Srinagar, Apr 28 (KNO): The National Road Safety Education Excellence Awards 2025-26 marked the culmination of the National Road Safety Mission for Schools 2025-26. In Jammu & Kashmir, the initiative saw participation from 34 schools, with 7 award winners and 18 Olympiad winners recognised as part of the programme.
According to a statement, issued to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the National Road Safety Mission (NRSM), launched in 2024, is a nationwide, collaborative, non-government initiative led by Academia Axis Edtech, an education technology organisation; International Road Federation (IRF) India Chapter, the global road safety and transport body; and Eduxa.ai, an education technology platform.
It has reached over 5,000 schools across 35 states and Union Territories, engaging more than 2.2 million students through structured road safety learning and school-level interventions.
The programme includes school zone safety audits, structured K-12 learning modules and a rating framework to assess and improve safety conditions around schools. The initiative has also been piloted across select states in collaboration with government stakeholders, focusing on audit-led interventions and school zone infrastructure.
The event was attended by Rajni Thakur, Project Director, NRSM. Manit Jain, Co-founder of Heritage Schools and I am a Teacher - a not-for-profit teacher training and capacity building organisation and Kapila, President Emeritus, IRF, were present as Guests of Honour.
The awards presented recognised over 1100 institutions and contributors implementing structured road safety programmes within school environments as part of a broader effort to integrate safe road behaviour into early education across Bharat. Among the Olympiad winners, Delhi Public School, Udhampur; Jammu Sanskriti School, Kathua; SRM Welkin Hr. Sec. School, Sopore; Army Public School, Udhampur; Army Public School, Dhar Road; Army Public School, Janglot; Army Public School, Kaluchak; Army Public School, Ratnuchak; and Army Public School, Samba were recognised among the top performers. Additionally, Delhi Public School, Udhampur and Army Public School, Kaluchak received special recognition under the National Road Safety Education Excellence Awards, while Jammu Sanskriti School, Jammu; Jammu Sanskriti School, Kathua; JK Police Public School, Bemina, Srinagar; and PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya, Nagrota were recognised across leadership and changemaker categories.
"We are moving road safety education from occasional awareness drives to structured, age-appropriate learning inside schools," said Manit Jain.
"We are now working towards scaling this initiative to reach 20 million students by 2026, with a focus on building measurable learning outcomes within the school ecosystem."
"Road traffic injuries continue to be one of the gravest public safety challenges, especially for children and young adults. If we want safer roads, education must begin before unsafe habits are formed. The National Road Safety Mission for Schools aims to help build a generation that treats road safety as a civic responsibility," said K.K. Kapila, President Emeritus International Road Federation.
"The National Road Safety Mission is more than just a program; it is a movement built by the people, for the people. Our mission to create a culture of safety on our streets which would not be possible without the unwavering commitment of school leaders and parents. Together, we are not just teaching road rules-we are protecting the future of our communities." said Rajni Thakur.
Additionally, Parvesh Verma, Cabinet Minister in the Delhi Government, has also conveyed his support for the initiative and encouraged its implementation, noting its relevance in promoting road safety education at the school level—(KNO)