Bhubaneswar, Sep 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Gitanjali Angmo, wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, on Thursday said the government should take the ongoing protests as a 'wake-up call' and proactively implement comprehensive reforms in the examination and education systems.
She said the issue should not be viewed as a small or isolated matter, warning that failure to undertake meaningful reforms could lead to significant social pressure and a larger movement in the future.
In an exclusive interview with IANS, Angmo spoke at length on several issues, ranging from the National Education Policy (NEP), examination reforms and the role of teachers, to the debate surrounding 'Vande Mataram', Indian philosophical traditions, political polarisation, patriotism and the need to rediscover Indian knowledge systems.
IANS: Can the NEP pave the way to bring the Indian thought process back into the education system?
Gitanjali Angmo: Yes. The NEP as a document is very good. But the biggest question right now is how to implement it. We often talk about the Gurukul system. Its greatest strength was not a fixed curriculum or a particular pedagogy. Its pivotal point was the Guru. The teacher used to shape a child's behaviour and personality through his or her conduct and influence. The teacher was not merely someone who delivered information or completed a syllabus. The Guru had a much deeper role in shaping the child's overall personality.
Today, teaching has often become a profession of last resort. When someone fails to become an engineer, doctor or IAS officer, some turn to teaching. We must break this mindset.
Change is necessary. If we want the NEP to be implemented well, teachers must receive a high status in society and better remuneration. Teaching must be made one of the most respected and high-paying professions.
The teacher has an enormous influence on the development of a child. Therefore, if we want to transform the education system, we cannot ignore the person who stands at the centre of that system. We have to create an environment in which talented and capable people actively want to become teachers, rather than treating teaching as something one chooses only when other career options do not work out.
Every child should receive a strong and equal basic education until at least the tenth grade, whether they attend a government or private school. A minimum quality education should be every child's right.
Today, we see many children moving to private schools, while government schools are closing or are in poor condition in many places. Even basic things like child nutrition remain a challenge in many places. If we talk about becoming a world leader, we must first strengthen our children.
The NEP is an idea. But any idea is only as good as its implementation. The education system will not change simply by creating a document. It requires extensive groundwork. Countries around the world that have successfully reformed their education systems have done so consistently over many years. Therefore, education reform needs to be separated from political cycles.
I believe that for 20 to 30-year-old issues like education, there should be a separate educational commission. Such a commission should not be affected by the comings and goings of political parties. Sometimes, one government initiates a reform and the next government undoes it. This impacts long-term reforms. Education isn't a five-year project. It's a decades-long endeavour. Therefore, it should receive some degree of institutional protection from politics.
So far, we've primarily tried to improve how examinations are conducted to prevent problems like paper leaks. But the examination system needs much more substantial reforms.
First, we must ask: What exactly are we testing in examinations? Are we simply testing memory? Or are we assessing a child's understanding and ability to apply their knowledge?
And beyond that, are we simply filling their minds with information, or are we developing their entire personality?
A child's physical, emotional, mental and spiritual personality should be developed. Education should not merely be about how much information a child can remember and reproduce in an examination. It should be about developing the person as a whole.
IANS: Do you think that if the current education and examination system isn't reformed, a major movement could emerge?
Gitanjali Angmo: I think the government should take this movement as a wake-up call and proactively implement reforms. This isn't just a small issue. If comprehensive reforms aren't implemented in the examination and education system, significant social pressure and a movement could arise in the future.
Every parent wants their child to receive a good education. This is a very emotional and important issue for every family. This is our future and our youth.
Over the past years, we have focussed heavily on infrastructure, roads and hard infrastructure, which is essential. But a country needs soft infrastructure just as much. Education and healthcare are soft infrastructure. Therefore, it is important to make education a national priority.
The NEP should be viewed as a long-term national project. When Finland reformed its education system, it took decades. Education reform is not something whose results will be visible in a year or two.
Therefore, we need an institutional structure that will continue to advance education reforms despite changing governments. The NEP should not simply be a document that is put on a shelf. It must be implemented at the ground level. The real challenge is implementation. We can have the best document, the best policy and the best intentions, but unless these are translated into action in schools, classrooms and the lives of children, there will not be meaningful change.
The government should, therefore, look at the present situation as an opportunity to undertake reforms before the issue becomes much bigger. If parents, students and young people begin feeling that the system is not giving them the opportunities or education they deserve, social pressure will naturally increase. That is why I think the government should act proactively rather than waiting for a major movement to emerge.
IANS: Nandan Nilekani's committee is working on examination reforms. What suggestions would you like to give them?
Gitanjali Angmo: They are all very senior and experienced people. I don't consider myself in a position to give them suggestions. As far as I understand, their main focus is to make the examination process end-to-end secure through technology ensuring the confidentiality, fidelity and integrity of the papers.
However, my point is slightly different. With technology, we can ensure that there are no paper leaks in the examination system and that the process remains secure. But the real question is: What are we testing through examinations, and what kind of development is it providing for children?
This is not just a question of technology. It is also a question of education philosophy and examination philosophy. We must ask what the purpose of an examination actually is. If the examination only tests whether a student can remember information and reproduce it under pressure, then we are testing only one limited aspect of the child's capabilities.
We need to think about whether examinations can test understanding, creativity, application of knowledge, problem-solving ability and the ability to think independently. Technology can certainly make the process more secure. It can help prevent paper leaks and improve the integrity of examinations. But technology cannot answer the larger philosophical question of what education and examinations are supposed to achieve. That is a much deeper issue.
IANS: Why is there still controversy over 'Vande Mataram'? Do you think our collective memory has weakened regarding this?
Gitanjali Angmo: I think there are a lot of obstructions and objections regarding Vande Mataram. Some are opposing it because there are references to Hindu gods, so they ask how people of other faiths can sing it. This is not a mature way of thinking.
If we read or learn a ghazal and sing it in Urdu, it is not as if a Hindu singing it would have their religion corrupted. Similarly, if we read any shloka or something and associate it with a particular party or with Sanskrit, then that is also very wrong. Sanskrit is a language, so what is the problem?
There is Durga. Durga stands for power. Lakshmi stands for abundance. So, if anyone has a problem with singing a song, you cannot change it. The first two stanzas were initially chosen because the song was too long. It doesn't mean that the remaining stanzas were not accepted. You cannot cut any work of art.
Secondly, yes, I think Vande Mataram is fading from our collective memory more than it should. Therefore, it needs to be sung and understood again among people, especially among the youth. For me, Vande Mataram is not just a song, but a very profound symbol. Sri Aurobindo also explained this very deeply. When Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote 'Anandamath', he was not just a novelist; he was a sage. A sage means someone who can see reality. He saw the land of India not just as land, but as a power as a 'mother' with whom we can have a living relationship. Therefore, in my opinion, this awareness should not have taken so long to come. If we had come to this understanding earlier, perhaps many of the problems India faces today would not have been so serious.
'Vande Mataram' represents a particular sentiment towards the land. It is not simply about a piece of territory. It is about seeing the country as something with which we have a relationship and towards which we have responsibilities. That sentiment, in my view, needs to be understood again, especially by the younger generation.
IANS: Why did it take so long to bring the full national song?
Gitanjali Angmo: As a national song, it was always there, but it was fading from collective memory more than it should have. It took 80 years to sing it from the Red Fort on Independence Day, and I think it is a welcome step. Sri Aurobindo said that Bankim Chandra was a sage. He saw this landmass not as a physical landmass, but as Shakti -- a living being.
This Mother is a living being with whom you can have a relationship. So it shouldn't have taken 80 years.
For me, the important point is not only whether the song is sung, but whether people understand what it represents. If something becomes merely a ritual, then its deeper meaning can be lost. Therefore, I think it is important that Vande Mataram is not only sung but also understood. Young people should know why it became important historically, what it represents and why it inspired people.
IANS: Do you think politics has created a kind of division over Vande Mataram and Hindu culture?
Gitanjali Angmo: That's the problem. When politics enters public life with its agenda, it often attempts to distance individuals or society from their essence in the name of bringing people together. But there's no need to amputate oneself to bring everyone together. I can reach the essence of who I am and express it, and the other person can also reach their essence and express it, that's true beauty.
If, to please others, I close myself off, silence myself and prevent myself from expressing who I truly am, that's not harmony. It's a very important principle of collective living. When we talk about harmony, we must understand that harmony doesn't mean making everyone the same.
Socialism says everyone should have equality, and capitalism offers its own unique system. But reality perhaps lies beyond both. When I can truthfully express my deepest self, and you too have complete freedom to express yours, only then can we together create a perfect society. It's like a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece is different, but together they form a complete picture. When you go to a botanical garden, not all the flowers are the same. Each flower has a different colour, shape, fragrance and appearance. This diversity is what creates the beauty of a botanical garden.
Even in agriculture, we know that monoculture isn't always good. When different plants grow together, like in the Miyawaki forest, synergy is created between them. Similarly, in society, we need diversity that uplifts each other without making everyone equal. We should grow through education to the point where we can respect the unique identity and perspective of others. India has always assimilated influences from outside. Whether it's Mughal influence or any other cultural influence, India has absorbed and assimilated a lot.
But assimilation doesn't mean we should be ashamed to express our culture that existed ten thousand years ago. We shouldn't shrink ourselves to accommodate others.
If every person brings their inner nobility to their heart, diversity automatically becomes a strength. We have many good examples of this. Abdul Kalam used to read the Upanishads, the Gita and Sri Aurobindo. I myself read Sufi poetry. There's no question of religion being corrupted by this. If a Hindu speaks Urdu or a Muslim speaks Sanskrit, that doesn't corrupt their religion. Rather, we should learn from each other.
The essence of Vande Mataram is
Source: IANS
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