Mahatma Gandhi's Philosophy of Education and Its Relevance to Contemporary Indian Education

This research paper explores the philosophy of education of Mahatma Gandhi using a historical approach and considers its applicability to the modern education. Gandhi did not consider education as literacy or passing examination. He perceived it as a character-building process, development of self-reliance, work to train the body and mind, and equip the learners to live an ethical social life. His pedagogical views were formed by his writings like Hind swaraj and by his subsequent experiments which led to the Nai Talim or Basic Education which was formally stated in the late 1930s. Gandhi focused on mother tongue, dignity of labour, craft-based learning, moral growth, citizenship, village reconstruction, and compatibility between individual development and welfare of the society. This paper is based on past and documentary materials to decipher the development, ideals, and objectives of Gandhian education. The results indicate that, the educational thought of Gandhi was a catalysis of colonial, scholarly and estranging education and a proactive programme of national restoration. The paper presents that Gandhian thought is still relevant in the current discussions of experiential learning, value education, vocational integration, sustainability, peace education, and inclusive community-based schooling. Despite certain aspects of the Gandhian education, which need to be reinterpreted in a technological and globalized world, its ethical and pedagogic principles still provide a valuable guideline to human-centred education.