Project Summary :
The Universities are believed to shape young minds by ensuring holistic development by providing them conceptual understanding that is part of their regular curriculum and equipping them with the critical skills that the industry and society need. However, over the years, classroom learning has reached a point where traditional pedagogy is struggling to catch up to a dynamic outside world. Furthermore, the university education is unable to produce students that are a good fit and have the most essential 4 Cs of the ‘21st Century skills’: Critical thinking, Creative thinking, Communication and Collaboration alongside Problem-solving and Social Responsibility. Moreover, the universities do not see outside the four walls of the campus and make the required changes to their overall education delivery methods, so that they can groom “empathetic leaders.” The Department of Professional Studies at CHRIST University, Bengaluru, India, is an exception where we believe the paradigm shift from “understanding to knowledge” can only happen if students, alongside traditional classroom teaching, engage in projects outside the campus, where the concepts will get an entirely new meaning.
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Christ University initiated the Project “SURAKSHA CHAKRA (WINGS OF PROTECTION)” with a mission of making a highly remote Chakkittapara Gram Panchayat one hundred percent insured using the “Last mile journey – last mile delivery approach”.
As per the survey conducted in June 2022, out of 21,086 people of the Chakkittapara Gram Panchayat in Kerala, 11, 960 still needed insurance and we achieved full insurance coverage on August 16, 2023.
This project was conceived with “Socio-economic Sustainability” at its centre while transforming university education with three objectives.
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To provide conceptual clarity through immersive learning experiences in specific contextual environments.
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To inculcate a professional mindset among diverse stakeholders to achieve developmental aspirations.
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To create an empathetic learning experience for students from universities in urban centres through rural-focused interventions.
Suvarna Rekha
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Suvarna Rekha (Puduppadi) is the Phase-2 of the Suraksha Chakra Project that was successfully implemented at Chakkittapara Gram Panchayat in Kerala.
Suvarna Rekha Project at Puduppadi was ideated, to validate the success of the Phase-1 model implemented at Chakkittapara and test its learning outcomes, with the aim of fulfilling the existing insurance protection gap in Kerala by covering the rest of the state through this validated model.
Unique features of Suvarna Rekha Upgrade include:
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Increase in stakeholders' participation (from 4 to 9)
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Ensured participation of ADS (Area Development Societies) and CDS (Community Development Societies) members, the two critical and important agencies, at the Panchayat level
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Inclusion of MSW (Master of Social Work)/BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) students from a reputed institution as survey members
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Involvement of media from the commencement of the project to create and spread awareness across the Gram Panchayat
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Perfection attained in logistics, food, accommodation and transportation.
Details of the Suvarna Rekha Project are as follows:
Gram Panchayat: Puduppadi
District: Kozhikode
Population: 56,000 aprox. (to be established after the survey)
Households: 16,000
Area in Square Kilometers: 64.75
Wards: 21
Primary Partner: Puduppadi Service Corporative Bank
Secondary Partner: LISSAH College, Puduppadi
Participating Agencies: Members from ADS (Area Development Society) CDS (Community Development Society)
Partner for Digital and Technical Support: PolicyInn Insurance Broking Company Ltd.
Entities Present at the Inaugural and Training Session: Lead Insurers (Magma HDI General Insurance Company Ltd. & Ageas Federal Life Insurance) and Insurance Institute of India (III)
Observers: Faculty and Student representatives from National Insurance Academy, Pune
The project was inaugurated by Mr. Linto Joseph, Member of Legislative Assembly of Thiruvambadi Constituency, on 11/2/2024 and it commenced with a formal training on insurance awareness and serving.
Scope of the Suvarna Rekha:
Creation of insurance awareness in the 21 wards of Puduppadi Gram Panchayat - Identify the Protection Gap and Ensure 100 percent insurance coverage
Objectives of Suvarna Rekha:
1. Validation of Chakkittapara Suraksha Chakra Model of insurance coverage
2. Creation of insurance awareness
3. Identification of protection gap
4. Ensuring* 100 percent insurance coverage for Puduppadi Gram Panchayat
5. Empowerment of rural youth
6. Attaining three of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals namely SDG 3 (Good Health & Well-being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalitues) and SDG 17 (Partnership for th Goals).
Innovation.
Insurance companies have historically failed to leave a mark in rural India for three prime reasons:
1) Lack of sensitization of insurance benefits
2) inadequacies in the delivery of the schemes, and
3) Information asymmetry leading to the onboarding of a faulty consumer base.
Furthermore, the Directive Principles of the State policy of Article 43-B of the Indian constitution clearly emphasizes that the states should strive to enhance “cooperation.” We believe that upholding and strengthening the directive principles is not the sole responsibility of the state; the Universities must provide the platforms where states can operate.
To resolve the above issues, the University sought a local institutional partner that the villagers could trust and has complete knowledge of the family histories of the people living in that Gram Panchayat to avoid issues related to information asymmetry. We found the Chakkittapara Service Cooperative Bank as the institutional partner in this context.
The team of university students, in collaboration with the institutional partner and the district administration, identified an insurance product (PMSBY) offered by the Government of India for the Gram Panchayat. This enabled the team to be on a steep learning curve and had the experiential learning the Universities of today should seek to provide.
Outcome.
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The campaign of insuring the entire Gram Panchayat was initiated with an initial survey on 6th June 2022. After the concerted efforts of the students, the University administration, and the local partner, the Chakkittapara Gram Panchayat got officially declared as the first fully-insured Gram Panchayat in the state of Kerala, India, on August 16, 2023.
The next step is to move to Sirsi, Karnataka, and the initial interactions between the University and the Gram Panchayat officials took place on 12th August 2023. Through the Suraksha Chakra project, the sustainability of socio-economic intervention at the grass root level could be achieved by identifying the right affordable government scheme – Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and empowering the local partner to monitor and support the continuity through the “last mile journey-last mile delivery” approach. The aim is to cover the entire rural India in the coming years with 2033 as the deadline.
Reimagining Universities.
The campaign of insuring the entire Gram Panchayat was initiated with an initial survey on 6th June 2022. After the concerted efforts of the students, the University administration, and the local partner, the Chakkittapara Gram Panchayat got officially declared as the first fully-insured Gram Panchayat in the state of Kerala, India, on August 16, 2023.
The next step is to move to Sirsi, Karnataka, and the initial interactions between the University and the Gram Panchayat officials took place on 12th August 2023. Through the Suraksha Chakra project, the sustainability of socio-economic intervention at the grass root level could be achieved by identifying the right affordable government scheme – Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and empowering the local partner to monitor and support the continuity through the “last mile journey-last mile delivery” approach. The aim is to cover the entire rural India in the coming years with 2033 as the deadline.
