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Female Political Representation and Economic Development in India: An Empirical Analysis
Recent years have seen an enhanced focus on women's roles in politics, with research increasingly showing that having a more significant gender representation in decision-making roles can significantly impact economic growth. This chapter delves into how women's political involvement, economic advancement, and gender equality have evolved in India over twenty years from 2000 to 2020, using a time series analysis. The study uses vector autoregression (VAR) analysis to examine how political representation of female, participation rate of labour force (LFPR), and health investment affect the Gender Development Index (GDI). The model diagnostics successfully demonstrated stationarity, non-serial correlation, and the lack of homoscedasticity. The analysis highlights that Female LFPR and GDI are positively related, whereas health expenditure and GDI are negative. Female labour market participation improves GDI, whereas females consistently receive less healthcare expenditure than males, leading to a negative relationship between health expenditure and GDI. Importantly, it is observed that labour market participation has a more substantial effect on GDI than political representation or health investments. This shows that greater female labour force participation is more critical in gender equality than increased political representation or healthcare spending. Highlighting the necessity for policies tailored to women, the chapter argues that these measures are critical for enhancing LFPR and boosting GDI and societal progress. The chapter contributes to the gender discourses in political participation and the empowerment of female, proposing a strategy to improve women's contribution to the labour market, leading higher GDI and, as a result, a more equitable society. 2026 selection and editorial matter, Hebatallah Adam and Abul Hasnat Monjurul Kabir; individual chapters, the contributors. All rights reserved. -
Performing Arts Teaching Pedagogies and Models Evolved During COVID-19
As academicians and teachers at global institutions were scrambling to handle challenges in the wake of COVID-19, online tools such as Zoom, Webex, and Teams along with course management systems like Moodle and Blackboard were adept in meeting the effective synchronous and asynchronous teaching-learning processes in schools in different parts of the world. Meanwhile, the performing arts discipline coped with the situation through some innovative performance projects and pedagogies. This chapter explores those innovative and hybrid pedagogies introduced and experimented by different professors at the Department of Performing Arts, Music and Theatre at Christ University and related institutions in Bangalore, India. Several faculty members are interviewed to find out the innovative pedagogies and strategies they have designed and implemented, along with their plans to use those pedagogic models in the post-pandemic scenario. These new insights and models would contribute to the body of knowledge, especially to teaching-learning processes in the performing arts discipline. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individuals, the contributors. -
Risk and Resilience in Human Emergencies: Pedagogical Directions from a Psychosocial and Neuropsychological Paradigm
This chapter will furnish an introductory sketch of theoretical perspectives and current empirical findings on risk and resilience in human emergencies. While risk is an inherent part of human emergencies, resilience, the ability of individuals and systems to maintain functioning levels post adversity and adapt is equally important. The goal will be to collate conceptual framework and evidence to provide evidence-informed practices and directions for pedagogy. We will review a wide range of theoretical expositions and focus them on the level to explore how risk and resilience influence and are influenced by the socio-political, environmental, and psychological experiences of learners. Practical examples and best practice recommendations for pedagogy and andragogy to reduce risk and develop resilience at the individual and collective levels will be discussed. We will propose a model to include psychological science in pedagogical experiences to improve conceptualisation, experience, analysis, and application of the teaching and learning process to cope with human emergencies. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individuals, the contributors. -
Education and Human Emergencies Conundrum
This chapter aims to make sublime the phenomenological research design to bring out the essence of human teaching during emergencies. The approach identifies distinguishing attributes through subjective comprehension, experiences, and beliefs of teaching when the routine is disrupted through emergencies, disasters, and conflicts. It is intended to increase the comprehension of subjective attitudes, beliefs, and experiences while working in emergencies. It also looks at participant engagement in teaching and learning and identifying distinctive patterns or factors emerging from these convergent or divergent thought processes or experiences during emergencies. The chapter summarises the findings of this study and hopes to throw light on how to stabilise, structure, and teach values, skills, tolerance, and disaster risk reduction during disrupting emergencies. This chapter delves into the realm of phenomenological research to explore the essence of human teaching amidst emergencies. By summarising the studys findings, the chapter aims to offer insights into how to effectively navigate and adapt teaching practices to stabilise, structure, and impart values, skills, tolerance, and disaster risk reduction during disruptive emergencies. It contributes to a deeper understanding of teaching in crisis situations, ultimately informing strategies for educational resilience and response. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individuals, the contributors. -
Promoting Emotional Well-being and Mental Health through Student Mentorship During Human Emergencies
The aim of this chapter is to elucidate the factors that are important in maintaining emotional well-being and promoting mental health through student mentorship in higher education in times of a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted academic institutions to go online prompting a profound change in the pedagogical experience of students and their mentors. It has been a challenge to adapt to this new normal for many, and the socially distant lifestyle has procured novel shortcomings. The lack of focus on awareness of mental health and well-being among academic mentors has been proven to be detrimental to the students. The mental health and well-being of mentors are also a matter of concern in the present situation. Spreading awareness about emotional well-being, imparting the knowledge of positive psychology, and psychoeducation of mental health issues among students will facilitate better coping. Motivating mentors to enhance communication and arrange for outreach programmes can be beneficial to their students. The chapter focuses on these pressing needs in the path of pedagogical experience and aims to help mentors, in turn, help themselves and their students by promoting better mental health. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individuals, the contributors. -
Influence of Psychosocial Factors on Online Learning During Humanitarian Emergencies
This chapter attempts to understand the influence of psychosocial factors on online learning during humanitarian emergencies. In recent times, online pedagogy has proved to be the need of the hour during humanitarian emergencies for undisrupted human learning of all ages. However, the role of psychosocial factors in learning is not explored in depth. This chapter explores the influence of uncertainty and change, the role of technological efficacy, motivation, and learning, the importance of cognitive factors and learning environment, and the effect of socialisation on learning. It also highlights the differences in the pedagogical experiences in online technology-based learning from ones natural setting from the institutionalised framework of face-to-face traditional formats of learning. The present chapters findings will help to comprehend the differences between the two formats and incorporate the flexible use of traditional and online formats in mainstream education. The understanding and insights gained from this will further make the transition from traditional to online more effective and efficient now and in the future. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individuals, the contributors. -
Education Should Be a Guide to Promote Peace in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, ethnic-religious tensions exist between Sinhala, Tamils, and Muslims. As a result, several root causes and their consequences are connected to the war in Sri Lanka. These root causes may be distinguished by ethnicity, language, religion, degree of education, and other factors such as jobs and land. In relation to this, the first religious confrontation broke out in 1915 between the Sinhala and Muslim populations. The Sinhala only Bills, maintaining the importance of language and nationality in Sri Lankan politics since 1956, consequently led to mistrust among the Sinhala, Tamils, and Muslims who suffered from the civil war until 2009. Understanding the various consequences faced by the people of Sri Lanka caused by war, peace education may be the most essential strategy for rebuilding goodwill and concord in Sri Lanka. Through peace education, people may develop trust and respect for other faiths and their practices. People should be able to develop their talents and capacities beginning from their youth by including peace education in the school curriculum. Teachers are the most suited stakeholders in the long term to deliver peace education to children to enhance their attitudes, abilities, and behaviours that promote harmony. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individuals, the contributors. -
Introduction
This book Education and Pedagogical Experiences: Coping with Human Emergencies and Exploring Resilience Strategies is an array of chapters contributed by a panel of experts that explains different human emergencies and the role of education and pedagogy in addressing these crises. The contributions illustrate how educational practices during emergencies have evolved, persisted, and impacted communities globally. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individuals, the contributors. -
Challenges and Solutions in Implementing NEP 2020 in Engineering Education
The implementation of educational best practices in the current scenario of demand for progressive, futuristic education with employable skills expected from formal education, especially engineering is examined here. The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) introduced by the Ministry of Human Resource Development Government of India intended to align education with the changing employment landscape with demand for skill sets, and the conducive global ecosystem for emergence of startups and entrepreneurship, thus imparting the essence of lifelong learning. The NEP 2020 aims to employ more learning with increased practice through real-time problem skills with critical thinking, creative thinking capability and interdisciplinary approach to adapt to the ever-evolving technological development. The paper provides a broad overview on how an Institution has evolved innovative practices in curriculum that ticks most checkboxes of progressive engineering education and delves into a model for embodying the underlying policy ideas of NEP 2020 too, in the realm of undergraduate engineering programmes. The intertwining of the initiatives taken by the progressive introduction of the model in an engineering Institution incidentally serves to meet the aspirational objectives of NEP 2020. Further, the thrust areas at the progressive Institution over years are seen to blend synergistically with many thrust areas propounded in NEP 2020. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas, Joseph Chacko Chennattuserry and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individual chapters, the contributors. -
The Changing Trends in International Education in India: A review
The demand for international exposure and education is skyrocketing in India, mainly due to demographic changes, growth in IT, media exposure, broadening of career prospects, global opportunities, cultural exposure, adaptability, and the need for problem-solving skills in multicultural, global industries. Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are also responsible for providing an opportunity to equip students to be successful in complex, global work settings through integrating international perspectives in education. The paper aims to study and understand the trends among the inbound and outbound students in Indian HEIs in the past few decades. The pandemic has affected both kinds. Above all, the new National Education Policy (NEP 2020) focuses on the attainment of global standards for Indian HEIs and attempts to attract more inbound international students to Indian HEIs. The chapter explores the internationalisation trends India has experienced and will also share the prospective trends in higher education's internationalisation in India based on the new National Education Policy 2020. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas, Joseph Chacko Chennattuserry and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Meta-Teaching on Leveraging the Metaverse for Definitive Efficiency in Learning in Higher Education
One of the most intriguing results of the technology revolution over the past ten years has been virtual reality (VR). This experience is set to be enhanced by the metaverse, the next major technological revolution of our time. The metaverse delivers a fully immersive 3D digital experience that blends virtual and real worlds. The idea is interpreted as the future of the internet, it will allow users to interact with one another in a 3D virtual environment, through gaming or collaborating on projects. In the education sector, metaverse will play a vital role in overcoming learning limitations. Activities that occur in remote locations in the real world can now take place virtually. With VR, students are fully immersed in a simulated environment, free from distractions which enhances the student's ability to learn. Scientific studies show that VR improves spatial memory and cognition. Visual learning can boost student's understanding of more complicated subjects, concepts and languages by allowing them to learn from a first-person perspective and observe everything happening around them. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas, Joseph Chacko Chennattuserry and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Imparting Life Skills Through Psychoeducation Among 1st-year University Students to Cope Better with Campus Culture
Psycho-education is an interactive, skill-based programme for all first-year undergraduate students. It serves as a platform for visibility and helps facilitate changes in their preconceived notions about counselling and to end the stigma attached to mental health. Psycho-education sessions are a way to build a comfortable space in a new environment. The main objective is to empower students to handle new phases of life, create awareness of life skills and discuss youth-relevant topics such as managing time, coping with stress, relationships, self-esteem, body image, resilience and addictions. The current probe is designed to assess the awareness of life skills among first-year undergraduate students imparted through Psycho-education sessions to cope better with university life. Modules are designed in such a way that life skills are imparted in a supportive environment. Participatory methods were used. The data analysis showed an improvement in adjusting well to campus culture. The interventions after that led to a surge in the number of students approaching the counsellors for personal counselling. Additional research needs to be undertaken on life skills in higher education, which is apparent from the fact that most universities have no counsellors, and less importance is given to the student's well-being and mental health. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas, Joseph Chacko Chennattuserry and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Skill Enhancement is an Essential Aspect of the Emerging Curriculum to Resolve the Talent Crunch and Foster Entrepreneurship Among Young Graduates
Human capital management is one of the most important aspects of the booming economies in the current scenario. However, a problem faced over the last decade is the lack of skilful employees required by the industries in the changing market trends. The World is rapidly progressing with innovation and technological advancements from time to time. Our young graduates need to gear up and gain momentum to match the ever-changing needs of the new business models. The biggest challenge in many countries is recruiting skilful resources, resulting in a recent Talent crunch and another important problem is a shortage of entrepreneurs. When these issues are discussed, it is very important to bridge the gap and make the path to success clear by transforming human capital into skilful capital, which could be achieved by redesigning the curriculum and tailoring it to integrate academic knowledge with industry interface. This paper is an attempt to highlight the importance of Curriculum design in improving the skills for employability and entrepreneurship among students to bridge the gap between the industry, job seekers and the role of educational institutions in building an individual's employability and growth, as they are the prime sources of skills and knowledge. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas, Joseph Chacko Chennattuserry and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Introduction
Beginning The Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in 2013, a significant development in higher education, in addition to several other initiatives such as the introduction of the New Methodology by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), the New Education Policy (NEP2020) and technological challenges of the COVID pandemic in the current times, Indian higher education has been undergoing a profound transformation, especially intending to revamp, through policy changes, upgrading and enhancing quality, ranking, research, bridging the skill gap, technological innovations and global perspectives. There is an urgent need to understand the evolving dynamics and emerging perspectives that appear to challenge the higher education system in India. The conference intends to draw attention to those key stakeholders in the present context to realise the anticipated drive towards overhauling the higher education system in India. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kennedy Andrew Thomas, Joseph Chacko Chennattuserry and Joseph Varghese Kureethara; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Cybersecurity Implications for Digital Competence
This chapter explores the critical role of cybersecurity in enhancing digital competence within agile and hierarchical organisational structures. It provides a theoretical framework connecting digital skills, technology, and cybersecurity, emphasising their collective importance in modern business environments. The chapter examines how agile organisations prioritise adaptability in addressing cybersecurity threats, while hierarchical organisations rely on structured processes to ensure security and compliance. The chapter identifies each structures strengths and challenges in integrating cybersecurity through comparative analysis. It further discusses the future of digital competence, highlighting how cybersecurity drives digital transformation and impacts operational performance. Best practices and recommendations are provided for organisations to integrate cybersecurity effectively, ensuring long-term resilience and sustainability in an evolving cyber landscape. 2026 selection and editorial matter, Festus Adedoyin; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Digital Competence and Operational Performance in Agile and Hierarchical Organizations
This chapter examines the profound impact of digitalization on supply chain operational performance, emphasizing the integration of advanced technologies and strategic approaches essential for organizational success. It highlights the critical role of digital competence - including IoT, AI, blockchain, and predictive analytics - in enhancing supply chain efficiency and decision-making. The chapter discusses how digitalization influences critical operational metrics such as cost, efficiency, speed, and responsiveness and identifies current trends like cloud computing, big data analytics, and edge computing while addressing adoption challenges. A comparative analysis of agile versus hierarchical supply chains reveals distinct impacts of digitalization on each structure. Emerging technologies such as quantum computing, 5G, and autonomous systems are expected to revolutionize supply chain operations further. The chapter underscores the necessity of digital competence for maintaining a competitive edge and offers strategic recommendations for leveraging digital transformation to achieve superior operational performance and sustainability. 2026 selection and editorial matter, Festus Adedoyin; individual chapters, the contributors. -
For Food and Livelihood: Rethinking the Role of Agriculture in Indias Capitalist Development
In India, agriculture continues to provide a source of livelihood to almost half of the employed labour force, and recent evidence (over the last 15 years) clearly indicates that the income from farming is grossly inadequate for basic sustenance for the vast majority of the agrarian population. We start our analysis by establishing some salient features of Indian agriculture, which are key in foregrounding any serious discussion on the subject. First, based on the framework proposed by Dorin, Hourcade and Benoit-Cattin, India is shown to be a country in the so-called Lewis trap zone with a simultaneous increase in agricultural population (albeit at a decreasing rate) and a growing divergence in income between agriculture and the non-agricultural sector over the last 50 years. It is argued that this phenomenon can be understood as one of perverse structural transformation in opposition to the virtuous Lewisian path that is based on the historical trajectory of Western European economies. Second, despite the persistence of low levels of productivity in most segments of agriculture, India has emerged in recent years as a food-surplus country in a net sense with significant food exports. As mentioned earlier, this self-sufficiency in food production has been achieved in a period when the majority of the farming community has undergone severe impoverishment due to the economic unviability of crop production. Based on these two observations, the chapter argues for a fundamental rethinking of agricultures role in the long-term development process in a labour-surplus economy such as India. Unlike the classical/Lewisian process of structural transformation, which is predicated on a rapid rate of labour transfer out of agriculture in combination with a corresponding increase in agricultural productivity, agriculture in countries such as India is likely to play a critical role in providing the means of social reproduction for a large mass of surplus humanity in the foreseeable future. This livelihood function of agriculture, along with its essential role in supplying food for the rest of the economy (which is in line with the Mellor-Johnston thesis), constitutes the defining elements of the future of agriculture in typical labour-abundant economies such as India. The challenge, however, is to improve the economic and ecological conditions under which agrarian livelihoods are reproduced. This will involve a fundamental change in societys recognition and valuation of the functions that farming performs and remunerating farmers appropriately for these functions. This transfer of resources to agriculture should not be seen as a mere subsidy for agriculture but as fair compensation for its essential economic and ecological services. 2026 selection and editorial matter, Sejuti Das Gupta, Shouvik Chakraborty and Taposik Banerjee; individual chapters, the contributors. -
The Informal Sector in India: Neo-dualism and Dual Policy Response
While the Indian economy grows steadily, its transformation reveals a disturbing pattern. Despite a continuing shift of labour out of agriculture, most of the employment expansion in the non-agricultural sector is concentrated within the low-income-generating informal sector. Dominant discourses consider that this prevalence of the informal sector (and informal employment in general) could be mitigated through economic growth complemented by some institutional reforms. However, our detailed observations on India show that the informal sector is expanding in tandem with the overall capitalist growth driven by the formal sector. We found that an expansion of the formal sector engenders a spread of informality along with its dual (intra-sectoral) tendencies of progression and persistence. While the formal sector-linked relatively large-sized informal firms are progressing, the vast petty-informal segment is trapped in stagnancy. This scenario calls for product-specific cluster formations involving millions of rural-urban petty informal firms. The clusters could be a collective and cohesive instrument to resist the aggressive formal sector dominated by big capital. On the other hand, the formal sector-linked advanced segment of the informal sector can be developed by inducing such linkages. Thus, a dual intra-sectoral trend necessitates a dual policy response. 2026 selection and editorial matter, Sejuti Das Gupta, Shouvik Chakraborty and Taposik Banerjee; individual chapters, the contributors. -
The impact of AI and agile HR on talent acquisition and onboarding in the service industry
The high speed and competition levels in the service sector make it imperative to have a workforce that is capable of responding to rapid change. This research studies the synergistic impact of the utilization of Artificial Intelligence and Agile Human Resources in the service sector in enhancing the talent acquisition and onboarding process. Transforming the present study into a quest to see how these two transformative forces interact in the quest for identifying their potential for increasing efficiency and effectiveness, along with the employee experience. It investigates how AI can contribute to Agile HR in order to make talent acquisition easier. This involves using AI-based tools in talent sourcing, candidate screening, and assessment, and automating other routine tasks in order to set HR free for more strategic activities. The study also investigates the application of AI in personalizing onboarding, improving employee engagement, and accelerating time-to-productivity. Best practices and challenges are identified by analyzing case studies of service organizations that successfully put both AI and Agile HR into practice. This paper covers the ethical issues associated with AI and the requirement for human judgment in the process of talent acquisition and onboarding. Ultimately, the chapter will contribute to an understanding of how AI and Agile HR can combine in order to build a competitive advantage for service organizations. This will involve the optimization of talent acquisition and onboarding in a manner that enables the building of high-performing teams in order to deliver better customer satisfaction and drive business growth. 2026 Pushan Kumar Dutta, Amarnath Padhi, Sulagna Das, Vinod Kr Sharma and Poshan Yu. All rights reserved. -
HR 4.0: Integrating AI and automation in human resource development
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation within Human resource development (HRD) under the concept of HR 4.0 are revolutionizing HR practices by enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and strategic decision-making. These technologies transform key HRD processes such as training, talent management, and employee engagement, driving organizational success. This study systematically reviews the integration of AI and automation practices within Human resource development under the concept of HR 4.0. It examines how these technologies are transforming HRD practices, including training, talent management, performance evaluation, and employee engagement. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature from library data from published electronic and printed databases, the study identifies key trends, benefits, and challenges associated with artificial intelligence and automation techniques in Human Resource Development practices. The narrative synthesis of findings reveals the profound impact of these technologies on improving efficiency, accuracy, and strategic decision-making in HRD processes. Furthermore, the review highlights ethical considerations, such as data privacy and algorithmic bias, and offers practical insights for HRD practitioners aiming to leverage AI and automation effectively. It also recognizes research gaps and suggests future research directions to further explore the potential of Artificial Intelligence and automation in enhancing human resource development. 2026 Pushan Kumar Dutta, Amarnath Padhi, Sulagna Das, Vinod Kr Sharma and Poshan Yu. All rights reserved.