :

Sr. No.	Year	Details
1.	2021–22	Jeevan Shikshan Magazine
2.	2022–23	Jeevan Shikshan Magazine
3.	2023–24	Jeevan Shikshan Magazine Booklet on the Reading Movement in Maharashtra Printing and distribution of books for library activities under Samagra Shiksha – For Classes 1 to 5: Marathi – 54 books and Urdu – 42 books
4.	2024–25	Jeevan Shikshan Magazine Production, printing, and distribution of library books under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme (four media – Marathi, Urdu, Hindi, and English) – Classes 1 to 3: 56 books – Classes 4 to 5: 45 books – Classes 6 to 8: 46 books – Classes 9 to 10: 19 books – Classes 11 to 12: 09 books Total: 175 books Production, printing, and distribution of library books under the PM SHRI Scheme – Classes 1 to 3: 06 books – Classes 4 to 5: 05 books – Classes 6 to 8: 31 books – Classes 9 to 10: 09 books – Classes 11 to 12: 04 books Total: 55 books

Departmental Circulars :

1	Letter	Open
2	Circular	Open

Photos :

Vachan Yatri (2021–22)

Documentation of Best Educational Initiatives for the Shagun Portal (2021–22)

Teacher Talk (2021–22)

Jeevan Shikshan – Special Achievement (2022–23)

The Jeevan Shikshan magazine was honored with the Late Janakibai Kelkar Memorial Award for outstanding children's literature by the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, Pune, on March 13, 2023.