Join the Year On Campaign

Swaraj University, Shikshantar and the Swapathgami Network have all teamed up to support the Year On Campaign! We are inviting students in class 5, class 8, class 10, class 12, college, post-grad, and friends in jobs they don't like or believe in to take a year on -- by taking a gap year from school and pursuing their own learning interests and taking their own learning journeys! 

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As the education system in India is highly based on theories, this has deprived us of the important practical lessons of life.

A ÔÇÿYear OnÔÇÖ campaign initiated by Shikshantar is designed to encourage youth of all ages to take on their self discovery. Through this, the people can take a one year gap, travelling and searching the practical realms of life and understanding themselves more deeply.

According to Manish Jain, founder of Shikshantar, a common misconception is that if a student is taking a year off, he/she will be loitering around and the year would be wasted. But thatÔÇÖs how Shikshantar is adding a difference by offering free counseling and guidance to the person considering a gap year.

ÔÇ£It is seen that Indian schools and colleges do not provide any practical education to the students and hence they have a great difficulty when they come out of their cocoon. The theoretical knowledge they cram all the years is of no useÔÇØ, said Manish.

So, the ÔÇÿYear OnÔÇÖ campaign might be useful for students to take a break from the world of books and enter into the world of practical living.

Even Harvard University thinks the same, It has started encouraging students to take a gap year before they join so that they can get more mature and experienced students in the university.

In India, many principals, career guidance counselors from various educational institutes including Mirambika, the Valley School, Riverside School are of the view that it is very useful for students to take a gap year to develop socially and pedagogically. They have also affirmed that they will readmit the students who are doing so.

The biggest obstacle in this new concept of learning is from the parentsÔÇÖ side. According to their fear, if the students are not in the regular study mode and are given an opportunity to take a break off their routine, they will not utilize it optimally.

A change in this direction is necessary and for that Shikshantar has recently developed the following blog.

It is well known that a person who has practically explored life is better than a person who hasnÔÇÖt. Hence, Shikshantar says ÔÇ£itÔÇÖs not a year off but a Year OnÔÇØ.

check out this page for more inspiration https://medium.com/the-emperor-has-no-clothes/take-a-year-on-e6eedc49dd22