Evaluation education in India: The need for institutional and instructional shifts to foster youth participation

By Pooja Pandey

Manager, Capacity Building, Sambodhi Research and Communications

Across the world, evaluation has continued to make its mark not just as a critical tool for assessments but also as a recognized academic discipline evolved from being a tool into a well-recognized academic discipline. Higher education institutes across the globe, particularly in geographies like North America, Europe and Australia, are actively offering dedicated programmes in evaluation studies. These courses are generally offered as a Diploma or a Master’s Programme, demonstrating a diverse array of academic, pedagogical and curricular approaches. 

In India, while we witness a widespread use of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) as an external tool across the development sector, it is rarely conceptualized or treated as a distinct academic discipline. Currently in India, M&E is ordinarily offered as certificate courses, or online courses, or training programmes/workshops. These are either offered by governmental institutions in India such as the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office-Niti Ayog, National Labour Institute, etc. or by non-governmental organizations such Sambodhi, Azim Premji University etc. but continue to be provisional or non-systematic. The absence of structured academic or capacity building pathways often compartmentalize evaluation to be used and practiced by specialized researchers or consultants, who may or may not be academically trained in the domain. Crucially, what is seen to be missing is limited conceptualizing and policy push to view evaluative thinking as a skill and a lucrative academic path which could be pursued by young people in India.

Teaching evaluation to harness the energy of youth

Evaluations amass the ability to ask critical questions, analyze complex information and make informed decisions. Adopting an academic and in-depth perspective on the field may further facilitate a nuanced understanding of evaluation theories, practices and methodologies.

Currently, India is the world's youngest nation with nearly 52 percent of its population below the age of 30 years. We are, however, also rapidly nearing the stage where this ‘demographic dividend’ may begin to continue to drop down. To adequately harness this energy of youth, we would require not just jobs and work opportunities but also an educational system that promotes critical inquiry and reflection. 

The higher education system in India is especially known to focus on grades, outcomes, placements and merits, often deprioritizing critical expected outcomes like life skills, social skills, problem solving and community connectedness. In such a case, evaluation promises to be a domain of knowledge that transcends beyond technical knowledge and provides skills that empower young people to think critically, operate independently, participate meaningfully and lead responsibly. When youth begin to take interest in evaluations, they begin to learn to observe policies and programmes and engage closely with the direct beneficiaries. While learning to evaluate, they are not just acquiring robust research techniques but are also becoming active citizens and contributors. They learn how to interpret evidence, question underlying assumptions, structure their thinking and offer solutions - traits which are also critical to the functioning of a vibrant democracy. 

Need for an institutional shift: From periphery to the center

The National Education Policy 2020 reiterates the importance of critical thinking, interdisciplinary approaches and experience driven learning. These principles directly resonate with evaluation education - yet neither the National Education Policy nor any other policy in India recognize evaluation as a distinct subject or discipline of academic interest. A well-informed institutional push can therefore be critical to bring evaluation to the center.

Several examples exist across the globe as useful references. Dedicated policies on evaluation often provide an institutional push for adoption. For instance, South Africa has pioneered the National Evaluation Policy Framework, Sri Lanka also boasts a standalone National Evaluation Policy - promoting a systemic uptake of evaluation. Apart from policies and academic programmes, many countries have also developed instructive models on evaluation. For example, in the United States, the American Evaluation Association (AEA) works closely with universities to develop academic curriculum. Countries like Canada have embedded evaluation courses across other programmes like development and education, substantiated by professional certifications. 

India could draw useful reference from these different policies and systems and promote the creation of institutions and programmes that foreground the study of evaluation. In its existing form, and with the larger objective of cultivating evaluative thinking and outlook, the Indian education system stands to benefit immensely from institutionalizing evaluation as both an academic discipline and a professional practice. 

Need for an instructional shift: Teaching evaluation differently

The way evaluation is introduced and taught to students matters a lot. Owing to the nature of the domain, an excessive focus on just theories and frameworks would de-prioritize the spirit of evaluative critical thinking and practice. The pedagogy of evaluation should embody participation, reflection and adaptation. 

Some practical ways to imbibe this could be by encouraging students to work on active evaluation projects with governments or non-governmental organizations, partake in case competitions (such as World Evaluation Case Competition) or get associated with youth-based networks such as EvalYouth - where they are given the opportunity to apply evaluative frameworks in real time. Even within classrooms, focusing on approaches like case-based learning, peer learning and collaborative inquiry may nudge students to design their own evaluation studies, gather holistic feedback and find solutions to improve the programme/interventions. This may also be complemented by integrating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies, further nurturing 21^st century skills and best practices. Notably, such youth-led evaluation projects and participation may build confidence, increase youth agency and ensure that learning is rooted in real-world impact.

Moving towards a culture of evaluation

In conclusion, teaching evaluation in India is not about producing a cavalry of specialists in the field. Instead, it is about fostering a culture of critical thinking, reflection, accountability amongst the youth. With a strong institutional and instructional push and meaningful youth participation, India may soon be an active contributor of the global momentum in evaluation education. To reiterate, if evaluation becomes a part of how India’s young people think and learn, it could also strengthen the spirit of citizenship and participation. In a world that is changing so rapidly, this longer remains a choice but a necessity.

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Pooja Pandey works with the Capacity Building vertical at Sambodhi and is a part-time PhD scholar at National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA), New Delhi. Her work focuses on education, evaluation, state capacity, and policy engagement. She has previously contributed to national and international initiatives on capacity development, policy support, independent research, and evaluations. Connect with Pooja on LinkedIn and X.

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