Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Rural Development

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The book is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of the theory and practice of lifelong learning encompassing perspectives from sustainable human development, adult learning, education, community development, rural health, Panchayati Raj, entrepreneurship, career counseling etc. Individual chapters address the most relevant topics on the theme including Lifelong Learning And Sustainable Human Development, Adult Education, Quality Education And Its Significance In Empowering Rural Adolescent Girls, Right To Education And Women Empowerment, Sustainable Development And The Role Of Civil Society, Panchayat Adalats And Its Contribution In Sustainable Rural Development, Kisan Credit Card Scheme: A Strategic Input In Rural Prosperity Etc.
This book is structured in terms of the key concepts of this field including lifelong learning and sustainability of the development processes, entrepreneurship, social inclusion, accessibility, community involvement, evaluation etc.

Dr. Kavita Suri is working as Director and Head, Department of Lifelong Learning, University of Jammu which was earlier known as Centre for Adult, Continuing Education & Extension (CACE&E) and is presently teaching Masters in Rural Development.
A PhD in Education from the University of Jammu, she is working on various issues relating to education of tribes in the state, gender, conflict & peace building etc. She has been a recipient of British Chevening Fellowship in 2005 at the University of Westminster, London. She has authored five books including "Gujars and Bakkarwals of Jammu and Kashmir-In the shadow of conflict", "Voices Unheard Women, conflict and Kashmir, Turtuk Unveiled (A book on lesser known Ball tribes living in Turtuk area bordering India and Pakistan in Ladakh), "Impact of Violence on Girls' Education in Kashmir and 'Gender, Work and Stress-A case study of Jammu region.
She has been awarded a number of fellowships and awards. A recipient of British Chevening Print Journalists fellowship at the University of Westminster, London and Charkha- Sanjoy Ghose media fellowship for the women journalists working in areas of conflict on the theme Women and peace building in Kashmir", she also visited USA under US International Visitors Exchange Fellowship Program and studied Journalism in US She has attended many international and national workshops, seminars and conventions on women, peace building and Kashmir conflict.
Her interest areas include education, gender, conflict, displacement, refugees, marginalized groups including tribal societies etc. She is fluent in Kashmir. Punjabi, Dogri, Hindi and English languages. She regularly writes for The Statesman and other newspapers.

Learning is an ongoing natural process which can be reflected as a change in the behavior of an individual. In the present era of knowledge-based societies, lifelong learning has assumed much importance and the thrust is on the learning which goes on throughout the life or pursued in numerous ways that are flexible and diverse thus enabling an individual to update his or her skills and knowledge as and when required. Lifelong learning phenomena is beyond the boundaries of formal education and it is an open system which provides opportunities to all those who are interested in acquiring knowledge and skill. Learning never ceases and continues till death, hence the concept of 'cradle-to-grave' for lifelong learning gains prominence in the current global scenario. In India too, the thrust is on acquiring new knowledge with the integration of formal, non- formal education and informal education which is available to us in the form of unlimited learning opportunities at every step of our lives.
India is a huge country with 69 percent of its population located in the rural areas. There is a need to promote rural India in terms of quality of life and other related things. The focus needs to be on the economic betterment of people living in rural India aimed at sustainable rural development. Thus the integration of lifelong learning and rural development is paramount. Lifelong learning involves economic, social and environmental change which can help in the sustainability of the processes in our rural areas.
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2015 highlights that the "disparities between rural and urban areas remain pronounced". Hence there exists a very vast gap between development in both rural and urban areas. India being the second most populous country in the world with over 1.21 billion people (2011 Census), the development of its rural areas is also critical to our progress. This vast gap of development which is seen in India can be met by focusing on rural areas with the thrust on sustainable development.
In this backdrop, lifelong learning plays a significantly important role as it can reduce the gap between rural and urban communities by empowering vulnerable sections of rural society. It can help create an environment for the rural individuals and their families to gain knowledge, create their own self-directed learning process, self-organize to solve problems of marketing their products and food security, improve their living conditions and increase their freedoms and independence from government-support for utilizing the economic incentives and the development of appropriate and new technologies, thus ensuring stable supplies of nutritionally adequate food, access to those supplies by vulnerable groups, and production for markets; employment and income generation to alleviate poverty, and natural resource management and environmental protection.
The universities and the other higher education and research institutions have very important social role as well in equipping the student, non-student and youth to adapt to the changing world of globalization and development which is in accordance with the new work culture.