Fixing idealism in humanities education in India

News: Chief Justice of India expressed his view of bringing more focus on humanities in education and not on professional studies.

Why idealism in humanities is required?

Today in college, leaders and even corporates are focusing on social justice. They are concerned about issues like equity, diversity, and social change. But this might lead to polarization instead of social justice.

For example, in America, the linking of idealism and ambition in education has been a failure. Everyone Schools, parents, professors, etc seems to be in conflict with each other on topics of social justice. For eg: Democrats lost elections in Virginia(USA) because of the feeling that the party demonised parents concerned about a new “social justice”-oriented curriculum in schools as racists and even terrorists.

The lesson that can be learned is that the kind of social justice taught in America has failed in promoting equality and promoted division along the class lines.

What is the problem with the Indian system?

In Indian society, polarization has divided it into left and right silos. This is being institutionalized into permanent divisions along lines of class and education.

Indian humanities education needs to look beyond caste, class and gender. At present, education is influenced by Christian theological ideas of moral self-formation or western ideologies. Instead, it has to be indigenous.

What changes need to be changed?

CJI while delivering his speech spoke out in his mother tongue Telugu. He recalled the three important principle values – matrubhumi, matrubhasha and matrudesam. He said that children should look beyond the physical classroom. They should learn from the lessons all around.

Source: This post is based on the article “Fixing idealism in humanities education in India” published in Indian Express on 16th December 2021.