TCS-EducationWorld Teachers Awards 2005

India’s best teachers

Out of an awareness of the centrality of the teaching profession was born the germ of the idea of annual pan-India teachers awards to recognise India’s best teachers. It took a nationwide three-year search within Indian industry before Tata Consultancy Services — India’s largest information technology services company — agreed to endow and sponsor the annual TCS-EducationWorld Teachers Awards. Summiya Yasmeen reports

It’s perhaps the most demanding and unappreciated job in the country. India’s 5 million teachers in the nation’s 1.03 million schools, 311 universities and 15,600 colleges arguably experience the most trying work conditions worldwide. Despite loud lip service to a 5,000-year-old gurukul tradition which venerates teachers above even biological parents, in professedly socialist India there is a pervasive lack of social respect and recognition for teachers whose workplaces are shabby, overcrowded classrooms in schools and colleges with crumbling infrastructure, shortages of drinking water and toilets where they are obliged to suffer the heavy hand of ubiquitous education inspectors, officials and demanding parents.  

The massive average teacher-pupil ratio (1:63) and poor working conditions of India’s teacher community, has always been a matter of concern for the editorial team of EducationWorld (estb. 1999), India’s pioneer education newsmagazine. As early as September 2000, EW featured a cover story (‘Disgust and disaffection on Teachers Day’) detailing the thousand unnatural shocks — including unpaid election and census duties — which the teachers’ community is heir to. Again in the May 2002 issue, a special report titled ‘Who’s teaching the teachers?’ was written.

Out of this awareness of the centrality of the teaching profession was born the germ of the idea of an annual pan-India teachers award. It took a nationwide three-year search within Indian industry which is peculiarly indifferent to academia despite its vital interests being involved (see special report feature ‘Why is Indian industry divorced from academia’ in this issue) before Fakir Chand Kohli, chairman emeritus and his successor S. Ramadorai of Tata Consultancy Services, India’s largest information technology services company (revenue: Rs.9,727 crore in fiscal 2004-05; number of employees: 35,000), agreed to endow and sponsor the annual TCS-EducationWorld Teachers Awards with a corpus of Rs.10 lakh.

Comments Ramadorai, an alumnus of Delhi University, the Indian Institute of Science, and University of California, who signed up with TCS in 1972 and has risen up the ranks to head India’s pioneer IT services megacorp with 100 offices in 33 countries worldwide: “The TCS-EducationWorld Teachers Awards are given in recognition of outstanding work done by teachers in the cause of education. Teachers who work tirelessly to ignite a spirit of curiosity and instill knowledge in young minds need to be inspired to continue their great service. TCS is a knowledge driven company. We would like teachers to know that their good work is appreciated and the awards are an expression of our appreciation,” says Ramadorai, Business India’s Businessman of the Year (2004).

The modus operandi of selecting India’s best teachers was by way of regular advertising of the award in EducationWorld and one-time full page advertisements in India Today and The Week. The advertisements invited anyone involved with education — students, principals, parents or school managements — to nominate a teacher who they believed had developed classroom innovations and/ or achieved teaching excellence. Nominations had to include a brief write-up (not more than 500 words) outlining the nominee teacher’s innovations or exceptional attributes. Given that neither TCS nor EducationWorld had the professional expertise to evaluate and judge teaching innovations and excellence, IL&FS Education and Technology Services Ltd (IETS), an eight-year-old education consultancy and training company which works with 1,000 schools across the country, was roped in as the official assessor of the inaugural TCS-EducationWorld Teachers Awards 2005.

The hard reality that teachers are an unappreciated minority within an incrementally Page 3 celebrity obsessed society was manifested by the poor response to the nationwide advertising campaign soliciting nominations for the TCS-EducationWorld Teachers Awards 2005. The response was a modest 175 nominations countrywide.

Moreover a striking feature of the nominations was that a majority of them were from students, parents and principals in small towns and habitations. Nominations from urban India, which boasts the majority of upscale CISCE and CBSE affiliated schools were few and far between — an indicator that students, parents and academics in small town India are more appreciative of the exertions of the teachers’ community.

Following an initial screening of the 175 nominations by a group of Bangalore-based IL&FS staffers headed by Neena Paul, manager of the company’s education services division, 24 teachers were short listed for the second phase of the contest. These 24 short listed teachers were invited to send in 300-500-word essays on their teaching innovations and/or best teaching practices.

After careful assessment of the 24 essays received from teachers countrywide, nine southern zone teachers were invited for a personal interview in Bangalore (April 7) (residential accommodation provided and travel expenses reimbursed); seven (western zone) to Mumbai (April 25) and two (north) to Delhi (April 7). In Bangalore the panel of judges comprised Neena Paul, Dilip Thakore, editor of EW and Niranjan Sarja of TCS. In Mumbai the judges were Mala Ramadorai (former head of IL&FS ETS) representing TCS, Gull Vaz, director, IL&FS ETS, and Gaver Chatterjee of EW. In Delhi Radhika Sareen of TCS, Neelam Khatara of IL&FS ETS and Autar Nehru of EW interviewed the two finalists. Unfortunately only one nomination was sent from the entire eastern region and it was not upto the mark.

“Most teachers were nominated by students and school principals. Students wrote in detailing how their nominees enlivened their classroom experiences by initiating imaginative pedagogies which helped them understand their subjects better. As assessors of the contest, we worked out an evaluation sheet based on several criteria. All nominations and short- listed teachers were assessed on the basis of these criteria which included innovative contributions to curriculum delivery, creation of low cost teaching aids, communication skills, use of creativity in teaching plans, leadership skills and involvement in exchange of new ideas and programmes with other educators. It was inspiring and encouraging to learn that teachers are pioneering novel teaching methods in their classrooms across small towns in India. However we’d like to see an improvement in the quantity and quality of nominations next year,” says Neena Paul.

Under a TCS-EW-ILFS accord it was agreed that two of the finalists interviewed in Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi would be adjudged Best Teachers in each zone/ region. The others would receive certificates of commendation.

Mrs. Usha Thanamyi, middle school maths teacher at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan School, Hyderabad and Dr. Parthsarathy Ramanujam, reader department of English, Andhra Loyola College (autonomous), Vijaywada were adjudged best teachers in the southern region. Meera Bansal, head of the social sciences department at Lancer’s Convent, Delhi and R.C. Lakhanpal, founder director of the Him Academy Public School, Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh) were decreed best teachers northern zone, and Dr. V.B. Nadkarni, former dean of the faculty of science at Karnatak University and Prof. S.V. Kangune head of the commerce faculty at Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj (Nashik) in the western region. Each best teacher received a cash prize, an annual subscription toEducationWorld and other prizes at award ceremonies held in Bangalore (April 7), Delhi (April 7) and Mumbai (April 25). The other finalists received annual subscriptions, book hampers, vouchers and certificates of commendation.

Read the interviews with the best teachers in the pages following to learn more about them. 

 

Best teachers (South)

M.V. Usha Thanmayi, secondary school maths teacher at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Public School, Hyderabad, is the joint winner of the TCS-EducationWorld Teachers Award (South India) 2005. She was adjudged winner from a short list of nine teachers on the basis of her numerous innovations in teaching students of classes VI-IX.

Looking back how happy are you with your choice of entering the teaching profession?

Teaching is a divine profession. I am very satisfied with my choice as I enjoy every moment of my day in a vocation which gives me great joy and gratification.

Nevertheless there is considerable criticism of teachers in society. what are the major impediments preventing teachers from giving their best?

The obsession of school managements with board exam results obstructs teachers from delivering application-oriented learning in the classroom. Instead of helping students to grasp concepts and develop reasoning and analytical skills, teachers are forced to prepare students to do well in exams in a mechanical way. Even parents pressurise teachers to ensure their children score high marks in exams. Moreover commercial teaching institutes such as coaching centres and private tutorials are causing great damage to the education system. They adversely affect teacher-student rapport in the classroom.

Greater investment is required — particularly in government schools — in infrastructure and support facilities to bring out the best in students. School managements also need to help teachers upgrade their skills through continuous in-service workshops and training programmes.

One of the features of India’s school education system is the yawning divide between private and government — especially rural — schools. how can this be bridged?

This is a serious social problem and bridging the wide gap between private and government schools should be on the top of the national agenda. No child should be deprived of her fundamental right to equal quality education. This is possible only if government legislates a common school system with a common examination board, curriculum, fee structure, and evaluation pattern for all schools — private and government.

The statistics of education — particularly primary education — are very depressing. how optimistic are you about the future of Indian education?

India has a strong education tradition which is widely respected. For instance the gurukul system which evolved in ancient India is acknowledged even today as a sound system of transmitting knowledge. With such strong and time-honoured traditions to guide and support us, I’m confident and hopeful about the present and future of Indian education. However this tradition needs to be upgraded and supplemented with application oriented/ practical teaching-learning practices in classrooms, the provision of at least one vocational subject in school, and creating social and environmental awareness within students.

Dr. P. Ramanujam 

An English language teacher at the Andhra Loyola College, Vijaywada, Dr. P. Ramanujam was adjudged joint winner of the TCS EducationWorld Teachers Award (South India) 2005 following the interview in Bangalore of nine short-listed teachers from three states in peninsular India. An alumnus of Madras and Sri Venkateshwara universities, Ramanujam has been teaching English to undergrad and postgrad students for over two decades. Apart from devising new pedagogies to teach English to vernacular medium students, he has authored 20 books, including textbooks for teaching English at the college level and literary translations.

Looking back, how happy are you with your choice of the teaching profession?

‘Choice’ is the mot juste — the right word. I didn’t stumble into the profession; I resigned a government job to enter this profession in 1984. Looking back I am glad I made this choice.

This is a satisfying career for those who value intellectual freedom — of course, within the constraints imposed by the system — and for those who like constant challenges. The teaching profession can give you plenty of them. During the course of my career I’ve had the freedom to design study programmes, experiment with new ideas and to venture beyond teaching into creative writing and journalism. I wouldn’t say I haven’t experienced frustration as well. But on balance I’m happy I made teaching my career of choice 20 years ago.

What do you think are the major impediments preventing teachers from giving their best?

Creative resourceful teachers can’t be prevented from giving their best in classrooms. However an innovative mindset is required to transform constraints into opportunities. Take for instance the problem of mixed ability classes, which has long been English teachers’ main bugbear. With a little creativity teachers can transform heterogeneity into a resource. That teachers often complain about constraints shows that pedagogic creativity is lacking in this profession.

However it is true that lack of institutional autonomy is a major constraint. If teachers try to introduce innovations, they find plenty of obstacles in their way, even in autonomous colleges. This is because the system is hopelessly conservative and is managed by people, the majority of whom, as the late educationist V.V. John remarked, have the vision of a frog in a well.

There is a great divide between private and government — especially rural — schools. How do you think it can be bridged?

I don’t think it can be bridged. But the functioning of government-run schools can be made more effective by involving the local community in school administration. This will enhance the resource base of schools and ensure people’s participation in the promotion of public education. Each panchayat or mandal should have a schools’ committee consisting of parents, teachers and people’s representatives. The committee should supervise the development of the school. Under the panchayati raj system it should be empowered to raise additional resources and recruit supplementary help.

Moreover well-established private schools in metros can adopt a few government schools and help upgrade them. For instance in the Anantapur district of Andhra, a Jesuit-run Loyola School has adopted eight single-teacher primary or upper primary schools in neighbouring villages. These schools are supported with teachers, materials, teaching aids, and teacher development programmes.

How optimistic are you about the future of Indian higher education?

Let’s face it, there is nothing ‘high’ about our higher education system. With over 311 universities, 15,600 colleges, 35,000 teachers, and 9 million students, we have the second largest higher education system in the world.

But in the great majority of higher education institutions, standards are appalling. In 1991, there were 13,000 foreign students in Indian universities. In 2001-2002, the number decreased to 8,000. This is due to the growing perception all over the world that standards of education have deteriorated in Indian universities. With sub-standard instruction, research and extension services, how are we ever going to cope with the imminent competition in higher education in the wake of GATS? Incidentally, an average college teacher or administrator can’t spell out the acronym GATS.

Perhaps an open-door internationalisation policy will shake us out of our complacency. The UGC has recently launched an initiative under which it has identified certain universities and colleges with potential to become centres of excellence and has given them special grants. I hope this will actually happen.

Best teachers (North)

R.C. Lakhanpal a Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh)-based edupreneur was adjudged joint winner of the TCS-Education World Teachers Award (North India) 2005.

Founder-director of the Him Academy Public School (HAPS — established 1998), Lakhanpal has put the little district of Hamirpur (pop.8.8 lakh) on the education map of India. The academy has over 1,000 students on its rolls, of whom 300 are boarders. Earlier this year HAPS was presented the Himachal Kesari Award by the state government. In 2004 it won the Computer Literacy Excellence Award presented by President Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam. Fully committed to his cause, Lakhanpal has motivated his entire family — wife, son, daughter-in-law to join hands with him to make quality education available in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh.

A physics postgraduate of the Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani, Lakhanpal is the driving force behind HAPS, among the state’s most well-managed private schools. “I have introduced several pedagogy innov-ations in Him Academy. Among them are differentiated learning and lesson plans for teachers using the principles of the Panchatantra theory — developed by me using principles laid out in the Bhagwad Gita for managing students in the classroom, and the use of mind maps as effective learning and memorisation techniques,” he says.

An advocate of radical reform of the examination system, he was a member of the first Academic Council and Examination Reform Committee of Himachal Pradesh University (1971-75). “I was instrumental in the university offering M Phil courses to in-service teachers through correspondence,” says Lakhanpal, who has authored several physics textbooks for higher secondary students. He also set up Himachal’ first public entrance exams coaching institute in 1993.

Lakhanpal is a strong advocate of privatisation in the education sector. “Successive policies of the govern-ment have wrongly targeted literacy, rather than education. All available funds are squandered by government education departments. The more effective way would be to offer this money as scholarships to students to pursue education in proven private institutions of their choice,” he argues. 

Meera Bansal 

Meera Bansal who heads the social sciences department at Delhi’s CBSE-affiliated Lancer’s Convent, is joint winner of the TCS-Education World Teachers Award (North India) 2005. She was selected from a short list of teachers interviewed in Delhi for her inventiveness in teaching political science and leadership development interventions.

A political science postgraduate of Delhi University, Bansal began her career in 1990 as the author of competitive exam coaching books (political science and history). “However, I always wanted to be a teacher and soon landed a job in my dream profession. My ambition is to keep learning and teaching to the very end,” says Bansal, whose students have attained remarkable academic results in class X and XII board exams. “Since 2003 Lancer’s Convent political science students have achieved a 100 percent success rate in board exams with most students averaging above 90 percent,” she says.

A committed green activist, Bansal also heads the environment ministry sponsored eco-club of the school. “A teacher’s task is to help students overcome their inhibitions and acquire a holistic education beyond academics,” she believes. Thus teaching political science has given Bansal the opportunity to initiate discussions and debates on wider social and political issues in the classroom. “I make it a point to encourage debate on political issues of national importance with my students. We have also established links with several NGOs in the area and every year depute student teams to write projects on their work and achievements,” adds Bansal who also won the Best Teacher Award conferred by the Delhi state government in 2003. 

A contributor to the in-house school magazine and a regular representative of Lancer’s Convent in education workshops and seminars, Bansal feels the education scenario, especially the examination system, needs a radical overhaul. “Evaluators” — most of them government school teachers — tend to work towards maximization of their output by resorting to standard techniques in marking, thereby doing a great injustice to students. The evaluation process needs a complete transformation,” she says.

Best teachers (West)

A former professor of zoology and dean of the faculty of science at Karnatak University,  Dr. V.B. Nadkarni (74) was adjudged joint winner of the TCS-EducationWorld Teachers Award (Western India) 2005. He entered the teaching profession in 1952 as a part- time teacher in a girls’ school and retired as professor of zoology in 1990. Currently Nadkarni, who has successfully guided 20 Ph D students, continues to mentor doctoral students in the sciences.

A postgraduate in zoology/ botany from Karnatak University, Nadkarni pressed on to acquire his doctorate from the Benaras Hindu University, before moving to the US to pursue training and research in the physiology of reproduction. Designated a post doctoral fellow of the Population Council Biomedical Division (New York, USA), he returned to India to teach undergraduate and postgraduate students in Karnatak, Varanasi, Rajkot, Dharwad, and Kolhapur universities.

Looking back how happy are you about your choice of the teaching profession?

I have never regretted my decision to give up an offer to join Syndicate Bank. It’s been a very satisfying career. Moreover I have introduced two special papers — Biology of Reproduction and Comparative Endocrinology at the M.Sc level in Karnatak University. Today the zoology department of Karnatak University is recognised as an advanced research centre by the University Grants Commission. Six of my students are professors while one is a cancer biologist with WHO. True, I might have made more money in another profession, but I doubt if I’d have received as much as satisfaction and respect.

What are the major constraints preventing teachers in indian academia from giving their best?

Many high potential people shun the teaching profession because they have to fight reservation quotas. While I am not against reserving some jobs for the SC/ST classes, I feel the prime criterion should be merit and potential. There are too many social and communal factors interfering with the delivery of quality education. This shouldn’t happen.

Secondly, inadequate infrastructure facilities especially in state government institutions are discouraging students from pursuing research. Third, education has become a business in many parts of India, rather than the noble mission it should be.

There’s a great quality divide between private and government — especially rural — schools. how can this be bridged?

There isn’t an easy answer to this question. But I strongly believe, as the Supreme Court has recently ruled, that private institutions should be encouraged and then given complete freedom and autonomy. They should be allowed to administer themselves and charge the fees they believe are reasonable. This is the only way to establish truly world-class institutions delivering the best education. Government institutions are subject to too many restrictions and conditions and can give only so much. Therefore private institutions should be allowed to grow to their full potential.

How optimistic are you about the future of Indian education?

I am optimistic and hopeful. Even if 25 percent of our institutions impart quality education, the future looks good.

Prof. S.V. Kangune 

Prof. S.V. Kangune heads the commerce faculty at the Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj in Nashik (Maharashtra) and was adjudged joint winner of the TCS-EducationWorld Teachers Award (Western India) 2005. An alumnus of Nashik University, Kangune had his early education in a government village school, and was recently appointed coordinator, education centre of the Central Jail, Nashik by the Yashwantrao Chavan Open University.

Looking back how satisfied are you that you opted for the teaching profession?

I have always been passionate about education — so much so that it motivated me to leave my birthplace, a remote village in Nashik district, and move to Nashik city. After completing my M.Com I became a teacher which was a good decision because teaching has given me the greatest satisfaction and fulfillment. My objective is to give my best to students. This has given me a sense of direction in life, and has prompted me to give a sense of direction to my students. I doubt if there is another profession which can give as much satisfaction.

What prevents teachers from giving their best?

Teachers are not universally respected. They face constraints in the workplace and their working conditions and pay packets need drastic improvement. Most teachers in village schools have to suffer severe infrastructure shortages and seldom get their salaries on time. Moreover they have little opportunity to upgrade their skills and participate in teacher training programmes. Despite this millions of dedicated teachers have overcome, because they love their work.

There’s a yawning quality gap between private and government — especially rural — schools. How can this be bridged? Can this be done through creating a common school system?

Quite frankly, most government schools are just a “time pass” for teachers and students. Their teachers are a completely demotivated and frustrated lot. The nation’s priority should be improvement of infrastructure, working conditions and salaries of government school teachers. Only then will teaching-learning in government schools improve.

A common school system I can’t imagine happening in the near future. The infrastructure and teaching divide between private and government schools and between the rich and poor in Indian society is just too wide. It’s a laudable idea, but I don’t think it can be put into practice in the near future at least.

Against this backdrop, looking ahead, how optimistic are you about the future of Indian education?

The working conditions and attitude of teachers across the country depresses me. Most of them are indifferent to their jobs and education is increasingly becoming a business. Teachers need motivation, official respect and regular teacher training programmes to improve education standards across the country.

Winners too…

Ten teachers who made it to the final selection round also received certificates of commendation for their proven teaching innovations. Of these seven were from the southern region and three from the western region. They are:

Dr. J.S. Patil, dean of the department of studies in law at Gulbarga University. With over 25 years of teaching experience, Dr. Patil has pioneered several innovative and technology-driven methods for teaching law in Gulburga University. He is also a prolific writer having contributed over 17 papers to law journals and other publications, authored nine books, and has presented over 57 papers at seminars and conferences.

R. Swaminathan, an alumnus of Annamalai University is the principal of Alagappa Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu. A maths teacher for over 18 years, Swaminathan took charge of Alagappa School in 1997 and is credited with dramatically enhancing the academic results of the school. His other achievements include upgradation of school infrastructure, increase in student enrollment, introduction of teacher training programmes and implementation of student welfare schemes.

R. Sudhakar is the head of mechanical engineering at the Government Polytechnic Mahbubnagar, Andhra Pradesh. A recipient of the Best Teachers Award 2004 conferred by the government of Andhra Pradesh, Sudhakar has initiated several practical and hands-on teaching practices at the Government Polytechnic. Among them are live industry projects for students and the establishment of an automobile pollution check station on the institute’s campus.

An alumna of Osmania University, Suvarni Rao teaches English to primary school students in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School in Hyderabad. In her 11-year teaching career, Rao has successfully overcome the limitations that prescribed textbooks impose and has developed some unique teaching methods which include use of word games, panel discussions, and story-telling.

Dr. A. Joycillin Shermila is an English lecturer at Annamal College of Education, Tuticorin. A Ph D in education from Manomaniam Sundaranar University (Tamil Nadu), Shermila specialises in English language teaching and has developed several research tools for facilitating comprehension and reading.

Dr. Mini John is a reader, department of English, Alphonsa College, Kottayam (Kerala) and a freelance journalist and poet. Known for her enthusiastic organisation skills, John is widely valued by Alphonsa students, who voted her their most popular teacher last year.

Gowri M. Achanta teaches history to high school students at St. Joseph’s School, Bangalore. Voted as the most inspiring teacher by her students in an online poll, Achanta has through innovative teaching aids, made history an interesting and popular subject in the school.

Madhav Rajwade is assistant principal and physics lecturer at Sathaye College, Mumbai. During his 15-year teaching career, Rajwade couldn’t but notice the high propensity for rote learning among students. In an attempt to “free” students from the rigours of verbatim learning and equip them with the skills to learn and understand concepts, he has designed a unique ‘Study Skills Development Program’. Developed with the guidance of senior scientists of the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, the programme trains students in knowledge organisation and management.

M.K. Pal, who started his career as a teacher in the Assam Rifles Public School, Shillong, is currently the principal of IPCL English Medium School, Baroda. Pal is a much-loved teacher, appreciated by students for his ability to teach in a simple manner. His superior administrative and organisational skills have also won him many admirers. “At one time I thought that discipline could be best enforced by strictness and fear. I now know otherwise,” he says. “Today my students are my friends —they do not fear me, yet they are disciplined. When students are comfortable with their teachers, they tend to be relaxed, creative and open to learning new things.”

Remediana Rodrigues is a primary school teacher at Manovikas School, Goa. A firm believer in each child’s potential to excel, Rodrigues focuses on identifying and honing the latent talent of every student. Committed to educating all children of varying learning abilities under the same roof, Rodrigues skillfully manages a class of 30 students, striving to make learning a joyous process for each one of them. To this end she has devised ways and means to teach children with learning disabilities as well as gifted children together with others in the same classroom. “I devise an individualised education programme for each of my 30 students after observing them for two weeks and keep reviewing it regularly,” she says.

Anees Khan is junior lecturer at the Government Junior College of Science, Amravati (Maharashtra). Afflicted with polio when he was five years of age, Khan has created a CD-ROM on a fresh approach to learning physics for secondary and Plus Two students. Unfortunately Khan didn’t attend the interview.

With Autar Nehru (Delhi) & Gaver Chatterjee (Mumbai)

Also read: The best teachers we have ever known