Work, understood simply, is an activity directed toward

making or doing something. It also means making

one’s work or capabilities, or both, available for

someone else’s purposes for monetary or other forms

of return. A number of these activities are related to

producing food, articles of daily use, looking after the

physical and mental well-being of people, and other

activities related to the administration and organisation

of society. In any society, in addition to these, two basic

dimensions (producing goods and establishing smooth

functioning), various other activities also contribute to

human well-being, and in that sense are considered

forms of work.

Understood in this sense, work implies a

commitment to other members of the society and/or

community as one is contributing one’s work and

capabilities for fulfilling their needs. Second, it implies

that one’s contribution made through work will be

submitted to public standards of performance and

hence will be valued and judged by others. Third, work

implies contributing to the functioning of social life as

it either produces something that makes life possible

or helps in the functioning of society in general. Finally,

work enriches human life as it opens up new dimensions

of appreciation and enjoyment.

However, we must not forget that children are

often socialised into discriminatory practices and

values and that adults socialise children within the

dominant socio-cultural paradigm. It is important

to recognise that both adults and children are

socialised in the same way. We also have to remember

that work as forced labour is perhaps the most

demeaning of all coercions. There have to be adequate

measures in place to ensure that introduction of work

as an integral part of the curriculum should never

lead to a situation where work is thrust on unwilling

children, or that the ‘work’ itself is a hindrance to the

child’s education and normal growth and

development. Routine and repetitive activity carried

on for the sake of production or work that is

associated with the division of labour based on caste

and gender should be strictly avoided. Also, a teacher

making children work without him/herself

participating in the work is unlikely to achieve the

objectives of integrating work with the curriculum.

The inclusion of work within the school must also

never be used as the justification for the exploitation

of children.

Work is also an arena for learning for children,

whether in the home, the school, the society or the

workplace. Children begin to absorb the concept of

work as early as the age of two years. Children imitate

their elders and like pretending to do work. For

example, it is not unusual to see very young children

pretending to ‘sweep’ the floor, or ‘hold meetings’, or

‘build houses’, or ‘cook’. Work as an educational tool

is used by many pedagogies. For example, the

Montessori system integrates work concepts and skills

from the very beginning. Cutting vegetables, cleaning

the classroom, gardening and washing clothes are all a

part of the learning cycle. Beneficial work that is in

keeping with the child’s age and ability, and which

contributes to the child’s normal growth and

development, when introduced into children’s lives can

serve to enable children to learn values, basic scientific

concepts, skills and creative expression. Children gain

an identity through work, and feel useful and productive

as work adds meaning and brings with it membership

to society and enables children to construct knowledge.

Through work one learns to find one’s place in

society. It is an educational activity with an inherent

potential for inclusion. Therefore, an experience of

involvement in productive work in an educational setting

should make one appreciate the worth of social life

and what is valued and appreciated in society. Since

work defines some achievable targets and creates a

web of interdependence, it entails making efforts in a

disciplined manner, thus creating possibilities for greater

self-control, focusing mental energies and keeping

emotions under check. The value of work, particularly

skills that involve good finish, are undervalued as a

means of achieving excellence and learning

self-discipline. The discipline exercised by the material

(say, clay or wood) is more effective and qualitatively

different from the discipline exercised by one human

being over another. Work involves interaction with

materials or other people (mostly both), thus creating

a deeper comprehension and increased practical

knowledge of natural substances and social

relationships. All this is in addition to the usual physical

skills involved in learning a trade that may be turned

into a means of earning a livelihood. The aspects of

work mentioned here draw attention to the

meaning-making and knowledge-construction

dimension of work. This is the pedagogic function

that work can play in the curriculum.

Benefits of this nature can be drawn from work

only if it becomes an integral part of the school

curriculum. Pursued in an academic setting, work carries

the remarkable potential of generating new forms of

creativity and understanding while opening up the

possibility of transforming the nature of work itself.

This has become even more essential as in a majority

of families in India contributing to household work

and family trade is a way of living, but this pattern is

changing due to the pressure of school on children’s

time and the rampant competition in memorisation

of information. Academic activity tends to be

imprisoned within disciplinary boundaries. When

academic learning and work are simultaneously

collocated, there is a chance of greater creativity in

academic pursuits as also in the methods and tools of

doing work. A synergetic enhancement can take over.

That is how efficient hand pumps were designed.

High-flying polythene balloons used to burst while

going through the extremely cold stratosphere untill a

scientifically minded worker suggested that putting a

little carbon powder in the fabric would help to keep

it warm by absorbing sunlight. Indeed, all great

inventors were tinkerers who knew a little science.

Edison, Ford and Faraday belonged to this category,

so also those who invented the first pair of spectacles

or the telescope. There is little doubt that much of the

traditional knowledge of our potters, craftsmen,

weavers, farmers and medical men has come through

such pursuits – where these individuals were

simultaneously engaged in physical work and academic

thinking. We need to infuse such a culture of

innovation, curiosity and practical experience in our

education system.

However, schools at present are not geared for

work as a part of the curriculum in terms of

infrastructure or learning material. Work is necessarily

an interdisciplinary activity. Therefore, integrating work

into the school curriculum would require a substantial

amount of pedagogical understanding of how it would

be integrated with learning and the mechanisms for

assessment and evaluation.

Institutionalising work in the school curriculum

will require creative and bold thinking that breaks out

of its stereotyped location in periods of Socially Useful

and Productive Work (SUPW), something about which

all children and teachers are justifiably sceptical. We need

to examine how the rich work knowledge base and

skills of marginalised children can be turned into a

source of their own dignity as well as a source of

learning for other children. This is especially important

in the context of the growing alienation of the

middle-upper-class children from their cultural roots

and the central role played by the education system in

aggravating and accelerating this process. There is

immense potential for utilising the knowledge base of

the vast productive sections of society as a powerful

means for transforming the education system. Work

seen as a form of ‘valid’ knowledge allows one to

re-examine the invisibility of the contributions of

women and non-dominant groups to what is regarded

as valuable in society. Productive work would need to

find a place at the centre of the curriculum in order to

act as a powerful corrective to the ‘bookish’,

information-oriented and generally unchallenging

character of school education and, in turn, help relate

the latter to the life needs of the child. Pedagogical

experience in using work would become an effective

and critical developmental tool at different stages of

childhood and adolescence. Thus, ‘work-centred

education’ is different from vocational education.

The school curriculum from the pre-primary to

the senior secondary stages should be reconstructed

for realising the pedagogic potential of work as a

pedagogic medium in knowledge acquisition,

developing values and multiple-skill formation. As the

child matures, there is a need for the curriculum to

recognise the child’s need to be prepared for the world

of work, and a work-centred pedagogy can be

pursued with increasing complexity while always being

enriched with the required flexibility and contextuality.

A set of work-related generic competencies (basic,

interpersonal and systemic) could be pursued at all

stages of education. This includes critical thinking,

transfer of learning, creativity, communication skills,

aesthetics, work motivation, work ethic of collaborative

functioning, and entrepreneurship-cum-social

accountability. For this evaluation, parameters would

also need to be redesigned. Without an effective and

universal programme of work-centred education, it is

unlikely that UEE (and later Universal Secondary

Education too) would ever succeed.

It is widely acknowledged that health is influenced by

biological, social, economic, cultural and political forces.

Access to basic needs like food, safe drinking water

supply, housing, sanitation and health services influences

the health status of a population, and these are reflected

through mortality and nutritional indicator s. Health is a

critical input for the overall development of the child,

and it influences enrolment, retention and school

completion rates significantly. This curriculum area

adopts a holistic definition of health within which

physical education and yoga contribute to the physical,

social, emotional and mental development of a child.

Undernourishment and communicable diseases are

the major health problems faced by the majority of

children in India, from the pre-primary to the higher

secondary school stages. Therefore, the need to address

this aspect at all levels of schooling, with special attention

to vulnerable social groups and girl children. It is

proposed that the midday meal programme and medical

check-ups be made a part of the curriculum and

education about health be provided that address the agespecific

concerns at different stages of development.

The idea of a comprehensive school health programme,

conceived in the 1940s, included six major components,

viz., medical care, hygienic school environment, and

school lunch, health and physical education. These

components are important for the overall development

of the child, and hence need to be included in the

curriculum. The more recent addition to the curriculum

is yoga. The entire group must be taken together as a

comprehensive health and physical education curriculum,

replacing the fragmentary approach current in schools

today. As a core part of the curriculum, time allocated

for games and for yoga must not be reduced or taken

away under any circumstances.

There is growing realisation that the health needs of

adolescents, particularly their reproductive and sexual health

needs, require to be addressed. Since these needs

predominantly relate to sex and sexuality, which is culturally

a very sensitive area, they are deprived of opportunities

to get the appropriate information. As such, their

understanding of reproductive and sexual health and their

behaviour in this regard are guided predominantly by

myths and misconceptions, making them vulnerable to

risky situations, such as drug/substance abuse and HIV/

AIDS transmission. Age- appropriate context-specific

interventions focused on adolescent reproductive and

sexual health concerns, including HIV/AIDS and drug/

substance abuse, therefore, are needed to provide children

opportunities to construct knowledge and acquire life skills,

so that they cope with concerns related to the process of

growing up.

 Strategies

Given the multidimensional nature of health, there are

many opportunities for cross-curricular learning and

integration. Activities such as the National Service

Scheme, Bharat Scouts and Guides, and the National

Cadet Corps are some such areas. The sciences provide

opportunities for learning about physiology, health and

disease, and the interdependencies between various

living organisms and the physical habitat. The social

sciences could provide insights into community health

as well as an understanding of the spread, control and

cure of infectious diseases from a global

socio-economic perspective. This subject lends itself

to applied learning, and innovative approaches can be

adopted for transacting the curriculum.

The importance of this subject to overall

development needs to be reinforced at the policy level,

with participation by administrators, other subject

teachers in schools, the Health Department, parents

and children. Recognising this subject as a core subject

Health and Physical Education must continue to be a

compulsory subject from the primary, to the secondary

stages, and as an optional subject at the higher secondary

stage. However, it needs to be given equal status with

other subjects, a status that is not being given at present.

In order to transact the curriculum effectively, it is

essential to ensure that the minimum essential physical

space and equipment are available in every school, and

that doctors and medical personnel visit school

regularly. Teacher preparation for this area needs

well-planned and concerted efforts. This subject area,

consisting of health education, physical education and

yoga, must be suitably integrated into the elementary

and secondary pre-service teacher education courses.

The potential of the existing physical education training

institutes should be reviewed and utilised adequately.

Similarly, their appropriate syllabi and teacher training

for transaction of yoga in schools need to be reviewed

and reformulated. It is also essential to ensure that these

concerns are integrated into the activities of the National

Service Scheme, the Scouts and Guides, and the

National Cadet Corps.

The \’needs-based approach\’ could guide the

dimensions of the physical, psychosocial and mental

aspects that need to be included at different levels of

schooling. A basic understanding of the concerns is

necessary, but the more important dimension is that

of experience and development of health, skills and

physical well being through practical engagement with

play, exercise, sports, and practices of personal and

community hygiene. Collective and individual

responsibilities for health and community living need

to be emphasised. Several national health programmes

like Reproductive and Child Health, HIV/AIDS,

Tuberculosis and Mental Health have been targeting

childr en as a focus group with prevention in view. These

demands on children need to be integrated into existing

curricular activities rather than adding these on.

Yoga may be introduced from the primary level

onwards in informal ways, but formal introduction

of yogic exercises should begin only from Class VI

onwards. All interventions, including even health and

hygiene education, must rely on the practical and

experiential dimensions of children\’s lives. There may

be more emphasis on the inclusion of sports and games

from the local area.

It should be possible to organise the utilisation

of school space, at the block level at least, for special

sports programmes both before school hours and after

school hours to enable children with special talents for

sports to come here for special training and during

vacation periods. It should also be possible to develop

these sports facilities so that many more children can

avail of these for leisure-time sports activities and engage

with team games such as basketball, throwball,

this fuller range of ET’s demands and benefits.

. Clearly, the gigantic and

Vedas occupy a very important place in the Indian life. The basis of Indian

culture lies in the Vedas which are four in number – Rigveda, Samveda,

Yajurveda, and Atharavaveda.


Some scholars have sub divided Vedic Educational period into

Rig Veda period, Brahmani period, Upanishada period, Sutra (Hymn)

period, Smriti period etc but all these period, due to predominance of the

Vedas, there was no change in the aims and ideals of educations. That is

why, the education of these periods, is studied under Vedic period. The

education system that prevailed during the Vedic times had some unique

characteristics. Education was confined to the upper castes, and to those

who were Brahmacharis. In Indian tradition, a person’s life cycle is divided

into four stages of which ‘Brahmacharis’ is the second phase. This is the

time set aside for learning and acquiring skills. During Vedic period, most

of the upper castes, which were either Brahmins or Kshatriyas, had their

education in a unique system called ‘Gurukulas’.

               The most important contribution of ancient India not only for

India but also for the world is in the field of education. It may also be

remembered that education is not an abstract term. It is manifested in the

cultural economic, individual, philosophical, scientific, social and spiritual

advancement. In other words, education is the means for developing the

mind for the betterment of the individual and society.

In the words of Albert Einstein, “We owe a lot to the Indians who taught us

how to count without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have

made.” This word shows the importance of Vedic period and ancient Indian

education.

MAIN FEATURES OF THE VEDIC EDUCATION

             In ancient India teaching was considered to be holy duty which

a Brahman was bound to discharge irrespective of consideration of the

fee teacher were expected to devote their lives to the cause of teaching

in the missionary spirit of self-sacrifice, and the society laid down the

principal that both the public and state should help the learned teachers &

educational institutions very liberally. Society realized that “Vidyadana” or

the gift in the cause of education was to be the best of gifts, possessing

a higher religious merit than even the gift of land. On the occasion of

religious feats, students and teachers were invited and donations were

given liberally.

1. Immediate aim:

   The important aims of education in Vedic period are:

∗ Education for other world lines.

∗ Character formation.

∗ All round development for Personality.

∗ Intellectual Development

∗ Spiritual Development

∗ Preparation for living

∗ Preserving and Transmitting Culture

∗ Education only a means and not an end in itself.

2. Curriculum

1. Vedic Literature:

• The Rig-Veda.

• The Yajurveda.

• The Sam Veda

• The Atharavaveda

2. Vedangas.

3. Hetuvidya.

4. Silpa- vidya.

5. Physical Education.

6. Stress on other worldliness.

3. Methods of Instruction:

    The important methods of learning are:

• Listening (Sravana is listening to words texts as they uttered by

the teacher.

• Deliberation (Manana or Chintan is the process of deliberation or

reflection of the topic taught.)

• Meditation (Nidhidhyarama represents the highest stage.).

• Illustration

• Project Method

4. Duration of Education

In the house of the teacher, the student was required to obtain education

upto the age of 24, after which he was expected to enter domestic life.

Students were divided into three categories:

(a) Those obtaining education upto the age of 24-Vasu.

(b) Those obtaining education upto the age of 36-Rudra.

(c) Those obtaining education upto the age of 48-Aaditya.

5. Role of Teacher

The teacher or acarya in the Vedic age was responsible not only in

imparting knowledge – religious as well as secular, but also in molding the

character and personality of the pupils of his asrama.  The acarya of the

gurukula system was an affectionate father, an effective teacher, and a

person of high moral and spiritual qualities.  He maintained discipline by

the influence of his personality.  He was sincere and honest to his work.

He taught with his heart and soul.  He also performed the functions of a

householder performing the five daily yajnas and observing vows.  He led a

disciplined life.

6. Role of Mother in Education

A mother should impart education to her children so as to broaden their

horizon. At this stage good manners are to be taught so that the children

behave properly with the elders and in assemblies.

7. The Student

The student in the Vedic school was called brahmacarin.  He had to

dedicate his life for the sake of gaining knowledge, leading an enlightened

life.  In his formative life he must lead an austere and disciplined life. The

Upanishads clearly describe the qualities required for a brahmacarin. A

student had to be calm, patient, self-restrained and self-denying.  The

student’s prayer included his longing for the realization of a full life. Thus

the main aim of the Vedic educational system was to produce a rational

individual, free from passions, full of universal affection, continuously selfeducating and striving to reach the highest goal.

7. Female Education

During the Vedic age women were given full status with men. For girls

also the Upanayan (initiation ceremony) was performed and after that

their education began. They were also required to lead a life of celibacy

during education. They used to study the Vedas and other religious

and philosophy books; they were free to participate in religious and

philosophical discourses. Many ‘Sanhitas’ of Rigveda were composed by

women. In Gurukulas the gurus treated male and female pupils alike and

made no distinction what-so-ever.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VEDIC EDUCATION

The important characteristics of Vedic education are:

• Vedas are the eldest World Literature.

• Suitable age of education.

• Rig-Veda is the mirror of Ancient Indian culture and  

         civilization.

• Perfection in Education.

• The main aim of Vedic education was to liberate the soul from

         worldly bondages.

• Equal rights to education for all.

• Ideal of teacher.

• Education standard in the family.

• Equal opportunity to gain education.

• Sanskrit as the Medium of Instruction.

• Education is through travel.

AGENCIES OF VEDIC EDUCATION

There are three agencies of education:-

v Guru Kula

v Parishad

v Sammelan.

1. Gurukulas

Gurukulas were the dwelling houses of gurus situated in natural

surroundings away from noise and bustle of cities. Parents sent their

wards at the age of five years to nine years according to their castes after

celebrating their Upanayan Sanskar. Pupils lived under the roof of their

guru called ‘antevasin’ under the direct supervision of their Guru.

Gurukula as the name indicates was the family of the teacher and

his residence where the students used to stay during the period of study.

Gradually, the Gurukula were extended to include a number of buildings.

However the institution was built up around the family of teacher. The

primary duty of the student was to serve the teacher and his family. The

students were like sons of the teacher and the whole institution lived like

family.

2. Parishads

Parishads were bigger educational institutions where several teachers

used to teach different subjects. This may be compared to a college

Parishad in Upanishads, has been used for a conference of learned

men, assembled for deliberations upon philosophical problems. Later
on the ‘Parishads’ were set up at the places where learned men lived in

good number and gradually these institutions became permanent centres

of imparting knowledge. In the words of Dr. R. K. Mukherjee Parishad

correspondences to University of students belonging to different colleges.

3. Sammelan

Sammelan literally means getting together for a particular purpose. In this

type of educational institutions scholars gathered at one place for learned

discussions and competitions generally on the invitation of the king.

Scholars were appropriately rewarded.

CONCLUSION

In Vedic era education had the prominent place in society. It was

considered as pious and important for society.  Vedic age had, thus, a

system of education in which “hearing, chanting and memorizing, played

a great part, assimilation of idea took place through a well- planned life of

service to teacher, contemplation, all under his guidance. Education was

must for everybody for becoming cultured. Education was the fully capable

of development of physical and intellectual and character development,

development of civis, social, moral, and spiritual values, social efficiency

and happiness, preservation and spread of culture, infusion of piety, and

religiousness and development of best type of personality.  Relationship

between Guru and pupils were very cordial during Vedic and Post-

Vedic period. By means of education efforts were being made to infuse

―Satyam Shivam and Sundaram inside the students. A great importance

was attached to Veda in education system, self study Swadhyaya was

considered more important during that period. The Vedic period favoured

women education.

                Pragmatic philosophy is a practical philosophy, having no fixed or absolute standards. Man always creates new values and education should help him in doing so. Being practical and utilitarian school of philosophy, pragmatism has influenced education to the maximum extent. It has tried overcoming the limitations of other schools like idealism and naturalism and has influenced world in a great deal