::: LOK BHARTI - A Rural Revolution :::

Education

Lokseva Mahavidyalaya

With the establishment of this Mahavidyalaya, a college of rural higher education - the first college of its kind in Gujarat, Lok Bharti started its activities in the year 1953. This Lokseva Mahavidyalaya, dedicated rural higher education is unique in many ways. The founding fathers were capable of managing even a university single handedly. They established certain values, started certain traditions and strengthened human relations; certain academic and administrative practices were set up so that even when the directors change, the values remain intact.

Apart from these, the following things throw light on the unique of our Mahavidyalaya :

w	Our own Syllabus and our own Degree : From 1953 to 1967, this college of rural education was not affiliated to any university. The college decided on its own important matters like framing the syllabus, methods of teaching, conducting examinations, fixing the eligibility criteria and awarding degrees to the candidates passing examinations. The State Government had recognized our degree for certain government posts and we were given 70% grant by the Government. Our graduates received wide recognition all over Gujarat and their efficiency and talents satisfied their employers.
w	Lok Bharti affiliated to Saurashtra University : Shri Dolar Rai Mankad, the first Vice Chancellor of Saurashtra University and champion of basic education, extended an invitation to Lok Bharti to affiliate with Saurashtra University and started a new Faculty of Rural Studies. It was given autonomy in matters like syllabus and examination. All programmes and practices of Lok Bharti were duly recognised in 1967. The university attitude was very helpful; it never interfered in our working.
w	Recognition by U.G.C. as an autonomous college : Saurashtra University gave us permanent affiliation in the year 1977. The U.G.C. introduced a scheme of autonomous colleges and in 1978 ours was the first college in Gujarat to get such autonomous status.
w	Autonomy with responsibility : The U.G.C. and the University evaluate our college every five years and renew the autonomous status. Till date, we have done all works and made our decision with a sense of responsibility and made regular self-assessment. Lok Bharti has been proudly credited as an autonomous college. Lok Bharti has provided an ideal model of education to the nation how the utilitarian approach of autonomy can be exercised.
w	Sincere Attempt to keep up the experimental approach : A. The revision of syllabus : » 64 experts were involved in the revision of syllabus » Various new subjects like Environmental Science, Natural resources, their development, planning & management were introduced. » Framing of unit-wise topics and lectures and weight age of marks. » New topics from latest research were included in each subject. B. Acceptance of Rural extension work as a project : Regular Thursday visits to a selected village as a part of rural extension work is organised well. C. Inclusion of viva-voce in the examination. D. The teachers are encouraged and financially helped to up-date their knowledge by attending camps, seminars, workshops, symposiums, their participation in debates and undertaking educational tours. E. Lectures and discussions are held to make different aspects of education explicit to teachers. F. Programmes designed to explain concept of correlation of education with society are held to enhance the understanding of teachers. G. In order to bring home to the students ideals and principles of Lok Bharti, different programmes such as Wednesday meetings, after–prayer lectures, introductory lectures, introductory lectures to any long programme; question-answer session, the night programmes etc. are organised for all three year students. They are also encouraged to attend programmers outside. Every attempt is made to make programme meaningful and planned.
w	Socially useful and Productive work : Lok Bharti from its earlier experiments has made sincere efforts to establish the dignity of labor in every academic section by introducing physical work as Compulsory part of Syllabus. A student is not promoted only if he has passed in the papers of theories but he has to complete prescribed hours of physical work every year for promotion to upper class. in Lok Bharti's view physical work must be scientific and productive and hence physical work is integrated with syllabus. Physical work in itself is not the study of craft but its is a medium of education. Every student of Lok Bharti is expected to put in 250 hours of physical labor every year. The Gujarat Govt. accepts it in lieu of tuition fees. it has been observed that the following Qualities have been developed as a result of physical work, efficiency, removal of nausea for physical work, inculcates respect and sympathy for workers, creates self confidence, value of physical work increases, inspires initiative enterprise, ability to take risk for new work fields, increases decision making power.
w	Lok Bharti Degree is recognized by Bhavnagar University and other Universities for higher studies.
w	Care has been taken in framing the syllabus, methods of teaching in other activities in such a way as to keep the trinity of education, research and extension intact.
w	The students are admitted after taking written and oral tests.
w	Laboratory : There is a well equipped laboratory where 40 students can work at a time. It is very useful for animal husbandry, agro-chemistry, and dairy science. Analysis of soil, water chemical fertilizers and organic manure is carried out here. special efforts is made to educate rural people regarding the contents of milk and cattle feed based on the work done in the Laboratory. Thus it is related to needs of the farmers, The students analyze samples of soil and water collected from the selected farms and farmers are provided proper guidance. regarding the quality of the soil and water. The laboratory contains all the gadgets and chemicals needed for undertaking different experiments. Thus it forms an integral part of our extension work.
w	A Comprehensive Breeding project : With the assistance of “The Field Study Council of England.” and under the sponsorship of Nehru Foundation, Ahmedabad a breeding project has been in operation to create comprehensive awareness of the importance of environment education among the people for the last three years. This Project aims at introducing an ideal concept of environment which does not mean trees, water and animals only but harmonious relationship of all elements of nature and the Gandhian concept of human development in a balanced harmony with nature. This project was implemented by the same group of students during all three years.
w	Physical facilities at the College : The college has a sprawling campus with idyllic setting, conducive for teaching and learning. There are four hostel-buildings, three halls each capable of accommodating 80 students at a time, 8 class rooms for special subjects, two big play-grounds, 80 acres of agriculture land for farm experiments, a dispensary, a cowshed, a laboratory with a classroom for the special subject of horticulture.
w	A yogasan camp in the first year and Vipashyana camp (voluntary) in the second year are held for the internal development of the students.
w	Trekking : The students are encouraged to join the 32 km. long trekking from Lok Bharti to Khodiyar temple.
w	The tree is known by its fruits: The bible says " the tree is known by its fruit" similarly the intimate taste of the success of any educational institution is its students. More than 50% of the student from Lokseva Mahavidhyala work for Rural Recognition activities, 30% are engaged in rural development support activities. Our students have treaded on new path ways under taking such vocations as teaching, farming animal husbandry, co-operative activities, panchayat works, politics, tribal welfare, village adoption schemes, water conservation program, watershed management, working for NGO, organic farming, nursery, women empowerment, business, Govt. service etc. 2700 graduates who passed from our rural higher education college work in varied programs covering very wide and comprehensive range of activities 50 years ago when small institutions were situated in remote rural areas without transportation facilities, there were no pucca roads, life was full of hardships, even then our graduates reached far and wide in every nook and corner of rural, tribal and desert areas where they opened post basic schools and have run them devotedly. 60%-70% of principals, rectors, teachers and craft teachers working in the existence network of post basic schools from their own resources, built buildings from donations, raised new facilities and thus got people acceptance. Lok Bharti graduates engaged in multi purpose activities of rural development have sustain there activities even under unfavorable conditions. They work wholeheartedly, provide leadership in rural areas, even if they are in govt. service they attend first to rural problems and work with responsibility There is great demand of Lok Bharti Graduates in entire Gujarat because they possess expected abilities and work ethics which can be in the following words . » Our Graduates consider no work mean or insignificant. » They are eager to take up unknown work and ready to learn new things. » They have cultivated the skill to work among the rural folk, to persuade them and mix with them for their work. » They do not follow any fixed working hours but work enthusiastically for more time when needed » They are ready to undertake hard and clumsy tasks. » One can trust that they will carry out entrusted work without fail. » They can subordinate themselves to the development of the institution. » They can work with dedication and devotion. » They are always eager to follow the rules as a citizen.
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