Himalayan Times (1962)

October 14, 1962

Himalayan Tiiaes

were two groups of Orien-
talists, viz. the Somsimi-
tists and the Arabia^.
In other words, one etoo.,
for the Hindu and the
other for the Mualim tra-
dition. The encourage-
ment of these rival reli-
gious groups, while useful
as a political dodge for
the colonial power, pro-
vad to be the greatest
i: nact? to our national
integrity.

We have made a good
many changes in our edu-
cational system during the
last fifteen years of inde-
pendence. I venture to
express the view that all
the ohanges we have made
have been iu the nature
of tinkering with the sys-
tem instead of subjecting
it to a complete over-
haul What is more we
proceeded in the matter
in a topsy turvey fachion,
starting at the tcp and
coming, down to the bot-
tom. We decided without
any proper enquiry or
preparation to adopt the
Basic System for the
Primary stage of educa-
tion. This we did because
Gandhiji's ntma was asso-
ciated with it.

It it not possible to
dwell at any length on
the changes introduced at
th8 Secondary and Univer-
sity levels. These have
been more of an arthma-
&icel rather than en edu-
cational character. Put-
ting ono year mors in
the Secondary and taking

one out of the University
oourae hardly amounts to
improving either. ifo
doubt the intentions be-
hind all these ohaneeo
were good. Xhe trouble
is that due to the scar,
oity of resources of all
kinds, the anxiety to
change the medium of
instruction too rapidly,
and intensification of group
rivalries, the objects set
out have not been achieved.

Our main faults have
been too much of senti-
mentality, too much dog-
matism, and if I may so
Bay, to much smug hypo-
criwy. We must shed
these weaknesses. Let us
forget our Ram Rajya,
and grapple with the
present,

If there is any thing
worth while in our tradi-
tion it will take care of
itself. But we are far be-
hind where modernity is
conoempd. Our syllabuses
in Science are out of
date Our technical couraee
ere not up to standard.
Where the humanities are
conoemed wo are not
;jrodueing the liberal out-
look and the critical fa
<ulty which is the essence
nf humanism.—A I.R.

Continued from column 3

future in tbo Stats. The
Government, therefo;®,
planned intensification of

forestry operations in tbo
existing forest arose
throughsoioDtific methods.

KRESH APPROACH TO
FORESTRY
Darjealiug, Cot, IS?
Iq his convocation?
address to tie Weaf, Ben-
gal Forbst School at Dob
Hill recently Mr S. M,
Fezlur Rabamao, Minister
of Forests and Fisheries,
stressed the impovtance
of forestry in tbo oontexi
of present day develop,
ment, and need for foreoi-
protection and pvaoerva,
tion.

He said thaS e num
ber of sohemes bad been
taken up in the Third
Plan, under which tbo
total amount alloted un-
der Forests was Rb. 2.82
crores. '1 ha Government
had decided in principle
to set up at least ono
particle board factory
during the Plan period.
He added ' We are on
the threshold of a re-
oriented approach to fores-
try and forest wealth,"

The Minister k»id that
West Bengal had only
13.4% of her level under
forests, but this included
water aud other Eton pro-
ductive areas. Effective
forests only comprised
11 3%. The nationEl'foreei;
policy envisaged 33% of
land under foFetsts. In
view of the population
increase, there waa un-
bearable pressure on land
and there thus stiis esapj'
eoopa for extensions of the
forest area in the ass,:,

Continued on column a