The National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, through its Education Portfolio initiatives, seeks to link research with advocacy and policy analysis. This report resulting from NIAS' engagement with the Education Portfolio, is an attempt to provide a framework with which to approach and understand the 'education question' among Adivasis. The absence of a comprehensive all-India perspective paper/report on the issues related to education of Adivasis and urgent need to interrogate the impact of the dominant education system on the lives of marginalized and disadvantaged groups compelled us to undertake this project. In addition, our experiences and reflections after a five-year long (2002-2007) involvement with an action research project that sought to enhance elementary education, especially in the Ahramshalas in Chamarajnagar district of Karnataka highlighted for us not only the complexities and challenges that Adivasis face with the dominant education system (in its provisioning, administration, content and impact), but also indicated the need to initiate policy and programmatic changes at state and national levels. This report pays attention to the larger political-economic contexts in which most Adivasis liv; it identifies trends, reviews policies, flags key issues and suggests alternatives that can be taken forward

Sampth Kumaran, Revathi

Tukdeo, Shivali

Vasavi, AR

Veerbhadranaika, P

This report has been submitted to UNICEF, New Delhi by the National Institute of Advanced Studies

(NIAS), Bangalore. It is based on a review project undertaken as part of the Education Portfolio

of the institute. Drawing on secondary data, insights and ideas from an all-India consultation meet

at NIAS, four regional / zonal consultations, data from a project in Chamarajanagar district (Karnataka),

and select reviews of educational programmes, this report presents a broad perspective of

Adivasi education in India. While we recognise that the educational challenges faced by the tribal

people of North-East India are significant and require immediate attention, they could not be represented

adequately in this report. We hope an in-depth study of educational issues of the North-

Eastern region can be taken up separately.





We would like to clarify that while this report is an appraisal of the policies, administrative structures,

institutions and programmes that are intended to cater to the educational needs of Adivasis,

it is not meant to be a summative review of their educational status. Reversing the dominant ‘deficit

approach’, by which the lack of adequate educational attainment is typically ascribed to Adivasis

themselves, this report situates itself within the context of the varied forms of displacement, disenfranchisement

and violence, which mark the lives of most Adivasis. The challenge of the ‘education

question’ among Adivasis is sought to be understood through an analysis of the policy orientations,

structures and processes of educational administration, institutions and the constraints within which

they operate and the myriad in-built forms of exclusion of the dominant education system. In addition,

some attention is paid to the impact of mainstream education on the lives of Adivasis and the

continued marginalisation of their knowledge, culture, languages and lives. Our review of the policies,

administrative structures, institutions and their impact indicate that the Adivasis receive the

lowest cost, poorest quality and indifferently administered education

Sampath Kumaran, Revathi

NIAS Repository

'The education question' from the perspective of Adivasis: Conditions, policies and structures (NIAS Report No. R7-2012)

The Education question from the perspective of Adivasis: Conditions, policies and structures (NIAS Report No.R7-2012)

http://eprints.nias.res.in/423/1/2012-R7-PV.pdf

The Education question from the perspective of Adivasis: Conditions, policies and structures (NIAS Report No.R7-2012)

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NIAS Repository

NIAS Repository