Paper Details

Abstract Since ancient times, society and social systems have made constant efforts to develop education so that every citizen may receive it. Even today, the Government has set the goal of education for all to improve the standard of education in the country. From the perspective of compulsory education, the process of universalization of education has been implemented, and remarkable progress has been made in this field. In the present time, the blind race for development has proved that a higher level of civilization is not possible only through material achievements. For this, self-reliance, independence, character, values, and spiritual resources are also essential. Only then will tendencies such as love, compassion, kindness, service, and upliftment of the poor emerge. Any education system that fails to make these spiritual values its ultimate goal not only strays from the right path but also misguides human beings, becoming the reason for destruction even amidst abundance of material wealth. However, it is also true that without fulfilling the basic needs of human life, moral values lose their meaning, and a person naturally falls prey to negative tendencies like violence, hatred, injustice, falsehood, and cruelty. This is the condition visible in present-day Indian education, which has become a complex challenge for modern Indian thinkers. If we truly wish to achieve material development, it must go hand in hand with moral, character-based, and spiritual growth, making it an integral part of the Indian education system. Therefore, the aim of our education should be to build a system that ensures opportunities for every individual in these areas. We must make the best use of our educational resources. Yet, problems like wastage and stagnation in education are leading to the misuse of these resources. Thus, there is a need to revisit the ancient education system and use its insights to overcome the shortcomings of modern education.

Keywords: Mahatma Gandhi, Educational Thoughts, Critical Study