The topic of this article is the impending education system of this country. We all know what education means – the enrichment and enhancement of human mind to make him or her a better person. Education can be imparted at any age but the childhood is generally and naturally preferred as the knowledge learnt will be useful throughout one’s life. But what if
we take out the enrichment and enhancement part out of education ? We get a sick and dying education system representing that of India.
The youth of today would firmly agree that in our schools and colleges we are not asked to learn but ‘taught to learn’. We are taught how to crack a certain exam, how to study 10 days before boards, how to ‘ace’ the competition. We simply learn (or memorise), pass out of school or college and forget. The result – generations of ‘educated’ but worthless toppers.
Let’s consider an example. In 2010 the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) introduced the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) pattern of education till the secondary (class 10) level. In my view it was a superb pattern on paper. It called for an allround evaluation of a student. It had marks for activities and projects. But ultimately what happened – these activities or projects which were meant to increase the knowledge of a child, ended up being a copy-paste job whereby a student just browsed through the internet and pasted printouts. Had that student read the material he was copying at least once, the project would have been a success. But sadly students don’t and they are not even asked to. It makes the whole pattern a farce. Now that the board exams have been made compulsory, the CCE pattern is no more viable and that’s the greatest tragedy.
Climbing a little higher. The state of our higher education is equally miserable and pathetic. Its a pity that none of our top colleges and universities like the IITs and IIMs are not among the world’s top 200. And then we have lakhs of aspirants competing for seats at these top colleges. A disastrous situation arises when a student can’t get into a government institution. He or she now heads to a privately run college with fancy names and overpaid advertisements. These colleges work on a supply chain basis and churn out graduates like products but of low quality. In the end it is the country which suffers despite having an exhaustive young population and tremendous growth opportunities. The system fails itself and the cycle rotates year after year, batch after batch. In conclusion I would just like to add that there is a need of introspection on the students’ part. Students should themselves be a part of change because the system has become like this only because the student has allowed so.
Be Heared !