School as a Secular Space in Contemporary India
Everyday Practice in Azad Bharat Vidyalaya
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ISBN:
9780198993605
Publication date:
30/04/2026
Hardback
240 pages
216x140mm
Price: 995.00 INR
We sell our titles through other companies
Disclaimer :You will be redirected to a third party website.The sole responsibility of supplies, condition of the product, availability of stock, date of delivery, mode of payment will be as promised by the said third party only. Prices and specifications may vary from the OUP India site.
ISBN:
9780198993605
Publication date:
30/04/2026
Hardback
240 pages
Devika Mittal
- Offers a fresh perspective on secularism in an educational setting, beyond a mere relationship between the State and religion
- Explores the dynamics between caste and secularism in India
- Provides relevant pedagogic insights for educators and policymakers working on the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) curriculum for schools
Rights: World Rights
Devika Mittal
Description
The Constitution of India upholds secularism as a key ideal. Although the 42nd amendment to the Preamble to the Constitution officially declared India to be a 'sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic', the Constitution itself does not prescribe a specific definition of secularism. Given their close relationship with the State, Indian schools are expected to uphold Constitutional ideals, including secularism. School as a Secular Space in Contemporary India journeys into the life of a government-aided, non-religious school in Delhi to explore how the abstract concept of secularism is interpreted and enacted therein. Unpacking the school culture, this book offers insights into the nature of secularism in India. It reveals layers of conformity and contestation of the school's goals in general and its conception and practice of secularism in particular. The notion of secularism is interwoven with nationalism, religion, and community-based assertions, and grounded in the concepts of equality and social justice. Exploring the plural, and even competing, narratives of secularism emerging from these intersections, the author argues that these are not confined to the school alone but mirror the paradox of secularism in the Indian society.
About the Author
Devika Mittal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi. She holds a doctorate degree from the Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics. Her areas of interest include nationalism, secularism, peace and conflict studies, and education. Dr. Mittal is also a peace educator and has co-founded Aaghaz-e-Dosti, a cross-border India-Pakistan peacebuilding initiative.
Devika Mittal
Table of contents
Introduction: Schools as Discursive Sites of Secularism
1: Locating Azad Bharat Vidyalaya
2: Schooling India: Nationalism, Citizenship, and Secularism
3: Religion in the Everyday Life of Azad Bharat Vidyalaya
4: Caste, Community, and Secularism
Conclusion: The Paradox of Secularism in Schooling
Devika Mittal
Description
The Constitution of India upholds secularism as a key ideal. Although the 42nd amendment to the Preamble to the Constitution officially declared India to be a 'sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic', the Constitution itself does not prescribe a specific definition of secularism. Given their close relationship with the State, Indian schools are expected to uphold Constitutional ideals, including secularism. School as a Secular Space in Contemporary India journeys into the life of a government-aided, non-religious school in Delhi to explore how the abstract concept of secularism is interpreted and enacted therein. Unpacking the school culture, this book offers insights into the nature of secularism in India. It reveals layers of conformity and contestation of the school's goals in general and its conception and practice of secularism in particular. The notion of secularism is interwoven with nationalism, religion, and community-based assertions, and grounded in the concepts of equality and social justice. Exploring the plural, and even competing, narratives of secularism emerging from these intersections, the author argues that these are not confined to the school alone but mirror the paradox of secularism in the Indian society.
About the Author
Devika Mittal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi. She holds a doctorate degree from the Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics. Her areas of interest include nationalism, secularism, peace and conflict studies, and education. Dr. Mittal is also a peace educator and has co-founded Aaghaz-e-Dosti, a cross-border India-Pakistan peacebuilding initiative.
Table of contents
Introduction: Schools as Discursive Sites of Secularism
1: Locating Azad Bharat Vidyalaya
2: Schooling India: Nationalism, Citizenship, and Secularism
3: Religion in the Everyday Life of Azad Bharat Vidyalaya
4: Caste, Community, and Secularism
Conclusion: The Paradox of Secularism in Schooling
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