Systemic Transformation of School Education - The SATH-E Experience

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Systemic Transformation
of School Education-
The SATH-E Experience
The Fundamental Principlesनी�त आयोग
National Institution for Transforming India
Government of India Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
4
Message from Vice-Chairman,
NITI Aayog
“A quality education is the foundation of sustainable development, and therefore of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG)”, maintains the UN SDG initiative. It aims to ensure inclusive and
equitable quality education for all by 2030. India has a major role to play in achieving this goal.
We have come a long way in ensuring near universal access in primary school education and are
striving towards facilitating high quality education to all. In this background, NITI Aayog’s initiative
of Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (Project SATH-E) is a guiding
star in achieving SDG 4 for India.
The SATH-E project is an exemplary co-operative and competitive federalism initiative. The State
Governments of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha and the Government of India came together
to ensure high quality education to all school going children in these States. Resting on the pillars
of education systems diagnostic, evidence-based planning and mission mode implementation,
Project SATH-E has shown how to improve learning outcomes at a large scale.
This report captures the challenges pertaining to ensuring quality school education in the Indian
context and shares the bold and path-breaking reforms undertaken by the partner State Governments
to overcome these challenges. I am conwdent that, if replicable in other States, these reforms would
become instrumental in achieving the SDG 4 goals of quality education for all in the country in the
coming years.
I also hope that this report along with the implementation tool kits will inspire other States to
undertake large scale educational reform projects to improve the quality of education. The novel
interventions may be used as a ready-reckoner and customized by various States while they design
interventions to suit their unique contexts.
I would like to congratulate the Education vertical at NITI Aayog for taking efforts in synthesizing the
learning from the SATH-E project in the form of an informative and inspiring document.
Dr. Rajiv Kumar
Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
5
Message from Dr. V. K. Paul, Member
(Education), NITI Aayog
India, which is developing at an enormous scale and pace, needs to make sure that the pillars of
development are set on a wrm foundation. Education happens to be one of the foremost enablers
of such a development agenda.
A few decades back, the major issue in the education system happened to be access to primary
education. The Government of India took several breakthrough initiatives to mitigate this, thanks
to which we stand at a near universal access to Primary Education today. While this is a huge
achievement for the Nation, it also comes with the realization that it is just the beginning. We now
need to tackle a more complex set of issues, revolving around the quality of education, upgradation
of institutions and setting up robust governance mechanisms.
NITI Aayog launched Project SATH-Education: Sustainable Action for Transforming Human capital
in Education, not only to help States tackle these problems, but also to demonstrate the possibilities
and challenges in making these systemic shifts for other States to follow. The States of Jharkhand,
Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, which were onboarded to the Project through a rigorous selection
process, have already embarked on a transformation journey.
In collaboration with the Hon’ble Education Ministries, the Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries
of all these partner States, and our knowledge partners, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Piramal
Foundation for Educational Leadership (PFEL) – we have been able to successfully implement a
number of path-breaking reforms around Quality enhancements, Governance and Digital education.
Through this Report, we would like to share our experiences, wndings, and recommendations with
the broader set of stakeholders. It is ensured that while each of the sections are rich with context
speciwc experiences, the insights have been distilled on a generic level – so that the administrators
can apply them in their respective contexts.
I hope that this Report helps other States and Union Territories to launch similar reformative programs
on ground. I am positive that through such concerted efforts, we’d soon transition to a Nation with
universal access to quality education.
Dr V.K. Paul
Member (Education), NITI Aayog Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
6
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Foreword
The Government of India, through its yagship initiatives like the Right to Education ?ct and Sarva
Shiksha ?bhiyan, has signiwcantly improved access to school education. India has made tremendous
progress and today, enrolment at the primary level is almost universal. The time has now come
to shift our focus from providing inputs towards attaining outcomes. An improvement in learning
outcomes will set India on the path towards attaining quality education, in alignment with our vision
for Sustainable Development.
NITI Aayog has been at the vanguard of the movement to shift the focus towards a learning outcome
centered systems approach through our various initiatives such as the School Education Quality
Index (SEQI), the Aspirational Districts Program as well as the Sustainable Action for Transforming
Human Capital in Education (Project SATH-E).
In the last decade, despite several efforts to improve the quality of school education through
innovative interventions in assessments, teacher & leadership training and curriculum, improvements
in learning outcomes have been limited and slow. To address this, NITI Aayog, with our mandate
to promote cooperative federalism, launched Project SATH-E in 2017 – a unique initiative to drive
transformation in school education in the States of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.
Several other States in India have also embarked on a similar transformation journey including (but
not limited to) Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
In collaboration with our knowledge partners - Boston Consulting Group and Piramal Foundation,
SATH-E champions a systemic approach to transform, which prioritizes simultaneous academic and
governance reforms. In the wrst one and a half years of Project S?TH-E, the States have championed
bold and path-breaking reforms like school consolidation, teacher rationalization and large-scale
learning enhancement programs. We envision that true transformation of our school systems will
involve an 8-10 year roadmap, and will need to happen in multiple phases, which build on each
other. Early and measurable improvement in learning outcomes and an optimal educational delivery
structure is already visible.
This report, along with the detailed implementation toolkits and the independent study to measure
the health of the education system, form a comprehensive compendium that documents, consolidates
and showcases the learnings from these States on their unique journey towards transforming their
education landscape. I sincerely hope that this compilation inspires other States/UTs to launch their
own reform agendas and drive meaningful impact on the ground, thus taking our nation forward
towards a new paradigm of school education.
Amitabh Kant
CEO, NITI Aayog Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
7
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Acknowledgement
The Right to Education Act, 2009 suggests that access, equity and quality should be of paramount
consideration in imparting education to each child. We have seen schools being established in
the remotest hamlets of the country bringing equity to the hitherto excluded children from the
ambit of formal education. Today we look at near universalization of primary school education in
the country with gender parity. However, we are also informed through various governmental and
non-governmental reports that the student learning achievements have stagnated at a sub-optimal
level.
The Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (Project SATH-E) is a step
towards breaking out of this State of stagnated student learning achievement and putting the
students on the path of sustained learning. I am deeply grateful to the Chief Secretaries and
Principal Secretaries of School Education of our partner States- Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and
Odisha for their proactive engagement in designing the State roadmaps and implementing various
reform initiatives. It is in this spirit of cooperative federalism that we have together been able to
improve students’ learning outcomes scores in all the three States.
I would like to acknowledge the sincere efforts of our knowledge partners, Boston Consulting Group
(BCG) and Piramal Foundation (PFEL), who have been instrumental in the efwcient execution of
Project SATH-E. I am equally thankful to the teams of Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) and
Samagra Governance and Educational Administrators of various other States for their insights and
contributions in this collaborative to formulate a Theory of Change for systemic transformation of
School Education.
This report has been a result of the relentless efforts of my team at the Education Vertical comprising
of Shri Harshit Mishra, Deputy Adviser (Education) and Shri Piyush Prakash, Senior Associate
(Education), Ms. Khyati Menezes, Young Professional (Education), and Ms. Pushpamitra Das, Young
Professional (Education) who have drafted and prepared the report. I would also like to acknowledge
the sincere efforts and guidance provided by Shri. Alok Kumar, former Adviser (Education), NITI
Aayog.
I am very grateful for the constant support and guidance from our Hon’ble Vice Chairman Dr. Rajiv
Kumar and our Hon’ble CEO Shri Amitabh Kant because of which we have been able to consolidate
our learning from Project SATH-E into fundamental principles and novel approaches which has the
potential to guide States in designing their interventions suited to their context.
Dr. Prem Singh
Adviser, NITI Aayog Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
8
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Glossary
Abbreviations
ABEO
ABL
ABRCCs
ADC
ADE
ADEO
ADPO
AMS
ASER
BCG
BEEO
BEO
BRCCs
BRP
CBEO
CCE
CHTs
CMGGAs
CMO
CRP
CSSL
DC
DEE
Expansion
Essistant Block Education Ofwcer
Ectivity-Based Learning
Essistant Block Resource Centre Coordinators
Edditional District Commissioner
Essessment Design Expert
Essistant District Education Ofwcer
Essistant District Public Prosecution Ofwcer
Ecademic Monitoring System
Ennual Status of Education Report
Boston Consulting Group
Block Elementary Education Ofwcers
Block Education Ofwcers
Block Resource Centre Coordinators
Block Resource Persons
Chief Block Education Ofwcer
Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation
Cluster Head Teachers
Chief Minister’s Good Governance Essociates
Chief Minister’s Ofwce
Cluster Resource Persons
Centre for Science of Student Learning
District Commissioner
Director of Elementary Education Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
9
DEEO
DIET
DIKSHA
DKRG
DoIT
DPC
DSE
DU
EI
ELTI
E-MIS
EPES
eVV
FLN
FRS
GDP
GIS
GP
HQ
ICT
JCERT
JEPC
JPAL
LEP
LO
LOF
LTF
MDM
MGML
MHRD
MIS
District Elementary Education Ofwcers
District Institute of Education & Training
Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing
District Key Resource Group
Department of Information Technology & Communication
District Planning Committee
District Superintendent of Education
Dakshata Unnayan
Education Initiatives
English Language Training Institute responsible for English curriculum and training
Education Management Information System
Ek Parisar Ek Shala
e Vidya Vahini
Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
Future Ready Schools
Gross Domestic Product
Geographic Information System
Gram Panchayat
Headquarters
Information and Communication Technology
Jharkhand Council of Educational Research and Training
Jharkhand Education Project Council
Ebdul Latif Jameel Poverty Ection Lab
Learning Enhancement Programme
Learning Outcome
Learning Outcomes Framework
Learning Tracking Format
Mid-day Meals
Multi Grade Multi Level
Ministry of Human Resource and Development
Management Information System Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
10
MoE
MSDF
NAS
NCERT
NCF
NCSL
NCTE
NEP
NGO
NIC
NIEPA
NIPUN
NISHTHA
NITI
OMR
OSMA
PACT
PEEO
PFEL
PISA
PMU
PTR
RCT
RFP
RMSA
RTE
SARD
SATH-E
SATs
SCERT
SDG
Ministry of Education
Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
National Echievement Survey
National Council of Educational Research and Training
National Curriculum Framework
National Centre for School Leadership
National Council for Teacher Education
National Education Policy
Non-governmental Organizations
National Informatics Centre
National Institute of Educational Planning and Edministration
National Initiative for Prowciency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy
National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Edvancement
National Institute for Transforming India
Optical Mark Recognition
Odisha School Monitoring Epp
Parents and Coaches Together
Panchayat Elementary Education Ofwcer
Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership
Programme for International Student Essessment
Project Monitoring Unit
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Randomized Controlled Trial
Request for Proposal
Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Ebhiyan
Right to Education
Society for Ell Round Development
Sustainable Ection for Transforming Human Capital-Education
Summative Essessment Tests
State Council of Educational Research and Training
Sustainable Development Goals Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
11
SDM
SE
SEQI
SIEMAT
SLOs
SLSCC
SMC
SPD
SRC
SSA
TaRL
TLM
TNA
TPA
UDISE
UN
UNICEF
VFS
Sub-divisional Magistrate
Subject Expert
School Education Quality Index
State Institute for Educational Management and Trainingof administrative ofwcers
School LEP Owners
State Level School Consolidation Committee
School Management Committee
State Project Director
State Resource Centre for Edult Education
Sarva Shikhsa Ebhiyan
Teaching at the Right Level
Teaching Learning Materials
Training Needs Essessment
Third Party Essessors
Uniwed District Information System for Education
United Nations
United Nations Children’s Education Fund
Virtual Field Support Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
12
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Contents
Message from Vice-Chairman, NITI Eayog 4
Message from Dr. V. K. Paul, Member (Education), NITI Eayog 5
Foreword 6
Ecknowledgement 7
Glossary 8
Executive Summary 13
Chapter 1: Background and Context 15
Chapter 2: Systemic Transformation of Education 20
Chapter 3: Systemic Transformation of Education – The Interventions 26
Chapter 4: Conclusion, way forward and toolkits 52
1. Competency Framework 57
2. Toolkit for Assessment Reforms 67
3. Learning Enhancement Program 85
4. School Optimization 110
5. ?dministrative Efwciencies Through Tech and Data Systems 139
6. Organizational Restructuring 158
7. Communication streamlining 167
8. Recruitment and Rationalization of Teachers 179
9. Teacher Training and Mentoring 188
10. Academic Monitoring and Dashboard Reviews 199
11. Competition Framework 216 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
1313
Executive Summary
Although we have managed to achieve near-universal primary school access across most
Indian States, our country is facing a severe learning crisis. National and international
assessments (N?S, ?SER, PIS?) universally wnd that children in public schools are signiwcantly
behind grade-level expectations, and that learning levels are not only low, but are falling.
Our joint effort through the SATH-E (Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital
– Education) project in three States, and the learnings from work done in four additional
States, show that current public education systems are broken at a fundamental level across
multiple areas and need signiwcant revamp.
Firstly, we have sub-optimal delivery structures (a massive footprint of small, sub-scale,
inadequately resourced schools) which means that key ingredients for quality (such as 1:1
teacher:class ratio, strong school-level leadership, adequate monitoring and coaching by
mid-management level ofwcials) are missing.
Secondly, across States, we see weak organization structures and a lack of clarity in roles/
responsibilities for most positions. Typically, the organization structure is poorly dewned
with gaps and overlaps in key functions, and most positions lack well-documented roles
and responsibilities. This is coupled with limited accountability and ineffective processes
in the system.
Without addressing some of these fundamental issues, solutions that address other parts of
the problem (such as academic interventions to change pedagogy/ curriculum, or capacity
building efforts for teachers and school leaders) can only play an incremental role, but they
will not lead to signiwcant change.
The transformation needs to be viewed as a long-term journey that must be sustained
over many years. An 8-to-10-year timeframe is required to create schools that truly enable
children to become competitive and productive members of the global economy.
Furthermore, change must be owned and driven by the State, including the political
leadership. They need to set a vision for change and identify the key interventions to drive
towards this vision. At scale, these interventions need to be designed such that they can be
implemented with State funding. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
14
Speciwcally, the proposed interventions are founded on wve pillars (i) focus on academic
reforms (ii) strengthening human capacity (iii) strengthening administrative systems (iv)
driving accountability and (v) creating a shared vision for change.
The report begins with a background to the education sector and presents a theory of
change dewning the key elements and principles for systemic transformation, to address
existing challenges. Further, interventions under the wve pillars are detailed with examples
of best practices, success-stories and case-studies from NITI Aayog’s SATH-E States–
Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha–as well as other States which have undertaken
a similar transformative journey such as Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and
Rajasthan.
Through this report, we want to showcase a new approach to transforming public school
education in India – one that incorporates the above pillars and creates a platform for States
to drive genuine transformation in their schools. Ultimately, the authors hope that this novel
approach can be customized by States across the country to ensure the delivery of quality
education in government schools and the issue of poor learning outcomes becomes
one in history.
The report also includes 11 implementation toolkits that delve into the details of how each
reform initiative was designed and implemented in State-speciwc contexts. 15
Chapter 1:
BACKGROUND
AND CONTEXT Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
16
India has the largest school footprint in the world with about 15 lakh schools having total enrolment of
over 26 crore students
1
. A decade since the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, we
have reaped strong success in providing near-universal access to education with over 96%
2
enrollment
maintained for students in age group 6-10 years.
However, wndings from surveys measuring student learning outcomes consistently reyect that universal
access has not translated into improved quality of education. Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)
2019 analysis showed that over 60% Grade I students struggle to do an oral word problem involving
1-digit addition. Further, only 50%
3
children in Grade III can read Grade I level text, implying that
nearly half of all students in Grade III are at least two years behind their grade-level. The National
Achievement Survey (NAS) also cautions that average scores across several grades and subjects are as
low as 40-50%.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recognizes Foundational Literacy & Numeracy or FLN (i.e., the
ability to read & write, and perform basic numeric operations), as an indispensable prerequisite for all
future schooling and lifelong learning. Moreover, various governmental, as well as non-governmental
surveys, indicate that the country is currently in a learning crisis with over 5 crore elementary grade
students lacking foundational literacy and numeracy. As students progress grades with weak
foundational skills, learning gaps only widen with each passing year.
?ggravating the situation further, since early 2020 student learning losses have severed signiwcantly
due to COVID-led school closures and inequitable access to at-home learning. The impact is found to
be especially pronounced for economically weaker students who are predominantly dependent upon
government schools and typically lack access to a smartphone – the primary tool for access to at-home
learning. The 2020 ?SER Survey uses parental education as a proxy for their afyuence and reports that
only 45% children with low parental education are likely to have a smartphone as compared with 79%
students whose parents are educated.
Central and State Governments have largely recognized this learning crisis and have taken action at
multiple levels. Central institutions such as MoE, NIEPA and NCERT have led policy changes (such as
the RTE Act) and established frameworks and tools (such as NCF, NCERT, Textbooks, DIKSHA, and
UDISE+) to guide States towards improved student learning outcomes. Allocation of Union budget to
the education sector stood at Rs 93,224 crore in 2021-22, the 8th highest allocation among all Ministries.
Background And Context
1
UDISE 2019-2020
2
ASER, 2018
3
ASER 2019 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
17
• Focus on rote-based versus competency-based learning
Currently, the focus of schools is largely on completion of syllabus and learning for exams. There
is a need to shift from rote-based learning to competency and learning outcome-based learning,
especially for Grades 1-3 where foundational learning is taking place. NEP 2020 emphasizes the
need for this shift not just in the curriculum and pedagogy but also in the design of assessments.
• Weak remedial programs that are not designed to cater to varied learning levels
Students in an average classroom are at diverse learning levels with several of them behind the
current grade level. ? one-size-wts-all teaching model furthers this gap and cascades the learning
losses with each successive year. There is thus a need to undertake rigorous remedial programs
designed specially to cater to the needs of students whose learning levels are below-grade level.
It is also critical to direct efforts towards ensuring all students master grade-level competencies at
the foundational level (grades 1-3), through focused FLN efforts as recommended by NEP.
• Weak assessments and no means to track real-time & granular learning data
Traditionally, assessments in States have been taking place in an ad hoc and dispersed manner.
There are several assessments, yet there is unavailability of consistent and high-quality data with
the purpose of various assessments being unclear (e.g., whether to drive accountability or only as
a formative input for teacher etc.). Standardized assessments with high quality paper design are
often missing, making it difwcult to effectively measure and track student performance at a system
level and draw inputs to customize teaching content and methodologies, training content, etc.
An in-depth study of the education sector revealed multitude of
interconnected challenges:
1. Academic Challenges
NEP 2020 further re-afwrmed the need to increase this allocation to at least 6% of total GDP as compared
to the current ~3%. At the State-level, States like Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have taken the lead in designing and implementing their own
interventions in areas like pedagogy, organizational strengthening, governance and capacity building
and these interventions have catalyzed change on the ground. NGO(s) and various foundations have
led innovation in the sector through government partnerships.
However, despite these efforts, results have unfortunately been rather limited. While there is a lot of
sporadic good news in the form of best practice stories, positive RCT wndings for some interventions,
and encouraging change in some pockets, there is less evidence of broad-based improvement at scale.
This is because reform efforts are often disjointed and do not work in conjunction with each other. Most
of these efforts tackle only speciwc parts of the problem but fail to take cognizance of other related
challenges within the system. Innovation is often limited in scope and not designed for scale – several
programs that work in ‘pilots’ fail to show the same impact when scaled. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
18
• Sub-scale schools contributing to lack of resources and ineffective delivery
Of the nearly 1.1 million government schools in India, ~400,000 have fewer than 50 students,
and 110,000 have less than 20 students. These sub-scale schools suffer from a host of challenges
– at most two teachers, leading to multi-grade teaching and a lack of subject-speciwc expertise
and focus; lack of dedicated Principals as well as facilities such as playgrounds, boundary walls
or libraries. From a system management perspective, it is difwcult for block and district ofwcials
to visit schools and monitor important indicators when there are very large number of schools.
Monitoring/ accountability efforts by block and district ofwcials are very hard to execute and track.
• Large scale teacher vacancies
The challenge of sub-scale schools is coupled with large-scale teacher vacancies across States.
There is a shortage of one million teachers across the country
4
, and this challenge is exacerbated
by the concentration of teachers in urban locations. Over 17% of teaching positions in government
schools are currently vacant with highest absolute vacancies in Bihar (2.7 lakh), followed by Uttar
Pradesh (2.1 lakh), and highest percentage vacancies in Sikkim (57.5%), followed by Jharkhand,
Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. There is also a large demand supply mismatch in some States
5
, which
implies that it would take several years to wll vacancies based on current capacity. In addition,
several States need to address issues with teacher cadres – exploring long-term solutions to the
contract/para teacher cadres as these teachers typically have lower qualiwcations and commitment.
• High share of teacher time spent on administrative tasks
As per a report by the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) only
~19% of a teacher’s annual school hours are spent on teaching activities with remaining time spent on
non-teaching activities such as election duties, data collection, mid-day meal distribution, district/ block
education ofwce paperwork and inefwcient HR processes like transfers, leave applications, etc. thus
diverting the teacher’s academic focus. This is largely due to limited capacity in the administrative
staff which is almost always solved for by the allocation of teacher’s’ time.
2. Institutional structure and capacity issues
4
Educational Statistics at a Glance 2018
5
Source: Pulse July 2014 Report, Details of institutions recognized by NCTE 2013
• Teacher capacity constraints and inadequate trainings to address them
Currently we are spending crores of rupees on teacher training every year, but it does not translate
to improved teacher capacity or better learning for students. Data from SATH States itself has
shown that teachers’ capacity is very weak – not just on pedagogy but also on content topics,
particularly in middle and secondary grades. Many teachers are themselves scoring <60-70% in
papers of the grades that they teach. The situation is similar for upper primary teachers in English,
Hindi and Math. The current training model is unable to cater to such large gaps due to duration
being lesser than required, cascaded model of delivery where last mile effectiveness is very weak,
one-size wts all and no customization to teachers’ training needs, and no subsequent tracking of
impact/ change in classroom.
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
19
• Lack of technology enabled data systems for academic and administrative matters
It is critical to ensure effective allocation of time and resources to drive impact – whether it is
for large-scale initiatives like staff rationalization, improving learning outcomes, school footprint
optimization, or day-to-day functioning including budget planning. However, data opacity often
leads to a lot of these decisions being driven by ad-hoc rationale instead of facts and reason. For
e.g., having objective data from school visits on available infrastructure and resources (e.g., TLMs,
teacher handbooks) and quality of teaching (e.g., using materials per lesson plan to teach concepts)
can better help diagnose the problem at hand and customize solutions to address the same. There
is limited real time data on this. On the administrative front as well, due to data opacity budget
planning for a component is often a standard 10% hike over the last year’s numbers versus being
based on a data-driven assessment of gaps, program progress and fund requirements.
• Lack of accountability and performance-based reviews and incentives
Professional growth and monetary benewts for government employees are not directly linked to
performance and thus there is no real incentive for them to orient towards achieving results such as
delivery of quality education, timely provision of hygienic mid-day meals, etc. Lack of a system that
enables wxing of accountability based on real time performance metrics leveraging technology,
and irregular review of departments with data-based evidence, both at State and district/ block
levels, allows the machinery to be highly process-driven rather than result-driven.
3. Governance and accountability related issues
• Inappropriately structured education departments with large vacancies
The organization structures of the education department across States typically have overlaps in functions and responsibilities across different parts of the department, missing functions within the department, poorly planned team sizes and workload balancing across individuals. Additionally, a key issue is the lack of separation of academic and administrative responsibilities at either the State or the weld, resulting in a limited focus on and management of academics. In addition to poorly dewned structures, roles and responsibilities are not clearly dewned, leading to day-to-day operational management challenges.
Further, there are many vacancies even where posts are sanctioned. At mid-management levels,
vacancies are often as high as 50-60% of the block or district ofwces, severely limiting their
effectiveness to govern the schooling system. ?dditionally, there is a signiwcant gap in people’s
capabilities. Several administrators have been promoted from the teaching cadre and are expected
to perform tasks like salary management, legal management, etc., for which there is little to no
formal training.
19 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
20
Chapter 2:
SYSTEMIC
TRANSFORMATION
OF EDUCATION Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
21
As seen in the previous sections, there is vast multiplicity and interconnectedness in the challenges
faced by the Indian education system today. Thus, a systemic approach is essential in designing
transformative reforms. There is a need to shift from small-scale pilots to State-wide implementation
at-scale and from only academic to a combination of academic, institutional and governance reforms.
The SATH-E experience, as well as an examination of reform efforts across other States, has afforded
us the opportunity to derive in-depth insights about what works and what doesn’t. Based on this work,
a new theory of change is proposed based on three principles.
Systemic Transformation
of Education
• Principle 1: Several basic components of our education system need revamp
for any other interventions to show impact
• Principle 2: Transformation is multi-pronged and requires sustained efforts
over many years
As seen in the previous section, the education system suffers from (i) sub-optimal delivery structures
(e.g., sub-scale schools, large scale teacher vacancies), and (ii) weak organization structures,
governance, and limited accountability (e.g., poorly dewned organizational structure, ineffective
systems, process and accountability). ?ny reform effort wrst needs to wx these systemic issues - put
in place the right delivery structures and create a streamlined high-performance organization with a
culture of constant improvement – before it can meaningfully address other areas such as academic
programs and in-school innovations and see on-ground change through them.
Given the above scenario, these fundamental wxes related to school footprint, organization
structures and governance mechanisms need to happen in parallel with any in-school interventions
that directly address student learning. The scope of any reform effort, therefore, needs to be
dewned in a holistic manner, addressing both in-school as well as systemic factors. In addition,
given the size of any State system, a consistent change agenda needs to be sustained for at least
3-5 years to yield results. The State needs to identify a small set of key initiatives, which it prioritizes
and continuously focuses on during this sustained period. Of course, there will be course-correction
within each initiative, but the broad set of priorities and their fundamental approach should remain
consistent during this time. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
22
Focus on
Academic Reforms
• Competency framework
• Assessment reforms
• Learning Enhancement Programs (LEP)
• Digital learning (in classrooms/remote)
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• School optimization U ?dministrative Efwciency
through Tech and Data Systems

• Organization restructuring

• Communication streamlining
• Driving engagement of key
actors (e.g., parents, community
representatives)

• Competition framework
• Recruitment and
rationalization of
teaching and
administration staff

• Teacher training
and mentoring

• Investing in school
leaders
• Academic
monitoring
and data
backed reviews
C
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ision and Motivation for C
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Exhibit 2.1: Framework for systemic transformation of education
• Principle 3: Transformation needs to be anchored within the State and requires
signiwcant political will
For change to scale across the State and to sustain, it is essential to anchor it within the State and
not have it led from outside. This entails working closely with the ‘system’, i.e., the Department of
School Education, across different levels of the hierarchy. Interventions, therefore, must be designed
keeping State budgets and implementation capacity in mind. For example, any material required
should come out of the State budget, teacher training will need to happen through the regular State
cascade and mentoring through the Cluster Resource machinery. Any intervention needs to be
designed for scale right from the get-go, keeping these factors and constraints in mind. Premised
on these principles, a framework to creating systemic transformation is proposed below. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
23
Assessment results from both ASER and NAS present evidence to support that majority of the children
studying in government schools across the country are below grade-level. Thus, academic reforms must
be at the core of systemic interventions targeted towards improvement in student learning outcomes.
Successful academic reforms involve a concerted shift on 4 elements:
i. Institutionalizing a competency-based approach, i.e., shifting focus from ‘completion of syllabus’ to
‘delivery of competencies’.
ii. Creation of questions that are designed to test competencies and not learning capacity, and
deployment of tech systems that enable real-time/ near real-time tracking and visualization of
granular student performance data.
iii. Implementing Learning Enhancement Programs that provide additional and specialized support to
children behind grade level or with learning disabilities.
iv. Digital learning strategies that not only address the challenges of the pandemic, but also strengthen
learning through a blended model (physical and digital) to enable more effective classroom teaching
especially in scenarios of teacher shortage and help extend learning hours at home.
Strong administrative systems are essential to support the successful implementation of transformative
interventions, especially when envisioned to drive impact at a large scale. It is therefore imperative to
focus on maximizing efwciency of the system and maximizing productivity of scarce resources. In the
context of the school education system, concerted effort is required across four dimensions:
i. School optimization, to move away from 11 lakh sub-scale schools to a more efwcient ~6.5 lakh
schools at a country level - schools which are not only wnancially viable but are also able to deploy
resources and provide infrastructure for quality education.
ii. ?dministrative efwciency through technology and data systems, necessitating the need to move
away from time consuming, paper-based data collection and weak, inaccurate Management
Information System (MIS) to building a robust Education Management Information System (E-MIS)
with supporting technology.
iii. Restructure organizations with integrated departments, requisite staff, and skills as opposed to
understaffed departments operating in silos.
iv. Streamline communication to ensure it is instantaneous and two-way as opposed to slow and,
typically, top-down through traditional channels.
1. Focus on academic reforms
2. Strengthen administrative and delivery systems:
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
24
It is critical to build the capacity and establish a sense of ownership among individuals to deliver against
their goals. Often, the inability to perform is not just a challenge of poor motivation or accountability
but one of inadequate skills to do so in the face of changing needs and demands. Capacity to drive
change needs to be built at all levels of the organization and people need to be upskilled to manage
the needs of delivering against this large-scale change agenda. The following interventions can help
ensure adequate resource availability and strengthen their capacity:
i. Recruitment and rationalization of teaching staff to improve teacher availability; also, moving to
tech-enabled recruitment and annual rationalization processes that consider ongoing needs (e.g.,
retirements necessitating new hiring). The very large extent of teacher vacancies prevalent today due
to legal/ systemic challenges and process inefwciencies need to be addressed on priority. Similarly,
large vacancies in staff in district/ block ofwces as well as headquarters need to be addressed.
ii. Delivering frequent, need-based teacher training on subject and pedagogy through a blended, year-
long delivery model as opposed to one-size-wts-all approach delivered in 1-2 in-person sessions
in a year is essential. In addition, effective models for in-school mentorship of teachers and peer
learning need to be developed.
iii. Investing in model centers of excellence (or leader /exemplar schools) demonstrating highest
academic and administrative quality.
In a large-scale transformation program, it is essential to collect data on both inputs and outcomes.
This helps identify what is working and what isn’t, what needs to be pushed or dropped and how
to prioritize and allocate resources and time. Then, this data needs to be fed back into the system
to drive real change on the ground and build a strong culture of accountability. This can be driven
through regular top-down reviews, creating competition and pride in delivering outcomes, rewarding
good performers, and penalizing those who fail to deliver. In the education context, there is a need to
move to a system where there is a strong focus on developing tools and collecting data on academic
elements during school visits in alignment with dewned parameters/ learning competency frameworks,
data is published at a set-cadence and review meetings are held to ensure every stakeholder in the
system is held accountable to achieving learning outcomes targets.
3. Strengthen human capacity
4. Drive accountability Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
25
At the start of any large-scale reform program, it is critical for the leadership to clearly articulate
the vision and bring all stakeholders on board. This includes political leadership, senior department
leadership (within the education department and beyond – Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries of
related departments, District Collectors and Magistrates), education administrators and teachers. The
community is also a critical stakeholder, however, depending on the State and the context, this may
be harder to do at the outset. A shared vision helps create a sense of ownership and purpose, both of
which are critical to the culture and success of any organization.
Speciwc to the education context, this could involve, (i) increasing community engagement and
strengthening school management committees through greater empowerment and incentives to
participate (e.g., involvement in key decisions and matters of the schools), and (ii) creating a reward and
recognition program for schools, teachers, ofwcers, blocks, and districts to ensure they are motivated
to achieve their targets and excel (e.g., certiwcation programs).
The results across the States that have undertaken systemic reforms are strongly indicative that
this approach works. NITI Aayog launched Project SATH-E across three States in 2017, and
positive results are already being seen. A few examples are provided below.
In Jharkhand, ~4,600 sub-scale schools (13% of total) have been reorganized/ consolidated
into larger schools, leading to savings of INR 400 Cr, and larger, better-resourced schools.
In Odisha, restructuring of 16 directorates in the Department has been wnalized. Learning
Enhancement Programs (remedial) have been launched in all three States, and State assessments
are already showing steady progress. In Madhya Pradesh, for example, the learning level of
15-25% children was found to have increased in the two months between baseline and midline
(far more than what was seen in the same duration in previous years). In addition, the State saw
re-organisation/ consolidation of nearly 20,000 same-campus schools leading to 1 lakh better-
resourced schools as compared to sub-optimal ~1.2 lakh schools. Another 10,000 such schools
are anticipated be to optimised.
Rajasthan is one of the few States where the share of enrolment in government schools has
risen over the last few years, with enrolment growing at 8% in Adarsh Schools. The State
has also shown tremendous improvement in student learning and was ranked wrst in the last
National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2017 cycle. Haryana was one of only two States in India
that registered a learning level increase in the NAS 2014 cycle and showed an improvement
in literacy and numeracy levels in third-party assessments such as ASER. The percentage of
grade-level competent students in Classes I-VIII has gone up from 56% in January 2018 to 86%
in June 2019, based on another third-party assessment.
5. Creating a shared vision and motivation for change
Some early results Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
26
Chapter 3:
SYSTEMIC
TRANSFORMATION
OF EDUCATION –
The Interventions PillarsInterventions
Focus on
Academic
Reforms
Strengthen
Administrative
and Delivery
Systems
Strengthen
Human
Capacity
Drive
Accountability
Create a Shared
Vision and
Motivation for
Change
• Competency framework
• Assessment reforms
• Learninge enhancement programs
• Digital learning (in classrooms/ remote)
• School optimization
U ?dministrative efwciency through tech and data systems
U Organization restructuring
U Communication streamlining
U Recruitment and rationalization of teaching & admin staff
• Teacher training and mentoring
• Investing in school leaders
6
• Academic monitoring and data backed reviews
U Driving engagement of key actors (e.g., parent community)
• Competition framework
6
This toolkit has not been expanded on as the work is still underway at the time of writing this report
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
27
This section lists interventions mapped to the wve essential pillars of systemic transformation along
with examples and success stories from the States that have undertaken systemic transformation. A
detailed description of steps taken and critical factors that support the success of interventions that
have hitherto been undertaken in depth is presented in the implementation toolkits, with the hope that
it helps provide guidelines for other States that also want to take decisive steps towards reforming their
school education systems.
Systemic Transformation of
Education – The Interventions
Table 3.1: List of interventions Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
28
The goal of reforms in learning is to shift from traditional rote-based learning to holistic competency-
based learning. In making this shift, two changes need to happen:
i. Curricular: Teaching should be based on a competency framework
The current model of teaching and learning is based on completion of syllabus in the prescribed
textbook and so, the outcome of this learning is measured as number of chapters completed
and not competencies achieved. A competency framework maps competencies to be achieved at
the completion of a chapter in each subject and grade. With competency framework successfully
engrained in the teaching learning cycle, learning outcomes are measured by how well a class has
mastered the given competency at the completion of a chapter, thus adding signiwcantly more
value to the learning process.
ii. Integrated Curriculum: Teaching should be holistic & multi-disciplinary
The NEP 2020 States that the value of education lies not just in the cognitive development, but
also in building of character and development of well-rounded individuals who are equipped with
21
st
century skills. Speciwc hours in school must be duly dedicated towards art, sports, life skill
development, team activities etc. For successful uptake, it is essential to embed holistic education
into the State’s curriculum.
3.1 Focus on Academic Reforms
3.1.1 Competency Framework
Himachal Pradesh: Seekhne ke Pratiphal focuses on
‘learning outcomes’ rather than syllabus completion.
Himachal Pradesh designed a learning outcome framework called Seekhne ke Pratiphal, based on NCERT’s Learning Outcome Framework that released in 2017. It is a detailed class-wise, subject-wise list of learning outcomes (LOs) captured in charts. It consists of two columns highlighting suggested pedagogical processes and LOs to be mastered. This makes the framework actionable, easy to understand and use by teachers in the classroom. It was created for Classes I-VIII for English, Mathematics, Hindi, EVS, Science and Social Studies. 80-85% classrooms across 15,000+ schools in the State have the Seekhne ke Pratiphal on the wall for visibility and easy access. Of the 400 teachers surveyed in the State, 97% were aware of the learning outcomes chart and 79% rated them 4 or more on a scale of 5 for usefulness. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
29
The objective of assessments is to measure students’ learning levels and adapt teaching to target
improvement in weak areas identiwed through student results. However, like the systemic yaw of
measuring the success of learning in terms of syllabus completion, assessments are often designed to
test memorization/ content recall.
A reform in the assessment’s framework should target the transition from testing of memory to testing
of command over competencies, critical thinking, and conceptual clarity through better designed
question papers. Further, the entire assessment strategy and resulting annual assessment calendar
for a State must be designed with clarity of purpose for various kinds of assessments done (e.g.,
formative assessment of learning or for the purpose of accountability etc.) and incorporating necessary
implications in administration assessment approach, data collection formats if any, etc. Currently, States
often have an overload of assessments but very little meaningful data and its usage, and this needs to
be strategically redesigned.
3.1.2 Essessment Reforms
Madhya Pradesh: Dakshata Unnayan program based
on a competency framework for remediation and
leveraging activity-based methodology to improve
learning outcomes
The State, in 2018, launched Dakshata Unnayan (DU) – a remediation program based on an underlying competency framework. The competency framework developed was consistent with the base framework in use for the main curriculum; and mapped to textbooks accordingly. A select set of competencies have been focused on in the DU content where remediation is required, and every chapter of the remedial student workbooks (and supporting teacher handbooks) has been linked to the learning outcome to be attained. Subsequently, the entire monitoring framework of the program has also been linked to the same LO framework where teachers record student-wise competency trackers as to whether the child has attained the target competency post remediation or not.
Additionally, activity based learning, i.e. hands-on work by students, was integrated to further
engage students in the learning process and give them an opportunity to think and apply in
real contexts. The DU books included structured ABL instructions. Activities require only simple
materials that teachers can easily create themselves or collect from the environment (such as
sticks, stones, leaves).
In a matter of few months, signiwcant improvements have been reported by schools in the
learning level of their students, especially the ones who have been regular to classrooms.
15-20% students jumped by at least one learning level across different subjects and grades. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
30
• Approach to Assessments
Thus, there is a compelling need to wrst, create a simpliwed ?ssessments Framework, which provides
for fewer and well-targeted assessments with clearly dewned purposes (such as whether it’s meant
as a formative assessment by the teacher for her own use or as a measure of accountability by the
State system). It is also important to ensure that while students are evaluated on all relevant skills
and competencies, they are not burdened by multiple tests with variable results, leading to non-
alignment on learning levels of students. Scheduling these assessments (both national-level and
State-level) in an annual calendar, which is widely shared with principals, teachers, parents, students
would allow for timely, and focused preparation strategies. The calendar also ensures alignment
with the shared vision of frequent and periodic testing of students, in the form of both formative
and summative assessments.
NEP 2020 emphasizes the importance of formative assessments that continuously test students
in written and non-written formats. Given the higher frequency of these assessments, they can be
designed to test a wider range of competencies in innovative activity-based/ project-based ways,
and track growth in student learning levels periodically.
Summative assessments on the other hand are more rooted in academic concepts taught in
classrooms as part of the syllabus. For both these assessment types, it is essential that the framework
of assessment and results should be completely aligned with the competency-based format of
teaching. A comprehensive exercise of mapping competencies and aligned learning outcomes
with the syllabus is a crucial input for question papers design.
• Capacity Building
In parallel, it is equally crucial to build a robust team of assessment experts for developing, guiding,
and implementing the process, starting from framework design till question paper-competency
linkages alignment, to developing questions to establish test administration protocols. This team
can be developed with the support of external experts who can, in the long run, train internally
identiwed stakeholders for critical roles and move out with timely handover to well-trained State
ofwcials.
• Design of the Assessment
Each question or activity should be designed such that it is testing a speciwc competency/ Learning
Outcome from the State’s competency/ Learning Outcomes framework.
Further, if data is being entered into MIS systems to enable competency-based result analysis,
questions should be digitally tagged to the competency tested.
Exam papers may be created preferably by well-trained in-house experts. Third party agencies
may be brought on-board for a period of 2-3 years for knowledge and skill transfer. Quality of
the question papers must be maintained, in terms of testing for the right skill as well as clarity for
readers. Over time, State’s capacity to design the right quality of assessment questions must be
ramped up, both at State HQ levels as well as of teachers and select weld/ DIET resources. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
31
• Administration of the Assessment
The assessment may be conducted in a centralized or decentralized fashion. A rigorous monitoring
mechanism is imperative to maintain the sanctity of the process and provide legitimacy to the
results of the assessment, especially when the data is collected centrally and leveraged to drive
reviews and any kind of incentives. Trainings and orientations of all stakeholders for the entire value
chain of the process, from administration to evaluation, are crucial inputs which can make or break
the success of the assessment activity.
• Results, Data and Visualization
Given that each question/ set of questions is testing a competency that it is tagged to, the ability
of student to correctly answer those question(s) directly determines their learning level of the said
competency. Thus, result of an assessment can easily be translated into student’s competency-
wise learning outcomes. Well-designed data-collection formats, complemented by provisions for
digitizing of the collected data, can facilitate visualization of these results through easy-to-read
dashboards. This would enable teachers to identify weak competencies and adapt pedagogy to
improve learning outcomes in a targeted manner.
These steps are the guiding lights for any well-designed assessment to achieve its purpose.
In India’s context, Board examinations is the assessment with far-ranging impact on a student’s
learning and professional journey. It thus requires a separate, targeted effort to enable students to
perform to their maximum potential at this critical juncture.
• Board Assessment
NEP 2020 has encouraged States to re-evaluate the framework of board examinations in the
following ways:
Include weightage of performance in subjects of holistic development
Re-design paper to test competencies and not memorizing capacity
Increase yexibility by allowing inclusion of best out of 2 attempts
To guide States in transforming board exams, NCERT will prepare and share comprehensive
guidelines by the academic session 2022-23. Meanwhile, States can support students and teachers
in overcoming basic challenges that they continue to face in most government schools through
following interventions:
Ensure syllabus is released on time and in a manner clear to students and teachers
Ensure availability of sufwcient practice papers created on the latest board pattern;
create and share question banks
Drive academic mentors and district/ block education ofwcers to conduct school
monitoring visits and help schools set individual goals
Provide explicit reviews and support to the lowest performing schools along with
exposure to practices of best performing schools
Facilitate availability of previous year’s results for identiwcation of weak subjects, schools
and thus creation of targeted improvement strategies Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
32
Jharkhand: Spot Testing and Learning Tracking
Format to assess students
Andhra Pradesh: Creation of in-State Assessment Cell
to improve quality of assessments
Jharkhand has launched Spot Testing, a system under which Block Resource Persons (BRPs)/
Cluster Resource Persons (CRPs) assess the learning levels of 3 randomly selected students in
every school during school inspections. Each student is tested across Hindi, Maths, and English,
across a highly focused set of competencies, testing for foundational literacy and numeracy. As a
consequence of spot testing, Jharkhand collected learning outcome data across 2 lakh children
per month, in the pre-pandemic months. This is roughly 5% of all children in the State. BRP-
CRPs were given direct training on assessments and the data was veriwed and cross-checked
with a series of logical checks and weld validations to ensure a high level of accuracy. Changes in
the data over time are accurate to the degree of 0.5-1%. Given the scale, granularity, accuracy
and frequency, it is safe to say that Jharkhand has one of the best and most detailed learning
data systems in the world. Jharkhand has also instituted a Learning Tracking Format (LTF) where
each teacher inputs competency level data for each student in the State. The data from Spot
Testing will be used to cross-verify LTF data and ensure accuracy.
This data is already being used for a variety of decision making:
* District and block-wise analysis of performance every month
* Impact assessments of speciwc initiatives
* Usage of learning data in district & block review to determine speciwc action plans
* Identiwcation of speciwc competency gaps to determine teacher training needs
* Identiwcation of required changes in textbooks and curriculum
* Accountability and rewards systems
Till 2016, Andhra Pradesh did not conduct centralized State-level assessments. In 2016,
the State set up a 14-member Assessment Cell housed in the State Council of Educational
Research and Training (SCERT) to administer standardized, quality assessments at the State
level. The Cell comprises an assessment cell head, 10 subject experts, 1 assessment expert, 1
test administration and program manager and 2 data researchers. Questions are now mapped
to academic standards, a broader categorization than learning outcomes. Each academic
standard is assigned a weight and questions are created according to these weights. Once
the question paper is drafted, the Assessment Cell reviews academic standards being tested,
question mapping with academic standards, and phrasing of procedural (recall based) and
conceptual (skill-based) questions. This review helps with making improvements to the quality
of assessments. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
33
There is overwhelming evidence that India has a big divide between what a student knows and what
a student is expected to know. International (PISA) and Indian surveys (ASER and NAS) repeatedly
corroborate the data. We already know that less than half
7
of the students studying in Grade 7 can
solve Grade 2 comprehension or numerical based problems. Almost 70% of 4-year-olds demonstrated
less than half the skills required for ‘school-readiness’. As the learning gap widens, ~40% of students
drop out
8
before they reach Grade 11. Overall, despite 97% enrolment in Grade 1, only 23%
9
complete
Grade 12 – largely due to learning gaps built up over time.
Even if there are 20 out of 30 students in Grade 5 who are at Grade level 2, 3 or 4, the teacher
focuses on completing Grade 5 curriculum. Anecdotal evidence suggests that children can’t grasp at-
grade syllabus until serious bridging is done. This necessitates the creation of an effective and scalable
learning enhancement programs that can help quickly bring those students who are behind, to grade
or near grade-level competence.
Remediation or Learning Enhancement Programs must be integrated into the formal schooling system
as they play a critical role in improving poor student learning outcomes in our country. These programs
will be sustainable and scalable only if they are executed/ monitored by State resources across levels
and funded by the government.
Basis in-depth study of remediation programs implemented by various States, key design elements
were identiwed to be extremely critical to the success of a remedial program. These are as follows:
• Program Placement: Building the remedial program into school hours is essential for two reasons
– a) ensuring adequate student and teacher attendance for the program to have impact, and b)
for the program to get focus and priority at every level, starting from teachers and parents, up to
the district and State administration (and not be an ‘additional’ voluntary program). In addition,
any program designed for additional hours is unlikely to scale without supplementary teachers/
additional funding.
• Learning Content: Teacher handbooks and student workbooks with speciwc remediation content
must be printed by the State in a centralized manner. While this is accompanied by signiwcant
budget implication, it ensures a minimum level of usage and practice by students irrespective of
teacher commitment or capability. In addition, the centralized design allows for strategic choices
and expert input at the State level with respect to pedagogical approach, speciwc competencies
that need to be included, pacing, etc.
• Student Grouping: Student should be grouped based on learning levels and a teacher should be
mapped to each group of students. This allows each teacher to focus on a speciwc learning level,
rather than having to deal with several different levels in his/ her grade. Given the current reality
of most schools having only two or three teachers, it is likely that one teacher has to manage more
than one group (i.e. one learning level) of students inside a classroom. In such scenarios teachers
should be asked to pay primary attention to behind-grade students during the remediation periods
while enabling practice/ self-learning/ peer-learning mechanisms for other students.
3.1.3 Learning Enhancement Programs
7
ASER 2019
8
ASER 2017
9
Only 1 girl out of Primary School’s 100 reaches grade 12, a reyection – ?rticle 2016 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
34
Learning Enhancement Program in
Jharkhand (Gyan Setu)
Before Jharkhand embarked on a Systemic transformation journey in 2017, learning outcomes
in the State (as measured by NAS) were lower than the National average.
In October 2018, through Project SATH-E, Jharkhand launched the Gyan Setu program – the
State’s yagship Learning Enhancement Program. Gyan Setu is based on the premise that teaching
should be pitched directly at a child’s learning level. It focuses on building foundational literacy
and numeracy skills among students who are yet to attain these skills. The program is currently
implemented in Grades 1-9 and impacts ~40 lakh students across 35,000 schools. It is a year-
round program where students practice customized workbooks for 1.5 hours every morning.
To ensure the success of this program, effective teacher training and teaching resources are
provided to ~1.2 lakh teachers in the State.
During its wrst 6 months (October 2018 to March 2019), Gyan Setu led to a 12% improvement
across most competencies.
Similar Learning Enhancement Programs have also been launched in Odisha (Ujjwal and Utthan
programs), and in Madhya Pradesh (Dakshata Unnayan). Each State has seen improvement
in learning levels because of rigorous execution of these programs.
3.1.4 Digital Learning (in classrooms/ remote)
Traditionally, education has been limited to a fully classroom-based teaching and learning model.
However, as COVID-19 impacted India in early 2020, school closures completely disrupted this model
and teachers across the country began to innovatively reach students through digital means. This
experience has led to the discovery of the potential that lies in digital means of learning and provided
sufwcient proof of concept to explore and integrate digital learning in much more signiwcant ways both,
in-classroom, and at-home.
• Remedial Timing: Remediation can be conducted in block of time (few weeks of continuous classes)
or in some continuous manner (one hour each day or in wxed days of a month etc.) or a mix of the
two basis the context of each State. It is ideal to continue the program through the entire academic
year to enable constant bridging of gaps.
Programs based on this strategy are being implemented in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and
Odisha. These States have ensured that teachers are provided concrete guidance through scripted
handbooks, and students are given customized practice workbooks. Steady gains in student
learning are visible in State assessments because of this intervention.
Four types of digital intervention can be leveraged in
school education
Computer
labs
Current
model
Infrastructure
Learning objectives
that are best served
Smart
classrooms
Broadcasting
network
Parent’s
smartphones
Dedicated computer
labs with 10-20
computers per lab/
school
A central studio at HQs
connected to select
large scale school in the
field
Live and pre-recorded
telecast facilities
Either a smartboard or a
computer/ interactive
device + projector +
screen infrastructure
inside classrooms
Leveraging parents'
smartphones to
provide students with
learning apps
Imparting computer
literacy to teachers
and students
Typically not suitable for
curricular support,
…however, in residential
schools, can be used for
enhancing subject
Learning as well
On-going day to day
teacher support in
delivering content/
curriculum
based learning
• E.g., teacher can show
a video on solar
system or on
probability or on
Bernoulli’s theorem
while teaching this
Communication directly
into schools with teach-
ers/ HMs/ BRPs etc.
Mass/ distance
teacher training
Can be additionally used
for streaming content to
students-however time
per subject limited
Augmenting student
learning outside of
school; content
exercises can be provid-
ed that children can see
on parent’s smart-
phones
1.2.3.4. Four types of digital intervention can be leveraged in
school education
Computer
labs
Current
model
Infrastructure
Learning objectives
that are best served
Smart
classrooms
Broadcasting
network
Parent’s
smartphones
Dedicated computer
labs with 10-20
computers per lab/
school
A central studio at HQs
connected to select
large scale school in the
field
Live and pre-recorded
telecast facilities
Either a smartboard or a
computer/ interactive
device + projector +
screen infrastructure
inside classrooms
Leveraging parents'
smartphones to
provide students with
learning apps
Imparting computer
literacy to teachers
and students
Typically not suitable for
curricular support,
…however, in residential
schools, can be used for
enhancing subject
Learning as well
On-going day to day
teacher support in
delivering content/
curriculum
based learning
• E.g., teacher can show
a video on solar
system or on
probability or on
Bernoulli’s theorem
while teaching this
Communication directly
into schools with teach-
ers/ HMs/ BRPs etc.
Mass/ distance
teacher training
Can be additionally used
for streaming content to
students-however time
per subject limited
Augmenting student
learning outside of
school; content
exercises can be provid-
ed that children can see
on parent’s smart-
phones
1.2.3.4.
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
35
• In-class Digital Learning
A host of technology interventions can be implemented in the classrooms; however, States face
constraints in terms of availability of hardware or budgets for learning solutions. For investments in
technology to be most effective, a State should wrst identify its own priorities, in terms of student
learning and teacher capacity-building, create a map of the available infrastructure and planned
investments over the next 3-5 years, and then proceed to design a roadmap for interventions it
should undertake.
Below is an illustrative example for how this may be thought through, leading to select investments
linked to speciwc learning objectives.
Exhibit 3.1: Types of digital interventions for school education Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
36
For the post COVID world, States are increasingly looking at blended models of learning inside
classrooms. Planning the use cases/ learning objectives wrst (equipping computer labs with 10-20
computer systems utilising the ICT@Schools Scheme of the Government of India, or at least 1 smart-
class needed for each of grades 9-12 in a well spread out set of 10% high enrolment schools of the
State for in-class blended teaching, etc.) and subsequently procuring the required infrastructure to
enable those objectives will be critical.
• At-home Digital Learning
Online learning at-home can be enabled on any internet enabled device such as a smartphone,
laptop, or tablet. It can signiwcantly strengthen the overall learning cycle in the following aspects:
Learning: Short videos with high quality content can effectively supplement classroom
teaching by enabling regular on-demand revision. Such videos can be sent by the State/
teachers (as evidenced during COVID) and can be personalized to enable remediation as
well.
Assessment: Interactive tools in the form of quizzes can be especially helpful to solidify
learnings of concepts learnt in class – thus optimizing school hours.
Results Tracking: Learning on digital tools enables sharing of real-time granular data on
student learning level thus enabling teacher to adapt pedagogy through data-backed insights.
However, a signiwcant bottleneck to at-home learning is limited access to an internet enabled device
amongst students belonging to less income households. States have explored various strategies
(e.g. mapping mentors with devices, device-sharing, crowdfunding to support devices, etc.) during
COVID-19, however the concern remains.
SATHmETSA?aA?A!AP?TA_A!aA?AkAFAkA:TA!AxA?A?APTAA?A?AFAkA:TCOVIDmC
As schools shut down in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ~ 22 million students across the 3 States were left without any formal access to education. To enable continued learning, the States conceptualized a structured strategy for student learning, teacher professional development and parent engagement; done via a multi-modal approach. Key initiatives include:
Content curation: A massive digital library (in hindi) for all grades and subjects in collaboration
with the best ed-tech organizations in the country was curated in a matter of 2 weeks from the
wrst lockdown.
Content dissemination: The States set up WhatsApp cascades to share content uploaded
on YouTube with teachers and parents/ students. Separately, content was aired on select TV
channels at dewned time slots everyday, along with songs and stories being aired on radio for
an hour each day. Social emotional learning content was also disseminated on Saturdays. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
37
Engagement: Periodic assessments were conducted via WhatsApp chat-bots and Google
forms. Moreover, teacher-student connect was organized via regular phone calls and rigorously
monitored. This was the biggest driver of student engagement.
Ensuring reach to the digitally disconnected: The States launched initiatives such as at home
textbook and workbook distribution, remedial worksheets, and mentor mapping to make sure
learning losses and engagement were minimized for the digitally disconnected.
The rapid increase in school construction since the 1990s, driven by transformative national policies
such as Sarva Shikhsa Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and the Right to
Education (RTE) has resulted in signiwcant advancement in school access and enrolment. ?s a result,
India today has the largest school footprint in the world, nearly three times
10
that of China, a country
catering to a similar population base.
An average Indian government school has just 50-60 students and 1-2 teachers, while an average
private school has about 265 students and nine teachers. There are nearly 400,000 government schools
with less than 50 students and just one or two teachers. Research shows that such schools, also called
‘sub-scale schools’ are unwt to provide the required ecosystem for high quality teaching because of the
following reasons:
• Divided teacher attention to students across multiple grades
• High share of teacher time devoted to administrative tasks
• Poor infrastructure due to economic viability of any investment
• Low State focus on improving schools that impact fewer students
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 also recognizes the problem of small and single teacher
schools. It maintains that “the isolation of small schools also has a negative effect on education and
the teaching-learning process” and recommends a judicial and careful handling of school consolidation
using school-complexes/ cluster as one of the mechanisms.
3.2 Strengthen Administrative and Delivery Systems
3.2.1 School Optimization
10
Education in China: A Snapshot, OECD 2016 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
38
The goal of the education system is to make each school conducive to delivery of high-quality education
by optimising sub-scale schools into fewer better-resourced schools. The type of school reorganisation
possible are –
• Same-campus schools: Horizontal (where two schools of the same type are reorganised into one)
or Vertical reorganization (where schools of different levels are reorganised into one integrated
school)
• Low or medium enrolment schools (without transportation): (Typically <60 enrolments) primary
schools within 1 km and upper primary schools within 2 km
• Low or medium enrolment schools (with transportation): Primary schools beyond 1 km and
upper primary schools beyond 2 km (urban wrst; rural later)
Exhibit 3.2: Types of school mergers
Horizontal (where two schools
of the same type are merged
into one) or vertical mergers
(where schools of different
levels are merged into one
integrated school).
Same-campus schools
Low or medium
enrolment schools
(without transportation)
Low or medium
enrolment schools
(with transportation)
(Typically <60 enrolments)
primary schools within 1 km
and upper primary schools
within 2 km.
Primary schools beyond 1 km
and upper primary schools
beyond 2 km (urban frst, rural
later) Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
39
The aim of this exercise is to strike a balance between access and quality by pooling in resources
and reducing the administrative burden of running multiple, unviable schools. The key for a State to
successfully re-organise schools at-scale is two-fold -
• Create a strategic roadmap with re-organisation spread in phases across 2-3 years
• Ensure strong political alignment prior to on-ground implementation
School consolidation can result in multiple benewts such as greater teacher/ head-master availability,
more resources and infrastructure, greater administrative support, improved governance, stronger
parent community, etc. The experience of States like Jharkhand and Rajasthan show that re-organisation,
if implemented strategically and thoughtfully, lead to almost no downsides. Fears of loss of access and
dropouts among students are often not borne out on ground. In several schools, school consolidation
has already increased enrollment in the short run, as more students are attracted to larger schools. The
consolidated schools which happen to be a little farther than the earlier unconsolidated schools must
be provided with safe transportation system as has been tried out in Jharkhand.
Rajasthan: School consolidations to create
Adarsh Schools
Around 14,500 schools were consolidated to form more than 9,800 Adarsh Schools, one for each Gram Panchayat (GP). These schools have Classes I-X/XII under one roof. The process of integrating schools wrst required dewning the parameters for integration. Schools with less than 30 children were merged with a school situated within a one-kilometer range and having higher enrolments.
Class I-V and VI-X schools existed in close proximity. Such schools were consolidated into one.
UDISE data at the GP-level was leveraged for this exercise as it contained a list of schools
along with details of their revenue village, GP and distance between the schools. A dedicated
20-member team led this effort. Additionally, teams were created at the GP level to verify
UDISE data pertaining to distance between schools on ground Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
40
Jharkhand: Khunti merges seven schools into one
school by setting up a Transportation System
The District Administration in Khunti took a particularly bold step during the third phase of
school re-organization in Jharkhand in 2018. Khunti has created a large, integrated Grade
1-12 model school after merging as many as seven different schools into a single school.
Four of these were sub-scale schools with less than 60 enrolments. The district innovated by
setting up a transportation system for students who live further away. These students now
assemble at their erstwhile merged schools from where they are brought by bus to their new
host school.
The entire merger process has been carried out with the enthusiastic support of the SMCs.
Parents gather in excitement to see their children off on the bus, excited by the learning
opportunities available at the larger, well-staffed school. Today, the school has 2000+ students
and 40+ teachers and is the pride of the district. It is led by an able principal and is benewting
from signiwcant investment in high-quality infrastructure including labs, over-bridges and
libraries. As further investment strengthens the school, other smaller schools even further away
are already applying to be merged into the larger school as well.
Following a robust consolidation process across the three SATH States, - ~4,600 schools were
reorganised in Jharkhand (horizontal distance mergers), 36,000 schools were reorganised in to ~16,000
schools in MP (same-campus mergers), and ~1,800 schools were reorganised in Odisha (also horizontal
distance mergers).
The scale of the education system in a typical mid-sized State in India is much bigger than most large
corporations - with over 50,000 schools, 2 lakh employees (teachers, ofwcers) and 5 lakh students.
Considered cumulatively across States, school education systems would be one of the largest employers
in India, larger than the Indian Railways. However, the school education system in many States continues
to operate in a data-dark world and is thus characterized by the following -
• Insuf?cient and sparse information even for basic school, teacher and student data (such as
enrolment, attendance etc.)
• Time intensive, of?ine data collection processes that diminish the amount of time spent on
academic activities
• Inef?cient governance, monitoring mechanisms resulting in lack of accountability
• Lack of data-driven decision-making leading to low objectivity, transparency and efwciency
3.2.2 Edministrative Efwciencies through Tech and Data Systems Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
41
With last mile tech connectivity at schools increasingly becoming a reality, both in terms of devices
(laptops, computers, tablets/ smartphones) and internet availability, there is a clear opportunity to
build a strong Education Management Information System (E-MIS). Some States have already initiated
this journey. However, there is a need for conscious planning and a clear vision, rather than multiple
disparate efforts.
A well-functioning MIS system should aim to deliver on three key objectives:
Exhibit 3.3: Objectives that E-MIS can enable
Real time view of key
‘Outcomes’ and ‘Inputs’
Governance and data-
driven decision making
Seamless processes
and communication
Vision: An Education MIS should enable 3 key objectives
View of
‘State of Education’
Focus on
Performance
Embed
E!ciency
Simplify and enable process
• Schools: Enrolment tracking,
automated report cards
• District & Block: Service
record management, fund
utilization
U State: Stafwng & Budgeting
Communication & Feedback
channel
• SMS/ WhatsApp/ Email
• Scheme information
• Grievance redressal
Performance against
outcomes
• Student learning levels
• Enrolment
• Dropouts
Status of key inputs
• School footprint
• Teacher vacancy
Governance & Accountability
• District/ Block ranking
• School inspections
Data-driven decision making
• Planning for large scale
initiatives, e.g., stafwng
rationalization, school footprint
optimization
• Budget allocation and planning
• Day to day activities
01 02 03 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
42
Some of the critical use-cases that States in India have been able to unlock using the MIS system
include –
• Single source of truth; central database: Central warehouse of accurate data on school, staff and
student information available at the click of the wnger is the most basic and primary use-case. It also
obviates the need for duplicated data-collection efforts made by teachers and principals.
• Governance: Availability of data pertaining to schools, staff, students, and schemes can allow
stakeholders to track on-ground progress of program implementation through dashboards. This
leads to clear percolation of accountability thus improving ability to link outcomes to rewards and
recognition
• Communication: An Education MIS can also play the role of a two-way communication tool for
parent engagement, feedback collection, grievance redressal, etc. Not only does this save time and
effort of telephone calls, email management and letters, but it can also lead to higher community-
led accountability and efwcient allocation of resources.
• Advanced data-driven analytics: An advanced analytics functionality can be layered on top of a
strong EMIS to leverage the power of Big Data to drive predictive analytics, cost-benewt analysis
of schemes to allocate budgets, correlation analysis of infrastructure improvement, community
engagement, and teacher qualiwcations with student academic results.
In Jharkhand, for example, real-time school monitoring data has helped the State identify the bottom
2,500 schools and provide targeted support. In Odisha, school stafwng norms are being revisited and
the availability of school-wise enrolment data is enabling the State to accurately assess the wnancial
implications of the changes. In Madhya Pradesh, large scale teacher rationalization was conducted
through a transparent tech-based process.
Rajasthan: Shala Darpan MIS to inform
data-backed decisions
The Shala Darpan portal of Rajasthan is a database of over 86 lakh students from Classes 1 to 12 and more than 3.5 lakh teachers across more than 65,000 public schools. This portal is being used to assess demand for textbooks, monitor disbursement of cycles and transport vouchers, using real-time information, track implementation of schemes, streamline top-down communication and monitor academic performance of all students, activities that were previously performed by teachers. All critical HR processes related to teachers, such as promotion and salary processing are carried out through the portal. Reports on school/ post/ subject-wise teacher vacancy, transfer eligibility can be generated through the portal, thus facilitating organized and data- backed recruitment planning Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
43
Current education department structures and processes are not geared to support the massive
transformations that are needed. As highlighted in the earlier chapter, there are multiple challenges in
this regard. For e.g., there are overlapping and missing functions, large vacancies across departments
(e.g., SCERT), poor role clarity and difwculty in matching skills and roles and a lack of a culture of
collaboration and excellence.
Therefore, the vision for the Education Department of any State government is to be –
• Well-staffed with oversight over all academic and administrative matters
• Optimally resourced across functions in line with the strategic priorities and workload
• Strongly led by enough people to supervise as well as to execute
• Functionally separated between academic and administrative responsibilities
• Performance-oriented with individuals having clear accountability for outcomes and quality and
being focused on results
• Smoothly collaborative across cross-functional teams put in place

Building upon the experiences from different Indian States, following changes in education departments
are most urgent –
1. The core academic institutions (SCERT and DIET) must be strengthened
a. Distinguish organization clearly from any administrative work
b. Ensure vacancy levels are at the minimum across different levels
c. Ensure diversity between academics for higher, middle, primary school
d. Restructure DIET to mirror SCERT for effective collaboration
2. Field organizations need re-structuring for effective administration
a. Introduce core academic positions (eg. ABEO or ADEO) as required
b. Ensure vacancies are at the minimum across different levels
c. Ensure hierarchies, reporting lines do not create too many layers in teams
3.2.3 Organization restructuring Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
44
3. Departments with similar activities may be merged for improved synergies
For instance, project ofwces for elementary (SS?) and secondary (RMS?) were both responsible for on-
ground program implementation resulting in duplication and poor convergence. These were both then
merged to create Samagra Shiksha ?bhiyan. Several States continue with separate project ofwces and
these must be merged.
4. Education Department must be designed for the future
A visionary change to the structure of the education department could be to merge common functions
and create core functions within the department that report to the Principal Secretary directly. The
structure of the department could be drastically simpliwed to have Establishment, MIS and Technology,
Policy, Academics, and Finance all as separate directorates reporting centrally. This would require a
signiwcant change in the ways of working and cross-functional collaboration at all levels but could
signiwcantly streamline all operations.
Odisha
In 2018, a comprehensive proposal for restructuring the Education Department in Odisha was put together and submitted for approvals. The objectives of this restructuring were to:
1. Improve administrative efwciency, drive synergies and convergence by the merger of related
directorates
2. Separate administrative and academic functions to drive greater focus on quality education
3. Ensure compliance with MHRD guidelines
4. Extend the Department to include higher secondary and vocational education to enable
seamless governance of schools and student learning pathways
5. Create a forward-looking organization focused on the delivery of outcomes
As a result, 16 Directorates were combined into 11 Directorates leading to a streamlined and
more efwcient administrative structure. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
45
Technology can be a great enabler in helping set up and streamline top-down, bottom-up and lateral
communication links between the State government and on-weld staff.
There are two objectives of streamlining communication. First, reducing delays in communication and
facilitating instantaneous information sharing. Second, making the yow of communication seamless
between levels, i.e. from top (State) to bottom (teachers), and vice versa, and across levels (between
teachers, or block-level ofwcials, etc).
3.2.4 Communication streamlining
Himachal Pradesh: Communication streamlining to
enable speedy communication
In Himachal Pradesh, the inordinate time taken for communication to yow from the State headquarters to more than 40,000 teachers through multiple administrative layers was reduced by using WhatsApp Groups and SMS. A dedicated SMS gateway was developed for the Department of Education, in coordination with the Department of Information Technology. Login IDs were created for State, district, and block level ofwcials so that they could send bulk messages in addition to circulars for quick communication. This is a low-cost mechanism to reach large number of recipients (up to 10,000 at once). Additionally, more than 150 WhatsApp Groups at the State, district, and block level (covering around 8,400 ofwcials and teachers) and around 30 initiative-level groups were created (e.g., Khaas Shiksha, Review and Monitoring Group of District Research and Evaluation Coordinators). These groups allow for instant feedback with respect to the communication received. They also allow teachers to share photos, videos, and documents of classroom practices. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
46
With large-scale teacher vacancies, or large numbers of under-qualiwed contract teachers, meaningful
improvement in learning outcomes will add prove to be extremely difwcult. Most States in India have
signiwcant teacher vacancies, largely due to three reasons:
• Historical unresolved court cases that prevent new recruitment
• Poorly dewned and delayed recruitment and promotion processes
• Decision-making which does not account for retirements, attrition, etc.
There also exists an imbalance in teachers across schools. Often, large urban schools tend to have too
many teachers, and rural schools, too few. Teacher rationalization is another essential component of
optimizing delivery structures to deliver quality education in a State. This becomes even more critical in
the wake of school consolidation as some of the host schools may have too many teachers, while others
may be left with too few. This is because teacher rationalization typically does not happen regularly
based on due process. In the long term, States should develop a transparent transfer policy and an
assigned team through which rationalization is undertaken every year, within a speciwed time.
Besides an immediate improvement in Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR), States that have implemented this
successfully have seen bene?ts such as improved teacher satisfaction over time, as well as a
signi?cant jump in learning outcomes.
Madhya Pradesh has undertaken an online teacher rationalization process, moving ~10,000 teachers
from surplus to dewcit schools. States like Odisha, Haryana and Rajasthan have also made good progress
on recruitment, including making the entire process transparent, online, and competitive, resulting in
<10% teacher vacancies.
Research shows that the quality of teachers strongly correlates to the achievement of students. Current
cascade models of training are ineffective. A standard set of topics is chosen for all teachers across
the entire State, trainer effectiveness is often extremely variable, and the cascade leads to a large
amount of transmission loss. All of this, coupled with weak monitoring, leads to a system where even
crores spent on teacher training every year, does not translate into better learning for students in
the classrooms. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 also recognizes the need for a teacher
professional development program which is personalized and effective. It recommends 50 hours of
continuous professional development program for every teacher every year.
We need a fundamental shift in the way training is conceptualized, designed, and delivered at the
State level. There is a need to move from a model where training is one-size-wts-all, delivered through
a cascade, and limited to few days a year, to one that delivers need-based inputs to each teacher
directly from experts, addresses gaps in subject as well as pedagogical knowledge, and allows for the
investment of time that is necessary for a teacher to truly make progress.
3.3 Strengthen Human Capacity
3.3.1 Recruitment and rationalization of teaching and administrative
staff
3.3.2 Teacher training and mentoring Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
47
?n engaged school leadership can create signiwcant difference in ensuring high-quality classroom
environment and teacher implementation. While teacher training is periodically done, school leaders
don’t go through structured trainings as it is not considered to be a priority. Some States have made
sporadic efforts in terms of executing modules from National Centre for School Leadership (NCSL),
while some have done one-off trainings; however, a more concerted effort is required.
To improve leader engagement, an effective, year-round training is required through a blended approach
(mix of in-person and remote). Trainings should ideally cover both instructional and management
aspects. In addition to training, exposure visits to the best of schools within India or internationally can
help open leaders’ minds. Further, a select set of high-performing cohort of leaders, identiwed through
pre-determined criteria, may be sent for management trainings to premiere institutions in the country
(e.g., India Institutes of Management) for an executive program. Forums for structured peer discussions
can also greatly aid principals become aware of best practices.
3.3.3 Investing in school leaders
To make this happen, training should be delivered through personalized/ customized, tech-based
blended systems rather than the current classroom only or the recent online only models. What is
needed is an integrated system, whereby a teacher can take a self-assessment and then be guided
through a personalized learning journey. The assessment should evaluate the teachers’ subject
knowledge (appropriate to the level of students that they are teaching), as well as their pedagogical
understanding, thereby determining their starting point. The system should then provide relevant
content to strengthen their knowledge and skills and provide opportunities for continuous assessment
of the progress being made. The NEP 2020 recommends DIKSHA as a one-step solution which could
be leveraged to design blended learning programs offering personalized learning to teachers based
on their unique needs. During COVID, various States have also experimented with teacher capacity
building in digital modes and increasingly realized the need/ potential for ongoing blended mode of
teacher professional development.
Madhya Pradesh: Teacher training delivery and
module customized to teacher needs
Teacher training design has undergone a major change in MP. Before SATH E, a generic training for all teachers was often the practice. Now, the State leadership uses the data on low student performance areas to identify speciwc content topics for trainings.
DIETs have been involved in trainings in a bigger way, and are using novel approaches such as
Quizzes, Read-out-loud exercises, Case studies and Demo activities along with digital resources
for training delivery and to minimize cascade based dilution. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
48
The success of any initiative in a large system depends on effective review and monitoring mechanisms
built at various levels.
Developing mechanisms that enforce more accountability has been one of the key drivers of systemic
transformation. States that have prioritized this initiative have seen remarkable improvements. The
objective of this intervention is to ensure the availability of two types of data - (i) quality assessment
insights, and (ii) data from visits to schools, and their academic monitoring, which can be used for
cascaded, data-backed and regular review meetings, which follow a prescribed structure and format.
?ll three S?TH E States have managed to make signiwcant strides in improving their tech-based
monitoring systems with a focus on academics. While in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, the MIS
interconnects several existing systems that were previously fragmented, in Jharkhand, a new greenweld
MIS system was built called ‘eVidya Vahini’.
In all three States, the systems have been setup such that through a visit allocation system, each
month, block ofwcers are allocated schools for visits. ?fter every visit, visit reports are generated and
speciwc issues in terms of infrstrcuture and academics are identiwed. ? resoultion is deployed and is
systematically tracked. All key data metrics feed into district/ block and State level reviews. This allows
for effective course correction leveraging real-time/ near real-time data which was till date a signiwcant
challenge for systems of such scale.
3.4 Drive Accountability
3.5 Ecademic monitoring and data backed reviews
Madhya Pradesh: Districts and Block PMU meeting
cadence and District Report Cards
Monthly PMU meetings are set up at district and block levels with a very high compliance. Over 95% districts and blocks submit the minutes of the meetings. District Report cards are also generated for each of the districts. The scores on district report cards inform the point of discussion in review meetings, several of which are also led by District Collectors. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
49
Odisha: Odisha School Monitoring App (OSMA) to
reward best performing schools
The State of Odisha built signiwcant momentum in 2017 & 2018 through the Odisha School
Monitoring App (OSMA), an app-based school monitoring system which formed the basis of
block and district level reviews. Building on this, to recognize and reward best performing
schools in terms of Learning Outcomes and motivate the rest to improve performance, the
State decided to launch the School Certiwcation Program. Over 6,000 schools were rewarded
for improving performance on key learning outcomes. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
50
Given the magnitude and complexity of the challenge the education system faces, a pull from the
political leadership of States is important for generating momentum around systemic transformation. If
the leadership clearly communicates and demonstrates that it prioritizes delivery of quality education, it
becomes the priority of the rest of the administrative set-up as well. This in turn ensures that department,
district, and block-level ofwcials become more involved in improving educational outcomes. It is also
necessary to engage and incentivize teachers and administrative ofwcers appropriately so that they are
motivated to carry out their responsibilities to the best of their abilities.
Encouraging competition within the system by incentivizing stakeholders is one way to improve
performance. Through this intervention, momentum is generated at the block level by creating a
sense of healthy competition among blocks to improve on various inputs (e.g., high quality execution
of Learning Enhancement Programmes) as well as outputs (i.e. FLN attainment and grade-level
competency of students). Putting the onus of achieving a speciwc target on districts/ blocks/ schools
devolves ownership and accountability from the State to the districts/ blocks and further to schools/
teachers.
The NEP 2020 also recommends setting up State School Standards Authority to maintain minimum
input standards in all the schools and drive the schools towards excellence by accrediting them.
3.6 Create Shared Vision and Motivation for Change
3.6.1 Driving engagement of key actors
3.6.2 Competition framework
MP: AtmaNirbhar MP and Wall of Fame
The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh has clearly outlined school education outcome
indicators which are to be achieved by 2023 in a mission mode under the AtmaNirbhar MP
Mission. This declaration of goals has aligned all the stakeholders right from the Minister of
Education to the teacher and parents in the State.
In addition, the Wall of Fame recognition for well performing schools is driving on ground
behavior change and positive competition among the schools and districts. There are three
categories of certiwcations on which schools are recognized:
• Gold Champion (competency achievement by >90% students)
• Silver Champion (competency achievement by 75-90% students)
• Bronze Champion (competency achievement by 60-75% students)
The ‘Wall of Fame’ scheme is being further rewned and will be re-launched as schools re-open
post COVID. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
51
Jharkhand: SAAAAxAxA_TCA!A?A?AFAaA?AFAxAkTPA?AxA:A?aAL
Haryana: Saksham Ghoshna’s competitive spirit nudges
blocks to attain grade-level competency
? certiwcation program was launched by the Jharkhand Education department to assess the
performance of schools on the success of two yagship initiatives - Gyan Setu (Remediation
program) and eVidya Vahini (MIS initiative). Three levels of certiwcations - Gold, Silver and Bronze
were identiwed as part of the program to motivate schools/ teachers and sustain momentum
over the long term. In the wrst year, 8,000+ schools nominated themselves, of which ~1,800
were externally veriwed. ~565 schools were bronze certiwed. The program is expected to re-
launch once schools re-open post the pandemic.
As part of the Saksham Ghoshna campaign, blocks were assessed through an independent
third-party to ascertain if 80% or more students were at grade-level competency. Once the State
education department announced nomination for Saksham Ghoshna open, blocks nominated
themselves to be evaluated by the third-party. If assessed blocks was found to meet the bar as
per the third-party assessment, it was declared grade-level competent, or Saksham. Saksham
blocks received recognition and appreciation from the CMO, State education departments,
media houses, etc., and were felicitated in multiple ways. The constant engagement and
involvement of the CMO, encouraged districts and blocks to improve their performance.
Competition motivated performance improvement in a structured manner and prompted
blocks to undertake systemic reform, adopting both academic and governance interventions.
Seven rounds of assessment were conducted and 94 of 119 blocks in the State have been
declared Saksham. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
52
Chapter 4:
Conclusion, way
forward and toolkits Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
53
As a country, the challenge we now face is to ensure the delivery of quality education. The complexity
of carrying out this task requires a shift in the approach we have taken till now. There is a need for
a comprehensive strategy that combines elements of both Academic and Governance reforms, to
ensure systemic and sustained progress towards improving learning outcomes of students. Successful
systemic transformation requires a well-laid out roadmap with pre-dewned targets, the alignment of all
stakeholders around a uniwed vision, efwcient communication channels, a culture driven by data-based
accountability and a continuous process of capacity building across all levels.
In our experience of working with States, we have seen that the process of change is slow and takes
time, especially in the early days. There is a signiwcant hump to be overcome – to build motivation,
ownership, and the skills to deliver the nature and pace of change – and in the early days it may feel like
progress and outcomes are limited. However, with focused effort and the entire organization aligned,
once the foundation for systemic change is laid, the impact can be signiwcant and irreversible.
Systemic transformation, by its very nature, however, is a long journey, and this journey has just begun.
The States that have initiated work on systemic education transformation over the last three to four
years have already seen positive impact. As Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand,
Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan, embark on the next phase of their systemic transformation
journey, it is time for other States to explore the potential of adopting this approach, customized to
their context.
The accompanying 11 implementation toolkits delve into the details of how each intervention was
designed and implemented in State-speciwc contexts. We hope that the framework for systemic
transformation explained in this document along with codiwcation of best practices from States is helpful
for other States who might want to transform their school education system into a high performing one.
Conclusion, way forward
and toolkits Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
54
Pillars InterventionsS.No
Appendix I:
Interventions
Shri Rajesh Kumar Sharma
Shri Satyabrata Sahu,
Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar,
Dr. Shailesh Kumar Chourasia
Ms. Anubha Shrivastava
Shri Dr. Rakesh Gupta
Shri Ashish Kohli
Ms. Kamna Acharya
Ms. Kamna Acharya
Dr. Ashok Pareekh
Shri Gangadhar Sahoo
Ms. Rashmi Arun Shami,
Shri K K Pant
Shri Dr. R Venkateswaran,
Shri Dhanaraju S
Shri Bhupendra S Poonia
Ms. K. Sandhya Rani
Shri Rohit Jamwal
Shri Rohit Jamwal
Shri Rohit Jamwal
1.
3.
5.
7.
9.
11.
13.
15.
15.
17
18.
2.
4.
6.
8.
10.
12.
14.
14.
16.
Secretary, Education, Jharkhand
Principal Secretary, Education, Odisha
Erstwhile Principal Secretary, School Ed, Rajasthan
Erstwhile State Project Director, School Ed, Jharkhand
Commissioner and Director – CPI, Madhya Pradesh
State Project Director, SSA, Haryana
State Project Director, SSA, Himachal Pradesh
Additional Director – CPI, Madhya Pradesh
Additional Director – CPI, Madhya Pradesh
Deputy Director & Controller, Curriculum, Rajya Shiksha
Kendra, Madhya Pradesh
Director, TE&SCERT, Odisha
Principal Secretary School Ed, Madhya Pradesh
Principal Secretary, Education, Himachal Pradesh
Principal Secretary, School Ed, Rajasthan
Project Director, RSK, Madhya Pradesh
State Project Director, OSEPA, Odisha
Commissioner, School Education, Andhra Pradesh
Director, Elementary Education, Himachal Pradesh
Director, Elementary Education, Himachal Pradesh
Director, Elementary Education, Himachal Pradesh
List of Contributors
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
55
Pillars Interventions
Knowledge Partners
S.No
S.No
Interventions
Organization
Shri Surya Narayan Mishra
Ms. Seema Bansal & Team
Shri Gaurav Goel & Team
Ms. Prachi Windlass & Team
Shri Pravat Mishra,
Shri Satya Mohan Senapati
Shri Manoj Kaushik,
Ms.Savitri Sihag,
Shri Surender Bangar, and
Shri Surinder Sindhu
Shri B.K. Gupta, Shri
Deepak Moond, Shri
Mukesh Chand, and Shri
Vinod Jain
Shri Dipak Ray
Shri Aditya Natarajan &
Team
Shri Tapas Kumar Nayak
Ms. Y Durga Bhawani
Shri Jayant Mishra, Shri
Avinav Kumar, Shri Sachin
Kumar, Shri Keertiwas
Kumar, Shri Dhirsen Soren
19.
1.
4.
3.
21.
23.
25.
26.
28.
20.
2.
22.
24.
27.
Jt. Director, OSEPA, Odisha
Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
Samagra Governance
Michael and Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF)
AD (MIS), OSEPA, Odisha
Joint Director, DSE, Odisha
School Education Department, Haryana
School Education Department, Himachal Pradesh
School Education Department, Rajasthan
AD, Planning, OSEPA, Odisha
Piramal Foundation of Educational Leadership (PFEL)
Additional Director, TE & SCERT, Odisha
School Education Department, Andhra Pradesh
School Education Department, Jharkhand
Ms. Anuradha Sharma, Shri
Hitesh Azad, Dr. Manjula
Sharma, Shri Narender
Sharma, Shri Pradeep
Sharma, and Ms. Shikha
Sharma Pillars Interventions
Focus on
Academic
Reforms
Strengthen
Administrative
and Delivery
Systems
Strengthen
Human Capacity
1. Competency Framework
2. Assessment Reform
3. Learning Enhancement Program
4. School Optimization
5. ?dministrative efwciency through Tech and Data systems
6. Organization Restructuring
7. Communication Streamlining
8. Recruitment and Rationalization of Teaching & ?dmin staff
9. Teacher Training and Mentoring
Drive
Accountability
10. Academic monitoring and data backed reviews
Creating SharedVision and Motivation for Change
11. Competition framework
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
56
Appendix II Implementation Toolkits
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
57
Introduction and context
Traditionally, classroom teaching has been focused on syllabus completion. There is little or no
emphasis on competencies that students should master by the end of a chapter. Most teachers are
unaware of what these competencies are in the wrst place. Consequently, even assessments become
a test of students’ memory rather than command over competencies. This results in students going
through a cycle of completing chapters, taking assessments, and moving to higher classes without
mastering requisite concepts. Research by Duyo et al suggests, “Even though children are moving
up from one grade to the next, few actually master the grade-level competencies expected of them.
This could be attributed to a number of factors, including large class sizes, a shortage of qualiwed
teachers, unsuitable pedagogy and curriculum, and pressure on teachers to complete the prescribed
syllabus
11
.” Qualitative improvements in education require a shift from emphasis on ‘chapters taught’
to ‘competencies mastered’.
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Develop a learning outcomes (or competency) framework containing a comprehensive set of
learning outcomes (LOs) across all grades.
• Map teaching-learning resources (e.g., textbooks, workbooks) to the identiwed learning outcomes
framework to ensure coverage of the right concepts.
• Track mastery on learning outcomes across all identiwed indicators through periodic and continuous
assessments.
• Disseminate updated learning outcomes framework to engage and educate key stakeholders on
the change.
Design of the intervention
This toolkit comprises design elements to consider during the creation and adoption of a Learning
Outcomes Framework (LOF)
12
. These include:
• Content: Identifying a relevant and comprehensive list of Learning Outcomes (LOs) is the foundation
of an LOF. The NCERT Learning Level Outcome Framework created in 2017 is a detailed document
that provides a list of competencies by subject and class. It can be customised by States based
on the desired structure and usage. The NIPUN Bharat guidelines provide another set of priority
competency for foundational learning, targeted at pre-school and grades 1-3. A State may also
choose to use a combination of existing frameworks to determine its competency framework, as
done in the State of Haryana (refer supporting case study section for more details).
1. Competency Framework
11
Berry, J., Duyo, E., Mukerji, S., Shotland, M., Improving Learning Outcomes through the Government School System in India;
https://bit.ly/2Dr3Zzr
12
Note: Learning Outcomes Framework and Competency Framework has been used interchangeably Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
58
• Structure: In most situations, multiple resources such as textbooks, workbooks, learning kits and
remedial teaching manuals are utilised for the teaching-learning process. Therefore, it is helpful
to map each learning outcome to the resources that can be used to teach it. This makes the
framework a ready reckoner. The framework can also be used as a tracker by providing teachers a
weld to indicate mastery of a LO. The teacher may input the number of students who have mastered
an LO or mark a tick/ cross when a certain percentage of the class has mastered the competency.
• Information dissemination: Creating awareness regarding the use and adoption of the LOF is an
important step. Besides ofwcial communication from the department to schools, directly reaching
out to teachers through trainings, teacher WhatsApp groups or social media pages allows an
opportunity to convey the need and merits of the exercise and creates momentum in the system.
• Driving uptake: Formal checks to ensure teachers use the framework can be introduced by
giving visibility to LOFs in schools. Pasting printed or hand drawn copies in classrooms provides
teachers easy access to details and is a reminder to emphasise competency-based teaching. As in
Himachal Pradesh, States may use innovative means such as voice blasts, video messages, radio
jingles to encourage teachers to paste charts in classrooms. Another means to drive uptake is by
integrating competencies included in LOFs into centrally designed assessments e.g. by giving LO-
wise breakdown of results
• Monitoring compliance: Each State has its own review and monitoring process
13
. Including questions
regarding the use of the LOF in these proformas enforces a formal mechanism to mainstream the
artefact. Compliance data can be discussed in various State/ district/ block level review meetings.
Another method of following up on compliance is through teachers sending photographs of the
LOF in their classroom or of them using the LOF on common WhatsApp groups, through social
media pages etc.
13
For more information on review and monitoring process refer to ‘Review and Monitoring’ Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
59
Action charter
Finalise
content
Customise
structure
Disseminate
information
• Identify a relevant and comprehensive list of
learning outcomes
• Incorporate existing NCERT and SCERT frameworks
• Categorize learning outcomes by assessment cycles,
teaching-learning material, chapters, months
• Create awareness regarding use and adoption of the LOF
at forums, trainings or via WhatsApp groups & social
media pages
Drive
uptake
• Institutionalize usage by pasting LOFs in classrooms &
integrating competencies into centrally designed assessments
Monitor
compliance
• Monitor use via school monitoring, discuss compliance
in reviews
• Teachers may send photos of LOFs in their classroom
on WhatsApp Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
60
Supporting case study
(Haryana)
Background
Between 2015 and 2017, Haryana created several learning outcome frameworks for varying applications
and purposes, but these were not widely adopted. Multiple frameworks also led to confusion in the
system and teachers, who were still focused on syllabus completion.
NCERT’s 2017 learning-level outcome framework nudged Haryana to streamline existing frameworks
and create a uniwed LOF - Saksham Taalika. It is a class-wise (Class I to V) LOF created by the State
Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Haryana, for English, Hindi, and Mathematics. It
lays out the learning outcomes to be taught for each summative assessment test (SAT)
14
from textbooks
and remedial teaching material. It is a document made available to teachers for each class. For easy
access and to drive competency-based teaching, it is also pasted in classrooms.
14
Summative Assessment Tests (SATs) are bi-monthly unit tests centrally administered across Haryana Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
61
Implementation
Key pieces of the implementation plan are highlighted below.
• LOF Content: A user-friendly LOF was designed keeping the following in mind:
Teaching-learning material: Two resources are primarily used in the classroom – textbooks
and the remedial programme teaching guide called Learning Enhancement Programme (LEP)
Manual
15
. Providing teachers with a list of competencies to be taught from each resource
helped identify what concepts students need to master through which chapters. Including
a mapping between the textbook and remedial teaching content in the framework allowed
synchronised teaching from both sources.
Summative Assessment Tests (SATs): Competencies and chapters are taught based on the
content tested in each SAT. Organising the framework by SAT cycle left no ambiguity with
respect to when each competency needed to be covered.
• LOF Structure
List of competencies: The LOs act as a dewnite and clear learning goals for each subject and
class, enabling teachers to focus on concepts and helping students become grade competent.
Mapping to teaching-learning resources: Teaching-learning resources such as textbooks,
workbooks, remedial teaching manuals were mapped to the framework, making it a ready-
reckoner. This helped to focus on teaching at the right level
Tracking mastery of LOs: The framework doubles up as a tracker by providing teachers
a weld to indicate mastery of a LO by the student. The teacher added a tick against the
respective competency codes when certain competencies had been mastered by a student.
• Creation process: Features of the process to create a comprehensive LOF are as follows:
Available frameworks: The NCERT Learning Level Outcome Framework created in 2015
and updated in 2017 is a detailed document that provides a list of competencies by subject
and class. It can be customised by the State’s SCERT based on the desired structure.
Selecting appropriate frameworks: Saksham Taalika is an amalgamation of two pre-existing
frameworks that form the basis of teaching-learning content: (i) SCERT Haryana created a
list of learning indicators or competencies in 2015 that formed the backbone of the State
textbook content (ii) framework developed by S?RD, a non-prowt in coordination with SCERT
subject-experts, was the basis of remedial programme teaching content in LEP Manuals.
Mapping textbook to remedial content: Next, the two selected frameworks had to be
integrated. Competencies were mapped across these two frameworks based on a combination
of inputs from SCERT and the State Assessment Cell.
15
For more information on remedial teaching refer to ‘Remedial Programme’ Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
62
• Information dissemination: Awareness about Saksham Taalika was created through:
Of?cial communication: Schools received detailed circulars from the department of education
regarding adopting Saksham Taalika and pasting it in classrooms.
WhatsApp groups: Teachers received direct messages with detailed instructions regarding
usage of the framework via 120 block-level WhatsApp groups
16
.
Teacher training sessions: Effective use of LOFs was promoted through teacher trainings.
Teachers were introduced to the concept of competencies and frameworks at a training
conducted by NCERT regarding use of the LO framework. Additionally, the State’s remedial
programme training content, for both in-person and video-based training, included
instructions on using LOF.
• Driving uptake among teachers: To popularise the use of Saksham Taalika the following efforts
were made:
Integrating with assessments: SATs are competency-based with each question mapped to a
particular LO provided in the LOF. Exams were largely based on grade-level content with 25%
based on remedial content. This ensured that teachers adopt the LOF not only for classroom
but also remedial teaching.
Placing LOFs in classrooms: All schools were mandated to provide teachers with printed
copies of the LOF to be pasted in all classrooms. This provided teachers easy access and
acted as a reminder to lay emphasis on competency-based teaching
• Monitoring compliance: Monitoring usage of Saksham Taalika was done in the following ways:
Administrative review and monitoring: As part of administrative reviews and monitoring
17
in
the State, monitors and mentors made multiple school visits. During their visits they ensured
that LOFs were pasted in classrooms and followed up with teachers in case they were missing.
Sending photos: Teachers needed to send photographs of the LOF pasted in their classrooms
on teacher Whats?pp groups where Block Education Ofwcers (BEOs) tracked compliance.
120 such block-level groups were in existence.
• Applications: The integration of the Saksham Taalika with other facets of the academic ecosystem
was vital to ensure its adoption was sustainable. It was embedded within the system in the following
ways:
Classroom teaching: Laying out the competencies to be taught through a chapter helped
the teacher focus on necessary concepts and shift focus from a syllabus-completion approach.
LOF provided teachers with a list of chapters to be taught from the textbook for each SAT
and competencies to be focused on in a chapter. For instance, for the Math SAT-3, Class III
students had to be taught the ‘Dancing Numbers’ chapter. The teacher needed to ensure that
at the end of the chapter students could successfully compare numbers and identify the three
smallest and greatest numbers in a series.
Remedial teaching: Alongside regular teaching, LOF provided teachers clarity on pre-
requisite competencies that needed to be taught during remedial classes. For instance, to
teach the chapter mentioned above, the remedial programme should teach ‘Measurement’
and ‘Patterns’. This was necessary to ensure clarity on concepts such as far-near, heavy-light,
small-big and the ability to identify shape and number patterns.
16
For more information on establishing communication channels refer to ‘Streamlining Communications’
17
For more information on academic mentoring, monitoring and review refer to ‘Review and Monitoring’ Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
63
Assessments: Assessments designed both centrally and by teachers should have questions
corresponding to relevant competencies to gauge student understanding at different
intervals and track progress. Since the LOF laid out competencies to be taught, all questions
in SATs are competency-based. Even for in-classroom formative assessment tests, teachers
are encouraged to create assessments aligned with competencies in the LOF.
Dashboard: A Student Assessment Test dashboard provide teachers with student
performance (percentage students who know the LO) on each competency tested in the SAT.
This data could be viewed at the State, district, block, school and teacher level. Availability
of granular data allowed teachers to benchmark the performance of their class against other
geographies and identify areas that required attention.
Stakeholders Roles and responsibilities
SCERT
DIET ofwcers
Director
(School
Education)
and DCs
Creating the LOF including its content and structure,
ensuring all content across different TLM and assessments
are mapped to the LOF
Creating the LOF including its content and structure,
ensuring all content across different TLM and assessments
are mapped to the LOF
Leading State and District review meetings, using the
language of data and competencies in meetings, setting
deadlines to ensure that competencies are articulated and
LOF charts are visible through the school premises,
for instance through LOF charts pasted in classrooms
Outcomes
Incorporating learning outcomes into multiple facets of the education ecosystem is vital to ensure its
adoption and sustained use. Teachers use the Saksham Taalika and it helps shift the focus of classroom
teaching from syllabus completion to a competency-driven methodology. It also helps in the effective
implementation of other initiatives such as the LEP
18
and conducting quality assessments in the State
19
.
18
For more information on academic mentoring, monitoring and review refer to ‘Remedial Programme’
19
For more information on academic mentoring, monitoring and review refer to ‘Assessment Quality’
63 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
64
Eppendix
Haryana’s Saksham Taalika
• Relevant documents:
Saksham Taalika/ Learning Outcome Framework: A tabular mapping of learning
outcomes to be taught for each summative assessment from textbooks and remedial
teaching material
Textbook framework: List of competencies created by SCERT in 2015 based on
NCERT Learning Indicator framework. Also forms the backbone of the State textbooks
Remedial teaching framework: Framework developed by SARD and SCERT subject-
experts. Forms the basis of remedial programme teaching content in LEP Manuals
Student Assessment Test Dashboard: Provides key student performance statistics on
each competency tested in the SAT
A similar approach driven of usaging of competencies and Learning Outcomes to drive the teaching-
learning process has been taken up by the SATH States. A common list of competencies, mapped
to a LOF has been developed and States are revising their textbook content, remediation programs,
teachers’ assessments of students against this framework.
In Jharkhand, the Learning Tracking Format has been developed to track student-wise learning levels
on key competencies for classes 1-8 on the State MIS eVidya Vahini (eVV). Once schools re-open, it will
be employed for baseline assessment of student learning levels, track student progression over time
and prioritize remediation content as per the identiwed competencies for improvement.
In the past, a similar tool has been used for ‘Spot Assessments’ by CRCs/ BRCs, who visit schools
and conduct random spot checks of sample number of students from a school on the selected
competencies. This data is fed into the eVV app and is used for certiwcation of schools in different
categories, an indicator of school rankings on learning levels. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
65
In Madhya Pradesh, implementation and returns from Dakshata Unnayan, the yagship remediation
program are assessed through the Dakshata Unnayan Tracker. The tracker comprises a list of target
competencies dewned for 3 categories for learning levels (L1-2, L3-5, L6-8) and 2 subjects (Hindi,
Maths). Teachers note the date on which a student achieves each competency – this enables student
progression tracking over time. For aggregate data reporting, teachers input the percentage of
students in a class who are able to achieve a competency, in the State MIS, the M-Shiksha Mitra.
65
Exhibit 4.1.1: Learning Tracking Format aligned to competencies for classes 1-8 in Jharkhand Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
66
Exhibit 4.1.2: Learning Tracking Format aligned to competencies for classes 1-8 in Madhya Pradesh Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
67
Introduction and context
Traditionally, assessments in States have been taking place in an ad hoc and dispersed manner. It
has been observed that currently students in any State sit for a multitude of assessment tests, some
directed by the State department and others mandated by a national directive. These tests often assess
students for different competencies at different grade levels, are conducted at variable frequencies
during the school year, and require distinctive planning and skill-set requirements of teachers. Further,
the results of these tests often show vastly different performances of the same schools. This has led
to a situation where it is difwcult to determine which is the right assessment to rely on for mapping
student learning levels. While the nature of all these tests vary, there is little clarity on the exact
purpose of each of these assessments. There is, thus, a need to identify the core purpose of each
assessment and then schedule it in the yearly academic calendar.
This should be followed by suitable design, data collection, and utilization strategies. Assessment data
provides valuable insights into student performance and can be used to customise teaching content
and methodologies. In the absence of such data at the student, class, block, district, and State level,
it is impossible to gauge the performance of the education system. Moreover, there needs to be a
focus on competency-based formative assessments rather than rote-based summative assessments.
The New Education Policy has also called for rationalization of assessments structure within States to
address these issues.
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Create simpliwed assessments framework, with fewer assessments that are well-tied to varied use-
cases and purposes
• Ensure reliable data collection mechanisms with rigorous monitoring mechanisms to improve
learning outcomes
• Ensure assessments are designed in a manner that questions are mapped to target competencies
• Enable teachers to measure student learning levels at regular intervals so that teachers can take
timely corrective action to improve student performance
Design of the intervention
The following should be considered to revamp the assessments framework, quality of assessments,
administer assessments, and create an assessments dashboard in the State.
Ensuring administration of select standardized, quality assessments
• Development of Assessments Framework: Depending on the requirements of students as well
as the fundamental purpose served by each assessment, a simpliwed assessments framework must
be developed which caters to the needs of the State and at the same time, reduces the burden on
students.
• Calendar of Assessments: A pre-aligned, pre-informed calendar of assessments in the academic
year should be shared with all stakeholders beforehand, so that differing preparation strategies can
be commenced timely.
2. Toolkit for Assessment Reforms Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
68
• Building Capacity and Team Formation: The effort may be led by SCERT or by education experts
or partners such as TPA (Third Party Assessors), Pratham etc. A specialised composite team may
also be created for this purpose as done in Andhra Pradesh in the form of an Assessment Cell. It is
important to have a rigorous selection process and clearly dewne roles and responsibilities of each
stakeholder. These teams may be provided training to build expertise, if needed. These experts
may help in process formulation, question-paper design, evaluation protocols and apt usage of
assessments data.
• Frequency of administration: Assessing students at regular intervals with gaps is important to
understand student performance on the course content taught. It is important to spread out the
frequency of teacher level (formative) and standardised (summative) assessments while providing
sufwcient time for in-classroom teaching.
• Learning Outcome (LO) mapping: LO mapping is important to ensure that questions are testing
the right concepts. They shed light on mastery of concepts taught, ensure that all concepts are
tested and that a good mix of questions is created.
• Exam paper creation: The exam question papers may be created by a group of teachers or by
an external third-party onboarded by the State, as in Jharkhand. These teachers may receive
customised training or question banks sourced from teachers across the State as done in Haryana.
External bodies with expertise in education such as Centre for Science of Student Learning (CSSL)
or Pratham may be leveraged to provide assistance with the subject matter in the process.
• Question paper quality: A good quality question paper ensures that questions are asked at
the correct difwculty level, test what they intend to, are worded appropriately, and do not have
typographical errors. Questions should be mapped to target competencies for the subject/ grade-
level as per the purpose of the assessment.
• Logistics: Assessments may be administered in a centralised or decentralised manner. In a
centralised setup, as in Haryana, soft copies of the question papers are sent to the district level
where they are printed and then sent to schools. An alternative, as followed in Jharkhand, is to test
students verbally/ in written and input data on the eVV app. This is done by CRCs and BRCs as part
of the Spot Testing program.
• Assessment administration: Monitoring may be carried out during assessments through rigorous
invigilation to prevent cheating or post-assessments by ensuring student marks have been calculated
and recorded correctly. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
69
Creating an assessment dashboard that provides relevant insights in a
usable format
• Collecting data: The wrst step is to identify the data to be collected at the appropriate level of
granularity (student-wise, class-wise, subject-wise and learning outcome-wise by school, cluster,
block, district). Guidelines should be issues to relevant stakeholders along with suitable formats, in
case data collection for student performance is expected. Teachers should be given the yexibility to
conduct assessments and use data for self-evaluation without uploading to a centralized database.
• Digitising data: Teachers may record student performance into an Optical Mark Recognition
(OMR) sheet as in Himachal Pradesh or through an online form integrated with existing digitised
data systems. In case data must be fed into an online form, the requisite infrastructure to perform
data entry at the school level must be provided.
• Creating a dashboard: A dashboard may be created in house by leveraging the State NIC or
through a private vendor with expertise in the domain. It is important to plan the data input formats,
data yow, visualisation, and user interface.
Different data points may be collected at the chosen level of granularity and frequency. Student
performance may be measured in terms of:
Marks obtained in a question
Number of questions answered correctly
Number of students scoring marks in a certain range
Percentage of students who have acquired an LO. A prerequisite to this is having assessments
set with question-wise LO mapping
20
A user-friendly dashboard includes custom views for stakeholders showing relevant information and
trends (e.g., improvement of student performance over period of time for a certain set of LOs).
• Training:
To help teachers input data and use the dashboard, they require training. This may
be conducted in the form of in-person trainings, workshops or remotely through videos or
infographics that can be made available on WhatsApp groups and Department websites.
• Monitoring data quality: A review and monitoring mechanism helps maintain data quality
and ensure compliance. During school monitoring visits, ofwcers can conduct checks on a
random sample of answer sheets and/ or orally test students.
20
For more information on assessment design, please refer to ‘Quality of Assessments’ Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
70
Streamline Assessments
Framework
Set assessment frequency
Create exam paper
Map learning outcomes
Check question paper quality
Administer assessment
Collect data
Digitize data
Create a dashboard
Visualize data
Train teachers & staff
Monitor data quality
Drive data-backed decisions
Form a team
Develop simpliwed assessments framework,
with purpose-driven, pre-scheduled tests with prior
information to all.
Establish frequency for teacher-level (formative) &
standardized (summative) assessments.
Create exam paper based on a dewned process
Involve teachers and education expert organizations.
Map each question to a learning outcome
Incorporate a good mix of questions across all
concepts.
Check the difwculty level, test concepts, phrasing and
typographical errors for each question.
Administer assessments in line with the purpose and
design of the speciwc assessment. Prevent cheating
through rigorous invigilation.
Collect assessment data at the appropriate level of
granularity (student, class, subject, learning outcome)
and frequency as per the purpose of the assessment.
Collect and digitize assessment data through online
forms, portals or OMR scanners.
Develop a dashboard in house by leveraging the State
NIC or through a private vendor.
Select the various graphs, tables and reports based on
use-cases for each stakeholder.
Train teachers and administrative staff.
Discuss methods to input data & effectively use the
dashboard.
Decide review and monitoring cadence to maintain data
quality and ensure compliance.
Leverage the dashboard to take data-driven, academic
and administrative/ operational decisions.
Create a team of SCERT experts and/ or education experts.
Ection charter Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
71

Maintaining data quality
despite the manual and self-
reported data input process.
Lack of suitable expertise in SCERT
to advise on goals of assessment,
assessment design,
implementation, and evaluation.
Lacking necessary technological
expertise and capacity to create a
dashboard.
Teachers failing to understand the
goals and purpose of various types
of assessments.
Institutionalising the use of
dashboards capturing assessment
data.
Convey to teachers that there are no incentives
attached to entering inyated data or showing good
performance.
Random audits to be conducted by BEOs, DEOs and
DIET ofwcers, and conduct student assessments for
random samples of students.
Deploy a non-teacher BRP/ CRP cadre (as is case in
Jharkhand).
Onboard external experts, plan orientations and trainings
for internal capacity-building.
Focus on a coherent view of assessments, create a
common check-list that all assessments must satisfy
(deploy a common framework).
On-board a tech vendor for integrating student
assessment data and related dashboards into existing
MIS.
Orient and educate teachers on various types of
assessments, and enable them to decide the best use-
case for each type.
Train teachers on how to view assessment results on
the dashboard and effectively use insights; regularly
take input for teacher trainings.
Challenges and mitigation
ChallengesMitigation Strategies Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
72
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
72
Supporting case study
(Jharkhand)
Background
Like most States, Jharkhand used to conduct annual learning assessments (SA1/ SA2) as per the
requirements of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE). However, the quality of data
generated by these assessments was poor and was rarely shared back with the weld. There were several
shortcomings: (i) data from some block and districts was often incomplete due to limited data entry
processes and manpower (ii) collected data was of poor quality (e.g., characters in place of numbers)
(iii) competency-wise student-level data of student performance was not available (iv) several schools
showed results which were highly improbable (>90% scores) and inconsistent with ground reality
(v) most of the questions used in assessments were recall-based which do not give insights about
understanding of relevant student concepts.
In order to address these challenges, Jharkhand developed a unique model of Spot-Testing where
BRP/ CRPs randomly assess students during school inspections and generate learning assessment data
of over 2 lakh students every month. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
7373
Implementation
Spot Testing is a system where BRP/ CRPs randomly assess 3 students during school inspections. The
assessment is only in 3 subjects (English, Math, and Hindi)
The implementation of spot testing has 5 essential elements:
• Standardized list of competencies: SCERT dewned a standardized list of competencies with a
focus on foundational competencies up to Class 5 level. Each competency was then mapped to
example questions to ensure consistency across the State.
Exhibit 4.2.1: Standardized list of competencies developed for Class 1 to 5
Class 1
Counting till 99
Class 5 Add/ Subtract Fractions
1 digit addition/ subtraction
Class 2
Mathematics
Class 3
Class 4
2 digit addition/ subtraction
2 digit addition/ subtraction
1x1 digit multiplication
2 x 1 digit multiplication
2 digit by 1 digit division
2 x 2 digit multiplication
3 digit by 1 digit division
Recognition of Fractions
Class 1
English Reading
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4-5
Can read simple sentences
Can read complex sentences yuently
Can identify, differentiate,
& read letters of alphabet
Can read simple words
Can read complex words
Can read full paragraphs? yuently with
correct pronunciation and punctuation
Can read, comprehend, and
answer simple RC questions
Can read, comprehend, and
answer complex RC questions Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
74

Process of spot testing
If a student is in Class X, choose the highest competency of Class X/2
For example: If a student is in Class 5, choose the highest competency of Class 2
Keep checking for higher competency till
the student cannot answer the question
This is the highest learning level of the student
Keep checking for lower competency till
the student can answer the question
This is the highest learning level of the student
Class 1
Counting till 99
1 digit addition/subtraction
Class 2
2 digit addition/subtraction
2 digit addition/subtraction
Class 3
1x1 digit multiplication
2 x 1 digit multiplication
2 digit by 1 digit division
2 x 2 digit multiplication
Class 4
3 digit by 1 digit division
Recognition of Fractions
Class 5 Add/ Subtract Fractions
Class 1
Counting till 99
1 digit addition/subtraction
Class 2
2 digit addition/subtraction2 digit addition/subtraction
Class 3
1x1 digit multiplication
2 x 1 digit multiplication
2 digit by 1 digit division
2 x 2 digit multiplication
Class 4
3 digit by 1 digit division
Recognition of Fractions
Class 5 Add/ Subtract Fractions
:6
If the student answers 2 out of 3
questions, the student is
assumed to have grasped the
competency.
If X/2 is a fraction, round
downwards.
Starting in the middle allows us to
determine the highest learning
level by asking the least number of
questions
Exhibit 4.2.2: SOP for Spot Testing
Exhibit 4.2.3: Identifying right competency level for a student and feeding into the app
5
Select the highest competency on the tab
By selecting the highest competency
of the child, the lower competencies
automatically get filled
• Simpli?ed standard operating procedure: In order to assess students, the process must consume
as little time as possible. The process has been dewned such that BRPs/ CRPs start the assessment
of a student from the middle of the competency list and then move up or down (i.e. test higher/
lower competencies) based on whether the student answers correctly or incorrectly.
• Easy-to-use digital interface: ? mobile application was designed with a simpliwed user interface.
Under this interface, the learning levels of a student in each subject can be captured with just a
single touch. Data recording & digitization is therefore not a chore.
Process of spot testing
Select the highest compentency on the tab • Clear & consistent messaging: The most important element was the consistency in messaging
from the State through letters/ WhatsApp/ workshops, etc. that the assessments would not be used
for any form of accountability either against teachers or BRP/ CRPs. This sustained and consistent
messaging created incentives for weld ofwcials to report this data accurately without fear or favor.
• Immediate usage & dissemination: Every month, the spot testing data is analyzed at a district level
and competency level and shared with blocks and districts. This data is then made a mandatory
part of review processes. Every month, ofwcials can see trends in learning across subjects/ grades/
competencies and action it accordingly.
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
75
• High quality training: Each BRP/ CRP was given sustained and continuous support to execute spot
testing inside classrooms.
Zero-cascade State level training: Each BRP/ CRP was individually trained at State-level
over 1 month to ensure no dilution in training, and to ensure perfect understanding of
assessment tools and methodology.
FAQ documents & manuals: Material distributed in printed and electronic form.
Continuous communication: Engagement through WhatsApp and Call Center/ Control
Room.
JEPC (Jharkhand Education Project Council) & SATH-E team
CSM
BRPs, CRPs
DEO, DSE
JCERT
Analysing data for weak LOs (where students have weak
performance), regular reviews of districts.
Tech vendor which developed the Spot Testing
module on eVV (State MIS) on which spot testing is
conducted, assessment data is uploaded.
Visit schools, and assess 3 randomly selected students
and enter data on spot-testing.
District-level reviews and tracking of school visits, and
learning outcomes by schools.
Competencies-identiwcation for testing.
Roles and responsibilities
StakeholdersRoles and responsibilities Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
76
Outcomes
There are different types of outcomes that have resulted from the implementation of Spot
Testing in the State:
• High quality, accurate, and consistent dat: For the wrst time, the State has access to high quality
learning data. It has been cross-veriwed at school level and proven to be an accurate reyection of
learning outcomes in the State. The consistency of the data is remarkably accurate as can be seen
from the image below where differences in data collected at 3 separate time-periods in October
2018 is within a 1% range. It is not possible to manipulate data across 2 lakh students and 3000
BRP/ CRPs with this level of consistency.
• Use of data for decision making: Availability of data has opened a new space for analysis and
data-driven decision making:
Impact Evaluation: Spot-testing learning data (because of its accuracy and granularity) is
now being used to judge the impact of any intervention in the State (NGO interventions,
State-academic programs, etc.).
Most importantly, the data is not just accurate but is also:
Frequent: This is not annual assessment data but data available at a high rate of frequency
(daily/ weekly/ monthly). This allows the State to analyze month-on-month improvements,
impact of summer holidays or teacher strikes on learning, detect poor implementation
immediately, etc.
Granular: The data is available at a disaggregated subject level, grade level, and competency
level allowing for a range of complex analytics to be applied to make meaningful inferences.
Exhibit 4.2.4 – Learning dashboards created using Spot Monitoring data
Jharkhand: Vast repository of accurate learning data covering 2 lakh students available each month

Jharkhand: Vast repository of accurate learning data
covering 2L students available each month
1 2 3 4 5 6
67.2 87.6 93.9 96.8 98.3 98.6
14.6 90.0 80.6 91.1 94.2 96.2
0.0 17.2 53.0 74.4 82.9 90.0
0.0 4.9 29.6 56.1 68.4 80.3
0.0 0.0 18.5 42.4 57.6 70.4
0.0 0.0 9.7 30.5 47.4 60.8
0.0 0.0 0.0 11.2 25.7 40.7
0.0 0.0 0.0 18.5 34.8 49.7
0.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 16.4 32.0
0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 3.4 12.8
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.1 8.4
66.9 86.7 94.7 97.8 98.4 98.9
16.7 90.4 83.0 92.6 94.8 97.6
0.0 17.0 56.6 78.3 84.7 90.7
0.0 4.2 31.7 58.6 70.4 80.9
0.0 0.0 19.0 44.0 59.8 71.6
0.0 0.0 9.8 31.8 49.8 62.5
0.0 0.0 0.0 12.4 27.0 41.7
0.0 0.0 0.0 18.9 36.2 50.2
0.0 0.0 0.0 7.1 18.0 30.0
0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 3.9 11.0
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.3 7.9
67.1 86.9 93.8 96.6 98.1 99.0
16.6 90.8 83.4 91.8 94.8 97.7
0.0 19.0 56.1 75.8 84.7 91.3
0.0 5.0 30.9 55.4 70.2 80.7
0.0 0.0 19.3 41.8 58.0 71.9
0.0 0.0 10.0 29.9 47.1 62.7
0.0 0.0 0.0 11.8 23.6 42.0
0.0 0.0 0.0 18.3 33.4 51.8
0.0 0.0 0.0 6.2 15.5 31.2
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 3.6 10.9
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.9 6.6
1
st
– 10
th
Oct 2018 11
th
–20
th
Oct 2018 21
st
–31
st
Oct 2018
*UDGH
Decimal point consistency in data collected across by
3000 BRP/CRPs over 30 days is impossible to
manufacture.
Variation in data also consistent with on-ground
realities and qualitative understanding. Trends hold
true across all subjects -Math/English/Hindi.
Accuracy of Spot Testing driven by low conflict of interest in
CRP cadre (separate from teacher cadre)
Recognises 2 digit numbers and can identify numbers upto99
Can add & subtract 1 digit numbers
Can add & subtract 2 digit numbers without carry over
Can add & subtract 2 digit numbers with carry over
Can multiply 1 digit numbers by 1 digit number
Can multiply 2 digit numbers by 1 digit numbers
Can multiply 2 digit numbers by 2 digit numbers
Can divide 2 digit numbers by 1 digit numbers
Can divide 3 digit numbers by 1 digit number
Can recognise fractions from images & vice-versa
Can add and subtract simple fractions Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
77
Exhibit 4.2.5: Sample data visualisation to aid decision making
Rank 14: Ramgarh
Improvement in 3/1 digit division (Sugam) is also signi?cant
Decentralized academic decision making: This has led to monthly discussions on trends in
learning, and decentralized decisions to improve learning in speciwc competencies/ subjects
through innovative training mechanisms, peer-learning etc.
Teacher training: The State has used the data to highlight speciwc competency gaps which have
shown low growth over longer periods of time and designed training modules to address them.

Improvement in 3/1 digit division (Sugam) is also significant
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
39
Class 7
46
17
55
59
Class 9
51
C
lass
% Students
8
7
Class 4
20
Class 5Class 8
32
45
36
Class 6
+23%
+16%
+12%
+15%
+11%
+8%
Oct-18
Feb-19
Class 7 outcomes (Feb) already
matches Class 8 (Oct) outcomes
Large gap in division between Class 4,5
likely because students learn it towards the
beginning of the year through curricular
teaching

Rank 14: Ramgarh
MathematicsEnglishHindi
15157
Subject
Ranks
Best competencyWorst competency Worst Transitioning competency*
37%
3%
Learning outcomes (%)
44%
Subjects
59%
48%2%
53%
3% 3%
57%
35%
5%
44%
5%
61%
40% 38%
49%
Change (%)
July (%)
Ramgarh State Average Worst Subject Best Subject
Hindi: Writing complex sentences H indi: Identifying, differentiating, writing
letters
English: Writing simple words to sentences
(Grade 5)
Note: Calculated for grades 2,3,5,8 comparing absolute change in learning levels between July and August'19
*Calculated based on difference between % learning outcome of the higher & lower competency for grades 3, 5, 8 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
78
• Changed narrative around learning outcomes – Because of daily spot testing and its subsequent
usage in regular decision making at all levels of the system, there is a completely changed narrative
around learning outcomes in the State.
School level: Teachers are aware that the focus of inspection has now shifted from inputs to
outcomes. Children are now tested on improvement of learning levels on a regular basis.
Block/ District level: ?ll ofwcials have open access to the learning data available at a granular
level and are engaging with their district’s learning data every month. This has led to a
consistent and meaningful conversation on assessments, outcomes, and improvement.
State level: wAccess to high quality learning data has led to every initiative by State or non-
State actors being evaluated primarily based on learning, thus making quality education and
learning outcomes the center of administration. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
79
Supporting case study
(Madhya Pradesh)
Background
The design, data capture and analysis of assessments in the State did not provide competency-wise
understanding of the learning levels of students. In the absence of a unifying rubric, the scores across
years were not comparable. The State department realized the need to strengthen ongoing assessments
for grades 9-12 and build internal capacity to conduct valid, reliable, and fair learning assessments, to
facilitate evidence-based decisions.
Towards this end, it was decided that an assessment cell should be set-up in the State department
consisting of a State level assessments team, who would support the State in the design and
administration of high-quality assessments, data analysis of results to identify implications for central
curriculum, training, governance and other interventions. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
80
Implementation
Post initial conceptualization, an RFP was yoated as part of Project S?TH-E to onboard an expert
organization to support the MP education department with recruiting and forming this assessment
cell as well as build its capacity. The RFP process was run in 2018, and Education Initiatives (EI) was
onboarded as the formal assessments partner in Feb 2020. Speciwcally, the following aspects were
detailed out:
• Objectives of the assessment cell: There are two primary objectives of the cell:
To design high-quality diagnostic assessments, efwciently conduct assessments, perform
sophisticated data analytics, and disseminate the results to identiwed stakeholders so as to
inform teaching practices, curricula and materials, training,etc.
To build the capacity of the district key resource group to be able to conduct tests, understand
results and engage in their dissemination, as well as drive on-ground actions for improvement
thereafter.
The cell is responsible for designing and administering high-quality assessments that test learning
competencies and higher order thinking skills (e.g., questions on understanding, analysis etc. and not
just on knowledge). It is also responsible for collecting the data generated from these assessments and
undertaking a robust data analytics exercise. The insights from this data are expected to provide State,
district and block level ofwcers’ actionable information for various purposes such as identifying content
for teacher training, benchmarking student learning levels, etc. In the medium term, the cell will also
conduct student assessments on non-cognitive aspects like attitudes and values which are equally
important for overall success of students.
• Suitable composition of the assessment cell: The assessment cell has 6 different roles
A Project Manager, who functions as the head of the cell (1 person)
Assessment design professionals (at least 1 per subject taught in secondary grades)
Data ofwcers (4 persons)
Communication associates (2 persons)
A software professional (1 person)
District Key Resource Group (2 DKRGs per district): to be identiwed and trained by EI, DKRGs
are ofwcers of DIET or teachers from a district. This group would assist the cell in administration
of the test, result dissemination and implementation, and supply additional manpower to the
cell as and when needed.
• Key asks made of EI as per tender scope of work: Following are the 7 key work-areas of
Educational Initiatives (EI) in this context:
Establishing a State assessment cell for Classes 9-12 of government schools at State level.
Building the capacity of the State assessment cell (including DKRGs) to perform all functions
related to assessment including designing assessments, collecting data on assessments, data
analysis and dissemination.
Assist in conducting an independent diagnostic assessment for two grades (grades 9 and 11)
in secondary and higher senior secondary classes for 4 subjects for grade 9 (Maths, Science,
English, Hindi) and for 6 subjects for grade 11 (Maths, Science, English, Hindi, Commerce
and Economics).
Assist in conducting an assessment/ study of values and attitudes of a sample of children from
all grades 9-12. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
81
Status of various tasks as of now, and what’s expected in the time left.
State assessment cell has been established, under which 15 Subject Expert (SE) and 64
Assessment Design Expert (ADE) have been successfully recruited. Currently, recruitment of
approximately 55 personnel is pending.
9 out of 18 training workshops of all SEs and ADEs have been completed. The remaining 9
training workshops, diagnostic study, and a study of value and attitudes and its impact on
learning outcomes to be conducted in the remaining period.
• Outcomes seen so far and anticipated going forward: EI, along with the Education department
of the State, has established a secondary assessment cell, leading to a visible improvement in
assessment design and administration process. Capacity building workshops for the members of
the assessment cell (including DKRGs) are ongoing.
District/ block ofwcials
State education department
Education Initiatives
(onboarded via RFP)
Members of the assessment cell
• Supervise the administration of assessment, as
instructed by the department.
• Use the assessment results provided to improve
student learning and development
• Outlined the scope of work for creating a robust
assessment cell, via which EI was onboarded
• Coordinate with EI for setup and capacity building
of the assessment cell.
• Establish recruitment criteria and process for
onboarding the State’s assessment cell.
• Undertake various activities (such as workshops) to
build capacity of the assessment cell.
• Provide the framework and necessary instruments
for conduct of diagnostic tests (academic as well as
cognitive).
• Attend and participate in capacity building
programs, as mandated.
• Create assessments for the State.
Roles and responsibilities
StakeholdersRoles and responsibilities
Eppendix
Relevant Documents:
• Secondary assessment cell – RFP
21
• Question banks and blue prints created by the assessment cell, MPBSE and State education
department
22
21
https://drive.google.com/wle/d/1bI8CDDTWC9ZrxHtP_I-m22?s1xyuWngT/view?usp=sharing
22
https://www.vimarsh.mp.gov.in/(S(xgiv55cuciqwtm23edmfupap))/Examination.aspx Supporting case study
(Haryana)
Background
The Haryana education department collected student assessment data, but the assessment framework
and process faced certain deep-seated challenges: (i) examinations were not held frequently (ii)
competencies were not captured in the assessments framework (iii) no set processes for marks entry (iv)
data visualization strategies were not employed.
Haryana then conducted a standardized examination but it faced certain issues: (i) large-scale manual
entry of marks 63 million data points was time-consuming and prone to errors (ii) 60% data loss due to
damage to answer booklets either in storage or due to security lapses (iii) the online report generated
was not user-friendly.
Hence, there was a need to build a robust system to collect, digitize, analyze data, and disseminate
learnings.
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
82 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
83
Implementation
State-wide assessments were standardised and learning outcome data was collected, per question at
the student, class, and subject level. Actionable insights at school, teacher, block and district level were
provided via a user-centric Student Assessment Test (SAT) Dashboard
23
to help formulate decentralized
and context-speciwc strategies to improve performance.
• Designing assessments: The State conducted six standardised assessments with each question
aligned to a speciwc learning outcome (LO). This allowed LO performance of all students across the
State to be analysed on the same standardized scale.
• Collecting data: The data was collected for six assessments in an academic year and the dashboard
had an average wll rate of 87%. This dashboard recorded scores for Class I to XII.
Class I to VIII: Student-wise and subject-wise data for half-yearly and annual assessments
was recorded. The metrics captured included all objective questions answered correctly and
number of marks obtained. For the remaining four assessments (there are six in all),
class-wise, subject-wise marks were captured, e.g., percentage of students scoring between
10% and 33%, or above 90%, etc. Further, LO-wise data was captured for students
whoanswered a question correctly.
Class IX to XII: For all assessments, student-wise, subject-wise total marks obtained are
recorded.
• Digitising data: Within 15 days of the exam, teachers collate marks for all students. A representative
or data entry operator from each school logs into a data entry portal integrated with the State MIS
to record assessment scores. The data is used to generate performance reports at the school,
teacher, block, district and State level.
• Visualising data: Availability of student-level, question-wise and subject-wise data allows timely
and corrective action. The administration can make targeted policy decisions while teachers can
modify classroom teaching based on the class competency status.
Information available: The dashboard provides student performance data over the past 4
months with wlters available for each district, block, school, class and subject:
Reports available: The dashboard provides views of data aggregated at the State, district,
block, school and teacher level for different stakeholders such as district and block level
ofwcers, principals and teachers.
Access: The dashboard is available online and publicly accessible, thus improving
accountability in the system.
• Training: To help teachers input data and use the dashboard, infographics and training videos were
sent across to more than 119 block-level teacher WhatsApp groups, and links were added to the
Department website. ?dditionally, block-level ofwcers conducted workshops with school heads.
23
http://mtms.hryedumis.gov.in/#/DashboardHomePage Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
84
• Monitoring data quality: Information in the Academic Monitoring System (AMS) is used to
triangulate data. The ?MS generates a block-level cheating report through a proforma wlled by
mentors during school visits. To check consistency with assessment results, 200 block and district
education and District Institute of Education and Training Ofwcers (BEOs, DEOs, DIET ofwcers)
conduct checks on a random sample based on:
Answer sheets: Ofwcials check for cases of wrong answers marked correct, incorrect totalling
of marks and similar answers written by multiple students.
Student interaction: The consistency of student responses with assessments is checked
through asking students questions in the classroom to gauge mastery of concepts. The
number of cases where student responses are not consistent with assessment marks are
recorded into the proforma.
• Driving decisions: Assessment data analysis at different levels (State, district, block, teacher, school)
and of different types (subject, grade and competency), enables ofwcials and teachers to view and
use assessment results. Following are some use cases:
State level: Dashboard provides an overview of high and low performing districts. Availability
of block/ district/ State level performance helps in review and monitoring especially during
district-level meetings and sub-divisional reviews. This helps identify best practices in well-
performing districts and devise corrective action in poor-performing districts. The dashboard
helps identify weak LOs that need to be included in teacher training. State level teacher
trainings include content on weak LOs to equip teachers with innovative and effective
pedagogy. The dashboard also helps the State allocate budget for areas that need more
support.
District level: By identifying low performing blocks in the district, ofwcials can plan targeted
interventions. They can assess the performance of their blocks, right up to the school or LO-
level.
Block level: Data helps Block Resource Cluster Coordinators (BRCCs) identify weak performing
schools. On ground, it helps plan targeted interventions and helps mentors create agendas
for school visits so that they can focus on speciwc problems.
School and teacher level: Data allows performance comparison across schools in the block,
district, and State, over time. LO-based performance of students with a subject and class-wise
view helps teachers identify areas of focus and provide adequate remedial training. Student-
wise data helps in the creation of student report cards. A print option allows them to print and
display results in the classroom.
Outcomes
The dashboard provides granular, student-level and LO data which is updated within 15 days of the assessment. This provides an accurate picture of student performance to all stakeholders and helps build transparency and public accountability. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
85
Introduction and context
Students being unable to comprehend coursework appropriate to their grade-level is a grave challenge
confronting the Indian education system. According to ASER 2018, the proportion of students in class
V who can read class II level texts shows a marginal improvement to 50.3% in 2018 from 47.9% in
2016. Nationally, about half of all children can read, and less than a third can do basic arithmetic. 1 out
of 4 children leave class VIII without basic reading skills
21
. This challenge is further compounded by
the No Detention Policy, rolled out as part of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009,
which stipualtes that schools cannot hold back students from classes I to VIII.
As a result, students continue to progress to higher classes without mastering the learning
outcomes of previous classes. Therefore, students repeatedly perform poorly in examinations, leading
many to subsequently drop out. An international study by Programme for International Student
Assessment (PISA), 2015 ranks India 71 among 73 countries on reading, math, and science abilities.
The study also revealed that 15-year-old Indians lag global toppers by 200 points; this score translates
into an Indian 8th grader performing equivalent to a Korean 3rd grader.
As students move to higher classes without mastering learning outcomes of the previous one, the
gap between their actual learning levels and what they are taught in the classroom keeps widening.
It is thus necessary to provide students with the requisite support to bridge this learning gap and
gain mastery over learning outcomes from previous classes. A way to do this is through State-wide,
structured, regular remedial programmes that impart foundational skills and competencies that are
prerequisites for the current class rather than revising all the chapters from the previous class.
It is important to note that while remediation is essential to bridging the learning dewcit, it is not a
long-term solution. States need to implement remediation in campaign mode for 4-5 years to bring all
children to grade-level. In the long run, however, there is a need to shift the approach to a fundamental
focus on key competencies that need to be achieved. This is particularly essential in the foundational
grades 1-3, where children should attain the basic competencies of literacy and numeracy.
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Identify learning gaps among children across all grades through assessments on basic behind grade
competencies.
• Map learning gaps to targeted remedial programs.
• Develop targeted remedial materials (teacher guidebook/ student workbooks) to address learning
gaps.
• Train teachers to appropriately deliver remedial coursework through ‘Teaching at the Right level’
approach.
• Periodically assess students’ progress on target competencies, and improve program design and
execution basis weld feedback.
• Ultimately, help children address learning gaps through customized support.
3. Learning Enhancement Program
24
Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2018, Pratham Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
86
Design of the intervention
A remedial programme has the following key design components and choices to consider:
• Construct and scope: Remedial classes must be scheduled within school hours but with dedicated
teaching hours for remediation alone. This is important to ensure that the programme is scalable
and sustainable, while at the same time it is not overrun by other daily teaching and administrative
tasks. Teachers often focus on syllabus completion. Time allocated to solely focusing on remedial
competencies acts as a precursor to drifting away from a syllabus completion approach and
inculcating a behavioural change of competency-led teaching. A remedial programme has the
following possible constructs:
Continuous programme: ?n ongoing programme where dewned hours for remediation are
assigned through the course of the academic year. It may include 1-2 week-long dedicated
days for remedial before the ongoing remediation hours begin. An ongoing programme gives
students more time to master different concepts at a gradual pace and makes continuous
revision possible.
Bridge programme: A long (6-12 weeks), one-time programme may occur prior to or during
summer vacations to focus on behind grade students. ? wxed time duration limits the number
of competencies covered; however, it allows students an opportunity for focused learning.
States may choose a combination of the bridge program (where the whole day is focused on
remediation for 4-6 weeks), followed by a continuous program. The initial bridge will build momentum
and focus ofwcials on the program in mission mode. It also allows for a signiwcant chunk of time to be
spent on bridging gaps before proceeding to the regular syllabus. However, it takes time for any
intervention to settle in a large system, and there may often be ongoing course corrections
required, which is why a booster and an on-going program together can maximize impact.
It is also important to de?ne the scope of remedial teaching, including the classes and subjects.
• Teaching strategy: Typically, remedial programmes adopt a pedagogy different from in-classroom
teaching. Remedial learning strategies comprise more hands-on activities, are practice-oriented
and are tightly linked to remedial competencies to foster learning. It helps teachers supplement
the learning and assessment needs of diverse groups of students in multi-grade classrooms. For
students, it helps self-learning and allows them to study according to his/ her aptitude and skill.
• Classroom teaching methodology and remedial materials
Grouping students: Grouping strategies for teaching remedial content require identiwcation
of student learning levels and using the information to group students. Groups may be formed
across combinations of different learning levels or only students farthest behind grade-level
may be targeted. This enables teachers to teach at the right learning level and provide
attention to behind-grade students as well as allows students to engage in peer-learning.
In the given constraints of limited teacher availability, with presence of 2 or more groups of
students, instruction in remedial periods should prioritize those who are left behind. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
87
Competency-based remedial materials: The States must provide prescriptive content in
the form of teacher handbooks and student workbooks for remediation for different levels
of students. The centralized design allows for strategic choices and expert input at the State
level with respect topedagogical approach, speciwc competencies that need to be included,
pacing, etc. Another prerequisite is clearly mapping learning outcomes to remedial content
that is used to teach it. This allows clarity for teachers regarding competencies that must be
achieved as part of remediation.
Tracking student progress: To accurately identify the learning levels of each student, it is
necessary to administer periodic assessments that focus on learning outcomes. Based on
when they are conducted, the assessments help identify student learning levels to enable
teaching at the right level as well as track progress in the grasp and mastery of a competency.
• Effective teacher training: Effective and timely teacher training is necessary to enable teachers
to simultaneously teach multiple students at varied learning levels. Additionally, teachers must
be guided on using new tools and content created for remedial classes. A best practice is a
combination of cascaded in-person and continuous online training. While the cascaded in-person
training enables live doubt resolution, it is time inefwcient, heavily dependent on the quality of the
trainer and content quality dilutes as layers increase. One-time training is insufwcient and continuous
teacher support can prove helpful. To overcome demerits of cascaded in-person training, video-
based training can be introduced. Videos provide demonstrations, thus making the content come
alive.
• Strong mentoring, monitoring, and review mechanism:
Mentoring: To provide teachers continuous support, it is helpful to establish a cadre of
mentors in the State. It may consist of subject matter and pedagogy experts who can make
school visits and provide feedback or share teaching best practices.
Monitoring: A strong monitoring mechanism helps ensure that teachers across the State
are implementing the remedial programme in line with prescribed guidelines. It should be
carried out at various levels by multiple stakeholders and can be integrated with the usual
academic/ school visits and monitoring process.
Review: Cascaded academic review meetings at HQ/ district/ block level help close the
monitoring feedback loop and hold relevant stakeholders accountable for academic outcomes
while involving the larger administration.
• Campaign mode execution: Ensuring that the program’s importance, its design, and goals are
internalized requires execution in campaign mode/ mission mode. This involves ensuring program
launch by Hon’ble CM/ EM, etc. to rally stakeholders around the goals, frequently recognizing high
performing teachers, schools, and weld ofwcers as well as driving competition to boost performance. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
88
To maximise impact, States need to run the program with a consistent design for a period of three to
four years. However, as the program extends, several innovations may be consideredto strengthen it
further:
Summer and winter programs for students who are very far behind grade-level competence.
Residential programs during holidays for students, to ensure higher attendance and greater
intensity.
Use of technology to reinforce classroom teaching and rigor.
If executed well, remedial programmes can lead to immediate results. Some examples include:
Madhya Pradesh: 15%+ children jumped one level (i.e., from grade 1-2 learning level to
grade 3-5 learning level per State’s program design) within three months across different
subjects and grades, as reported by teachers.
Odisha: Students across grades scored 10-15% more on average, in both Math and Odia.
Finalize construct &
scope
Dewne grouping strategy
Develop remediation content
Design and conduct teacher
trainings
In-school execution
• Identify the classes and subjects to be taught on
which remediation is to be done
• Dewne program construct – e.g., upfront bridge
program or continuous remediation through the
year or a mix of the two
• Determine the criteria and thresholds for dividing
students into different groups as per learning levels
• Develop custom, competency-based remediation
content including teacher handbooks, student
workbooks etc. Incorporate practice-oriented
teaching strategies with hands-on activities
• Conduct one-time in person training in a cascaded
model
• Lend continuous support through video-based/
online trainings and peer discussions/ learning
forums
• Form student groups based on learning levels
• Use custom, competency-based teaching content,
which leverages activity-based learning, especially
for early grades
• Ensure effective implementation based on
prescribed guidelines and hold relevant
stakeholders accountable
Ection charter Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
89
Teachers are:
• Not used to competency/ LOs
based teaching, rather they
prefer to complete books and
syllabus.
• Used to a theoretical instruction
style rather than one focused on
ensuring that students grasp the
content.
Across stakeholders:
• Discomfort with grouping based
on student learning levels.
Students are:
• At risk of bullying in multi-grade
classrooms.
• Prone to develop low self-
conwdence if covering the same
remedial material repeatedly.
Resource constraints:
• Limited number of teachers that
have to handle multiple groups
of students at different learning
levels.
There is a structural need to move teachers away from
‘syllabus completion’ approach to ‘imparting
competencies’ thinking. It is crucial to make them
understand that it is futile to complete syllabus when
students don’t have basic literacy and numeracy skills.
Teachers have to be convinced that unless the actual
learning levels of students are mapped and then they’re
taught at that level, they will be unable to learn higher-
grade concepts.
There is a need to make all stakeholders internalize that
grouping of students as per learning level is not
detrimental to their self-esteem; rather the progress they
wnally start making, when an instruction is addressed to
their level, provides a sense of accomplishment.
• Develop a strict monitoring mechanism to thwart
bullying.
• Content in the workbooks should be periodically
revised even while adhering to the same competency
standards.
Incorporate constraints into planning and number of
groups’ formation.Challenges and Mitigation
ChallengeMitigation Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
90
Supporting case study
(Madhya Pradesh)
Background
Several studies indicate that a signiwcant proportion of primary school students in Madhya Pradesh
are not at grade-level competence. According to the National Achievement Survey conducted by
the Ministry of Education in 2017, which tested 1,40,363 students across more than 8,566 schools in
Madhya Pradesh, it was found that the State was below the national average in most of the categories. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
91
Research has proven that learning gaps continue to compound for students who lack foundational
learning in early years. In addition, in the absence of a strong pre-primary education system, it
is also important to address critical pre-primary competencies in grade 1 to ensure appropriate
school readiness for children.
To address both these issues, the State decided to launch a remediation program titled Dakshata
Unnayan (DU) for grades 1-8
25
. The program was designed keeping in mind the well proven Teaching at
the Right Level (TaRL) methodology whereby children are grouped by learning levels in order to ensure
targeted classroom instruction to each group and associated teaching-learning material is prepared
keeping the grouping in mind.
Implementation
Multiple choices exist for designing various aspects of remediation programs. For designing the
program in MP, the State studied all these options in detail and made the following strategic choices
based on applicability and suitability in the local context:
Operational design:
In-school: Time is carved out for remediation from the existing school timetable.
Outside of school hours: Additional time, outside of the
regular school day, is identiwed for remediation (such as stay-back after school/
holidays, etc.)
1 Copyright © 2021 by Boston Consulting Group. All rights reserved.
Average achievement by classes and subjects
56 56
48
55
40
68
64
57 58
53
57
42
44 44
0
20
40
60
80
Grade-subject combination
EVSScience
Scores (%)
Language Mathematics EVS Language Mathematics
65
Language MathematicsSocial Science
65
70
62
43) 44
State National
Class 3Class 5Class 8
Exhibit 4.3.1: Performance of MP in NAS 2017
Average Achievement by Classes and Subjects
25
Owing to budgetary constraints, the scope of the program was subsequently reduced to cover only grades 3-8. The State is now
planning to launch a separate FLN Mission dedicated to grades 1-2.
Option 1
Option 2 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
92
MP decided to operationalise the program within school hours to ensure sustainability and scalability.
This ensured adequate student and teacher attendance for the program and allowed the program to
get focus and priority at every level, starting from teachers and parents, up to the district and State
administration (and not be seen as an ‘additional’ voluntary program).
Program Duration:
One-time booster where the whole day is focused on remediation for a speciwc
duration (say 1-1.5 months).
Multi-year on-going program that continues through the entire academic year.
In MP, the program was implemented through an intensive remediation booster month in the beginning
of the academic session, in which 2 hours per day were dedicated to DU. The initial booster period
helped in building critical momentum in the initial months and allowed for a signiwcant chunk of time to
be spent on bridging gaps before proceeding to teach the regular syllabus. However, since attendance
is often very low in the initial month post vacations, concentrating the whole program in the initial
months would result in a signiwcant percentage of students missing out on the program. Hence,
the booster month was followed by 1-1.5 hours of targeted remediation per day throughout the rest
of the year.
Dakshata Unnayan: Brief summary of the program
Option 1
Option 2
1
'DNVKDWD 8QQD\DQ%ULHIVXPPDU\RIWKHSURJUDP
Material preparation
with inputs from
NCERT, UNICEF
Formal launch of
program across all
districts in July
Training of teachers and
Field officials from May
to September
Baseline assessment for
Gr 1-8 in June; Also used
for grouping students by
learning level
Material distribution
Mid-line assessment for
all students from Gr 1-8
in October
Ongoing academic
monitoring and reviews
throughout the year
Periodic refresher
trainings as required
End line assessment for
all students from Gr 1-8
in December
Extension of DU for
Class 8
th
behind grade
students only
This also allowed time for the program to settle in a large system like MP, and left scope for ongoing
course correction.
Exhibit 4.3.2: Illustrative annual cycle of remediation in MP Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
93
Option 1
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Option 2
Option 4
Grouping Construct
Development of TLM for teachers and students
Re-organize all classes into groups on the basis of their learning levels.
State designs, prints and provides speciwc content for the remedial program
(lesson plans with activities for teachers, worksheets for each student).
Pull-out behind-grade students during school hours and teach them separately.
Group students in two or three groups within each class based on learning
levels. The teacher facilitates teaching for these groups using content created
for multi-level teaching.
Create heterogeneous (mixed learning levels) groups of students and use
peer-learning as a way to improve learning outcomes of behind grade students.
No prescribed content and allow teachers to create lesson plans by themselves
for different groups of students
In a typical classroom, students span a range of different grades and learning levels. If they are taught
uniformly or made to read the same pages of a textbook irrespective of their ability, the learning of the
student is compromised. Consequently, in line with the approach suggested under TaRL, MP chose the
homogenous method of grouping where students at the same learning levels are grouped together.
However, the State also instructed teachers to allow for some peer learning to happen via students of
higher learning groups once they wnish the practice worksheets meant to be used by them in the DU
hour.
Additionally, the State chose the model of grouping students within the classroom rather than across
classes. This was done keeping in mind the fact that typically in MP one teacher teaches grades 1 & 2
and one teacher teaches grades 3-5, and hence grouping was suggested for each teacher within her
class. Under the program, students were grouped basis their learning level into 3 categories –
• Ankur (learning level of grades 1-2)
• Tarun (learning level of grades 3-5)
• Umang (learning level of grades 6-8).
This kind of re-grouping facilitated the teachers as they did not have to tackle huge variances in learning
levels of students in the same class. Students also benewted because teachers were able to focus more
on those students whose learning levels needed to be upgraded most, thus reducing the accumulated
learning dewcit.
93 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
94
To assist the teachers in teaching at the right level (TaRL) as per the Dakshata Unnayan grouping,
the State developed student workbooks focusing on literacy (Hindi) and numeracy for each learning
group. The student workbooks were supplemented by teacher handbooks, which served as a guide
for teachers to implement the program and ensure that the student workbooks are being used in the
appropriate manner.
Capacity building for all stakeholders
The pedagogical interventions under DU were supported by a strong system of capacity building for
teachers and weld staff.
• Intensive wve-day training was conducted for teachers at district and block levels, along with training
for department ofwcials including DEO/ DPC, Block ?cademic Center (B?C) and Cluster ?cademic
Center (CAC) at the beginning of the session.
• These were supplemented by periodic refresher training at the ground level for various levels of
stakeholders.
• Pre-written modules and digital content were leveraged across all these trainings to ensure minimum
transmission loss in a cascade system.
Trainings were also re?ned in the second year of the program based on inputs received from the
teachers and key challenges coming in implementation.
Ongoing monitoring & support
The State also ensured regular monitoring of execution and tracking of learning outcomes through
various methods.
• Midline/ Endline Assessments: The change in learning levels were monitored through a midline
and an endline assessment conducted every cycle.
• Student Competency Trackers: The State also yoated student competency trackers at school
level which teachers had to wll for getting a status check of their own classrooms without having to
report it to the State.
• Shala Darpan: Additionally, the Shala Darpan school monitoring system was leveraged to ensure
remediation program focused monitoring across all schools with a dedicated section on DU. 40%
schools were covered each month to ensure each school was visited at-least once every quarter.
• Report Cards and VCs: The State also shared monthly report cards with the district leadership to
support in implementation, and performance of the districts was reviewed through weekly VCs with
the State leadership.
• Parent-Teacher Meetings: To ensure downward accountability and engage parents, practice of
holding regular PTMs was instituted in all schools.
• VFS Call Centre: This was supplemented by setting up of a virtual weld support (VFS) cell at the
State level with both inbound and outbound calling to track execution, get feedback and handle
grievances and questions. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
95
SCERT
Teachers
District/ Block/ Cluster-level
of?cer
• Designing the construct and scope of the remedial
programme
• Developing teaching-learning content such as
worksheets, teacher manuals, etc.
• Training teachers through in-person and video-
based modules
• Developing tools for assessment and grouping
• Conducting baseline to understand grade
competence
• Grouping students based on learning levels
• Administering teaching material through activity-
based learning structured around workbooks
• Tracking student progress
• Training teachers at the block level
• Setting-up WhatsApp groups, sending messages
and cross-checking addition of members in these
groups for video-based training for video-based
training
• Mentoring teachers and providing continuous
support
• Assessing LEP components during school inspection
and recording progress
Roles and responsibilities
StakeholdersRoles and responsibilities Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
96
Outcomes
In 2018-19, 67 lakh+ students across primary and middle classes were covered in 1.1 lakh+ schools in
the State. The State also trained 2 lakh+ teachers in conducting remediation classes and associated
pedagogical concepts. To assist in program execution, a network of ~6,000+ mentors was leveraged,
along with ~2,600 DIET Staff, DRGs and SRGs. Additionally, PTMs were organized in 99% of the
schools and discussion on DU prowling, worksheets and results were done with 34 lakh guardians. ?s
a result, as per self-reported data from the schools by the schools, there was a 20-30% improvement
in learning outcomes across the districts during the academic year:
• 30%+ students moved from Ankur to Tarun in grades 3-5 Maths
• 20%+ students moved from Ankur to Tarun in grades 3-5 Hindi
• 20%+ students moved from Ankur/ Tarun to Umang in grades 6-8 Maths
• 15%+ students moved from Ankur/ Tarun to Umang in grades 6-8 Hindi
The success of the program continued in the academic year 2019-20, by which Dakshata Unnayan
became a part of everyday vocabulary of schools and gained acceptance among the teachers, with
most teachers reporting the program to be a useful tool for addressing learning gaps. In AY 2019-
20, as per self-reported data from schools, 15-30% additional elementary students had seen learning
improvements.
• 25%+ students moved from Ankur to Tarun in grades 3-5 Maths
• 20%+ students moved from Ankur to Tarun in grades 3-5 Hindi
• 15%+ students moved from Ankur/ Tarun to Umang in grades 6-8 Maths
• 15% students moved from Ankur/ Tarun to Umang in grades 6-8 Hindi
Eppendix
1. Dakshata Unnayan Resources(2018-19)
26
: Including remediation workbooks and teacher manuals.
2. Dakshata Unnayan Remediation Workbooks (2020-21):
a. Grades 3-5: Hindi
27
b. Grades 3-5: Maths
28
c. Grades 6-8: Hindi
29
d. Grades 6-8: Maths
30
3. Learning Trackers: Used by teachers to test students on competencies and accordingly identify
learning levels for remediation
a. Hindi
31
b. Maths
32
26
http://educationportal.mp.gov.in/Dakshata/
27
https://drive.google.com/wle/d/15pPcB5P79FS8XMYX6kkjD0HMI63?FiD2/view
28
https://drive.google.com/wle/d/1aqbOJCEv?lw_?RZsX85Sy_O_?1fWZDoz/view
29
https://drive.google.com/wle/d/1QBTbZd0gkhNzIT68Fu1feOJGcbm_iV9c/view?usp=sharing
30
https://drive.google.com/wle/d/1tSq418p_1-P0SJts9NpXgh1iRHqhUhkH/view?usp=sharing
31
https://drive.google.com/wle/d/1L9RZhS4smeoRT?Wo-WfdMI5rQEVgpZ_R/view?usp=sharing
32
https://drive.google.com/wle/d/1_Jsgiafjnc3BSH5jG3hZylHKjKVWQWvj/view?usp=sharing
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
97
Supporting case study
(Jharkhand)
Background
In 2018, learning levels in Jharkhand were extremely poor, with ASER data indicating that only 34% of
Grade V students were able to read complex English sentences, and only 19% of students were able
to subtract two-digit numbers. The State’s own data reyected similar statistics, and it was clear that
Jharkhand’s students were signiwcantly behind their grade-level and struggled with basic literacy and
numeracy skills.
In this context, Jharkhand’s remedial education program - Gyan Setu was conceptualized to signiwcantly
improve foundational learning outcomes. Gyan Setu is based on the premise that teaching should be
pitched directly at a child’s learning level and not the grade-level that they are enrolled in. This concept
was pioneered by Nobel Prize-winning research conducted by JPAL and Pratham, which has also been
reinforced by the World Bank Development Report, 2018 as one of the most scientiwc methodologies
to improve student learning outcomes.
97
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
98
Implementation
• Construct and scope: Gyan Setu focuses on building foundational literacy and numeracy skills
among students behind grade-level.
Statewide program: Currently, the program impacts ~40 Lakh students across Grades 1-9,
covering about 35,000 schools.
Year-Round program: Students practice Gyan Setu for 1.5 hours every morning, before
going back to grade-level studies for the rest of the day. It is essential to make this program a
continuous year-long program instead of a short campaign mode program to ensure that it is
mainstreamed into the system and leads to substantial and long-lasting learning improvement
over time rather than a brief or short spike.
Interspersed campaign mode remediation called “Booster Phase”: For the wrst 45 days
of the academic year, students work in their individual learning groups and are taught at
their learning levels. They also work on their Gyan Setu workbooks, pitched at personalized
learning levels for the entire duration of the day. This is done in mission mode so that students
who are far behind academically have enough opportunity and time to bridge the academic
gap.
• Teaching strategy: Teachers do not use conventional teaching strategies to deliver Gyan Setu
classes. Jharkhand realized the urgent need to engage students by using innovative and scientiwc
teaching practices to ensure this program achieves its intended objective:
Differentiation: As there may be multiple learning levels in the classroom, teachers
differentiate instruction to ensure optimal learning for each child in the classroom. Focus is
given to students at the lowest levels in the classrooms.
Peer learning: Students support each other in Gyan Setu classes. Teachers use peer and
cooperative learning techniques to ensure ALL students are learning.
5 step teaching strategy: Every lesson starts with a focus on why a particular topic is being
taught, followed by an engaging teacher demonstration, a joint teacher- student activity and
then independent problem solving by students. In every lesson, the problem is effectively
broken down and modelled by the teacher before students begin to practice. In the end, the
learning is summarized by students. Teacher guidebooks help teachers develop their lesson,
by providing various activities that teachers can use for engaging teacher demonstrations.
Learning-level mapped workbooks are provided to students for practise and problem-solving.
Teaching Archetypes: Gyan Setu was designed keeping in mind the realities and context
of Jharkhand’s schools. To make this process as easy as possible, especially in schools with
teacher shortage, and to ensure that it can run effectively at scale, Jharkhand prepared school
archetypes that teachers would follow. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
99

�ाथ�मक: दो�श�क�य �व�यालय
आधार(foundation)�तर
‘�नमा�ण’
अ�धगम�तर
3+ ‘�ग�त’
अ�धगम�तर
1-2 ‘ल�य’
�श�क1
�ेड1-2
�श�क2
�ेड3-5
�व�या�थ�य�कोअ�धगम �तरकेअनुसार अपनी क�ाओं म�समूह�करण �कया जायेगा
�श�क1 �ाथ�मक�ेड-1
,आधार �तर�य अ�धगम पर
फोकस कर�गे एवं �नमा�ण
काय�पुि�तकाकाउपयोग
कर�गे|
�श�क2 ल�य�तरकेब�च�
पर फोकस कर�गे| ‘�ग�त’
�तरकेब�चे �वयं
काय�पुि�तकाओं �वारा
अ�यास कर�गे|
Exhibit 4.3.3: School archetypes for Gyan Setu implementation
• Classroom teaching methodology: Teachers identify and form student groups and use customized
content such as worksheets, activities and practice questions to tailor their teaching methods to
learning levels of different students.
Grouping students: Based on a rigorous baseline assessment, teachers identify student levels
and accordingly group students in their classrooms. These groupings have been thought
through with immense attention to detail, keeping in mind the capabilities and bandwidth of
our teachers. The grouping needs to be simple to understand for teachers and easy to
execute. Ideal design needs to be balanced by practical realities such that implementation at
scale can be effective.
Customized content: 5 Workbooks have been designed by the department that students
practice on during the daily Gyan Setu period. Workbooks are assigned to students based on
the results in the baseline assessment. For example: a student in Class 8 who is at Level 3 will
receive worksheets designed to take the student from Level 3 to Level 5.
Tracking student progress: Jharkhand has developed a system where BRP/ CRPs assess
3 random students every day on foundational literacy/ numeracy only. Speciwc incentive
systems have been built to ensure that there is no incentive to report false data and all BRP/
CRPs have been trained on a very simple form of assessments that track only for basic skills.
Today, Jharkhand tracks learning data of 2 lakh students per month and can see improvement
or otherwise in any district or block on a live basis. This learning data has in turn become the
means to ensure learning-outcome focused conversations at all levels of the system and is
further used to wne tune training or curriculum. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
100

District scorecard
6RXUFH%DVHGRQGDWDUHFHLYHGIURPH9LG\D9DKLQLDQGFDOOFHQWHU
1RWH7KHSDUDPHWHUVPD\FKDQJHIRUHDFKPRQWKGHSHQGLQJRQVWDJHRILPSOHPHQWDWLRQRIHDFKLQLWLDWLYH
District Name
Gyan Setu
(25)
Average BRP/CRP
visits (25)
Teachers'
Biometric (25)
Student Portal
(25)
Total Score
(100)
January (W1)
Rank
December
Rank
Change in
ranking
Godda17.9 14.425.0 19.276.41--
Paschimi Singhbhum 22.7 19.221.39.973.02--
Dhanbad13.5 16.922.3 18.271.03--
PurbiSinghbhum15.1 18.218.8 18.970.94--
Jamtara16.6 25.015.8 12.169.55--
Deoghar19.6 16.917.2 14.268.06--
Garhwa20.0 24.413.89.667.77--
Ramgarh23.6 20.519.14.067.38--
Khunti13.6 16.616.7 19.766.69--
Saraikela14.8 20.417.9 12.265.310--
Kodarma18.3 16.715.7 13.163.811--
Lohardaga11.6 13.521.0 17.263.312--
Bokaro17.3 15.019.4 11.363.013--
Ranchi14.3 20.719.66.861.414--
Latehar18.98.912.8 19.960.615--
Pakaur19.2 11.219.89.559.616--
Palamu16.8 20.715.73.556.717--
Giridih15.7 20.115.25.456.418--
Gumla16.74.615.4 17.253.819--
Dumka13.6 14.317.17.652.620--
Hazaribagh17.98.319.84.450.521--
Sahibganj17.8 12.413.44.848.322--
Simdega17.6 14.42.311.445.723--
Chatra11.0 13.110.65.940.624--
Exhibit 4.3.4: Districts which are under-performing multiple times are
actioned on priority by districts
• Effective teacher training:
Training is provided to ensure that all ~1.2 Lakh teachers involved in the programme are well-
equipped to administer remedial classes and simultaneously teach multiple students at varied
learning levels. Additionally, teachers are guided on using tools and content created for
remedial classes. Training in Jharkhand worked on addressing critical gaps in large scale
trainings, which are usually overlooked by most States. Training is provided by a cohort of 750
well-trained Master Trainers (MTs), who are trained directly by the State in multiple batches in
order to reduce the cascade and quality control the training. The last day of the State training
focuses on facilitation training.
• Strong mentoring, monitoring and review mechanism
Monitoring: Around 2000+ schools are inspected in Jharkhand every day and a number of
key Gyan Setu speciwc indicators, such as quality of Gyan Setu conducted, workbooks used
and checked, lesson planning etc are reported. Capacity building, whether of district leaders
or frontline administrators, to be able to gather, analyse and use this real time data and
make swift improvements is an inherent part of the State’s strategy to make Gyan Setu a
success. Every week, data is collected from eVidyaVahini based on weld entries by CRPs /
BRPs. Thereafter, the State PMU translates the data into meaningful insights and directly calls
on-ground stakeholders to further understand gaps. Based on the wnal analysis, weld visits to
schools and block ofwces are conducted to comprehensively review implementation. Finally
on the wnal report, a clear plan of action is created jointly with key district ofwcials, including
the Deputy Commissioner.
District Scorecard Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
101
Review: The Gyan Setu Review Model is one of the wrst outcome focused review model
designed by any State – this is one of the State’s primary governance methodologies
leveraged across all levels – from quarterly Chief Secretary led reviews and daily reviews of
the districts led by the SPD to monthly reviews of blocks by District Commissioners. Reviews
track monthly compliance and targeted action plans. But these reviews have some unique
features - wrstly, core focus of reviews is on learning outcomes & discussion on movement in
competencies. Secondly, to build motivation and actual ownership for the project – meeting
participants are mandated to prepare and present in the meetings as opposed to listening
to instructions from their bosses. The presentations have transformed the meeting from a
review of work done to a learning exchange platform and has generated a mission mode
culture towards attainment of objectives. Since the past few months, all 24 districts have
been conducting DEO DSE level reviews and over 75% districts have been conducting DC
led reviews. Infact, reviews are now so mainstreamed into the system that over 90% blocks are
reviewing their clusters as well. These reviews are also graded by the State for quality basis, a
quality index and constant feedback is provided on content on reviews.
JCERT
Teachers
• Designing workbook content for students
• Designing teaching guidebooks with innovative
classroom practices to be followed by teachers
• Creating training content for teachers to implement
Gyan Setu
• Facilitating training for teachers
• Formal platform for best practice showcasing and
sharing across the State
• Monitoring Gyan Setu implementation across the
State
• Workbook distribution and tracking
• Managing NGO partners to support districts in the
implementation of Gyan Setu
• Implementation and tracking of Booster phase,
Baseline, Summer Program
• Compliance, action and follow up from all SPD
reviews (Proceedings/ letters/ showcauses)
• Organising review of bottom schools, blocks,
districts directly at State level
• Driving quality and implementation of Gyan Setu
reviews
Roles and responsibilities
StakeholdersRoles and responsibilities Outcomes
Over the ?rst 6 months (Oct 2018 to Mar 2019) Gyan Setu led to 12% improvement across most
competencies. ?s shown in the wgure in the right column, students currently in class 5, for example,
have already achieved competencies that students in grade 6 students started with in 2018. This trend
is similar for most grades.
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
102
1
Gyan Setu | 12% improvement across most competencies in Jharkhand as of
2019
70
59
35
78
67
39
82
71
45
0
100
4 64
1x1 Mul2 dig add/sub2/1 Div Recognise Fractions
+12
38
24
48
30
51
34
0
100
Simple SentenceSimle RCComplex Words
121
+13
70
55
78
64
82
68
0
100
4
Simle RC
5
Complex Words
4
Simple Sentence
+13
MarDecOct
Grade 5 Math
Grade 5 Hindi
Grade 5 English
19
43
59
72
78
83
87
29
58
71
84
86
88
92
60
0
20
40
80
100
Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Class 9Class 8Class 4
C lass
% Students
Class 3
+10
+15
+12
+12
+8
+6
+6
Oct-18 Mar-19
Multiplication
Performance Matrix
Exhibit: 4.3.5
EA?AAAFAAFA?TXXZTIALA?A?AxA?A!ALA!AkA?TAFAkTLA!aA?AkAFAkA:TOA?A?AAxALA!APTAFAkTA?AAA!TA?APA?TTALAxAkA?AAAPTAxA9TGA?aAkTSA!A?A?
implementation
Teachers
BRPs/ CRPs
DEOs and BEOs
• Conducting baseline assessments to determine
student learning levels
• Grouping students based on learning levels
• Administering teaching material through activity
based learning
• Tracking student progress
• Inspecting schools and completing monitoring
forms
• Providing qualitative feedback from inspections
• Setting-up WhatsApp groups and disseminating
teacher training content,
• Mentoring teachers and providing continuous
support
• Conducting monthly Gyan Setu review meetings at
their levels
• Driving continuous compliance in their districts/
blocks
StakeholdersRoles and responsibilities Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
103
11
Example: Learning articles in English
GuidebookAssociated Worksheet
Competency: Learning articles in the guidebook, students practice associated worksheet No.11
1
Example:
Learning place
values in Math
Guidebook
Associated Worksheet
Competency: Learning place value in math, students
practice associated worksheet #3
Exhibit 4.3.6: Remedial worksheet to help student understand usage of ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘this’
Exhibit 4.3.7: Remedial worksheet to help student understand place value of numbers
Eppendix
The following illustrations capture examples of remedial worksheets used in Math and
English to support children who are behind grade learning in Jharkhand. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
104
Supporting case study
(Haryana)
Background
Before Haryana embarked on a systemic transformation journey in 2014, schools conducted a Classroom
Readiness Programme in the wrst month of the academic year, a time usually characterised by low
attendance and delays in textbook delivery. The programme included revision of concepts from the
previous grade. This short-term yearly effort placed little focus on quality and was largely ineffective.
This resulted in the need for a methodical and holistic remedial effort resulting in the development
of the Learning Enhancement Program (LEP) aimed at bridging learning gaps by spending dedicated
time to teach students at their existing learning levels.
104
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
105
Implementation
The operational model for Haryana’s Learning Enhancement Program leverages multiple best practices
across States.
• Construct and scope: Learning Enhancement Program (LEP) is a continuous remedial programme
in Math, Hindi and English for students in Classes I to V, conducted through the academic year.
It currently caters to 10 lakh students in all 8,556 government primary schools across Haryana.
Remedial classes are conducted during the wrst 45 minutes of a school day, with the schedule of
lessons aligned with content taught in the classroom. Additionally, to make students grade-ready
and clarify basic concepts, remedial content is taught in short, intensive capsules of 5 weeks at the
start of the academic year. In Class I and II it helps build a strong foundation and in Class III to V it
brings students below grade-level to the requisite grade-level.
• Teaching strategy: Teachers in Haryana use Activity-Based Learning (ABL) to supplement the
learning and assessment needs of students in multi-grade multi-level classrooms.
• Classroom teaching methodology: Teachers identify and form student groups and use customised
content such as worksheets, activities and practice questions to tailor their teaching methods to the
learning levels of different students.
Grouping students: Each new lesson begins with an oral pre-assessment to understand
students’ grasp of concepts. Based on an assessment of learning levels, teachers create
three types of groups. Students over two levels behind grade-level competency are grouped
together and seated closer to the teacher to ensure they receive more attention. Students one
or two levels behind grade-level and those at grade-level are grouped together to facilitate
peer-learning.
Customised content: Teachers leverage the LEP manual to teach concepts based on
students’ grade-level. LEP manuals are 15 comprehensive remedial teaching guides for
teachers of Classes I-V for Hindi, Maths, English. The wrst section of the manual provides
detailed instructions on how to assess students, carry out grouping, administer content, and
track student performance. The rest of the manual follows a lesson plan format and contains
prerequisite learning competencies, sample questions to understand student performance,
questions for in-class teaching and activities (ABL) to explain a concept through multiple
approaches. For instance, counting can be taught using objects such as stones and money
or through rhymes.
Tracking student progress: Students are assessed both before and after a concept is
taught to get insight into the progress being made. Teachers conduct oral or activity-based
assessments of prerequisite competencies and indicate mastery of each competency for all
students in the Mulyankan Soochi. The LEP manual includes a tracker, Mulyankan Soochi,
for teachers to indicate students’ grasp of competency prior to and after each Summative
Assessment Test (SAT). The tracker is a subject-wise tabular representation of chapters and
competencies, by the student. Society for ?ll Round Development (S?RD), a non-prowt
organization, helped in developing the content for these manuals in close coordination with
SCERT subject-experts. The teacher repeats the lesson and provides more practice until at
least 80% of the class has grasped a concept. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
106
Competency-based teaching: A class-wise Learning Outcome Framework, Saksham Taalika
33
,
was created by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Haryana, for
each subject. It lays out the learning outcomes to be taught from textbooks and remedial
teaching material for each SAT. The framework is pasted in classrooms for easy access and as
a reminder for laying emphasis on competency-based teaching.
• Effective teacher training: Training is provided to ensure that all 28,000 teachers involved in the
programme are well-equipped to administer remedial classes and simultaneously teach multiple
students at varying learning levels. Additionally, teachers are guided on using tools and content
created for remedial classes. A combination of cascaded in-person and continuous online training
is useful for teachers.
One-time in person training: At the time of the programme’s inception, in-person introductory
training was held for in-service teachers. Content includes training on critical elements such as
grouping, administering assessments, and effectively using LEP manuals. SARD and SCERT
subject experts trained 500 Block Resource Persons (BRPs) as Master Trainers (MTs) and BRPs
trained teachers at the block level in a cascaded model.
Continuous video-based training: DigiLEP, video-based training, provides teachers with
continuous support and overcomes the demerits of cascaded training. Competency and
pedagogy videos are disseminated to teachers through over 120 block-level WhatsApp
groups. This is a popular dissemination channel and 55% (20,000 of 36,000) teachers are
included. Teachers receive messages with instructions and a web-based form link to record
their demographics (block, subject, grade) before routing them to the videos on the DigiLEP
website. This helps track and review uptake. To overcome the limitation of having only 250
members on a WhatsApp group, 2 teachers from each school were added. Block Education
Ofwcers (BEOs) ensured smooth functioning and compliance by posting content on the group
and monitoring uptake. BRPs were trained to set-up WhatsApp groups, send messages and
cross-check member addition. The course consists of 80 videos, categorised by competency.
30 videos came from the in-person MT training mentioned above and 50 videos were
shortlisted from over 1,000 videos crowdsourced from teachers in Haryana. Crowdsourcing
helped build diverse content and encouraged teachers to experiment with best practices.
DigiLEP content is increasingly being integrated with in-person training. SCERT has added
DigiLEP content to their training as a refresher and to help generate interest in video-based
training.
• Strong mentoring, monitoring and review mechanism
Mentoring: 500 BRPs, Block Resource Centre Coordinators (BRCCs), Assistant Block Resource
Centre Coordinators (ABRCs) are mentors who lend continuous support to teachers through
school visits during remedial teaching time. They provide feedback, share teaching best
practices and wll a detailed proforma. They visit approximately 10 schools per month such
that all schools are visited in 2 months.
Monitoring: A strong mechanism ensures effective implementation of the remedial
programme based on prescribed guidelines. Monitors are assigned at two levels:
33
http://hsspp.in/LLO.aspx Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
107
School LEP Owners (SLOs), typically Head Teachers of their schools, drive compliance and
monitor adoption of competency-based pedagogy on a continuous basis. They capture
granular details in a proforma.
200 block and district education and District Institute of Education and Training (BEOs, DEOs,
DIET) ofwcers assess LEP components during a school inspection and record progress in a
proforma. They review 4-8 schools per month and all schools in a quarter.
Review: Academic review meetings at the block, district and State levels by SDMs, DCs and
Director of Elementary Education (DEE) include discussing the status of LEP. This helps close
the monitoring feedback loop and hold relevant stakeholders accountable for academic
outcomes. A multi-layered mechanism measures LEP compliance, quality and progress
through proformas wlled on a portal or through a mobile application and compiled on the
State Academic Monitoring System (AMS). Review parameters include monitoring visit, data
recording compliance for BRPs, BEOs, DEOs, DIET and SLOs, LEP compliance, quality and
progress measured by learning level distribution (by subject, class, school, month), and SAT
results, with a focus on behind grade students. AMS forms the backbone of these reviews
(monitor dashboard, mentor dashboard).
SCERT
Teachers
BRPs
• Designing the construct and scope of the remedial
programme
Developing teaching contents such as
worksheets, manuals, LOFs
• Training teachers through in person and video-
based modules
• Conducting pre-assessment to understand grade
competence
Grouping students based on learning levels
Administering teaching material through
activity-based learning
• Tracking student progress
• Training teachers at the block level
• Setting-up WhatsApp groups, sending messages
and cross-checking member addition for video-
based training
• Mentoring teachers and providing continuous
support
Roles and responsibilities
StakeholdersRoles and responsibilities Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
108
BRCCs and ABRCs
BEOs
DEOs and DIET of?cers
Head Teachers/ SLOs
SDMs, DCs and DEE
• Mentoring teachers and providing continuous
support
• Ensuring smooth functioning of video-based
training
• Posting content on WhatsApp groups and
monitoring uptake
• Assessing LEP components during a school
inspection and recording progress
• Assessing LEP components during a school
inspection and recording progress
• Driving compliance and monitoring adoption of
competency-based pedagogy continuously
• Conducting review meetings at the block, district
and State levels
Outcomes
Teachers in 96% of classes across the State are conducting LEP as desired. Student grouping occurs
in 97% of total classes and activity-based learning in 94% of total classes. Teachers in 93% of classes
are wlling the Mulyankan Soochi. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
109
Eppendix
Relevant Documents:
• Learning Outcome Framework: A tabular mapping of learning outcomes to be taught for each
summative assessment from textbooks and remedial teaching material.
• LEP Manuals: Comprehensive remedial teaching guides for teachers for Classes I-V for Hindi,
Maths, English that follow activity based learning.
• Mulyankan Soochi: Subject-wise tabular representation of chapters and competencies, by student
- used by teachers to indicate students’ grasp of a competency.
DigiLEP: Video-based training to provide teachers with continuous support
• WhatsApp group messages: Sample messages sent on Block level WhatsApp groups which include
an infographic, learning outcome framework, link to the video training content and instructions.
• WhatsApp group infographics: Sample infographics that provide teachers steps of effectively
conducting LEP.
• Website: Repository of all video content available to teachers.
• Form link: Form that captures teachers’ demographics before giving access to the DigiLEP website
to track usage.
• Dashboard of views: Key statistics about DigiLEP uptake and content engagement.
• AMS dashboard: Haryana’s Academic Monitoring System (AMS) provides key statistics on LEP
compliance, quality and progress.
• Monitor dashboard view: Shows information relevant to monitors on the AMS.
• Mentor dashboard view: Shows information relevant to mentors on the AMS.
Academic monitoring proformas: Forms ?lled by the following of?cials on their school visits
• Mentors
• Monitors: SLOs; BEOs and DEOs Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
110
4. School optimization
Introduction and context
The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), 2009 made education a fundamental right for
every child between the age of 6 to 14 years. To ensure universal school access for all children, the
Act also stipulated that a child’s home must be at a 1 km distance for primary schools and 3 km
for upper primary schools. As a result, many schools were established near each other, often with
suboptimal enrollment, surplus teachers ,or just one teacher, and/ or lacking adequate infrastructure.
There are four key challenges of sub-scale schools:
• Lack of child speci?c attention due to multi-grade and multi-level teaching: Sub-scale schools
typically have 2 or fewer teachers for all of the classes 1-5 (in primary schools) or classes 6-8 (in
middle schools). Teachers have to simultaneously teach all subjects to children across multiple
grades and diverse learning levels. Teachers are usually able to focus on students of one grade only
and wnd it difwcult to deliver structured education to all students in such environments.
• Limited time available for teaching due to admin tasks: In small schools, teachers are also
responsible for admin & clerical work, supervising mid-day meals (MDM), responding to data
requests etc. Our in-weld studies indicate that in sub-scale schools, studying only happens for the
wrst 3 periods of the day, after which teachers focus on administrative tasks. ?dditionally, when a
teacher is absent or is called away for election duty, the school almost ceases to function as there
is little to no cover.
• Sub-scale schools typically do not have learning infrastructure: Infrastructure in these schools
is often inadequate and is limited to 2-3 classrooms. Governments also typically tend to prioritize
bigger schools for infrastructure such as libraries, labs and computers, etc.
• Monitoring & Governance tends to be limited: From a system standpoint, the very large number
of schools make any visit-based monitoring/ accountability efforts by block/ district ofwcials difwcult
to execute. The focus of most programs thus inevitably is larger schools.
A solution to addressing alarge number of sub-scale schools is to consolidate nearby schools to create
larger schools. To strike a balance between access and delivery of quality education, the viability of
suboptimal schools needs re-evaluation.
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Improve the viability of schools by merging same campus schools or low-medium enrollment
schools in the vicinity of other schools.
• Provide sufwcient teachers and other resources (e.g., physical infrastructure) to all schools as
enrollment scale becomes viable.
• Improve school experience and accountability via parents/ SMCs through larger student and parent
community.
• Enable more effective monitoring/ mentoring as schools count reduces. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
111
Design of the intervention
There are several types of mergers possible, and its phasing must be determined by the State
government:
• Same-campus schools: horizontal (where two schools of the same type are merged into one) or
vertical mergers (where schools of different levels are merged into one integrated school)
• Low or medium enrollment schools (without transportation): (<20 or <30 enrollments, 30-60
enrollments); primary schools within 1 km and upper primary schools within 2 km
• Low or medium enrollment schools (with transportation): primary schools beyond 1 km and
upper primary schools beyond 2 km (urban wrst; rural later)
While mergers with transportation have not been done on a large scale anywhere, few experiments are
being undertaken in various places. Other options being explored are buses/ mini-buses, provision of
cycles to older students and provision of a transportation fund to SMCs.
The entire integration exercise can be divided into three phases – (i) pre-merger; (ii) during merger; (iii)
post-merger
Pre-merger:
Before undertaking a school integration exercise, certain key elements must be considered:
• Ensure accurate information on schools: Comprehensive data of schools in the State is a starting
point. States may leverage the State MIS data, if available. Alternatively, UDISE data can be used.
Data pertaining to distance between schools, enrollment, teacher vacancy, infrastructure, medium
of instruction, separate girls’ or boys’ school or co-ed school prove helpful in ensuring accuracy.
• De?ne criteria: Criteria for the integration of schools can be dewned based on the States’
landscape. This is critical in identifying schools that need to be integrated. The criteria may be
based on distance and/ or enrollment. Following RTE norms should be kept in mind while dewning
the criteria.
Primary school: Students in classes I to V must have a school within one kilometre of the
neighbourhood.
Upper Primary school: Students in classes VI to VIII must have a school within 3 kilometres
of the neighbourhood.
• Identify merger options:
Schools with zero enrollment, separate schools that exist in the same compound, low enrollment
schools in close proximity, separate girls and boys’ schools in the same neighbourhood,
separate girls or boys primary and secondary schools may be considered for mergers.
Schools with inferior infrastructure may be physically merged with those possessing better
infrastructure.
In case physical consolidation is not possible due to large distance, or lack of available
infrastructure in host schools, then schools may be merged to have a common administration
and shared infrastructure but operate in individual buildings.
Where possible, more classes may be added to a school (upgradation) to allow for mergers. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
112
• Conduct ?eld veri?cation via cross functional teams to ?nalize schools for mergers: School
consolidation is a large and revolutionary step for any State. It needs careful strategizing, strong
implementation rigor and large-scale stakeholder management. For this, a dedicated cross-
functional team with senior leadership must be created to manage the entire process. The team
should also have a set of junior persons who can run a call centre for grievance redressal and visit
the weld for veriwcations and checks.
• Strengthening host schools: One of the core pillars of consolidation is that the host schools will
have better facilities and learning environment in comparison with the merged school. Additionally,
for the parent and student community, the advantages of going to a school somewhat further
away must be obvious, and often, that comes from aesthetics. From both these perspectives, the
State will need to re-invest the money saved through mergers into the host schools, especially to
strengthen infrastructure, cleanliness, aesthetics, and the classroom-learning environment. Ideally,
some of the basic wxes should happen in the pre-consolidation phase.
During mergers
• Live updates: ?s with all weld interventions, the progress and output of all steps of the process
needs to be tracked on a live basis to ensure data validation, real-time corrective action, and
ensure overall monitoring and accountability. In States where mergers have been successful, the
senior department leadership personally reviewed on-ground action two to three times per week.
• Stakeholder engagement: There are various stakeholders in a process like school consolidation –
teachers, students, parents, elected ofwcials, media, weld ofwcers, etc. Each of these stakeholders
must be constantly engaged and communicated with, to ensure the process does not derail. A
combination of videoconferencing, weld visits, press releases, weld community engagement by
ofwcers and a grievance call centre can ensure that all stakeholders are taken along in this process.
• Media management: Managing the media is critical to the long-term sustainability of the project.
It is important for the State to communicate its vision clearly, succinctly and control the narrative so
that the benewts of mergers and its impact on learning outcomes are highlighted, as opposed to
negative connotations of shutting down schools or of potential student dropouts.
• Grievance handling systems: A robust, time-bound grievance redressal process, where all
stakeholders can register grievances that are tracked, investigated, and resolved at the District
level should be setup. It is essential to maintain transparency and take corrective action, wherever
necessary.
Post-merger tracking:
After schools have been formally approved for mergers and shifting has begun, the process of shift-
ing needs to be monitored and tracked very closely. This involves real-time tracking and corrective
action on two aspects:
• Administrative processes like transfer of money and closure of bank accounts, SMC re-organization,
and re-use of vacated buildings.
• Status of students shifting from merged to host schools followed by targeted community
engagement and interventions in schools with lowest rates of student shifting (usually because of
inadequate awareness or poor veriwcation). Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
113
Set criteria
Identify schools
Finalise list of schools
Integrate schools
Establish support structures
• Dewne criteria for integration (basis distance and
enrollment)
• Obtain relevant data to identify subscale schools to
merge basis set criteria
• Prepare and propose list of schools to be
integrated
Obtain necessary approvals and wnalize list of
schools post weld veriwcation
• Consolidate schools through physical or
administrative integration or upgrade to include
more classes
• Conduct community consultations, improve
teacher availability and infrastructure, provide
need-based transport vouchers, etc.
Established grievance redressal and course-
correction mechanisms
An illustration on the impact in 4 States is provided below.
Ection charter
Madhya Pradesh
Rajasthan
Odisha
Jharkhand
~120,000
~83,000
~60,000
~41,000
~36,000 schools merged in to 16,000 campuses
~20,000
~1,100 schools with <10 enrollments were
closed in 2019
1,800 same campus schools by March 2019
~1,700 zero enrollment schools merged in
phase I in 2017
~4,300 schools (<60 enrollments) merged in
phase 2 in 2018
State
Number of schools initially
Number of schools merged
Exhibit 4.4.1: Impact of school mergers across States
Teacher Rationalization:
Once mergers are executed, the exercise is likely to result in signiwcant numbers of surplus teachers
or headmasters/ principals in several schools. Their allocations need to be planned. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
114114
Community backlash due to
• Perception of school closure

• Students inconvenienced if they must
travel longer distances
• Stricter supervision of teachers under
school heads as opposed to remote
and infrequent interaction with block
ofwcers
• Political pressure from local
representatives and court cases to
resist change.
• Engage, educate and explain the
benewts to all key stakeholders.
• Form district level committees led by
DCs; leverage cross-district teams if
needed to ensure rigour
• Get DEOs to visit school heads and
principals to convey and convince them
of the merits of integration
• Get Principal Secretary to engage with
political representatives and explain the
change with its benewts
Challenges and mitigation
ChallengesMitigation Strategies
Leverage UDISE data and manuallyverify details
Lack of school information and data
pertaining to infrastructure, enrollment etc.
Four case studies are presented in the following sections, each, with slightly nuanced approaches.
Jharkhand and Odisha focused on horizontal mergers (i.e. same level schools). While Jharkhand used
a more rigorous weld-veriwcation approach; Odisha used a top-down policy driven process. Madhya
Pradesh and Rajasthan demonstrate vertical integration (across levels) with Madhya Pradesh focusing
on same-campus mergers. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
115

Supporting case study
(Jharkhand)
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
115
Background
Before any consolidation efforts, 45% of schools had <60 students enrolled and 65% of schools had
just 1 or 2 teachers. The graphic below from Jharkhand shows that nearly 60% of the Gram Panchayats
(GP) in Jharkhand have more than 5 schools. A typical Gram Panchayat has a population of 7,000-
8,000 people and hence ~1,500-2,000 students. If even 20% of these students go to private schools,
one does not need more than 5 schools to accommodate the students. Yet, in any GP one will wnd
5-7 primary schools (if not more) and a host of middle and secondary schools. It was, therefore, an
imperative for Jharkhand to adopt a structured school integration process. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
116
Exhibit 4.4.2: Area of focus for consolidation
1
Several panchayats in Jharkhand had excess schools
31.9
million
4175
Population of the
state of Jharkhand
Panchayats in
Jharkhand
1. 24.6% of population is in the 5-14 age group (Census 2001) i.e., 98.6% of school-going population is enrolled in schools 2. Dept. of Education 3. Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central schools)
Note: The remaining students (229 per panchayat) are primarily enrolled in unrecognized schools.
Source: Jharkhand DISE panchayat data (2017- 18), Census 2001, and BCG Analysis.
E
xample:
The panchayat of Parasi(in Tamar block of Ranchi
district) has 19 schools within its 17.1 km
2
of area, of
which 17 have less than 60 enrolled students.
9 of these schools were successfully merged into 4
schools (i.e., 5 additional schools were combined
with 4 host schools) within RTE distance norms.
The new merged schools have an average of 72
enrolled students each and are effectively
optimizing for their capacity and resources.
3DUDVL
2,097
2,234
713
114
21
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
>200 to 5 5 to 10
# of GPs
15 to 2010 to 15
S chools per GP
KB
Implementation
The entire integration exercise in Jharkhand may be summarised in the following steps.
Step 1: GIS based geo-analytics to identify a list of consolidation candidates - Most States now
have GIS locations of all their schools. A centralized process based on enrollment and distance analytics
helped identify 13,000 candidates for school reorganization. Schools identiwed for re-organisation
were within RTE norms:
• Primary schools with <60 students and within 1 km of host school
• Upper primary schools with <60 students and within 2 km of host school
• Same-campus schools within 100m of each other
Step 2: Field veri?cations of identi?ed candidates - ? database generated list needs weld veriwcation.
Parameters including real enrollment, actual distance, terrain in-between schools, host school capacity,
socio-economic & demographic constraints – e.g., language, etc. needed to be veriwed. To ensure
rigour and honesty, a cross-district action team undertook a second level of veriwcation over and above
the local team (BRP/dCRPs).
Step 3: Obtaining necessary approvals for mergers - The veriwed list of schools was processed
for approvals through 2 levels of formal committees at the block and district level which consist of
teachers, elected representatives, as well as ofwcials from departments. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
117
1
School reorganization effort in Jharkhand
39,600 18,000 ~14,000 ~6,500 ~4,400
DoE Schools in
Jharkhand
Schools with less
than 60 enrolled
Candidates
identified
Proposed after in-
depth inspections
Consolidated
Majority of schools were physical mergers & not same-campus mergers
KB
Exhibit 4.4.3: School consolidation in Jharkhand
Step 4: Grievance redressal mechanisms - A robust time-bound grievance redressal process where
all stakeholders could register grievances was set up. Every grievance is tracked, re-investigated
and resolved at district level. This helped maintain transparency and take corrective action in case of
exceptions.
Step 5: Post-mergers tracking - After schools were formally approved for mergers and shifting began,
the process of shifting was monitored and tracked very closely. This involved real-time tracking &
corrective action on 2 things namely:
• Administrative processes like transfer of money & closure of bank accounts, SMC re-organization,
and re-use of vacated buildings.
• Status of students shifting from merged to host schools was tracked on a school-by-school basis.
This was followed by targeted community engagement and interventions in schools with lowest
rates of student shifting (usually because of inadequate awareness or poor veriwcation). 180 ‘red-
yag’ cases were identiwed and personal visits by State ofwcials were conducted to red-yag cases
to engage with the community and resolve local issues or reverse the order if necessary. At the
end of the effort, 98% of students shifted to nearby schools. The remaining 2% may be long term
absentees, fake enrollments, etc.
Once mergers were executed, the exercise resulted in a surplus of ~4,500 teacher posts and
thereby improving the PTR. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
118118
Block Resource Person (BRP)/
Cluster Resource Person (CRP)
Assistant District Program
Of?cer (ADPO)
Block Education Extension
Of?cer (BEEO)/ District Education
Of?cer (DEO)
District Commissioner (DC)
Deputy Director
SATH Team
Field veriwcation of key parameters including real
enrollment, actual distance, terrain in-between schools,
host school capacity, socio-economic & demographic
constraints – e.g., language, etc.
Cross district action teams to ensure second
level of veriwcation of data in an unbiased fashion
above BRP/ CRPs.
Resolution of queries and grievance redressal of
all stakeholders was maintained transparently in a time
bound manner.
Overview of all activities across the district ensuring a
fair process, acting as the District Committee Chair.

Overall monitoring of school mergers, ensuring
requisite legal requirements & approval.

Strategy to identify schools, tracking and
monitoring updates & regular training and capacity
building activities.
Roles and responsibilities
Stakeholders Roles and
responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities
Outcomes
A survey was conducted with the students, parents and teachers who had shifted to new host schools
and 96% of the stakeholders reported that they were happy and satiswed with their new school.
Students were engaged in discussions during weld visits by all department ofwcials (SPD, Director
Primary, DSEs/ DEOs, ADPOs etc.). Students showed excitement and enthusiasm towards their new
host schools because of the multiple facilities available in the school such as playground, library,
better toilets, classroom infrastructure, etc. School consolidation has provided multiple benewts to the
students in form of
• Better teaching facilities with dedicated teachers for each grade
• Improved disciplinary and academic environment in schools
• Access to schools with better infrastructure
• Larger peer group which has resulted in better attendance
• Access to effectively administered schools with more resources
• Improved school monitoring and scheme supervision etc.
• Dedicated administrative support and increased teaching time in classrooms Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
119
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
119
Moreover, an external impact assessment exercise was conducted to understand the true successes
and improvements needed in the school consolidation exercise. IIM Ranchi was onboarded through an
RFP for this purpose. A study across ~200 schools was conducted and demonstrated improvements
in academic enrollments, signiwcantly better infrastructure, time spent on governance, and
higher satisfaction across stakeholders. This includes 7 lakh children benewting from better teacher
availability, reduction of 4,500 teacher posts and projected savings of ~INR 400 Crore through
reduced teacher and infrastructure requirements. Detailed wndings summarized below:
Exhibit 4.4.4: External impact assessment of consolidation in Jharkhand
15
Deep-dive: IIMR Impact Assessment of School Reorganization
Intervention Key MetricAssessmentRemarks
Improved
Academic
Environment
PTRMarginal improvements for Host Schools
MGMLSignificant reduction for Target Schools
Instructional Time Spent~2 hrs/week increase for Teachers and HMs
Administrative Time Spent~2 hrs/week reduction for Teachers of Target Schools
Independent teacher per subject20-50% improvement compared to Target and Subscale schools
A
ccess to
Enhanced
Infrastructure
Avail. of ClassroomsAlmost 2x improvement for Target School and Host Schools
Avail. of Water sourcesAlmost 1.5-2x improvement for Target and Host Schools
Avail. of ToiletMarginal improvement for Boys and Girls Toilets
Avail. of ElectricityReduced availability compared to Subscale Schools
G
overnance
Mechanism
Travel Time to School30-40% increase in travel time in certain districts
Time in Data Collection
Marginal improvements in time spent on governance
Time in Transferring Monetary and
Physical Entitlements
Time in rollout of govt. schemes
Number of monitored schoolsMore time available per school due to reduced schools
O
verall
Perception
Classroom Interaction
>85% satisfaction among parents, SMC, HMs, Students (on avg.)
Quality of Teaching
Infrastructure Access<50% satisfaction across all stakeholders
Preference to attend School>90% satisfaction among students (more friends, bigger playground)
Overall satisfaction
>75% satisfaction for students, parents, SMCs (max for students)
~60% satisfaction for HMs, teachers
KB Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
120
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
120
Supporting case study
(Odisha)
Background
As of 2018-19, ~55% of Government schools in Odisha had enrollment of less than 60, and ~29%
schools had enrollment less than 30. Government school sizes were almost a third of the size of private
schools in terms of students and teachers. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
121121
1
Government schools are ~1/3
rd
the size of private schools
Average Govt.
School
~3
teachers
~125
students
Average Private
School
~15
teachers
~680
students
Source: DISE 16-17 Data
Limited teacher availability for each
subject-grade combination
Infrastructure bottlenecks –lack of
playgrounds, labs etc.
Limited public accountability due to small
parent-base
Lesser support and monitoring per school
due to wider footprint
Small-scale schools have a structural disadvantage in
delivering quality education
1
2
3
4
NEP 2020 also emphasizes on issues plaguing sub-scale schools, recommends consolidation
Exhibit 4.4.5: Structural disadvantages of sub-scale government schools
Exhibit 4.4.6 – Phases of school consolidation, Odisha
Implementation
School consolidation has been carried out in a phased approach in Odisha since 2017.
1
School consolidation exercise divided into 4 phases
Phase 1:
Closing schools with
enrolment <10
1
Phase 2:
Merging same campus
schools / schools within
100 meters
Phase 3:
Large scale merger for
enrolment <20 and, 20-40
with <1km lead school
Phase 4:
Merger of S&ME and
SSD Schools
•1603 schools closed
1
•Policy issued in May 2018
•2148 schools identified for
physical/ administrative
merger
•1016 schools merged as
per online report; process
on going
•Policy issued in March 2020
•15,000 schools identified for
consolidation
•6,222 school in final stages
of consolidation
•Merger plan prepared by
districts
•Guidelines to be issued
1. Completed before launch of SATH-E program
Completed -2017 Completed 2018 Final Stages 2020- 22 Yet to commence Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
122122
In March 2020, the Government of Odisha approved a bold, large-scale merger policy and set an
ambitious vision for the State, which laid out distance and enrollment norms for consolidation for
eight different school scenarios. For 2020-21, the State opted to pursue consolidation of scenario 1
and 3 (scenario 2 was completed in 2018) under which most of such schools (approximately 15,000)
were accounted for.
In order to make sure that the implementation runs smoothly at the district, block and school
level, it was important to create clear and exhaustive guidelines for the implementation
modalities. These guidelines were then disseminated and training workshops for each step were
carried out with the district and block level ofwcers. Tracking of these modalities was also important
to make sure implementation happened at scale. The broad steps followed during the integration are
highlighted below.
• Satellite School identi?cation - Analysis on GIS data of all the sub-scale schools was done
toidentify prospective satellite schools’ distance from lead schools. A list of 15,000 target satellite
schools was shared with the district ofwcers for an on-ground veriwcation.
• Veri?cation and lead school mapping - In order to ensure equity in access for all students, district
and block ofwcers performed in-person veriwcation to ensure viability of mergers for each
satellite school. Factors such as geographical relief, demography, barriers such as railway lines
and national highways were kept in mind while approving schools for consolidation. List of
approved schools was then submitted to the State Level School Consolidation Committee
(SLSCC) for wnal approval. SLSCC analyzed the submitted data and approved consolidations
in line with the stipulated guidelines.
• Grievance management - To make consolidation a success, a grievance redressal mechanism
was put in place at the Block, District and State level. Aggrieved parties were able to submit a
complaint for a speciwc school, in both - ofyine and online forms. These complaints were then
investigated by the District Grievance Cell which constituted a fact wnding report to the District
Collector. Upon examining these submitted reports, the District Collector recommended the
changes, if any, to the State which further examined all recommendations and approved/
Any Primary/UP/Secondary School*
Any Primary/UP/Secondary School
Primary School*
Upper Primary School (VI-VIII)
Upper Primary School (I-VIII)
Secondary School (VI-X)
Secondary School (I-X)
Secondary School (IX-X)
20 or less
Any Enrollment
Less than 40
Less than 50
Less than 60
Less than 50
Less than 80
Less than 60
20 or less
Any Enrollment
Less than 25
Less than 40
Less than 45
Less than 45
Less than 45
Less than 40
Any distance
100 meters
1 km
2 km
1 km
2 km
2 km
3 km
School Category
Distance of nearby
Elementary/
Secondary School
Enrollment criteria
Non-Scheduled
Area
Scheduled
Area
Exhibit 4.4.7: Distance and Enrollment Norms for Consolidation Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
123123
rejected the grievance and recommended order of continuing with or stopping the school
consolidation.
• Field activities - High level of weld engagement is required to get Headmasters to carry out post-
consolidation activities. These activities include transfer of teachers, transfer of property, handing
over all the immovable property to Panchayati Raj Department, student tracking, formation
of new SMCs and disbursement of allowances to students. Detailed guidelines for all such
activities were created and disseminated to the weld and workshops were organized to align the
stakeholders. All of these activities were tracked on a school-by-school basis through the State
MIS. District-wise progress report on all activities was discussed in the State PMU each month and
then in the respective district review meetings.
Outcomes
• Nearly 9,000+ schools consolidated: 1,110 sub-scale schools (enrollment <10) and 1,824 same
campus schools were consolidated in phase I and II. Consolidation of another ~6,600
sub-scale schools is underway. This is in alignment with Odisha’s long-term vision to have
40,000 schools and no schools with less than 2 teachers.
• Well-dewned processes and guidelines: To mobilize all the 30 Districts and 314 Blocks to carry
out various activities in the consolidation process, it was critical to create guidelines that were
exhaustive to cover various scenarios, but also simple to carry out in the weld. ?ll the steps to be
taken by each stakeholder from State level teams to individual headmasters were clearly dewned in
the guideline document and was then explained in the subsequent webinars. The clarity of process
lent by these actions was imperative to make such a large-scale transformation possible. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
124
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
124
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Not only were systematic veriwcation processes put in place, but a multi-level process for pre-emptive
identiwcation of red yag cases and their re-veriwcation was constituted. ?t the State level,
potential red-yag cases were identiwed:
GIS analysis was run using the school coordinates, mapping out aerial distances to lead
schools. Any satellite schools with the distance higher than policy mandated were marked
as red-yags for re-veriwcation for the on-ground teams.
A demographic analysis was done to identify areas with high SC/ ST populations.
Select cases where more than 3-4 satellite schools were being merged to a single lead
school were identiwed as red yags as they could potentially have a shortage in infrastructure.
Satellite schools with different medium of instruction were identiwed as red yags and removed
from the consolidation list, e.g. some Urdu satellite schools were identiwed to not be merged
with Odia medium schools.
VFS call centers were utilized to call headmasters and block level ofwcers to verify check for these
red yags. ? comprehensive list of such red yags was shared with districts to re-verify the speciwc
challenge marked out. This list was further used to cross check merger cases before wnal
approval during the State-level School Consolidation Committee meetings.
• Early and effective grievance management: It is imperative to make sure all and any aggrieved
parties have access to a legitimate grievance redressal channel. For this, a grievance structure
was notiwed and through regular reviews at the District and State levels, grievances were escalated,
discussed and cleared before proceeding with consolidation. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
125
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
125
1
•Poor performing
districts: Mayurbhanj,
Nayagarh, Sonepur,
Malkangiri
•Good performing
districts: Dhenkanal,
Deogarh, Sundergarh,
Koraput, Kandhamal
Name of the district School Count total
Schools reported
(%age schools)
School Account
closed
Teacher reportingTransfer of Property
Building vacated and
handed over
MAYURBHANJ43442%13%40%17%14%
NAYAGARH14251%25%51%30%23%
SONEPUR13761%36%61%36%20%
MALKANGIRI11862%25%62%31%26%
BHADRAK20766%29%66%44%39%
NUAPADA14269%55%66%57%58%
GANJAM43368%41%67%55%45%
CUTTACK44070%28%68%41%24%
JAGATSINGHPUR20674%55%72%49%42%
RAYGADA17270%39%69%41%35%
KALAHANDI24271%26%67%44%38%
BALASORE15274%28%73%31%33%
BOUDH13576%23%76%62%51%
ANGUL17078%45%75%52%41%
JHARSUGUDA10478%47%77%53%52%
BOLANGIR18582%41%80%54%43%
DHENKANAL21896%72%94%70%70%
BARGARH25984%48%84%61%49%
SUNDARGARH23691%60%90%68%62%
JAJPUR31291%36%90%47%29%
KHORDHA16798%51%95%47%51%
SAMBALPUR19493%47%89%65%51%
KENDRAPADA21798%34%96%48%38%
KEONJHAR19197%29%95%30%28%
KANDHAMAL29899%55%94%56%54%
GAJPATI32599%35%99%39%34%
DEOGARH79100%47%100%82%84%
KORAPUT356126%71%119%79%74%
NAWARANGPUR86148%43%147%90%26%
Districts have shown varying performance on post consolidation activities;
to be completed by 15
th
April
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Eppendix
• School Consolidation
34
- Notiwcation by Education Department of Odisha detailing the principles
and process of school consolidation and rationalization
• List of schools
35
- Schools across various categories proposed for consolidation in Odisha
• Monitoring and tracking: Field activities carried out in ~7,000 schools were tracked on a weekly
cadence to make sure the schools are consolidated before reopening of schools post COVID.
Digital tracking through the State MIS and the weekly cadence governance through DRMs and
Nodal ofwces brought discipline and rigor at the District and Block level teams.
34
https://drive.google.com/wle/d/11QsqQxy3wk?ika1KvTPIGC7irNYc1aNx/view

35
http://osepa.odisha.gov.in/webadmin/upload/NOTIFICATION%20NO%2014331%20DATED%2012.10.20%20ON%20RATIONALIZA
TION%20?ND%20CONSOLID?TION%20OF%20SCHOOLS%20UNDER%20S&ME%20DEP?RTMENT_04_53_46pm9e098cb28be
f63e44764d64d740405af.pdf
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
126
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
126
Supporting case study
(Madhya Pradesh)
Background
In 2018, Madhya Pradesh had ~1.2 lakh public schools under the School Education Department
including Primary, Middle, Senior and Higher Secondary schools. Out of ~84,000 Primary Schools
(classes 1-5), ~40,000 schools had a total enrollment of less than 40 students (RTE norms indicate 40
students as the minimum number of students to open a primary school).
There were more than 20,000 single-teacher schools and no schools had all of grades 1 to 12. As
students progressed through grades, they found fewer schools with senior grades and with no
integrated schools, they often had to change schools thrice before reaching Class 11 (Primary to
Middle to Secondary to Senior Secondary).
In this context, Madhya Pradesh planned to embark on a school consolidation journey, with an aim to
improve academic quality through administrative and economic efwciencies that would be gained by
creating large, vibrant schools with adequate teachers and other resources.
Initial GIS analysis suggested that out of the total 1.2 lakh schools, approximately 53,000 schools
were within the same campus (translated as within 150 metres of one or more other schools), each
being run as a separate school. Merging these schools represented a ‘quick win opportunity’ as no
physical movement of students and teachers was required. So, the State decided to undertake an
administrative merger of these same campus schools in the wrst phase of school consolidation (titled
‘Ek Parisar Ek Shaala’ initiative). Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
127

127
Implementation
• Identifying schools: GIS-based geo-analytics was carried out to identify a list of consolidation
candidates for Madhya Pradesh. Basis the GIS data, the distance of each school with respect to all
the other schools in the same block was calculated and all schools which were within 150 metres of
each other were identiwed as clusters. This list was then sent for weld veriwcation.
Field veri?cation of identi?ed candidates: A database-generated list is often far from
accurate and needs weld veriwcation. Parameters including real enrollment, actual distance,
terrain in-between schools, socio-economic and demographic constraints like language
etc., need to be weld veriwed. To ensure rigor and honesty, in MP, this entire list was
sent out to the District Collectors for weld veriwcation. The cluster level ofwcials veriwed
the list and shared the veriwed list with the State-level ofwcials, where the complete list was
compiled. To ensure a correct veriwcation process, the ofwcials were oriented through VC.
It is crucial at this stage to communicate the plan and the overall vision of the project with
the weld ofwcers, so they have context as to why they are doing a certain exercise and its
expected benewts.
The output after this step was a veriwed list of schools within 150 metres of each other, which
could be viably merged into a single school. The wnal list involved merger of ~35,000 schools into
~16,000 schools. These 16,000 new schools included mergers of all kinds (1-8, 6-10, 6-12 etc.).
• Obtaining necessary approvals for mergers: Once a veriwed wnal list of proposed mergers
was ready, cabinet approval was taken for its implementation. Post the approval, the list was
processed through formal committees at the district level (comprising the District Collector,
CEO-ZP, ?ssistant Commissioner - Tribal Department, District Education Ofwcer, District Project
Coordinator and DIET Principal), under the chairmanship of the District Education Ofwcer (DEO).
It is imperative to track this process of approvals across districts. Once approved by the committee
(could vary by State), the wnal process of mergers was initiated.
• De?ning parameters and guidelines for integration: Once the list was wnalised and the weld
ofwcials (both district and block) were oriented about the State’s vision for the initiative, a
detailed implementation plan for the smooth rollout of the initiative in the weld was dewned by the
State. The plan laid out exactly what all an ‘administrative merger’ would comprise of and how
it will be executed. Exhibit 4.4.12 lays down some of the key aspects around which detailed
guidelines were drafted for integrated schools. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
128
Exhibit 4.4.11: Major aspects around which integration guidelines were drafted
205
Morena
190
Bhind
238
Shivpuri
166
Datia
130
Guna
252
Chhatarpur
371
Sagar
174
Panna
Madhya
Paresh218
Shahdol
164
Anuppur
144
Dindori
263
Mandla
255
Jabalpur
197
Katni
301
Balaghat
289
Seoni332
Betul
195
Hoshangaba
d
260
Vidisha
295
Sehore
94
Harda
157
Khandw
a
96
Burhanpur
276
Khargone
126
Alirajpur
352
Dhar
178
Jhabua 218
Indore
234
Ratlam
198
Mandsaur
293
Rajgarh
The role and authority of school principal (or the highest school head position) for the integrated school
MResponsible Ior perIormanFe grade 1 onwards should maNe sFhool development plan Ior all grades etF
The role of other HMs in such schools
Meg role oI middle sFhool HM iI sFhool prinFipal is also present and how the two worN together division oI
responsibilities
Norms for resource sharing across schools
MTeaching staff
MNon Teaching staff
MInIrastruFture sharing as needed Flassrooms toilets library labs teFh inIra etF
Plan for potential infrastructure upgradation in these schools
Guidelines around all academic and administrative aspects SMCs assembly MDM timetables attendanFe
Fapture etF
Process for rigorous on-ground monitoring oI implementation post oIFial merger e[eFution
1
2
3
4
5
6
128 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
129
Exhibit 4.4.12: Excerpts from training collaterals
• Development of material- To ensure a smooth implementation of the mergers on ground, once
the plan was dewned, detailed and comprehensive training content was developed with examples.
• Training plan- Since the implementation would require action and monitoring from ofwcials
across all levels (Teachers, Principals/ HMs, Cluster, Block etc.), a training plan was created, with
the State-level ofwcials covering all districts in-person. Subsequently, a regular training
schedule was established. MP effectively used the virtual classroom network which covers 90% of
the blocks to reduce the number of cascade levels in trainings and directly explain the steps of
implementation to school heads and teachers of the selected schools.
• Field Engagement and query/ grievance redressal mechanisms – A robust, time-bound
query and grievance redressal process was set up. ?ll stakeholders could get clariwcations
or raise speciwc grievances that could be tracked, re-investigated and resolved at the
district level. This was essential to maintain transparency and take corrective action in case of
exceptions. In MP, multiple channels were used for this purpose. For example:
? fortnightly VC was conducted with all districts where district ofwcials could clarify doubts
and raise concerns/ grievances.
Face-to-face sessions were conducted through senior State ofwcials at the divisional
level with the same objectives.
Trainings
1
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130130
Multiple WhatsApp groups were created with all school heads and block/ district
ofwcials where merger related queries were addressed, ofwcial letters published, and success
stories were shared.
Monthly review meetings were facilitated in the weld at the district level (in the presence of all
the district and block ofwcials) and at the block level (in the presence of the block and cluster
level ofwcials).
All school heads were provided one to one support through a call centre set up at the State
level.
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Results of EPES Monitoring form being discussed at DPMUs
Fortnightly virtual classroom trainings
Active support from State via
WhatsApp
EPES focused divisional Training conducted by CPI Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
131131
• Post-mergers tracking – After being informed about the implementation of ‘Ek Parisar - Ek Shala’
mergers, school tracking was done through the State’s school monitoring app system. Questions
to judge whether the school had truly integrated were added to the monitoring form, e.g.
whether:
An integrated time-table involving sharing of teacher resources across PS, MS, HS/ HSS had
been made
? single school head had been identiwed and if the school head was now taking responsibility
for all the schools within the campus
The available infrastructure and resources (e.g. staff room, library, toilets etc.) were being
shared effectively among the merged schools
One common teacher attendance register had been created where teachers of all the merged
sub-schools would mark their attendance
The stock of all the different schools had been kept in a single room and maintained
through a common stock register
A new school board displaying the integrated classes in the merged school (eg. 1-8, 6-12
etc.) had been put up
All students initially registered in all constituent schools were now registered as part of the
combined school code in a common scholar register
?part from the monitoring by the State’s ofwcials, regular weld veriwcation in sample schools by
members of third-party organisations provided a check on the monitoring data and gave insights
on the actual on-ground implementation.
Exhibit 4.4.14: Snapshot of an implementation tracker
5
MetricField insights
Integrated Infrastructure
•Different financers (for stock register)
•Infeasible due to distance/separate floors (staff rooms,
toilets etc.)
51.1%
Integrated School head
•Conflicts between HMs/ Principals/ In-charge
•Confusion on the field regarding seniority
•On-ground, EPES schools are not functioning as one entity yet
50.6%
Time - table/ teacher sharing
•Creation of time-table is challenge - especially for secondary
schools and schools running in two shifts
•Teacher from higher grades reluctant in teaching lower classes
51.5% Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
132
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
132
Outcomes
• School merger: In MP, post veriwcation a total of 35,113 schools were merged into 16,076
campuses, of which ~75% are elementary schools from grades 1 to 8. The following exhibit shares
the details of the number of schools under different setup types post the integration.
Merging sub-scale schools yielded immediate academic and administrative benewts:
• Improved teacher and HM availability, as well as better academic environment – Mergers
optimize teaching resources and allow for subject-wise, grade-wise teaching that is likely to
result in improved learning compared to MGML (multi grade multi level) teaching scenarios.
In MP, teachers in only 21% of the merged EPES schools are, on an average, teaching
more than 2 grades, as compared to 35% of the total schools in the State. Moreover, post
the mergers, 54.8% of the merged schools came under the supervision of a HM/ Principal as
compared to only 20.4% schools earlier, leading to more efwcient functioning.
• Better resourced schools – Larger schools are more likely to have better infrastructure
due to resource sharing such as an integrated staff room, school-head room and storage room.
This leads to more rooms being available for academic activities. Moreover, larger schools
can afford support staff like computer assistants, MDM supervisors, clerks, sweepers etc. allowing
teachers to dedicate more of their time to in-classroom teaching.

EPES has helped create larger, integrated
schools serving ~35%students
35113
schools
16076
campuses
~26 lac
students
Type of SetupNo. of campuses
1-5313
1-811,894
6-837
1-101,378
1-12784
6-10744
6-12572
9-1217
Others242
Others include skip integrations: MS+HSS, PS+HSS, etc.
~75% schools
are 1-8
Teacher sharing has
led to reduced
MGML teaching
Better physical
infrastructure available
for more schools due
to sharing
More students:
Larger peer group,
stronger parent community
Better administrationfor the state
School Consolidation
Smoother transition
between grade 5 to
6 and 9 to 10
Exhibit 4.4.15: Snapshot of the post mergers impact in MP Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
133
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
133
• Improved governance – Fewer schools improve the rate of monitoring and inspections
which, as per most studies, is correlated to improved school performance. Obviously, it also
reduces the time spent by block and district ofwcials on administration processes. In MP,
CACs are responsible for monitoring the majority of the elementary schools. The mergers reduced
the number of schools to be monitored on average by 4 schools per CAC per month.
• Improved attendance and reduced drop-outs – Anecdotal data suggests that attendance
tends to rise in merged schools because of greater academic rigor and discipline. Integrated
schools also eliminate the need for the physical transition of students between Primary/ Upper
Primary/ Secondary schools and can consequently help in reduction of dropout rates. Some of
these benewts are yet to be seen in MP.
EA?AAAFAAFA?TXXZTSAkaA?APAAAxA?TAxA9TA?AAA!TA?AxAPA?TALA!A?A:A!A?APTAA!AkA!A?APTA9AxA?TMP

EPES leads to less multi-
grade teaching, senior
leadership for more
schools and better
monitoring from the
state
All State
Schools
21%
35%
EPES
schools
Administrative ease: 4 less schools
per CAC – improved monitoring &
mentoring
Before
EPES
121,960
101,020
After
EPES
Multi-grade teaching is reduced in EPES
Strengthened leadership in EPES
schools—higher % of
schools with HMs/Principal
5
% schools with
HM/Principal
% schools with
HM/Principal
5320 CACs: 23
schools/CAC 5320 CACs: 19
schools/CAC

1
Percentage of schools with > 2 grades/ teacher
School Consolidation
Consolidation leading to larger, better
resourced schools
Students
Teachers
Toilet girls
Toilet Boys
101
3.4
1.1
1.0
223
7.4
2.4
2.2
Avg. per school
before EPES
Avg. per school
after EPES Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
134

Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
134
Supporting case study
(Rajasthan)
Background
Rajasthan’s scattered public-school network was difwcult to sustain and inefwcient due to poor
enrollment per school and skewed teacher distribution. Resources such as classrooms, computers,
playgrounds and sanitation were inadequate in these schools. There were 17,000 single-teacher
schools and no schools which had all classes from 1 to 12. Many schools in the State were subscale,
i.e. 35% schools had less than 30 students per grade and 11% had less than 15 students. There were
more elementary schools per gram panchayat than required based on the distance norm prescribed
under RTE. However, as students progressed through classes, they found fewer schools with senior
grades and had to change schools at least thrice before reaching Class 12. Less than 40% of gram
panchayats in the State had senior secondary schools. This led to poor student transition rates and
high dropout rates in senior grades. To improve the quality of education and increase administrative
efwciency, in 2014, the State decided to integrate unviable schools to create an integrated schooling
system. The objective was to strike a balance between access and quality by pooling in resources and
ensuring the availability of adequate teachers. The State also wanted to create at least one integrated
school in each gram panchayat that had Classes 1 to 12 under the same roof. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
135

Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
135
Implementation
• Identifying schools: The school consolidation effort was led by a dedicated 20-member
team at the State level. District level teams consisting of DEOs (District Education Ofwcers) and
DEEOs (District Elementary Education Ofwcers) were established. ?dditionally, teams of
Block Elementary Education Ofwcers (BEEOs) were created at the block level and nine teams with
Deputy Directors at the regional level. Since the school integration exercise was initiated in 2014,
prior to the creation of the State MIS Shaala Darpan
36
, existing UDISE data at the gram panchayat
level was leveraged to scope the integration exercise. UDISE data contained a list of schools and
their revenue village, gram panchayat, distance from each primary school to the nearest
government or government-aided upper primary school and from each upper primary school to
secondary school. The gram panchayat level team veriwed the UDISE data pertaining to the
distance between schools and highlighted access problems due to highways or water bodies if
any.
• Criteria: Based on RTE norms, the State set the following criteria for school integration:
Distance: Sub-scale primary and upper primary schools were integrated with secondary and
higher secondary schools within the vicinity as per RTE norms, or where they operated as
separate schools but within the same premises.
Enrollment: Schools with less than 30 children were integrated with a school situated within
one kilometre and having higher enrollments.
Based on distance and enrollment data and the State criteria, BEEOs and DEEOs proposed
schools to be merged to Director Elementary and Secondary Education respectively. The
government wnalised and approved the list of schools to be integrated.
• Integration strategy:
Consolidation: Multiple Class I-V and VI-X schools existed in proximity. Such schools were
consolidated into one. This was done in one of two ways:
Physical: Where possible, schools with inferior infrastructure were physically consolidated
and merged with schools possessing better infrastructure.
Administrative: Where physical consolidation was not possible, schools were
consolidated to have common administration and shared infrastructure. For instance,
the primary school may be run in one building and the secondary in the other.
Teachers were also redistributed across classes.
Firstly, all schools in the same revenue village were consolidated. Schools with less than 15 enrollments
were also consolidated. Next, sub-optimally functioning all-girls and all-boys schools running in
the same neighbourhood were consolidated, physically where possible, else administratively, into
co-ed schools. 2,866 primary or upper primary schools were consolidated with 2,997 primary
or upper primary schools ensuring access as per RTE norms. Where primary and upper primary
schools could not be physically consolidated, they were administratively consolidated with secondary
and senior secondary schools.
36
For more information on the State MIS, please refer to ?dministrative efwciencies through tech and data systems Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
136
Upgradation: Primary, upper primary and secondary schools were upgraded to include
more classes and create more secondary and senior secondary schools. These schools
received additional infrastructure and at least one school with all Classes 1-12 in every
gram panchayat was developed as an Adarsh or model school.
15,000 primary and 2019 upper primary schools were integrated with 8,000 secondary
and 4,000 senior secondary schools leading to the creation of 3,953 secondary and 9,315
senior secondary schools. Integrated secondary or senior secondary schools would necessarily
have all Classes from 1 to 12 or 11 - 12. For instance, if a school with Classes 9 to 12 was
integrated with a school with Classes 1 to 5, it would have to create new Classes 6 to 8.
To establish at least one school with all classes till grade 12in all gram panchayats, 5,000
secondary schools were upgraded to form senior secondary schools. In some areas, subscale
schools were retained to ensure access as per RTE norms. As far as possible, secondary
and senior secondary schools were integrated in one phase. However, if the required
student to classroom ratio was not met, integration was carried out in two phases.
Anganwadi’s were integrated with schools to strengthen pre-primary education. 13,000
Anganwadi’s were integrated with class 1 to 10 and 1 to 12 schools, 13,500 Anganwadi’s
with 1 to 8 schools and 30,000 Anganwadis with 1 to 5 schools. Integrating pre-
primary classes helped improve preparedness for further school education. Anganwadis
benewted from using existing school infrastructure.
• Governance structure: The integration of schools led to changes in the governance structure of
the State’s education system. The elementary and secondary education wings were integrated
under the control of the Secondary Education Department and a single ofwcer, a Chief Block
Education Ofwcer (CBEO). Previously, teachers of Classes 1 to 5 reported to the block ofwcer
and 6 to 10 principals. The separate reporting structures made effective accountability harder to
enforce. This problem was further compounded for primary and upper primary schools which
reported to BEOs and BEEOs, whose administrative and geographic separation from schools
resulted in weaker supervision. After integration, all teachers reported to the principal of the
integrated school with Classes 1 to 12, who was appointed ex-ofwcio Panchayat Elementary
Education Ofwcer (PEEO) of all primary and upper primary schools. The PEEO is the academic
and administrative in-charge for effective supervision of integrated schools.
• Teacher availability: The State had around 50% teacher and principal vacancies and poor
distribution of staff by region, subject, cadre etc. The Department of Education dewned stafwng
norms based on which existing teaching staff was rationalized across schools. The backlog of
promotions was cleared, and additionally, new teachers were recruited. All schools up to Class XII
now have a principal and primary schools have a headmaster.
37
37
For more information on effective staff rationalisation, please refer to Teacher and Administrative Rationalisation Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
137
• Transport vouchers: A possible risk of consolidation is students dropping out of schools
because of the new school being further away from their houses. Transport vouchers were
introduced to mitigate this challenge. 4.5 lakh students received transport vouchers in
2018-19. The identiwcation of benewciaries and implementation of this initiative was carried
out through the State MIS. Vouchers are sanctioned and funded by Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and
the State government. Funds are managed by schools at the discretion of the School Management
Committee who may disburse money individually to students or collectively hire a vehicle
to take students to the school and back. Vouchers are linked to each student’s class
attendance, thereby acting as an incentive for them to not miss school often. The voucher
money is credited to the accounts of students at the start of the month. The amount credited for
a month is adjusted based on the student’s attendance the previous month. Annual cost of
compensating a student for travel to the nearest school is Rs. 3,000 while it costs Rs. 48,000 per
student to sustain a subscale Class I-V school with 15 students and 2 teachers. The eligibility
criteria for receiving the transport voucher is as follows:
• Infrastructure: Nearly 80% of schools did not have one classroom per class and hence multi-
grade teaching was prevalent. Technology, electricity, water, playground and sanitation facilities
were also inadequate in these schools. Since the integration exercise was initiated, Rs. 1,000
crore has been invested in school infrastructure. Multiple initiatives were launched to mobilize
community contribution to schools; the key being Mukhyamantri Jan Sahabhagita Vidyalaya Vikas
Yojana, a 60:40 State: community fund matching programme. The department also
leveraged other schemes to improve school infrastructure such as Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Border Area Development Program, Members of
Parliament or Member of Legislative Area Local Area Development Scheme etc.
1 to 5
6 to 8
9 to 12
Girls/ boys living > 1 km away from school
Girls/ boys living > 2 km away from school
Girls living > 5 km away from school
Rs. 10 per day of attendance
Rs. 15 per day of attendance
Cycle in class 9 or Rs.20 per day of attendance
Classes Enrollment criteriaEntitlement
Exhibit 4.4.17: Criteria and Entitlements for Transport Vouchers Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
138
DEOs and DEEOs
BEEOs
PEEO
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan &
State government
School Management
Committee
• End-to-end ownership of school consolidation
effort at the district level
• Submitting proposal of schools to be merged based
on distance, enrolment data and State criteria to
Director, Secondary Education
• End-to-end ownership of school consolidation
effort at the block level
• Proposing schools to be merged to Director,
Elementary Education based on distance
and enrollment data and the State criteria
• Verifying the UDISE data pertaining to distance
between schools and highlighted access problems
due to highways or water bodies, if any
• Supervising effective integration of integrated
schools
• ?pproving wnal list of schools to be integrated
• Sanctioning and funding transport vouchers for
eligible students
• Managing and disbursing funds for transport
vouchers; they may disbursed it individually
to students or collectively hire a vehicle
Roles and responsibilities
Stakeholders Roles and
responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities
Outcomes
Rajasthan’s school merger initiative has led to an 8% growth in enrollments.
Eppendix
• Guidelines
38
: In July 2017, MHRD issued a set of detailed guidelines on the rationalisation of small
schools across the States for better efwciency
38
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_wles/mhrd/wles/Guidelines%2520for%2520Rationalization.pd-
f&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1636654816471000&usg=?OvVaw0dyYpbIEpyU_PvdGfnwV?7 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
139

Vision: An Education MIS should enable 3 key objectives
•Performance against outcomes
?Student learning levels
?Enrolment
?Dropouts
•Status of key inputs
?School footprint
?Teacher vacancy
View of ‘State of Education’
Real time view of key
‘Outcomes’ and ‘Inputs’
•Governance & Accountability
?District/Block ranking
?School inspections
•Data driven decision making
?Planning for large scale
initiatives, e.g., staffing
rationalization, school footprint
optimization
?Budget allocation and planning
?Day to day activities
Focus on Performance
Governance and data driven
decision making
•Simplify and enable process
▪Schools:Enrolment tracking,
automated report cards
▪D
istrict & Block:Service record
management, fund utilization
▪State:Staffing & Budgeting
•Communication & Feedback channel
?SMS/WhatsApp/Email
?Scheme information
?Grievance redressal
Embed Efficiency
Seamless processes and
communication
XTAAALAFAkAFAPA?A?aA?AFA?A!TEAAFA!AkAAFA!APTTAAA?AxA?A:AATTA!AAAT?TDaA?aTSA?APA?A!ALAP
Introduction and context
Many governance systems of different States rely on ofyine data collection modes across different
initiatives and government programs. This creates a fragmented view for administration resulting in an
ineffective governance setup. Furthermore, teachers, weld ofwcers, and district ofwcers have to spend
a substantial amount of time collecting, collating, and submitting data. This leads to reduced time
available for teaching and learning. At the State level, the collected data also brings in compilation
errors across different sources that reduce the reliability of the data.
MIS platforms are instrumental in resolving this by providing a uniwed view of the State on metrics across
different initiatives. It builds a data source that can be used across different levels of administration for
effective governance in the State and reduces the effort required in repeated data collection.
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Enable accurate and easily accessible data on students, teachers, schools that can be referenced
as a single source of truth for a State.
• Reduce the amount of time teachers spend on non-academic activities through the use of
technology and data systems for administrative tasks.
• Ensure all administrative/ HR processes are effectively using technology, which has systemic effects
such as reduction in grievances, court cases etc.
• Enable data based reviews and accountability in the system.
Design of the intervention
A best in class E-MIS system should aim to deliver on three key objectives (Exhibit 5.1).
Exhibit 4.5.1: Vision and objectives of an E-MIS
Vision: An Education MIS should enable 3 key objectives Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
140

The most critical use cases of an MIS include:
• Central database: The composition of MIS as a central warehouse of reliable data for school, staff
and students is the most basic and primary use-case. E-MIS allows availability of accurate relevant
real-time information. It also removes the duplicated data-collection efforts made by teachers and
principals. The image below showcases the variety of use-cases that a single central database can
solve, such as: student learning data, teacher prowle data, school level data, data on benewciaries
of different entitlements provided by the State.
• Process automation: E-MIS can completely automate time-consuming manual processes of data
management across the school, district and State levels. The image below provides a listing of
key processes that can be considered for automation. This can save time as well as build higher
transparency in Government Departments. Some of the processes that can be automated are
student progression database updating, teacher prowle database updating based on transfer
protocols, school database updating, etc.

Exhibit 4.5.2: Use cases of MIS
Exhibit 4.5.3: Key processes that can be automated Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
141
Implementation Design of the Intervention Requires Making Critical
Choices; Different Starting Points Ecross States
Once the State is aligned on the ‘Vision for the E-MIS’ and the most applicable use-cases, it is critical
to make a few strategic choices as shown in exhibit 5.2, as States can have different starting points,
considerations and constraints.
MIS development: States have a choice whether to develop a new, greenweld MIS system or integrate
existing portals/ databases. Availability of existing systems followed by functionality and compatibility
are key considerations while evaluating this decision. For example, in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh,
the MIS connects several existing systems that were previously fragmented. On the other hand, in
Jharkhand, a new greenweld MIS system had to be built and is called ‘eVidya Vahini’.

Implementation crossroads: Critical decisions for education MIS
Source: BCG perspective
MIS development
Based on quality and compatibility
of existing databases
Point of access
Based on hardware footprint at
schools or with field force
Vendor selection
Based on capability,
cost, bandwidth
Contract
Based on budget, nature of
support required
Integration of existing
Database/portals
ICT infra at schools
Computers, tablets or smartphones
•Real time information
Government agency
•DoIT or NIC
Continuous support
•Resource and manpower
Greenfield development
Devices for field force
•Based on school
inspections frequency
Atal Seva Kendra
Private vendors
Fixed support
•Project based
OR
OR
OR
OR
Exhibit 4.5.4: Critical Decisions for Education MIS Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
142
Point of access, data entry: Most States have a fairly robust ICT infra at State, district and block
ofwces. However, the penetration at the school varies. The availability of infrastructure at school
level is a critical determinant that will drive what types and quality of data can be collated. Having
ICT infrastructure – computers/ laptops or even smartphones/ tablets – at the school level is ideal.
However, in the absence of this, the departments can explore other models where the weld ofwcers
update data during school inspections or information is updated by schools via other channels e.g.,
Atal Seva Kendra network.
Vendor selection: The vendor’s capability to deliver paves the way for success or failure of the
Education MIS. The key factors to consider are capability, bandwidth and cost. The choices include
working with the State’s DoIT or NIC or engaging a private vendor via an RFP.
Contract type: The various choices to consider here include going for a resource and manpower
support model, which can provide continuous support, but is often prone to ballooning costs and
timelines. The alternative to this is a wxed cost or project-based model that offers much clearer
timelines; however, it requires planning for maintenance support for the future – either via a private
vendor or the government agencies.
De?ne use case & scope of data
Train & collect data
Select vendor & set-up PMU
Provide Infrastructure Create
modules & roll-out requests
• Articulate the purpose of the MIS and use cases for
each user
• Dewne the scope, granularity, frequency of data
collection at all levels
• Train relevant stakeholders through videos,
manuals, helplines
• Data entry operators capture data on an annual or
as per need basis
• Work with NIC for in-house expertise & consistent
support Create a 5-10 member MIS cell with end-
to-end ownership
• Provide access to computers, laptops and internet
facilities at school or in nearby schools, e-Mitra
Kendras, cyber cafes
• Design and test user centric data collection forms
• Roll-out requests gradually, based on agile
approach
Ection charter for developing a State MIS Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
143
Monitor data completion
Review data quality
Institutionalize usage
• Monitor status of data completion through reports
on the MIS
• Urge for completion in reviews and on WhatsApp/
Telegram groups
• Check data accuracy via data discrepancy reports,
school visit monitoring processes and linked
administrative processes
• Nudge adoption of the MIS by stopping ofyine data
collection and discussing data in reviews

Challenges and mitigation
ChallengesMitigation Strategies
Finalizing the vendor
Launch
Design of the portal and data collection formats
Hiring vendors with lack of capability to build a yexible & modular architecture that allows for a robust MIS.
Low cost vendors with lack of
right experience and technical
know how.
Bugs and technical glitches
Non yexible formats and
architecture that doesn’t allow
for future customizations and
advanced dashboarding.
Robust selection criteria while
yoating RFP.
Ensure QCBS selection criteria
for RFP.
Pilot the launch with a small
sample of schools and create
an agile mechanism for
resolving the errors.
Ex: WhatsApp groups, Virtual
Field Support.
Ensure terms of reference
includes modular technical
features including drag and
drop reports, dashboard
mockups and time series
analysis.
State to sign off on detailed
mockups before going ahead
with development.
Phase Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
144
ChallengesMitigation Strategies
Post Launch-
Maintenance Phase
Bugs and technical glitches
Incorrect data entry
Delay in data entry
Evolving requests for
change of formats and
functionalities
Continuous non-technical
& new requests by end
users
Low usage by users
Creating a continuous
and agile support mechanism
to resolve technical errors,
should be the part of the
vendor contract.
Regular orientation and
training/ refresher Physical
and virtual workshops for data
entry operators.
Veriwcation and validation
modules including hierarchy
based veriwcation.
Highlight the delay in review
meetings at the district and
State level review meetings.
The design of the E-MIS
should be kept yexible so
that functionality and formats
could be added at the nodal
level.
Capacity building of MIS
team at the nodal ofwce
to resolve non-technical
queries and requests.
Setup a coordinated
roundtable with the vendor
and State users, so that all
requests can be centrally
prioritized and communicated
to the vendor.
Create a report for last
used by and institutionalize a
scorecard associated with the
same for all ofwcers.
Phase Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
145
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
145
Supporting case study
(Jharkhand)
Background
Like many States in the country, Jharkhand did not have accurate data about students (personal details
and assessment), teaching and administrative staff, schools, etc in a central database. If the State or
district requested such data from teachers, they would spend several hours compiling reports based
on largely ofyine, time-taking and cumbersome data collection processes. The manual data collection
and entry processes were also prone to errors. This not only had an adverse impact on the time and
effort teachers spent on teaching. In the absence of credible data on student performance, teachers
were unable to measure or monitor progress and take effective decisions. To save time spent on
administrative tasks, end ofyine data collection, and enable data-backed decision-making, a State-
wide online portal was created in which real-time data was available. Jharkhand has been developing
a comprehensive integrated education MIS platform called eVidya Vahini catering to multiple aspects
of information gathering, validation and processing in the Department. eVV is facilitating data backed
decision making at State, district, block and school level. eVidya Vahini has been envisioned as an
integrated platform for all data requirements to accelerate decision making. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
146
Implementation
• Scope: State wise MIS system across all schools to track 45 Lakh students, 1 Lakh teachers, 3000
plus State education ofwcers and over 35,000 plus schools across Jharkhand to track assessments,
progression, attendance, leaves, grievances, etc,.
• Approach: The State education department onboarded a new vendor (CSM) in Oct’18
39
. The scope
for building 16 key modules for the State MIS was dewned by an internal team of State MIS, along
with the SATH-E team from scratch. The development was planned in three phases, and a 5-year
maintenance contract thereafter (as depicted below).
Internally, the team prioritized the development of modules with high utility for the department. These
included modules of Student Attendance, Teacher Attendance and Learning Level monitoring (Spot
Assessments) amongst others. Modules were launched as and when developed after user-testing and
weld-testing. The internal MIS team was responsible to work with the vendor in designing and testing
the modules along with the SATH-E team.
The MIS team also worked to regularly track and monitor bugs, weld grievances, along with training
of ofwcials on usage. Regular efforts were made for weld adoption of modules with follow ups to
ensure sustained usage and compliance. An important component of successful implementation of
MIS systems is to build a prioritized roadmap for development, which is aligned with stakeholders from
all departments.

Implementation crossroads: Critical decisions for education MIS
Source: BCG perspective
MIS development
Based on quality and compatibility
of existing databases
Point of access
Based on hardware footprint at
schools or with field force
Vendor selection
Based on capability,
cost, bandwidth
Contract
Based on budget, nature of
support required
Integration of existing
Database/portals
ICT infra at schools
Computers, tablets or smartphones
•Real time information
Government agency
•DoIT or NIC
Continuous support
•Resource and manpower
Greenfield development
Devices for field force
•Based on school
inspections frequency
Atal Seva Kendra
Private vendors
Fixed support
•Project based
OR
OR
OR
OR
Exhibit 4.5.5: Phase-wise Development Plan for State MIS
39
The wrst version of eVV 1.0 (built by NIC) had an inefwcient code and design, lack of personnel and bandwidth and hence
was discontinued Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
147
• Distribution of technology infrastructure: The technology infrastructure which enables e-Vidya
Vahini comprises tablets, smartphones, biometric devices, and the master databases. In 2018,
41,000 tablets and biometric devices were distributed to schools as well as to all Block Resource
Persons (BRPs) and Cluster Resource Persons (CRPs). However, to streamline the data input, the
system is now moving to a smartphone focused model in the weld, and tablets are being phased
out
40
. ?ll State, district, and block ofwcials can also access eVV data using the online platform.
The following section details 4 modules ( out of total 16 modules developed), showcasing the MIS in
action at the State level in Jharkhand:
Monitoring and spot testing:
This module houses a set of questions, dewned by the State, that are to be answered by
ofwcials (DEO, DSE, ?DPO, BEEO, BPO, BRP, or CRP) during their school visit. The questions
have varying frequencies and are visible to the ofwcer on the visit (as per designation of
the ofwcer). Each ofwcial is supposed to wll out the monitoring survey on the eVV mobile
application during a school visit. (S)he is also supposed to conduct a spot test by randomly
selecting 3 students and testing them on a predewned set of competencies (more details
on this can be found in the assessment landscape section of the report) for the subjects of
English, Hindi, and Mathematics and wll the results on the eVV mobile application. Data
collected from the monitoring visits is used to check for the accuracy of data reported by
schools and teachers (like student attendance, teacher attendance, infrastructure, textbook
availability, facilities) and to drive correction actions.
Status: pre-covid, on average more than 2500 daily visits were conducted and recorded on
eVV mobile application.
Teachers:
A unique ID is provided to all teachers at the time of registration and is used to track any
changes in the prowle of a teacher. ? teacher prowle, consisting of basic personal details,
education and professional qualiwcation etc., is mandatorily created at the time of registration.
The database also stores biometric attendance records and changes in the service (transfer/
deputation etc). Digitization of teacher records can enable the State in decision making on
matters like transfers, hiring, rationalization, etc. It also has the potential of linking salary
disbursements withattendance and leaves.
Status: 1.2 lakh teachers of Department of Education schools have completed their registration
and 88% teachers have been marking biometric attendance on eVV mobile application.
Students:
This module facilitates digital tracking student performance and their progression to the next
academic session. A unique ID, provided to every student at the time of admission, is used for
identiwcation and tracking their academic course. The database consists of a student prowle –
admission year, parents’ detail, benewts granted, annual attendance, and progression status.
Digitization of progression records allows the school (and any ofwcial of State) to fetch the
dropouts/ failed/ passed students in a given academic year at the click of a button. Daily
class-wise attendance of each school is also recorded via eVV mobile application.
Status: all student data for 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2019-20 is 100%, 98% and 90% present on
eVV. Remaining data for these years and the progression of students from 2019-20 to 2020-
21 is underway.
40
Working with tablets has posed several challenges: the lifespan of a typical tablet is three years, the contract with the vendor does not allow
for tablet repairs, and in 2019 a State ofwcial encoded a political endorsement message into each tablet that automatically plays every time
the tablet is switched on; this message cannot be removed and is against election regulations, and so tablets have been discontinued Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
148
• Learning Tracking Format (LTF): A competency-based assessment tool has been developed on
eVV for student-wise tracking for the grades 1 to 8. Teachers will be entering student performance
data on a monthly basis. The list of competencies to be evaluated is in sync with the Spot Testing
Tool used for monitoring. This ensures that there is harmonization between the teaching module and
assessment module. Status: The module is developed on eVV. Launch of the module ispending
due to school closures in the wake of the pandemic. The module will be used once schools re-open.
Status: all student data for 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2019-20 is 100%, 98% and 90% present on
eVV. Remaining data for these years and the progression of students from 2019-20 to 2020-21 is
underway.

State MIS team
External vendor
State ?eld of?cers
(BRP/ CRP)
DEO/ DSE/ BEEO
SATH Team
End to end responsibility for design, development, and
management of eVV
Development and maintenance of web portal, mobile
application, backend datasets, data storage & yow across
systems
Regular monitoring, spot testing, daily school visits and
ensuring proper usage of eVV
Master data and prowles registration, adoption and proper
usage while ensuring accuracy of data. conducting regular
reviews at district/ block level
Supporting vendor onboarding, module design and testing,
supporting State MIS teams on trainings, monitoring,
ensuring weld adoption & analytics to support decision
making
Roles and responsibilities
StakeholderRoles and responsibilities
The key stakeholders in the State education department (Secretary/ Director Primary/ Director Secondary/ SPD) were continuously involved in regular reviews & re-prioritization as per changing requirements in coordination with the State MIS team.
The following stakeholder were instrumental in building an effective State MIS system for
Jharkhand: Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
149
Key Success Factors:
Ensuring Successful Development, Roll-Out and Adoption of MIS
Jharkhand’s success was a result of a well-tested nine-step process that details the key elements
essential for the successful design, development, rollout and adoption of MIS.
Step 1: De?ne the purpose of the MIS and detail high-level business requirements:
A cross-initiative core team needs to be set up to lay down expected outcomes and key use-cases.
Prioritization of use-cases for a phased rollout is also critical to ensure that the MIS meets the
requirements of the department.
Step 2: Onboard a product team/ IT business partner to lead MIS development:
A team of relatively tech-savvy individuals who can translate business requirements into technical
requirements. The team should be able to translate technical challenges into design feedback that is
essential to lead MIS development. In Rajasthan, the Shaala Darpan Cell, composed of senior teachers
and principals who have diplomas in computer science (or equivalent), plays the quintessential role of
driving prioritization, leading MIS (module) design, monitoring development quality and incorporating
feedback from the weld.
Step 3: Automation/ digitization of key processes:
Digitization of processes across stakeholders; students (enrolment, TCs, etc.), teacher (stafwng,
performance management), school (board registrations, textbook), and administration (inspections,
leave management, salary disbursal) ensures early adoption institutionalization of the platform. Linkage
of fund transfers based on MIS data can also prove to be a driver of sustainability.
Step 4: Vendor selection and onboarding:
Vendor selection should typically involve experience, operating model (in-house vs. remote, T&M vs.
project) and cost considerations. After vendor onboarding, clear reporting structures and meeting
cadence must be laid out to ensure effective governance.
Step 5: Implementation roadmap and UI-UX design in consultation with the vendor:
The expected outcomes, in consultation with the vendor , should be phased out to create a logical
development/ implementation roadmap. Additionally, the product team and development vendor
should jointly design the UI-UX which is simple enough for the user, while complex enough to handle
any requisite features.
Step 6: De?ne systemic process for MIS design and rollout:
Clear process map must be laid out for the product/ IT business partner team as well as the vendor
to manage development/ amendments to any modules. A prioritization forum facilitates management
of multiple requests from the department owners. In Rajasthan’s case, these decisions are taken in a
meeting of the Process and Certiwcation Team, which comprises the product team, the development
vendor and key initiative leaders. ? well-dewned testing protocol is essential before any module is
rolled out.
Step 7: Monitor user-friendliness and data quality:
The MIS is only as good as the accuracy of its data. Structured steps as workshops, inspections, cross
module validations, integration with UDISE, etc. must be taken to ensure high-quality data availability. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
150150
Step 8: Capacity building across levels:
For ofwcers not used to digital processes, the transition to MIS might be difwcult due to capability
challenges. User capacity building is amandatory requirement, which could take the form of training,
VCs, FAQs, instructional videos, etc.
Step 9: Systematic tracking and usage monitoring:
Usage of MIS could also be a huge substitution cost for the users, leading to inertia in initial adoption.
Top down push via tracking logins and report views could be helpful in driving initial familiarization with
the portal.
Outcomes
Policy decisions need to stem from a careful analysis of relevant real time data, available through an
easy to use MIS. ? well implemented and widely adopted MIS in Jharkhand led to a more efwcient
and transparent system, and a culture of data led accountability. Moreover, it has allowed teachers to
spend more time on teaching.

eVidyaVahini (eVV) | Data from eVV has been used extensively
for decision making
Data across initiatives is reported by the field on the eVV android
application through mobile phones and tablets …
… and is used to generate
district scorecards
Teacher
attendance
School
monitoring
Certification Spot testing
What data is
recorded?
Daily attendance of
1.2L teachers
Real-time monitoring of
35k schools reg Gyan
Setu, Time-on-Task, Infra,
etc
School self nomination
and verification status
Learning levels of
elementary students
W
ho enter?TeachersBRP/CRPs Schools & BRP/CRPs BRP/CRPs
What was the
usage? (peak)
96%
teachers logged in at
least once
~
70k
monthly visits by 3k
BRP/CRPs
~
8.6k
self-nominations;
~2.5k verifications
>
1.5L
students spot-tested
monthly by 3k BRP/CRPs
(In Feb 2020) (In Feb 2020)(In March 2020)(In Feb 2020)
Scorecards have been useful for:
1.Identifying top and bottom
performing districts
2.Suggesting customized focus
areasfor each district
3.Highlighting lagging blocksin
every district for further
improvement
Exhibit 4.5.6: Usage of data from e Vidya Vahini
eVidyaVahini (eVV) |Data from eVV has been used extensively for decision making Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
151
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
151
1
Click on Submit
Proceed to the
next student
In Jharkhand, there is strong technology infrastructure in the weld today with ~92% of the schools
having a functional tablet and a biometric device which is being used daily for multiple activities. ~95%
student prowles have been completed for 2018-19. This is effective data which provides correct details
of students in terms of their grades, receipt of free uniform, school kits, textbooks etc. which in turn
helps to correctly identify the enrolment levels in schools and dropout rates. Similarly, teacher data
has been correctly updated for ~98% of government schools which facilitates correct identiwcation
of surpluses and vacancies in the system. The biggest impact of biometric registration of teachers
of ~92% schools has been on their attendance. There has been a signiwcant improvement in the
accountability of teachers within the school premises. ~70% teachers (pre-covid) have marked their
attendance regularly on a monthly basis on the biometric devices. Poor network areas have been
provided with an option to mark attendance in an ofyine mode to ensure smooth operations.
An elaborate ecosystem of support has been created for the teachers in the form of a call center (with
a toll-free number) and direct access to State MIS coordinator, NIC and UID development teams to
facilitate attendance of teachers regularly. For effective monitoring and checks, continuous monitoring
and spot testing activities are carried out by ~3000 CRP/ BRPs daily in the eVV app, helping to collect
student level competencies & progression over time. Other modules for grievance redressal, MDM,
leave management have also been designed and are being implemented across the State. Overall,
Jharkhand has been ranked 3rd in teacher attendance in India according to ASER. eVV has been
instrumental for getting live data for academic decision making, leading to district-level decentralized
planning targeted at improving Gyan Setu (remediation support) implementation.
Eppendix
The follow illustration provides a snapshot of the Learning Tracking Format that systematically captures
learning outcomes data of each child assessed
Exhibit 4.5.7: Learning Tracking Format used to track student performance
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
152
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Supporting case study
(Rajasthan)
Background
Over the wrst decade of the new millennium, Rajasthan’s education departments faced several
challenges with their data systems. Intensive baseline studies and interviews with teachers, principals,
administrators revealed several systemic issues, such as -
• Lack of basic information related to school, teachers, and students
• Redundant and time-consuming data collection processes
• Ofyine governance and monitoring mechanisms, leading to low accountability
These weak systems were limiting the department’s access to real-time and accurate data for decision
making. To remedy this situation, in 2014-15 the department conceived ‘Shala Darpan’ – an integrated
MIS system capturing real time information for over 65,000 schools, 85 lakh students and over 4.15 lakh
teachers. Speciwcally, data is captured across 4 pillars: (i) student information, (ii) teacher prowle and
processes; (iii) school information and processes; (iv) schemes and governance.
152 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
153

Shala Darpan: 4 key pillars of data
driven decision making
•Vidyalaya Avalokan
•District ranking
•Star rating
•Vocational program
•Program monitoring
•Other schemes
Schemes and
governance
•School profile
•Infrastructure
•Fund mobilization
and utilization
•PTM & SDMC
•Material distribution
•SIQE
School information
& processes
•Student profile
•Aadhar details
•Admissions,
transfers
•Results
•Promotions
•Transfer certificates
•Drop-outs
•Attendance
…
Student
information
•Staff profile
•Service record
•Attendance
•Transfers via
counselling
•Salary linkage
•Joining and
relieving letters
…
Teacher profile
& processes
Key modules,
reports and
processes to
re-engineer
department
operations
Exhibit 4.5.8: 4 pillars of decision making on Shala Darpan
Implementation
The implementation process had two major components: module development and data quality
improvement. These have been detailed in this section.
• Module Development: An end-to-end system of data entry and corresponding reports was termed
as a “module”. For example, “student prowle” with the demographic details of each student. ?n
overview of the steps pertaining to Shala Darpan module development are provided below:
Baselining of existing modules/ use cases:
A detailed study of the existing set of modules and reports was carried out in order to
understand gaps vis-à-vis department priorities.
Systemic prioritization of modules:
Module development was undertaken in aphased manner. Once the basic modules e.g.
student prowle, teacher prowle etc. were developed, key gaps were identiwed to prioritize
modules for the next phase of development. For each decision area/use case, the required
module was prioritized based on the status of the existing data, as shown in the exhibit
below. Prioritized modules and associated timelines were aligned with the initiative leader to
get the designs, associated data entry processes etc.
Setting up a standardized module designing processes:
A standardized template was developed, which was used as the design of each module. This
was designed in collaboration with the tech team. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
154154

Data quality: 5 fields/categories require high focus on data
quality improvement (1/2)
1. Attendance > Enrollment
2. Attendance >> VA report
Challenge
Student Attendance
VA only source of data collectionTeacher attendance
Suggested corrective action
1. Include currently enrolled students only2. VA ticket generation for mismatch cases
Usage of location-based/biometric tracking
Field/report
Student
Parents mobile details missing
for 60%+ students
Parents details
Enforce data entry from school database
High priority field
80% fill rate; limited accuracyAadhar detailsEnforce entry, Aadhar application; Verify enrollment
Staff posting, detailsMismatch between Pay managerAnd Shaala Darpan
Salaries to be released by Treasury against validation of form 3A only
Principal phone
number, email
Potentially inaccurate data Enforce OTP validation every 2-4 quarters
Infrastructure(functional, academic and ICT)
1. Low fill rates (60-80%) 2. Mismatch vis-à-vis VA data
1. Data users (initiative leaders e.g., monitoring, CSR) to push for fill rates2. Ticket generation for mismatch in key infra elements; Resolution through R&R and DR
Results8 reports –6 empty/incomplete Declutter: Use 1-2 reports with appr. filters
School category
(I-V, I-VIII etc.)
Inaccurate for ~10% schools Correct category using enrollment data
Quality validation pending
Teacher
School
EA?AAAFAAFA?TXXCZTVAFAPA?aA_AFAPaA?AFAxAkTAxAkTaA?A!aAPTA9AxA?TAFALA?A?AxA?A!ALA!AkA?
• Data quality improvement: With increasing quantum of data on Shala Darpan, the need for
systems and processes to ensure that the data is correct and updated regularly became critical.
? detailed assessment of key welds on Shala Darpan was conducted to assess the quality of data
and identify welds requiring checks/ clean-ups. ?n illustrative outcome of one such analysis is given
below: Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
155155
To correct school related data welds and to sensitize district ofwcials towards data quality improvement,
data correction workshops were conducted. In addition, data quality mechanisms were dewned for
most datasets and aligned with the initiative leader. The summary is presented below
Besides, following steps were taken to drive seamless development and ensure sustainability of Shala
Darpan as the School Education Department’s single management information system.
• Mapping with initiative leaders: Clear mapping of business owners (Deputy Commissioners)
and SD team program ofwcers.
• Training: Post integration of RMSA and SSA to Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan at district/ block
levels, orientation and capacity building was carried out for district and block ofwcials.
• New users: Joining and relieving of all State, district and block ofwcers were carried
immediately post order release.
DatasetDetails
Updation
frequency
School Profile
2
ProfileBlock, Panchayat, GIS mapping, Adarsh, code etc. One-time
1
Infrastructure
Classroom, furniture, ICT, internet, playground, boundary
wall, toilet, drinking water, incinerators etc.
One-time
Extra-curricular offering Sports/arts/other activities offeredOne-time
SDMC detailsComposition, meeting attendance, bank details Annual
Sanctioned & filled posts Sanctions and staffed posts by grade, level and subject As required
Star rating--Annual
School
Processes
80G certification Application, statusOne-time
Additional budget Communication of budget req. under various headers As required
Vidyalaya Avalokan Report, tickets, resolution statusAnnual
PTA meetingAttendanceQuarterly
Staff review meeting
3
AttendanceMonthly
SIQE certification Application, statusAnnual
Ujiyari Panchayat Application, statusAnnual
Community contribution Donor details, amount, purposeAs required
OtherEnrolment targets, fund utilization, Annual
Other Schemes
and
Programmes
SchemesScholarship, cycle/ laptop/ scooty/ textbook distribution As required
Other programmes Vocational program related reports, remedial outcomes One-time
1. All datasets with one-time updation frequency can be updated real-time by dataset owners 2. To improve data quality for school profile, a workshop was held with district officers
post which key profile related fields (block, rural/urban) have been locked & cannot be edited by field officers 3. To be developed
Exhibit 4.5.10: Data quality review mechanisms in the State Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
156
Roles and responsibilities
DescriptionResponsibility
A separate cell was
established in Samagra
Shiksha comprising:
1. 1 Deputy Commissioner
Rajasthan Administrative
Service (RAS)
2. 1 Deputy Director (Principal)
3. 1 Associate Director
(Lecturer)
4. 7 Program Ofwcers (Sr.
Teacher)
5. 1 Upper Division Clerk (UDC)
A separate cell was
established in Samagra
Shiksha comprising:
1. 2 Deputy Director (Principal)
2. 2 Associate Director
(Lecturer)
3. 7 Program Ofwcers (Sr.
Teacher)
4. 1 Upper Division Clerk (UDC)
Representation from Samagra
Shiksha, Directorate and NIC
Development team
Samagra Shiksha
Directorate
Process and Application
Certiwcation Team
(PACT)
NIC
Lead end-to-end module &
report design including:
• Regular weld visits for
requirement assessment
• Research effort for module
inputs: workshops,
discussions & meeting
Design pop-ups for regular
data feeding basis priorities
Lead PACT meetings –
• Present module requests
in Parents and Coaches
Together (PACT) for
appropriate prioritization
• Publish (PACT) Parents
and Coaches Together
meeting minutes
Develop training content to
train & enable users to use
Shala Darpan
Lead regular data monitoring,
ensure updation & drive
validation
• On call follow-up for data
feeding
• School data cross
veriwcation programs
Query resolution through –
• Shala Darpan based FAQ
• Email/ Call facility
Prioritization of requests
coming from different
stakeholders
Assessment of status of
requests
Provide support in:
• Coding
• Error correction
• Data requests
Stakeholder Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
157
Outcomes
The State’s Shala Darpan team was awarded the e-governance award in 2019. The transformation in
the State due to the development of Shala Darpan is illustrated below
5
From: lack of visibility, outdated data,
cumbersome offline processes...
To: Best-in-class Shala Darpan
Insufficient data availability – even for basic details
Time-taking & complicated data collection
processes (largely offline)
Redundant efforts owing to lack of central
database
Limited ability to measure and monitor progress
on ground and take effective decisions
'Shala Darpan' in Hindi means school mirror – the
term indicates Shala Darpan as a reflection of
school education system in Rajasthan
Real-time, online and accurate MIS for
• ~14,000+ Schools
•~ 5,000,000 Students
• ~190,000 teachers
Measurement of performance across
levels
• District, school, teacher, student level
Proper resource allocation
• e.g.: teachers, funds for infra
Internal communication tool
• Both top-down and bottom-up
Exhibit 4.5.10: Impact of Shala Darpan
Eppendix
Link to Shala Darpan portal: https://rajshaladarpan.nic.in/SD2/Home/Public2/Default.aspx
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
158
6. Organizational restructuring
Introduction and context
The education department is the largest employer in most State systems. For example, in Odisha,
the Department of School and Mass Education employs nearly 2.5 lakh teachers and thousands of
administrators in 16 directorates, 30 district ofwces and 314 block ofwces, with a budget of almost
15,000 Crore INR
Managing such a large organization and budget needs very strong management structures and clear
processes. However, there are a few key challenges within the education organization elaborated
below.
• Structural challenges related to “lines and boxes”: The structure of most State Education
departments has evolved organically leading to several foundational challenges.
Multiple directorates: In Odisha the Department of School and Mass Education has 16
Directorates as opposed to the 8-9 in Jharkhand. This multiplicity is the result of mergers
between departments (e.g. higher secondary and school education) and also the establishment
of parallel bodies as per fund source (State vs central).
Missing functions: Another recurring challenge is missing functions across different parts
of the department. For example, in most States, there is no dedicated function for edtech
interventions, digital education or digital content in schools. There is an ICT function, often
associated with MIS, which is responsible for planning the infrastructure, but there is no team
responsible for deciding the type of content or the tools that will be most impactful (individual
student devices, teacher aids, computer labs, etc.). More fundamentally, in several States,
there are no sanctioned posts for academic matters within the weld organization.
Under-staf?ng: Another challenge is that where functions do exist, they are often understaffed.
Given the current load, ofwcers are often not able to spend time on areas that should, in fact,
be a high priority.
• Many vacancies across the education system: Education departments suffer from huge
vacancies. For example, Jharkhand has a vacancy of 60%-70% in its Directorates. Most Directorates
are running with 2-3 ofwcers only and are barely managing to address the day-to-day issues leave
alone taking on strategic work. The SCERT is nearly 90% vacant and Jharkhand Education Project
Council (JEPC), the SS? project ofwce is staffed by 29 members against a sanction of 72.
• Poor role clarity and dif?culty matching skills to roles: Job descriptions do not exist or are
severely outdated. For example, in most States, cluster resource personnel were intended to serve
as academic mentors for teachers. However, given that they are the wnal point of contact between
the education administration and schools, they are responsible for all school-point administration
including data collection, scheme implementation, etc., over and above their core responsibility
of academic mentorship. While poor clarity around roles and responsibilities and ad-hoc work is
one part of the challenge, another challenge is the skill gap and limited know-how to perform the
tasks required. For example, most teachers do not understand wnancial management, which is a
key responsibility when they get promoted to Head Master or ?ssistant Block Education Ofwcer
(ABEO). Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
159
• Lack of a culture of collaboration and excellence across the organization: There are multiple
examples of poor collaboration across teams, in part due to the stringent nature of wle movement
within departments but also due to a limited culture of cross-functional teaming. For example, for
MIS and pedagogy to come together to create a cohesive ICT strategy and ensure that technology
choices in schools match the academic needs of students will require a signiwcant change in
department culture.
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Help States create lean and efwcient organizations with clear functional separation and alignment
of responsibilities and hierarchies
• Map outcomes for the education departments along with required skills to achieve them
• Dewne job descriptions for all key roles with expected outcomes of each role
• Deploy processes to drive operational effectiveness of the organization
• Manage day-to-day performance through goal-setting and target monitoring
• Improve collaboration through greater transparency and two-way communication channels
Design of the intervention
To restructure the organization, it is important to wrst analyze the existing department structure and its
ability to deliver against its academic and administrative goals. This involves comprehensively mapping
all functions to identify any gaps or overlaps in responsibilities, studying the job descriptions and
checking for alignment with KRAs and role expectations, comparing this to actual time on task and
identifying opportunities to eliminate ad-hoc work, and wnally, analyzing the number of people staffed
and their skill levels against the expected workload. All this data needs to be studied in the context
of the goals of the organization, which in the case of the education department are to ensure access
and equity in education, quality improvements in learning outcomes and overall fair and transparent
governance of the system. This will allow for a set of recommendations for changes that need to be
made to functions, reporting lines, manpower norms, etc. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
160
In our work with State governments, we have typically found the greatest need for the following
initiatives.
• Strengthening SCERT and DIETs to ensure the State has the capabilities and manpower to
deliver on the academic agenda: SCERT is the core academic authority and needs to be adequately
equipped to handle all academic matters. Strengthening SCERT involves a few key changes:
First, ensuring that SCERT has the right team managing all key academic activities. These
teams or functions need to be separated from those handling any administrative matters (e.g.
DIET faculty on HR matters), in order to ensure a dedicated focus on academics.
Next, ensuring that each of these teams or functions has the right number of people at different
levels, including both core staff and support staff (data entry, clerks, stenographers, etc.).
SCERT stafwng requires a mix of academics and practitioners with expertise in research, design,
training, teacher education and school education. Ensuring the right balance between these
and the right placement of individuals in various roles is another critical requirement.
Finally, restructuring the DIETs to mirror SCERT will enable effective implementation of all
academic programs in the districts and improve the coordination across the system.

Restructuring the Organization
Source: BCG perspective
CLEAR FUNCTIONAL ALIGNMENT,
SIZES AND COORDINATION
• Clear functional separation of
academics from administration
• All key functions represented
• Each function is the right size
• Clear functional owner and
hierarchy within the function
• All related functions sit together,
even if funded by different
sources
ROLE CLARITY AND AUTHORITY
AT ALL LEVELS
• Clear job charts
• Job charts within a function are
aligned, work distributed
appropriately within a function
across the hierarchy
• Right level of autonomy/
authority to do the job
RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT
ROLES
• Individual cadre skills matched
with role requirements
• Upskilling of people / capacity
building to fit the role
• All vacancies are filled
Exhibit 4.6.1: Principles of organization restructuring Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
161
• Restructuring and strengthening the ?eld organization to ensure effective academic and
administrative management of schools and staff:
Separate academic positions from administrative positions: A common challenge is the
lack of sufwcient academic posts resulting in a lower focus on academic outcomes. ? key
element of the organizational restructuring is to introduce speciwc posts focused on academics
and separate these from administrative functions. For example, in the district and block
organization, the introduction of an ?ssistant District Education Ofwcer (?DEO) or ?ssistant
Block Education Ofwcer (?BEO) speciwcally focused on academics can ensure the proper
implementation of all academic programs in schools of the region under his/her purview.
This person can be responsible for reviewing the district’s learning outcomes and devising
local strategies for improvement in conjunction with district pedagogy coordinators and DIET
faculty.
Streamline ?eld structures and ensure they are the right size: Often the weld structures
in State education departments are signiwcantly depleted. To ensure effective administration
and implementation of programs in schools, it is critical to ensure that the weld organization
is of the right size, equipped to manage the needs of elementary and secondary education
(and higher secondary where integrated) and has enough posts across functions, including
academic matters, implementation of schemes and establishment matters. Further, hierarchies
and reporting lines need to be managed to ensure that they avoid multiple reporting lines and
too many layers within a team. Wherever possible, the weld structure should mirror the State
structure to ensure seamless coordination.
Merging departments or directorates at the State level to streamline similar activities
and drive better convergence especially across elementary and secondary: Several States
have multiple directorates that perform similar functions; merging these can result in synergies
and better governance. For example, across the country, there were separate project ofwces for
elementary (SSA) and secondary (RMSA) education that were responsible for implementation
of all programs in schools. This resulted in functions like planning or MIS being duplicated
and lack of convergence across them both at the State and the weld level. Further, it led to a
signiwcant challenge at the school point due to multiple administrators being responsible for
managing school affairs and conyicting schedules. The central government recommended the
merger of SSA and RMSA into Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. Ensuring this is done at the State and
mirrored at the weld will result in a signiwcant impact on school administration. ?dditionally,
several other directorates that perform similar functions can be converted into a single entity
e.g., integrating vocational education within secondary and higher secondary education or
integrating all types of training entities into SCERT.
Moving towards the Organization of the future: In most private sector organizations, there
are business units (e.g. geography or product line), there is a functional matrix of product/
geography and separate cross-cutting functions like HR and MIS. However, in the education
department, these cross-cutting functions sit within other directorates. In the long term,
a visionary change to the structure of the education department could be to merge
common functions and create core functions within the department that report to the
Principal Secretary directly. The structure of the department could be drastically simpliwed
to have Establishment, MIS and Technology, Policy, Academics, and Finance all as separate
directorates reporting centrally. This would require a signiwcant change in the ways of working
and cross-functional collaboration at all levels. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
162
• Embedding a clear set of systems and processes to drive the performance of the organization.
This involves a few key changes:
Goal setting and action planning have to become business as usual: It is critical for the
department to articulate what it wants to achieve at the end of the year in terms of speciwc
and achievable goals – both outcomes as well as key inputs. Then, the department needs
to create a single, cohesive roadmap for achieving those goals. Functional leaders and their
teams need to create plans for the entire year for the speciwc interventions laid out in the
roadmap. This plan needs to have a clear set of timelines that are realistic and take into
account dependencies and potential delays. Individual names need to be assigned to manage
different activities in the plan. Clear KRAs need to be set for each individual and everyone
needs to be given sufwcient clarity about their roles and responsibilities.
A plan without regular reviews is not likely to be achieved: Reviews need to be done
at multiple levels – from State to district, block and cluster levels – and there needs to be
alignment across the entire organization. It is important for the leadership to not just review but
also to identify challenges preventing progress and help resolve these to the extent possible.
Through the reviews, there needs to be constant prioritization and reprioritization to ensure
that people are working on the tasks that will yield the highest impact or progress towards
Stated outcomes.
Everyone needs to be accountable for their own performance: There needs to be
accountability in the system for these KRAs – both for inputs/ processes as well as outcomes.
A critical success factor is to create a shared sense of purpose around the vision which needs to
go hand in hand with the embedded ethos that all individuals will strive for excellence. This culture of
excellence has a few key pillars:
• Leading from the front: A strong and stable leadership that can set a vision for the department
and rally everyone around it is an important factor for overhauling the culture of the department.
• Empowerment and building the bench: In order to achieve the goals of the department, it is
critical to create a second line of leadership that can maintain stability even with bureaucratic
transfers.
• Collaboration and eliminating silos: Increasingly, the nature of work in the education department
is becoming cross-functional; however, the systems and processes continue to be geared for
functional silos. Eliminating these silos is critical to the effective functioning of the department.
• Transparency and two-way communication: In order to achieve a set of goals, it is critical for
them to be ‘shared’. Everyone from the Hon’ble Chief Minister and Hon’ble Education Minister to
the junior-most teacher in the most remote school needs to understand the vision for the education
sector. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
163
Ection charter
• Undertake diagnostics of the respective department/ organization to identify key roles, tasks, and
inefwciencies.
• Prioritize 5-6 issues that require redressal basis diagnosis.
• Follow the principles to draft high-level organization structure, key functions, roles, etc.
• Identify and address gaps in terms of resource availability and skills required for the roles.
• Map wnancial implications of the restructuring and get internal buy-in/ approaches.
• Set review cadence to monitor progress of restructuring; undertake resource reallocation/ hiring as
necessary.

Lack of political alignment
Low motivation due to
early transition related
challenges
Lack of buy-in amongst
stakeholders
Regulatory barriers
Elign on plan with political ofwcers at the outset –
both on the vision as well as the extent and phasing of the
changes.
Set cadence for periodic alignment and buy-in (e.g.
quarterly).
Plan for a period of handholding to ensure smooth and
seamless transitions so that the long-term benewts are not
overshadowed by initial teething troubles.
Set up a clear and transparent process for arriving at the
changes, consulting stakeholders along the way.
Communicate changes clearly and repeatedly to clarify all
queries.
Setup a grievance redressal system.
Identify guidelines that are set in stone and where there
is autonomy for States to deviate to better suit their
requirements.
Consult, periodically, a legal team to ensure that the changes
are in line with the various rules around cadre structures,
etc. to avoid litigation and other issues once the process is
underway.
Challenges and Mitigation
ChallengesMitigation Strategies Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
164
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
164
Supporting case study
(Odisha)
Background
Odisha’s central organization was amongst the most complex ones across States with 16 directorates
and 6 Additional/ Joint Secretaries in the Department resulting in a span of control of ~20 for the
Secretary. In 2018, a comprehensive proposal for restructuring the Education Department in Odisha
was put together and submitted for approvals. Directorates and weld ofwces were reorganized with an
objective to improve administrative efwciency, drive synergies and convergence by merger of related
directorates. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
165
Implementation
The restructuring involved two undertakings
• Streamlined 16 Directorates into 11 Directorates:
Merged SS? (elementary) and RMS? (secondary) project ofwces to ensure consistency across
the elementary and secondary branches, especially for integrated schools.
Merged SCERT (responsible for elementary curriculum, pedagogy & training), ELTI (English
Language Training Institute responsible for English curriculum and
training) and SIEMAT (State
Institute for Educational Management and Training of administrative ofwcers); abolished SRC
(State Resource Centre for Adult Education). The merged entity or SCERT was restructured
internally to incorporate new posts and new requirements (e.g. training of middle managers)
and ensure the merger was not simply set up as the sum of the parts but took synergies into
account.
Merged Higher Secondary and Vocational Directorates to ensure a singular approach to
continuing education in secondary and higher secondary schools. This would also enable
better integration of vocational curriculum into secondary schools and a logical continuation
of vocational education from K-10 schools into higher secondary institutions (whether schools
or +2 colleges).
• Creation of a single district and block organization for elementary & secondary:
DEO and DPC ofwces were merged for a uniwed, coordinated administration of elementary &
secondary education at the district.
An additional ADEO was added in each district to manage all academic activities linked with
pedagogy, teacher training, monitoring etc.
314 Sr. BEO posts were created for improved administration at a block level

ReorganisationoftheDistrict; mergerofDEOandDPCoffice
DEO-1
OES-I.Sr.
(15600-39100+ GP 6600)
DPC-1
One of the ADEO is working as DPC
ADEO-2
OEES-Level I-Sr.+ OES I Jr.
(9300-34800+ GP 5400)
IPE-1(Only in 15 Dists)
DSS-1(Only in 15 Dists)
Head Clerk-1
Senior Clerk-3
Junior Clerk-3
Auditor-1
Statistical Investigator-1
Steno-1
Peon-3
MDM:
Programmer, Data Entry
Operator
RMSA:
Data Entry Operator
1. Programme Assistant
2. Office Assistant
3. Jr. Steno
4. Data Entry Operator
5. Driver
6. Peon
7. NWS
Sr.
Technical
Consultant
Technical
Consultant
Financial
Consultant
Accountant
Cashier
Gender
Coordinator
Tribal
Coordinator
IED
Coordinator
Planning
Coordinator
Programmer
Pedagogy
Coordinator
DEO–CUM–DPC-OSEPA
ADEO-Estt.
Drawing & Disbursing
Officer, HRMS, IOTMS
Sanction of Service
Benefits, Recruitment,
Establishment Matter
Legal Matters, NHRC,
OHRC, CPCR,
RTI etc
ADEO-Quality
School monitoring and
Supervision examination and
Scholarship (NRTS, NMMS,
GIRLS INCENTIVE, PSMTS,
OLYMPIADS,) Sports, JRC,
Scout, Eco-club, NCC Science
(Exhibition, Seminar, Congress
ADEO-Prog
and Scheme
SSA, RMSA,
MDM, RTE,
OAVS, SIOS,
VOCATIONAL
Legal Retainer-1
Head Clerk-1
Senior Clerk-2
Junior Clerk-2
Steno-1
Auditor
Statistical Inv.-1
Peon-1
Data Entry
Operator-1
IPE-1
DSS-1
Pedagogy Co-1
Trg co-1
Equity &
Entitlement
Coordinator-1
Senior Clerk-1
Junior Clerk-1
Peon-1
Data Entry
Operator-1
Planning Co (Plg,,
Access, CM-SMC, VE,
RTE, DMP) ,Gender
Co, IED Co, Fin Co,
Sr TC, Programmer,
Data Analyst/ DEO,
Accountant, Cashier
Prog Asst, Off Asst,
Driver, Peon, NWS
ExistingProposed
Exhibit 4.6.2: Existing and proposed re-organization matrix Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
166
Outcomes
The restructuring has resulted in a streamlined and more efwcient administrative structure. In addition,
it has also resulted in:
• Driving greater focus on quality education through separate administrative and academic functions
• Ensuring compliance with MHRD guidelines
• Creating a forward-looking organization focused on the delivery of outcomes
Eppendix
Odisha Education Department
41
- This website contains the organogram of the School and Mass
Education Department of Odisha along with the roles and responsibilities of various directorates.
Restructuring of the cadre of Odisha Education Service
42
- Publicly available document mentioning
details about the restructuring of the School and Mass Education Department Odisha along with the
creation of additional posts to strengthen the directorates.
41
https://govtpress.odisha.gov.in/pdf/2019/712.pdf
42
https://govtpress.odisha.gov.in/pdf/2019/712.pdf
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
167
7. Communication streamlining
Introduction and context
Communication among States, teachers and administrative ofwcers happens through traditional
channels such as written letters. This leads to multiple inefwciencies such as delays in penetration of
the messages and inaccuracies given that they may pass through multiple layers e.g., from State to
district to block. Overall, traditional paper-based communication channels are a drain of resources
and alternatives to the same would prove to be more conducive towards improving the quality of
education
43
.
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Reduce delays in communication and facilitate instantaneous and accurate information sharing.
• Make communication yow seamless between levels, i.e., from top (State) to bottom (Teachers) and
vice versa.
• Make communication yow seamless across levels, i.e., between teachers or block-level ofwcials,
etc.
• Leverage technology to streamline communication.
Design of the intervention
To design this intervention, the following must be considered:
• Identifying alternative channels of communication: To ensure speed as well as accuracy in
communication, States can increase the use of alternative channels such as:
Developing a dedicated SMS gateway for the Department of Education.
Creating organized WhatsApp groups at different levels in the administration.
Leveraging State MIS/ stakeholder dashboard effectively for communication. For instance,
in Rajasthan, features have been developed for automatically highlighting new circulars and
pop-ups for key actions on login pages of users.
Developing a database with accurate contact information of relevant stakeholders is a key
input towards streamlining communication. While all States have databases, they are not
comprehensive or accurate and are not periodically updated in a structured way, Various
processes can be set up for doing this including leveraging existing databases that have
contact information such as Mid Day Meals (MDM) databases and updating them.
Circulating an online form for ofwcials at different levels and all teachers to provide their phone
numbers. This should also be done on an ongoing basis, by appointing a nodal ofwcer who
takes up this task at regular intervals to ensure that an updated master database is always
available.
43
Winthrop, R., P. Williams, T., and McGivney, E. (2016), How overlooked innovations can streamline education systems; The Brookings
Institution; https://brook.gs/2XxMSFk Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
168168
• Ensuring the use of communication channels for relevant information: A critical part of
streamlining communication is ensuring that channels such as Whats?pp are used speciwcally for
discussing relevant academic matters and not for any other purpose. Nodal ofwcers within each
WhatsApp group can be appointed to be responsible for maintaining decorum within the group.
Channels
Database
WhatsApp
Maintaining the database
Decorum
SMS
Identifying alternative channels of communication
(e.g., WhatsApp, SMS, IVR, State MIS dashboard /login
page pop-up etc.)
Developing a database with contact details of relevant
stakeholders
Creating WhatsApp groups at the State, district and
block level complimented with groups for speciwc
initiatives that have clear nomenclature and dewned
usage norms
?ppointing a nodal ofwcer at each level to maintain the
database with updated contact information of ofwcers
& teachers
?ppointing a nodal ofwcer within each group to ensure
it is only used as a platform for discussing academic
matters
Working with the IT department to set up a dedicated
SMS gateway for departmental use
Ection charter Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
169169
Challenges and Mitigation

The use of both WhatsEpp and an SMS
gateway requires having an updated
contact list of ofwcials and teachers. Given
the frequency of transfers and attrition, it
is a challenge to ensure that only relevant
stakeholders are in the contacts database
and receive communication from the
States.
Given the large number of ofwcials
and teachers on WhatsEpp groups it
is necessary to have in place mechanisms
to maintain the decorum of the group. The
groups should be forums for discussing
only relevant topics related to academics,
functioning of schools, etc.
E nodal person should be appointed in
each group and at every administrative
level to clean up the database - both
addition and deletion of names & contact
details.
One way of ensuring this is to identify
ofwcials/ teachers within each group to
take up this responsibility. If they can
keep the group active through relevant
engagement and maintain the quality of
discussions, other members will also
model their behaviour.
ChallengesMitigation Strategies Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
170
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
170
Supporting case study
(Odisha)
Background
As multiple interventions were rolled out to drive better learning outcomes in Odisha, the State faced
signiwcant challenges in implementation due to gaps in communication between the State and its weld
ofwces. Existing communication was primarily unidirectional, top down and decentralized; the State
communicated instructions to district ofwces primarily through ofwce orders and letters, which were
relayed to block ofwces and on-ground ofwcials through similar paper-based channels. This resulted in
transmission loss.
Thus, the State adopted several key interventions to build a streamlined communication channel
between the State and the weld aimed at improving the quality of implementation. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
171171
Implementation
The communication streamlining strategy in Odisha consisted of three major elements, functioning in
a complementary fashion:
• Virtual Field Support (VFS) center for outgoing and incoming calls: In September 2018, the
VFS center with a dedicated 23-member team was set up under Project SATH-E with the objective
of managing and executing effective communication between the State and the weld. Some of the
functions of the VFS are included below:
Outbound Calling: The VFS team does outbound calling to weld and administrative
stakeholders for feedback and information dissemination on various State initiatives.
Inbound calling: Inbound calling is done by weld stakeholders for query resolution and
information collection on various State initiatives. Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS)
is used to route calls from the weld to the concerned stakeholder for resolution. ? team
member helps troubleshoot the query which could be related to anything ranging from
initiative guidelines to issues in operating State portals/ apps.
Odisha is now setting up its own VFS Centre with the help of SATH-E team, ISP and various vendors.
Included below are the steps that were taken to step up the VFS:
Hiring of associates: A recruitment agency was onboarded by the department for hiring of
virtual support associates.
Training: Team members were trained by the SATH-E team on various aspects like using the
CRM, awareness about State initiatives, etc. Detailed scripts for efwcient communication were
also created and shared with the associates.
Technical infrastructure: Call manager (with auto-dialer capabilities), CRM software, wrewall,
servers were set up with the help of vendors. The same vendors have also been made
responsible for maintenance of the software and any required troubleshooting.
Physical infrastructure: Vendors were onboarded for procurement and setup of other
equipment like LED TVs, laptops, telephones, headphone, LAN connection, CCTVs, etc. A
physical space was also identiwed, where required furniture was installed.
Standardizing procedures: Standard operating procedure and a reporting structure was
also designed to ensure smooth functioning.
• SMS gateway: Odisha uses the centralized SMS gateway of NIC Odisha. Bulk messages like OTPs
are sent for all the digital products used by the Department of School and Mass Education. e.g.
Odisha School Monitoring Application (OSMA) that manages the State’s teacher transfer portal,
etc. rely on these gateways. Maintenance of the gateway is done by NIC, and the cost associated
with sending messages are disbursed from the State’s Samagra Shiksha budget depending on
the volume of messages sent through the gateway. The following steps were taken to setup the
gateway in Odisha:
Registration on Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT): Odisha registered on DLT and got
the SMS templates approved. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
172172
Create an SMS account with NIC SMS gateway: An SMS account with the centralized NIC
SMS gateway was created. Alternatively, States can also create an account with other telecom
service providers of their choice.
API integration: The gateway API was then integrated with the applications
• WhatsApp groups: Around 50+ WhatsApp groups have been created at the State, district and
block levels. ?round 31 of these are district speciwc groups, while the rest are initiative speciwc
WhatsApp groups.
Initiative-wise groups: These groups focus on speciwc initiatives. Examples include Groups
with Centre of Excellence school HMs, Shiksha Sanjog groups for content and information
dissemination to students/ parents, HM groups with SMCs, etc. Following are some brief
details about Shiksha Sanjog which is the digital learning programme relying on WhatsApp
groups that was initiated to engage students in teaching-learning activities during the
COVID-19 induced school closure:
1. WhatsApp groups were formed at different levels starting from DEO to students and
study materials like PDFs of textbooks, question banks, video recordings, audio clips,
worksheets for remediation are continuously shared with students.
2. For systematic and smooth implementation of the program, a set of instructions,
modalities and timetables are also shared with teachers and students to ensure online
delivery of lessons in an effective manner to cover as many students as possible.
3. Dissemination of teaching-learning material takes place in the following order:
• RP Group (District Experts)
• MRP Group (Block Experts)
• Monitor Groups (DEOs)
• Field Groups (ABEOs, BRCC/ CRCC)
• HM Groups
• Teacher and student groups
Groups of of?cials for key communication: (i) District-wise WhatsApp groups are
administered by DEOs/ DPCs with other members being BEOs, ABEOs, CRCCs, and SATH-E
Nodal Ofwcers. (ii) Block-wise and Cluster-wise Whats?pp groups are administered by BEOs
and CRCCs respectively for easier coordination at the block and the cluster level.
Training and capacity building: (i) Block-wise WhatsApp groups were created to facilitate
capacity building and training administered by DIET faculty; other members include
BEOs, CRCCs and HMs. (ii) Telegram group to share training content related to NISHTHA
administered at State level; other members include SRG, DRG, and DIET faculty Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
173
• Flow of communication across the education system has been signiwcantly streamlined with
messages reaching recipients instantly instead of the days and weeks that it used to take earlier.
• WhatsApp allows instant troubleshooting of queries regarding communication received and allows
quick sharing of updates/ status of various interventions.
• Teachers and parents feel more integrated and connected.
• Timely communication of data requests and reviews such as digital penetration, access to TV,
internet, textbook delivery, etc ensure that recipients have more time for data gathering and are
also better prepared for reviews.
• WhatsApp groups provide a platform for sharing congratulatory and encouraging messages,
sharing of best practices, peer-to-peer recognition, sharing of material in the form of photos,
videos, etc. since it allows multimedia messaging.
• Targeted communications to nudge individual behavior, improve oversight by weld ofwces and
generate competition through relative performance analysis that is frequently shared on WhatsApp
groups, combined with weld level inputs on technology and usability, have signiwcantly improved
the quality of monitoring and support schools by cluster and block level ofwcers.
173
In addition, the State has put a lot of effort into developing a quality database with reliable contact
information. Each HM has access to the State Extended MIS system where they can update parent and
student contact information.
Finally, the State has also instituted the practice of quarterly Parent-Teacher Meeting to discuss
children’s progress in the school and enable both parents and teachers to understand each others‘
need and help children to achieve the desired learning outcomes.
Outcomes Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
174
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
174
Supporting case study
(Himachal Pradesh)
Background
In 2015, an initial scoping and diagnosis exercise revealed that downward, upward and lateral
communication yow within the education system was either inefwcient or dysfunctional. Communication
from the State was either reaching blocks with delay and/ or it wasn’t clear. According to the diagnostic
study
41
, nearly 25% of teachers surveyed did not communicate with block and district ofwcials. Nearly
66% of surveyed teachers said that it took at least one month for their request to be heard by block
and district ofwcials. Broken upward communication channels meant that teachers couldn’t reach
out to ofwcials higher up with feedback, questions or request clariwcations regarding information or
instructions received. Of the teachers who did not wnd existing communication channels effective,
73% thought that the response time of higher ofwcials was very high. Poor lateral communication
across districts, blocks or clusters prevents information sharing and learning between departments or
teachers, and increases the potential for duplication of work.
41
Himachal Pradesh Diagnostic Study 2015 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
175175
45
The Samarth Cell works with the Directorate of Elementary Education (DEE) and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to transform
elementary education in the State.
Implementation
Multiple efforts were put in place to streamline upward, downward and lateral communication.
• SMS Gateway:
Setting up the SMS gateway: To ease communication within the State, a dedicated SMS
gateway was developed for the Department of Education, in coordination with the Department
of Information Technology. Login IDs were created for State, district and block level ofwcials
so that they could send bulk messages in addition to circulars. The design allows different
levels of secure access for admin and users to avoid misuse of the system. This system is a
low-cost mechanism to reach a large number of recipients with the capacity to send 10,000
messages at once. The cost per SMS is 3 paise.
Sending SMS updates: are sent for different reasons like conveying urgent information,
giving general updates, sending reminders and congratulatory messages. Message recipients
include teachers, block ofwcers, district ofwcers and MDM-in-charges.
Conducting training of State of?cials : To ensure the successful implementation of this
initiative, multiple training workshops were conducted with State ofwcials from both Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyaan and Department of Elementary Education (DEE) to explain the functioning
of the portal and its use. The gateway is used to send updates, circulars, congratulatory
messages, teaching tips, reminders, etc.
• WhatsApp Groups:
Setting up WhatsApp groups: WhatsApp groups at the State, district and block level were
set up by the Samarth Cell
45
in the Department of Elementary Education. However, the
responsibility of updating, maintaining and creating new groups has been transferred to the
nodal ofwcials at different levels. ?s part of this initiative, around 150+ Whats?pp groups at
the State, district and block level (covering around 8,400 ofwcials and teachers) and around
30 initiative-level groups have been created (eg: Khaas Shiksha, Review and Monitoring
Group of District Research & Evaluation Coordinators). These groups are driven by the key
stakeholders at each level. The Director of the Department of Elementary Education, the
State Project Director, District Elementary Education Ofwcers and Block Elementary Education
Ofwcers are part of the groups, along with teachers.
Sharing vibrant academic and administrative information: WhatsApp allows teachers and
ofwcials to share multimedia content such as photos and videos of best practices, activity-
based learning techniques, and documents, making the conversation more interactive and
productive.
Ensuring timely and clear communication: The use of an instant messaging app ensures that
meetings with block ofwcials can be held at short notice, as timely communication becomes
possible.There is clarity in messaging and recipients are in a position to seek clariwcations as
well. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
176
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
176
• Through the SMS Gateway and Whats?pp, the yow of communication across the education
system has been signiwcantly streamlined. In the past, orders, letters and notiwcations could take
weeks to reach remote parts of the State. Now, the same messages reach designated recipients
instantaneously.
• Timely communication about data requests, such as on the number of toilets, textbook delivery,
etc., ensure that teachers and ofwcials have more time for data gathering and are also better
prepared for review meetings. Delay in communication through traditional channels would leave
teachers with little time to collect data. In some instances, they would even receive these requests
post the deadline by which they would need to respond.
• Whats?pp allows for instant feedback/ clariwcation of queries regarding communication received
and there is an improvement in compliance with respect to tasks, meeting deadlines.
• Teachers feel more connected to the State government because of direct interaction with ofwcials.
WhatsApp groups provide a platform for peer-to-peer recognition, motivation and sharing. Since
it allows multimedia messaging, training material in the form of photos, tutorial videos, etc. can
also be shared and discussed.
• Congratulatory and encouraging messages from State, district and block level ofwcials ensures that
teachers feel recognised and motivated. The State is also able to widely disseminate tips and best
practices to teachers.
Outcomes
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
177177
Type
Circular/ Notice
New initiatives
Urgent Information
RTE / Centre Notices
Congratulatory
Teaching Tips
General Updates
Reminders
Example of Messages
MDM Scheme: Daily SMS based Automated Reporting
System has become fully functional. Report no. of
meals served via free SMS (e.g. for 20 meals send
“MDM 20”) to “15544”.
For textbook distribution concerns and queries you
are requested to read the “New Textbook Distribution
Mechanism for 2017-18” on the DEE website, under
“Latest Updates”.
DPOs and BRCCs: For PRERNA endline please
distribute complete sets of OMR forms to cluster
schools (three forms minimum). In case of shortfall,
coordinate between blocks. If there is still a dewcit, ask
remaining cluster schools to collect data in same
format as PRERNA baseline, and share with you on
excel - SPO(SSA).
?ll Govt. and Private schools are requested to wll up
student data in excel sheet downloaded from www.dise.
in\udise.html and send it to BRC/ BEEO or DIET please
ignore if already done.
Dear Teacher, this is to inform you can see interactive
teaching videos of Science and Maths for Classes 5th
to 8th at www.khanacademy.org
Proceedings of the meeting with all the Deputy
Directors & Principal DIETs held on 10-11-2016 under
the chairmanship of DEE has been uploaded on the
departmental website of Elementary Education.
Review and Monitoring: BRCCs of Bilaspur, Kullu, Mandi,
Lahaul-Spiti to send OMR forms by speed post to SPO
(SSA) by today positively if not already done.
Eppendix
Exhibit 4.7.1: Types and examples of messages sent through SMS Gateway and over
WhatsApp Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
178
Level
Block
Cluster level
State
District
Groups
• Cluster Head Teachers of each block
• Teachers group
Teachers of the 8-10 schools that form the cluster and
the BRCC.
There are separate WhatsApp groups for all the below
ofwcials. The Director of Elementary Education is in all
these groups.
• State Project Director
• Deputy Directors
• DPOs
• BEEOs
• DIET Coordinators
• BRCCs
For each district there are separate WhatsApp groups
with the below ofwcials:
• Deputy director of that district
• BRCCs
• BEEOs
EA?AAAFAAFA?TXXZTWAAaA?APAA?A?TGA?AxA?A?APTaA?TAAFA!A?A!AkA?TA_A!A?A!A_AP Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
179
8. Recruitment and rationalization of teachers
Introduction and context
The availability and distribution of adequate number of teachers and administrative ofwcials is a
mammoth challenge across the country. As per UDISE 2016-17 data
46
, 34.4%of schools in the country
don’t have the requisite number of teachers as per RTE norms
47
. If an “elementary teacher” is dewned
as being any teacher (that is, teaching any section) in an elementary school, the average pupil-teacher
ratio (PTR) across the country is 28.8
48
. However, this average lies between two extremes--maximum
PTR of 129.4 and a minimum of 4.4
49
, clearly highlighting the disproportionate distribution of teachers
across schools. In a written reply to Parliament in January 2019, Minister of State for Human Resource
Development, Satya Pal Singh Stated that “As per Uni?ed District Information System of Education
(UDISE), 2016-17 (Provisional), there are 92,275 single-teacher government schools at both,
elementary level and secondary level”.
50
Additionally, the unwillingness of teachers to be posted
in rural areas, leads to skewed distribution of teachers between rural and urban areas.
51
Further, availability of adequate number of administrative ofwcials is also important to ensure effective
utilisation of time and resources in a school. In the absence of administrative ofwcials, teachers spend
valuable teaching time on tasks such as data collection and coordination with the district administration.
The fact that teachers are burdened with additional administrative responsibilities can adversely affect
the learning process and students attaining grade-level competence.
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Ensure availability and optimal distribution of teaching staff across the State education system.
• Provide for suitable frameworks for dewning ideal stafwng norms, accurately mapping teacher
shortages, identifying best practices for wlling teacher dewcits and resolving nuanced cadre issues
• Recognize the role of institutional structures such as recruitment cells
• Ensure long-term strategic approach to teacher promotions, teachers’ rationalization and teachers’
recruitment in the State
Design of the intervention
To design this intervention, the following must be considered:
• De?ning ideal staf?ng norms: To begin with, States must dewne the ideal number of teachers that
they require for every school:
States can leverage RTE norms for PTR as guidance and dewne their own norms. States may
do so considering student enrolment in a school, number of classes in a school and, number
and stream of subjects taught in school. This needs to be done carefully for secondary and
middle grades where subject-wise requirements need to be taken into account.
46
Uniwed District Information System for Education (U-DISE); https://bit.ly/2BPZkXC
47
PTR ratio as speciwed by RTE norms: Primary- 30:1, Upper Primary- 35:1
48
Getting the Right Teachers into the Right Schools; World Bank; https://bit.ly/2TZEnAE
49
Ibid.
50
Govt admits there are nearly 1 lakh schools with only one teacher; India Today; https://bit.ly/2IiIpmx
51
Bajpai, N. & Goyal, S. (2004); Primary Education in India: Quality and Coverage Issues; CGSD Working Paper No.11;https://bit.ly/2BWRBHw Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
180
In the process, States should also examine teacher deployment policies to optimize teacher
usage. In many States, teacher deployment policies are such that they inyate vacancies. For
example, changing the deployment rules of high school teachers from grades taught to the
number of hours taught could signiwcantly reduce the requirement of middle school teachers
in a State.
• Methods to accurately identify status of teacher availability: To accurately assess the status of
teacher availability in every school in the State, education departments may use online or ofyine
mechanisms. The States must look to capture information such as number of students, current
teachers, classes, subjects taught, or any other information required as per the dewned stafwng
norms.
Online mechanisms include methods like State MIS systems and any individual MIS system.
In the absence of such systems, States may also choose to leverage payroll systems to know
the current number of teachers at every level. States must decide the source of teacher data
accordingly. These systems present the advantage of being faster. It is essential to have a
“single source of truth” on stafwng data.
Ofyine mechanisms include methods such as sourcing data directly from the ground. This
may be done by requesting teachers/ HMs/ block ofwcials to capture the required information
in data proformas. Needless to say, online mechanisms are preferred. Ofyine data processes
can be used as a means to validate the data and for analysis.
In parallel, accurate gap analysis measures must be undertaken. Analysis of teacher shortages
must be conducted not just against sanctioned posts but actual requirements linked with
school enrolments and RTE norms for PTR. This accounts for the number of posts which
should have been sanctioned over the years but has not been done owing to multiple
systemic issues. For instance, in Jharkhand’s elementary schools, teacher vacancies as per
current number of sanctioned posts are 26,284; however, this number rises to 61,403 when
shortage is considered against RTE norms and school enrolment numbers.
• Methods to ?ll vacancies for de?cit schools identi?ed: Most States in India have signiwcant
teacher vacancies. This is largely due to three reasons. First, historical court cases in the State are
not resolved and hence block new recruitment. Second, poorly dewned and delayed processes and
lack of dedicated teams for monitoring and managing the recruitment and promotions pipeline
prevent systemic improvements. Third, decision-making is not data-backed since it does not
account for pending vacancies against sanctioned posts, retirement & attrition numbers, etc. Based
on the stafwng norms and the status of teacher availability, States may choose to wll vacancies using
one or a combination of the methods below:
Address historical court cases: A special, one-time effort must be made to resolve those
cases that are impeding recruitment of any cadre.
Establish teacher recruitment cell and process: A dedicated cell must be established within
the Directorates to manage the recruitment & promotions process. A detailed annual process,
in terms of timelines and milestones, should also be developed with necessary changes to
recruitment & promotions policies as required. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
181
Teacher promotions to ?ll senior positions: Vacancies against sanctioned posts in senior
positions have two-fold implications. Not only do they create a distorted PTR in classrooms,
but they also deter clear mapping of openings in the system, which in turn leads to faulty gap
analysis.
Teacher rationalisation: Transfer of existing teachers from schools that have more teachers
than required as per the stafwng norms. Some key principles to guide this process are: (i)
Follow a centralized process to ensure consistent norms are applied: Share a transparent
set of guidelines and variables that will be used to identify schools that have vacancies or
surplus (e.g., stafwng norms that will be followed for each type of school – primary, upper
primary, secondary and higher secondary; and variables such as seniority, length of posting
etc. that will be used to identify surplus teachers). (ii) Adopt a transparent counselling process:
To begin with, notify a prioritized list of surplus teachers organized by cadre, subject etc.
Assign priority based on norms such as seniority. Then, notify a prioritized list of vacancies.
Prioritization is important to ensure that teachers are meaningfully deployed to where they
are most required. Finally, call all teachers for counselling in a structured manner. This process
can happen physically or online. (iii) Rationalize teachers in ascending order of cadres: Often,
states tend to rationalize state-level cadres wrst because it is easier. For example, if priority
vacancies are wlled by state-level cadres and block-level cadres do not have suitable vacancies
left within their block, it will result in sub-optimal rationalization. Therefore, to have maximum
impact and achieve optimal distribution of teachers, rationalization of state-level cadres
should be done after panchayat/block/district level cadres. (iv) Inter-block rationalization
should be attempted before intra-block rationalization: While this may not be palatable to
teachers, intra-block rationalization does not result in signiwcantly improved distribution. The
largest gaps often tend to be localized to speciwc blocks that need to be targeted in a priority
manner through inter-block transfers to maintain an equitable distribution of teachers in
addition to effcient distribution. For example, if block A has 80% vacancy and another block B
has 20% vacancy, it is desirable to conduct inter-block rationalization before further reducing
vacancies in Block B through an intra-block transfer of surplus teachers. Similarly, inter-district
transfers need to be attempted beyond certain thresholds as well if norms allow for it.
Besides an immediate improvement in PTR, States that have implemented this successfully have seen
improved teacher satisfaction over time, as well as a signiwcant jump in learning outcomes.
In the long term, States should develop a transparent transfer policy and an assigned team that
undertakes rationalization every year within a speciwed time frame.
New recruitments based on identi?ed needs of the State: Annual recruitment planning
based on accurate gap analysis, promotions and attrition mapping of teachers across subjects
and grades must be undertaken. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
182182
• Methods to address the issue of complicated State cadres: Based on the State’s context, long-
term solutions to reduce cadre complexity should be explored to address the issues below.
While contract teachers fulwl immediate short-term needs, they are typically under-qualiwed
(this varies across States). These teachers are usually deployed in primary grades, resulting in
poor foundational learning. Secondly, contract teachers frequently go on strikes for increase
in wages, crippling regular schooling.
Several States have many different cadres of teachers depending on the method and time
of recruitment, as well as level/ qualiwcations of teachers. Each such cadre is usually paid a
differentiated salary, has different posting/ transfer rules and its own set of legal hassles; all
necessitating extremely complex HR management.
?ny new initiative to recruit more teachers, via a new or existing cadre, must wrst address
these long-standing concerns so as to be able to withstand legal scrutiny while also providing
optimum opportunities linked with qualiwcations and suitable wages.
Staf?ng norms
Cadre complexities
Current availability
New recruitments
Transfers
Dewne the ideal stafwng norms for schools across the
State
Resolve long-standing cadre issues to facilitate
recruitment
Collect data from ground to understand current status
of teacher availability and vacancy across the State
Recruit new teachers to wll vacancies
Transfers Transfer eligible teachers to wll vacancies
Ection charter
Promotions Promote eligible teachers to wll vacancies in senior roles Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
183183

Resistance from teacher unions
Data management and quality
• Have clear and strong pre-alignment
with political and bureaucratic
leadership
• Implement transfers with promotions
and school integration and upgradation
wherever possible
• Implement this intervention
simultaneously across the State for all
cadres
The ideal way to mitigate this is by
leveraging an operational MIS in the State.
In the absence of such a system, the data
can be stored and shared via protected
Excel wles. In such cases, all edits must
only be allowed at a central nodal point
with designated authorities who can make
any edits.
Challenges and Mitigation
ChallengesMitigation Strategies Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
184
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
184
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Supporting case study
(Rajasthan)
Background
In 2014, approximately 50% of teaching staff positions across Rajasthan were vacant
52
. This not only
meant that there weren’t adequate number of teachers in the classroom, but even the existing teachers
were overburdened. This problem was further compounded by the uneven distribution of teachers
as many teachers preferred urban postings, while remote districts were left with a disproportionate
number of vacancies.
In 2015, Rajasthan announced the integration of sub-scale schools and the creation of schools as Adarsh
(which had all Classes from I-XII under one roof) in every gram panchayat. This further accentuated the
need to solve for teacher vacancies, since the number of students in an Adarsh school was higher than
in any individual school before integration, requiring an additional teaching workforce.
52
Rajasthan Diagnostic study (2015)
184 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
185
Implementation
• Staf?ng norms: In an order dated 30.04.2015, the Department of Education of Rajasthan issued
stafwng norms for schools with Classes (I-XII), (VI-XII) and (IX-XII). The Department dewned its own
stafwng norms based on:
Student enrollment in each class
Number of academic streams (Science, Commerce, Arts) and subjects offered in a school
PTR as per RTE norms (Primary- 30:1, Upper Primary- 35:1)
• Data Collection: The Department of Education began by taking stock of its current teachers,
their distribution across schools and the number, types and location of vacancies. The Department
collected data through ofyine and online methods.
First, the Department used an ofyine mechanism to capture data wherein it leveraged its block
ofwcers to visit schools and record the number and type of teachers in each school, classes
and subjects taught etc. This data was then shared with the Department and maintained in
detailed Excel wles. ?ll edits to this wle were only allowed at one central location but could
be used by ofwcials as required.
Once the Department had a well-functioning, up-to-date MIS-Shaala Darpan, all necessary
information such as the number and details of teachers in every school across the State
became available in a single online portal. The Department made the shift to Shaala Darpan
as the ofyine method of data collection was susceptible to errors and time consuming. Shaala
Darpan, on the other hand, contained real-time data that could be used to generate reports
and allowed the Department to take data-backed decisions.

Staffing process: Teacher vacancy list generated from Shaala
Darpan
?
Exhibit 4.8.1: Teacher vacancy list generated by Shala Darpan Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
186
• Identi?cation of target schools: ?rmed with the current stafwng data and the ideal stafwng norms
for each school, the Department could identify schools with surplus and dewcit teachers, their exact
numbers and locations.
The Department used this information to eliminate teacher vacancy in three ways:
• Promotions: Pending promotions were expedited on priority. Some of these promoted teachers
partially wlled vacancies for higher grade teachers (XI-XII).
• Transfers: Teacher transfers were the most difwcult step to carry out. Teachers preferred to be
stationed in urban locations. If they were transferred to rural areas, they would obtain a stay-
order from a court. As a result, teacher vacancies in rural areas remained a persistent problem. To
successfully implement transfers, the Department did two things:
Leveraging the high morale and energy in the system created due to promotions, the
Department transferred promoted teachers to rural locations. As teachers did not want to
turn down a promotion, they would also accept the location to which they were transferred.
Consequently, the Department did not face much resistance to transfers.
The leadership of the Department prioritised the resolution of all court cases pertaining to
transfers. They did so by dedicating additional Department personnel and setting up cells
dedicated to stafwng in Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha ?bhiyan and Directorate.
The identiwcation of teachers due for promotions, transfers, or involved in court cases was done
through Shaala Darpan. Consequently, very little human intervention was required to collect, clean or
analyse data.
• Recruitment: Promotions and transfers did not by themselves solve for all staff vacancies across the
State. ?s a result, the Department also recruited new teachers to wll the remaining gap. Recruitment
happened across Classes, i.e., I-VIII and IX-XII. The recruitment process was as follows:
The Department announced vacancies for around 10,000 Class II teachers, around 40,000 Class III
teachers and around 17,000 lecturers. Depending upon the teacher category, minimum qualiwcations
were announced:
Class II teachersClass II teachers
Class III (Level 1)12th + Basic School Teaching Certiwcate
Class III (Level 2)Graduation + B.Ed
Lecturers (XI-XII)Masters’ degree
Teacher categoryMinimum 3uali?cation
?ll interested candidates meeting the minimum qualiwcations appeared for a written examination
administered by the Department. Based on academic qualiwcations and the score secured in the written
examination, candidates received points. In addition to the above criteria, additional points were awarded
for candidates such as widows, differently abled, etc. Based on the total points secured by a candidate, a
merit list was declared. This was followed by a transparent, online counselling process, wherein based on
the merit list, candidates were invited to give their preferences of location, school, etc Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
187
Outcomes

State education department
Block ofwcers
• Ensure political and bureaucratic buy-in
• Dewne ideal stafwng norms
• Leverage State MIS or create data collection
templates to source recent and accurate data
• Efter data collection, identify schools with surplus and
dewcient number of teachers
• Issue orders for promotions and transfers
• Conduct new recruitments
Collect/ verify information about teacher availability
in schools
Roles and responsibilities
StakeholdersRoles and Responsibilities
Since 2015, Rajasthan has made signiwcant strides in ensuring availability of teachers through promotions, transfers and recruitment. In a period of 3-4 years, the department reduced staff vacancies from >50% to ~15%. As of 2018, Rajasthan had around 78% of all teaching positions in Adarsh schools staffed
53
. Over 3.5 years, around 1,23,000 teachers were promoted through the
counselling process, of which around 85,000 were promotedwithin 1 year. Around 50,000 teachers were transferred through a counselling process over 2 years. Around 67,000 teachers were freshly recruited and went through the counselling process.
Eppendix
This Stafwng norms for schools
54
- This document captures the norms dewned by the Rajasthan
Education Department for teacher stafwng needs for every school. It dewnes the number of teachers required in every school while considering the level of school (i.e. primary, upper primary, secondary etc), number of students enrolled, number and stream of subjects offered (eg. Science, Commerce, ?rts), and the PTR as dewned.
53
Shaala Darpan
54
http://education.rajasthan.gov.in/content/dam/doitassets/education/school%26secondaryeducation/Secondary%20Education/Departmental-
Governmentorders/januarydecember2017/GO_Staff_Pattern_30_04_2015.pdf Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
188
CXTTA!aAAAA!A?TTA?aAFAkAFAkA:TaAkATMA!AkA?AxA?AFAkA:
Introduction and context
Poor results from a training needs assessment (TNA) conducted by BCG in a State in India triggered
a reyection exercise into the current structures in place to support teachers – speciwcally in-service
teacher training programs. The biggest challenges identiwed with current programs are:
• Purely pedagogy focused: Most teacher training programs are not designed to increase teacher
ability, as they focus only on pedagogy and fail to address the competency gap.
• Standardized training: The training delivered is the same for all teachers irrespective of individual
ability.
• Dilution in training due to cascade: Due to multiple levels of training deployment (usually from
State to district to block to cluster to teachers), training received on the ground is signiwcantly
diluted in quality.
• Limited days of training: The current training of 5-10 days a year has a very limited impact in
terms of bridging the capacity gap, especially in subjects like English.
A fundamental shift, therefore, was required in the way training was conceptualized, designed and
delivered at the State level. In order to make this happen, a new model of in-service teacher training
that had four main characteristics was conceptualised:
• The training should include subject matter content as well as general pedagogy training.
• Personalized training delivered to teachers to cater to their actual competencies and professional
needs.
• Reducing the number of cascades by training a cohort of full time Master Trainers.
• Signiwcantly improving delivery mechanisms and training time through a blended model of physical
and tech-based training modules.
EA?AAAFAAFA?TXCXZTJAAaA?A\AAaAkATTA!aAAAA!A?TTA?aAFAkAFAkA:ZTTAAA!AxA?A?TAxA9TCAAaAkA:A!

Cascade Training
3 level cascade leads to significant
dilution before teachers are trained
No Cascade Training
Direct training by through digital
medium & experts at block level
<10 Days of Training
Most states run between 5-10 days
of training covering limited ground
50-100 Days of Training
Year-round consistent training to
fundamentally up-skill teachers
Not Suited to Needs of Teacher
Mass trainings provide common content
not relevant to most teachers
Personalized Trainings
Need based training customized via
blended model of digital + f2f
Back to School Training
Basic training on curricular content,
pedagogy, & essential concepts
N
o Detailed Content Training
Teacher who does not know fractions
will not benefit from activity-based
training on how to teach fractions Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
189
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Design and provide training to teachers that is relevant, of adequate quality and on an ongoing
basis.
• Make training more accessible and customised to the needs of teachers and students.
Design of the intervention
What was required was a fundamental shift in the way training was conceptualized, designed, and
delivered at the State level, as explained in the following exhibit.
To make this happen, training should be delivered through personalized, tech-based systems rather
than the current classroom-based model. There are several organizations working on capacity-building
for teachers using digital systems, with some focusing on content knowledge, and others on creating
peer-learning communities and how to share best practices.
An integrated system, whereby a teacher can take a self-assessment and then be guided through
a personalized learning journey is required. The assessment should evaluate the teachers’ subject
knowledge (appropriate to the level of students that they are teaching), as well as their pedagogical
understanding, thereby determining their starting point and the gaps in their understanding that need
to be wlled. The system should then provide relevant content to wll these gaps, and opportunities for
continuous assessment of the progress being made. States can also consider providing certiwcation
based on the completion of certain milestones, which could make the teacher eligible for rewards and
recognition, merit-based promotions, etc.
EA?AAAFAAFA?TXCXZTSAAAFA9A?APTA?A!A?A?AFA?A!ATAFAkTA?A?aAFAkAFAkA:TaAkATAaA?aAAFA?A?TAA?AFA_AAFAkA:TAxA9TA?A!aAAAA!A?AP
5
•Cascade model—Huge transmission loss by the time
individual teachers are trained
Cascade Mode
•Training is not subject specific. Teachers who cannot
perform fractions do not learn Math
during training
Focus on process; not Content
•Maximum of 10 days teacher training; not enough
for genuine up-skilling
Limited Time
•Training is not customized to the needs and
requirements of teachers
Teacher needs not incorporated
• No Cascade—directly from experts
• Digital content delivered straight top teachers
Direct Training
• Training is not subject specific. Teachers who cannot
perform fractions do not learn Math
during training
Subject Specific Training
• For teachers to up skill their subject knowledge,
training needs to be continuous and long term—1
to 2 years if required
Long-term Training
• Training has to be designed in a personalized
manner for each teacher basis teacher's individual
needs and requirements
Based on Teachers Needs
Current ModelWhat Do We Need ?
6RXUFHV%&*SHUVSHFWLYHV Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
190190
Ection charter
Challenges and mitigation
Content
Ongoing Training
Delivery Mechanism
Feedback
Develop training content based on preferences and
needs of teachers.
Supplement annual, in-person training with ongoing
training through video content available on a website or
an app.
?ssess and wx the number of cascades through which
training is delivered, based on scale.
Collect feedback from teachers to ensure training content
is relevant and useful.

Quality of trainers and continued
difwculties in delivery of cascaded ofyine
trainings
Poor quality of digital training content
If the monthly courses available as part of
ongoing training are not mapped to the
curriculum followed in school, the content
ceases to be relevant for teachers and they
might be discouraged from accessing it.
Since ongoing training is not mandatory,
teachers might not be sufwciently
motivated or interested in accessing
training content through technology
platforms.
Continuous capacity building of teachers
and having a rigorous selection process for
trainers and teachers.
Onboarding experts in SCERT on
deputation/ contract if needed or hiring
external organizations via RfP process to
build high quality digital training courses.
Ensuring course content is customised and
made available to teachers based on their
needs in the classroom.
In such cases it might be necessary for the
Department of Education to communicate
the need and benewts of ongoing training
to teachers.
Teachers need to be supported to feel
comfortable with technology.
Incentives/ positive motivation need to be
enforced.
ChallengesMitigation Strategies Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
191
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
191
Supporting case study
(Jharkhand)
Background
Building the capacity of teachers was recognized as a key imperative in Jharkhand. Teacher trainings
are conducted for about 1.2 lakh teachers from over 35,000 Department of Education schools in
Jharkhand to improve their subject knowledge, pedagogical, and technical skills. However, a sharper
and more personalised plan, aligned to each teacher’s training needs, was required. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
192
1
CourseContentSubject Time (mins)
Understanding of
Place Value
1. System of Place Value
2. Numbers in System
3. Important Teaching Tips
Maths41
Emergent Literacy
Behaviour
1. Understanding of Emergent Literacy
2. How to support as teachers
Language 57
Multi-Grade Multi
Level Teaching
1. Types of classes
2. Problems with conventional classes
3. Multi grade multi level teaching
4. Strategies
Pedagogy 63
Toolkits used in package
•Chappal se abacus
•Jod ki adhunik aakriti
•Kada feko
Implementation
A Training Needs Assessment was conducted in 2018, where teachers were asked to solve 45-50
multiple choice questions on their mobile phones after they were trained in the block resource center
for the student-remediation program, Gyan-Setu. Approximately, 80 teachers attempted questions that
evaluated their pedagogical ability and subject/ content knowledge every week over 5 rounds until
most of the teachers were assessed. Moreover, teachers were also asked to wll a survey to explain their
training preferences. Consequently, around 89,000 elementary teachers attempted the TNA. While
primary teachers performed well on Mathematics and General Ability, they struggled with language
content. Upper primary school teachers performed the best across all subjects.
Post this exercise, the idea was to build a year-round blended training model however due to Covid-19
and fully online system, it has been executed so far as follows:
• Content selection: Various online teacher training platforms/ content creators such as Swayam,
the Teacher?pp, Chalklit, Peepul, Ekstep, Firki, and Meghshala were identiwed, and their teacher
training courses/ lesson plans were evaluated on three criteria:
Whether these link to the NCERT learning competencies from grades 1-8.
Whether the training content is engaging and provides summary to increase absorption.
Whether the training content provides explicit takeaways with relevant examples that could
be directly implemented in the classroom.
• Grouping and sequence of content: Each course was categorized into groups of 3, each containing
1 language, 1 pedagogy and 1 mathematics course. This group of 3 courses was called a package.
This was done to ensure regular exposure to all subjects to all teachers.
Here is an example package:
EA?AAAFAAFA?TXCXZTIA_A_A?APA?A?aA?AFA?A!TAAxAkA?A!AkA?TA?aAA\aA:A! Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
193
• Peer-learning: To ensure that teachers don’t just watch courses but also regularly meet and learn
from each other (either online or ofyine in less number with social distancing), Shaikshik Samvaads
were created. Shaikshik Samvaads included centrally designed lesson plans which were used by
resource group teachers to conduct monthly peer-learning sessions with 30-40 teachers at a cluster
level to discuss what they learned from this month’s courses and how they will implement their
learnings inside classrooms.
• Assessments: To gauge the learning of teachers, a baseline assessment and a midline assessment
was designed. These were designed to not only know the total scores of teachers but to also
understand what are the major misconceptions that teachers have.
• Length of program: ?bout 50 hours of content watching and assessment wlling time was allotted
for the DIKSHA TPD program. The program was envisioned as an 8-months long program in which
teachers had to complete 2 packages per month. This ensured that teacher time investment was
spread out in a way that reduced the teacher workload on any given day.
The designed teacher training program was conducted through a 5-pillared approach:
• DIKSHA platform: All the selected courses from the TeacherApp were uploaded on DIKSHA,
packaged together according to the structure explained above, and then made available to all
teachers in Jharkhand. All the teachers were to register on the DIKSHA platform. Based on the 2
packages/ month timeline decided, a particular package was made available for only 15 days to
ensure excitement and high enrollment in each package.
• Online teacher assessments: The baseline and midline assessments for the program were
conducted for the elementary teachers over google-forms. In the baseline assessment conducted
on September 24, 2020, approximately 77,000 teachers participated and, in the midline assessment
conducted on January 18, 2021, approximately, 97,000 teachers participated. After conducting the
midline assessment, all teachers were given detailed feedback on every question asked to ensure
that teachers learn from the experience. None of the assessment scores were made public and the
main purpose of the test was to understand the gaps in learning.
• Peer-learning (Shaikshik Samvaad): The State has identiwed two resource groups – 4-membered
District Resource Group (DRG) per district and 3-membered Cluster Resource Group (CRG) per
cluster. These consist of teachers with prowcient digital skills and strong academic performance.
JCERT creates Shaikshik Samvaad SessionPlan – a self-reliant document that any teacher can use to
conduct a discussion with relevant proportions of reyection, fun, and camaraderie.
• Governance & Structure: District ResourceGroups(DRGs) and Cluster Resource Groups (CRGs) are
important institutions created primarily for the yawless implementation and monitoring of Shaikshik
Samvaads coverage and quality, in turn ensuring better learning for the teachers.
• Monitoring and Review: Improvement in teacher training requires regular monitoring and
feedback structures. The current TPD program tracks DIKSHA registrations, course enrolments,
course consumption, monthly assessments, and shiksha samvaad attendance. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
194
Roles and responsibilities

Teachers
DRG (District Resource Group)
CRG (Cluster Resource Group)
CRP (Cluster Resource Person)
VFS (Virtual Field System)
BEEO (Block Education
Education Ofwcer)
BRP (Block Resource Person)
DEO (District Education
Ofwcer)/ DSE (District
Superintendent of
Education)/ EDPO
(Edditional District Program
Ofwcer)
Stakeholders
Following are the dewned roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders in the program:
• Registration, active participation in the courses, monthly assessments, and attendance in Shaikshik Samvaad.
• JCERT training participation and attendance, CRG teacher training and progress monitoring.
• Coordination with cluster teachers for Shaikshik Samvaad, digital tool capacity, monitoring forms, monthly calls with cluster teachers and ensuring teacher attendance.
• Track teacher attendance in Shaikshik Samvaad, information dissemination to teachers, technical assistance, and proper conduct of Shaikshik Samvaad.
• Veriwcation of teacher registration, teacher monitoring, compliance of registrations/ progress updates given by JCERT via calls.
• Coordination with BRPs/ CRPs for registrations and implementation, review CRG working and regular reviews.
• Coordination with CRPs for teacher registration, Shaikshik Samvaad implementation and attendance, tracking at-risk teachers, attend block-level review, etc.
• District responsibility to review and measure performance across all key stakeholders.
Roles and Responsibilities Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
195

Outcomes
The efforts to train teachers on the DIKSHA TPD program were quite successful. Over 1.1 lakh teachers
(93%) registered on the DIKSHA platform and over 90,000 teachers enrolled in all the DIKSHA TPD
packages. 89% of the enrolled teachers would complete the courses offered. Continuous improvement
in teacher scores by over 20 percentage points from 35% in Baseline Assessment to 55% in the
Midline Assessment was observed. Jharkhand also ensured that over 5 Shaikshik Samvaads were
conducted by 90% of the clusters in Jharkhand. Majority of the teachers who attended Shaikshik
Samvaad mentioned that participating in the Shaikshik Samvaad improved their understanding of the
DIKSHA TPD courses.
Eppendix
The following illustration captures a plan for decentralized teacher peer learning sessions. Typically,
teachers are expected to go through and follow this structure to ensure learning objectives of a
particular session is met.
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
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196
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
196
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Supporting case study
(Himachal Pradesh)
Background
Approximately 40,000 elementary school teachers in Himachal Pradesh are trained every year under
the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. Because of the scale at which the training is conducted, the government
follows a cascaded model of training delivery. Master trainers are trained at the State level by experts,
who in turn, train a resource group at the district level and that continues as a process at each level. The
training curriculum is wnalized at the State level with the help of members from District Institutes for
Education and Training (DIETs) and the State Resource Group (SRG), and occasionally, in collaboration
with external organisations. The existing training architecture of the State had several challenges and
design yaws. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
197
• Inef?cient cascaded model: Due to different levels of cascades, the quality of the content
deteriorated, and teachers were not satiswed with the training.
• No assessment of training needs: The curriculum was designed with little input from teachers
with respect to what they wanted to learn. Systematic training needs assessment of teachers did
not take place every year.
• Inef?cient model for continuous training: Post aone-time in-person training ended, there was no
mechanism to ensure continuous learning for the teachers.
• No feedback model: There was no feedback mechanism in place to assess whether teachers
found the training provided to them satisfactory, what they would want changed, etc.
Implementation
Following were considered as part of Himachal Pradesh’s revamp of teacher training and mentoring
design
• Preference assessment: Through a Google form, questions related to pedagogy, skill requirements,
etc., were asked and circulated through SMS. ?pproximately, 17,000 teachers in the State wlled the
survey.
• Need Assessment: Along with the data from preference assessment, National Achievement Survey
and Summative Assessment-II data were used (which was recorded in the Student Assessment
Dashboard) to identify weaker competencies across the State. Training content was then designed
accordingly.
• Delivery:
In-person, one time training: The cascaded model of training previously had a high number
of cascades with different districts having different numbers of cascades. This was revamped
to reduce and standardize the number of cascades. Moreover, the Master Trainers (MTs) were
previously selected subjectively but this process was changed to select high-performing
teachers who used innovative practices in the classrooms under the name of ‘Khaas Shiksha
Teachers.
Ongoing training: Himachal Pradesh has partnered with a third-party teacher training
application to provide continuous training. Once teachers register themselves on the teacher
training application, they get access to a monthly training package developed with the
following components: (i) concept-based training courses of about one-hour worth of content
(ii) short 2-3 minutes long training videos on facilitating activity-based learning. For example,
how to teach students the names of States and capitals through an activity (iii) podcasts
focused on explaining learning outcomes, making classrooms interactive, etc. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
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Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
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Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
• Sharing of content and completion: On a monthly basis, a content package (with concept-based
videos, toolkits and podcasts) is shared with the teachers and they are required to complete the
assigned courses within the month.
• Feedback and Monitoring:
In-person one-time training: This includes 2 aspects: (i) digital feedback forms were created
to collect feedback from teachers at each level who attended the training. Attendees could
anonymously give feedback on multiple aspects such as how useful they found training
for different subjects, if they found the training to be better than the previous year, how
they would rate teachers, etc. (ii) a monitoring mechanism was designed to manage the
implementation of training at scale and collect data. Ofwcials of the Teacher Training Institute
wll a tracker detailing the number of resource persons trained (SRG and DRG), number of
teachers trained, etc. This data is wlled at the district-level.
Ongoing refresher training: Whenever required, refresher training is also conducted. The
usage and completion of the monthly training modules are tracked through the application’s
backend database. Moreover, Cluster Head Teachers (CHTs) are supposed to meet around
5-7 teachers in their clusters on a monthly basis. The agenda for the cluster meetings is
created centrally and shared on the teacher training application. During these meetings
training content is discussed and teachers can share their feedback as well as any challenges
they faced in accessing or understanding content.
Outcomes
• Training curriculum was mapped to weak learning outcomes of the State and in-line with the
needs of the teachers.
• The number of cascades was standardized across districts to maintain quality of training delivery.
• Video-based content was included to supplement in-person training. Based on feedback from
teachers, 96% of teachers found video-based training useful, with an average rating of 4/ 5 given
by teachers to teacher training App. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
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Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
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Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
10. Academic Monitoring and Dashboard Reviews
Introduction and context
A governance system aiming to deliver high-quality public services must foster a sense of accountability
at all levels. In the context of education, a system must be created, where:
• Teachers feel accountable for students’ learning and well-being.
• Middle management in Blocks and Districts feel accountable for ensuring well-run schools and an
efwcient organization.
• Senior management at the headquarter/ State feel accountable for continuously improving the
overall State of the education system, delivering a higher value proposition to the students while
running a smooth-functioning education system.
In the education system, to monitor progress towards the satisfactory attainment of student learning
outcomes, two types of data are required:
• Student assessment data,
• Data collected through academic monitoring of schools.
Existing monitoring programmes were found lacking on various fronts
55
. To begin with, it was found
that schools were not visited regularly by designated ofwcials. Secondly, it was found that even when
schools were visited, the focus of the monitoring exercise skewed heavily in favour of infrastructure (such
as availability of toilets, electricity and boundary walls) and administrative questions (such as delivery of
uniforms and administration of Mid-Day Meals). Questions on academics were not included. Also, most
States did not have appropriate mechanisms such as review meetings in place to hold administrative
ofwcials responsible. Given the paucity of data on academic performance, even if reviews did take
place, their focus was largely on infrastructure and administrative issues.
Expected objectives and outcomes
The overarching objective of this intervention is to make all stakeholders within the education system
(such as teachers, block ofwcials and State ofwcials) accountable for the attainment of student learning
outcomes. This objective is achieved by:
• Ensuring the availability of accurate, real-time and regular data
• Creating mechanisms for data-backed reviews of the system
55
Bhatty, K., and Saraf, R. (2016); Does Government’s Monitoring of Schools Work? ? Study of the Frontline Education
Bureaucracy in India; https://bit.ly/2tXfOZF Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
200
Design of the intervention
Academic Monitoring
Any accountability initiative must:
• Be pervasive across the system: The major stakeholders within the education system are teachers,
Block/ District/ State ofwcials as well as parents. Each of these stakeholders needs to be individually
addressed. In most cases, parents tend to be the missing link in the accountability chain. Very few
States have managed to effectively bridge the gap between schools and parents/ communities.
• Select the right metrics: Data to be collected should be prioritized in advance and follow these
high-level principles.
Linked to a clear roadmap: For example, a State may choose to prioritize metrics related
to Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR), teacher distribution, etc., if it aims to rationalize its teacher and
school footprint or track micro-level learning outcomes if a major learning enhancement
program is initiated. On the other hand, while student attendance is usually a uniform metric
in most indices, it may be deprioritized if it is not part of a clear action plan. The choice of
metrics should also incorporate a judicious mix of inputs, outputs, and outcomes, which
reyect the declared action plan of the State.
Objective, well-de?ned, and easily quanti?able: It is tempting to incorporate nuanced
indicators of teacher performance (e.g. demonstrates conceptual clarity, listens to children
patiently, etc.) based on classroom observations but such metrics tend to be subjective and
difwcult to measure. Simple binary indicators like ‘group by learning level or not’ will be
far more effective. Accountability can only be enforced when stakeholders have a clear,
objective and uniformly understood metric to work towards.
Consist of a select number of actionable metrics: The aim of data-based accountability
is to drive targeted action based on dewned metrics. The larger the number of metrics,
the more likely that priority actions will take a backseat. Districts must have a view of their
performance metrics that don’t change frequently (e.g., every 6 months). However, monthly
dashboards should have metrics that the district can inyuence in the short-term.
Disaggregated to re?ect ground realities: ? metric should only be chosen if it is reyective
of the ground reality in a school. For example, standardized metrics such asPTR tend to
hide ground realities. States with 30:1 PTR often have sub-scale schools or schools with
inadequate subject-teacher availability. Metrics such as the percentage of schools that meet
PTR norms, therefore, capture the disaggregated reality of education more comprehensively.
• Provide an accurate measurement:
A constant trade-off needs to be made between the amount
of data being collected and their utility. That said, irrespective of the data being collected, effort
must be made to ensure its accuracy and reliability. This can be achieved through a combination
of measures as Stated below.
Live digital data collected directly from the source and updated on a regular basis: For
example, the Vidyalaya Avlokan process in Rajasthan ensures that all schools are visited, and
their data re-validated during randomly allocated surprise inspections. This disincentivizes
schools from reporting false data and creates a single digital source of truth that all stakeholders
refer to. However, in the absence of an MIS, any live data collection and updation via Google
forms or dashboards that do not allow for end-user changes is a feasible alternative. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
201
Removing con?icts of interest in data collection: One of the biggest reasons for inaccurate
data in the social sector is misaligned incentive structures. The person who collects the data
is also often held accountable for poor outcomes, creating a conyict of interest in reporting
the truth. To solve this, States may need to invest in a layer of third-party monitoring or
communicate very clearly that weld inspectors who monitor schools will only be held
responsible for the accuracy of reported data and not for outcomes.
Multiple layers of veri?cation: If weld ofwcials begin to believe that the data is not truly
reyective of their efforts and performance, the motivation to improve metrics will rapidly
disappear. Therefore, it is essential to create a permanent process of data cleaning and
veriwcation via third parties, call centers and weld visits so as to build a performance system
that has the buy-in and support of all stakeholders as illustrated below.
• Be transparent with adequate channels of communication: To achieve a set of goals, it is critical
for them to be ‘shared’. Everyone from the Hon’ble Chief Minister and Education Minister, to the
junior-most teacher in the most remote school needs to understand the vision for the education
sector. This needs to be regularly communicated, along with plans to achieve that vision. Our
experience in the weld has shown that a lack of clarity around programs is a key driver of their
failure. It is also critical for there to be two-way communication, so feedback and suggestions can
be regularly shared to strengthen the approach of the department and grievances can be managed
proactively.
• Be linked to real consequences: While dissemination of accurate data by itself is a powerful tool
for accountability, linking it to a carrot-and-stick approach is a force multiplier in terms of impacting
outcomes. A variety of different options are available to policymakers:
Incentives: While every State has some version of rewards systems, two key principles enable
such systems to be truly impactful: (i) any reward must be reasonably achievable for more
than 75% of teachers, schools, or frontline ofwcials for it to act as a true incentive for the
system (ii) recognition should not be a one-time process that can be manipulated but should
provide continuous benewts that encourage stakeholders to strive for improvement.
Ranking based systems: Most often implemented as District rankings, these are
comprehensive indices that aim to hold districts accountable through robust data-based
results. Depending on the use-case, these rankings may yow down to Block and school
level as well. While not explicitly linked to incentives, ranking systems generate enormous
momentum and competition purely through transparency and data dissemination. They also
allow administrative units to easily identify gaps and develop customized action plans for the
same. Typically, the design of ranking based systems across multiple States is similar in a few
respects: (i) Incorporates a limited set of 20-30 carefully chosen and prioritized indicators with
a clear action agenda for improvement in each metric. (ii) Focuses on strong outcomes with
academic indicators and learning outcomes being accorded signiwcant weightage. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
202
Exhibit 4.10.1: Illustration of district ranks in States

Jharkhand district report card
District Name
Gyan Setu
(25)
Average BRP/CRP
visits (25)
Teachers’
biometric (25)
Student
Portal (25)
Total Score
(100)
January (W1)
Rank
December
Rank
Change in
ranking
Godda17.9 14.425.0 19.2 76.41- -
Paschimi Singhbhum 22.7 19.221.3 9.9 73.02- -
Dhanbad13.5 16.922.3 18.2 71.03- -
PurbiSinghbhum 15.118.218.8 18.9 70.94- -
Jamtara16.6 25.015.8 12.1 69.55- -
Deoghar19.6 16.917.2 14.2 68.06- -
Garhwa20.0 24.413.8 9.6 67.77- -
Ramgarh23.6 20.519.1 4.0 67.38- -
Khunti13.6 16.616.7 19.7 66.69- -
Saraikela14.8 20.417.9 12.2 65.310- -
Kodarma18.3 16.715.7 13.1 63.811- -
Lohardaga11.6 13.521.0 17.2 63.312- -
Bokaro17.3 15.019.4 11.3 63.013- -
Ranchi14.3 20.719.6 6.8 61.414- -
Latehar18.9 8.912.8 19.9 60.615- -
Pakaur19.2 11.219.8 9.5 59.616- -
Palamu16.8 20.715.7 3.5 56.717- -
Giridih15.7 20.115.2 5.4 56.418- -
Gumla16.7 4.615.4 17.2 53.819- -
Dumka13.6 14.317.1 7.6 52.620- -
Hazaribagh17.9 8.319.8 4.4 50.521- -
Sahibganj17.8 12.413.4 4.8 48.322- -
Simdega17.6 14.42.3 11.4 45.723- -
Chatra11.0 13.110.6 5.9 40.624- -

Orissa District report card
District
Academic
Performance
Governance Infrastructure
Other
indicators
Grand Total May Rank April Rank Change
Dhenkanal25.2 53.9 78.7 70.2 228.0110
Jagatsinghpur 29.2 49.6 83.9 64.6 227.4220
Khordha27.9 46.5 83.7 67.2 225.2341
Sundergarh28.0 50.3 73.2 66.3 217.943-1
Sambalpur26.1 44.1 77.4 67.4 215.1550
Deogarh25.0 43.6 72.3 71.0 211.9693
Cuttack26.0 45.3 78.6 60.3 210.176-1
Bhadrakh28.6 49.6 71.1 60.3 209.687-1
Angul28.1 42.2 76.9 62.2 209.39101
Jharsuguda27.7 36.3 79.3 65.7 209.0 10133
Balasore28.5 43.3 75.0 61.9 208.7 11121
Mayurbhanj26.8 49.2 67.4 61.6 204.9 128-4
Kendrapada28.5 34.7 75.2 65.0 203.4 13163
Nayagarh26.0 44.0 67.8 64.3 202.0 1411-3
Jajpur28.4 33.8 73.3 60.1 195.8 15205
Ganjam27.3 33.5 74.2 59.9 194.8 1615-1
Kandhamal25.7 36.5 66.6 65.8 194.7 17181
Keonjhar28.6 34.3 68.7 60.4 192.0 18191
Nawarangpur 28.2 33.7 72.8 55.4 190.2 1914-5
Kalahandi27.9 23.0 73.9 64.3 189.1 2017-3
Koraput26.9 26.7 69.8 63.8 187.2 21210
Gajpati24.4 22.7 67.5 72.1 186.7 22231
Baragarh27.7 26.3 76.0 53.7 183.7 23241
Malkangiri24.7 20.4 71.8 66.5 183.3 24262
Bolangir28.1 23.1 67.6 60.7 179.6 25294
Rayagada25.4 23.2 65.6 64.5 178.7 26304
Sonepur26.3 25.6 70.0 56.2 178.0 2725-2
Boudh24.2 24.6 73.7 53.7 176.1 2827-1
Nuapada26.9 19.3 65.0 62.0 173.2 2928-1
Puri27.7 24.3 76.0 44.1 172.1 3022-8 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
203
Exhibit 4.10.1: Illustration of district ranks in States
5
District Report Card (1/2)
िजला
% �श�क िज�ह�नेआज5
�व�या�थ�य�/ म�टस�सेफ़ोन
परसंपक� �कया
क�ा3-8 के�कतने% �व�य�थ�य�को
एकपेजकाल�न�ग �लानर�ा�तहो
गयाहै
% �श�किज�ह�ने अपने क�ा समूह का
�नमा�णअकाद�मकस�2021-22 के
�व�या�थ�य�केअनुसारकर�लयाहै
Total Score
HARDA30%100%81%57%
ANUPPUR5%100%100%57%
MORENA43%90%92%52%
KHANDWA45%83%100%51%
DHAR22%99%89%51%
KHARGONE35%94%83%51%
NEEMUCH30%91%88%50%
NARSINGHPUR38%84%91%49%
SHAHDOL60%76%77%48%
BALAGHAT14%100%66%48%
ASHOKNAGAR13%88%98%47%
SEHORE26%87%82%47%
JABALPUR37%81%79%46%
DEWAS23%92%69%46%
BHOPAL40%68%94%45%
UJJAIN35%71%86%43%
SINGROULI12%100%32%43%
UMARIA24%69%89%42%
BETUL28%63%97%41%
REWA36%72%63%40%
RAISEN35%68%67%39%
RAJGARH36%63%76%39%
SEONI21%67%81%39%
JHABUA18%69%80%39%
GWALIOR13%75%72%39%
AGAR MALWA17%75%66%38%
VIDISHA18%71%65%37%

District Report Card (2/2)
िजला
% �श�क िज�ह�नेआज5
�व�या�थ�य�/ म�टस�सेफ़ोन
परसंपक� �कया
क�ा3-8 के�कतने% �व�य�थ�य�को
एकपेजकाल�न�ग �लानर�ा�तहो
गयाहै
% �श�क िज�ह�ने अपने क�ा समूहका
�नमा�ण अकाद�मकस�2021-22 के
�व�या�थ�य�केअनुसारकर�लयाहै
Total Score
BARWANI27%59%80%37%
INDORE32%69%55%37%
HOSHANGABAD29%64%66%37%
GUNA28%55%81%36%
KATNI36%68%47%36%
SATNA18%66%62%35%
MANDSAUR19%48%90%34%
SIDHI31%57%57%33%
CHHINDWARA40%49%61%33%
SHIVPURI25%56%60%32%
MANDLA30%46%75%32%
ALIRAJPUR15%42%97%32%
BHIND15%33%100%32%
DINDORI19%47%77%31%
DATIA16%41%90%31%
RATLAM17%51%68%31%
BURHANPUR18%27%49%20%
SHAJAPUR1%11%86%18%
SHEOPUR3%22%48%16%
NIWARI81%83%
PANNA70%81%
SAGAR49%53%
TIKAMGARH54%59%
CHHATARPUR59%65%
DAMOH77%75%
Madhya Pradesh District Report Card - Heading Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
204
Disincentives: While linkage to service conditions may prove politically untenable in the
short run, objectively egregious performance of ofwcials must be actively disincentivized
by the State through judicious use of tools like show-cause notices, departmental inquiries,
suspension of salary etc. Frequent and transparent dissemination of data, to continuously
highlight poor performers also has a galvanizing effect.
All the data systems and related incentives/ disincentives should fall in place, a systemic review cadence
should be set up where data-based evidence is used for reviews and decision making with the following
considerations.
• De?ne the following for review meetings:
Levels: States must dewne whether meetings will be held at State, district, block, or panchayat
levels. A State may decide its smallest unit for reviews depending on the size of its unit. For
instance, a large State may choose to have the smallest unit for reviews as a panchayat, while
a smaller State may choose the same to be at block level.
Frequency: States must decide the frequency of review meetings. They may be held at
different frequencies at different levels such as monthly at district level while once in two
months at State level. States may make this decision based on the availability of stakeholders
as well as how fast they wish to implement schemes on ground.
Attendees: States must decide who attends the review meetings at each level. This is a
critical step to ensure that meetings are effective and efwcient while optimising for the time of
its attendees. For instance, States may choose to have block ofwcers present at district level
meetings, but not at State level meetings.
Modalities: States must decide whether meetings will be in-person or over Virtual Conferences
(VCs) - video or telephonic. States may choose different modalities for different meetings,
again with the view of optimizing for the time of its attendees. For instance, block level reviews
may be in person, while State reviews may be via VC. States must consider the provision of
facilities for VC such as cameras, screens, and high-speed internet at all attendee locations
before deciding on that as a modality.
• Identify the data that will be reviewed regularly and its sources: To ensure that review meetings
are effective, States must identify the different types of data that will be reviewed regularly. This must
include data from academic monitoring of schools, student assessment data as well as progress on
key schemes being implemented at the time. In addition to identifying the data points, States must
also identify the sources where this data will be gathered from. Data should be customized from
time to time to ensure relevance for weld action.
• Create templates to facilitate implementation: To ease the process of conducting reviews
while maintaining quality, States must create templates to facilitate the implementation of review
meetings. These templates may be for the agenda of the meeting, data collection, presentations
for use during review meetings, attendance sheets, etc.
• Design methods to monitor compliance: Filled in data in pre-decided templates must be reviewed
regularly by the State ofwcials. Compliance may be monitored by checking the date of review
meetings while quality may be assessed through minutes of the meeting, next steps captured, or
any outputs created during the meeting. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
205
Challenges and mitigation

Poor quality of data captured
Data misrepresentation
Challenges
To ensure that data captured is usable and accurate,
questions on proformas must be carefully and clearly
articulated. To ease data analysis, wherever possible,
States should provide objective questions with selectable
options instead of open text boxes
To prevent misrepresentation of data, mobile apps must
allow capture of GPS location during school visits as
well as photographic evidence.
Mitigation Strategies
Ection charter
Questions, cadence, and reporting
Incentive structure
System/platform
Reviews and documentation
Design an academic monitoring system with questions/
parameters, a review cadence (who will visit and how
often), and reporting format (e.g., what metrics are
tracked/ reported in dashboards etc.)
Finalize necessary incentives/ disincentives and
monitoring systems
Build the system for school visit/monitoring and for
dashboards to be reviewed by weld ofwcials
Set up review system leveraging the data/ dashboard for
discussion
Track compliance and quality of reviews/ meetings
Dynamically update review meeting minutes linking to
State priorities Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
206
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
206
Supporting case study
(Odisha)
Background
Odisha was faced with limited accountability across levels for student learning outcomes and no
common vision or goals. This was due to:
• Lack of structured review cascade from State to cluster.
• No standard agenda or data available for review.
• Lack of follow up on decisions taken during meeting.
A structured process has been introduced to improve accountability throughout the system and make
review meetings more effective by focusing on:
• Establishing a regular review cadence at State, District and Block level.
• Centralized agenda and roll out of tools such as monthly district scorecard.
• Central collection and review of minutes and Action Taken Reports. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
207
Implementation
• Review cadence and model: A cascade model has been set up to ensure regular reviews from
State to district and block level with standard templates for reviews/ minutes.
• Data backed reviews: Several tools have been rolled out to conduct data backed reviews
including initiative speciwc dashboards which are included in the review templates for ex: school
consolidation. District scorecard has also been rolled out to ensure improvement along metrics
through competition by enabling:
Data backed action focus by prioritizing low performing districts and action areas to drive
timely actions.
Better strategic planning and organizational alignment with the complete district and all its
blocks working towards a common goal.
Exhibit 4.10.2: Cascade Model for Reviews

Centralized PPT template & format to capture minutes shared for DRMs
Name of person
responsible for
preparing the
slide
Guidelines on
how to prepare
the slide (data
source etc.)
Decisions
submitted in
google form for
any meeting
visible on the
dashboard
Only decisions
taken to be
submitted
Minutes of
meeting form to
be filled
PPT template to be used during reviews
Google form and dashboard to capture
decisions taken during the meeting Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
208
Scorecard metrics are changed regularly depending on the initiatives operational in the State.
Scorecard sprints are used to pick 3-4 metrics with targets per quarter and focus on one theme to
ensure improvement through the scorecard
• Change Management: Various change management activities have also been conducted to ensure
adoption and drive outcomes.
Capacity Building: (i) Rigorous Training of DLOs, BLOs & CRCCs on indicators of scorecard and
school monitoring. (ii) Helpline call center support by VFS to CRCCs & BLOs. (iii) Orientation of
District Programmers/ District Planning Coordinators on the DRMs/ BRMs agenda template.
(iv) 1 on 1 meetings with District Collectors to sensitize them on their district’s position based
on indicator wise achievement percentage and overall score in district scorecard.
Improving Data Quality: (i) School visits by SATH team to a few selected sample schools to
verify data entered. (ii) Veriwcation of data shared by districts via sample calling through VFS
call centre. (iii) Sharing data mismatch wndings at DRM & BRM and with other State ofwcials
for corrective action.
Exhibit 4.10.3: District Scorecard constituents

Scorecard launched to give a one-shot view of district
performance, set priorities & take action
Academic
Performance
(2 metrics, 6 indicators)
Access and
Transition
(4 metrics, 8 indicators)
Equity
(4 metrics, 4 indicators)
Governance
(3 metrics, 3 indicators)
Infrastructure
(6 metrics, 14 indicators)
Other
parameters
(5 metrics, 10+ indicators)
Odisha's
District
Scorecard
Aspirational
District
Metrics
SEQI
metrics
PGI metrics
Extensive
Internal
Discussions Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
209

Extensive support given to districts to make the scorecard actionable
Support provided to
districts since the launch
District specific monthly scorecard packs
•Information on previous month's & current month's
performance
•Information on top performing district for any indicator
•Data sources of indicators
State-wide information on scores and values
•Detailed excels on performance of all districts shared to
facilitate sharing of best practices
•Information aggregated category and metric wise
Indicative strategies and support in planning*
•Indicator wise strategies shared as a starting point for
districts
•Format for documenting strategies and setting targets
shared
Best practice documentation*
•Best practices to be identified and shared with
districts
7REHVKDUHGLQWKHFRPLQJZHHNV
Exhibit 4.10.4: District Support Mechanism
Exhibit 4.10.5: Review guidelines at all levels
5
Cascade model set up to ensure regular reviews till district level
•Reviews conducted of DEO, DPC all
BEOs through video conference
•Chaired by PS with all district & block
officers every month
•Detailed discussion on SATH
activities
•Instructions on implementation given
•Weekly reviews conducted by SPD
with select districts for in-depth
reviews
•Chaired by District Collector's with
district, block officers monthly
•DEO/DPC to take review in
Collector's absence
•Agenda, flow, minutes streamlined
•Standard PPT format with centralized
agenda used for meetings
•Minutes of meetings submitted to
the State via google forms
•SATH cell tracks if review took place
State
Project
Monitoring
Unit
Reviews
State's
District
review
District
Review
Meeting
•
PS chairs meeting with all initiative
leaders every Thursday
•Fixed agenda; progress of all
initiatives reviewed
•Clear action steps, owners, timelines
noted for action, reviewed next week
• Roles and responsibilities: The reviews are conducted in a 3-tier structure as indicated below: Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
210
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Key roles and responsibilities of other stakeholders for enabling efwcient District Review Meetings are
detailed out below:

District planning coordinators
Block Education Ofwcers
District Education Ofwcer
• Overall responsibility of preparing the presentation,
sharing of slides with the relevant stakeholders one
week before the district review meeting
• Ensure that decisions taken during the meeting are
recorded and minutes of meeting are prepared
• Prepare the slides with support of block MIS
planning coordinator and present them in the DRM
and BRM
• Review the presentation shared by the Planning
Coordinators and lead the discussion during
the DRM and ask various stakeholders relevant
questions to track progress of implementation of
initiatives
StakeholdersRoles and Responsibilities Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
211
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Outcomes
These initiatives have helped transform the State monitoring mechanisms and make them more
effective and robust:
• Districts are regularly updating databases (Teacher Information System, MDM etc.) to ensure
progress is captured and reyected in scorecards.
• Percentage of reviews being chaired by DCs has increased constantly which has helped drive
initiatives.
• Submission of Minutes of Meeting to State is close to 100% now with more than 95% districts
using the prescribed PPTs for the reviews.
All of this going forward is expected to lead to an improvement in annual indicators such as transition
rate, drop rate etc.
Eppendix

Ecademic
Governance
Ettendance
Legal
Monitoring
Visit
Compliance
Learning
Outcome
Teacher
Distribution
• % Everage student attendance
• % Everage teacher attendance
• % Court Cases Complied With PWC Or Disposed Off (Block)
• % Court Cases Complied With PWC Or Disposed Off (Block)
• % Schools That Have Not Been Monitored Even Once
• % Visits Completed By Block Ofwcials In School Monitoring Epp
• % Visits Completed By CRCCs In School Monitoring Epp
• % Schools Qualiwed For Bronze In Garima Eward
• % Schools Qualiwed For Silver In Garima Eward
• % Single Teacher Schools
• % Upper Primary Schools With Only Two Teachers
• % Upper Primary School Without Science Teacher (Excluding +2 Science)
• % Upper Primary School Without Science Teacher (Including +2 Science) Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
212212

Infrastructure
Other
Indicators
Drinking Water
Learning
Enhancement
Program
Electricity
Toilets
School Merger
School
Operations
• % Schools With Functional Drinking Water Facility
• % Elementary Schools With Functional Electricity
Facility
• % Schools With Separate Functional Girls’ End Boys’
Toilets
• % Schools That Conducted Ujjwal
• % Schools That Conducted Utthan
% Schools That Have Completed Mergers
% Schools With SDP/ SSP
% Schools That Have Constituted E SMC/ SMDC
Exhibit 4.10.6: A sample district scorecard for Odisha
Exhibit 4.10.7: A scorecard dashboard was also launched to help monitor performance of the entire district
education department using one platform
51
Scorecard dashboard launched for you to monitor performance of the
entire district education department using one platform
View rank of district,
blocks & clusters
Review performance of
district and blocks for
40+ indicators
Download school lists for
every indicator
Analyze change in
performance for
indicators over months
Link –bit.ly/ScorecardPortalUser ID –dc_<district name> Password –dc#1234 Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
213
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
213
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E ExperienceSystemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Supporting case study
(Haryana)
Background
Till 2015, student assessments in Haryana were not standardized for quality and frequency. As a result,
the quality of assessment data generated was poor. Additionally, the State did not have a centralized
tech portal to capture the data that was generated. This data was collected by the Department of
Education through paper-based formats or Excel wles. ?cademic monitoring of schools was irregular
and there was no mechanism to consolidate or analyse data across the State or use it to draw any
actionable insights to improve the system.
The objective of Haryana’s intervention was to ensure the availability of accurate, regular, and timely
data focused on student assessment and from academic monitoring of schools.
To provide regular, accurate and timely data collected from school monitoring, Haryana launched the
Academic Monitoring System (AMS) in 2016. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
214214
Implementation
The AMS is applicable to all 14,300 schools across Haryana.
• Establishing academic monitoring cadre and cadence: The monitoring cadre includes ofwcials
from the Department of Education. Additionally, other members of the bureaucracy such as
Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) are also actively involved in
monitoring schools. ?ll visiting ofwcials are divided into three groups:
Mentors: These include around 500 Block Resource Persons (BRPs), Block Resource Centre
Coordinators (BRCCs), Assistant BRCCs and DIET Faculty. They are responsible for visiting 10
schools every month. They observe teachers in the classroom, based on which they provide
feedback on matters such as pedagogy, teaching aids and methods.
Monitors: These include around 200 District and Block Education Ofwcers and DIET Faculty.
They visit 4-8 schools each per month and record their observations on matters like student
learning levels.
School LEP Owners (SLOs): These include around 8,600 primary Head Teachers who wll data
for their own schools pertaining to the distribution of students as per different learning levels.
• Designing Academic Monitoring proforma: Haryana has four separate proformas for ofwcials to
record school observations.
Mentoring proforma: This focuses on the implementation of Learning Enhancement Program
Monitoring proforma: This captures additional details such as the maintenance of teacher
diaries, lesson planning, quality of Teaching Learning Materials and quality of classroom
engagement. This proforma also allows the capturing of photographic evidence
SLOs proforma: This proforma is used by School LEP Owners (SLOs) captures information
such as the distribution of students according to their learning levels or the type of training,
infrastructure, TLM support required by the school
Fourth proforma: The fourth proforma focuses on recording the prevalence of cheating
during assessments.
• Creating a data collection platform: Given that internet and smartphone penetration is high in
Haryana, and the ofwcials display comfort with using smartphones, Haryana built a mobile-based ?MS
App
56
to capture data from academic monitoring visits. All reports and dashboards generated through
this exercise are also available on a web-based platform
57
. The key features of the AMS App are:
GPS location of the monitoring visit is captured
Ofyine sync option is available
Evidence such as photographs or documents can be attached
56
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sbss.ams&hl=en
57
http://117.239.178.88/AMSWeb Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
215
• Collecting data and analysing it: Using the ?MS ?pp, ofwcials capture insights from their school
monitoring visits in their respective monitoring proforma. This data is collected and analysed
automatically by the App and made available on a web-based dashboard. Mentors and Monitors have
separate dashboards that capture information such as LEP compliance and SAT results. This data helps
them identify issues in their schools and districts.
• Ensuring regular school visits: To ensure regular school monitoring visits, the dashboards above are
used as trackers. They provide information such as the number of monitoring and mentoring visits
conducted in a month in each district of Haryana. Additionally, they also provide information such as
the types of issues and their resolution rate. This information is used by senior State and department
ofwcials at district and State level review meetings.
Eppendix
Relevant Documents:
Academic Monitoring System:
58
Overview of key academic monitoring statistics that aid review
Outcomes
The app has enabled effective school visits, at least thrice a year, to each school. Separately, academic
monitoring has supported the implementation of other intervention on ground such as the LEP. With
strict monitoring and mentoring in place, more than 90% schools were found to be conducting the
program regularly.
58
http://117.239.178.88/AMSWeb Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
216
11. Competition framework
Introduction and context
A systemic transformation of the education system is predicated upon all actors within the system having
an aligned vision and being motivated to perform their role to the best of their abilities. However, in
the absence of positive reinforcement, such as recognition and incentives from the State leadership, it
is difwcult to spur varied stakeholders into action.
It is also equally important, if not more, to link such recognition to credible improvement in performance.
Giving teachers and administrative ofwcers a tangible objective to aspire to and plan for, in terms of
grade-competency levels that students must achieve, motivates them to align their efforts towards
achieving that target. Building a competitive spirit between schools, blocks and districts to attain
grade-level competency for their students makes critical actors within the system take initiative to
perform better to achieve tangible targets.
Expected objectives and outcomes
• Generate momentum at the district, block and school levels to improve learning outcomes of
students by creating a sense of healthy competition and motivation linked to incentives.
• Ensure that the data used for such a certiwcation/ assessment has an authentication system in place
to ensure high credibility and process transparency (e.g., fully third-party managed certiwcation/
assessment or random sample-based authentication etc.)
Design of the intervention
• De?ning the goalposts: Establish the criteria (academic/ non-academic) and achievement thresholds
for these metrics at which a block/ school will get certiwed and institutionalize the unit for certiwcation
(number of students vs. number of schools; mapping at school level vs. at block level)
• Creating the assessment design: Develop the mode and format of the assessments in terms of
written vs. oral; shortlisting of subjects; decision on number of items to be tested, aligned with the
purpose of the assessments and difwculty levels to be covered.
• Developing assessment processes: Determine how the assessment will be conducted (spot
checks, random sampling, etc.) and by whom (State government ofwcials, independent third-party
agencies, etc.). Involving an independent, third-party to conduct all assessments (including the
baseline assessment) is a vital element of ensuring that the process is transparent and credible.
• De?ning role of stakeholders: Clearly articulate the role of varied stakeholders (school principals,
nodal teachers, DIET ofwcials, SCERT, etc.) and ensure all stakeholders are well-versed and trained
on their responsibilities.
• Conducting baseline assessment: A baseline assessment test must be conducted to gauge the
baseline learning levels in the State at that point. Setting tangible targets thereon for the State to
achieve helps the system focus on pursuing that objective effectively. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
217
• De?ning scale for testing: The State should determine how many schools should be assessed at
one time and how they should be chosen. There are two options in this respect:
Testing all schools across the State at the same time.
Allowing self-nomination.
Here, it is important to recognize how a competitive assessment model is distinctive from regular
student assessments, which are also equally important. A competitive framework that rewards schools/
blocks/ districts for taking initiative and achieving targets spurs the entire system into action. If the State
chooses to adopt the self-nomination method, the next step in the process is to make the assessment
more robust through shortlisting of schools/ blocks/ districts based on certain performance parameters.
• Administering the test: Effective implementation of such an assessment has multiple logistical
requirements.
The State must decide on the competencies, learning outcomes and syllabus that will be
tested.
The State must determine the mode of assessment (oral vs. written; ofyine vs. online).
The State must determine the budgets, payment yow processes etc. for concerned ofwcials.
Special arrangements need to be made to ensure there is no cheating during the examination.
• Checking Data Validity: Data collection, storage and analysis mechanisms should be well-vetted
so that results are not questioned. A rigorous monitoring system should be adopted to ensure that
the system is functioning as per design.
• Recognition: A well-charted rewards and incentives framework may be developed to motivate
schools/ districts/ blocks to meet the certiwcation criteria and keep aspiring for higher levels of
certiwcation. There should be constant engagement and involvement from the top leadership of
the State (both political and bureaucratic), in not only encouraging districts and blocks to improve
their performance, but also in providing recognition to those that do well. Such encouragement
and recognition is key to this intervention. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
218
Ection charter
Dewning goalposts
Assessment processes
Conducting a Baseline
Logistics for administering the test
Recognition
Scale for testing
Evaluation
Assessment Design
Dewning role of stakeholders
Establishing criteria, thresh-holds and the unit for
assessment
For conducting the assessment and identifying the
assessment agency
Determining the baseline learning levels of students
Determining the learning outcomes and syllabus to be
tested, provisioning for testing equipment, ensuring no
cheating
Providing recognition to schools, blocks and districts that
become certiwed
Determining how many schools should be assessed at
the same time and how they should be chosen
Rigorous evaluation mechanism, enforced by a well-
developed monitoring system
Developing mode and format of assessment, aligned
with the purpose, difwculty levels envisioned
Articulating role of school principals, nodal teachers,
DIET ofwcials, SCERT, CRCS, BRCS etc. and training
them on the same Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
219
Challenges and mitigation

Carrying out the assessment requires
coordinating with multiple stakeholders.
This includes block and district-level
ofwcials, schools, teachers and the third-
party assessor.
Managing the logistics of the assessment
such as ensuring assessment ofwcials
are equipped with adequate testing
equipment, have means to reach the
schools, and ensuring correct sampling is
a challenge.
Ensuring the sanctity of the exam is a
challenge but critical to the success of this
intervention.
This assessment is based on self-
nomination by schools/blocks. There
might be some schools/blocks that are
laggards and do not nominate themselves
for assessment.
Establishing two-way communication
channels through WhatsEpp with all
stakeholders to provide timely updates
and clariwcations at each step of the
process is useful.
This can be mitigated with advance
planning, clear communication of deadlines
and instructions.
In such cases, it is important for the State’s
leadership to communicate with the
district, block and school administrations
and motivate them to work harder towards
nomination and achieving certiwcation.
Blocks and districts are also incentivized
and receive awards on percentage of
schools certiwed.
E ‘No cheating campaign’ can be run with
the State leadership asking schools/ blocks
to desist from any malpractice.
Key stakeholders such as DIET
principals, lecturers can be trained to
prevent cheating at the time of student
assessments.
ChallengesMitigation Strategies Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
220
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
220
Supporting case study
(Odisha)
Background
The State of Odisha built signiwcant momentum in 2017 & 2018 through two key initiatives – Learning
Enhancement Program (LEP) focused on remediation and Odisha School Monitoring App (OSMA), an
app-based school monitoring system formed the basis of block and district level reviews. Building on
this, to recognize and reward best performing schools in terms of Learning Outcomes and motivate
the rest to improve performance, the State decided to launch the School Certiwcation Program in 2019. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
221
Implementation
• The Garima School Certi?cation program: This was designed to motivate HMs and teachers to
bring students to achieve grade-level competencies. The following were the key objectives of the
program:
To identify good performing schools based on academic performance.
To encourage schools to help students accomplish grade-level Learning Outcomes.
To generate healthy competition amongst schools in the block/ district.
To recognize and reward these schools’ HMs and Teachers.
To recognize and reward schools, clusters and blocks that are ensuring students at appropriate
learning outcomes.
• Metrics for certifying schools are based on Learning Outcomes: Schools are assessed only on
learning outcomes to get certiwed & rewarded. There is a pre-veriwcation exercise to check accurate
reporting of a few important data points in the School Monitoring App, as well as attendance of
the teacher and students. The learning outcomes of students are assessed by assessing 12 basic
competencies in Language (Odia, Urdu, etc.) and Mathematics for grade 2-5 students. For grades
6-8, 17 basic competencies in Language (Odia, Urdu etc), English and Mathematics are assessed.
The schools who qualify after the pre veriwcation process are assessed by a district team consisting
of DIET faculty & students, DEO (or his/ her representative) and BEO of another block. This team
conducts the assessment from the question paper prepared by the DIETs and DEOs/ BEO.
5
CategoryAcademic Parameters Non-Academic
Criteria for
Cluster/Block
Bronze
?80%Grade 2-5 at basic competencies
?80% Grade 6-8 at Grade 3 competencies
•Verification Key Infra and
Academic on monitoring app
•>70% Avg. Teacher
attendance
>70% Schools in
Bronze/Silver/Gold
Category
Silver
?80% Grade 2-3 at basic competencies
?70% Grade 4-5at Grade 2 competencies
?70% Grade 6-8 at Grade 5 competencies
•All parameters for Bronze
•>80% Avg. Teacher
attendance
•>70% Avg. Student
attendance
>60% Schools in
Silver/Gold
Category
Gold
?7
0% of ALL students at grade level
competencies
•All parameters for Silver
•>80% Avg. Teacher and
Student attendance
>60% Schools in
Gold Category
School certification program to be launched
School level parameters
Academic test only happens if the Non-Academic parameters are met
Exhibit 4.11.1: School level metrics to be tested Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
222
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
EA?AAAFAAFA?TXXZTCA?AFA?A!A?AFaTA9AxA?TA!aAAATAaA?A!A:AxA?A?TAxA9TAA!A?A?AFAaA?AFAxAk
• Engagement of all stakeholders: All elementary (and primary + upper primary section of secondary)
schools were eligible to get certiwed. When a certain percentage of schools gets certiwed, the
relevant cluster & block will also get certiwed.
• 3 levels of Certi?cation: Certiwcation was given at three levels- Bronze, Silver, and Gold, with
increasing levels of difwculty. Three levels will help the State:
Keep motivation up by making schools see quick successes
Break down the ultimate goal into clear milestones for a clear pathway
Identify high performers early and handhold them to achieve higher level of certiwcation
• Unbiased assessment: Certiwcations were provided basis a centrally prepared assessment for the
nominated school. This assessment was conducted by a team composed of DIETs and its faculty
of the same district, along with BEO of another district as an unbiased assessor for the Bronze and
Silver levels, and by a third-party assessor for Gold-level certiwcation.
• Rewards & incentives: To motivate ofwcials, it was proposed that tangible rewards be linked to
each level of Certiwcation. While certiwcates and letters of appreciation will be sufwcient for Bronze
certiwcation, physical and monetary rewards were considered for Silver and Gold levels.

Bronze
Silver
Gold
More than 70% Schools in Bronze/ Silver/
Gold Category
More than 70% Schools in Silver/ Gold
Category
More than 70% Schools in Gold Category
CategoryCriteria for Cluster/ Block Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
223
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
223

Bronze
Silver
Gold
Certiwcates & Felicitation at District level
Three stars outside school
School name included on Block Hall of Fame
Certiwcates & Felicitation at SPD and/ or PS
level
Four stars outside school
School name included on District Hall of Fame
School Grant Eward - additional INR 20,000
Certiwcates & Felicitation at Principal Secretary
level
School Grant Eward - additional INR 50,000
Five stars outside school
School Name included on District Hall of Fame
Media article in local newspapers
Certiwcates for CRCC and
Block Ofwce
Certiwcates for CRCC and
Block Ofwce
SPD grant of INR 50,000
to Block Ofwce
Felicitation of CRCC
& BEO by Principal
Secretary
SPD grant of INR 100,000
to Block Ofwce
Level School – Level Rewards
Cluster and Block
Level Rewards*
Exhibit 4.11.3: Rewards and incentives structure
• Fully online process: The entire application, pre-veriwcation and result reporting was done through
an online portal, developed by the Government with the help of NIC, Bhubaneshwar
Outcomes
• One of the key aims of Garima school certiwcation was to shift accountability from tracking inputs
to tracking learning outcomes – and it managed to achieve that in the wrst year of certiwcation
itself in 2019.
• The wrst cycle created a Jan ?ndolan on Learning Outcomes and genuine excitement in the weld.
Multiple schools and blocks were seen doing mission-mode preparation for the tests. Many BEOs
(e.g. Ambhabhona, Subdega, Barapalli) were helping all schools prepare, as a result getting more
than 75% nominated schools certiwed.
• Rewards and recognition played a key role in fuelling this Jan Andolan. All the Bronze schools
were felicitated by the Collectors and DMs in the district and immense press coverage and public
excitement followed, as depicted in the exhibit below. Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
224
59
http://govtpress.odisha.gov.in/pdf/2019/1680.pdf
EA?AAAFAAFA?TXXZTGaA?AFALaTSAAAAxAxA_TCA!A?A?AFAaA?AFAxAkTAAxA?A!A?A!ATA?AFAA!A_A?TAFAkTA?AAA!TA?A?A!APAP
Eppendix
• Garima Awards- Odisha School Certiwcation Program:
59
Public document containing detailed
information about the nomination process for School certiwcation and the learning outcomes which are
tested for each grade
• Extensive communication and awareness campaigns were carried in the weld. ? few examples of
collaterals used are shown below Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
225
Exhibit 4.11.5: Communications and awareness building collaterals for Garima Awards Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
226
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
226
Supporting case study
(Haryana)
Background
In 2014, only 40%
60
of all elementary school students in government schools of Haryana were grade-
level competent. To substantially improve this number, the State government initiated the Saksham
Haryana campaign with the objective of making 80% of the students in the State grade-level competent.
Towards this end the Saksham Ghoshna campaign was launched in December 2017 which devolved
ownership and accountability to blocks for ensuring that 80% of students in each block became grade-
level competent. Blocks that meet the bar are declared Saksham and felicitated. By introducing a
competitive framework among blocks to attain Saksham status, the State government has been able
to generate momentum on the ground and spur multiple stakeholders in the system to work towards
improving learning outcomes.
60
Diagnostic Assessment of Student Learning in Government Schools of Haryana (2014-15); Educational Initiatives Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
227
Supporting case study
(Haryana)
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
227
Implementation
• Baseline assessment: A baseline assessment test was conducted by an independent, third-party
assessor in November 2017 in 20 blocks across 15 districts in Haryana. The objective of this test
was to assess the baseline competency in the State at that point. The assessment found that around
60% of the students were grade-level competent.
• Self-nomination: At the start of every round of assessment, the State’s education department
declares the nomination window for Saksham status open. Blocks which believe 80% students in
their respective blocks are grade-level competent nominate themselves to be evaluated.
• Shortlisting: The department then assesses their nominations based on certain parameters
(described in the Design section above). The shortlisting result for the nomination is announced
at least one month before the test date. The shortlist of blocks that are selected is shared with the
District Collector’s Ofwce and then with the third-party at least two-three weeks before the exam is
scheduled. The third-party assessor then identiwes a sample to be evaluated.
• Sampling: A minimum of 500 students are taken as sample from every block. Approximately 25
students per grade are selected to be a part of the sample. School response rate (attendance)
should be a minimum of 80% on the day of the test. Replacement schools are identiwed as a backup
in case the selected schools do not reach this level. The schools are selected through a method
known as “stratiwed sampling”. ?s per this method, all the schools of the block would be divided
into certain groups on the basis of variables such as school level, size, location (urban/ rural), etc.
Schools are then randomly selected as samples from each of these groups. The sample is usually
1/3rd of the schools in the block. To maintain complete transparency in the process, the sampling
is carried out by the third-party assessor without any involvement from the State government or
districts.
• Syllabus: The questions for the test are based on competencies that have been taught till the
last Student ?ssessment Test. The competencies are dewned by SCERT in a learning outcome
framework, Saksham Taalika, for the respective classes.
• Test structure:
The test is conducted for three Classes- III, V and VII
Subjects: Hindi and Mathematics are assessed
Question type: Multiple-choice questions
Answer submission: Tick mark for Class III and OMR for Classes V and VII Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
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• Printing: Printing of assessment question papers is done by the Haryana Education Board with
high security in two weeks. The papers are kept in the Deputy Commissioner’s Ofwce. One day
before the test, the printed and sealed packages with question papers are handed over to weld
invigilators (typically, DEd and BEd students studying at DIETs) and the invigilators deliver the
papers to schools on the day of the test. The test instruments are given directly to the staff trained
for monitoring. After the test, the papers are brought to the regional collection centers and shipped
to the data processing centre in Hyderabad.
• Administration and Monitoring: Non-teaching staff (under-training teachers of the District Institute
for Education and Training from other districts) are trained 3-5 days prior to the assessment on how
to administer the test. The Department of Education pays travel and dearness allowance to the
staff. Measures are taken to ensure the sanctity of the test instruments as well as to curb cheating
during the assessment. This includes sending in yying squads on the day of the test. DCs, ?DCs,
SDMs, DEOs, Deputy DEOs, BEOs and BEEOs (from other blocks), DIET principals, lecturers,
CMGG?s and Saksham Haryana team members are all part of yying squads. ?ll the answer sheets
undergo an advanced post-test data check which identiwes patterns and yags tests which indicate
the possibility of cheating.
• Report: Once the results are compiled, a comprehensive report is created by the third-party assessor.
The report indicates the sample size, percentage of students at grade and below grade-level,
comparison with State average and performance of students by question type. Levels have been
dewned based on level of competency to be known by a certain grade student. The performance of
the students is measured and assessed on this scale for consistent mapping across the blocks. The
index of this result is also available by area – rural vs. urban; and gender – boys vs. girls.
• Cut off: The third-party assessor sets cut-offs and establishes a measurement scale. If at least 80%
of the students achieve the cut off (ranging from 55%-65% depending on subject and class), the
block is declared ‘Saksham’ or grade-level competent.

III
V
VII
Hindi, Mathematics
Hindi, Mathematics
Hindi, Mathematics
60
75
90
30
35
40
Class Subjects
Duration (mins)Number of
questions
Exhibit 4.11.6: Assessment Design for grades III, IV, V Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
229
Roles and responsibilities

Third-party assessor
Saksham Haryana Cell
DCs, EDCs, SDMs, DEOs,
Deputy DEOs, BEOs and BEEOs
(from other blocks), DIET
principals, lecturers, CMGGEs
DEd and BEd students studying
at DIETs
• Conducting baseline assessment
• Providing inputs for setting the target of
grade-competence
• School sampling
• Evaluation of answer sheets
• Enalysis of results
• Helping with shortlisting of blocks after self-
nomination
• Ensuring blocks are preparing for Ghoshna
assessment by tracking compliance on speciwc
educational initiatives
• Coordinating logistics for test administration
• Ensuring no cheating during assessment
• Part of yying squads which check for cheating
on the day of the assessment
• Invigilators during the assessment
StakeholderRoles and responsibilities Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
230
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
230
Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
Outcomes
Since December 2017, seven rounds of assessment have been conducted. After seven rounds, 94
blocks of 119 in Haryana have been declared Saksham, which is nearly 80% of all blocks in the State.
• Nine districts in Haryana are now Saksham as all their blocks have achieved Saksham status.
• Through this assessment, learning levels of students are measured and tracked, and block and
district-level performance can be compared.
• Low-performing blocks are identiwed for targeted interventions and resource allocation.
Consequently, block and district-level strategies are formed to improve learning outcomes.
• When teachers and administrative ofwcials are rewarded for innovative practices and achieving
good results, they are automatically motivated to sustain their performance or improveit. This
translates into each individual stakeholder having more skin in the game and knowing that their
glory is in their hands. A mechanism of self-nomination puts the onus solely on blocks and teachers
to do well.
• ?n overarching benewt of providing recognition to teachers and blocks is through a demonstration
effect. Blocks that are lagging are also motivated to do better so that they can achieve Saksham
status in subsequent assessment rounds.

December 2017
February 2018
May 2018
Eugust 2018
September 2018
November 2018
February 2019
Total
9
13
15
23
30
25
93
208 (non-unique blocks)
119 (unique blocks)
2
1
4
11
3
5
68
94 (unique blocks)
Round No. of blocks assessed No. of blocks declared Saksham
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231
No. of blocks declared Saksham Systemic Transformation of School Education – The SATH-E Experience
232
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Government of India
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