Secularism and its relevance to education

1. Secularism and Its relevance to Education
Presentation by
Dr. Syed Hayath Basha, Ph.D.
Department of Education
Aligarh Muslim University Centre
Malappuram, Kerala-679340
Mob: 7736338828/7382594662
Email: hayath83n@gmail.com

2. Various meanings of Secularism in
Various Languages
• Malayalam Meaning മതനിരപേക്ഷത
(Matanirapeksata)
• Hindi meaning धर्मनिरपेक्षता
(dharmanirapekshata)
• Telugu meaning లౌకికవాదం (Laukikavādaṁ)
• Urdu meaning ‫الدینیت‬

3. …Continued.
• According to Chamber’s Dictionary,
“Secularism is the belief that the state morals,
education etc, should be independent of
religions”.
• According to Encyclopedia Britannica,
“Anything non- spiritual, having no connection
with religion or spiritual matter, any thing that
is distinctly opposed do not connect with
religious or ecclesiastical thing temporal as
oppose to spiritual or ecclesiastical”.

4. The British writer George Jacob Holyoake (1817–1906)
coined the term "secularism" in 1851

5. The original text of the Preamble, (before the 42nd Amendment) of the
Constitution

6. Various definitions and views on
Secularism
• According to Vinoba Bhave, “The days of religion and
nationalism are gone, the days of science and
spirituality have come”.
• According to Holyoake, “Secularism is a system which
seeks the development of physical, moral and
intellectual nature of man to the highest possible point
as the immediate duty of life, which inculcates the
practical sufficiency of natural moralty apart from
atheism, theism or the Bible, which selects as its
methods of promotion of human improvement by
material means”.

7. …Continued.
• According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “Anything
non- spiritual, having no connection with religion
or spiritual matter, any thing that is distinctly
opposed do not connect with religious or
ecclesiastical thing temporal as oppose to
spiritual or ecclesiastical”.
• According to Oxford Dictionary, “Secularism
means the doctrine that morality should be
based solely on regard to well-being of mankind
in the present life, to the exclusion of all the
considerations drawn from belief in God”.

8. • According to Brubacher , “Secularism has no religious
point of view while it has a theory of moral education.
• B.R.Ambedkar: “All that secular state means is that this
parliament shall not be competent to impose any
particular religion upon the rest of the people”.
• S.Radhakrishnan: “Secularism does not mean anything
irreligious or atheism or even stress on materials
comforts, rather it lays stress on the universality of
spiritual values which may be obtained by a variety of
ways”.
• Mahatma Gandhi: “ The soul of religion is one but it is
engaged in a multitude of forms. Wise men will ignore
the outward crust and see the same soul living under a
variety of crusts”.

9. Concept of Secularism
• The real concept of secularism is that the sate shall
not impose any religion on people and it should pay
equal respect to all religions.
• George Jacob Holyoake (13 April 1817 – 22 January
1906), was a British secularist, co-operator, and
newspaper editor. He was the first man to use the
term ‘secularism’ to restructure a pluralistic society
based on democracy and tolerance where equal
opportunities were to be given to all, irrespective of
caste ,creed, colour ,race or culture.
• The term secularism has been derived from the Latin
word ,Seculum meaning “this present age” or “this
present generation”.

10. History of Secularism in India
• Emperor Ashoka was the first great emperor to announce, as early
as third century B.C. that, the state would not prosecute any
religious sect.
• In his 12th Rock Edit, Ashoka made an appeal not only for the
toleration of all religion sects but also to develop a spirit of great
respect toward them.
• He pleaded for restrain of criticism of other religious sects. He
asked people to become perfect in the scriptures of other religions.
• The religious tolerance expressed by Ashoka more than 2,300
years ago has been one of the cherished Indian Social Value.
• Ashoka’s secular outlook is one of the landmarks not only of Indian
civilisation but also of the human civilisation itself (Yerankar, 2006).
Even after the advent of Jainism, Buddhism and later Islam and
Christianity into the Indian soil, the quest for religious toleration
and coexistence of different faiths continued.

11. …Continued.
• The spirit of secularism was strengthened and
enriched through the Indian freedom
movement too. In the initial part of the Indian
freedom movement, the liberals like Sir Feroz
Shah Mehta, Govind Ranade, Gopal Krishna
Gokhale by and large pursued a secular
approach to politics.

12. …Continued.
• The Mughal emperor the great Akbar also to a
great extent promoted the policy of toleration
of different religions. His propagation of Din-e-
Illahi (Divine faith) and Sulh-e-kul (Peace with
all) were highly inspired by the spirit of
secularism.

13. Constitutional Provisions
• Article 28 states that, “ No person attending any educational institution recognized
by the state or receiving state funds shall be required to take part in any religious
instruction that may be imparted in such institution or to attend any religious
worship that may be conducted in such situation or any premises attached thereto
unless such person is a minor or his guardian has given his consent thereto”.
• Article 25,28 and 30 of the Indian Constitution emphasise the concept of
secularism.
• The idea Secularism is one of the fundamental aspect of the Indian has no
national religion and it provides all religions with equal opportunities.
• Two of the great Indian leaders, Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,
were principal advocates of secularism. Their ideology of secularism was based on
commitment to the principles of brotherhood and truth, and respect for all
individuals. They practised these values and set examples before the people.
Pandit Nehru was a leading supporter of the concept of the secular state. His
proposal and efforts for making India a secular state is acknowledged as one of his
greatest achievements. He disliked any kind of relation between religion and
politics. He wanted to transform India into a Nation State that would embrace
people of all castes and religions without any discrimination.

14. Secularism relevance to Education
• Secularism in education means making public
education free from any religious dominance,
especially in its learning environment.
• Those institutions which dominance, especially in its
learning environment.
• Those institutions which impart pure religious
education should be brought to the national
mainstream by adding new scientific and technological
knowledge to the curriculum of these institutions.
What ever religious tenets are taught to students ,they
are judged on a scientific basis.

15. What is the significance of Secular Education in India?
• To fulfill the requirements of democratic India.
• To strengthen secularism and human relationship in
India.
• To inculcate in the youth social, moral and cultural
values.
• To train the youth to be good citizens.
• We need secular education due to the erosion of values,
narrow mindedness, selfishness etc.
• Equality, liberty, fraternity, national outlook and
international understanding need to be propagated.
• Communalism and regionalism are on the increase.
• India is a multi religious and culturally varied society.

16. Role of Teacher
• promoting values of secularism by creating relevant opportunities and
encouraging children of different castes, communities and religions to
celebrate, appreciate, and respect each others’ festivals, cultural practices and
ways of life.
• can establish and nurture cordial feelings among people belonging to different
cultural backgrounds.
• Should create an atmosphere for integration and mutual co-operation.
• Trips to different centers of religious study.
• A particular religious faith should not be emphasized.
• Celebration of festivals of different religions.
• Religious instructions from different religions with stories and models from
epics.
• Teaching effectively to promote values through subjects.
• A well planned syllabus containing essential moral values.

17. References
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism#/media
/File:Holyoake2.JPG retrieved on 16.2.2018.

18. Thank you