Learning the online way: Experiences of a mother and teacher
The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown that followed have changed the way we live our lives. For a large part of the workforce, work from home became a norm while for a few, no work and unemployment became a glaring reality. Media, mostly off-beat and non-commercial outlets, talked in detail about the repercussions on the […]
Teachers’ initiative for improving children’s performance in a government high school in Melige (Karnataka)
Located in Tirthahalli taluka of Shimoga district, Karnataka, Melige village has the highest literacy rate in comparison to other villages in the state (87.65%). Though its population is a modest number of 882 people, their sex ratio is higher than the state average (1100 as against 973 in Karnataka). The gender disparity in education is […]
Has privatisation of education widened the gaps?
I recently had the opportunity to visit Uttar Pradesh for a field study on understanding the governance structure and the institutional framework of policies, particularly focusing on children. As a part of my study, I had the chance to meet the frontline functionaries who diligently work for children – ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife), ASHA (Accredited […]
My experiences with the UPSC Civil Services examination – From an ex-aspirant’s perspective
UPSC Civil Services examination is probably one of the toughest experiences one can go through. More than the technical aspects of the examination, overall as an experience, it can be challenging and takes a lot away from our personal lives. It offers people job security and in general, there is a lot of honour attached […]
Education Cess and its Neglect of Education
Towards the end of March, we all rush to complete our investments in the Tax Saving instruments and also furnish our declarations to save tax. There would be many of you who despite all the exemptions end up paying taxes to the government. Ever wondered what happens to the different taxes collected from you? All […]
Supreme Court Ruling on Aadhaar and Right to Education Admissions in Karnataka
On 26th September 2018, the Supreme Court upheld the use of Aadhaar for availing any government benefit or subsidy but made the use of Aadhaar non-mandatory for the purpose of education for those in the age group of 6-14 years. Prior to this ruling, a number of government departments had made Aadhaar mandatory for availing […]
Locating key debates in Early Childhood Care and Education: insights from Indian scholarship
As part of our ongoing research to generate contextually relevant understandings of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in India, we interviewed 11 specialists with extensive research experience in the country [1]. Broadly, their expertise is situated in childhood studies, early years education and development, psychology, sociology, special educational needs, and language and literacy. Our […]
Towards responsive models of early childhood care and education in India
India has a significant child population, with 158 million children between the ages of 0-6 years. The Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), India’s flagship child welfare programme, which includes the provision of early childhood care and education (ECCE), reaches 48% of children of preschool age. Despite the growth of private and non-government ECCE providers, 20% […]
‘Casteless hostels’: limits and possibilities
Spaces of formal education, whether they are schools, colleges or universities, are never about classroom learning alone. While the political activism of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, and University of Hyderabad (to some extent) may have caught the attention of national media over the last few years, it is important to recognise that in different […]
Precarity in Education: Insights from a study on the vocationalization of secondary education in India
Vocationalization of education in India was introduced fairly early in 1988 to offer vocational courses for two years alongside other subjects in higher secondary education. The programme was revised to the VHSE (Vocationalization of Higher Secondary Education) in 2011 with a view to cater to India’s economic growth and a growing demand for labour in […]
Reforms in Teacher Management: A Case Study from Karnataka
A teacher is one of the most critical actors of the education system. In order to enhance the overall education indicators and quality of teaching, it is important that teachers are motivated and committed. A number of researchers have argued that effective teacher management practices are closely linked with teacher motivation (Ramachandran, 2005). UNICEF’s manual […]
Shiksha Aur Bhookh (शिक्षा और भूख)
“देखन में छोटन लगे, घाव करे गंभीर”, बिहारी जी की ये एक पंक्ति आज से एक साल पहले से मेरे जेहन में घर सी कर गयी है| यह कहानी कही न कही इन्ही पंक्तियों को सत्य करती दिखाई देती है|हाथ में सब्जी की टोकरी लिए हुए, बाज़ार में खड़ी एक बच्ची का सब्जी बेचना भले […]
Education and Equity: Challenges of post primary education in India – CBPS Discussion Paper for CBPS Annual Seminar, March 14, 2018
Post-primary education in India: The context and need ‘Quality Education’ has been recognised as one of the foundational conditions for achieving sustainable development. Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) state that quality education consists of ensuring equitable opportunities to access and complete education at all levels, including opportunities to access good quality technical, […]
Getting a Second Chance
Transition from upper primary to secondary schooling is an important topic of discussion and incentives and infrastructure/inputs are planned and being worked on. Statistics suggest that although most children in India go to primary school, a large number of students drop out before completing Class X. This means that a considerable proportion of India’s youth […]
Secondary Education: Thinking Creatively
Indian secondary education system focuses generally on rote learning, which encourages students to learn the subject matter in a fixed envelope and reproduce from the same, on being questioned during evaluation – tests/examinations, even the test patterns are predefined for the curriculum. The envelope of learning in this environment blinkers the process of learning by […]
Rethinking learning assessments: insights from a study on the status of education in tribal districts in Maharashtra
In recent years, national and international assessments have received a lot of attention, largely due to concerns over the quality of education systems and their outcomes. Tests such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) have been publicised in the hope of pushing countries […]
The ‘Whats’ and ‘Whys’ of Teacher Motivation
In India, teachers have often been blamed for poor performance of government elementary schools. However, for a government school teacher in the 1990s, or even early 2000s, teaching the class and completing the curriculum were not the only challenges. Often, teachers struggled to get physical classrooms or even a single classroom for a particular class. […]
The Cost effectiveness of Radio Programs in Primary Schools of Karnataka
Centre for Budget and Policy Studies recently undertook a study called Cost effectiveness of the Radio Programs in the state of Karnataka. This blog has been written from experiences the author had while conducting the impact evaluations of the Radio programs in 20 schools of Karnataka. Radio Programs (Interactive Radio Instructions) have been the chosen […]