This document provides an overview of the educational philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore. It discusses Tagore's views on the aims of education, including the integral development of the individual. Tagore emphasized developing students physically, mentally, morally, and spiritually. He founded institutions like Shantiniketan and Vishwabharathi to put his educational ideas into practice and integrate Eastern and Western cultures. Tagore advocated for freedom in education and learning through natural experiences and the environment. He also stressed the importance of reviving rural education.

1. KUVEMPU UNIVERSITY, SHIMOGA, KARNATAKA – 577451
Department of P.G Studies and Research in Education
Shankaraghatta.
www.kuvempu.ac.in
2019-2020
Soft core – 2C
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AT SECONDARY AND HIGHER SECONDARY
LEVEL
A SEMINAR ON
“Educational Thoughts of Ravindranath Tagore”
Submitted to –
Dr. Rakesh
Lecturer
Department of Post Graduate
Studies And Research In Education
Submitted by –
Nagalakshmi.S
M.Ed IIIrd Sem
Shankaraghatta

2. Educational thought of Rabindranath Tagore
Content:-
• Introduction.
• The concept of universal man.
• Aims of Education.
• Aims and foundation of Vishwa Bharathi.
• Tagore’s comprehensive system.
• Freedom and Growth.
• Natural environment.
• Need for social environment.
• Reviving the rural Institutions.
• Critical estimate.
• Conclusion.
• References.

3. Rabindranath Tagore
Introduction:-
Among the contemporary Indian philosophers of
education Rabindranath Tagore, holds eminent position.
The may be called as humanist in the strict sense of the
term. His Humanist approach is not materialistic but
integral in Nature. His philosophy is cosmopolitan
Humanism and his theory of education is directly deduced
from this philosophy.
The concept of Universal man
Rabindranath Tagore says-Truth in the infinite
pursed by science, while reality in the definite of the
infinite which relate truth to the person. Reality is Human.

4. • He says Reality, in all its manifestation reveals it self in
the emotional and imaginative background of our mind.
• The concept of Universal man in his philosophy agrees
with the cosmic vision of divine in Gita.
• The universal man is at the back of all movements, all
change, all order and system in the universal. Man is
very much a part of him. Man and nature cannot be
conceived separate from God.
• The universal man includes both Tagore explaining this
meaning of the universal man said “This personality
which is the conscious principle of one man, the center
of relationships in the reality. Therefore the ultimate
object of attainment. I must emphasize this fact, that this
world is a real world is a real world only in its relation to
a central personality”.

5. • According to Tagore God us the perfect person, Human
being are persons in an imperfect sense.
• While man is an individual god, god is universal man. He
is the supreme person.
• This supreme person is in two form Saguna and Nirguna.
Both are two aspect of the same universal man god is the
perfect idea type of man.
• He possesses Human qualities. Tagore says, “all qualities
find their suggestion in god”.
Aims of Education:-
1. Rabindranath gives spiritual approach to Education. He
consider that the aim of education is self-realization.
2. Tagore’s philosophy is very much influenced by the
Indian Scriptures like the gita and Upanishads.

6. 3. He synthesizer the ancient vedhanthic tradition with the
modern scientific attitude in formulating the goal of
education.
4. Integral development:-
Tagore approach to education is humanistic and him
approach to ultimate reality is integral.
5. Physical development:- According to Rabindranath,
education of the body in the real sense, does not exist in
play and experience but in applying the body
systematically to some careful work, pointing out the value
of physical activities in the child’s education.
6. Mental development:- The intellectual aim of
education, according Rabindranath is the development of
the intellectual faculties such as logical thinking critical
appraisal and annihilation.

7. 7. Harmony with environment:- The student must learn to
live in harmony with the environment. Rabindranath says
“True education cosmists in knowing the use of any useful
material that has been collected, to know its real nature and
to build along with life a real shelter for life.

8. 8. Education and livelihood
• Tagore says “knowledge has two departments. One is pure
knowledge and the other is utilitarian knowledge.
• Whatever is worth knowing is knowledge it should be
known equally by man and woman, not from practical
utility, but for the sake of knowing the desire to knowing
is the law of nature.
• He emphasized that the real aim of education should be to
develop men and women, who may be able to fulfill the
needs of the country.
• Main aims of education is to prepare the individual for the
service of the country.

9. 9. Theory and practice
• Rabindranath Tagore was not merely a thinker and
dreamer.
• He put in to practice. His educational ideas by starting
three Institution Shantiniketana, Vishwa bharathi and
Sri Niketana.
• The three institution displayed a discernible pattern of
growth and expansion illustrating their underlining
creative unity.
Shantiniketan
Shantiniketan was started on a small scale with a school
and boarding home. It was called as Brahmacharyasram
and Inaugurated on 22nd December 1901 its aim was to
provide all round development of the students.

10. Vishwabharathi:-
• Rabindranath wanted to build up an educational
Institution for integrating the East and the West.
• Such a place was developed in the form of
Vishwarabharathi at Shantinikethan.
Aim & functions of vishwabharathi
• Being strongly impressed with the need and responsibility
which every individual must today realize according to
his power.
• The formed the nucleus of an international University in
India, as one of the best means of promoting mutual
understanding between the East and West.
• Thus Vishwabharathi was developed as a center of Indian
culture, Eastern culture international culture and center
for mass welfare and rural reconstruction.

11. • This ideal is being realized through the efforts of both the
teachers and students.
Tagore’s comprehensive system
• The lays emphasis on physical mental moral, religious,
spiritual in fact all the aspect of man’s education.
• The curriculum in Tagore’s educational Institution is not
fixed but changes according to the needs of the students.
• His only emphasis is on life, life of individual of the rural
masses of the poor Indian and that of man as a member
of an international community.
Freedom
• He believes in complete freedom of all types Freedom of
intellectual decision knowledge, action and worship.
• This freedom can be achieved by the practice of
Equanimity harmony and balance.

12. Freedom and Growth
• According to him educational process is mainly
functional with activity as its basis.
• Teacher and the taught must be always active and both
learning and practice should go together.
• He thinks Discipline in the school should be self-
imposed.
• The education is allowed to commit mistakes and learn
through them.
• Rabindranath was also against the present system of
educational evaluation.
• The also feels that invigilation is unnecessary and the
examinees may themselves take their question papers and
answer them.

13. Natural Environment:-
Education according to Rabindranath should be imparted
“in an Institution when the first great lesson is the perfect
union of man and nature, not only through love but through
Active communication” it can be had unobstructed.
Need for social environment
• The social environment makes the surroundings of the
children in which they fulfill their needs and drives and
develop their beliefs and ideas.
• The impact of the Relationship between the educator and
the educand is the one hand the educand and educand
and his companions of the other.
• If this relationship is based upon love. Sympathy and
mutual Understanding the educand easily develop moral
virtues.

14. Reviving the Rural Institution
• He gave importance to community entertainment
programmer and singing of religious Kirtanas and
Bhajans.
• The community fairs organized in villages from time to
time is also means of education.
• These fairs who give scope for exchange of skills in
vocational trades.
• To make the education mass oriented the means of
education should who be indigenous and easily available
in the rural areas.
Critical Estimate
• In Rabindranath’s philosophy of Education man is the
center of all his thinking his philosophy religion,
literature poetry, social activities, educational
programmes.

15. • He is a humanist in the real sense. He is not a naturalistic
Humanist. He can be considered as an integral humanist.
• Tagore is a nationalist, but at the same time he is a true
internationalist.
• To him the ultimate god is the universal man and the only
aim of all man’s activities was the realization of this god.
• His aim is universal regeneration and his educational
system is a means to achieve this aim.
• Tagore therefore, bases his educational system on
essential human virtues, such as freedom purity,
sympathy, perfection and universal brother hood.
• Tagore wanted to build up educational institution with the
noble ideas.
• He studied different problems of Indian society
particularly that of rural people.

16. • His educational system was a synthesis of east and west
ancient and modern and happy blend of science and
Vedanta.
• It is because of its noble vision national leaders like
Mahatma Gandhi, eminent educationalists considered
Vishwabharathi as the true representative of India.
• Humanyun kabir, one of the eminent writers and thinkers
of modern India wrote “Rabindranath Tagore was one of
the Greatest Humanists that the world has known.
• The key note of his life was resistance to tyranny in all
forms. He struggled economic exploitation, political
subjugation, social Inertia and Injustice and religious
intolerance and insensitiveness”.
• Humanism of Rabindranath is generally expressed in his
literature.

17. • In his work he laid emphasis upon the uniqueness of
human individual.
• His greatness in the world of living beings and his
intimate relationship with god.
• He tried to build up an ideal educational system and
experimented in all its branches such as aims, medium,
means curriculum administration and extracurricular
activities.

18. Conclusion:-
A reading of Tagore’s writings on education encourages as
rethinking this prioritization. His pedagogical approach of
the “method of nature” could inspire us to accept a
deceleration of learning and the simplification of living as
the most forward-leading approach. This is not only elitist
approach in his engagement for educationally deprived
people Tagore never cut their education down to the mere
basics but made sure that culture and joy were included in
their learning which strengthened them in their self-worth
and empowered them.
Tagore’s school and university exist until today many
aspects of his institutions have changed. But pupils still have
their classes under trees. Tagore’s festivals are celebrated
and music and the arts form a crucial part of the live of the
students.

19. References:-
1. Meogi P (Ed) Rabindranath Tagore on art and aesthetics P.
76.
2. Tagore R. N the religion of man (London: George Allen and
Unwin 1932).
3. Indian philosophy of Education.
4. Tagore R. N. ‘Amar Dharma’.
5. Tagore R. N Gitanjali song11 (London, Macmillan and co
1962).
6. Tagore R. N. Personality (London-Macmillan and co 1954)
P. 98.
7. Karma Yoga Santiniketan XIII series.
8. Siksar Herpher P. 8.
9. Rabindra Rachanavalli Vol XII P. 517.
10. Sabuj patra Vol. 2 (Srava 9, 1308 B.S) P. 30.

20. 11. Tagore R. N. An eastern University P. 2.
12. Tagore R. N. The school master modern Review October
1924.
13. Tagore R. N. “A poets school’ viswabharathi Bulletin No.
9.
14. Bhattacharya. K. Rabindranath on Religion Homage from
Vishwa Bharathi P. 32.