Srinagar, July 12 -- In a classroom somewhere in Kerala, children now sit in a U-shape. There are no front or back rows, just a circle of students looking at each other, and at the teacher, as equals.

It's a small change, born from a Malayalam film, Shanthaari Sreekutty. But the impact is turning heads in India's education circles.

Kashmir should be watching, too.

In most schools here, the backbench is a place of hiding. Whether in a government school in Kupwara or a private school in Srinagar, it's the same pattern: the bold students occupy the front rows, the hesitant ones recede to the back.

Over time, this seating becomes a symbol of status, confidence, and, unfortunately, invisibility.

Teachers, often unknowingly, focus on those...