National
integration
The
progress and security of any nation depends upon national unity and emotional
integration of its people. The aim of education is not merely individualistic.
The purpose of education is to make the individual acquire social efficiency.
Nationalism and patriotism are indeed noble virtues. Our education must create
a lively realization among the students that they are all members of one world.
We cannot afford to live in isolation without determent to individual progress.
A.
Definitions of
National Integration
‘A feeling that
binds the citizens of a country.’ Dorothy Simpson
B. Need
/Importance/ Necessity of National Integration
The
need of national integration is felt necessary for the following reasons.
i.
Threat of Foreign Aggression
National
integration is vital for India’s survival especially at a time when the country
is under the threat of foreign aggression and internally the people are divided
on the basis of castes, religions, regions, communities, languages and Races
i.
For the Development of National
Character
National
integration is an essential element for the development of national character.
These days there is lack of national character. Corruption is increasing
day-by-day. We are sacrificing national interests for the sake of money.
National character can be formed only when we have the feeling of national
integration.
ii.
For Success of Democracy
India
is a democratic country. National integration is an essential pre-requisite for
the success of our democracy. It is a basic need for the success of democracy;
otherwise, the fissiparous tendencies in the country may lead to serious
consequences.
iii.
For Diversity
National
unity is essential for any country at any time. There is unity in diversity in
India but now unity is in danger. Therefore, national unity is essential in
order to maintain the eternal value of unity in diversity.
iv.
For Peace
National
integration is essential for keeping peace at national and international level.
Modern age is the age of science. Scientific achievement should be used for
constructive work in order to provide peace to humanity. This feeling can
develop only when we have the thought of national integration.
C. Hindrances
in the way of National Integration
Despite
the efforts being made for securing a high level of national integration in
India, the sad fact remains that even after about six decades of independence
this objective is yet to be fully secured. Several hindrances continue to the
pose a challenge before this objective.
1) Communalism:
It
has been the biggest hindrance in the way of national integration. Communal
riots, communal tensions and terrorism continue to be present in the Indian
environment. The menace of communalism continues to adversely affect the process
of national integration.
2) Regionalism:
People
of different regions attempt to have their regional and local interest over and
above the national interests. The regional disparity in economic development
creates widespread discontentment among the people of different regions,
particularly in north-eastern states of India.
3) Linguism:
The
absence of a national language has been a big weakness. The strong controversy,
between pro-Hindi North and anti-Hindi South has always adversely affected the
process of national integration. Linguistic regionalism and linguistic riots
have been recurrent features of Indian political system.
4) Existence
and operation of Terrorist and Militant Organizations:
Existence
of terrorist organisations and their activities based on communalism and in
support of secessionism have always adversely affected the process of national
integration. Continued activities of Peoples-War Groups (PWG), increasing role
of violence in almost all the North-eastern states, etc. have all been putting
grave strains on the efforts towards national integration.
5) Sectarianism:
Sectarianism
also poses a big threat to national integration. Clashes among the religious
sects and their organisations often engulf the entire nation. Sectarian conflicts
in India have always hindered the process of National Integration.
6) Casteism:
Casteism is proving to
be a cancerous trouble for India. It has been keeping the people divided in the
name of caste. It has emerged as the strongest political party in India which
always works for maintaining caste identities over and above the national
identity.
7) Cultural
differences:
There are cultural
differences also which hamper unity and they need to be curtailed.
8) Social distinctions:
There are many
distinctions of cast and creed in our society. Untouchability is still
prevalent which is a stumbling block in national integration and
9) Economic
disparities:
There are vast economic
disparities in business, trade, agriculture, industry, etc. There is a wide gap
between the rich and the poor which is getting wider and wider year after year.
10) Different
political parties:
In our country there are many political parties. Out of these some work for the growth of the national unity but there are certain other parties which cause national disruption.
11)
Lack of good leadership:
The success of democracy depends upon the good leaders. Most of our leaders are selfish and unscrupulous. They either work for their own wested interests. they do not care for the national interest. Such leaders stand as an obstacle is the path of national unity.
12) Frustrated
youth:
Youth of today is sitting at the crossroads. He is frustrated because of the rampant corruption, favoritism, unemployment, uncertain future etc.
13) Domicile
restrictions:
Three are domicile restrictions in various colleges, especially in professional colleges in India. How can the people of all the states gather under one flag and how can all the communities and castes become indistinguishable if such barriers exist.
14) Lack
of national character:
In India, at every step disruptive tendencies such as adultration in food and beverages and even in life-saving drugs, bribery, black-marketing, smuggling etc are prevalent. Because of these tendencies, national integration faces a great danger
A. Role
of Education in Promoting National Integration
1.
Restating the Aims of Education: Education
also aims at securing co-operation and co-ordination in contrast to conflict
and contradiction by creating a new social order based on the pillar of
cohesion and solidarity.
2. National
System of Education: National system of education is an
essential pre-requisite for cultivation of national consciousness and a feeling
of oneness among the people.
It
embraces the following:
(a)
Evolving and implementing a common and unified pattern of education throughout
the country i.e. 10 + 2 + 3 pattern of education.
(b)
Acceptance of aims and objectives of education by all states and union
territories.
(c)
Assuming a great responsibility by the centre to implement the structure of
education.
(d)
Need for a uniform syllabus for schools all over the nation.
(e)
Providing similar opportunities for education with similar standards all over
the country.
3. Redesigning
the Curriculum:
In
order to foster national feeling the curriculum needs to be revised and
redesigned. Every subject in the curriculum must be taught from the stand
points of national needs and national achievements. Through different subjects
of curriculum, a feeling of unity and oneness; a feeling of our rich cultural
heritage, hoary tradition, lofty values, mutual interdependence of people etc.
can be promoted among the budding citizens of India.
The
design of curriculum for national integration is as follows:
i.
National History:
Indian
history must be taught embracing national ideas, unity in diversity, glorious
freedom struggle, the steps taken by different emperors for uniting the nation
and above all biographies of national heroes.
ii.
Geography :
A
study of geography among other things should include human geography,
inter-dependence of different regions, map reading and an account of scientific
and industrial development. These aspects may help in understanding the
essential unity of the nation.
iii.
Civics:
Students
should be encouraged to value the ideals of citizenship and the importance of
national integration through civics teaching. It should be taught with a
national bias.
iv.
Social Studies:
It
should be taught to create a desirable and pleasant attitude for emotional
unity and essential integrity among the people of the nation. It should include
the lives and works of the great men of India and the world and also stories
from the scriptures.
v.
Teaching of Languages:
Study
of a common national language should be made compulsory for the sake of
permanent integration of different communities in different regions or
provinces. Besides, study of regional languages and knowledge of at least one
or more Indian language should be made compulsory along with English. For this,
three language formulas has been devised and incorporated in our language
policy.
vi.
Study of Art, Music and Literature:
Art
is the reflection of culture which appeals one’s emotion and paves the golden
way for national unity. Music, like art, satisfies the emotion which is an
instrument for bringing national consciousness and cohesiveness.
vii.
Moral, Religious and Humanistic Education:
With
a view to achieving national integration, moral, religious, and humanistic
education should form an integral part of our educational system. The budding
citizens should be trained in the fundamental dictum of all religions
i.e. “fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man” in order to promote
national feeling. Religious tolerance and respect to all religions other than
the one’s own are essential ingredients to weld the nation into one.
viii.
Redesigning the Textbooks:
There
is an imperative need for recasting and revising books on Indian history,
geography, civics, literature and languages etc. for enabling students to
appreciate social, cultural, linguistic and religious solidarities of the
people of India.
4. Organizing
Co-Curricular Activities:
It
is admitted on all hands that organisation of different co- curricular
activities in an educational institution helps in promotion of national and
emotional integration.
The
following are some of the co-curricular activities for bringing out national integration:
(i)
Celebration of national festivals like
Independence Day, Republic Day, Children’s Day, and Teacher’s Day in the campus
instills national temper and consciousness in the minds of budding citizens of
the nation.
(ii)
Celebration of birth anniversaries of
national leaders and great men need to be organised in schools.
(iii) Celebration
of festivals of other communities should be organised.
(iv) Students
should be made familiar with the meanings of the verses of the National Anthem
and should be taught to recite it in unison and behaved in disciplined way when
it is sung.
(v)
Respect of national flag, national
symbols and national institutions should be taught to the children.
(vi) Special
talks on unity and oneness of the country can be arranged. Eminent persons
should be invited to deliver speech on national integration and nationalism.
(vii) Open-air
dramas should be staged at least thrice a year in the school in which students
should be encouraged to participate. Glorious events in our Indian history and
the life of great national heroes should be staged with active participation of
students.
(viii) Display
of educational films and radio and T.V. talks and mass media should be used for
inculcation of national outlook and national feeling.
(ix) Seminar,
dramas and exhibition on the theme of communal harmony and national unity
should be organised.
(x)
Organisation of educational tours and
trips helps the students to have first-hand knowledge about their country and
face-to-face contacts by these trips and tours help in breaking the barriers
and prejudices and broaden their outlook and vision.
5. Organizing
National Integration Camps:
Organisation
of National Integration Camps by department of school education. Ministry of
H.R.D. is a right step in right direction for inculcating feelings of oneness
among the students and teachers. The main objective of such camps is to enable
school students understand and appreciate the social and cultural life of
people in different states of India.
At
the state level, state department of school and mass education and SCERT should
organize these camps on a wider scale to promote a feeling of unity among the
students.
6. Other
Activities:
(i)
A uniform pattern of school dress for
teachers and students all over the nation is a right step in the direction of
creating a national feeling in their minds.
(ii)
Development of community life in every
educational institution is a step in right direction.
(iii)
Organisation of social and national
service programmes concurrently with academic studies like NCC, ACC, Scouts,
NSS Camps, Red-cross, Girls Guides Camp etc. are other activities which serve
the purpose of fostering of national temper in the tender minds.
(iv)
Participation of students in programmes
of community development and national reconstruction should be encouraged.
(v)
Organisation of different games and
sports, exercises etc. should be encouraged.
(vi)
Development of national discipline
scheme is to be implanted in the school campus for promotion of feeling of
oneness.
E. Suggestions
of Commissions and Committees for National Integration
In
order to achieve national integration the government of India, appointed so many
commissions and committees. The suggestions given by a few such committees follow.
a) Mudialiar
Commission (1952 – 53)
The
commission suggested following factors concerning modern society to serve as
indicators of feeling disintegration which is serious for the existence or
survival of mankind.
(i)
Lack of political leadership in the
country.
(ii)
Lack of patriotism or taking patriotism
in the narrow sense.
(iii)
Casteism as a factor for development
hatred.
(iv)
Regionalism and language as a factor in
the development of negative Feelings
(v)
Geographical factors, regional, cultural
and social variations are the barriers of integration and
(vi)
Ignorance about factors that affect
national development today.
b) Emotional
Integration Committee (1961)
The
Emotional Integration Committee (1961) constituted by the Ministry of Education,
Government of India, under the chairmanship of Dr.Sampurnanand, made the
following suggestions for strengthening emotional and national integration.
(i)
Reorganization of curriculum.
(ii)
Highlighting the achievements of
different leaders belonging to all sections.
(iii)
A core curriculum including the freedom
movement.
(iv)
Co-curricular activities.
(v)
Teaching of social studies.
(vi)
Text books.
(vii)
Inclusion of minority language into the
script.
(viii)
Uniform for school children.
(ix)
Singing of national anthem.
(x)
Reverence for the national flag.
(xi)
Celebration of national days.
(xii)
Special talks on the unity of the
country.
(xiii)
Removal of domicile restrictions in
admission policy.
(xiv)
Recognition of institutions that work
for national unity.
(xv)
Common school system to remove class
distinctions.
(xvi)
Community development programmes.
(xvii) Taking
pledge by the students at least twice in a year.
(xviii) School
improvement programmes.
(xix)
School projects which improve pupils’
general knowledge of the country.
(xx)
School curriculum related educational
tour.
c) Recommendations
of the Education Commission (1964 – 1966)
The following are the recommendations of the
Education Commission(1964- 66).
- Provision of quality education: A reasonable quality of good education should be made available to all irrespective of any consideration.
- Common school system: A common school system should be established
- No public schools: A public schools should not be permitted as they breed inequality.
- Three language formula: Three language formula should be followed.
- Regional language as medium of instruction: The use of
regional languages as media of education from the lowest to the highest stage
was a matter of ‘profound importance for national integration’.
d)
National Policy on Education (1986)
- Equality of opportunity in education: Equality of opportunity in education is very helpful in promoting national integration. The national policy of education 1986 has observed, ‘The new policy will lay special emphasis on the removal of disparities and to equalize educational opportunity by attending to the specific needs of those who have been denied equality so far’.
- Linking past, present and future: Education should link the past with existing realities of the present national identity and the emerging future goals and aspirations of the society.
- Integration of rural and urban areas: For achieving meaningful national integration, education should establish proper linkage of the urban elite and the rural people. This task can be performed through providing equal opportunities for education. Programmes of formal and non-formal education through various types of institutions should be organized extensively in the rural areas.
- Involvement of students: There is a need for closer involvement of the students and the community in educational programmes for developing a ‘sense of belonging’ and creating necessary enthusiasm for national development.
e) National
Policy on Education (1992) on National Integration
i. Common core curriculum:
The National Policy on Education (NPE) provides for a common core curriculum
including the history of Indian freedom movement, the constitutional
obligations and other content essential to national identity. These contents
are expected to cut across subject areas and designed to promote values such as
India’s common cultural heritage egalitarianism, democracy and secularism,
equality of the genders, protection of the environment, removal of social
barriers etc.
ii. Uniform educational structure:
A uniform educational structure should be established all over the country.
iii. Equality of opportunity:
Equal educational opportunities should be provided to all.
iv. Educational opportunities in all
parts: All parts of the country should be provided with
suitable educational opportunities.
v.
Social and national service:
Social and national service should be made an integral part of education as its
absence is also responsible for increasing the gulf between the educated and
the uneducated classes.
F. Role
of the Teachers in Promoting National Integration
Teachers
can play an important role in developing values of natural integration among
the students. Following are the important measures which can prove very helpful
in this regard.
(i) Teachers should set ideal examples of
national integration through their behaviour, ways of thinking and doing
things.
(ii) Teachers should present historical facts
in an impartial and objective manner.
(iii) They should not discriminate students on
the basis of caste, colour, language, region and religion.
(iv) They should lay balanced stress on the
achievements of great leaders belonging to different communities, regions, etc.
(v) In geography and Indian economics, the
importance of interdependence of different regions and states should be
highlighted.
(vi) All possible efforts should be made to
inculcate an attitude of rational thinking in the students.
(vii) Community dinner, campus, educational
excursions and tours may be organized so that students get opportunities to
appreciate the concept of unity and diversity.
(viii) Deeds of patriotism of great persons
belonging to all communities shouldbe suitably explained.
G. Constitutional
Provisions for National Integration
India
is nation of multi - religious, multi - social and multi - lingual people. It is
the duty of the constitution that it protects the rights. It is also to see
that these rights are not exploited by the masses or minorities. Simultaneously
India has a good deal of the people of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
They are the people who have been depressed and suppressed for centuries. The
constitution protects their rights. Similarly, the discrimination against the
women will also have to dispense with and the constitution is also to protect
their rights and to provide them equal status with the man.
The
constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950. As it embodies people’s
hopes and aspirations, its provisions have a direct or indirect bearing on national
integration. Some articles which have bearing or national integration values are
as follows.
(i)
Articles 5 to 11
deal with the Indian citizenship.
(ii)
Article 14
emphasises equality before law.
(iii)
Article 15
prohibits discrimination on ground of religion, race, caste, gender or place of
birth.
(iv)
Article 16
emphasises equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.
(v)
Articles 17 - 31
deal with fundamental rights.
(vi)
Article 21A
speaks about right to education.
(vii)
Articles 32 - 35
give constitutional remedies.
(viii)
Articles 36 - 51
deal with to directive principles of state policy which aim at establishing
social and economic democracy in the country.
(ix)
Articles 152 - 237
deal with the government of the state level.
(x)
Articles 244 - 244A
deal with scheduled tribal areas.
(xi)
Articles 330 - 342
deal with the reservation of seats of SC/ST in the Loksabha and state
assemblies.
(xii)
Articles 343 - 351
relate to official language and,
(xiii)
Articles 352 - 360
deal with the emergency provisions.
H. CONCLUSION
National integration is
essential for any nation with socio-cultural, religious, linguistic and
geographical diversities. India is a nation having great diversities. The
people who inhabit this nation belong to different races, communities and
castes. They reside in different geographical regions and speak different
languages. They believe in and practice different religions and have varied
life styles. But with all these diversities, they all are Indians and they feel
like that. National integration is the awareness of a common identity amongst
the citizens of a country. This kind of integration is very important in the
building of a strong and prosperous nation.
