Participatory Institutional Structures in Decentralized Management of Elementary Education in Karnataka

Grassroots participatory institutional structures in decentralized administrative educational reforms are intended to promote greater accountability of the school system to the community. This paper looks at the structural composition and functions of one such participatory institutional structure, the Village Education Committees in Karnataka. Analysing the field data gathered from 52 committees, the paper raises some important issues relating to strategies of capacity building for the newly inducted members to make these committees more dynamic and vibrant grassroots administrative units.