Ford Pathways   

With the objective of improving quality of higher education, FORD Pathways to Higher Education Programme, supported by Higher Education Innovation and Research Applications (HEIRA) Centre for the Study of Culture and Society, Bangalore Supported by the Ford Foundation, USA organized a number of campus initiatives. The programme aims to enhance access of quality higher education to the socially marginalized First Year students of Degree College through innovative Research applications and programmes. It also aims at sensitizing the issues of social diversity and social justice. The total duration of the programme was for three years only

  • Our college was one of the Nine selected colleges of India ( 3 each from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala) to be eligible to receive a maximum of Rs. 5 lakhs annual grant for a period of 3 years (2010-11 to 2012-13)
  • Selection of the college was done on the basis of the exemplary referral done by an organization viz. Partners for Urban knowledge Action and Research (PUKAR) with whom the college students had done extensive Research projects related to mythologies of Mumbai and Rehabilitation of slum of Dharavi
  • A challenge, of identifying the socially marginalized students, was addressed by the primary data based complete enumeration study of the First Year students. The identified strata had apprehensions about being stigmatized and did not want to be labeled as marginalized. This was handled very delicately by making a very personal approach and not making it public
  • In the year 2009-10, the lead researcher of HEIRA, CSCS,Banglore visited the college and inspected the access of technology in the premises and approved an initial grant of Rs 5 lakhs
  • Several activities were conducted under the FORD PATHWAYS Programme, to cite a few:
  • Workshop on New Technology and Social Media:  Conducted by Director of the Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore
  • Vidhanna: An exhibition sharing India’s diversity through food
  • Watch and View (Film Screening and Appreciation): Films- Caste out, Naya Daur, Swades and Do Aankhen Barah Haath were screened and discussed
  • Pathways Pathnatyashala : Theatre workshop conducted by
  • Vividha:  A Photo Exhibition on the theme of diversity of Sion and Dharavi attracted attention of local students, youth and public at large with more than 1000 photographs capturing diversity in terms of livelihood, Street life, Educational institutions, public places etc
  • 2 Day National Conference on Social Justice:-Issues and Initiatives
  • Shiksha Hakka (Right to Education) : A Primary Research was undertaken for a sample of 2000 respondents to assess awareness related to Right to Education