Opinion | Home Schooling in India (PART- I)

Home Schooling in India is a form of alternative education in which education is provided to children at home by parents or by tutors rather than in public or private schools. This conforms to the prevalence of similar homeschooling options for parents in many countries. But it does not conform to the same approaches, attitude, practices, and trends found elsewhere in the world. The highlight of this article is as such directed towards home education or home-based learning in India. Home education in India is offered by various agencies enabling an increase in the resources for imparting and promoting education. Some of these are in the form of associations, education providers, support groups forums etc. Most of these are active on the internet and that is why they remain largely unknown to the common people. Moreover, homeschooling is more prominent in major urban Indian cities, like Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. In other parts of India, homeschooling has only a minimal presence. The estimated number of homeschoolers has been put at 500-1000 children as per the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), a non-profit advocacy organization working for the education of children.

To begin, homeschooling is initiated when a family decides to teach their child at home and a parent assumes responsibility for the formal instruction of his or her child. Whether they resort to private tutors, later on, is a different matter. Next step is securing funds, choosing curriculum content, and determining the gradation and progress of the child. This practice makes this type of schooling associated with the term ‘privatization of education’ as parents or guardians provide their children with a learning environment as an alternative to public or private schools outside the home. Before the introduction of compulsory school attendance laws, most childhood education occurred within the family or community. Homeschooling isn’t a recent or a sudden development in India. Indian History itself reveals various such examples wherein Shishyas (students) were taught by Gurus (teachers) conforming to the tradition of Guru-Shishya. Shishyas were taught a wide range of subjects like administration, combat, politics, sports etc. While some of this education was provided by experts, some were also provided by Sages within the premises of the house. Homeschooling in India, in the modern sense, is different.
Home School Education in India: How does it work?
There are fixed rules for home education in India if a candidate appears for examinations. Parents use a curriculum prescribed by NIOS or IGCSE and then appear for the examinations. Children can even take examinations as private candidates at a regular school.
The Second way follows a liberal approach; parents may design their own curriculum by referring to syllabi of different boards. It is up to the parents or their children to decide whether they want to register with a board and appear for examinations.
Main Bodies that are involved in the Academic Study of Homeschoolers in India
NIOS
National Institute of Open Schooling is a board of an open school in India. It provides relevant continuing education at school stage, up to pre-degree level through an open learning system. Homeschoolers can directly use NIOS to take the exams for class X and XII. They are only required to register with the body a year before they want to take the exam. Certificates issued by NIOS carry the same recognition as other Boards and are valid for taking competitive exams.
NIOS offers following Courses/Programmes of Study through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode
Open Basic Education (OBE) Programme for 14+ year’s age group, adolescents, and adults at A, B and C levels that are equivalent to classes III, V, and VIII of the formal school system.
Secondary Education Course
Senior Secondary Education Course
Vocational Education Courses/Programmes
Life Enrichment Programmes
For detailed information visit NIOS Website – http://www.nios.ac.in
IGCSE: International General Certificate of Secondary Education is an internationally recognized qualification for school students, typically in the 15-16 age group.
The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is a globally recognized qualification, conducted at the Class 10 level, similar to the Class 10 examinations of the CBSE and ICSE.
IGCSE Courses
Cambridge Primary (CIPP): 5 – 11 years
Cambridge Secondary 1 (Lower Secondary/Checkpoint): 11- 14 years
Cambridge Secondary 2 (IGCSE/O level): 14 – 16 years
Cambridge Advanced (AS/A level): 16 – 19 years
A candidate can appear for the IGCSE exams as a private candidate. IGCSE is conducted by two boards:
Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and Edexcel.
For appearing in the examinations, one has to register his kid as a private candidate in an IGCSE school. One can also take the examinations at the specified CIE exam centre, which could be British Council in Kolkata as it is the only CIE exam centre. For more information visit – http://www.cie.org.uk/countries/india/
Homes Schooling in India: Method
Homeschooling system in India uses a variety of methods and materials which may follow the prescribed regulations or a mixture of any as per the intelligence and preference of children and/or parents. Most of the common methods used in India are the Montessori Method, Un-schooling, Radical Unschooling, Waldorf education and School.
Apart from the major methods, Parents/Children use some techniques mentioned below: 
Self Study: If a student is intelligent and independent self-study is encouraged. Children are encouraged to figure out things by themselves and find pleasure in learning new things.
Practical Study: Parents/tutors use a practical approach or use routine based activities to educate the child. Morals, manners, speaking, reading etc. are taught with practical examples.
Personalised Study: Parents/teachers opt for not following a structured timetable or a prescribed course. Textbooks may be partially followed or rejected altogether. Some parents will allow more attention to those subjects which are favourites or which are easy based on their kids choice. The tough ones and boring ones are given less attention to allow specialisation.
Various types of course material and educational tools are used towards this effect. Some of these are Educational CDs, Games, Magazines, Television Programmes, Websites or any other preferred or suitable material. (To be continued)

– The writer is Principal (retired) and Educational Columnist from Malout Punjab. He can be reached at vkmalout@gmail.com