Education

Unique Characteristics of Lok Bharti Education

1. Correlation :
According to Shri Manubhai Pancholi, “Gandhiji’s educational philosophy has many things which are earlier revealed (said) by one thinker or another. But the idea of correlation in education was Gandhiji'’ original thought.” There are many subjects taught in Lok Bharti, which are also taught in other colleges. But correlation is the speciality of Lok Bharti. This correlation has made teaching as well as results noble.

Any action of a man produces three-fold impact :

(1) It affects nature
(2) It has its impact on society
(3) It also affects the doer of the action.

The impact may be direct or indirect, sooner or later, but it is bound to be there.

Teaching of the subjects in units is meant for convenience of teaching management but the student has to grasp the subject in its totality. Lok Bharti sees to it that all the teachers keep in mind this view-point in their teaching.  Such teaching approach enables the students to acquire sense of proportion and accountability in life. Such value-oriented teaching sustains democratic values in their lives. This approach of Lok Bharti makes the students more mature, responsible and broad-minded citizens.

2. The importance of Library-work in self-study :
It is not an ideal thing for a teacher to teach everything in the classroom. Lok Bharti has arranged teaching-work in such a way that 20% to 25% of the syllabus is studied by the students themselves in the library under the supervision of the teacher. The institution has made it compulsory for every student to write articles and a dissertation on a special topic as part of their learning. Such self-study generates in them academic interest and discipline.

Rich Library :
Right from its very beginning Lok Bharti has taken great care to build a good library and enrich it inspite of financial constraints, because library occupies a unique position in the academic set-up.

This library remains open from 8.00 in the morning till 10.00 p.m. It contains 46.394 books. The language-wise breakup is as follows :
 

Lok Bharti being an autonomous college, gets a grant of rupees 56 to 58 thousand as autonomy grant for buying new books.

The library subscribes 162 magazines of different languages costing Rs. 24,000/- Moreover, there are 720 reference books and encyclopedias of various kinds. Books for special subjects are purchased in the library.

There is a provision of chairs and tables for 175 teachers & students to sit comfortably and read in the Library.

3. Camps and educational tours as means of education :

Normally, camps and educational tours do not form a part of the syllabus. They are considered as extra curricular activities. But in Lok Bharti both constitute parts of education. And they are integrated into relevant subjects.

Orientation courses are organised to familiarise the students with the aims, programmes, methods, its social relevance, how people’s co-operation can be obtained, how it is related to the subjects and how their active participation is important; all these are explained to the students and they are asked to plan and execute the same.

Periodical Programmes :

w Shanti-Sena Shibir : Shanti Sena Shibir (a camp) prepares the students to
   deal with the situations of social unrest with courage, tact and in a non-violent 
   manner.
w Nature Camp : Such a camp can also be called “Environment education
   camp” which is organised to explain why the harmonious relationship
   between man and his environment is broken today.
w Ravindra Week or Sharad Week : One week’s study of the literary works of
   Tagore or Sharad Babu is organised every year in which exhibitions of books
   and photographs are held.
w Varsha Mangal (Welcoming Rains) : Saurashtra being a drought-prone area,
   the monsoon is greeted with great joy. it is not a regular feature, but arranged
   only when good rains begin. It includes tree-plantation, and singing of songs
   about monsoon, trees and forests.

Regular Activities during the year

w Kinder Garten Camp :  Such camps were held at Lok Bharti P.T.C. Centre.
   The P.T.C. students of first and second years and F. Y. B.R.S. students are
   imparted such training which is now very systematic.
w Tribal Area Camp : Through direct practical work, lectures, surveys, health
   activities and children’s education a study of the tribal life-style, their economic
   condition, their exploitation, their beliefs, marriage songs and their relation
   with the forest is undertaken.
w Gram Shibir (the village camp) : There is an intensive study camp for the
   T.Y.B.R.S. students. The institution has adopted 30 villages around Lok Bharti
   and in any village a ten-day camp is organized to enable the students to know
   and understand an Indian village, its problems and its strengths and
   weaknesses so that they can feel the pulse of real India.
w Educational Tours : Educational tours have been made an integral part of the
   syllabus of Lok Bharti which enables the students to see and experience what
   they have read or imagined. It enlarges their or South India or Gujarat,
   Rajasthan.

4. A unique scheme of Work Experience ( Internship ) :
At present the scheme of work experience and internship is implemented in the medical and social work faculties. No other faculties have such schemes. Lok Bharti has introduced since 1956, this scheme of work experience as the best teaching method. A student learns various subjects in the class-room, makes intensive study in camps and tours, deepens his understanding of subjects through various programmes, intensifies his reading in the library and finally, the ultimate testing of all his learning is done through programme of work experience.

Next »