Published Paper Details:

Abstract Children are at the core of the Gandhian philosophy of truth, nonviolence, Sarvodaya ,i.e., social welfare for all and Nai Talim. To quote Gandhi,'If we are to teach real peace in this world we shall have to begin with the children '.Gandhi recognized the need to understand childhood and child rights which are embedded in the cultural context of the society as he gives an alternative to the western system of education. His concept of education tries to draw out the best in a child through harmonious coordination of all the human faculties and their adjustment with the outer world.There are references in his writings which imply that Gandhi was against children working for wages for they should be attending schools.For children in school, Gandhian concept of education includes manual work involving skill and labour. He writes that it would develop in the child ,his hands, brain and soul as Nai Talim would aim at work experience through early school stage and later through vocation in the secondary level. Does such a philosophy of education and dignity approve of child labour? The paper argues that Gandhi's concept of education tries to draw out the best in a child through harmonious coordination of all the faculties and their adjustment with the outer world. At the same time, manual labour being the core of Nai Talim at school whose products can be sold out to finance the education brings in an environment which is conducive for the practice of child labour . In the light of above, the paper tries to understand the implications of the Gandhian scheme of education for child rights in contemporary India. It also attempts to implicitly understand as to what extent the dehumanizing effect of modern civilization on the lives of children be countered by Gandhian values underlying Nai Talim.