Indian Education and Missing Egalitarianism

September 22, 2012, IPF Seminar Hall

Speakers: Shri Prempal Sharma, Columnist & Thinker, Shri Dinesh Kumar, Columnist & Research Scholar

Chaired By: Dr. Avanijesh Awasthy, Associate Professor, University Of Delhi & Renowned Columnist

But much to the disappointment of the nation, India after independence, not only retained the Macaulayan system of education but also went ahead with enthusiasm. So much so that our traditional education system lost even the place that it had during the British period. Prof. Rakesh Sinha, with his short but substantial speech initiated the discussion. He said that the present political system, joining hands with neo colonial forces played a planned role in destroying the basic fabric of India’s education system.

Shri Prempal Sharma focused on the under-performance of Government schools and narrated the condition of institutions of traditional mode of education which are still surviving in bits and pieces at different parts of the country. He accused that the elite and political class has deliberately suppressed Indian languages including Sanskrit and Hindi and protecting these languages is the biggest challenge before the nation. 

 

Shri Dinesh Kumar observed that, in post independent India colonialism returned with a new nomenclature of ‘modern education’. Swami Vishalanand, Manmohan Sharma, Sr. Journalist Anil Pandey, Dr. J N Singh, Pramod Chawla and Ajit Kumar took part into the discussion.

Dr. Avanijesh Awasthy, who was chairing the session, said that package oriented education can’t lead us to a society based on equality. This is a brutal system that follows the philosophy of survival of the fittest. He emphasized on the need of imparting education in mother tongue.