The National Policy on Education (NPE)
(1986/1992) attaches great importance to the cultural perspective of education.
To quote the recommendations made in the NPE on value education:-
“The growing concern over the erosion
of essential values and an increasing cynicism in society has brought to focus
the need for readjustments in the curriculum in order to make education a
forceful tool for the cultivation of social and moral values. …… Such value
education should help eliminate obscurantism, religions fanaticism, violence,
superstition and fatalism. Apart from their combative roles, value education
has a profound positive content, based on our heritage, national goals
universal perceptions. It should lay primary emphasis on this aspect.”
The highest heritage of our composite
culture which engaged attention of Indian seers and sages and which they found
out after a disciplined quest is that there is a divine element in human
beings. The
manifestation of divinity is a crucial indicator of civilization of human
kind. Civilization is the
manifestation of that divinity in man. To
imbibe in oneself that divinity and inculcate in every citizen the urge to
endeavour all-round development of his personality on that basis, is the
highest heritage of our composite culture which has to be followed and
preserved, as Fundamental Duty of every citizen.
The divine core of personality is
covered by five dimensions :-
(i) Physical dimension consisting of the
body and the senses;
(ii) Energy dimension which performs
digestion of food, blood circulation, the respiration and every activities
within the body;
(iii) Mental dimension chracterised by the
activities of the mind – thinking and feeling;
(iv) Intellectual dimension chracterised by
the determinative faculty and will power; and
(v) Psychic dimension experienced as
bliss, e.g. during deep sleep.
A rich heritage of our composite
culture is man-making education initiated from childhood and continued
through-out life. A rich
heritage of our composite culture has been the dedication of the individual and
performance of higher law in day-to-day life. It must be recalled that in our
culture right from the initial stage of law making, the law consisted of duty
and duties only, which could broadly be divided into three aspects – sacrifice;
ceremonies; and temporal duties (Shrauta, Grihya and Samayacharike),
the last one being referred to as Dharma Sautras. As we became more civilized, the
concept of rights became more important so much so that the rights of the
citizens over shadowed the duties of the citizens.
Our composite culture lays greatest
emphasis on higher law,
which is the panacea for all political, social, economic
and ethical ills in the society. Higher
law means a determined resolve to a conduct and behaviour which will have the
effect of rendering all penal laws redundant.
The foremost are five :
(i) If a citizen commits theft, he is
punished with imprisonment or with fine or both; this is law. However, if the citizen takes the
determined resolve within himself that he will not commit theft even if the
whole world may, this is higher law (Asteya);
(ii) If a citizen causes hurt to another
person, he is punished; this is law. However,
if the citizen takes a determined resolve within himself that he shall not
cause hurt to anyone; this is higher law (Ahimsa);
(iii) If a citizen commits cheating he is
punished; this is law. However,
if the citizen takes a determined resolve within himself that he shall not
cheat or deceive any body; this is higher law (Satya);
(iv) If a citizen takes a bribe he is
punished; this is law. However,
if every citizen takes a determined resolve not to take bribe, and not to give
bribe, even if the whole world may; this is higher law (Aprigraha); and
(v) If a citizen outrages the modesty of a
women he is punished, this is law. However,
if the citizen takes the determined resolve that (except his wife) he shall
always look upon women as his mother, sister or daughter; this is higher law (Brahmacharya).
Thus, not to commit an offence because of
prescribed punishment makes a citizen law abiding. To resolve to practise higher law and
to discharge the duties called higher law, would be a process of rejuvenating
and reconstructing the nation. Therefore,
all-round development of personality of the citizen which is the richest heritage
of our composite culture is the most significant part of article 51A.
The noble ideals cherished and
followed [under clause (b)] and the rich heritage of our composite culture
followed and preserved [under clause (f)] and the endeavour to strive towards
excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity [under
clause(j)] – these combined as triveni – have the potency and potential to
regenerate and reconstruct the nation.
To protect the rich heritage of our
composite culture and to prevent it from being adversely influenced from any
contradictory, derogatory or destructive culture is a significant aspect of the
Fundamental Duty to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite
culture. Therefore, any
warming sounded
particularly to the younger generation is significantly valuable. “…… our culture, which is a composite
culture of several cultures in India, is the best and yet we are aping the
western methods and trying to become westernized far too rapidly. It was said of Mahatma Gandhi that he
would rather have had the British stay if they become Indian…. We, who are struggling as a developing
country, cannot endure because we are required to keep our culture
going….” Regarding
addiction to drug and liquor and fast club life, “Is it this kind of culture to
which we were born and is it this kind of culture which we must ape and
copy? This is not our
society and I only hope that our boys and girls, even if they go abroad, will
not bring back those habits to us because we on our part must preserve our
culture. We as
a nation have existed spiritually and have a spiritual past and a spiritual
future which we cannot jeopardize by learning the absurd ways” of other
countries. {Mr. Justice M Hidayatullah, former Chief Justice of India :
Convocation Address, Bangalore University}
When we review the working of clause
(f), it is striking that
there has been an invasion of Western school of thoughts on India, in dress, in
diet, in literature; and the Indian mind has been going under the spell of the
West. Reviving of Indian heritage is most necessary. It is the only way to
recultivate the social and moral values which are the pride of our composite
culture. The target is to achieve the national goals of heritage and bringing
home the idea of universal brotherhood.
Clause (f) has the potential that its implementation in daily life
by each and all citizens would be the panacea for all administrative, political
and social ills and will lead to all round development of personality of the
citizen and will achieve the ultimate objective, viz. eradication of poverty,
disease and illiteracy.
The display of scenes and dialogues of violence, vices and
vulgarity on the TV have adverse influence on the immature mind of the young
generation. This menace is growing day by day and is to be checked without
further delay.
It is generally accepted that deterioration in the values and lack
of probity in public life are the two evils which hamper the growth of our
nation. In para 3.13, the Justice Verma Committee quoting from the Lord
Nolan Committee of UK, has set out the following values. These values would be
suitable recognized in the clause dealing with Fundamental Duties;
Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and
leadership by example.
If these are incorporated and recognized, it can be hoped that we
have none of the sins described by Mahatma Gandhi as follows :
Politics without Principle, Commerce
without Morality, Wealth without Work, Education without Character, Science
without Humanity, Pleasure without Conscience, Worship without Sacrifice.
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