VISIT TO VIGYAN ASHRAM AT PABAL
The Visit to Vigyan Ashram was undertaken by the Department of English and Postgraduate Center under the chaperonage of Mr. Zameer Salim Sayyed and Mr. Asif Khan, the Coordinators of the field-visit. The objective was to make students familiar with an alternative education system (Learning by hand) developed at Vigyan Ashram and thereby motivate students to continue their education in the field of their interest with the conviction that they will be useful for the society they are part of.
On Board:
Thirty students along with three staff members boarded the bus to visit the Vigyan Ashram located in Pabal (60kms away from Poona College) to know and understand education of a different kind – without blackboards and books. The bus left for the destination at 08:45am and reached the Theatre Hall at Vigyan Ashram around 11:00am.
The Vigyan Ashram Campus: Learning while Doing
The Ashram’s Campus seemed to be built up by the staff and students themselves. The electricity used on the campus is solely self-produced by creating and installing solar systems by the students and the staff themselves. The students interested in courses or internships are expected to stay in Ashram-sponsored hostel or in Pabal village till completion.
Dr. Arun Dixit:
Dr. Arun Dixit oriented, using a PowerPoint presentation, the students on how Vigyan Ashram focuses on imparting multi-skill training, developing a problem-solving attitude, and stimulating the intellect. Further he said that students at Ashram learn in real-life situations in the areas of Home-Health, Agricultural-Animal Husbandry, Engineering and Energy-environment.
Site- ‘seeing’:
During our stay for about two to three hours on campus, we wondered whether the students at Vigyan Ashram are natural innovators, excellent engineers and born entrepreneurs! Perhaps the most important takeaway from Vigyan Ashram was that the staff (instructors) there are not waiting for engineers from MIT to come and help them solve their problems. There are the students and staff who think logically about the inefficiencies in their lives, brainstorm innovative, practical solutions, and apply very effective technologies to increase their productivity.
What’s most surprising for the students on board was how eagerly the learners at Vigyan Ashram look for problems so they can start working on it and find a low-cost, locally producible, and sustainable solution to the problem.
A scientist turned educationist, Late Dr. S. S. Kalbag started Vigyan Ashram in 1983 and said once: “My success story will be when the system runs without me”. He died in 2003 and Vigyan Ashram is still running successfully by incorporating the wisdom of life, experiences, and hands-on work. Indeed, one person’s experience led a structural reform in education and brought about a difference in the lives of thousands.
The staff and students on board to the
Vigyan Ashram (12/10/2022)
Dr. Arun Dixit, Head of Design
Innovation Center at Vigyan Ashram, Pabal chronicling the history and vision
behind the establishment (12.10.2022)
At the workshop of Vigyan Ashram
(12.10.2022)
Innovative farming at Vigyan Ashram
(12.10.2022)
End of the visit with the thoughts of
‘new beginnings’ (12.10.2022)
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