Education For Character Development

foreword

As one analyses the theme of the contemporary degeneration, one comes to the conclusion that the present crisis is a crisis of character and that unless we radically change the objectives, contents and methods of education, we cannot hope to bring about the regeneration of India. While we of the older generation have failed to give the right direction in implementing the dreams of those leaders who sacrificed everything for the freedom of the nation, we can at least partly redeem our debt by helping our children to develop their latent powers for illumination, courage, fearlessness, humanism, dedication to duty and universality - elements that constitute the character that is needed at this critical juncture.

It is against this background that the Dharam Hinduja International Centre of Indic Research formed a Working Group on "Indian Tradition of Knowledge and Contemporary Crisis" under the Chairmanship of Mr. T.N. Seshan, formerly Chief Election Commissioner, and held a series of discussions which, among other things, underlined the necessity of reforming the present system of education and related issues in order to actively promote character development. I am happy that as a part of these efforts, Kireet Joshi, President of the Dharam Hinduja International Centre of Indic Research, conducted a Workshop on "Education for Character Development" on December 1, 1996, at Delhi, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Subhash C. Kashyap, formerly Secretary-General, Lok Sabha. A number of distinguished teachers, educationists and others participated. In order to disseminate and promote a wider discussion on these ideas, our Indic Centre has decided to bring out this publication. I welcome

it and hope that it will provide an impetus to the cause of value education. In particular, I should like to recommend that the core curriculum given in the Annexure under the title "To Know Oneself and to Control Oneself be widely discussed among experts so that the needed teaching-learning materials are prepared soon.

Time is running out. It is the duty of all of us to shoulder the responsibility of creating the right atmosphere to bring about changes in the system of education as quickly as possible.

Mumbai

ASHOK B. GOKHALE
President
Hinduja Foundation