The Indian Educational Review is a bi-annual journal, brought out by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi. The Journal publishes articles and researches on educational policies and practices and values material that is useful to practitioners in the contemporary times. The Journal also provides a forum for teachers to share their experiences and concerns about schooling processes, curriculum, textbooks, teaching-learning and assessment practices.
National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi.
Developing Science Process Skills of Secondary Students through an E-content Package
Introduction Historically, school science teaching emphasises on the development of process skills. UNESCO (Bangkok, 1978) has recommended understanding science processes as one of the most important objectives of the integrated science programmes, followed in the middle school classes (Grades 6, 7 and 8) of Indian schools. While planning the Integrated Science Curriculum for the middle school students (Grades 6, 7 and 8) of Indian schools, NCERT, New Delhi, has identified the process approach as one of the core elements of the science course. To fulfil the objectives, the contents of the system are to be selected and presented in such a way that it would influence the brain, heart and hands of the learners. A thorough study of the document ‘Integrated Science Curriculum: An Introduction’ (NCERT, 1982) states, “A science curriculum must stress more on the processes than the products of science”. An innovative application in the teaching and learning process is e-content. This may be computer-based, including text, video, audio, animation and graphics. The e-content is mainly viewed as a way to preserve and carry forward the cultural or historical heritage, disseminate lifestyle, scientific, educational and business information in a digitalised format, or provide user-interactive service. The e-content is valuable to the learners, and helping to all individualised instructional systems teachers. E-learning is a process, and e-content is a product. This teaching approach has become an answer to the complicated modern, social, and economic conditions, and an exploding population. An e-content package can be used as a teacher in a virtual classroom situation. Using e-content, time and money can be minimised required in the teaching process. Facilitating individualised learning, creating interest and maintaining it among the students is a significant concern for the science teachinglearning process.
Exploration of Culturally Relevant Teaching to Develop Science Process Skills and Knowledge among Tribal School Students of Class VI in the State of Madhya Pradesh
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises on the developing ‘process’ and the ‘product’ of science to adopt learner centred pedagogy. The policy recommends the incorporation of local and indigenous knowledge, culture and cultural ethos in the curriculum and pedagogy. Indian society is multicultural and the classrooms are culturally diverse in nature. Therefore, a science teacher should be aware about students’ cultural background, knowledge, attitude and cultural responsiveness. The pedagogy should be adopted according to the nature of classroom diversity to meet the learning needs of students with culturally different backgrounds. Children can actively participate in learning science by conducting experiments and activities to develop scientific knowledge and skills.
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Mental Health in Bhartiya Perspective and its Implications
The concept of mental health is comprehensively given in the ancient Bhartiya scriptures like Patanjali Yoga Darshan, Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Hrudayam and Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. The Bhartiya perspective is given less priority in current mental health research and practice. This paper focused on the study of mental health from the Bhartiya perspective, and some implications have been drawn. According to the Bhartiya perspective, a person’s mental health is determined by blissfulness, happiness and peace of mind. The analysis reveals that practising the foundations of Bhartiya philosophy of life results in balancing one’s mental health. A person’s philosophy of life has an impact on their mind, way of life and behaviour.
Odyssey of Childhood from the Pages of August Kranti A Narrative of Students’ Participation
The freedom struggle of India had many phases and personalities, both known and lesser known, who contributed in making the movement memorable for all time. In the Quit India Movement, popularly known as the August Kranti, the students and children played a significant role. The government records, private paper, oral accounts and newspaper clippings mention their engagement with different phases of the movements. However, the spaces allocated to them are often minuscule. The names of some of the children who laid down their lives are sometimes referred to, but very often the finer details of their roles are often glossed over. Nevertheless, the manner of their participation did capture the attention of authorities, and thus, the names of the few who became the legend makers for all time are mentioned. In this paper, an attempt has been made to weave the role of the students in varying age groups and to discuss the nature of their involvement in different provinces.
Teachers’ Perception towards STEM and VMC in SoSEs of Delhi An Exploratory Study
The Government of Delhi established Schools of Specialised Excellence (SoSEs) in 2021 to serve students with an interest and aptitude in specialised domains. These institutions offer a variety of disciplines, like Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, humanities, 21st century skills, armed forces, performing and visual arts from Grades 9 to 12. This study aimed to explore teachers’ perception towards STEM and Vidya Mandir Classes (VMC) initiatives in SoSEs and identified the facilities and support services available in SoSEs, including challenges faced and adopted coping strategies of teachers. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, observation and focus group discussions were used to analyse data qualitatively. Further findings were analysed in categories like teachers’ perception towards access to STEM education and improvisation of VMC at SoSEs, teachers’ points of view towards the aim and nature of VMC versus mainstream education, challenges faced by regular teachers of SoSEs in connection with VMC classes. Most SoSE teachers viewed STEM education and VMC as a positive initiative to assist parents who could not afford the high costs of private coaching so that their children could pass competitive exams, such as IIT JEE, NEET, etc. Additionally, SoSE teachers also faced challenges like managing timetables, negotiating between NCERT textbooks and competitive reading material of VMC, and their own identity and responsibility. The study suggests recruiting or hiring teachers with an advanced understanding of STEM-related content and pedagogy. It also indicates a requirement to conduct VMC classes offline, beyond the school boundary so that learners can derive maximum benefit and balance with mainstream regular courses.
Physical Access of Children with Disabilities to Inclusive Schools A Survey from Haryana State
Inclusive education for children with disabilities is a key initiative under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. One of the basic requirements for inclusive education is ensuring barrier-free access to schools. This paper presents the findings of a research study aimed at assessing the extent to which schools in Haryana have achieved barrier-free access. The study sampled 84 schools across four districts in the state, selected using a multistage random sampling technique. A survey method was used to conduct an infrastructural audit, employing a self-developed accessibility checklist. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results indicate that the overall situation regarding physical access to schools is disappointing and needs significant improvement. Schools have largely failed to comply with statutory provisions that ensure adequate access for children with disabilities to drinking water areas, ramps, stairs and toilet facilities, independently and safely. The study recommends increasing awareness and understanding among school administrators, school management committees, special educators, civil engineers and other construction personnel about the norms and standards established by the government for creating accessible school infrastructure
Educational Experiences of the Mising Tribe Learners of Majuli An Exploratory Study
The Mising Tribe, an Indo-Mongoloid group in Assam, dominates the socio-cultural landscape of Majuli island. The educational status of the Mising Tribe was discouraging, compared with the rest of the population. This research study aimed to explore the educational experiences of learners from the Mising community and the factors influencing their experiences. The study used a qualitative paradigm. The participants from the Mising community of fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth standards from Assamese vernacular-medium government secondary schools were selected through incidental sampling. The sampled teachers were interviewed with the highest density of Mising Learners from the Uttar Kamalabari cluster and Madhya Majuli Cluster to gather data for the research. The parents who gave their consent were also interviewed. The findings revealed that the learners from the Mising community in Majuli face significant barriers to education due to flooding disruptions, lack of mother tongue instruction, inadequate school infrastructure and socio-economic hardships. Limited awareness of government schemes, gender biases and low parental support further hindered their consistent attendance and academic progress.
The Indian Educational Review is a bi-annual journal, brought out by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi. The journal publishes articles and researches on educational policies, practices and values material that is useful to practitioners in the contemporary times. The journal also provides a forum for teachers to share their experiences and concerns about schooling processes, curriculum, textbooks, teaching-learning and assessment practices. The views expressed by individual authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the NCERT, or the views of the editor. ©2025*. Copyright of the articles published in the journal will vest with the NCERT and requests for reproducing the material should be addressed to the Academic Editor
Challenging Behaviours in Middle Grade Students
This study intended to explore the challenging behaviours of students at the middle stage of schooling. The methodology adopted was exploratory. Five schools in five educational blocks of five districts from each of the five regions of the country were selected through the multistage stratified random sampling technique. A self-designed, standardised, bilingual, 90-item, three-point rating behavioural checklist was used. Altogether, 1728 students of 540 academic classes were observed by the pre-oriented teachers using participatory and uncontrolled method of observation. The findings revealed that 64 students were exhibiting challenging behaviours of different nature and severity. The most common was lying or twisting the truth to benefit oneself, followed by screaming, pushing others, escaping from assigned responsibilities, etc. Destructive, self-stimulatory and behaviours injurious to others were found more common among students with hearing and visual disabilities while distracting and withdrawal behaviours were more prominent in students with low vision, having a history of mental illness and learning disabilities. Teachers were found to be ignorant of these challenging behaviours, causing continuous disturbances in the classrooms. It was recommended to design an effective classroom-based positive behavioural teacher mediated intervention programmes for reducing the challenging behaviour and assisting students in learning and overall development.
A Critical Analysis of the D.El.Ed Curriculum of Assam with Special Reference to Integration of ESD and GCED Themes
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 highlighted the importance of developing knowledge, skills, values and dispositions that support responsible commitment to human rights, sustainable development and living, and global well-being in its vision statement and has underlined the role of teachers in realising this vision. Driven by this context, this study examines the degree to which ESD and GCED themes are incorporated into Assam’s Elementary Teacher Education Curriculum, employing the adapted Curriculum Analysis Coding Tool from the International Bureau of Education (IBE) and the Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR). The analysis covers four areas, viz., the inclusion of cognitive content, learning domains, suggested pedagogical approaches and suggested assessment practices related to ESD and GCED. The findings reveal that in most of the courses in the analysed curriculum, the themes related to ESD and GCED are under-represented. Only very few themes found a place in the curriculum, and those were also not comprehensively covered. The study highlights the importance of a holistic curriculum for the initial teacher education programme, along with orientation and support for teacher educator implementation.
Effect of Design Thinking Method on Academic Achievement, Creativity and Digital Skills in Science among Middle Stage Students
The current study examines how middle-stage students’ academic achievement, creativity and digital skills in science are affected by the design thinking method. A sample of 100 eighth-grade students from two separate schools were selected by the Simple Random Sampling method; fifty each in the experimental group and control group. The investigator followed the five-step design thinking model of Hasso Plattner–2005 to teach the students, which included Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test. A hybrid mode of Learning was followed to conduct the study. In the first three steps (Empathy, Define, Ideate), students deal with the community members through environmental activities and find out the solution to the problem through brainstorming sessions in the last two steps (Prototype and Test), students create the prototype in a digital form based on the provided solution and then teacher provided feedback in an online mode. Miro boards were used by the students to design a project in the prototype stage and then the teacher provided feedback to the students. The pre- and post-tests were analysed statistically using Mean, SD, T-Test and ANOVA to assess students’ academic achievement, creativity and digital skills in science. The results of this study demonstrated a positive and significant difference between students who were taught the Design Thinking technique and those who were taught the conventional way, which helped to develop the student’s creativity, digital skills and learning of science
A Study on the Pedagogical Practices of Science in Various Indian School Systems
This qualitative comparative study on the pedagogical practices of science in Indian schools explores the differences in the science teaching practices at the various school boards and compares them with standard science pedagogy. Thirty selected teachers from multiple schools, which followed various state, central and international board curricula, were telephonically interviewed for the study and a Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) of the data was conducted. The study gives insights into activity-oriented learning, argumentative learning practices, school environments, teachercentred teaching and exam-oriented learning practices in Indian schools. Some practices help develop scientific literacy in students and others ruin the urge to explore and think independently. The science teaching practices studied here come under the umbrella of hands-on activities, peer collaboration and the use of argumentation. Conclusions are drawn to recommend administrative-level reconstruction of the school science classrooms, including activityoriented and argumentative learning, the need to maintain a constructive, fearless school environment and essential modification, and improvement in the pedagogical practices according to standard science pedagogical practices. The paper also discusses the importance of quality improvement in teacher training programmes and the necessity of adopting new pedagogical practices for teachers.
Stakeholders’ Perspectives on the Gunotsav Programme in Assam
Quality education is fundamental in realising human potential, fostering societal equity and strengthening national development. However, the current state of education in most of the schools in India falls short of delivering adequate learning experiences, resulting in dropouts at the school level (ASER Report, 2024). The Government of Assam responds to this challenge by organising the Gunotsav programme annually to improve children’s learning outcomes and raise the overall quality of school education. This flagship initiative by the Department of School Education of the Government of Assam encompasses all Government, Provincialised, Tea Garden Model Schools, Tea Garden Managed Schools, Adarsha Vidyalayas, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas of Elementary and Secondary levels. Hence, the study attempted to assess the initiative and its impact by exploring the perspectives of external evaluators, teachers and community members involved in implementing the Gunotsav programme. Its goal was to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. Results revealed several positive aspects of the programme that bolster the state’s school education while also shedding light on its limitations. Further, it accentuates the necessity for governmental agencies to address the programme’s limitations and implement remedial actions that align with the principles of research aimed at informing policy and practice.
Examining Student Feedback Preferences in Inclusive Classroom Environments
This research delves into the feedback preferences of students in inclusive classroom settings, focusing on Grades VI to VIII students in Kendriya Vidyalaya Schools in Chennai. Researchers collected data from 576 participants using a self-response questionnaire. The results showed a variety of preferences among students. Further analysis reveals that both male and female students share similar feedback preferences across all dimensions (audience, mode and amount). No statistically significant differences emerge, suggesting that gender minimally influences feedback preferences in inclusive classrooms. Likewise, comparisons between non-CWSN and CWSN students demonstrated remarkably similar feedback preferences, indicating that the presence of special needs does not significantly affect their preferences. Considering the student category as the baseline, no significant disparities were identified between the non-CWSN and CWSN students in their feedback preferences. This study imparts valuable insights, emphasising the need for educators to adopt a balanced approach to feedback delivery, incorporating both oral and written feedback, alongside detailed error correction guidance
he chapters are well organised from historical perspective, definition of Shiksha, philosophical foundation, social contexts, linguistic framework, health and education (Ayurveda) curriculum and pedagogy, Acharya (A model teacher) and their training, arts and sciences, assessments, Indian research methodology, goal of education, educational models of Rabindra Nath Tagore, Sri Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi. In short it is an encyclopedic reference book on Bharatiya Education. This will surely be a useful guide to all those who want to understand and implement NEP 2020. At its core, this book is an inquiry into the history of the process of learning in Bharat. The work opens by revisiting the words of Maharishi Kan.āda: “Yato abhyudayanih. śreyasasiddhih. sa dharmah.” (The means through which both Abhyudaya (material prosperity) and nihśreyasa . (spiritual welfare), are attained is called Dharma.) This aphorism encapsulates the dual objective of education in ancient Bharat: The Pursuit of both worldly progress and spiritual enlightenment. The author tries to connect ancient wisdom with modern imperatives, most notably the need to counter the dependency on Western paradigms. The book situates itself as both a scholarly investigation and a call for a shift in the educational paradigm. Further, it connects the goal of NEP 2020 with potential practices drawn from the accumulated knowledge of experience. One of the book’s significant strengths is its rigorous engagement with primary sources. The book starts from the Vedic sources such as RigVeda, Upanishads and other later texts and concludes with the various models propounded by Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Rabindra Nath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi. The book has plenty of references from every field of knowledge. One such example of pedagogy is from Mundaka Upanishad, where the sage Shaunak inquires Rishi Angira about the means to know everything, a dialogue that defines knowledge into Para Vidya (knowledge of the ultimate reality) and Apara Vidya (knowledge leading to worldly benefits). It underscores the central thesis of Shiksha that true education must transcend academic instruction to embrace the cultivation of inner wisdom
Potential of Participatory Communicative Approach School Education Scenario in Sikkim
Study of Language and Linguistics in Teacher Education Programmes Implications for Teacher Development
A teacher education programme is pertinent to build the competencies and skills of teachers in language and linguistics. So, a study of language and linguistics in teacher education programmes was conducted on the following objectives: (i) to analyse the status of study of language and linguistics in the course structure for NCTE two-year B.Ed. programme, and (ii) to analyse the status of the study of language and linguistics in curriculum of B.Ed. programme of three universities, and RIE Bhubaneswar. The study was based on document analysis of language and linguistics components of twoyear B.Ed. programme, and four-year Integrated B.A. B.Ed./B.Sc. B.Ed. programme based on Appendix-4 and Appendix-13 of NCTE, New Delhi. The documents studied were curriculum framework of two-year programme of NCTE, New Delhi and the course structure or its associated documents of two-year B.Ed. programme and a four-year integrated B.A. B.Ed./B.Sc. B.Ed. programme under three universities. The findings of the study indicated that course structure for NCTE two-year B.Ed. programme provides guidelines for inclusion of language in curriculum of B.Ed. programme of different universities and institutions of the country. It was also found that language components studied in B.Ed. programmes of the universities and institutions are largely based on the guidelines of course structure for NCTE two-year B.Ed. programme with some variations. The study has implications for strengthening the language and linguistics components in teacher education programmes in the context of teacher development.
Psychological Problems of Intellectually Gifted Children
The study seeks to develop a more specific line of inquiry by stating that gifted adolescents are not at par in mental health, and may have mental health issues. As many of these disorders originate in childhood, the school and home personnel need to be aware of the broad range of signs and symptoms which children may demonstrate in their environment. The present study aimed to identify the psychological problems of clinically referred intellectually gifted children. A cross-sectional study with purposive sampling was used. Referrals from various clinicians of children with very high intelligence for over a year were included. Measurements include informed consent, socio-demographic data sheet, Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), and Developmental Psychopathology Checklist (DPCL). Out of 81, 25 (31 per cent) children come under the category of Grade 1, above the 95 percentile. Findings on the psychopathology checklist reveal that about 50 per cent of the children with intellectual giftedness clustered under the category of internalising problems and about 40 per cent of children with intellectual giftedness tend to have externalising problems. About 20 per cent of children tend to be overlapped with both internalising and externalising problems. About 32 per cent of them tend to be overlapped within the cluster of externalising problems. Similarly, 36 per cent of them tend to be overlapped within the internalising cluster. Results of the present study suggest that intellectually gifted children are also vulnerable to mental health problems similar to or more than their peer group dealt with. It was also an eye-opener to the fact that gifted children exhibit behavioural or emotional problems, at least for minor groups requiring special interventions. By prioritising the social and emotional well-being of gifted students, schools can create inclusive and supportive learning environments where all students can thrive.
Exploring Students’ Expectations and Motivations to Attend Secondary School in India
Academic promotion from lower to higher classes brings a copious amount of anxiety in addition to the joy of achievement among the school students. One of the primary concerns of the students is the gap between their (prior) expectations and the realities of the senior classes, which can inadvertently result in poor performance and taxing distress of the students. The current study aims to determine what expectations students carry while they begin Class X, considering the social importance bestowed on the Indian matriculation (Class X Board) examination. A survey-based analysis is done with the secondary students of Class X (n=237) from three schools—rural, semi-urban, urban—through 10-point rating scales, Likert items, and close-ended questions covering 31 statements of different expectations. The study identified various dimensions of expectations and motivations held by Class X students, which can be utilised to address context-specific challenges and enhance learning outcomes. Understanding these expectations is essential for designing targeted interventions that align with student needs and improve engagement. By integrating such insights into educational strategies, schools can create more supportive learning environments, ultimately contributing to better academic performance and holistic development of students.
Metacognitive Awareness among Higher Secondary School Students
Metacognition is a process of knowing and regulating one’s own cognition. It helps learners to achieve success in their learning. A metacognitively aware learner can better plan and apply his learning strategies. The objectives of the study were to assess the level of metacognitive awareness among higher secondary school students, and to compare their metacognitive awareness in relation to gender and their stream of study. A sample of 86 higher secondary students was selected using simple random technique. An inventory developed by Schraw and Dennison (1994) was used to measure the metacognitive awareness level of students. Descriptive survey method was adopted by the researchers to conduct the study. Researchers employed percentage, t-test and ANOVA to accomplish the objectives of the study. Findings reveals that majority of higher secondary students were found to possess high level metacognitive awareness. It was identified that boys and girls do not differ significantly in their metacognitive awareness. It indicates that gender does not affect the metacognitive awareness. Higher secondary students differ significantly on their metacognitive awareness in reference to their stream of study. Post hoc analysis (Scheffe test) showed that students of Mathematics and Biology were having higher metacognitive awareness than students of Commerce stream. No significant difference was found in between metacognitive awareness of students with Mathematics and Biology. Metacognitive awareness should be encouraged in the classroom to improve learning outcome of the students. Metacognitive awareness of students can be enhanced using innovative learning strategies such as, cooperative learning, reflective learning, and team learning
Effect of Inquiry-based Learning on Achievement and Retention in Science of Eighth Graders with Different Learning Approaches
The present research aimed to find the effect of inquiry-based learning approach using 5E model on achievement and retention in Science of 157 VIII graders with two learning approaches viz. deep learning approach and surface learning approach. ‘Pre-test and post-test control group design with one experimental group” was used. The data collected was analysed with the help of threeway Analysis of Variance. The major findings of the study revealed that, (i) When students were taught through 5E inquiry-based learning approach it resulted in significantly higher mean score on achievement and retention than when students taught through conventional chalk, and talk method. (ii) Students with deep and surface learning approaches performed, and retained comparably in Science. (iii) Through inquiry-based learning, students with deep learning approach performed higher than students with surface learning approach at knowledge category, whereas performance was similar on comprehension and application categories of objectives. (iv) At all categories of objectives, students in inquiry-based learning group with either learning approach performed higher in terms of achievement and retention than the control group.
Critical Issues in the Identification of Twice-exceptional Children
The present study aims to identify key issues in the identification of twice-exceptional (2e) children by systematically reviewing existing literature to improve learning opportunities and develop an effective identification toolkit. A range of databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, ERIC, and EBSCO, were used to collect relevant articles published between 2000 and 2020. The study applied clear inclusion criteria, focusing on peer-reviewed and full-text studies specifically related to the identification of twiceexceptional children. This qualitative synthesis analyses data from 17 selected studies to explore the critical challenges involved in identifying 2e children. From this review, a total of nine critical issues were identified, highlighting significant barriers in recognising twice-exceptionality. These issues include a lack of definition, no clear identification criteria, compensation, masking, insufficient training for teachers, lack of professionalism, and an overemphasis on learning disabilities rather than recognising children’s potential strengths. The analysis emphasises the need for better awareness and understanding among teachers, caretakers, educators, and policymakers. Focusing on these critical issues, this study seeks to illuminate the pathways for improved identification methods. It encourages a shift towards emphasising the strengths of 2e children rather than focusing on their challenges. Such an approach is vital in providing individualised support to maximise their potential for success. Ultimately, the findings of this study could significantly contribute to enhancing identification processes, thereby offering better opportunities for 2e children to thrive in their educational and personal development.