Publications & Resources
Our faculty, students and researchers work together everyday to contribute to a better world by grappling with urgent problems we are facing in India. We conduct rigorous work to produce high quality learning resources and publications to contribute to public discourse and social change. Here, we feature a sample from our work for everyone to access. You can explore featured resources, policies, and the latest publications from the University.
To explore all the work of our University, please visit our publications repository.
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Bacterial Pathogenicity of the Human Skin: The Case of Staphylococcus aureus and its Multiple Attack Strategies
in Resonance Journal of Science Education
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The skin microbiome is mainly comprised of commensal and mutualistic bacteria. Some commensal species can behave as pathogens under the right circumstances, and one of the most common examples of this is Staphylococcus aureus. This bacterium can damage multiple parts and systems of the human body, both directly and indirectly. The factors responsible for the pathogenesis of S. aureus are discussed in this article, along with its particular role in the skin disorder atopic dermatitis, shedding light on how bacteria can use complex strategies to survive in a host.
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Construction of a Tunnel through a Mountain- a broad theme for the power of mathematics to help you solve daily life problems.
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At Right Angles, pen, paper and armchair – what more do you need for these rainy days? The November 2021 issue will keep you absorbed for days. Keep reading!
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Beyond Four Walls — Contain a mathematician in a room and you can be sure that some thinking on quadrilaterals will happen! Our second issue during the pandemic has much to keep you absorbed and happily engaged with problems- of the mathematical kind. From age digit reversals to an algorithm for evacuating a room — there is material for every age group. We begin with the all important question: Why Should You Study Mathematics? And we also carry a review of the Classes I‑III Sikkim Mathematics Textbooks, the development of which our URC-PDP played such a key role in. Do revert with your feedback on AtRiA.editor@apu.edu.in
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AtRiA, November 2019 focuses on journeys ‑some are enjoyable, some tiresome, some endless. A mathematician’s journey is full of unexpected delight, simply because of unexpected detours, sudden discoveries and interesting alternatives. Have fun as you travel with us. Read all about the young Yatris and their journey of discovery in Features. This section also describes more abstract journeys from the Regular Pentagon to the Icosahedron and the Dodecahedron (Part 2) and from the familiar 2 and 3 dimensions to n dimensions in Extension of the Pythagorean Theorem. In ClassRoom, Simple Cryptography and Triangles with Integer Sides are articles sparked off by previous articles in AtRiA . An Unusual Proof of the Centroid Theorem, Modified Pascal Triangle and Orthocentre of a Triangle may motivate you to write similarly! You will find ideas in our regular columns – How to Prove It, Low Flow High Ceiling and TechSpace which features the simulation of a dice game this time. Our issue is short of 100% without the PullOut, enjoy the learning trajectory on Percentages, defined and illustrated with plenty of examples in this issue. How Craig Barton Wishes he’d Taught Maths is an excellent review by Sir Timothy William Gowers, reprinted from his Weblog.
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University Working Paper Series
Political and programmatic decentralization in India’s health sector : insights from Karnataka
in Azim Premji University
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While India has made progress in achieving important health sector goals, there is still a long way to go. The Government of India has adopted decentralization or devolution with the objective of promoting greater equity and supporting people-centred, responsive health systems. We report on a study that problematizes the idea of strengthening health sector governance through decentralization and that explores the intersection of the political goal of enhanced local-level autonomy and the programmatic goal of more responsive health service delivery. The study examines the extent to which both political and programmatic decentralization are functional at the village level; looks at the design and objectives of decentralization at the village level; and considers whether sustained and supportive capacity building can create the necessary conditions for more genuine de facto decentralization and empowerment of village-level functionaries. Our methodology included semi-structured interviews with village-level functionaries in two districts of Karnataka, based on which we designed an Action Research to strengthen coordination and synergy between the functionaries responsible for political and programmatic decentralization. We found that both political and programmatic decentralization at the village level are at risk due to a lack of convergence between the political and programmatic arms of the government. This is substantially due to problems inherent in the design of the decentralization mechanism at the district level and below. Sustained capacity building can contribute to the more effective application of decentralization mechanisms, but systemic issues regarding the decentralization mechanisms need to be addressed alongside. We were also able to identify some spaces where coordination between village-level functionaries is possible, and the steps that need to be taken to build on this potential.
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This article analyses relationships between the implementation of state-level industrial policies in India and manufacturing sector economic performance (employment and gross value added), utilising data from the Annual Survey of Industries conducted by the Government of India. I employ panel data fixed-effects regression models to evaluate the associations between the industrial policy and state-industry specific performance over the 2007-08 to 2014 – 15 period, incorporating potential effects of the state government’s political alignment, infrastructure provision and educational expenditure in the state. The results provide evidence of a positive correlation between industrial policy implementation and firm output and employment, by around 12.6 — 14 per cent. However, subsequent introductions of an industrial policy are negatively associated with employment and are uncorrelated with industrial GVA. This analysis has implications for economic policy in light of the Central Government’s plans to implement a revised industrial policy at the national scale.
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- Raavi Aggarwal
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To contribute to the critical matter of India creating just and sustainable employment, the University has set up the Centre for Sustainable Employment (CSE), which conducts and supports research in areas of work, labour, and employment. The University is attempting to provide empirically grounded, analytical reflections on the state of work and workers in India, as well as to evaluate and propose policies that aim to create sustainable jobs. To this end the University also gives grants to create new knowledge in the above areas. It also hosts a working paper series to which contributions are invited from researchers, policy-makers, civil society actors, and journalists. The University’s CSE website is an important part of this agenda. In addition to research papers and policy briefs, it hosts government reports, as well as data and statistics on the Indian labour market. This also includes executive summary of the report.
State of Working India 2019 consists of labour market trends between 2016 and 2018, and four policy papers around the theme of employment generation.
Media Coverage and Press Release
Download Chapters
- What do Household Surveys Reveal about Employment in India since 2016?
- Strengthening Towns through Sustainable Employment: A Job Guarantee Programme for Urban India
- Using Fiscal Policy to Alleviate the Job Crisis
- Creating Good Jobs Through A Universal Basic Services Programme
- How to Revive Indian Manufacturing? On the Need for Industrial Policy
Release event: Presentation and panel discussion
State of Working India 2019 Release Event Part One — YouTube
State of Working India 2019 Release Event Part Two — YouTube
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Volume 7 Issue 3: The November issue has beaten the nay-sayers at their own game with articles that celebrate the joy of doing mathematics through games, stories, applications of mathematics and activities on line and in the classroom.
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Volume 6 Issue 3: The word ‘heuristics’ has always left me fumbling for the perfect definition. Rule of thumb seems adequate but too informal, as a teacher trainer, I’ve always preferred to illustrate rather than define this word. And the first article in the November issue does just that- Gaurav Bhatnagar, leads you gently into the Exponential Series- a heuristic definition! The relaxed tone continues with V. G. Tikekar setting the stage to arrive at formulae which are usually given and proved using mathematical induction. He, on the other hand, uses the narrative mode to set the context which explains and then proves the sum of squares and sum of cubes formulae. From story we move to song, V. Ramprashanth’s article Tonic Ambiguity is a delightful depart from our usual articles and it explains very simply, using just the concepts of ratios, how two hearers can place the same tones at different positions on the musical scale. CoMaC and then Shailesh Shirali, wrap up the Features section with a bouquet of proofs.
ClassRoom opens with Prithwijit De’s trademark investigative style – the title simply says A Triangle Problem – read on to find out more. Student Corner is our happy space and this time, we have Vinay Nair’s students talking about Happy Numbers and Bodhideep Joardar Investigating Pi. Next, we have Naveen Yadav combining Set Theory, Geometry and Combinatorics in Scalene Triples and Ujjwal Rane follows up on his previous article on Fagnano’s Theorem with a very visual, very practical alternative proof. A video of this result has also been uploaded by him on YouTube, it is available at https://youtu.be/5MrNM-VxXd8. Low Floor High Ceiling features a modification of an investigation into triangles having the same area and perimeter and conditions for congruency. Learn about G numbers in Hara Gopal’s article. We’re particularly delighted to bring in yet another new sub-section to ClassRoom – Course Correction features vignettes from pedagogical experience, ways in which pitfalls leading to misconceptions can be addressed and used to advantage to strengthen student understanding. This time, we feature the solution of a problem from a traditionally ambivalent topic- Combinatorics.
On to TechSpace, we have not one but two articles this time. Thomas Lingefjard describes the use of technology to introduce concepts in Calculus and Sangeeta Gulati describes changes in the Desmos software and how it can now be used to build activity kits. Problem Corner is a treasure trove of interesting problems in addition to the usual Middle School, Senior School and Adventures in Problem Solving articles.
Review features an old classic – R. Ramanujam takes us through a lovely guided tour of Hardy’s A Mathematician’s Apology. And there is an unexpected bonanza, with this issue, we will feature a mini- review, it may be of a video clip, a game, a story…………..all things mathematical in essence. This time, J. Shashidhar talks about Marcus du Sautoy’s Story of Mathematics. Read the facing page to know more about this fascinating mathematician.
Pullout has graduated to Upper Primary – with this issue, we bring you a compendium of information about teaching Integers- surely the point when students begin to have negative thoughts about mathematics. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading how to combat those tendrils of fear.
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University Working Paper Series
NSSO surveys along India’s periphery : data quality and its implications
in Azim Premji University
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Sample surveys conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) are the most widely used sources of household level information about consumption, employment, and other socio-economic indicators in India. The representativeness of samples, the wide range of topics surveyed, and the availability of a long-time series are some of the reasons for the appeal of NSSO data for research and policy. This paper assesses the quality of the NSSO data for Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir, which lie in India’s politically restive ethno-geographical periphery. It argues that the NSSO data for these states during 1973 – 2014 lack representativeness and inter-temporal comparability due to faulty sampling frames, frame and sample non-coverage, and biased samples. It quantifies the impact of data quality on statistics of interest to policy-makers. The paper shows that the estimates of monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) are sensitive to non-coverage and argues that the incidence of poverty is underestimated because NSSO surveys failed to capture the complete distribution of consumption expenditure due to non-coverage. In Nagaland, the degree of non-coverage was so high that in most years between 1993 – 94 and 2011-12 the state’s poverty headcount ratio was the lowest in the country despite the possible overestimation of its poverty line. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the use of non-representative survey data. Put together, the unreliability of government statistics in Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland highlights systemic problems that have wider implications for our understanding of the relationship between state, statistics, and policy-making.
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University Working Paper Series
An intervention into the debates on ‘work-in-education’ and skill development in India
in Azim Premji University
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The paper analyses the debates surrounding ‘work’ as part, or as an outcome, of school education in India and argues that these have not reckoned adequately the socioeconomic reality of the corresponding times. The outcome of education depends on ideas and resources shaping its provisioning, and the use by the people. Colonial rulers provided a liberal schooling which did not aim at ‘schooling for all’ or imparting skills as part of schooling. Such an education was attractive to those children who were not working in agriculture or artisanal occupations for their livelihood or who belonged to a ‘rentier’ class. The lower opportunity cost of time for these children and the probability of getting a job in the colonial administration enabled this small section of society to opt for such a liberal schooling. It is in this context that Gandhi wanted to use work (or agricultural and artisanal skills) as a pedagogical tool for education. However, the majority of children who were bound to do such work then did not view formal schooling, which aimed at imparting these ‘skills’, attractive.
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Volume 4 Issue 3: Two themes dominate this issue of AtRiA: Archimedes & Magic Squares — an unlikely combination! Both are exceedingly rich topics to write about, with histories that go far back in time. Who can’t be both charmed and thrilled by the story of Archimedes?
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Explore ‘Inter-disciplinary Science’ with 5 articles that connect knowledge, methods, & perspectives from across the natural sciences. Trace the exciting history of familiar science concepts in ‘Serendipity’ & ‘Annals of History’. Enjoy reading about the quirky & brilliant J.B.S Haldane in ‘Biography of a Scientist’. Re-discover the wonders of the world within us (Macrophages) & in outer space (Mars Orbiter Mission) in our section ‘In here/Out there’. Prepare to be surprised by the colourful life of the humble fly in the section on ‘Nature in your Backyard’. Check out our ‘Science Online’ section for a step-by-step introduction to an open access software tool for understanding Time. Also enjoy our pull-out posters on ‘Experiments with Water’ & ‘Ten things you didn’t know about – Blood’!
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In this issue of the Learning Curve, Jean Dreze talks about the beneficial aspects of the Mid-day Meal Scheme and the Spastics Society of Karnataka elaborates on the accommodations and modifications required to integrate children with special needs into mainstream schools.
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In this issue of the Learning Curve, teacher absence in India, one of the Education system’s most insistent problems, is discussed and observations from Chinese Mathematics Classrooms are documented for their potential to serve as lessons for India.
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The first issue of Learning Curve introduces the reader to the Foundation’s Accelerated Learning Program, the Learning Guarantee Program and the Computer Assisted Learning Centres.
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