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The Festival of Admission - Preveshotsava
by Jyotibhai Desai
The paper reports an experiment in admission procedure of university graduates taking their first course in education, a one academic year course called “Graduates Basic Training Course (GBTC)
Introduction
The experiment was evolved out of the efforts of a few years. It aimed at finding out a positive procedure that would help the seeker of admission to decide and understand what s/he is getting into.
Gandhi Vidyapith is a special rural higher education institution established in the tribal belt of South Gujarat. The institution grew as a result of years of constructive work envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi during the Bardoli Satyagraha of No-tax campaign by the farmers. Hence, the institution is well involved in the local tribal community and national resurgence. Thus we said, “We have a dream!” The dream of the people of this region is not only to be with the main stream of the nation but also to fully contribute its own excellence to enrich this great nation of ours. It is a dream not only to claim justice or some economic or political benefits but also to help it to attain its greatness. This is in consonance with the Constitutional principle that all (Indians) are considered equal not only before the law but also are treated equal, for our Indian culture cannot achieve its true glory without creating an egalitarian society.
Such a dream of a humane society can grow only out of magnanimous vision and sincere efforts. Efforts which will have education as its base and succour. Such an education will be possible only where pursuit of truth is guided by conscientious curiosity.
The ethos of our training course in Basic Education at Gandhi Vidyapith has a strong bias towards hard work and shouldering social and individual responsibilities. To any youth, taking an academic course seems, as one more examination to appear at and manage somehow to pass it. Such courses serve no or little purpose towards preparation for a real-life situation, which s/he will have to face if s/he intends to be a good teacher. We do not want our trainees to take a big leap (Hanuman jump) from bookish learning to face the world with its manifold challenges. We surely intend to help her to get ready to become a responsible citizen and gain self-reliance. Our methodology is based on personal efforts. Our approach is something similar to throwing her/him into water to make her learn to swim, taking enough care to see that s/he does not drown but swim; in other words, s/he has to learn to swim by herself/himself. Thus each and every individual has to find her/his own way of becoming a good teacher. ”I have found the way”, should be the self-reliant voice that is expected to come out of personal efforts and experience. This has been our methodology of helping these enthusiastic women and men who seek to be teachers. Indeed, our methods are very different from usual book-based, examination-oriented programs.
Why call it a Festival of Admission?
All work has to be enjoyable. The Vedcchi tradition has been to involve the entire community into such a major event, i.e. admitting a new group of students in Gandhi Vidyapith. The entire faculty and their families, the outgoing batch of students of the course, the new comers, their parents and guardians – all should be able to enjoy the fruits of education at Vidyapith. Further, anyone getting ready to join a community should choose freely on her/his own to be a member of the group without any compulsion. Therefore, freely considering the value of what one is getting into and making a decision of experimenting with what is offered, is felt by us an essential part of admitting a candidate. Should we not have a festive atmosphere when we have a newcomer join us in the community or family? Thus we, at Vedchhi, feel that it is as serious a ceremony for initiating them in the Ashram ways. We do want people who want to choose and decide for themselves rather than being pushed into a situation. We want them to “walk out” when they feel “this is not for me”. It usually happens that a half a dozen of admission seekers do arrive at such conclusions. It is also a fact that of 200 or more seeking to join the course, we have to dissuade quite a number of them, as the intake has to be limited. To do so is indeed painful to us. Nevertheless, We try to help her/him understand that perhaps it would be better for them to try at some other place since it would be strenuous for her/him and the community if s/he were to force herself/himself to join the course. S/he might find a new vista for progress in her/his life if s/he chose to go to some other institution.
Basically, when an enthusiastic group of young people, eager to join a yearlong program and ready to challenge the frontiers, comes forward to work sincerely, such an occasion could be nothing but a matter of immense joy and enthusiasm. We, here, love to be in a festive mood to embrace such a dynamic group of youths. Indeed, it is an occasion to celebrate, when a new batch of youths is getting ready to become responsible citizens of our nation and dedicate themselves to impart good education to the next generation of children, who are the future of India. It is in this spirit that it has been called an UTSAVA OR Praveshotsava!
The plan of Praveshotsava
A small booklet is sent to the applicant at least 15 days prior to the day of the festival. The booklet contains the details of all that is expected from the applicant.
| Time that may be used | Activity | Competence |
| One hour | Creative activity | Individual ability |
| About 10 minutes | Expression | Ability to speak to a group |
| 15/20minutes | Time with children | understanding about children |
| As essential | Interview | Personal details |
| As much as the applicant desires As essential | Getting to know the institution as well as getting an idea of year round activities | Discuss with present batch of students; faculty meet the families of the staff; visit the display exhibition of the activities that one goes through during the year. |
What is attempted in the booklet is to put the applicant at ease, to feel free and spend her/his time in the Vidyapith as s/he might choose. S/he is provided with an opportunity to prove her/his competence with conference.
Explanation of the Activities
- Creative Activity: here are chances given to the trainees to perform to the best of her/his abilities. Whatever activity one is confident about or has been her/his chosen and preferred field of expression, can be fully used to create what one can, with ease and pleasure. Thus, an opportunity to prove her/him potential for accomplishment is provided. Normally, the activity is expected to be carried out individually. The choice thus is entirely open. The following are the areas in which the former students have performed. But no one needs to feel that these are the only choices. We do welcome to add in any other activity which one feels happy to carry out: Embroidery, stitching and mending clothes, repairing spinning-wheels, maintenance or repair of electrical gadgets, electric fitting; painting, music, dramatics, sports, preparing a broom, making a soak-pit, cooking a special dish, rangoli(floor design),alpana, activities on the farm, milking cows, etc., are some of the activities in which the candidates are expected to show their awareness and ability.
- Expression: Each candidate is normally required to talk to a group. This activity is for testing the ability to face a group. One is free to tell about one’s experiences or one’s beliefs. The faculty and all the applicants together form the group of participants. To help them choose a subject, a number of chits are kept in a bowl. “Hat-speech” means one may pick up a chit and speak on the subject suggested. One is free to share whatever strikes her/him at the moment. Although the time allotted is ten minutes, it is the maximum time that they can use.
- Time with children: Children of the staff’s families as well as the Vedchhi primary school also join this festival. So, we have a chance to play or have them for a few minutes with each individual applicant. The children are divided into small groups of 15 to 20 and each applicant is required to spend about 15 to 20 minutes with them by singing songs, telling stories, playing games, or doing any other activity that one may choose. It would indeed be advisable for one to have given some thought about what one will do with the children as s/he is preparing for joining the festival. What is expected is that s/he should spend this time with children and get to know them. It is also expected that the children will be happy to be with her/him and they will help her/him feel relaxed!
- Interviews: The faculty will sit with the applicants to get more details about their desire to be a teacher. We want them to ask
Questions about things that bother them about us. They may not have made firm decisions, and might have apprehensions about whether they will be happy here. They should come forward to ask anything about the institution, even our selection procedure.
Indeed we would like to know about their experiences, desires and goals of life; how they are going to meet the expenses here and what are the sacrifices their family is going to make for them to be here; and how much they are going to be involved materially and personally in this venture. We do expect to get a full picture about their place in the family and home. All this is done to help them in making their decision about joining us.
- Getting to know us: An exhibition of various activities that were carried out during previous academic year is displayed. It provides more details about the objectives and achievements and also the time spent and expenses incurred and everything one wants to know about it. It contains the names of the schools we visit the projects in the surrounding villages and the village schools; social work and community services performed. Involvement in national calamities/disasters caused by nature or man! Agriculture work; cloth making, spinning and weaving, group work and individual efforts; indeed also “All in the day’s work”! Some of the outgoing students answer any questions that applicants have about all that is displayed.
The group of outgoing students (some ten weeks from now) are also keen to help them. They share their experiences and secrets (!) With all, and everyone who seeks to understand us, and the life here.
The would-be trainees should consider this ashram as their own and find out what needs to be done to improve, to make it more educative and a lively place.
We also expect the husband/wife, family or guardian of the applicant to be with us and join the festival because they too need to understand what the trainees are supposed to do here. We need their help to make sure that once the candidate joins here, there will not be any responsibility back home, where s/he has to rush for and worry about. Indeed, we prefer their presence here without a break for the entire academic year. We advise them to get their guardian’s signature on the statement that they will not call them or need their presence at home during the year.
We, as a nation, have wrongly got into the habit of seeking holidays, and off-days. It is very distracting. One of the major thrusts here is to work all the 30 days of the month without a break and make a sincere effort to understand how we can be better teachers and better citizens of the world.
Apart from this, the parents should know how much they would really have to spend for keeping the trainee here. Whilst here, at the festival thy meet us and ask whatever questions they want to be clarified. Their acceptance too of the candidate’s taking this course here is very important.
Responses
The experiences of this Praveshotsava are very encouraging.
- Candidates:
- Every year, say some half a dozen of the candidates who join here, come to the decision, “No, this is not what I think I will like to do”. They have all done a service to us by relieving us of the burden of saying ‘no’ to them and it is good for them too to accept not to be a drag on the group. We surely want people who want to be involved in the search for becoming good teachers, and not those who have to be here out of any compulsion.
- Two of the new entrants had a heated argument with the outgoing students. Khansukbhai, after the festival was over said, “These two new entrants were very adamant in their belief that our festival was just a show. People pay donations (bribes) to get an admission here! We tried to explain how we live here and how every small matter is open and accounted for.” Their contention was: “Would any one who has paid a donation will tell others here in the group? No, it is never possible to get admission without giving a donation.” Khansukbhai was really upset that these two remained inconvenienced.
- A young man from Bharuch city said, “The drinking water-stand needs water disposal arrangement. I am one who knows how to make a soak-pit. Will it be possible to get the required material like stones, etc. to make this area clean and decent?”
- Special recipe dishes were added to the list of creativity when we met Lata. She was proficient and took all care to prepare batawadas for the entire group present, with the support of the other admission seekers. She was the organizer, decider and indeed server of a tasty dish and enhance the spirit of the festival.
-
The present batch of students made it a point to prepare a list of candidates whom they felt would be selected for the new academic year. It was indeed a part of our expectations since their list would indeed be helpful for anything we might have missed.
The following is an instance in which this experiment came to be validated.
“How was Sumanben accepted?” Was a question, which was on the minds of the present batch of students.
“Why? What was so unexpected?” We the faculty group counter questioned.
Thus started our evening discussion.
“Well, she was a good organizer of the group of the candidates, s/he tried to help other candidates realize the expectations here. She has bright ideas, which s/he could express well. But her dress and the gait are too modern. The nylon sari, etc.”
“What about the time she spent with the children?” we asked.
“Oh there! There she was indeed a born teacher. All care and love!” Everyone started interjecting!
“Have you now yourself answered your initial question? We indeed look for those who want to be teachers, and who are open to accept teaching as a profession all their life.’
Ishwar, the representative of the student group said, “Of all the newly admitted people only Sumanben was one we had eliminated. Otherwise, our selection list of the New Year’s batch perfectly matches with what you, Sir, have declared. We felt she was too much of a city girl, a pushing one, and her dress that distracted us and we felt s/he had not chance of being selected, especially her nylon sari! You are right, Sir, she will be a good teacher”.
Thus, what became apparent was that the Praveshotsava was so open, so transparent and so meeting every ones approval that it became a festival for all who joined.
- Guardians:
- Induben, one of the candidates seeking admission, came with her father three days before the day of the festival. Her father went on observing us getting ready for a host of visitors over 300 or so. He frequented the houses of the heads of departments everyday of his stay here but did not disclose his purpose of having come and stayed with us for all the four days.
Whilst the presentation before the group, Indu got a chit demanding her to sing a song. She was indeed an accomplished singer. No one was in doubt that she had secured admission to the course, hands down!
At this stage, her father said to the head, “All these four days Indu was persuading me to approach you privately and give the thousand rupees I have brought for donation. But I went on telling her that this is a Gandhi Ashram. I know Jugatram Bhaia, the noble soul, the founder of this institution; it would be an insult to offer anything. Now that she is admitted; I am relieved. I go back convinced that my daughter has come to a right place. I am grateful to you all”. He had realized that his daughter got admitted on her own merits and Indu too was happy to have gained a place here because of her competence in music.
- “How is discipline maintained?” was a question, which propped up over and over again from the guardians. “What are your experiences of these young women and men of the sensitive ages 22/26 living in a residential institution, working together?” asked an anxious mother.
Our approach is democratic. It meets well John Dewy’s expectations. He propounded:
In a well ordered school the main reliance of control is upon the activities carried on and upon the situations in which these activities are maintained. The teacher reduces to a minimum the occasions in which he or she has to exercise authority in a personal way. When it is necessary, to speak and act firmly, it is done in behalf of the interest of the group, not as an exhibition of personal power. This makes the difference between action, which is arbitrary, and that, which is just and fair.
Thus, it is the group as a whole, where the students and the faculty together that considers a variant behavior. When something that really upsets the group, we all sit together and decide what to do and how to help the variant. In all the 16 years of my experience as the head of the course only three men and one girl had to leave before finishing it. All the four of them have kept real good relations with us and come back to finish their studies later and have become real good teachers. What I do wish to convey is that we have had very genuine and rewarding experiences and have been able to create a relationship with out alumni that last life long.
It is well noted in the case study of our institution by UNESCO that “.Some indication of the students response to the Vidyapith course if provided by the scores on a “CHANGE PRONENESS” Inventory administrated: 83% of the students fell within the combined category of high and very high combined with a comparable score of 23 percent recorded elsewhere.”
- Induben, one of the candidates seeking admission, came with her father three days before the day of the festival. Her father went on observing us getting ready for a host of visitors over 300 or so. He frequented the houses of the heads of departments everyday of his stay here but did not disclose his purpose of having come and stayed with us for all the four days.
- Well-wishers: “How much do I want to join this festival! It is really heartening to learn about your innovations. Were I to be informed in time I will surely be present next year at this festival, “YadhunathThate(Secretary,”Antarbharti, founded by Sane Guruji.
“Were you to add a time to be with children by the entrants, you will all enjoy it better,” Mulshankar Bhatt(An educator from Lokbharti).
“That the admission procedure has become a matter of festival is simply great. How I wish I were born forty years later so that I could have made the most of it,” A well wisher.
Finally, because of our openness in the procedure, often it has so happened that the grades obtained at the university were of little help. As we were looking for people who would like to open themselves to experiences and who had honest concern to do all one can, we could help those who did not have “A” grades! Our Experience has been given a chance to those who have not been understood by the “mega-machines” of universities, do perform wonderfully, and have become committed lifelong teachers.
It has to be noted also that the present management sees the admission procedures as a routine administrative affair and enhance the festival idea has become history.
References:
Dewy J. 1956 Experience in education Macmillan P.55
Goad.L.H. 1984 Preparing teachers for life long education. Hamberg: UNESCO Institute for Education, ISBN 92820 103g(flexicover).