India – Non formal model at its core

Swami Vivekananda has said:
Each soul is potentially divine; the goal in life is to manifest the Divinity within by controlling the nature internal or external. Do this work or worship, psychic control or philosophy by one or more or all of four. This is the whole of religion. All the doctrine or dogmas, temples or rituals, books or forms are nothing but secondary details.

We Indian understand this thoroughly. Even more than Swami Vivekananda too in all letters & spirits. We have always termed all formal ways and methods as secondary and primarily followed the spiritual ways. It manifests in our mundane affairs too as well. All of our governance and administrative models were formal but yet they were practiced through spirits only. Strict formalities were flexibly molded and only essence was taken into considerations.

British rule did the most cruelty upon us; they cursed us by introducing us RIGID FORMAL INSTITUTIONS. Even Mughals also did not changed our indigenous systems of governance & administrations tried to get friendly our and then got melted into our flow. While the British rule harmed the system by introducing RIGID FORMAL INSTITUTIONS. All types of formalities involved became mandatory to perform the way British Rule liked and preferred.

As voluminously described by Sri Dharampalji in his book named as “The Beautiful Tree” we had non formal indigenous education system. This was studied and reported by the contemporary British collectors in respective Zillas in India. Book refers and narrates that we always had non formal education system. The Apprenticeship or the “On the Job” training method has been developed by Indians since ages. All trades and craftsmanship has been passed over to coming generations through same method only. While the British rule, Lord Macaulay insisted and implemented formal education systems. He further declared that Indian schools run should mandatory have its own building and the Trust running the school must be registered under Trust Act or Society Act. Naturally 80% of Indian schools running had to close and then the British Rule introduced their Formal education systems.

Let’s come to our main issue of RIGID FORMAL INSTITUTIONS. We all know even if we have a forged degree of M.B.B.S. we can’t save life of a patient. But yet the RIGID FORMAL INSTITUTIONS have their paper work ready and handy. We also say and quote that a truck load of paper work can be just pushed aside just one single word of Truth. Post independent era we also continued with the RIGID FORMAL INSTITUTIONS and hence just paper formalities are continuously followed without getting the real zeal.

But unknowingly India has produced a wonder and we should be proud that we have a legacy of Voluntary organizations so called as NGOs (not for profits or Charity organizations). The growth and development of Voluntary organizations has really leaded the India where it is right now. The role and participation of the states and central government can be easily challenged and doubted. The extent and the real reach of formal institutions have certainly their own limitations. Had we not have the legacy of Voluntary organizations in various filed we would have been in real deep trouble. The business legends Tatas have all companies owned by the Tata’s Trusts and we all know that the profits earned by Tata Company’s goes to charity through Tata Trusts. We all know that such voluntary organizations are tirelessly working in the interests of people and are supporting many noble and charitable causes. All of our education institutions fall under the categories of Voluntary organizations since they are run by some or other society or Trust. Many such Trusts/ Organizations have been taken over by Governments and have made mandatory for appointing Governmental representative on the Governing councils of such institutions.



We fail to observe such example in reverse order. The role and participation of Voluntary organization in governmental organization and machinery remain silent and has been weak enough. It can be really increased and enhanced by allotting more powers to them. In order to get Voluntary organizations more powerful and making their participation we should make mandatory to ensure the implementations of every Government schemes through such Voluntary organizations.

May I suggest your kindness to reduce the corruption in governance and administration to enhance and encourage the participation of voluntary organizations. Their enhanced participation will enable us the fully transparent and result oriented implementation of government schemes.