Literary education Vs. technical education

Time was when there was a right royal battle fought between the champions of literary education on the one hand, and those of scientific education on the other. That was at the dawn of the 19th century. The 20th century also saw a turning point in the history of science. With the discovery of atomic energy and nuclear energy and the hidden forces of even greater magnitude, life has become purely an affair of science. 

The 21st century has given surprisingly the biggest drift with its invention of mobile phones and it's different advanced versions and apps. The triumph of science has dazzled the vision of man. Literature and science seemed to mankind to be incompatible. The study of one seemed to rule out the study of the other.

Literary education is essential for the youth to widen their outlook, enlarge their mind, sharpen their intellect, increase knowledge and give food to their thought. It develops in each one of us the power of self-expression and self-culture. The true aim of education is to give us intellectual enlightenment to make us better men- morally, physically, intellectually, and spiritually. It is the training of the human spirit.

Though science and technology has received exclusive and conspicuous attention in our own day, yet some sort of technical knowledge was always required to serve the interest of mankind. As a matter of fact, civilization is nothing but the paraphernalia of technical knowledge. 

All the inventions of to-day have their origin in the tools and implements of the primitive man, viz., the ‘pushkar vimana’ of the Ramayana is the primitive model of today’s airplane. Imitation and adventure were the earliest schools of technical knowledge. Technical knowledge has aroused popular enthusiasm among the businessmen, the capitalists, and the magnates of

Technical knowledge has aroused popular enthusiasm among the businessmen, the capitalists, and the magnates of the industry. It is good that the thinking section of the Indian public is beginning to take a lively interest in technical education which aims at training a person in some special branch of industry. The greatness of a nation depends on its trained men.

Technical education is the only solution for solving the various problems that we face in this vast country. It does not deal with abstract thought and metaphysics; on the contrary, it deals with hard facts, tangible facts, and concrete realities, and so it teaches us practical work. 

In other words, technical education makes us self-reliant, sound and consistent, in every work, efficient, self-possessed, composed and trustworthy. It is necessary that the students should be taught domestic, commercial, agricultural and industrial work otherwise they will become parasites of the society and drones of the nation.

For the matter of science does not war with arts, nor does the latter with the former. They go hand in hand for the benefit of man. Both aim at joy, and at the expansion of mental horizon. They are the two sister roads, not rivals through which man marches on to realize his identity and his glorious destiny. Science lifts up the veil of nature and reveals to us her secret beauty. Art gives us solace in our troubled life exercising a humanizing influence. The former is precious in the material world and the latter in the realm of thought.

Different people have different tastes. There are those who want to pursue a quiet life communicating with nature, musing on life, religion, and art. Many may be induced to study science. However, technical education is uninspiring, lifeless, dull, monotonous and wooden. 

This education may be aimless, but it brings ‘light and sweetness’ to the lives of millions and sweetens our lives and make it worth living and enjoying. Therefore the cultivation of both is necessary if the mind is to acquire balance and stability.