Learning Equity

The village of Balandur in Northern India exemplifies the complex local dynamics that often impact the overall effectiveness of development projects. ¹ Within Balandur, different groups of villagers, defined by caste or gender, face radically different opportunities for economic and social mobility. Disadvantage in one dimension is reinforced by disadvantage in others, and they combine to perpetuate stark inequalities over generations. Unsurprisingly, disparities in education are wide, but have declined over the years due to a few successful government interventions. In the late 1950s, about 20% of men and only 1% of women were literate. But by 2011, 81% of men were literate, along with 41% of women. ² Education has increasing value in Balandur, as the villagers have learned that it enhances the likelihood of finding a more modern job outside the village. However, most villagers still believe that educating girls is less important than boys, since adult women are expected to be immersed in child rearing and domestic work. In addition, many upper-caste villagers believe that education is not important or even suitable for the lower castes. The Balandur village assembly (panchayat) is a governing body that reflects the villagers’ inclination to enforce these more traditional views and power structures. In 1984, the panchayat decreed that at least one woman must serve as a member, but in reality the designated woman was rarely consulted and seldom attended any meetings. All decisions are still made by a village leader who comes from one of the privileged, upper-caste groups. Between the late 1950s and early 2000s, numerous government-funded programs were introduced to the village: a public works road-building program, free public schooling, and basic health care. However, many of the projects failed to get off the ground and only programs that enjoyed strong backing from the politically advantaged members of the village were allowed to thrive, once again reinforcing existing inequalities.