Chinmaya Vision Programme (CVP)

 

The Chinmaya Vision Programme is what makes the Chinmaya Education Institutions Schools with a Difference. It concretises Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji’s vision of education.

If man’s vision is narrow and disturbed, the world also seems filled with strife. If the vision is broad and love filled, so too is his world.

Chinmaya Vision Programme (CVP) was born to enshrine the philosophy of education developed by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji in the heart of every growing child to bring out the best in him/her. CVP is a comprehensive educational programme for schools which integrates the best in our culture and philosophy of education. It aims at giving children a true vision of life to help them face challenges in a positive and dynamic manner and heartily contribute to society. The child is the focal point of this programme. The programme also embraces the school management, teachers and parents. Through them, the light of this vision spreads to the society, country, and the world at large.

Why the name Chinmaya Vision Programme?:

Chinmaya: The inspiration and grace of Swami Chinmayananda, the founder of the Chinmaya Mission has manifested in CVP. Chinmaya also means knowledge and the program is a knowledge based and provides holistic education at all levels.

Vision: As our vision so the world appears to us. A narrow vision is divisive. A broad vision is expansive. CVP is a vision expanding program. Starting from self development it helps to create a well knit family, a cohesive society, a strong country and a peaceful world.

Programme: CVP is not just theoretical; not an idealistic vision but it is a concrete and proven programme with practical implementation strategies followed by all the Chinmaya Education Institutions. CVP is value education plus value based education. It is not  time bound but an ongoing attitude based program. CVP integrates all into a harmonious whole.

 

The Chinmaya Vision Programme had its formal beginning in June 1996 when it was introduced in Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Coimbatore on the occasion of its Silver Jubilee.

The Chinmaya Vision Programme is identified under four heads.

I. INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT

It aims at the overall unfoldment and gentle blossoming of the student at the physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual levels of his/her personality.

a)  PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

It implies good health and proper growth of students leading to the optimum expression of their overall well-being. It includes physical fitness, nutrition, hygiene, personal grooming, health education, health assessment, prevention of diseases and their treatment.

b)  MENTAL DEVELOPMENT

It aims at making the student an emotionally balanced person. It thereby helps him/her to live in harmony with himself/herself and the world. It includes emotional expansion, handling emotions, handling relationships, gender specific education, mental health assessment and counselling.

 

c)  INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT

Man has infinite intellectual potential. Under this head, CVP helps the student manifest his/her inherent intellectual capacities and enhance existing ones. It includes intellectual kindling, independent thinking, management skills, aesthetics, creativity, intellectual assessment and guidance.

 

d)  SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

Man is potentially divine. Spiritual Development enables the child to discover his/her inherent  divinity and manifest it. It is achieved through value education, value based education, philosophy, introspection, meditation techniques, yoga etc.

 

II. INDIAN CULTURE

Culture is more than just art forms, festivals and rituals. Culture is the very way of life of a race and its thinking, which makes it unique and special. Under this head, the student is given a wide exposure to the various aspects of our culture, cultural awareness and appreciation of the vast literacy, artistic and scientific heritage of India, explanations of customs and traditions, symbolism, celebration of festivals and cultural motivation through hobbies and projects.

 

III. PATRIOTISM

This vital area of focus includes education in citizenship, civic consciousness, fostering pride in being Indian and vital national concerns such as unity in diversity and correct understanding of secularism. It aims at creating dedicated and committed citizens who take real pride in serving the nation.

 

IV. UNIVERSAL OUTLOOK

Universal Outlook creates an appreciation, sensitivity and commitment to universal issues like global warming, population and poverty. After years of mindless pillage of nature, the world needs to come back to a universal holistic view of life. A universal outlook helps the student view himself/herself as a responsible citizen of world, live in harmony with creation (environmental education and the synthesis between science and religion) as well as become aware of being an intrinsic part of the macrocosm. It connects man to man and man to God – the universal force behind creation.

 

Chinmaya Vision Programme augments the role of teachers, parents and the management in this ennobling endeavour.

  • The teacher is guided into this programme with the help of the CVP Manual, seminars and newsletters. Teachers’ assessment scales enable him/her to assess self-worth and effectiveness.
  • The parent is gently drawn into the programme through Manuals, parenting workshops, student assessment, self-assessment and expert advice.
  • The school management through its active participation significantly helps this programme which aims at all-round “man-making” education and not just academics at the cost of other aspects of a student’s development.

Thus Chinmaya Vision Programme makes significant breakthrough in the character-moulding and personality development of growing children complementing academic excellence which is what true education is all about.

CVP is not an activity but a vision-inducing programme – the very spirit behind all activities in the Vidyalaya. It is not a ‘value add’, but the Vidyalaya culture. It is not portion-based, but attitude-based. CVP is Value Education and Value-based Education.


 

 

Reach and Impact:

Through almost 250 seminars, the program has spread to 22000 schools and colleges across 22 states of our country. From “Teachers with a difference” the program creates “Students with a difference” who in turn go out and create a “Society with a difference”. This benefits the nation and the world at large.

Some of the vital areas of impact of CVP are:

  • Integration (between the child and the family, the child and society, the child and the nation, the child and the world, the child and God).
  • Integration within the Institution (the Management, teachers, students, principals, parents and the public)
  • Integration between Chinmaya Education Institutions (Chinmaya Colleges, Harihar school, Chinmaya Vidyalayas and International School)
  • Integration with the other Mission activities and projects (Vidyalaya with Balvihar, Yuva Kendra, CORD etc.)

A Feather in the CVP cap!

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) with over 6000 schools under its wing has featured the Educational Philosophy of the Chinmaya Vidyalayas in its Value Education Handbook for Teachers as one of the top value-based educational programmes of the country. (Refer pages 108-111 of the CBSE Value Education Handbook for Teachers)