“Of Mahatma and Mandi”- Nayi Taleem- a neo Gandhian approach to learning in a business school

 

It is not always that the very 1^st class of the very 1^st semester begins with the teacher grooving to the beats of Pink Floyd song “we don’t need no education”, Marketing 101 at display: “gather the viewers’ attention”. The teacher,  Prof. T Prasad, then went ahead and explained the significance of the song in the currently flawed, degree-obsessed, job-greedy contemporary system of education. He said that he aspires to be “1/12 Mandi sir”, asked us to check his YouTube channel for a sneak peek at his philosophy. Well, his unique teaching style combined with his (probable) good taste in music and his open approach to study, meant I instantly opened up his channel.

 

What is the 1/12 Mandi sir?

 

1/12 Mandi sir is the Mascot/Brand Ambassador/Philosopher and the Promoter of the Gandhian “Nayi Taleem”- a neo-education system of learning being promoted by Prof. Prasad. Prof. Prasad who himself belongs to a humble background is well aware of the lacunas and hurdles to continuing education without a regular source of money. So he synthesized a system where learning and earning go hand in hand (his mantra being “Socho, Becho, Seekho” which translates to “Think, Sell, Learn”). He emphasized on turning from job seeker to job provider (which incidentally is the theme of startup India program), to leave the job and do business.

 To lay stress to his philosophy he cites examples form history, on how there were 2 major economic “Jatis” in India – Karigari ( working class, the proletariat) and Karobari ( the business class, the bourgeoisie ) then he emphasized on how only the latter enjoyed a state of continuous prosperity throughout time and age. According to him, the job seekers are the modern-day Karigars and their salvation lies in turning into Karobari (businessmen/entrepreneurs)

His 2 major mantras for success are:

Learning must pay for learning

A person should be employable but not want to be employed

 

“ Nayi Taleem”- with a twist

 

Being a Gandhian myself and having read obsessively about Gandhi, I was greatly fascinated when he mentioned that his version of “Nayi Talim” draws inspiration from Gandhi’s Sarvodaya model of education. ( Sarv+Uday= universal uplift ). He mentions Gandhi’s “Towards new education”,  his awe of “onto the last “ and his philosophy of craft and vocation based learning methods for self-sufficiency of all. Having read the Sarvodaya plan and the subsequent “Wardha Scheme of education”, I couldn’t help but draw some parallels between his version of Nayi Talim and Sarvodaya Plan, which I will put in my own words

 

 

Sarvodaya Vision of Gandhi:

1.     the good of the individual is contained in the good of all.

2. A lawyer's work has the same value as the barber's in as much as all have the same right of earning their livelihood from their work. 

3.     A life of labor,  (the life of the tiller of the soil and the handicraftsman) is the life worth living

 

 

Similarities:

 

1.      Both the models advocates , self-sufficiency . (Although Gandhi talked of self-sufficiency on a macro level of villages).

2.      They propagate Decentralised model of education where the main focus is The Student himself.

3.      The colonial model of education based upon Macaulay’s system of “rote learning” was to be rejected.

4.      Learning is to be the focus and not merely “Tutoring”

5.      Advocacy of local products, milieu, crafts, and services has been highlighted

6.      Propagate education system affordable to all and earn fees by activity

7.      Universal access and equal opportunity to all for achieving a welfare state

8.      Stress on mother tongue for increasing the learning outcome.

 

 

Differences

1.      While Gandhis model was deeply rooted in Socialism of “to each according to his needs”, Mandi model recognises the modern reality and posts a slightly Capitalistic model more relevant in the contemporary world.

2.      While Gandhi stressed too much over village-centric model, mandi model is universal.

3.      Gandhi rejected too much emphasis on Machines but Mandi model is rooted in innovations and novel ways in tume with the current era of Industralisation-4.0.

4.      Gandhi emphaised on moral education, Mandi model emphasises on earnings.

5.      Mandi talks about student driven startuops which were absent during those times.

6.      Gandhi’s model was more idealistic Mandi model is more pragmatic.

 

 

 

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”- Mahatma Gandhi-  how Prof. Prasad practice what he preaches.

 

Prof. Prasad is the man in charge of the annual flagship marketing event at NITIE, Mumbai- “Mahamandi”. In this event, the students of one of the premium MBA college of the country, get a first-hand lessons in marketing by trying their skills in street marketing. Selling whatever they could and thus adhering to the Gandhian principle of “Koi kaam chota nahi hota”. This not only refines their marketing skills ( a skill in need for an MBA student) but also gives them a nascent first-hand experience in entrepreneurial skills by marketing a product directly to the populace. It also helps students earn some money while pursuing their education, a win-win situation.  This year in tune with the current situation of Covid-19 induced social distancing norms, the event has rechristened itself as “Swadeshi Mandi” with the theme of "Being Local for Vocal"(combining another Gandhian philosophy of advocating indigenous products as opposed to foreign ones). This event has resulted in various student-driven start-ups from the institutes like FreekaMaal, Laal10, Quiffers, CropWheel Agro among others.

 

 

Way Forward- Can he lives up to the Gandhian standard?

 

Gandhi believed in teachers having freedom in curriculum matters. He was against the idea of the teacher having a prescribed job based on what the authorities wanted the children to learn, and he was against prescribed textbooks because a teacher who taught from a textbook did not “impart originality to his pupils". Having just attended a few of his class I am not sure whether Prof Prasad would be able to match the high standard set by Gandhi for the teachers. Also, being a Business Communication teachers, he will at some point have to teach us various intricates of business communications- Mail writing, Board-Room communications, how to handle an agitated superior/subordinate, how to deal with different personality types, etc as Business Communications as a subject is not limited to Street marketing and promotional activities, but encompasses a much broader subject-content. So it will be interesting to see how the next few classes roll out and how he balances the “Nayi Taleem” with the compulsions of his job as a Business Communications teacher. Only time will tell.

 

 

To be continued………………..