subject: The Indian Education Effect: Diffident Strides in Mellowing Years [print this page] Author: Chandrasekharan Praveen Author: Chandrasekharan Praveen
Abstract Years of fruitful teaching and research done, ought to make one feel immensely satisfied and elated. Despite providing innovative solutions and interpretations for issues both social and educational, sometimes we realize that all that we have done is in vain. Our society does not change and with a shock we realize that our own nation is showing signs of perishing. This write-up based on a talk given by the scholar-extraordinaire Dr. Mahesh Bhargava, gives the impression that in his mellowing years, the scholar is deeply dissatisfied with his own lot- the people he lives with and lives for! * * * * * Dr. Mahesh Bhargava, the National President of the Psycho-cultural Research Association, National Secretary General of the Council of Teacher Education and Secretary of the Indian Psychological Association, besides being the life member of about fifty professional organizations holds several other positions. An author of over 150 research papers/ theoretical articles and 22 books, Dr. Bhargava has won over 30 prestigious awards. Today (06 January 2010) he addressed the trainees and faculty of the Govt. College of Teacher Education, Trivandrum where I teach. This write-up of his talk, gives the impression that this scholar-extraordinaire has in his mellowing years found that, the kind of education imparted in the republic of India is simply not the type one needs for survival. There is also a tone of dissatisfaction with his own lot and for the ideals he lived for. On education Our educational system has reduced itself to being diploma-based /certificate-based. It is all bogus. The umpteen seminars organized for quality enhancement by those who do not have any real quality themselves have turned the whole enterprise into a sham. The education we ought to give should be related to our life, to the well-being of individuals. It should be one which helps develop ones own skill and personality. On teaching It is a pity that most of the models of teaching which we employ in teaching in India are models borrowed from the West. We have made the fundamental mistake of failing to realize that our culture, values and attitudes are different. Our society is family oriented and not individual oriented as in the West. The time has come for us to garner models of teaching from the great scriptures like the Ramayana. There is a bulky syllabus even for the BEd. programme and we are not really relating it to life! The time has come for us to develop in our students a proper learning attitude. On teachers It is pathetic to see teachers fighting among themselves. Those who were expected to be models are a failure in every sense. To top it all, there is no real academic interaction even between teachers who teach the same subject! Teaching aptitude is never considered during selection process of students for the BEd. course. The result is that, our teachers have failed to motivate students and those who can teach with conceptual clarity is rare. Many teachers are incapable of teaching properly and they have reduced themselves to dictating old teaching notes in the class. Those who are able to make references to current contexts are very few in number. Emotional bonding and a close attachment between the teacher and the taught, which the Gurukula system perpetuated is conspicuously absent in India today. A majority of teachers do no have any real attachment or concern for their students- This is the real curse of 21st century education in India. On students Today we gaze in amazement at the techno-savvy generation. But sadly enough some of our students good at using computers cant even write properly and have a dubious linguistic command. We ought to make our students realize that reading maketh a full man and writing an exact man. Unfortunately the students of today do not have the habit of reading newspapers or journals or even standard text books. They prefer to refer only bazaar guides in capsule form! It is a pity that our students are not knowledge or skill oriented . The greatest plight is that, some of our students are incapable of even making minor social adjustments! The need of the hour We ought to help our students learn to make their life better. We have to make them knowledgable, develop a positive outlook towards life, be tension free, sincere, committed and devoted. We keep running , running and running for nothing We fail to enjoy what we have At least one ought to be a good human being, this too we forget... We ought to teach our students to lead a satisfactory life. Only then can they make any contribution to society. We should make our students reflect on what they have achieved each day and plan for the following day. Let us teach them to be sincere and practical and to see and think from another persons point of view The time has come in India, for providing Life-based education ! About the Author:
