CRC NA KARYO ANE TENI FARJO

CRC NA KARYO ANE TENI FARJO
Source
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan visualizes Block Resource Centres/Urban Resource Centres/Cluster
Resource Centres to provide academic support to schools on a continuous basis through teacher
training, monthly meetings for academic consultations, etc. These sub-district academic support
institutions are expected to work in close collaboration with DIETs to render support to schools to
improve the quality of elementary education.
Several studies, including an independent study commissioned by MHRD to ascertain the effectiveness
of BRCs and CRCs in discharging their designated functions and responsibilities have observed that
these institutions are by and large working sub-optimally and have limited or no impact in improving
academic performance in primary and upper primary schools. The expected duties and responsibilities
of the functionaries are based on the overall framework of implementation, There are however wide
variations in the frequency of school visits on account of the administrative activities with the BEO
and other officials at block/district levels, vast geographical area of operation without adequate
transport facility, large coverage of schools and other institutions in the block. This has resulted in
poor monitoring and supervision, especially in areas of teacher training and on-site-support. Further,
the centres themselves lack infrastructure and resources.
Towards this, it was felt that a set of operational guidelines may support the states to strengthen these
resource centres. A Committee with the following members was proposed:
Smt. Neelam Rao, Director (EE-II) – Chairperson
Dr. Padma Sarangapani, Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
Mr. Gajanan Patil, Principal DIET, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra
Ms. B. H. Girija, Programme Officer, SSA, Karnataka
Mr. Valand, State Coordinator for Teacher’s Training, SSA, Gujarat
Mr. Tilakraj, District Coordinator for Teacher’s Training DIET, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh
Mr. Ajay Kumar Singh, Chief Consultant, TSG – Convener
The Terms of Reference for the Committee were:
(a) Develop indicative guidelines for strengthening of Block and Cluster Resource Centres guidelines.
These will cover the following:
i. Objective and scope of work of such resource centres.
ii. Location, coverage and geographical area and process of setting up of resource centres.
iii. Manpower required at resource centres – their roles, job profiles, qualifications and selection
criterion.
iv. Professional development and training needs of block/cluster resource coordinators, particularly
in the context of BRC/CRC providing training and on site academic support to teachers.
v. Strengthening MIS for skills for teacher professional development at block/cluster level and its
forward linkages.
vi. Building sub district level resource network by forging linkages with resource persons,
civil society and community.
vii. Infrastructure and facilities that should be available in the resource centre.
viii. Augmenting current set of resources – making choices on civil works, utilization of
current spaces.
ix. Providing academic and administrative support to resource centres through DIETs.
x. Development of Key Resource Person at District/State Block Level for providing academic
support to BRC/CRC – strategies and approaches.
The CRP and BRP job profiles in all states are
ambitious lists of expectations. Overall there seems
to be either a lack of vision or too many expectations
and aims for these institutions to achieve. In many
states a high degree of ad-hocism pervades their
work. Imbalance between administrative and
academic work, low level to which the skills of
CRPs are utilised and their low participation in
decision making are common. A recent study of
the BRP and CRPs suggests that many of them
are dissatisfied with their job or the level of
autonomy and flexibility that is permitted at their
level. The conditions of work many a times are
also not satisfactory. Physical facilitie