Role of education in changing the Mishing Tanis

The role of education in changing a society has imponderable impact upon the masses.Education has quite play affirmative role in changing the way of living of the people.The important constituent of society such as art,language ,literature,culture has als acclaimed a new status.The impact of education in Mishing Tani is playing a very instrumental role in compared to the yester decades. Although,every aspects of our Tanis is not touch, its role has affect the people to a considerable extent, it is not negligible since the overall literacy rate of Mishing is at par with all-India average. From the past British Raj to the post-independence era, the impact of education in Mishing society as a whole has immensely contributed towards the growth, transformation and development of socio-economic, cultural, political and other important aspects of the Mishing Tani people.
It is also worthy to mentioned that educational history of Mishing Tanis is not insignificant.During the pre-independence period,the Mishings were proud to have son like Mg.Sonaram Panyang Kotoki ,the man who wrote first on Mishing identity and history.Among his works,the book Miri Jatir Buranji(The Chronicle of Mishing Nation) published in 1932 was an important contribution to entire Mishing Tanis since it was the first attempt to established the identity of our people as separate in relation to other neighbouring plains people and before the world.We all know that our early forefathers were rural forest dwellers but today, the environment has transformed due to which our lifestyle and other aspects is also witnessing a transitional stage.There was a time when our elders has to go more than 5 miles plus swimming across one or two rivers.But despite such impediments,our Tanis could produced people like Muhi Chandra Patir (Miri) even before the independence ,the first science graduate among Mishings.Miri after completing his B.Sc degree in first class from Calcutta University joined in the forest department of Assam at a British Commissioner’s request.It was Muhi Chandra Miri,the brilliant Mishing son who put Kaziranga National Park(KNP) into world map.Earlier KNP was a “Games Reserve”,where the British go for sports hunting.Miri realized the would-be wealth of Assam that time itself and worked selflessly for the cause of Kaziranga’s promotion.Today,the KNP is famous for its one-horn rhinocheroes.As an Assistant Conservator, he woke up early and go round the park to checked poaching riding on elephant’s back.KNP wouldn’t have been in today’s acclaimable position without the efforts of Mg.Miri.
The schooling system in modern era is lagging behind the infrastructure fronts.The facilities available in rural areas is pathetic in compared to towns and cities due to which the student community of Mishing society has not able show its mettle though chidren of some middle classes are reflecting in certain fields.Despite this deplorable conditions and hindrances,students of Mishing Tanis are high on the mark of educational scenario.Students of Mishing tribe are joining the latest course keeping in tune to the educational needs and demand in the post-modern era.But due to the infrastructural backwardness in rural areas and the occurrence of frequent natural calamities especially perennial floods and erosions, that happen in most Mishing inhabited areas has added to student community’s misfortune. There has been growing number of Mishing students who has equipped themselves as good thinkers and faculties in the Mishing community. Through their hardwork and firm determination, the educational leveling Mishing community is developed much as compared to the past. As per 2001 census, the literacy rate of Mishing is 60.1%; the male literacy stands as high as 71.4% while the female has a poor 48.3%.The Mishings should ponder over the dismal female literacy rate, we must free ourselves from the shackles of age-old practices, customs and beliefs that hampers women empowerment and also which denies the right to equality between man and woman. Social practices of any society should be in tune to present changed condition, though some elements are essential, that shows respect to basic human rights.
Many schools and colleges are established in Mishing areas but provide limited facilities for learning.Most colleges in Mishing areas do not have three streams of learning viz.science,arts and commerce.The colleges offers mainly arts stream which made the rural students think that there are only arts stream that offers scope for higher studies.These problems has aggravate the problems of superstitious belief prevailing in the Mishing people and developing scientific temperament.This does not meant that there are no students who study science or humanities or commerce streams.Mishing are proud of having quite an impressive human resources in the health and engineering sectors.One Dr.Hemendranath Doley adorned the post of Director of Health Services in Assam.It is noteworthy to mentioned that Mishings’ first Indian Forest Service(IFS) Mg.Sonadhar Doley is serving as Chief Conservator of Forests of Assam .Mg.Uken Pegu is also the Chief Engineer in the Water Resources Department of Assam.Late Jatin Mipun,the first Indian Police Service(IPS) among Mishings was the first cracked the premier all-India services exam in Assamese language;he has also contributed a lot to Mishing and Assamese language and literature.Dr.Mipun earned his Ph.d from Dibrugarh University through his path breaking works named-“The Mishings:Development of New Style”.He was also given an special award by Asam Sahitya Sabha for his novel“Miksijili”,which was based on Mishing romantic plot.If we go on counting the prominent Mishing personalities lists it is endless…..there deeds and dedication has been instrumental in uplifting the Mishing Tanis.
Though the literacy rate of our Tanis is increasing to an upward level, the qualitativeness cannot be attributed to the same. The ongoing universal educational programme by the government namely Sarva Siksha Abhiyan(SSA) is playing a defining role in various Mishing inhabited areas too,particularly the children of downtrodden masses are benefiting since they are gaining the oportunies to make their children learn primary education in their own locality itself free of expenses.The introduction of Mishing textbook in government lower primary schools is also making headway which has made the process of learning easier and more attractive.The role of education in changing the Mishing Tanis is impeccable and significantly playing greater role in building a modern society albeit various impediments;after all keeping the people conscious about their identity,culture,language and other traditional elements intact.