© 2018 JETIR August 2018, Volume 5, Issue 8 www.jetir.

org (ISSN-2349-5162)

Thoughts and Ideas of Swami Vivekananda on

Education- A brief Study
Santu Biswas
Department of Education, University of Education, W.B.

Abstract:
This paper presents a review of Vivekananda’s Thoughts and Ideas on education. The 19th century India produced a
galaxy of great men who have enriched our national Educational system by their talent and personality. Swami
Vivekananda was one of them. Vivekananda believed in essential unity of man and God. He was an eclectic
educationalist too. He was revolutionary in the field of education and touched every aspect of it. His ideas on various
aspects of education are more relevant and are needed more today than probably during his life time. No wonder that
today, over a century after his death, we still try to enrich ourselves with the gems of Vivekananda’s thoughts on
education. If we attentively study the writings and lectures of Vivekananda, we will find that his views on education
are products of original reflection.

Key words: Vivekananda, Thoughts & Ideas, Education.

Introduction:
Swami Vivekananda signifies ‘man-making education’, as the mission of his life. Vivekananda’s definition of
education is one of remarkable insights in the reference domain. First of all the word ‘manifestation’ implies that
something already exists and is waiting to be expressed. The main focus is learning is to make the hidden ability of
the learner to manifest.

According to Swami Vivekananda education should cover all aspects of life – material, physical, moral, intellectual,
spiritual and emotional. For him, education defines as ‘the manifestation of perfection that is already in man.’

The remarkable emphases on the scientific and mechanical ways of life are fast reducing man to the status of a
machine. The fundamental principles of civilization are being ignored. Conflicts of ideals, manners and habits are
pervading the atmosphere. Disregard for everything old is the fashion of the day. Vivekananda seeks the solutions of
all these social and global evils through education. With this end in view, he feels the dire need of awakening man to
his spiritual self where in, he thinks, lies the very purpose of education.

He suggested that education should aim at reforming the human mind. It should not be for filling some facts into the
brain. Education should be the preparation of life. He once said that Education is not the amount of information that is
put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested all your life. We must have man-making, character-making
education and assimilation of ideas for it.

Swami Vivekananda wanted to remove the evils of the society. For this change, he laid stress on education as a
powerful weapon. According to Swami Vivekananda, it was possible to uplift Indian society from age-old afflictions,
responsible for its degenerate conditions, through the process of education alone. In the social context, the
development of a scientific outlook implies the development of a humanistic attitude which is impartial and free from
individual differences of caste, community, race, religion and nationality, and from irrational beliefs and practices.

Background of the Study:

Swami Vivekananda who was known to the world as the humanistic personality of India, as a social reformer, as a
religious leader, as a philosopher and an educationist. So an educationist Vivekananda developed his idea of education
after seeing the condition of Indians, in both urban and rural areas and his educational thought is combination of
eastern and western culture.

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One significant idea which comes out of his mind about education is that he wanted to educate and raise the masses,
because he believed that progress of the country totally depends upon the hands of masses. So education among the
masses is a must, as Swami Vivekananda wanted to see people as self sufficient which in modern language is called
participation. So Vivekananda are really gave great importance in spreading education among the masses, so that they
will get equal opportunity to play an active role in social and cultural change.

Objectives of the study:

The objectives of this paper are as follows:

 To study the goal or aims of education according to Swami Vivekananda.

 To study the means of education according to Swami Vivekananda.
 To point out Swami Vivekananda’s Concept of Man Making Education.
 To study the present relevance of Vivekananda’s educational ideas an education .

Methodology of the Study:

This study was purely theoretical based, and the study was also based on historical work The information for the study
has been collected mainly from so many books, reviews, articles and monographs which were consulted during the
study period.

Research question:

The researcher has conducted the study on the basis of the following some research questions, those research
question are,

 What is the Thoughts & Ideas of Swami Vivekananda on Education?

 What is the aims or goals of education according to Vivekananda?
 What are the views of Vivekananda on Present education system?
 What is the role of teacher in man-making education.
 What are the present relevance of Vivekananda’s educational ideas an education .

Vivekananda’s Philosophy of Education:

Self-confidence and self-reliance in the individuals inner quality which Swamiji has emphasized that all the
knowledge which we gets from worldly or spiritual lies embedded in the human mind for its inner senses. It was
covered by darkness and ignorance. Education is a tool to open enlightenment, after getting of education, the
knowledge will shines out dazzlingly. The teaching and learning are the one way of process. The teacher only guides,
suggests, points out and helps the student. Self learning and self getting knowledge is the real education. The teacher
only motivates and encourages the students to find out the hidden treasure of knowledge that lies dormant within him.
He refused the bookish learning and rote memory education. Vivekananda disgracing the theoretical and academic
education, he spoke emphatically for practical and experimental education.

Aims of Education on Swami Vivekananda’s view:

Vivekananda points out that the defect of present- day education is that it has no definite goal or aim to achieve the
aims of Education. A teacher, he says, has no clear idea about the goal of his teaching. Swamiji attempts to establish,
through his words and ideas, that the end of all education is man-making and character building.

A strong moral character and not merely the feeding of information to brain is the task of education according to
Swami Vivekananda. The education should enable one to realize one’s self. Before that it should create self
confidence. Education should take man to freedom, to liberty, to salvation. He said, “Through education, we should
gradually reach the idea of universal brotherhood by flinging down the walls of separation and inequality. In every
man, in every animal, however weak or miserable, great or small, resides the same omnipresent and omniscient soul.

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The difference is not in the soul but in the manifestation”. His aims of education can be classified into two heads:
proximate and ultimate.

Immediate aims of education:

Physical development

Mental development

Development of character

Vocational aim

Ultimate aims of education:

Development of personality

Faith in one’s own self

Developing a spirit of renunciation

To promote universal brotherhood

Curriculum of Education According to Swami Vivekananda’s view:

Swamiji did not specify any curriculum, it was a broad approach – a sort of synthesis between Science and Vedanta.
He opined that it cannot be purely western. He said curriculum content is based on Indian culture and with
combination of western culture and also curriculum should be constructed with a view to promote leadership qualities
in the growing generation. Swamiji advocates that education should develop patriotism and freedom through
curriculum. Vivekananda gave importance to curriculum for religious education, scriptures like Bhagavad-Gita,
Upanishads and the Vedas. These are the eternal sources of the life force of Indian culture. For our spiritual education
study of these scriptures is necessary as they are full of spiritual wisdom.

Role of Teacher: Schools and universities still continue to be merely examining bodies turning out mechanically
every year in huge numbers men and women destitute in faith and poor in culture – in the knowledge of our ancient
literature, arts unable to think originally, incapable of standing on their own feet, and virtually untouched by religion
which Swami Vivekananda regarded “the innermost core of education”. The teacher should share with the student the
conviction that they are both truly one in Spirit – at the same time cultivating in the student a feeling of dignity and
self-respect”. As Vivekananda said “The only true teacher is he who can immediately come down to the level of the
student, and transfer his soul to the student’s soul and see through the student’s eyes and hear through his ears and
understand through his mind. Such a teacher can really teach and none else”.

Man-Making Education:

He advocated for an educational system that is truly man making and character building. Vivekananda’s
visions on education deals with physical education, moral and religious education, medium of education, women
education and education for weaker sections of society and his concept of education may be encompasses within this
eleven words “Education is the manifestation of divine perfection that is already in man”.

But Vivekananda’s Man making education is a very comprehensive concept. Education is a process to overcome
from all evils. It was his conviction that only through the right type of education individuals can be transformed.
Swami Vivekananda saw the ‘Divine’ in the form of humanity through masses. This denotes the direction of Man-
making education. It implies that education should develop a spirit of service and the poor and the needy must be
helped to raise themselves.

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Women Education:

Vivekananda considered that women to be the incarnation of power and asked men to respect them in everywhere.
He rightly pointed out that unless Indian women secure a respectable place in this country, the nation can never march
forward. . The important features of his scheme of female education are to make them strong, fear-less, and conscious
of their chastity and dignity.

He insists that men and women are equally competent not only in the academic matters, but also must have equal
companion in the home and family. Vivekananda being a keen observer could distinguish the difference in perception
about the status of women in the West and in India.

Medium of Instruction:

Vivekananda strongly advocated for mother tongue as a medium of instruction . As a true nationalist and a
champion of national education argued he thought instruction through mother-tongue is the best process. He also
wanted to spread mass education through mother-tongue so that it will reach to everyone. But as today it is the era of
globalization where whole world is one so it is the need of time to consider the English language as mother tongue of
world and as important as individual’s mother tongue .

Findings of the Study:

The following findings have come out through the study:

1. He insists that men and women are equally competent for all matters, So he strongly advocated on self supported
education in India.

2. Vivekananda strongly advocated of mother tongue as a medium of instruction, and he also wanted to spread mass
education through mother-tongue.

3. Vivekananda emphasis should be given in character building through the development of Self learning, and ethical
& moral values.

4. For developing good character among our students, value based education should be included in our school
curriculum.

5. Swami Vivekananda emphasized on Man making education. Man making means a harmonious development of a
child in respect to their morality, humanity, honesty, character health etc. Therefore, a supportive environment to
fulfill this aims of education should be created in our school.

6. According to Vivekananda, true knowledge is very essential for every human being. The acquisition of true
knowledge is not possible without true education.

Present Relevance of Swami Vivekananda’s Thoughts & Ideas on Education:

Information without wisdom, compassion, tolerance, ethics has made today’s education a potential source of disaster.
On this, Swamiji remarked, “Hundreds of sciences have been discovered. The sole effect is that a few have made
slaves of many. That is all the good that has been done. Artificial wants have been created. Every poor man, whether
he has money or not, desires to have those wants fulfilled. When he can not, he struggles and dies in that struggle.”
Today’s education not only neglects training of mind but also negates all spiritual values. Brains are stuffed with
indiscriminate information. Education no longer stimulates one’s thinking process. A storehouse of information is
more encouraged today than cultivated humanity. On this, the visionary lamented, “Proper education is yet to be
started in today’s world. And civilization has begun nowhere yet.” He conceived civilization as ‘manifestation of the
divine within all individuals of the society’.

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One of the most significant contributions of Swami Vivekananda to the modern world is his interpretation of religion
and spirituality as the core of education. Swamiji met the challenge of modern sciences by showing that religion is as
scientific as science itself; religion is the science of consciousness. As such, religion and science are not contradictory
to each other but are complementary. This universal conception frees religion from the hold superstitions, dogmatism,
conflicts, ethnic confrontations and intolerance. It makes spirituality the highest and noblest pursuit - the pursuit of
supreme emancipation, supreme knowledge, and supreme bliss.

There is a remarkable similarity between present concerns of the World and Swami Vivekananda’s educational
objectives:

 His propagation of women education in society—Women empowerment.

 His propagation of humanity in education, thus propagating universality of values, secularism, and tolerance
as character.
 His struggle for the poor, under privileged - social equality.
 His ideas combination (eastern & western) of curriculum—curriculum diversity.
 His idea of 'education for all' - free and compulsory mass education.

Conclusion:

From the analysis of Vivekananda’s scheme of education, the uplift of masses is possible only through education. He
views on education brings a light of its constructive, practical and comprehensive character. By giving education, he
tries to materialize the moral and spiritual welfare and upliftment of humanity, irrespective of caste, creed, nationality
or time. By the way of his scheme of education, we can get the strong nation with peace and harmony and without
caste and creed. He builds a strong nation for our sake.

Reference:

Avinashilingam, T.S. (1957), Education Complied from the Speeches and Writings of Swami Vivekananda, Sri
Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai.

Bharathi, Vijaya D & Rao Bhaskara Digumarti (2010). Educational Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda. New
Delhi: Discovery Publishing House.

Banerjee, K.A., Meeta, M. (2015). Educational philosophy of Swami Vivekananda. International Journal of
Educational Research and Development Vol. 4(3), pp. 030-035.

Ruhela, S.P. & Nayak, R.K. (2011). Philosophical & Sociological Foundations of Education, Agrawal publication,
Agra.

Sharma, Ram Nath(2010). Textbook of educational philosophy, kanishka publishers, Distribution, New Delhi
110002,PP-277-284

Vivakananda’S (2007). Shiksha Prasanga. Udbodhan Karjalaya. Kolkata.

Vivekananda, S (2009). (Kiran Walia, Comd.). My Ideal of Education. Kolkata, Advaita Ashram.

Website Address:

Educational ideas of Swami Vivekananda, www.edusparx.com

http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/73933/12/12_chapter%205.pdf

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teachings_and_philosophy_of_Swami_Vivekananda

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