Meaning, Nature and Scope of Education

Education is never ending. It starts with the birth of an individual and then it goes on till the last day of the individual. Education makes an individual a real human being. It is an essential human virtue. Man becomes man through education. He learns something at every moment and on every day. Education equips the individual with social, moral, cultural and spiritual aspects and thus makes life progressive, cultured and civilized. About education

P.O. Bannerji said: "It is the development of the power of adaptation to an ever changing social environment."

Gone are the days when education was the right of a privileged few. Now all have the equal right to be educated as education has become sine quo non of civilization.

Etymological Meaning of 'Education'

Let us understand the word 'Education' etymologically:
First view is that the word 'education' is derived from the Latin word 'Educatum' which means 'to bring up' or 'to nourish'.

Second view is that the word 'education' is derived from the Latin word 'education' which means 'to find out', or 'to draw out'. Naturally here in the process of education, 'effort is to draw out' rather than 'to put in'.

Third view is that the word education comes from the Latin word 'Education' which means the 'act of teaching or training'.

Concept of Education: Indian Views

1.            According to Rig Veda:
                                  "Education is something which makes a man self-reliant and selfless."

2.            According to Upanishads:
                                  "Education is that whose end product is salvation".

3.            The well known Indian Economist Kautilya says:
                                  "Education means training for the country and for the nation."

4.            The Indian, Philosopher Shankaracharya considers education as:
                                 "The realization of the self."

5.            Swami Vivekanand considered education as:
                                "The manifestation of divine perfection of existing in man."

6.            According to Vedantic view point:
                              "The essence of man is spirituality. We need an education that quickens, that kindles the urge of spirituality inherent in every mind."

7.            According to Mahatma Gandhi:
                             "By education I mean an all round drawing out of the best in child and man-body, mind and spirit."

8.            Guru Nanak said:
                               "Education is self-realization and service of-the people."

9.            Aurobindo Ghosh puts forth his view on education as:
                               "Helping the growing soul to draw out that is in itself".

10.          Rabindra Nath Tagore says:
                           "Education means enabling the mind to find out that ultimate truth which emancipates us from the bondage of the dust and gives us the wealth; not of things but of inner light, not of power to.”

11.          In the words of Zakir Hussain:
                            "Education is the process of the individual mind getting to its full possible development. It is a long school which lasts a life-time."

12.          According to Swami Dayanand:
                             "Education is a way for the formation of character and right living."

13.          In the words of University Education Commission Report (1948-49): 
                          "Education to the Indian traditions, is not merely a means of earning a living; nor it is only a nursery of thought or a school for citizenship. It is initiation into the life of spirit, a training of human soul in the pursuit of truth and the practice of virtue. It is a second birth, divitiyam janma."

14. According to the Report of Indian Education Commission  (1964-66);
                        "Education ought to be related to the life, needs and aspirations of the people and thereby made powerful instrument of social, economic and cultural transformation."