Kerala school abolishes 'backbenchers' with U-shaped classroom design, wins praise from Anand Mahindra

Kerala School Removes Backbenchers with U-Shaped Seating Inspired by Film

In a bold move aimed at transforming traditional classroom dynamics, a school in Kerala has scrapped the age-old "backbencher" concept by revamping its classroom seating arrangement. The Ramavilasom Vocational Higher Secondary School (RVGHSS) in Kerala has restructured its classrooms into a U-shape layout, ensuring every student gets equal attention and access to learning—regardless of where they sit.

Traditionally, front-row seats were considered the domain of studious toppers, while the backbenches were often stereotyped as the home of troublemakers or disinterested students. However, the new arrangement eliminates this divide, making each student effectively a "frontbencher."

Inspired by a Film, Embraced by Educators
Interestingly, this innovative classroom idea was inspired by the 2024 Malayalam film ‘Sthanarthi Sreekuttan’, where a scene depicted students sitting along the walls of the classroom, eliminating the concept of front and back benches altogether. In the film, the protagonist—a typical backbencher—suggests the U-shape arrangement during a school election campaign to promote equality.

The idea caught the attention of Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, who praised the initiative on social media, writing, “Sounds like an intriguing experiment. It could promote more equitable class participation and focus.” He also shared that he himself used to enjoy the backbench during his school days.

Sounds like an intriguing experiment.

It could promote more equitable class participation and focus.

But I have to admit, the ‘backbench’ was my preferred space in school although I wasn’t always allocated that placement.

In college, where there was a choice of seating for… https://t.co/79CAJxunSi

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) July 11, 2025

Tamil Nadu and Punjab Show Interest
The reform has not gone unnoticed. The Tamil Nadu Education Department is now planning to implement this U-shaped seating model across government schools in the state, impressed by the success at RVGHSS. Notably, the letter “U” in English is phonetically similar to “पा” in Tamil, symbolically resonating with the initiative.

Additionally, a school principal in Punjab reached out to the director of Sthanarthi Sreekuttan, Vinesh Vishwanathan, after watching the movie. He not only adopted the classroom model in his school but also arranged a special screening of the film for all students to understand the values behind the setup.

Equal Opportunity, Better Engagement
Kerala, known for its high literacy rate and stellar performance in national exams like NEET and JEE, continues to set benchmarks in education reforms. The U-shaped seating promotes equal participation, better visibility for teachers, and improved classroom engagement. Students who would typically sit at the back and miss out on key interactions now have an equal opportunity to engage with the teacher and the lesson.

This model is being hailed as a new chapter in inclusive and participatory education, ensuring no child is left behind simply because of where they sit in class.