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Feeder Workshop on

Knowledge Connectivity for PURA (April 21, 2004)

Report

Higher Education Unit National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration

17-B, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi-110 016

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Edited for publication by Prof. Sudhanshu Bhushan National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) 17-B, Sri Aurobindo Marg New Delhi – 110 016 First Published: May 2004 by NIEPA © NIEPA Copies are available from:

Higher Education Unit National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) 17-B, Sri Aurobindo Marg New Delhi – 110 016 Fax: 91-11-26856041, 26865180 e-mail: sudhanshu@niepa.org

Printed at: M/s Anil Offset & Packagings (P) Ltd. Delhi

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Foreword

The feeder workshop on “Knowledge Connectivity for PURA” was held in NIEPA on 21st April, 2004 on the request of Prof. (Dr.) B. H. Briz Kishore, Chairman, NCRI. The workshop is in continuation of the two regional workshops held at Chennai and Bhopal. The theme of the present workshop held at NIEPA is contextual in view of the commitment of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to provide urban amenities in rural areas built around knowledge connectivity, which his Excellency the President of India also endorsed in his address at the UGC Golden Jubilee function.

I am thankful to Prof. (Dr.) B. H. Briz Kishore for his initiative and his confidence on NIEPA to hold the workshop on above-mentioned theme. Prof. T. Karunakaran, VC, MGCGV, Chittrakoot provided academic support to the workshop for which he fully deserves our commendation. Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chairman, UGC kindly agreed to inaugurate and chair the Technical Session and Prof. R. Natarajan, Chairman, AICTE provided very valuable inputs to the Knowledge Connectivity issues. I honour the commitment to the cause that motivated them to spare some time for the workshop. Prof. Prem Vrat, Director IIT Roorkee, chaired the Technical Session and Prof. M. Anandkrishnan delivered a keynote address on the theme. Prof. P. V. Indiresan set the ball rolling for discussion after he introduced PURA as a vision, mission and strategy. Prof. P. V. Krishan Bhatt, Hony. Coordinator, IGNCA spared his valuable time to provide directions to PURA strategy. I am thankful to all of them. Prof. H. Ramachandran, Director, IAMR, Prof. S. Z. Haider, Sanjeev Kumar, Director, Ministry of HRD, Government of India and Prof. Dayanand Dongaonkar, Secretary General, AIU made valuable contributions during discussion. During discussion the representatives from IIT - Delhi, IIT - Roorkee, IIS, Banglore, DST, KVIC, NIOS made significant contributions. I acknowledge the contributions of above noted persons.

18th May 2004 Pradeep Kumar Joshi New Delhi Director, NIEPA

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Preface

The report on the feeder workshop on Knowledge Connectivity for PURA is the syntheses of the various views and opinions expressed in a one day workshop at NIEPA organized in collaboration with NCRI, Hyderabad. Report is an analytical one and instead of documenting various opinions effort has been made to produce a result-oriented analysis through the synthesis of ideas and reflections expressed in the workshop. One important objective in preparing the report was to suggest some of the initiatives to be undertaken by various agencies to head start Knowledge Connectivity exercises for PURA.

Chapter-1 of the report is an introduction to PURA. In introducing the concept of

PURA we acknowledge that images and references to four connectivities with descriptions have been taken from ‘Envisioning an Empowered Nation’ Technology for Societal Transformation authored by Prof. A P J Abdul Kalam with Dr. A. Sivathanu Pillai. Prof. P. V. Indiresan’s presentation on PURA during the workshop provided important inputs in preparing the introductory chapter.

Chapter-2 is devoted to the analysis of the structure and scope of Knowledge

Connectivity. The inaugural address by Prof. V. N. Rajshekharan Pillai, Vice-chairman, UGC provided valuable inputs in terms of understanding the role of rural colleges and also clarifying UGC’s initiatives in supporting PURA knowledge structures. Prof. R. Natarajan, Chairman, AICTE put forth the suggestions respecting the role of rural engineering colleges and the Polytechnics in supporting PURA. He also noted the National Qualifications Framework initiative by AICTE that would help to provide sufficient flexibility for the rural youth to join various vocations and increase the skill level. Prof. (Dr.) B. H. Briz Kishore, Chairman, NCRI clarified the issue of the goal of Knowledge Connectivity around the economic needs of the people. Prof. T Karunakaran, Vice chancellor, MGCGV, Chitrakoot provided an important input in terms of the structure of institutions and multi-collaborative framework for PURA and experiences of various initiatives for rural development given in Chapter-3.

Prof. G. D. Sharma, Director, CEC noted the important way in which tele-education

can reach the rural masses. Prof. S. Z. Haider, Joint Director, PSSIVE highlighted the role of vocational schools to meet the goal of Knowledge Connectivity. Prof. Prem Vrat, Director, IIT, Roorkee and Prof. M. Anandkrishnan deliberating on the lead questions relating to technical institutions proposed various suggestions, notably the need for investment planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation framework in selected PURA’s. Prof. H. Ramachandran, Director, IAMR intervened to express the dilemma that present model of development contains and the PURA model of development proposes in the face of ongoing process. Prof. P. V. Krishan Bhatt Hony. Coordinator IGNCA , Sanjiv

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Kumar, Director, MHRD, Government of India and Prof. Dayanand Dongaonkar, Secretary General, AIU made valuable contributions during discussion. During discussion the representatives from IIT - Delhi, IIT - Roorkee, IIS - Banglore, DST, KVIC, NIOS made significant contributions. I acknowledge the contributions of above noted persons in shaping different chapters.

Chapter-3 is devoted to the analysis of the Role of Individual Institutions and Multi

Agency collaboration. This issue is the most complex one. Inter-institutional, intra-institutional, public-private participation, rural-urban institutional linkages and civil society’s initiatives need a framework of networking. Examples of various initiatives are given. The challenge is to achieve synergic outcomes. The possibilities may be explored in a large workshop.

Chapter-4 is on suggestions and recommendations. Executive summary proposes the

road maps as it emerges from the feeder workshop. The framework of summary is in terms of plan of action as a result of synthesis of ideas in the workshop.

An appendix on Agriculture and Knowledge Connectivity by Prof. I V Subba Rao is

reproduced as the economy of rural sector revolves around agriculture and the issue is important in the context of PURA.

18th May 2004 Sudhanshu Bhushan New Delhi Senior Fellow & Head

Higher Education

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Abbreviations

AI & CC Agricultural Information and Communication Centre AICTE All India Council for Technical Education AIR All India Radio AIU Association of Indian Universities AMC Agricultural Market Committee ANGRAU Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University ATIC Agricultural Technology and Information Centre ATM Automatic Trailer Machine BARD Bangladesh Academy For Rural Development CEC Consortium for Education Communication CETRUP Centre of Training for Rural Professions CII Confederation of Indian Industries CRD Centre of Regional Development CRDP Centre of Regional Development for PURA DAATTC District Agricultural Advisory and Transfer of Technology Centres DOA Department of Agriculture DST Department of Science and Technology GDP Gross Domestic Product GoAP Government of Andhra Pradesh GOI Government of India IAMR Institute of Applied Manpower Research ICAR Indian Council of Agricultural Research ICT Information and Communications Technology IIM Indian Institute of Management IIS Indian Institute of Science IIT Indian Institute of Technology ITI Indian Technological Institute IVLP Institution Village Linkage Programme KVIC Khadi & Village Industries Commission KVK Krishi Vigyan Kendras MGCGV Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya MHRD Ministry of Human Resource Development NAAC The National Assessment and Accreditation Council NCAER National Council of Applied Economic Research NCRI National Council of Rural Institutes NGO Non Government Organisation NIEPA National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration

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NIOS Nation Institute of Open Schooling NQF National Qualifications Framework PSSIVE Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education PURA Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas R & D Research and Development RAWEP Rural Agricultural Work Experience Program RHSWEP Rural Home Science Work RIM Rejuvenate India Movement RUDSETI Rural Development and Self-Employment Training SAU State Agricultural Universities SEWA Self Employed Women’s Association SHG Self Help Group TAR Technology Assessment and Refinement TEC Thana level Educational Officers TRC Teacher Resource Center TRIPS Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights UGC University Grants Commission UNDP United Nations Development Programme WTO World Trade Organisation

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Contents Foreword Preface List of Abbreviations used in Report Chapter One Introduction: PURA 01 Rationale for PURA Vision for PURA Political Commitment for PURA The first of these Connectivities is Physical Connectivity Similarly PURA Needs to be provided with Electronic Connectivity Knowledge Connectivity Economic Connectivity Societal Connectivity Strategy for Providing Urban Amenities for Rural Areas Some Central Points During Discussion Chapter Two Structure and Scope for Knowledge Connectivity 09 Goal of Knowledge Connectivity The Challenge of Knowledge Connectivity Scope of Knowledge Connectivity Who Will Take the Initiatives? Models of Knowledge Connectivity Centre of Regional Development for PURA (CRDP) Coverage with Rural Colleges and Other Schemes Role of AICTE Role of Rural Engineering Colleges Role of Central of Educational Consortium Vocationalisation of School Level to be Integral Part of PURA Role of IITs and Indian Institutes of Science Some Central Points During Discussion Chapter Three Role of Individual Institutions and Multi Agency Collaboration 17 Inter Institutional Collaboration Intra Institutional Collaboration Public – Private Partnership Rural Urban Institutional Linkages Individual Initiative to Support Multi Agency Efforts

a) Knowledge Connectivity through Networking: A Case of Society for Rural Industrialization, Bariatu, Ranchi

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b) TECH NET: A Case of the Technocracy Project, Started in Gandhigram Rural Institute

c) Knowledge Connectivity Through Human Netowrking: A Case of Samaj Shilpi Modesl

d) Connectivity with Women’s Groups: Gramin Bank and SEWA – Ahmedabad

e) Knowledge Connectivity for Entrepreneurs: A Case of Rural Development Self Employment Training Institute

f) Knowledge Connectivity through Schools: A Case of Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD)

Chapter Four Implementation Processes 23 Target Oriented Approach for Knowledge Connectivity Issue of Awareness Among Youth Manpower Planning in PURA Enhance Participation of Unemployed Youth through Training Road Map for Future Agenda Annexure-I Agriculture Knowledge Connectivity for PURA 26 Dr. I.V. Subba Rao Annexure-II Session-wise Details 35 Annexure-III List of Participants 37

Chapter One

Introduction: PURA

Long before western model of development the Indian villages present a picture of self-sufficiency. The imposition of western model led to a rural-urban divide leading to the neglect of villages. As majority of Indians live in villages the neglect of rural structure would amount to the impoverishment of the poor. The vision to the rural centric development and supportive educational structure is now considered an important agenda for rural development. As such the clarion calls of the President of India and the Prime Minister of India to provide urban amenities in rural area through the PURA scheme set a new priority to the agenda of rural construction. In the post independence era Dr. Radhakrishnan Commission (1949) provides an eminent example of such vision. Many roadblocks in the path of its realization exist. Globalization hastens the process of divide although ICT revolution permits a favorable ambience as faster connectivities to the rural setup could be achieved at a much lower cost. Individuals and institutions have so far exhibited various models of rural development. What lacks, however, is the multilateral framework and synergies of co-operative and participative efforts. Most important is the commitment of political leaders, policy makers, development activists, social scientists and practitioners of rural development. It is time to consolidate the different initiatives and provide a clear vision for knowledge connectivity under PURA. Rationale for PURA

At present rural income is 1/3rd of the urban income. Slums are expanding at the

rate of 9% per annum in the towns and 30% of the city is slum. As the investment in rural sector is not in accordance with the requirement the sector is under developed and large-scale migration is taking place from villages to towns. To overcome this rural urban divide the concept of PURA has to attract large-scale public and private investment and all the basic amenities and all the urban amenities in the rural area for the investment has to take place. This will stop migration and lead to the sustainable development of rural areas. Vision for PURA

It is estimated that in the 10th plan for the all round development of block with population of 1 lakh and at an estimated investment of Rs. 20000/- per capita (Private + Public), critical investment plan for a rural development block should be atleast Rs. 200 Crore. So far as PURA is concerned, in terms of a scheme of a rural development 4230 PURAs, the poorest PURAs, have been identified to provide a grant from the centre to the states worth Rs. 12,690 Crores. This amounts to an investment of Rs. 3 Crore per PURA.

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Thus we observe that there is a huge deficit of Rs. 197 Crores. Even if other government schemes are taken into account there remains huge deficit for all round development of block. Hence the argument is that government alone cannot provide all the investment needed for rural development. The vision behind PURA that emerges from above is that PURA has to be made a profitable or commercial program so that the private investment flows into rural areas in the manner that private investment flows in any urban centre. It is argued that an important reason for the flow of private investment in urban areas is the all round connectivities and the availability of market. The basic foundation of PURA has to be led on precisely this vision that urban amenities, connectivities, markets should be provided in the rural areas to attract large scale investment in the rural areas. Political Commitment for PURA

The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India in his Independence Day (2003) speech

declared the launching of PURA with the hope that it will ‘bridge the rural-urban divide and achieve balanced socio-economic development’. Elaborating on PURA Hon’ble President of India made the following statement on 17.02.2003 in the Parliament:

“A key element of “Vision 2020” would be “Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA)”. More than two-thirds of India’s population lives in rural areas. We need to give a new thrust to their all-round development through provision of four critical connectivities: Physical Connectivity by providing good roads, transport services and quality power; Electronic Connectivity by providing reliable communication networks; Knowledge Connectivity by establishing more professional institutions and vocational training centers, schools with high quality infrastructure, teachers who are devoted to teaching, production centers for rural artisans, primary health centers, recreation centers, etc.; and Market Connectivity that will help realize the best value for the products and services of rural people, and constantly expand and enrich employment opportunities for them. The model envisaged is a holistic habitat that would improve the quality of life in rural areas and also help in de-congestion of urban areas”. Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) is essentially conceived around

five types of connectivities, with the aim to speed up the process of achieving total rural prosperity. For best results, all five have to develop in synchronism. Each connectivity has a minimum threshold level. Below that threshold size, connectivity is unviable. The first of these connectivities is Physical Connectivity

Leading to easy movement of people and goods, access to schools, Health centers

and markets. In our rural areas today, there are inadequate roads, rail and public

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infrastructure. With more than 5,80,000 villages in India, the means to physical connectivity is to organize these villages in clusters, from 10 upwards.

This cluster of villages needs to be provided physical connectivity by near ring

roads. Low cost buses, preferably driven by batteries energized by renewable energy sources, and powered by high efficiency engine would be operated almost throughout the day as shuttle services moving people and goods from village to village and village to school, health center, fueling stations, farming areas, warehouses, agro-industries and other commercial centers.

PROGRAMME FOR URBAN AMENITIES IN RURAL AREAS : PURA

Physical ConnectivityPhysical Connectivity

Railway Network

Bus

To Nearest CityPower

Fuelling Station

•Enables movement of people and goods

• Improves access to schools and health care centers

•Reduces investment in distribution of power, water and communication network

Transport• Ring Road • Rail

connectivity• Public

infrastructure

School

Primary Health Centres

Thus, the heart of the PURA concept is Physical Connectivity of 10 or more villages

by a ring road covering a population of around 30,000 – 50,000 people. Connectivity, thereafter, to a rail network and to a nearest city beyond this village cluster would take off from the ring road. All these roads or links will be of high quality enabling high-speed transportation.

This is potentially a cost effective solution for activating the schools, health

centres, village markets, warehouses and commercial centres that would serve the

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population of the entire cluster, thus resulting in economies of scale. Also these clusters will become an excellent investment destination because the transactional costs will be much lower than in the metropolis. In addition, quality of life will be improved.

Similarly PURA needs to be provided with Electronic Connectivity

The system oriented approach for the village cluster would require to introduce

tele-education for farmers and villagers, village internet kiosks, public call-offices, telemedicine-market, e-governance, e-commerce and so on. Thus, the revolution in Information Technology supported by space-based technology would create the needed societal transformation at the grass roots of the country. It also will provide the opportunity for the villagers to collectively locate call centers, business processing outsourcing and software development centres to use outside markets. Thus PURA provides a seamless connection and movement of molecules (people), atoms (material) and electrons (knowledge).

PU R A PU R A –– E lectronic C onnectivityE lectronic C onnectivityEstablishing E lectronic connectivity – through broadband/Fiber/Satellite/W ireless/Leased Line

• Satellite link• W ireless connectivity• Fiber connectivity• Pu blic Ca ll O ffices (STD/ISD /ISDN )• Leased Lin e Connectivity

Tele-Education Tele-M edicine

A N odal V illage - PUR A V illage C ity

Public Call O ffice - P CO • Village Internet K iosks• e-G overnm ent Access• e-M arket Access• Tele-Train ing on Farm ing • e-Banking • ATM Centers For V illagers / Farm ers

w w w .presidentofindia.nic.in

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Knowledge Connectivity

Will transform the rural area with connectivity in education, healthcare, vocational training, and satellite applications for crops, water and forest management, environment protection and cooperative product marketing. The combination of electronic connectivity and knowledge connectivity will generate literacy movement, tele-education, health care and resource management.

PURA PURA –– Know ledge ConnectivityKnow ledge Connectivity

Tele-Education Tele-Medicine

IRS ImageryIRS Imagery

BioBio--Solids RecyclingSolids Recycling

Knowledge oriented approach to knowledge enable Village life Knowledge oriented approach to knowledge enable Village life

Land/Crop ManagementLand/Crop Management

• Schools /HospitalsSchools /Hospitals•• Vocational Training Vocational Training •• Knowledge Training Knowledge Training •• IRS Imagery forIRS Imagery for

-- Land & Crop MgmtLand & Crop Mgmt-- Water MgmtWater Mgmt-- Forest MgmtForest Mgmt-- EnvironmentEnvironment

•• Proactive Health careProactive Health care•• Coop. Product Mktg.Coop. Product Mktg.

Educate Students/Farm ers/w orkersEducate Students/Farm ers/w orkers

Proactive H ealth CareProactive H ealth Care

W ater/Forest/Environment ManagementW ater/Forest/Environment Managementwww.presidentofindia.nic.in

Economic Connectivity

It would be seen therefore that the triad of physical, electronic and knowledge connectivity brings forth the economic connectivity through small-scale industries, agro and food processing, warehouses, micro power plants, renewable energy and village markets. This will generate larger employment opportunities, women empowerment and improved quality of life. The villages not only improve the quality of life but also maintain the rural beauty and environment. Moreover, the connectivities make the rural villages close to any part of the world. As an economy progresses people consume newer goods and services. New goods often have large thresholds, which it may be too large for PURA to produce economically. Hence, such goods and services will have to be imported. And PURA should have exports to match. The higher the exports, the larger are the import capability and larger the potentials for prosperity. PURA, therefore, should have a plan for exports.

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• Employment Opportunities• Value System – Economic

Strength• Women Empowerment• Urban Decongestion• Improved Quality of Life• Increased purchase power

PROGRAMME FOR URBAN AMENITIES IN RURAL AREAS : PURA

Economic Connectivity

Bus

To Nearest CityPower

Transport

• Small Scale Industries• Agro Industries• Ware House • Micro Power plants• Renewable energies• Village Markets

• Small Scale Industries• Agro Industries• Ware House • Micro Power plants• Renewable energies• Village Markets

BiogasWind power

Solar power

Agro Industry

warehouse

Societal Connectivity

Includes municipal services, recreation and healthcare, local government, promotion of local culture and arts, folk dance, group song, festivals. The integration of societal connectivity will provide acceptability to the programmes and intervention in PURA. The participative content of PURA could only be realised and sustained through internalising the aspects of societal connectivity. Strategy for Providing Urban Amenities for Rural Areas

India lives in villages, but because of the lack of proper education, employment, healthcare and infrastructure they are forced to migrate to cities for a better living. Because of this rush to city, the Indian cities are getting congested without sufficient place for living and without power. The PURA model envisages a habitat designed to improve quality of life in rural areas and also makes special suggestions to remove urban congestion. Also, efficient supply of water and effective waste disposal in every locality are the paramount civic needs. There is a minimum size below which a habitat is not viable and not competitive within the existing congested city. At the same time, the existing

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congested city is not economical compared to a new town once the minimum size of expansion is crossed.

As against a conventional city say, rectangular in shape and measuring 10 km by 6

km, the model considers an annular ring-shaped town integrating minimum 10 to 15 villages of the same 60 km sq. area, and the same access distance of 1 km to transport arteries. It needs only one transportation route, half as long as that needed for the rectangular city; so the frequency of transportation will be doubled, having waiting times. It has zero junctions and will need only a single level layout. Also, it needs only one route as against eight needed for the rectangular plan, so people will no longer need to change from one line to another to move from any one point to another; that would save communicating time. Further, as all traffic is concentrated into one single route, high efficiency mass transportation systems become economical, even for a comparatively small population. This cuts costs substantially and is more convenient for the general public. Some Central Points During Discussion:

1. PURA envisions a ring road of 30-40 km catering to the population of 1 lakh in a block in a ring shape. It should have bus services at every 10 minutes along the ring road. All services ranging from colleges, shops, hospitals, diagnostic centers should be located along ring road.

2. PURA must have a good water and sanitation facilities. Water should be recycled and harvested for drinking purposes.

3. There should be a minimum threshold to each connectivity for making PURA a viable developmental zone. To start with; government must provide physical connectivity in the form of ring road and bus services. Electronic connectivity can begin as a commercial activity.

4. As far as knowledge connectivity is concerned, basic education is a necessity but provision of higher education must be need based. Unemployed educated persons may be provided vocational skills for starting some services in the PURA. Of course, it depends upon the kinds of economic activities generated in PURA.

5. PURA must also integrate the concept of societal connectivity such as healthcare, local government, temple construction, etc.,

6. PURA can be a productive and commercial proposition only if imports of goods are ensured. To import it is necessary that exports should be increased out of PURA. Thus, PURA should be in a position to trade on an inter PURA basis and also at inter regional and inter state basis.

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7. The target for PURA should be the creation of non-farm employment. At least 1,000 jobs per year per PURA in non-farm employment should be created.

8. At present PURA is under funded and a basic minimum investment should be provided to meet the benchmark connectivity requirements. However, PURA is not a pure grant in aid scheme. It has to be made commercially viable propositions.

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Chapter Two

Structure and Scope For Knowledge Connectivity Around 90% of the jobs are in unorganized sector. The level of training in the

unorganized sector is hardly 6-7% in India. The developmental focus has to be shifted to the rural areas and to the unorganized sector to raise the productivity of labour. This means knowledge connectivity has to raise the level of training to the workers in the unorganized sector to a level of 50-60%. PURA envisions a holistic concept of development of the unorganized sector. Knowledge connectivity forms an important connectivity for making PURA a success by providing a pool of knowledge workers. The participant of the workshop suggested various opinion on the structures for the Knowledge Connectivity for PURA. And they also suggested the role of different institutions in implementing the objectives of PURA. Goal of Knowledge Connectivity

Education is the key to create and sustain knowledge and knowledge is the key to the social and economic well-being. The goal of knowledge connectivity is to meet the economic needs of the people-the farmers, the artisans, the labourers. PURA also envisions the provision of different services. Knowledge connectivity must target all educated left out youth to serve the services sector in the professional way. The left out educated youth in the age group 18-25 years dropping out at various stages of education must first be surveyed. The goal of knowledge connectivity should be to target the left out educated youth in each PURA on a priority basis. Furthermore the uneducated youth in the age group 18-24 years and all the persons in the age group 25-45 years may be targeted to be trained around the activities that they are engaged in. This would mean the goal of knowledge connectivity is to create knowledge workers – an essential prerequisite of developed India.

To realize the goal of knowledge connectivity the perspective plan must contain the

target of knowledge workers to be trained and educated in each PURA.

In making the knowledge connectivity the social systems need to be involved and this is also the real challenge because then the issue of knowledge connectivity becomes the problems of the people, of the social institutions and of all policy makers and policy seekers problem.

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The Challenge of Knowledge Connectivity It was proposed that the challenge of knowledge connectivity is to build knowledge

around vacancies. There are 35 million job seekers in the country and the policy of the government is to provide 10 million jobs per annum. Hence, the real challenge is to build the education system around vacancies. In this connection, it was pointed out that our education system creates around 3 million graduates per annum out of which only 20% of them hardly find their way to the job market. Besides, there are students who drop out at various stages of education. The challenge of knowledge connectivity is to provide suitable education to all those drop outs, pass outs at different levels of formal system of education.

A related issue is that the education system must be geared to the local needs of

the people. It demands the analysis of the demands of different vocations. The supply of trained manpower should be by educational institutions. It should be to match the demand for local specific vocations. Therefore, there cannot be a monolithic system of education. The challenge of knowledge connectivity is therefore to build the education system around the local needs of the economic and social system. It was mentioned that there is vast scope for employment in the services sector. The employment potentials in the services sector should be identified and the educational institutions should cater to the demands for it by supplying the suitable programmes.

The third challenge, it was pointed out, is to meet the challenges posed by

internationalisation of education. This means that the pace at which knowledge is traveling now is fast and borderless. The country has to achieve a status of knowledge super power as visualized by the planning commission. The phenomena of development of knowledge in today’s context are complex. But important point is that how the vast pool of knowledge i.e. created elsewhere is properly utilized by educational institutions to disseminate the knowledge and using it for productive processes. Scope of Knowledge Connectivity

The knowledge connectivity must begin at the primary stage itself and continue

throughout all levels of education including technical, management and professional, allowing for the possibility of horizontal and vertical integration of different streams. So this demands to promote a multidisciplinary, trans-disciplinary and inter disciplinary approach to knowledge connectivity. As knowledge connectivity has to address the people around economic activities in the unorganized sector, the scope of knowledge connectivity is extended to non-formal streams as well.

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Who Will Take the Initiatives?

Initiatives for investment in PURA may be taken by NGO’s and the industry or the banking sector. There are many examples and models, which were successfully tried out, and their experiences may be of importance for replicating in PURA like situation. However, these individual experiments have to be institutionalized so that multiple agencies willing to work can work in organized manner and in a large scale so that the synergy of multiple agencies could be achieved. Thus, the initiative whosoever takes needs to be routed in institutionalized manner. Models of Knowledge Connectivity:

In the workshop three models were suggested for imparting knowledge

connectivity.

First Model is Rural University Type I. In which the traditional universities and colleges may take a lead role. They have already an inbuilt structure of departments, vocational training and technology resource centres. Giving financial support by the rural development ministry could activate these units and the UGC may give mandate for initiating some of the activities. Second Model is Non-University Type. In this model, a cadre of rural profession may be created through a Centre of Training for Rural Professions (CETRUP). The entrepreneurs may be interested in particular economic activities, say, Mushroom farming. If the particular region is suitable for mushroom farming then farmers numbering 500-1000 may be selected from the cluster of villages and they will be given professional training not necessarily through the traditional type of educational institutions (university types) but by the business group who have relevant technologies and expertise to train the farmers for growing mushrooms. CETRUP will arrange for the training of farmers or non-farmers in various professions in which the entrepreneurs are interested. Thus training will be demand driven and these professionals may then venture out appropriate business in PURA. In addition to the training CETRUP may have linkages with Panchayat bodies, NGO’s, rural universities, agricultural universities, rural colleges as well as business houses. It may be an IT enabled structure and the funding support may be from the rural development department.

The Third Model refers to Technology Resource Centre Type. UNDP has initiated TRC’s kind of structure in 20 blocks in Bihar, MP, Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand. A three-tier structure parallel to the Panchayat structure may be thought for PURA- at Panchayat level, at PURA (Block level) and at the district level. Beginning with PURA at the block level an upward linkage will be with the

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district unit that will have business linking all around. Down below linkage will be with the villages/panchayats. PURA unit will be the real decision making unit entrusted with the responsibility for meeting the training/education demand of rural youth.

All the three models may be tried out in some part or the other. The model that

finds favour, and may be a dominant model, is the first one in which it is suggested to designate a lead university status to the university in each Commisionary of over 5-10 districts. Similarly, some of the colleges may also be recognised by UGC as College with Development and Excellance. University/College may establish Centre for Regional (PURA) Development (CRD). Centre may act as nodal agency to implement knowledge connectivity for PURA. It may, on the one hand, establish linkages with NGO’s, financial agencies, industries, and technology providers and link up directly with rural colleges, on the other. Centre of Regional Development for PURA (CRDP)

The role of CRDP attached with lead rural university/college may be to provide the main institutional outfit to implement the knowledge connectivity for PURA. CRDP may be endowed with sufficient fund to carry on PURA operations. The initial endowment to CRDP may be raised from Rural Development Ministry and upon receipt of fund, it may initiate some of the initial activities such as various study reports relating to resources, types of economic activity, technology used and required, educational programmes to be offered and developing a whole lot of information for the region. It may be entrusted to develop a perspective plan of Knowledge connectivity for PURA as well. This would provide the foundation for knowledge connectivity. These works may be taken up immediately while other connectivities are being planned out in each PURA. It will not be out of place to mention that in the first phase in each state a lead university is mandated to establish CRDP. UGC may seek assistance from Rural Development Ministry to support CRDP. NCRI may arrange an orientation programme for all CRDP’s in each state. The orientation programme shall provide broad directions in which knowledge connectivity exercises will have to be carried out by CRDP. Convergence with Rural Colleges and Other Schemes

PURA envisions educational and training programmes that are relevant and need

based. Today in India, there may be thousands of engineering graduates who are unemployed because they are in surplus in the trades in which they have specialized. In PURA model demand driven training will mean restructuring of the rural colleges for relevant trades. Restructuring of the rural colleges is a difficult task, although an attempt may be made on the following lines.

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UGC has already initiated first-degree vocationalisation. Under this programme education is being imparted in services, which are partly general and partly technical. Any college is supposed to impart such programmes. Added to this, UGC advocates the ‘Add on Programmes’. Under this, a student while having his usual university degree is allowed to earn extra qualifications. It is possible that in a PURA type of situation there will be many services and some of the services that are not of pure technical type may be identified. These rural colleges may take up some such programmes with the funding support from CRDP or from the Rural College with Centre for Development and Excellence. Rural colleges may be developed as the hub of various techno services. Reconstruction and convergence with rural colleges will help to serve PURA in terms of knowledge connectivity in a big way. Role of AICTE

The Polytechnic and Engineering colleges can play a vital role specially when we talk about three connectivities i.e. Physical Connectivity, Digital Connectivity, Knowledge Connectivity. AICTE can make a definite impact through co-curricular activities and through extra curricular activities. In the latter category, mention may be made of the National Service Scheme in which some colleges have started innovative programs to improve the literacy rate, standard of living, and sanitation and provide advice on technological solutions. The need of appropriate technology to look into local needs, local resources, and local culture is important because anything, which is transplanted from outside and without participation of the local community, has not much succeeded.

While implementing a new device its maintenance and after sale services are

required for their smooth operation because after installation, many of them have to be repaired and maintained. Participation of local community would ensure the maintenance of these devices after they have been installed. So there is not only a technical problem but also social issues involved in implementation of PURA. Certification and Accreditation:

All India Board of Vocational Education in AICTE is working on an important

initiative that will have direct bearing on PURA. It is considering the implementation of National Qualifications Framework (NQF). This will enable the certification of existing talents and skills of the people. All those who are on the job or off the job can acquire certificate after proper education and training. The user of the services of the person will then become aware of the accreditation of this person. NQF will also ensure that a life long education can be provided to the person. No degree or diploma is considered as the terminal education. Existing skill of a person can be upgraded at any time that a person wishes to upgrade. NQF will also make the transferability of students from one stream to

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another possible. The students from academic stream can join the vocational stream or vice-versa. Role of Rural Engineering Colleges

Around 1/3rd of the colleges are in the rural areas. The present situation is that

neither the faculty members nor the students move to the rural areas. Maximum unfilled vacancies are in the rural areas. There is the migration of the teachers and students of the rural area engineering colleges to the urban areas. All this is happening because rural industries do not support engineering colleges - both in terms of resource support and in terms of the demand for graduates. The engineering colleges, too, do not provide sufficient exposure to the graduate students for the rural industries. The result is that the engineering students develop the mind set to serve in the urban setup.

Notwithstanding the problems raised above, rural engineering colleges can play very

important role to fulfill the need of knowledge connectivity for PURA. These colleges can map the technological needs of the region, design suitable courses relevant for the region. Various short run courses may also be thought to impart appropriate skills in the region. Technical colleges can adopt particular PURA for implementing various technological solutions. They can be aligned towards the fulfillment of the objectives of PURA.

The partnership of several potential stakeholders and the engineering colleges can

be appreciated. By making the optimum and appropriate use of existing resources and networking the Knowledge Connectivity exercise should be undertaken as creating new system is going to take time. The participant suggested that first; we should use the existing networks, the communication channels, and the connectivities before we proceed to the second step. Many of the institutions which have in addition to teaching and research, services as one of the important component will definitely rise to this occasion. We have tremendous opportunity here. It is just a question of right mandate and right objective together. Role of Centre of Educational Consortium

UGC countrywide classroom is at present reaching all rural areas where the

equipment is available. This is a kind of an enrichment program related to health and education. At present, there is a 24-hour higher education channel where knowledge is being imparted in terms of subject specific and skill specific programmes to all the colleges in India. The disadvantage of earlier channel was that it was telecast through Doordarshan and cable operators were not reaching to the rural area. Hence, there is a need for an independent dish antenna to be installed in every college so that an independent channel could be devoted by creating a virtual classroom in all the colleges in India. Centre for Educational Consortium (CEC) may at present target 1,000 colleges to

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equip with dish antenna and impart knowledge-subject as well as skill based- to all these rural colleges in collaboration with Ministry of HRD and NCRI. CEC expressed its full support to knowledge connectivity to PURA through the programmes to the rural colleges. Vocationalisation at School Level to be Integral Part of PURA

There are at present 6800 schools in India spread over all states where vocational

education and training programmes are running. The situation is not very happy. However, they are producing manpower for different professions. A simple statistics would reveal that technical institutions are not in a position to supply the trained manpower. Referring to a survey of Seho district in M P, it was pointed out that 40,000 students enter grade I and roughly 5000 students pass 12th grade. There are 7 degree colleges, one agricultural, one engineering college for those students, but for those who are the left-outs, roughly 35,000 students, there are 3 ITI’s and one Polytechnic which have the intake capacity of only 134 students. Hence there is the problem of producing large skilled manpower. Fortunately, large number of schools running the vocational courses may be supported by some nodal agency engaged in providing knowledge connectivity for PURA. Role of IITs and Indian Institutes of Science

The present technical structure of IIT’s is capital intensive. Students are taught

to serve and manage capital-intensive industries. Engineers passing out from IIT’s are least suited to serve rural industries. Unless present system of education is revamped, role of IIT’s in PURA development must be seen differently. IIT’s have large technological resource, which they have developed over long period of time while intervening in rural programmes of development either directly or indirectly through different agencies. All IIT’s may agree to become Technology Interface Unit thereby agreeing to supply and support rural technologies for PURA. They may also train the rural youth for a programme certified by the universities.

IIT’s may also develop Entrepreneur Development Scheme to train huge manpower

of engineering graduates. They can be agent of rural industrialization in PURA set up. It was also suggested that PURA needs a framework, which cannot be subsumed

under government. No innovation is possible where method of support is structurally rigid. Some Central Points During Discussion:

1. Goal of Knowledge Connectivity was considered to create knowledge workers around the economic needs of the people. The target group was visualized as the educated left out youth and all the persons in the age group 18-24 and 25-45 years who are engaged in various economic activities.

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2. Multi agency approach to the Knowledge connectivity in PURA is visualized. This means industry, NGO’s, banking sector, entrepreneurs can invest in PURA. The related demand for knowledge workers may be met through certain structures that would synergise the activities of different agencies through the provision of information, education and training.

3. The suggested structures were rural / agricultural universities at the division level along with rural colleges (roughly 5000), rural engineering and polytechnics, schools imparting vocational education (6800) forming a network reaching out at PURA level. Centre of Regional Development for PURA (CRDP), Centre of Training for Rural Professions (CETRUP) may be some such structures to be identified by UGC or AICTE.

4. AICTE may provide an enabling framework through the National Qualifications Framework thereby ensuring flexibility to acquire qualifications at any stage of education throughout one’s life.

5. Structures identified for implementing Knowledge Connectivity for PURA may generate study reports on the level of skill, mapping of resources for PURA, identification of training needs and help to generate perspective plan for PURA. It may also identify and support institutions for training.

6. Various other national and state level institutions such as CSIR, ICAR, IMAR, DST, KVIC’s, IIT’s, IIS, CII, CEC may lend technological, financial support to PURA structures in diverse forms.

7. Knowledge-powered rural development is an essential need for transforming India into a knowledge superpower. High bandwidth rural connectivity is the minimum requirement to take education, healthcare and economic dynamism to the rural areas.

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Chapter Three

Role of Individual Institutions and Multi Agency Collaboration

The success of any rural initiative depends on the community participation. The rural set up developed and maintained its economy through collaboration of individual initiatives albeit the mechanism was more an informal one. Another important argument generally cited in case of rural area is that the level of social capital in the rural area is higher than in the urban area. The picture of self-sustained rural development, however, did not receive the support it needed. This was so because of the urban centric western model of development. The belief that gains would percolate down to the people in the rural areas did not come true. Knowledge economy of today provides an opportune moment to garner the support of individual institutions in a multi-collaborative framework to develop the knowledge workers. In the case of PURA reflections on individual and multi- agency collaborative framework provide the basis of networking to realize PURA objectives. Inter Institutional Collaboration

Apart from the institutional efforts the knowledge delivery in PURA requires inter institutional collaboration. An institution such as the University or a rural college with having potentials for development may be identified as lead institution. This institution will network, on the one hand, with the PURA for identifying the demand for training to raise the skills through the network of rural colleges and, on the other hand, explore the possibilities of supplying the appropriate training and education programmes. In order to accomplish this the institution will network with the technological institutions to identify the appropriate technology. It may have to search the funding agencies amongst various government departments or even the corporate sector for making commercial investment related to a particular project. The IITs and IIMs can be important institutions to form a part of this network to serve PURA.

Another model could be developing a total autonomous system for multi agency collaborative framework. It can consider effective interaction between the academic system, with the unconventional sector and the non-recognized institutions. Whether this autonomous system should be at the state level or be attached to the ministry or the universities or colleges may be decided. It would provide the instrumentalities for effective interaction and suggest models for knowledge connectivity for PURA.

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Intra Institutional Collaboration

NAAC, an autonomous structure within UGC, have suggested preparing the status report of various colleges in the various states in the country. The status report provides information on the strengths of the various colleges and how they can network together for mutual growth. It was suggested that a lead college might be identified and the rest of the colleges around a lead college might then form a network. PURA may be an important agenda for networking. Once an institutional structure is identified, as suggested above, UGC may ask to conduct an analysis of the various communities and potentials of the various villages. Thereafter potential PURA in the region may be identified and a project relating to knowledge connectivity may be prepared. Thus within a university system lead rural colleges may form a network of institutions to serve PURA. Public - Private Partnership

PURA should not be viewed as a discrete disjointed investment. It is a holistic and

integrated concept. The danger is that even if it is holistic concept, in implementation it may turn out to be a disjointed investment. Therefore, it was pointed out that government might begin with some minimum benchmark investment in roads and other basic amenities. Then with suitable structure already in place co-operation from multiple agencies must be obtained. The private sector may be motivated to invest. In many PURA’s where basic infrastructure does not exist, it is the public investment that crowds in investment from various public and private agencies. Private initiatives may begin only when there is an expectation of gain. Experiment with a model 5 PURAs in a region or scattered over different regions may be made. In this experiment, an estimate of total amount of money required may be made. With some minimum benchmark investment in roads and other basic amenities, it was also pointed out that there should be a base line data for each PURA. After proper designing of PURA only it should be implemented. There should be also a system of monitoring and evaluation, which should analyse to what extent reverse migration has been prevented. PURA should be implemented in truly partnership model and it should not be a top down imposed model. Rural Urban Institutional Linkages

The argument that large pool of talent needs to be trained in rural areas because the urban graduates are not inclined to serve rural areas is a false argument. City doctors or engineers do not serve rural areas because they do not find their future in rural areas. If urban amenities are provided in rural areas it is quite likely that people trained in rural areas do not migrate to urban areas in search of lucrative employment. Hence the PURA structure demands that sufficient incentives exist to attract talent. This is a necessary condition for PURA to succeed. Vellore, Pilani and Mesra are examples where highly

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reputed institutions were established. Institutions in rural areas also demand a threshold level where 15-20 or more professional people should work together. Institutions with reputation and excellence within PURA can only thrive if large number of professionally competent people can join the institution. The point to note is that a mindset has to be created among the policymakers for the rural bias. Individual Initiative to Support Multi Agency Efforts

In achieving the goal of overall development the role of individual, group and multi

agency collaborative efforts are important. All the initiative are finally targeted to achieve the same objective. In this regard the initiative of some institution provide us vision to conceptualize the road map for multi agency collaboration for PURA.

a) Knowledge Connectivity through Networking: A Case of Society for Rural Industrialization, Bariatu, Ranchi

The Knowledge Connectivity through networking can play an instrumental role in achieving the PURA objective. This kind of initiative helped in creating the environment of learning, environment of work and environment of information, which will create capacity, and competence of the rural disadvantaged group. The SRI in Ranchi trains the tribal youth and organize them into science clubs and make these clubs as a medium of information delivery on the one hand and entrepreneurial involvement of youth on the other (for example: taking up contractual work of watershed dam construction). They have also taken initiatives like creation of one rural technology park in each block of Jharkhand, (So far 26 rural technology parks have been set up, 10 of them as part of an UNDP employment programme), setting up of block level Data & Information centres (so far 20 of these centres have been set up), Networking intimately with NGOs (so far SRI has intensive working partnership with 10 block level NGOs and linkages with about 400 NGOs). The thrust areas of collaboration will be information technology, biotechnology, process-technology and service technologies.

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b) TECH NET: A Case of the Technocracy Project, Started in Gandhigram Rural

Institute

Tech Net in this regard took another important initiative. They have created a human network within an area like a block with youth trained in resource relevant technology topics. After six month skill training a group of people formed a SHG and initiated production of product. In each Panchayat about five prominent problem directions are identified (say for example watershed, reforestation, health, literacy, employment). For each topic two youth (one male and one female) are selected by the community. If the block has - for example - fifteen Panchayats and in twelve of them watershed becomes a theme, then there will be twenty-four youth on this topic alone. This team will be given intensive training and information support related to the topic of specialization. In addition all the teams together will be trained in resource identification, planning, project formulation, etc. The above network will be a channel for disseminating information on the relevant technologies and creating activities in the respective Panchayats and also in the block as a whole. For sustainability each of the youth is given training to become an entrepreneur. For example a person who will be working on reforestation might have an enterprise of rising nurseries and this provides a way of active linkage between the person’s own development with the development of the community.

The above ideas were developed under a DST project during 1988-1993 and this proved that it could pave the way also for future leadership at the Panchayat level.

c) Knowledge Connectivity Through Human Networking – A case of Samaj Shilpi

Models

The Samaj Shipis get continuously trained in various techniques and they become local implementers of development projects involving those technologies. Their presence in the village and their practicing the technology themselves, wherever possible, facilitates the adoption by the villagers without hesitation. Since different Samaj shilpi’s with varying technical capabilities (eg. construction technology, Ayurveda, food preservation, etc.,) live in adjacent villages a process of pooling of skills of the Samaj Shilpi network is also possible in the whole region. In this sense it has the same effect as the TECHNET project. Seeing the effectiveness of the Samaj Shilpi Dampati project the RIM (Rejuvenate India Movement) project supported by a large number of US groups adopted the name Samaj Shilpi for their volunteers, though the volunteers were not required to be a couple.

d) Connectivity with Women’s Groups: Gramin Bank And SEWA – AHMEDABAD

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In fact without effective participation of women PURA objective cannot be achieved. Economic connectivity is linked with knowledge transformation. The women group can also be linked with the knowledge connectivity to achieve economic connectivity. The SEWA group has taken some initiatives in this regard. The women organized into groups are trained in different vocations so that they qualify to use the credits and further they are networked into marketing etc. groups. An attitudinal change is brought about by making the women commit themselves to sixteen vows that carry them through a gradual process of development and ultimately enables them to stabilize their families. Group based training is evident at each stage. This initiative also enhances the level of knowledge among the women. SEWA members are workers who have no fixed employee-employer relationship and depend on their own labour for survival. They are poor, illiterate and vulnerable. They barely have any assets or working capital. But they are extremely economically active, contributing very significantly to the economy and society with their labour.

e) Knowledge Connectivity for Entrepreneurs: A Case Of Rural Development Self

Employment Training Institute

To achieve the overall objective of PURA an effective initiative for the entrepreneur’s development in rural area is essential. And other important thing is to establish linkages with different institutions. In this regard financial institutions are also playing an active role. Various types of training programmes are being conducted by RUDSETI with the collaboration of Canara Bank. There are more than 50 training programmes. They are short-term courses ranging from one to eight weeks. All training programmes are residential in nature; free boarding and lodging facilities are given. In addition to the above there are various programmes for further development of the youth. There are nearly a dozen RUDSET institutes under Canara Bank alone in various states of India. They represent a new role of bank in providing credit after ensuring knowledge-readiness of the entrepreneur.

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f) Knowledge Connectivity through Schools: A Case of Bangladesh Academy For

Rural Development (BARD)

A very interesting experiment was in removing illiteracy in the villages so that youth could be given proper schooling so that they will be able to receive the right type of agricultural education. Groups called ‘Sabuj Sangha’ were formed and they worked under the guidance of teachers, TEO (Thana level Educational Officers), local leaders and ward field workers. The BARD initially provided training of the trainers.

The ‘Sabuj Sangha’ projects were both individually and collectively conducted. Individual projects were at home to raise vegetable, poultry and livestock and for clay modeling, needlework and handicrafts. All concerned met twice a month at the Thana Headquarters to discuss the progress of the project. Networking has helped to bring the primary schools closer to the development agencies.

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Chapter Four

Implementation Processes In the previous chapters various suggestions were made regarding the structure

and model of knowledge connectivity, multi-agency collaborative framework, provision of education around economic activities, enabling framework of up- gradation and certifying the skills. However, issues of awareness, planning, targeting, participative modes are issues relating to processes and mechanisms that lead to road maps for implementing knowledge connectivity for PURA.

Target Oriented Approach for Knowledge Connectivity

An important suggestion that emerge relates to the targeting. Given an analysis of the villages, target setting for each PURA may be made. Given the report on the status, percentage of the people in age group 18-24 and 25-45 may be targeted to complete some or other form of education and training out of certain range of courses to be offered by the educational institutions. These trained youth will find their way into some gainful activities in PURA. Particularly in the northeast, we have seen that some private colleges, probably aided colleges, are adopting villages. Some of the colleges nearly in last 10-15 years have set a target, that of not providing first rank or top rank in the university but, to provide at least one graduate in each family. Such targets have been settled by a number of colleges. Such adoption of villages in a target mode may be put as a first requirement for each PURA. Issue of Awareness Among Youth

Additional financial support can be given to colleges to organize some sort of awareness programme or, may be, one day or half day seminars in the colleges involving the teachers and their students. Graduates who are generated by the colleges and who are looking for meaningful employment can also be part of it. UGC can suggest some guidelines to the rural colleges for initiating awareness campaign. Manpower Planning in PURA

The participant suggested that at present we do not have manpower planning at the

district, state or even at the national level to know the number of professional or skilled personnel that have to be prepared. For example, we know that nation requires 10 million school teachers and at present we have only 3 million school teachers leaving a deficit of 7

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million teachers. The tenth plan document states that there is 21 million-target group who look for vocational training and self-employment avenues. As against this, available formal training capacity of the country is only 2.3 million students, which leaves a gap of 18.7 million. (See Tenth Five Year Plan 2002-07, p.49)

Do we have such analysis for various category of professionals? A PURA approach would, therefore, require that for each specific PURA a manpower planning involving the estimates of required trained manpower be prepared assuming that PURA attains a certain level of development Enhance Participation of Unemployed Youth through Training

Country has large number of unemployed graduate in this country and many states have some sort of a statistics on graduates in various disciplines like arts, science, commerce. UGC and the AICTE can provide some sort of a certification for them. The training may revolve around various PURA based vocations so that the training would also ensure the employability of the personnel trained. Road Map for Future Agenda

• PURA implementation demands clarity in the terms of multi-agency collaborative framework. As such a two-day national workshop involving all the collaborators and partner agencies may be convened to discuss the role of different agencies.

• The identification of the structures of educational institutions at the state level should begin. In every state the search of a network of such educational institutions to serve the cause of knowledge connectivity for PURA should be carried out.

• An apex educational institution at the state level with the help of research institutions should carry out different exercises relating to the occupation, skill level, economic potentials, relevant technology needs for different regions-cluster of PURA’s.

• The information collected above should form the basis for perspective plan of knowledge connectivity.

• Assimilation and dissemination of information is another important activity to implement any program. This is achieved by publication and distribution of literatures containing information related to objective of PURA. For this purpose all communication media such as Leaflets, Filmstrips, Video Films, Brochures, Exhibitions, Organising Community Workshops, and Seminars etc are adopted.

• Various research institutions and laboratories have developed a great number of technologies. But the benefits of these technologies have failed to reach the rural area. The nodal agency of the state should collect the information available on appropriate technologies from various agencies and organise demonstration of these

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technologies in villages and thus help them to adopt technological innovation. The nodal agency should also establish linkages between Panchayat, Rural University, government department and market.

• Human resources is to be developed for gainful employment and training. In this regard the state nodal agency should identify the need of vocational training for the PURA area. And after the identification responsibility should be given to the rural colleges to train the manpower.

• The effectiveness of any program is based on administrative set up and monitoring of the program. To achieve this goal the PURA extension centre should be established for each 10-15 villages in the PURA area. The center should develop interaction between the villages and the institute to provide all possible helps in extending facilities.

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Annexure–I

AGRICULTURE KNOWLEDGE CONNECTIVITY FOR ‘PURA’

Dr. I.V. Subba Rao*

Gandhiji’s vision of Indian Village was a centerpiece of free India’s political and socio-economic fabric. He considered that India really lives in the villages and that if villages perish, India too would perish. He cherished for India’s development through the development of villages and village oriented society i.e. `Village Swaraj’ or ‘Gram Swaraj’. His vision of rural development was building a self-supporting, self-governing and self-reliant village community, where every body’s needs were met and the people lived in harmony, love and cooperation as one family. His emphasis was food for all with human dignity. To what extent his concept was put into practice and to what extent we have succeeded in the past 5½ decades is a different question. But, it is gratifying that PURA, a centrally sponsored scheme, announced by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 15-8-2003 with the avowed objective of a balanced socio-economic development of rural clusters is a step in the right direction.

What is rural development? It is multidimensional and connotes overall integrated

development of rural areas. A holistic rural development encompasses agriculture including horticulture, forestry, sericulture, apiculture, mushroom culture, dairy, poultry, sheep and goat husbandry, fisheries etc. and their mixed farming, education, health, sanitation, drinking water, environment, ecology, roads, transport, communications, storage, housing, tourism, science and technology, rural agro-based industries, crafts, arts, traditions, heritage, culture etc. and a holistic self supporting development aimed at employment generation, better wages, more income and finally improvement in quality of life. Agriculture sector supplies raw materials for all the industries barring, steel and cement, either directly or indirectly. Thus, it is obvious that agriculture development’ is key to ‘rural development’, since nearly 72 per cent of people live in villages and depend on agriculture. It provides employment to 56.7 per cent people and contributes to 25 per cent of GDP. Past experience shows that agriculture development leads to development of all other sectors. If this sector fails, everything else fails and the entire economy of the nation cripples. The late Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said that everything else can wait but not agriculture. The agriculture sector plays a critical role in ensuring food security, nutrition security, health security, livelihood security, poverty alleviation or 8 to

* Former Vice-Chancellor, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad.

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10 percent GDP growth and a Hunger Free India by 2007, India as a Developed Nation by 2020 and a strong, sovereign India.

While there are daunting challenges and threats, there are also uncommon and

plentiful opportunities for harnessing. We have witnessed green revolution, white revolution, blue revolution, yellow revolution, information, space, remote sensing technology revolutions, through a synergy of technologies, public policies and support of farmers, industrialists and the people. It is through science and technology and frontier technology revolutions alone India can become a strong and developed nation. The country has rich heritage, culture, values, morals, ethics, indigenous knowledge, wisdom and great potential and bright future. But, what are required is unleashing of these sectors, financial and public policy support, a will and determination to achieve the goals.

Indian agriculture is a blend of traditional knowledge and modern technologies.

Traditional knowledge was passed from generation to generation verbally or in some cases written on palmyarah leaves, paper or leather documents. It was subsistence agriculture with no marketable surpluses. It was farmer to farmer passage of knowledge and techniques and barter system of marketing. Gradually, scientifically trained manpower was available for transfer of technologies employing qualified agriculture graduates. The first green revolution was through a set of improved package of technologies, consisting of high yielding varieties of crops, irrigation, fertilizer use and crop protection. As a result, the country became not only self sufficient in food but also had surpluses to offer for export. The Green Revolution was however, confined to endowment rich, and irrigated belts. But, soon secondary problems cropped up. Meanwhile, the demand for food is increasing every day because of increasing population, which will touch about 1300 millions by the year 2020. While it is so, land and water, the two basic resources are limited and these are declining with passage of every year. Consequently, we have to produce more and more from less and less of poor quality resources. Unless a second green revolution comes, it will be difficult to sustain the population. A breakthrough in crop yields and technologies is necessary to make India a hunger free nation. Food must be accessible to the 260 million people, who are below the poverty line by improving their incomes and purchasing power through gainful, assured on- farm and non-farm employment and by adopting mixed farming and establishment of agro-based and processing industries. In the wake of liberalization, globalisation and under WTO regime, we have to make our agriculture competitive, by reducing the costs of production and improving quality. There should be a paradigm shift in our agricultural education, research and extension systems. It will be knowledge society and farmers are knowledge hungry. Two things that we have to bear in mind when we think of knowledge connectivity are:

i. The content generation, which is the responsibility of State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) and ICAR institutions, supplemented partly by private sector agencies, and

ii. Transmission of the knowledge to the end users.

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Some of the shift which are required in R & D to face the new challenges in

agriculture are listed below: i) A shift from general farming to precision farming with emphasis on eco-

friendly, cost effective technologies and quality improvement. ii) Productivity to profitability. iii) Subsistence farming to commercial agriculture and commercial horticulture. iv) Export oriented agriculture, horticulture, animal and fish production. v) Diversification of agriculture and alternate land use. vi) Commodity to farming systems. vii) Production technologies to pre-and post harvest technologies, agro-processing,

value addition, new product development and by-product and total production utilization.

viii) Conservation of bio-diversity, agro-diversity, eco-system and enhancement. ix) Organic farming, total recycling of organic materials, farm and crop wastes. x) Quality seed production and export of seeds. xi) Provision of institutional credit on easy terms of lending at affordable rates of

interest; say 3 or less than 3 per cent; meeting 80 per cent of farmer’s / credit needs, with facility to draw the amount at will as in case of ATM for bank customers.

xii) Policy reforms and enabling procedures to sustain agriculture and farmers. The other issues that should be addressed and considered seriously are: sanitary

and phyto-sanitary measures, TRIPS, patenting, development of Codex alimentarius standards for food products, protection of plant varieties and farmer’s rights.

The advances made in frontier technologies such as information, communication, space, remote sensing, post-harvest and biotechnologies have to be harnessed in the field of agriculture. New Breed of Farm Graduates and Agri-technologists

The issues listed under R & D in above should reflect in the curriculum of

agricultural education. Also, the avenues for public sector employment are virtually dried and there will be more openings and better avenues with the private sector. There is also a need for women and youth empowerment programmes. Agricultural Universities should produce entrepreneurs, and job providers rather than job seekers. There should be an `end to end’ technology mission approach in agricultural education. Therefore, the universities need to produce a new breed of farm graduates who can live in the villages

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along with the farmers, understand their problems, their socio-economic conditions and resource base, render timely advice, provide cost reduction technologies and new skills, marketing strategies and management skills. We require professionals, technologists and technocrats but not mere graduates or post-graduates. Farmers, farm graduates, farm labour need continued training in knowledge and upgradation of skills. Certificate, diploma, job and enterprise oriented courses are the need of the hour to produce grass root level workers. These courses have become more attractive and popular than the regular degree programmes. Private sector entrepreneurs are showing special preference for them. Hence, the old degree programmes, courses and curricula should undergo major restructuring if our farm graduates have to fit into the new paradigms. Farmwomen and rural youth need skill and enterprise oriented training and equipped with gadgets to reduce drudgery and improve work efficiency. This would increase productivity and enhance quality. They should be educated on all aspects relating to post-harvest technologies, value addition and byproduct Utilization.

Had the country adopted Dr. S. Radha Krishnan Committee’s Recommendations and

implemented the concept of Rural Universities instead of the Land Grant Model Agricultural Universities established since 1960, the required manpower would have been available to meet the present day challenges. We have missed the bus and we have to make good the loss at the earliest opportunity. Agri-Knowledge Connectivity

Having agreed that agriculture plays a key role in rural development and

transforming India into a Developed Nation by 2020, the research output i.e. technologies and knowledge generated by the universities and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research should reach the end users i.e. farmers, industries, NGOs, voluntary organizers, entrepreneurs, government departments without loss of time, loss of content and quality. Transfer of Technology or Extension was the exclusive domain of government departments till recent times and several models have been tried with varying successes. With the establishment of Agricultural Universities (since 1960) and entry of private sector seed, fertilizer, pesticide industries, NGOs and voluntary organizations there is a qualitative change in the sense that these organizations have also undertaken extension work in a limited way. Notwithstanding the efforts of all these agencies, it is virtually impossible to reach and contact each and every farmer or even the farm holding, numbering more than 106 millions as per 1991 census, living in more than 5,80,000 villages. But, equity and justice requires that we should ensure that the technologies the wheels of development, should reach the stakeholders, particularly the unreached. There are several ways and means to do this, if there is a will to do. Media, both print and electronic, NGOs, voluntary organizations, the entrepreneurs, input supply agencies, bankers etc., also can help to transmit the knowledge to the users.

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Knowledge Connectivity – ANGRAU Model

In the Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, with which I was associated

since its establishment in 1964, more importantly as Zonal Director of Research at RARS, Lam (Guntur), as the Director of Research and Vice-Chancellor in the past 22 years, we have introduced and tried several innovations/models along with my colleague scientists and Deans and Directors with good success. These are abstracted below (the details will be available, on request, from the Director of Extension, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad) Wings of University Extension – Innovative Programmes

1. District Agricultural Advisory and Transfer of Technology Centres (DAATTC’s) These are 22 in number, one for each of the 22 rural districts, presently manned by a multi-disciplinary team of 4 Agricultural Scientists as a link between University on the one side and farmers, departmental extension staff, private sector, NGOs and voluntary agencies on the other, for on the spot diagnosis, treatment, advice, trainings, conducting Melas, Exhibitions and to implement RAWEP, RHSWEP.

2. Village Adoption Programme in operation in 50 villages, w.e.f 1998, one village each by the major and medium research stations and colleges with an objective of overall development of the village utilizing Farmer – Scientist linkages in technology transfer, the villages serving as windows.

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3. Agricultural Information and Communication Centre (AI & CC) in operation since 1969, responsible for content of generation, processing and dissemination of technologies to stake holders through publications (pamphlets, leaflets, folders, bulletins, books, newsletters, Journal of Research ANGRAU), press and AIR. AI & CC carved niche in the hearts of farmers, extension staff, NGOs and others through the publication of: a. Vyavasaya Panchangam – A Farmers Almanac – updated yearly. b. Illustrative Diagnostic Bulletins for major crops and commodities for

field diagnosis of pests, diseases, deficiency disorders and problems, for use by farmers and extension workers.

c. Crop Strategies and Contingency Plans for AP, every year. d. Answering farmers queries, questions and doubts

4. Extension Education Institute (Regional), for training of middle level extension personnel of the states of AP, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Pondicherry, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshwadeep, functioning since 1962.

5. Agricultural Market Committee (AMC) Level Farmers Training Programmes conducted by the scientists of the University at 276 AMCs to educate and train the farmers, both in Kharif and Rabi seasons, on various aspects of production, protection, processing, quality, cost reduction technologies and sensitize farmers on WTO aspects to reach about 1,20,000 farmers every year.

6. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs of ICAR) a grass root level institution for imparting skill oriented training to farmers, farm women, rural youth, organizing short and long term vocational programmes and income generating enterprises/activities at 10 stations. There is a similar setup in Farmers Training Centres under the Dept of Agriculture in each of the 23 districts to give off-farm training to farmers in the villages, which also can effectively be used for knowledge connectivity.

7. Institution Village Linkage Programme (IVLP-TAR) of ICAR, Technology Assessment and Refinement for rain fed Agro-eco system in operation under IVLP – serving as window for technologies generated by the scientists.

8. Agricultural Technology and Information Centre (ATIC) Functioning since 1.1.1999 – A “Single Window” delivery system for technologies, products, linking the various units of research institution involved in problem solving, decision making, supply of seeds, planting materials and feed back from the farmers.

9. Diagnostic Services Teams of scientists in each of the 22 rural districts conducting diagnostic surveys for malady remedy-work, along with extension staff, farmers during crop season (both kharif – rabi), render on the spot

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advice and give advance forecasts of pests and diseases – in operation since 1970s.

10. Kisan Melas, Exhibitions and Fairs – conducted every year at all the major research stations and colleges are a big attraction for farmers. These provide opportunities to know the latest technologies, see live demonstrations, interact with scientists, exchange ideas with experiences of other farmers, various agencies, participate in quiz, question – answer sessions, purchase of publications, books, seeds, implements, planting materials etc.

11. Mandal-wise Farming Situation-wise Cropping Plans: For each of the 1100 mandals, incorporating existing crops, cropping systems, their competitiveness, comparative advantage, management practices and alternatives in the context of WTO to make agriculture profitable and sustainable, prepared and implementable.

Harnessing IT and Electronic Media

IT and electronic media, harnessed very effectively. - Electronic media and IT in extensive use in ANGRAU since mid 1960s (All India Radio) and 1998 (TV programmes). The programmes are innovative and introduced for the first time by any Agricultural University for the benefit of farmers. These are:

a. Vyavasaya Soochanalu – Over All India Radio every day for 10 minutes from 6.50 to 7.00 pm covering the whole state of Andhra Pradesh.

b. Distance Education in Agriculture - Introduced for the first time on 2.10.1998 in collaboration with ETV channel, twice a week for 15 minutes on Tuesday and Fridays – televising production and enterprise oriented programmes for farmers under the banner Annadatha – Velugubata, as distance learning.

c. Rythu Mitra – An innovative Farm Telecast, daily for one hour between 6 and 7 pm through TEJA TV channel in collaboration with DOA and GOAP, w.e.f. 6.8.2001. The programme has the following components:

i. 6 to 6.30 pm – Pre- recorded (Canned) programmes, usually 3 to 10 mts (agriculture, horticulture, animal fisheries etc) duration on aspects of production, processing, pests, diseases, management, problems and action plans.

ii. 6.30 to 6.35 pm – Agricultural News - Weather, pests, diseases forecasts, problems and solutions.

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iii. 6.35 to 7.00 pm – Live phone-in programme for Farmers – Scientists interactions – two-way audio and one-way video programme. An Electronic Media Wing with 5 scientists was established during 2001 exclusively for this purpose to promote e-extension.

d) Agricultural Call Centre - Established during July 2003, (first in the country) by GOAP, deploying 16 scientists of ANGRAU and 10 Officers of DOA. The centre works from 8 am to 8 pm, during which farmers from any corner of the state can interact with the scientists, ask questions, get clarifications and answers to their problems on “toll-free” call. It was a big success. Govt. of India started a similar programme for the entire nation under the banner “ KISAN CALL CENTRE”

e) Video – conferencing and “Crop Escorts” - The Hon’ble Chief Minister of AP conducts video – conference on all aspects relating to agriculture every week on Friday (till now) with district officials, Rythu Mithra Groups (several thousands in numbers) during which farmers interact with Ministers, Dept Officers, Scientists of ANGRAU on ‘Virtual Village Concept’ to get feed back on programme implementation issues and problems, have technology backup and solutions from scientists, for which the University identified Principal Scientists as “CROP ESCORTS”, who are supported by 3 scientist experts. Crop Escorts work in liaison with Dept Officials, DAATTCs, and Agricultural Research Stations on upto-date on hand information.

The Directorate of Extension, ANGRAU has produced hundreds of videotapes and

interactive CDs on various aspects of crops, animals, fishes, home science subjects and supplied to the line Departments for mass multiplication and use at the village level and by University Scientists for a similar purpose.

Through correspondence courses and distance learning and Agro-clinics introduced

by GOI, the knowledge connectivity can be further intensified. Likewise, all Agricultural Universities in the country and ICAR institutions have

their own programmes of reaching the clients. We should institutionalize these programmes and establish enduring functional linkages. Since several universities, organizations and institutions will be involved in the process, to work in harmony, there should be a mechanism to oversee their functioning and effective management for which some nodal Agency/authority should be identified. Panchayati Raj Department, which is funding and coordinating the rural development activities, is better equipped to serve as a Nodal Authority at the national level. The ICAR can co-ordinate the activities of its own institutions, while SAUs will undertake a similar exercise in respect of their research stations and colleges. These can be linked to the National Nodal Authority.

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Annexure–II

SESSION WISE DETAILS OF THE CONSULTATIVE MEET ON

KNOWLEDGE CONNECTIVITY FOR PURA

Agenda

1. To consider the lead questions (See below) & specify the role of individual institutions to have a multi agency collaborative framework to provide knowledge connectivity for PURA.

2. To seek suggestions on the overall design of the national workshop and other mini

feeder workshops

Session-wise Details Date: 21.04.04 Venue: NIEPA 10.00 AM – 10.45 AM Inaugural Session

Welcome

Chairman: Prof. M. Mukhopadhyay Prof. Sudhanshu Bhushan

Inaugural Address Keynote Address on National Workshop

Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai Prof. (Dr.) B.H. Briz Kishore

10.45 AM – 11.00 AM TEA

Lead Questions: Programme Structure and Institutional Mechanisms What could be a workable model of Knowledge Connectivity for PURA? Anything to

derive from existing models like community college, rural university, etc.,? Is it possible to reshape the rural colleges to play a pivotal role? How could other structure like KVK, Community Polytechnics enable this? What would be the policy supports needed from Government

35

11.00 AM – 01.00 PM Technical Session I Introducing PURA Background Note and Questions for Discussion To be followed by Discussions

Chairman: Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai Prof. P.V. Indiresan Prof. T. Karunakaran

01.00 PM – 02.00 PM LUNCH

02.00 PM – 04.00 PM Technical Session II Theme Coordinator: To be followed by Discussions

Chairman: Prof. Prem Vrat Prof. M. Anandakrishnan

Lead Questions: Multi-agency Collaborative Framework What would be the role of technical institutions in supporting PURA structures and

institutions? What would be the role of corporate sectors? How to visualize an administrative umbrella framework under which the multi-agency

collaboration will be facilitated?

04.00 PM- 05.00 PM Suggestions for the overall organization of National Workshop and the Feeder Programmes

Expected Outcomes of the Meet:

• To generate ideas on evolving a multi agency collaborative framework to help knowledge connectivity to rural sector.

• To visualize the role of various agencies with respect to technical, financial, academic support to the PURA knowledge structures.

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Annexure-III

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED CONSULTATIVE MEETING

S. N.

NAME TELEPHONE NUMBER

FAX E –Mail

1. Prof. (Dr.) B.H. Briz Kishore Chairman National Council of Rural Institutes (NCRI) Shakar Bhawan Fateh Maidan Road Hyderabad – 500 004 Andhra Pradesh

23212813 23212114 ncrih@vsnl.com ncrih@yahoo.com

2. Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai Vice-Chairman University Grants Commission Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi-110002

23238858 (O) 323 6288 vnrvcm@ugc.ac.in vcs@ugc.ac.in

3. Prof. R. Natarajan Chairman AICTE Indira Gandhi Sports Complex I.P. Estate New Delhi – 110 002

23392553 (O) natrajan@aicte.ernet.in

4. Prof. M. Anandakrishnan Former Vice Chancellor Anna University & Former Vice-Chairman of TANSCHE Fifth Main Road Kasturba Nagar, Adyar Chennai – 600 021 Tamil Nadu

044-24916291(R) M: 9444051133

ananda1@vsnl.com

5. Prof Rajesh Anand JS Vocational Education Cell University Grants Commission Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi-110002

23386128, 24916291 (O)

rajesh@ugc.ac.in

37

6. Dr. P. L. Dhar Professor (Mech. Engineering) and Head of National Research Center for Value Education in Engineering (NRCVEE) IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas New Delhi 110016

26591053 26596583

26596585 pldhar@indiatimes.com

7. Dr. (Ms.) Santosh Satya Professor & Head Centre for Rural Development and Appropriate Technology IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas New Delhi 110016

26591121 26596251

26591121

8. Dr. B. N. Jain Deptt. of Computer Science IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas New Delhi 110016

bnj@iitd.ernet.in

9. Dr. Prem Vrat Director IIT Roorkee Roorkee

1332-272742 (O) M: 9837003728

director@iitr.ernet.in

10 Dr.Subba Rao Ex Vice Chancellor (Acharya N.G.Ranga Agriculture University) 1-10-315, Manovikas Nagar Secunderabad Andhra Pradesh

040-27750631 (O)

dr_angrau@yahoo.co.in

vc_angraus@yahoo.com

11. Prof. S.Z. Haider Joint Director Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Edu. (PSSIVE) 131, Zone-II, M.P. Nagar Bhopal-462011

91-755-558150, 556517

556504 szhaider@hotmail.com

12 Prof. Udipi Shrinivasa SuTRA [Sustainable Transformation of Rural Areas] Department of Mathematics Indian Institute of Science Bangalore 560012

080- 360 2435/ 360 0080 / 360 2993 / 360 8635 (O); MOBILE: 98457 29295

udipi@mecheng.iisc.ernet.in

38

13 Prof. Dayanand Dongaonkar, Secretary General, AIU Association of Indian Universities, AIU House 16, Comd. Indrajit Gupta Marg (Kotla Marg) New Delhi - 110002

23236105 (DIRECT) EPBAX 011-23230059 23232305 23233390

23232131. aiu@del2.vsnl.net.in

aiu2@vsnl.net

14 Prof. H. Ramachandran Director Indian Applied Manpower Research (IAMR) Plot No.25, Sector A-7 Institutional Area, Narela New Delhi-110040

27783468 iamr@vsnl.com

15 Brig (Dr.) R. Siva Kumar Director NRDMS DST and Director, National Spatial Data infrastructure East Block –VII level –V, R. K. Puram, New Delhi 110066

26519530 26177249

26519530 siva_k@alpha.nic.in

16 Dr. Anita Priyadarshini Dy. Director (Acad.) Nation Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) B-31B, Kailash Colony, New Delhi.

26471513 26211457-59. 26281180-85

26211452 anpriya@yahoo.com

17 Prof. P. V. Krishan Bhatt Hony. Coordinator (IGNCA) 109, J. C. Road, Bangalore

9448143867 profpvkbhat@hotmail.com

18 Prof. G. D. Sharma Director Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC) Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi – 110 016

26897421 9811557525

26897416

sharmagd@vsnl.com

19 Shri. Sanjeev Kumar Director of Higher Education Ministry of HRD Shastri Bhawan New Delhi

011 – 23388632

sanjeev_kumar@hotmail.com

20 Dr. Debendra Nath Dash Ministry of HRD Shastri Bhawan New Delhi

011 – 23388632

devndranath@yahoo.com

39

21 Prof. T. Karunakaran Vice Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya (MGCGV) Chitrakoot

Mobile 9826044133

vcmgcgv@rediffmail.com

22 Dr. A. K. Sharan Deputy Director, KVIC, A-1, Baba Khadak Singh Marg New Delhi.

TEL: 23363777, 23345046

Fax: 23742592

23 Dr. S. K. Ghosh Associate Professor Deptt. of Civil Engineering IIT Roorkee Roorkee

01332-285463 scnagosh@datainfosys.net

24 Prof. P. V. Indiresan Former Director, IIT Madras B-57, Hill View Apartments Vasant Vihar New Delhi-110057

indresan@vsnl.com

25 Dr. Bhoop Singh Department of Science and Technology Technlogy Bhavan New Delhi 110016

9810078312 bhoopsingh@alpha.nic.in

26 Dr. Ramesh Chandra Sr. Executive Officer (Economics) National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) B-31B, Kailash Colony New Delhi.

26855079

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NIEPA Faculty:

1. Prof. Pradeep Kumar Joshi Director

2. Prof. Marmar Mukhopadhyay Joint Director,NIEPA

3. Prof. Sudhanshu Bhushan Sr. Fellow and Head Higher Education Unit

4. Dr. Y. Josephin Associate Fellow Educational Administration Unit

5. Dr. R. S. Tyagi Associate Fellow Educational Administration Unit

6. Dr. Neeru Snehi Associate Fellow Educational Planning Unit

7. Dr. Madhumita Bandhopadhyay Associate Fellow Educational Policy Unit

8. Ms. Kavita Saxena Research and Training Associate Higher Education Unit

9. Mr. Vijay Vrat Arya Project Assistant Higher Education Unit

41

10. Mr. Subrata Kundu Project Assistant Higher Education Unit

11. Mr. Nilay Ranjan Project Assistant Higher Education Unit

12. Mr. D. Kamaraj Higher Education Unit