The Flawed Education System !

Let us divide this note into two segments: School Education and University/College Education. The thoughts are based on last few years data from my own observations, discussion with a large number of students, parents and educators across India schools (largely CBSE, State Boards and ICSE).

School Education

The fear of “being successful” has taken over the whole education process and system at almost all Indian Schools (there are few exceptions). “Being Successful” is defined as getting “good marks” and getting into “good” colleges and then “good jobs” and making good money.

So much so that a large number of schools start the dreadful testing and examinations from Grade 1 itself, wherein a child needs love and care to play & learn. The process is so rough and un-concerned with the children’s needs that it continues to focus on these exams and marks, in a way that most children either fall-in line or fall-out. Their confidence, self-esteem and self-worth is totally shaken.

This becomes so absurd and obnoxious in schools now-a-days in senior classes.

To take an example:

In Senior schools – there is substantial change in curriculum from Grade 8 to Grade 9. A school will start class 9 immediately in March with rushing through the subjects and then organizing a number of tests and exams (one after another), so as to finish everything by January/ Feb next year. Again they rush through starting the grade 10 with rapid fire speed to finish the syllabus and having so many exams till February next year (term, half yearly, 2^nd term, annual, first pre-board, second pre-board etc). The child is so exhausted by the time they take the Grade 10 board exams; that many brilliant students also show a sign of tiredness in actual exams.

This does not stop here. By the time they finish their board exams by first week of April; schools start the next session of grade 11 in second week of April and the same story of 9^th and 10^th is repeated in Grade 11 and 12.

The process of choosing subjects in Grade 11 is quite funny and dis-heartening. Schools will ask kids to choose between Science and Commerce (some may offer Humanities) – but with limited choices (both CBSE and ICSE board gives enough choices and any combination to students). However, this is totally ignored and many subjects are forced upon students to study and then get good marks – to be successful !!  There is no focus or discussion or intention to understand that each child is different and may need time to think and decide. One school I met, mentioned that they want students to choose subjects in which they want to make a career like MBA :-) (out of 8 subjects – choose any 5). World is so big with so many options and they just want to limit the children to their own selected 8 subjects only.

In this whole process parents are either helpless or agree with whatever schools are doing ; adding to the stress and pressure on children.

So many children will do science and then Engineering and after that realize that this is not what they wanted or liked at the first place. The whole process removes any creativity or thinking capacity of the children.

University/ College Education India

The university and college education is really out-dated with curriculum not updated for last 30 years in some of the best colleges. They teach subjects and topics which are redundant in the actual world. However, who will question them? As the education system itself classifies few people as Gods and not to be questioned and this is surmounted by the ratings given to these colleges. There are few universities and colleges who are trying to give innovative education now; however these are like few drops in a ocean.

So most students do not get admission of their choice and study subjects which they don’t like and then graduate, totally confused.

In Engineering colleges – the fear of getting talent started around 10 years back when companies started offering jobs to students after their pre-final year. (This was not so in 1980s and 1990s). So most of the students don’t study in the final year and then corporates get shock of their life when they land for jobs in the companies.

The emphasis on Vocational Skill building is still in nascent stages in India. Its ancient when compared to Europe, Korea, China and Singapore.

I wish the sense prevails in the so-called policy makers and decision makers and things change both at school and college level in India. Otherwise we are creating a generation of fearful humans who will lack self-worth and empathy over others and will always feel that “Life is a Race – where they have to win by pulling others down”.