ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts

CAN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION GUARANTEE INCLUSIVE GROWTH IN INDIA? REIMAGINING EDTECH FOR VIKSIT BHARAT@2047

Swaraj Dash, Bibha Rani Nath, Dr. Blessy Paul C — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Education Technology (EdTech) has emerged as a transformative instrument for advancing digital empowerment, educational inclusion, and inclusive growth in India, particularly in the post-pandemic era. The rapid expansion of online learning platforms, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled educational tools, mobile-based learning applications, and virtual classrooms has significantly reshaped the country’s educational ecosystem. Despite these advancements, deep structural inequalities continue to widen the urban–rural learning divide, limiting equitable access to quality education and digital opportunities. Against the broader developmental vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, this paper critically examines how EdTech can serve as a pathway for bridging educational disparities and fostering inclusive socioeconomictransformation in India. Drawing upon secondary data, policy documents, government reports, and existing scholarly literature, the study analyses the key barriers affecting rural educational inclusion, including inadequate digital infrastructure, affordability constraints, low digital literacy, gender disparities, linguistic exclusion, and socioeconomicinequalities. The paper further evaluates major government initiatives such as Digital India, PM eVIDYA, SWAYAM, DIKSHA, and BharatNet, alongside the growing role of private EdTech enterprises, start-ups, and civil society organizations in expanding access to digital education. The study argues that EdTech can become a powerful driver of digital empowerment and inclusive growth only when technological innovation is complemented by equitable policy interventions, localized learning content, teacher capacity-building, affordable internet connectivity, and community-centred digital ecosystems. The paper concludes by proposing policy recommendations for strengthening India’s digital education architecture to ensure that the benefits of technological transformation reach marginalized and rural populations, thereby contributing to educational justice, human capital development, and the realization of Viksit Bharat@2047.

DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING FRAMEWORK FOR ENHANCING BUSINESS AGILITY IN DIGITAL ENTERPRISES

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The principle of data-driven decision-making (DDDM) has turned into one of the facilitators of the digital business environment that is characterised by a fast-changing environment. The paper offers a wide outline of the methods of making businesses more nimble by applying systematically integrated strategies with respect to data analytics, enterprise intelligence, and digital transformation. Recent literature readings, case studies and systematic review of the industry reports were conducted in order to identify the most important enabling factors, barriers and best practices in DDDM adoption. Based on the outcomes, the above-mentioned organizations whose data-driven processes were organized were 23 per cent more efficient in their work, and this is why the decision-making process was 17 per cent faster or more responsive to market changes. The framework stresses the fact that the leadership, agility of information system, knowledge management, and predictive analytics are important components that assist in optimizing the effectiveness of the decision-making processes. The insights provide an accurate blueprint to responsive businesses that are looking forward to utilizing data analytics to build nimbleness, novelty, and rivalry.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE LEGAL NATURE OF BLOCKCHAIN AND SMART CONTRACTS: FROM PURE TECHNOLOGY TO LEGAL PERSONALITY

Patryk Chmielarz — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Today, with the expansion of international trade, the infrastructures associated with this field have also experienced remarkable growth. Among these, two relatively emerging technologies—blockchain and the smart contracts formed on its basis—have emerged with the aim of accelerating, facilitating, and enhancing the security of financial and commercial transactions. Given the increasing pervasiveness of these technologies and their deep, potential impact on various aspects of human life and social relations, it is essential to clarify their legal and regulatory status across different domains. Achieving this goal, above all, requires a precise understanding of the nature of these two technologies. This is because, depending on the nature of each, different legal effects arise, and specific sets of rules come to govern them.On the other hand, it must be said that blockchain technology, for several reasons—including the fact that assets existing on this platform do not belong to the network itself—has not been able to acquire a legal nature and has in practice remained confined to its technical dimension. However, the situation is entirely different when it comes to smart contracts. Unlike blockchain, these contracts possess distinct legal attributes, including "legal personality." The reason for this lies both in their ability to operate independently of the contracting parties and in the existence of explicit legal provisions in this regard. This research attempts to provide a comprehensive analysis of the technical and legal nature of blockchain and smart contracts, while precisely explaining the legal issues surrounding blockchain and the smart contracts based on it.

A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW OF ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, UNIVERSAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES, AND IMPLEMENTATION GAPS IN THE INDIAN URBAN PUBLIC OPEN SPACES

Simran Vats, Ranganath M Singari — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

While inclusive public open spaces are essential to equitable living in the city, they are not always achieved using accessibility standards and universal design principles, especially in fast-growing cities in the Global South. The aim of this SLR is to identify findings from current research on inclusive public open spaces, particularly in relation to the incorporation of accessibility standards and universal design principles into urban design practice. According to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, articles were identified in Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases, 1247 articles were found, 78 were included for full-text analysis. Seven themes emerged from the review: the shift from architectural to urban scale of universal design; operationalization of the seven universal design principles in the context of public open space; the limitations of existing accessibility audit methodologies; intersectional perspectives on gender, age, disability and class; gaps in the policy arena of developing countries; participatory and co-design approaches; and the emerging integration of universal design and sustainability frameworks. The challenges that still need to be addressed are the lack of representation of South Asian urban contexts, lack of incorporating multi-dimensional aspects of universal design with the environmental sustainability aspects, lack of enforcement of accessibility legislations in India, and lack of validated multi-dimensional evaluation frameworks which are specifically calibrated to Indian metropolitan public spaces. Based on the above, the review suggests a holistic framework of universal design, sustainability and user experience, which has four dimensions, and has direct implications for the rollout of the Smart Cities Mission, AMRUT 2.0 and SDG 11 in Indian cities.

AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS’ SATISFACTION WITH THE PERSONNEL APPRAISAL SYSTEM

Shumila Shamim, Dr.Preeti Rajoriya — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The high volumes of change in the higher education sector have seen the personnel appraisal systems rise to the forefront to measure the performance of the faculty and as a means of accountability, quality and institutional effectiveness. Such systems are however highly reliant on how the faculty perceives fairness, transparency and quality of feedbacks to be effective.The aim of the research is to assess the level of satisfaction of university teachers to personnel appraisal systems and gauge the influence of the perception of fairness and quality of feedback on the level of satisfaction.A descriptive, analytical and quantitative study design was adhered to. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of 5 points Likert scale to collect data on 100 university teachers (Assistant and Associate Professors). Reliability was checked using Cronbachs Alpha (0.82). Data analysis was done using the descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis, t-tests.The outcomes indicate that the faculty members are fairly satisfied (Mean = 3.2). When it comes to analyzing the correlation, it can be stated that it is true that fairness and satisfaction exhibit a strong positive correlation (r = 0.68), followed by feedback quality (r = 0.55), and transparency (r = 0.45). Regression analysis reveals that fairness ( = 0.45), feedback quality ( = 0.30) and transparency ( = 0.22) are best predictors. In addition, the level of satisfaction among Associate Professors was significantly higher as compared to the Assistant Professors.The study finds that there is a possibility of enhancing teacher satisfaction and overall effectiveness of the appraisal system in higher education through greater fairness, transparency and feedback.

DEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET: A STUDY ON WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND THEIR BUSINESS OUTCOMES.

Dr. Thokala Devi, Dr. V.Bindu — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

It focuses on how personal and social factors like age, education, caste, marital status, and economic background influence women’s capacity to think, act, and succeed as entrepreneurs. The title reflects the dual emphasis of the study: identifying the key demographic influences and analyzing how these shape women's entrepreneurial thinking and performance. It also hints at the goal of understanding the broader business outcomes emerging from these interactions. The study aims tohighlight the importance of tailored support mechanisms to help women entrepreneurs thrive in diverse socio-economic settings. This study critically examines how various demographic factors affect the entrepreneurial mindset of women and how these, in turn, influence their business outcomes. Focusing on women from different social backgrounds, the research investigates how their circumstances either enable or restrict their entrepreneurial activities. The study employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyse data collected from a diverse sample of women entrepreneurs. Key areas explored include access to resources, decision-making power, risk- taking behavior, innovation, and overall business performance. Ultimately, the research offers insights that can support policy recommendations aimed at enhancing women's participation in entrepreneurship and improving their chances of long-term business sustainability.

PLEA BARGAINING AND VICTIM COMPENSATION: A CONSTITUTIONAL APPRAISAL IN INDIA

MSHR Teja Chakravarthi, K Sitamanikyam — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

One of the most significant reforms introduced into the Indian criminal justice system through the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2005 was the incorporation of Chapter XXI-A (Sections 265A–265L) into the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.It is a concept that lets the accused person enter a plea of guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence or a disposition that is agreeable by both parties, or to pay restitution to the victim. Though plea bargaining aims at saving time and making justice more efficient, questions have come up about its constitutionality and the features of fair trial, particularly in the context of Article 14, 20(3) and 21 of the Constitution. At the same time, victim compensation has become an important part of contemporary criminal justice, placing a strong focus on restorative justice as a central factor in the system of punishment. This article deals with analysis of Plea bargaining and its constitutional validity in India and its relationship to the victim's compensation.

EVIDENTIARY VALUE OF NARCO- ANALYSIS: AN ANALYSIS OF INDIAN LEGAL POSITION

Dr. L Haritha, Dr. Pininti Sridhar, Anishkumar — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper explores the value of using narco-analysis and its application in the Indian legal system. A method, using drugs administered to an individual to bring him or her into a semi-conscious state, in order to gain information during a criminal investigation. The study examines the constitutionality of the narco-analysis under Article 20(3) and 21 of the Constitution of India and admissibility under Indian Evidence Act, 1872. The involuntary administration of narco - analysis tests has been limited by judicial pronouncements, especially in Selvi v. State of Karnataka. Finally, the paper finds that the use of narco-analysis as an investigative tool and not substantive evidence on its own must be backed up by legally admissible corroborative evidence.

NARRATIVES OF JUSTICE AND POWER: A LAW AND LITERATURE ANALYSIS OF LEGAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH TEXTS

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The interrelation of law and literature provides a critical approach towards the legal texts as narrative and cultural texts and not as documents only. This paper explores the way justice and power are constructed narratively in the current English law books, especially the Supreme Court decisions. The proposed study with the qualitative and interpretive research design is based on the idea of narrative analysis, discourse analysis, and legal consciousness theory to examine the influence of judicial language on the formation of meanings of power, rights, and legitimacy. They were analysed with thematic coding, and a purposive sample of judgments was identified with the use of thematic coding. The results indicate that judicial rulings can be understood as narratives in a structured form in which justice is viewed as a dynamic and situational process, and it is usually based on constitutional and moral arguments. Power is expressed as a complicated interrelation of state power and judicial control, where the law serves as a source of legitimization of as well as the regulation of institutional control. Moreover, the analysis proves that legal texts themselves are also an active participant in the development of legal consciousness that shapes the perceptions and attitudes of individuals towards legal systems. The analysis of legal judgments in terms of law and literature highlights the value of the study of legal discourse as a cultural and interpretive practice that is situated in the wider socio-political framework. The study adds to the important debates of justice, inequality, and governance and is consistent with current academic endeavours to analyse law as a narrative construction site and social meaning.

ECOCRITICAL AESTHETICS IN VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS: INTERPRETING ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The escalating ecological crisis of the Anthropocene has required interdisciplinary perspectives on knowledge and dissemination of environmental issues, and the arts are becoming an important source of engagement. This paper investigates ecocritical aesthetics in the visual arts and performing arts with a particular emphasis on how the creative expression interprets and communicates environmental awareness. This study was based on the ecocritical and interpretive paradigm, where the qualitative and comparative approach was followed on the basis of secondary information on ecological art, design, and performance. The discussion covered the thematic representations, aesthetic strategies and embodied expression in visual and performing fields. The results found that the symbolism, materiality, and compositional methods are used most often in visual arts to depict the environmental concerns, whereas the performing arts depend on the movement, spatial, and affective means in order to tell ecological stories. It was discovered that the inclusion of ecological themes in artistic activities led to a greater awareness of audiences, emotional reaction to and cognitive interest in environmental concerns. The paper emphasizes the symbiotic aspects of visual and performing arts in creating environmentally aware and sustainability-related discussions. The research highlights the transformative nature of the artistic practice by bringing together it with the ecological consciousness of creative expression in solving modern environmental issues.