EDUCATING INDIA

The people may say that going in the school, attending coaching centers or getting tutor at home is education. They may also consider that completing homework, reading and writing books, scoring high and getting a job is education. But education is beyond such trivial and narrow perceptions which rather limit and distort its true meaning.

Education is something which makes us man out of animal. We are entitled to be called civilized and developed race of the planet. We not only get education in the so called formal institutions and the hub of educational centers but also from the life moving around ourselves which too are the richest and biggest source of education. The raw mind gets ripened out of education that enables us to live the over laden life smoothly and successfully. It’s merely education that has resulted human race into present age of machine and technology from primitive nomadic state. It is education only that makes a clear distinction between man and animal. The man has the reason, power and resources to get education in systematic manner. The true education heightens our living standard and style among our people.

The big question in today’s scenario is whether present education system has really created cultured and successful citizen still poses a big challenge in front of us. We have to analyze into the mirror of the education systems founded, practiced and prevailed by our great ancestors and worthy forefathers. If we analyze deep in this regard a little deeply, we will compulsorily concede that ‘the conventional education system has no more power left in it to create civilized and successful citizen’. We will very easily favor the idea that ‘every education system is the result of a specific time and life in it’.

From the early stage of human life, there has been different mode of educating the people. And in the process of development of human race, it went on getting accustomed and adapted with the changed scenario. In every phase of time there have been three distinct categories of people. First those people who remained fanatically stuck to the bygone older habits, practices, cultures and traditions, second those people who happily and enthusiastically hugging the all the changes and third those people who stand between inevitability of changes and the worth of the past.

It’s really worth noticeable that ‘Change is the law of nature, there is no beauty without change’. We could not have hoped the use of computer and mobile, aero planes and sophisticated machines from the primitive uncivilized men, but we must agree that what we are today is the result of our forefather’s inventions and discoveries. Today searching of the newer planet seems sensational but in those days, the invention of fire, wheel and pots were not less sensational. They have been the backbone of all today’s development. What newer things we are developing today will become of secondary importance after centuries ahead. The invention of fire would have really dazzled the nomadic people. They would have got burning spot to their bodies but later they utilized the same for their advancement in sphere of human life like making the sharp weapon for hunting, to save them from wild beasts, to cook the food etc.The invention of the wheel lessened the burden of the back of the man. The animals were being used to carry the goods from one place to another. The society started assuming form. And the race of development quickened. The fire and the wheel is the reason why we are making synthetic materials today.

How can we say that only the present generation citizens are to be called successful?  Were Chanakya and Chandra Gupta not successful? Was Ashoka , the great a failure? Were Napoleon and Alexander, the great only the puppet? Were Mihirsen, Aryabhatta, Sushrut of no importance? It’s foolish to say that only present generation education system has potential to inculcate the cultural values.Think about Mahatam Gautam Buddha and Mahabira Swami, they taught the morals to the world. Such stalwart figures guided the humanity. Such eminent persons influenced the tide of their times and inspired the future as well. They are unforgettable and non ignorable. They left an indelible imprint in the pages of history and time. Throughout all our journey of life in the world, they are still paving the path to humanity with inextinguishable lamp of knowledge, courage, fearlessness, magnanimity, perseverance and many more.

There is only one thing to say in this regard that every education system has its limitations of the age and circumstances, but it has its importance not only in the associated era but also in all ages and times. It may be replaced by the newer ideas and better concepts suitable for the present needs, but it can never lose its worth. As the human life advances, so their needs also do. The glory and goodness of the past values should be carried forward. That must be molded and managed according to the time and situation otherwise it will become insignificant and meaningless. The old customs, values, practices, habits and beliefs should be colored in modernity, only then; it can leave an impression over the new generation multitude. If  any system, whatever and however great and magnificent it had been in its time, whatever influential it had been , remain adamant and stagnant, will vanish away from the world’s arena. The beauty lies in the very universality and timelessness of the systems. It must not be slave and stubborn to a definite phase and space. It must have human touch of all ages, places and races. Only then it can survive amid toughest and turbulent coils recoils of time.

Once, to get knowledge and education was an individual concern. Self inspired and self motivated man forbade the human pleasures of domestic livings, came out into the lusty jungles, vibrant valleys, robust mountains, tenderly rivers, pervading spaces and benevolent sky. He wandered freely and fearlessly. He felt the breeze, smelled fragrances and ate fabulous fruits. He wore the surroundings, slept on grass and grounds and befriended the insects, animals and plants. He smoothly travelled through shrubs, pebbles and thorns. He sat day to night and introspected. He explored the life within and beyond. He realized the facts and fables. He became a man of humanness. He acquired the blessings of manhood.

In the later ages with the formation of social structures and concentration of populace, the learning and experience started getting institutionalized. The sages shared their supreme knowledge of life and world to other fellow men that were desirous and curious to get it. The Guru Shishya tradition commenced. Far from the human habitats, in the deep and dense forests, the Guru with his dedicated disciples, discuss and discern the complexities of live, world and universe. The pious bond and virtuous knot between the Guru and his disciples made elegant and elaborate quest for salvation and solutions of complexities and intricacies of human life and its relation with fellow natural world. Their combined endeavor together helped to guide and show path to advancement to human community. They taught the valuable lessons of living like brotherhood, love, benign, compassion, empathy, tolerance, benevolence, non violence, truth, chastity, mercy and above all harmony among all fellow living and non living world.

The advent of  Lord Gautam Buddha and his practical preaching and precious sermons fueled the world of  learning and knowledge. On his precepts and inspiration, the organized and well systematic educational institutions were established to maximum the benefits of their learning in the welfare of the mass common people. Thus the great universities like Taxshila, Nalanda and Vikaramshila were founded in different parts of the country. Thousands of monks and millions of disciple from nook and corner of the country and abroad as well enhanced its glory and greatness. Unfortunately, the mightiest invasions and internal cruelties prevalent in the country heinously damaged to the very heart of such glorious institutions. The monasteries were set ablaze and devastated. The innocent peace loving monks were mercilessly butchered.

Later religious institutions like temples, mosques, churches and gurudwaras become the centre of quest, share and implement the knowledge to control, guide and propel the human behavior and his thinking. The scriptures were formulated and tenets were formed. Idealism, romanticism and deism took ground to balance and harmonize the social structures. The new principles, theories and doctrines were laid to enlighten the dormant soul and elevate human living to transcendentalism. Such religious institutions connected directly to the door of common people to heighten their moral, ethical and sacrilegious standard. The concept of god and divine power were made the matter of each individual. The pilgrims of Chardham like Jagnnath, Badrinath, Dwarika and Ujjain and many more were grounded. The priesthood, soul, afterlife, hell and heaven, gods, divinity, Karma, Bhakti, and Yoga became the part and parcel of every day’s life and business.  

After colonial era, we entered into modern democratic world. The machines, electricity and technologies changed the traditional values and way of thinking. Our priorities and choices got a big reshuffle and overhaul. The modern institutional like Kolkata, Mumbai, Madras, Allahabad universities were structured. Later academic, professional, medical, agricultural, engineering, technical, social, religious and diploma institutions and universities blossomed everywhere to fulfill the needs of present world and its population.

The new to newer education policies and commissions were launched time to time in the fast running variegating world.  From Lord Macaulay’s Education policy 1835, Woods Dispatch 1854, Hunter commission 1882 to UGC 1956, Kothari commission 1964, New Education Policy 1986, 1992, SSA 2000, NCF 2005 and RTE 2009, and several other attempts were made to modernize the education system. The scientific, logical and analytical tendencies and temperament were boosted to compete with the global trends and developments. Innovative, creative and constructive measures are being incorporated, implemented and promoted in the field education. The concepts of education are fast changing. The practicality, demonstrations and experimentations are getting edge day by day. That is the sanguine prospect of future nation building. Above all, that will assist to the service of whole humanity. Moreover, the individual has immense freedom to soar high and deep into the horizon of knowledge. He has full freedom and scope to quest undiscovered, unknown and hidden for the sake of well being of the human species. He is no more bound to myths, superstitions, strictures and scriptures, prophet obligations, god fear, religious boundaries, social outcast, ceremonial sacrosanct, elderly horrors of omens and hatches and community feeling .

Despite the rapid revolutions in the field of education, the loop holes still lie beneath the very lamp. The corrupt mentalities and evil intentions sniggering in the education policies, frameworks, implementations and executions have contaminated the whole system. For the lavish and unrestricted power gain, the foul practices are hugely assuming ground in the field of education too. The education that is the backbone of all developments should have been free from such ill and cruel practices. The clutch and hold of such venomous and crook people and politicians would have been least. Even the splendid policies rot up in the vicious hands of defective administrators.  Today, our education system is in very pathetic, poor and fragile condition. This needs to be revised, revamped, re strengthened and super inspected. The total control and administration must lie in the hands of honest, dedicated and visionary people.

To cite some instances about such ill functionaries, manipulations and embezzlements, that have afflicted all educational strata like higher, secondary and basic education. Though there are thousands of such wrong doings prevalent in higher education, but prominently affecting the systems are nepotism, authoritarianism and impressionism. The secondary education is no exception of it. But more miserable condition is of basic education. In spite of all reformative measures and constitutional provisions for free and compulsory, the education up to the age of 14, the mammoth money making, crippling the talent in the bud and negligence of duties have become every day’s harsh reality and bitter truth.

The recent happening in Bihar and Chhattisgarh of children’s death by food poisoning adds to the factor of such corrupt practices, wrong rulings and mismanagement. Whatever high slogans of meticulous administration, adept management and impartial government they make but the ground reality is that ‘the basic education is to the worst of its level’. This is shocking, depressing and surprising in eye of the nation. The local, national and international functionaries are spiting millions of dollars but the outcome is really very sad. The MDM and SSA and many more projects are getting introduced but practically of no use and no avail.

It’s better not to go school than to be neglected, abused and maltreated. Moreover life staking situations like eating pesticide in MDM, caste and status based discrimination and slum surrounding are more panic some. The officers focus more on the filling pockets than to improve educational conditions. It’s not that there is shortage of funds and budgets. If there is any shortage of fund, that is because the voracious and ravenous leaders and officers sitting in air conditioned easy armchairs. If they make visit to schools it is not for supervision or reformation but to extract and distort money somehow and someway. The teachers are used to of such practices or they too have political access or local dadagiri.

It’s hurting and shameful when somebody makes the local poor people responsible not to send their wards well clad, well bathed, well equipped and regular. They prove those innocent common villagers guilty not to be attentive towards their wards and letting them to graze cattle and household works. This is merely because one thinks like oneself in safe and comfortable conditions fetching a regular big salary.  There is one advice for such intelligent people ‘Just live their life for a single day; you will change the philosophy forever’. The main guilty is those who have the constitutional responsibility to plan and execute the rules. The Public must understand this and retaliate in the same coin if the government or administrator neglects and foils like that. Just remember, even the mother feeds the child, when it cries.

Imagine how the little buds are being nipped in the tender age. How can the child compete to the children studying in private schools?

It’s time to vow to do all our best in the interest of nation. We must raise voice against all malpractice prevailing. Education is the foundation brick of a huge flourishing nation. Where education gets clamped in political rigors, the future of the nation gets absolutely dismayed into utter darkness. It’s education that enables a man to become active member of the society and of the nation. The nation lacking the true spirit of education and stepping with flow of the fast changing time drowns into nothingness.

Its great urge and appeal to all dear citizens and countrymen to drive away all pollutants so that our country may become 100% literate and every individual may contribute to the best of his level in the development of the country.