Holistic, Value-Based Education for Realising the Aspirations articulated in NEP 2020
Circulars
“AICTE has produced this document as a broad framework of "Universal Human Values for Holistic Value-based Education”, which will go a long way in realizing the vision of NEP 2020… It will help our teachers and faculty across school and higher education to understand the concepts in value-based education in detail and learn some strategies to implement in classroom practices… I congratulate AICTE and everyone who has been a part of developing such an important document in education”
– Sh. Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister Education, Government of India
Holistic Education is based on a holistic vision of life; a vision which is founded on understanding the existential reality and the human existence in its completeness, which results in identifying the role of human being in this whole, in all levels (individual, family, society and Nature) and dimensions (doing, thinking, feeling and understanding). The role or participation of a human being in each level is the value of a human being. Hence, the holistic vision of life is a comprehensive and unifying framework for all that is valuable for all, human beings as well as the rest of Nature. It gives clarity about human values in all aspects of human existence as a whole. In order to ensure fulfilment of these values, we also need skills; therefore, all types of skills are defined and developed in the context of these values.
Education on all these (vision, values and skills) put together is Holistic Value Based Multidisciplinary Education. It may be further expanded as:
- Education on values founded on a holistic and humane world vision.
- Courses, examples and case studies of local, regional and national values, languages and skills to reinforce and exemplify a holistic and humane world vision.
- Learning and practicing multiple, complementary skills that are Nature Friendly and Human Friendly.
- Behaviour for mutual fulfilment, team work, collaboration…
- Science, technology, management for mutual prosperity
- Service (seva) which promotes harmony in family, society
- Meaningful participation in the family, neighbourhood, institution, workplace, community, etc. all the way to the Nation and beyond for societal development
Multidisciplinary Education is defined in the light of this as giving education for different values and skills required for leading a meaningful and fulfilling life in all aspects (disciplines) of human living, in the context of a holistic vision of life.
Such education will be very much in tune with our glorious cultural and civilizational effort for the wellbeing of all. It will be a tangible step in achieving the expectations from education that are articulated in the NEP 2020, i.e., “achieving full human potential, developing an equitable and just society, and promoting national development”.
The effectiveness of education can be greatly enhanced by providing it in the home language/ mother tongue/ local language/ regional language.
“Universal Human Values has been a game changing work ongoing from AICTE. We are committed to continue and strengthen it…”
– Prof. Anil D Sahasrabudhe, Former Chairman AICTE
“It is very important that we take these human values to our students… We would like to work with you… We will work together and have a greater reach to millions of students across the country… the courses on universal human values, are worth considering by every Indian University”
– Prof. M Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman UGC
“The work done by AICTE in the last 5 years in orienting/preparing teachers for value education is a role model for us… We intend to adapt the same for our pre-service and in-service teachers, and also to introduce it in the programs like B. Ed. for student teachers”
– Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Director NCERT
Value education or education for developing a humane, holistic world-vision, has
been the missing link in mainstream education… extensive experiments have shown
that it is possible to start filling this gap…”
– Late Prof. Rishi Raj Gaur, NRCVEE, IIT Delhi and Former Chairman NC-UHV
Our effort has been with content which appeals to all, is universal and not sectarian.
The UHV content and process is a good example of this… with it, there have been
quite remarkable results in the everyday life of teachers and students… We have seen
that values can also be taught. The common graduate attributes are precise indicators
of value competence in the teacher, student…”
– Prof. MP Poonia, Vice Chairman AICTE
We had planned [in 2017] to prepare one [UHV] teacher for every 20 newly joined students in each department of every AICTE approved institution… It was a big target of then about 70,000 teachers… Today, we have achieved that target… with the dedicated pro-bono efforts of over 500 volunteers from across the Nation… under the guidance of our two national committees and IPC, they have been the core pillar for the work being done through AICTE…”
– Prof. Rajive Kumar, Member Secretary, AICTE
The opportunity to make the necessary transformation in our education has come to
us after a long time in the form of NEP 2020… to come out of the colonial system of
education and to develop the education system based on humanness for a humane
society… it seems to be within reach…”
– Dr. Rajneesh Arora, Chairman NCC-IP
The overall purpose of education is to enable a human being to live a fulfilling life, in
harmony with oneself and with family, society and nature, hence it becomes the
responsibility of educators to enable the resolution of these issues, so that human
society can achieve the cherished goals”
– Prof. HD Charan, Chairman NC-UHV
…over 150 volunteers [from AKTU] have been behind the work being done through
AICTE… The fact that faculty and staff are willing to [volunteer] invest own time and
money on these efforts for value education itself is an indicator of their commitment
and resolve”
– Prof. Vinay Pathak, Former VC, AKTU, Lucknow and Member NCC-IP