Action research thrives on context. This 7-day plan places you inside two Indian cities that shape educational practice—New Delhi, where national curricula and teacher development discourse converge, and Bhopal, where you’ll see classroom realities, community voices, and living heritage in tandem. You’ll design a feasible inquiry around “MSRA की परीक्षा एवं शिक्षक का दायित्व,” pilot tools, collect data ethically, and leave with a near-ready report draft.

Delhi’s story runs from ancient empires to a modern capital of museums, universities, and policy institutions. It’s where you’ll ground your literature review, refine instruments, and observe how assessment culture meets classroom realities. Food-lovers can chase chole bhature, kebabs near Jama Masjid, and new-wave coffee between research sessions.

Bhopal’s lakes, leafy avenues, and acclaimed cultural centers offer a gentler setting for school immersion, teacher conversations, and reflective synthesis. Between the State Tribal Museum, Bharat Bhavan, and sunset over Upper Lake, you’ll balance rigorous fieldwork with restorative city walks and outstanding central Indian cuisine.

New Delhi

Why here: National institutions (NCERT, NIE), diverse schools, excellent archives and bookstores—all within a city where you can weave literature review, pilot testing, and observation. Delhi is also a feast: centuries-old kitchens, bustling bazaars, and quiet gardens for note-taking.

• Top sights: India Gate and Kartavya Path, Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, Old Delhi’s lanes near Jama Masjid.
• Coffee & bites: Blue Tokai (craft roasts), The Grammar Room (brunch near Mehrauli), Sita Ram Diwan Chand (iconic chole bhature), Karim’s (Mughlai since 1913).
• Stay: Browse stays on VRBO New Delhi or hotels on Hotels.com New Delhi. Consider Connaught Place for central access, Mehrauli/Saket for proximity to Qutub research day, or Lutyens’ Delhi for quieter nights.
• Getting in: Fly into DEL via Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Metro Airport Express to central Delhi ~20–25 minutes.

Day 1: Arrival, Orientation Walk, and Topic Framing

Morning: Inbound travel. Onboard, skim recent papers on assessment validity, reliability, and teacher agency to sharpen your MSRA lens.

Afternoon: Arrive and check in. Coffee at Blue Tokai (multiple outlets)—order a pour-over or cold brew and draft your action research aim: “How do teachers interpret and operationalize responsibilities around MSRA preparation, administration, and follow-up?”

Evening: Sunset stroll along India Gate and Kartavya Path—good space to set project boundaries (grade levels, subjects, sample size). Dinner at Pandara Road Market: Gulati (classic North Indian; try butter chicken or dal makhani) or HaveMore (kebabs and tikkas). Note early nights help with jet lag.

Day 2: Literature Review, Tool Drafting, and Old Delhi Foodways

Morning: Focused reading and instrument design near academic hubs. If you can arrange a visitor pass, the NIE/NCERT library area is ideal for policy texts; otherwise, work from a quiet café like The Grammar Room (Mehrauli)—shakshuka or avocado toast pair well with a long drafting session. Build your logic model (inputs, teacher tasks, MSRA steps, outcomes).

Afternoon: Develop draft tools: teacher questionnaire (roles before/during/after exam), semi-structured interview guide (training, constraints, ethics), and an observation rubric (invigilation, accommodations, record-keeping). Lunch at Sita Ram Diwan Chand (fast service; legendary chole bhature) before tightening wording for clarity and cultural fit.

Evening: Old Delhi walk: Jama Masjid, lanes of Matia Mahal. Eat at Karim’s (mutton qorma, seekh kebabs) or Al Jawahar; end with phirni or kulfi. Note how crowds and time-pressure might mirror exam-day logistics—jot transferability notes.

Day 3: Pilot Testing and Mehrauli Heritage

Morning: Breakfast at The Grammar Room or Perch (Khan Market) and print 8–12 pilot copies. Pilot with 2–3 teachers (pre-arranged via a local school or teacher contact); test timing, clarity, and sensitivity. Record item-level issues and revise on the spot.

Afternoon: Short cultural reset: Qutub Minar complex. As you explore Indo-Islamic architecture, reflect on assessment history—standardization vs. local contexts. Late lunch at Andhra Bhavan Canteen (excellent thali; quick service, great value) to power a final tool revision.

Evening: Compile a one-page ethics brief: consent language (Hindi/English), anonymity, voluntary participation, and data storage. Light dinner at Indian Coffee House (Connaught Place)—filter coffee, masala dosa—and early pack for travel.

Bhopal

Why here: A lake city with accessible schools, supportive academic community, and superb cultural venues. The pace helps you conduct observations, teacher interviews, and focused analysis without big-city friction.

• Top sights: Upper Lake (Bhojtal) sunset, State Tribal Museum (award-winning curation), Bharat Bhavan (arts complex), Van Vihar National Park, Taj-ul-Masajid.
• Local flavors: Poha-jalebi mornings, Bhopali gosht, vegetarian thalis, and kulfi by the lake.
• Stay: Explore VRBO Bhopal or compare hotels on Hotels.com Bhopal. Stay near Shahpura or MP Nagar for easy school and museum access.
• Getting there from Delhi: Morning flight to Bhopal (BHO) ~1h30m, often USD 40–90 one-way via Trip.com flights. Or train (Vande Bharat/Shatabdi/express) ~7–9 hours, USD 10–30 via Trip.com trains.

Day 4: Transfer to Bhopal, Lakeside Sunset, and Project Briefing

Morning: Depart New Delhi for Bhopal by flight or train (book in advance; carry physical ID for trains). En route, outline your sampling plan (number of teachers, grades, school types).

Afternoon: Check in and call your school contacts to confirm observation windows and consent procedures. Coffee at a local Indian Coffee House (MP Nagar) or a café inside DB City Mall for workspace.

Evening: Upper Lake (Bhojtal) promenade and optional boat ride. Dinner at Under the Mango Tree (Jehan Numa Palace; grills and North Indian standards—book ahead). Capture a day summary and finalize tomorrow’s observation rubric.

Day 5: School Observation 1, Teacher Interviews, and Tribal Museum

Morning: Breakfast poha-jalebi at Manohar Dairy & Restaurant (MP Nagar)—fast, clean, and proudly local. Head to a pre-permissioned government or private school (e.g., TT Nagar area). Observe how teachers stage MSRA: seating charts, materials security, instructions, accommodations, and timekeeping.

Afternoon: Conduct 2–3 short teacher interviews (20–30 minutes each) in a quiet staff room; secure voluntary consent, offer anonymity, avoid recording without explicit permission. Lunch at Bapu Ki Kutiya (vegetarian thali; quick service). Then visit the State Tribal Museum—exceptional design that can inspire how you present findings visually and narratively.

Evening: Data-entry hour at your stay (immediate transcription protects detail). Dinner at Hakeem’s (try the biryani or boti kebabs) or Sagar Gaire for comforting sandwiches if you want something light.

Day 6: Teacher Roundtable, Van Vihar, and Old City Eats

Morning: If feasible, arrange a small roundtable with 4–6 teachers at a neutral venue or school office (tea and snacks help). Prompt themes: training adequacy, role clarity before/during/after MSRA, workload, student support, and feedback loops. Note areas where policy and practice diverge.

Afternoon: Walk or cycle through Van Vihar National Park (lakeside paths, easy terrain). Reflect on safeguards, fairness, and inclusivity in assessments. Late lunch/coffee at a quiet café; convert field notes into codes (responsibility categories, constraints, innovations).

Evening: Head to the Old City’s Chatori Gali for a casual street-food circuit—chaat, kebabs, and rabri. Keep the night short; draft your findings outline with headings that mirror your logic model.

Day 7: Synthesis, Reporting, and Departure

Morning: Bharat Bhavan (arts, literature, performance) for a quick culture hit, then settle in a café to build your action research report structure: problem framing, context, methods, findings by theme, teacher voice quotes, implications, and an actionable improvement plan. Include a one-page toolkit for colleagues.

Afternoon: Lunch at Bapu Ki Kutiya or Manohar Dairy (fast, dependable). Depart from Bhopal airport or railway station; search options on Trip.com flights or Trip.com trains. Onboard, finalize your abstract and next-steps checklist.

Evening: Travel day. Back up your data, mark sensitive files, and draft an email template to share a summary and thanks with participating schools and teachers.

Your Action Research (क्रियात्मक अनुसंधान) Deliverables by Day 7

• Defined question: “MSRA की परीक्षा में शिक्षक का दायित्व—भूमिकाएँ, चुनौतियाँ, और सुधार हेतु व्यावहारिक सुझाव”
• Final tools: Questionnaire, interview guide, observation rubric (Hindi/English versions).
• Data corpus: 1–2 observations, 4–8 teacher interviews, pilot feedback notes, document photos (no student identifiers).
• Report skeleton: Context, methods, coded themes, teacher quotes, implications, and an implementation plan for term-2.
• Ethics file: Consent forms, anonymization plan, secure storage protocol.

Practical notes: Request school permissions 1–2 weeks ahead; carry a letter on institutional letterhead and a government ID. Keep bilingual consent. Dress modestly for school visits. Mondays see some museums closed; verify hours the day before. Local rides: app cabs or metro (Delhi) and autos/taxis (Bhopal). Typical meal costs INR 150–800 (USD 2–10); museum entries INR 50–600 (USD 0.60–7).

Suggested stays again for quick booking: VRBO New Delhi • Hotels.com New Delhi • VRBO Bhopal • Hotels.com Bhopal

Transport booking hub: Trip.com flights • Trip.com trains • Kiwi.com

In seven days, you’ll move from a broad inquiry on MSRA and शिक्षक का दायित्व to a polished, usable action research package—tested, ethical, and grounded in real classrooms. Delhi sharpens your tools; Bhopal grounds your findings and gives you space to write. You’ll fly home with data, a draft report, and a clear plan to share improvements with colleagues.