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On one hand, seventy-five years of independence is being celebrated with great enthusiasm and frenzy and on the other hand, we often hear of incidents which indicate that our social life has still remained untouched by the fragrance of freedom and never heard the drums of democracy that we are so fond of beating.
Appallingly undemocratic things have happened at many places in recent past. Mahoba, Hapur, Muzaffarnagar—these are just the names of places. The poison that has spread in the name of casteism has no special name and no destination. Anywhere, anytime, it can turn into a venomous cobra and bite any innocent child or elderly person of the so-called ‘low caste’.
The lunacy of casteism continues to create havoc in the country. Everyone is familiar with the pathological word like untouchable, but there have been castes in this country, which were even ‘unseeable’! Swami Vivekananda called Kerala a ‘lunatic asylum of casteism’. Some people there were allowed to go out of their homes only at twelve o’clock in the day because at that time their shadow did not spread far. Even if his shadow touched a person belonging to an ‘upper caste’, he would become impure. This ‘unseeable’ person had to leave his house with a bell hanging around his neck and had to keep ringing it continuously, so that the upper caste people could know about his arrival from a distance and move away.
Even today these things are true. They occur in distant, isolated villages; they do not make headlines, but their roots have remained embedded in our collective mind for years. Political changes happen frequently. Every five years a new ‘Messiah’ comes and we think our lives will change. But the ideals of democracy neither touche our social conduct nor other units of society such as family and education. Underneath the gaudy celebrations we hide these ugly indecencies with deceit and cleverness.
The most serious concern is with respect to the incidents in which children commit suicide due to various pressures and incidents of caste and religion based discrimination within educational institutions. Educational institutions have a very valuable role in creating present and future generations who are responsible and skilled individuals, possessing knowledge and understanding, having positive attitudes and a deep sense of co-existence.
If schools and colleges become centres of violence, whether against others or oneself, at the very initial level, if the teachers spread casteism, sectarianism, racism and misogynistic ideas among the students, then the future of the country is doomed. If such experiences happen in childhood itself, they become a part of the child’s unconscious mind, and then violence, assault etc. is seen as normal behavior to them.
Teachers need to be role models for future generations. They should be individuals who have risen above these ills, or at least are making an honest effort to rise above them. Such incidents also show that we are victims of severe inequality at the economic and social level. As ideals of democracy, things like equality, equality, dignity of the individual etc. are seen only in books. They have nothing to do with our real social, family and personal life.
One-third of our population spends a large part of every day in school or college. This is the best time to understand them, explain to them and bring changes in them for a better future. This is the right time when teachers can tell children about the importance of emotional quotient (EQ) along with intellectual quotient (IQ). Facing failure, not falling into the deep gorge of negativity, understanding and ending violence when it is in its infancy and not when it takes a monstrous form—such understanding, imparted along with the academic studies can be of great value.
But for this, training of teachers is necessary by those who deeply understand this dimension of education and have actually worked in this field. Developed countries have understood these needs and many of them have also worked sensitively on these issues. We have a great example of Finland in front of us. In countries like Finland, it is well understood that for the development of the country, it is important to create right understanding among youngsters. Educational institutions specially prepare study models and training programmes to help bring about changes in behaviour, thinking and attitudes of children. Parents, leaders, educational institutions, political parties and social service organizations all participate in preparing these programs.
The question is whether we are ready to bring about this kind of internal change among teachers and students in our educational institutions. Do we have the political will for this or do we not want to bring such changes because of its political disadvantages? The habit of looting votes in the name of caste is so old and so beneficial that political parties want it to continue. So we can talk about it, but ending it is a completely different thing.
The venom of casteism and communalism should be completely extinguished. Teachers should have a genuine interest in equality, liberty and fraternity, not just at the intellectual and verbal level. Only teachers can do the work of bringing this understanding to the rest of the non-teaching staff of the educational institution, if they remain constantly alert. Schools and colleges need to be in constant touch with parents to convey these values. They can do this through off-line meetings or even through digital media. Both can also be used from time to time.
Unfortunately, education has become just a medium to get degrees and jobs. These things have their limited role, but it is very important to pay attention to the culture of the heart, about which Gandhiji talked and also worked for it at a practical level.
The work of teaching the student to live with the new environment, constantly changing life, failure, success and humility, anxiety and depression also depends on the mutual cooperation of schools, parents and professional psychological counsellors. Adequate budget is also required for this work. The educational institution should never discriminate on the basis of religion, caste, region and colour. This must be ensured by the government, the education board and the management of the institution. Even if unpeasant incidents happen, it is important to ensure that other students are not affected by them. Immediate measures should be taken to deal with this so that their negative impact on their hearts and minds can be erased.
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