Paper short abstract:

Through the reminiscences of the ex-students of Abhedananda Boy's Home, West Bengal, this paper explores the comparative role played by state-sponsored secular training and socio-cultural reform movements in inculcating ideas of citizenship amongst orphan refugee boys.

Paper long abstract:

The National Discipline Scheme, incorporating physical and mental training, organisation and cultural development was developed by the Ministry of Rehabilitation, with the stated goals of instilling patriotism and a desire to serve the country disinterestedly amongst the refugee students of camps and colonies. It was launched in 1954 as an experimental measure at the refugee school of Kasturba Niketan in Delhi. It's 'success' led to its introduction in all refugee institutions by 1957 and eventual extension to non-refugee schools. Focusing on one particular refugee institution, the Abhedananda Boy's Home in West Bengal, which catered to orphan refugee boys, this paper attempts to understand the implications of this advertised success. It explores how this centralised project of turning refugees into ideal citizens through 'physical and mental training' was refracted through local socio-cultural beliefs and traditions. The home was run by the Ramkrishna Vedanta Math, which brought into the education of young boys its Hindu reformist ideals of proper conduct, service and religiosity. Through an analysis of the reminiscences of erstwhile residents and a teacher of this home, this paper will explore what impact these twin discourses of disciplining, one promoted by the state and the other by a socio-religious reform movement, had on the social identity and political sensibility developed by orphan refugee boys. Through this case study, this paper attempts to evaluate the comparative impact of secularised state-sponsored discourses and the efforts of more localised socio-religious organisations in the production and inculcation of ideals of citizenship.