Progressive guidelines

CITING ‘emerging challenges due to the current socio-cultural, religious and political situation’ in the country, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has issued a set of guidelines for all educational institutions under its jurisdiction. These include recitation of the Preamble to the Constitution by students during the daily morning assembly, showing respect for all faiths and traditions, not forcing Christian traditions on students of other religions, and setting up an inter-religious prayer room on the campus. The CBCI, the apex decision-making body of the Catholic community in India, has about 14,000 schools, 650 colleges, seven universities, five medical colleges and 450 technical and vocational institutions under its aegis. It is commendable that this influential association has taken the initiative to promote religious and cultural sensitivity and encourage respect for diversity among students as well as staff members.

The Preamble, which is regarded as the soul of the Constitution, showcases the core constitutional values of justice, equality, liberty and fraternity. Displaying it at the entrance to the school building and making students recite it in the assembly will go a long way in inculcating these values in them.

Giving utmost importance to the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation can help the children grow into mature and responsible citizens with a secular outlook. This is imperative in view of the all-pervasive polarisation in the country. The CBCI guidelines can serve as a model to be emulated by all educational institutions with religious affiliations. The Supreme Court had shown the way in January this year by observing that the right of minorities to establish and administer any educational institution under Article 30(1) of the Constitution was not meant to ghettoise any community. A welcoming and harmonious environment on every campus would be an apt tribute to the framers of the Constitution and a key step towards building a truly developed India.

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