Value degradation in Student Life

A nation is great not because of its scientific and technical development not of its wealth power but is great of its youth power. This greatness is calculated not only by mere intellectual development of the youth of any discipline but by the development of morality and spiritual consciousness which introduced a person with his /her genuine personality and developed character. The youth of today are the real future maker of tomorrow. The present world situation and the environmental contribution have significant role in building the future foundation strong. The millennium of scientific advancement and information and technology has made an epoch in the life of modern men. The time-consuming and comfort- giving materials at hand has brought out an unimaginable change in the life style of the laymen. But instead of being influenced by its positivity people (esp.the youth) have been becoming increasingly materialistic and luxuriant. Thus they are morally and spiritually degrading day by day. According to Swami Vivekananda ,”Education is not the amount of information that is to put in to your brain & runs riot there, undigested all your life. We must have life-building , man-making and character-making assimilation of ideas.{1}”But the present system of education is fulfilling merely the two fold purposes of education .First is to attain the intellectual development and secondly, to prepare the pupils to earn their livelihood. But the main purpose of education is neglected, that is the potentiality of making a true human being based on moral and human values. At present, almost the entire youth is characterized with negative qualities and anti-values i.e.; indiscipline , anger , cruelty , arrogance ,self scentredness ,lack of respect and due to lack of true destination oflife grooping in uncertainty and despair so they are provoked to do anti-social activities,to make violence,to use alcohol and drugs…………etc. A series of news paper reports in Bangalore in 2000/2001 showed that school children were regularly going to pubes at lunch time to drink beer.{2} This shows the lack of values, particularly in school students. In this regard B.K.Jagdish Chandra Hassija ,one of the senior most and dedicated Rajyogi, prolific writer and ex spokesman of Brahmakumaris says Avoid education in values and invite a colossal disaster. If no steps are taken now , civilized society will soon be ruled by the law of the jungle.”{3} The growth of population of youth is increasing day by day. In 2008, the rate of growth was 54% out of 125 crore youths{4}.If these adolescents are trained in a positive track of moral and human values and spirituality the dream of a value-based civic generation must come true. Because values are the integral parts of a well adjusted holistic personality as they are linked to our moral conscience{5}.According to Rajyogini B.K. Janki Chief of Brahmakumaris : “A life filled with values bring independence and freedom, expand our capacity to be self-sufficient and protect us from external influence.”{6} I have made an effort to point out how students at a very young age of 12-13 are dominated by anti-values which are exhibited in their behaviour,manners and daily activities. Although this problem is not new and several discussions, studies and world-wide experimentations has already conducted by eminent educationists and teacher – educators on verious groups of students in India (also in different countries of the world) yet no remarkable changes have come over in their life. So if we think over the present moral degraded condition of the students, esp. of India, the problem is still considered to be very significant. I have earnestly tried to succeed in bringing out essential changes in students behaviour and character to resolve the problem up to what extend it is possible depending upon their circumstance and the efforts will be made by the students .