The school education department has decided to constitute a dedicated student cadet corps by the name of “Jai Hind Bahini” in all schools where participants will be “empowered to resist such social evils as caste and religious intolerance and gender inequality”.
“The participants in the corps, being raised keeping in mind the contribution made by the Ajad Hind Fauj during the Indian National Freedom Movement “will be trained to evolve as responsible citizens with strong commitment towards a democratic, tolerant and progressive society,” says a notification issued by the department last week.
The directorate of school education came up with a notification on policy and guidelines after chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced the formation of the “Bahini” modelled after the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in February, in commemoration of the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Students studying in Class IX to Class XII in any government and aided schools can apply to get enrolled in the cadet corps, said an official of the department. Members of the corps “will be enriched with the ideas of democracy and the cultural diversity of the country, an official said.
The aim of the “Bahini” will also include inculcating among the participants respect for the law and human rights, discipline, civic sense, and compassion for the underprivileged.
The main purpose of this cadet corps will be to “uphold the ideal of patriotic service to the nation that was exemplified by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose”, the notification says.
Raising day of the Bahini will be celebrated every year on August 15.
Each school will mandatorily constitute the “Bahini” at their appropriate level with the willing students following the guidelines prescribed by the government, said an official of the department.
“The participants will be chosen on a voluntary basis. Parental consent may be necessary to include participants at school level. Before enlistment appropriate physical test and mental aptitude test may be conducted,” he said.
“Participants at all levels will be engaged in activities to inculcate the values of civic sense and equality, a secular outlook and the spirit of enquiry fostering social commitment,” the notification says.
Maidul Islam, an assistant professor of political science at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Kolkata, said this was a welcome move.
“At a time when all of us are being fed with hatred and religious intolerance over the social networking sites by rabid right wing elements, it is crucial to inculcate values among students so they can stand up to such social evils. Forces like the BJP can attempt to appropriate Netaji but one cannot just admire his military heroism without appreciating his belief in religious harmony,” said Maidul Islam.
“This belief has to be instilled among the young minds so they can turn out to be responsible citizens”.
Last November, NIT Durgapur had decided that BTech students will have to compulsorily study the Indian Constitution because, according to the tech school, an engineering student must have an idea about the ethos of plurality and diversity that India stands for.
Maidul Islam had been approached by the tech school to teach the course as a visiting faculty. An official of the department said an academic lecture series will be held during the training.
“This is intended to sensitise participants about the importance of maintaining unity and integrity. There shall be compulsory lectures on Netaji’s ideology in the freedom movement as a freedom fighter.”