VIVEK SANJIVANI: In the Educational Front

1. Vivek Sanjivani Website:

There are several salient features of our website which are: 1. Trilingual: The site is in English, Bangla and Hindi. 2. Online Examinations: The site provides opportunities for students and interested persons to take practice tests in different Science subjects, Mathematics and literatures on Sri Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada and Swami Vivekananda at various levels. 3. Video Lessons: Some edited videos of our online Science classes are available here. 4. Films on Value Education and Health Education: The links of several films developed by our department are provided here. 5. Viewing 360° Studio: Provides a panoramic views of different places.

2. Vivek Sanjivani Elibrary Website:

At present people are interested to read books or articles online or in the softcopy format. We have started Elibrary to fulfil the current need and to promote easy and fruitful reading with pleasure. The main features of this site are:

1. Reading of Authentic books: It provides an opportunity to read some valuable books on Sri Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada and Swami Vivekananda in an illustrated manner with more pictures and supporting information from latest research. 2. Cross references: Different books related to Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji have been added with cross references to have easy reading, finding and research.

3. Vivek Sanjivani Online Class:

We try to provide quality and relevant secondary level education to rural children. During teaching-learning programs we follow the ‘Constructivism’ method which enables each learner to build their understanding in an individualistic way and to find different personal connection points of relevance in their learning. We have Online classes for various groups at secondary level. Our educational programmes emphasise on concept-based learning, trying to bridge social, regional and gender gaps and minimizing digital divide among the urban and rural children.

Online Classes in Rural Areas:

On-site Computer Classes:

4. “Shishu Tirth” (Non-formal Primary Educational Centres): Three Units of ‘Shishu Tirth,’ a Non-formal Primary Educational Centre in three villages in Eastern Uttar Pradesh viz., Rampur (District Mirzapur), Lohara (District Sonbhadra) and Lalganj (District Azamgarh) have been offering inclusive education to rural children from classes Three to Five. Under this program a total of 124 children of financially poor and underprivileged families of have been enrolled in our three child-friendly non-formal Primary Educational centres. 

47 students of Class III are learning On-site. 49 students of class IV are learning through On-site and Online modes while 28 students of class V are learning through Online class. These kids receive holistic education in their natural environment. They get healthcare support, nutritional snacks daily along with free learning and literacy materials, hygiene and sanitation items, uniforms and school bags for overall growth and development.

5. Book Publication: ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Part I’- A book translated in English from Bangla:

‘Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita’ is an immortal book that has been continuously inspiring spiritual aspirants of all paths and showing them the way to God-realization. The English translation of a few pages at beginning of this original Bangla book is our ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Part I.’ We hope that this illustrated, information-rich publication of the ‘Vivek Sanjivani’ edition of ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Part I’ will make its regular study enjoyable and inspiring to all devotees, admirers, and enthusiasts, and make their daily spiritual practice increasingly vigorous and fruitful.

 6. Jivansudha (Value Education Programmes):

Inculcation of higher human values is one important objective of the Vivek Sanjivani programmes particularly in the youth. Values imbibed and practised in one’s own life makes life valuable and living joyous. To inculcate the attitude of practising higher ideals in life and to influence young minds right from the school days, Vivek Sanjivani has taken up this Jivansudha- value education programme, which used multimedia presentations to illustrate Ramakrishna-Vivekananda teachings for students and adults of various age groups. We have started Online Value Education classes for students to foster positive thinking. Sri Ramakrishna’s sayings are the inspirations for living daily life based on eternal values. Keeping this in mind, we have developed five films in Hindi and one film in Bangla based on stories told by Sri Ramakrishna. All the six films are dubbed in English. These films are shown from time to time in rural areas.

7. Breaking the digital divide in the rural front:

Swami Vivekananda was a unique modern saint in India who emphasized on mass education and equated service of living beings, especially the poor and the downtrodden, with the worship of the Divine. He stated boldly: 'He who sees Shiva in the poor, in the weak and the diseased, really worships Shiva; and … with him Shiva is more pleased than with the man who sees Him only in temples.'  It was Swami Vivekananda who coined the word daridra-narayana to refer to the poor and the afflicted.  Vivek Sanjivani of Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service is making humble efforts to create an urge to learn and infuse in the children and youths the attitude and feeling for the poor and the underprivileged through Vivek Sanjivani’s Educational programmes.

(a) Knowledge as the catalyst:

The catalyst for change and empowerment is information and knowledge. Access to relevant information gives people opportunities to develop and better their lives. In turn, it helps family, society and the nation at large to strengthen the development process. Moreover, the ability to share information on a level playing field helps all to overcome barriers of isolation and encourages exchange and collaboration.

(b) Growing teledensity in India:

72% of India’s national population consists of people living in rural areas. However, it is a matter of pleasant wonder that the urban teledensity increased from 138.34 per cent at the end of December 2020 to 139.25 per cent at the end of January 2021, and rural teledensity increased from 59.05 per cent to 59.50 per cent during the same period. The telecom sector is trying to emphasize affordability, focusing particularly on rural India. This will enable the country to bridge the teledensity gap between rural and urban India. Vivek Sanjivani in its limited capacity providing the facilities of online classes even to remote rural areas.

8. Content Generation:

(a) For School Education: Content generation is one of the key factors in teaching science, Value Education and communicative English. The contents published in print media cannot be updated in a short span of time, but in the case of ICT-based content, easy and swift revision and updating are made possible through the circulation of content both to the learners and to other experts/professionals in the field of science teaching, Value Education and communicative English, who can make suggestions for updating information.

To promote the attitude of participative and interactive teaching and learning and to use ICT tools effectively to achieve development goals, the content should be tailored to the particular needs of the users and relevant to the specific cultures and languages of targeted communities. This is a special need of the hour.

The contents of the multimedia presentations of different science subjects were mostly developed in the local language of Hindi in order to fulfil the local need in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Sometimes video clippings shown during the lessons were in English to help the students strengthen their command of that language while learning science subjects in an easy and entertaining manner. The content of the lessons was developed more or less according to the syllabus of the State Board or universities. Care was also taken to motivate all categories of students and to develop in them an inner urge to learn more and to grasp the ideas presented after careful thought.

(b) Development of Multimedia-based Study Materials with Special Focus on Higher Values of Life: Multimedia based study materials for different science subjects, communicative English, etc., are being prepared and constantly upgraded keeping in view the value education aspect by incorporating positive ideas based on Swamiji’s teachings. Swamiji’s ideas on various subjects and various aspects of life are being included as integral parts of regular class lessons to increase the awareness of the students as well as to familiarize them with Swamiji’s unique insights and ideas in Spiritual unfoldment and in the areas of science. To bring the quality of the study materials at par similar materials at the international level, many internationally reputed books, articles have been consulted. To foster the spirit of scientific enquiry in the students, many visual clips of laboratory experiments and animations of different processes or theories have been incorporated within the study materials. We have presented these study materials to a large cross-section of teachers and discussed the contents with them. Experienced teachers of Ramakrishna Mission schools and other institutions have been consulted and their views incorporated in these study materials thus prepared.

9. Health Education Study Materials Development:

We have published a translated book in Hindi ‘Schizophrenia- A Manual To work with Schizophrenic people and their families, and a booklet in Hindi ‘Janman Swasthya’ - which can be used as a supportive document for Middle-Level Health workers engaged in Mental healthcare. One video in Hindi on Schizophrenia has been developed to create awareness about Severe Mental Disorders among the vast majority of rural and urban people.

10. Health Education Film Development:

We have developed the video ‘Amulya Jeevan’, a cancer awareness film in Hindi and another ‘Nishabd Ghatak’, a film based on respiratory problems due to indoor pollution in rural areas in Hindi to create awareness among the vast majority of rural and urban people. Several other Health educational videos have been developed and are regularly shown in the villages in order to provide health education to village people, young and old both.

11. Empowering Rural Women (ERW):

Our aim is to empower rural women to claim their rights to land, leadership, opportunities, and choices, and to participate in shaping policies and programmes at least at the local level. We hope that this programme can enhance growth and improve development prospects for current and future generations. Our initiative also promotes equal rights, opportunities, and participation so that rural women can benefit from trade and finance, market their goods and make a strong contribution to inclusive economic growth.

We have started our work in Lohara village of District Sonbhadra of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, an under-developed area with an ‘Aspirational District’ status. We made groups of ladies in each locality of Lohara village. We have provided financial support to some of the ladies of the Lohara village to start some business of their own. We have regular discussions with the members of the women groups about several rights given to them by the constitution. We discuss Microfinance in the groups to work together and save money and use it for other purposes like raising animals, starting small scale businesses - weaving, fishery etc.