[Last Updated: Sept 2014]
Every established system in the country always attracts severe criticism. The Indian Education system especially has been the target of many allegations from students, parents and teachers. Students think they are overburdened, teachers think they are not paid enough and parents want their children to get 99.99 percentage. Where does the buck stop?
Yes, in recent times there have been some steps taken on education reforms, but it needs lot more than that
Check out top 5 things about the Indian education system that we hope changes sooner rather than later!
Contents
Rote learning
Yes, we do know that many IB schools across India are trying to bring in interactive education and we laud that immensely. But the evil of rote learning is yet to be wiped out from a majority of Indian schools. Owing to the fixated style of question papers that have been doing the rounds in board exams from time immemorial, rote learning has continued.
We’re very sure that most students won’t be clear about many of the basic foundation concepts taught in school even after they’ve graduated. Ever heard of students mugging up balanced equations? This is one fundamental change that needs to come about in our Indian Education System!
Marking System
All the other evils of the Indian education system ultimately come down to the method in which students are marked.
Is it justified that a student is evaluated only on the basis of his/her performance for the duration of three hours of the exam? If the axis of grading and marking is shifted to classroom participation, project work, communication and leadership skills and extracurricular performance, only then will a genuine student shine out.
This might sound like a utopian proposition but the Indian education system badly needs to bring about this change.
Respect for all streams
“Oh has she done a MA in English? She’ll end up becoming a teacher”
“What good is a diploma in hospitality management? It ultimately means doing a job in a hotel as a cook right?”
If you’ve heard these lines time and again from you elders, don’t you think it’s time you stop them?
How long are we going to look down upon vocational streams and look up to medicine, engineering, the IIT’s and the IIM’s? Students at the school level need to be educated through career counseling regarding the kind of streams that exist and what importance each of them plays to make an economy diverse.
Variety in education streams
Why do we always see students being envious of their counterparts in the USA?
It’s because there are just three options that student have after Class 10 – they’re stuck with Science, Arts or Commerce. If they’re not good enough for either of these, they jet set straight into diplomas and certificate courses. Don’t you think the Indian education system needs to introduce combination courses in which students can opt for a major and a minor subject? If students in America can pursue Physiotherapy with Art History and Biological Science with Photography, why not in India?
The system of tuition classes
Commenting on this subject is like plunging one’s hand into a vicious cycle which seems to have no beginning or end. Reasons for tuition classes mushrooming are because students say that the teaching in schools is lax and not good enough for them to clear exams. Whereas teachers say that students jump ahead many chapters in the tuition classes before they are even taught in school.
This makes them loose all motivation and steam to attend school in the first place. Forget all of this, what about the poor parent who’s hard earned money gets drained in school and tuition fees alone?
Although the picture does seem dismal, there is hope because some of these changes are slowly being made by select education providers. But how quickly will these changes percolate down to common man in India, only time will tell.
Let us know what you feel?
I just want to say this one thing that can’t we all come together to change this terrible system of education where children think twice before enjoying studies, where only one thing makes you great and that is to be an iitian or an AIIMS pass put , where thousands decide to end up their lives , where people decide to become something but are not able to live their dreams.
Please this is the time to act , to show those stupid CBSE authorities
that we Indians know what is right for us and what not .
After doing 10th , we all come to 11 th hoping that we would enjoy our respective fields not knowing that actually we all would be pestered for passing 10 . I mean what these so called intellectual people think about making us skip our three years after 10 and then all together give us that class of +1 . In reality I think it should have been +++1 .
how could these people be so foolish and eventually when teens are not able to cope then they obviously would kill themselves .
It’s like coming directly to 10th from nursery but the CBSE authority can’t really be somewhat intelligent to understand this simple thing .
I don’t think that students suicide I think that we all are being murdered . But I can’t totallyblame these educational institutes for all this because we people only talk about it . Can’t we all actually stand up for our rights . Please think about it because just cribbing about it won’t change our situation .
We all will continue this brutal journey of living this life in hell and let me inform that this thing is even more painful than that of getting murdered at once . Please I want to bring this change but I need more support for this . I can’t really now LET IT GO!
You are absolutely correct! We do need to protest against this. Let us gather all our fellow students and do a mass rally against the government xD
please change the board system seat no.
provide the seat no. area wise.
because some parents haven’t vehicle facility and schools are far away from their palce.
name, surname or father name wise isn’t proper way. address wise seat no. is good decision.
thank you
government should remove stream system after 10th grade and board exam in 10th grade.
and there should be core subjects (English, mathematics, SCIENCE & social studies) from k to 12th grade and electives (computer science, physical education, foreign languages, performing arts, visual arts, etc) like american education system
More than everything, I feel what is required is proper relation between a teacher and a student in majority. Many teachers still are there, who to point out directly on the discrimination between an ordinary student with that of a good student. A well amount of partiality should be undone. Teachers are meant to be for all. It does not mean to any of an ordinary student, being a teacher I should be rather with an intention in humiliating the pupil. I think, I should as a teacher, give the student(s) a chance. Second, is the problem on communicating and lack of fluency with proper accents and pronunciations in the English language that should be looked into readily…
first of all should common syllabus in all states of India then must increase literacy of our country and we shall inclined to make people of our area educated.And of people will developed think and people will help each other. from such our country would success in the education and This is my opinion.
WHAT i believe is that education system in india is not good.
the indian education system that we hope changes sooner rarher than later.
the changes in education system are good
First of all put a common syllabes in all over India. Then change the mind of students that study to improve your knowledge not to get marks.so the government must change the system based on marks. If the syllabus is not based on marks then the students will study for there knowledge
-Caste Based education system is not practical.
-Every child should get better education.
Thanks,
http://www.rajguruacademy.com
You are absolutely right. The process of rote learning is quite degrading to young students who quickly lose out interest in studying. The whole system has made gaining knowledge look like a difficult and tiring task while if properly done , it can be wonderful experience. India needs to borrow some ideas from countries like Finland. Their system applies one of the most novel methods I have ever seen, and ensures that talent of the young minds doesn’t go to waste. Moreover teachers are respected , which we sorely forget to do in India. Here education has become a business and the many mushrooming engineering colleges are diluting the standards. Why study engineering when you’re clearly not interested in it? The reason we all know. In India it is a established belief that only engineers make the most money, engineers settle easily in life. I mean why do you want to settle and why not stir something up. We , as Indians, as scared to anything different fearing financial insecurity and other risks. Teachers should teach kids to be brave enough to pursue their dreams and inspire them and not bore them with useless things which we never use in life . A teacher who teaches who cannot kindle the slightest interest from his or her students should be ashamed of teaching and like wise a student who gains knowledge without passion and the interion of using it should feel the same
i am not saying that competition is bed but i want to say about the true education, true knowledge
our moral our confidence that is not come from any degree it’s come from true knowledge,our education cation system focus only degree but what about knowledge.people only think about doctor & engg. they actully want a cetificate of merit thats all what is the condition of labs in an engg. even they don’t aware of practical knowledge but they r an engg. this is the prob of indian education system think about that who is the inventer of zero he is also a indian people in ancent time told the aprox distance between earth and moon & sun they were also indians means problem is not about indian brain its about indian education system.
i am not saying that competition is bed but i want to say about the true education, true knowledge
our moral our confidence that is not come from any degree it’s come from true knowledge,our education cation system focus only degree but what about knowledge.people only think about doctor & engg. they actully want a cetificate of merit thats all what is the condition of labs in an engg. even they don’t aware of practical knowledge but they r an engg. this is the prob of indian education system
I THINK FIRST OF ALL KILL CORRUPTION ……. IT IS A MAJOR DISEASE IN INDIA…..THEN EVERYTHING CAN CHANGE e.g EDUCATION SYSTEM
There is much more requirement of changes in Indian education system. There are many drawbacks in grades, courses and teaching style etc. But there are some universities in India, which offering a good environment for students to learn and to achieve goals. As time passes. The education system is changing and growing, according to requirement.
If we want better education system, first of all we should be change our way of thinking.why we feel a science students is better than arts students. Evry parents wants their child became a doctor or eengineer.and start to manipulate their children or force them.children gets pressurized form their parents.everybody feels a poor students takes the sub of arts or commerce. That’s is the reason in class Vll student also doesn’t like the sub of SST.so what abt yours thought. And they get less marks in these subject. And some student under pressure start to mugging.so hw wl they understand the subject.so problems in our views nothing than other else.we should be modernization our think and encourage the children in every subject.because every subject has separate value…
Ya it was absolutely right that we should have practical knowledge rather than theoritical one.first of all we have to band the board exams because of this only students cannot express their knowledge and talent in wherever they wish to do.
IF YOU WANT A CHANGE IN INDIAN EDUCATION, THERE SHOULD BE A GREAT CHANGE IN OURSELVES…………………..
THINK ABOUT THIS….!!!!!!!!!
this is right time to change the india’s education for the best life of upcoming students including there career
Vision Document written on 18.11.2012
The aim of education is to deal with real life situations and make someone able enough to earn his livelihood. The system should teach someone to learn to acquire and update his knowledge so one can keep updating his skills and knowledge for the rest of his life.
Indian government has recently made Education a fundamental right for every child up to 6-14 years of age as planned in Surva Shiksa Abhiyan. I would like to teach primary and secondary education up to class 12 (age 18), but we cannot afford to do provide free education to every child including all girls in India up to 18 years. See http://business-standard.com/india/news/nitin-desai-right-to-principals/474528/ Nitin Desai: Right to principals, business-standard.com.
These studies are showing that we are doing much worse than expected with their plans for variety of reasons.
The total budgetary allocation for education is less than 4% of total budget and it does not appear that we can do so in coming 10 years or more. For budgetary and other reasons, the short cut will be to give the basic education up to 14 years (class 7 or 8) and after 14 years they can get trained in some profession they like for 2-8 years eg carpenter, Engineer & carry on that employment. Thus they can earn at earlier age for themselves and India. One advantage of this system would be that our youth would be able to do their profession at the age of 15-19 years or so, which will be a boon for a developing country like India and one can make the livelihood from that age. It will be much more affordable for the government and the parents;
The aim should be that every one could be employed to do some job and I hope this will increase the growth of India by 50% or more and it will be a worthwhile long term investment.
We obviously do not want to produce an army of educated, unemployed people. This produces frustration, wastage of time and resources. We do not want to teach them too little and too much- Just what is required to do his job. During job, updating and earning can go side by side.
One way India can be happy is to educate huge number their human capitals, so that they could be employed to do some job, possibly of their own choice. For this and other reason we need some changes in our education system.
I feel the Education system in India could be divided into two components:
a. Up to class 7, every student should be taught subjects are essential for every human being : 1. Computer including Words, Internet, Searching, 2. English language- Writing, Grammar, Speaking 3. EPH (Elementary Physiology and Hygiene),
4. & 5. There would be two subjects consisting of Mathematics- Addition, Subtractions, Multiplication, Division; Economics eg Teach children about money from the day they learn numbers and counting. Teach them about importance of saving and spending wisely. Personal banking, Duty of Indian citizens, Social Studies, Sciences, Geography, History, Value based education, environment. Pollution and how to prevent it, How to walk on roads, and a brief idea of other subjects etc.
6. Mother tongue language e.g. Hindi, Urdu, Bengali or South Indian Languages, where one does not have to pass an examination. Learning the local language will help one to communicate with local people of different age and background
English somehow or other is the international language. It is the language of USA, Great Britain (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), Australia and Canada. English is the language of most commonwealth countries. Approximately 375 million people speak English as their first language. However, when combining native and non-native speakers it is probably the most commonly spoken language in the world. It is the official language of 53 countries. Approximately 125 million people in India speak English.
Books for all advanced studies are available in English. For instance one can search a particular topic in Computer in any language, but articles in the English language will be many more times and knowing good English would be much more advantageous in searching. Unfortunately Indians do not have a common language and introducing English as a common language will help to unite India. One reason Indians have done well in foreign countries is because they have a good command over English language.
Computers now have become an integral part of our daily lives and it is impossible to separate our life from computers. Once someone learns to search a particular topic in computer, he will keep learning about other topics he is interested in. As technology is improving we can do more and more things with computers. Computers will play extremely vital role in present and future training.Only few days ago our president Mr Pranav Mukherjee has launched the much more improved version Aakash 2 tablet. It will be available to students at 50% subsidy rate of Rs 1130.It is likely that we may change in 5 to 10 years time depending on how we respond socially and politically to these needs and computer access will be vital. With increasing Computer assisted training and spreading internet access education could change dramatically. Once computer access is available, Khan Academy from US could be very useful. They provide free on line computer lessons.
EPH – I think most people in India don’t know about water borne disease and how to keep in good health. It will reduce diaorrheal illness and mortality. It will decrease Infant mortality rate. The student should be taught about human anatomy and physiology, food hygiene, cost effective local healthy food, how to keep healthy by exercise and sports (including practical). Depending on the age, sex education could be imparted. This will improve the health of general people, which is a major problem in India.
The school hours should be about 5 hours, which would allow ample time to study whatever the students want to study wiz Arts, Music, Literature etc, or whatever else they are interested in.
We need to get more teachers, computers, schools infrastructure including good cleaning and toilet facilities etc. The teacher job should be of a facilitator and accountable for student’s education.
2. At the age of 14 years, one may be taught for 2-7 years their chosen subjects, which will be their profession i.e. teacher, scientist, doctor, agriculture, Politician etc. Someone may not so and would want to start working soon. At this age there should be more emphasis and expert evaluation on what they want to do in future depending on their aptitude and interest. It may be difficult to decide at class 7 as what one wants to do in future and some one may take a break for one year or so and try to see where his interest lies. They should know the different jobs and should have some work experience of the job they seem to like under supervision of an expert. We would like to decide what they are best in, but it should not prevent them to change their profession at a later date, which I suppose should happen rarely.
There is a large group of students, who did not had a formal education or who have studied even up to acquiring graduation, but can not find a job. The former could be trained to become a carpenter or electrician job. There are many big car companies which may train them for free for their own job. They need to be made skilled. Those who have been educated may become an accountant or work in a call centre and such people need vocational training.
India has a potential to utilize 500 million more working people in coming decade. It is very important to provide that such people get appropriately trained and skilled to get these jobs. India can become a developed nation from developing one. We don’t have much time for this, otherwise unwittingly came demographic profile does not become counterproductive.
A normal person spends half of his waking life in doing his profession. His happiness and financial return very much depends whether he likes the job or not. Ideally one should do the profession if he wants to do it rather than just for money.
Let us cure some long term maladies which have always affected our education system. The approach should be practical and interactive and probably less of theoretical knowledge. The aim should be to understand the subject rather than cramming it and the evaluation should be planned accordingly. There should be monthly or regular evaluation, where students should be graded and not by given marks. The future evaluation should be on whatever practical things which have learned before.
All these subjects would be very much applied and we would find that students would be more interested in their subject and there would not be apathy to the subjects. We can bring back the “Fun of acquiring Knowledge.”
We should continue our “Mid day meal programme” to poor students which can provide free nutritious lunch, which may be extra incentive to attend the school
A student who has been trained with such system would be good in English, computer and specialized in their own branch and will have the option to work in lot of other countries in the world.
One problem in India is various curriculums in different systems- State Government Board, CBSC Board, ICSC board, NIOS board, Cambridge International Examination and other boards. This system at least up to age of 14 or so will be very similar all over India. They must teach the above subjects as the minimum. The advantage will be transfer between different parts of India or if one goes for higher exam a uniformity of the subjects for competitive examination will be maintained.
Education in India is a big topic and is of everyone concern. We shall keep writing the various issues, especially how we promote it in a cost effective way in India.
Dr Ajit Kumar Agrwal MD,
MRCP(UK),CCST(General Medicine & Geriatric Medicine)
Ex Consultant Physician in UK
Consultant Internist in Kolkata
Mobile 09674624790
I too think it is long time to change our education system.but one thing is that we are the one following this system and thus it us who should change first.We should give importance to the moral education and co-curricular activities of children. It is time for India to become a developed nation and everyone has to work for this than to speak about it.We indians forget our duties mostly but demand for our rights.But we should remind ourselves that rights are the rewards given to us for completing our duties.
TO WHOM SO EVER IT MAY CONCERN
SUBJECT : A POLITE REQUEST REGARDING STUDY TIMINGS OF SCHOOL.
AS YOU VERY WELL KNOW THAT ELEVEN AND TWELFTH THESE TWO YEARS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR FUTURE OF EVERY STUDENT. AND SELF STUDY OF EACH SUBJECTS IS ALSO TAKES VERY IMPORTANT ROLL IN RESULT OF BOARD EXAM AND ALSO IN COMPETITION EXAMS. WITH COMING TO THE POINT, THE STUDY SCHEDULE MAY BE OF ALMOST ALL STUDENTS IS AS UNDER.
SCHOOL TIME : 0730 TO 1340
REST (SLEEPING) : 1400 TO 1500
COACHING CLASS FOR IIT JEE : 1500 TO 2000 ( INCLUDING DOUBT CLASS )
DINNER TIME : 2000 TO 2030
SELF STUDY STARTS FROM 2030 TO 0200 TO 0230 AM
NOW WILL YOU PLEASE JUSTIFY THAT IS THIS SELF STUDY TIME IS SUFFICIENT FOR IIT JEE ?
SO LET US REQUEST TO ALL CONCERNED FOR FOLLOWING.
THE WEEK SCHEDULE FOR SCHOOL IS TO BE FIVE DAY WEEK.
india is being called developing country when we say india is a developed country,the only way is increasing the literacy rate and also changing our education system our system is prominent in theoritical knowledge but,we are lackking of in patical thinking.our system is exam system not an education system.we should have to change this, It is the task of the education system to change this mindset of the people.education is used to gain the knowledge not for the degress, It also has to inspire the youth for the necessary courage and vision for entrepreneurship.
i agree with most of the comments..it is high time for INDIA to change its educational systems..The student must be asked for his/her interest before pushing him into some field.As this is very common in our country that parents just force their children into some stream which is not at all liked by their children.Yes,of course parents have right to show a better path..but it would be better if they try to listen to their child’s interest and act accordingly thereby giving chance to their beloved one’s reach their destination..
EXAM hall guards should be STRICTER in school & colleges. Its giving rise to a fake critical competetion for the admission in higher institutes. Sometimes ‘theives’ get higher numbers than who deserve. Such a state can ruin the self confidence & belief in justice of the student lagging behind despite he is honest.The situation is no more mild.
Apart from those mentioned here I want to mention another aspect : Plagiarism.
Plagiarism: Most unrecognized or ignored if recognized. Lets not talk about the big cities but in small towns like the one I belong ,its going viral. No deny that at a point or the other we have all copied from our mates during exam. I did. But apart from the milder ones of earliar days now a days the extent upto which one plagiarises has gone far up & beyond tolerence.And the numbers commiting such last minute salvation is increased unbelievably.
The change wnat to come frm nursery..Indian government want to get an imm action regarding this issue…other wise children want to struggle more in future..
Dont u thnk education is just a lucrative self centered buisness where teachers themselves dont teach in d class and make d same student a gem in his/her coaching or tution class….a sense of profitarianism in private schools is eating our educatn system…
i completely agree vth d post….bt i think most of d parents as well as students know bout dis bt even after knowing dis….v donnot want to tak ne actions….as v r all busy after all vth our own lives n family
yes i agree with ur writing about 5 changes .Like foreign our education system must give importance to practical knowledge rather than book knowledge.
the change should come from the schooling where we study from kg…. in india the education system is like "copy and paste" system in the exam. only the government can change the system………
It jus remains as a hope and it will remain as such. We are trying to change or upgrade the education system which is available with most high schools or such. But, most of the kid's do not even get that so called copy and paste education or i'd say basic education in the rural areas cause private schools are out of reach of the poor..
Though given choice how many kids would want to study, studying is hard, boring and not so cool for their age, but American system is ready to risk that coz for developed and less populated country like America needs leaders and innovative people who can manage their offshore and think innovatively, can become big entrepreneurs.
In India students are pushed hard and have to compete rigorously from very initial stage. Course of study is also defined in a manner where math and science subjects are given priority. Apart from course difficulty parents also push their children to work hard and do well in a very competitive environment and completely ignore their feelings, opinions and ambitions. Non performers are ostracized by parents and society.
I'm in grade 12, and I've had enough of this place. I'm leaving as soon as I graduate. Jai Hind! (sarcastic)
Indian education system really needs a change too..many students are pressurised in boards many do suicide who cant perform well..and then in college they aren't given that well practical knowledge…and again he has to face difficulty because his core wasnt made strong in college..now mostly people go for engineering and medicine..just cause their parents want or for money…while there are array of other fields in which their talents can be used very well..and those who have talents get buried by their parents expectations..I personally think there is so much talent untapped in India..and if indian government improvises new changes in its implementation of education and career oriented education that would be good..
also the latest kapil sibal trying to make it worse by making top 20 % board scorers to be eligible..idk why cant government think for betterment for people..its always in opposite direction
i think that in past ,children respect their parents they did what they said but today their is no respect they do whatever they want..In past our education system was very high due to good education..for instance in banks there’s old persons in high post they have no higher education they have only 12 passed but they have a good knowledge & they calculate very easily than the higher education passed student.
Generaly, in Indian Schools/Colleges teachers have motive, students comes their private classes. So they don’t teach in proper way in schools/colleges, and they force the student in indirect way to come their private classes.
Thats condition damage the back bone of education system.
Yes….
It’s a time to change our education system.
yes. there is several defaults in our indian education system like as tution,rot learning,expensive education,brain drain ,unvocational education ……but i think this system would be change and its continuous moving ahead.
Education in India is like a thread attached to a door knob.
You want to rise and shine but just stuck with the limited array of inflexible subjects that do not cater to all what you want to pursue in life at all.
Why a person aspiring to become a doctor has to compulsorily go over Physics and Maths? Why cant he/she just focus on their core stream? i.e Medical?
Students studying in class 12th are given education as if its a tonic. They are in dread of fear of board exams which as claimed by many teachers is student friendly** But is this reality?
24×7 after the preboard's get over students are pressurized and crushed under the hues and vows of teacher's/tuition teachers and parents who obviously have hopes and aspirations from their children. But this is why all crammed up knowledge when constantly given a thrilling buffer turns rot and ultimately those high flyer grades everyone aspires to get go waste.
Colleges in India are given utmost importance, According to many old-orthodox parents and teachers–> "SON WITHOUT A GOOD COLLEGE YOU ARE LIKE A WEED HAVING NO USE".
When this type of statements are infected within us, How can one expect to turn out of the box and give some dazzle to the existing industries?
Why do only people who are almost not as educated as the topper highfliers and degree holders rise to the top before anyone else?
TELL ME ONE THING DOn't U ATLEAG GET AN IDEA OF WAT U R GOING TO DO AFTER 10 THEN WAT IS THE USE OF ACTUALLY LEARNING ALLTHE SUBJECT WHICH R NOT RELATED TO THE TOPIC THEY SAY ALL THE SUBJECTS ARE EQUALLY IMP I DOn't FIND MAY BE YES BT A PERSON CAN BE GUD IN ONLY ONE FIELD AND ALL THE PPL LACK TO INDERSTAND THAT I DOn't THINK NEWTON ACC KNEW ANYTHING ABT GEOGATPHY OR HINDI I DOn't UNDERSTAND WHAT DO THE INSTITUTION EXPECTS IS IT HOW MUCH U CAN ROTH AND WOMIT IN THE EXAM OR SOME THING OTHER THAT I STLL DOn't GET.
Of course, India’s Education system needs to be improved and along with this it is also essential that proper career counseling in schools level is given so that students get full exposure to all kind of available streams and go for right career option.
Indian literacy rate in the year 2011 census was 74.04 Government of India has taken several measures to improve the literacy rate in villages and towns of India. State Governments has been directed to ensure and improve literacy rate in districts and villages where people are very poor. There has been a good improvement in literacy rate of India in last 10 years but there is still a long way to go.Many children living in rural areas receive a level of education which is very poor. But City areas level of education is very good.So government of India taking the step to improve rural site education.
Education builds the man so it builds the nation. Today we claim to be the biggest human resources supplier for the world, but are we concerned what quality of human capital we are building and for whose needs? We supply bureaucrats to the government, software engineers to the IT companies around the world, highly paid managers to the multinationals, we supply engineers and science graduates as researchers to the foreign universities. What capital are we building for ourselves?
India aspires to be powerful, it wants to play a role in the international community, for that to happen, its economy has to grow multifold and for that to happen, it requires a huge force of entrepreneurs who could transform it into a nation which produces, from the one which only consumes. India needs a huge force of innovators who could make it self reliant in all kinds of sciences and technologies. India needs artists who could make its culture the most popular in the world. A culture which is not only saleable itself but also helps in selling India’s products across the world. In a nutshell, India needs Henry Fords, Bill Gateses, Thomas Alva Edisons and Michael Jacksons born and educated in India.
One may say we had few. Yes, we had. M. S. Swaminathan who made India self reliant in food grains, Dhiru Bhai Ambani who proved a common man can become a billionaire, Dr. Varghese Kurien who is the father of Amul milk movement, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam who dared to build missiles for India, Pundit Ravishankar who is the ambassador of the Indian music to the world. Such people though in small numbers, were always there. But they are not the products of this education system. This system did not teach them how to become innovators or entrepreneurs or artists. Had it done so, they would have been millions in numbers. These people were inspired themselves. To some of them, their education may have given the technical know-how (though it is hardly conceivable), but not the dream or the inspiration needed. It is the education which should inspire one to become something one really wants to. Education should make you free, should make you experiment and it should make you ask questions. Ultimately, it should make you realize what you are.
Youngsters in India, do not have the freedom of selecting there career, it is said. They are forced to become engineers, doctors, MBA’s and IAS officers, it is said. Yes, agree. But that is not the problem. The problem is, youngsters in India do not have the vision to think beyond. Neither their parents, nor their grandparents had that vision. This is where the root of the problem is. Generations have gone through a system which sucks. Now the beauty is even the law-makers and educators of today’s India are products of that age old system. That is why no less than a revolution is needed in the education system in India.
What do we expect from such a revolution?
A revolution means big changes. We expect the revolution in education to bring lots of changes. These changes will result into:
1. Best talents of the country working in the education sector.
Today, education is not the career of choice, but it is the career of compromise. If you are a teacher, people sympathize, they curse the prevalent unemployment in the country. Education is one of the highest profit making ‘industries’ in the service sector, but its workers are the least paid compared to those working in somewhat glamorous sectors like the IT industry. This has to change.
2. A world class infrastructure.
The experience of shopping at malls is better than the old dirty bazaars. The experience of traveling in a metro train is much better than suffering in the city buses. The experience of driving on four or six lane highways is much better the same way. The same way, infrastructure has a meaning in education. World class universities and schools with world class libraries, laboratories and classrooms, in a world class building make a world class infrastructure for education.
3. Greater investments into education, public as well as private.
We need world class infrastructure and best talents in all schools and universities of India. These resources should not remain limited to a handful of IIT’s or IIM’s. Each village should have a school with all resources and facilities. Each university should have whatever it needs for a better education. This would require huge money and hence, huge investments.
4. Education which encourages innovation and creativity.
When farmers in the villages of Punjab make a vehicle from the diesel engine and name it Maruta (A male version of Maruti), that is innovation. When villagers of the Rajasthan and Gujarat transform the Bike ‘Enfield Bullet’ into a local auto-rickshaw, that is creativity. How many automobile engineering students could do likewise? The question is, how many?
5. Education which encourages entrepreneurship.
In a Hindi movie ‘Nayak’, the father of the actress refuses to permit for her marriage with the actor because he is not a government servant. At last, he permits, but then the Actor had become the chief minister of the state. This mindset of the society, particularly of the middle class, has to be changed. You are not a respectful person if after education you start a business, as that is seen as a failure in getting a job. It is the task of the education system to change this mindset. It also has to inspire the youth for the necessary courage and vision for entrepreneurship.
6. An education which makes a child sad when the last bell is rung at the end of the day in the school.
I DO think students need more options after tenth. Most people go for either engg or medicine.
That's the need of the hour. I was kind of shocked to know in KG-II they teach vowel and consonants to the kids.
dis awareness should be reached everywre….sply parents……
yah I think this is the right time for india to change its educational system.
yes i truly agree.. we are very much concentrated on grades and percentages rather than how much a student is gaining. There are also imbalances in the system which is dragging more students unlikely to the booming sides which in turn leaving them nothing at the end. Engineering, hospitality, business management whatever the course is we can only excel when we like and more we enjoy it..
Thank You.
The head of Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, C.N. Rao has written a letter to the Prime Minister drawing his attention towards the faulty education system in the country. In the letter, Rao has touted various multiple entrance exams as a menace and asked for a single common entrance test to replace it. Rao has recommended the American method of holding one national exam before joining any university
Putting it bluntly, Rao told the PM that India is said to “have an examination system but not an education system… When will young people stop taking exams and do something worthwhile?”
An uniform education system should be implemented across India to avoid the imbalance between the poor & rich students.
All these are identified symptoms and not problems of Education System. India is a huge country with large population and scare job opportunities. In this scenario- the competition will obviously and should promote all these symptoms.
Also I do not understand why rote learning or tuitions or grading is bad ?
If IB schools do not provide a percentage at the end of his curriculum , any recruiter would surely get one put an entrance test for the thousands of applicants. Would you crib abt 3 hr tests then too ?
Ask a doctor- how many medicines he had to rote for his degree and still it takes a decade of study to make a meaningful profession.
Number of hotels in India is less than the number in city of Las Vegas. Do we have a market for more high paying hospitality staff ?? If not why should one pursue it ?
Compare the earnings of arts professors in US vs India before comparing enrollment of arts courses in India.
Lets not compare our requirements to US- the most developed nation- a country 10 times our GDP and per capita GDP of about 300 times of India.
When we are truly developed ! You will find all this change.
Hmmm…interesting take Litan and yes, it does make sense… I second your opinion
@Litan
Have u ever thought if all students opt for doctor or engineering what will happen.?
They end up with high competition,stress..!!
And do u think the number of students graduated every year is equal to the number of vacancies in IT companies.?
Suicide rate is increasing every year n i blame this BAD INDIAN education system for that, cos it doesn’t improved students self confidence, this rote system will only give such citizens for this society.. Only few individual minds can tolerate and come successfully from this “ROTE” education system.
Really I agree this post…..