Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala-based NGO Mahatma Gandhi Foundation (MGF) has proposed to set up a free school to instruct citizens on the rights guranteed by the Indian constitution and their duties to the nation.
Named as "School of rights and duties", the facility would offer three-month courses to the candidates on the rights guaranteed to them by the constitution and the duties expected of them as responsible citizens, MGF Chairman Ebi J Jose said.
"A study conducted by MGF has found that a majority of people are not sufficiently aware of their constitutional rights. This results in exploitation of the majority by a privileged minority. If citizens are properly instructed of their rights,they could, to a great exetent, resist exploitation", Jose said in a release today . "Similarly, it is important for responsible citizens to be conscious of their duties to the nation. In our formal educational syllabus, these basic issues are often not given due importance. Ours is a modest beginning to overcome these lacunae," Jose, also director of the venture, said.
Even many of those young persons who choose political and social careers were not adequately aware of these aspects and this was the cause for lack proper perspective in their approach, he said.
Jose said the MGF planned to start the course at Kottayam on January 26, 2013, on the Republic Day of the nation.
Before finalising the syllabus and the course structure, views of public would be elicitated on the webesite schoolorindia@gmail.Com, he added. PTI