Institutional
Visits at XISS- An Experience
It has been two
months already in XISS, and honestly, it passed in a blink of an eye. I call it
a roller coaster ride, with the lyrical classes with regular drum beats of
assignments followed by the tunes of Urban field work (UFW)! Well, apart from
these, there were occasional institutional visits (IVs), two to be precise,
which ensured our excitement level doesn’t lessen and the hunger of learning
never gets satiated. Here, I would narrate my experience of the the IVs.
Just having
knowledge based on lectures has a very limited scope pertaining to the skills
acquired. For one, students will always begin their career as a novice who has
zero experience in this sector. Two, they will no longer be in a learning
environment, which means that the new work process could be unpleasant and
unsatisfactory. Therefore, at least to prepare a student for the rigors of a
working environment, it is important to get them acclimatized to the real
world. In the current scenario, the education system in our country has become
complacent. Complacent with regard to keep up with the fast-pacing needs of
this generation. And therefore, corners have been chopped off to fit the
situation. So has the mindset of the system which advocates the idea that
students will eventually learn things during their career. Although, this idea
holds to a certain extent but yet one cannot ignore the importance of practical
exposure, in any field of study. Here comes the role of IVs, designed by the
XISS for enhancing the learning aspect of the Rural Management students. By
testing the text knowledge with the context that is acquired in the field
area and to stimulate thinking, it gives an opportunity to get a picture of how
things work at an institutional set up. It helps in extensive grassroots
connect and developing understanding of the intricacies behind the modus
operandi of different institutions is itself an unique experience.
The institutes
connect to various institutes, NGOs, SHGs and also the reach of the
faculty to various district level governmental bodies added the cherry on the
cake. It was knowledge enriching and a great learning experience throughout. My
first experience was at the Arouse foundation, Gumla, an NGO that began as an
outreach program in 1978. During the interactive session with the Director, Fr.
Anuranjan Purty S.J., Rector Fr. Christopher Lakra S.J and the Project
Officer, Srijan Kishore, I understood the complexities and challenges faced by
an NGO in context to the financial and political affairs. The
institution closely works with a village, Salyatoi, for encouraging organic
mode of farming technique. My group was then taken to that village, where we
were given an opportunity to communicate with the villagers. What struck me the
most was the anecdote shared by Bandha Pradhan, who was the Gram Vikas Samitee
Adhyaksh of Salyatoi. The villagers had no proper occupation due lack of land
for irrigation during early eighty’s. They conceived a plan for changing the
river’s stream in another direction such that they get sufficient land for
agricultural usage and thereby to make a living. These families took the risk
of contributing a sum of ₹ 2000/family and
bought a JCB machine. That year their money and efforts, both went in vain. Next
year, they began afresh and succeeded. Today the village is a proud
producer of rice, potatoes and a number of vegetables under the “Machan Kheti”
technique. Inputs like teaching and encouraging the villagers to adopt newer
techniques such as the System of rice intensification (SRI) is provided by the
Arouse Foundation. Adoption of organic farming by the villagers is another goal
for which the institution is working for.
The next visit was
to Khunti, where the group was taken to Asha Kiran Shelter home, which works
for rehabilitation of rescued tribal girls from the flesh trade, through formal
education and vocational skill development. Their objective as they state is to
“turn their scars into stars”. There was Naxal infiltration inside the shelter
home post inception in 2009, yet the pillars of the institution stand upright
and also they are about to begin with their endeavor of opening up a health
center. The very same day we visited “Torpa Rural Development Society for Women”,
an SHG which works for livelihood of women. They are involved in Lac
cultivation and processing. They have had an award winning
initiative of preparing and marketing a health drink which earned a profit
of 2.5 lakhs in a period of three to four months.
In a scurry, we
also paid a visit to the District Office of Khunti, where we interacted with
the DC, Dr. Manish Ranjan, who gave us a chance to peep into their work milieu.
The structured offices and the way they connect to various other districts of
the state was shown and explained by the staff there. This, I believe was again
an add on to the classroom understanding of the developmental
organizations.
The two visits, no
wonder, helped in indulging in a better way with what we study. And also, what
adds to the skillset is the individual report that each student
provides after imbibing the whole day’s learning, which is all about
synthesizing the entire experience into one coherent whole.
I always believed
that connecting to the practicality of matters always wins over innumerable
classroom sessions. It should be a concomitant process to make it more
stirring, exactly like thousands of self-study materials on how to
drive cannot be useful unless one gets on the vehicle and tries to ride
it, along with the learning.
Group
of twenty-five students along with the Project Officer of Arouse Foundation,
Mr.Srijan Kishore,an XISS alumnus, few other XISS alumni and Asst.Prof.
Niranjan Sahoo at Gumla.
At
District office of Khunti with
the District CommissionerDr.
Manish Ranjan and other officials.
Students at Asha Kiran Shelter
Home,Khunti.
At “Torpa Rural Development
Society for Women”
with Daphne Sequeira, Sister & Directress of the organisation.
Courtesy: Ms. G Geeta Kumari
Department of Rural Management (2017-2019)
