All of us (most of us, if not all) must have somewhere wondered on our life as a student, "Why are we taught something that we study?" or "Who initiated this system where people having varied talents are judged on a common parameter of grades ?". These questions are natural and unfortunately the most overlooked ones. In todays discussion, let me explain you about this worlds’ most outdated and worst system of education with its each word:


Indian Education System
First of all this system is not at all Indian, this was all designed by the British and their chief officer Thomas Babington Macaulay in 1835. We must understand that they didn’t bring education system here for our benefit it was all for their help, they wanted English speaking and literate slave (“Be careful I didn’t used education because education is different”), British knew that early ancient system of Indian education is a perfect system in which both theoretical and practical knowledge was provided. It was found that at that time there were 18 subjects taught including Astronomy, Grammar etc. But this was all of no use for the British. First they wanted to wash our minds and then pushed us in a slave system of learning. The British wanted well literate English speaking clerks who will do as instructed without argument and also can do enough of math to do the bookkeeping of their loot in India. Well it all should have changed after they were gone but what a irony that we were so trapped in this system that even after about 200 years of the so called “The English Education Act 1835”, we are still following it. We don’t forget to renew the term and criteria for reservations but we did forget the so important elemental/fundamental thing for our country. We hate windows 7 which was released some 14 years ago, we don’t like the Apple IOS which was released some 5 years or back but we studied with the same system, our kids will be studying with the same and will their kids also. Oh, come on! we are in 21st century where everything everywhere around us is changing but what to say about this.

Education in India is all about how much marks you scored in your 10th and 12th boards (in which “board “also becomes important), you will be considered intelligent only when your marks are above 90% in 10th and got science in 11th, commerce is for average and notorious and arts is for the worst people in the school. Means what an amazing ideology we have prepared over the course of years rather than understanding the real value based learning of that person we are underestimating him/her on basis of grade/marks. We must ask “Why students of our country are not able to prepare for the competitive exams even after studying the thing in our schools for 12 years?” Primarily the lack of application-based approach is the main reason for that because these competitive exams test the aptitude of student and their application of concepts they have learnt. But how are they going to apply when they are made to learn, or even to rot!! We must know this that why a student after spending so much money in school for studies, why do they have to join coaching classes and spend their hard-earned money on these, why? I mean WHY? We are taught for so called “NOKRIIS/JOBS” but this word comes from NOKAR/SERVANTS. Is that education truly successfully in its meaning if it is solely meant to make you slave? Is it truly successful when I make you underestimate the value of your independence and interdependence on oneself rather than a so called “BOSS”. What we are learning, is it this? This all would be over when these schools start focusing more quality education of students rather than their dresses and stationery. First, the school should start activity based learning for the subjects, although in some schools it is in practice but still it is not up to the mark and secondly the schools must start encouraging students to take the initiative of going beyond the textbooks rather than confining and binding them to that, their efforts must be welcomed and should be supported and helped.


Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash


Education: as only matter of Subjects
Now the most interesting part, the all what you are considering a so called Education System of our country what if I told you that it’s not a system it’s just a chaos. Why we are calling it as Chaos/disorganization is because there is not any proper methodology to teach, the teachers who are rather than teaching interested in finding out faults in students, who are encouraging the intelligent and discouraging the weak student. The teachers who are meant to take students beyond the textbooks are abiding those students to learn the word to word question answers they have written. I MEAN WHAT IS THIS? Amazing system, now lets’ talk about subjects we have and the way we are trained:

English: What if I told you that students/children of most English-speaking institutions are afraid of speaking English, you will say “Are you kidding?” But believe me even after 12 years in the English medium schools students are still unconfident of speaking English because their teachers are themselves not speaking English. Students are not allowed to understand the importance of English; it’s made a standard of living rather than a language.

Hindi and Other Language: Hindi is one of the most important languages that is taught in North Indian Schools but what would you expect for other language when students are not able to write Hindi even. It is filled up in their mind that Hindi is of no use by their respective parents and teachers, rather than inspiring students interested in the diversity and creativity of this language.

Humanities & Mathematics: Social Studies a subject that should be loved as it is about human society, we are worried for that because instead of knowing about ours we are studying for all. In History, you are learning and remembering about Americans Civil War although it’s good to explore it but the student has forgotten Independence Day of India while learning of other country? She/he is not aware of our country geography but learning climate of Africa. Why is that? Math a subject that is of most use is given least ratings by some students. Students are terribly afraid of Math. Rather than understanding that anything in this world can be represented in form of an equation and number they are running away from. And also math teacher who is meant to these students fall in love with the subject deliberatively punishes them rather than making them understanding the subject.

ScienceAfter telling for all this I have I think few words left for science mostly the scene is same for all these. For science we have lack of application and experimentation based learn the experiment that was 50-60 years before we are still doing them and studying those fairly exciting topics, in the old-fashioned way. Why is that?

Now I hope you must have understood why it is a “CHAOS”.


Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash


What could be the possible solution ?

1. We must start understanding the root meaning of education and we must also have a future vision for our country and education must be provided like that only. Because you can’t be a chef by learning car driving. [Just an example]

2. We must be taught what required, unnecessary subjects and topics must be removed as they just increase the burden on a student’s mind without any real life usage.

3. Workshops of various kinds should be regularly organized so that learning by doing will be there.

4. I would like to mention a outstanding roadmap of nation’s development mentioned by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, our former president and a brilliant teacher (with a little change): From 11th and 12th , 25% of the syllabus to be reduced and skill subject introduction must be there and for college 4 years period must be made 3 years course with 1 year additional for learning purpose.



Tell me I will forget, Show me I will remember, Involve me and I will learn. --Benjamin Franklin


FAQS
Q. what if we use other countries education models in India, how will it benefit us? Answer: It’s totally correct that different countries have very structured and well planned education system like Germany, Norway etc. But every country has different situations and requirement so an indigenous education model must be there.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Indian Education System is not Indian it’s not providing education and neither it’s a system. So, we must focus on the improving the quality for education before a lot of youth of India gets wasted.



“We should realize that if you are judging a fish’s ability for climbing on tree the fish will die thinking it’s a fool” -- Albert Einstein