Institution only
in name
By
Prof Mohan Maitry
GOVERNMENT
Institute of Oriental and Modern Indian Languages,
Patiala based in an old dilapidated building in the busy
Sirhindi Bazar, is ill-furnished and under staffed.
Many things may be said
against the rulers of erstwhile princely states, but
their contribution towards promoting education,
literature and culture in their states is undisputed.
Maharaja Narinder Singh
of Patiala established a centre for the study of Sanskrit
and classical languages (Arabic and Persian). The
institution was started in Haveli Nizam Khan near Samania
Gate under the control of Diwan Kulwant Rai. Afterwards,
it was shifted to the haveli of Mahant Kanshi Gir, in
Dhak Bazar and classes in English and Maths were
introduced.
It is said that a
reputed scholar from Kashi (Benares) implored upon
Maharaja Mahendra Singh to provide free education to his
subjects so as to attain salvation. Accordingly,
Education Directorate, under the charge of Master Ram
Chander Dehlvi, was set up. School education was given a
new direction with the establishment of an institution in
1870 which was in 1874 affiliated with Calcutta
University.
On March 30, 1975, the
foundation stone of Mahendra College was laid by the then
Viceroy of India, Lord North Brook. On March 18, 1884,
Lord Ripon, Viceroy of India, inaugurated the college
building which came up in nine years at a cost of Rs 5
lakh. In the year 1902, classes in Punjabi studies-Giani
bidwan and budhiman were started along with
studies in oriental languages.
In 1912, classes in
Sanskrit and Punjabi were shifted from Mahendra College
with the establishment of two separate institutions -
Sanskrit Vidyala and Gurmukhi Vidyala. In the year 1950
classes in Rattan, Bhushan and Prabhakar (Hons in Hindi)
were introduced in Sanskrit Vidyala. In the year 1963,
both institutions were merged into Government Institute
of Oriental and Modern Indian Languages.
This step was aimed at
promoting the studies and research in modern and
classical languages. The promotion of the studies in
Darshan (Philosophy), Jyotish (Astrology) and Vyakaran
(Gramar) as in the early Indian system, was envisaged.
Due to mismanagement and
ill-planning the institution has been on the decline.
With the retirement of scholarly persons without any
suitable replacement, subjects comprising traditional
learning have been abolished. Another such institution
established at Kapurthala for furtherance and promotion
of Sanskrit stands abolished. The fate of Government
Sanskrit College, Nabha, affiliated to Punjabi University
is no different.
The institutions both at
Patiala and Nabha are under the administrative control of
College Directorate, Punjab, but manned by staff
belonging to the school cadre governed by the Directorate
of Schools, Punjab. The study of English, maths, and
history has been introduced in Shastri (Hons in Sanskrit)
but no provision has been made for this purpose. At
present there are only 11 teachers, Sanskrit five,
Punjabi three, and Hindi three in the Institution at
Patiala.
The Pradhan Acharya of
the institution has few powers. Committees set up by the
Government and the university from time to time have not
been able to "transform" the institution.
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