Educational Publishers
Scs and Sts: Educational Realization
Author: Ram Bheenaveni
SCs and STs: Educational Realization
– Ramaiah Bheenaveni*
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The world of today, by and large, is comparatively a rapidly changing one and the changes have been in a variety of directions. Not long ago society was through of as a reality sub-generis far beyond the control of individuals to change it –and education as a process of inducting new entrants into society. The idea that societies can be changed and, that too, education can be vital instrument of social transformation is increasingly felt. Geared to the preservation and perpetuation of tradition in the past, education is now being used to bring about social transformation in a large scale. This represents a kind of dilemma in respect of the social role of education in traditional societies.
Ignoring this dilemma, many social scientists today re inclined to believe that education is a powerful instrument of social transformation. The prevailing opinion in circles of social science is that education is an agency of modernization. It is argued that education promotes modernity in many ways but chiefly in two: (i) by sharpening the “critical awareness” of the people about the social structure in which they are placed, and (ii) by changing the consciousness of the people in a direction congruent with the dominant value of our age-rationality-which is also the mainspring of modernity. Following this reasoning, there has come up an impressive body of literature in recent years of documenting the impact of schooling on individual modernity in developing societies. The profound social changes that India has witnessed in the last few decades or so have affected its entire population, yet in some sections of its society their impact has been much more marked than in others.
Education is the key to development of any community. It can broaden the world view of the people, equipping them to meet the present day challenges. Education can be an input to their development. It can also build up inner strength of the people. Almost all studies have emphasized the importance of education in the development of the people. Ignorance is the biggest reason for weakness and knowledge is power. In the development effort, education has a pride of place in the priorities of the people. This is particularly so when the two systems of unequal strength come in contact. Education brings knowledge to he community and keeps in acquiring a new strength to enable it to face the new challenges which naturally come by when the process of change unfold unforeseen forces.
The role of education as an investment in human resources has been increasingly recognized all over the underdeveloped and developed countries. Education has special significance for the weaker sections of society, which are facing a new situation in the development process to adjust themselves properly to the changing circumstances. For them, education is an input not only for their economic development, but also for promoting in them self-confidence and inner strength to face the new challenges.
This position SC/ST education critically examines the contemporary reality of schooling of children belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities who have been historically excluded from formal education – the former due to their oppression under caste feudal society and the latter due to their spatial isolation and cultural difference and subsequent marginalization by dominant society. There are thus sharp differences between these two categories of population in terms of socio-economic location and the nature of disabilities. However, there is also growing common ground today in terms of conditions of economic exploitation and social discrimination that arise out of the impact of iniquitous development process. Concomitantly, the categories themselves are far from homogenous in terms of class, region, religion and gender and what we face today is an intricately complex reality. Bearing this in mind this paper attempts to provide a contextualized understanding of the field situation of the education of SC/ST children and issues and problems that directly or indirectly have a bearing on their future educational prospects.
The educational effort so far as the SC and ST communities are concerned has to be somewhat different than for the general areas. In case of advanced groups and areas, demand for education is already there. Establishment of an educational institution itself is sufficient to attract the children from the advanced communities because their parents are interested in their education. This is not the case with the poorer section of the community. The message has as yet not reached the more backward rural and tribal areas where the citizen is still not very much aware about the practical utility of education. Thus, a number of socio-economic factors are coming in the way of members of SC and STs in sending their children to schools. In many cases, it is sheer economic hardship. Therefore, the universal educational programmes at the elementary stage in the case of these communities have to be much more than mere opening up of educational institutions. The students belonging to these communities may have to be provided with free textbooks, mid-day meals, and in the case of girls, even a pair of uniform. As the children grow, they become economic assets to the family. It may be necessary, therefore, that they are provided suitable scholarships and stipends in higher classes. It has to be ensured that if we cannot compensate the family, at least education should not be a burden on a poor family. In the case of tribal areas, it may be necessary that at middle school and high school levels adequate hostel facilities are also provided, as an institutional network itself will not be of much help. It is commonly observed that in some tribal areas much of the institutional capacity remains under-utilized.
Special state institutions were set up for the advancement of SC/ST and various legislations, social policies and programmes were drafted which were geared to their economic and political development and achievement of equal social status. It has been difficult however, to identify these categories in terms of criteria laid down by the state. The ‘problem’ of the scheduled tribes has been a vexed one, given the various levels of social and cultural distance and varying degrees of voluntary or forced assimilation exploitation and/or displacement. In fact, it has been pointed out by Galanter that just where the line between Scheduled Tribes and non-Scheduled Tribes is to be drawn has not been clear. There are problems of overlap with caste and controversy whether a specific group is more appropriately classified as a ST or SC. Policy however treats the SC and ST groups homogenously. Moreover it rests largely on the assumption that mainstreaming is progress, while paying lip service to preserve distinctive cultures, especially of tribals who are coerced into assimilation.
Education was perceived as crucial to processes of planned change. It was seen as the key instrument for bringing about a social order based on value of equality and social justice. Expansion and democratization of the education system was sought, the two primary egalitarian goals of which were the universalisation of elementary education and the educational “upliftment” of disadvantaged groups. The State’s special promotional efforts have undoubtedly resulted in educational progress for the SC/ST especially in regions where policy implementation combined with the dynamism of reform, and most crucially with anticaste, dalit, tribal and religious conversion movements.
The last two decades have spelt the decline of the Welfare State under the powerful impact of global economic forces and neo-liberal economic policies. The egalitarian ethic underlying planned change and development is being rapidly decimated. The ideology of the Indian State’s New Economic Policy emphasizes the pre-eminence of markets and profits. In the context of an elite directed consensus on the inevitability of liberalization and structural adjustment, the predominant problems and debates of education have undergone major shifts. Structural adjustment have provided the legitimacy and impetus for a number of educational reforms that pose a direct threat to the mission of universalizing elementary education and equalizing educational opportunity for SC/ST, especially those left behind. The state is withdrawing from social sectors of education and health and delegating its social commitments and responsibilities to private agencies and non-governmental organizations. There is already enough indication that basic educational needs of the SC and ST are getting seriously undermined under the new dispensation adversely affecting life chances of vast sections of those who have yet to make the shift to first generation learning.
Urban migration, education, occupational change and religious conversion have been pursued by the scheduled castes as key strategies of socio-economic emancipation, status change and acquisition of a new social identity. They have achieved varying degrees of success. Anti caste and dalit movements have provided the bases for political consciousness and assertions of new self-consciousness and new self-respecting collective identities grounded in both moderate-reformist and radical ideologies. Contemporarily, the rigours of pollution, social practices of untouchability and social relations of servility vary greatly in different parts of the country. The widespread upsurge of atrocity signifies continued caste based oppression. Caste and occupation were closely interlinked in the traditional socio-economic order, and the lowest manual and menial occupations were reserved for the SC. The link has gradually been broken but not completely. There have been shifts to caste free occupations. Changes took place with the arrival of new opportunities in rural employment and petty business as well as through education based occupational and social mobility in rural and urban contexts. However, economic exploitation and economic disadvantage and continued concentration in menial occupations continue to sustain and reinforce the degraded social position of the majority of the SC. Rural SC are predominantly landless and impoverished agricultural labour. Women are multiply subordinated.
By modernization is meant a process of long range social and cultural change, often regarded as leading to the progressive development of society. It is a multifaceted development specifically leading to the industrialization of economy, and increase in the geographic and social mobility and, the secularization of ideas, which give rise to secular, scientific and technical education. It also means a change from ascribed to achieved status and a higher standard of living. Thus, modernization is a question of changes in the social structure, norms and value orientations, and as such it demands certain norms and value orientations, and as such it demands certain adoptive devices. As a consequent of this modernization SC and STs are egger to adopt the new trends of modern culture which is possible only by the modern education.
State Provision for Education of SC and ST and Recent Trends in Their Educational Progress
State commitment to the education of SC/ST children is contained in Articles 15(4), 45 and 46 of the Indian Constitution. Article 15(4) underscores the state’s basic commitment to positive discrimination in favour of the socially and educationally backward classes and/or the SC and ST. Article 45 declares the state’s endeavour to provide free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of 14 years. Article 46 expresses the specific aim to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of SC/ST.
In its effort to offset educational and socio-historical disadvantage, the Indian state conceived a range of enabling provisions that would facilitate access to and ensure retention of SC and ST children in school. In the initial Five Year Plans, the focus was on making available basic educational facilities such as schools especially in remote areas and providing scholarships and books. Both Central and State governments took up the responsibility of special educational provision. The scope of enabling interventions expanded considerably after the Fourth Five Year Plan.
Special schemes pertaining to school education of SC/ST children currently include: i) free supply of textbooks and stationery at all stages of school education ii) free uniforms to children in govt. approved hostels and Ashrams schools, and in some states also for children in regular schools; iii) free education at all levels; iv) pre-matric stipends and scholarships to students at middle and/or high school stage; v) special scheme of pre-matric scholarships for children of castes and families engaged in unclean occupations like scavenging, tanning and flaying of animal skin; vi) girls and boys hostels for SC/ST students and lodging facilities in hostels of backward classes including SC/ST; vii) ashram schools for tribal children started with the intention of overcoming the difficulties of provision in remote regions and also rather patronizingly to provide an environment “educationally more conducive” than the tribal habitat. In addition, several states have instituted schemes such as scholarships to SC students studying in private schools, merit scholarships, attendance scholarships for girls, special school attendance prizes, remedial coaching classes, reimbursement of excursion expenses and provision of mid-day meals. The last has been recommended as an integral element in schooling by the Working group on Development and Welfare of the Scheduled Castes.
Conclusion:
Education has always been considered an instrument of social change. In present day society education has been considered a sound economic investment and that is the reason why in all the developed and developing societies greater attention is being paid to education. The role of education is to transform a static society into one vibrant with a commitment to development and change.
In out national perception, education is essential for all. This is fundamental to our all round development such as material, psychological, spiritual and so on. Obviously, it implies that education of the Scheduled Tribes is fundamental to the development of the people of this area, and hence, it is essential for them also. Education is a potent agent not only for the social and psychological changes but it may influence productivity and economic development also, and, that is the reason why, for the last few years in the literature on development there has been much talk about the relationship between education and economic development and about education as investment. Educational will also help in the socialization of a child, and the development of the human personality, social mobility, occupational change, and the rise of professions. Education is not only a means of adjustment into the society and all round development, but it is also an end in itself. Education affords protection of life. In addition to its relation with moral values, it is closely associated with socio-economic development. Education is, therefore, very significant for the development of a country and in spite of having many severe problems, the developing countries provide high priority to education. India is, undoubtedly, one among them.
References:
1. Das, A.K. and R.N. Saha, (1989): West Bengal Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes: Facts and Information, Bulletin of the Cultural Research Institute, No.32, Govt. of W.B., SC & TW Department, Calcutta
2. Nayar, P.K. , (1975) : “The Scheduled Castes and Tribes High School Students in Kerala, Dept of Sociology, Kerala University
3. Pratap, D.R. et al, (1971): Study of Ashram Schools in tribal Areas of Andhra Pradesh, Tribal Cultural Research and Training Institute, Hyderabad.
4. Mani, Gomathi, (1991) Education in the International Context, Sterling Publishers (P) Ltd., New Delhi, pp118-132.
5. Thomas, Joseph A. (2001): Dynamics of Educational Development: A Case Study of Selected `Backward’ Villages in Kerala, in Vaidyanathan, A. & Nair, Gopinathan, P.R. (eds.) Elementary Education in Rural India: A Grassroots View, New Delhi: Sage Publications, pp. 166-216.
6. Sujatha, K. (1994): “Educational Development among Tribes: A Study of Sub-Plan Areas in Andhra Pradesh, New Delhi: South Asian Publishers.
7. Muralidharan, V. (1997): “Educational Priorities and Dalit Society”, Kanishka Publishers, New Delhi.
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Texas Instruments would probably qualify as an Educational Technology company, maybe Houghton Mifflin if they are still trading.
This is what acclaimed author Dean Koontz has to say about these type of situations:
“By law, a copyright registration can’t be obtained for a book until it has been published. The publisher–a genuine publisher, not a subsidy publisher–will apply for the copyright in your name as part of its standard business practices. Some people will tell you to mail yourself a copy by registered mail, sign for it, and leave it in the sealed package as a form of “common-law copyright,” but this is wasted effort and useless in court. Although I have known publishers who tweaked the royalty statements in their favor, I’ve never heard of one actually stealing a book or a book idea. It doesn’t happen because it isn’t worth the legal risks. (In Hollywood they steal as a matter of honor, the way gang members have to kill someone as an initiation, and they relish court fights. But publishing isn’t like the film business.) Some writers type a copyright notice on their title pages, but this has no legal effect and in fact identifies the author as an amateur.”
renderosity .com is great for this
Perhaps the mistake was not communicating a clear objective. Next time let them know when you expect an answer. Go above where you went the first time and someone who will make whomever should have contacted you accountable.
Adobe in design
As you now know, those claiming to have grants for people or find grants for people for whatever purpose are SCAMS. Unfortunately for you, you gave your account number. I doubt if you can trace them again, but you can try to get your bank to help you. Tell your bank what happened and that you were deceived. I am not sure how that would help, but it is worth a try.
You can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ is the place to go for educational grants.
Even if you buy books on “how to get grants” or list that supposedly has information on grants — all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same – hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.
For private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center’s Foundation Grants for Individuals Online. It’s a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for “students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices.” Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don’t have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.
I hope you can get your money back. Next time, don’t fall easily into these kinds of traps. And NEVER EVER give your bank account information to anyone.
It sounds like a scam to me. Have you checked the name of the publisher out with the proper Writers Beware sites? Do you realize that a ghostwriter can get up to about 5 thousand dollars just to write the proposal? Check into this. Sounds like you are being scammed. Try Preditors and Editors, Absolute Write Water Cooler’s Bewares and Background Checks and any other Writers Beware sites you can find. No professional publisher would do business this way. Pax-C
An attorney would be appropriate if you had a legal problem.
I see two ways for you to proceed.
1) Contact publishers and try to sell them your product, as you mention.
2) Go into business yourself, either full or part time.
Make a business plan where you present your experience as market research, identify costs, make a marketing plan, and project sales for the next 5 years at a certain profit margin.
Research how much it would cost to have the books and materials produced in your projected volume. Include your pay as an expense.
With your plan, you can try to get a bank loan or venture capital to get you going. Either incorporate or form a limited liability company in case of lawsuit.
If your product takes off, a larger publisher may be interested in buying the rights to your product, or your company.
All of the terms in choice 2 should give lots of hits in internet searches, so doing your homework can start easily.
Good luck!
YOU CANNOT at this point
Yahoo’s equivalent to Adsense — Yahoo Publishers Network http://publisher.yahoo.com/ — is currently available only to US publishers. From the application form
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Participants of the program must have a valid U.S. Social Security or Tax ID number, and web site content that is predominantly in English and targeted at a U.S. user base. Yahoo! will contact you about your eligibility to participate and about availability of the program.
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If you are from India, you definitely do not have a valid US Social Security or Tax ID number. Wait for YPN to get out of beta and see if it expands to non-US country after that
where can i find the company or foundation named “Publishers Home Services” dealing with Grant Guide?
they called me up on my home phone telling they are dealing with the government grant, and i applied for educational grant. after gettign all information needed from me including my bank account details, they charged my account with $289.95. i tried cancelling this after an hour but they refused to accept my cancellation.after i learned my account was charged, i didn’t hear anymore from them. so, i am trying to find out how to get in touch with them.
How do I join Yahoo adsense for content from India?
I have an educational website. I would like to open a yahoo content for publishers Account, so that I can have yahoo ads on my site. I am from India. Please guide or let me have feedback. Thank you
How do I go about finding a publisher, manufacturer, and someone to market a product I have copyrighted?
I have the printed material completed but there are “hands-on” materials that will be included in the product. It is an educational pre-school kit. I am a teacher and have used it in my classroom successfully. Do I use an intellectual property attorney to do this or do I have the tedious job of randomly calling publishers in the education field. It is a kit that parents would gladly buy to ready their children for school – or educators might purchase w/grant money or partner’s in education for incoming students. Please direct me to the next person who guide me thru this process. Any help out there?
Is it safe to sent an educational manuscript to a publisher with out fear of piracy?
I have a manuscript I want to publish. It is educational for children and it is a new method of teaching. I have a fear this can be taken and published by someone else before mine recieves a copywrite. How can this be prevented?
How do I gently tell a publisher that I need a response soon b/c I want to send it to another publisher?
I submitted a kind of manuscript about 7 months ago to an educational publisher and have heard absolutely nothing. They said they would respond in 3-4 months so now I am planning a follow-up letter. However, I really need a decision b/c I may be able to sell it to another publisher. How do I say this kindly?
Who knows about publishers/royalties?
I was approached after a speech I gave by a publisher who wants me to write a book. I submitted the proposal and it is in process now. He offered the paultry sum of $500 royalty. I know it is to be used as educational text, but that seems awfully low to me.
I don’t know how to compare that offer or to bargain for better. Any suggestions?
If I am making an educational booklet what program should I use?
The booklet would contain pictures, colour and text. Also I am looking for a program besides Microsoft Publisher. I need HELP fast!!!
What are some good resources for aspiring desktop publishers?
I’m looking for good websites leading to good educational resources in Canada about work as desktop publisher.
What are the names of some publishers and/or educational oriented companies that trade on the NYSE?
I want to research some companies in these sectors, but have no idea where to start looking.
Thank you.
I am having an educational compact disc, if i try to run it it ask for registration key that i’ve to ask for?
after getting the key from the publishers only it is working,i want to know which language it is written,whether we can break or crack the code,pls guide me.