Education and Stress: Dr. Shriniwas Kashalikar

Most of us get disturbed by what is going on in the field of education. But we do not understand the causes of the chaos and the remedy for them.

We will be benefited if we review in brief the concept of education and merits and demerits of the traditional education system in brief.

Education is defined in various ways but it can be safely said to have three domains, which are as follows.
The first domain is called AFFECTIVE DOMAIN. This means the state of mind. In simple words affective domain relates to how we feel. Thus when our mind is full of alertness, attention, enthusiasm, buoyancy, affection, concern, joy, tolerance, self esteem, mutual respect, mutual trust, commitment, dedication, confidence, positive and victorious spirit, we would call it healthy affective domain. In addition the zeal and concentration needed in the pursuit of excellence in intellectual field, tenacity and endurance required in skillful activities and patience and commitment essential for satisfying and socially beneficial actions constitute affective domain. The purpose of education is to nurture this domain by designing suitable curricula and syllabi.

The second domain of education is called PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN. This implies ability to appreciate skills and ability to perform physical and mental skills, with speed, accuracy, elegance, ease of performance etc. This may involve appreciation and performance of skills such as surgery, playing a musical instrument, playing basket ball or doing carpentry! The purpose of education is to nurture this domain through not only designing suitable curricula, syllabi but also by providing sufficient practical and demonstration classes with all the necessary equipment.

The third domain is called COGNITIVE DOMAIN. Cognitive domain incorporates accurate perspective, contemplation, correct perception understanding, conceptualization, analysis and recall of problems, ability to evaluate, synthesize, correlate and make decisions, appropriate policies, plans and expertise in the management, administration, etc.

It is clear that all the domains have three components viz. Cognition [Perception], affect [Feelings] and conation [Response].

Let us consider the traditional system in a dispassionate manner and scrutinize the merits and demerits. It is obvious that we will not be able to consider all the details of the system as they varied from time to time and from place to place. But a general review of the system would help us to overcome our disturbance!

This can be done only if we rise above the petty considerations of religion, region, caste, political power and other vested interests. This would help us rectify the present education system.
Conversely, unless the existing education system is rectified appropriately subsequent generations may not be able to develop the three domains of education adequately.

Many of you may argue here that this task can not be accomplished by common people, but can be successfully accomplished only by the politicians, political advisors, the decision-makers and the top administrators.

This argument is valid, but not completely. It has to be appreciated that no statesman, no political leader, no policy maker and no administrator can bring about change in an existing system unless, there is consensus about these changes in the vast majority of people whose cooperation in such matters is very vital.

So let us take at least a cursory look at the traditional system of education in India.
The traditional education system in India in general ensured that:
a] Careers were not selected on the basis of monetary gains,
b] Careers were not selected arbitrarily on the basis of idiosyncrasies and whims,
c] Some lucrative careers could not be sought after obsessively, in preference to the others,
d] All careers ensured income and production from early age,
e] All careers ensured that society was benefited,
f] All careers ensured security to all the social groups,
g] All the careers ensured intimacy and closeness between young and old in the families.
h] All careers ensured ethical education and passage of experience from generation to generation.
In my view these were merits.

(But it is also true that: The traditional system was apparently marked by deprivation of scholastic education on mass scale, apparently unjustifiable distribution of a variety of jobs, deficient infrastructure for collective scientific and technological efforts, an element of arbitrary imposition of hierarchy and).

But the point here is to see how the transition from traditional system to the present one has failed to preserve and nurture the merits and discard the demerits and thereby lead to multiplication of problems!

As the education shifted from homes, home industries and farms to; nurseries, K.G. schools, schools, colleges, universities, corporate industries, research institutions etc.
Cognition suffered because of:
a] Huge number of students, in a single class making following three things almost impossible. These things are i] individual attention ii] dialogue iii] discussions,
b] Lack of adequate salary, accountability, incentive and economic security to the teachers taking away the initiative of nurturing cognitive domain
c] Increase in alienation with respect to student�s background and aptitude
d] Lack of adequate incentive to the students in the form of creativity, production and earning, service to the family and service to the nation, takes away the motivation required for building up cognitive domain
e] Lack of conviction essential in the growth of cognitive domain in the teachers and students because of outdated practical and demonstration classes, lack of interdisciplinary dialogue and in general the irrelevance of education to the realities of day to day life in as much as almost predictable consecutive unemployment at the end! The lack of conviction could be partly due to lack of participation by teachers in decision-making, policy making, development of curricula, syllabi etc.
f] Emphasis on recall and hence rote learning thereby denying free inquiry, reading, questioning etc. thereby directly thwarting the cognitive domain
g]] Too many examinations with irrelevant parameters or criteria of evaluation [besides being unfair in many instances] lead to misguided and in most cases counterproductive efforts thus adversely affecting the cognitive domain
h] Competitions where the manipulative skills, callousness, selfishness are given more respect, destroy the enthusiasm of growing in cognitive domain
i] Information explosion can affect cognitive domain by either causing enormous and unnecessary burden on memory or inferiority complex
j] Pressure of interviews causing constant tension and sense of inadequacy, right from the tender age,
k] Protracted hours of homework in schools denying the students their legitimate right to enjoy their childhood and make them physically, mentally and intellectually unfit to grow in cognitive domain
l] Irrelevant and unnecessary information loading in lectures in the form of monologue, leading to suppression of the spontaneity, originality, interest and enthusiasm so much required in cognitive development amongst the students,

Affective domain suffered due to,
A] Isolation of the children from their parents and their domestic environment at an early age [Making the parents also equally sad]
B] Lack of warm bonds due to huge number,
C] Cut throat individualistic and petty competition,
D] Inadequate facilities of sports, trekking, educational tours, recreation and physical development etc
E] Alienation from one�s social environment and culture

Psychomotor domain suffered due to
A] Almost total lack of opportunities to actually participate in skillful activities such as drawing, painting, sewing, sculpturing, carpentry, knitting, weaving, music, agriculture, horticulture, other handicrafts, various sports, performing arts etc.
It is important to realize that promotion of psychomotor domain is evident but in its caricature form. It has no concrete economic realistic basis. The activities have no economic incentive and no productive element.

The present education system in India; basically and almost completely prevents a huge section of society such as teachers, students, clerks, servants, sweepers and many others such as education inspectors, etc. from being creative and productive. In addition it causes colossal loss of space, electricity, construction cost and so on. In addition because of the typical emphasis on rote learning it leads to phenomenal waste of educational material such as paper, bags, pencils, ball pens etc.

Lack of productive element in education not only causes colossal loss to nation but it also causes economic loss to children while suppressing and starving their psychomotor domain! The lack of productive element and economic incentive is a single most important cause of
1] Reduction in the dignity of labor amongst those who continue to learn, as well as reduction in the income of the concerned families and the nation
2] Lack of education, lack of employment and starvation or criminalization amongst those who are forced to drop out because the poor villagers� children normally contribute to the earning of the family.
3] Inhuman suffering of those dropouts, who somehow manage to get into cheap labor for subsistence.
It has to be appreciated that billions of rupees are spent on construction, decoration and maintenance of schools and colleges. Billions more are spent on payment of millions of teachers and other staff members engaged in unproductive exercises. Billions are spent on electricity, and so called educational material. Billions more are spent on the exams conducted to test the �capacity and merit of rote learning�. This way we weaken the national economy, jeopardize the developmental activities and force millions of students to drop out due to economic reasons and get into the hell of child labor, besides starving and suppressing the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of millions. In short, present day education system harnesses [amongst those who continue to learn] arrogance coupled with lack of confidence leaving all the domains viz. cognitive, psychomotor and affective, [including creative and productive skills and physical health] defective, deficient and underdeveloped. Further, when this education fails to give a job, it tends to create vindictive attitude transforming an individual into a criminal or develops frustration and transforms an individual into a mental wreck.

It must be appreciated that some institutions and individuals are making illustrious efforts in the direction of rectifying the education at their level.

But the chaos in the present education and the resultant conceptual stress cannot be managed effectively, unless we propagate this conceptual understanding about education and try to see that suitable changes are made to nurture cognitive, affective, psychomotor and productive domains all over the world.

In short it can be stated that every school, college, university etc must become the centers of production and service besides being centers excellence in science, art, literature, philosophy etc.
The student must have economic incentive for what he/she is privileged to make. Besides, everybody connected with education directly or indirectly must be involved in production or service.
Everyday approximately
20 % of the time must be spent in production, service etc.
20 % of the time must be spent in physical activities
20 % of the time must be spent in personality development and
20 % of the time must be spent in entertainment
20 % of the time must be spent on cognitive domain
Production may be of suitable items and service can involve community projects such plantation, cleanliness etc.
Physical activities can include sports, exercise, trekking, hiking etc.
Personality development refers to broadening of perspective through various means such as invited guest lectures, seminars, discussions on holistic health, educational tours and visits to places where the student gets exposed to rapid developments in the society such as laboratories, airports, government offices, share market, farms etc.
Entertainment could include playing musical instruments, dance, painting or anything that makes a student happy such as mimicry, singing, story telling, drama, movie etc.
Development of cognitive domain can include teaching of languages, history, geography, mathematics etc with utmost emphasis on interpretation and relevance in day to day life. Thus typical questions in the examination of history, languages should be totally done away with. The subject such as economics, psychology, civics, philosophy, logic, sociology etc must include field work and made relevant to the present society.

Conceptual stress arising out of chaos in education can not be managed effectively unless and until a situation where millions are �imprisoned� in unproductive work and millions are forced into unemployment and inhuman cheap child labor is eradicated through law and government rules, besides public awareness.

The details of practical steps can be developed by interactions amongst the people active in the field of education all over the world.

DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Isolated torsion of the fallopian tube in pre menarcheal girls is very rare. However correct diagnosis and treatment are needed in order to optimize salvage of fallopian tube. While torsion of the adnexa is relatively common, isolated torsion of the fallopian tube alone, first described in 1890(Sutton, 1890) remained a rare occurrence with an incidence of 1 in 1.5million women(Hansen, 1970). It most frequently during menstruating years, but also has been reported in pre and pause menopausal women. It has also been reported in infants and pre menarcheal girls. Many etiologies for tubal torsion have been suggested including hydrosalpinx, tubal carcinoma, prior tubal ligation(Krissi et al 1997), ovarian and paraovarian masses, pregnancy, hydatid of Morgagni and peristaltic abnormalities. The condition may also occur in pregnancy, labour and pre menstrual period.
Diagnosis of this condition is often delayed because of the rarity of its occurrence and prolonged investigations to rule out more common causes of acute abdominal pain.

Case Report:
13year old Miss. X, who has not attained menarche, was referred to our centre with history of lower abdominal pain of two days duration and with an ultrasound scan report showing right ovarian cyst of 5x3cm, for diagnostic laparoscopy. She has no significant past medical and surgical illnesses. She has not attained menarche. On examination there was no pallor, vital signs were stable, has normal secondary sexual characters, systemic examination was normal. Abdominal examination revealed no palpable mass or tenderness. Transabdominal scan showed uterus to be 3.5x2.2cm, endometrium 3mm, right adnexal mass of 4.5x4cm seen, which is anechoic with fine basal echoes. Left ovary was not seen. Ultrasonic diagnosis of right ovarian cyst was made and laparoscopy was decided. At laparoscopy the peritoneum, appendix, pouch of Douglas and upper abdomen were normal. Uterus was normal looking, both ovaries normal. Right tube was twisted thrice along with a paratubal cyst of 4cm. The cystic mass appeared bluish. Untwisting of the right tube , right paratubal cystectomy done, edges reformed. Intraoperative and post operative period were uneventful. The patient was discharged was discharged the next day. HPE diagnosis was consistent with paratubal cyst(twisted).


Conclusion:
Isolated fallopian tube torsion is rare entity especially in pre menarcheal age. At first episode of torsion of fallopian tube, tubal preservation must be the rule unless the tube is totally necrotic. A timely diagnosis and surgical intervention may allow preservation of the tube.

Objective:Laparoscopy is used for management of abdominal trauma (blunt as well as penetrating) hence minimizing the open laparotomies.

Methods:180 laparotomies for abdominal trauma were performed at Jabalpur Hospital from Dec.1999 to may 2005.Out of these 27 were managed laparoscopically.All of these were subjected to baseline investigations.The selected patients were subjected to diagnostic laparoscopy.18 of these
had blunt trauma and 9 had penetrating injuries.
In blunt trauma group 9 patients had to be converted to open surgery and rest 9 underwent laparoscopic management.
In penetrating trauma group only 2 cases needed open surgery and rest 7 were managed laparoscopically.

Results: Laparoscopically managed patients had no missed injuries and no deaths or significant complications.

Conclusions:Selected patients of abdominal trauma managed
laparoscopicaly showed quick recovery and minimizing the expenditure and more so of loss of man hour.

HOROSCOPE AND NAMASMARAN

DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

While reading books by Mr. Ramachandra Krishna Kamat (who has edited Shri Gurucharitra), about Namasmaran I found reference, which indicates that the practice of NAMASMARAN goes on purifying the various 12 houses in the horoscope.

I think further reference was made to Shri Tembe Swami i.e. Paramahansa Parivrajakacharya Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati Maharaj who has endorsed or upheld this conviction.

I also found that Shri Gondavalekar Maharaj i.e. Brahmachaitanya Maharaj from Gndavale (Satara, Maharashtra) expressing a view that NAMASMARAN takes you beyond the influence of planets.

He has also expressed the opinion that NAMASMARAN takes �you� beyond time.

The readers can study and explore the purport of these views and share their views with others.

DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

PRALHAD SAID

DR. SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

PRAYENA DEVA MUNAYAH SWAVIMUKTIKAMA
MAUNAM CHARANTI VIJANENA PARARTHA NISHTHA
NAITANVIHAYA KRUPANAN SWAVIMUKTI EKO
NANYAM TADASYA SHARANAM BHRAMATONUPASHYE

Oh Lord, in general, most of the great saints, sages, yogis and rishis renounce the world, live in seclusion and observe silence in search of salvation/liberation for themselves.

Since you are the only savior for my billions of brothers and since they can not get salvation from anywhere else [in case I do not seek it from you for them],
I do not want to be a mean person to seek liberation for myself alone.

So says the great Pralhada as is articulated in SHRIMAT BHAGAVATAM.

This is especially important in view of the fact that though stress [and hence conceptual stress also] is a universal phenomenon, it is not understood by all! Only a few fortunate ones would be able to understand and manage it. It is their privilege and DHARMA to help others in managing stress. In this regard it is interesting to note that in these days neither individual liberation nor individual stress management are possible! They are intricately and inseparably bound with the liberation and stress management of billions others!

Bhagiratha [who is said to have brought the river Ganga from heaven to the earth] and Prometheus [who is said to have stolen fire from the gods] to save the mankind and many others have set examples for us to follow.

DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR