All public health programmes are for the benefit of the public and their success depends on public co-operation and, voluntary participation is hard to obtain even in programmes for its good. The purpose of health education is to resolve this paradox by concerning itself with the task of bringing about a change in knowledge, feelings and behaviour of the people so that practice of healthy living and participation in health programme can be ensured. Twelve basic principles of health education in TB, to achieve this purpose, are listed.