Profile of the Institute:
Inaugurated
on on 28th May, 1953 by Shri Kaka Saheb Kalekar, the great Gandhian,
and based on the Sarvodaya principal of truth and non-violence, the Lok Bahrati
Gramvidyapith is an ideal example that shows basic and higher education can
contribute towards solving rural problems practically.
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Founder Shri Nanabhai Bhatt
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Shri
Nanabhai said that Vidya which is biased, is burdensome, and that Vidya
without character is like knowledge of
Brahma Rakshas. Therefore, he felt that it was important for students to stay
in the campus hostel of Lok Bharati to acquire Vidya with character and fellow
feelings.
The aims and object of Lok Bharati are
represented by its motto. Vidya or introspective knowledge of the self, and
Avidya or knowledge and skills that one learns in life, must be taught together
in a correlated based on practical, productive labour and social living
together.
The
absence of this kind of correlated education, has led to an almost dichotomous
partition between the ‘classes’ and the ‘masses’ thereby weakening society.
Unless correlated education is given to the vast majority of rural Indians,
real democracy cannot exist. The current system of education, a British legacy,
makes the education individualistic rather than social. Thus the educated
individual is alienated even as lives among the uneducated masses.
The
remedy for this social evil is to make hostel life the center of our
educational plans. In a hostel, students learn to live and work together in
harmony, doing useful, productive work on campus. Thus whatever knowledge and
skills the students acquires is in the context of a close contact with society
and its healthy development.
This is
exactly the kind of correlated education that Lok Bharati strives to impart to
its students, thus qualifying them for the practical experiences of life and
society. An example of this is the study of the problem of water shortage, and
the subsequent solution through conservation and economical use
Education
is a continuous process. To maintain this continuity and foster a sense of
national pride, the concept of community life lays emphasis on co-education,
physical labour, education by mother-tongue, wearing of khadi, agriculture,
gopalan, co-operation, and further given importance to subject like economics,
science, philosophy and political for practical living.
Lectures
are given by visiting expert and professors on a variety of subject. To import
practical experience to students, relief work is done by students and staff
alike during famines, floods, earthquakesand communal riots in distant parts of
India such as Assam and Bihar. Culture festival are celebrate with an emphasis
on social awareness.
The
family-like atmosphere of the institution has entire educational process free
and fearless.
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Shri
Manubhai Pancholi
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The country is thus sharply
divided into two unconnected parts-the majority which is in the villages
producing wealth, but without scientific knowledge of agriculture or dairy
development, and the minority which is the educated traditionalist, who have no
dailogue with or understanding of the other half.
Lok
Bharati’s dream is to find a solution to this problem. Today’s education should
be rural-oriented. It should be practical, socially relevant and less verbal
and figurative. This would not be industrial education but practical education
with reference to society. It should have compulsory residence with community
life so that a sense of responsibility towards to society becomes natural.
Social problems which exist today should be correlated to this education. And
contact with economics, science, politics and philosophy should be
emphasised.
Man is
essentially a two faceted being: one is a wealth producing being, and the other
is a socially conscious and aware being. To make every man and woman an
embodiment of this dual entity is the goal at Lok Bharati.
LokBharati
Lokseva Mahavidyalaya
Lok
Bharati Gram Vidyapith’s main education section, Lokseva Mahavidyalaya gives a
graduation after completion of a three –year course.
Lok
Bharati’s graduates have been prepared on the basis of the thinking of shri
Manubhai Pancholi, that a graduate of Lok Bharati should be able to have
detailed discussions on Vedant and quote Sanskrit shlokas, while farming in the
fields. He should also be able to go to the market with a basket on his head
and be able to sell vegetables without being cheated.
Some
salient features of Lokseva Mahavidyalaya
1.
In Gujarat, Lokseva Mahavidyalaya was
the first institution to be granted autonomy by UGC.
2. Balanced,
practical and real life-oriented educated, integrated education is imparted
through the mother tongue. English is taught to students as a vountry subject.
3. Everybody
is taught to take pride in physical labour by doing hands-on work for 250 hours
per year.
4. The
emphasis is on rural-oriented education baked by research.
5. Apart
from 50 per cent marks for annual examination, the remaining 50 per cent is
through internal evaluation.
6. Freedom
is given to the teachers to try various educational methods, and examination
and evaluation systems.
7. Instead
of connecting post to salary of the staff, capability is taken as the criteria
for salary payments.
8. Three
months placement internship programme during the third year of the educational
course for students.
9. Thurs,
camps, lectures, cultural programmes, group discussions, demonstrations, film
shows, interviews, etc. are organized regularly to help students develop an
emotional bond with the society they
live in.
10. Admission
is on the basis of oral and written entrance tests.
11.
Lokbharati graduates are welcomed by
universities for further higher education.
