A Class 6 student in Uttar Pradesh got an opportunity to experience the work of a district magistrate for a day. Payal Dixit, a student of Upper Primary School in Pipargaon, Farrukhabad, sat in the District Magistrate's chair and reviewed public grievance applications under the Mission Shakti campaign.
The initiative took place during the ongoing Navratri festival. Farrukhabad District Magistrate Ankur Lather introduced Payal to the functioning of the district administration and gave her an opportunity to observe a public hearing, where residents bring their complaints and seek help from officials.
Payal Dixit Reviews Public Grievances
During the public hearing, Payal listened to the complaints of residents and learnt how the administration handles applications related to public grievances.
District Magistrate Ankur Lather explained the initiative and the student's role. In a video shared by news agency IANS on X, he said:
"As you all know, the Mission Shakti campaign is currently underway, coinciding with the ongoing Navratri festival that began on the 11th. Under this initiative, today a 6th-grade student from the Upper Primary School came to sit in the DM's chair as District Magistrate for a day. She reviewed public grievance applications during the DM's public hearing session. She was also introduced to the overall administrative setup-learning how the Chief Development Officer oversees the Development Department, how the ADM manages Revenue, and how SDMs, Circle Officers, and Block Development Officers operate at the tehsil and block levels..."
Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh: Under the Mission Shakti campaign, Payal Dixit, a Class 6 student at Upper Primary School Pipargaon and daughter of farmer Rajesh Dixit, was made a symbolic District Magistrate for a day under the direction of Farrukhabad District Magistrate Ankur Lather. During a public grievance hearing, she listened to six complainants and directed the concerned officials to take appropriate action on their complaints
— IANS (@ians_india) October 13, 2026
What Is Mission Shakti?
Mission Shakti is a government initiative focused on women's safety, security and empowerment. The programme includes efforts to promote awareness, confidence and opportunities for girls and women.
As part of the initiative in Farrukhabad, Payal was introduced to the responsibilities of officials working at different levels of the district administration. She learnt about the roles of the Chief Development Officer, Additional District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrates, Circle Officers and Block Development Officers.
A Student Gets A First-Hand Look At Administration
The experience gave Payal an opportunity to see how the district administration works beyond what students learn in classrooms. She observed how officials receive public complaints and how different departments handle administrative responsibilities.
The exercise was a symbolic initiative to familiarise a school student with public service and administrative work. Payal's role was limited to the programme and did not amount to a permanent appointment as District Magistrate.
The initiative also highlighted the importance of giving girls opportunities to learn about leadership, public service and decision-making.
