By Ms. Sasmita Samanta
Pro VC – KIIT University

Education can be described as the wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning undertaken in the belief that all should have the chance to share in life. (Smith 2015). This definition has three aspects, one is wisdom comes from knowledge and experience, which gives the futuristic direction to the learners to be hopeful to use it in the future and learning happens with mutual trust and respect between teacher and student.

Since Vedic time, in India, the teachers and students learn together, but teachers give all benefits of learning to the students. The teachers attend needs, experiences and feelings of the learners to make them reflective of their knowledge as per the situation in the future. The learning happens with mutual respect between teacher and students, and respect for truth.

The teachers build the relationship with the students, unleash the inner potentials and guide them to pursue their dreams.  During ancient times, the students were staying in Gurukul with the teachers to spend time together, to build relationship and teachers were helping students in recognising his or her strengths. Kauravs and Pandavas went to Guru Drona for getting an education. The mythology mentions about five Pandavas and Kauravs became experts in different weapons skills archer, mace fight, wrestler, spear fighter as per their talents and attitude. One guru was producing experts in different areas with common value-based education. They were being taught to meditate to recognise their self and listen to the desire of their soul and make the path to fulfill it.

The curriculum should have futuristic views and approaches and be designed to match the expectation of students, which will help them to accomplish the future goal and will help them to remain connected to the dream. With time, the knowledge should evolve for giving solutions to the emerging issues. Curriculum delivery should be setting examples for the students to get the ways to learn, apply, and enrich the realisation about the subject itself.

Once a virtual conference was going on on the topic prioritizing the decisions and after the conference, the experts started leaving, just I asked, what should be our priority, writing the proceedings or writing a report with scientific analysis.  He smiled and said up to you, whatever suits you. His smile communicated that now you prioritise as per your wish. He opened the avenues for me to think and decide.

Learning can only be impactful, once students start giving value to it, as a powerful instrument to grow, a respectful system to stay connected and an effective solution to fulfill the dreams.