"Education is not commercial business": Mohan Bhagwat backs 6% budget demand, better teacher training

New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday backed the long-standing demand for allocating six per cent of the national budget to education, calling it "appropriate" and saying it should be implemented, while stressing that education should not be treated as a commercial activity.

Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Bhagwat said, "This demand is appropriate, we feel, and it should be implemented."

He, however, added that increasing the education budget alone would not be sufficient.


"Only doing that won't suffice because no one has ever said that the government should run the entire education system. So, we can all run it together," he said.

Referring to RSS-affiliated Vidya Bharati schools, Bhagwat said quality education was possible through social participation and commitment.

"A very large effort to run schools is being made by our workers through the Vidya Bharati organisation. About 23,000 good schools are running. This hasn't happened solely because of the budget; it's happened because of concern for the new generation and the resulting effort," he said.

Bhagwat said creating public awareness about education would eventually compel governments to act.

"If this happens, a mood will be created among the people, and no government or politician can ignore the public. So, this will happen even without a movement, and a 6 per cent budget will be achieved. Absolutely," he said.

Bhagwat said education is a necessity of life and must be made accessible to everyone.

"Education is not a commercial business; it is a necessity of life. Therefore, education should be easily accessible to everyone. For this, much thought is needed regarding fees and other matters," he said.

The RSS chief stressed that society should also take responsibility for improving educational infrastructure instead of depending solely on the government.

"There are many places where villagers and workers came together to improve the local school... The whole society should pay attention to the financial burden of education because this education isn't just something given by the government; it's the education of our children," he said.

Bhagwat also called for better teacher training, saying reforms should begin with educators.

"We have to start with the teachers; train the teachers. After that, matters like the curriculum come into play... We are providing education to build the next generation, not to run schools or make money," he said.

He said that if society actively participated in education, reforms would come much faster.

"If we make these two changes, things will improve very quickly," he said, urging students and educational institutions to take up projects aimed at improving schools by involving local communities.

On employment, Bhagwat said the country should move beyond the mindset that employment means only salaried jobs.

"Employment is not only jobs. It is also entrepreneurship. It is also skilled work," he said, adding that society must give greater respect to manual work.

"We need to have 'shrama pratishtha', which means dignity of labour," Bhagwat added.