Swami Vivekananda described education as a formidable force of “man-making and character building”. The history of education in India has always been very grand, noble, and held to an esteemed standard that commands respect across the world. The Gurukul system of ancient India aimed to train for the “completeness of life”, while Hiuen Tsang during his stay at the great Nalanda University, chronicled, “Learned men from across the globe who desire to acquire renown in the discussion, come here in multitudes to settle their doubts, and their streams of wisdom spread far and wide”. Through these examples, we see that education of the past was not confused with academics alone, but instead had a far more holistic meaning – the central aim of education was to build the powers of the human mind and spirit, and the invoking of knowledge to build culture and character. I agree that schools of today are changing in both education and values, as the rat race in academics has replaced holistic education. Quoting the wise words of Gandhiji, “True education is that which cultivates the soul and leads ultimately to the development of our mind, body, and spirit. The primary goal of education is not literacy as what we need is not the education of the head but of the heart”. Do we really see this reality in the cut-throat competition students have to face daily?

The Gurukul system of ancient India invoked an emotional bond in the teaching-learning experience. The guru imparted knowledge in subjects ranging from math to philosophy, encompassing reading of scriptures, training in warfare and statesmanship, and living in discipline and harmony with nature. We can see that the pursuit of education was synonymous with the pursuit of values. The Brahmachari, post-education, was expected to serve the poor and the needy and to do good for society. Therefore, education was also synonymous with selfless service. However, schools of today, as modern as they are, often tend to build selfishly careeristic students. The bigger implication of this may be linked to the brain drain plaguing India for the past decade. More importantly, the focus of the school system today is diluted, merely geared toward rote-learning and test-taking. Reaching 100% cut-offs for that coveted college seat drives unrealistic expectations from parents. The statistics show the horrific reality – the National Crime Records Bureau states that there is more than one student suicide reported every hour in India, with an average of twenty-eight student suicides reported daily.

Rabindranath Tagore had advocated long ago that the colonially acquired education system in India, under the false garb of modernity, was actually deviating us from the true goal of education. While the schools of today are no doubt changing in education- the new National Education Policy is testimony to the versatile, interdisciplinary, and superior quality education students will be lucky to receive – India should strive to be a harbinger in blending spiritualism and values within our education system.