Why Does Our Education System Requires Revamp

There is a difference between having the knowledge and being educated. Indian education system stresses on the former. The amount of information given to a student throughout his school/college days is off the charts and sometimes entirely unnecessary. The quality of information is not the only loophole in our system. There is a reason we are ranked 145 out of 191 in the education index by UNESCO.

Our education system is stiff. It allows no room for learning a variety of things. The pattern has been set for years. It works on one assumption, a very wrong one that all individuals are alike. Not everyone likes Maths, Physics etc. But one has to study all of these until matriculation. There are periods of sports, music, arts, but they are just for name's sake. A student who has an interest in all these fields still has to study conventional subjects, despite those having no use to him. He can't solely focus on his interests or hobbies. The curriculum doesn't allow to do so.

Then there are tests. How one performs in the test decides one's performance in school. It's necessary to have some criteria to judge a student's work, but tests don't seem right. The issue is that a single exam can make or break a career. There is too much weight attached to a board exam or a competitive exam. Marks are distributed correctly, which tends to increase the pressure on students. One mark can decide the college in which we go. The questions, especially in the board exams, ask how much we know, rather than, how well we know. It is well known that just mugging up things can get us good grades in them.

The disparity in the treatment of students sometimes goes unnoticed. The topper of the class is assumed to be good at everything. He/she gets to take part in extra-curricular activities. An average student is just assumed not to be good enough in these activities because of his grades. Getting low marks is a stigma that follows one throughout his/her school/college days.

The system has tried to introduce a few new things like projects, assignments etc. But rather than helping the students, it just increases the pressure. Students are kept busy every time. Even in the holidays, they have homework!

Education is essential. An educated person has the power to change the world. Despite its importance, we are not focussing enough on it. We have to revamp it. It should be a beacon of hope rather than the extinguisher of dreams.