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The changes one could see in the Indian education system from the Vedic and the Buddhist period through the Islamic period to the British era had been vivid. Education in the earliest Vedic period was deep-rooted in the Hindu religion and taught language, agriculture, science, logic, etc. The Buddhist period saw Gautam Buddha’s teachings on right speech and right behaviour becoming the norm.
During the Mughal era, the focus was to spread the development of knowledge, character, and morals along with spreading Islam. The British came to India as traders and they set up English-medium schools through which they imparted western science and literature. The Christian missionaries taught colonial education for the Indians so that they could be used for doing government clerical jobs.
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Gandhi’s views on education
Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals were utopian and he aspired for a free society where all humans were treated with respect. He wanted to bring the Ram Rajya or Lord Rama’s rule into governance. According to Mahatma Gandhi, there must be an element of goodness that is present within every person in a good political system. He also believed that only a comprehensive education system could bring out this best element, enriching the body, mind, and spirit.
Eradication of manual scavenging
Gandhi loathed caste distinction and felt that it was the root cause of India’s problems. He believed that only education could eradicate the socio-economic divide that plagued our society and his first task was to abolish manual scavenging.
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Imparting vocational training through education
Gandhi proposed vocational training as part of the curriculum. He felt that creative thinking would stimulate the mind, hence should be part of the curriculum from primary to senior.
Spiritual upliftment and social aim of education
Gandhi valued the spirit of cooperation, tolerance, public spirit, and the sense of responsibility that only disciplined education could impart. These qualities can create a harmonious balance between the individual and the social aim of education. He viewed education to stimulate the individual’s mind to think creatively, independently, and critically.
Character Building through Education
Discipline is something Gandhi regarded as the main ingredient of a responsible individual for a peaceful society. Discipline and education went hand in hand for Mahatma because he felt that it is a quality that was required for a human to lead an intellectually, morally, and spiritually uplifting life in society. He firmly believed that the goal of education was the character building of that individual.
According to Gandhi, education does not end at any point but it is an ongoing process. He strongly felt that degeneration of the quality of education would lead to the absence of truthfulness, firmness, and tolerance from society.
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Distinction between education and literacy
Gandhi distinguished education from literacy. Gandhi said, “By education, I mean all-around drawing out of the best in child and man-body mind and spirit. Literacy is not the end of education, not even the beginning. It is one of the means whereby men and women can be educated. Literacy in itself is no education.”
Ethics and morality
For Gandhi, every noble thought like non-violence, truthfulness, spirituality revolved around education. He maintained that through education, world peace could be sought as ethics and morality forming an integral part of education. He also felt that spiritual growth comes with education, and he considered non-violence as an indivisible, important, and essential part of education.
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Tagore’s views on education
Tagore felt that the aim of education was self-realisation. He was considered a saint as he had realised the universal soul in himself and nature. His poetic sentiments believed that this realisation was the goal of education. According to Tagore, the universal soul was the root of our soul, and it was man’s destiny to reach that and of which we are a part. The journey of attaining one’s destiny could be achieved only through education.
Progress towards being a superhuman
Tagore maintained that the evolution of nature was driving us to the universal soul, consciously or unconsciously and this could be assisted only by education. The progression towards the Superhuman would anyway happen whether it is assisted or not but the individual will be deprived of self-realisation if not educated.
Rabindranath’s three principles of self-education
Tagore’s concept of education depended on three principles of self-education:
Independence
As a child, he did not like the idea of studying in a room and felt that students should study outside the classroom. This formed his first principle and independence. He believed in complete freedom in every way for students. Students must practice equanimity, harmony, and balance. Freedom should not be confused with lack of control. Self-control is an integral part of independence. Being free is the natural state of humans. Humans must strive to attain this state and once achieved it should not stray from it and all other powers are directed by their ego.
Perfection
Tagore’s second active principle that underlies self-education is perfection. He felt that students must try to develop every aspect of their personality, power, and abilities that had been given by nature. Tagore realised that education is not merely passing examinations and acquiring degrees but the progression should be to earn a living by pursuing some profession. A child’s personality, according to Tagore, would develop when every aspect of their personality is given equal importance without any part getting completed and others getting undesirable attention.
Universality
Tagore’s concept of the universal soul and our progression towards it forms the third principle which is universality. This exists within each individual. Everyone must identify one’s soul with the universal soul. Hence, education is not just based on simple development but the individual rises above their limitations of personality. The universal soul resides in every element of nature. He maintained that the educator should create an environment in which a child’s personality undergoes a free, perfect, and unrestricted development.
Similarities in Gandhi and Tagore’s view on education
Gandhi and Tagore believed in God or the universal soul both pointed toward spirituality. Their views were child-centric, respecting the individuality of the child. Children should learn whatever they are interested in. Both insisted on education in mother tongues and they were against imposing the English language. They both were idealists and humanists.
Differences between Gandhi and Tagore’s view of education
Both aimed at higher goals yet were different in their aims. Gandhi laid emphasis on the complete development of the child and eradicating casteism while Tagore was emphatic about self-realisation through education. Gandhi stood for educating a common man and making him worthy of the society whereas Tagore wanted to produce saints.
Regarding the national agenda for education, Gandhi’s educational approach was more for promoting Indian culture and civilization.
Conclusion
Mahatma always had stressed self-sufficiency for the future of India by earning money for the institutions the children studied at. But Tagore viewed children’s education as acquiring unbridled knowledge. He sought complete freedom for children whereas Gandhi wanted to restrict only to creative freedom.
