VALUE-BASED EDUCATION IN THE WRITINGS OF RABINDRANATH TAGORE

Abstract

Value-based education has emerged as a crucial component of contemporary education in fostering ethical behaviour, social responsibility, and holistic development among learners. Rabindranath Tagore, one of India’s foremost educationists and philosophers, envisioned education as a process that nurtures the intellectual, moral, emotional, aesthetic, and spiritual dimensions of human life. This paper examines the concept of value-based education reflected in Tagore’s major educational and philosophical writings, including Sadhana, Personality, and Creative Unity. Using a qualitative and interpretative approach based on document analysis, the study explores the core values advocated by Tagore, such as truth, compassion, freedom, creativity, universal humanism, respect for nature, and cultural harmony. The findings reveal that Tagore regarded education as a means of self-realization and character formation rather than mere acquisition of knowledge. His educational philosophy emphasizes experiential learning, artistic expression, and harmonious coexistence with society and nature. The study further highlights the relevance of Tagore’s value-based educational ideals in addressing contemporary educational challenges and their alignment with the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It concludes that Tagore’s educational philosophy continues to provide a sustainable framework for nurturing ethically responsible, socially sensitive, and globally competent learners in the twenty-first century.