INDIA’SEDUCATIONSYSTEM

…............ NEEDFORCHANGE

SJena sjena040473@gmail.com roshni73.blogspot.com

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“At this supremely dangerous moment in history, the only way of salvation for mankind is the Indian way.” - Dr. Arnold J. Toynbee, British Historian

The mix of Gurukul system and present system of formal education would improve IQ, EQ, SQ and AQ and will pave the way for India to be Viswa Guru, a guiding light for human civilisation.

1. Education is the backbone of any society and it has potential in moulding the society. The basic responsibility of education system is to prepare citizens to contribute towards well-being of human civilization. Ancient Indian education system (Gurukulsystem)wasdesignedtomeettheneedofthesociety.Theeducationsystem wasabletoimbibestrongsocialvaluesamongpeople.TheancientIndiancultureand value system was characterised by -

• • Respect for mother land, elders and parents (जननी जन् भूम्श स्वर्गमद वरीयसी, ValmikiRamayana6-124-17,Motherandmother-landarefarsuperiortoeventhe heaven).

• • Earthisone family(्सुधै्कुटुम्क्म-71 verseofIVChapterofMahopnishad).

• • Respect for environment and mother earth (्रतर भूम्ः दुत्रो दृमिवरःAtharvaveda12.1.12, Earth is my mother and I am her child).
  • See God in all living (moving and non-moving) entities and respect for them (्मोरनतश भूतरनर्चर चर्े् च |Verse 13 chapter 16 of Bhagavat Gita - God exists outside and inside all living beings, moving and not moving).
  • Wisheshappinessandwell-beingforeverybody(ॐस््भ्नतुसुमिनः स््सनतुमनरर्यरः।Om,mayallbehappy,mayallbefreefromillness).

2. The ancient Indian education system and values in the society were well appreciated by scholars all over the world. The students from different parts ofthe world used to visit our learning centers (Nalanda and Takshashila) for education on law, medicine, military warfare, astronomy, art, culture, architecture, spiritualism, etc.

Therichculturalheritageisappreciatedbywesternhistorians,scientists, philosophers and reformers. To quote few

• • “Indiawasthemotherlandofourrace, and Sanskrit the mother of Europe's languages: motherofourphilosophy;Motherofourmathematics;Motheroftheidealsembodiedin Christianity;Mother of self-government anddemocracy.MotherIndiaisinmany ways the mother of usall.” – Will Durant, American Historian

• • WeowealottotheIndians,whotaughtushowtocount,withoutwhichnoworthwhile scientificdiscoverycouldhavebeenmade.”–AlbertEinstein,NobelLaureate&Physicist.

• • “Indiaisthecradleofthehumanrace.…….Ourmostvaluableandmostconstructive materialsinthe historyofmanare treasuredupin Indiaonly.”-MarkTwain,American Writer

• • Many of the advances in the sciences that we consider today to have been made in Europe wereinfactmadeinIndiacenturiesago.–JamesGrantDuff,ScottishSoldier&Historian
  • “IndiansurgeryremainedaheadofEuropeanuntilthe18thCentury.-A.L.Basham, The Wonder That Was India, 1971, British Historian.

• • “Iamconvincedthateverythinghascomedowntousfromthebanksof theGanga, astronomy,astrology,metempsychosis,etc.Itdoesnotbehooveus.-Voltaire,French Reformer

Also,GodpraiseIndiabysaying,theyaremoreblessedthanus,who have taken birth on virtuous land of India.

Friends, that was India. We have left behind, a forgotten heritage, a missing link for sustainable human civilisation ……

3. A number of Arab invaders invaded India and tried to destroy its strong social values. The colonial powers followed policies to ensure erosion in age old traditions and values.

4. With destruction of learning centers, the society witnessed erosion of social and cultural values. The invaders and subsequent foreign rulers followed policies to systematically destroy value based society. Though the Arab rulers aimed to completely destroy social values in Indian society and impose Islamic culture, they were not able to achieve it. Because, none of them were able to appreciate very sourceofIndianeducationsystem.Theculturalandsocialvaluesweredeeproutedin Indianway ofliving. Despiteconcerted efforts by foreign rulers, the socialvalues to a very great extent was retained through in-house/limited teaching facility.

5. To substantiate, let me quote Lord Macaulay’s statement in British Parliament in 1835.

"IhavetraveledacrossthelengthandbreadthofIndiaandIhavenotseen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such calibre, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and culturalheritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native self-culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation."

Thenumerousinvasionsandthousandyearsofrepressiverulecouldnot affect social values. In 1835 -

• • Therewasnobeggarorthiefin India.
  • Peoplewerewithhighmoralvaluesandofhighcalibre.
  • Therewashighspiritualandculturallineage.

Inaddition,Indiawasarichnationwithshareoftheworldeconomy24.4%in1700 which declined to 4.2% in 1950,[2]and its share of global industrial output declined from 25% in 1750 to 2% in 1900.[3]

6. Lord Macaulay suggested to replace India’s old and ancient education system tobreak back bone of thenation. Accordingly, The EnglishEducation Act 1835was enacted by Lord William Bentinck, then Governor-General of the British East India Company to support establishments teaching Western curriculum with English as the languageofinstruction.Theeffectisinfrontofus.In1947within112years(from1835
   • 1947), India was quite different from what Lord Macaulay observed in 1835. A remarkable social evolution took place. There was

• • decline in spiritual and cultural values, gurukul system of education slowly faded and old age homes started appearing, weakening family bond, children disowning old parents, disrespect towards elders, wide spread corruption in public life, distrust among people, begging, burglary, unethical business practices, anti-environmental attitude, etc.
  • unending race to prove himself right and superior resulting in lies, back stabbing, lowemotionalquotient,close-mindedness,impatience,lackofempathyandsympathy, dishonest, callous attitude, etc.

• • Most importantly, the loss of self esteem amongst Indians which Lord Macaulaywas looking forward.

But sad part is that even after independence, we continued with the education system introduced by the British. The forces aiming to contain India may oppose to re-kindle fading spiritual and cultural values.

7. Thoughseveredamagehasbeeninflicted,wecanrevive.Theprominent philosophers and historianslook upto Indiato takethe lead. Let me quote Dr. Arnold

J.Toynbee,BritishHistorian

“ It is already becoming clearer that a chapter which has a western beginning will havetohaveanIndianendingifitisnottoendintheself-destructionofthehuman race...Atthissupremelydangerousmomentinhistory,theonlywayofsalvationfor mankind is the Indian way.”

EducationSystemforIndia

8. PathasalaModule(PathasalaPathyakram).If we want to gift a conscious society sensitive to social, spiritual, cultural, environmental and ecological needs for sustainable human existence on the earth and most importantly, an economically, spiritually and socially rich nation to our children, we need to focus on right grooming of children. A mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically healthy individual can only be a good citizen and contribute towards the growth of the nation (rastra) and society (samaj) both. An education system (pathasala module) encompassing followingif followedduringformative years(uptoupperprimary), mayprovebeneficial in this regard.

• • Yoga
  • Meditation
  • Respectformotherland,parentsand elders
  • Principlesofayurveda-dependencyofhumancivilisationonnature
  • Sense of rastravad (nationalism) and viswavad (universalism -्सुधै् कुटुम्क्म) as in vedic literature
  • Indiantraditions-culture,responsibilitiesatdifferentstagesoflife,etc
  • Scientific contribution from ancient India and vedic mathematics of appropriate level
  •    Sanataniwayofliving[spiritualhealth-consciousness(oneness), non-violence, control of senses, compassionate, forgiveness, pursuit for wisdom, determination, austerity of efforts, pursuit for peace, truthfulness, righteousness, human life for benefit of others, equipoised in happiness and misery, non-attachment to possessions, ever-contented, honesty, benevolence, etc]
  • Study of vedic literature (Upanishad, Vedas, Ramayan, Bhagvat Gita, etc)
  •   Healthywayofliving(physicalandmentalhealth-goodfoodhabits, cleanliness, etc )
  • Managingfailuresandsuccess
  • Mothernatureandconservationpractices

• • Observanceoflawoftheland
  • Indian independence
  • Developinquisitiveness

9. CommunityVidyalaya /Pathasala.The above subjects need to be taught to children during the formative years i.e to be included in syllabus upto upper primary. The classes upto upper primary is to be designated as Community Vidyalaya/Pathasala. Any parent will be happy that their child learns how to live happily rather than knowing few rhymes and other things which he can learn subsequently. The above subjects would ensure higher physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health in students. The regular subjects (formal education) as followed presently would be taught from secondary level onwards. The higher physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health imbibed in Pathasala would prepare child to be more receptive to higher education and would be helpful for leading successful life in future.

Conclusion

10. The above inputs will develop high social quotient (SQ), emotional quotient (EQ) and adversity quotient (AQ) in the child which are very important factors for success in life. It has been observed that personnel with high SQ, EQ and AQ havegoneupintheladderandemployedpersonnelwithhighintelligencequotient (IQ),butlowSQ,EQandAQunderthem.ThepersonnelwithhighSQ,EQansAQ remain composed while dealing with any situation, pay attention to all aspects of functioning, develop appropriatestrategy and execute it successfully. The present education system aims at improving IQ, but neglects SQ/EQ/AQ. The corporate sectors are trying to improve SQ/EQ/AQ in employees after recruitment through workshops and group activities. At higher age, it is difficult to develop soft skills in theemployeesasabilitytomoulddecreaseswithage.Itisappropriatetoinculcate soft skills at young age for better results.

11. In addition, We need to provide them a moral compass to sail through life smoothly and be able to judge the value of things not the price. In Tetriya Upanishad, it has been told to pray for good qualities (sudh budhi) first and then wealth (dhan). The good qualities in a person no doubt bring prosperity to the individual as well as to the nation.

TheintroductionofPATHASALAMODULEisintheinterestofthenationas well as individual.

The presence of Indians in higher echelons of multi-nationals and prestigious organisations around the world is testimony of higherIQthatpresentIndianeducationsystemnurtures.The mix ofGurukulsystemandpresentsystemwouldimproveIQ,EQ,SQ and AQ and will pave the way for India to be Viswa Guru.