Genesis of scouting in the world

The Boy Scout Movement took a start in the United Kingdom when Lord Baden Powell (Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden Powell) organised a Scout Camp at Brown sea Island on 1907 and the Scouting for Boys was published in 1908. The movement spread quickly in United Kingdom and other countries of the world.

Scouting / Guiding in India before 1950

The first Scout Troop in India, consisting of Indian Boys, was formed by a Scottish Missionary, in the Central Provinces (present Madhya Pradesh) in 1908. However, the troop was disbanded in 1910. The common confirmed date, however, for the start of Scouting in India is 1909, when three troops for British boys were started at Bangalore, Kirkee and Jabalpur.

This list of three Scout Troops increased to nine different Boy Scout Organisations in early 1911 in Shimla, Calcutta (present Kolkata), Jabalpur, Allahabad, Bangalore, Poona, Kirkee, Saidpur and Madras (present Chennai). Efforts were made to merge all the Boy Scouts Organisations with the help and assistance of Lord Baden Powell in 1921. These efforts were partly successful. An endeavor was again made in 1937.

The Girl Guide movement got a start in India at Jabalpur (M.P.) In 1911. It expanded enormously. There were about 50 girl guide companies with a membership of over 1200 by 1915. There companies were directly registered with imperial scout headquarters, London, like other Scout organisation. But an All India Girl Guides Association was formed in 1916. Girl Guiding was restricted to British Girls till 1916.

Unification of Scouting and Guiding

There were scattered organisations during the pre-independence era. However, serious efforts made by leaders like Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, first Prime Minister of India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then Education Minister, Govt. of India, Mr. Mangal Das Pakwasa, the then Governor of C.P. and Scout Leaders like Dr. H. N. Kunzru, Pt. Sri Ram Bajpai, Justice Vivian Bose. Final merger took place on 7th November 1950 under the name of the Bharat Scouts & Guides. The Girl Guides Association joined the Bharat Scouts & Guides a year later in 15th August 1951.

The Bharat Scouts & Guides was housed in small rooms in Regal Building, Connaught Place, New Delhi. It shifted to its new building at 16, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, New Delhi in the year 1963 - 64.

The Bharat Scouts & Guides has extended since 1950 enormously in quantitative and qualitative terms.

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 method 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, social and spiritual as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of the local, national and international communities.

The Scout/Guide Movement is based on the following principles

Duty to God: Adherence to spiritual principles, loyalty to the religion that expresses them and acceptance of the duties resulting there from. Duty to others: - Loyalty to one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s country in harmony with the promotion of local, national and international peace, understanding, cooperation. - Participation in the development of society with recognition and respect for the dignity of one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s fellowmen and for the integrity of the natural world. Duty to self: Responsibility for the development of oneself.

The Method

The Scout/Guide Method is a system of progressive self education through: A Promise & Law Learning by doing Membership of small groups under adult leadership (Patrol System) Progressive and stimulating programmes of various activities based on interest of the participants

The Law for the Scout/Guide

A Scout/Guide is trustworthy. A Scout/Guide is loyal. A Scout/Guide is a friend to all and a brother/sister to every other Scout/Guide. A Scout/Guide is courteous A Scout/Guide is a 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 though, word and deed.

The Promise

The Promise for the Scout/Guide is: " 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" * The word "Dharma" may be substituted for the word "God" if so desired.