Madhyamik Shiksha Aur Sarkar Drushti - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Madhyamik shiksha aur Sarkar Drushti" by Sushma Arora, presented in English:

This article, "Secondary Education and the Government's Perspective," by Sushma Arora, argues that education is crucial for individual and national progress, emphasizing character development as the foundation of a nation. The author critiques the Indian education system, particularly its post-independence trajectory, highlighting its continued reliance on the British colonial model which aimed primarily at producing clerks.

Key Arguments and Observations:

The Power of Education: The text begins by defining intelligence as what makes humans superior to other beings. It stresses the need to awaken innate human capacities through education for personal progress. The author connects the concept of a "nation" not just to geography but to its citizens, their consciousness, culture, and character.
Education and Character Building: The article posits that individual character forms the basis of collective and national character. Education is identified as the primary tool for character formation.
Government's Role and Responsibilities: Drawing on quotes from Rajasthan's Governor Raghukul Tilak, the author emphasizes that democracy can only survive if its citizens understand its meaning, a task achievable through education. The lack of education and training, rather than intelligence or resources, is identified as the primary deficiency.
Diverse Definitions of Education: The text presents various philosophical perspectives on education from thinkers like Socrates, Edison, Froebel, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Professor Horney, Bessing, Professor James, Butler, and T. Raymond. These definitions collectively highlight education's role in bringing forth inherent qualities, nurturing virtues, facilitating adaptation to the environment, and promoting holistic development.
Historical Context and Post-Independence Neglect: The article critiques the British-era education system for its English medium and its goal of producing clerks. It laments that even after independence, education remained neglected, and the fundamental structure of the education system failed to change.
Unfulfilled Promises: The author points out the failure to meet the constitutional promise of providing free primary education to all children aged 6-14 within twenty years, noting the extended deadline of 1985. Even reaching children aged 6-11 was a challenge. However, states like Madras and Kerala are praised for their progress in implementing compulsory, free secondary education and achieving higher literacy rates.
Challenges in Primary Education: Several issues plague primary education, including a lack of schools in many villages, single-teacher schools, the difficulty of inspection in remote areas, and problems of wastage and stagnation due to fear and an unfavorable environment within schools. The author advocates for free education, provision of textbooks and uniforms for the poor, and mid-day meals to encourage attendance.
Rural Education Needs: The article stresses the need for primary education to be adapted to the rural environment. Current bookish knowledge doesn't provide practical agricultural skills. The holiday structure also hinders children's ability to help with farming. The author suggests aligning school holidays with agricultural seasons to increase enrollment.
Disparities in Secondary Education: The lack of uniformity in the secondary education system across India creates problems for students, especially those whose parents are transferred due to government jobs, leading to wasted academic years.
Governmental Indifference and Policy Failures: The author criticizes the government's past indifference towards education when it was a state subject. While numerous commissions were formed, their recommendations were often not binding on states. The article highlights the Mudaliar Commission (1952-53) and the Kothari Commission (1964-66) and their suggestions for educational reforms (like the 8+3+3 and 10+2+3 systems) which were not universally adopted or successfully implemented.
Policy Inconsistency and the Consequence of the Concurrent List: The article points out the inherent problem of changing education policies with every change in government, leading to wasted resources. The shift of education to the Concurrent List in 1976 is seen as contributing to this instability.
The Two-Year Gap: A significant anomaly is identified where students complete secondary education at 16, but the minimum age for government jobs is 18, leaving a two-year void that often leads to university enrollment and subsequent unemployment.
Bookishness and Lack of Practicality: The education system is criticized for being overly theoretical and bookish. Curricula lack pointers to further resources, leading students to believe their limited textbook knowledge is complete. The inability to translate theoretical knowledge into practical application is a major flaw, likened to rote learning.
Implementation Gaps: Plans to make education practical face obstacles like incompetent personnel lacking practical experience to implement theories and inappropriate policies disconnected from the local context (e.g., teaching music and sewing in agricultural areas, or agriculture in industrial cities).
Disconnect from Life: Despite claims of being life-oriented, education has remained disconnected from real life, failing to achieve its goals. This has resulted in widespread unemployment, frustrated talent, and public despair.
External Influence and Lack of Indigenous Policies: Education policy-making is often entrusted to people with no direct connection to education. The continued reliance on borrowed and often failing foreign policies, instead of developing policies based on India's unique needs, is a core criticism.
Flawed Evaluation Methods: The overemphasis on annual written examinations as the sole measure of student ability is criticized. Internal evaluation is often a mere formality, and oral examinations are suggested as a valuable addition.
Lack of National Cohesion: The absence of a national curriculum and the existence of disparate state-level plans for higher secondary education lead to uncertainty and neglect. The author advocates for a unified, certain, and national approach to education, aligned with nation-building aspirations.
Erosion of Character and Moral Values: The article attributes the failure to build character in students to the disparity in teacher salaries (low pay for primary teachers leading to demotivation, and high pay for university professors leading to potential misuse of funds).
Politicization of Education: Politics entering education, with teachers being involved in electoral duties, transforms educational institutions into political arenas. Politically motivated teacher transfers further disrupt the educational process for both students and teachers.
Need for Cultural and Ethical Integration: The author stresses the importance of education being rooted in the country's realities and advocates for integrating ethics and culture into the curriculum. The lack of moral strength contributes to strikes, vandalism, and accusations within the education sector.
Teacher Involvement in Policy: Finally, the article calls for teachers to have a significant role in policy-making, alongside administrators, for a more effective and ethical education system.

In essence, the article provides a critical analysis of the Indian education system, arguing for a fundamental reform that prioritizes character development, practicality, cultural relevance, and a stable, nationally aligned policy framework, with greater involvement from educators themselves.