Rabindranath Tagore’s view on curriculum of Secondary

Education
Life Sketch
Viswakavi (World Poet) Rabindranath was born on May 9, 1861 in
Bengal. His father Maharihi Devendranath Tagore was a rich man
and an aristocrat and his mother was Sarada Devi. Rabindranath
Tagore was not sent to any school. He was educated at home by a
tutor. Rabindranath was not happy, getting educated within the four
walls. He was a curious and creative child.
Though he was educated at home, he studied many subjects and
there was a method in his studies. He would get up early. After
physical education he would study Mathematics, History,
Geography, Bengali and Sanskrit. In the afternoon, he learnt
drawing, English and play games. On Sundays he would learn music
and conduct experiments in science. Reading plays was of special
interest to him. He was happy to read plays of Kalidas and
Shakespeare. He had a special interest in Bengali, which was his
mother-tongue.
For further studies, he was sent to a public school at London, where
he became a student of Prof. Henry Morley whose lectures influenced
Rabindranath to take interest in English literature. He developed
interest in English culture, traditions and literature. While studying
in England, he wrote a poem “Broken Heart”. After 18 months in
England, he returned to India without taking any degree.
Rabindranath started writing poetry. “Gitanjali” is a well-known
collection of his poems. Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Nobel
Prize for literature in 1913. Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian
to get a Nobel Prize and the British Government conferred on him
knighthood and gave the title of “Sir”.
Rabindranath started a school at Bolpur, a village 112km. north of
Kolkata. This school developed into Shantiniketan. Students come to
Shantiniketan from many countries. It specializes in arts, crafts,
music and dance besides rural reconstruction.
He established Viswabharathi University near Santiniketan in 1921.
It is now a university of the Central Government.
Rabindranath Tagore was also a good artist. He started to learn
painting at the age of 60. He drew more than 2000 pictures, which
were exhibited in many countries. What makes Rabindranath Tagore
special for Indians is “Jana gana mana” and it is our National
Anthem. Rabindranath Tagore wrote it when he visited Madanapalli
in Andhra Pradesh on the eve of the Rishi Valley School Anniversary
at the invitation of Dr. Arundale, the Principal. Mahatma Gandhi and
Jawaharlal Nehru had the greatest respect for Rabindranath Tagore.
He was a great philosopher and a teacher. He was called “Gurudev”
by all. He breathed his last on August 7, 1941, leaving his thoughts
and ideas for all to follow.

Philosophical Idea
Rabindranath was a philosopher, poet, dramatist, teacher, essayist
and painter of outstanding repute. His philosophy of life was based
on the ideals of dedication, patriotism and naturalism. Although he
was an ideal philosopher, but the thoughts of naturalism,
pragmatism and individualism are also reflected in his philosophy.
The values which contributed a lot towards enrichment of his life are
discussed as follow:
(1) Idealist:
Tagore believes that man should realize the "ultimate truth" which
will liberate him from the worldly bondage. Experience according to
him is within the world of illusion (Maya). He thoughts the world is
the place of both truth and illusion (Maya).
In Tagore's view man is born with enormous surplus force which is
excess of his physical need. This surplus is the limitless potentiality
of human personality and creativity. In this lies the infinite future of
man. The surplus potentiality manifests itself in man's religious
spiritual and moral activities. As an idealist he was an ardent
supporter of truth, virtues and values. According to Tagore, "By art
man can experience the wholeness of life. The fine arts were nothing
but intellectual and spiritual discipline. He said Bhakti can
spiritualize Kama.
(2) Humanist:
Tagore said nature and man are created by supreme power. There is
a strong link between man and nature. So man should act naturally
to feel the presence of superpower within him. Love fellowmen in a
natural way. Realization of self is the essence to realize the Godhood.
(3) Naturalist:
Tagore said nature is the great teacher which is not hostile to man.
Nature is kind, generous and benevolent like mother. In his view,
"Education diverted from nature has brought untold harm to young
children." Man should develop his relation with the nature as his
fellowmen.
(4) Patriotism:
Tagore was a great poet and patriot. His writings were filled with
patriotic values. He had joined in freedom movement to make the
country free from foreign yoke. Sense of national service, patriotic
feeling, dedication etc. was fostered through his writings. "Jana Gana
Mana Adlii Nayak Jai Hai" is the famous National song which elicited
a strong sense of integration.
(5) Internationalist:
Rabindranath Tagore was in favour of one world creation of unit
amidst cultural, colour and religious diversities is the need of the
time for peaceful co-existence in the globe. Forgetting selfishness one
we should work to establish world culture based on love, affection
fellow feeling and mutual understanding. Cosmopolitan feelings are
explicit in his writings and paintings. Tagore's internationalist
thought and attempt for making united world is appreciated all over
the world.
(6) Vedantist:
Tagore's philosophy reveals that he was a vedantist in true sense of
terms. He had faith in one Supreme Being that is the Brahma. He
finds unity in diversities in the world and a spiritual unity between
man and man, man and nature. The relationship between god and
man must be like the relationship between love and joy. He believes
both the presence of God in all manifestation of matter and spirit.

Educational Idea
Rabindranath Tagore was primarily an educationist rather than a
political thinker. He put emphasis on 'naturalism' for framing
educational model. In education, freedom is the basic guiding force
for inculcating interest within a student who will derive inspiration
from nature to pursue any branch of knowledge he likes. The
establishment of Shantiniketan fulfilled the desired goal of Tagore in
the educational front.

1. Unity of West and East:

Tagore's education marked a novel blending of the ideas of the East
and West. The spiritualism of Indian philosophy and progressive
outlook of the western people were blended together to give rise to an
educational philosophy which marked its distinction in comparison
to other educationists of India.

2. Natural growth in natural circumstance:

Tagore envisaged that nature is the best teacher to the pupil. Nature
will provide the student with necessary situation to earn knowledge.
No pressure should be exerted upon the student to learn anything. It
is nature which will be the guiding force to inculcate the spirit of
learning in the mind of a student to pursue the education he likes. It
will shape his behavior and character.

3. Goodbye to book-centered education:

For the first time in the arena of education, Tagore established a new
mile-stone. With boldness and firmness, he rejected a book-centered
education for students. To him it is not just to confine the mind of
boys and girls to text-books only. It will kill the natural instincts of a
student and make him bookish. It will kill his creative skill. So,
students should be freed from the-book-centered education and
should be given a broader avenue for learning.

4. Freedom to learner:
Tagore had championed the cause of freedom. The same he wanted
to implement in the field of education. With that object he had opened
Shantiniketan, Sri Niketan and Brahmachari Ashram. Accordingly,
he gave free choice to students to develop their interest in any field
they like. To him, education should be after the heart of a man. He
explained freedom in three-categorized ways i.e. freedom of heart,
freedom of intellect and freedom of will.
Education imparted in a natural way will lead to the fulfillment of
these three freedoms. One may pursue the vocational education or
education of an intellect, or education in any branch of the arts or
one may become a sansei by observing celibacy.

5. Teaching - practical and real:

According to Tagore, teaching should be practical and real but not
artificial and theoretical. As a naturalist out and out, Tagore laid
emphasis on the practicality of education. That will definitely
increase the creative skill within a learner. That creativity will bring
perfection in the learning process and the student will be a master in
his own field but not a slave to mere theoretical knowledge which one
delves deep.

6. Palace of fine arts (dance, drama, music, poetry etc.:

Tagore attached great importance to the fine arts in his educational
curriculum. To him, game, dance, music, drama, painting etc. should
form a part of educational process. Students should take active part
in these finer aspects of human life for these are very essential to
enrich soul.
In his words "Speaking is for mankind and music for nature speaking
is clear and limited by its needs; whereas music is mystic and
expressive for a romantic eagerness. That is why; speaking creates
nearness between man and man, while music helps us to identify
ourselves with nature. When the harmonies of sounds are released
with our expression then speaking loses much of its limited
significance, but on the contrary getting together of the two muses
had an all pervading character".

7. Education for rural reconstruction:

Tagore was aware about the rural poverty of our country. So, he
wanted to eradicate it through education. The practical training
imparted in different crafts to the students will make them skilled
artisans in their field. They can remove the poverty of the rural bulk
by applying their education helping thereby in the process of rural
reconstruction.

Aims Of Education
The aims of education as reflected in educational institution founded
by Rabindranath Tagore in Santiniketan are as follows:
(1) Self Realization:
Spiritualism is the essence of humanism; this concept has been
reflected in Tagore's educational philosophy. Self-realization is an
important aim of education. Manifestation of personality depends
upon the self-realization and spiritual knowledge of individual.
(2) Intellectual Development:
Tagore also greatly emphasized the intellectual development of the
child. By intellectual development he means development of
imagination, creative free thinking, constant curiosity and alertness
of the mind. Child should be free to adopt his own way learning which
will lead to all round development.
(3) Physical Development:
Tagore's educational philosophy also aims at the physical
development of the child. He gave much importance to sound and
healthy physique. There were different kinds of exercises. Yoga,
games & sports prescribed in Santiniketan as an integral part of the
education system.
(4) Love for humanity:
Tagore held that the entire universe is one family. Education can
teach people to realize oneness of the globe. Education for
international understanding and universal brotherhood is another
important aim of his educational philosophy. The feeling of oneness
can be developed through the concepts like fatherhood of God and
brotherhood of man all creatures are equal on this earth.
(5) Establishment of relationship between man & God:
Man bears the diverse qualities and potentialities offered by God.
These qualities are inborn and innate. The relationship between man
and God is strong and permanent. However the dedication to
spiritualism and sacredness will lead to the harmonious relationship
with man, nature and God.
(6) Freedom:
Freedom is considered as an integral aspect of human development.
Education is a man-making process, it explores the innate power
exists within the man. It is not an imposition rather a liberal process
their provides utmost freedom to the individual for his all-round
development. He says, Education has leaning only when it is
imparted through the path of freedom".
(7) Co-relation of Objects:
Co-relation exists with God, man and nature. A peaceful world is only
possible when correlation between man and nature will be
established.
(8) Mother tongue as the medium of Instruction:
Language is the true vehicle of self-expression. Man can freely
express his thought in his mother-tongue. Tagore has emphasized
mother tongue as the medium of instruction for the child's education.
(9) Moral and Spiritual Development:
Tagore emphasized moral and spiritual training in his educational
thought. Moral and spiritual education is more important than
bookish knowledge for an integral development of human
personality. There must be an adequate provision for the
development of selfless activities, co-operation and love fellow feeling
and sharing among the students in educational institutions.
(10) Social Development:
According to Tagore, "Brahma" the supreme soul manifests himself
through men and other creatures. Since He is the source of all
human-beings and creatures, so all are equal. Rabindranath Tagore
therefore said, "service to man is service to god". All should develop
social relationship and fellow-feeling from the beginnings of one's life.
Education aims at developing the individual personality as well as
social characters which enables him to live as a worthy being.

Method Of Education
(1) Teaching through Tours and Trips:
Tagore believed that the subjects like history, geography, economics
and other social sciences can be effectively taught through
excursions and tours to important spots. By this students will get an
opportunity to observe numerous facts and gain first-hand
knowledge through direct experience.
(2) Learning by activities:
Rabindranath Tagore said that for the development of child's body
and mind, learning through activity is essential. Therefore he
included activities like climbing tree, drama, jumping, plucking
fruits, dancing etc. in his educational programs.
(3) Narration-cum-discussion and debate method:
Narration-cum-discussion and debating activities were organized
Tagore's education center to develop oratory abilities of the students.
Students were encouraged to solve problems of various areas through
rational debate and thorough discussion.
(4) Heuristic Method
Rabindranath Tagore introduced heuristic method as an important
method of teaching in his educational institution. In this method
first, the students, are asked questions to clarify their doubts on
topics and teachers try to satisfy them by their correct answers. Then
the teacher asks the questions to students to evaluate how far the
students are able to comprehend the topic discussed in the class.

Mahatma Gandhi’s view on curriculum of Secondary Education

INTRODUCTION
Mohan das Karam chand Gandhi was a great leader, a practical
philosopher, and an educational thinker of great repute. He wanted
to establish a free and casteless society with no exploitation and
racial discrimination. For this purpose, he used education as an
 instrument. His philosophy of education was the outcome of his long
experiences of political, social, and economic life of the country. The
meaning of education, according to Gandhiji, is to promote the
physical, mental, and spiritual development of an individual. Reading
and writing is only a means of education, and it is not all. To Gandhiji
no education is worth the name unless it makes boys and girls good
citizens. Gandhiji’s basic education was the practical embodiment of
his philosophy of education. The main aim of basic education was to
purify the heart and mind of all people and create a society free from
all exploitation and aggression. Viewed in this light Gandhiji was a
great educationist also.

Gandhiji’s contribution to education is unique. He was the

first Indian who advocated a scheme of education based upon the
essential values of Indian culture and civilization. The methods and
techniques advocated by him and the environment he prescribed
revolutionized Indian thinking and way of living. At heart he was
devoted to idealism. He wanted to translate his ideals and values in
to practice. His philosophy of education is a harmonious blending of
idealism, naturalism, and pragmatism. It may be noted that there is
no inherent conflict between the three philosophies. Idealism is the
base of Gandhiji’s philosophy where as naturalism and pragmatism
are the helpers in translating that philosophy into practice. Gandhiji
advocated the ideals truth, non violence and moral values to achieve
the ultimate truth of self realization. He is a devotee of naturalism
when he speaks about the development of the child according to his
nature and he becomes a pragmatist when he advocates learning and
doing by experience. All this leads to integration, so essential to
effective education and development of the total personality.
AIMS OF EDUCATION
Gandhiji has divided educational aims into two categories as under:
· Immediate aims of education.
· Ultimate aims of education.

IMMEDIATE AIMS OF GANDHIAN EDUCATION

1. Vocational aim: Gandhiji wished that each child should, through
his education, be able to learn a productive craft to meet his future
needs of life by adopting some industry or business. Hence he
advocated education for self reliance and capacity to earn one’s
livelihood as the main aim of education. By this aim he did not mean
to make the child a labourer. He wished that each child should earn
while engaged in learning and gain some learning as he is busy with
earning. In his own words, “Education ought to be for them (children)
a kind of insurance against unemployment.

2. Cultural aim: He advocated that vocational education and

cultural advancement should go side by side. He considered the
cultural aspect of education as more essential than its academic
aspect. Culture is the main foundation and an essential part of
education. In the words of Gandhiji “I attach more importance to
cultural factor of education than its literary factor. Culture is primary
and basic thing which the girls should receive from school.

3. Character aim: Like Herbart, Gandhiji also believed that one of

the essential aims of education is the moral development or character
development. According to Gandhiji, the end of all knowledge should
be the building up of character. Character building implies
cultivation of moral values such as courage, strength of mind,
righteousness, self- restraint and service of humanity. He believes
that education will automatically develop an ability in the child to
distinguish between good and bad.

4. Perfect development aim: Gandhiji once wrote, “The real

education is that which fully develops the body, mind and soul of
children (Harijan on 11th September, 1937).” He further observed,
“Man is neither mere intellect, nor the gross animals’ body, nor heart
or soul alone. A proper and harmonious contribution of all the three
is required for the making of the whole man and constitutes the true
economics of education.

5. Liberation aim: The fifth aim of education According to Gandhiji

is that education should liberate body, mind and soul. By liberation
he meant two kinds of liberation. One was the liberation all kinds of
economic, social, political and mental slavery. The second was, the
liberation of the soul from worldly pursuits and devote itself to higher
forms of spiritual living. Education should provide this spiritual
freedom for self growth and realization of the self.

6. Dignity of labour: Gandhiji wants that education should develops

students in such a manner that they may stand on their own legs
after completing their education. Gandhiji says that after seven years
of education from the seven years of age to fourteen years, the child
should be able to earn. The students must learn the dignity of labour.
They should not feel shy while doing some work with their hands.

7. Training for leadership: Gandhiji believed that for successful

democracy, good leaders are needed. Education should imbibe the
education of good leaders. That way only the students will be able to
shoulder the responsibilities in a satisfactory manner.

8. Social and individual aim: aims of education, as advocated

by Gandhiji, have been both social and individual. Gandhiji rightly
believed that the individual and society are dependent upon each
other, because one affects the other in all situations of life. He says
that the problem of the individual is very important and he is afraid
to give complete control of education in the hands of the state,
 because it may crush the individual’s propensities towards
advancement.

ULTIMATE AIM OF EDUCATION

According to Gandhiji, the ultimate aim of education is to
realize God. All other aims are subservient to this supreme aim. It is
the same aim of self realization which is coming down since the very
early times of Indian wisdom and which constitutes the essence of
Indian philosophy. According to Gandhiji, “development of the moral
character, development of the whole- all were directed towards the
realization of the ultimate reality- the merger of the finite being into
the infinite.” It is realizing Godliness in his self.

GANDHI’S VIEWS ON EDUCATION

1. Objectives of education: The ultimate objective of the new

education is not only a balanced and harmonious individual but also
a balanced and harmonious society – a just social order in which
there is no unnatural dividing line between the haves and have-nots
and everybody is assured of a living wage and the right to freedom.

2. Education through craft: The uniqueness of this scheme is

that education is to be given through village crafts. The need for a
machine-less society, Gandhi developed his ideas on education. The
core of his proposal was the introduction of productive handicrafts in
the school curriculum. The idea was not simply to introduce
handicrafts as a compulsory school subject, but to make the learning
of a craft the centre piece of the entire teaching programme.
Knowledge of the production processes involved in crafts, such as
spinning, weaving, leather-work, pottery, metal-work, basket-making
 and bookbinding had been the monopoly of specific caste groups in
the lowest stratum of the traditional social hierarchy.

3. Curriculum: Curriculum in Gandhi’s scheme is activity

centered and craft centered. As M.S Patel has put it in style; “Craft
occupies the position of the sun in the vast solar system of human
life” satisfying our material needs in perfect harmony with the higher
values of life. The subject in the curriculum includes in the following:

1. Basic craft – Agriculture, Spinning, Weaving etc.

2. Mother – tongue.

3. Mathematics – useful for craft and community life.

4. Social studies – social and economic life of the community, culture

the community, history of craft etc.

5. General science – nature study, zoology, physiology, hygiene,

physical culture, anatomy etc.

6. Drawing and music.

Gandhiji advocated uniform education for boys and girls up to

the fifth grade and diversified education there after - general science
to be replaced by domestic science for girls along with craft for both.
He laid special stress on development of good handwriting. The
technique of correlation is another characteristic of the scheme. This
will encourage self - activity rather than role memory. In his scheme
of education Gandhiji proposed a life centred and activity centred
curriculum where knowledge and skills are imparted through self
supporting productive craft.
 Methods of teaching: Gandhiji’s aims of education were
different from those prevalent during his days. Current education
was subject centred. Gandhiji disapproved that educational method
considering as defective and emphasized to make crafts and
vocations as means of education. He wished that some local craft
should be made as medium of education for children so that they
develop their body, mind and soul in a harmonious way and also
meets the ends and needs to their future life. In this way, Gandhiji’s
method of teaching was therefore, different from the current one. He
emphasized the importance of the following principles in his method
of teaching -
v To achieve mental development, training of senses and parts of the
body should be given.
v Reading should precede the teaching of writing.
v Before teaching of alphabets, art training should be given.
v More opportunities should be given for learning by doing.
v Encouragement should be given to learning by experience.
v Correlation should be established in the teaching methods and
learning experiences.
v Mother tongue to be the medium of instruction.
v Productive craft as the basic of all education.

v Teaching through creative and productive activities.

v Teaching through creative and productive activities.

v Learning by living, service and participation, self – experience.

v Lecture, questioning and discussion method.

v Oral instruction to personal study.

v All syllabi should be woven around vocational training.

 In addition to the above, Gandhiji emphasized the need of co
curricular activities, planning, realistic experiences, initiative and
sense of individual responsibility to be associated with the craft
centred teaching method.

Role of teacher: He wanted the teacher to be a model of

behavior an image of society a compendium of virtues. He wanted
teachers to teach by example than by precept. He opposed corporal
punishment. How can an apostle of non – violence advocated
anything like that? Teacher must be well trained, proficient, man of
knowledge, faith action and devotion. Teachers are responsible for
carving the statues of their students. A teacher should be the epicene
of character, a symbol of values, well disciplined, a unique
personality, cultured and having a good mentality. His serenity and
magnanimity should be outstanding and shining. He should be
polite, pious, and having sea of knowledge. He should be a
psychologist, a philosophies, a historian, a technologist in the
matters of knowledge and seduction. He should be a guide, mentor,
and guru for imparting knowledge to the students – the valuable
pearls.

Concept of discipline: His concept of discipline is based on self -

control. Self control refers to inner discipline which leads to self -
discipline. His concept of discipline was, however in tune with social
discipline. He emphasized the value of self - discipline in life. He
assists that every individual is a productive citizen, a worker and a
parent. Education is to be recognized as a potent means for
generating then us - feeling among the individuals to make them,
useful and responsible citizen of their country.
 BASIC EDUCATION

To materialize the vision of society Gandhi evolved a scheme

of education after many trials and experiments over a period of 40
years. His ideas revolutionized the current thinking about education.
This scheme of education is known as Basic education or Wardha
scheme of education or Nai Talim or new education or Buniyandi
Shiksha. Gandhiji used the term basic to describe his scheme of
education because it is intimately related with the basic needs and
interest of Indian children. Moreover, it is closely related to the people
living the villages. It is an educational scheme for common man who
constitutes the base or backbone of our country. The goal of a basic
education is to enable a student to acquire the desired fruit through
his or her own actions.

Features of basic education: Basic education was an embodiment

of Gandhi’s perception of an ideal society as one consisting of small,
self reliant communities. The basic scheme of education has the
following important features:
v The core aim of basic education is to help students to develop self
sufficiency.
v Basic education laid a strong emphasis on manual work.
v There should be free, compulsory and universal education within the
age group 7 to 14.
v It envisages providing education through the medium
of craft or productive work so that the child gains
economic self reliance for his life.
v The medium of education should be mother tongue.
v Education should develop human values in the child.
v It is aimed to achieve the harmonious development of the child’s body,
mind heart and soul.
 v In basic scheme education is imparted through some local craft or
productive work.
v The basic education is self supported through some productive work.
v It is geared to create useful, responsible and dynamic citizens.
v Play is an essential part of basic education.
v Subjects are taught in correlation with craft, with environment and
with other subject.

EVALUTION OF BASIC EDUCATION

MERITS
The following are the merits of basic education;
Ø Basic scheme is an education for life, education through life, and
education throughout life. Shortly, it was a life centred education.
Ø This system is suited to our needs, requirements, genius, and
aspirations for the future.
Ø The craft centred education will give greater concreteness and reality
to the knowledge acquired by children.
Ø It synthesized the individual and social aims of education.
Ø It was a need based education which curtailed rural unemployment.
Ø Gandhiji’s scheme was highly practical as it starts with action rather
than reflection.
Ø Basic scheme takes in to account the needs, interests and aptitude
of the child. Thus it is essentially child centred.
Ø The basic scheme was nationalist in setting, idealist in nature and
pragmatic on one hand while social in purpose and spiritual in intent
on the other hand.
Ø The Wardha scheme is non theoretical and as such it enables the
student to undertake independent action.
Ø Basic education provides for the inculcation of an attitude of truth
in children.

DEMERITS
 v The over emphasis on crafts and productive activity has often been
criticized as child labour.
v It neglects education in terms of personality development and
development higher mental abilities,
v The craft centeredness has resulted in enormous wastage of material
as small children are not in a position to produce anything worth –
while.
v Schools would degrade as trade centres.
v It may arrest the child’s spontaneous development.
v The call for correlation becomes forced and unnatural.
v The basic scheme overlooked the possibilities of higher intellectual
development of children.
v To serve as a medium for education the basic craft selected must
answer the test of universality.
v Making handicraft as nucleus of teaching will amount to throwing the
country further behind in this age of science and technology.
v It is not up to the aspirations of the new generation of a digitalized
world.
GANDHIJI’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION
Gandhiji’s contribution to education is unique. He was the
first Indian who advocated a scheme of education based upon the
essential values of Indian culture and civilization. His important
contributions to education are the following:
· Gandhiji put forth a very comprehensive and practical system of
education suited to genius of our country. It is a constructive and
human system integrated with needs and ideals of national life.
· Gandhiji was the first educationist to advocate the large scale use
of handicraft, not only as a productive work but as a pivot round
which the teaching of different subjects should be undertaken.
· He presented a practical scheme of education based on the
principles of equity, social justice, non – violence, human dignity,
economic well being and cultural self respect.
· Gandhiji gave a very broad - based concept of education describing
it as all round development of human personality.
· He recommended immediate and ultimate aims of education
which are in accordance with the Indian socio political, economic,
cultural and social aim of education.
· He suggested a very practical and broad based curriculum. It is
needed an integrated curriculum which is psychologically sound.
· The method of teaching suggested by Gandhiji is highly pragmatic
and pedagogically sound.
· Gandhiji’s educational model was not only holistic and practical;
it was highly decentralized and integrated, with a demonstrated
capacity to motivate the entire community and place responsibility
and accountability at the community level versus the state.
· Gandhiji’s educational scheme revived India’s economic, social
and cultural life through the instrumentality of a handicraft.
· The basic scheme of education was a practical solution for rural
unemployment. Gandhiji succeeded in presenting a type of
education which can provide the necessary economic self sufficiency
and self reliance.

GANDHI’S PUBLICATIONS ON EDUCATION

Ø Basic education.
Ø Medium of instruction.
Ø Tasks before Indian students.
Ø To the students.
Ø Towards new education.
Ø True education Gandhi wrote extensively on education in ‘Harijan’.

RELEVANCE OF GANDHI’S VIEWS ON EDUCATION IN THE

MODERN CONTEST
The most important point in Gandhi’s scheme of education is its
emphasis on relating school education to the needs of the society. He
wanted to achieve this objective through a system of Learning while
earning. He gave an important place to the learning of craft. It will be
seen from the curriculum of the present day schools that work
experience and socially useful productive work find an important
place. His views on early childhood education are quite relevant to –
day. Parent education is stressed for the proper development of the
early stages of the life. His emphasis on education through the
mother tongue is the accepted principle throughout the period.

CONCLUSION
Gandhiji’s contribution to education is unique. He was the first
Indian who advocated a scheme of education based upon the
essential values of the Indian culture and civilization. The methods
and techniques advocated by him and the environment he prescribed
revolutionized Indian thinking and way of living. At heart he was
devoted to idealism. He wanted to translate his ideals and values into
practice. His philosophy of education is a harmonious blending of
idealism, naturalism, and pragmatism. According to Gandhiji,
“Education is an all round drawing out of the best in child and man
– body, mind and spirit”. He advocated that literacy should never be
the end of education or even the beginning. True education according
to him is that which draws out and stimulates the intellectual and
physical facilities of children. He gave greater importance to the child,
than the techniques and method of education. It was him firm belief
that a sound education should produce useful citizens of the entire
humanity. Education in its true and broad sense is a lifelong process,
which begins with beginning of life and ends with the end of life going
on unceasingly.