Dayalbagh Educational Institute: Spearheading evolution from Homo Sapiens to Homo Spiritualis

Revered Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi while addressing the gathering at the Annual Prize Distribution Function of Dayalbagh Educational Institute's (DEI) Technical College on May 21, 2003 stated that, “The vision of the Founder of Dayalbagh and this Technical College, His Holiness Sir Sahabji Maharaj, was to bring up institutions to serve as models to all those working for the uplift of humanity, whose alumni will be healthy and hard working, not shirk from manual labour and respect those who till and toil with their hands”. DEI continues to work on making this Vision a reality.

In our post today, we have Prof. Prem Kumar Kalra, the Director of Dayalbagh Educational Institute walk us through the approach of the Institute, its past, its present and what plans are there for the future.

Remain committed to selfless service.
Anurag

Dayalbagh Educational Institute:

Spearheading evolution from Homo Sapiens to Homo Spiritualis

Prof. Kalra writes...

The Dayalbagh Educational Institute was founded in 1917 as a co-educational middle school, the Radhasoami Educational Institute, by the August founder of Dayalbagh, Sir Anand Sarup. The Dayalbagh community emphasizes nurturing of one’s spiritual and intuitive faculties through Surat Shabd Yoga. Dayalbagh itself is a century-old, living example of cooperative co-existence, self-sufficiency and self-reliance, untouched by the swinging pendulum of inflation, and DEI was nurtured with these same set of values, practices and morals.

DEI: Hallowed Corridors of Learning

Foreseeing the challenges of the future, the founders of DEI emphasized skilling and the importance of working with one’s own hands. In 1917, an industrial park called Model Industries was established in Dayalbagh, which offered opportunities for apprenticeship to students at the middle school level, in addition to providing employment to the community’s residents. Vocationalization of skills was thus integrated into DEI education from its inception.

Skilling in the AAM Karkhana

In 1916, community-based farming was initiated on a small scale, which grew into full-fledged agricultural operations on 1250 acres of land by 1941. Daily field work is part of life for every member of the Dayalbagh community. Dayalbagh also set up Asia’s best Dairy processing plant in 1926, and these initiatives created a sustainable model of living and material minimalism.

Children of REI: Bonding with Mother Earth

DEI’s education is rooted in its Educational Policy of 1975, the Architect of which was Revered Prof. Makund Behari Lal Sahab, Himself an outstanding academician, teacher and educationist. An alumnus of Lucknow University, He went on to obtain the D.Sc. degree in Zoology from the University of Edinburgh and returned to Lucknow University eventually becoming its Vice-Chancellor. And through His dedicated effort, Government of India conferred the status of a Deemed University on Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI) on 16th May, 1981.

The mission objective of DEI education is to evolve a complete person through physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical integration. The Policy, which is rooted in Indian culture, philosophy and spirituality, outlines how this may be achieved via its Aims & Objectives, Educational and Organizational structures.

The DEI Education Policy was a disruptive innovation in higher education and followed a systems approach that integrated social and environmental systems with formal systems of education. This allowed DEI to evolve at the pace at which social needs and the world order was changing. It benefited society at large by encouraging sustainable, frugal innovation through optimization of economy, energy and resources. The Education Policy also emphatically enunciated the centrality of values-based education and ‘excellence with relevance’, and this is practiced throughout DEI, from pre-primary to higher education.

Values instilled in our minds and inscribed on the walls of REI Hall

A unique aspect of DEI is the integration of education from pre-nursery to Ph.D. on the one side, and skilling to entrepreneurship as part of formal education on the other. The opportunity for mobility from general to skill-based education and vice versa through well-defined pathways has spurred creativity, frugal innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset in our students. Introduction of vocational courses (B.Voc. and M.Voc.) at Bachelor’s and Master’s level has taken skilling education to the next level. Synthesis of mainstream education and entrepreneurship has led to “Earn while Learn”, on-campus enterprises in dairy, food processing, automobiles, apparel design etc. These opportunities provide students with a means to support their education.

B. Voc. Dairy Students

DEI has created an ecosystem that encourages innovative ideas from young students on socially relevant problems, and we have tried to facilitate the transformation of these ‘idea quanta’ into frugal or jugaad solutions. We call this harnessing of small, frugal innovations ‘Quantum Jugaad’, and it has led to the creation of many student-run, on-campus enterprises. These naturally evolving, and exponentially growing student-run enterprises have given an entrepreneurial flavor to teaching and learning. But the meaning of entrepreneurship here is not innovation that leads to revenue-driven venture creation, but rather, the creation of value through social, economic or environmental ventures that benefit the lowest and the least among our masses.

DEI Quantum Jugaad: Incubating Nano Enterprises

Innovation, whether incremental, procedural, need-based or blue ocean type, always follows the SIGMA SIX Q framework of the Institute, which weaves six basic threads together, and emphasizes in improving the QUALITY(Q) of life. The sum (Sigma) of these six is greater than the individual parts. The areas are:

(i) Innovation including generation & use of renewable energy

(ii) Water quality

(iii) Air quality

(iv) Education and healthcare

(v) Agriculture and dairy practices

(vi) Quality and Values.

The Sigma Six Q Model

I would like to discuss here the link between innovation and system thinking in education. Innovation is not driven by technology alone (hardwired innovation); it can as well be driven by a change in one’s way of thinking, or through emergence of new knowledge, or even a change in the mindset that one brings to a problem (soft innovation). Educational institutes can innovate by providing new learning organizations and new pathways such as skill development and opportunities for analysis, synthesis, experiential experiments, teaching- learning methodologies and creative technological interventions. These then lead to innovative design of curricula, emergence of new knowledge and new pathways for student mobility. Ecology, energy and economy optimization too, are good reasons to motivate creative innovation. A combination of these ideas leads to frugal innovation that evolves continuously and dynamically over all time to come.

At the IITs, Prof. P. K. Kelkar introduced science-based engineering education that included social sciences. This approach gave young engineering graduates a wide knowledge base, and an edge in solving complex social problems economically, by using local resources. Prof. Mo Jamshidi of University of Texas, was of the view that methods of education must be refined and expanded to meet changing needs from a system to a system-of-systems vision, from a disciplinary to a multidisciplinary outlook, from a steady state to a real-time perspective, and from an optimal to an adaptive approach.

Innovative evolutionary approach in our education conforms to the philosophy of “Renaissance Man” by Prof. Jay W. Forrester of MIT, one who has broad intellectual interests and is accomplished in areas of both the arts and the sciences. Such a person tries to see common elements in diverse settings and thus creates transfer-ability between diverse structures, which is one of the hallmarks of the systems approach.

Norbert Wiener’s prediction in 1950 that electronic computers were capable of taking over many human decision-making processes has come true today, raising an array of crucial ethical and moral issues: Are humans in danger of becoming slaves to these machines? Will such machines have autonomous thinking and resultant morals, or will the designers consciously or unconsciously build into them their own moral values? And who we will turn to for proper answers? Prof. Rajaraman says that common-sense knowledge, religious beliefs, and consciousness will be the drivers, and we, at DEI, have set ourselves the huge challenge of not only instilling in our students the thought process to address social change, but also how to adopt and adapt technology to answer some of the questions raised above.

Under the guidance and direction of Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi the scientific study of consciousness and ultra-transcendental meditation is undertaken at DEI’s Centre for Consciousness Studies. Experiential knowledge of 150 years of spiritual practice by the members of the Dayalbagh community has given DEI a living laboratory to analyse the phenomena of consciousness practically, as also the effects of ultra-transcendental meditation. But this, much required discipline is yet to become part of formal education elsewhere.

'The Science of Consciousness (TSC)' Conference at DEI

DEI aims to become a leading research-cum-teaching institute in Consciousness Studies. In DEI this pursuit is carried out by bringing together teachers, researchers and students from various disciplines like psychology and cognitive science, physics, mathematics, life science, language studies, arts and music, engineering management etc. This truly trans-disciplinary study has unfolded many aspects of human behavior, psychology and functioning of the brain. Rigorous scientific research is being carried out to understand the experiential science through experimental techniques.

The Strategic Plan will be anchored by an accountability framework through measurable inputs and deliverables that monitor progress towards our goals. Over the next five years, building on our foundational strengths and propelled by the promises outlined in this Strategic Plan, DEI will emerge as an institute with excellence in specific disciplines and strong societal outreach that delivers holistic education to every learner.

Total Quality Management in Higher Education

The DEI will leverage its strength, taking advantage of the opportunities to overcome the existing weaknesses to reach the goals. We will allocate our resources in the areas that sets us apart and will align our future resources with the upcoming deliverables to become leading research and teaching institute in agriculture, entrepreneurship and consciousness while sustaining other areas of research in the institute. Learning ecosystem in DEI will be enhanced through experiential learning by connecting class rooms, labs and research to real world problems.

DEI’s Strategic Plan charts the distinctive course expected of an institution with a long and distinguished history. It builds on the traditions of excellence established by our founders, with a clear view of our strengths, opportunities and weaknesses.

DEI has chalked out a bold 15-year strategic plan (Vision 2031) and aspires to become an Institution of Excellence in the areas of Consciousness, Agriculture and Entrepreneurship. I do not think any other institute offers such a broad spectrum of integration on one platform.

We hope to help in the creation of a race of ‘Supermen’, who would be set apart from the rest of humanity, by their quality, character, behavior, values and ideals, and their desire to serve. The recent scheme of Evolutionary Superman (popularly known as the ‘Sant-Su Scheme’) for children of age 3-months to 3- years is the first step in this journey. As regular participants in the agricultural field work every day, these children gain good sanskaras from a very tender age. In 2018, we were happy to host them at DEI on our Founder’s Day, and we consider them our pre-pre-nursery students!

Supermen in the making: Learning to cohabit on our planet

Building Innovators and Creators: Tod-Mod-Jod

Gwynne Shotwell, the President and Chief Operating Officer at SpaceX, states, “You can't be on the cusp of innovation and at the forefront of technology if you're wearing blinders. If you don't have an exploration program where you're exploring your world here on Earth, underwater, and in space, then you're wearing blinders and handicapping yourself”.

Many of the programs at Dayalbagh and DEI are designed to get children to be early explorers. Our post today is on “Tod-Mod-Jod”, a program to build curiosity in children and help them become innovators, creators and inventors.

Happy Exploring,

Anurag

तोD-मोD-जोD

Education is the crucible in which innovations and creativity are nurtured. Promoting creativity and originality through our educational institutions is a first step towards broadening and deepening the impact of innovation in our society and economy. To foster creativity at an early stage and to encourage an innovative mindset in the learners, it is necessary to provide a hands-on learning environment where students can de-construct, re-construct or re-purpose everyday objects that they see or use.

Rationale

The innovative skilling initiative in Dayalbagh Educational Institutions is based on the concept of, “Tod-Mod-Jod” or “तोD-मोD-जोD”, i.e. learning through dismantling, joining, adding, assembling, shaping, designing, redesigning, reshaping. This method of learning is in contrast to the conventional training. तोD-मोD-जोD (TMJ) not only allows students to understand the scientific principles behind the everyday products they use, but also helps the students to expand their horizons to larger concepts and applications so as to enable them to solve real world problems. For instance, students typically do not know the inside of a ceiling fan, तोD-मोD-जोD (TMJ) session would help them to understand how mechanical airflow and electric concepts and components are used.

Description

Dayalbagh Educational Institute introduced तोD-मोD-जोD at middle school level for innovative and self-motivated students who want to create a new product out of those used in daily life. The teacher as mentor encourages students to follow their creative instincts. The feedback from students shows a complete change in their perception towards machines and devices. Curiosity and inquisitiveness are encouraged. These are critical for nurturing an innovative mindset. It is hoped that तोD-मोD-जोD centres will develop a way to excite and challenge young minds in a fun learning environment.

Impact

• तोD-मोD-जोD centre provides a hands-on learning environment where students can de-construct, re-construct or re-purpose everyday objects that they see or use.

• Helpful in establishing the concept of learning through “Tinkering”, “Discovery”, and Experimentation”.

• Early Start towards building a nation of creators not just consumers of products.

• Make education relevant, real and fun

Student Testimonials

• “Will always be curious on how what I use actually works”.

• “Connects multi-disciplinary concepts learnt in textbooks to real life applications”.

• “We want तोD-मोD-जोD classes every day”.

हे दयाल सद् कृपाल।

The best way to start a day is with a prayer. A prayer not just for our own self, or limited to our families, but for the benefit of everyone in this world, a prayer with faith in Fatherhood of God and a firm belief in brotherhood of all.

The Dayalbagh Educational Institute's Vision book starts with a Foreword from Revered Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi, which has the Institute's prayer for Grace and Mercy for ALL of God's children. The secular prayer is in Hindi and is further translated into seven other languages for the benefit of the readers.

Revered Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi

Students start the day with the Institute prayer

Prayer and translations extracted from the Foreword of the Book are in the post below.

A prayer is an auspicious way to start any activity, and if you start each day with a prayer, every day of your life will be auspicious. Teaching our children to pray from a young age, a prayer, that additionally strengthens their belief in brotherhood of man could be the best gift we can give to the coming generations, something that will give them a world of peace and calm, and allow them to tide over the crisis of divisiveness the whole world faces today.

Regards,
Anurag

Homo Sapiens to Homo Spiritualis

Recently, we were tasked with putting together Dayalbagh Educational Institute's (DEI) vision and next 15 years plan in a book form. Over the next many posts, we plan to post extracts from this book, with this one from the ‘Vision and Mission’ Chapter. Let us all join our minds and hands together in this journey of finding and elevating our soul, a journey from Homo sapiens to Homo spiritualis.

Happy reading.

Anurag

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’

But I dream things that never were;

and I say, ‘Why not?’”

–George Bernard Shaw

Central Administrative Office Dayalbagh Educational Institute

The Dayalbagh Educational Institute’s Vision is ambitious, clearly defined and backed by over a hundred years of experience of imparting quality education. The Vision reflects DEI’s commitment to impart pragmatism together with self-realization. The DEI Education Policy, articulated in 1975, laid down the following foundational concepts:

• physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical integration of an individual to help evolve the complete man with values of humanism, secularism and democracy, to better equip him to solve social, economic and environmental challenges.
• truthfulness, temperance and courage
• ideals of humility, simple living, selfless service and sacrifice
• habit of learning by developing the faculties of thinking, analysis and reason
• general awareness and knowledge
• best in class-relevant education
• scientific temper
• respect for ‘soiled hands’, dignity of labour, and, self-reliance
• study of the classics, and pride in national culture and heritage
• shaping each student for a calling suited to his aptitude, skills and the needs of society
• understanding of various beliefs and faiths, which fosters an attitude of tolerance and national unity
• engendering the spirit of ‘Brotherhood of Man’, and promoting the establishment of a classless and caste-less society
• fuller understanding of rural life, to appreciate the polity, economy and the social forces at work in our country
• democratic values and freedoms which an Indian citizen should be prepared to defend
• respect for the rights of others and an awareness of duties and obligations to society
• strong character and high ethical standards.

Starting the day with a prayer

This policy was submitted to the University Grants Commission in 1977 for grant of deemed-to-be University status. The UGC team visited the colleges and facilities in the colony of Dayalbagh to assess the potential for achieving excellence with relevance. The Committee’s observations and recommendations endorsed and supported the Policy and its implementation.

Observations and Recommendations of UGC Visiting Team on DEI in 1977

• At DEI, teaching institutions, industrial-technical workshops, agricultural farms are together engaged in teaching, training, production and extension.
• Including school children, a community of students, teachers and workers belonging to all castes, creeds, communities and various parts of the country are involved in a variety of programmes for integrated community development.
• The complex provides a healthy environment for educational innovation and national integration.
• The DEI is engaged in providing a good academic programme in agricultural-rural-industrial complex, oriented to specific conditions and needs and providing suitable social service, work experience, national integration and vocational training programmes aligning with academic curricula.
• The DEI is tethered to the principle of excellence but not at the cost of relevance; which inculcates the dignity of manual labour, encourages initiative and creative work; has an interdisciplinary approach to build an integrated personality of a well-adjusted man.
• The DEI is a departure from the existing pattern of University education.
• The then Agra University expressed its inability to accord autonomy to DEI as the DEI experiment envisaged the fullest integration, collaboration and cooperation of all the faculties.
• To enable DEI to develop independently as per its own genius, the DEI should acquire a separate identity with the status of a deemed-to-be-university by which the university system in the country will be enriched.
• DEI, with its courses, is able to give a greater emphasis on preparing students for self-reliance and self-employment and thus fulfill its objective more effectively.
• DEI educational programmes address the contemporary needs by applying the most relevant principles of educational process like work-experience, learn by themselves, continuous assessment system, objective methods of assessment, integrated-interdisciplinary and inter-faculty teaching, accent on experimental teaching, production of effective teaching and learning materials and appropriate orientation of teachers.

Vision Statement

To provide linkages to all stakeholders’ potential ‘Values and Quality’ to the kinetic permanent state in a dynamically-oriented and refreshed equilibrium through integrated hierarchical system of education enabled by economic and flexible (jugaad) innovation technology founded firmly on DEI’s Education Policy.

DEI, a leading Entrepreneurship and Consciousness, Teaching-cum-Research Institute, is a model University, measured by its ‘excellence, but not at the cost of social relevance’ reaching up to the last, the least, the lowest and the lost; pursuing research and discovery with frugal innovations contributing with principle of achieving more with less for nation and community-building and beneficial to public at large with cultural reforms enriching and empowering weaker sections, women and children.

In the year 2004, DEI defined its VISION 2011. This policy heralded many features that have later been incorporated in the Nation’s education policy and programs. DEI has been a visionary and forerunner in adopting innovative schemes in the field of education.

The DEI Education Policy – 1975, foresaw many elements of the National Policy on Education – 1986. Similarly, the vocational education programmes of DEI started in 2004, foresaw many elements of the AICTE NVEQF and MHRD Community Colleges schemes launched almost a decade later and is an effort to effectively implement the following national missions for the Socio-Economic Development of the Country:

• The National Mission of Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan – Universal Elementary Education under the Right to Education Act
• Make in India
• Skilling India
• Digital India
• Clean India (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan)
• Unnat Bharat Abhiyan
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyan
• Green India

developing respect for ‘soiled hands’, dignity of labour, and, self-reliance

Vision 2031

The Dayalbagh Educational Institute has embarked upon a bold initiative, VISION 2031, and formulated a comprehensive and progressive Strategic Plan for 2012-2031, with the goal to become a top teaching-cum-research Institute through an exemplary system of education. To establish Total Quality Management across all activities of the University, the Plan encompasses undergraduate and postgraduate education, research, infrastructure, information and communication technology and campus development.

The Institute has accepted this challenge and is confident of achieving success with the cooperation of faculty, staff, students, alumni and other interested partners.

Mission Objective

Development of super-intelligent (super-conscious) humans who are self-governed and render selfless service in a rapidly-changing global scenario.

Education in Dayalbagh provides the linkages for this kinetic state in dynamic equilibrium. The linkages have to be  provided at all levels of hierarchy, right from pre-nursery to higher education, through an integrated education system. With technology intervention, this can be extended to the global level. The DEI Education Policy also offers a minimal-input to maximum-output approach through an economic, frugal (jugaad) and flexible model.

The DEI Education model is based on an experiential system rooted in Eastern spirituality and wisdom on the one hand, and modern scientific concepts and Western materialism on the other. While modern science provides solutions to mysteries of the physical world, Saints of the East had knowledge of the highest spiritual regions and consciousness, evolving to better worldliness.

At DEI, teaching institutions, industries and agricultural farms provide the three-dimensional activities for teaching-learning, production, and extension. The social service, work experience, educational innovation, cultural moorings, national integration and vocational training programmes are aligned with academic curricula. A teaching-learning community, including student and staff from pre-nursery to higher education from all castes, creeds, communities, and regions, works toward integrated community development.

Students at DEI

Major goals

DEI has identified the following major goals:

• Strengthen Entrepreneurial Education giving access to all applicants, even those without means
• Integrate agricultural farming and dairy education with Entrepreneurial and Consciousness Studies
• Emerge as an Entrepreneurial and Consciousness University.

A Unique Entrepreneurial University

The emergent model of education allows our students to self-support their education, making them job-creators, rather than job-seekers. Student entrepreneurship provides a platform for students to develop and market a variety of products and services, and capable of starting micro-enterprises, an earn-while-you-learn opportunity with vocational training at low cost.

The entrepreneurship model advocated is unique: the DEI model advocates a frugal, flexible (jugaad) approach to problem-solving rather than seeking funds from venture capitalists, and tries to do ‘more, with less’. We encourage jugaad and frugal innovation: the concept of jugaad does not imply sub-optimal but rather, the creation of a product that is flexible in its usage and has been economically innovated using locally-available materials, manpower and resources. Such products are affordable and cater to local market needs. DEI’s model of entrepreneurship tethers the student-entrepreneur to the rural economy, and also with national and international markets.

Integration of the Green and White Revolutions

Experiential knowledge gained in Dayalbagh’s practice of agriculture and dairy farming has been mainstreamed into education at DEI with the aim of creating the willingness and capacity to work with one’s own hands, promoting a respect for ‘soiled hands’, dignity of labour and a spirit of self-reliance.

Practical knowledge is gained by students where they are involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of dairy and agricultural produce. The results have been highly encouraging and need to be replicated across the country and around the globe. Participation creates platform for research and labs on land, enabling creation of Intellectual Property by entrepreneurs and researchers.

A major by-product will be a library of successful ideas about agriculture, dairy and entrepreneurship in nano-enterprises in remote and distant villages. This combination of the second white and green revolution in over 400 villages will prove to be a game changer for women and children.

Through technology intervention the benefit of such unique education will be made available to one and all at any time, place and pace around the globe.

Students getting hands-on experience in Dayalbagh Dairy

Excellence in Consciousness Studies

DEI proposes a new science of consciousness scientifically and experimentally, substantiating the existence of higher orders of consciousness through the SQUID (Super-conducting Quantum Interference Device) facility in its own Centre for Consciousness Studies. Our approach as an institute of excellence in consciousness studies is to integrate science and religion by applying the principles and rigour of science and scientific method to religion.

The Institute desires to see its students contribute to one or both of these areas, since a better understanding of either implies an improved ability to contribute to the development of society. Therefore, the education system, with its emphasis on values, is complemented by the inter-, trans- and multi-disciplinary academic curriculum. The Education Policy is based on the systems approach, through a study of science, mathematics, engineering, social sciences, fine arts, etc.

“He will not come into existence in a day; he will

evolve gradually as the human body evolved

gradually according to the Darwinian principle.

As is the case of the body, the mind and spirit will

also evolve gradually, and when the spirit and mind

achieve high purity, a Superman will come into

existence. Such a Superman, through the principle

of administration of inner self, will enjoy inner peace

and harmony and strive continuously to spread

the message of, Fatherhood of God and

Brotherhood of Man”.
–Revered Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi

The DEI mission objective is to transform Homo sapiens into Homo spiritualis: a complete man with balanced development of body, mind and spirit.

Participants of the Sant-Su(perman) scheme with their parents