Educationist slams Navodaya schools as ‘anti-Constitutional’ | The Federal

[00:00:00]Now challenge is is the present government in Tamil Nadu. Is it going to uphold the constitution or it is going to act against the constitution?

[00:00:10]You are not bothered about the lacks of lack children studying in the thousands of state government schools.

[00:00:19]He's putting blame on Sri Rajiv Gandhi after decades of his death for all the ills of India. But he's celebrating Nawodia school which is the brainchild of Rajiv Gandhi because Naodia sustains inequality and Mr. Narendra Modi wants inequality.

[00:00:36]Why can't you satisfy yourself by seeing one child getting joy of that facilities? Uh let others child suffer.

[00:00:44]I am not able to provide for all children. At least I am providing for one child.

[00:00:51]Tamil Nadu remains the only state in India without Javahar Nawodia Vidyala schools. Nawodia schools are uh run by the union government. It's fully funded by the union government and it's a residential school. In the last 50 years, both DMK and ADMK governments have refused to allow setting up of Nawodia schools uh in Tamil Nadu, citing uh saying that uh the curricula followed in Nawodia schools contradicts the two language policy uh in of the state. But now the Supreme Court has asked Tamil Nadu to uh spell its stand on Nawodia school issue with much clarity. uh in the recent Supreme Court hearing uh uh judges observed that uh since there is a change of guard in the state uh the the decision might be different the decision uh could be different. So uh since the there is a change of god in the state they want to know the current stand of the new uh government formed in the state. Let's talk to educationist prince Kajendra Babu about this. Hello sir welcome sir. Uh now Tamil Nadu government has been asked by the Supreme Court to spell out its stand uh with clarity about this setting up of Nawodia schools. Uh and uh Tamil Nadu government also gave a response that there are some consultations underway about Nawodia schools. Do you think they will change the stand? You know both DMK and ADMK governments have refused to allow Nawodia schools. Do you think there will be a change in the stand of Tamil Nadu with TVK in power?

[00:02:23]With regard to the Nodia schools for the past several decades, Tamil Nadu government has upheld the constitution of India.

[00:02:34]Now challenge is is the present government in Tamil Nadu, the present political leadership in Tamil Nadu which is heading the government is it going to uphold the constitution or it is going to act against the constitution?

[00:02:49]because um naodia vidyala is against the spirit of the constitution of India.

[00:02:58]It is not something concerned about um two language policy or three language policy. It is just a very minor issue.

[00:03:07]when the nawodia was introduced as part of the then um revised national education policy during Sri Rajy Gandhi's period uh ND sundrau an eminent educationist has chaired a conference in Piratal his presidential address has been published as a small book uh I hope if everybody could read that book there may be bigger clarity on this issue. He spelt out there are several thousands of schools run by the state government.

[00:03:50]Universalization of education was given as a responsibility to the state government.

[00:03:59]And in India almost all states have established their own schools and their own colleges.

[00:04:09]Union government has established only specialized schools like Kendra Vidyalia which has a specific purpose for the children of the parents who are in a transferable job. There are cyanic school uh which has a purpose uh to build uh the children who wish to come into an army defense sector. They prefer the signic school and the sinics gives such kind of a motivation to the children and again this nawadhya is a specialized school.

[00:04:45]Now at the time of introduction of this nawodia already we have crossed nearly 40 to 45 years of independence.

[00:04:53]After having crossed 45 years of independence will you not ensure that article 14 and article 21 becomes reality.

[00:05:03]Article 14 talks about right to equality. Article 21 talks about freedom of life and Supreme Court has given interpretation in many cases that freedom of life means a life with dignity. It is not a life with existence.

[00:05:21]Now then when Nawodia was introduced article 45 was in force.

[00:05:26]Article 45 wanted the government to ensure that all children less than 14 years of age to be given free and compulsory education.

[00:05:37]And that effort was taken only by the state governments.

[00:05:41]And even today there is article 41 which says that when economic capacity of the state develops the state has to provide education as a fundamental right.

[00:05:51]Education means from primary up to university this uh the governments are supposed to provide as a fundamental right. Now you are talking about a model school. Now is a model school.

[00:06:06]You say that it is for underprivileged children. It is fully funded by the union government. Do you say that the children who are studying in the state government schools, they are not less privileged? They are not underprivileged.

[00:06:24]You are not bothered about the lacks of lax children studying in the thousands of state government schools. You say that you will establish one school for one district and that school will have all facilities a student a school should have.

[00:06:39]>> The children studying in that school will be enjoying cultural activities, sports activities uh and all types of um curricular and co-curricular activities.

[00:06:53]You mean to say such kind of a facility will not be available in other schools other underprivile you are not bothered that other underprivileged children will be having an inferiority complex that they are because nawadia is also a state state funed means it is taxpayers money so it's a government school a a government school has all the facility before me I cross that school and I go to a state-run government school that is also run by the taxpayers money but that school will not have such facilities as the Nawodia has.

[00:07:31]>> You mean to say Nawodia schools breed inequality? You mean to say they they want to uh show off they want to have a different set of school in Nawodia school and the same opportunities are not given to school children in the other government schools.

[00:07:47]>> Uh of course uh it sustains inequality.

[00:07:51]It sustains inequality. It reflects the discriminatory social practice, the cast, the class hierarchy is being reflected in the classroom.

[00:08:03]>> Do you think the establishment of nawodia itself would uh you know would breed discrimination in the society?

[00:08:13]Because see when children they get an opportunity to study in a different school and you know now that even in Tamil Nadu they are having model schools among the government schools >> when democracy flourishes in a country it reflects in that government providing cost-free education for all children progressively the society takes care of the child you can see in the northern European countries the father or Mother is arrogant towards a child, there is a child welfare officer who will come and take the child away. The father or mother who was arrogant, they will be sent to a counseling center. Only if the father or child mother they come to normal position, if the child welfare officer feels comfortable that the child can be with the father, then only the child will be given to the father. to that extent the government the entire society takes responsibility for the welfare of the child. Okay. So the taxpayers money is qualitatively utilized in such countries. So that is why you find uh the living condition or happiness index the those countries are in a top level. But in India even after hearing so many arguments you are able to very convincingly put a question that why can't you allow at least few children have a better education when other children suffer when other children are suffering let them child let the child suffer why do you bother about that you feel happy that one among that child is going to enjoy why can't you satisfy yourself by seeing one child getting enjoy getting the joy of at facilities uh let others child suffer. I am not able to provide for all children.

[00:10:04]At least I am providing for one child.

[00:10:06]Why are you preventing me from provide?

[00:10:09]I do not know how this argument uh is aligning with the freedom movement. I am not able to understand how this argument aligns with the preamble of the constitution which assures liberty, fraternity, equality.

[00:10:26]Okay. Equality is for whom? Equality is what is the scale for the equality? And if you talk about inclusiveness, you say I am including this child. When will the last child will be included? How long I should wait? In 2047, you say Vixit bat even in the developed India, even if the economic status develops, you mean to say that you will not provide. See Nawodia or the state governmentr run model school they are all forerunners for prime minister school for rising India the PM tree the P the evil of PMTR is not understood by many people so THEY WANTED TO JUSTIFY that evil for justifying the PMT you want an aodia to be established here Because under the national education policy prime minister schools of excellencies certain kendra vidyalas will be PMTR certain kendra vidyalas are not PM street. Go to the website of the PMT you will find that prime minister school for IC India means it will have all facilities. The children studying in those schools will be able to compete in any exam for higher education. That means what do you mean? The children studying in other Kendra Vidyalas will not be able to compete. Kendra Vidya is a union government school. PM Kendra Vidyala is also a union government school. You say when a child studies in a PM Kendra Vidyala, it can achieve.

[00:12:02]That means you admit that children studying in other Kendra Vidyalas will not achieve. So when you establish a a PM street in a state the union government is going to take control of the state school which is coming under the PMT. So the control goes to the union government and there will be few hundred schools as PMT schools whereas the rest of the schools will remain as schools. They are not PMC schools.