OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION MUMBAI
Ideas and Action for a Better India
ALT ER N AT IV E ED UCAT I O N AN D LEAR N I NG
T H E S U C C E S S S T O R Y O F V I G Y A N A S H R A M
A S H O K K A L B A G T R U S T E E , V I G Y A N A S H R A M
18th May 2012
N E W S L E T T E R W R I T T E N B Y
SANA N GHAZI
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A B R A V E N E W S C H O O L F O R A B R A V E N E W W O R L D
“ 8 0 % O F I N D I A ’ S F O R M A L E D U C A T I O N S T U D E N T S H A V E
F A I L E D I N T H E E D U C A T I O N S Y S T E M . V I G Y A N A S H R A M
P R O V E S T H E I R P O T E N T I A L B Y M A K I N G S U C C E S S F U L
S T U D E N T S A N D S U C C E S S F U L E N T R E P R E N E U R S O F T H E M . ”
Ashok Kalbag
Observer Research Foundation Mumbai
hosted a talk by Ashok Kalbag on May 18th, 2012,
on alternative education. Mr Kalbag is associated
with the Vigyan Ashram schools which run in
several parts of the country. At the outset, Mr
Kalbag noted the critical problem of extraordi-
narily high numbers of school dropouts in India.
As a process by which society deliberately trans-
mits its accumulated knowledge and skills from
one generation to another, formal education in
India has not translated into better lives for the
rural population. The formal education system in
India is unsuccessful in retaining 80% of enrolled
students. This large set of students drop out of
school arguably because of a sense of disconnect
with their vocational aspirations. Education in
India has been artificially divided from vocation
today. Education should instead be directly rele-
vant to one's labour of choice, yet for the majority
of people living in rural India, relevance is not
felt with what is learnt in class and the ‘real
world.’ School drop-outs very often have their
first contact with a skill set when they are com-
pelled to learn them through an occupation that
they have access to. This is usually done through
the elders in their families or through a job, but
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there is very little true community involvement
in our formal education system, even though ru-
ral areas are
most inter-de-
pendent.
In the
early 1980s, Dr
Shrinath Kal-
bag observed
that students
living in rural
or poor areas
have not de-
veloped the
intellectual
capability to
absorb certain kinds of knowledge that are avail-
able to them. He thus suggested the concept of
Rural Development through Education System
(RDES), which introduces the idea of technical
literacy and a scientific temper through school
education. “At best, our education system has
been the sup-
plier of the
demands of
education,”
said Dr Kal-
bag in a
documentary
shown high-
lighting the
beginnings of
Vigyan Ash-
ram. “It has
also de-
graded sci-
ence into a subject that can be learnt by rote. The
solution to this is to build, through education, the
capability to act.”
The audience listening in rapt attention as Mr Kalbag elucidates the his-tory and making of Vigyan Ashram schools.
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Kalbag’s garden: The Pabal Dome, a low cost Do-It-Yourself housing kit with natural-disaster resistant fea-
tures. 1,000 units have sold all over India, of which 120 were sold in Latur, Maharashtra.
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P A R A D I G M S H I F T
Subjects taught in regular schools seldom
transcend into useful inter-disciplinary dis-
course. Real-life prob-
lem-solving requires
the application of prin-
ciples of diverse sub-
jects crossing over. In
addition, the nature of
learning in regular
schools does not em-
phasise learning to ap-
ply concepts in real-life
situations, but getting
good grades. It is implied that getting good
marks is a sign of having mastered a skill,
whereas perhaps the reverse is true – as one
masters a skill, good grades show for it. Mr
Kalbag stated that
people seldom learn
life skills like swim-
ming by reading a
book on it, but by
diving in - and yet,
they never forget
these skills, nor do
the skills become ob-
solete. He affirmed
that only when the
object of learning is actually tried out and
processed, is it useful; until such point, it is
Ashok Kalbag: ‘Our tagline is ‘development
through education, education through education.’’
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information lying dormant. Unfortunately,
the idea that school education which students
have not just studied about but have experi-
ence in performing, has not gained ground in
government-run primary and secondary
schools. The overwhelming majority of In-
dian citizens do not study beyond higher
secondary school; hence it is vital that a
young country like India revisits its views on
primary education through inter-disciplinary
skill-development. The emphasis on science
education in urban areas is also not matched
in rural schools, depriving the largest section
of Indians from everyday applications of sci-
ence and rural entrepreneurship. Armed with
his dream “to restore India to a glorious
status in the world,” Dr Shrinath S Kalbag
founded Vigyan Ashram (“Vigyan” meaning
‘science’ and “Ashram” signifying ‘simple
living, high thinking’), affiliated with Indian
Institute of Education, Pune. About 70 km
from the city, the first Ashram was built in
Pabal village, located in Shirur Taluka. These
schools have emphatically put its efforts into
the principle of learning by doing. Its tenets
also comprise: earn while you learn, multi-
skill training, and community service. It aims
at introducing fundamental changes in the
methods of teaching and assessment that ex-
ist in regular schools today, by using schools
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as a medium for technology transfer. To en-
sure that the value of labour is understood
early on, it became important to associate
education with labour and the two with
monetary benefit. But labour without the di-
rection and spirit of community-oriented lo-
cal solutions would be lost in personal gain.
Instead, it was felt that community service
would help students not only take an interest
in completing their schooling, but also excel
in it. ‘Learning by doing’ also ensures that
participation is entirely voluntary, and the
confidence to complete complex tasks with
minimal help is a deeply satisfying part of
the learning process. One of the major hur-
dles in regular schools is that retaining atten-
tion spans of students is difficult. “Our fault
lies with assuming that learning should be
manually made challenging and therefore
rewarding,” said Ashok Kalbag, “but the
challenge is there by the very nature of its ex-
istence.” Thus, he emphasised, learning
should be seen not as a subject but a process,
and engaging with the object of study itself is
the best way to know more about it.
“ S C I E N C E H A S B E E N D E G R A D E D I N T O A S U B J E C T T H A T C A N B E
L E A R N T B Y R O T E . T H E S O L U T I O N I S T O B U I L D , T H R O U G H E D U C A -
T I O N , T H E C A P A B I L I T Y T O A C T . . . ”
Dr Shrinath Kalbag
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L E A R N I N G T O L E A R N
Learning by doing means observing things
and recording those
observations, learning
to measure and take
measurements, clas-
sify, document, and
exchange information
with other students;
and finally hy-
pothesise what one is
observing and test if
the hypothesis is
right. The process thus involves constant re-
sponse to see if one is on the right track. For
this, the use of technology was found to be
best taught
through educa-
tion itself. Chil-
dren are keener
participants with
new technology;
and once they
try it out and
make it their
own, the adults
are compelled to
tinker with what is successfully used even by
children. Inter disciplinary studies ensured
A S P I R A T I O N A L L E V E L S G O
U P D R A M A T I C A L L Y A S S T U -
D E N T S G A I N C O N F I D E N C E
T H A T T H E Y C A N A P P L Y
K N O W L E D G E T O B E N E F I T
T H E M S E L V E S , A N D O T H E R S .
T H E Y T H I N K : Y E S , T H I N G S
C A N C H A N G E .
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the real-world applications of scientific prin-
ciples. “Good education has to be based on
diverse experi-
ences,” Mr
Kalbag rea-
soned, “and
for this real life
is the best edu-
cator.”All de-
velopment
springs from
human knowl-
edge and the
endeavour to learn ever more is natural and
innate to every human being. When scientific
learning lends its benefits to increasing num-
bers of local people, development of the
community is a natural result.
Community ser-
vice also results in
projects being di-
rectly linked to
students’ local
environment in a
fundamental way,
and not esoteric
research with lit-
tle bearing on the
community. This
also means there is no resulting loss of inter-
est for the student. Channelising all this effort
towards the larger goal of development
The talk raised enthused responses from the audience.
T H E A S H R A M ’ S S T U D E N T S G O F R O M B E I N G D R O P - O U T S
T O S C O R I N G 8 0 % M A R K S . I T ’ S A R E W A R D I N G
P R O C E S S .
Ashok Kalbag
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through education means early emphasis on
community service. It also warrants local
prosperity of disadvantaged groups and in-
novation through
entrepreneurship.
Students at Vi-
gyan Ashram in-
ternalise this way
of thinking and
attempt to cater to
their communi-
ties’ development
by finding practi-
cal implementa-
tions for new
ideas and removing logistical hurdles for old
ones. Although technological advancements
have added quality of life to urban popu-
laces, the rural and poor have largely been
left out. The other side of the same coin is
taking benefits of science to the rural areas,
where the majority
of Indians live and
yet are deprived
from guided scien-
tific innovation in
their lives. As the
first step was build-
ing the school itself,
the first Ashram,
started in 1983 in
Pune, was built en-
tirely by the stu-
dents and staff themselves.
Service to the community is set as a fun-
damental in the school’s curriculum. Almost
T H E F A U L T L I E S W I T H A S -
S U M I N G T H A T L E A R N I N G
S H O U L D B E M A N U A L L Y M A D E
C H A L L E N G I N G A N D T H E R E -
F O R E R E W A R D I N G , B U T T H E
C H A L L E N G E I S T H E R E B Y T H E
V E R Y N A T U R E O F I T S
E X I S T E N C E .
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all of students return to their communities,
having gained the confidence of becoming
sustainable and suc-
cessful entrepreneurs.
Every skill at the Ash-
ram is thus directly re-
lated to their commu-
nity’s immediate
needs. One of the Pa-
bal village’s dire hard-
ships was the lack of a
tyre repair shop, and
farmers and laymen
needed to scale 20 km
to get to the nearest
one. Transportation
would cost more than services rendered.
Recognising this need, the Ashram’s first ser-
vice offering was a tyre and auto repair
workshop. As the types of service issues var-
ied, so did the stu-
dents’ knowledge,
resulting into new
skills being learned.
Thousand of hand-
pumps, for instance,
that lay inutile for
lack of repair knowl-
edge, began profiting
the community once
the workshop began
to function.
Students can appre-
ciate this when they
learn and then focus on one vocation, be-
cause they can feel the aspiration of being
Many members of the audience wanted to bring
Vigyan Ashram’s tenets to their own schools.
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able to fulfil even allied needs of their com-
munity ultimately For instance, students
learning animal husbandry also tie in with
blood group testing and low cost housing.
Today, the Diploma for Basic Rural Technol-
ogy curriculum comprises an ‘inanimate’ sec-
tion, with mechanics and material, and en-
ergy and environment. An ‘animate’ section
completes the syllabus with home and health,
agriculture and animal husbandry, rotating
students through the disciplines in three-
month periods. Significantly, no differential
treatment is given to girls; instead the facili-
ties are used by all, irrespective of gender
and everyone does all the work.
Along the way, the projects need to be well-
budgeted and innovations become manda-
tory to the process, to reduce costs. Rudi-
ments of commerce are thus incorporated
into learning without the need to include
management, accounting and marketing as
subjects. In essence, students are methodi-
cally taught to keep records and accounts,
although they do not actually learn the jar-
“ I F T H E C O M M U N I T Y P I T C H E S I N , I T M E A N S T H E Y ’ R E S E R I O U S
A B O U T I T . P U T T I N G S O M E T H I N G I N M E A N S T H E Y W I L L W A N T B E N E -
F I T O U T O F I T . C O N S E Q U E N T L Y , T H E Y M A K E S U R E T H E P R O G R A M
R U N S . ”
Ashok Kalbag
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gon. “You’ll be surprised at the innovations
of these school dropouts,” said Mr Kalbag.
Importantly enough, the Vigyan Ashram is
entirely community-funded. Instead of ask-
ing the government to fund the schools, Dr
Kalbag was sure that the benefits would be
truly shared only when a tangible investment
was made by the community itself into the
school’s success and sustenance. The school
building cost approximately Rs. 1 lakh, pro-
viding opportunity for different types com-
munity inputs as well. “If the community
pitches in, it means they’re serious about it,”
continued Mr Kalbag, “and putting some-
thing in means they will want benefit out of
it, and consequently they make sure the pro-
gram runs.” Interaction with community
from the earliest stage also means voicing the
problems they face. The local school thus re-
flects local problems. In real terms, when the
community pays for the service, effectively
they are subsidising the student’s tuition and
also subsidising their cost of service because
there is no exorbitant profit-making motive
for the student’s service. The cost of educa-
tion comes down, the quality of services goes
as high as it can, and this cycle stimulates the
educational process.
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Roaring to fame: The MechBull, made entirely by students from the little-known village of Pabal, is
similar to a model is developed and sold by Mahindra.
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S U C C E S S A N D B E Y O N D
The Ashrams have gained prominence
since opening, including recognition from the
government. The course,
‘Introduction to Basic
Technology’, is recog-
nised by Maharashtra
State Board of Secondary
Education since 1985, and
about 100 schools are
now running the pro-
gramme. The same pro-
gramme, tailored for resi-
dential schools, is recog-
nised by National Open School since several
years as well. The students have developed large
and small needs into tangible, marketable ideas
for the community that also sell in the open mar-
ket. The Earth Resistivity Meter (ERM), an
instrument that is used for prospecting under-
ground water, was
developed by the
students. In its first
10 years it success-
fully marked water
levels in over 1000
wells - a record of
90% or more. Com-
pared water depths
have been graphed,
helping the village
plan their water usage.
Mr Kalbag described how students suc-
cessfully used satellite technology to effectively
pitch their idea for a canal in Pabal area. The re-
Y O U ’ L L B E S U R P R I S E D A T
T H E I N N O V A T I O N S O F
T H E S E H I G H - S C H O O L
D R O P O U T S !
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gion falls in the ‘rainshadow area,’ receiving less
than 500mm rainfall annually (compare with
Mumbai’s 2500mm). Farmers are dependent on
pumping water to meet the acute shortage, even
during monsoons. Plans for an earthen dam in
the drought-prone area were under way, which
would only exacerbate the problem. Faced with
the challenge of a feasible alternative, the Vigyan
Ashram students surveyed the area with Global
Positioning System, mapping it with the help of
the sarpanch and the villagers. Finally, they pre-
sented the minister detailed plans for canals,
which would be used for irrigation and domestic
purposes. Their idea was met with resistance at
first, but fruitfully accepted for its well-thought-
out design and low environmental impact. “Aspi-
rational levels increased dramatically once they
begin to gain confidence that they can do some-
thing to change their own lives. They think, ‘Yes,
things can change,’” said Mr Kalbag.
Another invention was Mechbull, a diesel-
driven mini tractor of 10 horsepower, (equivalent
to 4 bullocks), of which over twenty units have
sold. “Mechbull is very similar to a model that
Mahindra has come out with, even in terms of its
functionality, though at higher price,” said Mr
Kalbag. The students have also made innovations
in low-cost housing. Pabal domes, which have
proved to be disaster-resistant due to their shape,
have sold in the hundreds in several states in In-
dia. After the earthquake in Bhuj, Gujarat, 140
domes were sold as mechano-kits, which were
then plastered on receipt to make them habitable.
People affected by Andhra cyclones in the 1990s
heard and then requested the kits to build emer-
gency housing structures – indeed, when the cy-
clones hit again, these domes were the only struc-
tures left standing. This was in spite of the domes
costing less and not having any foundations.
Vigyan Ashram at Pabal and the programme
running at other schools continue to make a real
difference to society. Their success story high-
lights that what is missing from rural education is
not smarter, harder-working students, but ideas
that look at fulfilling rural needs inside-out,
through education; and education through tech-
nology and science. Maverick examples like Dr
Kalbag make all the difference towards ‘devel-
opment through education and education
through development’.
Sana N Ghazi is a Fellow at Observer Research Foundation Mumbai. Email: [email protected].
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A B O U T
T H E S P E A K E R
Ashok Kalbag graduated from IIT Bombay and
worked in mechanical design with Godrej, Klaas
Equipment and Mecheclonic Engineers, for over 22
years. He took up the co-ordination of Nation
Building initiatives of the PanIIT Alumni India
from 2008. He has been associated with Vigyan
Ashram since its inception and is a member of the
core group. Mr Kalbag can be reach at vash-
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A B O U T
O R F M U M B A I
Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is a leading non-partisan Indian think-tank that seeks to influ-
ence public policy formulation. It was established in New Delhi in 1990 by R.K. Mishra, a widely re-
spected public figure, who envisaged it as a broad-based intellectual platform pulsating with ideas
needed for India’s nation-building.
In its journey of twenty years, ORF has brought together leading Indian policy makers, academics,
public figures, social activists and business leaders to discuss various issues of national importance.
ORF scholars have made significant contributions toward improving government policies. ORF has
produced a large body of critically acclaimed publications.
Until recently, ORF’s activities were based mainly in New Delhi. Beginning 2010, ORF Mumbai has
been established to pursue the Foundation’s vision in India’s business and financial capital. It has
started
research and advocacy in six broad areas: Education, Public Health, Inclusive Development, Urban
Renewal, Youth Development, and Promotion of India’s Priceless Artistic and Cultural Heritage.
Recent reports published by ORF Mumbai include:
“Reforms in Medical Education- to Promote Accessible and Affordable Healthcare for All”
“Making the Sewer a River Again... Why Mumbai Must Reclaim its Mithi”
“Moving People: Why Mumbai Needs a Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS)”
“NCHER: A Much Needed Reform that Fails the Test”, a commentary on the National Com-
mission for Higher Education and Research Bill; and
“Affordable Housing for Mumbai’s Poor: Possible!”
Forthcoming ORF Reports include:
“Time is Running Out: Does Mumbai Have Enough Water?”
“Mumbai’s Secret: Maharashtra Nature Park”
“Masked Identities: Safeguarding India’s Intangible Cultural Heritage”
ORF Mumbai’s mission statement is: Ideas and Action for a Better India. It will champion the cause
of balanced socio-economic development and a better quality of life for all Indians. It will also work
towards strengthening India’s democratic institutions to become more responsible, responsive and
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ciety. Besides conducting diligent research in its six core areas as above, ORF Mumbai also pursues
wide-ranging initiatives like the Maharashtra @ 50 Study Centre, the Forum for India-China Citi-
zens’ Dialogue, the Centre for the Study of India’s Ancient Knowledge Traditions, and the Gurus of
Science Series.
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