HIND SWARAJ OR

INDIAN HOME RULE

Gandhian Studies

Given below are the three books written by M.K. Gandhi.

Identify the book that was written first by him.

In which book did Gandhiji refer to Swaraj in detail?

Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule is
the first book written by M.K. Gandhi.
He wrote this book in 1909, during his
voyage from London to South Africa in
the ship named Kildonan Castle.
Gandhiji wrote it in ten days, between
November 13 and November 22, 1909.
Originally written in Gujarati, it was later
serialised in the Gujarati edition of Indian
Opinion in South Africa. Subsequently
it was published as a booklet in January
1910. The Bombay Government
Manuscript of Hind Swaraj
proscribed it in 1910. In reply to this
action, Gandhiji published its English translation entitled Indian
Home Rule.

Let us know

Manifesto : The word manisfesto is derived from the latin word

manifestus meaning obvious. It is a document publically declaring
the position or program of its issuer. A manifesto advances a set
of ideas, opinions or views, but it can also layout a plan of action.
While it can addresses any topic, it most often concerns at
literature or politics

HIND SWARAJ OR
INDIAN HOME RULE

Hind Swaraj is considered

Let us know
as Gandhijis manifesto. It
A few lines from Hind Swaraj
contains the essence or blue
print of Gandhian ideas. He
refused to make any change
in his ideas in Hind Swaraj. He
wrote, "The booklet has gone
several editions and I commend
it to those who would care to read
it. I withdraw nothing except one
word of it and that is in deference
to a lady friend." Hind Swaraj is
written in a conversational style;
a conversation between the
reader and the editor of Indian
Opinion. As Hind Swaraj was the
first book written by M.K. Gandhi,
it got publicity and was read widely. Hence it was reprinted several
times.
Let us analyse the historical background that persuaded
Gandhiji to write Hind Swaraj.

Historical background
The revolt of 1857 developed nationalism in India. The statement
Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it by Balagangadhar
Tilak was adopted as a slogan by the patriotic youth of India. The
partition of Bengal in 1905 also aroused a militant form of
nationalism in India. It resulted in violent protests against the
British rule in India and abroad. English men were attacked and
Government properties were destroyed. His visit to England and
his encounter with Indian anarchists and their cult of violence
persuaded Gandhiji to write Hind Swaraj. The spread of
materialistic civilization also provoked Gandhiji. The ideas
presented in Hind Swaraj were developed by Gandhiji quite
earlier. He was eager to communicate them to the whole world,
especially to the Indians. He wanted to tell his countrymen that
British colonialism was not the real enemy. The real enemy was
modern civilization.

Gandhian Studies

Influences
Let us do:
In the first year you must have studied about various influences
on Gandhiji. List out these influences.
Gandhiji was influenced by many people in developing his ideas
in Hind Swaraj. Leo Tolstoy, John Ruskin, Henry David Thoreau
R.C Dutt and Edward Carpenter were some among them. Hence
he wrote in his preface to Hind Swaraj "The views are mine, and
yet not mine" Gandhiji read Edward Carpenter's Civilization: Its
Cause and Cure when he was in England. This book influenced
him very much in developing his ideas in Hind Swaraj. In Hind
Swaraj he wrote: "A great English writer has written a work called
Civilization: Its Cause and Cure. Therein he called it as a disease."
He acknowledged the influence of R.C. Dutt : "When I read
Mr.Dutt's Economic History of India, I wept; as I think of it again
my heart sickens."

Let us do:
Prepare a textual analysis of the book 'Hind Swaraj' in group
and present it in the class.

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HIND SWARAJ OR
INDIAN HOME RULE

Let us know
In the appendix of Hind Swaraj Gandhi cited the books which
influenced him. They are :
1. Civilization, Its Cause and Cure

- Edward Carpenter

2. The Kingdom of God is Within You - Leo Tolstoy

3. What is Art?

- Leo Tolstoy

4. The Slavery of Our Times

- Leo Tolstoy

5. The First Step

- Leo Tolstoy

6. How shall We Escape?

- Leo Tolstoy

7. On the Duty of Civil Disobedience - Henry David Thoreau

8. Life without Principle

- Henry David Thoreau

9.Unto This Last

- John Ruskin

10. A Joy for Ever

- John Ruskin

11. Poverty &Un-British Rule in India - Dada Bhai Naoroji

12. Economic history of India

- R.C. Dutt

Contents of Hind Swaraj

The book Hind Swaraj consists of twenty chapters and two
appendices. The chapters are as follows;
Chapter I

The Congress and its Officials.

Chapter II

The Partition of Bengal

Chapter III

Discontent and Unrest

Chapter IV

What is Swaraj?

Chapter V

The Condition of England

Chapter VI

Civilization

Chapter VII

Why was India Lost?

Chapter VIII

The Condition of India

Chapter IX

The Condition of India (Railways)

Chapter X

The Condition of India (The Hindus and the

Mohammedans)

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Gandhian Studies

Chapter XI

The Condition of India (Lawyers)

Chapter XII

The Condition of India (Doctors)

Chapter XIII

What is true civilization?

Chapter XIV

How can India Become Free?

Chapter XV

Italy and India

Chapter XVI

Brute Force

Chapter XVII

Passive Resistance

Chapter XVIII

Education

Chapter XIX

Machinery

Chapter

Conclusion

XX

The beauty of the book lies in its capacity to express ideas

scientifically. It is written in the form of a dialogue in the most
ordinary language. Sometimes he uses very harsh words to
express his ideas. The book reveals Gandhiji's basic approach to
the problems of modern civilization. Hind Swaraj also deals with
his idea of Swaraj, British Parliament, true civilization, passive
resistance, education, machinery, etc .Let us discuss some
important concepts in detail.

Gandhiji's concept of Swaraj

In the fourth chapter of Hind
Think and share:
Swaraj Gandhiji discusses his
ideas about Swaraj. The literal In the first year you have studied about
meaning of the word Swaraj is Village Swaraj. Can you explain the
self rule. The popular meaning concept of Swaraj?
of Swaraj is political independence or home rule. To
Gandhiji this was only one of the many aspects. By Swaraj
Gandhjii does not mean the mere transfer of power from the British
hands to Indian hands. Gandhiji's concept of Swaraj is much
more than attainment of home rule. According to Gandhiji the
most fundamental and crucial meaning of Swaraj is self control.
In Hind Swaraj he said real home rule is self rule or self control'.

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HIND SWARAJ OR
INDIAN HOME RULE

Self control means control of senses and emotions. He further

says that "the Swaraj that I wish to picture is such that, after we
have once realized it, we shall endeavour to the end of our lifetime to persuade others to do likewise. But such Swaraj has to be
experienced, by each one for himself". He suggested passive
resistance or soul force or love force as the way to Swaraj. In
order to exert this force, the concept of Swadesi was necessary.

Gandhiji's criticism on Parliamentary Democracy

In Hind Swaraj Gandhi
vehemently opposed the
British Parliament. which
is considered as the
mother of Parliament. He
wrote
the
"Mother
Parliament has not yet, of
its own accord, done a
single good thing."
British Parliament
According to Gandhiji
without pressure British Parliament can do nothing. Because "It
is under the control of ministers who change from time to time."
This "Parliament is without a real master. Under Prime Minister's
its movement is not steady. As are the people so is their Parliament.
Gandhiji considered Parliament as the emblem of slavery."
The Parliament visualised by Gandhiji consists of the best men
elected by the people. The members serve without pay and
therefore it must be assumed only for the public weal. The electors
are educated and they would not make mistakes in their choice.
"Such a Parliament should not need the spur of petitions or any
other pressure. Its work Think and share:
should be so smooth that its
effects would be more
Compare and contrast the Parliament
apparent day by day."
visualised by Gandhiji with the
modern day Parliament

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Gandhian Studies

Gandhiji's views on Civilization:

Let us do:
You have already studied the concept of 'civilization'. Write and
share your idea of civilization.
In Hind Swaraj Gandhiji shared his views on civilization. He
defined "civilization as that mode of conduct which points out to
man the path of duty. Performance of duty and observance of
morality are convertible terms. To observe morality is to attain
mastery over our mind and our passions. So doing, we know
ourselves." The Gujarati equivalent for civilization means good
conduct".
According to Gandhiji, "Our mind is a restless bird. The more
it gets the more it wants, and still remains unsatisfied." The more
we indulge in our passions the more uncontrolled they become.
Our ancestors therefore set a limit to our indulgences. Gandhiji
also said that a man is not necessarily happy because he is rich
or unhappy because he is poor. That is, economic development
may not lead to happiness and poverty may not lead to
unhappiness. That is why our ancestors dissuaded us from
luxuries and pleasures.
Gandhiji considered Indian civilization as one of the best
civilizations in the world. He wrote "The Indian civilization, as
described by me, has been so described by its votaries. In no part
of the world, and under no civilization, have all men attained
perfection. The tendency of the Indian civilization is to elevate
the moral being, while that of the Western civilization is to
propagate immorality. The former is based on a belief in God, the
latter is Godless."

Characteristics of True Civilization:

Let us do:

14

List the features of good civilization

Value based
Truthfulness
----------- ------------

----------- ------------

HIND SWARAJ OR
INDIAN HOME RULE

According to Gandhiji the characteristics of true civilization

are:

Village
oriented

Promotes simple
living

Based on service
and self denial

True
Civilization
Based on
belief in God
Aimed at moral
progress
No rooms for
touts to lure
people

As Indian Civilization is based on the above features Gandhiji

called Indian civilization as one of the best civilizations in the
world.

Gandhiji's critique of Modern Civilization:

Let us do:
Debate on merits and demerits of modern civilization.
Let us analyse Gandhiji's observations on modern civilization.
Gandhiji was a strong critique of modern civilisation. Hind Swaraj
is a severe condemnation of modern civilization. He used rough
words like 'satanic', 'soulless', 'half mad' etc to denote modern
civilization. He criticized modern civilization for its materialistic,
industrial and atheistic character. To Gandhiji "modern civilization
is a soulless system based on the materialistic aspect of life. Its
true test lies in the fact that people living in it make bodily welfare

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Gandhian Studies

the object of life." In Hind Swaraj he also criticized railways, lawyers

and doctors.
The features of Modern Civilisation as explained by Gandhiji
are:

The object of life in modern civilization is bodily welfare or

material well being.

The chief symbol of modern civilization is mechanization. It

replaces physical labour with machine and worsens the
working condition of labourers.

It helps to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a

few.

Modern civilization paves way for exploitation and violence and

makes man more selfish and indulgent

There is no consideration for religion and morality. It prevents

moral and spiritual growth.

It has given freedom for all to write anything as they like and
poisons people's mind.

As a result of change in life style, new diseases are coming up

and more and more hospitals are established to cater to the
needs of the patients.

Man is enslaved to the temptations of money and luxury in the

modern civilization.

It made drastic changes in the consumption pattern and

destroyed the village system.

Modern civilization is based on the principles of 'might is right'

and 'survival of the fittest'.

Let us do:
Compare and contrast Indian civilization and western/modern
civilization.

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HIND SWARAJ OR
INDIAN HOME RULE

Indian civilization

Western/ Modern civilization

Elevates the moral being

Propagates immorality

Based on spirituality

Based on materialism

The chapters XVII, XVIII and XIX of Hind Swaraj deals with
Gandhijis view on passive resistance, education and machinery.

Passive resistance:
In the first year you have studied about the passive resistance
organized by Gandhiji against the asiatic registration act in South
Africa. Here Gandhiji used the word passive resistance as a
synonym of Satyagraha. For Gandhiji passive resistance is a
method of securing rights by personal suffering, it is the opposite
of resistance by arms. It involves sacrifices by the self. Gandhiji
considered this as the weapon of the brave. He believed that real
home rule is possible only when passive resistance is the guiding
force of the people. Any rule other than home rule is foreign rule.
Gandhiji says "a man who is weak in body is capable of offering
this resistance. One man can offer it just as well as millions. Both
men and women can indulge in it". "Passive resistance is an all
sided sword, it can be used anyhow. It blesses him one who uses
it and against whom it is used. Without drawing a drop of blood it
produces far reaching results. Passive resistance cannot be
proceeded a step without fearlessness. Those alone can follow
the path of passive resistance who are free from fear of their
possessions, false honour, their relatives, the government, bodily
injuries or death".

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Gandhian Studies

Education:
In Hind Swaraj Gandhiji Think and share:
criticised
the
modern
education system. He wrote "by According to Gandhiji education
receiving English education we without character is a sin. Do you
have enslaved the nation. agree with this? Share your ideas.
Hypocrisy, tyranny, etc; have
increased." According to
Gandhiji our ancient school system was enough. Character
building has the first place in it and that, is primary education.
Gandhiji was of the opinion that knowledge of letters is usually
known as education, but it is not complete in it. According to him
real education helps the individual to lead a peaceful and
harmonious life. For that, inculcation of morality along with our
education is an essential element.

Machinery
According to Gandhiji machinery is the chief symbol of modern
civilization, it represents a great sin. Men became the slave of
machinery. It is machinery that has impoverished India. He wrote
"It is difficult to measure the harm that Manchester has done to
us. It is due to Manchester that Indian handicraft has all but
disappeared." He was against all labour saving machinery. He
believed that mechanisation is the root cause of unemployment
and poverty in India. That
is why he wrote "It is
necessary to realize that
machinery is bad. We
shall then be able
gradually to do away with
it."In nature there is no
way to reach a desired
goal all of a sudden. If,
instead of accepting
machinery as a boon, we

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HIND SWARAJ OR
INDIAN HOME RULE

should look upon it as an evil, it would ultimately go. Instead of

sophisticated technology Gandhiji supported indigenous
technology. He believed, through this only we can save our eyes
and money and support Swadesi and thus we can attain home
rule.
Analyse the above pictures and find out the technologies in
tune with Gandhiji's concept of mechanisation.

Concluding Chapter:
In the concluding chapter of Hind Swaraj Gandhiji wrote the
code of conduct of an Indian as follows
1.
2.

3.

4.

Only on rare occasions he will make use of the English language

If he is a lawyer, he will give up his profession, and take up a
handloom. He will devote his knowledge to enlightening both
his people and the English. He never meddles with the quarrels
between parties but will give up the courts, and from his
experience induce the people to do likewise. He refused to be
a judge, and will give up his profession.
If a doctor, he will give up medicine, and understand that
rather than mending bodies, he should mend souls. He will
understand that no matter to what religion he belongs, it is
better that bodies remain diseased rather than that they are
cured through the instrumentality of the diabolical vivisection
that is practiced in European schools of medicine. Although a
doctor, he will take up a hand-loom, and if any patients come
to him, will tell them the cause of their diseases, and will
advise them to remove the cause rather than pamper them by
giving useless drugs; he will understand that if by not taking
drugs, perchance the patient dies, the world will not come to
grief and that he will have been really merciful to him.
If he is a wealthy man, yet regardless of his wealth, he will
speak out his mind without fearing any one. He will devote his
money for establishing hand-looms, and encourage others to
use hand made goods by wearing them himself. Like every
other Indian, he will know that this is a time for repentance,
expiation and mourning. He will know that to blame the English
is useless, that they came because of us, and remain also for

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the same reason, and that they will either go or change their
nature only when we reform ourselves. He will understand
that at a time of mourning, there can be no indulgence, and
that, whilst we are in a fallen state, to be in gaol or in
banishment is much the best. He knows that action is better
than speech. It is our duty to say exactly what we think and
face the consequences, then only we shall be able to impress
anybody with our speech. He will understand that we shall
become free only through suffering. He will know that no nation
has risen without suffering, that, even in physical warfare,
the true test is suffering and not the killing of others.
Gandhiji wrote Hind Swaraj as an answer to the Indian School
of violence and its prototype in South Africa. When Gokhale read
it, he thought it so crude and hastily conceived that he prophesied
that Gandhiji himself would destroy the book after spending a
year in India. Gandhiji sent a copy of Hind Swaraj for Tolstoy's
perusal. Tolstoy wrote "I have read your book with great interest,
for I consider the question there dealt with-passive resistance- to
be of very great importance, not only for India, but for the whole
of humanity."

Relevance of Hind swaraj:

Hind swaraj is considered as the quintessence of Gandhian
ideas. In 2009 we celebrated the centenary of Hind Swaraj. Still
the ideas discussed in Hind Swaraj are more relevant. In Hind
Swaraj Gandhiji anticipated the disastrous effects of modern
civilization very clearly. He revealed that the technological
revolution brought many changes in the ecological system and it
adversely affected the environment. Gandhiji also foresaw the
social, economic, political and communal problems of the present
day and discussed the issues in Hind Swaraj. Even after a century
the problems remain the same. Apart from discussing these
problems, he also tried to suggest some alternatives in resolving
them. Here lies the relevance of Hind Swaraj. Gandhiji
recommended a nonviolent, nature-centred, simple living devoid
of selfishness and exploitation.

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HIND SWARAJ OR
INDIAN HOME RULE

Hind Swaraj is the first book written by Gandhiji. This book consists
of the quintessence of Gandhian ideas. It was written in the form of a
dialogue. The meaning of Swaraj is self rule. In Hind Swaraj, Gandhiji
vehemently opposed the Parliamentary system. He defined civilization
as that mode of conduct which points out to man the path of duty. Gandhiji
considered Indian civilization as the best civilization in the world. He
also criticised the modern civilization. According to him mechanisation
is the chief symbol of modern civilization. Passive resistance and swadesi
are the two methods suggested by Gandhiji for the attainment of swaraj.
Character building is the primary aim of education. Gandhiji believed
that mechanisation impoverished India.

Completely

Partially

Need
improvement

Identify Hind Swaraj as the

Gandhian manifesto
Analyse the historical background
Describe Swaraj
Describe the merit of True
Civilization
Analyze the features of Modern
Civilization
Evaluate the relevance of Hind
Swaraj

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Gandhian Studies

Sample questions
Discuss the historical background that persuaded Gandhiji to
write Hind Swaraj.
Analyse Gandhiji's concept of Swaraj.
"Modern civilization paves the way for exploitation and violence
and makes man more selfish and indulgent." Do you agree
with this? Substantiate
Explain Gandhiji's views on true civilization.
In Hind swaraj Gandhiji vehemently opposed British
Parliamentary system. Analyse the reasons.
Gandhiji believed that mechanisation is the root cause of
unemployment and poverty in India. Evaluate the reasons.
Hind Swaraj is regarded as Mahatma Gandhijis Manifesto.
Evaluate.

Reference

22

1.

Hind Swaraj, M.K. Gandhi, Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad.

2.

The Story of my Experiments with Truth, M.K. Gandhi, Navjivan

Publishing House, Ahmedabad

3.

Mahatma, D.G. Tendulkar, Publication Division, Govt. of India.

4.

Village Swaraj, M.K. Gandhi, Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad

5.

M.K. Gandhis Hind Swaraj - a critical edition, Suresh Sharma, Tridip

Suhrud, Orient Balckswan Private limited, New Delhi.

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

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Gandhian Studies

What do you mean by education?

Character formation

Acquiring knowledge

Let us examine the definitions given by Gandhiji on educations,

"By education I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in the
child and man, body, mind and spirit." It means that education
promotes holistic development of a child, which includes the three
domains such as physical, intellectual and spiritual development.
Gandhiji, however, maintained that man is neither mere intellect,
nor the gross animal body, nor the heart or soul alone. A proper
and harmonious combination of all the three is required for the
making of a whole man. As such, education of the intellect cannot
be separated from the body and the soul. It has to be an integrated
whole where all the three intellect, physical body and the soul
have to be activated to function together in order to achieve the
complete development of a harmonious man. Gandhiji was in
favour of using all faculties of mind and all parts of the body to
develop them to maximum possible extent. The role of education
is very important for creating a perfect society as well as a perfect
man. It is necessary for every society and nation to bring happiness
and prosperity to its individuals. Like Gandhiji there were many
educational philosophers who described their ideas.

24

Great Educational philosophers say that education begins with

the birth of a child and ends with his death. Education is not
merely collection of information. It includes all the knowledge

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

and experiences, acquired during infancy, childhood, boyhood,

adolescence, youth, manhood or old age through any agency of
education the press, the travels, the club, the nature formally
and informally. Thus, education becomes the sum total of all
experiences that the child receives either in the school or outside.
In the wider sense, life is education and education is life. So we
can say that Gandhiji was a true combination of eastern idealist
and western pragmatist.

Definitions On Education
Have you heard about any other educational philosophers?

Swami Vivekananda

Tagore

Various educationists all over the world give their views on

education. Some of them considered education as a preparation
for life in the community, whereas others regarded it as an endless
process.

Education is the natural harmonious and

progressive development of man's innate power.
Pestalozzi

Education is the manifestation of divine perfection

already existing in man."
Swami Vivekananda

"Education enables the mind to find out the ultimate

truth, which gives us the wealth of inner light and love
and gives significance to life".
Rabindranath Tagore

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Gandhian Studies

Education is the process of living through a

continuous reconstruction of experiences.
John Dewey

Do you think Gandhiji is a combination of Eastern and Western

ideology of Education? Comment and substantiate your views.

Let us do:
What do you understand by Education? Prepare a definition on
education and share it in the class
Indian education has a strong and
glorious educational past. The most
important contribution of ancient
India, not only for India but also for
the world, is in the field of
education. It is manifested in the
cultural, economic, individual,
philosophical, scientific, social and
spiritual advancement. Sa VidyaYa
Vimuktaeye, means that education
leads to liberation. The meaning of
liberation ought to be all inclusive,
liberation from the chain of birth

What is True Education?

Education is a process which
draws out the best in man with
the aim of producing a well
balanced personality- socially
efficient, ethically sound,
emotionally stable,physically
strong, culturally refined,
logically correct, technically
advanced, spiritually matured,
intellectually competent, morally
upright,
mentally
alert,
internationally liberal and
vocationally self sufficient.

and God realization, universalisation of self, liberation from

hunger, ignorance, superstition, imperfection, parochialism and
from all forms of limitations. Modifications of behaviour and
character building are sacred objectives. This is the traditional
understanding of education in India. The British educational
system in India has no faith in tradition and culture of our
country. The Britisher adopted their own educational system in

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EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

India for their vested interest. It had some crucial defects such
as:
It was an un-Indian system of education
It was an urban system of education in a rural country.
The curriculum was English dominated.
The system was too literary and bookish.
The system neglected citizenship training
The system was very wasteful.
The system followed a single track
The system was unplanned
The system was very expensive
The system was not in accordance with the needs of a
secular democratic country
In this context Gandhiji introduced a new scheme of education.

Let us do:
Prepare an assignment based on the defects of British
Educational system in India

Let us know

Macaulay's Minutes (1835)

Lord Macaulay's arguments in favour of English: Macaulay rejected the

claims of Arabic and Sanskrit as against English, because he considered
that English was better than either of them. It was impossible to educate
the body of people but it was possible through English education to bring
about "a class of persons Indian in blood and colour and English in taste,
opinions in morals and in intellect", and that education was to filter down
from them to the masses

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Gandhiji's New Scheme of Education

Gandhiji's philosophy of education was a result of his scientific
research of theories of economics, politics, child development and
successful experiments of his ideas on education in South Africa
and India. In 1904, Gandhiji established the Phoenix Settlement
in South Africa which resulted in his belief in hand power over
machine power, hence, in self-reliance. Success at the Phoenix
settlement encouraged Gandhiji to start Tolstoy Farm in 1910
where he taught everything through manual work. These two
experiments together contributed to organize his curriculum
around crafts to make schools productive and self sufficient.
As a nationalist leader Gandhiji fully realised that the British
system of education could not serve the socio-economic need of
the country. He wanted to revive the spirituality of the individual
and the morality of society
through the medium of
Think and share:
education, based upon
Discuss Gandhiji as a practical
creative and constructive
educational Philosopher on the basis
manual labour. He wanted to
of Phoenix Settlement and Tolstoy
reconstruct the life of both the
Farm. Write a brief report.
individual and society, giving
them new values through
education.

Wardha Scheme of Education

Gandhiji expressed his views on education through a series of
articles in 'Harijan' in 31st June 1937, which later on developed
into the Wardha Scheme of Basic Education. Therefore it was
desirable to get the scheme examined by experts and
educationists. Finally, Gandhiji presented his Basic Education
System to the nation in the Wardha Conference in 1937.
The conference then appointed a committee under the
Chairmanship of Dr. Zakir Hussain to prepare a detailed education

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EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

plan and syllabus for basic education. Besides Dr. Zakir Hussain,
the Committee consisted of nine members. Among those who
served in the Committee, Prof. K. G. Saigidain's name is
prominent. Other members included were Arya Nayakam, Vinova
Bhave, Kaka Kalelkar, J. C. Kumarappa, Kishori Lal,
Prof. K. T. Shah and others.
In course of time more conferences were
held, more committees were formed on this
important subject. The conference of 1945 at
Sevagram characterized Basic Education as
"education for life". The conference considered
it as a radical and important revolution in
social and economic structure of the Indian
society, i.e., creating a new way of life". Since
then Basic education came to be known as
Dr. Zakir Hussain
'NaiTalim'. Basic Education has finally
emerged after a decade of experimentation and discussion. The
scheme of basic education formulates the following proposals:
(1)

Free, universal and compulsory education should be provided

for all boys and girls between the group of 7-14.

(2)

This education should be imparted in the mothertongue of the

child.

(3)

All education should centre round some basic craft chosen

with due regard to the capacity of children and the needs of
the locality.

(4)

The selected craft should be both taught and practiced so that

the children are able to produce articles which can be used
and may be sold to meet part of the expenditure on the school.

(5)

This craft must not be taught mechanically but its social and
scientific implications were to be studied side by side.

(6)

In this craft-centered education all the subjects to be taught

were to be integrally related to the selected craft or the child's
physical and social environment.

29

Gandhian Studies

Let us do:
Identify eminent persons who contributed to the Wardha scheme
of Education. Prepare a detailed report on their contributions
and suggestions.

Main Aims of Gandhian Education

The Wardha scheme of education is based on the national
culture and civilisation of India. It aims at making a child selfreliant by enabling him to use his acquired knowledge and skills
in practical affairs of life. Basic education has close relationship
with the basic needs and interest of education as the child is the
focal point of education.
Education in its true and broad sense is an increasing lifelong
process, which starts in the begining of life and ends with the
life. Knowledge of God, self realization, spiritualism and oneness
with God are the ultimate aim of education according to Gandhiji.
The immediate aims of education according to Gandhiji are:

Character
Building

Self
Sufficiency

Harmonious
Development Of
Ones Personality

Immeadiate
aims of
Gandhian
Education

Ramrajya
Cultural
Aim

30

Preparation
For Complete
Living

Training
In
Citizenship

The
Utilitarian
Aim

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

Harmonious development of one's personality: Education is

a dynamic process that contributes to the natural, harmonious
development of individual powers, which are inherent and innate.
It contributes to complete human development resulting the
desirable behavioral change and ultimately preparing for a better
life. Education is a process of development at different stages of
human beings; from infancy to the matured state. It is a process
where human being adopts himself gradually in various ways of
use-physical, spiritual and environmental.
Preparation for complete living: According to Gandhiji
education should prepare the individual for complete living.
Preparation for complete living is the main function of education
and the only means of assessing the success of the system of
education. Education should acquaint the child with the ways
and means of leading a successful life.
Self sufficiency: Self sufficiency, which is the acid test of his
scheme, is not the be-all and the end-all of his scheme, but is a
natural result of a well-managed and purposeful basic school.
There is no mercenary motive but an educative motive in the idea
of self sufficiency. The focal point was that the students should
stand independent with earning capacity. Gandhian approach in
education is learning for life, learning from life and learning
throughout life; linking education with yoga, industry and
cooperative working (Yoga, Udyoga and Sahayoga).
Character building: Character building is very critical to
Gandhian education. Gandhiji holds that the school must be an
extension of home. Gandhiji believed that education is neither
the knowledge of letters nor is it for earning livelihood but for
character building. He considered nurturing all human virtues
such as kindness to all, service of humanity, fearlessness, quest
for truth, self control, humility and so on, as indispensible parts
of character building. Character building for Gandhiji also meant
knowledge of duty.

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Gandhian Studies

Training in citizenship: Basic education aimed at giving the

citizens of the future a keen sense of personal growth, dignity
and efficiency and social services in a cooperative community.
The new generation must at least have an opportunity of
understanding their own problems and rights and obligations. A
completely new system is necessary to secure minimum education
for the intelligent exercise of the rights and duties of citizens.
Cultural aim: Gandhiji attached far more importance to the
cultural aspect of education than to the literary, and said, "Culture
is the foundation, the primary thing.. it should show itself in
the smallest detail of your conduct and personal behavior, how
you sit, how you walk, how you dress, etc. Hence one of the main
aims of education is to preserve, transmit and transform the
qualities and make man cultured and civilised.
Utilitarian aim: Gandhiji keenly wanted to create an Ideal State
(RamRajya) based on truth and non-violence. This can be brought
about only through a silent social revolution. He believed that
revolutionary change in the educational system can help to bring
this silent social revolution. He recommended manual labour,
which is not only creative but also productive as a medium of
education and wanted to utilize it scientifically and socially to
achieve the objectives of his scheme. The scheme of Basic
Education does not stand for mere technique, it stands for a new
spirit and approach to all education.
Ramrajya (The ideal state): Through education he wanted to
reconstruct the educand into a new man, enabling him to draw
out the best in himself. The learner lives in a well organised
community life of the school and thereby evolves a just, peaceful,
non-acquisitive social order (sarvodaya) based on truth, love, justice
and co-operative work. The aim of education should be the full
flowering of the human things on this earth.

32

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

Let us check
Compare Gandhiji's ultimate and immediate aims of Education

Let us do:
The aim of Education should be the full flowering of the
humanthings on this earth. What are the main aims of Gandhian
views? List them and display in a chart in your classroom.

Why Gandhiji's Scheme of Education was Called "Basic

Education?
The reasons for calling the scheme as basic education are:
1.

It is basic because it is based on ancient Indian culture.

2.

It lays down the minimum education which every child is

entitled to receive without the distinction of caste or creed.

3.

It is intimately related to the basic needs and interests of the

child and makes use of his innate potentialities for creative
and productive work.

4.

It is closely associated with basic occupation of the community,

the child hails from.

Features of the Wardha Scheme of Education

Basic education or NaiTalim (new system of education) as
Gandhiji calls it is a revolutionary in its conception. It is based on
the theory that is the activity known as "the thinking hand" which
more than anything else has
guided the evolution of man Think and share:
and society. In this system of Have you seen any educational
whole education, knowledge discrimination in your society? Have
can be imparted through the you notice any educational
medium of basic handy craft. discrimination during the Ancient
Its goal is to build up "a period? What are they? Compare it
nonviolent, non exploiting and present it before the class.

33

Gandhian Studies

social order in which the ideals of freedom, equality, and

brotherhood can be fully and universally realized. This type of
education is life centered but not textbook centered.

Let us do:
Compare and contrast the difference between 3Rs and 3Hs. Write
a brief report and present it before the class.
Gandhiji's primary emphasis is on the 3'H's i.e. - Head, Heart
and Hand, rather than on 3 R's i.e. - Reading, Writing and
Arithmetic. For Gandhiji, the true development of head, heart
and soul are necessary for a satisfactory system of education.
True education is that which draws out and stimulates the
spiritual, intellectual and physical faculties.

The main features of basic education listed

in to following picture;

34

Free and compulsory primary education:

Gandhiji wanted education to be free and
compulsory for all boys and girls between the
ages of seven to fourteen. He evolved a
scheme of education which would be in

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

harmony with the culture and civilisation of the Indian people

and which would solve the problem of mass education in a
practical way.
Craft centered Education:
The basic idea of this scheme
is to impart education
through some craft or
productive work. Craft work
helps the child to acquire
sensor and motor coordination and to appreciate
the value of honest labour. Gandhiji was of the opinion that the
method of training the mind through village handicraft from the
beginning as the central focus would promote the real, disciplined
development of the mind. Gandhiji holds that craft, art, health
and education should all be integrated into one scheme. NaiTalim
is a beautiful blend of all the four and covers the whole education
of the individual from the time of conception to the moment of
death. The advantages of making craft as listed as follows

"Psychologically, it is desirable, because it relieves the child

from the tyranny of a purely academic and theoretical
instruction against which its active nature is always making a
healthy protest."

"Secondly, the introduction of such practical productive work

in education, to be participated in by all children of the nation
will tend to break down the existing barriers of prejudice
between manual and intellectual workers harmful alike for
both."

Economically, carried out intelligently and efficiently, the

scheme will increase the productive capacity of our workers
and will also enable them to utilise their leisure
advantageously."

"From educational point of view, greater concreteness and

reality can be given to the knowledge acquired by children
through craft as knowledge will be related to life."

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Gandhian Studies

Let us do:
Craft work helps the child to acquire sensor and motor coordination and to appreciate the value of honest labour. Do you
agree with this statement? Identify the other merits and
importance of craft centered education.
Self-Sufficient and Self-Supporting Education: The self
supporting aspect of the scheme may be interpreted in two ways(a) Education that will help one to be self supporting in later life,
(b) Education which in itself is self supporting.

The basic idea of Gandhiji Think and share:

was that if the craft chosen is
taught
efficiently
or
The present educational system does
thoroughly, it would enable
not create a self sufficient man. Do you
the school to pay the cost of
agree with this statement. Share your
salaries of teachers. At the
ideas.
same time his aim was to
accord dignity of labour and ensure modest honest livelihood for
the school leaving student.
Education Through mother tongue: One of the resolutions
that were adopted at the All India National Conference at Wardha
was that education must be imparted through the mother tongue.
Gandhiji's observation was that the proper teaching of the mother
tongue is the foundation of all education. Without the capacity to
speak effectively and to read and to write correctly and lucidly,
no one can develop precision of thought or clarity of ideas.
Moreover, it is a means of introducing the child to the rich heritage
of his people's ideas, emotions and aspirations.

Let us do:
Which is your favourite language? Which language helps you
to express your ideas in a better way? Why?

36

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

Citizenship Training: Another important feature of the basic

scheme is the ideal of citizenship which is implicit in it. It aimed
at giving the citizens of the future a keen sense of personal growth,
dignity and efficiency and social services in a co-operative
community. The new generation must at least have an opportunity
to understand their problems and rights and obligations. A
completely new system is necessary to secure minimum education
for the intelligent exercise of the rights and duties of citizens.
Flexible Curriculum and free Environment: One of the
remarkable features of Basic Education is the flexibility of the
curriculum and free environment. This helps the child to perform
according to his own capacity. Under this scheme the teachers
and students are free to work according to their interest and
there is no compulsion to complete a prescribed portion due to
fear of examinations. Necessary changes may be introduced in
the curriculum if the situation demands. Thus, whatever the child
learns according to his interest and capacity is always remembered
by him. The teacher is also free to organise necessary environment
for the development of the child.
Co-relation: Subjects are not compartmentalized in this scheme
of education. True education should closely relate to the day to
day affair. According to Gandhiji the craft learned should be
related to the physical and social environment of the child and
will achieve the integration of the curriculum.
Non-violence: The law of non-violence is an important feature
of Gandhiji's educational philosophy. In the real sense the basic
education is the application of the law of non-violence in education.
You know that basic education is designed for children between
seven and fourteen years of age and accordingly curriculum has
been suggested. For the boy general science and for girls home
science have been emphasized.

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Gandhian Studies

Let us do:
Prepare a draft of a speech that you have to deliver at your
school assembly with special reference to the origin, meaning
and features of Basic Education.

The Methodology of Basic Education

Gandhiji was highly critical of methods of teaching in Indian
schools. According to Gandhiji "the method adopted in the
institutions in India I do not call education, i.e., drawing out the
best in man, but a debauchery of the mind. He was also against
teaching the alphabets, reading and writing in the beginning as
it hampers the intellectual growth of the children.
He argued: "I consider writing as a fine art.
We kill it by imposing the alphabets on little
children and making it the beginning of
learning. Thus we do violence to the art of
writing and stunt the growth of the child
when we seek to teach him the alphabets
before its time." Methods of teaching in basic
education were guided by the principles of
learning by doing. In Gandhiji's opinion all
parts of the body should function in the process of acquiring
knowledge.
Gandhiji held that there is no limit to the possibilities of
knowledge that can be imparted through vocational training.
"Takli" could be used a subject for imparting education to the
child. The teacher would teach them what role the Takli played
in our lives in the early days. This would be followed by a brief
course in mechanics construction of the Takli, then a few lectures
on cotton, its habitat, its varieties, the states of India where it is
grown etc.

38

The child would have to be given at this stage some knowledge

of its cultivation, the soil best suited for it and the like. That
would initiate them into agriculture. The whole of elementary
arithmetic can be taught through counting yards of cotton and

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

yarn, making up of hanks, counting the specific number of cross

threads in the warp for particular textures of cloth and so on.
Every process from the growing of cotton to the manufacture of
the finished product-cotton picking, ginning, carding, spinning,
sizing, weaving- all would have their mechanics and history and
mathematics correlated to them.

Let us do:
Methods of teaching in Basic Education were guided by the
principle of Learning by Doing. Evaluate the statement and
prepare a brief report on the methodology of Basic Education.

The Content of Basic Education

The following subjects are taught in Basic education;

1.

The basic craft: It was suggested that any one of the following
may be chosen as the basic craft:
(a) Spinning and Weaving.
(b) Carpentry.
(c) Agriculture.
(d) Fruit and Flower Cultivation.
(e) Leather work.
(f) Culturing Fish.
(g) Pottery.
(h) Any handicraft according to the local need.
(i) Home Science for girls.

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Gandhian Studies

The craft or productive work, thus selected should be rich in

educational possibilities. In selecting a basic craft, stress
should be laid on the principles of co-operative activity,
planning, accuracy, initiative and individual responsibility. The
craft should be one with rich economic possibilities enabling
the child to pursue it as an occupation after finishing his full
course. The basic craft chosen provides a natural starting point
for self activity on the part of children because the child by
nature loves activity.
2.

Mother tongue: Language is a precious tool for communication.

Children imitate their parents and others living in their
environment in spelling out their desires. It is true that they
speak fluently and effectively in their mother tongue. A foreign
language puts too much strain upon the youngsters. It robs
them of all originality. A language is an exact reflection of the
character and growth of the individual. Gandhiji says, "I lay
great stress on the desirability of giving children instruction
from A to Z through the mother tongue. Development of the
regional language of our country will produce social, political
and economic awakening among our people." Without the
capacity to speak effectively, and to read and write correctly,
no one can develop precision of thought or clarity of ideas.

3.

Mathematics: The objective of teaching mathematics as stated

in the report is to develop in the pupil the capacity to solve the
ordinary numerical and geometrical problems arising in
connection with his craft and with his home and community
life. So, the teaching should be closely associated with lifesituations arising out of the basic handicraft and out of the
great variety of problems in the school and community.

4.

Social studies: The objectives of including teaching of social

studies are:
a. To develop a broad human interest in the progress of
mankind in general and of India in particular.
b. To develop in the pupil a proper understanding of his social
and geographical environment, and to awaken the urge
to improve it.

40

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

c. To inculcate the love of the mother land, reverence for its

past and belief in its future destiny as the home of a
united cooperative society based on love, truth and
justice.
d. To develop a sense of the rights and responsibilities of
citizenship.
e. To develop mutual respect for world religions.
5.

General science: The major objectives of teaching General

Science outlined may be summarized into the following
categories:
a.

To give the pupils an intelligent and appreciative outlook

on nature

b.

To form in pupils, the habit of accurate observation and

of testing experience by experiment.

c.

To enable them to understand the important scientific

principles exemplified in
(1) The phenomena around
(2) The application of science to the service of man

6.

Drawing: In the Gandhian scheme of education drawing

assumes great importance. It can be summarized broadly into
three categories:
(a) To train the eye in the observation and discrimination of
forms and colours and to develop memory of forms.
(b) To cultivate an appreciation of the beautiful in nature and
art, and to develop the capacity for tasteful design and
decoration.
(c) To develop the capacity to make drawings of objects to be
constructed and for designing, as well as to give practice
in scales drawing and making graphs and pictorial graphs.

7.

Hindustani: Gandhiji held that Hindustani, which is the

resultant of Hindi and Urdu, neither highly Sanskritised nor
highly Persianised, and written in Hindi and Urdu scripts,
had every claim to replace English as the medium of interprovincial speech.

41

Gandhian Studies

8.

Music: The main objective is to "teach the pupils a number of

beautiful songs and to
cultivate in them a love for Think and share:
beautiful music". The
committee
advocated Form eight groups and find out at least
group and choral singing. two merits of the contents of Basic
The
elementary Education and present it in the class.
acquaintance with the
principal Indian Ragas and
Talas may be required of every pupil.

If you carefully observe the above basic education curriculum,

you will find the following characteristics:

English has not been included as a subject of study.

Although the medium of instruction is the mother tongue, all

the students must learn the Hindi language.

There is no place for religious and moral education in the

curriculum.

The craft chosen must not be taught mechanically, but

systematically and scientifically keeping in view its social
significance.

Let us check
Why did Gandhiji declate interest to including English as a
subject of study in basic education?
Gandhian education seeks not only to focus on the physical,
material, and spiritual needs of an individual but also to awaken
their compassion through the concept of what he called
Trusteeship and Constructive action. This concept empowers the
individual, a collective, or a corporation to be more sensitive to
the needs of the marginalized and to act constructively to help
improve their living standards.
Gandhiji regarded his scheme of education as spearheading
the silent social revolution and expected it to provide a healthy
relationship between the city and the village, which would go a

42

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

long way in eradicating the poisoned relationship between the

classes.
Nai Talim has been defined as education for life, through life
and throughout life. Nai Talim has been divided into pre-basic,
basic, post-basic, university and social education. Pre-basic is the
nursery school part, basic is elementary education for a period of
eight years, between 7 and 15 years of age. Post-basic is high
school education and social education has become adult
education.

Routine Work of a Basic School

A typical Basic school organises its daily activities under various
heads:

1.

Personal and community cleanliness: A basic school will not

have a peon for keeping the area clean and to assist the Head
Master in other menial work. It will arrange cleanliness
programmes every day with the help of students and staff and
keep the premises tidy and neat.

2.

Morning assembly: The pupils march from their classes to

the assembly spot in a line and in attention to sing in chorus a
devotional patriotic song. The Head Master makes his
announcement of the days programme.

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Gandhian Studies

3.

Self expression through diary writing: Diary writing is one of

the distinguishing features of a basic school. Students describe
what had happened on the previous day and comment upon
them intelligently.

4.

News paper reading: News paper reading is must in a basic

school. It is read out in the class room under world news,
Indian news, State News, District News and Local News.

5.

Celebration of festivals: Celebration of festivals is a rich

source of learning. During these festive occasions there will
be speeches, debates, dramas, and dances. Independence Day
and Republic Day are celebrated with great enthusiasm.

6.

Excursions: Basic education demands that an arrangment for

a week-long excursion every year to a distant place of historical,
scientific and cultural importance.

7.

Nurturing of creative talents: The creative talents of the pupils

are encouraged by providing them chances to write articles,
compose verses etc; A printed magazine at the end of the year
carrying articles of students will be a standing monument of
the institutions.

8.

Evaluation: The basic

school
has
several Think and share:
programmes in its campus.
Continuous assessment is If you are the School leader, how will
to be made through day-to- you organise a days various activities
day observation of students of the school?
at work in the classroom
and outside.

Gandhian Concept of Correlation of Studies

44

Gandhian concept of correlation of studies is contained in the

scheme of Basic Education which lays emphasis on the teaching
of languages, history, geography, mathematics through manual
work with the following guidelines. "All teaching is to be carried
on through concrete life situations relating to craft or to social
and physical environment so that whatever the child learn
becomes integrated into his growing personality." Gandhiji

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

believed that the highest intellectual and spiritual development

was possible under such a scheme of correlated studies. He wrotes,
the useful manual labour intelligently performed is the means
par excellence for developing the intellect.

Technique of Correlation
Gandhiji wanted to establish a just, peaceful, non-acquisitive
social order. He was convinced that such an ideal, that of a cooperative society, could never be achieved by platform speeches,
lectures, or by politics, but was possible only through the process
of a new type of education which would train men and women to
play their part in establishing a new social order, and that is the
purpose of technique of
correlation
in
basic
education. He did not
advocate the teaching of the
basic elements of the scheme
taken
separately,
but
recommended the technique
of teaching those elements in
a synthesized form. The
important aspects, regarding
the technique of correlation
in basic education, can be
summed up as follows:
1.

The medium of correlation: It is the socially useful manual

labour of the educand which should be used as the process of
education. Gandhiji emphasized realistic, naturalistic and
idealistic trends in deciding the medium of correlation.

2.

The contents of correlation: Through the process of education,

the educand has to acquire habit formation, useful skills,
desirable attitudes, useful knowledge and intellectual
development. He has to acquire the contents of study through
actual living organised on a community basis. Gandhiji
advocated integrated learning through work. He is idealistic

45

Gandhian Studies

and naturalistic in deciding the contents of education to be

correlated with work.
3.

The process of correlation: The method respects the innate

nature of the educand and such; it is education which is
natural, and psychologically correct. Regarding the process,
like a pragmatist, Gandhiji recommended an experimental
attitude to evolve a scientific and technical procedure to be
adopted to practice the technique in day-to-day work. He did
not encourage an artificial or unscientific process of correlation.
To make the process of correlation natural, the essential things
required, according to him, are: (a) resourceful teacher (b)
experimental attitude of the teacher (c) necessity of keeping
records of work done on scientific basis (d) co-operative effort
of teacher to exchange their experience and to find a technique
of correlated teaching.

4.

The purpose of correlation: Relating with the purpose of

correlation, Gandhiji is definitely idealistic. By the process of
education through village handicrafts, he wanted the
harmonious all round development of a child. This will lead to
a new social order based on truth, non-violence, justice and
co-operation. He encouraged the individual as well as the social
aims of education. He wanted to infuse radically new values
of life and social culture through education. For that, he
advocated re-orientation of the contents of study and methods
of imparting those contents in the context of the ideological
basis of the scheme.

The Place of Teacher in Basic Education

Gandhiji wanted the teacher to be an inspiring friend,
philosopher and guide to the educand. As an idealist, he
encouraged a living bond
between the educand and the
educator.
He
gave
prominence to the teacher
and believed that the teacher

46

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

who was full of life, character, insight and love could mould the
life and learning of the educand.

Let us check
Can everybody become a good teacher? What are the different
qualities you would like to see in your teacher?
He has recommended the inspirational methods of teaching
and has given a dignified and responsible position to the teacher.
He emphasized inspirational methods, not based on oral
preaching, but rather on the actual living of the teacher worthy
to be followed by the child. He laid special stress on the character
of the teacher which created educational environment. Thus, in
his scheme the teacher is given a dignified and exalted position
along with the child.

Merits of Basic Education

Now we are familiar with every aspect of Basic Education. In
order to have a better insight and a total view of the system it is
necessary to make an objective analysis of it. First, we shall discuss
the merits of the system and they are-:

47

Gandhian Studies

48

(1)

Child-centered education: The basic system regards the child

as the educational consumer whose needs must be studied
and understood, catered and fulfilled.

(2)

Learning by doing: Gandhiji believed that school must be a

"doing thing". In basic education children acquire knowledge
of the formal school subjects as a by product of purposeful
activities.

(3)

Craft as the core of the basic education: Craft is the medium

of education in the basic system.

(4)

Self - supporting aspect: Earn while you learn is another

feature of the plan. The idea of self sufficient basic school has
a special significance in a poor country like India.

(5)

Integrated knowledge: Basic Education treats knowledge as

an integrated whole. Curriculum is built round three integrally
related centers: (a) Physical environment (b) Social
environment (c) Craft work.

(6)

Relation with life: A basic school must become an active

environment where teaching is not cut off from the life of the
community. Education is to be directed to the needs of life. It
is not to pursue an idea which has no relation with or is totally
isolated from real life situations.

(7)

Training in citizenship: Basic education aims at developing

ideas of mutual understanding and habits of co-operative and
mutually helpful living among the students through its various
practical and constructive programmes. The basic education
aims at giving the citizens of the future a keen sense of personal
warmth, dignity and efficiency.

(8)

Free and compulsory education: By free and compulsory

education, we mean an education for which parents will not
have to pay any fee and for which they must send their children
to school.

(9)

Emphasis on Mother tongue: Gandhiji stressed that proper

education can only be imparted through the mother tongue.
Foreign language as the medium of instruction makes us unfit
for original work.

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

(10) More challenging for the teacher and taught: In basic

education discipline does not mean order and external
restraint but an intelligent use of freedom. The teacher gets
many opportunities to make experiments, think for himself
and put his ideas and plans into practice.
(11) Basic education is not a class education: The ultimate
objective of Basic Education is to create a social order in which
there is no unnatural division between haves and have nots
and everyone is assured of a living wage and the right to
freedom.
(12) Basic education in the rural as well as in urban area: It is
wrong to assume that Basic education is intended to be
imparted in the rural area only. Basic education is a plan of
national education for the whole country including both rural
as well as urban areas. The basic educational scheme was an
essential ingredient of Gandhiji's plan to eliminate the rural
urban divide and redress the structural and socio-economic
imbalances that were abound in Indian society.

Let us do:
Basic Education is one of the greatest contributions of Gandhiji.
Prepare a detailed report on the merits of Basic Education.

Educational Scenario After Independence

Have you heard about any education commissions?

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Gandhian Studies

The concept of Gandhiji's Basic Education as an educational

theory and practice is unique and unquestionable. But its
implementation was far from satisfactory. The concept of
educational equality convicted him of education for all without
any discrimination of caste, colour and creed. He advocated for
free and compulsory education to all as true democracy
presupposes the education of the masses. Gandhian concept of
free and compulsory education was later enshrined in the Indian
Constitution. In article 45 of the Indian constitution it was stated
that all children in the age group of 6-14 years would be provided
free and compulsory education.
Thus, it is quite justified to say that the fundamental principles
of basic education are still valid and fruitful in the context of our
present educational reform. They are relevant to be used as
guiding principles of modern education.

Influences of Gandhiji on Education Commissions

50

1.

University Education Commission (1949): According to Dr. S

Radhakrishnan we are building a civilization not for factory or
a workshop through education. The quality of a civilization
depends not on the material equipment or the political
machinery but on the character of men. The major task of
education is character formation. The concept of character
formation is one of the important aims in the Gandhian scheme
of Basic Education.

2.

Secondary Education Commission (1953): According to

A.L.Mudaliar education should be focused on promotion of
vocational efficiency of the learner. Gandhiji's ideas of a single
craft is seen reflected in the report of the Secondary Education
Commission (Mudaliar). It says "by working with hands the
adolescent learns the dignity of labour and experiences the
joy of doing constructive work. There is no greater educative
medium than the training to make with efficiency and integrity,
things of utility and beauty. It trains practical aptitudes,
facilities, clarity of thinking, give chances for co-operative work
and thus enriches the entire personality."

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

3.

Kothari Commission (1964): The Education Commission 196466 fully recognised the importance of basic education and
incorporated in its recommendations many of the fundamental
features of basic education. Work experience, community living,
social service, integration of academic knowledge with
experience, vocationalisation of education, education for moral
and spiritual values have been recommended by the Kothari
Commission. All of the above things are directly related with
Gandhiji's ideologies.

4.

National Policy on Education (1968): Efforts should be made

for the early fulfillment of the directive principle under Article
45 of the Constituition seeking to provide free and compulsory
education for all children up to the age of 14. Free and
compulsory education is one of the important features in
Gandhiji's Nai Talim.

5.

Iswarbai Patel Committee (1977): As a step for modifying the

secondary school curriculum, Iswarbhai Patel Committee of
1977 brought in Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW), which
demarcated a distinct curricula area. The committee opines
that education should be work-centered and socially useful
and productive work must be given a central place in the
curriculum at all stages of school education and all academic
subjects should be related to it. The correlation of subjects
and work centered education is also another contribution of
Gandhiji.

All the above educational commission's recommendations show

a direct or indirect Gandhian influences. He is recognised as a
great leader of action, a liberator and a prophet martyr all over
the
universe.
Gandhian
educational ideas, founded on Think and share:
certain eternal principles, will
not lose their fundamental List the programmes, policies and
after
Indian
relevance in the years to come. commissions
Independence which you are familiar
with. Critically evaluate its merits and
demerite.

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Gandhian Studies

Basic Schools in the Present Society

Self reliant citizen with a well balanced personality is one of
the fundamental goals of basic education. This also develops a
positive attitude of mind through the concept of basic education
Gandhiji preaches the doctrine of "simple living and high
thinking."Such type of basic education is prevalent in the state of
Gujarath state particularly in Nadiad, Bochasan, Gadhada, Sharda
Gram, and Rajkot. In the schools of these places there is a scope
for spinning tailoring,
weaving, agriculture and
other
small
scale
industries of paper, soap,
and Khadi. To Gandhiji,
Khadi is not a piece of cloth
but an ideology. It links the
fallen
and
the
downtrodden. The Khadi
spirit means simplicity,
swadeshi and satyagraha. Real Khadi wearer will not utter lie. It
represents human values. As Vinoba says, "where there is no
Khadi there is no Gandhi". In Vithalbhai Kanya Vidyalaya at
Nadiad ladies of different castes undergo the training. Every day
one hour is spent for safai (cleaning). Work experience to all
women.
They are given training for cooking and preparing and
preserving pickles. In Valabha Vidyalaya Bochasan, agricultural
training is conducted 1/4 th acre of land used for cultivation. The
teacher is also a co-worker. Financially the students become self
supporting. In Kanya school at Bharel the women are given the
training for tailoring, of preparing and making dolls, knitting and
home science. They prepare everything from the waste materials.
The ladies also do cooking on their own.

52

In Jivan School at Gadhada, training for gardening, plantation,

spinning and agriculture is given. Every day teachers and boys
work together for two hours and four hours is, spent of teaching.

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

In Sharda Gram School agriculture training is given. Every boy is

given some area to cultivate. One hour is spent to clean the area
along with the teacher, plantation of different trees and collecting
honey are the jobs provided to the students. Self help is the
breath of these institutions.
National school at Rajkot is where Khadi production is given
scope on large scale. The school gives importance to spinning.
Amber charka is used for spinning. Education teaches us to
sacrifice and teaches us to think globally and act locally. As
Bertrand Russell states, knowledge and wisdom must go hand in
hand. There must be intellectual honesty which is a backbone of
education. All these ideas are still relevant. His ideas are next
best alternatives not only to India but to the whole world.

Education for Peace- A

Gandhian View
Think and share:
Gandhian point of view, the
List out similar institutions that provide
real education, which played
basic education in India.
a very vital role and made a
sizeable contribution in
awakening non-violence and
its application in daily
practices, whatsoever method may have been adopted with the
changed times. As the
whole world knows, in
this very chain, in the
20th century, Gandhiji
made a momentous
contribution showing a
wonderful, simple and
justifiable
way
for
awaking and practicing

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Gandhian Studies

non-violence in the routine chores of life.

To make non-violence the basis of maximum day-to-day
practices of man, Gandhiji, right from the beginning considered
it to be an indivisible, important and essential part of education.
In fact, for construction of a culture of peace the attainment of
spiritual growth has been described by Gandhiji as an essential
part of education, can be gained only through morality and ethics.
Looking at it through another perspective, also proves the same
thing, because when we consider education as a means of attaining
salvation and also as a support on the pathway to complete peace,
the liberation, we cannot differentiate it from spiritualism.

Let us do:
Show the video of the great speeches by Malala Yusuf Sha Gilani
addressing the United Nations Assembly after her recovery from
the terrorist attack. Prepare a detailed report on the basis of
this speech.
The purpose behind Gandhiji's advocacy of the introduction of
religious studies in education can also be seen in his intention to
strengthen morality and ethics in students. This kind of education
brings the values of forbearance, tolerance, respect, truth, love
and reverence in one's character. The theory and practice of basic
education aims at the evolution of a society based on truth, nonviolence, justice and equality. Self reliant citizen with a well
balanced personality is one of the fundamental goals of basic
education. No doubt, a self-reliant and prosperous person can,
definitely, contribute towards peace and prosperity of society and
the nation and can equally be helpful to create a stable and real
culture of peace. Gandhian education covers all aspects of life
such as social, personal, political, ecological and institutional
spheres of an individual. So in this point of view we can say that
the Gandhian education is the best way to achieve peace on a
person as well as the society.

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EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

Let us do:
What do you understood by peace? Do you think that Gandhian
education would leads to peace? Justify your answer.

Why Basic Education is Called a Holistic Model

Education in the broader sense is transmission of life by the
living, to the living, through living and for living. Education is a
means for the development a of balanced all round harmonious
development of personality. Personality includes not only body
and mind but also the spirit.
Gandhiji emphassessed an educational system with the
highest development of mind and soul, instilly courage and self
reliance in the individual, while at the same time, helping him/
her cultivate the highest intellectual scientific, moral and ethical
accomplishment.
1.

Physiologically basic education provides education through

learning a craft thereby maintaining a creative balance
between intellectual development and physical development.

2.

Pedagogically speaking, it is more effective than the passive

academic education imbibed through books. Basic education
develops the faculties of the heart and mind by developing
critical inquiry and judgment in an objective manner.

3.

Sociologically it can remove social conflicts and tensions in

the society by inculcating a sense of dignity of manual labour.
It can eradicate the social evil of untouchability.

4.

Economically it creates productive labour since the emphasis

is on job-oriented education. It can also become an instrument
for rapid improvement in the standard of living of the people
through increased production of goods and services.

5.

Psychologically, it is desirable, because it relieves the child

from the tyranny of purely academic and theoretical
instructions against which its active nature is always making
a healthy protest.

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Gandhian Studies

6.

Philosophically the ultimate aim of basic education is self

realization; the immediate aim is self discovery. Gandhiji was
an idealist in his aim and a realist in the medium of education.
Like a naturalist, he kept the child at the centre and
recommended the necessary steps for an all-round harmonious
development, and like a pragmatist, he emphasized the social
and experimental attitude to evolve a scientific and efficient
technique in educational practice.

Let us do:
Gandhian Education will lead to holistic development of a
person. Do you agree with this statement? Conduct a debate in
your classroom.

Education is a systematic process through which a child or an adult

acquire knowledge, experience, skill and attitude. A number of factors
have to be taken into account for determining the aims of education.
They include the existing philosophy of the education, political
philosophy of the state, psychological factors, individual and social needs.
The British education system of Lord Macaulay in India has some serious
defects. The British educational system in India had no faith in tradition
and culture of our country. The Britisher's adopted their own educational
system in India for their vested interest. As a nationalist leader Gandhiji
fully realised that the British system of education could not serve the
socio-economic need of the country. He wanted to reconstruct the life
of both the individual and society, by rendering new values through
education. Gandhian education is also known as Basic Education, Nai
Talim or Wardha Scheme of education. The main aim of Gandhian
56

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

education is to enrich and stimulates the intellectual and physical faculties

in children. Education is a means for a balanced all round harmonious
development of a personality. Gandhian ideology directly or indirectly
influenced several educational commissions after the Indian
Independence. Gandhian education is not only holistic and practical but
also highly decentralized and integrated. Tolerance and harmonious
development also leads to peace.

Completely

Partially

Need
improvement

Understand Education
Define Education
List out aims of education
Articulate various stages of British
Education
Evaluate the features of Basic
Education
Analyse the methodology of
education
Identify the merits of craft
centered education
Critically evaluate the educational
scenario after independence
Identify that education leads to
peace
Combine education and
development

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Gandhian Studies

Sample questions
Before the British arrived in India we had a strong and glorious
educational past. Do you agree with this statement? Comment
on this view.
The British educational system in India had no faith in tradition
and culture of our country. They adopted their own educational
system in India for their vested interest. What were the main
defects of British Education in India?
Gandhiji's philosophy of education was a result of his scientific
research of theories of economics, politics, child development
and successful experiments of his ideas on education in South
Africa and India. Substantiate this statement with reference
to the aims of Basic Education.
The aim of Education should be the total development of our
individual. Briefly explain the main aim of Basic Education
from this perspective.
Why did Gandhi give importance to the concept of citizenship
training in his Basic Education? Critically evaluate whether if
the present educational system is enough for creating a good
citizen. Prepare a detailed report.
Methods of teaching Basic Education were guided by the
principles of Learning by Doing. Evaluate the statement and
prepare a brief report on the methodology of Basic Education.
Craft work helps the child to acquire sensor and motor coordination and to appreciate the value of honest labour. Do
you agree with this statement? Identify the merits and
importance of craft centered education.
Gandhiji's concept of Basic Education stands for an all round
development of a student. Justify this statement by analyzing
the features of Basic Education.

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EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF
MAHATMA GANDHI

Gandhiji's concept of Basic Education will lead to a holistic

development of a child. Do you agree with this statement?
Basic Education is the greatest contribution of Mahatma
Gandhiji. Justify this statement with reference to the merits
of Basic Education?
What do you understand about by peace? Do you believe that
Gandhian Education would leads to peace? Justify your answer.
The present educational system in other words is spoon feeding
system. It cannot create a self sufficient man. Do you agree
with this statement? Substantiate with reference to Basic
Education.

Reference
1.

The Beautiful Tree: Indigenous Indian Education in the Eighteenth

Century, Dharampal: volume III.

2.

Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, Gandhi M. K, Navajivan

publication, Ahmedabad.

3.

Towards New Education: Bharatan Kumarappa, ed. Gandhi M. K,

Navajivan publication, Ahmedabad.

4.

Basic Education: Bharatan Kumarappa, ed.: Gandhi M. K, Navajivan

publication, Ahmedabad.

5.

To the Students, Gandhi, M. K, Navajivan Publishing House,

Ahmedabad.

6.

Constructive Programme, Gandhi. M. K, Navajivan Publishing House,

Ahmedabad.

7.

The Political Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, Gopinath Dhawan:

Navajivan Publication Ahmedabad.

8.

Gandhian Education Joseph C. Mukalel, Discovery Publishers, New

Delhi.

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Gandhian Studies

9.

Mahatma Gandhi: Satyagraha and Basic Education R. B. L. Soni,

National Publishing House, Delhi.

10. The Moral and Political Writings Mahatma Gandhi, Raghvan Iyer,
Oxford, Clarendon Press, vol. 11.
11. Studies on Gandhi, V. T. Patil, Sterling Publishers, New Delhi.
12. The Wardha Scheme of Education: An Exposition and Examination.
Varkey, C.J, Oxford Press, Madras.

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