Prof. Virendra Singh is a distinguished academician, researcher, and education policy expert with more than 33 years of professional experience in the fields of statistical research methods, educational surveys, programme evaluation, elementary education, rural development, and educational planning and financing. He has made significant contributions to evidence-based educational research and policy development through his association with premier national institutions.

He served at the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Ministry of Education, Government of India, New Delhi, where he held the positions of Reader/Associate Professor and Professor from 2001 to 2026. Prior to this, he worked as Research Officer (Technical) to the Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh, and as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat Agricultural University, Anand. His early research career included service as a Senior Research Fellow at Gujarat Agricultural University and Statistical Assistant at MRC, ICMR-GOI, Delhi.

Research Contributions and Publications

Prof. Singh has an extensive research portfolio covering educational statistics, school education surveys, inclusive education, RTE Act implementation, community participation in schools, virtual learning, competency-based education, and rural educational development. He has published numerous research papers in reputed national and international journals.

His recent research focuses on:

• Impact of COVID-19 on elementary education and virtual schooling.
• Competency-based learning and psycho-social well-being of students.
• Inclusive education for socio-economically disadvantaged groups.
• Community participation in school management in tribal and aspirational districts.
• Educational inequalities and learning outcomes in rural and underserved regions.

His scholarly contributions also include research in statistical estimation techniques, sampling methods, agricultural statistics, rural development, and educational indicators.

Research Projects and Policy Contributions

Prof. Singh has played a key role in several large-scale national educational research projects undertaken at NCERT and supported by the Government of India. His major contributions include:

• Seventh All India School Education Survey of GOI-MHRD.
• Development of Manual on Indicators of School Education.
• Evaluation of Multilingual Education (MLE) and Teacher Training Education (TTE) programmes.
• Studies on Implementation of Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
• Development of Learning Indicators and Learning Outcomes at Elementary Stage.
• Research on community participation in tribal-dominated areas.
• Studies on virtual schooling and learning outcomes in aspirational districts of North-East India.
• Surveys related to social environment and educational inclusion of disadvantaged children.

He has contributed extensively to national research reports, survey guidelines, manuals, and educational frameworks published by NCERT.

Academic Leadership and Professional Contributions

Prof. Singh has actively contributed to academic quality enhancement, institutional development, and educational reforms. His professional roles include:

• NCTE Visiting Team Member for inspection of teacher education institutions.
• NAAC Peer Team Member for institutional assessment.
• Reviewer and evaluator for ICSSR programmes and research proposals.
• Reviewer for Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) programmes.
• Mentor under the National Mission for Mentoring (NMM) aligned with NEP 2020.
• Member of selection committees for NCERT, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, and universities.
• Examiner for Ph.D. theses at reputed Indian universities.
• Paper setter and evaluator for undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional programmes.

Training, Workshops and Knowledge Dissemination

Prof. Singh has been a resource person, coordinator, keynote speaker, and trainer in numerous national-level capacity-building programmes. He has trained education officers, researchers, and faculty members in:

• Educational survey methodologies.
• Sampling techniques.
• Quantitative research methods.
• Statistical analysis using ICT tools.
• Research methodology and proposal development.
• Implementation of RTE Act and quality monitoring frameworks.

He has delivered lectures and conducted training programmes for institutions including NCERT, SCERTs, universities, and government agencies.

Awards, Honours and Professional Memberships

Prof. Virendra Singh has received several recognitions for his academic and research excellence, including:

• Certificate of Honour for Master’s Degree Programme.
• CSIR Senior Research Fellowship.
• DST-IIITM Post-Doctoral Research Associateship.
• IRMA Post-Doctoral Research Associateship.
• Recommendation for public service through the Public Service Commission, Uttar Pradesh.

He is a life member of prestigious professional organizations including:

• Indian Statistical Association.
• Indian Society of Agricultural Statistics.
• Gujarat Statistical Association.
• Association of Maharashtra Agricultural Universities.

Research Expertise

His major areas of expertise include:

• Educational Statistics and Research Methodology.
• Large-scale Educational Surveys.
• Programme Monitoring and Evaluation.
• Inclusive and Elementary Education.
• Rural Education Development.
• Statistical Modelling and Sampling Techniques.
• Education Policy Research.
• Data-driven Educational Planning.

Eligibility for Distinguished Researcher Award

Prof. Virendra Singh is highly eligible for the Distinguished Researcher Award in Scientific Laurels due to his outstanding and sustained contributions to educational research, statistical methodology, and policy-oriented studies. His more than three decades of academic experience, extensive publication record, leadership in nationally significant research projects, contributions to NCERT educational frameworks, mentoring activities, and impact on education planning and reforms demonstrate exceptional research excellence and scholarly leadership. His work has significantly advanced understanding of educational development, inclusion, and evidence-based policymaking in India.