1.1
What is Education ?
The present study is related to the subject of education, and hence it is necessary to
see what is meant by education. Education now-a-days is so expanded that to state its
meaning in short is very difficult. Education has got broader meaning as whatever we learn
throughout life either by formal or informal ways, either in the house or outside the house,
either in the society or in the school is called education.
Education means change in
behaviour. The change which is desirable is called education.
The definition of education is being changed from time to time. During the ancient
time the meaning of education was as given below:
1.
Pedagogy : It is a Greek word which means 'to lead the boy'.
It is science of
instruction or teaching for the purpose of leading the children.
2.
Shiksha : It is a common term used for education. It means 'to discipline', 'to instruct'
or 'to teach'.
3.
Vidya : It has been taken from the Sanskrit verbal root. Which means to know. It
refers to knowledge.
The term education has a number of derivations. In literary sense, it owes its origin to
the following Latin roots :
Educare - To bring up, to raise, to educate
Educare - To lead out, to draw out, to bring forth
Education - To train, act of teaching or training.
In the words of J.S. Ross, Education consists in leading out the
innate
knowledge
virtures, and powers of the child, making the potential actual.
According to Upnishads, "Education is that whose endproduct is salvation:"
According to Swamy Dayanand, "Education is a means for character formation and
righteous living".
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According to Mahatma Gandhi, "An allround drawing out of the best in child and
man: body, mind and spirit.
The University Education Commission (1948-49)
described education as-
Initiation into the life of spirit, a training of human soul in the pursuit of truth and the
practice of virtue. It is a second birth.
According to the report of Indian Education Commission (1964-65) –
Education ought to be related to the life, needs, aspiration of the people and thereby
made powerful instrument of social, economic and cultural transformation.
According to Plato-
Education is the capacity to feel pleasure and pain at the right moment. It develops in
the body and soul of the pupil all the beauty and all the perfection which he is capable of.
According to John Deway –
Education is the development of all those capacities in the individual which will
enable him to control his environment and fulfill his possibilities. Education is the complete
development of the individuality of the child so that he can make an original contribution to
human life according to the best of his capacity.
In short, education means physical, mental and emotional development of a person.
In other words, desirable change in behaviour is called education.
1.2
History of Indian Education :
The researcher would like to study on the problem of education which is more or less
related to the History of Education, and hence it will be worth its while to mention the brief
historical points in Indian Education.
(1)
Ancient Period :
In India, education has got historical background. It is started from ancient period
known as Gurukul System. Step by step lot of changes took place. After Gurukul System
Budhist education was famous in India, and different scholars visited India to study
Buddhism. Nalanda, Takshashila, etc. were the universities in that period. This was the
greatest period of development in the history of Education. We are proud of this at present
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also. But due to change in power and ruler the education had not continued as it should be.
Then thereafter, different rulers framed their education systems based on religion and the
religion was the education, that is, to follow the religion was the education.
During the Muslim period Indian Education System got a set-back. The Muslim
rulers were interested in spreading their religion. Therefore, Muslim Mathersa (school) was
established in India particularly in Northern side. The Southern side of India was covered
with Hindu religion and there were schools called Patha Shalas. This situation continued
upto the arrival of British power. When British started ruling almost all over India, they
introduced their own education system, which is being continued till today.
(3)
British Period :-
Education System during the British period developed considerably. In 1857 there
were three universities in India namely, Bombay University, Madras University and Calcutta
University, started by British Government. In 1854 there was Wood's Despatch, which had
laid emphasis on education in India. Subsequently there were universities, colleges and
schools started rapidly throughout the country.
(4)
Free India Period :
To change the education system and make it suitable for the Indians, the scholars like
Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagoe etc., tried their level best. Mahatma Gandhi brought
forth his idea of Basic Education. It was undoubtedly good, but its implementation was
difficult. After Independence Indian Government started new policy of education for all-
round development of the country.
There were different commissions appointed by the Government of India, to improve
education. The following are the prominent education commissions.
(1) University Education Commission 1948
(2) Dr. Mudliar Commissioner of Secondary Education. 1952
(3) Dr. Kothari Commission 1964-1966
(4) Ishwarbhai Patel Commission 1976
(5) New Education Policy 1986
(1) University Education Commission, 1948 :
The following recommendations were made by Dr. Radhakrishna Commission.
The Indian universities should create knowledge and train minds which would
bring together the two: material resources and human energies. According to our
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raised standard of living, radical change of spirit is essential.
This commission
insisted that higher education must be based on history and philosophy.
This
commission made many suggestions regarding the training of the teachers, use of new
teaching methods, improvement in examination system etc.. Every student is expected
to know three languages, viz.. (a) mother-tongue,
(b) federal language and (c)
English. To raise the standard of education suggestions about the age limit of
entrance, qualifications of teachers were also made.
(2)
Secondary Education Commission or
Mudliar Commission, 1952 :
The commission emphasized moral and religious instructions for building the
character and discipline of the students. The diversification of courses was realistic
approach to life's problems. The recommendations with regard to the opening of the
multipurpose schools was quite in tune with the need of the time. Another good
feature is the suggestion for putting rural schools especially in a country like India
which is a land of farmers.
The commission had rightly advocated for the
improvement of the teacher's status, and working conditions because they form the
backbone of the entire educational structure. The recommendations with regard to
examinations and evaluations are really sound.
The educational guidance and
counseling as stressed by the commission will enable the students to chalk out their
career properly.
This commission is also known as Mudliar Commission as Dr.A.
Laxmanswami Mudliar was its chairman.
(3)
Dr. Kothari (Educational) Commission (1964-66)
'Nation is not being built in four walls of the classroom' was the great
educational attitude of Dr.Kothari. He has given us the following national objectives
of education: (1) Productivity, (2) National Integration, (3) Social change, (4)
Abolishment of economic and social inequality,
(5) Scientific and technical
vocationalization, (6) Education faithful to democracy and secular tendency.
Today the education pattern which is being followed, is given by Kothari
Commission. It is known as 10+2+3 pattern. Kothari Commission has suggested
post-graduation research, job-oriented education, and theoretical base of it.
It was also suggested that (a) lower secondary education be made tuition-free
in all government, local authority and aided schools, (b) attempt be made to extend
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tuition-free education to all needy and deserving students during the next ten years,
(c) to give liberal scholarships.
In short, the expansion of education during the past two decades has been
heartening due to the above mentioned Commission which was a sign of our
educational progress.
(4)
Ishwarbhai Patel Commission, 1976 :
Under the chairmanship of Mr.Ishwarbhai Patel, the former Vice-chancellor of
Gujarat University the Commission was appointed to make the changes in work-
experiences which were prescribed by the Kothari Commission.
The said
Commission had suggested that work-experiences should be based on socially useful
productive work. From 1977 onwards the work experience is being called SUPW
(socially useful productive work).
According to this syllabus related to work experiences in the school have been
changed and the same is being followed at secondary level. This SUPW is also
included in Secondary teachers' training colleges. This pattern is being followed
throughout India.
SUPW is a most important subject and so it is coming in
educational colleges uptill now.
(5)
National Education Policy- 1986 :
According to Unesco, investment in education is the investment in industry.
The money spent on education is now regarded as investment which changes man into
manpower. In our National Education policy of 1986 the above mentioned thoughts
are the basis. Education is the most valuable investment for today and tomorrow
which is the secret of New National Educational Policy. To achieve the objectives of
education or humanity the suggestion is made to give more attention towards the
education of women. Planning is to be made for the education of the students of the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Concessions and facilities will be provided
to the students of minor communities and handicapped students. Stress will be laid on
Adult Education. There would be general curriculum compulsory for all at national
level.
The curriculum will contain the subjects of national and international
importance. Reconstruction of education at different levels was made and in formal
education, the following sections were framed : (1) Child nursing, (2) Primary
education, (3) Secondary education,
(4) Special school for gifted children, (5)
Vocationalization of education, and (6) Higher education. For the development of
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non-formal education efforts will be made for free universities, rural universities,
technical education and education of management, research etc.
To make the national education useful and dynamic innovation, research and
development are expected. Stress will be laid on making technical education cheaper.
Motivation will be given to efficiency and effectiveness.
Useful technical and
management courses will be conducted, stress will be given on training.
Administrative and economic independence will be given to some selected institutes.
Federation of All India Technical Institutes were given legal rights.
Board for
evaluation will be constructed. Rethinking is essential of the content of education and
process of education. To serve this purpose efforts will be made to enrichment of (a)
cultural attitude, (b) education of values, (c) language and (d) books and libraries.
Work-experience will be stressed. Role of the youth is supposed to be important and
efforts to improve evaluation process and improvement of examinations are to be
made. Semester system and gradation will be implemented on secondary level.
These changes in education will build nation strong and progressive.
1.3
Approach to the problem :
During British period there were different Indian rulers under the power of
British Government ruling in India. They got their own states. They were responsible
for the all-round development of the Sansthan (State). There were Baroda, Kolhapur,
Rajkot, Hyderabad, etc. famous and big States. Kolhapur or Karveer was one of the
leading States ruled by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. Though these States were under
the control of British Government, they did some good social activities and started
some good schemes for the welfare of their people.
Alongwith irrigation and
agriculture, they started to give educational facilities also. The States of Baroda and
Kolhapur were famous for their educational activities. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaikwad
and His Highness Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj were not only rulers but also
educational reformers. Both the Empires took interest in the education of their prople.
They were of the opinion that education is the only means to improve the condition of
the people. Chhatrapati Shahu of Kolhapur was of the view that education should be
in the hands of common people. He held that education should be given free of cost.
He extended his idea about education that women and backward class people should
be given education. He had provided educational facilities by establishing schools
and boarding houses. The most striking and commendable of his actions was that he
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reserved by rules, 50 per cent of the vacancies in his state administration for backward
class people to motivate them to take education. He delivered many speeches in
different conferences on education. Though as a ruler of a state he had a variety of
problems to deal with, he paid maximum attention to the development of education in
his state as he had realized that education is basic requirement for the development
and up brining of the downtrodden masses.
The present generation of leaders, officials in the education department as also
people at large have come to realize the tremendous work done by Chh. Shahu for
educating the masses by his generous policies about education. In fact, his work is
helping as a guideline for the present governments.
The thoughts and work of
Chhatrapati Shahu in the field of education have become monumental.