The Indian education system is riddled with multiple challenges, especially with respect to financing and delivery. Centre for Civil Society proposes School Choice in education, i.e. public funds should follow students and not schools. This would enable competition among schools to attract students and funds, thereby requiring schools to be more responsive to student's needs. The monograph on School Vouchers: Direct Benefit Transfers in Education gives an overview of the challenges in this space and argues for the suitability of Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) to Indian education. It presents several case studies of countries which have implemented such models and paves a way forward for the implementation of DBT in education in India.
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View Points
CCS viewpoints on various issues of public policy.
This paper is an attempt to demonstrate both the obvious and implicit costs to the economy, of India’s government-owned banking model. Using research findings of other scholars, the paper also demonstrates that the so-called social or national objectives have not been achieved even after more than 40 years of India’s experiment with nationalisation of the sector, despite the huge amount of money paid by Indian taxpayers all this time. The paper concludes by calling for an immediate denationalisation of Public Sector Banks in India (PSBs).
James Tooley's research is a journey into the history of Indian education, drawing comparisons between the shutting down of indigenous schools then, on Macaulay's recommendations, and the closure of budget private schools today under the RTE, for being “not good enough”. He explores the well-intentioned policies, and their faulty premises - that people cannot be trusted to make judgements about what is better or worse for their own children; and suggests that we take a leaf out of Gandhi’s book and resist the closures, to win our educational independence.
This memo examines the current state of laws and policies that affect bamboo in India, with the goal of setting out a broad framework for reforms that would pave the way for sustainable development of the country’s bamboo sector. The first section provides an overview of the opportunities and restrictions on the sector’s growth due to India’s current forestry policy, transportation restrictions and land tenure system. The second section explores policy considerations which uniquely situate the bamboo industry to be an engine of development for the Indian economy. The third section surveys bamboo regulation in China and Southeast Asia with an eye towards highlighting comparative solutions to some of the problems currently faced by the bamboo industry in India. The final section details the framework of reforms envisioned in the goal statement.
An assessment addressing the government’s decision on direct transfer on fuel and fertilizer subsidies and recommends design solutions for direct transfers while suggesting avenues to ensure easy transition.
A comprehensive analysis on reservation in private schools under the Right to Education Act, providing a seven-step model for 25% implementation.
A comprehensive analysis highlighting the lacunae in the current framework for 25% reservation for weaker and disadvantaged groups in unaided private schools, and providing inputs on effective implementation of the same.
A study of how skill vouchers can catalyse demand for quality skill development services, examining Indian and global experiences with skill vouchers.
A working paper based on a study from Delhi on the importance of private schools in reaching the poor and satisfying their educational needs.
A booklet highlighting the importance of the role economic and livelihood have in eradicating poverty in cities and villages in India.
A study on the benefits of providing full autonomy to colleges-in matters of curriculum, examination and evaluation, finances, as well as management of teaching and non-teaching staff.
A book outlining the origins and principles of New Public Management (NPM), and how it has revolutionalised delivery of public services.
A heartfelt article paying tribute to the man who did more for the world's poor than any Nobel Laureate in economics.
Study outlining the agenda for financial sector reforms in India.
A paper offering a radical view on how population causes prosperity.
A compilation of articles by Milton Friedman and Alexei M Marcoux challenging the conventional view on corporate social responsibility.