Exclusive Interview with Shri Manojbhai Dubey - Principal of Delhi Public School 1

Interview With : Shri Manoj Dubey
Date : 17th December 2009
Venue : Delhi Public School, Haripar, Rajkot.
Date Of Birth: 31-07-1955
Phone : +91-98252 36301
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.dpsrajkot.org
Interview Time : 4:00 PM
Interviewed by : Reena Sodha
Photography by : Shriram Devmurari

What is your educational qualification? Will you please narrate your career journey to show as to how you reached to this stage?
I am M.Sc. M.Ed. M.Phil. I Joined Delhi Public School of R. K. Puram (New Delhi) In 1983. I served there in Delhi D PS from 1983 to 1999. There after I joined DPS School of CBSE of Indonesia in the year 1999. I am serving as a Principal, here in DPS School since April 2007.

How you got inspiration to go in for education field?
Initially I did not prefer the field of education for my career. However after entering into this field, I found very much interest there in. In the beginning of my career I intended to get service as a civil servant. However, I now very much prefer this area.

Kindly state your Hobbies Please.
I very much like to do work more and more.

Are you fond of reading?
I am very much fond of writing than reading. I have written many books of which the very favorite is the book named “Great Sir” and I have written many series of this book. I like mathematics very much and therefore I read books pertaining to it. I do not like to read fiction stories or novels.

Please state your favorite vacation sport?
I consider Delhi Public School, as my favourite vacation spot. Delhi Public School is my favourite vacation spot, since we much of time at this place only. Once the love develops towards the place of the job, then there would not be any difficulty in passing of time.

Kindly state your views regarding peoples of Rajkot.
Peoples of Rajkot are peace living generation and they are very much influenced by the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi. They sustain revolutionary thoughts.

As a Non-Guajarati person, what short of perception do you hold regarding all of Gujarati People?
I consider it appropriate if we think in terms of an Indian, and not as Bengali, Gujarati or Maharashtrain. However it is also much in the fitness of things if one has respect, and pride for his State.

What kind of change do you propose in the present educational system?
I do feal the necessity of change in educational system and of course, it is already since taking place. Previously the education was being imparted through efforts of committing to one’s memory, which is termed by us as “Wrote Learning” Now this system is getting changed and “Skill activity based learning” has been gaining importance in which stress is given to activities based learning rather than, to Books CBSE is bringing changes at some different intervals of time, and like wise we also bring changes in ourselves too.

According to Kapil Simbalji, the Board in Std 10th is proposed to be abolished. Will this phenomenon, prove beneficial or loss to the student?
I do not see much damage in this proposition, but visualize much advantage. therein. In our present system there occur many cases of “drop out” A student failing once, leaves his study. On abolition of Board in Std 10th, the burden on the student will be reduced. In a way admission in any university is based on the students performance in Std Xll, and in 12th Standard, all students will have to go through Board. However, there is one disadvantage in this proposition, which is that, the brilliant students will be devoid of competitive atmosphere. However he can be internally adjusted.

In case of abolition of Board in Std 10th, what change do you anticipate in examination systems of Gujarat Board and Central Board?
In Gujarat Board the changes are bound to occur with the change of time. Any one who does not bring change in himself, causes damage to himself, irrespective of whether, he is an individual, or it is an institution.

Even though, for better educational environment, the students, are provided with best infrastructural facilities and best education in our country then, why they turn their face towards overseas countries?
At Present this situation is undergoing change. This situation was prevailing ten years before, and today it is getting changed. In foreign countries, education is made a business. If we take into account the figures (of students going abroad), there has occurred a shift in this situation. We have changed with time. Solution to any problem can be brought about; if the mentality of the persons concerned is made to change. Our educational institutions are coming forward in this behalf, which leads us to believe that there has been change in this mentality.

At present there has been much debate on “No Books, Semester, and “Grading system” Out of these which system do you consider as best one?
All these three systems are mutually different. As such it would be appropriate if they are valued individually instead of jointly. In semester system, education is divided in two parts, In DPS; this system was followed from the very beginning. In “No Books” System, there will be some trouble. Because when we talk of global education, we should have the knowledge as to what is happening in outside world. This system will not, be adequately successful, as I individually believe. Grading system is followed from very old times in OXFORD University. When I did M.Sc this system was in vague. The grading is a very good system. Abolition of Board is not necessarily meant to do away with examination. The proposition of continuous evolution is a best one in which incessant observance of child's behavior at school, and home has to be done.

Why CBSE students, even while living in Gujarat are not able to speak proper Gujarati?
Such situations do happen much with students of outside Gujarat areas. In DPS, the students are from Tamil Nadu, Calcutta, Maharashtra and all other places. Outside Gujarat students always have such problems.

Kindly state the number of periods for Gujarati subject are kept in your school.
We teach Gujarati as a third language in Std 6, 7 & 8 and also Gujarat and Sanskrit subject are allowed to be studied in option. There are two periods of Gujarati subject in a weak.

Which is the special characteristic of your institution, and in what way if differs from others?
We would not like to make comment on any institution. So far as our institution is concerned, we pay more attention on basic education. On every Thursday we conduct extra classes. In cases where the guardian is not able to bestow proper attention on the study aspect of his child, we extend our support to such children. We also prepare daily report of each child. Besides this we also give bag free education.

Kindly narrate any memorable occasion associated with your institute.
There is no any isolated memorable event associated with this institution. We have made much many reforms in school. We have arranged programmers like International school competition, Cluster school, science fair exhibition etc. Every Thursday and Friday our School students clean the ground. In the nice garden which we see in the school the plantation of trees and plants are made our students.

Kindly state the total number of students in your school.
In all there are 775 students in our school.