For the past eight years,a one-year diploma course based on the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi,run by the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU),has been catering to those interested in understanding the ideology of Mahatma. Run by academic service division of the state open university,the course makes one understand how Gandhis ideology is relevant even in the 21st century. Anyone interested in knowing Gandhian ideology along with political and social activists,NGO workers,volunteers associated with different social projects and school and college teachers form the target class for the course. YCMOU V-C R Krishnakumar said rich study material and field visits to some of the renowned Gandhian institutions are some of the highlights of the course. In the contact sessions,there are discussions on possible solutions to different socio-economic problems faced by the country and the world at large in the light of Gandhian teachings. The course also makes us realise the need for moral,spiritual and cultural uplift of individuals. Candidates get encouraged to walk on the path paved with universal principles like non-violence and truth, he said. Books in Marathi like Gandhi Jase Pahile,Janile Vinobani by Kantibhai Shaha,Ekla Chalo Re by Shripad Kelkar and Gandhi Vichar by Prof M B Shaha besides Hind Swaraj penned by Gandhi form the study material for the course. It also has Gandhijis autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth for complimentary reading along with other books,including Sarvodaya Sadhana by Dada Dharmadhikari and Shodh Gandhicha by Justice (retd) Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari. At the end of course,candidates need to appear for an exam consisting of two theory papers of 100 marks each and project report based on thesis or research essay on organisation founded on the principles of Gandhian ideology. The questions can be answered either in Marathi and English. As an incentive,successful candidates of the course get priority while taking admission for YCMOUs BEd course. While the course is being offered at selected YCMOU study centres,Krishnakumar said efforts are on to start more centres. The course received a good response in the beginning,but the number of takers has been declining gradually. We are currently planning to offer the course through more centres by proper publicity campaigning, he said. Kumar Saptarshi,president,Maharashtra Gandhi Smarak Nidhi,said YCMOUs course was recently started at the Nagpur centre of his organisation and plans are afoot to start one at Pune from next year. Gandhian ideology can only ensure nation building with inclusive and sustainable growth. YCMOUs course is doing a noble work of spreading his ideology, he said.
