STUDY TOWARDS THE ROLE OF TEACHERS AS SOCIAL REFORMERS

Abstract

Knowledge is universal and important in human life. Since ancient times, there has been a continuous and uninterrupted process of acquiring, accumulating, preserving and transferring knowledge to the next generation. When human life evolved from primitive barbarism to a civilized society, knowledge, science, technology, and good social relations must have played an important role in it. The concept of society can be understood as a network of social relations. Many social scientists considered education the vehicle of social change, while many social scientists and educationists accepted educational change as a result of social change. Many types of exchange are done in social relations, the most sacred exchange among them is of knowledge, information, and methods. There can be no greater social concern than the donation of knowledge or the exchange of knowledge. Since ancient times, there has been a well-known Guru-Shishya tradition in India. Teachers become the vehicle of social change by giving direction to the society, paving the way for progress, and play an important role in removing social evils. In India, there is historical mention of many excellent teachers since ancient times, among whom teachers like Maharishi Vasishtha, Maharishi Vishwamitra, Maharishi Dronacharya, Maharishi Jamadagni, Maharishi Sandipani, Maharishi Kanada, Maharishi Gautam, Maharishi Patanjali, Kapil Muni, Chanakya, and Buddhist Guru Nagarjuna are considered prominent. In the medieval world, many knowledgeable great men performed the role of a teacher excellently and did justice to the role of teachers as social change makers, but in modern times, teaching has been accepted as a profession, due to which the sanctity and altruistic approach of teaching work is questioned. The purpose of the present study is to throw light on the role of teachers as social change makers and to present a discussion to improve the effectiveness of modern teaching. In the present research work, the content analysis method of descriptive research approach has been used.