CHALLENGES OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN NON-PROFESSIONAL COURSES

Basic concern about our Education System:

  The purpose of education is to create a well rounded human personality,   inspired with a right sense of human values and equipped with  capabilities to deal with the problems that arise in one’s mind and in the environment   surrounding us all of nature and of society

Oscar Wilde had once remarked,” that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught and that self-training is the best education”. Still there is a general feeling that formal education is must for the growth of a person

 Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said “ No Subject is of greater importance than that of education.  It is the men and women in a country that make and build a nation and it is education that is supposed to build those men and Women “

The vast spread of education in India has resulted into education for all in a true sense. Presently our Colleges and Universities are facing the credibility crises, especially the way the education is managed including the work culture provided. Also there are enhanced expectations from the society relating to value from the investment in education for their wards. With the increasing resources crunch, a new paradigm of “earning your own money” is becoming reality.

The Privatization in higher technical education is emerging fast. From a protected system, we are moving to a competitive system of education. Also the globalisation and breaking of communication barriers is leading to unversalisation of higher education. In this transition, public institutions such as Universities and Colleges are facing major challenges of revamping their educational system and devising procedures to meet the growing expectations of our society. For continued success, we need to develop sound educational policies including

·       Institutional autonomy,

·       Improved quality of teachers improved educational facilities,

·       Orientation / Refresher courses,

·       Decentralisation of educational administrators etc.

The rise and fall of a nation depends on the success or failure of its education system. We need to implement innovative steps to modernise. Need for value based career building education. Can we confidently say that a student who comes out of the College by obtaining a degree of graduation is an educated person?

Answer to this question depends on what we understand by the expression “Education”

·       Does education means accumulation of information which can be reproduced as and when called upon to do so

·       Or does this expression convey something more?

·       Has education got anything to do with the development of personality of an individual?

·       Is it the individual? Or is it enough to make him an expert in a particular field?

To me, it appears that the system of education has degenerated into a mere imparting of knowledge and turning out experts from the educational factories. The ancient educational system that prevailed in our country based on Gurukula, Agraharas, Maktabs and Madrasas provided intellectual education only on the firm foundation of moral, ethical, social and spiritual values. It is not enough that education makes a man an intellectual giant it must also make him good, honest and right-thinking man.

Curriculum and Course of Study

The Curriculum and the course of studies for various degrees clearly show that they are concentrating only on imparting informative or intellectual form of education and that no attempt whatsoever is being made for building up the character of the student and for inculcating in him the urge to follow the moral, ethical, spiritual and righteous path in his life

            The subject areas taught in our educational system in non professional course are inadequate to equip the student to face new realities which are of great opportunities. Therefore there is need for many schools,  Colleges, Centres and Courses to deal on an interdisciplinary basis, with areas in the Natural sciences, Engineering sciences and technology, Medical and agricultural sciences and the social sciences.

        The Colleges and Universities must have a flexible approach, which would enable students to learn, qualify, and work out professional careers in these areas of new emerging opportunities.

Recognizing the above and the basic fact, Colleges and Universities have to perform multiple roles, like

·       creating new knowledge,

·       acquiring new capabilities and

·       producing an intelligent human resource pool, through

·       challenging

·       teaching,

·       research and

·       extension activities so as to balance both the need and the demand,

In the highly competitive world being a mere graduate is not enough, one needs to be additionally equipped to cope up with the additional professional requirements. And for this a conscious attempt has to be made to bring about a total turn around in the process of imparting education in the country. 

At College level, in addition to the Arts, Science and Commerce subjects now being taught, other subjects should find a place which is the need of the hour. Technical and Professional education should be made more broad based to include subjects like Technical and Vocational Training, Journalism,   Computers, Museology, Library Science, Calligraphy, Photography Skill and Personality Development, Nursing, Catering, Technology, Business Management etc, which would offer avenues for employment and self- employment. The Syllabus should be so framed as to attract the students and make them feel that the subjects taught would help them in life. Students should also be given scope to select any subject of their choice and not binding. Facilities for teaching and training in them must be provided, to enable them to put their heart and soul into their study.

Methods of teaching:

The methods of teaching have to be modified and improved upon   and should include the new instrument and equipments such as

·       audios and videos,

·       computers and satellites and

·       modern communication system

          Modern education is memory–oriented to an extent that is not only desirable, but positively harmful.  This memory–oriented method should yield place to enquiry- oriented education .The students in lower and at the college level should understand the importance of the simple, but significant words WHY, WHERE, WHEN, and HOW ? They should be taught NOT TO accept anything for granted, but must be made TO ENQUIRE about causes and effects.  In other words, they should be made to THINK and use their POWER OF REASONING .Teachers should be Guides and Philosopher to show them how to THINK and REASON. They must develop this habit at every stage of opportunity to train them for KPSC/UPSC and many other Competitive Examinations.

          No man or woman could be considered a human being without physical intellectual and as regard to moral development the parents and family background will play an important role initially, while the teachers can mould the pupil towards right direction. Physical education is another factor not given much importance in the Colleges. Except training in some Games and Sports events. Not much is being done to develop the physique. As it is well said “A sound mind in a sound body “,should be put into practice more effectively by giving greater scope for physical exercises. The energy and enthusiasm of the youth must be properly mobilized and utilized as part of education. If these aspects of education are taken up at the earliest opportunity. It will certainly contribute much to an all round development of the younger generation.

Need for New Educational Policy:

The need for a new educational policy for our country has been discussed and debated by various sections of our educated society during last few years. However, after independence our country realised the necessity for it to keep pace with the rest of the world. It was felt that the present system of education was unfit for the nation that had won its freedom after much sacrifice. One of the most important problems facing our country is illiteracy. A majority of the people are without the rudiments of education. Millions of people do not know to read and write even to this day.

          Another reason attributed to the lowering of standards is the nature of the subject taught. In most cases, the subjects taught in schools and colleges are not of much use to the students when they leave the educational institutions to enter life.  A majority of Colleges work only for about 100 to 125 days in a year. The number of days for which they actually work and not what is mentioned in the prospectus of the college, and during this period, students are supposed to have mastered several subjects that form an ambitious syllabus.

Much emphasis is placed on passing examinations by hook or by crook. Any means would be proper as long as the end is achieved. This is the type of thinking that is engendered among the students. Not much importance is given for the students to exhibit their creative ability. Many young men and women coming out of educational institutions find themselves misfits in society.  Hence, in recent times the Government of India has been inviting suggestions from statesmen, politicians, educationalists and even students for improving the system. The result has been much encouraging and many valuable suggestions have been given by various people by organising Seminars and Conferences, but no implementation is made. The need of the hour is a total revamping of the educational system.

Importance of Technical and Vocational Training.

Illiteracy is one of the major problems in India. Since a majority of people are living below the poverty line, many are unable to give good education to their children. As unemployment problems among educated youth is becoming serious day by day because Universities produce hundreds and thousands of graduates every year. Though literate they do not qualify for any vocation. Most of them enter the job market with high hopes. Unfortunately they remain unemployed or can secure only a low paid job. As a result the unemployment problem becomes more and more serious.

Vocational education is that type which fits a person in a situation where one can stand on his own legs, after one finishes his education. In some cases, people are also able to learn and earn at the same time through vocational education.

When we take the statistic of Minority and other Backward Classes we find that about 100 students who take admission there are about 40% to 50% dropout at S S L C. If Institutions introduce Vocational courses in the form of Short term courses conducted for 60 days during summer vacation such as Tailoring, Cooking, Bakery, Dye making Textile painting etc can help both young boys and girls to stand on their own foot. With regard to Long term courses for one year such as Automobile Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Fabrication, Electrification, Air Conditioning, Carpentry, Interior decoration and Applied aspects of Computers are introduced and If Certificate given by the Institutions  are issued by Government of Karnataka it will certainly open new avenues to job opportunities in foreign countries particular to those who are Non-Matriculate.

   In this form of education, training is imparted to students in particular professions which they can follow throughout their life. While, in the conventional type of education one who leaves school or college is not sure whether one would be able to get a job or not. Provision of vocational training is not an easy task. It is a costly process and many people cannot afford it. Hence vocational subjects must be included in the existing curriculum because vocational education has a definite advantage over the conventional type of education. Considering the vast natural resources that lie untapped in this country and the ever increasing number of young men and women, who have the potential to turn mud into gold, if only we could in some manner harness their energies, so that their collective efforts may prove beneficial for the country. Thus adequate attention should be paid towards the development of technical and vocational education along with the non professional courses in the interest of the students in particular and in the interest of nation in general

Dr. Mrs. Zakiya Khanum K. Ansari

Professor, Dept. of Studies in History

Gulbarga university, Gulbarga



A Note on Economic Ideas of Caliph Ali with Special Reference to his Letter to Malik Al- Ashtar

Abstract: 

It was a common practice on the part of rightly guided caliphs of Islam to write letters to the different functionaries of the government, which contained timely and valuable instructions covering a wide spectrum. Such letters were treated as public documents and were preserved for posterity. In this note, an attempt is made to study economic ideas of Ali (600-661 C.E.) with special reference to his letter to Malik al-Ashtar (d.658 C.E.). After going through the contents of Ali's letter to al-Ashtar, we discover certain principles on which Ali wanted to govern his people with a difference. Much more can be learnt from Nahjul Balagha but the present attempt is limited to the study of only one letter. Among all the seventy-eight letters of Ali, this particular letter occupies a unique significance for the reasons of its length and clarity of purpose, notwithstanding the beauty of language and style. Caliph Ali's ideas relating to matters of governance and the administration of justice do not just reflect his personal opinions but represent core Islamic principles as enshrined in the Quran and the precepts of the Prophet.

Introduction
Ali, according to the Sunni doctrine, was a pious and austere person, a close companion of the Prophet and the fourth righteous caliph. The Shias all over the world hold him as the first imam in a chain of twelve imams. To an equally large number of Muslims across the world, he is a peerless mystic master who publicly and privately practiced highest level of abstinence and detachment from material comforts. He is regarded as one of the earliest spiritual masters and held as the first link after the Prophet in Sufi slaasil (mystic chains/orders).

Not much is written on the various aspects of Ali's accomplishments including his social, economic and political ideas. So also, not much literature is available to highlight the sincere cooperation Ali extended to his predecessors as well as the critical or rather highly complex situation prevailing during his caliphate; the precarious state of affairs he had to face; the economic, political and administrative policies he pursued and the moral and Islamic values he upheld even in the most trying circumstances. In recent years, however, scholars have started identifying these gaps. There are innumerable guides of humanity, flag bearers of reform……builders of nations and countries and teachers of wisdom and learning whose real accomplishments have remained unknown to the world for hundreds of years….One of these victimized personalities whose real worth was never appreciated was Ali b. Abu Talib…..The demands of the age in which he had lived and difficulties which he had to face were never dispassionately analyzed. Similarly, socio-economic values which Ali cherished have not received sufficient attention. This paper, to a little extent, intends to fill-in this gap. For this particular purpose, his seminal letter to Malik al-Ashtar is studied which is included in Nahjul Balagha.

Dr. Sayed Afzal Peerzade.

Chairperson, Department of Economics, Karnataka State Women's University,
Bijapur, India.

(adopted from the IUB Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Vol.8 No2, 2010)

Cultural Contributions of Bahmani Sultan’s to Indian History

In the Indian history after the decline of Hindu dynasties in South India, the first and foremost dynasty which emerged in the Deccan was that of the Bahmanis. The Bahmani kingdom was one of the most important kingdom of Deccan which made its appearance as a result of the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate. The Bahmani sultans followed a policy of peace even after bloodshed and tyranny. They developed mutual understanding with native rulers. The founder member of this dynasty was also one of the subordinate of Khilji family. He took the opportunity by consolidating the other like minded officers and defeated the rule of the Khilji. This led to the establishment of an independent dynasty at Gulbarga, in 1347 A D. Abdul Muzaffar Alauddin Bahman Shah who became the founder of the Bahmani kingdom and made Gulbarga as its capital and it was followed by several rulers and Kalimullah was the last sultan and finally the Bahmani rule came to an end in1537 A D giving rise to Five independent Muslim kingdoms. The Imad Shahis of Berar ,the Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar, the Adil Shahis of Bijapur, the Qutub Shahis of Golconda and the Barid Shahis of Bidar.

The contributions of this great kingdom in all fields. This is an attempt to unfold the events related to history and culture and bring to light all the important events to be recorded in the pages of history. In the political history, they enlarged their political barriers and fought many times with Vijayanagara rulers, and built religious and secular monuments in the length and breadth of their kingdom. They shifted their capital from Gulbarga to Bidar for the succession to the throne. They fought with each other and sometimes some of them were massacred and murdered. Sometimes offered matrimonial alliance with Hindu rulers also. They encouraged the religion and philosophy that led to propagate Sufism in their kingdom. Large number of Sufi saints hailed from various parts of North India. Among them Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gesudaraz (RH) was one of such Sufi saint who played vital role not only for the rulers but to the public in large extent to maintain the peace and tranquility in the kingdom. Many religious centers emerged among them, such as the Mosque, and the Mausoleum. The Mosque were not only religious centers but also socio-cultural centers they were patronized by the rulers of Bahmani dynasty for which the rulers issued farmans which were also issued for administrative purposes to maintain the safety and security of each administrative division. The construction of forts and fortification were encouraged considerably. The necessity of establishing education institution was encouraged after shifting the capital over to Bidar. The magnificent building with colorful tiles and paintings various rooms and halls constructed at Bidar is indeed a unique education center of this dynasty in South. Besides this, they gave importance for the construction of tombs particularly in the capital, as many of the tombs of royal family members, the saints and officers were constructed largely in and around these two cities of Gulbarga and Bidar. 

1. Bahmani sultans enriched Persian, Arabic and Urdu Literature.

2. They tried to ensure stable government at Central, Provincial and Local

3. Bahmani art received new colour and shape at the hands of Firoz shah Bahmani as Saracenic i.e., Indo-Muslim art

4. The area emerged as the bedrock of Hindu-Muslim culture.

5. Muslims and Hindus lived with great harmony

6. Mahmud Gawan’s Madrasah at Bidar was the highest centre of learning and Literature.

7. Construction of Roads, Fort and Fortification modernized society and promoted Agriculture and Industry.

8. Socio- economic conditions and ascetic values contributed to the growth of Sufi movement under the Bahmanis.

Dr. Mrs. Zakiya Khanum K. Ansari

Professor, Department of History.

Gulbarga University, Gulbarga

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM UNDER ADIL SHAHI KINGS & SUFIS AS REFORMERS AND WRITERS

INTRODUCTION

          By 14th century when waves of Muslim settlers first moved into the Bijapur plateau, both the Marathi and Kannada core areas had already begun to crystallize.  As these areas had developed on either side of the central Bijapur plateau, Islam was able to flourish along the resulting cultural fault line.  Linguistically, this meant that the Dakhni language was able to flourish more brilliantly at Bijapur than anywhere else, for this area had previously experienced little linguistic integration.  Politically it meant that Muslims were able to rule the area until the chaotic eighteenth century. Unlike the warrior Sufis, the later Sufis of Bijapur were very liberal and humane and open. This is its real strength. 

          The growth of Bijapur as an important Islamic center was doubtlessly important in attracting the city urban-oriented Sufis as well as other Muslims having cultivated skills. The Adil Shahi kingdom’s change from shia to sunni state in 1583 and was also a factor Qadri Sufis attached to Sunni orthodoxy as shattari Sufis were opposed to Shi’sm to Bijapur.  “Push factors also played a part in the migration of Sufies to Bijapur finally one can note an important difference between the chisti and non-chisti patterns of settlement in Bijapur.  Followers of the chistipath generally come to Bijapur to study with Burahan-al-Din janam and later with his son Amin-al-din, all well established and founded khankhas.  Chisti pattern of settlement thus center outside the city walls, while the Quadari and shattari pattern created a host of lesser khanna has within the walls.

''SUFIS AS REFORMERS AND WRITERS:

Most of the Sufis arrived in the reign of Ibrahim II & Mohmmad either from other Islamic centers within India or increasingly, directly from the Arab middle-East. As non-Deccanis they did not participate in the movement towards Hindu Muslim syncretism in Bijapur presided over by sultan Ibrahim II except Shah Hashim pir Alawi, who developed important contacts with various non-elite Muslim & non-muslim groups in Bijapur. since Hashim pir Alawi was perhaps the only Bijapur sufi to develop close contacts both the court and the general population. While the literati played a leading role in propagating and giving respectability to written Dakhani, the vernacular of the Decanni class, their achievements in the religious history of the Deccan were probably more significant. By blending the simplest teaching of Islam and the terminology of the Sufi tradition with the imagery of an existing literary form they were able to reach non-elite commoners that their spiritual ancestors had apparently never tried to reach. Sufi literature thus contributed to the gradual acculturation of many commoners to variety of folk Islam more oriented around tombs than mosques, an on-going process still plainly visible on the Bijapur plateau today. The folk poetry written by Sufis were sung by village woman as they did various house hold chores.

The most common types included the chakki-nama, sung while grinding food grains at the grind stone or chakki, the charka-nama, sung while spinning thread at the spinning wheel, other types of such folk poetry included the Lori-nama or Luilaby, the Shadi-nama or wedding song, the sugham-nama or married women's song, and the suhaila or eulogistic song. It is evident that most of the poetic form appealed especially village women, for centuries singing songs became of its content, manifestation with message were meaningful to them. Sufis use of this vehicle may be said to represent a major development in the cultural history of the Deccan. Most of the folk poetry was originated with Bijapur Sufis of the chishti order. The work of Sufis, devotion to God & respect for one's peer, the folk Islamic songs most of them were originated in Bijapur either of resident chishtis of Shahpur Hillock or of lay members of the followers who had studied these & migrated else where in the Deccan. Shah Mirajun Shamsul-ushaq, shah Burahan al-din janam, Ameen-Al-din A’la, Mahmmad Kush Dahan & their immediate of half of seventeenth & early eighteenth century made the literature very popular.

The most important Sufis of Bijapur having large Khanaquas generally had two or three circles of Murids who had pledged themselves to undertake spiritual studies & disciplines under the direction of a pir, formally initiated by the pir into the silsila as heirs to a spiritual path. The inner circle of murids is to be distinguished from the still smaller circles of Khalifas who were given not only the spiritual instructions of the murids but also (the right to succeed the pir in his capacity of indicating murids. There is also an out circles to lay persons affiliated to peers both Muslim & non-Muslims. While most murid were probably born Muslims, there is ample evidence in both the chisthi & shattari traditions that non-Muslims of Bijapur were converted to Islam and that time if their initiation into the orders as murids. Burhan-ul din janam hinted this when he wrote, "If you have the patience, I will tell you what-Zikr-i Jali is the follower whatever his religion, will become purified if he understands this Zikr-i-Jali is the spiritual exercise corresponding to the first stage of chisti path (Shariat), which enjoys the murid to master and obey the Islamic law.

         

Another instant of a non-Muslim being converted to Islam during induction to the chisti order is found in the narrative poem shajaratal-Atqiyq. The relevant passage concerns the relation between Burhan al-din's, son Amin-al-din A'la (d.1675) and a certain Hindu sanyasi. This account written by one of Amin-al-din's murids, records that the sanyasi presented a philosophers stone to Amin-al-din after having just demonstrated the stones gold producing qualities. But Amin-al-din merely threw the stone into Shahpur tank, a large reservoir that was in those times located near his Khanaqah on shapur Hillock. Distraught, the sanyasi wept for his lost philosopher’s stone, but Amin-al-din only smiled and said. "Go in the water and find the stone and if you find it take it" The sanyasi went there and discovered that many philosophers’ stones were in water. These upon he became a believer in Amin, and having said the Kalima, he became his murid."

The most persuasive evidence that the initiation process into the inner circle was used also for making muslim is found in the literature on Shah Hashim pir 'Alawi (d.1646). a prospective murid would face Mecca while holding Hashim pirs hand. He would then recite the Islamic confection of faith and several prescribed verses from the Koran, followed by a pledge of spiritual lovability to Hashim pir, who would remain his mediator with God.

          Shah Hashim pir's Khanaqah was perhaps the only Sufi center in Bijapur, a part from that of Shah Mirnji & his successor on shahpur Hillock, that had an observable impact on the non-Muslim population of the seventeenth century. The Khanaqhas of famous Sufis & the darghas that grew upon, built by their murids, these tombs derived the importance in Indo-Muslim history from being the carriers of the barakat of the Sufis buried beneath them.

(Abdul Aziz Rajput)

Nauras Nama or Kitab-e-Nauras

This treatise was written by Ibrahim Adil Shah (1580-1627). The work contains collection of Deccan language songs in Persian script. It contains 56 songs, and the raga for each song has been indicated. All these songs are based on dhruvapad(the correct Sanskrit word is dhruvapad) style, and every song consists of three parts, viz. sthayi, antara and abhog. In the Tuzuk-e- Jehangiri, Jehangir has praised the writing of Adil Shah and appreciated the new style dhruvapad compositions. He described him as the creator of a new style, which can be considered a style between dhruvapad and khyal. The manuscripts of the Nauras Nama are available at the Prince of Wales Museum (Mumbai) and Khudabaksh Library, Patna. Prof. Nazeer Ahmed of Aligarh University has edited this book with the title of Kitab-e-Nauras. In his opinion this could have been written around 1560-1603 A.D. Nauras Nama describes about 17 ragas, viz. Bhupali, Ramkri, Bhairav, Hijaz, Maru, Asavari, Desi, Purvi, Berari, Todi, Malhar, Gauri, Kalyan, Dhanasri, Kanhra, Kedar and Nauroz. In addition, the names of 14 popular musical instruments have also been mentioned.

The Nine Kings of Bijapur

1. Yusuf Adil Shah (1489-1510)
2. Ismail Adil Shah - (1510-1534)
3. Mallu Adil Shah - (1534-1535)
4. Ibrahim Adil Shah-I - (1535-1557)
5. Ali Adil Shah-I - (1557-1580)
6. Ibrahim Adil Shah-II - (1580-1627)
7. Muhammad Adil Shah - (1627-1656)
8. Ali Adil Shah-II - (1656-1672)
9. Sikander Adil Shah - (1672-1686)

During the second half of the seventeenth century, when the kingdom was at its height, it extended from Arabian Sea on the west coast to the Bay of Bengal on the east coast. 

         This magnum opus recaptures the sublime spirit of the opulent oriental life and culture as rendered by its aesthetic carved architecture, art, pulsating lush paintings, customes, jewellery, arms, armour and scores of other antiquities, which are brought to light and most of them published for the first time. Being secular rulers they patronized Muslims, Hindus, and Christians alike. The Hindus occupied high positions in administration and the army and were recruited at all levels. Europeans too were employed and were given extra-ordinary concessions to establish factories within the kingdom. They patronized Persian, Marathi, Kannada, Urdu and Arabic languages. Some of the royal orders or farmans were bilingual. Some of them were inscribed on stone slabs and have survived. It represented unity in diversity. The Composite civilization that evolved at the highly cosmopolitan Bijapur was known as "Deccani".