Lok Madhyam Jan Shikshan Aur Chunotiya

This document appears to be an excerpt from a Jain text discussing public education, its challenges, and the role of traditional folk media in India. Here's a summary of the key points across the provided pages:

Page 1: The Changing Landscape of Education and its Challenges

• Global Transformation: The world is rapidly changing, opening new possibilities. New universities and institutions offer specialized courses in vocational, technical, engineering, agricultural, and scientific fields. Open schools are providing education to those marginalized or facing difficulties. There have been significant efforts in women's education and adult education, and scholarships for studying abroad are more accessible.
• Decline in Values: Despite this development, education is moving away from social, moral, human, and spiritual concerns. Students are experiencing loneliness, frustration, insecurity, and fear. Violence is increasing, bad habits are emerging, and life has become more burdensome, chaotic, and complex. Expansion has replaced quality.
• Commercialization of Education: Education paradigms have shifted. Excellence is no longer the primary criterion; money has taken its place. Wealthy students with lower marks are gaining easier access to higher education, facilitated by market forces. The concept of studying on credit, mortgaging talent, building a career, and then repaying loans is prevalent. New institutes are mushrooming, making it difficult to distinguish between genuine and fraudulent institutions. Access to prestigious institutions is often gained through financial means, increasing the market value of degrees and the demand for graduates in the marriage market. Private schools are earning millions through collusion with recognized institutions, leading to a "mafia culture" in the education system.
• Flawed Examination System: Educationists haven't found a viable alternative to examinations, which are seen as a necessary evil. Students perceive becoming an examinee as their ultimate goal. "Notes" for exam-oriented questions have become the focus of teaching and learning. Teachers who don't provide notes are considered outdated, while high-fee tutoring teachers are revered. Uniform answers are convenient for examiners, but teachers who teach without fees are viewed as intellectually deficient and dispensable. The author questions the effectiveness of this nexus between exams and teaching.

Page 2: The Examination System and Teacher's Role

• Exam Fever: Examinations have become an obsession within homes and families, creating stress for students and their entire families. Festivals are sometimes disrupted due to exam preparations. Parents neglect their work to accompany children to exam centers.
• The Problem with Xeroxes: The trend of getting photocopies of notes has harmed students. While it saves time and allows students to collect "pages of knowledge," it bypasses the process of writing, which used to improve understanding and writing speed. This has led to a flood of errors, even from students pursuing honors degrees. Slower writing speeds often prevent students from completing their papers.
• The Tarnished Image of Teachers: The teacher's image has deteriorated, with authority overriding duty. Teachers driven by politics and personal animosity neglect student welfare, focusing on their own interests. Their behavior stifles student originality and creativity. Some teachers maintain distance, creating fear among students, making them hesitant to speak even about just matters. Lack of communication leads to growing distances, while straightforward and heartfelt dialogue can resolve issues.
• Restrictions on Teachers: While teachers are bound by new regulations with improved pay scales, these restrictions can stifle their creativity. The author argues that administrative and clerical tasks drain teachers' mental energy, which is unjust.
• Curriculum Issues: Some curriculum revisions have introduced new ideas, while others have changed essential subjects due to a lack of knowledge. Sanskrit is in decline, while astrology is being promoted, and history is being manipulated. Libraries face financial constraints for acquiring new books, yet are flooded with irrelevant books under government grants, leaving no space for useful ones. Lack of proper maintenance means neither teachers nor students benefit from libraries.

Page 3: Medium of Instruction and Cultural Erosion

• Medium of Instruction Crisis: The biggest problem facing education in independent India is the medium of instruction. Indian languages are suffering, with English dominating and usurping their place. Education in Hindi, mother tongue, or regional languages is seen as a sign of backwardness. Schools operating in these languages are closing or adopting English as an alternative to survive. Those educated in Indian languages are marginalized, and their scholars are undervalued. Scholars who rely on English examples are seen as authoritative. English is associated with modernity and prestige, and English speakers are favored in job selections.
• Loss of Cultural Roots: The author laments the disconnect from Indian lifestyle, quoting Prasad: "But the mind kept growing exhaustively, leaving behind the country of the heart." There is no place for values in this system. To address this, "value camps" are organized for children, but these often remain mere events and don't translate into practice. Traditional festivals are becoming mere rituals, not opportunities for instilling values. Children cannot be truly educated by celebrating festivals on TV.
• National Policy and Investment: Crucial national issues are not adequately addressed in education policy. Only a small percentage of the Gross National Product (GNP) is spent on education. The government encourages private institutions while failing to fulfill its responsibilities. Sending a 2-2.5 year-old child to nursery or kindergarten means sending them away from home, fostering an artificial sense of being "special." The pursuit of higher education abroad is prioritized with significant commitment of resources. The author questions the importance of the emotional environment in this system.
• Language and Democracy: A segment of intellectuals wants to fight democratic battles through English, but democracy cannot exist without its local languages. The current governance language is English, and Hindi, the national language, is outside this system. Unless this system is dismantled, Hindi and regional languages cannot thrive. Cutting oneself off from Indian languages means cutting oneself off from one's environment and the warmth of social relationships.
• Education Policy: India has not developed its independent education policy, following Macaulay's footsteps, limiting education to job acquisition. The author highlights that countries like Japan have achieved heights through their own languages. Educational institutions are focused on making students globally-oriented through English, as the world is perceived to be unimaginable without it. National leaders have avoided open debate on this issue.
• Girl Child Education: While 2001 was designated as the Year of Women Empowerment, reports indicate that only 38.52% of girls between 6 and 14 years old continue their education beyond the fifth grade. This is attributed to the extra burden of household work and lack of time for girls. Rural parents fear sexual assaults on schoolgirls and believe the government isn't taking strong enough action.

Page 4: Folk Songs and Communication

• Folk Songs as Heritage: Folk songs are a heritage of the people, not of any individual. They are not just lyrics but embody the entire science of the folk, carrying collective good wishes and the structure of the group. Words, tunes, rhythm, meter, and rhyme are all collective. They serve as mirrors, protectors, and nurturers of society, civilization, and culture. They gain voice through the happy emotions and desires of folk life. The significance of folk songs lies in the combination of specific words and their singing, bringing joy to the community.
• Categories of Folk Songs: Folk songs have various forms and classifications based on rituals, usage, singing time, performers, and other characteristics. However, they can be broadly categorized into four types:
  1. Ritual-related folk songs: Songs associated with life cycle rituals.
  2. Social folk songs: Songs reflecting social life and customs.
  3. Religious folk songs: Songs pertaining to religious beliefs and practices.
  4. Entertainment folk songs: Songs for amusement and enjoyment. Bhakjans, Harjasa, Prabhati, Sakhi-Sabada are also considered variations of folk songs.
• Influence and Importance of Folk Songs: These folk songs have a wide reach in all aspects of life, leading to the belief that "no ritual is complete without a song." From birth to death, folk songs form a traditional chain in India. Simplicity, harmony, sweetness, and rhythm are their qualities that make them easy to memorize. They are important bases for folk education in daily life. Modern thinkers and campaigners acknowledge the power of folk songs, which have also played a vital role in making modern media accessible to the common people.
• Preservation of Traditional Media: Traditional Indian folk media maintain their form and scope. Although they are losing their identity in the dazzle of modernity, they have a rich tradition that makes them timeless.

Page 5: Communication, Folk Media, and Challenges

• Communication as the Foundation of Social Interaction: Communication acts as a bridge to convey thoughts, intentions, and creations to others. In ancient times, communication was called 'Nada' and was associated with a higher power or divine form, symbolizing the transmission of ideas.
• Concept of Folk Media: The thinking behind folk media embodies this concept of communication. Words, speech, script, artistic products, acting, and performance are all integral parts. Physical, verbal, temporal, written, and material creations are considered fundamental forms of communication. Folk media encompass folk tales, folk theater, folk dance, folk songs, and other folk crafts, all designed to transmit a concept and idea from one to many.
• Folk Media as a Repository of Sociality: Folk media represent the entire literature of social expansion. They have initiated relationships and dialogues not only within families but also between different societies. They have transferred values, beliefs, crafts, and ways of thinking from one generation to the next.
• Cumulative Nature of Folk Media: Folk media inherently involve creation, deliberation, and contemplation. They are called cumulative because they accumulate thousands of years of experience, developing and enhancing their form as needed. Modern ideas may label them as cultural heritage, but this can also be a way to limit or suppress them.
• Challenging Perceptions: Despite being sometimes perceived as crude or outdated, rural and traditional folk media have been the originators of new traditions and have coexisted with new media.
• Challenges Faced by Traditional Folk Media: Traditional folk media are facing numerous challenges, with some being declared meaningless or useless. This leads to a shortage of folk artists and a shift in people's attitudes. The main challenges can be categorized as:
  1. Change:
     • Technological advancements.
     • Changes in lifestyle.
  2. Migration:
     • Artists' disinterest.
     • Lack of direction among audiences.
  3. Display/Superficiality:
     • Events in the name of organization.
     • Community mindset.
• Decline of Traditional Media: Traditional folk media are becoming limited or stagnant despite their long evolutionary history. They are shrinking and diminishing rapidly in the face of the modern communication revolution.

Page 6: Electronic Revolution and Lifestyle Changes

• Electronic Revolution: The latter half of the 20th century saw the electronic revolution, with communication media evolving significantly. This era witnessed increased mechanization and the emergence of new audio-visual media. The constant arrival of new technologies has created a "latest technology" mindset. Satellite communication allows real-time viewing of events worldwide. Film technology is advancing with computer-generated imagery. Remote sensing technology is also integrated with communication media.
• Contrast with Traditional Media: This developmental trajectory is not seen in traditional communication media. Consequently, traditional or rural forms of expression are perceived as irrelevant by those influenced by modern trends.
• Government and Scientific Investment: Governments and scientists invest heavily in modernizing new media, but such attention and financial investment are not extended to traditional media.
• New Lifestyles: Lifestyles have changed globally, impacting family possessions and social relationships. The pursuit of novelty has brought meaning to life but has severed ties with tradition. Modern life has money but lacks time and has forgotten folk education, which traditional media offer in multiple dimensions.
• Impact on Traditional Media: This era of change has not only impacted traditional media but has also suppressed them entirely.

Page 7: Competitive Environment and Decline of Traditional Practices

• Competitive Environment: Competition is prevalent in all fields. Cultural events are named after traditional festivals like Gangaur, but they often incorporate modernity or vulgarity. The desire to appear modern and technologically advanced fuels this competition, with individuals striving to outdo their neighbors. Folk artists and directors of traditional media lack this competitive spirit, facing a significant challenge.
• End of Patronage System: The development of traditional folk media was largely dependent on the patronage system. Folk artists relied on their patrons for sustenance and performed for their entertainment and education. In the current consumer culture, the patronage system has waned. While events were traditionally organized, they are now largely commercialized. Government-sponsored events often sideline folk artists in favor of elite organizations and clubs that organize cultural evenings and shows featuring film and album artists.
• Artist Disillusionment: This situation has led to a sense of detachment among folk artists. It signifies not only the migration of artists but also the exodus of the entire community.
• Impact of Literacy: While illiteracy previously supported folk-oriented media, increased literacy has brought about a change. Literacy has led to a perception of modernity, making simplicity seem uncomfortable. Increased anonymity in society has led to the denigration of smaller arts.
• Fashion and Traditional Media: Traditional media are struggling due to the mentality of fashion. Tradition is now viewed as a fashion statement. Homes are decorated with traditional products, and events in educational institutions and other ceremonies are given traditional names. However, there is little to observe, as the essence is lost.
• Government Initiatives: The government has established cultural centers, academies, art centers, and folk art galleries, and organized folk art fairs. However, folk dances in these events have been neglected, as artists feel constrained by organizers and directors, unable to showcase their full talent.
• Duplication and Neglect of Art: There's a trend of neglecting art collaborators and families while embracing duplicacy. The production of folk instruments has stopped. Traditional artisans who once created their own instruments and props are now abandoning their craft, believing the next generation will fend for itself. Instruments like the Singhi, Sarangi, Morchang, Nard, Algouze, Chang, Tarpi, Pavri, Ghoray, Bankiya, and Narsinge are now relegated to museums. The playing and making of Morchang have ceased. Instruments like the Mashak and Arabi Taan are no longer exclusive to folk performances but are also used in weddings, with synthesizers replacing multiple instruments. Villages like Bassi, known for woodcraft, no longer produce items like Kavads, masks, puppets, Gangaur, or Khand Kevad. Items like Khand have been made for years. Crafts like Bharavs and Gangaur's Kangatiya are no longer preferred by the public, making the process from "Ghat se Gadai" (from raw material to finished product) expensive.
• Impact of Print Media: The print media have made rare items widely available, severely impacting artists' production capacity and livelihood. Print media have also greatly affected the sources of artists' sustenance.
• Training and Lack Thereof: While artists previously learned their crafts within their families, this tradition is gone. The new generation views tradition with disdain and starts from scratch to learn something new, requiring them to gain experience in new disciplines. This is costly and also affects traditional art forms. There is no training for artistic disciplines like Padgayan, Kavad Vachan, Kath Pasposhi, Kath Gayan, or folk painting, as these are time-consuming arts. Training camps for playing folk instruments are also not organized. The playing of instruments like Khartal, Ravanhatha, Sindhi, Sarangi, Hanumat Apang, Girgiri, Bhoogal, Donska, and Morchang has become almost extinct. The art of Maath playing has quickly disappeared. In wedding ceremonies, these instruments are rarely heard, and the focus is on DJs, CDs, and other modern means.
• Fashion and Decline: Traditional media are battling the mentality of fashion. Tradition is treated as fashion, with homes decorated with traditional products and events named after traditional practices. However, the core essence is missing.
• The Future of Folk Media: Folk media, which once held their ground in their regions, are losing their identity. The challenges they face are immense, growing like a monster. If efforts are not made to save traditional media, only challenges will remain, and folk media will be reduced to mere discussions.