Public Places in India May Be Cleaner as Anand Mahindra Proposes an Innovative Method to Teach Cleanliness to Kids
Industrialist Anand Mahindra has proposed a unique way to instill cleanliness and tidiness in young children in India. Sharing an undated video on Sunday, Mahindra showcased a teacher deliberately creating chaos in her classroom by overturning furniture and throwing objects on the floor. The students are then brought in to tidy up the mess. The post garnered over 13,000 likes, with many individuals praising the idea of teaching civic sense and responsibility at a young age.
In response to Mahindra’s post, one user emphasized the urgent need to cultivate a sense of responsibility among future generations towards their surroundings. Another user praised the idea, stating that it should be implemented in every school across India as a means to address the current lack of civic sense in the country.
However, not everyone was impressed with Mahindra’s suggestion, with some considering it excessive. One user sarcastically suggested that if Mahindra’s idea were to be applied universally, people should crash cars before receiving a license to save lives. Another argued that simply teaching principles in school without practical application in real life would yield no significant change. They cited Japanese schools as an example, where lessons taught in classrooms are consistently reflected in day-to-day practices.
Interestingly, this is not the first time such an approach has been proposed. In December 2022, IAS officer Awanish Sharan shared a similar video where children were taught to offer seats to the elderly and those in need in public transportation—an essential part of Japanese elementary school education, according to Sharan.
The video in question depicts a scenario where children roleplay being on a public bus. When a child acting as an elderly individual hypothetically enters the bus, another child promptly offers their seat, demonstrating courtesy and respect.
The idea put forth by Mahindra and the actions taken by Sharan highlight a growing concern about civic sense in India and the need to instill responsibility in children from an early age. By making cleanliness and tidiness lessons a standard part of pre and elementary school curricula, the hope is to create a shift in attitudes and behaviors toward public spaces. The impact of such initiatives remains to be seen, but the intention is clear—to mold future generations into conscientious citizens who prioritize cleanliness and tidiness both at home and in public.
With public places in India often gaining notoriety for their lack of cleanliness, the proposal to embed these values in children appears to be a step toward combating this issue. By targeting the root cause—education and upbringing—the goal is to create lasting change in societal attitudes and behaviors. Whether Mahindra’s idea gains traction or if similar initiatives are adopted by educational institutions nationwide, only time will tell. However, one thing remains certain: the need for a clean and tidy India is a concern shared by many, and efforts to address it are commendable.
