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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Empowering young women to enter higher education
The recent suicides by young women students in Balasore, Noida and Kharagpur underscore the critical shortcomings in the ecosystem designed to protect and support female students, ultimately undermining public trust in the effectiveness of gender equity initiatives. 'Young women in India, especially from underprivileged backgrounds, face many challenges in their pursuit of higher education. Beyond the obvious struggles like money and society's 'no', it's the daily battles that wear them down. They juggle housework and caregiving. Getting to college means risking unsafe buses. There is pressure on them for early marriage. And then there is a crippling feeling of inadequacy, lack of self-worth and finally a lack of agency,' says Dr Kiran Modi, founder and managing trustee of Udayan Care, which works in facilitating higher education for girls. According to a longitudinal study conducted by her organisation in partnership with Duke University, at least one-fifth of the girls surveyed had harboured suicidal tendencies. Systemic change can only happen if girls are empowered from an early age. The Udayan Shalini Fellowship (USF) has for the past 23 years has addressed the obstacles that prevent girls from pursuing their educational aspirations. These include lack of family support, challenging socio-economic backgrounds, and restrictive cultural norms. USF has 38 chapters across India and provides education, agency, and leadership pathways to over 18,000 primarily first-generation learners. It actively identifies and supports at-risk adolescent girls who demonstrate a passion for higher education and a commitment to achieving their academic goals. Each fellow receives five to six years of comprehensive support, creating a holistic environment with interconnected services designed to address their individual needs and challenges. USF alumni have gone on to excel in diverse fields. A 2023 impact evaluation that of USF found that 73% of fellows are first-generation college attendees, breaking the cycle of poverty and limited educational opportunities in their families. Notably, 42% of fellows choose to pursue science streams, contributing to the diversification of women's representation in STEM fields. Anurag Behar, CEO, Azim Premji Foundation, says, 'Women face the same challenges in higher education as they face in the rest of our society. Two things can help: First, having more women in leadership roles, and second, any violation must be dealt with quickly, decisively, and fairly. What concerns me equally, or perhaps, even more are the challenges faced by women that are outside their institution … If there is an everyday pressure on money not being available for commuting to college, or for food at the canteen or for buying books, it's a huge strain.' Since the 1950s, the government has launched numerous initiatives with the primary goal of enhancing educational opportunities for women. The Kothari Commission (1964-1966), offered a comprehensive review of the Indian education system that emphasised the importance of gender equality, and the National Policy of Education (1986) outlined a long-term vision for education reform. These efforts led to a significant and measurable increase in women's access to higher education institutions. Data reveals a substantial rise in female enrolment. There has been a notable increase of 23% in women's enrolment in STEM courses. It is clear that if young women's access to higher education has to grow, families, educational institutions and society at large must come together to provide responsive and safe spaces. Young women must be ensured access to counselling services, and mentoring support, enabling them to build a degree of agency. The views expressed are personal.
Mint
06-08-2025
- General
- Mint
Kaizen in class: Small changes could have an enormous impact on school education
Next Story Anurag Behar Amazing outcomes can be achieved through tiny improvements by people dedicated to education. Here's the story of a school in a remote rural area that has shown how it can be done. Big changes happen through small changes, not through sweeping reforms. Gift this article It would be inaccurate to call the three rooms in this school 'classrooms.' In most primary schools, dedicated rooms are assigned to classes—Class 1 to Class 5—or shared if there aren't enough; and so they are called classrooms. Here, however, the rooms are designated by subject. Perhaps they should be called 'subject rooms.' Unlike in other schools, when a class period ends here, students move but the teachers stay. The system is not unheard of. It exists in some countries as standard practice and in a few elite Indian schools. But to find it in a government primary school, tucked away in what we might call a 'remote' area, is astonishing. How did this happen? Also read: Education crisis: Don't let fads disrupt the fundamentals of learning The head-teacher has been with the school since it opened 18 years ago. A local, he studied in a village primary school before moving to a town for middle and secondary education. Years after founding this school, he found himself reflecting on his own student days. What stayed with him was the monotony of sitting in the same room, year after year. Through his middle school years, his class remained in one room—only the sign outside changed from 'Class 6' to 'Class 7' to 'Class 8.' That memory sparked an idea: Why not have students move between rooms for each period? Not for any grand educational theory, but because he remembered how dull it was staying in one place all day. He suspected the children would enjoy the little chaos of moving. And so he re-arranged the school. Hindi, Maths and English each got a dedicated room. For Environmental Studies, lacking a fourth room, he fashioned a makeshift space in the courtyard, shaded by thick foliage. The children loved it. The movement brought excitement, a break from the stillness that defines most classrooms. As the months passed, something unexpected emerged. The teachers began treating these rooms differently. These were no longer just spaces they occupied, they were 'their' subject rooms. Slowly, the rooms transformed. Posters went up, teaching aids accumulated, corners filled with games and materials tailored to each subject. What was once a storage problem—where materials were either unused or left to decay—became the enabler of thriving, subject-specific resource centres. All because the teachers now felt a sense of ownership. When I visited years later, it was clear that these changes were just one part of a broader culture of not standing still but trying to improve—pedagogical practices, teaching-learning material, handling of children, relationships with the local community and more. The results reflected this culture of steady improvement. The Class 3 children I met had the language and math capacities expected at their age, including in English. In a country struggling with foundational literacy and numeracy, this achievement in a 'remote' rural area would be notable. But what stood out even more was their confidence, a sense of fun and joy without the faintest sign of any sort of discrimination or prejudice. When I asked the head-teacher how they had achieved all this, he had no grand theories. He simply said he tried to do his job a little better each day, and his team worked with him with total dedication. Also read: Why some parents love schools with fewer than 100 students When I pressed him further, with 'Did no one try to stop you when you restructured the school so fundamentally?", his response was a matter of fact 'Kaun aata hai yahaan jo rokega yaa poochhegaa (no one comes here, so who is there to stop or question)?" The local village community is fully with him, having observed the school's consistent improvement over the years. This school is yet another example of the reality and possibilities of our school education. Learnings? First, our schools are plagued by resource constraints, have little support and serve communities in poverty, which presents an entirely different order of educational challenge. Second, a group of dedicated and thoughtful teachers can achieve a lot. Third, a head-teacher can play a significant role in setting a culture that energizes teachers and engages students to make it a truly functional school. Fourth, even hard resource constraints and multiple challenges can't contain the spirit of those who are committed. Fifth, and most importantly, we have lots and lots of people with such spirit—certainly teachers in our schools, but also in many other spheres. These are people who are dissatisfied with the state-of-affairs in the country and want to see India improve. Our policies are often—though not always—supportive and encouraging of this spirit. But too often, their implementation is not. They get mired in a sclerotic and hierarchical culture that treats teachers as the cause of our education system's problems and not key allies in changing and improving it. This attitude must be transformed if we want to change Indian education to achieve the outcomes we aspire for. Over time, these changes accumulate to deliver something extraordinary. Those who create these apparent miracles are our real heroes, though they are rarely aware of it. Perhaps that's why they succeed. Topics You May Be Interested In Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Mint
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Education crisis: Don't let fads disrupt the fundamentals of learning
Next Story Anurag Behar State-wise educational outcomes in India don't differ much by prosperity. Getting schooling right has more to do with how consistently a state sticks to the basics of education— regardless of administrative shifts. Here's the formula. The lesson for other states is clear: stop chasing the next big idea and focus instead on teachers, basic systems and execution. Gift this article Even if we focus narrowly on the most basic education outcomes—whether children can do simple mathematics or read and write with comprehension—the variations across Indian states are striking. These differences aren't merely between states; they exist within them as well. But inter-state disparities are particularly revealing because they point to systemic strengths and failures that go beyond economic development. Even if we focus narrowly on the most basic education outcomes—whether children can do simple mathematics or read and write with comprehension—the variations across Indian states are striking. These differences aren't merely between states; they exist within them as well. But inter-state disparities are particularly revealing because they point to systemic strengths and failures that go beyond economic development. If richer states always performed better, broad parts of the explanation may have been more straightforward. But that isn't the case. Some economically weaker states outperform wealthier ones, while others with ample resources struggle. This suggests something deeper at play. Governance, policy consistency and, most of all, execution may matter far more than financial capacity alone. Over the past 25 years, having worked closely with education systems across more than 20 states, one lesson stands out for me—the states that have improved learning outcomes are those that have stayed persistently focused on the fundamentals. This may sound obvious, yet it is often ignored in the rush for flashy reforms. The difference lies not in grand innovations, but in getting the basics right, year after year, without distraction. Consider teacher recruitment. India's better-performing states have ensured an adequate number of teachers in primary schools through regular and transparent appointments—not short-term contracts. By selecting teachers through competitive public examinations, they have minimized corruption in hiring. Since government teaching jobs are highly sought after, this approach has also raised the academic quality of new recruits. Over time, the impact compounds. States that have followed this approach for nearly two decades now have a teaching workforce that is not just sufficient in terms of its size, but also reasonably competent and motivated. Compare this to states where teachers are hired on contract, often leading to low morale and disengagement from work. A difference in outcomes is inevitable. Also Read: India's consensus on school education makes space for optimism Then there are the operational basics—textbooks reaching schools on time, minimal disruptions to academic schedules and examinations held regularly. These may seem like minor details, but their absence cripples learning. Textbook delays could mean months of wasted time. Frequent school closures for non-academic reasons reduce instructional days. Irregular examinations mar the progress of academic sessions. States that have systematically addressed these issues have created stable environments where teaching and learning can actually happen. It's unglamorous work, but it works. Teacher support is another critical factor. Higher-performing states haven't just trained their teachers; they've built better systems for continuous support. Academic resource personnel at the cluster level provide hands-on support and guidance, not just one-off workshops. Training programmes are refined over time based on feedback, making them more relevant to classroom realities and the actual practice of teaching. Deliberate efforts have been made to form peer-learning teacher communities. This creates a culture of professional growth rather than one of box-ticking compliance. Most often, all these things have been done with mediocrity—even by these better performing states. But what has really mattered is consistency: the ability to stay the course without being derailed by the short-term whims of those in power or fads sold by the 'education reform' industry. Too many states lurch from one new mission to another, often announcing grand schemes only to abandon them when the next idea comes along. The better performers resist this churn. They focus on improving the same few fundamentals—teacher quality, operational discipline and support systems—year after year, regardless of changing governments or officials. Each year, what is being done seems mediocre, but is just that tiny bit better than earlier. Over time, this makes a significant difference to learning outcomes. A subtext of all this has been that many of these states have not waged political battles on the matter of education with the Union government, and vice versa. Even if they have had stated differences in public, behind the scenes they have had functional working relationships. And this has not to do with any one political party or formation. In the past 25 years, we have seen a lot of changes in who controls which government. All this points to a basic truth: the states that do well in education often have a broader and deeper culture of disciplined governance. Whether in public health, infrastructure or law and order, they tend to prioritize the fundamentals and execution over the fancy and narrative-focused. That ethos reflects in education too—a long-term commitment to basics, not quick fixes. None of this is to say that Indian states that are doing better on education have solved India's educational crisis. Far from it. But they have shown what's possible when a system refuses to neglect the obvious. The lesson for other states is clear: stop chasing the next big idea. Focus on teachers, basic systems and execution. Do it patiently, without distraction, and for decades on end. The results will follow in good time. It's not glamorous work, but it's the only thing that ever works. The author is CEO of Azim Premji Foundation. Topics You May Be Interested In Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
2.5 lakh girls in 18 states to get Premji scholarship in higher education
Bengaluru: Azim Premji Foundation (APF) will expand Azim Premji Scholarship to 2.5 lakh girl students across 18 states from this year to support them in pursuing higher education. The programme started as a pilot project in 2024-25 was operational in Madhya Pradesh and certain districts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand. The Foundation hopes it will reach 2.5 lakh girls in the academic year 2025-26. That is a commitment of Rs 750 crore in one year and Rs 2,250 crore in three years. Girls who have completed class 10 and 12 schooling in govt schools and have admission in a bona fide higher education institution, including all govt higher education institutions and select private institutions, are eligible for the scholarship. The scholarship will include Rs 30,000 a year for the duration of the degree or diploma programme. "A girl pursuing a four-year BSc (Nursing) will get Rs 1,20,000 scholarship support in those four years. The money will be transferred in two instalments to the girl's bank account directly every year. She may use the money as needed," stated the foundation. In the pilot project, APF received 1.1 lakh applications and 25,000 were found eligible. A commitment of Rs 75 crore this year was made for those girls. The students have been in college only for a few months now. "In most govt institutions, girls have a tuition-fee waiver. But there's also a lot of other expenses. They end up spending money on clothing, books, and transportation for which she will get this Rs 30,000. There's no restriction that she has to spend it for a particular cause," said Anurag Behar, chief executive officer, APF. "There's nothing complicated in the design of this scholarship. The primary school enrolment percentage of girls and boys is almost equal. But as you progress through primary school to middle school to higher secondary and then college, things change. Among those who come from disadvantaged, vulnerable families, very often it is the girl who sacrifices. It's not as though money is the only reason. But financial issues are one reason because of which a very large percentage of girls do not continue into higher education. Therefore, our hope is that with this kind of scholarship support, many more girls will continue into that also. Higher education, after all, changes life prospects," he said. The scholarship programme is likely to be expanded to the entire country in coming years, he added. This is neither a merit-based scholarship nor is it bounded by family income. "The practical reality is that if you start going into all those kinds of details, it's impossible to handle it. Around 90-95% of the children going to govt school come from relatively disadvantaged families. No rich people's kids go to govt schools these days, unfortunately. We don't want to do any further diligence on that," he said. WHICH ARE THE STATES * Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand * Application process for 2025-26 starts in Sept 2025
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Azim Premji Foundation plans to disburse Rs 2,250 crores in scholarships for girls pursuing higher education
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Azim Premji Foundation on Thursday announced a financial support initiative for girls pursuing higher education in the country. Starting in the academic year 2025–26, the programme aims to support up to 2.5 lakh girls across 18 states investing about Rs 2,250 crores for three Azim Premji scholarship is open to girls who have completed their Class 10 and 12 from government schools and have secured admission in recognised higher education institutions (HEIs) across courses in public or select private selected student will receive Rs 30,000 annually for the full duration of their degree or diploma programme. The funds will be directly transferred to their bank accounts in two installments each year, the foundation said.'Despite India's progress, girls continue to face societal and financial hurdles in accessing higher education,' said Anurag Behar, CEO of Azim Premji Foundation. 'This scholarship is our commitment to help them gain greater control over their lives,' he programme was piloted in 2024–25 in Madhya Pradesh and select districts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand. Over 25,000 girls received the scholarship during the pilot phase, with their first-year funds already disbursed, Behar told the application process for the 2025–26 cycle will begin in September. The 18 participating states include Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and the entire northeast, among others. The Foundation plans to expand the scholarship pan-India in the coming marks one of the largest philanthropic investments in girls' higher education in India, the Azim Premji foundation said adding that this will help the students meet their out of pocket expenditure that are usually not covered under other educational scholarships.
