Education Today – White Collar Robbery!

Even when I make an attempt to write this article, I realize, the title is a bit too harsh. Schools have grown in size, numbers and complexity since India attained independence. Educational degrees and employment is irrevocably linked, the question of education has great social relevance. If one child has proper facilities for education, and the other child is denied education due to economic reasons, it is a case of criminal neglect against that child. If the parents do not have the economic wherewithal for the pursuit of education by the child in the desired stream, the Government owns major share of the blame.

By denying such opportunities, you are denying the fundamental right and aspiration of the child to shape the life of its choice.

The demands of the children of different demographic groups, needs to be met in an equitable manner. In important steams like Medical and Engineering, a number of seats are cornered under the guise of Management Quota and various other priority clauses. Students, who are not meritorious, succeed in getting admissions in prestigious educational institutions, by sheer money-power. This is nothing but white collar robbery. How they will be sincere and faithful to their profession, once they complete the studies?

A doctor will think of recovering the huge sum that he spent to acquire the medical degree and the concept of service will not be there in his dealing with the patients. Such a Doctor will try to fleece the patients by all possible means.

What is education in the real sense?

What is the primary role of education? To give to the society competent citizens and the guardians of democratic values enshrined in our Constitution. But unfortunately, education is linked to monetary gains. The costliest education that can be had in prestigious institutions is considered as the best. Majority of the student population in India belongs to poor families and they cannot afford to educate their children in private schools and such students develop a sense of grudge against the society. They will nurture the latent frustration that the best things available in the society are meant for the rich. The personality of the student is linked to his percentage. Consequently, in the post-student life, when they go in search for jobs, monetary gains precede over job satisfaction. Many jobs are secured by favors, the power of the Chair, and through underhand dealings. Jobs that are money-spinning have become much sought after.

That which contributes to your inner growth is the real education.  Education should be preparation for life.  Help and create conditions for a student to identify and nourish the God-given talent within. A child improperly educated and not counseled to meet the challenges of life will continue to live the life of compromises at every stage of life.  It will learn how to shirk responsibility and butter authorities to get the small and big things done.

Indian system of education has another issue—the issue of reservation for the scheduled and backward classes. The noble intention behind this step cannot be disputed. Certain classes of societies that remained oppressed on all counts for centuries are trying to assert their lawful rights and education is an important right. Children of such classes, with low percentage of marks corner a good number of seats in educational institutions.  This has resulted in heartburning for the so-called upper castes children who suffer for no fault of theirs. They feel something precious is robbed from their lives.

Finally, remember, you can learn from anyone, only the process of learning (education)–but the real self-growth has to be attained by one’s own efforts and dedication, which means practical knowledge is more important than the theory knowledge. A student’s percentage of marks is not the real index of his intelligence and capabilities.