We are already in the eighteenth year of the 21st Century. And, while there is high level of acceptability of the role technology can play in school education; the questions around what technology to use and when; or, how to overcome the issues of accessibility and under-representation especially in the rural parts of the country continue to take up our mind space.
Working with the 254 village-based Satya Bharti Schools of Bharti Foundation, along with over 2000 Government schools in the deep rural parts of our country has given me some amount of understanding about the challenges our rural schools, teachers and students face on ground. It has also made me closely experience the role education and technology can play in students’ life, beyond academic milestones. Equity in education is paramount and it should help every child reach her or his potential and become a contributing citizen of the country. How does one ensure that every village school provides quality education to its students; or provides access to student-centric technology programs that enable learning as a game; or, helps navigate complex topics using videos or allows personalized learning at one’s pace. Schools must become a hub of technology that starts to dissolve the digital divide especially for those millions of children who do not have to access to technology at home. The problem of accessibility, at times, becomes more complex with the aspects related to gender, available infrastructure and other social issues.
Last month, I was visiting a Government school in a village. It is one of the schools under our Quality Support Program with a progressive Principal who wants to improve the quality of her school. I was interacting with Class XIIth students and I asked them whether they all had Facebook accounts. Many of the boys raised their hands and none of the girls did. The response was similar to my question around access to mobile phones at home. Inequitable access to technology takes various forms linked to poverty, gender and social norms. Rural schools also have issues around electricity, internet connectivity and maintenance of computers provided to them. The students in that schools were amazingly bright and engaged. I met with a group of boys who wanted to start a business to sell local handicrafts over internet and a number of girls who wanted to be IPS officers. Access to relevant technology program at this school could have done wonders for these children. Computers and related hardware have started to reach most of the schools which is the first critical step to provide access. While the internet and electricity availability is improving; offline availability of content is a boon especially for rural schools.
One of the key challenges in adopting technology in education in rural schools is teachers’ readiness. In Satya Bharti Schools, we worked in phases to get our villages based teachers to embrace technology. We introduced technology by initiating computer-based Monthly School Report, soon after the program started. Each Head Teacher was provided with a laptop to fill in school’s data whereas each class teacher was to fill in her class details. Analytics would pop up as soon as the data was entered giving them a quick overview of the school’s performance, and that was a quick win for all. Our teachers not only started depending on the School MIS, but learnt how to prepare impressive presentations to showcase their achievements for the monthly review. Technology got embedded well and was further supported with teachers – trainings. We also provided our schools with a few computers with language and subject based modules linked to our curriculum framework. It was to be used as per teacher’s need assessment. As and when electricity was available, the Head Teacher would decide along with teachers regarding which class and subject would go for computers. Once exposed to computers, students and teachers became comfortable with technology. Many of our teachers now look for additional resources on internet, in local language, to improve their teaching practices.
In the Satya Bharti Schools, our teachers are deeply engaged with students, who come from underprivileged backgrounds and most of them are first generation learners in their family. Teachers are well aware of the fact that most of the students are experiencing difficult life issues at home and schools must provide them a safe and happy place to be in. Our teachers provide the much needed individual attention to students so they do well under their care. Equity in classroom is achieved only if each child receives what he or she needs to develop to his or her full academic and social potential. That’s what most teachers aim to do and technology can definitely support them in accelerating a child’s learning journey, thereby empowering teachers to deliver core aspects of education effectively and spend quality time mentoring their students.
Personalization of learning journey as well as bringing in Virtual Reality experiences into classrooms are game-changing solutions in education. It will require bold steps at the policy level as well as creating technology accessibility centres at schools to make technology available to the last mile. Whether technology is used for ensuring personalized learning thus shifting the focus from time-bound advancement to skill/knowledge based advancement, or for assessments to loop into learning as well as improving teaching practices, it is an imperative that all schools be made technology ready for it to remove any form of digital divide. The scalability of such tech-programs will only be achieved through low cost and open source solutions as well as policy changes.
While exposure to technology, computer education, programming and even coding skills being introduced early in education are some of the key aspects to get our children future ready. But, equally important are the soft skills that our students need to learn to navigate through their life. Their ability to know right from wrong, to be able to engage in discussions on critical issues, to work in teams, to think critically, creatively and out of box are some of the important life skills. While technology will continue to make our life simpler but we will need our schools to continue to teach soft skills, ethics and human values to make this world a better place.
Jai Hind
Mamta Saikia
COO
Bharti Foundation
The article has been published in the book ‘Digital India Way Forward – 2018 Edition.’
Job Description Academic Mentor
Position Title | MIS Database Management Professional | ||||
Band | – | ||||
Department/Function | – | ||||
Location City | Gurgaon | ||||
State | Haryana | ||||
Region | – | ||||
Number of Positions | 1 | ||||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | DGM Knowledge Management | ||||
Reported by (Designation/Role) | Manager – MIS | ||||
Ideal Age Bracket | 30 to 45 years | ||||
Qualification | BSc degree in a computer discipline or relevant certification | ||||
Experience (in years) |
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Position Title | Manager Compliance – Satya Bharti School | ||||
Key Responsibilities: | |||||
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Qualification | Master’s degree in education/school administration & management/Business Administration/Risk Management/Quality Management and related field | ||||
Experience (in years) | 7-8 years of experience in administration and compliance of school chains/quality control/audit & compliance in profit or non-profit sectors | ||||
Skills |
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Reporting to | DGM Program (Satya Bharti Schools) |
Position Title | Executive-Communication |
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Band | |
Department/Function | Communication |
Location | Gurgaon |
State | Haryana |
Region | |
Number of Positions | 1 |
Reporting to | Communication Manager |
Ideal Age Bracket | 22-30 |
Qualification | Mass Communication/ Journalism / Media /digital marketing or related field. |
Experience (in years) | 1-2 years |
Skill | – Content development: Writing, editing, ideating – Social Media: Social media management, digital marketing, Ideate, design and create posts/ videos / reels – Video Editing and photography |
Key Roles & Responsibilities | – Serve as the primary point person to write for the activities and actions happening in the region for social media, also support in writing communications collateral like newsletters, annual report, brochures, flyers etc. – Should have a nose to capture case stories from the ground and document it. – Prepare/Support in PowerPoint presentations and other material for Management team members and Board members – Draft blogs in the areas of education and skill development work happening in the region/state – Regularly connect with the regional offices to capture updates on activities, case stories, visits, events etc. in a timely and consistent manner. – Manage and/or assist in project report writing, and editing of publications. – Create social media post/ Videos/ Reels – Maintain and Monitor all Bharti Foundation social media channels regularly – Assist in the development and maintenance of systems for operational efficiency, such as regular program data reports/dashboards, photo and AV library. |
Position Title | Academic Lead – Math, English and Science | ||
School | Satya Bharti Adarsh Sr. Sec School | ||
Location City | Amritsar and Ludhiana | ||
State | Punjab | ||
Region | 1 | ||
Number of Positions | 3 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Principal | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 45 years | ||
Qualification |
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Experience (in years) | More than 5 years | ||
Skill | Communication, Critical Thinking, Patience, Leadership, Teamwork, Time Management, Curriculum Planner. | ||
Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Counsellor | ||
School | Satya Bharti Adarsh Sr. Sec School | ||
Location City | Amritsar and Ludhiana | ||
State | Punjab | ||
Region | 1 | ||
Number of Positions | 3 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Principal | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 40 years | ||
Qualification | B.A./B.Sc.(Psychology) with certificate of Diploma in Counseling (Mandatory) | ||
Experience (in years) |
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Position Title | Post Graduate Teacher – All Subject | ||
School | Satya Bharti Adarsh Senior Secondary School | ||
Location City | Amritsar and Ludhiana | ||
State | Punjab | ||
Region | 1 | ||
Number of Positions | 5 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Principal | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 45 years | ||
Qualification |
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Experience (in years) | 2 years’ of teaching experience | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Manager – Partnerships and Communication | ||
Band | 1 | ||
Department/Function | Partnerships | ||
Location | Gurgaon | ||
Number of Positions | 1 | ||
Reporting to | (Functional & Administrative) Sr Manager – Partnerships |
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Reported by | |||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years | ||
Qualification |
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Experience (in years) | 6-8 years in fundraising and communication, preferably from the development sector | ||
Skills |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Job Summary | |
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Position Title | Academic Mentor |
Band | F |
Department/Function | QSP-Project Implementation |
Location | Bhatinda / Sangrur, Punjab (1 Position – Bhatinda) |
Reporting to | Project Coordinator / Project Head |
Reported by | None |
Candidate Profile | |
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years |
Qualification | MSW / MBA / Post Graduate in Rural Development |
Experience | 4-10 years in implementation of education program |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |
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Job Summary | |
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Position Title | Academic Mentor |
Band | F |
Department/Function | QSP-Project Implementation |
Location | J&K – Ladak |
Reporting to | Project Coordinator / Project Head |
Reported by | None |
Candidate Profile | |
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years |
Qualification | MSW / MBA / Post Graduate in Rural Development |
Experience | 4-10 years in implementation of education program |
Skills |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |
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Position Title | Academic Mentor |
Band | F |
Department/Function | QSP-Project Implementation |
Location | Meghalaya – Ri-Bhoi |
Reporting to | Project Coordinator / Project Head |
Reported by | None |
Candidate Profile | |
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years |
Qualification | MSW / MBA / Post Graduate in Rural Development |
Experience | 4-10 years in implementation of education program |
Skills |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |
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Job Summary | |
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Position Title | Academic Mentor |
Band | F |
Department/Function | QSP-Project Implementation |
Location | Jharkhand – Ranchi |
Reporting to | Project Coordinator / Project Head |
Reported by | None |
Candidate Profile | |
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years |
Qualification | MSW / MBA / Post Graduate in Rural Development |
Experience | 4-10 years in implementation of education program |
Skills |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |
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Job Summary | |
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Position Title | Academic Mentor |
Band | F |
Department/Function | QSP-Project Implementation |
Location | Assam – Jorhat |
Reporting to | Project Coordinator / Project Head |
Reported by | None |
Candidate Profile | |
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years |
Qualification | MSW / MBA / Post Graduate in Rural Development |
Experience | 4-10 years in implementation of education program |
Skills |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |
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Job Summary | |
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Position Title | Trainer – Quality Support Program |
Band | 1 |
Department/Function | Training & Curriculum |
Location | Jammu – J&K |
Reporting to | Sr. Manager Training |
Candidate Profile | |
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 45 years |
Qualification | Graduation / Post Graduate + B.Ed (Mandatory) |
Experience | Minimum 8-10 years of experience in teaching/teachers’ training/teachers’ mentoring |
Essential Skills |
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Desirable Skills |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |
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Position Title | Asst. Manager / Sr. Exec. – Procurement | ||||
Band | 1 / F | ||||
Department/Function | Procurement | ||||
Location City | Delhi | ||||
State | Delhi | ||||
Region | – | ||||
Number of Positions | 1 | ||||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | – | ||||
Reported by (Designation/Role) | None | ||||
Ideal Age Bracket | Below 30 years | ||||
Qualification |
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Experience (in years) | 4-6 years of experience in procurement in respect of Event Management, IT Services, Printing. It will be an advantage if there is also an exposure in relation to construction, IT Hardware and logistics. | ||||
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Position Title | Academic Support – English | ||
Department/Function | Edtech | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Academic Lead | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years | ||
Qualification | B.Ed/M.Ed (English) | ||
Experience (in years) | 5+ year of relevant experience (teaching English in an elementary classroom (class 6 to 10)) | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Academic Support – Mathematics | ||
Department/Function | Edtech | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Academic Lead | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years | ||
Qualification | B.Ed/M.Ed (Mathematics) | ||
Experience (in years) | Minimum of 2 years of experience teaching mathematics in a primary classroom setting. | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Academic Mentor | ||
Department/Function | QSP-Project Implementation | ||
Location (Cities) | Jammu, Rajouri, Shimla, Delhi, Ranchi, Dumka, Ri Bhoi, Jorhat, Kamrup, Bishwanath, Ranga Reddy, Medchal, Sircilla, Bengaluru Rural, Ramnagara. | ||
States | J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Assam, Telangana, Karnataka | ||
Number of Positions | 15 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Project Coordinator / Project Head | ||
Reported by | None | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years | ||
Qualification | MSW / MBA / Post Graduate in Rural Development | ||
Experience (in years) | 4-10 years in implementation of education program | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Trainer – Quality Support Program | ||
Band | 1 | ||
Department/Function | Training & Curriculum | ||
Location (City) | Jammu | ||
State | J&K | ||
Number of Positions | 1 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Sr. Manager Training | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 45 | ||
Qualification | Graduation / Post Graduate + B.Ed (Mandatory) | ||
Experience (in years) | Minimum 6-8 years of experience in teaching/teachers’ training/teachers’ mentoring | ||
Skill |
Essential:
Desirable:
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Trainer, Satya Bharti School Program | ||
Department/Function | Training & Curriculum | ||
Location (City) | Jodhpur | ||
State | Rajasthan | ||
Number of Positions | 1 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Sr. Manager Training | ||
Reported by (Designation/Role) | None | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 40 years | ||
Qualification | Graduation / Post Graduate + B.Ed (Mandatory) | ||
Experience (in years) | Minimum 6-8 years of experience in teaching/teachers’ training/teachers’ mentoring | ||
Skill |
Essential:
Desirable:
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Sr. Manager – Data Analyst | ||
Department/Function | Edtech | ||
Reporting to | Head – Technology (TheTeacher App) | ||
Experience (in years) | 8-12 years of relevant experience | ||
Eligibility | |||
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Skill |
This role will be leading analytics for a division/pod, assist drive data driven decision making with senior management, own metrics for a pod.
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Academic Support – English | ||
Department/Function | Edtech | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Academic Lead | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years | ||
Qualification | B.Ed/M.Ed (English) | ||
Experience (in years) | 5+ years of relevant experience (teaching English in an elementary classroom, class 6 to 10) | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Academic Support – Mathematics | ||
Department/Function | Edtech | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Academic Lead | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years | ||
Qualification | B.Ed/M.Ed (Mathematics) | ||
Experience (in years) | Minimum of 2 years of experience teaching mathematics in a primary classroom setting. | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Sr. Manager- Academic Lead | ||
Band | Band 2 | ||
Department/Function | EdTech | ||
Location (City) | Gurgaon | ||
State | Haryana | ||
Region | |||
Number of Positions | 1 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Technology Lead | ||
Reported by (Designation/Role) | 3 | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years | ||
Qualification | Masters+ B.Ed | ||
Experience (in years) | 10+ years | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Cluster Coordinator | ||
Band | F | ||
Department/Function | Program Implementation | ||
Location (City) | Balesar, Ludhiana East | ||
State | Rajasthan & Punjab | ||
Number of Positions | 02 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | District Coordinator | ||
Reported by (Designation/Role) | Head Teachers | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 | ||
Qualification | Graduate with B.Ed / MSW / MBA | ||
Experience (in years) | 04-06 years in social sector with understanding of education | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Manager – Partnerships (Implementation) | ||
Department/Function | Edtech | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Head of Department | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years | ||
Qualification |
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Experience (in years) |
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Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Contact Information | |||
Interested candidates are requested to share their updated resume, with current and expected CTC at careers@bhartiairtelfoundation.org. |
Position Title | Assistant Manager- Program Support | ||
Band | 1 | ||
Department/Function | |||
Location (City) | Gurgaon | ||
State | Haryana Region HO | ||
Number of Positions | 1 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | |||
Reported by (Designation/Role) | |||
Ideal Age Bracket | 30-35 years | ||
Qualification | Post-Graduation | ||
Experience (in years) | 8-10 years | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Cluster Coordinator | ||
Band | F | ||
Department/Function | Program Implementation | ||
Location (City) | Ludhiana | ||
State | Punjab Region | ||
Number of Positions | 2 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | District Coordinator | ||
Reported by (Designation/Role) | Head Teachers | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 | ||
Qualification | Graduate with B.Ed / MSW / MBA | ||
Experience (in years) | 4-6 years in social sector with understanding of education | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Cluster Coordinator | ||
Band | F | ||
Department/Function | Program Implementation | ||
Location (City) | Balesar | ||
State | Rajasthan | ||
Number of Positions | 2 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | District Coordinator | ||
Reported by (Designation/Role) | Head Teachers | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 | ||
Qualification | Graduate with B.Ed / MSW / MBA | ||
Experience (in years) | 4-6 years in social sector with understanding of education | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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Position Title | Academic Mentor | ||
Band | F | ||
Department/Function | QSP-Project Implementation | ||
Location (City) | Kamrup | ||
State | Assam | ||
Number of Positions | 1 | ||
Reporting to (Designation/Role) | Project Coordinator / Project Head | ||
Reported by (Designation/Role) | None | ||
Ideal Age Bracket | Up to 35 years | ||
Qualification | MSW / MBA / Post Graduate in Rural Development | ||
Experience (in years) | 4-10 years in implementation of education program | ||
Skill |
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Key Roles & Responsibilities | |||
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