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Education is the most important tool for the development of different types of faculties in human beings. It plays an important role in the overall development of the human beings, and it is generally considered as a catalyst of social change. Education always remains a territory of significance and worry for the policymakers, social researchers and the academicians. In the complex society like India, which is multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and pervaded with incalculable issues, the issues of ignorance are a major test in transit of its advancement. In this direction, open and distance learning (ODL) plays an important role in providing quality education to the learners who are unable to be a part of the formal system of education. Open and distance learning serves as a source of education for the marginalized and disadvantaged sections of the society. Open and distance learning goes for the spread of learning and securing information through distance mode including the utilization of any correspondence innovation to give chances to advanced education. Regardless of caste, creed and religion, it provides uniform education to different sections of the society. The purpose of this paper is to assess the attitude and satisfaction level of the learners towards open and distance learning.

For this study, explorative research methodology has been used, and analysis has been done on the basis of data extracted from the primary and secondary sources of information. The respondents were personally interviewed through structured interviewed schedule for the collection of primary data. In fact, the interview is an act of verbal communication for the purpose of eliciting information. In addition to intensive field work, secondary sources like records, manuscripts, survey reports and many other related studies and their findings have been used as the source of secondary information collected through respective sources.

ODL has been successful in realizing its objective, reaching to the unreached by spreading education in the remote and far-flung areas through its study centers located in various locations. However, there is more need of creating awareness among the people in the far-flung areas by opening more study centers as per the need and geographical location of the area. In the present era of science, technology and innovation, no major shift has been seen among the parents towards the girl child: and providing education to the girl child is not the top priority in the villages, marriage gets the first preference instead of education. However, girls are coming forward to continue their education but the problem is that of money as in the case of boy respondents. So there is a need to review the fee structure of the ODL program as per the economic conditions of the student’s family, and some provisions should be made, especially for the girl students, to motivate them to come forward to continue their education, as it will spread message among other girls who did not complete their schooling.

Through this paper, it could be realized that ODL provides opportunities to those who have no access to normal schooling but want to continue their education to compete in the changing world. ODL plays an important role in the hilly regions where most of the children left or dropped out their studies, especially the girls students, due to various reasons: it may be the long distance of the school from home or poor economic condition of the family. ODL emerged as a tool in solving all the problems and reaching the unreached through its learner-friendly approach.

Open and distance learning gives uniform stage to the individuals who need to upgrade their education and also skill development. This paper finds out that majority of the learners were satisfied with the performance of the open schooling. A positive attitude towards open schooling was found among the learners. They were of the view that because of open schooling, they gained self-confidence and better status in the society. They were of the opinion that they were no longer considered as a loser and they were in a position to get something new, which may be helpful for them and their family.

The review examines the existing literature on blockchain-based small and medium enterprise (SME) finance and highlights its trend, themes, opportunities and challenges. Based on these factors, the authors create a framework for the existing literature on blockchain-based SME financing and lay down future research paths.

The review follows a systematic approach. It includes 53 articles encompassing multiple dimensions of blockchain-based SME finance, including peer-to-peer lending platforms, supply chain finance (SCF), decentralized lending protocols and tokenization of assets. The review critically evaluates these approaches' theoretical underpinnings, empirical evidence and practical implementations.

The review demonstrates that blockchain-based SME finance holds significant promise in addressing the credit gap by leveraging blockchain technology's decentralized and transparent nature. Benefits identified include reduced information asymmetry, improved access to financing, enhanced credit assessment processes and increased financial inclusion. However, the literature acknowledges several challenges and limitations, such as regulatory uncertainties, scalability issues, operational complexities and potential security risks.

The article contributes to the growing knowledge of blockchain-based SME finance by synthesizing and evaluating the existing literature. It also provides a framework for the existing literature in the area and future research paths. The study offers insights for researchers, policymakers and practitioners seeking to understand the potential of blockchain technology in filling the SME credit gap and fostering economic development through improved access to finance for SMEs.

This paper aims to examine the Islamic marketing literature to uncover potential customer adoption behaviours and enhance the effectiveness of blockchain-based halal logistics services in catering to customer demands. The findings of this paper provide substantial contributions to the realms of both halal logistics services and Islamic marketing literature, delineating future paths for research. By delving into halal logistics practices, integration procedures and service provider performance, this paper assists stakeholders in enhancing halal logistics services to meet the changing demands of customers effectively.

This paper uses a systematic review incorporating bibliometric analysis to examine past and contemporary research topics, selecting and appraising contributions while analysing and consolidating data. A methodical approach has been used to identify, assess and incorporate pertinent studies on Islamic characteristics, traceability technology, blockchain integration and halal logistics practices.

After screening and analysing 139 selected documents with the VOS viewer, it is evident that among a 1,000 keywords, 15 stand out in terms of frequency and link strength. The research highlights the considerable academic interest in themes such as “blockchain”, “halal logistics” and “supply chain”, underscoring their importance. The findings of this paper help bridge the gap in Islamic marketing by linking technology with religious values. It suggests that the integration of blockchain technology in halal logistics enhances operational efficiency while aligning with both operational and Islamic marketing principles, promoting ethical conduct and transparency as key enablers.

The theoretical significance of this paper lies in establishing a correlation among three key research domains: technology, symbolised by blockchain; customer-centric operations, incorporating the halal supply chain and logistics within Islamic marketing. The outcomes reflect consumer behaviour and Shariah compliance. This integration has the potential to introduce innovative theoretical frameworks that encompass religious ethics in marketing, logistics and technological advancements.

This paper comprehensively analyses the intersection between blockchain technology, halal logistics, supply chain management and Islamic marketing. The paper has comprehensively analysed previous studies and outlined the future research path for blockchain technology in halal logistics and its application in Islamic marketing literature.

The impact of Goods and Service Tax (GST) on the motor and pump exports in the Coimbatore region is measured in this study using various parameters and scales. The data collected from exporters were used to identify the pros and cons of GST, stating their opinions on variables considered by the researchers through extensive literature on GST and exports.

The data were collected from 220 motors and pump exporters through a field survey from the month of January to September 2021. The impacts have been measured using principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The factor analyses and CFA will derive the positive and negative impact of GST determined through critical empirical evidence in this study. Also, the problems faced by the exporters allied to GST, which the authors could not include in the questionnaire due to certain reasons, are concisely apportioned and discussed.

The study depicts the major advantages of GST, such as harmonized system, long-run performance, reduction in logistics cost, check-post operation, bonds and ease of doing business. Also, it highlights the disadvantages of GST, such as biases in the indirect tax system, the reimbursement of duty drawback being late or pending and document filing was still a tedious job under the GST regime.

The unavailability of considerable literature on the impact of GST on Indian exports signifies the novelty of this research. So far, this is the first empirical attempt to measure the impact of GST on exports which is a unique and original attempt to highlight the problem that lies under the GST regime and the necessary reforms the tax structure needs in the context of Indian exports.