Open and Distance Learning as a Cost-effective Option for Secondary Level Schooling in India: Potential and Prerequisites Completed

Area(s) of work: Education

Duration: Jan 2014 – Aug 2018

Status: Completed

Funder/ Partner: Partnership to Strengthen Innovation and Practice in Secondary Education (PSIPSE) supported by the MacArthur Foundation, the MasterCard Foundation, the Human Dignity Foundation, Wellspring Advisors, Intel Foundation, and ELMA Philanthropies Services.

Secondary education in general and ODL at secondary level in particular is an under-researched area in India. It would be possible for ODL to assume a major responsibility in improving gross enrolment at secondary level only if there is an understanding of how it presently operates, and if gaps in its working are identified. No clear and comprehensive research exists at present in this area.

Two major questions that this CBPS research project seeks to answer are:

  1. Does the present system of ODL delivered through national and state institutions have the capacity and potential to fulfill the policy goal of exponentially enhanced enrollment, especially of those who are educationally disadvantaged and find it difficult to access regular schooling, and provide them quality secondary schooling education?
  2. What are the prerequisites in terms of policy, budgetary and institutional changes that are needed to enhance the capacity and potential of these institutions mandated to provide quality, relevant and meaningful secondary schooling to large number of students?

Journal Article:

Understanding the Profile, Motivations and Current Status of Academic Graduates through Open and Distance Schooling in India

Conference Papers/ Presentations:

5. Can Open Schooling enable Inclusion at Secondary level education
6. Role of technology in enabling Inclusion in Education
7. Rethinking the Role of ODL in Secondary Education in India

Film on Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in Secondary Education

A video was also created to present the major findings of the study.

CBPS Annual Seminar Presentations:

1. Major findings from the preliminary analysis was presented at our Annual Seminar 2015 and is available here.

2. Findings from primary data were shared during the Annual Seminar 2017 and is available here.