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 GENESIS OF SCOUTING AND GUIDING IN THE WORLD

• The Boy Scouts Movement had a simple start in the year 1907 when a retired Army General 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 and Empire instead it was insisted that allegiance loyalty to the Country should be part of the Scout Promise.