Spiritual education is as vital as curriculum: UoM VC

Mysuru:  The question that a student confronts is what to do after completion of studies. This is because not only does he not have an aim but also lacks a spiritual background and it is our duty to encourage and show them the way by imparting spiritual education, said University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar.

Presiding over the two-day national seminar on “The Contributions of the Eastern and Western Disciples of Swami Vivekananda to Indian Society,” organised by the Department of Studies in Philosophy and Swami Vivekananda Chair at the EMMRC auditorium in Manasagangothri, here recently he said that more than 3,000 students who pass out of the University of Mysore do not know what to do after completing their courses as they have no aim. If such students have to have a goal and a spiritual background, then the teachers must encourage them, he added.

Even the present generation of students sadly do not know the meaning of dreams and goals. One of the reasons for this is the semester examination that they are subjected to unlike in the past where it was a yearly examination. Because of frequent exams, they do not have the complete understanding of the subjects. This also results in affecting their goals and aspirations, he said.

Hence, one of the reasons for establishing various Chairs is to see that students get a little more than just classroom teaching. But there are allegations that the Chairs are not functioning, but this is far from truth as can be seen by the way Swami Vivekananda Chair is functioning, said Prof. Hemantha Kumar lauding the efforts of the Philosophy Department.

Earlier, Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysuru, President Swami Muktidanandaji, inaugurating the seminar he said that the basic foundation of education must rest on truth and spirituality. This was the strong feeling of Swami Vivekananda who gave a lot of importance to education and also believed that human values were more important, which everyone should understand.

Chairman of the Seminar and Head of the Department of Studies in Philosophy Dr. S. Venkatesh, Swami Vivekananda Chair Visiting Professor, Prof. V.N. Sheshagiri Rao, Co-ordinator of the seminar Dr. Daniel and others were present during the occasion.