Quality education in Navodaya Vidyalayas

S.No.

1.

The academic performance of students of Navodaya Vidyalayas as indicated by the result of Class X and XII board examinations of CBSE has been very good.  The pass percentage for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya students appearing in CBSE examination for Class X is 20% more than for all students and 10% more for Class XII.  However, performance in the Board Examination is not the only criterion for judging academic performance of Navodaya Vidyalayas. 

2.

It has been ascertained by the study conducted by the IIM, Ahmedabad that there is general appreciation for the educational facilities offered by the Navodaya Vidyalayas with about 80% students and their families being appreciative of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas. Another indicator about the success of the Scheme of Navodaya Vidyalayas is that 75% of the students passing out of Navodaya Vidyalayas have persued higher education.

3.

Judging by the trend of the recent years, about 18 students compete for each seat in Navodaya Vidyalayas.  The large number of applicants speaks of the success of the Scheme of Navodaya Vidyalayas and it is also indicative of the faith the admission system evokes among people.

4.

The criticism of some of the selected students having inadequate language skill seems to have been over stated.  With block-wise reservation, this should be accepted because standards are known to be low in remote areas of many districts.  The standard of language skills in such cases does not justify any major change in the testing mechanism.  The Navodaya Vidyalayas will have to assume responsibility for improving language skills of those students who are weak in language.

5.

It is felt that the problem of substantial number of students dropping out in various classes is real though the phenomenon of dropout does not necessarily indicate deficiencies in the scheme of Navodaya Vidyalayas.  It is recommended that Navodaya Vidyalayas created at larger cost should not be allowed to remain substantially unutilized due to vacant seats remaining unfilled in higher classes.

6.

Although the results of board examinations for Class X & XII indicate that the quality of teaching in Navodaya Vidyalayas is of acceptable standard, attention needs to be placed to learning oriented which does not seem to have been attended to so far.

7.

The language learning is presently dominated by emphasis on writing skills as this determines the marks that can be obtained in examinations.  The speaking and reading skills are presently neglected.  It is recommended that for every class sufficiently large number of books could be identified and divided into 4 or 5 sub categories out of which each students should be asked to choose one book from each category which he should read during 3-6 months and present a summary in a seminar consisting of his class.  This would improve learning horizon of the student and it will progressively improve his capacity to understand and assimilate.  Through seminar presentation his communication skill and speaking skill will improve.  Speaking skill is, particularly, important in regard to III language.

8.

The teaching method needs urgent reform and teachers should be influenced through teacher training and school supervision to shift from lecturing to talking mode.

9.

Although there is wide spread perception among teachers that they are over loaded but a study of a daily schedule does not indicate over loading.  It has been noted that Samiti has a tendency of prescribing everything which seems good.  This can only mean that either student will not pursue most of the activities seriously or they will be over loaded.

10.

It is recommended that various co-curricular activities will be divided into 3 or 4 groups like one group for creative activities, one for physical activities etc.  Each student should be asked to choose one activity in a group for participation and he should be assessed only in regard to that activity.

11.

It is recommended that for providing more meaning to socially useful productive work, students in each class should be divided into groups of 5/6 students each.  They should be given basic implements and should be asked to attend to campus/hostel maintenance and cleanliness under supervision.  It should include plantation in the campus and its maintenance.  The students can be assigned various duties by a rotation.  This concept should be extended to minor repairs through students in secondary classes, though they should not be assigned repair work which may be hazardous.

12

.The NVS has made large effort in promoting computer literacy.  However, there is no syllabus or textbook for computer literacy so far.  The draft syllabus indicates an unrealistically high level of skills to be attained by students.  This is unrealistic.  In computer literacy it will be sufficient if students are taught to operate PCs, are above to input data and take out printouts.  The students should be taught to handle windows software which will serve most of his needs.  They should also learn to send and receive e-mail and access internet.  It will be more than sufficient if each student is taught to learn this much but in a thorough manner.

13.

The Navodaya Vidyalayas have been supposed to be pace-setting institutions but no concrete programme in this regard has emerged so far.  It is recommended that a small number of concrete steps will be preferable to talking about a large number of general ideas.

14.

An effective teacher training programme is essential for ensuring excellence of Navodaya Vidyalayas.  However, it is unfortunate that no teachers training institution has been set up so far for Navodaya Vidyalayas.  The teachers of Navodaya Vidyalayas cannot benefit from DIETs or from State colleges for teacher education.

15.

It is recommended that teacher training institutions on regional basis should be set up for Navodaya Vidyalayas jointly with Kendriya Vidyalayas or may be separately for each.  In these institutions training should be provided in subject matter  with every training course having a common component consisting of reform of teaching process, Yoga, value education and computer literacy. 

16.

Sports and physical education is important and desirable.  However, it should be realized that because of the pressure to prepare for employment after completion of studies, performance in examinations will remain a dominat concern of all students.  Therefore, students should not be expected to achieve excellence in sports.  It should be considered sufficient if they participate regularly and with enthusiasm in sports.

17.

Teaching yoga is good for more than one reason.  However, NVS needs to be careful while prescribing yoga for individual schools.  While yoga instructors are available in plenty but the quality of their yoga education/training is not acceptably good in many cases.  If such teachers are selected, they themselves become a problem.  Therefore, NVS should carefully screen yoga institutions and approve only those where teaching standards are acceptable.  Only products of such institutions should be eligible to be engaged as yoga teachers.  The yoga should be introduced in Navodaya Vidyalayas in stages i.e. only to the extent good yoga teachers become progressively available.