Intro: Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat delivers
lecture on ‘Tasks for workers in the field of education in the present situation’ as part of Academic Council meeting of Punarutthan Vidyapeeth.
“Today, all are seeking change in the education system. Those who are opposed to the RSS school of thought also talk of changing the education pattern. But there seems to be absence of a common programme for effecting that change. In such a situation there is a need to bring all such individuals and organisation together and channelise their thinking to re-introduce the values in education system. Time is ripe enough and we all must grab this opportunity to bring about the desired change at the earliest”, said RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur.
He was delivering a lecture on “Tasks for activists in the field of education” at a two-day meeting of ‘Vidwat Parishad’ (Academic Council) of Punrutthan Vidyapeeth at Maharshi Vyas Sabhagrih, Reshambag premises. Senior Sanyasi of ISCKON Govind Prabhu Maharaj and Convener of Punrutthan Vidyapeeth Indumati Katdare shared the dais on the occasion.
Outlining the action plan for achieving this new model, Shri Bhagwat said the beginning has to be made for cleansing our own polluted mindset. This can be done creating a battery of dedicated workers who would work with devotion and conviction till the desired result is achieved; training of teachers to activate transfer of knowledge in its real sense to the students and convincing intellectuals through fruitful debates, discussions and deliberations. “In the past 1,200 years our mindset has been polluted and influenced by the values of people and forces that attacked Bharat and ruled over her. We need to wipe out this influence completely by decolonising our mindsets with sustained and consistent efforts,” he said.
Once this prerequisite is achieved then only we would be in a position to proceed to the second stage of introducing and establishing education system based on our culture, life values and ethos, Dr Bhagwat said adding that this also can be accomplished after much conflict with the divergent opposing forces.
Lauding the efforts of Punrutthan Vidyapeeth the RSS Chief said each one here would have to take pledge to the cause and mission of the Vidyapeeth by imbibing the requisite virtues and qualities and a sense of belongingness towards the students. We would be required to create ideals for others to follow if we are serious in our mission and its success, he said.
The next step would be to widen the vistas of research, continuous orientation of workers, experimenting with the thoughts and framing the syllabus. The teachers who have a major role in bringing about the change will have to be trained in going beyond the text of the subject and think over philosophy behind it. The teaching should be not for preparing degree holders, but for faithfully making efforts to develop a human being from their students, he explained.
Earlier the fifth book published by the Vidyapeeth Gruhasthashrami ka Samajdharma was dedicated to people by Shri Bhagwat and Govindprabhu.
Indumati Katdare spoke about Vidyapeeth and the book. Co-convenor of the Vidyapeeth Dilip Kelkar made introductory remarks. He stated that the Vidyapeeth has programmes from pre-conception sanskars to the end of life. He expressed hope that the plan for the next 60 years, based on Indian philosophy and values, will automatically get rid of commercialisation of education.
In his presidential address Govindprabhu, said the Indian values survived aggression for over a thousand years, as it was struggling continuously to get out of the influence of the invaders. The culture is hurt and has fallen unconscious.
The consciousness will soon be regained. He called the epics Mahabharata, Ramayana and Bhagwat Geeta as books on life skills, ideals or role models and love for all. The Indians have always believed that the life is balanced between the three. The present education system, which is called a slaughter house of sensitivity, can be changed with identifying proper persons to work towards the change, he remarked. —Virag Pachpore in Nagpur
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