National Education Policy 2020 envisages to impart value-based education with a view to actualize full human potential required for building an equitable and just society and promoting national development
Happiness essentially implies to be in a state of complete harmony with one’s own self, one’s family, friends, colleagues and society at large and with one’s nature and surroundings as well. Real happiness is achieved only through natural acceptance and continuity of happiness is possible only with synergy and complete harmony at all levels. That alone will yield permanence in happiness rather than temporary excitement that is short-lived and unsustainable. Similarly, pleasure can also be obtained temporarily through favourable sensation, attention and appreciation but cannot be sustained for long. Prosperity is not same as possession of wealth and material goods. Though physical assets are very much required in life, they alone do not suffice for the lasting happiness and prosperity of human beings therefore dependence on physical assets can’t be reliable. Whereas physical needs alone are sufficient for animals they are not sufficient for human beings. Fundamental difference between animals and human beings is that for human beings relationships are as important as physical needs. Happiness and prosperity are the basic human aspirations that need to be sustainable and unless they are long-lasting and sustainable, they cannot be called as happiness or prosperity in real sense. Material gains can bring temporary excitement and joy but not lasting happiness and prosperity which is only possible through complete harmony at all levels.
In consonance with one of the primary objectives of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP-2020) that seeks to instil deep-rooted pride in being Indian, not only in thought but also in spirit, intellect and deeds as well as to develop knowledge, skills and values that support responsible commitment towards human rights, sustainable development and global well-being, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) embarked on its journey to develop a comprehensive model curriculum for Universal Human Values (UHVs) that is based on the principles of holistic education aimed at enhancing integrity, dedication, inclusiveness, commitment and harmony among the learners. In its 49th meeting held on 14th March 2017, AICTE approved a mandatory three-week long Student Induction Program (SIP) based on Universal Human Values (UHVs) in order to to prepare newly admitted undergraduate students for the new stage in their life by facilitating a smooth transition from their home and school environment into the college and university environment through various discussions and activities. An appropriate Faculty Development Programme (FDP) was also designed and proposed with a view to prepare the faculty members of colleges and universities for offering this SIP. For this very purpose, AICTE has formed a National Coordination Committee for Student Induction (NCC-IP) and has impressed upon every technical institution of higher education to prepare UHV Faculty in the ratio of 1:20 (1 faculty for every 20 newly admitted students).
Universal Human Values (UHVs) impart pre-tested and validated foundational skills that are universal, rational, verifiable, all-encompassing and leading to harmony i.e., wellbeing of all. This model has been successfully applied in more than 40 universities in 10 states over the last 17 years and since 2017 all across the nation by AICTE. Holistic, value-based education is required to prepare graduates with desirable attributes that include moral education on values, leading to the development of a holistic and humane world vision; universal human values of truth, love and compassion: Indian constitutional values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity; human rights, sustainable development and sustainable living as well as global well-being. It is believed that Universal Human Values can lead to a holistic and humane world vision and values in tune with the aspirations articulated in NEP-2020. Earlier the general belief used to be that “values cannot be taught, they are caught”, however, experts in the field are now fully convinced that values can be self-discovered through a continuous process of self-exploration and also that they should not only be taught at home or at the school level but need to be incorporated in the higher education curriculum too. Universal Human Values are based on the premise that overall purpose of education is to enable a human being to live a fulfilling and rewarding life, in complete harmony with oneself and with his family, society and nature. UHV-based education enforces a humane world view, vision and perspective that in turn reinforces human values and culture leading to the development of necessary skills for living with acceptable human conduct and ultimately leading to the emergence of a humane society and civilization.
As per NEP-2020, main purpose of the education system is to develop good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values. It aims at producing engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and pluralistic society as envisaged by our Constitution. The UHV effort is a continuation of the age-old tradition of self-inquiry, self-exploration, self-discovery and self-evolution. The full potential of every human being is achieved by reaching the level of human consciousness and ethical human conduct that would result into lasting happiness and prosperity at the individual level. Such individuals will, very naturally, contribute towards the development of a humane society (ensuring well-being of all), which is equitable and just. Attributes of such individuals would include holistic vision of life, socially responsible behaviour, environmentally responsible work, ethical human conduct, having competence and capabilities for maintaining health and hygiene besides appreciation and aspiration for excellence and gratitude for all. UHV seeks to build an equitable and just society in which the well-being of all is assured. The role of education is to facilitate the development of the competence to live with desirable human conduct by ensuring right understanding, right feeling and right set of skills. Unfortunately, our current education system is focussing only on the skills and not really paying attention to values. Instead of the right feeling, unhealthy competition (feeling of opposition) is getting promoted and instead of skills for prosperity, skills for exploitation are getting promoted.
Three-week long student induction programme (SIP) is intended to prepare newly admitted undergraduate students for the new stage in their life. During this programme students are taught about the fundamental concepts of trust, respect, mutual understanding, competence and team-work. They are taught that trust is the foundation of any relationship that can only be gained with the feeling that the other person wants to make me happy & prosperous. Only when we trust the intentions of other people, we can establish a relationship with them and prepare a joint program with them based on right evaluation of our mutual competence. In case the other person is lacking in competence, I will make a sincere effort to improve his competence level once he is engaged in a professional relationship with me. Further if I lack competence, I will be ready to take help from the other person to improve my competence. I will evaluate the other person on the basis of his competence. I will not assume the lack of competence in the other person to be the lack of trust in him and thus feel opposed to him. Right evaluation with a feeling of trust yields respect whereas under-evaluation, over-evaluation or wrong evaluation brings disrespect. Discrimination and differentiation also bring disrespect whereas the recognition that the other is like me and we are complementary to each other brings mutual respect. The only difference is in our level of understanding. If the other has more understanding, he is more responsible than me and I must be committed to understand from the other. If I have more understanding, I am more responsible than the other and I must be fully committed to facilitate understanding in the other once the other is engaged in a professional relationship with me.
United National Sustainable Development Goal No. 16 envisages to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. In consonance with this SDG, UHVs envisage that for living with a feeling of continuous fulfilment three essential requirements are trust, love and compassion that can only be achieved with the understanding and feeling of relatedness, undividedness, connectedness, coexistence. The right understanding forms the basis of universal human values and facilitates transformation towards a holistic worldview or the ‘human consciousness’. In that sense, this three-week long course is an opportunity to reflect on the need and scope of living in harmony. The target is not just personal transformation, but also the transformation at the societal level. Right understanding provides the basis for a just and humane society. Therefore, it is suggested that all higher education institutions must expose their students, staff and teachers to this Universal Human Values course developed by the AICTE and incorporate it in each and every curriculum too as a three-credit foundation course for all second year (third and fourth semester) students. Only after understanding universal human values (role of human being in existence) can they be in harmony within, and participate meaningfully with other human beings (in family and society) as well as with the rest of nature (the environment, of which s/he is an integral part). So that emphasizes the need for universal human values. Furthermore, moral education in the context of one’s own religion and belief system will also supplement and complement the teaching of UHVs since all religions essentially teach the same values of kindness, compassion, peace, harmony, benevolence, mercy and universal love.
(This article is based on the learning gained from a five-day online UHV course attended by the author with significant inputs taken from Universal Human Values document prepared by NC-UHV (AICTE) and NCC-IP (AICTE))
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