Education has borne the brunt of the vagaries of time, especially in nation with a chequered history as that of India. It has been a mode of expressing freedom of mind while inspiring the spirit of thought and moral conscience. It is noted that in the present day society in general and the younger generation in particular are facing serious shortcomings in terms of moral, ethical and spiritual values.

Parents are forcing their children to focus on the competitive examinations alone and are forgetting the crucial aspect of their personality development. The unnecessary pressure has taken the shift from a holistic approach towards education to simple rote learning.

Unfortunately, the teaching qualities have drastically fallen in the last couple of decades owing to many factors like lack of infrastructure and degradation of moral capacities. Thus both the staff and the students have been completely deprived of the excellent study material that could foster the better living standards.

One needs to have an agile mind that is capable of analytical thinking and understanding of complex core concepts but also evolve as human beings.

They need to build a strong and solid foundation of scientific and technology knowledge, which is possible through deep levels of determination, focus and concentration.

This is the reason why Gurukul systems are considered to be the best places to facilitate a sound learning environment.

The concept is based on time tested values and principles. It believes in developing an innate sense of concentration and involvement while enhancing one’s knowledge and development of the brain. The wards in the Gurukul are oblivious of outside surroundings, living in close proximity of a teacher, where much emphasis in laid on a young student’s mental, cognitive, spiritual and physical wellness.

It works on the holistic development, inculcating values such as discipline, self- reliance, right attitude, empathy, creativity, and strong moral values.

Introducing to such an atmosphere in the early stages helps them to sharpen their analytic skills from the very beginning. This helps to develop critical thinking from the start. Most Gurukuls are located at scenic places wrapped in sheer tranquillity, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is here that students transform into balanced, analytical people, ensuring an ambience where education is unbiased and rewarding. Location plays a crucial role as being surrounding amidst nature, devoid of any out-worldly distractions, creates an environment which is most conducive to learning.

Self-reliance is an important value. The serene ambience of such schools is ideal for education and holistic growth. It’s a known fact that preparing for these exams takes a toll on one’s stress level. Surrounded in a calm and isolated environment helps to build the mind and spirit, where one can easily de-stress, and enhance concentration levels.

Today, age-old concepts have merged with modern culture to facilitate a robust learning environment for students. Traditionally, Gurukuls have always emphasised on the importance of practical knowledge. Similarly, they believe that bookish knowledge and rote learning are not sufficient and thus, provide practical knowledge in a modern infrastructure including practical laboratories with state-of-the-art facilities and technology.

The curriculum prepares to excel in all fields of life, creating a perfect combination of academics and extracurricular activities. This makes the educational journey remarkable. Traditional classrooms replace digital ones, and teachers ensure individual attention to augment the learning capabilities of every individual.

At present, our education system is stressed more upon rank-based than value-based. The students are driven with animosity by competing with their peers with parents becoming ambitious to make proud statements about their kids’ academic performance.

Instead of the rank-based system, encapsulating Gurukul builds a value-based and value-added education system which recognises the uniqueness of each student to excel in their area of interest. Here, one can visualise a better educational environment that builds the character of a student by not dragging them in to fierce competition.

This system eschews global concept of education with Indian values and the liberal method to achieve it. We should progress with this vision to educate young minds and foster ethical, social, moral and spiritual values through holistic learning.

The writer is managing director, tula's international school