Sunday, January 3, 2010

Hollowness of our education system

The latest in the news is the war of words between the producers of 3 Idiots and Chetan Bhagat. Now the controversy is not what interest me because every sane person knows that all this is media hype created to generate public interest in the movie. Sadly this is one movie which did not need such pathetic publicity because the movie is actually good.Now what was in it that i liked. Many things- the cast, the script (which never let u blink), the story , the narration, witty one liners etc etc. But what impressed me the most was the message. Bookish knowledge can lead one nowhere. Unfortunately that is what we are churning out in lakhs every year- Bookworms. Bacon in his essay 'Of studies' says 'Some books are to be tasted, some to be chewed while some to be swallowed and digested.' He further highlights the importance of practical experience to use that knowledge to the utmost. But unfortunately majority of students are running only after marks. Ask them to do something beyond their syllabus then they will run away with a ready excuse 'Ye hamare kis kaam ka?' (Of what use is this to us?)I don't blame them. Our education system is such that it does encourage them to think out of the box.On top of that they are burdened with their useless assignments( i call them useless because its only cut-copy-paste stuff) and outdated projects( out dated because most of them copy the projects of their seniors and present them. They do not even try to modify it or upgrade it). They do this because they carry marks not because it will be helpful to them in any way. I have rarely seen teachers encouraging their students to try out something new and even if a few of them do, the students don't have time!!!!!!!!!

Every coin has two sides. We blame the education system. So easy. Put the blame on others. But one look in the life of GREATS who have made a name for themselves shows that 'they took the path less travelled'.They were also a part of the same rotten system and yet they did what they wanted to. In fact look at the character of Aamir Khan in the movie and you find that he was able to achieve his dream and at the same time also completed his degree. That's because he loved what he studied. He was passionate about engineering. He WANTED to LEARN, learn NEW things even if it meant studying in a college where the professors still used outdated methods of teaching. I feel the youngsters should take half the blame for what they do with their life.

I take personality development classes in my college and only 3-4% students attend those classes because they know these classes do not carry marks. They don't have to take an examination for it. We take trouble of making these classes interesting for them so that at least they will learn what is actually required in the industry. And the unfortunate part is that most of them them do not know how to present themselves properly , converse properly and most important dress properly. They feel these things don't matter!!!!!!!

I hope what I have not been able to impart to these students movies like 3 Idiots will. Hope it opens up the 'out of the box' thinking in the students.

4 comments:

  1. We are living in an “instant age” where gratification is sought in “Bites” and “Tips”. More than the education system, it is in minds. This tendency to stay on the surface and this deep apprehension of depth has made us esteem frivolity.

    Wish, education could be aimed at building character and sensitivity rather than a seen as a mean to somehow command a good job with big salary. The joy of knowledge is a bliss than can never be compared with pseudo comforts that material things bring.

    The film tries to give two messages, one for students to read for knowledge and not for degree, and second for parents to stop treating their children as torch bearers of their aspirations and dreams. Children have their own eyes and their dreams may not synchronize with those of parents.

    It remains to be seen how this will be perceived by the target audiences. Many young men are in a frenzy to call themselves, one of the idiots. It scares me to think that some naïve mind might see this as a justification to bring a flight to the ground or stop a train to meet his friend and most menacing part of the ragging might become a national craze with guys dropping their pants down for salutation. Who knows “the philosophies of one age have become the absurdities of the next, and the foolishness of yesterday has become the wisdom of tomorrow”

    When answers precede questions and critique precedes contemplation, superficiality is bound to breed hollowness.

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  2. By the way I have cut and uploaded my favorite scene from film on you-tube , pl checkout

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRxe8A5BqG0

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