Introduction: It is a program where we provide some fixed amount of scholarship to the meritorious students who belong to economically backward class from 7th up to 10th. We will give this academic award to help them with their ongoing education determined by a simple test conducted.
Objective: We will be able to improve the quality of education in several students every year with very little investment. More than giving support, we will be able to seed a hope in that section of students/guardians and if they do their best, help is available. In this program, at least objectively, the following are benefitted:
- 4 x 4 students directly receive this award
- Several more who prepare
- Several who realize that such support is within reach will push their performance
Liability evaluation: Contingency award amount in total becomes 1.16 lakh per annum [actual amount should be set by a teacher of the concerned class]
- Class 7: ₹5,000 (4 students)
- Class 8: ₹6,000 (4 students)
- Class 9: ₹8,000 (4 students)
- Class 10: ₹10,000 (4 students)
Impact Assessment:
- Maximum dropouts happen in these classes
- Able to reach deeper pockets of society by targeting tier-3 schools
- Result of a single exam bringing a few thousand rupees, will attract students and parents both
- Will be able to catch fringe families who are interested in education but feel challenged by non-tuition academic expenses
- Can reduce dropouts from the students enrolled under Right To Education in premier schools
- Will be natural applicants to our Vidya Vritti Program
Reaching Beneficiaries
- Sending letters to tier-3 schools in/around Bokaro
- Asking each school to send a maximum of 10 students
- Letter should mention that those who are selected will be checked via home visits etc
- Through whatsapp/email school principals can intimate to us the (number/details of) students appearing
Conducting Exam: We can conduct a separate exam for each class and in several batches. We can take assistance from local alumni in organizing/ managing this exam. School has given in-principle-agreement to use its 250 capacity computer lab. Students can be asked to appear in their school uniform. The test entirely happens online but every participant is present physically in the same hall at the same time. It is conducted when schools are getting ready for the next academic session so that
- students have time to spare on this “non-urgent test”,
- Principals can advertise that ‘so-many’ of their students were awarded a scholarship
- Chinmaya can give us its space easily
- Awardees are able to use this money to buy books of their new class
Selection Method: Examination via MCQs using quiz format and shuffle option of Google form. Automatic evaluation possible with G-form. Results can be declared within (actually an hour) 2 days. The awardees of this year are not guaranteed recipients next year.