In Higher Education

 

Value Education for Consciousness Transformation (VECT)

* Also see Universal Human Values (UHV) courses in AICTE

The objective of this course is to bring the context of human living into the classroom. While current education is able to provide information & skills via the method of memorization & analysis, it fails to touch upon the basic aspects of human living.

It is amply clear that the current content and context of education is materialistic in nature – it predominantly involves the study of the formful, material aspects of nature leading to a material outcome – of a consumerist lifestyle & society. While this ensures physical comfort, it is both unsatisfying to us as Humans as well as detrimental to nature.

Fundamental aspects like understanding of the Self, understanding the nature & purpose of human relationships, living in family & society, and our relationship with nature are completely ignored, or at best addressed in a half hearted manner in prevalent education.

This course aims to reduce that gap and point both students and teachers in the right direction by providing them with the relevant content needed.

This ‘alternative view’ of study and life can be provided to students so they may appreciate the need for living with human values and human-consciousness and make efforts to study & practice the same.

 Outline of  3 year Program in Human Values (UHVCD):

Need for the course:

  • Supplement the current education with crucial inputs in Universal Human Values and Ethics that is much needed to ensure all round development in students

 Course Objectives:

  1. Enable a holistic & inter-connected view of Life and Living in Students.
  2. To help students understand the meaning of happiness, peace and prosperity for a human being
  3. To facilitate students in applying the understanding of harmony in existence in their lives and lead an ethical life
  4. Instill critical thinking and reasoning abilities in the students between ‘Right’ and ‘Wrong’; ‘Desirable’ & “Undesirable”, etc
  5. Enable inculcation of:
    • Universal Human Values such as: Trust, Respect, Affection, Kindness, etc
    • Social Character: Rightful Livelihood; Kindness in Work and Behavior, etc
    • Ethics: Right utilization of ones body, mind & wealth.
  6. Enable the living of ‘Balanced Lives’ by having Harmony in the four Dimensions of Individual Living:
    • In Thought
    • In Behavior
    • In Work
    • In Realization & Understanding
  7. Ensure that students are responsible social citizens by recognizing and fulfilling their participation across:
    • Family
    • Society
    • Nation State & Inter-Nation
    • With Nature, Natural-Systems

Course Outcomes

On completion of this course, the students will be able to

  1. Distinguish between values and skills, “happiness” and “accumulation” of physical facilities, the Self and the Body, Intention and Competence of an individual, etc.
  2. Understand the value of harmonious relationship based on trust and respect in their life
  3. Understand the role of a human being in ensuring harmony in society and nature.
  4. Appreciate the need for ‘Consciousness-development’ & “Universal Human Values and Ethics” in order to live ‘Human-Consciousness’. Appreciate the need for ‘Study’ or ‘Adhyayan’ for the same.

Course Guidelines:

The course content follows the guidelines mentioned below, that are in the line with those recommended by the Ministry of HRD:

  • Universal– with respect to time, space & individual
  • Secular– is not dependent on any caste, creed, religion or sect
  • Rational– in the sense that it appeals to human reasoning
  • Verifiable – It can be self-investigated and verified in living
  • Natural for human being– it is naturally acceptable to every human being and there is provision in nature for its fulfillment. I.e. it does not have to be imposed & is realizable.

Course Methodology:

  • The methodology of this course involves a systematic and rational study of the human being vis-à-vis the rest of Existence (Nature)
  • It is free from any dogma and sectarian value-prescriptions
  • It is a process of guided self-investigation, and not of giving sermons. Whatever is found as truth or reality is stated as a proposal and the Students are facilitated to verify the same using a process of exploration that includes Scrutiny, Observation & Survey (nirikshan, parikshan, sarvekshan)
  • This process of Exploration takes the form of a dialogue between the teacher and students to begin with, and finally within the student himself/herself.
  • This exploration also facilitates students to evaluate their pre-conditionings and beliefs with respect of Goals of Life, Relationships, Lifestyle, Social and Ecological impact, etc.

Course Outline:

First Year

Semester-1: Introduction to Coexistence of Living

Semester -2: Basic elements in Consciousness Development, Human Values

Second year

Semester -1: Behavior-centric Humanism & Human Values

Semester -2: Spiritualism and Materialism – Coexistentialist View

Third year

Semester -1: Behavioral Sociology & Human Values

Semester -2: Cyclical Economics & Human Values

Course Books:

First Year:

–          Introductory Collection, Adhyayan Bindu & Jeevan Vidya an Introduction: { Parichaytmak Sankalan, Jeevan Vidya ek Parichay } – Madhyasth Darshan, Sah-astitva-vaad (Coexistentialism) by A Nagraj, Jeevan Vidya Prakashan, Amarkantak, India

Second Year:

–          Behavioral Humanism, Realization-centric Spiritualism & Resolution-centric Materialism:            { Vyawharatmak Janvaad, Anubhavatmak Adhyatmavaad, Samadhanatmak Bhoutikvaad} – Madhyasth Darshan, Sah-astitva-vaad (Coexistentialism) by A Nagraj, Jeevan Vidya Prakashan, Amarkantak, India

Third Year:

–          Behavioral Sociology, Cyclical Economics { Vyawharvaadi Samajshastra, Avartansheel Arthshastra } – Madhyasth Darshan Madhyasth Darshan, Sah-astitva-vaad (Coexistentialism) by A Nagraj, Jeevan Vidya Prakashan, Amarkantak, India

Reference Books:

–          Holistic-view of Human Behavior, Human Work, Human Practice & Human Realization:                  { Vyawhaar Darshan, Abhyas Darshan, Karm Darshan, Anubhav Darshan } – by A Nagraj, Jeevan Vidya Prakashan, Amarkantak, India

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Concept Note for Higher Education

First Year  Syllabus: Human Values course  in Higher Education

Universal Human Values courses (UHV) – experiments in professional courses