The Education system in India – Is there a Total Solution

No two persons can agree totally on a solution to the problems faced in Education. Studying, Standards, Achievements mean different things to different people. Formal education is only to open up the mind and prepare a foundation for the future. Many of the subjects taught in the lower classes are meant to teach us about our Culture, History, Environment (Geography), Moralsetc. This is in addition to Subjects like English, Regional language and National language Hindi., special languages like Sanskrit and French, German are also taught. Whether we use whatever we have learnt is up to the individual.Learning is different from Exams, Tests or Assessments. In our younger days (over 20-30 years back), different schools taught differently. Some Schools concentrated only on Academics, some schools aimed for all round development; many well known Private Schools were in the second category.

Many Changes have been brought about in our Education system. It is very difficult to say whether old system was better or the present is better. Both have their limitations, advantages and disadvantages. Earlier system relied more on annual exams, which allowed for last minute mugging and sometimes brilliant students did not fare well due to illness or nervousness. The present system which is now being followed in CBSE Schools is based on continuous study and project work and continuous appraisals. The parents have to meet the teachers once in a quarter, when the teachers point out weaknesses if any. This makes both students and their parents alert. Motivation should come from the parents and nurturing from the teachers. Discipline has to be inculcated right from the beginning and parents themselves have be disciplined and should be role models to their children..

It is very important to identify the special gifts in children and give encouragement. At the same time if there are any deficiencies they should be diagnosed in time and corrective action taken in time. Children react to criticism in different ways; some may fall into depression and may even commit suicide; some take it as a challenge to shine to prove you wrong. Students have committed suicide even before they watched the Movie “3 Idiots”. I have watched the movie, and the message there is clear. It says Study for the sake of Knowledge and not for passing the exams This is exactly what my father taught me.. It also conveys to teachers and professors “Recognize the special talents and do not go only by the Rule book”. If only teachers had the say, where would Thomas Alva Edison and Henry Ford be today. The need of the day is Indian Basic Knowledge and Western Specialisation. This is where our Children are shining in USA and other Western countries.