Perspectives on Nai Talim

In the current scenario of volatile changes, the rural sector is subjected to unprecedented challenges. The Government is committed to making rural sector at par with urban; it requires commensurate responses from the scientist, engineer/technologist and most importantly, the change agent. Considering the present need of the rural sector and the on-going initiatives to transform rural India, there is a great need for social action programmes and for strengthening leadership and institutional capability. It also calls for vigilance in preventing damage to rural fabric, sustained efforts in building skills and nurturing the right attitudes to cope with the change and building safeguards to preserve and protect the best in the countryside. The change process is quite complex. The major challenge remains in providing appropriate education and relevant skills. Finding and maintaining employment requires broad based occupational skills or specific job related skills. Equally significant is the transition to higher education, as it is both difficult and expensive for the rural youth. To meet these needs, the opportunities of rural education need to be expanded. Besides, stress should be laid on preparing the rural youth to be able to respond to the manifold challenges and participating in the process of setting development priorities. Gandhiji's concept of education is all-inclusive. 'Nai Talim' is education for social transformation. The objective is to create a new society based on equality and free from exploitation by ensuring educational, economic, and social development, of the especially disadvantaged segments of society. Education should not be only limited to mastering of fundamental scientific principles of any branch of science or art and developing sense of professionalism alone. Leadership and commitment are qualities that are expected to be developed in an individual by education. The holistic approach to education would develop a person as responsible individual / citizen to be able to lead the community he lives in, eventually helping it in accomplishment of the ultimate goal of service to the society. Thus, a scientist, an engineer, a technologist or a change agent of the future will be called upon to play an increasing role in solving complex social problems in rural India. Hence, it seems the rural higher education should be made resilient to provide an opportunity for the optimum development of wider aspects of individual attitudes and interests, while imparting basic education, which is the essence of Gandhiji's Nai Talim.The seeds of Nai Talim as sown by Gandhiji have to be spread on vast vistas for harnessing the potential of rural India using education as an instrument of social advancement. The NCRI is striving to build and strengthen rural institutions to achieve this.