A lot has been said about the educational system in India particularly after the video of a schooler gone viral criticizing the Indian Educational System. Let’s try to delve a little deeper into the whole issue of education. To my mind overall objective of education is to develop the mind to acquire, adapt and apply knowledge for the benefit of humanity. The education should cultivate critical thinking, creativity, and ethical understanding, equipping people to address challenges, innovate, and improve society. By fostering a well-rounded and compassionate mindset, education becomes a powerful tool for positive change. Having said that, let us consider what lacks in the present education system in India that cannot achieve this?
In this blog we will examine the issues raised in the viral video by an Indian student criticizing the Indian educational system with arguments, counterarguments, carry out a SWOT analysis that will form the basis of proposed actions.
- Lack of Holistic Education:
Argument: Indian educational system us often criticised for its emphasis on the rote learning and less on developing the critical thinking skills.
Counterargument: The counter argument is that the same educational system has provided foundation that produced some of the best professionals in the World. When provided an opportunity, they have led from front. Today they occupy leading position in the technology, medicine and other such professions like Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai and Arvind Krishna leading the software industry: Microsoft, Google and IBM, Parag Aggarwal (Former CEO Twitter), Shantanu Narayen (Adobe), Leena Nair (Chanel) and Nikesh Arora (Alto Networks). Besides the Indians with the same education system have contributed immensely to the field of space technology, medicine, management and several other fields. Therefore, it must have some strengths and some weaknesses.
Strengths: The Indian education system places a strong emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) from an early age. The rigorous focus on subjects like mathematics and science helps students develop analytical skills that are essential in fields like software engineering. The Indian society places high emphasis on the academic achievements and developing skills that enable high analytical skills necessary to make a good living. This leads to highly competitive spirit, resilience and adaptability. In recent years, there has been a surge in entrepreneurship in India, particularly in the tech sector. The education system, combined with a culture that increasingly values innovation and risk-taking, has contributed to the rise of successful startups.
Weakness: The weakness with the Indian education system is that it targets only earning and making a living but not the holistic development. This can be blamed on continuing colonial legacy in education system which emphasized on obedience and conformity over innovation and individuality.
This system differs a lot from the traditional Indian system of Gurukuls that was practised in India traditionally before the foreign rule. In ancient India, the Gurukula system of education was designed to impart holistic knowledge. Students, known as shishyas, lived with their guru, or teacher, and learned a variety of subjects that spanned both the sciences and the humanities. This included not just mathematics, astronomy, and medicine, but also philosophy, ethics, and the arts. The idea was that education should be comprehensive, covering both the practical and the moral, the physical and the spiritual. All subjects were part of one’s ‘Dharma,’ or duty, which was to gain wisdom in service of a righteous and balanced life. It is often argued that post-independence the legacy of a system that is akin to an industrial assembly line of an industry where functionaries and professionals are developed to fulfil the needs of a Master. The technologists or professionals are supposed to develop the products as per policies of the Government, the functionaries have to perform accordingly. The independence of the intellectualism and seeking of truth that was natural to education in the ancient system despite monarchy has been shelved to the background. The religious institutions that were the epicentre of these activities have been weakened, purportedly to sustain ignorance for political gains. This has led to a class of incomplete personalities who don’t hesitate to follow unethical practices to achieve success. Yet it is not only success for which one lives-it is the success achieved fairly and ethically that benefits the humanity that should be the pursuit of education.
Opportunity: We have had the opportunity since our Independence in 1947 to change this system akin to an assembly line of an industry to a holistic one. In some ways I consider myself lucky that my school, even though weak in academic pursuits, attempted to develop human values through moral and ethical talks in the assemblies, regular prayers, patriotic songs and talks, mandatory participation in the Havan every Saturday and so on. This coupled with the religious insights that I received from my grandparents has encouraged me to pursue and enhance my learning in this aspect of the personality. But for most of the parents and grandparents, this is not even a priority.
Secularism is often misinterpreted. It doesn’t imply that there shouldn’t even be an emphasis on developing the basic moral and ethical values that are so very necessary for the society. But whose responsibility, is it? Should it be Schools or Families or both. In Gurukul System, the wards were left under the control of the Guru for several years who could invest time and resources needed on this aspect. But this role now becomes the joint responsibility of the families and the schools as children spend most of their time in control of their parents. The ongoing educational reforms could integrate ethical and moral education without being tied to any specific religious doctrine, ensuring inclusivity in a diverse society but sincerely pursuing a goal of developing holistic personality.
Threat: The biggest threat to developing a holistic educational system has been narrow political goals and vested interests that prefer to keep the society ignorant. Political people divide the society through needless division on the basis of religion, caste, community, region and other any other similar issue that could provide them an advantage. It is surprising that politicians can establish a ‘common minimum program’ to govern a country despite the diversity in a coalition, yet they struggle to create a goal of developing ‘common minimum ethical and moral values’ by adopting the best from all religions. This, I believe, will remain the biggest threat. These threats could be mitigated, through policy changes, public discourse, or educational reform movements that prioritize holistic development over political agendas. But even when attempted, they don’t seem to be free from political agendas. This should be best left to the academicians with diverse political and professional backgrounds to decide the best course of action.
- The Examination System:
Exam Mania: The pressure to perform well in exams leads to significant stress and anxiety among students, negatively impacting their mental health. Due to the insufficiency of knowledge and skills gained in school, many coaching institutes have mushroomed, capitalizing on the situation to make money. Young people, hopeful of building a successful career, pay exorbitant fees to clear competitive exams. Parents, peers, ruthless competition, and coaching institutes all add to the pressure to excel. However, not everyone can achieve this level of success. Consequently, there have been several tragic incidents of suicides by young people unable to cope with the stress. Teenagers, coping with fierce competition and parental pressure, sometimes wrongly believe that clearing the exam is the be-all and end-all of life, which is far from the truth. Therefore, it is pertinent to carry out a SWOT analysis of the Indian Examination and Competition System.
Strengths: Indian exams, particularly board exams and entrance tests like JEE and NEET, are known for their high academic standards. They ensure that students have a strong grasp of core subjects, particularly in STEM fields. The competitive system emphasizes meritocracy. Entrance exams for prestigious institutions like IITs, AIIMS, and IIMs are based purely on performance, which theoretically provides equal opportunities for all students. It is argued that the intense preparation required for these exams equips students with a strong work ethic, discipline, and resilience. These qualities often help Indian students excel in international academic and professional arenas. Further, standardized exams provide a clear benchmark for evaluating student knowledge and performance across diverse regions and schools, ensuring some level of uniformity in education quality.
Weakness: The examination system often criticized in that it prioritizes memorization over understanding and critical thinking. There is intense pressure to perform well in exams can lead to high levels of stress, anxiety, and mental health issues and even suicides among students. The fear of failure and the consequences of not securing a good rank can be overwhelming in teenage when your minds haven’t been developed that well to cope with life’s ways. The examination system neglects the areas like the development of communication skills, creativity, emotional intelligence, and ethical reasoning which can lead to a narrow view of success. Further, the high stakes associated with these exams have led to unethical practices like cheating, paper leaks, and the emergence of a lucrative coaching industry that sometimes prioritizes profit over genuine education.
Opportunities: With the advent of AI technology, it will now be possible to move away from the ‘one size fits all’ approach and conduct exams based on the learning pace of different groups of students. Additionally, continuous external and unbiased assessments can be implemented using technology to generate various randomly prepared question papers, which will minimize the problems associated with traditional paper-based exams and encourage students to learn holistically. These reforms, including continuous unbiased assessments and competitive exams based on randomly generated question papers, could lead to a fairer evaluation of students’ competencies. Furthermore, examinees should be assessed fairly on life skills, such as entrepreneurship, business acumen, emotional intelligence, and ethical attitudes, through virtual assessments. These assessments can then be used as inputs for a final evaluation, supplemented by human judgment.
Threats: The most significant threat is the resistance to change, particularly the mindset and will of the authorities. Implementing these reforms will require immense resources to overhaul the current system. While AI and technology offer numerous benefits, there’s a risk of exacerbating inequalities if access to these tools is uneven. Ensuring that all students, regardless of socio-economic background, have access to these advancements is crucial.
Yet, I believe that these proposals, though challenging, are not impossible for a country that aspires to be the world’s third-largest economy. A fundamental decision must be made at the political level: to invest at least one percent of GDP in the holistic development of the youth—encompassing their physical, mental, emotional, and environmental well-being. This initiative can begin on a pilot basis and be implemented in a phased manner.
- Outdated Curriculum:
It is often said that the curriculum followed in India is outdated and not aligned with the current job market or technological advancements. Yet there is a need to see it from the lens of SWOT analysis.
Strength: In my opinion, the basic purpose of school, college and professional education is more to train the mind to grasp, learn, quickly adapt, innovate than directly adopt the knowledge. The core strength of the Indian education system lies in its ability to train the mind in analytical and critical thinking. Even if the specific knowledge becomes outdated, the foundational skills gained allow individuals to adapt, innovate, and learn new concepts throughout their lives. The rigorous nature of the curriculum helps students develop resilience and adaptability, essential qualities in a fast-changing world.
Weakness: While the curriculum helps develop foundational skills, it is often criticized for being out of sync with the latest technological advancements and industry needs. This misalignment can create a gap between academic knowledge and the practical skills required in the job market. The curriculum is also said to emphasize theoretical knowledge over practical application, limiting students’ ability to apply what they’ve learned in real-world situations. However, it is unrealistic, even in advanced countries, to expect that every young person will be industry-ready upon graduation. What I learned in engineering college quickly became obsolete, but the analytical skills my mind developed allowed me to continue learning, adapting, and innovating. In my view, while changing the curriculum drastically can provide a head start, the fact remains that learning and adapting is a lifelong process. The emphasis should be on developing the mind.
Opportunities: There is an opportunity to update the curriculum to better reflect current and future technological advancements and industry trends. This could involve incorporating more practical, hands-on learning experiences and interdisciplinary approaches that bridge the gap between theory and practice. However, this alone is unlikely to make a significant difference. Continuous emphasis on the importance of lifelong learning and ongoing skill development is essential to prepare students to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Threat: Updating the curriculum can be met with resistance from various stakeholders, including educators, institutions, and policymakers, who may be reluctant to change established systems. Furthermore, implementing a modernized curriculum that includes updated technology, and practical experiences requires significant resources, which may be challenging in a country with diverse economic conditions. Also, there is a disparity in the quality of education and resources available to students from different socio-economic backgrounds.
The Way Forward
- Increased budget allocation:
There is a saying, ‘If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.’ I believe that political parties and governments in India have spent too much effort saving on education to fund freebies in their quest to sustain vote banks. The current direct central budget for education in a country as large as India, with the world’s largest young population, amounts to just 0.36 percent of GDP, and total spending on education from all sources is only 3-3.5 percent of GDP. This is far below the minimum recommended 6 percent of GDP. Increasing this to at least 6 percent should be a priority, with a strong emphasis on skill development and self-employment.
- Modernizing the Curriculum:
The aim of the revised curriculum should be holistic development and learning, rather than focusing solely on STEM education, which often prepares students to be employees rather than entrepreneurs, and workers rather than holistic thinkers. The revised curriculum should offer opportunities to study interdisciplinary subjects, gain practical experiences, and engage in hands-on learning. Emphasis should extend beyond STEM to include the humanities, fostering both analytical and creative thinking. Additionally, partnerships between educational institutions and industries should be encouraged to ensure that the curriculum remains relevant and future-proof
- Leveraging AI and Technology for Personalized Learning:
Implementation of AI-driven tools in classrooms to provide customized learning paths, continuous assessments, and real-time feedback. This will not only reduce the stress associated with high-stakes exams but also ensure a more comprehensive evaluation of a student’s abilities.
- Continuous and Unbiased Assessment:
Introduce a system of regular, low-stakes assessments throughout the academic year. These should include a variety of evaluation methods—like projects, presentations, and virtual assessments of life skills—besides traditional exams. This approach will provide a more accurate reflection of a student’s overall competence and reduce exam-related anxiety.
- Fostering Lifelong Learning and Skill Development:
Schools should instil a mindset of continuous learning in students, encouraging them to pursue knowledge and skills beyond the classroom. Introduce programs that focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability, ensuring that students are equipped to navigate future challenges and opportunities.
- Building a Strong School-parent Partnership
Establish strong communication channels between schools and families to ensure that students receive consistent messages about ethics and values. Organize workshops and seminars for parents on how to support their children’s holistic development at home. Schools should also provide resources and guidance to parents to foster a nurturing and value-driven environment outside the classroom.
- Pilot Programs and Phased Implementation:
A beginning should be made by implementing these reforms on a pilot basis in select schools or regions. Gather feedback from educators, students, and parents to refine the approach. Gradually scale up successful initiatives across the country, ensuring that the reforms are adapted to local needs and contexts.
- Political Will and Investment in Education:
It is urgently required to advocate for a dedicated investment of at least one percent of GDP toward the holistic development of youth, in addition to raising the overall education budget to 6 percent of GDP. These investments should focus on enhancing physical, mental, emotional, and environmental well-being in schools. Policymakers must prioritize educational reforms free from political agendas, involving academicians from diverse backgrounds to shape a forward-thinking educational framework.
Should we have a collective resolve, I am sure, India can transform its education system into one that not only produces skilled professionals but also well-rounded individuals capable of leading and innovating in a rapidly changing world.
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