Prakash Javadekar releases book on Mahatma Gandhi's 'Nai Talim'

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday released a book Experiential Learning – Gandhijis Nai Talim, in the national capital, marking the occasion of Teachers Day.  The book, which was released simultaneously in 13 languages, contains basic principles of Gandhi’s Nai Talim, along with the work and education curriculum for schools, D.Ed, B.Ed and faculty development programmes for teachers, according to a government statement.

The Curriculum was brought out in 13 languages—Assamese, Tamil, Bengali, Odiya, Kannada, Malyalam, Punjabi, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Urdu, Hindi and English—in consultation with the state councils of educational research and training.

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Javadekar, speaking on the occasion said, “We would like to take experiential learning to all levels of education involving all states and all stakeholders,” adding Gandhiji’s Nai Talim or basic education was a holistic approach of developing body, mind and soul, by making a productive art, craft or community engagement activity as the centre of learning.

The HRD minister lauded the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education for having involved all stakeholders in bringing out the curriculum.

The book seeks to supplement the efforts of a movement which is being carried out across educational institutes to promote Nai Talim, work education and experiential learning, the statement said.

“This book is expected to inspire this movement to cover progressively 25 crore students of educational institutes at different levels in the country covering 80 lakh primary school teachers and 20 lakh secondary school teachers, spread over 17.5 lakh primary schools and 2.5 lakh secondary schools across the country,” the statement added.

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The book and the project were a joint effort of the Universities in the state, state SCERT and Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education (MGNCRE), under the Ministry of Human Resource Development.