As seen by his famous phrase, Jyotiba Phule—a renowned thinker, social reformer, philosopher, champion of the anti-caste movement, and liberator of India’s lower caste and women examined the value of education, “Without education, wisdom was lost; without wisdom, morals were lost; without morals, development was lost; without development, wealth was lost; without wealth, the Shudras were ruined; so much has happened through lack of education”.
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This quotation illustrates how lower castes lack their fundamental rights, dignity, and existence because of a lack of education. In this regard, Babasaheb Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is a pivotal figure who emphasized the significance of education, stating, “Education is the milk of a lioness; whoever drinks it will roar.” He believed that education is what liberates humanity from all monsters. Education was prioritized, as stated in his famous phrases “Educate, Agitate, and Organize.”
It is well known fact that lower caste communities are forbidden and subjugated from all socio-economic, educational, cultural, and political institutions in India because of the unjust order or foundation of caste-based Indian society. Lower-caste people have been denied access to education since ancient times. Though, they getting some shorts of spaces in all the institutions due to anti-caste movement and constitutional remedies. Sadly, after 75 years, it does not appear likely that the promises and guarantees of the Indian Constitution will be fulfilled.
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When the public institutions intensely are being privatized. In this backdrop, Nalanda Academy in Wardha Maharashtra is playing an essential role in the educational liberation of students from oppressed social, economic, political, and historical backgrounds. This paper aims to circulate this revolutionary educational movement among those students who are not able to get education and education for liberation from marginalized communities of the world due to lack of information and money.
What is Nalanda Academy?
A group of educators has formed Nalanda Academy with the goal of helping poor students in India receive outstanding academic support. Since its founding in 2013 with just 1 teacher and 22 students, Nalanda Academy has grown to include 21 teachers and 200 mentors who provide free instruction to more than 12,000 learners. It is an educational resource hub for poor learners in rural areas and other areas, situated in a Buddha Vihar in Wardha, Maharashtra.
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What They Do?
The Academy provides a one-of-a-kind 10-month Foundation Course to prepare poor students from non-English-speaking and rural backgrounds for entrance to various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at prestigious universities. Since its beginning in 2013, the Academy has trained over 800 students from 15 different states.
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Additionally, the Academy is home to Nalanda Abhiyan Labs, which aim to foster a scientific mindset in students and familiarise them with modern technologies. 15 Abhiyan Community Libraries have been created by Nalanda Academy as part of the Community Outreach programme so far in various areas. In response to the COVID pandemic’s long disruptions in classroom teaching, the Academy launched Digital Nalanda, an online learning platform, in October 2020, which today serves over 12,000 students. The Samyak Centre for Interdisciplinary Research (SCIR) was recently established by the Academy. Nalanda students and graduates will conduct independent research projects as part of this initiative.
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A residential facility for 300 students called Nalanda Abhiyan Campus will be built by Nalanda Academy by the year 2024. The Academy provides all of its services, courses, and training at no cost to the students. The Academy raises money from supporters of the Ambedkarite philosophy of community empowerment through education in order to cover all of its expenses. A common goal is to provide a distinctive residential facility for future Nalanda students so they can set even higher goals.
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Over 800 students from marginalised communities, many of whom attended the Nalanda Academy in Wardha as first-generation, rural, non-English-medium students, have been working hard for eight years to overcome obstacles in order to enroll in prestigious higher education institutions in India and overseas. Since those eight years, a tiny but devoted group of teachers has managed to maintain this institution’s operations in just one hall on the grounds of Samyak Buddha Vihar, Wardha. Parents and friends of Nalanda Academy Abhiyan Kanta and Shashikant Humane gave 9 acres of land to Nalanda Academy in August 2020 so that it may construct its first residential campus. The realization of all the hopes and aspirations of the Nalanda Academy, Wardha’s students, teachers, and supporters is the future Nalanda Abhiyan Campus at Waifad (Website, Nalanda Academy, https://nalanda-academy.org/ ).
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Nalanda Academy provides not just confidence but also relevant information for future platforms and opportunities to the voiceless students. It is not an exaggeration to call it an educational revolution by the son of Phule-Ambedkar. The fundamental goal of this movement is to provide a higher level of education than conventional education. The students are acquiring education for not only their livelihood but also liberation from all kind of subjugation, exclusion, marginalization and disrespect from Nalanda Academy.
Dr. Hawaldar Bharti
Assistant Professor at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Law University, Sonipat Haryana.
*दलित टाइम्स उन करोड़ो लोगो की आवाज़ है जिन्हें हाशिए पर रखा गया है। *
महिला, दलित और आदिवासियों के मुद्दों पर केंद्रित पत्रकारिता करने और मुख्यधारा की मीडिया में इनका प्रतिनिधित्व करने के लिए हमें आर्थिक सहयोग करें।
