Changing the indian education system

The announcement made by India’s congress (I) government to do away with the board exam at the 10th class and to have one single school examination board has generated a huge debate in the country.

The abolition of 10th grade exam is mooted to reduce the stress of the students who have to undergo another exam at class 12.

Before we get into the details, lets examine the history of education system in india, not going into vedic system of education or that of Hindu kingdom such as Taxila and Nalanda format, we will start with the Education Commission of 1882-1884. The Company rulers and the Viceroy-Generals had arrived at a decision to form such a Commission to look into administrative affairs of the education system of India. Rurality was the order of the day in native education, when British interference was necessary for upliftment. From that day on, development of education under British rule had commenced. Several fields were looked into, like the system of revenue in education, female education, establishment of schools and colleges, affiliation of government run universities and funds allotted.

The turn of the century witnessed even more development in education under British ruling, when educational reforms of 1901-1904 came into consideration. The reforms were primarily made under the supervision of Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India. Initial resistance were dispensed with and the politically intelligent Indian class came into proper picture. In fact, had it not been for such native men, British educational system would never have been thus popular as it is in present times. To honour Indian contribution to education, several acts were made into law by the British government of India.

The present congress government wants to change the education system which was established as a result of prolonged period of thought process. Kapil sibal (union HRD minister) wants to change the methodologies adopted for evaluation of students and introduce a more soft and humpty-dumpty kind of evaluation system which in long run will greatly diminish the ability of next generation to think critically, evaluate a situation and respond accordingly.

It is a well known fact that Indian Institutes of Technology are known world-wide for their alumni who have made it to the top, not just in tech firms, but across the Fortune 500. Yet, in terms of teaching quality, no IIT is among the world's top 50 technical colleges. The quality of IIT graduates is already determined by the time they enter the institution.

If we make the evaluation process of students a namby pamby affair, we are in essence negatively affecting the thought process of the next generation of indians, which is unacceptable.

If we collectively examine the recent decisions of the present congress (I) government we observe a systematic departure from the values which has been the strength of this great nation and the idea on which our country was build, we also find a lack of vision in the present leadership of India. The concept that the recent activities of the congress (I) led govt. is not honest, gains strength if we combine this urgency to change the education system of india and recent decision to establish a sharia based bank in India, (Islamic bank of India) indicates something which is enough to cause concern amongst all indians who respect and honer the system which has evolved over a period of 20,000 years and has made them what they are today.

In few months from now, elections in some states of India are due to take place, I would urge citizens of india to evaluate the recent developments and understand the philosophy behind them and then vote, in my view, by changing the way we (the indians) are educated congress (I) party is trying to diminish the intellectual ability we had to critique, question and come to a logical conclusion after understanding the philosophy behind any act.

My self strongly oppose the changes introduced in the education system of india which would reduce the ability to think critically of those who are undergoing such a system.