Inclusive & Quality Education for Tribals: Case Study Kiss (Odisha)

The 12th Plan highlighted Equity, Access & Excellence as the tripod of India’s education policy. The RTE Act 2009 has ensured a high level of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER). However, the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) present a dismal picture of the outcome dimensions of our schooling system. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) therefore, highlights the importance of quality as an important conjoint of universal access, as skill based education will ensure proper employment opportunity. Education is a major enabler for empowerment for all; and in particular for extremely vulnerable sections of the society like STs. The tribal students are handicapped multi-dimensionally, with education as a critical fault line. This paper analyses the policy initiatives to educate and empower them and brings out the bleak picture that bedevil this neglected segment. It contrasts the experience of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in terms of promoting gender parity, vocational training, health alleviation, dignity of the girl child and educational outcomes as compared to their counterparts in government and SC/ST schools. The paper also highlights the unique funding model of KISS and its potential for replication. Inclusive growth and quality can work how in hand. The paper strongly argues for government’s handholding through “Skill India” initiative and funding unique initiatives as KISS. Keywords: RTE ACT, GER, ASER, SDG, KISS, SKILL INDI

Feminism, Budgeting and Gender Justice

The Fourth Conference on Women at Beijing (1995) underlined the importance of gender mainstreaming; spurring India to provide for separate Gender Budgeting in 2005-06. The Constitution tries to make fine balance between right to equality and positive discrimination for promoting gender justice in India. Yet high levels of Gender Inequality Index (GII), coexist with high Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, after India opted for economic liberalization in the 1990s. This paper brings out these trends and how the Supreme Court, as the watchdog of fundamental rights, has played a stellar role in ensuring gender justice. The paper does a trend analysis of gender budgeting and the inept implementation of flagship programmes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Nirbhaya, due to the lack of coordinated approach. Making comparison with developed and Emerging Market Economies (EME), the paper underscores the importance of earmarking handsome allocation to education and health care. The issue of gender justice is not merely an issue of adequate allocation or effective judicial redressal, but embraces a larger concern viz. the “culture of silence” that pervades our patriarchal society. The Oslo summit underscored the importance of value based education to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Keywords: GII, GDP, EME, OSLO SUMMIT, SDG

Make in India and Challenges before Education Policy

Economic development, inclusive growth and high employability are significantly linked to education policy of a country. Beginning with Kothari Commission (1966) with its emphasis on science & technology and research to National Policy on Education (1986), several committees during the last decade have advocated for greater foreign collaboration, public private partnership and improvement in quality. The RTE Act 2002 has been a significant milestone in ensuring near universal enrolment. However there are constant laments about poor infrastructure, indifferent teaching and government schools being out performed by private schools. Make-In-India campaign seeks to significantly bolster India’s manufacturing sinews and exports by fostering Ease of Doing Business. Its success, however, would critically hinge on how the leitmotif of education policy is etched in the promised new policy this year. If India wants to be the Asia power of 21st century, quality education at entry level will improve its total factor productivity, ramp up India Human Development Index (HDI) and be a significant conjoint to Public Private Partnership (PPP) and National Manufacturing Policy (NMP). The paper examines these policy options and suggests the way forward. Keywords: RTE, HDI, PPP, NMP, Make-In-Indi

The Underbelly of Rural India, SECC 2011 & Way Forward

The Socio Economic & Caste Census (SECC) 2011 is a remarkable report by unfolding critical economic trends in rural India in terms of asset ownership, employment, Mean Years of Schooling (MYS) and social inclusion. Given the distressing findings of endemic casual labour, destitution, low access through Kisan Card, financial inclusion for people in the bottom of the pyramid poses serious policy challenges. The paper argues that rights based approach which puts a premium on opportunity, empowerment and social security will be the right way forward. The Policy Effectiveness Index (PEI) approach provides useful insight to our unsatisfactory law and order situation and poor employment opportunity. It advocates eschewing rural urban migration as a strategy; it instead calls for investment in Agricultural (R&D), agro industry development, quality education and skilling as the templates for coalescing growth and Human Development Index (HDI). Keywords: SECC, MYS, PEI, HDI

Design and Development of a Continuous Passive Motion Device for Physiotherapeutic Treatment of Human Knee

Success of post-operative and post-traumatic therapy and rehabilitation of conditions related to major joints typically requires continuous passive movement of the affected joint. Physiotherapeutic devices are commonly used to promote rehabilitation of damaged or injured synovial joints. The research work aims to develop an assisted motion device for the physiotherapeutic treatment of the human knee joint. A cam-follower mechanism is proposed to reproduce actual gait cycle with varying flexion and extension of knee joint. The proposed model defines the passive motion device in terms of an improvised range of motion similar to the variation of the knee angle during normal walking gait cycle. Experiments are conducted on the proposed device to verify its angle variation and ease of use for the patients. The intuitive device finds its application in knee joint rehabilitation after knee replacement surgeries, fractures, injuries and other knee joint diseases to facilitate joint flexibility and promote well-being. The demonstrated works lays the groundwork for the prospective passive knee models and prosthesis desig

India’s Budget: Beyond Fiscal Consolidation

India is caught up in a debate between adherence to the FRBM Act and ramping up public investment which shows a tepid trend. India’s repo rate policy has been assiduously linked to the glide path enumerated by Urjit Patel Committee. However, these fiscal consolidation concerns overlook the critical need to address distributive justice, minimize increasing trend of Gini index and pay greater attention to adequate allocation to merit goods sectors like primary education, health and sanitation. The paper underscores the importance of Musgrave’s three pronged emphasis on Allocation, Distribution and Stabilization and highlights the centrality of “Total Factor Productivity” (TFP) of Robert Solow as the real thrust area. The up-coming budget must strike the right balance between fiscal consolidation and allocation prudence to reap the harvest of demographic dividend that awaits India. Keywords: FRBM Act, Merit Goods, TFP, Demographic Dividend, Glide Path, Gini Inde

Growth, Development and Carbon Containment: India in the Next Decade

Growth, development and sustainment are the key concerns for every emerging market economy (EME) like India. While many analysts highlight the trickledown effect of high growth, the development economists bemoan the lack of concern for Human Development Indicators (HDI) which hinge on Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), quality education and affordable health care. A recent book of T.N. Ninan comprehensively addresses these twin concerns besides underling the importance of low carbon growth in India. This paper brings out the major pathways for India in the next decade which should include market orientation in pricing of public utilities, ‘scale economics’ in manufacturing, abdication of government involvement in education and health care and strengthening the regulatory mechanism. Underscoring the need for ‘distributed centres of gravity’, the challenges for India in the next decade achieving both inclusive growth and carbon containment would hinge upon capacity enhancement, real learning, new Public Management (NPM) adequate allocation for low carbon emission and providing satisfactory employment opportunities. KEYWORDS: EME, IMR, MMR, HDI, NPM

Merit Goods, Education Public Policy– India At Cross Roads

Merit Goods have always received handsome attention and allocation from countries which have witnessed a congruence between high significant economic growth and Human Development Index (HDI). The Emerging Market Economies (EMEs) have become significant manufacturing hubs by universalizing education and improving their Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR). Allocational priority to sectors like education, health and sanitation and their easy accessibility and affordability to people Below Poverty Line (BPL) hold the key to inclusive growth. The paper brings out how our poor development records in terms of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), and Gini Coefficient can be substantially mitigated by better allocational commitment, high Research & Development, allocation, improvement in factor productivity and global collaboration. KEYWORDS: HDI, ICOR, BPL, EMEs, IMR & MM

MAKE IN INDIA - THE MANUFACTURING CONUNDRUM

The high octane propaganda of Make-in-India seeks to make India a global manufacturing hub, by taking advantage of its demographic dividend, democratic framework, and huge untapped demand. The paper traces the impact of dismantling License Permit Quota (LPQ) regime on growth and employment and criticality of ICOR and Ease of Doing Business to realize our full growth potential. It brings out the need to harness economy of scale by setting up a chain of economic zones on the coastline and ancillary them with the SMEs. Given the tepid FDI inflow, particularly into the power sector, the paper makes a strong case for exploring viable joint ventures so as not to allow India to become fishing zone for MNCs. Underlining the pivotal importance of social capital, the paper strongly calls for Centre-State synergy and identifies investment in IT hardware as a priority sector in this major policy footprint of India.&nbsp

MANUFACTURING AND MISSING LINKS IN EDUCATION POLICY

The glissando of Make-in-India campaign is perched on rhetorics like Skill India and Ease of Doing Business. It is also a takeoff on the NMP-2011, which seeks to bolster India’s manufacturing foot print, encourage FDI, and bolster exports. The paper brings out the genesis of our manufacturing policy and experience and the challenges that confront Make-in-India. It highlights disconnects that manifest in our education policy both at the primary and tertiary level where GER and inclusivity have become the buzzword; clearly discounting the quality dimension. It draws upon the global best practices where local bodies are financially and functionally empowered to provide quality education at the primary level and act as the building block for research and innovation at the tertiary level. The paper makes a powerful plea for evolving a new educational policy where public policy treats the primary and higher education as a merit good in a holistic manner, fosters PPP, quality and eschew ideological obscurantism. It also calls for abnegating the asphyxiating control that shrouds the UGC.  Article visualizations