Growing Granthis in the Modern World

Building an Educational Structure for the Sikh Granthis employed globally in 21st century

1. A Paper on Functions, Duties, Educational and Professional Qualification, Personal and Spiritual Attributes of a Granthi is written by Dr. K.S Dhillon*, M.A. (Boston) Director of Religious Affairs, Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar, Medford, USA. It is broadly in accordance with the Gurmat Rehat Maryada – Sansthik Jeewan Section (Spiritual Code of Conduct - Institutional Aspects) issued by the Akaal Takhat. (The Supreme Authority of the Sikhs) with some functionality has more relevance locally. [See Link below.]

2. Another Paper by I.J. Singh , The Granthi ... Priest, Rabbi or Minister? [First published as an essay in “Sikhs & Sikhism: A View With a Bias", by I.J. Singh**. The Centennial Foundation, Toronto,Canada, 1998. Edited for sikhchic.com.] highlights various issues faced by Granthis in modern times along with getting compounded with conditions on emigration globally. [See link below.]

3. We have historical institutions preparing these Granthis and also new Institution by SGPC and Sikh Missionary Colleges have come up in the past to provide education and training. The various systems have some inherent contradictions and also quite a variation in training imparted. Also none of these systems is able to meet the needs(quality) and volume required globally/domestically in the 21st century with vast network of Gurdwaras both globally and domestically.

4. The SGPC in recent times with their initiative have come up with a noble idea of opening Sri Guru Granth sahib University at Fatehgarh Sahib and also opening a college at Patiala.

5. The old Universities in Punjab such as GND University, Punjabi University and Punjab University do have Departments and chairs for research on Sikh literature but none of them have formal degrees as per Gurmat Marayad(laws) for training of 21st century Granthis.

6. This could be due to lack on part of religious organisations and educated lobbies in elite Institutes without realising that the elitist Universities in USA and Australia along with all other high end research have Master and Graduate level degrees in Theology and Divinity as per Catholic and other Christian streams for providing education mandatory for appointment of Christian Priests.

In the United States, priests must have a four-year university degree in Catholic philosophy plus an additional four to five years of graduate-level seminary formation in theology with a focus on Biblical research. A Master of Divinity is the most common degree.

In Europe, Australasia and North America, seminarians usually graduate with a Master of Divinity or a Master of Theology degree, which is a four-year professional degree (as opposed to a Master of Arts which is an academic degree).

7. Indian Universities also have similar courses for the Christians Priests. The Muslims of India have similar degree in Theology for Sunni and Shia streams at Aligarh Muslim University recognising Degrees/Sanads from recognised Madarsa/Institutions. Also diplomas from Aligarh Muslim University are considered eligible.

8. The Banras Hindu University have undergraduate course for Shastri and Post Graduate Courses for Acharyas in Veda, Vykaran, Sahitya, Jyotish, Vaidic Darshan, Jain-Bauddha Darshan, Dharmshastra-Mimansa, Dharmagam. These degrees enable pupils to become accredited Hindu Priests and Religious Teachers. Many other Universities in India are also running Shastri and Acharya degrees.

9. It is therefore proposed that Sri Guru Granth Sahib University, GND University, Punjabi University and Eternal University can be asked to come up with undergraduate degrees in Theology/Divinity for training of Sikh Granthis of 21st century employable globally.

10. This program must be undergraduate level degree with focus on Sikhism studies and research. Further Post graduate level courses of specialisation and research can be integrated into the University system for those interested. These courses should be made as flexible as possible with credit based system having optional papers, flexibility of timing to complete, options of completing degree with/without research, correspondence/online etc like foreign Universities.

11. Then the natural question arises on how to merge existing large structure of training of Granthis from existing diversified Institutes.

12. On further researching on Topic it has been found that the western countries have faith related accrediting agencies to which seminaries elect to acquire accreditation. In North America, four entities given below that accredit religious schools in particular are recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation:

NATIONAL FAITH-RELATED ACCREDITING ORGANIZATIONS:
Association for Biblical Higher Education Commission on Accreditation
Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools Accreditation Commission
The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada Commission on Accrediting
Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools Accreditation Commission

13. We can have a similar body under control of SGPC or Akal Takht to recognise and streamline existing education in Sikh Missionary, SGPC, Damdami Taksal and other existing organisations for awarding them diplomas. Also these diplomas can be given lateral entry to the undergraduate degree program to be started by the Universities. Even these lateral entries can have different level of exemption for the degree program depending on diploma curriculum.

14. Also scope of affiliation presently (or in future) of existing institutes of these diplomas to degree program of University depending on their capability to run by upgrading based on resources available with them can be identified.

15. Our existing Institutes can play a vital role in human, social, spiritual formation of our Granthi by providing diplomas under guidelines from the Accrediting agency of Sikh under SGPC/Akaal Takht. The Universities and its affiliated colleges with giving lateral entry to these Diplomas and also admission to 10+2 students with programs on similar lines to existing organisation in the first year can provide streamlined education in Theology/Divinity for preparing Sikh Granthis.

16. This structure will produce Sikh Granthis of 21st century for global requirement along with streamlining existing systems over a period of time and will also produce No. of candidates for pursuing further Master degrees and research in these areas in already existing Universities Departments/Chairs.

STEP WISE METHOD OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. The reforming of education system can involve work at various levels progressively.
2. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib University can come up with courses in Bachelour of Divinity/Theology in campus. It can have this course online and correspondence and to affiliated colleges/centers.
3. The SGPC can upgrade its Tohra college into another deemed University and also can have UG and PG course in Divinity/Theology.
4. But these courses should have intake as students from existing seminaries of Sikh like Damdami Taksal, Sikh Missionary College and others.
5. Presently there may be seminaries in which the students are doing Matriculation or 10+2 education which can be made easily eligible for the bachelor Degree Program.
6. For seminaries not having own school structure or educating students below Matriculation, system of educating them to Matriculation and 10+2 equivalence has to be evolved. The SGPC can come up with Open School on similar lines with the National Institute of Open School Noida. It can have regular exams along with on demand exams on fixed days every month or quarter depending on requirement.
7. Then in next phase Universities like GNDU, Punjabi and Eternal can come up with degrees in Divinity/Theology. With large No of colleges affiliated they will have greater reach to produce volumes in the filed.
8. Accordingly the SGPC/Akal Takht has to come up with Accreditation Bodies equivalents to UGC for these degrees to give them accreditation and thus maintain complete control over course curriculum and motive of these degrees producing desired end product.This accrediting body will also accredit already run diplomas level courses of Granthis like by Sikh Missionary College as eligible for admission to Degree programs etc.
9. Thus a complete structure of education for Granthis will evolve in which basic education and character building will be done at Seminaries with students eligible for higher Bachelour Degrees at Universities. Also the students coming after 10+2 can have be made to do some additional courses or bridge course etc towards building character. In case enough volume is produced from seminaries with standard basic education than they can be given preference etc.
10. Thus we have to evolve a complete system of education well established as in other religion of the world undergone similar process centuries ago and today have education systems in best of world Universities like Yale(IVY League Universities of USA). Then one day we will reach their levels where they have interdisciplinary degrees with religion. This will remove all misconception among educated lobby in elite Institutes reluctant in accepting importance of our culture and religion in modern education

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Brief Introduction of Author :

I am an ex Colonel from Indian Army. I was involved in bring right type of infrastructure technology at bear minimum prices for rapid growth of Universities in Punjab .I had privilege to advise Dr SP Singh VC and susequent incumbent to bring Fiber and Cisco based networks to GNDU Campus.

Subsequently for Dr Manjit Singh Kang VC PAU complete Plan of Voice and Data Networks was prepared from four companies CISCO, Nortel, Avaya and Alcatel and it got installed over a period of time recently.

Help organising Indian Science Congress at Jammu University and remove monopoly of companies not giving share of resources earned to Universities from decades involved in organising of exhibitions.

Contribution in form of valuable inputs to one of my college junior at IIT Kanpur presently working to build IISER Mohali.

Presently I have been working to bring complete campus automation of HR, finance and Student information Systems with right type of ERP solutions to the Network Infrastructure already built in most of Universities. Discounts upto and more than 95% on licensing cost was obtained on Oracle Peoplesoft solutions to make solutions viable within Universities resources.

Website for this and other associated noble causes will be constructed soon and informed accordingly