Improving Learning Outcomes in Schools
Understanding the Challenge of Quality in the Indian Context
N V Varghese editor Anuradha De editor Amarjeet Sinha editor Vrinda Sarup editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:20th Oct '25
£39.99
Supplier delay - available to order, but may take longer than usual.
What does ‘quality education’ truly mean, and how can we ensure it is accessible to all children, regardless of their background? This book delves into these pressing questions, offering a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and opportunities within India’s education system.
Why do millions of children in India attend school yet still struggle to acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills? This book examines the varied reasons behind poor learning outcomes, illustrating why high enrolment rates have not translated into meaningful educational progress. It underscores the urgent need to shift the focus from merely getting children into schools to ensuring they learn and thrive. Through real-world case studies, insightful policy analysis, and a focus on innovative state and national initiatives, the book unpacks what works in education – and what does not. From the role of teachers and school leadership to the importance of inclusive policies and community engagement, it offers a holistic view of the factors influencing student achievement.
As a part of the Innovations, Practice and the Future of Public Policy in India series, this open access volume will interest policy professionals, academics, and researchers in education, pedagogy, curriculum design, education economics, and development studies.
This book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.
‘These volumes fill a unique niche in the continuum between academic research and advocacy. They go beyond merely identifying challenges in various aspects of human development, particularly health, nutrition, and education, and instead explore potential solutions through critical reviews of what works. This makes the collection immensely valuable to both academicians and practitioners, rendering these volumes essential reading for anyone interested in public policy.’
Sonalde Desai, Professor, National Council of Applied Economic Research and University of Maryland, USA.
‘Human development cannot be viewed segmentally through a reductionist lens, since the various elements are closely integrated and impact each other. Health is inseparable from nutrition, and both are influenced by education, environment and economic development. In each of these, equity is the litmus test of development serving its social purpose. These six volumes knit these varied skeins into a unified tapestry of human development. While detailing the key components of each of the main themes, the composite collection connects them to create a coherent design for accelerated and equitable people centric human development in India.’
K. Srinath Reddy, Founder (Past) President,Public Health Foundation of India
‘These volumes compile the results of many micro studies in the areas of health, nutrition, education and rural livelihood development. These are critical areas where India needs to improve performance to achieve the objective of Viksit Bharat. Larger funding is unavoidable but even more important is to ensure efficiency of spending and it is here that these micro studies will provide evidence-based guidance in what works and in what circumstances. The solutions will not be the same across all states and this must be built into the design of each programme at the state level. The collection is an invaluable contribution in this very important area.’
Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Ex–Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission of India
‘The volume’s (Improving Learning Outcomes in Schools) thematic progression is logical and insightful. It transitions smoothly from policy to practice, covering critical dimensions of education reform while maintaining a focus on solutions and systemic transformation. The multi-faceted approach, incorporating governance, data, implementation, and teacher performance, makes it a well-rounded contribution to the discourse on improving school quality in India.’
Praveen Jha, Professor of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
ISBN: 9781041123354
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 810g
412 pages