The objectives of study were: (1) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti (GSS) in enrollment of children in primary schools. (2) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in knowing the educational needs. (3) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in institutional planning of various schools of village. (4) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in group school project. (5) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in having contacts with the parents of those children who don’t go to schools. (6) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in providing pre-primary educational facilities in villages. (7) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in co-coordinating with the other agencies such as Women’s Club, Youth Club, Sports Club etc. (8) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in providing facilities to various centres, such as, informal educational centre, literacy centre, adult education centre and Jan Shikshan Nilayam. (10) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in knowing the statistical review of village such as dropout rate, information about 0-5 age group, and information regarding children not willing to go to school. (11) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in taking the corrective measures to improve the standard of primary education. (12) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in motivating the teachers and residents of villages for the services rendered to the schools. (13) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in starting the various other programs, like, crèches, mobile schools etc. in the village. (14) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in conducting the meeting as per government (GR). (15) To study the role of Gram Shikshan Samiti in maintaining the records of budget sanctioned by the government to schools. (16) To study the problems faced by the members of Gram Shikshan Samiti (GSS). (17) To study the suggestions given by the numbers of GSS to improve the education. (18) To give suggestions to improve role of GSS in universalization of primary education.

A sample of 300 members (president / secretary) of GSS were selected randomly from Murbad and Shahpur Educational blocks of Thane district.

The findings of study were: (1) The GSS carried out survey of the children eligible to go to school, drop out children, children unwilling to go to schools due to different reasons, parents reluctant to send their wards to school due to their personal problems and difficulties and educational needs. (2) GSS took up enrollment scheme in their villages, so more children join schools for such job they motivated parents and children to take admission. (3) Majority of GSS members explained the incentives and facilities provided by government to children and parents. (4) Majority of GSS members provided teaching aids, books to students, books to teachers, reference books and other educational facilities to various schools. (5) They also recommended the qualified D.Ed., B.Ed. and special teachers to be appointed in different schools. (6) Members of GSS arranged workshops, made arrangement of discussion and arrangement of training programs for upgrading the knowledge of teachers. They also followed rules and regulations while sanctioning leaves to teachers, made efforts to improve annual results of students and believed in the group school schemes. (7) GSS members arranged various activities and for that they seek help from mandals. (8) They motivated students to participate in social celebrations, social festivals and competitions in their villages and conducted awareness programs. (9) GSS organized supplementary programs to achieve the target of universalization of primary education. They approached government agencies for school building funds. (10) GSS promoted adult education and provided co-ordination among the balwadi, primary schools and non-formal education. (11) Members of Gram Shikshan Samitis also faced some difficulties while conducting the survey, like, to convince illiterate persons, non-availability of parents at home etc. (12) Majority of GSS done yearly meeting while few carried out quarterly, and half yearly meetings. (13) They helped in starting Anganwadi / Balwadi, took help of literate youth, brilliant students of standard V to VII, Mahila Mandals and other agencies. (14) Few GSS promoted education by checking attendance registers of these centers after every three months, providing annual budgets and by getting sanctioned sufficient amount by B.D.O. Panchyat Samitis. GSS understood its role in brining about universalization of primary education but still far. Very few GSS had actually performed quality work.