The developed individual for development of the nation
The scheme for all-round development is being worked out by JP, because it feels that this all-round development will lead to development of leadership qualities. To inculcate leadership skills amongst the students, training starts from class 7th. They learn creativity and creative writing skills in class 7th, self-management and self-study skills in class 8th, group-work and team building skills in class 9th, and creative problem solving and planning skills in class 10th, alongwith actually working as agranis, leaders, of various classes/groups in the school. They are given opportunity to try out all the skills they have learnt since class 7th. The class 10th. students conduct activities every week and arrange various programmes for their respective classes/groups. The students themselves look after the planning and execution of these activities. They are guided and mentored by the teacher who looks after the ‘Agrani Yojana’ or ‘Leadership development programme’.
JP is trying to bring together the school and the youth organization, two of the four agencies of education. The school is supposed to cater mainly to academic and spiritual development. The youth organization is supposed to cater to emotional development, development of social awareness and that of national spirit. The students who cannot attend schools run by JP, can avail of the activities of its youth organization. The activities of the youth organization are conducted mainly by the alumni of JP run schools and senior members of the
organization. It seems that the motivation building in school students is quicker when their group-leaders are alumni who are only four to five years older than them. The group-leaders also benefit because acting as mentors to younger students leads also to their own emotional development.
When developed individuals are prepared to work alternately as ordinary members of a group, as dependable lieutenants or colleagues and also as leaders themselves, according to the necessity of circumstances, they can participate in the development of the Nation. That is the intermediate objective of education.
The road ahead
Most of the discussions in educational seminars and conferences concentrate on primary and tertiary education. Secondary education is given least attention in these deliberations. JP has concentrated on secondary education for the last fifty years.
As far as the students are concerned, their development starts from the primary stage and continues well into and after their tertiary education. JP has decided in its plan for the decade 2012-2022 to extend its efforts in man-making to the post-secondary age-group of 15 to 25. The processes developed for man-making at the secondary education stage will be adapted for the higher agegroup with due modifications. There will be additional inputs for development of leadership abilities.
JP does not place emphasis on developing ‘leaders’ as a separate class of men and women, because leadership role is situational and not permanent. JP wants to develop leadership abilities in all students so that their personality will be more rounded with the abilities of followership, of team-membership as well as that of leadership. Everyone can at least become his or her own leader. To lead scores or hundreds or thousands of team-members depends on the extent to which one’s all-round development takes place and on the situation. Responding to the call of the situation to assume leadership should be the responsibility of everyone. JP wants to develop in its students
this responsiveness and responsibility. This is the next step in JP’s ongoing experiment in man-making for nation-building.
Prayer to the Divine
We have come together with the feeling of intense earnestness that we should be able to perform in our life some heroic, noble deed for the good of the Nation.
Be a witness unto this aspiration of ours O Supreme self !
We would study hard in our daily life, read well, comtemplate well, play games and build a healthy and tenacious physique. We would be
efficient and alert intellectually, physically, mentally and spiritually.
O God, the bestower of utmost auspiciousness– let it be that we win the highest success in our life.
Let it be that we do fundamental and important work in whichever fields we enter.
Let this Nation of ours awake; blaze forth with ability and heroism; be perfect in all knowledge of spirit and sciences. O ocean of sentience !
Let your energy be pulsating in the Nation !
That is the earnest yearning in our hearts.
O you, the creator and the destroyer of this cosmos ! Let this dream of ours come true.