Mahatma Gandhi and Basic Education

Abstract

The present system of education has not been able to give right direction to the youths and it does not provide them affluent opportunities for their all round development to make them self reliant. Now-a-days the students are passing examinations and earning their degrees with first or higher divisions, but most of them are unable to become self reliant and incapable to face the challenges. So to overcome this condition there is a need of such education which was predicted by Mahatma Gandhi like ‘Basic Education’ or ‘Nai-Talim’. Gandhi realized that the basic education was an essential component to the structural and socio-economic imbalances that were badly affected. It was the treatment for all the ills and evils of the society in India. His idea on basic education not only changed the educational system of India but also led a social revolution. This paper aims to understand and review the principles of Gandhiji on basic education which are assessed from his several writings. Some important features of Gandhiji’s basic education are also described comparing present system of education.