Aims of Education in Contemporary Indian Society

Aims of Education in Contemporary Indian Society

Indian education has the following aims at present :

(1) Physical development.

(2) Mental development.

(3) Individual and social development and leadership education.

(4) Development of cultural tolerance. 

(5) Moral and character development.

(6) Vocational development.

(7) Education for democracy and democratic citizenship. 

(8) Population education, environmental education, modernisation of the country, national integration and international understanding, and

(9) Development of religious tolerance.

We shall now present the four aims of education which are democracy, socialism, secularism and national values:

1. Education of Democracy: At one time, there was monarchy in the world. In 1789, a revolution occurred in France against the than prevalent government system and in favour of the demand for freedom, equality and brotherhood. This revolution gave forth a new system of governance called democracy. Generally, by democracy is meant that system in which the administration of the state is run by their elected representatives, and not run by a particular individual. At present, there is so much of variation in the democratic system of different countries that it becomes difficult define it in a uniform statement. However, there also exists a similarity, and that remember the fact that it is based on three principles of freedom, equality and brotherhood the Indian democracy, three more principles have been added which are socialism, secularism and justice. Therefore, Indian democracy can be defined as follows:  Indian democracy is that political system in which the government is run by the people elected by the people, and which is based on the six principles of freedom, equality, brotherhood, socialism, secularism and justice.

Now, the moot point is how should children be educated in democracy For it, it becomes incumbent that right from the beginning, the following should be realized :

(1) The entire environment and working system of the schools should be democratic.

(2) There should be freedom of thought and freedom of expression for children in the schools, though without causing interference to others freedom. 

(3) The individuality of all children should be respected in schools, they should not be discriminated on grounds of caste, religion, economic status or sex all of them should be meted out equal treatment.

(4) There should prevail the spirit of "we' among managers, principals, teachers and other staff members of the schools, they should all behave themselves with others with love, sympathy and cooperation; and all of them should endeavour for the progress of the schools.

(5) Children of all castes, religions and economic statuses should be admitted in the schools; and all of them should be given opportunities for progress and advancement.

(6) Children should not be discriminated on grounds of religion in schools, they should not be forced for education of a particular religion, and religious tolerance should be cultivated in them.

(7) All rules formed in the schools should be founded on the basic spirit of democracy, they should be same for all, and the children should be treated as per these rules.

2. Development of Socialistic Viewpoint: Socailism is one of the six principles of our democracy. In India, socialism has a different connotation. At present, socialism is the democratic system of governance in the country. Our democracy is opposed to any class distinction on grounds of caste, religion and sex etc. It is also opposed to the class distinction between the rich and the poor, however, it does not support any violent struggle for eradication of capitalism. It supports the principle of Sarvodaya as propounded by Gandhiji, and believes in eradication of class distinction through peaceful means. 

Thus Indian socialism is that socialism based on democratic principles and Gandhiji's Sarvodaya philosophy which does not distinguish between individual and individual on grounds of caste, religion and economic status etc., and supports peaceful means to remove economic disparity in place of using power and violent activity.

Now, the moot point is how to achieve this aim of education, and how socialist viewpoint can be cultivated in children. For this, the following become essential:

(1) The entire form of schools should be democratic. 

(2) Individuality of children should be respected in schools.

(3) No discrimination should be practised against children on any grounds of caste, religion, economic status or sex etc., all should be treated equally. 

(4) All children in schools should be provided with equal opportunities for their development.

(5) Students should not be exploited in schools, in any way at any level and under any circumstances.

(6) There should be a specific dress for students in schools.

(7) In schools, at least in primary and upper primary schools, all students should have midday meals together. 

3. Cultivation of Spirit of Secularism:  At present, we have a democratic system of government in our country. Democracy does not discriminate between man and man on grounds of caste, religion, sex etc., in its essence, it is unbiased so far as caste, culture, religion and sex are concerned. However, in order to eradicate the disputes arising in the name of religion, the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976 added the word 'secularism' to the preamble of the Constitution of India in order to further explain the spirit of secularism. Under the Constitution, the Parliament does not have the right to make any particular religion as the state religion, nor can it force any religion on people, nor can it take a religion as the basis for making a national law. This fact has been repeated in several articles of the Constitution in diverse ways. 

Thus Secularism, in Indian context, means that the state will not be based on any religion directly or indirectly, and it will not discriminate people on grounds of religion: people will have freedom to profess and propagate their religions without interfering in other religions. 

The moot point is how this aim of education can be achieved, how the spint of secularism can be inculcated in children. For this, the following become essential :

(1) The schools should not be based on any particular religion; education of any particular religion should not be forced on the students in the schools.

(2) No discrimination should be exercised in schools in the name of religion. 

(3) The Government of India speaks of religion-less education in the name of secularism, yet in our view, the life stories of the chief proponents of the main religions should be included in the language textbooks at the upper primary level, as Mahavir, Buddha, Christ, Muhammad and Swami Dayananda. This will help develop religious tolerance and secularis.

(4) The government prohibits religious education in schools in the name of secularism, yet in our view, there should be a provision for instruction of basic principles of all chief religions of the world, especially those of India, but it should not be forced. This will help develop religious tolerance and secularism. 

(5) The school galleries should be decorated with the proponents of chief religions of the world. This will help cultivate religious tolerance and secularism.

4. Cultivation of National Values: By value is meant utility, desirability. importance. Generally, the ideals and principles that are accepted in a society are called the values of that society. However, in reality, the sense of value is somewhat different from this. We are aware that each society has its own culture as well as its own beliefs, ideals, principles, moral laws and behaviour norms, and people of the society attach importance to them according to their likes and dislikes, and they determine their behaviour on the basis of these. Thus, the beliefs, ideals, moral laws and behaviour norms are not values by themselves, rather when people of a society start to attach importance to them, and behave themselves according to them, they become the values of the society. 

In other words : The beliefs, ideals, principles, moral laws and behaviour norms of any society which are attached importance by the people and by which their behaviour is directed and controlled, are the values of that society and/or its people.

Now let us consider national values in place of social values. At present, we have the democratic system of government, and it is based on six basic principles: freedom, equality, fraternity, socialism, secularism and justice. Our nation believes in these principles, and determines its behaviour on the basis of these principles, and each individual of the nation is expected to behave himself on the bases of these principles.

The basic principles of the nation: freedom, equality, fraternity, socialism, secularism and justice by which the behaviour of the citizens is guided and controlled are our national values.

This signifies the following :

(1) Children should be given freedom to think and express themselves in schools. 

(2) All children should be considered equal in the schools, they should be treated equally. 

(3) All children should be treated with love, sympathy and cooperation in school attachment should be displayed for all. 

(4) In schools, children should not be discriminated on the basis of caste, religion economic status, sex etc., and they should be respected and treated equally 

(5) There should be a uniform dress and rules for all children in schools, and should be mandatory for all to abide by them. 

(6) No religious education should be imparted in schools by force.

(7) When children start to behave themselves according to national value knowingly or unknowingly, they should be given clear knowledge of nation values and the same should be linked with their sentiments, and they should be trained to determine and display their behaviour on the bases of these value This work can be undertaken at the secondary level; it is the time when children possess logic and power to distinguish between right and wrong.