‘Education is as important for the country as the army’

Freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai is known for his revolutionary ideas. He wrote books about India’s education, civilization and culture after returning from a trip to Europe. His book ‘Dukkhi Bharat’ did the work of awakening the society of that era. Excerpts from the same book are presented on the occasion of his birth anniversary. 

“In India, private public institutions have done and are doing a lot of work for elementary high quality and art-skilled education. Late J.N. Tata had spent a significant part of his money for excellent scientific education. The existence of Bangalore’s scientific school is due to him. Bose Babu’s laboratory, the National Medical School of Calcutta, is the result of the hard work of Indians in whole or in particular. Government universities are also grateful for the donations of Indians like Sir Gurudas Banerjee.

Promotion of national education is a very determined and profitable business. It is needed for the defense of the nation as much as the army is needed for the defense of the country. There should be a complete system of public education from the government and it should be the first right on the exchequer. It is useless to arrange education for the whole country by the private funds and institutions of the public. To work for it is to work for the impossible. Moreover, it diverts public attention from the duties of the government. National education system should be promoted, used, helped and governed by all the nation.

Now the old idea also goes away that the job of the government is only to arrange elementary education. The whole world has accepted the fact that the work of the government does not end with elementary education. The economic and industrial potential of the nation is dependent on art-skill and industrial education. The government should also arrange for that. The government cannot ignore even the highest quality of education as it is dependent on intelligent and capable leadership.

Teaching a few books or teaching reading, writing and counting is not education. It also includes arrangements for the physical development of children. Their health also has to be protected and food has to be arranged when needed, so that they can benefit from the arrangement made by the government for their education.

It is the duty of the Government to nurture and educate the children with the intention of helping them to become capable, smart and careful citizens. These things do not depend on the condition and desire of the parents.

The reformers in India have to work against very adverse conditions because they have to fight ignorance and conflicting perceptions without even the slightest help from the government. In fact, the foreign bureaucracy has found new ways for this for the purpose of fulfilling its selfishness. Only those castes are recruited in the army which are known as military castes. Not everyone can pass the test of merit that the recruiting officers can accept.

Those who think that the British government and Christian missionaries will free India from caste and evils, they are building Hawa Mahal. The bureaucracy only wants to give a new form to caste-discrimination to prove itself.”