Residential Training Programme on Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) for Senior In-Service Government Officers

OVERVIEW

As part of the larger developmental efforts, various schemes implemented and expenditures incurred by the Central and State governments in the social, economic, and infrastructure sectors directly touch the lives and livelihoods of the people. Converting these outlays into outcomes is a complex process that involves, inter-alia ensuring an effective monitoring mechanism and assessment of the impacts across various stages of the project cycle. Moreover, various policy changes, regulations of the government have profound and varied impact on different sections of the economy and society that need to be studied thoroughly and scientifically to understand the outcomes, in both the short and long run, intended and unintended. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) contribute to systematically tracking and assessing the process, end results, and performance of a policy, programme, strategy to generate credible, reliable, and useful information for the implementing agencies and other stakeholders.

 

In India, the use of MEL by independent agencies has become an integral part of the administration and management of all schemes for higher efficacy, transparency, and impact. And hence, there has been an increasing thrust on building capacity for administering effective MEL systems. This requires a firm grip and understanding of not only the underlying concepts, tools and techniques but also the art of converting learnings into effective policies. The significance of MEL is further increased by recent emphasis on evidence-based policy-making and action thereby facilitating right interventions based on ground realities. Hence, the design, management, and execution of an effective MEL system is crucial for the success of a scheme and ultimate improvement in development and growth parameters.

OBJECTIVES

This training course on MEL aims to improve the competency of officers, working at different levels of centre and state governments, to design and execute successful monitoring and evaluation programmes in line with the acceptable global standards, utilise the findings of the exercise for better planning, and effective delivery of public services. The specific objectives are as below:

  • Enhance existing institutional and individual capacities in the government to undertake MEL
  • Improve awareness about principles and components of MEL system
  • Sensitize participants about the importance of robust MEL systems in public service delivery
  • Introduce participants to national and global standard practices of MEL
  • Build capacity of participants to successfully plan, commission, and use MEL
  • Enhance competency in using MEL data and results for decision-making
Background Note

Session

Schedule

Event Agenda
From (Hrs IST) To (Hrs IST) Topic - Monitoring Fundamentals
Inaugural
0945 1015 Inaugural session
1015 1115 Introduction to the training and ice breaker
1115 1130 Tea break
Exposure and learning from experts
1130 1200 Introduction to outcome budgeting, and Overview of Output Outcome Monitoring Framework (OOMF)
1200 1240 Overview of logical framework and Output Outcome Monitoring Framework (OOMF)
1240 1300 SMART Indicators for performance metrics in a monitoring system
1300 1400 Lunch break
Learning by doing
1400 1600 Group work: Preparation of log-frame
1600 1615 Tea break
1615 1715 Panel discussion on challenges faced in implementing an outcome monitoring framework, and mitigation measures: Experiences from States
From (Hrs IST) To (Hrs IST) Topic - Evaluation Fundamental
Exposure and learning from experts
0930 0945 Recap of Day-1, and key takeaways
0945 1000 Short movie on evaluation [Evidence in Action]
1000 1100 When to monitor and when to evaluate? Looking from an OOMF and logical framework perspective
1100 1115 Tea break
1115 1245 Concepts of evaluation - Approach (i.e., Formative, Process, Summative), Framework (i.e., RCEESI+E), Design (i.e., experimental, quasi-experimental, non-experimental), Method (primary data, secondary data, qualitative, quantitative, cross-sections, longitudinal)
1245 1330 Why evaluate? Concepts of attribution, contribution, and its role for influencing policy.
1330 1430 Lunch break
Learning by doing
1430 1530 Group discussion on the feasibility of using experimental and quasi-experimental designs for evaluating public programmes
1530 1630 Framing your own evaluation - choosing the right approach, framework, design, and method
1630 1645 Tea break
1645 1800 Diversity in evaluation approaches and methods - Experiences from States
From (Hrs IST) To (Hrs IST) Topic - Brass Tacks Of Evaluation Design
0900 0930 Group Photograph and Interaction with DG, DMEO and DG, NILERD
0930 0945 Recap of Day-2 and key takeaways
0945 1100 Utilization of evaluation results
1100 1115 Tea Break
1115 1215 Preparing research objectives and questions - Examples from UCSS evaluations and other studies
1215 1315 Overview of sampling for primary survey
1315 1400 Lunch Break
1400 1500 Prepare a sampling methodology for the prepared evaluation design
1500 1605 Special lecture on techniques for analysing quantitative primary data - descriptive and inferential
1600 1615 Tea Break
1615 1815 Computer Assisted Field Survey
From (Hrs IST) To (Hrs IST) Topic - Administrative Data and MEL Cycle
Exposure and learning from experts
0930 0945 Recap of Day-3, and key takeaways
0945 1030 Overview of MEL cycle - When to do what?
1030 1130 Preparing a MEL plan - When to monitor and what? When to evaluate and what?
1130 1145 Tea break
1145 1300 Effective MIS for Effective Scheme/ Programme Performance
1300 1400 Lunch break
Learning by doing
1400 1500 Strengthening administrative data - Learnings from the Data Governance Quality Index (DGQI)
1500 1600 Techniques to monitor quality of data
1600 1615 Tea break
1615 1700 Fun with data - checking the quality of a sample dataset
From (Hrs IST) To (Hrs IST) Topic - Commissioning and Using Evaluations
Exposure and learning from experts
0930 0945 Recap of Day-4, and key takeaways
0945 1045 Preparing a design for Institutional Evaluation
1045 1100 Tea Break
1100 1200 Overview of NITI Aayog
1200 1300 Process of commissioning evaluations - learnings from DMEO
1300 1400 Lunch break
1400 1445 Preparing a Terms of Reference (ToR)
1445 1545 Preparing Terms of Reference for Evaluation
1545 1600 Tea Break
1600 1700 Preparing an M&E strategy
1700 1800 Valediction