This 9-year-old has never been to school, builds robots and invests in SIPs. What is unschooling?

Vedarth does not attend a conventional school.

A nine-year-old boy named Vedarth is following an alternative education model that does not involve formal schooling, instead learning through practical activities, personal interests and real-world engagement. His approach, commonly referred to as unschooling, places emphasis on experience-based learning rather than structured curricula or examinations.

Vedarth does not attend a conventional school. Instead, his daily routine is shaped around tasks and projects that align with his interests. According to a report by The Better India, he has read more than 100 books across a wide range of subjects, participated in robotics and LEGO-based workshops, and explored technology-driven learning independently. He also designs logos and games with the help of coding. The nine-year-old has also built robots and even programs them himself.

His learning extends beyond academic concepts. Vedarth engages in household responsibilities, manages money and experiments with small-scale entrepreneurial activities. The report states that he regularly sets up stalls selling items such as cupcakes and chocolates, where he interacts with customers, handles transactions and manages basic accounting.

The earnings from these activities are not spent casually. With guidance from his mother, Vrishuti, Vedarth invests the money he earns into systematic investment plans (SIPs). As per the report, he has accumulated close to Rs 10,000 through his own efforts. Through this process, he is learning about savings, long-term investing and the value of financial discipline at an early age.

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His mother, Vrishuti, an architect by profession, has played a central role in shaping this learning model. Reflecting on her own schooling experience, she told The Better India that rote memorisation and formula-based learning did not translate effectively into real-life application. Based on this belief, she chose not to enroll her son in a traditional education system and instead allowed his interests to guide his learning.

Their daily routine involves informal planning discussions in the morning, followed by reflective conversations at night. These conversations focus on questions such as what he learned during the day, what challenges he faced and what did not work as expected. According to the report, this process has been followed consistently over several years to develop critical thinking and self-awareness.

Vedarth is also involved in sports. He has won two gold medals and one silver medal in tennis competitions. In addition, he is working towards publishing a book of his own.

Beyond personal learning, Vedarth and his mother have begun conducting workshops aimed at introducing other families to the concept of unschooling. Through these sessions, they share their experience with parents interested in alternative education pathways.