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Value Education for the Gandhian Perspective
man is and goes with him wherever he is and whatever he does. The indian view of religion is universalistic: "God is One; Human nature is One and salvation is One." India has been a meeting place of the great religions and respect for all religions is ingrained in the very blood of Indian culture.
1.5 Hence the Report of the University Education Commission (Dec., 1948-Aug., 1949) under the Chairmanship of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan stresses the need for religious instruction. "Morality without religion is not enough. Great virtues of loyalty, courage, discipline and self-sacrifice may be used for good and bad means. These are essential for a successful citizen as well as for a successful villain."10 To be secular is not to be religiously illiterate." Its recommendations were for starting work with a few minutes of silent meditation, teaching of the lives of the great religious teachers in the Ist year of Degree Course, some selection of a universal character from the scriptures in the 2nd year and central problems of philosophy and religion in the 3rd year. It was admitted that the attempt to make students moral and religious by the teaching of moral and religious text-books is purile. To construct the intellect is not to improve the heart. The best method of suggestion, is by personal example, daily life and work and books read from day to day. We should not prescribe books which feel an obligation to prove that their religion is true and it alone is true. What is called religious instruction must bring awareness of the great historic insights. 13
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1.6 Report of the Secondary Education Commission (1952-53), ADMITS THAT "the whole purpose of education is not fulfilled unless certain definite moral principles were inculcated in the minds of the youth of the country". In view of the provisions of the constitution of the Secular State, the Commission recommends that religious instruction cannot be given in schools except on a voluntary basis and outside the regular school hours."
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1.7 The Committee on Religious and Moral Education of Central Advisory Board of Education constituted in 1959 under the Chairmanship of Sri Prakash disagreed with the earlier CABE Committee of 1946 that religious education should be the business of home and the community of the student concerned. It considered teaching of moral and spiritual values as desirable as well as feasible from the elementary to the university stage. The recomendation was almost similar to that of University Education Commission, 1949.
10. Report of the University Education Commission, Govt. of India, 1948-49, Vol. I. Cha. IV, page 26
11. Ibid., Para 29.
12. General Education in a Free Society, p. 206
13. Report of the University Education Commission. Para, 33
14. Report of the Secondary Education Commission, 1952-53, Govt. of India, Ch. VIII. 3.
15. Report of the Committee on Religious and Moral Instruction, New Delhi Govt. of India, Ministry of Education, 1960
January-March 1993
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