Prominent educationalist Gijubhai Bharad

Gijubhai Bharad is a prominent educationalist from Rajkot who has shared his unique grip on education with lakhs of students. Starting his educational career in 1962 with Saraswati Scientific Institute, today he successfully runs primary & higher secondary schools and engineering college

Over the years he has invented such techniques that help students to learn subjects easily. He is highly honored for his knowledge about education system.

In this interview with SpeakBindas, he talks about his views on present education system, changes to be done in it, suicidal tendency in students and much more.

Videos of Interview

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Excerpt of Interview

Q.: As a student you were scholar enough to get admission in either medial or engineering still you chose the educational stream. Why?

It’s indeed an important question. Of course, I was aware about the good future with a medial or engineering line. But I guess because I wasn’t mentally prepared to work with the sick people, I chose not to take medical line. Of course, this field involves the humanitarian work but due to above reason I didn’t chose it.

I didn’t chose engineering field either for the reason of no interest at all in working with dead things such as machines, construction etc.

Hence, as education is the only field which deals with vigorous and live people, I chose it as my profession.

Gijubhai Bharad in his office

Q.: In your time, after completing graduation, you could easily get a Government job in some college as a lecturer which could stabilize your life with continuous income. Instead of choosing this common and easy path you chose a filed of tuitions which was not so common those days and had risks too. What inspired you take such a least walked path?

Very true. After I completed M.Sc., as usual I went for an interview in a college for the job of a lecturer. Despite being my skills better than the other candidate, he was chosen for the job for whatsoever reason. I was rejected.

This evoked in me a dream of establishing a role model education system where primary, higher secondary and college education is taught in a specified and effective system and along with education, virtues of humanity too should be taught. Now no other institution will allow me a platform to apply my such thinking in their education pattern. This made me establish my own private institute.

There was no policy of self-finance schools at that time. Hence, to provide an extra education, I planned to start with tuition classes (coaching classes). At that time, there was no much respect for coaching classes. Hence, I gave a unique name to my institute that “Saraswati Scientific Institute.” So instead of simply running tuition classes, I involved various other features such as how to memorize, how to give more scientific approach to education, how to increase mind power etc. and established this institute in the year 1962.

Q.: These days people have started believing that the changes are must in the present education system which is based on the percentage ratio. Instead that, such an education system should be developed where every single child’s creativity is satisfied and given a direction further. Recent film ‘3 Idiots’ had the same message. Being an educationalist, what do think should be the proper education system?

I confess that despite disliking few things in the present education system, I have to act as per the policy. Personally, I strongly believe that education must be creativity oriented. The present education system is indeed mark/percentage attentive one. Students are taught to mug up things by writing it down multiple times. This system badly affects a student’s further career. Gujarat state’s education is indeed mark oriented one. It makes us believe that at any cost, one should achieve more and more percentage. I am not against achievement of more percentage but when it comes to doing it “at any cost” I strongly disagree. If a student scores couple of less percentage today, chances are he will gain more in future, but if he is trained to achieve percentage with ‘at any cost’ concept, the level of understanding will decrease.

I strongly believe that in the coming 4 – 5 years such an education system will be developed which will be creativity and understanding oriented and not merely percentage pertaining. Those educational institutions which won’t support this change will ultimately be vanished.

Q.: Some schools organize many different kinds of co-curricular activities too. Students are already burdened with their syllabus and then these co-curricular activities are added to it. What’s your take on this scenario?

One must understand that only bookish knowledge is not total knowledge. Though I also don’t believe in a concept where every student should perform every kind of co-curricular activities. It should be based on choice. For example if a student is more inclined to sports, he should be given space to perform sports related co-curricular activity, likewise for painting, music, dancing, research or any other activity, student’s passion must match and then go ahead doing it.

Hence, along with the teachings of syllabus, a student can chose couple of co-curricular activities which falls as his hobbies. That will help him progress in all aspects.

But the excess of different kind of co-curricular activities on every student isn’t a wise idea at all.

Q.: Approximately more than 2,00,000 students have studied under your guidance where in addition to providing them the required education, you helped them progress further with the creativity they are boasting with. Could you please share few examples of such students who despite being weak at routine education, succeeded with their creativity?

As it isn’t easy to guide every student’s creativity, I have created some 75 to 80 techniques that can help a student to study a subject with more understanding and deep essence. I published books based on these techniques, gave lectures to different places, organized workshops in and out of Gujarat and covered around 10,00,000 students under that. There are numerous of examples where students have progressed in a better way with their creativity with guidance received from me.

Among such gems, one is Sumitra Patel. She wasn’t at all interested in the subject of science. I was fortunate enough to guide her and today she is a scientist! In addition to her disliking towards the subject, her conditions too were not supportive for acquiring education. I taught her few techniques that helped her learn the subject of science with interest. And today she works as a research scientist in Australia.

Another gem is Parag Trivedi. He failed thrice in S.S.C. in the subject of mathematics. He came to me and asked me to suggest him some course where mathematics isn’t in the syllabus! As a teacher, I researched about him to find out whether he really dislikes the subject or it is something else? What I found out was, the concept with which he was taught made mathematics horrible for him. Otherwise, his mind was indeed logical which supports mathematics. I asked him to come visit me for half an hour for fifteen days. And then the magic happened. Today, he is the head of the department of mathematics division in a science college.

I believe, teachers and lecturer must concentrate on the creative part of students which is of great importance in addition to providing syllabus education. According to my views, Primary Education is the education of love. No matter how naughty the student is, no matter he doesn’t do homework, just love him, love him and love him. Higher Secondary education is the education of discipline. How to read, how to behave, how to eat, how to walk etc. should be taught during this phase. Where as the College Education is the education of only guidance. How to proceed ahead, which course to chose etc. guidance should be given at this stage.

It’s indeed sad to note that, state of Gujarat has failed in all three steps. In the coming future where education for the creativity will be taught, if Gujarat can adopt these three steps, not only in India but in entire world, Gujarat can stand up as a role model in creative education.

Q.: At present, we often get to read in newspapers about the suicide incidents of students studying in S.S.C. or H.S.C. At such a teenage of 15 or 17 years, they take a severe step of suicide. According to you who are responsible for this suicidal tendency?

If anyone who is more responsible for this tendency then they are the parents. Expectations of parents are highly increased. Without understanding their child’s capacity, they work harder to make him a doctor or get to ninety percentages in the result. Due to such excessive expectations when a child feels depressed, turns very negative, feels fear of result does attempts for suicide.

Solution to avoid this problem is indeed very easy. Parents should spare half an hour time everyday with their child for a healthy discussion. Parents should talk on the positive side of the life such as by saying “everyone has own identity with which he can earn good money too”. He should be told the examples of successful people. Often, he should be asked such questions that he must answer in a positive way. The prime reason for suicidal tendency is the severe negativity. A student with negative mind sees negativity in everything. But if parents ask some positive questions such as “whose lecture you liked more today?”, “what’s the best thing that your friend told you today?”, “what you liked most today?” etc., he will come up with positive answers only that will develop his mind positively omitting any negativity existing there.

If this process is practiced for 21 days, he will become habituate to it. If taking further, it is practiced for six months; his entire attitude will become positive and will perform outstandingly in all fields of life.

If a child is taught three things

1. Work the best way
2. Develop a positive attitude
3. Work hard

… it’s for sure that a bright future awaits him.

Q.: Recently, you have undertaken a mission ‘Gyantula Abhiyan.’ Tell us what is it all about? What inspired you to undertake it?

I always used to think that the society should be given the best of literature. It’s like either what is available in market is not inspiring or what is inspiring is lost somewhere. Hence, I used to feel to do something for the same and provide such literature which can benefit children, young and women.

Muktanand Bapu who is based in Champrada village is dedicated to providing education as well as working for the youth. He was completing 50 years of his age. I was highly impressed by his work, so I decided to celebrate his birthday differently. Plan came out as making a set of approx. 400 books and donate such 1000 sets to different villages. And do this mission as a respect to Muktanand Bapu’s devotion towards education. Books’ subjects too were chose accordingly. They are knowledgeable and inspirational ones.

Q.: What special creative message you would like give to the student realm?

I have one important thing to say and is that “Always Be Positive” Always try looking for the best things around you, wherever you go and utilize it at its best. Positive attitude is easy, simple and free way to get success in life.

Also work harder regardless of it being personal, family, neighbour, state or country. Work is the potentiality of making you successful.