Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management

Rural Immersion Report-MANDA

Identifying and Analyzing Socioeconomic Barriers to Achieving

Inclusive and Quality Education in Rural India

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Dr. S.C. Bansal 1. Aakriti Sood (143/2023)

Dr. Neha Bhatnagar 2. Anirudh Thakur (037/2023)

3. Nimisha Dubey (137/2023)

4. Om Agarwal (320/2023)

5. Om Sewlani (443/2023)

6. Piyush Sharma (355/2023)

Page | 1
 Acknowledgement

We would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of this rural
immersion project. First and foremost, we extend my heartfelt thanks to the members of the Manda
district of Allahabad for generously welcoming us into their lives and sharing their invaluable insights
and experiences. Your warmth, cooperation, and openness made this project possible.

We would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Praveen Gupta, Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri
Institute of Management, Dwarka for providing us with the invaluable opportunity to undertake the
Rural Immersion Project. Your vision and support have allowed us to engage in a deeply enriching
and enlightening experience, one that has broadened our perspectives and enhanced our understanding
of rural communities.

We would also like to acknowledge the guidance and support of Dr. S.C Bansal and Dr. Neha
Bhatnagar, whose expertise and mentorship were instrumental throughout this journey. Your
guidance helped shape this research endeavor.

We would also Thank Dr. Arun Kumar Singh and Prof. Rajneesh Upadhaya who supported us
during our time in Manda. Your collaboration and assistance were invaluable, and we couldn't have
accomplished the Rural immersion project without your help.

Furthermore, we extend my appreciation to our Management Grid and Seniors who collaborated
closely on various aspects of this project, providing valuable input and assistance.

Lastly, we am grateful to my friends and family for their unwavering encouragement and
understanding during the project's duration.

This project would not have been possible without the collective effort and support of all these
individuals and groups. Thank you for being an integral part of this meaningful endeavor.

Page | 2
Contents
Acknowledgement...................................................................................................................................2

Chapter-1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................5

1.1 About Rural Immersion..................................................................................................................5

1.2 About Manda..................................................................................................................................5

Chapter-2 Literature Review....................................................................................................................7

Chapter-3 Scope of Rural Immersion....................................................................................................10

Chapter 4- Methodology........................................................................................................................12

4.1 Aim...............................................................................................................................................12

4.2 Objectives.....................................................................................................................................12

4.3 Sample..........................................................................................................................................12

4.4 Data Collection Tools...................................................................................................................12

4.5 Data Analysis...............................................................................................................................13

4.6 Ethical Points of Consideration....................................................................................................13

Chapter-5 Analysis of Result.................................................................................................................14

5.1 Literacy rate.................................................................................................................................14

5.2 Dropout/Non- enrollment.............................................................................................................14

5.3 Perception of students towards their school.................................................................................16

5.4 Travelling Time............................................................................................................................17

5.5 Demographics of parents..............................................................................................................18

Chapter 6 Discussion.............................................................................................................................20

Chapter- 7 Summary & Conclusion.......................................................................................................21

Chapter-8 Findings & Limitations.........................................................................................................23

8.1 PESTLE Analysis.........................................................................................................................23

8.1.1 Political Factors....................................................................................................................23

8.1.2 Economic Factors.................................................................................................................24

8.1.3 Social Factors........................................................................................................................24

8.1.4 Technological Factors...........................................................................................................25

8.1.5 Environmental Factors..........................................................................................................25

Page | 3
 8.1.6 Legal Factors.........................................................................................................................26

8.2 Limitations...................................................................................................................................26

8.3 Suggestions..................................................................................................................................26

Chapter- 9 References............................................................................................................................28

Chapter-10 Appendix.............................................................................................................................29

Page | 4
 Chapter-1 Introduction

1.1 About Rural Immersion

In the ever-changing and competitive world of business management, it is quite important that
students not only have theoretical knowledge but also have knowledge on how things work in the real
world. To focus on this, Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management has integrated “Rural
Immersion Program” into the curriculum and made it a 3-Credit course compulsory for each student.
The institute took students to 6 different locations which diversified the experiences for the entire
batch. To give students a good understanding of the rural life they were made to stay in the villages
for about 8-11 days (about 1 and a half weeks) and institute partnered up with NGO’s and various
institutes to conduct these immersion programs successfully.

Immersion in rural settings refers to sending urban students to analyze how things are working out in
the real world. It's like removing them from their typical city environment and exposing them to rural
life. This aids pupils in comprehending how rural areas differ from urban ones and how management
choices impact those locations.

Compared to only reading books, this form of education is more practical. It allows students to
observe and analyze how companies operate in rural locations, the difficulties that residents confront,
and how managerial decisions might affect those residents' quality of life.

In this report, we’ll discuss about the rural immersion to Manda, what were students’ observations
about life in rural India, challenges faced by villagers in their day-to-day life. The immersion program
also helps in the holistic development of students and helps to develop students into socially sensitive
business leaders.

1.2 About Manda

Manda is a village situated at a distance of 65 kms from Prayagraj formerly known as Allahabad,
Uttar Pradesh. The population of Manda district is 2,70,552 and area of the village is around 514.14
km. The village of Manda was established by Raja Gudan Dea the 16 th descendant of Raja Manik
Chand of Manikpur in 1542. After Raja Gudan Dea, Raja Ram Pratap Singh was granted the title Raja
Bahadur of Manda by the British who was succeeded by Ram Gopal Singh who was later succeeded

Page | 5
by his adopted son Vishwanath Pratap Singh the 7 th Prime Minister of India and after his death his son
inherited the title of Raja Ajeya Pratap Singh by the public.

When talking about the geography of the village. The village of Manda has a rocky plain which
makes it difficult for the population there to farm produce for themselves. Due to its rocky plains, it is
also exceedingly difficult to set up factories there as that will also add to the cost of construction.
Majority of population in the village of Manda is not economically strong, and most of them work
either on daily wage in the farmlands or the males in the family migrate to other states to work as
labor.

Manda, which is situated in a remote area, earlier the population there was very closed minded but in
recent years they got exposure to various services by the government. The people of the village have
now become open to opinions and are also putting more emphasis on education.

One such institute which has been able to provide quality education to the people of Manda for over 9
years is Lal Bahadur Shastri Polytechnic which has been teaching its students with real world skills
and providing the opportunity to the children of these villages access to essential infrastructure and
job opportunities in established companies by offering 3 distinct diplomas in Mechanical, Electrical
and Civil engineering.

Page | 6
 Chapter-2 Literature Review

The issue of achieving inclusive and quality education in rural India is of paramount importance for
the country's development. This literature review aims to synthesize and analyze the existing body of
research on socio-economic barriers to education in rural India and the policies designed to address
these challenges. By reviewing the literature, this paper seeks to provide a comprehensive
understanding of the complex issues surrounding rural education in India. This literature review
underscores the multifaceted nature of socio-economic barriers to achieving inclusive and quality
education in rural India. It also highlights the diverse policy interventions and their impacts on
addressing these challenges. While progress has been made, persistent disparities require ongoing
research and policy innovation to ensure equal educational opportunities for all in rural India. The
subsequent sections will build upon this foundation to identify and analyze socio-economic barriers
and propose evidence-based policy recommendations for equal educational opportunities.

The challenge of providing inclusive and high-quality education in rural India is crucial for the growth
of the nation. The goal of this literature review is to summarize and analyze the body of knowledge on
socioeconomic impediments to education in rural India and the strategies put in place to overcome
them. This paper aims to provide a thorough grasp of the complicated problems related to rural
education in India by evaluating the literature. The complexity of socioeconomic obstacles to
delivering inclusive and high-quality education in rural India is shown by this literature study. The
various policy actions and their effects on resolving these issues are also highlighted. Although there
has been improvement, continuing inequities call for continual study and policy innovation to
guarantee that everyone has access to equal educational opportunities.

Based on this framework, the following paragraphs of this essay will identify, examine, and make
evidence-based policy proposals for equal educational opportunities.

Rural India's Socio-Economic Challenges to Education-

1. Poverty as a Barrier to Access and Retention Several studies have shown how important poverty is
in preventing rural Indians from accessing education. Many children are forced to leave school due to
poverty because they lack the money to pay for necessities like uniforms, textbooks, and
transportation (Kingdon, 2007).

Page | 7
2. Infrastructure Deficits and Education Quality Studies highlight the continuing insufficiency of
rural school infrastructure. The quality of education and student retention are impacted by outdated
structures, limited classroom space, and a lack of basic facilities (Muralidharan & Sundararaman,
2015).

3. Gender Disparities and Social Norms Gender disparities remain a significant issue in rural
education. Deep-rooted social norms and cultural biases often discourage girls from attending school,
perpetuating inequality (Kabeer, 2005). Studies suggest that interventions targeting girls' education
can have positive ripple effects on entire communities (Duflo et al., 2015).

4. Teacher Shortages and Quality Rural areas suffer from a chronic shortage of qualified teachers,
leading to unfavorable student-teacher ratios. This adversely affects the quality of education, as
underqualified teachers struggle to deliver effective instruction (Banerjee et al., 2007).

5. Caste-Based Discrimination Caste-based discrimination and the associated social hierarchies

continue to affect access to education in rural India. Dalit and marginalized communities often face
discrimination in schools and society (Jodhka, 2005).

Regulations and Actions

1. The Right to Education Act (RTE) was passed in 2009 and is a historic law that mandates free and
mandatory education for children between the ages of six and fourteen. According to research, there
has been success in certain areas and room for improvement in others when it comes to the
implementation of RTE (Biswas & Mandal, 2019).

2. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a premier initiative that aims to make basic education
accessible to all Indians. Studies have assessed how the SSA has affected rural communities' access,
enrolment, and educational outcomes (Chakrabarti, 2008).

3. Conditional Cash Transfer Programmes Conditional cash transfer programms have been
implemented to encourage education for girls and marginalized populations, such as the Janani
Suraksha Yojana and the Dhanalakshmi Scheme. Research looks at how well these programms work.

4. Digital Initiatives and Technology in Education As a result of the development of technology, a

number of campaigns, such the Digital India campaign, have sought to enhance education by utilizing

Page | 8
 digital tools and online courses. The role of technology in closing the educational gap in rural areas
has been the subject of studies (Chandrasekhar & Chintagunta, 2018).

5. Community Engagement and School Management Local communities are involved in school
management through community-based initiatives like Village Education Committees (VECs).
According to research (Panda et al., 2010), community involvement can improve school facilities and
student performance.

Page | 9
 Chapter-3 Scope of Rural Immersion

The scope of rural immersion is expansive, encompassing various disciplines and research objectives.
It involves gaining profound insights into rural communities' sociocultural dynamics, economic
conditions, healthcare, agriculture, education, infrastructure, and community development. This
approach can inform policy decisions, enhance social welfare, and contribute to the preservation of
indigenous knowledge and traditions, ultimately aiming to bring about positive, sustainable changes
in rural areas across a range of domains.

In India, rural education has a broad and complex reach that includes many different features and
difficulties. Here is a summary of the main components and areas that make up rural education in
India:

1. Geographical diversity: In India, rural education differs greatly between states, regions, and even
specific villages. Understanding and resolving the various educational demands and difficulties in
various rural environments are included in the scope.

2. Educational Levels: The scope of the study includes all educational levels, including primary,
secondary, and higher education. Initiatives in non-formal and vocational education are included.

3. Access and enrolment: It is within the scope of the project to investigate questions of school
readiness, enrolment levels, and accessibility. This entails looking at variables that affect whether
youngsters in rural areas can begin and continue their education.

4. Gender Inequalities Gender inequalities in rural education are a major source of worry. This includes
researching the causes of females' greater dropout and lower enrollment rates as well as suggesting
gender equitable measures.

5. Policy Analysis: Part of the scope includes analyzing educational policies and programmes at the
national and state levels, as well as evaluating how they are implemented and how they affect rural
education. This covers the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the Right to Education Act (RTE), and
other programms

Page | 10
6. Community Involvement: It is within the purview to encourage community involvement and
participation in rural education. This entails researching how neighborhood groups, parent-teacher
organizations, and other stakeholders may help to improve education.

7. Digital efforts and Technology Integration: The focus of this study is on how to better deliver
education in rural areas by integrating digital technology and e-learning efforts.

India's rural education system is large and dynamic, necessitating a thorough and multidisciplinary
approach. To address the complex issues and strive to improve educational opportunities and
outcomes for rural children, a comprehensive and multidisciplinary strategy is necessary given the
size and dynamic nature of rural education in India.

Page | 11
 Chapter 4- Methodology

4.1 Aim

Identifying and analyzing socio-economic barriers to achieving inclusive and quality education in
rural India.

4.2 Objectives

1. To recognize and examine the various socioeconomic constraints preventing rural Indians from
accessing high-quality education.

2. To determine how these obstacles affect learning outcomes, such as enrolment, retention, and
achievement rates.

3. To assess how well current educational policies and programs are working to address these
socioeconomic issues.

4. To make evidence-based recommendations that support inclusion and fair educational opportunities
in rural areas.

4.3 Sample

Every research work needs a sample for the conduction of the study and the study’s success is highly
dependent on the sample. Henceforth, it is important for the sample to be adequate and suitable for the
research as it would help to get the best results. The sample undertaken for study consisted of
villagers in the Manda district of Allahabad. The sample consisted of school going students, villagers
and other stakeholders which includes Village Panchayat amongst others. The data has been collected
by visiting 4 villages and numerous houses in Manda.

Page | 12
 4.4 Data Collection Tools

a. Participant Observation: Actively engage with the community by living among them, participating in
their daily activities, and observing their way of life.
b. Interviews: Conduct structured or semi-structured interviews with community members to gather
qualitative data.
c. Surveys: Administer surveys or questionnaires to collect quantitative data, if applicable.
d. Field Notes: Keep detailed field notes about your observations, interactions, and experiences.

4.5 Data Analysis

a. Analyze Qualitative Data: Use thematic analysis or other qualitative data analysis methods to identify
recurring themes, patterns, and insights.
b. Quantitative Analysis: If applicable, use statistical tools to analyze quantitative data.

4.6 Ethical Points of Consideration

Informed Consent: Make sure interviewees and survey respondents give their informed consent,
especially if children are involved.

Privacy and Confidentiality: By making data anonymous, participants' privacy and confidentiality are
maintained.

Page | 13
 Chapter-5 Analysis of Result

5.1 Literacy rate

Table 5.1: Table provides data of Year-wise comparison of literacy rate between Uttar Pradesh & India

Before, we talk about the status of education in Manda Khas, we must first analyze the literacy level
in the state of Uttar Pradesh as a whole. There has always been a very big gap between average
literacy rate of India and Uttar Pradesh. Although, in recent years this gap has been steadily
narrowing. The reason for this gap is that the population of Uttar Pradesh is massive, but the resource
allocated to education has always been lower. The government had to prioritize many issues like
poverty, social inequality, and hunger over education.

Gap between average literacy rate of India

and Uttar Pradesh
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Gap between average literacy rate of India and Uttar Pradesh

Figure 5.1: Chart depicts gap between average literacy rate of India and Uttar Pradesh

Source:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
305300866_Literacy_Progress_in_Uttar_Pradesh_A_Districts_Level_Analysis

5.2 Dropout/Non- enrollment

Dropout and non- enrollment are major issues not just in Manda or Uttar Pradesh but in states of
Madhya Pradesh and Bihar as well. Work to earn is the number one reason for not attending school.

Page | 14
While work to earn is primary reason for males for females, working at home is the number reason for
not attending the school.

Figure 5.2: Chart depicts percentage distribution of ever enrolled persons by major reason for
currently not attending.

Source: https://www.turnthebus.org/blog/school-dropouts-in-india-the-cause-and

We surveyed 62 people including parents, teachers, principals and other adults to find out the reason
for dropping out and non- enrollment in schools. These are their responses:

Reas Par Tea Princ Oth To

ons ents cher ipal ers tal

Pove
6 4 2 3 15
rty

Dista
6 2 - 2 10
nce

Work
to 10 7 - 1 18
earn

Work
at 6 4 - 1 11
home

Paren 2 3 2 1 8
Page | 15
 ts
unwil
ling

Table 5.2: Table provides data of reasons for dropout/non-enrollment in schools surveyed by us

Figure 5.3: Chart depicts reasons for dropout/non-enrollment in schools surveyed by us

Apparently, the number one reason for dropping out is work to earn followed by poverty or
unaffordability. The top two reasons are somewhat linked to each other as, the poverty pushes a child
out of the school and into the work. To afford meals for their family, they have to leave their school
and search for employment.

5.3 Perception of students towards their school

We asked students from all the classes about whether they like going to their school daily or not. This
is what we found:

Class Like Neutral Dislike

Till first grade 65% 25% 10%

2 to 7 55% 35% 10%

8 to 12 45% 40% 15%

Table 5.3: Table provides perception of students towards their respective schools.

Page | 16
The younger a student is, the more he/she is excited to come to their school daily. The reasons behind
the fact that teenagers have less excitement compared to kids are various. One of them is, younger
children are not aware of educational disparities or may be more forgiving of them, while teenagers
have a better understanding of the quality and challenges in their educational system, which can lead
to reduced zeal. Another is, as students grow up, they have a more pressure to leave their studies and
help their family to earn more income. Also, as a student progresses, the curriculum becomes difficult
and already building pressure multiplies.

5.4 Travelling Time

Travelling time between school and home for a student plays an essential role in determining whether
student will attend the school regularly or not. Travelling time also impacts the learning of a student
as, the more travelling time means less energy and time to study. The following table and graph give
detail about the travelling time for students surveyed by us:

Travelling Time % of students

Less than half an hour 23%

30 minutes to 1 hour 42%

1 hour to 2 hours 25%

more than 2 hours 10%

Table 5.4: Table provides data Travelling time for students studying in schools.

Page | 17
 Figure 5.4: Chart depicts travelling time for students studying in schools.

For most of the students (42%) travelling time was between 30 minutes to one hour. But for
approximately one-third of the student’s travelling time was more than one hour, which is a lot. It
hinders their learning significantly. The reason for so much travel time was lack of proper
infrastructure like roads and transport. The students faced difficulty attending their schools regularly
because of the travelling time.

5.5 Demographics of parents

Demographics of parents play a very crucial part in the education of their children. Kids learn from
their parents so, whatever parents do in front of them or teach them, shapes their whole personality for
the future. When we were collecting the data, we observed some students were a bit reluctant in
sharing the information about their parents, so we had to ask them about their parents in a very
indirect way.

1. Education Level
The education level of parents determines what grade they can teach their children. The more
educated either of the parents is the more grades they won’t have to seek a private tutor for their
children. Below are our findings regarding the education level of parents of the students:
Education level Mother Father

No formal education 9% 6%

Elementary School 11% 19%

Middle School 41% 38%

Page | 18
High School 30% 29%

University 9% 8%
 Table 5.5: Table provides Education level of parents of school students.

Figure 5.5: Chart depicts Education level of parents of school students.

Parents of most of the students left their education in/after middle school. Less than 10% of the
parents had a university degree. Also, against the popular belief, mothers are likely to be more
educated than the father.

2. Profession
The profession of parents plays a crucial role in shaping the perception of their children. A parent's
profession serves as a role model for their child's career aspirations. Children often look up to their
parents and may be inspired to pursue similar or different careers based on their parents' experiences
and values.
Profession Mother Father

Table Farmer 18% 25% 5.6:

Table provides
Migrant Labour 7% 63%

Home Maker 66% 0%

Self Employed 9% 11%

Other 0% 1%

professions of parents of school students

Page | 19
 Figure 5.6: Chart depicts Professions of parents of school students.

Chapter 6 Discussion

This immersion reveals an intricate picture of rural life in India, where traditional livelihoods and
attitudes persist amidst slowly penetrating elements from the modern world. Economic self-reliance is
proved by the preventative attitude towards incurring debt, even in the light of government-backed
schemes promising zero-interest loans. However, the locals lean heavily on their businesses as their
main income sources, such as Mr. Prajapati's general store and the agricultural activities they take part
in. The commitment towards sustaining family businesses and the inclination of most youth to remain
in their native village further indicates a localized mindset.

In addition, the attention paid to education by the locals suggests a rising acknowledgement of the role
education plays in societal betterment, reflected in Shyam Sundar Prajapati's pursuit of higher
education.

Through this immersion report, several significant insights into societal patterns have been
highlighted. From an educational perspective, the observed trends suggest that while formal education
is recognized as necessary for the younger generation, it is also evident that most of them continue to
contribute towards family businesses.

The prominence of education in the study is notable. At the core of their educational pursuits lies the
desire to accrue more opportunities, visible in their preference for English-medium schools over Hindi
Page | 20
ones. This trend can be attributed to the global standing of English as a language of commerce and
opportunity. However, it is evident that English literacy has struggled to permeate all layers of society,
given the expenses related to private tuitions, creating a barrier for those with less financial freedom.

On the other hand, there are issues identified within government schools, including unsatisfactory
learning environments preventing optimal focus on studies. This crucial insight underlines the
significance of not only access to education but also quality academic environments in shaping a
child’s academic and future success.

In terms of traditional education, the existence of a Sanskrit medium school adjacent to the centuries-
old Mandavi Devi Temple shows the continuous celebration of cultural heritage and language in these
rural areas.

Chapter- 7 Summary & Conclusion

This exploration reaffirms the fact that traditional economies are highly resilient despite constant
external pressures for change and modernization. The rural populace of Bharatganj, while open to
modern conveniences such as digital payments, demonstrates a distinct preference towards preserving
traditional occupations and way of life. The locals' commitment to their family businesses and caution
towards incurring debt underline a collective preference for economic autonomy.

These insights are vital benchmarks for policymakers, educators, and development workers in shaping
their strategies in rural contexts. Specifically, any interventions in these societies must be delivered
with sensitivity to their traditions, value systems, and economic realities. Culturally fit solutions are
essential to bridging gaps and supporting their communities without disrupting the unique structural
balance that they have developed through generations.

This immersion provided an in-depth look at life in a traditional Indian village. The interplay between
modernity, as evidenced by the proliferation of digital payment systems and traditional occupations
like farming is evident in Shyam Sundar Prajapati's life and business model. Despite the overall
underdeveloped nature of the area, Mr. Prajapati and the inhabitants of the village have adapted to
integrate modern elements into their lifestyle. The resistance towards additional government aid
implies a strong sense of self-reliance within the community. This study provides significant insights

Page | 21
for future research into education and business development within similar rural contexts. It
emphasizes the importance of tailored strategies that can address this unique interplay of tradition and
modernity while empowering such communities towards sustainable growth.

Educational institutions and curriculum need to consider this dynamic friction between progressive
learning methods and the value of traditional cultural systems. It exemplifies the need to redesign
educational frameworks that can accommodate these two differing needs harmoniously.

There is also a clear inclination towards English as the medium of education, seen as a tool for
increased opportunities. This raises questions about the greater social implications of English-medium
education in shaping social mobility and equality, with potential risks of further marginalizing those
who cannot afford such learning environments.

Getting a college degree is easy for students, all they have to do is, bribe the college administration. In
Manda's largest college, a person can get an MBA degree for just ten thousand rupees and cheating
occurs a lot through the windows during final examinations, the degree becomes worthless. Later, the
student curses the degree and regrets the amount spent as the student is not able to secure a job on the
basis of this degree.

Lastly, the study re-emphasizes the critical need for improving learning conditions in government
schools, given their pivotal role in providing educational access to a considerable proportion of the
rural population. Taken together, these findings put forth a compelling argument for a more nuanced,
inclusive, and culturally sensitive approach to education reforms in rural settings.

Page | 22
 Chapter-8 Findings & Limitations

8.1 PESTLE Analysis

8.1.1 Political Factors
Government Policies: The education system is significantly shaped by government initiatives.
Political stability and leadership transitions can have an impact on rural India's funding distribution,
curriculum development, and infrastructural development.

According to the National Education Policy 2020, the main objective of Uttar Pradesh's educational
system is to produce well-rounded people who possess values, abilities, and knowledge. It focuses on
fundamental literacy and numeracy, flexibility in learning pathways, multidisciplinary, creativity,
ethics, and technology integration. It aspires to supply high-quality education that is inclusive and
egalitarian. The system also highlights how crucial it is to track student involvement, maintain a solid
infrastructure, and guarantee quality education, particularly for socioeconomically underprivileged
populations. It is encouraged for communities, alumni, and volunteers to get involved in improving
the learning environment. The policy also lessens onerous requirements on schools while encouraging
regional variances and alternative educational models.

Page | 23
Regulation and Legislation: Education in India is subject to various laws and regulations, including
the Right to Education Act. Changes in these laws can affect the accessibility and quality of education
in rural areas.

The education system in India, even rural areas, is heavily influenced by regulation and legislation.
One of the most important pieces of legislation that has had a considerable impact on Indian education
is the Right to Education Act (RTE), which was passed in 2009. Here is a more detailed examination
of how rules and laws, particularly the RTE Act, impact education in rural India:

Universal Access: According to the RTE Act, children between the ages of 6 and 14 are entitled to
free and compulsory education. Due to the fact that this guarantees all children access to education,
school enrollment in rural areas has expanded dramatically.

Infrastructure: The RTE Act also specifies basic infrastructure requirements for schools, such as the
availability of classrooms, restrooms, and drinking water facilities.

Teacher Qualifications: The Act establishes basic standards for educators, which has improved the
caliber of the teaching personnel in rural schools. However, finding and keeping skilled instructors in
isolated rural locations continues to be difficult.

Quality of Education: The RTE Act highlights the need to deliver high-quality instruction and
establishes guidelines and criteria for curricula and student-teacher ratios. Due to limited resources
and variable local circumstances, it is still difficult to provide uniform quality throughout all rural
schools.

Inclusion: The Act encourages inclusion by outlawing discrimination based on caste, gender, and
disabilities, among other things. This has proven essential in addressing educational inequality in rural
areas.

8.1.2 Economic Factors

Funding: Both education quality and accessibility can be significantly impacted by funding for rural
education. Budget cuts brought on by economic downturns may influence infrastructure and teacher
wages.

Income Levels: Rural households' financial situation influences their capacity to make educational
investments, including paying for textbooks and uniforms.

The rate of unemployment: Compared to Haryana, which has the highest unemployment at 26.72
percent, Uttar Pradesh's rate of 4.36 percent as of March 2022 is low. People in rural areas typically
make between Rs.250 and Rs.300 per day for work, which is a very low daily income rate. The real

Page | 24
indicator would not only look at the unemployment rate but also at how easily people could support
themselves.

8.1.3 Social Factors

a. Population growth rate -The population growth rate of UP is 20 percent, which is quite high and
amongst the highest growth rate in the country. Uttar Pradesh has been one of the most populated
states in India for a long time. UP is also one of the most densely populated states in the country
with the density being 800 people per square kilometer which is above the national average of
380.

A high growth rate is not a good thing for a state as it has to work harder to create jobs for the
masses. Less number of jobs would subject the people to poverty and place that much strain on
the state treasury to ensure that people do not die from hunger and have houses to live in which
ultimately affects the education of the children as dropout rates are high.

b. Income levels - Agriculture is one of the major businesses in UP and the majority of the
population belongs to rural areas. In some places, the weather is too hot and the terrain is rocky
which means that only a few crops grow in a year. The income level is therefore low. The
farmers also fall prey to middlemen who do not give a good price to the farmers and a lot of them
are in debt and some had to even resort to committing suicide. The never-ending plight continues
to exist despite government measures to support farmers. There is also a lack of storage and
transportation facilities in the state, and this sometimes leads to distressed sales by farmers.
c. Attitude towards careers - There is still a lack of awareness on how education can help change
not only the mindset but also the lives of people. People in rural areas do not have enough money
to provide quality education and despite the government providing free education and subsidized
education, the quality of education provided is not adequate. The government teachers are not
bothered with the lives of students, and we personally visited schools where students were not
being taught on a regular basis and their issues made us all sad. The computer labs and science
labs were not well equipped. There is also a dearth of teachers, who want to teach in such
backward areas when they can enjoy comfortable lives in urban areas.

Even the education of girl children was not considered important, with a lot of the girls dropping
out before 21 to get married. The reason was that if the girl is educated, the groom would need to
be equally educated and such a mindset is present in most of the rural areas of UP.

d. Cultural Barriers - There exist a lot of cultural barriers in rural areas due to a lack of education.
Ethnocentrism (happens when we implicitly believe our way of doing things and seeing things is
the right and only way) exists and this has resulted in poor menstrual awareness and the problem
of open defecation and improper waste disposal. There also exists a language barrier. Even

Page | 25
 though the students study the same subjects as their urban counterparts, their level of English is
not advanced enough to land good jobs in urban cities. The values and ideologies also are
backward in rural areas with the majority of people not supporting the girl child to study further.

8.1.4 Technological Factors

a. Access to Technology: Internet access and technology accessibility can have an impact on educational
quality. In remote places, a big barrier can be a lack of access to digital resources.
b. E-Learning: If there is sufficient infrastructure and connectivity, the rise of e-learning platforms and
virtual classrooms may help close the education gap between urban and rural areas.

8.1.5 Environmental Factors

a. Weather - The terrain in Manda was a little rough and that poses a challenge to the growth of crops.
The weather is hot and when there is less rainfall, the area stays hot for a major portion of the year.
The area has Black and coarse gray land with the soil type being clay loam to sandy loam and 48% of
the area has this type of soil. The major crops that are supported by the weather condition are Paddy,
Wheat, Barley, Jowar, Bajra, Urd, Moong, Masoor, Gram, Pea, Arhar, Mustard, Alsi, Til, Sunflower,
Soybean, Sugarcane, Potato and Maize. Due to improved technology, better quality and hybrid seeds
are available to the farmers and require less water to cultivate and also some crops can be grown off-
season as well because of this reason.
b. Climate - Climate change is real, and its impact can be felt in areas like Manda as well. Extreme
weather events can disrupt the regular functioning of schools and impact attendance. There has been
a drop in the amount of rainfall each year and to combat climate change, many reservoirs have been
built and actively maintained to ensure that crop yield is not impacted. Water is released in a
systematic manner to ensure that there is adequate availability throughout the year for all the farmers
depending on the irrigation system. Although some areas witnessed excessive rainfall in the year and
dams had to be closed to tourists due to increased risks, there were many areas that received less
rainfall.

8.1.6 Legal Factors

Respect for the Right to Education Act (RTE):

For children ages 6 to 14, free and mandatory education is required under the RTE Act. It is required
by law to make sure that every eligible child in rural UP receives an education.

Due to problems including inadequate school infrastructure, a teacher shortage, and parents who are
unaware of their children's entitlement to an education, it is difficult to enforce this rule.

Labor Laws: Employment regulations can affect the hiring and working conditions of teachers in rural
schools.

Page | 26
 8.2 Limitations
1. Language barriers existed as members from different communities communicated primarily in their
own dialects. This made it challenging to interpret recorded responses, even though enumerators were
proficient in some languages.
2. Identifying suitable participants across various regions posed logistical difficulties but was crucial for
survey accuracy within the predetermined framework.
3. Engaging both men and women in the survey proved challenging. Many men, often daily wage or
contract workers were hard to reach. Women were hesitant to share information with male surveyors,
preferring female surveyors.
4. People's lack of awareness of their legal options presented issues, as considering these options was
essential for safeguarding their rights.

8.3 Suggestions
1. Make it available and accessible for all: In some parts of our country education is not available to all
due to various constraints such as geographical, social believe and taboos or from the point of
infrastructure-related constraints, therefore the first step is to make education available and accessible
to all.
2. Think beyond classroom education: In rural areas education is also limited to the classroom learning
and students get limited access to other forms of experiential learning methods due to this impacts the
learning and limits the student’s exposure in discovering their full potential.
3. Equip with technology: In the current context of education in the COVID 19 era, school and students
both were able to continue some form of education using basic technology such as mobile and
internet, but in rural areas, students and the school could manage continuity of education in a very
limited way, and the need for access to technology at least at a basic level was felt very strongly.
4. Result-oriented learning environment: In the rural context of education results are limited to academic
results, it is important to focus on academic results but there are other results also that could be
important such as extracurricular, personality, and behavior development, in order to achieve overall
development results schools in rural areas should be equipped with the tools to create a learning
environment that will allow teachers to get the results in all the areas. A healthy and happy
environment can’t be created by teachers alone need support and tools to build an environment.
5. Involvement of parents: In urban areas, there is a lot of focus and there are various forums created by
schools to involve parents in the education process, however, in the rural education system parents are
involved either at the time of admissions or at the time of results. Either the parent does not want to
interfere, or they are not interested, the chances of not being interested are less since it is about the
future of their own child. Parents are not aware and therefore partially involved in the overall process
of the education of their child, an initiative towards parent’s education, highlighting their role and the

Page | 27
forums available for them to participate will be really helpful and it will increase the involvement of
parents and it will be a critical input in uplifting the education system.

Chapter- 9 References

1. Cigno, A., Rosati, F. C., & Tzannatos, Z. (2001). Child labor, nutrition, and education in rural
India: An economic analysis of parental choice and policy options. Social Protection
Discussion Papers and Notes, Article 24081.
https://ideas.repec.org//p/wbk/hdnspu/24081.html
2. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN RURAL PRIMARY EDUCATION: AN
UNDERESTIMATED AND UNDERSTUDIED COMPONENT OF INDIA’S SARVA
SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (EDUCATION FOR ALL) INITIATIVE. (2016). Psychosociological
Issues in Human Resource Management, 4(1), 96. https://doi.org/10.22381/PIHRM4120165
3. Disparities in earnings and education in India. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 September 2023, from
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/23322039.2014.941510?
needAccess=true&role=button

Page | 28
4. Diwan, R. (2015). Small schools in rural India: ‘Exclusion’ and ‘inequity’ in hierarchical
school system. Policy Futures in Education, 13(2), 187–204.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1478210315579971
5. French, R., & Kingdon, G. (2010). The relative effectiveness of private and government
schools in Rural India: Evidence from ASER data. DoQSS Working Papers, Article 10–03.
https://ideas.repec.org//p/qss/dqsswp/1003.html
6. Insights into the Behaviour of Rural Indians—An Attempt to Discover Views on Education
and Development—ProQuest. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 September 2023, from
https://www.proquest.com/openview/59d4887eae30f59c23cda0b3046a3190/1?pq-
origsite=gscholar&cbl=2043510
7. Vakulabharanam, V., & Guha Thakurata, S. (2014). Why do migrants do better than non-
migrants at destination? Migration, class and inequality dynamics in India. The Singapore
Economic Review, 59. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217590814500039
8. Varma, V., Goyal, R. K., Feher, A., Gupta, R., & Tekwani, K. (2022). ROLE OF
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY OF RURAL AREAS IN
INDIA: A QUALITATIVE PERSPECTIVE. Lucrări Științifice Management Agricol, 24(2),
Article 2.

Page | 29
 Chapter-10 Appendix

Day-1

Village

Lack of toilets: There were almost no toilets in the village. They used to go to the fields for their
needs which are owned by the farmers belonging to the different communities. But currently, the
fields are properly fenced and they're are not allowed to go there.

Ostracized by the administration: The Tribal people claimed that administration institutes like the
Police force paid no heed to them. Whenever there is a fight or issues in such situations Police do the
bare minimum. They don’t take required actions. Even their head (Pradhan) Raju Master ignored all
their needs and only come to them when elections are near. In the Neigbouring village of Mirzapur,
Pradhan is doing a lot to improve their condition whereas they say in our village nothing so being
done for our betterment Once election Are won.Most of the people in the village do not have their
Ration cards made. They do labor work and based on their daily salaries get their basic needs fulfilled.

Healthcare: Government hospital for delivery of children, emergency needs. For vaccination, kids
have to be taken to a house which they mentioned is Sunita Doctor’s house. But, due to the distance,
they generally avoid it.

Education: There is a lack of effective education. The children say they go to school, but are hesitant
when asked about naming it or what their subjects are. The schools are located away from the village
and it is difficult to send the students there without assistance of any vehicular transportation. The
villagers are not aware about the various government schemes that are being run to provide education
for school going children.

Temple and Crusher

Temple- The temple situated in Manda included deities such as Hanuman ji, Shiv ji and Shri Ram
Janki, Sheetla Mata. There was a pond near the temple whose depth is not known. The water was
considered holy and was surrounded by lush green trees. Many people were taking a dip in it as well.
Some for getting relief from the heat and others for fulfilling their religious beliefs.

Crusher- Basic- The crusher has been in place for the last 8 years and will continue to work in the
same place the next 7 years. The lease is basically for 10-15 years.

Procedure- They excavate the stone from the ground. They conduct bomb blast experiments on stones
in order to extract it from the ground.

Page | 30
Then by the use of a JCB loader the put the extracted stone into a tractor and bring the stone to the
crusher’s location.They then start to load the stone into the crusher and it starts breaking the big stone
pieces into various segments. Then the crusher system starts segregating the various stone sizes and
dust through a filter system. And different sizes of stone and dust are collected separately.

Safety- The people working for the crusher are not provided with the safety gear from the contractor,
They’re asked to bring their own boots. And they work without any sort of safety equipment. The
workers do not have any insurance. Then they move on to a different location. They do not put back
the material they excavate so The area is then filled with water which is brought up my machine to fill
out the excavated area.

Solar power plant-Vector Green Energy, Rattan India Solar 2 Pvt Limited. This solar plant has been
in action since 2018. They have 212,600 solar panel units in 100 hectares of land. They provide on
grid electricity. When there are cloudy days, the solar panels are still able to function, albeit at a lower
efficiency since photos from sun rays are still able to penetrate through the clouds. They make
electricity at the estimated cost of Rs. 1.5 and sells it to the government at Rs. 6.5

CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Activities: They claimed that they have used their CSR funds
to build parks for the general public in the villages which are also powered by the solar energy they
provide. Every year they spend around 4-5 lakhs on CSR activites. ([Singapore’s Sembcorp has
acquired Vector Green]) -> Not to be used for the one page report, not relevant.

Use of pesticides: Pesticides Are sprayed on the grass beneath the panel sheets so that the grass does
not grow too much and makes it difficult for workers to move because in presence of high grass
snakes and other reptiles are not easily observed which can be dangerous for the workers.

Skill workers are required, which are are hard to obtain, because any technical fault has to be dealt
with quickly or else the panel is damaged. Also,a lot of people are unwilling to work there because the
area is too huge to supervise and it needs to checked 8-9 times a day.

Poins for reference-Asia’s largest solar power plant is few km away in Mirzapur. PM came to
inaugurate the power plant. They store the energy using a battery, and that battery is recharged
overnight. For Wind Speed Temperature, Radiation they have live real time data. They get real time
data for forecasts as well. Wind speed affects the solar radiation as There is thermal loss when there is
not enough wind generation. They have 315-316 sunny days in a year. New tech introducing - Bi
facial model and reflective surfaces in the back.

Page | 31
 Day-3

Maa Tripur Sundari Public School & College- Visited Maa Tripur Sundari Public School &
college.

The school was opened in 2006 and became functional in the year 2007. It is an English-medium
achool. Class 7 students were around 12-13 years of age. Class 2 students were 7-10 years old.

Distance: Many kids in the school come from varying distances, with some from as near as 1.5Km to
some that come from more than 15 Kms. They generally travel on bicycles by themselves or with
their fathers by motory, or come to the school by bus. Bus fees is charged on the basis of the distance
the bus has to travel to pick the student up.

Educational: - The school timings are 8 to 1:30. For classes There are total 8 periods a day that the
students attend. Every saturday there is a quiz which tests their learnings from that particular week. If
some student misses a class or has extra doubts, then there are extra classes which they can attend for
clarification.

Competitions: -The school organizes inter-house competitions for the students in order to facilitate
their development in extracurricular fields. Also, the school with help other schools in the nearby
areas organizes inter-school competitions.

Infrastructure facilities: The school had a good infrastructural facilities like Computer lab, smart
classes, Bio lab, chemistry lab etc. They also had sports grounds where sports like Volleyball,
Badminton and Cricket were played. They all were accessible to all the students and were in good
condition. Students also had access to clean drinking water. School also has hostel facility.

Scholarship: - 100% scholarship to top 3 students from each class and underprivileged students are
provided with concession in the fees.

Difficulties: - Enrollment of students from the families with little involvement in their ward’s
education, resulted in no or poor vigil from parent/guardians. Electricity is a big issue for the school
as sometimes electricity is out for quite a long time. They want to install cameras in the entire school.
Class 4 employees are not easily available to the school as people are not willing to work as they get
the food grains for their consumption from the government.

Career and Aspirations- The students had a lot of dreams and aspirations and it was refreshing to see
that they want to become army officers, IAS/IPS Officers, Scientist and Doctors.

Health and Sanitation- Students did not like the sanitation system of the school. They were
particularly unhappy about the cleanliness and the water facilities.

Page | 32
Village- Reach of Government schemes: - Almost every villager had Ration Card, Adhar Card , Bank
Account and all other important documents needed to avail the benefits from the government. 35 Kgs
of Rice were provided to them via their Ration card and a monthly pension of Rs.1000 received
quarterly into the bank accounts of the senior citizens. They also said that every village in the region
had at least one government school which was providing their students with the basic necessities and
midday meals as per the government scheme. New Roads were made after the new government came.
They are happy with the current government as they feel the crime rate has fallen drastically.

Willingness to learn but inability to gain required higher education: Met with Pradeep who had
dropped out of his school at the tender age of 19 due to family circumstances he had used his intellect
and installed solar panels to operate lights in his house.

Day-4

Raja Kothi: - Raja Kothi was made by Vishwanath Pratap Singh who was the 7th Prime Minister of
India and it included 7 Anganas and every Angana had a well. There was a temple inside the Kothi
whose top was made with Golden top and its weight is around 25 kg. Around the kothi, Raja had
made provisions of a talab so that they could prevent the Kothi with an unanticipated attack. There
was also a surang which connects rani talab and Shankar bhagwan temple and Mandavi devi temple.
Once in the pond there came a crocodile which injured 12-15 people. Then the Raja attacked the
crocodile and ita skeleton is still visible in the Surang. The Raja once made a wall which trapped 3-4
dasis and some of the Ranis. There was also an outhouse in which they used to keep tigers around
100-150 years ago.

We were also shown the guest house, club house that was used by guests and people in those times.

School: Visited the Primary school of education, Manda, Prayagraj. The school had 3 rooms and a
passage hall. The students from grade 1-5 used to study there. The school had a handpump for
providing drinking water.

Basic-Advanced Model- The teacher in the school informed us that the school used to follow a basic
and advanced model in order to segregate it’s students on the basis of how much effort does a teacher
need to make on the students. And they also told us that the top students of the class were transferred
to a nearby convent school and the whole fees was paid by the government. The students who studied
in the school were coming from a distance of 1-3 kms and the nearest secondary school was at least
1.5km from the primary one.

Facilities by the government- The kids were provided with money in order to get uniforms. Rs.1200.
Every kid in the school used to study there free of cost. Kids were provided with books from the
school itself. The school also provided midday meals to its students in order to fulfill the nutrition of
their students.
Page | 33
Challenges faced by the school administration- There was a lack of classrooms in the school as 2
grades were studying out in the open as there were only 3 rooms in the entire school. The school was
not up to date with the technology and the students had no access to computers. There were not
enough washrooms for both the students and their teachers. Irregularities of the students in attending
school.

There was no playground in the school for extracurricular development. The students were made to sit
on the floor as there were no chairs and tables for the students.

Panchayat Head: Anganwadi workers- The anganwadi workers Sushma Gupta & Gayatri Devi were
our point of contact. They informed us that they: -help pregnant women as well as kids under the age
of 3 with medications and injections. They used to maintain a record of their individual clients in the
government provided app called “Poshan”. They also used to teach kids ranging from the age of 3-6
years. Were provided medications from the government to administer to their clients. And also used to
engage Rashtriya krimi mukti diwas. Training is provided to them by the government and they are
trained two times each month. In case a child under their care is serious he is first to the Auxiliary
nurse and midwife (Manju Verma) and if she is not able to treat and senses the seriousness of the
issue. They refer the ward to Community Health Officer and he refers the ward to the hospital.

Challenges faced by Anganwadi Workers: -They were not able to provide a safe environment to the
kids as the room that they were allotted had frequent visits of scorpions and snakes. There was not
enough space for the students of both the Anganwadi workers as it was just one single room with only
1 fan. They even faced difficulty in distributing ration due to lack of space. That no one pays any
attention to their problem. That for the meager sum of Rs. 5000 they are made to do a number of tasks
apart from their duties as an anganwadi worker. That there is no toilet facility available for the
workers as well as their students.

BDO/ADO Meet: -Name: Mr. Dinesh Kumar Pandit (Technical Assistant)

The main problem facing the villages is unemployment. Here the farmers' work depends completely
on the rains. If they even migrate to other places they face prejudice, the arrangements are not well,
they are fully disconnected from their families. Mr. Bhola Nath Pandey (Technical Assistant)
Information regarding different government schemes: The officials briefed us on different government
schemes that are in force to improve socio- economic development of the village. Some of the
schemes were: Abhiuday Yojna: Under this policy, students were provided coaching of
UPSC/IBPS/SSC free of cost. PM Adarsh Yojna: The benefits of this policy can be only availed by the
villages where SC/ST population is more than 50% of the total population. Under this scheme, the
specific needs of the village were specially paid attention to by the government. Sukanya Yojna: This
policy is inspired by Beti bachao, Beti Padhao movement. To avail the benefits a family must have

Page | 34
only two kids and at least one of the kids must be a girl. Under this policy, the girl child will be paid
some amount of money in four installments. The schedule of installments is as follows: First: When
the girl child is born, Second: When she is vaccinated, Third: When she takes her admission in First
grade, Fourth and last: When she passes 12th grade.

Rathavasthya pension system, Viklang pension scheme

Vidhwa pension scheme - For widows there is a pension which is available to them when they have an
income of Rs. 2 lakh. They are not liable to be a part of the scheme if they are married to someone
else or have income more than 2 lakh. Spreading Awareness about the importance of education: They
explained how they're trying to spread awareness about education in the village. Some of the methods
were: Creation of Samooh (groups): Earlier, people in the village used to be skeptical of the officials
or any other person for that matter who didn't seem one of them and used to hide away. But currently,
the situation has improved. This is because,Panchayats had formed teams to make the people
comfortable and now they use these teams to spread awareness about education and different
government schemes. Special attention by Panchayats: The three Panchayats, Zila Panchayat, Kshetra
Panchayat, Gram Panchayat give special attention to promote the prospects of education.

Day- 5

Temple - Mandavi Devi Temple is situated in Manda Block. The land is approximately 400-500 years
old. Just Beside the temple there is a Sanskrit medium school. Later we took a round of the village
and also went to see a well which the villagers use for various purposes.

Lalita Shastri School- We visited the school named after the wife of our honorable former Prime
Minister Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji. It was established after the demise of Mrs. Lalita Shastri Ji. The
school is affiliated to the ICSE Board of education. Tuition fees per student for a month is somewhere
close to Rs. 350. We made a few observations about the school and these were:

Language of medium: The school being an English medium contributed a lot to it having a big influx
of students from nearby villages. Students told us that all the schools in their home village had Hindi
as the language of medium but this school had English as a medium of language that's why they
preferred it. As learning English language creates more opportunities for them.

Experience with the government school: Some of the students had done their schooling from a
government school before joining this school. Their experiences with them didn't seem satisfactory.
Although every facility was there ,in the government school they weren't able to focus on their studies
because of the environment there.

Page | 35
Private tuitions: Some of the students and their parents aren't fluent in English. So, in order to bridge
the gap between them and their peers they go to private coaching classes. It costs them somewhere in
the range of Rs. 250-300.

Meet with CMO: Met with the Chief Medical Officer, Rajesh Prasad in the community health
centre.. They told us that their hospital is the only hospital in this area which provides healthcare to
the people of manda area and the nearest hospital is in city which is approximately 50kms away. That
they had an 12 hour job from 8AM to 8PM. The hospital only had general doctors who used to
provide treatment for different sorts of diseases and in case the patient had a serious issue which was
out of the purview of the doctors in community health center they used to refer the patients to the
government hospital in the city of Prayagraj. The hospital dealt with patients in 2 ways one was
outdoor patient department (OPD) which was till 2:00 PM in the summers and 4:00PM in the winters,
after that they used to deal with emergency cases only. They had total 4 doctors in the hospital. That
their nurses & staff stay in the accommodation provided by the hospital. The hospital only had the
facility to conduct X-Ray and pathology lab of their own. They didn’t have an ultrasound machine of
their own but they have a tie up with external ultrasound test takers for anemic pregnant women.
Pharmacy is available in the hospital and medicines are given free of cost to their patients and they
only charge a fee of Rs. 1 to their OPD patients. The X-Ray and pathology test are free of cost.

Covid action: They told us that during the pandemic the hospital was closed and they did not see
patients in OPD and only check up emergency patient. The doctors of the hospital were made to work
in field and were sent to Allahabad. As per official records they did not see patients but they used to
see patients on their own in OPD.

Points of contact: ASHA ,Anganwadi workers & Auxiliary nurse and midwife (ANM) were the point
of contact for the hospital and they used to intimate the general public about the various policies of
the government to the public when they go for injections and various drives. The ASHA workers
receive Rs. 600 per delivery of a baby and Rs. 300 for every person they convince to get Vasectomy
or Tubectomy done. If the ASHA workers convince a person to get sterilized after having two kids
they receive Rs. 1000 as reward. The CMO officer holds 1 weekly meeting with staff and ASHA
workers.

They are trained according to new policies monthly or every 1 to 2 months.

Transportation- People can avail free transportation to and from the Community health center in the
form of Ambulance by calling on the number 108 which is free of cost. And if in case the CHC refers
a patient to the hospital in the city to the government hospital that transportation is also free of cost.
For women patients the ambulance not only picks them up but also drops them off.

Page | 36
Women Helpline- The women can avail the medical services at any time by calling at the dedicated
women helpline on 102. Various cards and schemes of government. Currently the CHC is making
cards for Ayushman scheme which gives a benefit to the patient of upto 5 lakhs. The sad part about it
is that people are not willing to indulge in making these cards. But the CMO office is optimistic that
once they start rolling out the benefits of the cards agter two months the general public will
understand the benefit of enrolling into these schemes. The government currently has a policy of
depositing Rs. 25/month to a girl child in her account under her name.

Change in mindset of people towards hospitals- Now the women feel much more comfortable in
coming to hospital for deliveries of the babies. And the government also provides the women with Rs.
1400 to maintain a healthy diet. Additionally Rs. 5000 is given when the first child is born. People
still have a 50/50 divide in thoughts about Vasectomy/Tubectomy. Males receive Rs. 3000 for getting
vasectomy and females receive Rs. 2000 for getting Tubectomy.

Problems in health of youth of Manda- The men and women both have a deficiency of hemoglobin
and to tackle this issue the CHC gives dietary advice to the school going children through camps and
ASHA workers to the general public. In case of severe deficiency they also give injections.

Quotes by the CHO office- “Resources are always scarce”, “If poison is sold for free people will start
standing in que for it also”

Day-6

Forest Range Office, Meja- Working related to environment, Area 8300 hectare The planting season
is going on right now. Any kind of punishable offense in the forest is dealt with by their department.
The fine depends upon the amount of trees that a person has taken from the forest, the type of
resource a person has extracted from the forest, and the fine ranges from 15,000-20,000 for a single
tree person. The major motive is to punish a person so he doesn’t repeat the same thing again and
doesn’t depend upon the market rate of the resource. Pathari area- work is associated with stone which
is conducted in a legal way. Sagwan and Shisham, which are costly wood, are found in this area. The
areas in the vicinity of Manda have small shrubs and bushes which in summers converts to a
completely plain land so they develop it into a green belt area in small patches by planting trees
according to the type of land they are working on. Trees are planted along the road side which can be
used by the public but should not be damaged. Area which is not under the control of the forest
department for converting it into green land they try to advise and motivate the owners of that land to
plant trees. Some tribal populations reside in the forest area but that is allocated by the government as
per a certain set of rules and regulations and they are free to use the resources of the forest to a certain
extent. The forest Department currently does not have the ability to provide citizens at large protection
against snakes and scorpions.

Page | 37
The major problems with respect to animals that the Forest department deals with is Monkeys and
bluebuck for which the department has a certain set of procedures and rules to deal with.

Two to three NGO are working in collaboration under which they provide plants free of cost to the
public. We are trying to install a sense of responsibility amongst the youth to maintain the green belt.

Team of 20 people which includes no female employees. Along with the public servants, the Forest
department also takes help from the local people to carry out the plantation drives in the village. The
team is segregated on the basis of the area allotted to them. In case they need to work on a single task
they get together and work on it and might also include locals, and other government employees as
per the orders of higher officials depending upon the task.

Dhak mahua, imli, kanji, amla are the few plants that we plant here as these trees grow better in the
rocky plains and can bear higher temperatures.

The medicinal plants like Khus, Tulsi, palmarosa are also provided to the people for planting and they
are also told about how they can use such plants in medicinal aspects and to gain revenue.

The medicinal plants and trees planted for wood & fruits in the green areas that the forest department
has control over are leased by issuing a tender to the general public.

Uses of medicinal plants are conveyed to people by distributing pamphlets, booklets and also making
announcements by the department. There are no employment opportunities with the Forest Range
Office, Meja. In relation to corruption the officer stated that , “If something is happening legally,
something else would also be happening illegally”. The rules and regulations which the Forest Range
Office works upon is a mix of the ones which the higher authority gives to them and some rules and
regulations are also made by them.

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Prayagraj- Navodaya Vidyalayas: are located in rural areas across
the country. The Govt. has to provide cost free land for construction of school building at permanent
site and rent free temporary building. JNV consists of Administrative and Academic Building-
Dormitories House-wife and Staff quarters, Mess and Playground.

Promotion of National Integration- Navodaya Vidyalayas aim at inculcating values of national

egration through migration scheme. Migration is an inter-rgional exchange of students between Hindi
and Non-Hindi leaking districts, which takes place for one academic year in Class-IX. Efforts are
made to promote better understanding of unity in diversity and to develop and promote understanding
of the rich cultural heritage through various activities.

Three-Language Formula- Scheme of Navodaya Vidyalayas provides for implementation of the Three
Language Formula. The third language taught in Hindi speaking districts is linked to the integration of

Page | 38
students. All Navodaya Vidyalayas follow the free Language Formula i.e. Regional language, English
id Hindi. We visited Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya, Meja Khas,Prayagraj.

We were welcomed by the Principal of the school Smt. Sudha Sethi. The school was co-ed and totally
residential. It taught classes from Sixth grade to twelfth grade. 70% of total students belonged to rural
areas as these seats were reserved for them. Parents of the majority of the students had poor
educational backgrounds. Primary focus of the school was to prepare students for JEE/NEET exams.

20 students who cracked JEE exam in previous year belonged to Navodayas. Ex- Navodaya
Foundation which consists of alumni of Navodayas who reached great heights in their respective
careers, plays a crucial role in the functioning of the school. Navodayas are autonomous and have
very limited interference from any other organization even though they are funded by the central
government. This school provides free accommodation, stationary, health services, text books etc. to
the students. It charges a tuition fee of only Rs. 600 from students belonging to unreserved category
and is free of cost for students belonging to SC/ST/OBC category. It conducts an entrance test for
admission purposes. Around 2 crore students take this exam and only 47,000 qualify.

Navodayas put a great emphasis on national integration. To promote this, they have made it
mandatory for every Navodaya to select at least 3 languages to teach the students. Two must be
English and Hindi and the other one has to be a regional language. For Hindi speaking states, they
launched a migration policy under which every Navodaya from Hindi speaking state has to pair itself
with a Navodaya from a non- Hindi speaking state and learn their regional language. In the case of
Navodaya, Meja Khas they paired with a Navodaya from Malappuram, Kerala and learned Malayalam
language.

It had great infrastructural facilities like Atal Tinkering Lab, Computer Lab, Samsung Lab etc. They
also had a huge playground and student communities like NCC and Scout And Guide. To teach their
students Computer Science they used Samsung Lab. Each grade had a total of 80 students divided into
two sections of 40 students each. They had a scholarship program for female students interested in
STEM fields named 'Vigyan Jyoti'. Under this program, female students who are 12th grade and are
meritorious are awarded a scholarship of Rs. 1000 per month and reference books worth Rs. 8000 for
an academic year. This program was launched to motivate female students to take interest in STEM
fields. It also had a program, 'Adolescence Education Program' under which, students were made
aware about the changes in body during adolescence. This program was for every student. It also
aimed to make students aware about menstruation. During Covid times, they interacted and taught
students with the help of online tools like Google Meet.

Girls school- Kasturba Vidyalaya- was established in 2011 and the campus building was made in
2014, it has 35 girl students living inside the campus. These girls are sent by their families to avail

Page | 39
education away from home as the families are not able to accommodate them. They return to their
home once a year for a month. The school has 4 teachers, 2 permanent (they live on campus) and 2
part time. They have 5 staff members who look after day to day work including cooking, cleaning etc.
The school has a warden named Sitanjali Gupta . They receive an amount of Rs. 100 for every student
from the government. They buy all the utilities through someone and it is delivered to them. They
have water problems as it is not available to them everytime. And they also mentioned that because of
the Gaushala beside the school campus the water that they receive is not clean enough in the
submersible. The warden mentioned that there is also a place named Kasna which has Kasturba
school but it is run by a trust and is an inter-collegiate.

Market Survey- Introduction: To compile comprehensive data for the final report, a market survey
was conducted by visiting a marketplace located approximately 2 kilometers away. This strategic
approach allowed for the gathering of firsthand information, insights, and observations necessary for
an accurate and insightful analysis.

Experience of Individuals: Ashok Kumar (33 years old), an operator of a kirana shop residing in
Sonbhadra, explained his business model of sales and purchases. He places orders over the phone and
receives deliveries on the second day. Although he purchases goods with GST bills, he is not eligible
to sell goods with GST bills because he doesn't cross the threshold limit of 20 lakhs. He has a 10-year-
old son attending school. Drawing from his own schooling experience up to the 10th grade, he plans
to send his son to a similar school. Having completed his education up to the 8th grade, he expressed
concern about the lack of teachers in government schools. He believes that the establishment of
industries and tourist attractions in the area would positively impact education. He also noted the
prevalence of teachers from outside the region.

Rahul Kumar (38 years old), who manages a small stationery shop that has been operating for 12
years, has a 9-year-old son attending Lalita Shastri School. He intends to support his children's
education. Observing a scarcity of teachers in schools, he is concerned about the perception that
degrees can be obtained through monetary influence. He highlighted the absence of solo female
shopkeepers nearby and the dearth of industries and successful hospitals.

Neeraj Kumar (28 years old), a tea seller situated opposite the Community Health Center, is a father
of two - a 5-year-old daughter and a 1.5-year-old son. Both of his children attend Lalita Shastri
School. He earns Rs. 25,000-30,000 monthly. Neeraj himself completed his education up to the 12th
grade. While serving tea to hospital patients and locals, he expressed reluctance to accept the "Beti
Bachao, Beti Padhao" scheme. Running his father's business, he has installed an inverter for
sustainability. He is determined to educate his children as long as they are willing, inspired by his
father's struggle with cancer. Additionally, he plans to send his daughter to study in Allahabad. He

Page | 40
acknowledges that financial constraints prevent local farmers from providing education to their
children due to insufficient income.

Shyam Sundar Prajapati, Shop name - Prajapati General Store and Paan bhandar. The shop is a
prominent general Store of that area Established in 1972. Mr. Shyam Sundar Prajapati is a graduate
and is planning to complete his postgraduate degree.He is an avid traveller. He is married and has 2
sons and 2 daughters.All of them study in a nearby school. Points he mentioned about his business
and the market area.His business is profitable. Businessmen have other businesses too such as farming
or other shops. Most probably future generations of businessmen in this area will also handle family
business. Bharatganj is the main market there at a distance of 3 km from where they get all the stuff
supplied from. Market of tobacco and "pan masala" is very big in this area. Digital payment can be
done easily in this shop. Area is very underdeveloped so job opportunities are less. Since the BJP
Government came in power almost every person has a bank account. Government provides loan of
20000 on zero interest to be paid within a year. Women in this area take part in networking business
such as "cashless India". 75 percent youth prefer to stay in village, rest migrate to other cities for
earning their livelihood. People are aware about government schemes but they don't want to take the
benefits because they don't want an additional debt from government. Schools in nearby area is an
advantage to the shop as they buy snacks and cold drinks from the shop. The shopkeeper is easily able
to run his livelihood through this shop. These individuals offer unique insights into their perspectives
on education, opportunities, and challenges within their respective contexts.

Day-7

Sri Mandavi Devi Temple and Mandav Rishi Ashram- Mandavi Devi Temple: To become aware
about the history and beliefs of Manda Village we visited Sri Mandavi Devi Mandir,Manda Khas. It's
an ancient temple and the village is named after this temple. Mata Mandavi Devi was Kuldevi of the
seventh Prime Minister of India, Late Mr. Vishwanath Pratap Singh who belonged to the Gahadavala
dynasty. During his premiership he reconstructed this temple and that's why there's a statue of him just
near the temple.

Legend: It is believed Raja Daksha was organizing a religious ceremony of Havan and he invited
everyone but his own daughter Sati's husband, Lord Shankar. Still, Sati came to Havan against her
father's wish and when she reached there she found that places were reserved for everyone except her
husband. She got infuriated and jumped into Havan Kund (Fire) and gets brutally burned and died.
Lord Shankar comes rushing there and is exasperated to see her wife like that. Lord Vishnu divided
the dead body of Sati into 108 sections with his bow and arrow so that no harm could happen.
Wherever Sati's body parts fell at 108 places, those places were called Siddha Peeths. Part of Sati's
breast fell in Mandvi Devi Dham and this place came to be known as Siddha Peeth where this temple
is situated.
Page | 41
Mandav Rishi Ashram: We also visited Mandav Rishi Ashram which is a Hindu pilgrimage site
located in the Mandavgarh town of Chitrakoot district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Rajneesh sir had again
thrown some light on it which is as follow, It is believed to have been founded by the sage Mandav
Rishi, who is said to have performed penance here. The ashram is located on the banks of the
Mandakini River and is surrounded by lush greenery. It is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims,
who come here to seek blessings from the gods.Mandav Rishi Ashram is a popular destination for
Hindu pilgrims. It is believed to be a sacred place where one can attain moksha (liberation from the
cycle of birth and death). We seeked the blessings and move towards the pond area nearby and
enjoyed the view and took a pedicure from baby fishes.

Survey of the village near Mandavi Devi temple- To know more about the people of Manda Village
we did a survey of the village near Mandavi Devi temple. The people living in this village are a bit
more religious and conservative. The number of houses were very less. Here are some findings:

Savita Devi (37F) is a housewife and lives with her 3 kids and a husband. Her two kids study in
school and her husband is a daily wage worker. She claimed, until today, her family hasn't received a
single penny of help from the government. Although, her family members do have Adhar Cards but
they don't have ration Card. Neither, they received any help during Covid times. She was willing to
work under the MGNREGA scheme but the work she was allotted was too hard for her and her body
couldn't handle it. Administration doesn't pay any attention to them. She told us that Water leakage in
houses during the rainy season is a major issue that they have to deal with as they don't have a Pakka
Ghar. Her kids go to Prathmik Vidyalaya, Manda Khas, a government school that we visited in the
past. They claimed that the midday meal served there wasn't good. And the students aren't allowed to
eat more than two Rotis and Rotis are as hard as rock. They have to walk for one hour daily to
commute between school and their house and waterlogging during the rainy season makes it harder
for them. The lady hinted that one day her kids will have to choose between their education and work
in order to earn money for the family.

Pooja (25F) is housewife and lives in joint family of 9 members. They have four kids and the lady is
expecting another child. Her husband is a daily wage worker and works as a laborer. He gets work
through MNREGA scheme also but it is not regular. Family was satisfied with the government
hospital and had full faith in medical setup of the village. While they were not satisfied with the help
offered by Pradhan of the village. They had numerous complains some of them are that her mother in
law aged 60 years is not been given pension, nothing is being done for the poor, they have a long

Page | 42
pending electricity bill of 62,000 which was not being waived off by the government and also their
main complaint was that nothing was being done for the daughters of the families. She was unaware
of the schemes being provided by the government for girl child. There is also no availability of
washrooms for them and government is not doing anything about it.

Survey of New Delhi Village and Market- Family 1- 4 families live together. All the children go to
school but not regularly. They go to the nearest government school. The elders in the family earn
through Majdoori and other small jobs. They have their own farm and also work in the neighboring
farms to earn money. They also get work through NREGA. They have ration cards but the quantity
that they receive is not enough for them to sustain themselves. Their Pradhan name is Hira lal.
According to them they do not face much problem except water. An elder man says “Paisa nahi hai
toh bazaar kaise jayei”. It means that they are not able to meet their basic needs. The water comes
from 2-3 sources and is available in very few amounts. They say even if someone comes to collect
any info, they take the wrong info and then no work is done. Hospital is far away near Prayagraj only
so they dont reach there timely to save themselves. School is also not up to the mark. These children
do not attend school daily.

Family 2- The family members are 48 years male, 30 years female and 65 years old woman. They
have their own farm where they hire around 20-25 people. Their cash statement is available after six
months. That is when they know if they have made a profit. They also face water problems. They are
not happy with the way their kids are taught in schools. Market Survey- Rajeshwari Prasad, 60 years
old has a departmental shop. Earlier he was doing farming. He owns two shops and pays a rent of
1400,3500 respectively for both the shops. He gets all his stuff from Bharatganj. He is unable to pay
the rent because of lack of customers. There are more shops in the market as compared to the
population. He has four kids which includes one boy and three girls. He is willing and motivated to
teach the students as much as they wish to. For the same students are pursuing education from good
schools and colleges in Allahabad and Mirzapur. They have ration cards and get access to ration
provided by the government. While they were not satisfied with the medical, water and electricity
facilities being provided by the government.

Day-8

Lal Bahadur Shastri Technical Inter College- Interaction with the Principal To know in depth about
the workings of the school we interacted with the principal of the school, Mr. Vijay Shyam Dwivedi.
We gathered a lot of information from him. Students had complete access to the First aid box in case
of any sortof injury. Tablets and capsules of vitamin, iron and every other medicine was available and
if the situation demands, doctor's services can be called. Majority of the students don't opt for PCM
anymore. They prefer PCB and Arts. Earlier, the majority of the students used to opt for PCM and the
ratio used to be 70:30 with 70 opting for PCM and 30 for the rest but this ratio has reversed. Students
Page | 43
aren't aware about the prospects of mathematics as a subject. They find the subject harder than
biology.

Lal Bahadur Shastri Polytechnic (LBSP)- organizes a technical awareness program in the nearby
schools, including this one, to guide students of class 10 and 12 about their career. Central
government has also launched the PANKH portal to guide students about their careers.

Students don't take their attendance seriously. The government has made a rule that schools can't
strike off the name of a student in a so, it has made it difficult to remove those students from the
school who have low attendance. A student in a nearby school shot the principal because they cut off
his name. Ever since, it has become very difficult for schools to strike off students' names. Students
with low attendance are offered extra classes in summer vacation to cover the course.

There is a very low number of female teachers in the school. Because they are offered higher
remuneration in cities and can earn more money by providing private tuition. That's why, most of the
female teachers prefer to work there.

The school is Hindi Medium but the students coming from English medium school don't face any
significant hindrance in their learning. Parents teacher meetings are compulsory held at least 4 times a
year. Every room has a fan and even though electricity is comparatively less available than urban
areas it still is enough. Electricity is available 18 hours a day. Tuition fee is Rs. 565 per month

BDO Meeting: During the BDO meeting, Mr. Dinesh Kumar Pandit emphasized the pressing issue of
unemployment in our village, which predominantly relies on rain-dependent farming. He highlighted
the challenges faced by migrant workers, including prejudice and inadequate arrangements, which
further exacerbate the problem.

Panchayat Office: In our interaction with the Panchayat Head and Anganwadi workers, we learned
about the critical role they play in healthcare and education. However, they face numerous challenges,
including inadequate facilities, meager compensation, and a lack of attention to their problems,
highlighting the need for support and improvements.

CMO Meeting: Our meeting with Chief Medical Officer Rajesh Prasad shed light on the healthcare
situation in our area. The community health center serves as a lifeline, but it faces resource
constraints. Despite challenges, the CMO's team is dedicated to providing essential services, and
efforts to change public perceptions of healthcare are making strides.

Page | 44