Education for Fostering National Integration

“And just because you have colleges and universities doesn’t mean you have education”. – Malcolm X

Malcolm X famously and poetically responded in the manner above when asked about schooling. Education should be such that it forges a common tie between the nation and combines all cultures and religions, leaving no room for the community violence of today. India has the second-largest education system in the world, as is widely known, however, the problem is with the deliverance of education.

“It’s unfortunate that state-by-state differences in educational patterns still divide us today. India’s future is discussed in her class, in the textbooks, and in the course material. The issue is that our educational system places a lot of emphasis on exams. In consideration of the greater good of the country, we require a unified educational system that pays more attention on developing skills in students rather than just labeling them basis yearly assessments. Several curriculum subjects need to have their material reinterpreted, and our linguistic guidelines need to change as well. Our country is multilingual, and that should be a strength. Keeping this in mind, whenever there is a chance, attempts should be made to incorporate regional languages within the curriculum. Furthermore, more emphasis should be placed on disciplines like art and music. When discussed in relation to our rich cultural history, these help people bond emotionally and can be used as a tool to strengthen their sense of patriotism. Our literature also fulfills a similar function and ought to be utilized for the benefit of everyone,” says Anoop Singh Bishnoi, Chairman of The Doon School, Dehradun.

India is a multicultural country with thousands of dialects and at least 22 national languages. However, the usage of only Hindi and English as official languages is steadily reducing the learning, studying, and use of these languages. Every state and union territory’s literary legacy should be translated into each of India’s national languages. This will transform the publishing and media industries’ educational, job, and business environments and increase everyone’s awareness of one another.

Education is one of the strongest tools for fostering a stronger sense of Indian identity since it helps everyone understand and be sympathetic to the concerns and aspirations of others. It is only with our collective efforts, we can protect the country’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity in the next years and bring Indians from all regions closer together by developing understanding and awareness of one another.