People and Communities
Our objective is to power lives by delivering strategic social investments that are relevant to the business and communities in which we operate, with a strong commitment to nation building aligned with the goals set by the Government of India. Our focus areas include Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) education to nurture future leaders, and skilling and livelihood initiatives to empower communities and build a future-ready workforce that can drive sustainable growth.
STEM Education
By investing in STEM education, we are not only nurturing the next generation of problem-solvers and critical thinkers but also ensuring that we have the skilled workforce needed to tackle the complex energy challenges of the future. Programs like ‘NXplorers’ and our ‘Digital STEM’ initiatives empower young minds to reimagine solutions, fostering a culture of creativity and resilience. Through these efforts, Shell is committed to creating a positive impact on communities, bridging the skills gap, and paving the way for an energy-efficient world.
India’s education system faces significant challenges in preparing students for the modern workforce. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 reveals that only 44.8% of Grade 5 students can read at a Grade 2 level, and just 30.7% can perform basic arithmetic. These gaps persist into higher education, where only 3.84% of engineering graduates are employable in software-related roles at start-ups. The India Skills Report 2022 notes that only 45.9% of Indian youth are considered employable, reflecting a structural shortcoming in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for today’s economy.
What is NXplorers?
Shell's global flagship STEM program, NXplorers, is an innovative educational initiative designed to equip students with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It creates talent that can look at things differently, see opportunities, and build viable solutions for global issues. Importantly, the program connects education and application, equipping students with the tools to apply their learnings and make their ideas come to life.
The program enables young people to develop their ‘STEM way of thinking’ -creative problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. We’re enabling the next generation to reimagine our world, giving them the confidence to make a difference both in their local communities and globally.
Since 2018, the program, in partnership with Learning Links Foundation and SMILE Foundation, has reached out to more than 4,00,000 students in more than 2,500 government and low-income private schools across the states of Delhi NCR, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerela. In 2024-25, the program aims to impact more than 1,00,000 students.
Interested to know more about NXplorers, click here.
Highlights of the NXplorers program
In April 2024, Shell India marked the successful completion of the first phase of its Teacher Support Model (TSM) under the NXplorers program, implemented in over 100 schools across India in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Aayog. The TSM model aims to enhance the Atal Innovation Mission by empowering government teachers to effectively deliver the NXplorers program to students. As of March 2025, 564 teachers across 254 ATL schools have delivered NXplorers to more than 37,000 students under the TSM model.
- In September 2024, ten remarkable student teams from across India showcased their innovative solutions addressing critical challenges in the areas of Food, Energy, and Water as part of the NXplorers Showcase and NXplorer pitching competition held at Shell Changemakers of Tomorrow 2024, in Bangalore. Shri Madhu Bangarappa, Karnataka's Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, and H.E. Chandru Iyer, British Deputy High Commissioner to Karnataka and Kerala, met the students and praised their efforts.
- At the IIT Tech Fest, organized by IIT Bombay in Dec 2024, Shell's NXplorers program celebrated a significant achievement as one of its projects secured second place among 1,200 entries. The winning project, ‘Eco-Leather,’ offered an eco-friendly alternative to traditional leather, addressing environmental challenges.
- A 15-year-old NXplorers student from Karnataka, won a prestigious award for developing an innovative Agri Sprayer that improves the health and safety of local farmers while saving energy. Her project, supported by Shell's NXplorers program, addresses the challenges of traditional pesticide spraying methods, offering a more efficient and safer solution. The student’s invention was recognized by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, earning her a cash prize and a certificate.
