Chapter V

KSSP and Participatory Development

The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development defined

participation as the organized effort to increase control over resources and

regulative institutions by groups and movements of those excluded from such

control' While partictpation has generally been seen by development agencies in

terms of collaboration, and as a means to project success, asbringing additional

human resources into the project process, participation increasingly is about civil

society playing roles which development agencies and governments cannot play,

and in particular about. the rural poor associating together to defend common

interests and challenge structures which keep them in povertyZ

Participation is democracy. Representative democracy as currently

practised is a limited form of participation. Participation means commitment to a

more egalitarian society which permits equal access to resources- not only to land-

but also to food, education, health, and other basic human rights. Where formal

power is in the hands of a few and their power is grossly misused, participation

means building countervailing power which lead to a healthier democracy.

Development is viewed as a process of human development, a process of

social transformation in which man is both the subject and the object, and in which

he participates at all levels of decision making. Self reliance is both a means and an

end in this process. It is a process which starts with the release of the creative

' A.Pcarsc and M.Stiefel, An Inyuir). into Part;crpaoon: :I Research Approach (Geneva, 1979), p.8. Andrew ShepBerd, Sustainable Rural Developn~enf. (London. 1998). p.182.

energy of man, assumes equal access to and a rational use of resources to the poor

and vulnerable groups, tends to eliminate the difference between mental and

manual labour and uses the fu l l range of technological choices available from both

the knowledge the people have and knowledge from other sources properly

adapted This kind of a development is not only more humane but also represents a

new man, nature, technology mix. In the participatory process which results

growth, human development and equity are not trade-offs3

Participatory development is a process by which development is brought

closer to the people, who are the ultimate target of development. The need of

participatory development has been felt seriously for implementation of policies

and programmes since the inception of planning. It enables the full involvement of

the people in the process of plan formulation and implementation. The government

alone cannot be left with the task of every aspect of planning and development.

EnergTes of the people will have to be released so that they will. participate in the

development of their area. As such, public participation is an essential instrument

and this would help in assessing the felt needs of the people, mobilizing local

resources for plan implementation and stepping up the speed of implementation by

mobilizing popular support and cooperation. Thus there can be people's

participation in decision-making, implementation, the delivery of benefits and the

,evaluation of results.4 A participatory process implies that in achieving these

3 Poma WlgnaraJa et a1 , Parircipntory Uevelopment I*.arnlngfiom South Asin (Karach~ 1991). n 20, b ' - -. S.S.Meenakshisundamn, "Decentralization in Developing Countries" in S.N.Jha and P.C.Mathur (ed.). Decenirolization and I . r~ :a l Politics (New Delhi, 1997). p.57.

relatively limited tasks, the people would acquire greater technical expertise,

building on their own knowledge and an associated scientific awareness of their

economic, political and physical environment. At the same time, the achievement

of spec~tic objectives for improving their resource position through collective effort

would impart greater confidence and community consci~usness.~

1'0 participate, people need to raise their level of consciousness and to form

their own organizations. The poor and vulnerable need to refine their

understandings of the larger socio-economic reality around them, of the forces that

keep them in poverty, and of the possibilities of a process of self-transformation

through which they grow and mature as human beings. In this sense, participation

is also a basic h ~ m a n n e e d . ~

A truly participatory development process cannot be generated

spontaneously, given the deep-rooted dependency relationship that exists. The

catalyst or initiator who can break this vicious circle is a new.type of activist who is

committed and will work with the poor, who identifies with the interest of the poor,

and who has faith in the people and is, in turn, trusted by them. It is difficult for the

poor to individually break away from the vicious circle of dependence and poverty.

It is only through collective effort and organization that they can reduce

dependence and initiate a course of participatory, self-reliant development. Thus,

participation implies mobilization, conscientisation, and organization7

"ignaraja, n.3, p.200; Richard C. Crook and Manor James, Democracy and Decentralization in South .4sia and West Apico (Cambridge, 1988), pp.2-5. %ignaraja n.3, p.202.

bid., pp.20203.

Over the last four decades, the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) as a

movement has been emphasizing on the role of Science and Technology in social

development and the concrete manner in which the havenots can use scientific and

technical knowledge as a weapon in their fight against immiserisation. In 1974, the

KSSP adopted the slogan 'Science for Social Revolution'. In the late 1980s, it

initiated serious discussions on the concept of 'development'. This is partly due to

the emerging world situation and partly due to the increased capability of the

movement to go beyond science popularization or literacy. It is to empower the

people to manage their own affairs democratically. In this chapter, the role of the

KSSP in various development activities like science, communication, formal and

informal education, health and decentralization are examined.

Science Communication

The KSSP was originally formed as a forum of science communicators. The

printed word was the medium of communication initially. Now it uses several

media to communicate: printed word, posters, spoken word and theatre and to a

limited extent the electronic media. It has been able to develop a market for popular

science books, especially books for children in Kerala. It is India's largest science

publisher, having published more than 1000 titles and producing 30-40 new titles

per year. It has published 31 books and 11 pamphlets in the year 2001.~ The KSSP

today publishes three'popular journals in Malayalam-each fdr a specific age and

target group, with a total circulation exceeding 48000. These magazines are Eureka

8 KSSP: 3~~ Annual Report (2002), p .35 ( A M u ~ ~ Reports are printed in Malayalam and distributed to delegates at annual conventions).

(for elementary school age children), SasfrukeruIum (for secondary school age

children) and Saslragulhi (for adults).

The KSSP entered into the field of book publication with great reservation

and hesitation Scrence 1968, the first book published by it was distributed by

another publishing firm Dissatisfaction with such an arrangement prompted the

KSSP to sponsor a w-operative society, "Scientific, Technical and Educational

Publishing Co-operative Society" (STEPS) in 1971'. In 1977, the KSSP on its own

started the publication of books and it has expanded into a major activity and the

main financial resource of the movement. Today it publishes books worth about

Rs.50 lakhs annually.1°

The books published by the KSSP may be divided into two types. The first

is what may be described as the passive group like children's books, popular books

for adults and reference books. The books are published without any specific or

defined programme of use. They are general science books covering a variety of

topics. The second type of books belongs to the active group. They are prepared

with a specific objective in view. They include the various propaganda books and

pamphlets, study and research reports and the semi text books prepared for the

science talent tests. the lecture campaigns etc."

An important innovation in the mass contact programme of the KSSP was

the Science Jathas. Perhaps the first Science Jatha in the state was a procession

Y T.M.Thornas Issac and B.Ekbal. Science/??- Socral Revolurion: The Experience o/KSSP (Trichur, 1998), p. l l 'O KSSP. n.8. p.37. I I Issac and Ekbal, n.9. P.M.

taken out by the delegates after the Eight Annual Conference in 1970 at Ernakulam

to the ground where a publ~c lecture on science was given.'' The Sastrakala Jathas

(Science <:ultural Jathas) started in 1977 are the products of a conscious effort to

use the medium of performing arts to communicate science to ordinary people. The

local level experiments with the folk art media for science communication and the

experience ofthe theatre groups like 'Samudaya' in Karnataka were responsible for

the introduction of the perfbrming arts into the science jatha." The jatha form of

communication was borrowed From the socio-political movements of the past. In

the Science jatha of 1977, the first of the numerous musical slogans of the KSSP

were evolved. The jatha consisted of a group of science activists who toured the

length of Kerala for 37 days giving lectures at 20 to 30 places a day.14

Both the content and the form of the Sastrakala Jatha have been collectively

arrived at. The preliminary scripts prepared by individuals on the basis of collective

discussions were modified thoroughly during production. Forms ire varied, ranging

from regular short plays and group songs to musicals and a variety of folk art

forms. In the 1985 Sastrakala Jatha, a special street theatre play entitled 'Work is

Wealth' was staged for children. The experience of producing and staging this play

triggered a ground swell of opinion within the movement to produce a jatha aimed

" Ibid., p 15. l 3 KSSP, S a s h KalaJarho Souvenir (1980) l4 ICSSP, Impatham Varshika Soin~enir (Thimvananthapuram, 1982). pp.48-49.

at children and youth '4 formal decision to hold a jatha in 1986 was taken at the

June meeting of the KSSP's Executive Committee to hold a jatha in 1986''

Through the fusion of themes, talents and the medium of folk art with its

contemporary variations as expressed in street-plays and the use of the human body

for the inanimate setting, a variety of programmes were developed. These items

went through their own evolutionary stages as the jatha moved from one place to

another integrating with it the experiences and reactions of the people.'6 The

themes dealt with and the manner in which the message was conveyed created a

feeling among many people that a sharp edge of social criticism has not yet been

blunted and that while many organizations have been shying away from their

responsibilities, new ones are emerging; equipped with the power of reasoning and

analysis.

The concept of the Bharat Gyan Vigyan Jatha (BGVJ) was born out of the

experience of the People's Science Movements, especially the KSSP, in the use of

the medium of cultural and folk media for massive communication and awareness

creation. From October 2 to November 7, 1987, 26 organizations including the

KSSP constituted themselves into an All India People's Science Network conducted

the major campaign in science communication aimed at promoting a better

understanding of the methods and values of science and the contribution it can

I S Mathew Zacbariah and Sooryamoorthy, Science for Social Revolulron? Achievements and Dilemmos of a Develi~.mont Mnvement--The Kerola Saslra Sahilya Parishad (New Delh. 1994),

98-99 %SSP: Scrence As Social nclivzsm: Reports and Papers on the People :v Science hlovemenr in India (Thiruvanmthapwam, 1984), p.29.

make to human progress " The BGVJ was planned and executed at a time when

obscurant~st and hndarnentalist forces, forces of castist, communal and regional

chauvinism were threaten~ng the very fabrics of the nation. The jatha was

successhl in many ways. i t involved thousands of individuals in active science

popularization. It led to the creation of many new centres of activity many of which

have continued to be active since then. It interlinked and networked a large number

of voluntary organizations in the field and it gave a great fillip to their activities.

The KSSP had actively participated and played a catalyst role in the organization of

the jatha.IX

Non-Formal Education

The KSSP is by no means the first organization to initiate the programme of

non-formal education in Kerala. The KSSP's own activities in the field of non-

formal education were evolved out of the pressing social needs it has had to satisfy.

The rapid expansion ~f the formal education system in Kerala began right'from the

latter half of the nineteenth century while the non-fonnal education movement,

commonly known as the Library Movement evolved much later, that is, during the

period of Freedom Movement. The task of the KSSP was not merely to function as

an extension of earlier movements. It had to provide a qualitative change in view of

the development activities of the government which affected all sections of the

population m one way or another. Not only that there was a need for imparting a

17 M.P.Pararneawaran 'Science to People'. ,411 India (,.hildren 's Festival 1987 (Souvenir) undated, ~ ~ 2 1 .

Bharnt (;,van Vigvan Samrrh,: t'erspecrrves, Achrevemenrs, Tash and Dreams, (Undated PampNet). p. 16.

scientific approach to development problems in a positive way but there was also

an equally important need for re-educating the masses in a number of realms. It is

the timely response of the KSSP to the new social demands that was responsible for

the continued growth and success of many of its nonformal educational activities.

Through its experience in comtnunication and sharing of knowledge with the

people, it has learned and relearned immensely and has acquired a broad

understanding of the important elements in a non-formal educational programme.'9

b!on-formal education activities of the KSSP cover a wide spectrum. A

number of classes on chosen topics are conducted from time to time. Classes are

conducted not only among the KSSP workers but among general public as well.

Co-operation from teacher's organizations, village libraries, socio-political groups

etc. helped the KSSP a lot in carrying out this programme. J.D.Bernal's

monumental four volume work Science in History was the main source of the

preparation of the lecture campaigns in 1973 and 1976. The recommended reading

list for teachers included the books by J.D.Bernal, J.B.S.Haldane, J.Huxley,

P.M.S.Blackett , G.H.Hardy and Lancelot ~ o ~ b e n . ' ' The lecture campaigns on

Nature, Society and Science was an important turning point in the evolution of the

ideological outlook of the KSSP. "Organizing this campaign gave an opportunity to

develop an understanding of the history and philosophy of science which gave

more meaning to our task of developing scientific attitude among the people."2'

.- -- 19 K.P.Kanmn and M.P Psmmeswaraq "Approach Towards Non-formal Educat~on" in K.P.Kannan(ed), Towar& a I'eople'sScience Movement (Trivandrum, 1979). pp. 150-51 'O KSSP, P r a h t i , Sarnoorham. .%stram (Trivandrum, 1976), pp.63-67. 21 KSSP. Kerola Sosrra Mih.ir Parishad - A People k Science Movement Crri~andnun, Undated), p.6.

'Resources of Kerala' and 'Cheated Consumer' were some of the most successful

campaigns of this sort There have been campaigns against militarization of

science, exploitation by multi-national manipulation in the field of health,

corruption in the field of education, irrational development policies, globalization

etc.

The Science Centre situated in Kozhikode was established in 1980. The

centre organizes several programmes for teachers and students in addition to the

general public. The centre is gradually being developed into an exhibition and

study centre in line with the Viswesvarayya Industrial Museum. In 1976, the KSSP

launched the programme of School for Technicians and Artisans (START) to help

technicians and artisans in the rural areas and in the urban informal sector."

One of the greatest evils of any society is the illiteracy among its people.

For a long period, the KSSP has been actively associated with literacy activities of

the state of Kerala Acfually the literacy movement of the Emakulam District was a

project of the KSSP. It provided a major share of the cadre for the campaign as a

people's alternative with the active involvement of various social, political and

cultural organizations and various governmental agencies.23 The Total Literacy

Campaign (TLC) showed that activism, involvement, and volunteerism could make

the difference in the lives of a large number of people while bringing literacy to

22 KSSP, Kerala Sactro SahiQa Partshad Moonnora Pathittannu Kalathe Anubhavangal (Kochi, undated), p.7. 23 T.M.Thomas lssac and Richard W . Franke. Local &mocracy andDevelopmeni The People's Campaign for Uecentrolrzed Plnnnmg in Kernla (New Delhi, 2000), pp. 39-40.

most of those in need of i t . The TLC was a welcome departure from the literacy

programmes organized in lndia since independence

Formal Educatien

Any assessment of education in Kerala has to first take into account its

outstanding success in achieving near total literacy, universal enrolment of children

at the primary level, and the availability of educational institutions in the immediate

neighbourhood of most households in urban and rural areas. These achievements

have received acclaim in lndia and abroad so much so that parallels have been

drawn with the developed countries and with countries like chinaz4 Despite these

achievements, the deterioration of the quality of education in the state has emerged

a major source of concern. The reasons are many: inadequately trained teachers,

reluctance of teachers to use innovative pedagogical techniques, an unscientific

examination system, inadequate attention to after-school activities, the socio-

economic background of the students and the parent misconceptions about the

meaning of proper ed~cation. '~

During 1981, the KSSP constituted a group to investigate in detail the

problems of Kerala's educational system. The group produced its proposals in the

form of a document in 1982 The major issues raised in the document are that the

purpose of education is to develop the personality of the individual to the fullest

extent so thit (a) he/she should be able to discharge effectively and efficiently the

hnctions entrusted to h idher by the society and to contribute to the onward march

-- 24 KSSP: Repon of the Ker& Education Commission (Tlnmvananthapuram. 1999). p. 17. 25 Issac and Flpnke. n.23, p.68 ; M.P.Parameswaran, ''Reform of the General Education System: A Tentative Proposal" In Scfence ils Socral Activism, n. 16, p.29.

of the society and humanity, (h) helshe should be able to appreciate the cultural

heritage of hidher people and humanity as a whole and (c) he/ she should be able

to resist and defeat forces which come in the way of realization of the above two

objectives '' Another important activity in the formal education sphere was the conduct

of science talents tests: the Sastrakeralam Quiz was started in 1972, the Eureka

Science Talents Test in 1974 and the Sastragathi Talent Test in 1975. By 1991, all

these programmes were clubbed under a common banner 'Vigjanoltsav'. Its main

features are a 'festival of knowledge' as the very name implies in which thousands

of teachers and lakhs of audents participate, a day long activity in which written,

oral and practical tests were conducted in Language, Mathematics, Science and

General Knowledge etc The test of emotional and psychological aptitude of

students and training projects like toy-manufacturing also formed part of the

festival .17

One limitation of the activities within the school system is that its success to

a great extent depends upon the co-operation of the educational authorities and

school managements. Therefore, there has been a conscious attempt to organize

programmes for the school children outside the formal school structure. A nodal

point in this shift was the organization of the 'Eureka Balavedy' and 'Sastra

Keralam Clubs' during the period 1978-79. A KSSP style of organizing activities

26 KSSP: Vidyabhyasa ReLha (l'nvandrun~. 1983). (Page number not given in the original datum); M.P.Parameswaran, Kerab Sa.srrcr Sahiqa Parishad: A Movement for Mass Education mimeo (Trivan- I%), p. 16. " KSSP: 33d ABrmal Repon ( I'JYh), pp.28-34. (Annual Reports are printed in Malayalam and distributed to d&@tes at the anrnlal convention.)

for children where they are educated through h n and &olic began to evolve

slowly.2x The clubs organize a variety of continuous and regular local level

activities such as nature watching, crafts, hobbies, games, tree- planting, first-aid

classes and participation i n peace and science rallies." It is around these clubs that

the main activities of the KSSP for children have evolved - camps and puppetry

jathas for children. There are two types of camps - Balotsav Camps and study

camps. As the names implies the emphasis of the former type of camp is on

negating the boredom of the formal classrooms. In the study camps the focus is the

school cuniculum .itselfX"he KSSP has organized numerous state level and

regional camps for pre-primary teachers and a book, 'Education Before the Age of

Five' was published in 1984 '' Based on its varied experience the KSSP has prepared a 'Document on

Education' dealing with the system of education up to the secondary school level. It

remains the basic approach paper of the KSSP on education and the subject of

numerous seminars, discussions and lectures organised throughout the state. The

major issues raised in the document are already discussed in the beginning of the

discussion on education The Document attempted to develop a methodology for

curriculum development. I t has suggested a new structure, composition and

" C.G.Santh~ Kumar, Ku:unikalu,n Snstra hodhmrn @vial.) (Trissur, 1986). pp. 1-5. 29 Zhachariah and Soorymurthy . 11 15, p. 1 19. 30 KSSP: Souvenir of AU India Children's Festival (Trichw, 1987), p.8; KSSP: Sastrasahavasa Camp (l'n\a~~drwn. I9X7). (Page ti~miber, .~rc not ava~lablc 111 ihc on@ data) " C G Sanrlia Kumar. I 'i&ohn~rr\,r,,r I,,<-Iru l i r v n m u i l u ~ ~ ~ h u (Mal ) (Tnchur. 1'1X41. p I

examination system. In it the KSSP strongly advocated the use of mother-tongue as

the medium of insttuction '*

The KSSP views education as an arena of struggle. It can also be a tool for

social change.'3 The period towards the end of the 1970s witnessed very dangerous

trends and shifts in government policies in the educational sector in Kerala like the

efforts to promote the private sector, the spread of unaided elite private schools,

anti-secular language policy, and misdirected priorities in opening new universities

and colleges and encroachment into un~versity autonomy were part of such trends.

A united movement involving teachers, students and educationists had developed

against these policies and the KSSP was an active participant in such a

34 movement. The KSSP took the initiative in organizing the 'school protection

samities' of parents and teachers around schools in each locality. It also set up an

Education Enquiry Commission headed by C.Achutha Menon that toured the

districts to document the rampant comiption in the education field and to conduct

an educational institutional survey "

In the year 1981. the KSSP published a book titled Primav Science, with

the intention to overcome the defects and drawbacks of the science text books. In

1988 it published a handbook for teachers in Physics titled High School

H h o w f h i h Adhyapakn ~ahayi.'"n 1982, the KSSP activists in Vellanad in

. 32 KSSP, n.26, p.16: KSSP, 1 irfvobhyasam (Kochi. 19%), p.5. " KSSP: Amd Report 1983-'84 (1984). pp.49-50. 34 Issac and EkM, n.9, p.63. '.' KSSP: Vidyabhysa Charcha (Trivandnun. 1983); C.G.Santha Kumar, 'Vidyabhyasa Rangathe -ere SQlgatikkuka Vrivandnun, 1984); KSSP: Vidyabhysarangathe AsastriyathatPle Chen*kuka flrivandrum, 1983). 36 Kerala Sasn Sahitya Parishad n.22, pp.7-8.

Thiruvananthapuram Distrtct started an Akshara Vedi (alphabet forum) in the

primary schools to ensure that children would acquire minimum levels of

learning.'7 Three text books. Ak.~haravedi, Akshurapppuluri and Aksharalokam were

introduced towards the purpose of eradication of class room i l ~ i t e r a c ~ . ' ~ In the year

1996, the Government of Keraia initiated a programme to reform and revitalise the

curriculum of standards 1 to 4 The Government selected teachers from all over

Kerala to carryout the new policy and it was not surprising that a major part of the

teachers were those who had undergone the training programmes of the KSSP.

Preparation of Modules during 1992-93 to promote instructional activities

aimed at making teaching and learning easy. The lessons of Class I to Class IV

were re-drafted to make them more students --centred and environment-~riented.'~

In January 1987 the KSSP cooperated with the State Department of Education and

the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to promote

inservice training for teachers.

A decade of experimentation led the KSSP to the concept of Panchayat

school complexes. The school complexes had been a suggestion of the Indian

Educational Commission headed by Professor Kothari that had been discarded by

educational authorities. Its central strategy is to treat high school and its feeder

primary schools as a single complex and utilize the built-in infrastructure and

resources of the high school to raise the quality of the education in the primary

~ ~

" Babu and Johny, I~hoomakrrhukkalku Sw~zyatham (Trichur, 1986) 38 Kemla Sastra Sahitya Barishad n.22. p. I I 39 Ibid., p . 9 ~

schoolsJ" The KSSP revived and developed the idea; giving it a practical shape as

the 'Sivapuram Experiment' with the help of Kannur District Council in 1992-93

known, the school complex experiment has been designed with the intention to

improve the teaching-learning-evaluating process. Later a number of school

complexes have been developed in Madikkau in Kasaragode District and Kallisseri

in Kannur "

One of the development sectors in which the KSSP has been active not only

in evolving theoretical critiques and formulating alternatives but also in providing

practical experiments for reforms has been education. In a sense the KSSP may be

described as a movement for mass education It regularly alerts teachers, parents

and students on the inadequacies of the existing educational system. The KSSP

believes that the system of education could be charged only when the majority

starts questioning its relevance, structure and utility to the society.42

Report of the Kerala Education Commission

In N&ember 1995, the KSSP organized a 'Vidyabhyasa Jatha', which

toured the length and the breadth of the state highlighting the problems faced by

state in the sector of education. As a culmination of the Jatha, a Vidhabyasu

Janmabha (People's assembly on education) was held in Trissur on November 18,

1995. According to the consensus evolved during the lanasabha it was decided to

appoint a people's commission ,to go into the details of the various issues and to ,

KSSP: Keralathinle kidhyabhvusorrr: Kernin Sasrro Sohitya Parishathinte Nilapadukal (Kochi, 1988), p.26. 41 Kerala S a m Witya Parishad n.22, p.9: K S S P . keralathile l4dyabhyasam Pufhi.ya Noonandil (Kochi: 2001).

l n t e ~ e w with C.Ramakrishnan arui K.KJanardhanan. T h i i a n a n t h a p m , August 10,2001.

submit a comprehens~ve report The Kerala Education Commission thus came into

being. 'The (:ommission began to hnction formally from March 1996."

Ihring the mid - nineties, a major shift was taking place in the form and

content of the educational system of Kerala. The existing government control and

democratic norms in the educational system began to make way for large scale

commercialization and liberalization. A parallel network of commercially oriented

educational institutions began to thrive with the government support in both school

and higher education, posing a danger to the substance of general education itself

General education suffered from lack of facilities and fundings compounded by

consistently poor performance. The pathetic state of affairs in the common schools

became a stick to beat general education with, while espousing the cause for

commercial 'unaided' downtrodden sections who are adversely affected by this

shift in education It was also clear that any proposal for people's education has to

be preceded by detailed study and deliberations whlch .have to be undertaken by a

team with commitment and innovativeness."

The task given to the Commission was extremely complex, as the entire

education system from pre-school to higher education and research, and every type

of institution and agency, had to be brought under its purview. The Commission

presented its Preliminsry Report in February 1997 and Final Report in December

1998, the latter contaiaing 159 pages spread over 10 chapter^.^' It had succeeded in

'' KSSP, Annual Repon 1996, p. 1 7 Jd KSSP, Keleralothile l.'i4yabyo.sanz Pulhiya iV~mtlnnti1 (Kochi, 2(Xi 1) (~nal.), p.2; KSSP, Indion Vidyabhyasathinte Morunna Mukham (Kochi, 2001), pp. 1-3. 15 Ibid., pp.9-10.

setting forth a general perspective for the curricula to be adopted at different levels

and fields of education I'he details of the course of studies were let? to the

judgment of a committee of experts in each field. The Commission also

encountered problems in making recommendations on the restructuring of

educational management and financing in the state.

To quote Ashok Mitra, the Chairman of the Commission:

'lhe changes confronting the state in this area are complex and multidimensional,

and do not present a readymade solution within the ambit of existing state

leg~slation. The Commission found that it could state its position on what is

fcasible under the given circumstances; the articulation of what is desirable is a

much more dlffcult prop~sition.~~

The Commission, therefore, refrained from including a section on

'Recommendations' in its report. But very serious observations and suggestions

were made in the last chapter of the Report, titled, 'For a New Education System in

Kerala'

The Commission concluded that despite the highly creditable achievement

of the state in the sector of education, it is facing a serious crisis, in content,

organization and in management. The Commission has suggested a system of

people's education which combines equity with excellence. It is of the opinion that

the future of Kerala's education system lies in developing a model around the

common schools that cater to the majority of the students "Kerala seems to

promote two cultures in education, one for the affluent and the other for the poor.

The situation can be I-emedied only by improving the common school system."47

The other important conclusions of the Commission are: (i) The education system

has necessarily to be sensitive to the human power requirements essential for the

development of Kerala's economy and society (ii) It is the responsibility of the

state to strive towards the formulation of a curriculam that would meet the

aspirations of the people (iii) The Commission suggests a radical departure from

the existing practice of evaluation by adopting a continuous and comprehensive one

(iv) The role of the teacher needs to be reoriented to promote the learning process

in which the students and teachers creativelyparticipate (v) The Commission is of

the opinion that mother tongue is the ideal medium of instruction at all levels (vi)

The ideas of democracy, secularism, gender equity, work culture and social justice

are some of the universal values which deserve to be integrated in the curriculum

(vii) The Commission recommends the integration of knowledge and skills in the

school curriculum (viii) The responsibility of organizing and conducting the

education system is vestedwith the state, without prejudice to private initiatives

within the parameters of the overall structure (ix) The Commission underlines the

role of the state in financing education. The Commission is not averse to the

revision of fees. On the contrary, it recommends a hierarchical fee structure from

different classes in society and (x) The decentralization of educational management

is essential for promoting social participation.48

Educational Research Unit (ERU)

Educational Research Unit of the KSSP was started under the IRTC to take up

educational projects of different kinds. The aims and objectives of ERU can be

summarised as follows. 1 . To develop academic resources in policy making in the

field of education. 2. To conduct different kinds of studies and researches. 3.To

conduct training programmes in education. 4 To hnction as a lab for testing the

resources for academic interventions. 5. To conduct joint research programme in

callaboration with other research in~t i tu t ions .~~

Developing curriculum for school education is one of the major activities of

ERU The education sector of Kerala is facing a crisis since most of the goals.

generally visioned in education are not seen attained in Kerala and it is to be noted

that the present system does not take into consideration the developmental needs of

the state So the whole curriculum and syllabi of school education are to be

reoriented basically on developmental requirements of the state

To make the parents aware of the new curriculum and to ensure their

effective participation in the educational process, the ERU at Calicut has published

a book titled Otln~pidikkam (Let's make a combined effort). It is being widely

accepted by the parents 5' The Institute of Children's Literature and the ERU jointly

organized a 'Learn to Live Together Camp' at National level from 9th May 2000 to

48 Ibid., pp 139-143. 19 IRTC Amual Report 2000-2001. p.53 50 lbid., p.51 '' Ibid.

13th May 2000.'~ A series of seminars on 'Education in Kerala' were conducted in

the year 2000 under the auspices of 'Centre of Social Science and Environment

Studies'(CSES), lnstitute of Social Sciences and UNICEF. A number of KSSP

activists participated in these seminar and presented papers based on their

experiences as well as on suggestions of the Education om mission.^^

Many of the local bodies who are taking up educational projects have

accepted the ERU as a consulting agency in planning and implementing their

projects. especially in academic matters.54 As an inquiry for developing tools which

will help the learning process, the ERU conducted a learning aid workshop in May

21-24. 2001 at IRTc.~'

KSSP is of the view that the present pre-school system is unscientific and

unorganized. The teachers are ill-equipped with modem trends in early childhood

care and education Taking these facts into consideration, a project was taken up on

pre-school education io make the pre-school education more scientific and child-

fXendly and to prepare the modules containing child-friendly activities and learning

strategies 19 orientation programmes for teachers and Ayahs (250 participants) and

10 for parents (1 500 parents) were conducted. 'Sisusangamam' (Children's get-

together) was conducted as a part of this programme at different centres in Anad.

Vithura, Vellanad, Karakulam panchayats and they had been widely accepted by

teachers and parents 56

-- - ~~ -~ .-..

52 %id. 53 Ibid., p.55 54 IRTC Annt~al Repon 2001 -L002. p.73 55 Ibid.. p.74. 56 IRTC, n.5 3. p.56: [RTC. n 5'). p.78.

A project aimed at studying the depth and breadth of learning problems and

learning dificulties in children and at making teachers and parents aware of the

importance of psychological approach towards children facing learning problems

was undertaken by the ERU" The project on Let's Learn English was a unique

programme for developing confidence and competence among teachers and

student^.'^ A further project for critically analysing the wntent of School Text

Books and for exposing the gender and other biases was also ~ n d e r t a k e n . ~ ~

The Health Sector

For the last three decades the KSSP has been actively campaigning for

people-oriented approaches to health. Led by a dedicated band of doctors, health

workers and activists, the organization has conducted village level classes and

discussions on common health problems and scientific and cost effective

solutions.60 The KSSP shares with many other health activist groups in India, a

strong critique of the health delivery systems in the w ~ n t r y . ~ ' The patronage given

to western medicine by the governments gradually destroyed the local system of

medicine and thus further deprived the common man of any kind of health care.62

The content of the medical education has little relevance to the health needs of the

majority of the people. Preventive aspects of medical care and community medicine

~ . 57 Ibid., n53, p.54 ; n.59. p.79 5sIbid.,n.53,p.58;n.59.p.80. 591bid., n.53, p.60; n.59. p.81. 60KSSP, n.21, p.13. 61 KSSP, Aroghya Hekha (Trivandnm 1983 ), pp.8-9. 62 B.Ekbal "Townrds a People's Health Movement" in Science As SocialActivism, n. 16,

pp.14042; KSSP, A a r o ~ a ~ n (Ihiruvananthapuram. 1996), pp.7-9.

are not given priority The drug industry is largely controlled by the multinational

companies "' The KSSP holds that this state of affairs can change only through intervention

of the people at various levels of the health delivery system. To quote lssac &

Ekbal:

Health is the hndan~cntal r~ght of the people. It is the duty of the state to create the

necessary conditions for the attainment of the health for all in the country The role

of medical profession in improving the health status of the people is only secondary.

Tk primary factor is the soclo-cconomic conditions of the people.M

The KSSP has been engaged in a dialogue both within the organization

as well as with other concerned voluntary organizations, health professionals and

general public on an appropnate approach and strategy for improving the health

status of the people. The main elements of such an approach are restated in 'Health

and Development in Rural Kerala', are the following: (i) that the trend in

comrnoditization of health needs to be countered by stressing that it should be a

partof people's culture (ii) that health care should not be-allowed to become an

exclusively or largely curative-oriented one with its bias for urban areas, skill,

capital and energy-intensive nature and hence priced out of the reach of the poor

(iii) that, following from (ii) social and preventive aspects of health care should be

given as much emphasis, if not more, as curative aspects both in health care

infrastructure and health education (iv) that, as a first step towards a scientific

integration of various health systems, there should be a healthy dialogue among

63 Issac and Ekbal, n 9, pp.6647. Ibid., pp.67-68.

various practitioners of health sclences (v) that people should be encouraged to

actively involve themselves and participate in matters of policy pertaining to health

(vi) that, since India has the capacity to produce all the essential drugs, there is no

need for multinational con~panies to operate in this sector although they now have

three-fourths of the forn~ulat ions.~~

Based on the above premises, the KSSP has been carrying out an

ideological and practical struggle for the creation of a People's Health Movement

in the country With this purpose, it has been organizing health camps, health

education classes, people's theatre forms and audiovisual campaigns and field

studies on an extensive scale 66 The health classes of 1977 were the starting point in

KSSP's campaign in this field. Ever since it has been regularly organizing health

education classes on the topics like disease prevention, nutrition, immunization,

first aid, oral rehydration therapy etc. Ln 1985 it organized one thousand classes on

People's Health. A book on Jamkcya A r o y a m (People's Health) was published

as part of this campaign."' The KSSP has taken a lead to form 'Hospital Protection

Samities' in many parts of Kerala. The Samities are people's vigilance committees

to improve the health care facilities of the government hospitals.68

On the basis of its experiences and activities in the sector of health, the

KSSP framed its health document in 1983 It remains the subject of numerous

-~

65 K.P.Kannan, K.R.Tbnkappan. V.Ramankutty and K.P.Ara& "Health and Development in Rural Kerala" ~rivandrum, 2000). p.i-ii. " B.Ekbal, "FigbImg fora People's Drug Policy - KSSP Experience" in B.Ekbal(ed.), A Decade Afrer Hathi (,'ommiltee (19M1), p.217. 6' KSSP, n.22, pp.17-18.

Ibid

seminars, discussions and lectures organized throughout the states9 he Aarogya

Rekha identifies the basic components of the health delivery system as health

education, nutritious food, safe drinking water, sanitary facilities, preventive

measures, curbing the spread of epidemics etc.1°

KSSP felt that exposing and fighting the anti-people and exploitative tactics

of the drug companies should play a major role in the campaign for people's health

policy for the country The KSSP started its campaign for a People's Drug Policy

from the World Health Day, April 7, 1984. With one and a half intense campaign

of eleven years it could make the drug issue a subject of public debate and make

people aware of the unethical marketing practices of drug companies. It was also

able to identify and organize a number of doctors and medical students who are

socially conscious and are ready to wage a fight for People's Drug ~ o l i c ~ . " The

major demands of the campaign include greater production and wider distribution

of essential drugs, banning of non-essential 'and dangerous drugs, and

nationalization of drug's industry and implementation of Hathi Committee

~ e ~ o r t . ' ~

Apart from lectures and seminars a number of articles on the various

aspects of the drug issue were published both in KSSP journals and in other

- -~

69 bid., p. 18 KSSP, n ( 6 . p.9.

" B.Ekbal in Ekbal (ed.). n.66. p.248. " KSSP. n.22. p.19.

popular magazines two books were published-NIrtdhIcha hl~~n~nnukal,

hrIrodh~kerz& Marnnmkal, Avasyu .Marrrr,nukal and 1jnig lnji,rma/ion f'a~ke1.~'

The Hathi Committee report on people's drug policy has been kept in the

dark room for a decade after its submission. To its credit, the KSSP, was able to

publish the same in English as well as ~ a l a ~ a l a m . ' ~

The health survey in 1987 was intended to provide a comprehensive base

line data on health status in rural Kerala. Apart from this, the survey was designed

in such a way as to provide information which would be used for formulating an

appropriate policy on health. A detailed questionnaire was drawn up in consultation

with experts in both socioeconomic and health sectors. From the very beginning, it

was felt that the coverage of the population should be as wide as possible This was

because the KSSP had a s local units in most of the Panchayats in the state.7s The

KSSP health study of 1987 published as 'Health and Development in Rural Kerala'

and follow up the study of 1996, helped to define the morbidity rate and its

relationship to socio-economic variables.

It was recognized from the very beginning that it would be highly useful to

examine the health status on the basis of socio economic status (SES) of the

population. The findings of the study of 1987 revealed that the rate of morbidity

decreases with ~ncreasing socio-economic status. The rate of morbidity for the poor

was 40 percent b h e r than the rate for the better off 76 The study revealed that the

73 B.Ekbal, Nirodhicka iMantnnuka1, Niridhikenda Marunnukal. Avayva Mmnnukal (Trivandmn~, 198t), p. 10; B.Ekbal, Drug /nformation Packet flrichur, 1986). p.8. '' KSSP. n.22, p.20. 75Cannanet.al., (ed.), n.71, pp.17-19. 76 KSSP: Keralafhinte.4aropa Sthithr: Ow I'alnnanr (Kozhikode, 1991), pp. 13-14,

high rate of morbidity in Kerala is a manifestation of its continued economic

backwardness and the poverty of the masses. Several issues relating to policy

emerge here To the extent that the poverty-induced diseases dominate the pattern

of illness. interventions both in the health sector as well as non-health sectors

would be required Interventions in the health care sector may have to focus on the

preventive aspects of health care especially in the area of safe drinking water and

provision of sanitary facilities. While efforts to subsidize and propagate low cost

sanitary facilities should intensify, it would be important to keep in mind the need

for economic upliftment of the poorer households. It points to the need for a broad

based economic development strategy. Within the context of Kerala, the immediate

focus should be on increasing the employment opportunities of the poor

househo~ds .~~

Over the last three decades, the KSSP has been actively engaged in

organizing debate on the relevance of the existing health care system and in giving

shape to what may be called a people's health movement. The KSSP introduced the

subject and initiated a discussion on an alternative approach to the present curative

oriented, highly professionalized and institutionalized health delivery system. It felt

that nothing short of a people's health movement can save the common man from

the clutches of the present health delivery system which is highly exploitative in

character ''

7 7 KSSP, .J~mokre.varogyam (Ernakulam, 2000), pp.62-63. 78 Interview with Padnukumar and R a W s h n a n , Vazhoor, 17 September, 2003; Dr.VRaman Kutty, Keralee.varude Aaropam (Mal.) (Kozhikode, 1993). pp.50-53

Panchayat Resource Mapping Programme (PRMP)

One of the major barriers to decentralized planning in Kerala was that the

local bodies had cery little power to plan or execute any development programme.

But it was also realized that even when they were granted real power, decentralized

planning continue to be a mirage for various reasons. An integrated area plan for a

panchayat would require firstly a fairly comprehensive data base of the land, water

and human resources anti the status of their present utilization. Panchayat Level

Resource Mapprng Programme (PLRMP) or Peoples Resource Mapping

Programme (PRMP) or Participatory Resource Mapping was an innovative

experiment of the KSSP addressing the above social issues. The programme

involved generation of a fairly comprehensive database on land and water resources

and the pattern of their u~ilization in map format. The cadastral maps where plot

wise data are entered can easily be comprehended by villagers and the spatial

relations really recognized. More importantly, through ensuring. active

participation of people i n the data collection and preparation of maps, the

programme was a campaign for mass conscientisation of local resources and their

utilization. A core goup of activists - the local expertise - emerged out of the

campaign.7" To quote Olle Tornquist, "Yet the purpose of the campaign in Kerala

was not just to create maps; it was also to ensure that people would be able to use

them! 'The mapping of resources , it was hoped , woula promote local

-. ~

79 KSSP: .Decenualised Paniclpat~ry Development Planning" (199 1) (Reporl), p.6.

consciousness of existir~g resources, and discussion about how these could be put to

better usenXu

The objectives (.\t'the programme were to introduce a sustainable land use

and water utilization pattern conformable with terrain characteristics and to

increase productivity through such a pattern and to facilitate economic development

based 011 local resources and labour

The concept of an ~ntegrated programme to transfer scientific knowledge

about natural resources to the grass root level with people's participation as an

essential component was first crystallized during the course of a series of

discussions between M t> Parameswaran and Subrata Sinha 82 The KSSP's own

experience in preparinx resource inventory of Vazhayoor village was also an

experience. This attemp1 lo prepare a village action plan was a continuation of the

long drawn out struggle against Chaliyar river pollution. In 1989, A.P. Chandran, a

local primary school teacher and his associates had prepared a water resource map

for the village which had aroused much curiosity and drawn the attention of many

KSSP activists. Within KSSP turned to Centre for Earth Science Studies that was

well known for the Resource Atlas of Kerala prepared by its scientists for

facilitating a scientific resource mapping 83

~ .- ---

so Olle Tornqui* "lhe New i'opular Polittcs of Development: Kerala'sxperience" in Govindan '

Parayil (ed), R ~ I O I ~ ~ h r f)evel<~pmenr Exprr~ence Reflections on Sustainobiliry andRep1icnbilir)i (London, 2000), p. 121 81 Panchuyal leuel R~rsourcc !,lapping :In .:lpproach Pnper, A Model for Micro Level Resource Survey with People's Partiapation. Centre for Earth Science Studies. Integrated Rural Technology Centre, Kerala State Land Us Boar4 Depmment of Science and Teclmology. Science. Tecllnology and Environment Committee and State Planning Board (1991), p.2. 82 Ibid. foreword by Subrata Sinha. Direelor. CESS. 83 KSSP, 11.86, p.8

The KSSP saw in the I'RMP an ideal post literacy activity. The PRMP was

conceived and developed to build on the Total Literacy Campaign tapping the

energy of thousands of activists mobilized during the TLC to create a database for

every village. A special session and lecture was devoted to the above theme in the

28'h Annual Conference of KSSP held at Cochin University of Science and

Technology in February 1901 It gave the call to move from 'Alphabet Literacy' to

'Development Literacy' X4 In place of the common questionnaire survey the PRMP

attempted to gather information on the land, water and vegetation from each plot of

land in the villages Village revenue maps were used for this. Maps are more user-

fiiendly than questionna~re and give an immediate visual display of the relevant

information in a way ordinary people can under~tand.~' A pilot exercise was

undertaken in Ulloor Panchayat

The Resource Survey had the following salient components (a) scientific

terrain evaluation - land form, surface material, geology and geohydrology - by

earth scientists; (b) mapping of existing land use and assets by trained local

volunteers (c) preparation of action plan for Panchayat level development (d)

computerizing information and maps by digitization 86

While preparations were being made to actually cany out the Panchayat

Level Resource Mapping in the mass participatory mode, Department of Science

and Technology, Government of India expressed interest in the programme and

84 Ibid., pp.8-9. 85 Issac and Franke, n.23, p.41 86 IRTC: "Report of The Programme for P;llflcipatov and Sustainable Panchayat Level Development Pianning",Phase-I. 1996-98 (Mundur, 1!298), p.8.

funded a voluntary agency for the exercise Consequently the KSSP was sanctioned

a project for c a v i n g out the PRM programme in 15 panchayats, 5 from each of the

three geographical regions of Kerala Later, the project was revised to cover 25

panchayats and to be canied out as a formal collaborative project of the CESS and

the KSSP. '~

The PRMP was in~plemented with varying degrees of success in the 25 pilot

panchayats. The maps were prepared; a comprehensive database for sustainable

development was generated But the degree of popular participation and the

consciousness-raising etTects vaned widely among the panchayats. Before the

programme was completed, the United Democratic Front (UDF) government that

came to power in 1991 took a hostile attitude towards KSSP's participation. The

new UDF government approved a programme for state wide resource mapping with

CESS as the main agency.'1x

Kalliasseri (Kannur District) was one of the 25 panchayats selected for the

project and the first one to be taken up for the mapping exercise. In Kalliasseri, a

major component was added to the programme-Socio Economic Survey of

households. A number of detailed investigations were carried out such as Demand

Survey for Vegetables and Eggs, Educational Instilutional Survey and Survey and

Mapping of Drainage Channels in the ~ a n c h a ~ a t . ' ~ The significance of the PRMP

at Kalliasseri was that it had beer1 possible to move from the stage of data

- - -- -- - - - - " KSSP n 86, pp 9-10 '"sac and ~ranke, n 23, pp 7 1-72 '' KSSP. n 86, pp 9-10

collection and interpretation to the stage of formulation of a comprehensive village

plan.

Campaign for Decentralized Planning

Planning has been generally accepted as the total responsibility of the

government As a result, aver the years the people for whom the entire planning is

done hardly invole in the whole process. As such centrally planned programmes are

often imposed at micro-level without prior and meaningful dialogue with the

targeted beneficiaries of various schemes. There has been a large scale alienation of

people from planning and developmental process 90

Decentralization can contribute to improvements in the efficiency of

implementation, particularly if the development process is made participatory and

transparent. This helps prevent misuse of resources and allows for better

monitoring of programmes. Participation can also help in tapping dormant local

resources in the form of monetary donations, material donations, material

contributions and vohntary labour. in labour-surplus communities with disguised

unemployment, community participation can mobilize significant contributions of

human resources to create social and physical infrastr~cture.~' Democratic

decentralization can further help mobilize what some theorists call social capital.

There exists a vast arena of interpersonal relations or small group and community

networks where order is maintained without recourse to state legislation, on the

90 Panchayar Level Resource Mapping, n.88. p.7; KSSP. Keralathinte Vikasanam: Chila Chinrhokal (Kochi, 19Y5), p.4. 91 Issac and Fraoke, n.23, p.5; KSSP, Janadhipath.varhinie Bhmd (Kochi, ZWl), p. 1.

basis of trust and norm governed behaviour 'I2 These informal norms. mutual trust

and interpersonal networks can significantly reduce the transaction costs of

collective action and economic exchange and, when appropriately linked to state

interventions, can generate significant synergies ' I 3 Such social capital is viewed as

an important asset in development

Decentralization of the state apparatus is essential for transforming the

existing state institutions into empowered deliberative bodies. To Issac and Franke,

"Empowered Deliberative Democracy should produce superior outcomes to

traditional 'Representative-Techno- Bureaucracy in promoting equity, improving

the quality of citizenship and producing better outcomes of state action".94

Devekvpment has been viewed as eeedom. Not only is freedom the end of

development process but its means as well Democratic decentralization implies

that people can be involved not merely in making demands but in taking decision

on how to lmprove their lives and their communi t i e~ .~~

There have always been well articulated demand from below for

decentralization and many groups attempted to experiment with participatory

planning. The KSSP is one of these many grass root level movements. By mid-

seventies the perspective of the KSSP on decentralization crystallised into concrete

activities. The first was the attempt to start village science for a (Grama Sastra

- -~ ~ ----

92 R0ben.C Ellickson Order Without L a w . [ ~ O W :Lefghhours Sellle Dispufes (Cambridge, 1991);

Bi 7. Peter Evans (ed.), StatuSocieiy Svner .~. (;overnntmi and Social Capital in Development (Berkely. 1997). p.7. 94 Issac and Franke, n.23, p.5. '' Jean Dreze and Amarty. Sen, Shmparh~ka 1lka.ranmum Snn~oohikavasaravum (Md.). ( T h i r u v a n a n t l ~ . 2080), pp. (2.16.

Samithis) in every village. The first Grama Sastra Samithi started hnctioning in

Kooveri (Kannur) in I'~7.l."' The concept of Rural Science Forum evolved from an

understanding that bulk of the science and technology lies, not in the pages of

books, but in the living hands of the working people engaged in the production of

wealth. The Fora, consisting of locally available teachers, technicians, experts and

other knowledgeable people who are more favourably inclined towards the poor.

Their aim was to develop what Gramsci referred to as 'organic intellectuals'. Three

major areas of work were conceived; (1) Rural Surveys; (2) Education of the

People; (3) Welfare-oriented constructive work.97

The model by-laws of the KSSP Science Fora state the following as

objectives . ( I ) to carry out construction activities useful for the village as a whole

(2) to conduct discussion, seminars and classes on topics of common interest (3) to

organize studies on apculture and agrarian relations (4) to conduct studies within

villages on industry, labour, raw materials, capital potential and so on; (5) to

conduct surveys on unemployement and human resources; (6) to organize

programmes related to health care dilevery; (7) to oversee activities related to

education and educational institutions; (8) to campaign against illiteracy and

ignorance. 98

-~ ~-

xi R.V.G.Meno* "Ianakeeyasootranam: Parishathinteyurn, IRTC yudeyurn Pankku" %stragathi (September 2(HH)), p.3 1 9' M.P.Parameswaran, .'What Does the Kerala Model Signify? Towiuds a Possible Fourth World", in Govindan Parayil (ed.), Kerala: The Development Fxperience Reflecr~ons on Sustainability and Replicabilify (Londoq 2OOQ), p.242 " bid.

Towards equipping the Rural Science Fora and the KSSP to cany on the

above programme, KSSP prepared and published a book on Kemlathrtrte Sampathu

(Wealth of Kerala) In .July 1976 with the help of experts fron State Planning Board

and Centre for Development Studies (CDS) This was a milestone in the

development literature of Kerala '"n it KSSP came out with a comprehensive

framework for the development of the state In the agricultural sector it pointed out

the necessity of unifying agricultural operations, while the ownership remains

fragmented. The book also argued for an industrial policy suitable to Kerala. It had

delineated policy outlines for energy development, education, health, transport etc.

Many of the suggestions put forward were vigorously opposed by conventional

planners, but were accepted and incorporated into the mainstream concepts in due

IW course.

The experience of preparing the 'Wealth of Kerala' as well as sectoral

studies on agriculture, land and water management, education, etc brought forward

the necessity of en inst~tution to workout alternative development strategies, the

IRTC being the realization of this dream In 1980, the KSSP came out with a

special issue of its monthly journal 'Grama Sastram' (Rural Science) devoted to the

development of Kerala, The editorial of the issue said:

The basic unit of development planning has to be the panchayats. The new

panchayat bodies assumed office with much aspiration. But they are thoroughly

disillusioned. Even for pretty things they are dependent on the bureaucracy. Nice

phrases like decentralization, grass-root level planning, people's control, etc, are

99R.V.G.Maw,n,n.103,p.32 '" ITRC. n.93, p.5

bctnx trampled upon at the altars of specch mak~ng Th~s shall not be so They

havo to become real KSSP should sparc no efforts for th~s ""

In the year 1984, the KSSP puhhshed a document on 'Gramavikasanum'

(Village l>evelopment). It was a critique of the development and decentralization

practised i n India The document emphasized the need to transfer power into the

hands of the people and p a n ~ h a y a t s . ' ~ ~

In the year 1988 the KSSP brought out a study tltled 'Keralathinte Ettam

Padhathi-Charchakalkkorarnukham' This was a major document, more

comprehensive than the 'Wealth of Kerala'. It contained a critical analysis of the

planning process in India and the economic problems of Kerala and the possibilities

and limitations of State level planning and also detailed discussions on agriculture,

irrigation, forests, fisheries, animal husbandry, energy, transport, traditional

industries, modem industries, housing, education, and health. The work concludes

with a chapter on village level planning and people's participation. lo3

Some of the civil soclety experiments preceded the people's campaign in

Kerala were - the Total Literacy Campaign, the People's Resource Mapping

Programme and the Programmes for installing Smokeless Chulhas, all came to be

known as 'The New Democratic Initiatives', - initiated and launched by the

KSSP '04 All these programmes are mentioned elsewhere in this thesis KSSP had

also published a number of books and mimeos to initiate the launching of the

'"I Grams Vikasanacharcha'. Gramosnslrarn No.40. May 1980 in R.V.G.Menon, n.103, p.32. "' [bid., p.33. L l , , KSSP, Keralathjnte Enam Padhathr--€harchakalWtoramukham (Trivandrum, 19881, pp. 211-62. 104 issac and Frankc, n.23, p.39; Issac. Franke and Parameswaran, "From Anti-Feudalism to Sustainable Development, The Kerala hople's Science Movement' Bullettin of ConcernedAsian Scho/nrs 29/3) (1997), pp.40-44.

people's campaign programme. Some of them were (1) 'Adhikaram Janangalkku'

(Power to the People), (2) Panchayati Raj: Karnataka and West Bengal, (3)

Panchayathukalum Adhikara Vikendreekaranavum (Panchayats and

Decentralization) (5) Panchayat~ Raj Sidhantavum Prayogavum (Theory and

Practice) (6 ) Aasootranam Keralathil (Planning in Kerala) and (7) Keralathinte

Vikasana Pariprekshyam (Development Perspective of Kerala) ' 0 5

The Panchayat Level Development Planning Project (PLDP) was the result

of two years of close interaction between the KSSP on the one side and the Centre

for Development Studies on the other, especially the group associated with the

Indo-Dutch collaboration Project called Kerala Research Programme on Local

Level Development. The draft project outline was prepared in July 1995 and was

presented in a State Level Seminar, in October 1995 The project was formally

approved in April 1996 It was aimed at empowering the people with knowledge

and organization, so that they can ask for devolution. of resources as well as

administrative powers. The KSSP considers participative and decentralized

democracy in which small is not only beautiful but also powerful, in which local

economies are strong and self-sufficient, and hnction as a higher form of social

organization than the capitalist society.

Through the first phase of the project, a system had been developed for data

gathering and processing with maximum people's participation and local initiatives.

The major outcome of the project was the emergence of new micro level

institutions like Registered Panchayat Development Societies (PDS), Ward

Development Committees (WDC') and Neighbourhood Groups (NHG) for every 25

to 50 households to strengthen the democratic process with more people's

participation I""

The major thrust of the second phase was in formulating the model of

sustainable mlcro level spatial planning, ie, long tern development perspective and

to develop a strategy for introducing these models in all the Local Self

Governments In Kerala

By making use of the rnicro-level institution it was possible to begin hrther

studies on water-resource management, Soil conservation, Health, Education and

Women. All these activities culminated in the publication of the following hand

books: 1- Panchayat Vikasan Sahai (Panchayat Development) 2-Dwitheiya Vivara

Sekharana Sahai (Secondary Data Collection) 3-Mannu-Jala Management

(Land/Soil-Water Management) 4-Krishi Vikasana Sameepanam (Agricultural

Development Approach) :j- Health 6- drinking Water, 7 Education, 8-Parisara

Suchithvam (Environmental Sanitation) 9- Local History writing.'''

It was the publication of these hand books and other activities that led the

KSSP to take up the People's campaign for the IX plan, when it was formally

launched by the State Planning Board in 1996.It was evident from the very outset

that success in organizing the entire activities of the campaign would depend on

having a team of experts and leaders. It was here we,could see the greatest

106 IRTC, n.93 pp.7-8. 107 R.V.G.Menon, n.103. p.34

contribution of the KSSP, in the form of providing expertise, leadership and

volunteers

The five phases of the Campaign were: (1) Grama Sabhas for identifying

local needs (2) Development Seminars to decide what is to be done (3) Task forces

for preparing the projects (4) Elected Bodies to formulate and finalize the local

plans (5) Seminars to formulate plans for Block and District Panchayats. A three-

tier training programme was drawn up - state level training for Key Resource

Persons (KRP), district level training for District Resource Persons (DRP) and

Panchayat/Municipal training for the Local Resource Persons (LRP). The KRPs

and DRPs were the master trainers for the level below them and were also worked

as support staff Among the KRPs, most were selected directly by the State

Planning Board (SPB) fiom among former Total Literacy Campaign and KSSP

activists '08

The Panchayati Raj Act did not originally'mention about Neighbourhood

Groups, but only about Grama Sabha as the micro-level institution for ensuring

participatory planning. Since the number voters in a panchayat ward range from

1000-2000, there could be no possibility for effective participation and discussion,

and the need for further micro-units was badly felt. Here we can see the greatest

contribution the KSSP in developing the micro-level institution namely, NHGs,

each consisting of 40-50 households. In all .the panchayats where NHGs had been

Issac and Franke. n.23, p.66

formed, studies have shown that the grarna sabhas had not only better attendance

(especially of wornen), but also meaninghi participation^ I O Y

From the days of the Rural Science Fora, KSSP conceived of the idea of

giving shape to a group of voluntary technical group in each village. All these

people should rlot be skilled people or technocrats but dedicated people having

more access to science and technology. Through the PLDP, the KSSP was able to

identify, senerate and develop such people in the form of TSG (Technical Support

Group) and later VTC (Voluntary Technical Corps) In the IX plan campaign they

provided their services in various working groups and many of them were later

elevated to the BLECs (Block Level Expert Committees), which was authorised to

scrutinise and sanction the projects of the Grama Panchayats. We can also discern

the earlier form of Community Development Societies of the PLDP.

A perusal of the activities of the R T C reveals that, it has greatly

contributed towards the campaign for the IX plan in the fofms. of research and

development activities, technology adaptation, technology support, consultancy,

training etc The PLDP itself was an action research project of the IRTC From the

very beginning of the Campaign, the KSSP extended the service of the IRTC. The

facilities of the IRTC and experiences in participatory planning were shared

with "O

For the KSSP, the plan campaign was a venue for integrating the

developmental activities in different sectors like agriculture, health, education,

lVi R.V.G.Menon "Janakeeyasootr-m: Panshathinte Panku - n" SosIragathi. October 2000, p.37. , l o Ibid.. p.38

energy and environment. The mission before the KSSP was to empower people and

build mental and intellectual capacity among local leadership to take up and

grapple with the new challenges of decentralized development it succeeded in,

nurturing and providing a vanguard of committed and devoted volunteers on a

large-scale, even in remote villages. In this unprecedented and unexperienced, new

venture the KSSP has been able to develop certain micro-level institutions through

its own experiments and experiences. In this training and consultancy required

programme, the KSSP could provide a group of intellectuals who could touch upon

the soul of people's planning and generate thrill and enthusiasm among the

activists. The KSSP could put forward some concrete project proposals in the

technological expertise required sectors of education, health, energy and

decentralized planning."'

The responses and activit~es of the KSSP in the formal and nonformal

education, health and decentralized planning reveal that all these are evolving out

of the pressing social and economic needs of the society One of the participatory

sectors in which the KSSP has been active not only in evolving theoretical critiques

and formulating alternatives but also practically involved in experiments for reform

has been education. It regularly alerts teachers, parents and students on the

inadequacies of the present education system. The KSSP believes that education

system could be changed only when the majority starts questioning its relevance,

structure and utility to the society Through its experience in communication and

sharing of knowledge with people, it has learned and relearned immensely and has

111 Intenriew with Chandra Mohan Changanacheny, 19 September. 2003

acquired a broad understanding of the important elements in a nom-formal

education programme.

Over the last two decades, people's health has been another major area of

intervention by the KSSP It has been very strongly questioning the relevance of

the present day health delivery system which is curative oriented, individualized,

institutionalized and costly and catering to the needs of wealthy people only. It has

been striv~ng to evolve a perspective on people's health with the aim of initiating a

People's Health Movement. The KSSP holds that the present state affairs can be

changed only through the intervention of people at various levels of health delivery

system It believes that health care is the fundamental right of the citizen. It has

drawn the anention of the state to the relationship between the health status and the

socio-economic status of the people

In 1989 the Government of Kerala organized the campaign to establish full

literacy throughout Kerala. The campaign was run first as a pilot progamme in

Ernakulam District The KSSP provided a major share of the cadre for the

campaign. For this it garnered appreciable international recognition when ,

UNESCO awarded KSSP its 1990 literacy award. Later the campaign in Ernakulam

was taken as a model for a state wide campaign.

KSSP believes that decentralization is essential for transforming the

censralized state institutions into empowered deliberate bodies. It should produce

superior outcomes in promoting equity, improving the quality of citizenship and

producing better outcomes of state actions.

By mid-seventies. the KSSP has been involved in building up models for

sustainable and equitable development, campaigning for decentralized democracy

and local level planning. The first was the attempt to start 'Grama Sastra Sarnithies'

(Rural Science fora) to conduct rural social and economic surveys, to educate

people and to carry out construction activities. To equip the science fora, to carry

on its activities KSSP published Wealth of Kerala in 1975. In the year 1984, it

published Grama Vikasanum. In the year 1988 the KSSP brought out a major

document Kerala S Eighth Five Year Plan--An Introduction 60 Discussion. It was a

critical analysis of the planning process in India with a special reference to Kerala.

In 1989 KSSP formulated a project on Panchayat Resource Mapping. It was hoped

to promote local consciousness about existing resources and discussion about how

these could be put to better use. The PLDP project was aimed at empowering the

people with knowledge and organization so that they can ask for devolution of

resources as well as administrative powers: Through its own experiences and

experiments, the KSSP has been able to develop certain micro level institutions to

strengthen the democratic process at the grass root level like Neighbourhood

groups, Ward Samitks, Panchayat Development Societies and Technical Support

Groups. Finally the KSSP extended all kinds of support and service to the IX Plan

campaign. It provided a vanguard of committed volunteers in large numbers to

cany out campaign activities in variow spheres.