Education Resists Social Evils
Author: Dr. K. S. Kang
As I was sitting in my office I heard loud arguments. By the voice I could recognise that Manav, who was otherwise a silent and reserved boy,was talking loudly with somebody. I sent some body to bring Manav to my office. He entered the office with an elderly gentleman. As I was his Hostel Incharge, so I asked Manav why he was talking loudly with somebody just outside the office of the Hostel Incharge. Looking at the old man now I recollected that that man had came to my office handing over Manav, who was lean, thin young boy of eleven years to me, with a request to look after him well. Manav instantly replied, ‘Sir, I don’t want to go to my home in vacations’. I was taken aback and amazed at his reply because most of the inmates of the hostel looked forward to vacations when they can go home and spend a few days with parents. So I again asked Manav the reason for not going to his home during the vacations. He replied hesitantly, ‘ Sir, I don’t want to get married and my father has decided to marry me during the vacations and they have already seen the girl whom I am supposed to marry even without asking me’. He again repeated, ‘ sir , I don’t want to get married, as I want to join security services of the country as per the aim of this institution where I am studying and I know that only unmarried males can join security services of the country.’ He was nearly breathless and panting with passion by the time he ended his long reply. Now I looked at the old man and asked him enquiringly, ‘ Is what Manav saying true ?’ The old man whose name was Mali Ram replied at once, ‘ Sir, in our society we marry our children at young age as we don’t get bride in our society at an advanced age, and secondly his grandmother wants to see her grandson’s wedding before saying farewell to this world’. With that he fell silent. I was in a fix what to do. Though I had strong belief that Mali Ram had no right to spoil the dream of Manav with the just the stupid superstitious belief of the society and ruin Manav’s career and thwart him from fulfilling the aim of the institution in which he was studying. Since I was no authority to give verdict on this matter and so I took both son-father duo to Principal and narrated the matter to him . Principal heard me patiently and looked both at Manav and Mali Ram and then spoke after clearing his throat, ‘ Mali Ram ji, you can’t destroy the dream and career and spoil the aim of our institution just due to old rotten custom and superstition of your society. As I respect you due to your old age, so I request you to leave your child in our hands and leave the school premises at once. I promise to look after your child in vacations too as we had been looking after him during the rest of the session.’ After listening to the determined voice of Principal, Mali Ram left Principal’s office with bowed head, without looking even once at Manav. Principal got up from his chair and placing his head on the head of Manav, ‘Don’t worry child, from today you are my son, during the vacations you will have all your meals with me till the end of the vacation, and that’s an order.’ Manav felt relieved at once and came back to hostel getting a snoring sound sleep that night as his problem was resolved and Education has thwarted the social superstition from spoiling the dream and career a young boy. Later on Manav joined Army and retired as Brigadier after putting in decades of service.
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