METHODOLOGY
- Well performing projects are submitted by Centre & States for evaluation.
- Projects measured from – Prism of Citizen; Project Level Outcomes; Incremental Progress; Before & After.
- First round of voting and shortlisting is done by our analysts.
- Shortlisted projects go through evaluation and interview by domain experts.
- Overall impact is measured for new projects, whereas ongoing projects are evaluated on incremental improvements.
- A peer evaluation is carried out by those doing similar projects.
- Select field research is done to evaluate impact.
- These projects are put to a popular vote by stakeholders.
- Merit listed (order-of-merit) projects qualify for expert evaluation.
- Experts vote through exhibition and live polls.
- Each project therefore gets a comprehensive score. Total of these decide state and sectoral performances.
- Maximum score at each level is capped to create a level playing field.
RECOGNITION
- Merit listed projects that qualify for deeper study receive an order-of-merit certificate.
- A weightage of these certificates is added to the overall state score.
- Based on the final score received by a project, it is certified as Platinum, Gold or Silver.
- Each such rating has a value that is added to the state’s overall score.
- Based on overall scores, the states are ranked in governance.
- Based on indicator scores, states are ranked sectorally.
- Top five states are rated Star states, next five are rated as Performer states and the next five are rated as Catching-up states and the rest are rated as others.
- The overall score across 37 parametres feed into the SKOCH State of Governance Index. The Index is updated every six months and there is also a Cumulative ( Σ) Index since 2014.
- Improvements in sectors defined as Social by the Reserve Bank of India feed into SKOCH Social Inclusion Index.
- A similar methodology is followed for sectors such as BFSI, that helps us create the most comprehensive Financial Inclusion Index.
FIELD RESEARCH
- A periodic field level impact assessment and research is done in well performing sectors in states. These sectors and states are selected through empirical data trends and submissions.
- Top state functionaries are interviewed, their data and dashboards understood by our research team. Research team(s) and mystery shoppers interview beneficiaries to get their feedback. These are recorded as videos as well as case studies.
- These case studies are sectorally collated and are used to validate data provided by the state. This research also serves as a field level input to state on what is working and why? Can it be improved? Can there be correctives? No rating or ranking can be determined based on any commercial considerations outside of SKOCH’s stated Methodology and Ethics Policy.
- SKOCH Group is the only independent organization carrying on these field level interviews, research and documentations since 2000.Individuals cannot apply for any personal recognition or rating.
- There is an exhaustive knowledge repository available on this work.
LIMITATIONS
- Ratings and ranks are limited by submissions made by the states and their interest in getting the incremental progress in their governance measured in India’s oldest time-series Governance Index.
- Revenue is generated through commercial activites related to Information, Communication and Education (ICE).This includes advertising, exhibitions and sponsorships.
- Our methodology is unique and has been fine-honed over decades of primary and secondary research. The results are not comparable with any other methodology that is either government/multi-lateral or sponsor funded secondary research based indices.
- No rating or ranking can be determined based on any commercial considerations outside of SKOCH’s stated Methodology and Ethics Policy.
- Only projects, sectors and governments are rated and recognised.
- Individuals cannot apply for any personal recognition or rating.
Beacons of Hope (Popular Vote)
Explanation by Example
While jury ratings for SKOCH Honour comes in, ‘Beacons of Hope’ voting phase gives an opportunity to solicit popular votes for one’s nomination. This is important for the following reasons:
- Making one’s department/organisation and its wider ecosystem a part of the evaluation exercise.
- Benchmarking one’s popularity against peers from other organisations.
- Creating a buzz around one’s good work, informing colleagues and peers about what has been done, and making them feel proud of their achievements.
- The Popular vote carries a 15% weightage (upto 1.5 marks). This is added to the jury score to arrive at the semi-final stage of the SKOCH Ratings. This ensures the SKOCH-Order-of-Merit certificate and also qualifies one to compete for the top national honour by soliciting the expert vote from delegates during the conference.
Take a look at some past ‘Beacons of Hope’ popular voting pages:
Audience Overview
State Demographic of voters
Top Viewed Pages
Evidence of Excellence (Expert Vote)
Explanation by Example
After the qualified projects for SKOCH Ratings are decided, ‘Evidence of Excellence’ voting begins phase, giving an opportunity to solicit Expert Votes and support from one’s stakeholders. Here’s how it works:
- We create an Online Exhibition page as per one’s level of participation. It will display Videos, PPT, Photographs and a Case Study.
- The online link will be shared with the nominee, this could also be displayed on their website for wider dissemination and invitation.
- The Digital Exhibition opens for Expert Votes a few days before the honouring ceremony and closes at 17:00 hrs on the eve of the honouring ceremony. The online voting will add 10% weightage to their score.
- During the Order of Merit Ceremony, there is live online voting on exhibited projects, 10% weightage of which will also be added to their overall score.
Take a look at some past ‘Evidence of Excellence’ expert voting pages:
Club Plus
Comprehensive Financial Management System 2.0 | Andhra Pradesh Center for Financial Systems and Services
Category: Governance
Sub-Category: e-Governance
Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation – Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation
Executive Plus
Dial for Water 2.0 (DFW 2.0) | Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board
Category: Digital Governance & e-Governance
Sub-Category: Services Delivery – Government to Citizens (G2C)
Innovative ICT Based Approaches for Transfer of Technology and Capacity Building of the Farmers | Farm Woman and Rural Youth, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour
Category: Digital India & e-Governance
Sub-Category: Innovation – Capacity Building & Training
Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojna (Urban) | Beneficiary Led Construction, Municipal Council Lanji
Category: Cities
Sub-Category: Basic Infrastructure
Executive
District Responds To COVID | District Administration Jagatsinghpur
Category: District Responds
Sub-Category: Governance
Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission | Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Andhra Pradesh
Category: Governance
Sub-Category: Governance
Direct Benefit Transfer for Effective Initiative under MNREGA | Panchayat Raj & Rural Development Andhra Pradesh
Category: Governance
Sub-Category: Governance
Capacity Building and Training under MGNREGA – Panchayat Raj & Rural Development Andhra Pradesh
Category: Governance
Sub-Category: Innovation
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
1. Why SKOCH Award?
SKOCH Award remains the most credible independently instituted award in the country for the last 25-years. Its receivers have come from across the political spectrum and party lines. It has been conferred on the ordinary and mighty alike. Each SKOCH Award recipient has been doing phenomenally well in their respective areas. Our methodology and evaluation spans four months – more than any other award in the country. Our experts and juries are domain experts and devote hours and days of their time evaluating each project in great detail as opposed to celebrity juries, which don’t provide either time or commitment to the process.
2. What is the difference between SKOCH Order-of-Merit and SKOCH Award?
SKOCH Order-of-Merit is the recognition of your efforts in the applied sub-category for the award. SKOCH Orders-of-Merit are provided to the top 30% best performing projects in the country. The difference between a SKOCH Order-of-Merit and SKOCH Award is that while nominations compete within their sub-category for SKOCH Order-of-Merit, for SKOCH Award, the evaluation is done for the main category as well as across sub-categories.
3. Can I qualify for the award without participating in the exhibition?
Yes, you can qualify for the award without participating in the exhibition, which is optional but an integral part of the process. Several nominees, who do not participate in the exhibition also go on to win SKOCH Award. The reasons could be any of the following:
- All judges give 10/10 combined score
- Jury and Peer Evaluation coming to 10/10 score
- SKOCH Order-of-Merit score is 10/10
- SKOCH Award score is 10/10
All scores are confidential and not shared with anyone including the nominees.
4. Why is the exhibition important?
Exhibition is an important part of the award evaluation process not only because it provides an opportunity for you to showcase your work in the presence of thought leaders from the industry, stakeholders and the wider ecosystem but also because it provides an opportunity for the delegates to see your work live and vote on the spot, which carries a 10% weightage in the process for evaluation.
Often, people lose out on awards due to a fraction of scores and hence, these scores from the exhibition become even more crucial.
SKOCH Award isn’t based on any commercial considerations. Participation in exhibition doesn’t influence the jury decision. It can, however, provide precious marks, which often make the difference between a winner and a loser.
Exhibition participation provides another unmatched opportunity to learn from the best practices in your industry. Nothing delivers on sharing best practices better than exhibition.
5. Why do I have to sit through all peer evaluations?
The idea behind SKOCH Award is two fold – learning from peers and learning from the best. For best practices sharing and learning, we encourage all participants to sit through presentations of their counterparts and learn from them. Sitting through peer evaluation provides you an opportunity to learn from the best practices in the country.
6. Why is online voting important, if we are a non-media savvy organization?
As the world moves forward, it adopts contemporary technologies to drive value for the humankind and so should we. In online voting, same categories of organisations, individuals and nominations are competing with each other so the playing field is level. If you are not competent on social media and online, your peers aren’t likely to be savvy either.
Moreover, we encourage people to adopt more and more contemporary technologies and move forward with the times to digital inclusion.
7. Does participation in exhibition guarantee an Award?
SKOCH Award is India’s highest independent civilian honor. The Award have been non-controversial and non-partisan for 25 years. All nomination go through a rigorous evaluation process, which spans four months.
Exhibition is an integral but an optional part of the process. There are enough number of award winners, who didn’t participate in exhibitions.
8. What happens if you receive a complaint about a potential awardee?
We take such issues seriously and with utmost concern. Any complaint received is liable for a detailed editorial investigation by the SKOCH Group and a report is presented to the jury before they make their final decision. Any complaint about a potential awardee/nominee can be emailed at info@skoch.in alongwith supporting documents. Anonymous complaints are not entertained.
9. What happens if you receive a complaint after the Award has been conferred?
All awards are final. Once conferred, they are not reviewed. Awards are evaluation based and decided through a process using the evidence available at the time.
For any feedback, write us on feedback@skoch.in