WELCOME SPEECH OF SHRI S.
 NIJALINGAPPA, CHIEF MINISTER OF
 MYSORE
 

Shri S. Nijalingappa, Chief Minister, Mysore delivered the following address :

"Union Minister of Education, Mr. Chagla, member of the Planning Commission, Dr. Rao, Mr. Kanthi, ladies and gentlemen,

`I am just coming after addressing a conference of class four servants. Their children came to us holding forth a big banner which said `Take care of the children of the poor'. It was in big letters. I was naturally very much moved by that as not only children but also their parents who had come in large numbers. I am just coming from there with pain or full of pain and full of responsibility, possibly full of hope through you. Because these children call from, us the best that we can give them. The best we can give them is through you. Proper education, whether we are giving it to them is a matter which has been engaging the attention of man from the ages-ever since he became literate. We have gone far ahead, but I think much more remains to be done by you. As to how you educate us, you the people in charge of the administration should. know. I am glad, that we have got two eminent men who ate in charge of this Department, today Mr. Chagla, a jurist, statesman, thinker and a well recognised educa- tionist. I never thought that judges would be such good administra- tors. I do not mean any reflection on the judges. But it happens some times-it is my experience. They are all very fine men. But sometimes, they fail to appreciate the finer points of administration and its difficulties. I am glad that one of the very best of them is in charge of this most vital of the Departments. I welcome him to Bangalore.

`And there, besides him sits Dr. Rao for whom I have got possibly more affection than respect. Respect I have in plenty and more--don't think it is less. But I hold him in such great affection he is such a dear friend of mine. Let me say I welcome him most heartily.

`All of you ladies and gentlemen, are coming from various parts of the country. You are people who are incharge of education at various levels. It is a matter of great pleasure for me to welcome you all to Bangalore. While doing so, I think I should not be verbose --just welcoming you and leaving it at that.

`As I said, we are facing problems which seem to me to be very difficult to understand-for a man placed like me; and possibly it is for you who have got experience to unravel and solve. It is a big problem, in a complex society and expanding economy. We have to adjust ourselves; we have to change our views regarding the basis of education, how children have to be educated, how rudiments, will have to taught and they may be made to realise from the earliest time as to what their responsibilities, rights and duties are as future citizens of a State which is democratic in a world which is going to become smaller and smaller, where mutual respect, regard and understanding become vital necessities if humanity is to survive. These

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are some of the problems which our children have to learn from the earliest time. As to how these are to be done is your responsibility. I hope this Conference will devote itself to this basic problem.

`Next to that is how to find the wherewithal. I think the Central Government has been sufficiently generous in this behalf. The Planning Commission also, I, hope will be more generous and help us to find the necessary funds. We have a very sympathetic Planning Com- mission and an equally sympathetic Central Government. I hope they will understand the difficulties which my Minister Mr. Kanthi has to meet in fulfilling the expectations of the people. They expect much from us. A sort of education is there. But I must also submit to, you that the results of our examinations are certainly very discouraging very doleful, if I may say. It has been very disappointing. Children passing in the examinations. and the percentage being only below 20, in some cases hardly reaching 30. It is no compliment either to the teachers or to the system. There must be something very wrong in that. Why blame the children? Children are normal. I think 95 per cent of the children are normal. Why should they fail in an examination? Are the examinations that we hold year after year, of the reasonable and correct type? Why are children being played about like this? And how are their parents to meet this great calamity, if I may say so. If a man who has a large number of children-if his children fail year after year, how is he to meet the expenses connected with education? Why should children fail at all? I think there is something radically wrong in the method of education. I cannot say children are wrong. They are good. It depends upon how we are able to fit them. How we are able to develop their natural propensities. They are naturally endowed with sufficient amount of intelligence. Are we doing anything to improve them so that they do not fail in the examinations What is the sort of education? Is it the education of the correct type? I do not know. I am a lay man only. I am thinking as any parent would think, of course, fortunately or unfortunately, with a large number of children. But that is a problem it is not my problem alone because my children are being educated except one or two. That is a different matter. What about the poor parents who have to bring up their children? What are we doing with them? How are you going to help them to solve these difficulties? Are we giving this education to children at a very early age? I think parents, here in Mysore and I am sure it must be elsewhere, also feel so proud, so happy, so satisfied if his boy passes matriculation when he is 11-12 years. If he appears for the University examination when he is 16 or 17, he is happy-it does not matter if the boy is hopelessly unhealthy, not well built, no sports, nothing of the kind. If he manages to pass the B. A. at 17-18, he is the proudest father or the mother. That is the sort of the thing that is going on. There must be something wrong. My own impression is, before he is 21 or 22, a boy, or a girl, should not become a graduate. His body must be developed, and then the mind should be developed. What is the meaning of cramming his young mind with too many things? That is how I think. I am again saying, I am a layman. Please find out ways and means of avoding pitfalls and defects in our system of education, so that we may be guided and make our children better than what they are educationally. I thank you and I welcome you all."