Field Surveys

Below are links to some past and ongoing research projects that are relevant to the campaign. Where possible, we have included survey guidelines and questionnaires, in the hope of facilitating further research and surveys around the country.

SIMPLE QUESTIONNAIRES FOR RAPID SURVEYS

Monitoring the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)

The Movement for Right to Food and Employment, UP, conducted a large-scale social audit of the NREGA in December 2006-January 2007. The annexures to the final report contain questionnaires which may be used for a rapid survey of the NREGA. [Hindi].

February 2008 the Rozgar Evum Suchna Ka Adhikar Abhiyan (Rajasthan), and the Hum Kisan Sangathan organised a social audit and jan sunwai in Jhalawar district, Rajasthan. The worksite checklist [Hindi] prepared for this social audit is a useful tool for monitoring the NREGA.

Monitoring Mid-day Meals

In Chhattisgarh, the Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS) is trying to ensure regular monitoring of mid-day meals in a large number of schools. For this purpose, BGVS is using a simple questionnaire, available below . For further information please contact BGVS (Chhattisgarh) at cgbgvs@rediffmail.com.

The BGVS questionnaire is available in two formats: html and word. [Hindi translation prepared by Arundhati Dhuru]

Monitoring ICDS

A questionnaire to monitor the ICDS, developed by groups in Andhra Pradesh.
A simple questionnaire to monitor the performance of ICDS by grassroots organisations.
A presentation on a grading system developed for ICDS in Himachal Pradesh.

Hunger and Developmental Failure in Jharkhand

Following reports of "starvation deaths" in Kusumatand village (Manatu block, Palamu district, Jharkhand), members of the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and the Right to Food Campaign conducted a survey of 21 randomly-selected households in the village in June and July 2002. The survey results were used in a public hearing on hunger and the right to food in Manatu in July 2002. At this public hearing, the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan also presented results of a survey of 36 villages in Manatu block. Survey findings are summarized in a report on the public hearing which can be found here.

Kusumatand survey (household): [Questionnaires] [Summary Findings]

Manatu survey (village): [Questionnaire] [Summary Findings]

Investigating Suspected "Starvation Deaths"

Hunger Watch Group, an offshoot of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, is in the process of developing guidelines for rigorous assessment of "starvation deaths" and nutritional emergencies. The draft guidelines are available below. For further information on the Hunger Watch Group, please contact Vandana Prasad (chaukhat@yahoo.com) or Nilangi Nanal (cehatpun@vsnl.com).

The draft guidelines are available here. Note that this is a large file (250 kb).

School Mid-Day Meals

This draft questionnaire was designed to investigate the problem of 'classroom hunger' in underprivileged neighbourhoods of Delhi. A hunt is on for the final version of the questionnaire. For further details please contact Janaki Rajan (SCERT, Delhi) at janakirajan1@rediffmail.com

The questionnaire is available in html and doc format.

Public Distribution System

In July 2001 the Supreme Court ordered State Governments to ensure that all ration shops were open and functioning properly. This field survey was undertaken shortly thereafter, to check the extent to which the order had been implemented. Summary findings will be put up shortly.

[Introduction] [Village Questionnaire] [Household Questionnaire]

DETAILED QUESTIONNAIRES FOR FULL-FLEDGED SURVEYS

The following sets of questionnaires were developed for conducting detailed surveys. The questionnaires are accompanied by detailed survey manuals.

Public Evaluation of Entitlement Programmes (PEEP) Survey 2013

A survey of five entitlement programmes of the government was undertaken in twenty districts of ten states (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh) in May and June, 2013. The programmes covered by the survey were: Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme, Public Distribution System (PDS), National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and Social Security Pensions. The survey, initiated by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi was conducted by university students in collaboration with local volunteers. To see a brief description of the work plan, time table and survey activities, click here. Browse through the following links for details.

The Other India: Water for the Leeward India (PEEP Team, Outlook, 15 March 2014)

Public Distribution System (PDS)

A field survey was undertaken by IIT-Delhi in May-June 2011 to assess the functioning of the Public Distribution System in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. The survey data is currently being processed. For further details write at reetika.khera@gmail.com.

[Household Questionnaire - English | Hindi] [Village Questionnaire]

[Letter to the Prime Minister on survey findings - English | Odia]

National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP)

A field survey to monitor the NFFWP in seven states, conducted in May-June 2005 by the Centre for Equity Studies and the Centre for Development Economics at the Delhi School of Economics. The states were Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan.

[Guidelines, Questionnaires, and Training Materials] [Findings]

Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)

A field survey was organised in 2004 to assess the functioning of ICDS across six states. The survey data is currently being processed. Questionnaires are available in English, Hindi, Marathi and Tamil. The questionnaires have been uploaded currently in zip format. For further details please write a line to icdsstudy@yahoo.co.in

[English questionnaires] [Hindi Questionnaires] [Marathi Questionnaires] [Tamil Questionnaires] [Survey guidelines in English]

Mid-day Meal Scheme

A field survey to assess and monitor mid-day meal schemes in Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Chattisgarh, conducted by the The Centre for Equity Studies (Delhi) in early 2003.

[Introduction] [Survey Questionnaires] [Survey Guidelines] [Findings]

Antyodaya Anna Yojana

A field survey to evaluate the working of Antyodaya Anna Yojana programmes in Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, conducted in June 2002 by researchers from the Centre for Development Economics and the Centre for Equity Studies.

[Introduction] [Survey Questionnaires] [Survey Guidelines] [Findings]