Introduction :
Education is considered as the greatest achievement in all the societies and each human being is motivated to learn some thing or the other in his/her life time. Each generation, since the beginning of human evolution, has sought to pass on cultural and social values, traditions, morality, and skills to the next generation. This article throws light and exposes the areas where the conventional educational system is unable to make its impact which is expected to do by its very existence. And it also throws light on what it takes to be a real educated person and what a real education is. What role the current universities are playing. What they are ought to do. Should the component of social consciousness be given more rigor than merely dispensing the certificates? How a guru should be. Where does the state stand in facilitating this eternal education. What are the monetary implications? I would like to do some introspection and also restrospection, this is to evolve ideas how to execute our noble intentions and also to learn the best practices from our ancestors. And to show a path in the future for our next generations. I chose the word university for my sheer convenience and also with some rationale on its usage. It is understood that when we are adults we enter the university for our studies with an expectation that after studying a specific course we should get a job to feed our stomach. And this is the place (University) where we make serious decisions about our life as adults. In the main part of the article you may have more details than what I have mentioned in this introduction.
History :
Gurukul – One of the best and a great value addition to the universal education system. Regarded for its rigor in imparting the education and was creating a social impact. In this system where a child at the age of 8 was handed over to the teacher (sage) for education. Our culture is our asset. Indian tradition asserts that a teacher should get a highest importance after mother and father, when it is a matter of extending respect and bhakti.The advantage was the student will have to be there in the gurukul till the guru feels that student has acquired the necessary wisdom for which the student stayed in gurukul for all these years, while the student leaves to work for the upliftment of the society through the newly acquired wisdom, a student can offer dahkshana (fee) to the teacher. This seems to be the simple process, but powerful and purposefull.In the ancient days the rishis and saints believed that education is merely not about filling one’s stomach but to enlighten oneself and the society and to understand the truth which pervades in every one. During their (students) stay at the ashram they physically and mentally will be directed towards the purpose of the stay. Falling under one command is an important lesson taught. In the current days few of the institutions follow principles of gurukul who show some good results. This did not mean that this is the only model to be emulated. Those who strive to attain personal enlightenment and help others light their lamps are the true leaders of the human race. Blessed are those who are useful for themselves as well as others. They attain the highest goal of life here and now. Right in this mortal world, they become immortal and their wisdom guides humanity on the path of immortality. Today's society is waiting for selfless, spiritually enlightened, well-balanced leaders to guide them in how to live happily here and hereafter. Such leaders or reformers will not come from outside our society. They have to be born, raised, and trained right in our own society. We are the ones to become our own guides, our own leaders, and we are the ones to enlighten our own lives. Get up, my friends, arise: attain knowledge, and dedicate your life to the service of your fellow beings.
Current System :
A country’s growth in all fronts is directly related to the enlightment of it’s citizens. It will be a prejudice to comment that only who go to educational institutions are elites. We have people who have never gone to schools but been a source of inspiration for the later generations. And many who have acquired a merely enormous knowledge through educational institutions and be an example of undisciplined citizens. The current status of the educational system in India remains in an unacceptable level of absurdity. We always feel that the universities should not be merely a degree dispensing institutions but a toll to uplift the society. At a time when we are contemplating of passing a bill of right to education which intends to consider the education as a fundamental right (though uncertainty prevails for making it as an operational reality) of every citizen of our motherland, we are forced to review the operational complexities of executing this herculean task. If we have to enumerate the pitfalls in our educational system (let it be state of private institutions) we might end up writing a separate book on that topic. One’s strength is in identifying his own weakness because it gives us an opportunity to deal with the weakness and this helps in being more stable. Taking shelter under hypocrisy is madness. The greatest catastrophe can ever happen is the interference of politics, which is not restricted to the political leaders it can be any one who is with vested interests compromises society’s interest. I would like to separate the politics from government. India is the largest democracy in this world and along with that it also made its place as one of the most corrupted countries in the world. And we still chest beat on our GDP growth which never impacts the common man. Are not all these bureaucrats who indulge in massive corruption acts siphoning crores of rupees are educated? This is undeniably an act of theft. Sure that they will be punished with the irrelevant laws only if they are caught. What is the use of an education which is failed to teach the basic tenet of being a civilized human being? This can only be avoided if nobility of character prosper in society. Character building is totally ignored by the conventional universities may be they might have thought that it is hard to quantify this aspect. Not sure if this can be solved if the education sector is completely taken over by the government. Off late we are struck with the discourse of imparting quality education and in these efforts recently the government tried to de-recognize some of the universities which earlier were approved by the same government as universities. Education is supposed to have a cleansing, uplifting and refining effect. If this education system is enlivened by inclusion of moral and ethical values, it will lead to training a new generation of young persons sizzling with zeal to embrace and uplift the lowliest and the lost by voluntarily educating them in an exclusive pattern, inculcating in them qualities of love, kindness, compassion, sharing and caring. Earth can thus become a place worth returning again and again. For social progress and national uplift also every citizen should compulsorily be educated in ethical, moral and spiritual values apart from obtaining merely degree certificates. Education develops a person’s intelligence and makes him fit to earn worldly as well as boon. If the values are not imparted then we will continue to have the educated IAS officers and other government officers stealing crores of taxpayer’s money. It is a matter of shame that for the so called quality education we have to turn towards the very IIT’s,IIM’s and other institutions, why this cannot become a ubiquitous reality? Another ludicrous practice which exists is if I have to study Msc physics I should have studied Bsc physics, while it is definitely a commonsensical approach but there should be a way to accommodate the exceptions. What if this country might have missed an Einstein simply by denying an MSC admission in physics because he studied BA economics or some thing else earlier. It is self-explanatory that the situation cannot be improved just in overnight by rushing the reforms at the same time this issue should not be kept in back burner by citing the problem of shackled bureaucracy. While the government intends to disseminate the education to all the citizens at the same time emphasis on values should also be given. Another blunder made by the current universities today is treating the Distance education students as secondary citizens. Some of them (University of Madras) say if a PG is acquired through DDE he/she cannot be eligible for a PHD admission. It will be a premature assumption to say that brightest brains are available in only IIT’s/IIM’s not in DDE’s(Directorate of Distance Education).Our endeavor must be that we make values, social consciousness, nationalism and of course the intelligence as indispensible components of education. As we often tend to compromise one over the other.
Way Forward :
To drive the aspect of social consciousness in education we should consider all points mentioned below. The word social consciousness might have many meanings different contexts but for convenience we call it as “contribution towards society’s upliftment” which is not an obligation but a duty of every citizen, it is the dharma of this land.
How to measure?
It has been a practice in India that a normal degree course’s span is 3 years, usually split in semester and annual pattern. For each term we would in general approx.5 to 10 papers/subjects and a dissertation at the end of the course which is normally completed through plagiarism leaving the exceptions aside. A grade system must evolve instead of rating on percentage basis. I foresee this happening in the near future with the MHRD contemplating of implementing this concept across. The mentioned concept is not a mandatory but whoever does they should get incentives(The institutions which introduce)
An Example :
A student Sri Ram studies BA economics and his ability is currently judged by his written answers in an examination which is corrected by the teachers who only mastered few books and are strictly guided by the rigid answer keys any thing which does not fall in the purview of the answer key is regarded as incorrect, unless if that paper is picked up an able teacher who has the vast knowledge on the subject in hand. And at the end he gets 6 in a CGPA scale of 10.Now Mr. Ram as part of his project/dissertation conducts a study on the economical phenomenon in a fish market in the city. He helps them by giving suggestions as an output of his economic study which improves the life of the merchants and labourers even of a minuscule effect in the fish market. This is called the social consciousness/“contribution towards society’s upliftment in reality. Now Mr. Ram deserves a special recognition though he might not seek it. We recognize him by giving him 1 grade extra, i.e., now actual CGPA of Mr. Ram is 7 out of 10.What we are trying to do here is to show case those noble hearts and intentions who are ready to work with the spirit of giving back to the society, who can become a source of inspiration for all in a country where youth don’t hesitate to burn the national flag and go rouge. This can be applied to all degree courses right from bachelors to PhD’s.
How to deal with shortage of Quality/dedicated/committed teachers :
Recalling the one of the greatest leader of our times Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri who said Jai Jawan and Jai Kisan. It is still a matter of debate whether these two sections of citizens are given due importance while framing the policies.
We need to devise a new policy which puts a teacher before jawan and kisan. Then our punch line should be Jai Acharya, Jai jawan, Jai kisan. A teacher should get all the priorities and benefits like ex-servicemen.
An Example :
Children of ex-servicemen get special allocation in case of admission in colleges and if a serviceman travels he gets a special quota. In simple words a Jawan and a teacher should be treated alike. All the benefits given to military personnel should be extended to teachers. The crux of the duty for both is same. A jawan saves us from the external dark forces and the teacher saves the country from the internal dark force called ignorance and leads the society towards enlightment. Here the emphasis is not given on the monetary aspects but to let every one know that how important they are to develop a society. This will indeed motivate the brightest minds to take up the task of teaching. Currently selecting a teaching career is seen as a last option when a person cannot find a job then he reluctantly chooses a job as a lecturer/teacher in a recently sprouted private college and then he drags on and becomes a prodigal.
As a matter of fact the new suggestion shows a ray of hope where the recently concluded pay commission (sixth) asserts the importance of increasing the pay scale for professors, we need to wait and see if this solves the problem.
Quality Education :
What does it mean? It seems different sections have different perceptions on this feature. Going back to our basic tenets of our education which are values, social consciousness, nationalism and intelligence. If the education fails to impart these four features it means a student has merely acquired a degree certificate and nothing else. The frequent rhetoric from the industry leaders is the educational institutions must partner with industry to ensure that the students learn what the market demands. In reality this only happens with select few institutions. In simple terms Quality Education is not possible with out Quality Teachers.
To execute all that is discussed here we need forward thinking leaders. And I know that is the major problem.
Education is considered as the greatest achievement in all the societies and each human being is motivated to learn some thing or the other in his/her life time. Each generation, since the beginning of human evolution, has sought to pass on cultural and social values, traditions, morality, and skills to the next generation. This article throws light and exposes the areas where the conventional educational system is unable to make its impact which is expected to do by its very existence. And it also throws light on what it takes to be a real educated person and what a real education is. What role the current universities are playing. What they are ought to do. Should the component of social consciousness be given more rigor than merely dispensing the certificates? How a guru should be. Where does the state stand in facilitating this eternal education. What are the monetary implications? I would like to do some introspection and also restrospection, this is to evolve ideas how to execute our noble intentions and also to learn the best practices from our ancestors. And to show a path in the future for our next generations. I chose the word university for my sheer convenience and also with some rationale on its usage. It is understood that when we are adults we enter the university for our studies with an expectation that after studying a specific course we should get a job to feed our stomach. And this is the place (University) where we make serious decisions about our life as adults. In the main part of the article you may have more details than what I have mentioned in this introduction.
History :
Gurukul – One of the best and a great value addition to the universal education system. Regarded for its rigor in imparting the education and was creating a social impact. In this system where a child at the age of 8 was handed over to the teacher (sage) for education. Our culture is our asset. Indian tradition asserts that a teacher should get a highest importance after mother and father, when it is a matter of extending respect and bhakti.The advantage was the student will have to be there in the gurukul till the guru feels that student has acquired the necessary wisdom for which the student stayed in gurukul for all these years, while the student leaves to work for the upliftment of the society through the newly acquired wisdom, a student can offer dahkshana (fee) to the teacher. This seems to be the simple process, but powerful and purposefull.In the ancient days the rishis and saints believed that education is merely not about filling one’s stomach but to enlighten oneself and the society and to understand the truth which pervades in every one. During their (students) stay at the ashram they physically and mentally will be directed towards the purpose of the stay. Falling under one command is an important lesson taught. In the current days few of the institutions follow principles of gurukul who show some good results. This did not mean that this is the only model to be emulated. Those who strive to attain personal enlightenment and help others light their lamps are the true leaders of the human race. Blessed are those who are useful for themselves as well as others. They attain the highest goal of life here and now. Right in this mortal world, they become immortal and their wisdom guides humanity on the path of immortality. Today's society is waiting for selfless, spiritually enlightened, well-balanced leaders to guide them in how to live happily here and hereafter. Such leaders or reformers will not come from outside our society. They have to be born, raised, and trained right in our own society. We are the ones to become our own guides, our own leaders, and we are the ones to enlighten our own lives. Get up, my friends, arise: attain knowledge, and dedicate your life to the service of your fellow beings.
Current System :
A country’s growth in all fronts is directly related to the enlightment of it’s citizens. It will be a prejudice to comment that only who go to educational institutions are elites. We have people who have never gone to schools but been a source of inspiration for the later generations. And many who have acquired a merely enormous knowledge through educational institutions and be an example of undisciplined citizens. The current status of the educational system in India remains in an unacceptable level of absurdity. We always feel that the universities should not be merely a degree dispensing institutions but a toll to uplift the society. At a time when we are contemplating of passing a bill of right to education which intends to consider the education as a fundamental right (though uncertainty prevails for making it as an operational reality) of every citizen of our motherland, we are forced to review the operational complexities of executing this herculean task. If we have to enumerate the pitfalls in our educational system (let it be state of private institutions) we might end up writing a separate book on that topic. One’s strength is in identifying his own weakness because it gives us an opportunity to deal with the weakness and this helps in being more stable. Taking shelter under hypocrisy is madness. The greatest catastrophe can ever happen is the interference of politics, which is not restricted to the political leaders it can be any one who is with vested interests compromises society’s interest. I would like to separate the politics from government. India is the largest democracy in this world and along with that it also made its place as one of the most corrupted countries in the world. And we still chest beat on our GDP growth which never impacts the common man. Are not all these bureaucrats who indulge in massive corruption acts siphoning crores of rupees are educated? This is undeniably an act of theft. Sure that they will be punished with the irrelevant laws only if they are caught. What is the use of an education which is failed to teach the basic tenet of being a civilized human being? This can only be avoided if nobility of character prosper in society. Character building is totally ignored by the conventional universities may be they might have thought that it is hard to quantify this aspect. Not sure if this can be solved if the education sector is completely taken over by the government. Off late we are struck with the discourse of imparting quality education and in these efforts recently the government tried to de-recognize some of the universities which earlier were approved by the same government as universities. Education is supposed to have a cleansing, uplifting and refining effect. If this education system is enlivened by inclusion of moral and ethical values, it will lead to training a new generation of young persons sizzling with zeal to embrace and uplift the lowliest and the lost by voluntarily educating them in an exclusive pattern, inculcating in them qualities of love, kindness, compassion, sharing and caring. Earth can thus become a place worth returning again and again. For social progress and national uplift also every citizen should compulsorily be educated in ethical, moral and spiritual values apart from obtaining merely degree certificates. Education develops a person’s intelligence and makes him fit to earn worldly as well as boon. If the values are not imparted then we will continue to have the educated IAS officers and other government officers stealing crores of taxpayer’s money. It is a matter of shame that for the so called quality education we have to turn towards the very IIT’s,IIM’s and other institutions, why this cannot become a ubiquitous reality? Another ludicrous practice which exists is if I have to study Msc physics I should have studied Bsc physics, while it is definitely a commonsensical approach but there should be a way to accommodate the exceptions. What if this country might have missed an Einstein simply by denying an MSC admission in physics because he studied BA economics or some thing else earlier. It is self-explanatory that the situation cannot be improved just in overnight by rushing the reforms at the same time this issue should not be kept in back burner by citing the problem of shackled bureaucracy. While the government intends to disseminate the education to all the citizens at the same time emphasis on values should also be given. Another blunder made by the current universities today is treating the Distance education students as secondary citizens. Some of them (University of Madras) say if a PG is acquired through DDE he/she cannot be eligible for a PHD admission. It will be a premature assumption to say that brightest brains are available in only IIT’s/IIM’s not in DDE’s(Directorate of Distance Education).Our endeavor must be that we make values, social consciousness, nationalism and of course the intelligence as indispensible components of education. As we often tend to compromise one over the other.
Way Forward :
To drive the aspect of social consciousness in education we should consider all points mentioned below. The word social consciousness might have many meanings different contexts but for convenience we call it as “contribution towards society’s upliftment” which is not an obligation but a duty of every citizen, it is the dharma of this land.
How to measure?
It has been a practice in India that a normal degree course’s span is 3 years, usually split in semester and annual pattern. For each term we would in general approx.5 to 10 papers/subjects and a dissertation at the end of the course which is normally completed through plagiarism leaving the exceptions aside. A grade system must evolve instead of rating on percentage basis. I foresee this happening in the near future with the MHRD contemplating of implementing this concept across. The mentioned concept is not a mandatory but whoever does they should get incentives(The institutions which introduce)
An Example :
A student Sri Ram studies BA economics and his ability is currently judged by his written answers in an examination which is corrected by the teachers who only mastered few books and are strictly guided by the rigid answer keys any thing which does not fall in the purview of the answer key is regarded as incorrect, unless if that paper is picked up an able teacher who has the vast knowledge on the subject in hand. And at the end he gets 6 in a CGPA scale of 10.Now Mr. Ram as part of his project/dissertation conducts a study on the economical phenomenon in a fish market in the city. He helps them by giving suggestions as an output of his economic study which improves the life of the merchants and labourers even of a minuscule effect in the fish market. This is called the social consciousness/“contribution towards society’s upliftment in reality. Now Mr. Ram deserves a special recognition though he might not seek it. We recognize him by giving him 1 grade extra, i.e., now actual CGPA of Mr. Ram is 7 out of 10.What we are trying to do here is to show case those noble hearts and intentions who are ready to work with the spirit of giving back to the society, who can become a source of inspiration for all in a country where youth don’t hesitate to burn the national flag and go rouge. This can be applied to all degree courses right from bachelors to PhD’s.
How to deal with shortage of Quality/dedicated/committed teachers :
Recalling the one of the greatest leader of our times Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri who said Jai Jawan and Jai Kisan. It is still a matter of debate whether these two sections of citizens are given due importance while framing the policies.
We need to devise a new policy which puts a teacher before jawan and kisan. Then our punch line should be Jai Acharya, Jai jawan, Jai kisan. A teacher should get all the priorities and benefits like ex-servicemen.
An Example :
Children of ex-servicemen get special allocation in case of admission in colleges and if a serviceman travels he gets a special quota. In simple words a Jawan and a teacher should be treated alike. All the benefits given to military personnel should be extended to teachers. The crux of the duty for both is same. A jawan saves us from the external dark forces and the teacher saves the country from the internal dark force called ignorance and leads the society towards enlightment. Here the emphasis is not given on the monetary aspects but to let every one know that how important they are to develop a society. This will indeed motivate the brightest minds to take up the task of teaching. Currently selecting a teaching career is seen as a last option when a person cannot find a job then he reluctantly chooses a job as a lecturer/teacher in a recently sprouted private college and then he drags on and becomes a prodigal.
As a matter of fact the new suggestion shows a ray of hope where the recently concluded pay commission (sixth) asserts the importance of increasing the pay scale for professors, we need to wait and see if this solves the problem.
Quality Education :
What does it mean? It seems different sections have different perceptions on this feature. Going back to our basic tenets of our education which are values, social consciousness, nationalism and intelligence. If the education fails to impart these four features it means a student has merely acquired a degree certificate and nothing else. The frequent rhetoric from the industry leaders is the educational institutions must partner with industry to ensure that the students learn what the market demands. In reality this only happens with select few institutions. In simple terms Quality Education is not possible with out Quality Teachers.
To execute all that is discussed here we need forward thinking leaders. And I know that is the major problem.
