What is Scouting/Guiding ?

THE GENESIS OF SCOUTING AND GUIDING IN THE WORLD 

• The Boy Scouts Movement had a simple start in the year 1907 when a Maj. General of Army Lord Baden Powell conducted an experimental camp in Brown sea Island in England with 20 boys. The successful conduct of the camp and publication of the Book “Scouting for Boys” in a fortnightly marked the start of the Boy Scout Movement.
• 
  In the year 1910, Crystal palace Rally was held where Girls wearing the boy Scout uniform appeared and wanted to join the Scout Movement. Lord Baden Powell decided to start a movement for Girls with the help of his sister Agnes Baden Powell

SCOUTING IN INDIA

• Scouting started in India in the year 1909, when Captain T.H.Baker established the first Scout Troop in Bangalore and got it registered with imperial Headquarters, London.subsequently, Scout Troops were formed in Kirkee (Pune), Simla, Madras, Jabalpur, Lonavla (Mumbai) and registered with the Imperial Headquarters during 1910 and 1911. These units were open to European and Anglo Indian Children only.
• 
  The first Guide Company in India was started in Jabalpur, Central India in 1911. 
• 
  As the Scout Movement was not initially open to the Indian boys, Nationalist leaders of India decided to offer Scouting activities to Indian Boys and Sewa Samiti Scout Association was formed with Headquarters in Allahabad by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru and Pandit Sriram Bajpai. Dr.Annie Besant with the help of Shri G.S.Arundale started a seperate Scout Association for Indian Boys in Madras. 
• 
  Efforts were made for unification of different scout groups existing in India during the visit of Lord Baden Powell to India in 1921 and 1937 but failed. Major reason for the failure in unification was the promise clause which included the word “Duty to King”. Our Patriotic sentiments of our Nationalist leaders did not approve the allegiance to the British Empire and instead it was insisted that allegiance loyalty to the Country should be part of the Scout Promise.

SCOUTING GUIDING IN INDEPENDENT INDIA 

• After the independence of our country efforts were made for unification of the Scout and Guide Associations functioning in India. Serious efforts were made by our National leaders like Pt.Jawahar Lal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India, Mauland Abul Kalam Azad, the First education Minister of India,Shri Mangal Das Pakvasa, Governor of Central Province, and Scout leaders Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru, Pandit Sri Ram Bajpai, Justice Vivian Bose and others for the merger of the Scout / Guide Associations.
• 
  Dr.Tara chand, Education Secretary ,Government of India made significant contribution in finalizing the merger deed.
• The Final merger took place on 7th November 1950 and the unified Organisation came into existence under the Name “The Bharat Scouts and Guides”. The Girl Guides Association formally joined the Bharat Scouts and Guides a little later on 15th August 1951.

CONSTITUTION AND HEADQUARTERS

• The Bharat Scouts and Guides is a Registered Society under Societies Registrations Act. It is totally voluntary, non-political and secular Organisation.
• 
  The National Headquarters of the Bharat Scouts functioned from Regal Building, Connaught Place, New Delhi, till 1963.Thereafter, it shifted to its own building and is functioning from Lakshmi Mazumdar Bhawan , 16, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Indra Prasth Estate, New Delhi – 110002. The National Headquarters building was inaugurated in the year 1963 by the then Vice President of India Dr.Zakir Hussain.

OUR FUNDAMENTALS 

• DEFINITION:
  The Bharat Scouts & Guides is a voluntary, non-political, educational movement for young people, open to all without distinction of origin, race or creed ,in accordance with the purpose, principles and methods conceived by the Founder Lord Baden Powell in 1907.


• PURPOSE: 
  The purpose of the Movement is to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of local, national and international communities. 


• PRINCIPLES: 
  The Scout /Guide Movement is based on the Following Principles. 
• • DUTY TO GOD: 
    Adherence to spiritual principle, loyalty to the religion that expresses the acceptance of the duties resulting there from. 
  • DUTY TO OTHERS: 
    Loyalty to one's country in harmony of local and international peace, understanding, co-operation. Participation in the development of society with recognition and respect for dignity of one's fellowmen and for the integrity of the natural world. 
  • DUTY TO SELF:Responsibility for the development of one’s self.


• THE METHOD: The Scout /Guide Method is a system of progressive self-education through:-
  - A Promise and Law
  - Learning by doing.
  - Membership of small groups under adult leadership involving progressive discovery and acceptance of responsibility and training towards self -government directed towards the development of character, and the acquisition of competence, self-reliance, dependability and capacities to co-operate and to lead.
  - Progressive and stimulating programmes of various activities based on the interest of the participants including games, useful skills and services to the community taking place largely in an outdoor setting in contact with nature.

PROMISE

• SCOUT/GUIDE PROMISE 
  "On my honour I promise that I will do my best -
  to do my duty to God* and my country,
  to help other people and
  to obey the Scout/Guide Law."
• CUB/BULBUL PROMISE 
  " I Promise to do my best
  to do my duty God* and my Country,
  to keep the Cub / Bulbul law and
  to do a Good turn every day"

• * The word "Dharma" may be substituted, if so desired for the word "God"

THE LAW. 

• THE LAW FOR THE SCOUT AND GUIDE IS:
  • A Scout /Guide is trustworthy.
  • A Scout /Guide is loyal.
  • A Scout / Guide is Friend to all and brother/Sister to every other Scout/Guide.
  • A Scout / Guide is courteous.
  • A Scout / Guide is friend to animals and loves nature.
  • A Scout / Guide is disciplined and helps protect public property.
  • A Scout / Guide is courageous.
  • A Scout / Guide is thrifty.
  • A Scout / Guide is pure in thought, word and deed.
• THE LAW FOR THE CUB AND BULBUL IS:
  • A Cub / Bulbul is obedient.
  • A Cub / Bulbul is clean and polite. 

• Note: The Law and Promise for Scouts & Guides are applicable to Rovers/Rangers and Adult leaders in the movement.