Shiv Nadar University shortlisted for THE Asia Awards 2025
The University has been shortlisted in the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Regional Development’ category for the SHIKSHA Plus – Adult Literacy Program
Shiv Nadar University has been shortlisted for the THE Asia Awards 2025 in the category of “Outstanding Contribution to Regional Development”.
The SHIKSHA Initiative began in 2012 with an intervention in government primary schools in Uttar Pradesh, utilizing SCERT-approved digital content. Despite these efforts, gaps in literacy levels persisted, particularly among parents at the village and gram panchayat levels. Many parents struggled to understand or engage with their children's education, highlighting the need for an adult literacy program by 2015-16.
To address this, the team researched existing programs and government initiatives. They discovered that the National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA) had developed State Resource Centres (SRCs) in each State. In Uttar Pradesh, the SRC had created primers called "Nai Kiran Textbooks," which took around 8 months to transform a non-literate person into a literate one. However, the SHIKSHA team found this duration too long for adults, who typically have shorter attention spans.
Leveraging technology, the Shiv Nadar Foundation's SHIKSHA team developed a digital content based on instructional design and the program is mapped to the Nai Kiran framework. This new program, SHIKSHA Plus, reduced the learning period to just 90 days, extending up to 120 days in practice. The SHIKSHA Plus Adult Literacy Program engages learners through audio-visual aids (Laptop & Projector) and scientifically designed digital content based on the Nai Kiran textbooks, with volunteers facilitating the lessons in regional languages.
Extensive research focused on adult learners using the andragogy method ensured that the program met their specific learning needs. Major activities of the SHIKSHA Plus Program include selecting blocks and gram panchayats, training volunteers, and raising community awareness about literacy. Volunteers conduct household surveys using the Drishti App to identify non-literate learners, organize demo classes, and select 15 learners per batch. Each learner receives a learning kit and follows a structured 90-day teaching plan, with assessments every 15 days.
The SHIKSHA Plus Program's design ensures it meets adult learners' needs while providing an engaging learning experience. Community libraries have been established to support continued learning, and the program has been extended to 16 jails across 15 districts, making 1,700 inmates’ literate.
Major Activities of SHIKSHA Plus Program
The selection of blocks and Gram Panchayats begins with thorough secondary data at the block level, after which a few Gram Panchayats are shortlisted. In those Gram Panchayats, volunteers are selected and hired. These selected volunteers undergo 8 days of regular upskill training is conducted in two phases: a 2-day pre-selection training and a 6-day regular training. The training focuses on their roles and responsibilities in the SHIKSHA Plus Program, including course delivery, conducting classes at learning centers, and executing assessments.
The initial task is community mobilisation in the shortlisted villages within the Gram Panchayats, with the objective of raising awareness about the SHIKSHA Plus Program. After mobilization, household surveys are conducted to identify prospective non-literate learners. Once the prospective learners are identified, their data is entered into the Drishti App. A demo class is organised for four days, where all learners undergo a tool-based evaluation to determine their literacy level. From this group, 15 learners are selected out of 20-25 participants. After the selection of 15 learners, a batch is formed in a specifically design data entry and monitoring app known as Drishti App.
On the first day of the batch, a baseline assessment is conducted, and each learner receives a kit that includes a jute bag, slate and chalk, Nai Kiran book, workbook, notebook, pencil, eraser, and sharpener. A 90-day teaching plan is provided to the volunteer, which includes baseline, midline, and Endline assessments, with six assessment days and a total of 9 days dedicated to assessments during the 90-day course. Assessments are conducted every 15 days during the course delivery process. After the 90-day course is completed according to the teaching plan, an Endline assessment is conducted, and the entire course journey is tracked through mentoring and monitoring by the SHIKSHA team. Learners who successfully complete all six assessments receive a certificate.
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