'The Stock Market labyrinth'- A Study of Shares

Understanding the economy of a country is a key to financial success. One of the ways to gauge it better is to comprehend the
volatile world of share market. Words and terms like speculation, Sensex, index, bulls and bears, SEBI, BSE, NSE, IPO, rupee
trading flat, brokers of Dalal Street etc., wouldn’t sound strange any more to the girl power of the 12^th standard Government. Girls
Senior. Secondary School, No.1, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi. The credit goes to their teacher Ms. Rajni Rawal.

1		She has many accolades to her eminence .She was a subject expert for CBSE marking Scheme (Year: 2001 & 2002) and awarded Delhi University Merit Certificate as well as NCERT Awards at National Level (Year: 2002 & 2004) The awarded paper of the year 2002 was broadcasted on Gyan Darshan Channel of Doordarshan. Her Education paper got published in NCERT journal. www.educationinindia.net also incorporated her article on ‘*Managing Finance*’. Government. Girls Senior. Secondary School, No.1, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi is run by the Delhi Government. The approximate students strength is about 600. The School has a Computer Lab with 10 PCs, Internet facility, software packages like MS Word, Power Point, Excel etc.
	The services of a computer teacher is also available. Rajani in expressing her gratitude for the infrastructure exclaimed, “Thanks to the efforts of Delhi Government”
	The students generally come from urban setups and from lower-middle classes. Rajani adds more about her students that “My students are first-generation learners coming from poor socio-economic status. Many of them are helping their parents (mostly uneducated) to earn their livelihood.” The title of her project is “Vittiya Abhivyakti-the financial _expression” and subject of the project is ‘Accounting Treatment of Shares by a Company within legal / SEBI Provisions.’ Rajani explains more - “The chapter of 'Issue of Shares' forms the basis of Company accounts, since it gives the fundamental knowledge of share capital of a company.” This vast chapter deals in practical aspects of issue of Shares, Forfeiture and Reissue and their accounting thereof. She discusses her approach to teach the topic as “Child centered and interactive, where teacher and learner participate in a reciprocal manner” The use of technology, without doubt, led to “Awakening of curiosity, Self motivation, Stimulation of creativity and Teaching at reflective level” mulls over Ms. Rajani.

	In order to relate the textual knowledge of accounting of shares to the real business world, a project was given to the children, wherein technology was effectively used. After teaching the complete chapter, the students were divided in groups of 4 to 5 students each with ‘realistic time’ allotment of a fortnight in the implementation plan. Web sites like SEBI (www.sebi.com -- the watchdog of the Government), NSE (www.nse.com), www.indiatimes.com, www.hindustantimes.com) etc. were researched enthusiastically. Newspapers were scanned for all possible details on the currently followed procedure of issue of Shares, Guidelines for investors, Rights of shareholders, Listing of shares at stock exchange. The outcome was the ability to relate, what they are studying in textbooks to real life business scenario.

		MS PowerPoint was used for presentation to highlight the important provisions of SEBI for new concepts like Private placement of equity, Sweat equity, Employee stock option plan along with the presentations on Types of capital, Calls in arrears, Calls in advance and Forfeiture of shares. Rajani terms this as use of cognitive and psychomotor domain. Students could assess themselves by quizzing on "KAUN BANEGA SAFAL LEKHA ADHIKARI" prepared with help of MS PowerPoint. Thereafter, students were asked to use MS Excel (to develop calculative ability). This helped them to prepare Statement of adjustment of ‘Application money’
	towards Allotment and calls, Preparation of Balance sheet, Bank A/c and Statement of prorate allotment. Rajani went the extra mile and she was promptly rewarded, as she proudly relates, “The students felt responsible and confident, as they were now on implementing, what they have learnt in the classroom”

	The 17 years young financial columnists of Govt. Girls Sr. Sec School, reflected their understanding of the subject, where they elaborated the procedure of transaction at stock exchange and its advantages, information relating to fresh issues, lost & found notices relating to shares and relevant sections of Companies Act 1956 through newsletter on MS Publisher. The seraphic ‘Accountant Baba Ki Adalat’ silenced the queries in the minds of the students. Series of activities like teamwork and peer review followed as children themselves asked queries to others in a professional setup in the class and received solutions from others. Rajani adds that this ‘adalat’ also brought out the personal problems of students relating to shares.

		The transcendence of gifted students sparked-off two innovative games titled ‘Triplet Puzzle’ (for conceptual clarity) and ‘Question Grid‘ (for calculative ability). This was shared with all the other students. The Unit plan template was filled to the end by Rajani, as she had worked out activity plans for all types of learners, extra ‘zing’ for the gifted and peer support for the resource students. The open, mid and close of shares had not concluded for the day, as students also prepared to edify investors guidelines issued by SEBI on MS Publisher (they selected the calendar for it) and conceptual information on MS Word, which included Public notice for fresh issue of Shares, Rights and duties of Share-holders, Procedure for transacting into Shares etc.


	Rajani was meticulous about evaluation since, “This Technology Aided Project was undertaken by class XII students, preparing for their Board examination. Evaluation was an important aspect of this whole exercise. A test taken before and after the project on CBSE pattern showed a marked improvement in the performance of the students.” What more relevant end can this true story have, rather than. …the ever volatile stock market arena keeps witnessing the tug of war between bulls and bears. Especially, after the recent general budget, Rajani, has a befitting denouement -- “This has encouraged me to take up Technology Aided Project for the coming years for class XII and other classes too!”