The first education minister of India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, was one of the stalwarts of the Indian freedom struggle who was highly respected for his scholarship and learning, apart from his insights into political issues. His perceptions, ideas and utterances have a lasting value. This has been, though belatedly, recognised by the nation, and his birthday, November 11, is now being celebrated as the National Education day. Apart from the formal celebrations of the National Education Day, it is essential that the relevance of Maulana’s views is thoroughly discussed and seriously debated among policy makers and officials who are familiar with the gaps in education, particularly in its quality and skill acquisition. The import of his concern to see India as one nation in all its splendour and glory is now understood more respectfully than in his own times. There are occasions when one single sentence or a small statement could project the total personality of an individual. Here is an example from the presidential address of Maulana Azad in the 1940 annual session of the Indian National Congress: “I am part of this indivisible unity that is Indian nationality. I am indispensable to the noble edifice and without me this splendid structure of India is incomplete. I am an essential element which has gone to build India. I can never surrender this claim.” Sadly enough India was partitioned, but Maulana remained steadfast in his views. He offers the key to prepare young generations to strive for national unity and nurture human values that lead to respect for and acceptance of unity in diversity.
A great visionary, Maulana Azad had anticipated certain negative developments that may confront India in future. A couple of instances from his life, lectures and writings would indicate his deep understanding of India, its needs and aspirations. Addressing a meeting of the Vice Chancellors of Indian universities in Delhi on November 3, 1951, he said, “The basis of our life is still agriculture, and the vast majority of our people depend on agriculture for their livelihood… Our agriculture graduates are fit for almost everything except becoming agriculturists themselves.” The vast majority of Indians still survives on agriculture, which has continuously remained ignored in developmental initiatives, and more importantly, it was not given due place, space and weightage in education. Consequently, the pace of migration of young persons to cities is consistently on the rise. They often lead a far miserable life there than what could have been more dignified and creative if agricultural operations were given the needed support on priority basis. Maulana Azad had suggested a way out to overcome the deficiency by giving an extra bias to agriculture in school education and introducing agricultural education in the universities: “In addition, schools and colleges in the rural and semi-rural areas must encourage all students—whatever may be their subjects of study—to devote a part of their normal scholastic routine to work on land. For schools and colleges in cities and towns, I would suggest their adoption of villages where students may participate in a programme of complete reconstruction of village life.” Village life in India has changed; it is rather traumatised and is in a state of serious uncertainty. It stands depleted and is unable to offer hope to its young. It would be interesting to know how many schools or colleges in India have any place for ‘agricultural bias’ in their curricula, programmes or practices?
Education must respond to the current conditions that seriously impact rural India, particularly through the migration of youths to urban areas. Probably the search for a solution may lie in providing skill development and renewed opportunities to young persons in nearby places and, more importantly, to give due weightage to local crafts and upgrade of traditional skills during the RTE years. That would nurture a liking for vocational skills as children move up the education ladder. If India had indeed followed the sane advice of the learned Maulana, the rural scenario would have been far different than that of today. Better late than never. rajput_js@yahoo.co.in
Rajput is a former director of the NCERT