HIGHER EDUCATION FOR HARIJANS- MAHATMA GANDHI

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

E-mail- [e-mail];

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Mailing Address- C- 29, Swaraj Nagar, Panki, Kanpur- 208020, Uttar Pradesh, India

 

 

HIGHER EDUCATION FOR HARIJANS- MAHATMA GANDHI

 

I hope all those who are interested in the removal of untouchability are familiar with Mr. David’s scheme for the higher education of selected Harijans by caste Hindus. The scheme was published some time ago in the Bombay Press after being enthusiastically accepted by the Servants of Untouchables Society. In Mr. David’s words, “It aims at enabling a large number of untouchables to enjoy the benefits of the best higher education (including technical instruction) possible in this country.” Under it, “well-to-do castes Hindus are expected throughout India each to bear the expenses for such education of at least one Harijan student for a period of five years. Scholarships should be given to selected candidates and the expenses imply the provision of educational fees, books and living expenses on a modest scale”. Mr. David thinks that Rs. 500 per year per Harijan would be required for college education and half as much for high school education. He advises donors to subscribe, wherever it is possible, the whole amount covering five years in one lump sum. “In order to build up the self-respect of Harijan scholars”, says Mr. David, “it should be laid down that each scholar would be expected to reimburse the amount originally advanced for his education as soon as he is in a position to do so. Thus a student under this scheme is provided by means of a loan and not a gift.” And if a large number of students discharge these debts of honour, Mr. David anticipates that a permanent fund will be created. Mr. David advises the formation of a committee or committees in Provinces which will frame rules for the selection of candidates, and the disbursements of subscriptions will be subject to the recommendation of such committee or committees. He is emphatic that the scheme if carried out, should “produce important and sustained results”, and make possible within a comparatively short period the creation of a large number of lawyers, teachers, doctors and engineers from among Harijans. The existence of a considerable number of such persons would be of material help in raising the social status of the depressed classes, and, he adds, “it is framed on strictly non-controversial lines, thus widening to the maximum its potential field of response. It should win the support of even the staunchest sanatanists. It is an opportunity at hand for caste Hindus to give concrete expression of their feeling towards untouchables.” Let me hope, with Mr. David, that the scheme will commend itself to the “staunchest sanatanists” and that in any case it would receive liberal support. I do not know whether the Central Board or the Bombay Board has received any donations. I venture to suggest to the Bombay Board that, if it has not already done so, it should form a small committee getting, if possible, a sanatanist to work on it, frame rules and get scholarships. Whilst it would be the most proper thing to get 1,000 donors who would contribute Rs. 2,500 or 1,250, as the case may be, for full five years’ expenses, it is not necessary to confine oneself to the letter of Mr. David’s scheme, so long as its spirit is observed. The central point of the scheme is that there should be a decent fund at once collected from caste Hindus for the higher education of a select number of Harijan boys or girls. I, therefore, invite subscriptions for the scheme. They will be duly acknowledged in these columns. Donors should send moneys to the Manager, Sjt. A. V. Patwardhan, marking the envelopes ‘the David Scheme’. Acknowledgements will be published from week to week, and the money will be handed to the Central Board for their disposal strictly in accordance with the donor’s instructions. As soon as the first full subscription is received, I would advise the Central Board to make its selection. Donors may make their own choice of the Province from which Harijan boys or girls may be selected, or they may even make their own selection of such boy or girl and hand the donation to the Central Board or Provincial Board for disbursement to, and supervision of, the candidate so selected.

Reference:

Harijan, 25-2-1933