Heterogeneity and Dynamism in Indian Classrooms

Abstract

In 2016, the Delhi Government issued a circular detailing the provisions of Chunauti 2018. This was issued in the light of the implementation of the policy of ‘No Detention’ in elementary classes, under the Right to Education Act 2009. The resulting division of classes into groups, on the basis of performance in the earlier achievement tests, has broken up students into groups, reducing heterogeneity in the classroom. It is presumed that this would lead to better learning, as teachers would be able to focus better on a homogeneous setting. It is in this light that the chapter explores the notion of dynamism, within the context of heterogeneity in the Indian classroom. The chapter begins with a discussion on some of the provisions of two educational policies implemented in Delhi. These, namely, the Right to Education Act, 2009, and Chunauti 2018, exert significant influence on contemporary classrooms in secondary schools in Delhi. The focus is on understanding the implications of the two on processes and practices that characterize the heterogeneous classroom settings. Research studies on pedagogy have been supplemented with a discussion on the nature of heterogeneity in Indian classrooms. The chapter further explores the ways in which heterogeneity interfaces with classroom spaces that aid in developing a dynamic teaching–learning context. Four popular literary sources have been relied on for exploring dynamic contexts in classroom settings. In discussing policy provisions, the focus is on exploring the inferences that can be drawn for heterogeneous classrooms. This is also supplemented with insights drawn from school contexts. While much of the chapter rests upon the analysis of literature and policy perspectives, it also relies on anecdotal observations in the field undertaken over the course of one academic session. Field observations in schools undertaken as a teacher educator have been used not as evidences but as anecdotes that help in developing a nuanced understanding of practices, challenges, and issues in classrooms and schools. The final section presents the insights drawn through a synthesis of ideas discussed through the chapter.