The contribution of many educationists and institutions from all over India is very important in the promotion and implementation of “Bharatcentric education”. The most important effort in the series of these contributions is that of respected Atul Bhai Kothari, National General Secretary of Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas. The declaration of Education Policy about 15 years ago, the foundation stone of “Bharatcentric education” was started in the form of a campaign called Shiksha Bachao Movement. Today, all the positive experiments in Indian knowledge tradition, Vedic mathematics, environmental education, Bharatiya vision in management education, Bharatiya vision in science and use of Bharatiya languages in courts, etc., are the seeds of all those ideas which were the original product of the mind of the educationist Atul Bhai Kothari.
When only a few people used to study Vedic Mathematics in India, from that time till today, the work of making Vedic Mathematics a subject of public interest was done by respected Atulji with tireless efforts, as a result of which Vedic Mathematics is studied in almost all the universities today.
‘Param Vaibhavam Netumetat Swarashtra…..’ This sense of ultimate glory will be fruitful by learning from Indian patterns, traditions and historical examples, not from rules or laws borrowed from any foreign power. The concept that lies at the root of progress and decline of any nation is education. Whatever will be the form and quality of education, the reflection of that nation will also be of the same type. India has been in the role of Vishwaguru and world guide for many years. Today, slavery has been made redundant due to complete education policies. Slowly, walking on the path of Indianness, using its tradition, tolerance, pride, discretion, education is moving forward again on the same path. The policies made during the colonial rule, whose objective was to make Indians mere clerks for the British, were changed by emphasising on India’s glorious history, society, philosophy, knowledge-science, Guru-shishya parampara, Indian languages, Vedic studies, etc.
The work of revising the wrong slavish history created by “anti-nationals” through research is being done under the new education policy.
The new education policy was announced almost three years ago. Today, on completion of three years, the positive effect of this policy is being seen in educational institutions, research institutions, and many institutions related to social life. Many experiments like translation of technical education books by AICTE into Indian languages, vision of interdisciplinarity, coordinated and comprehensive approach in subjects, Indian knowledge tradition are being implemented at the ground level.
The new education policy has also made it clear that education policy is not only related to formal educational institutions, but also to all aspects of social life where a person affects the society through his conduct and behaviour. Education policies which help to turn out only clerks or employees are useless. The aim of the new education policy is to make every person an Indian and India a world leader, so its methods are not limited to formal educational institutions but are applicable to wide areas. There is clear proof in the ancient Indian Vedic texts that human behaviour and conduct were initiated only from the people of geographical places like Aryavarta, Brahmavarta in the regions of India. The then education system, Guru-disciple tradition and environment friendly education, are some of the important facts which are the main dimensions of the then education. Even today, there is a great need for environment friendly education. Borrowed education policy from abroad will always force the advocate to wear black coat (season is summer or winter); environment friendly education will give him the opportunity to dress up according to the environment. Borrowed education policy will be the mother of linguistic slavery, mental slavery etc., while the new education policy will give an opportunity to call for freedom adapted to the environment. The 5+3+3+4 formula contained in the education policy envisages health and nutrition facilities along with education, adjustment of skill development in education, experiments like social cognition in education and science, philosophy, Vedic mathematics, environmental elements contained in Indian knowledge, and will all together be helpful in solving modern problems. Teachers will also develop essential character qualities like high moral standards, character building and personality development, which have never been given a place in the old education policies till date. The dream of universal gravitas is not achievable only by formal education; such a seal of Indianness is necessary on those areas where education exerts its influence, which clears the dirty stigma of slavery and paves the way for bright and white light.
Dr Ayush Gupta is Assistant Professor, Dr Harisingh Gour University Sagar, Madhya Pradesh.