EDUCATION AND REFORMS NEEDED IN INDIA

E-D-U-C-A-T-I-O-N

It is a very special word. Its spelling might be a mammoth task for a young learner to learn but to its stark contrast, its definition becomes simpler as we grow in age, knowledge and experience.


What truly is education ?

Everyone has a personal definition and I have one. To me education is awareness. Awareness which is complete in totality. Awareness in terms of oneself, awareness of the world around us, awareness of the people who make the world and keeping in mind present context, awareness of our precious planet.


Education encompasses teaching and learning specific skills and also something less tangible but more profound, that is the imparting of knowledge, positive judgment and well developed wisdom.


Education has as one of its fundamental aspects that is the imparting of culture from generation to generation. Education means to draw out, facilitating realisation of self-potential and latent talents of an individual.


The education of an individual human begins at birth and continues throughout life. The goal of education is fourfold: the social, intellectual, economic, and political or civic purpose. Current education issues include which teaching methods are most effective, how to determine what knowledge should be taught, which knowledge is most relevant, and how well the pupil will retain incoming knowledge.


Educators have identified education as an inherently political process with inherently political outcomes. The challenge of identifying whose ideas are transferred and what goals they serve has always stood in the face of formal and informal education.


India's biggest export through ages has been education. Education yoga, education in food and spices, education in living, education in life sciences and technology and finally education in peace. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has a vision of India as a knowledge superpower, is slowly becoming a reality. We are taking steady steps towards the same. Infact from what I observe... the goal is not being a superpower but making us all empowered with knowledge.


India has been a major seat of learning for thousands of years. While some of the country's universities are among the world's well-renowned, it is also dealing with challenges in its primary education and strives to reach 100% literacy. Universal Compulsory Primary Education, with its challenges of keeping poor children in school and maintaining quality of education in rural areas, has been difficult to achieve, Kerala being the only Indian state to reach this goal so far.


All levels of education in India, from primary to higher education, are overseen by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, and heavily subsidized by the Indian government, though there is a move to make higher education partially self-financing. Indian Government is considering to allow 100% foreign direct investment in Higher Education.


There are broadly four stages of school education in India, namely primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary. Overall, schooling lasts 12 years, following the "10+2 pattern". However, there are considerable differences between the various states in terms of the organizational patterns within these first 10 years of schooling. The government is committed to ensuring universal elementary education for all children aged 6-14 years of age.


The current system of education, with its western style and content, was introduced & funded by the British in the 19th century, following recommendations by Macaulay. Traditional structures were not recognized by the British government and have been on the decline since. Traditional structures were not recognized by the British government and have been on the decline since. Gandhi is said to have described the traditional educational system as a beautiful tree that was destroyed during the British rule.


After independence, in 1976, education was made a joint responsibility of the states and the Centre, through a constitutional amendment. The center is represented by Ministry of Human Resource Development's Department of Education and together with the states, it is jointly responsible for the formulation of education policy and planning.


The 86th Amendment of the Indian constitution makes education a fundamental right for all children aged 6-14 years. The access to preschool education for children under 6 years of age was excluded from the provisions, and the supporting legislation has not yet been passed.


The 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' is a flagship programme of the Government of India for achievement of universalization of elementary education in a time bound manner, as mandated by the 86th amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children of ages 6-14 a fundamental right. The programme aims to achieve the goal of universalization of elementary education of satisfactory quality by 2010.


The programme seeks to open new schools in those habitations which do not have schooling facilities and strengthen existing school infrastructure through provision of additional class rooms, toilets, drinking water, maintenance grant and school improvement grants. Existing schools with inadequate teacher strength are provided with additional teachers, while the capacity of existing teachers is being strengthened by extensive training, grants for developing teaching-learning materials and strengthening of the academic support structure at a cluster, block and district level. SSA seeks to provide quality elementary education including life skills. SSA has a special focus on girl's education and children with special needs. SSA also seeks to provide computer education to bridge the digital divide.


Reforms in the Indian education system are three fold at the three levels of education:

• Primary

• Secondary

• University level


Primary

In terms of primary education I shall concentrate exclusively about rural educational infrastructure.


TEACHERS IN VILLAGES

At the primary level the most important step needed is to call for good teachers from the village itself and training keeping in mind the fact that they will be the future educators of the children born in the village. The most important step to be taken to ensure the above is to highly remunerate those teachers who stay back in villages. This will ensure high retentive levels of teachers in the harsh conditions that villages offer.


RETENTION OF CHILDREN IN VILLAGE SCHOOLS

The next focus in the direction of primary education should be to achieve high retention levels of children in village schools which can be achieved by giving social and economic incentives to the parents for keeping children in schools. These incentives should be doubled for those parents who send a girl child to schools.


Social incentives can be seen in form of representation in the village panchayat and economic incentives can be in the capacity of monetary subsidies in education and job opportunities at the district and state levels once their wards education is complete.


ASSIMILATION OF THE COLLECTOR OF THE DISTRICT INTO EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

To ensure the above two steps the collector at the district level needs to be given heavy responsibility to ensure implementation of educational reforms with utmost seriousness, sensitivity and conviction. His leadership assumes importance because his leadership gives credibility to the educational programs which are being implemented by the government.


Secondary

In terms of reforms in secondary education the following reforms are advocated:


STRESS ON PRACTICAL LEARNING AND CLASS ROOM PARTICIPATION

Practical learning is the prime focus of education considering that education in the long run is needed to make a living. Practical learning focuses on hard work, responsible learning and actual growth of knowledge that is required for success in future profession.


Class room participation leads to independence of thought, openess of attitude towards other thought processes, delimiting of inhibitions and easy learning from observation.


CHANGE FROM ROTE LEARNING TECHNIQUES TO CREATIVE LEARNING STYLES

Our system breeds rote learning which cripples the creative strings of the students who have to exclusively reproduce the their text books on their exam sheets and not what their own concious or knowledge is.


Exam system based on rote learning needs to be changed and independent learning should be highly encouraged. This would allow students to research which in turn will make them have access to greater pool of knowledge.


Truly eduaction is beyond classrooms and textbooks.


STRESS ON STUDY OF ARTS RATHER THAN MINDLESS ENDORSEMENT OF THE SCIENCES

At the higher secondary level we see a single minded endorsement of the study of Sciences which at times takes proportions fit to be termed as mindless and insensitive. This fuels added pressure and aspirations on students and parents. With our education al set up Sciences takes prime position and students who study Sciences are elevated to levels of brilliance which are far from facts of real life.


The study of Arts at this level tends to project the students as one who is average. People overlook the challenges that Arts student face. The saddest part is that these Science students

end up studying Arts by the time they enroll college.


Then why is their such a prejudice towards Arts ? A look into the U.S. structure says that applications for Arts in colleges and schools are more than Sciences. That might be another extreme but what we can learn from them is a healthy respect for the students who pursue Arts from the high school level.


UNIVERSITY LEVEL

At the university level some of these changes are needed.


SETTING UP OF A GROUP OF UNIVERSITIES ON THE LINES OF THE IVY LEAGUE FORMAT

The ivy league set up in the U.S.A. is an exceptional example of exclusive education for the masses. Through its heavy funding towards scholarships, fellowships, student loans and subsidies these universities scout the best of minds and talents from across the world from an equally diverse social, political and economical demography.


The same needs to be done in India and semi autonomous universities need to be established with eduactional standards at par with the ivy leagues ensuring education at the highest level.


INCREASE FUNDING OF UNIVERSITIES

Funding at the universities need to ne increased considering that some of these institutes of excellence are falling short of cash. IIT Mumbai at one hand does not have any cash to pay its satff while Pune University is sitting prettyly on some fat and idle cash without spending it on infrastructural growth or educational support.


INCENTIVES FOR INDIGENEOUS RESEARCH

Monetary incentives need to be given to students who are lured by corporate greed so that they can come out with independent research projects as truly we are falling short on research projets when it comes to international standards. Progress takes palce with research and that is where qwe are falling short.


Our culture has always held education in the highest esteem and upheld its importance time and again. We need to understand that accountability is of prime importance when we talk of educational reforms. We also need to be highly aware of progressive measures that we take because progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Training the young minds of the future occupies the highest priority and we must invest a sizeable amount of time in building a resourceful batch of teachers with the highest moral and educational standards.


We also need to be aware of social justice and equality when it comes to education. By our own reckoning our governmental spending on public educational organizations is low as compared to the private entities. This means better textbooks for a private school student as opposed to one studying in a public school. I think that is a shame. A lot of people say that the gap cannot be bridged today but then when will it happen.... Because the right to justice, the right to equality and the right to uniform education will happen now or never.


Yes, the going will be tough but then without pressure, without expectations we will never strive towards enthusiasm or success let alone our goals

EUTHANASIA: THE DEBATE OVER THE RIGHT TO DIE WITH DIGNITY OR DOCTORED DEATH

Medical science has now acquired life supporting systems and medications to extend life artificially for long periods, even after the loss of brain activities and the control of bodily functions. The decision to reject such artificial treatment should be of the patient alone and no one else.

This decision of the patient constitutes the act of 'euthanasia'. Earlier this was called 'mercy killing '.However, now, the term "euthanasia" encompasses acts from lethal injection to "assisting" in suicide and to withholding basic levels of care from non-terminal patients. Euthanasia is a concept which is chequered with a lot of moral dilemmas and as such is a hugely controversial topic.

In the case of Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide, the countries that advocate 'mercy killing' are Holland, Northern Provinces of Australia as well as some states in the United States of America. The Netherlands is the first country in the world to legalise euthanasia. The bill allows doctors to kill patients with terminal diseases who are suffering "unbearably," if they request it.

'Right to death' is different from euthanasia. Euthanasia means 'a good and peaceful death'. The term euthanasia comes from the Greek words "eu"-meaning good and "thanatos"-meaning death, which combined means “well-death” or "dying well". The term 'terminal', as defined by medical experts, means a disease that cannot be cured nor has no remedy. In fact, the final remedy is death. A practicing consultant, who is an expert in that particular field of illness, must confirm the terminal illness of the patient.

The classic example can be given of Terri Schiavo who died in the year 2005 after the United States Supreme Court allowed her feeding tubes to be taken off on the behest of her husband, though her parents relentlessly opposed it. Some have since maintained that her death constituted judicial murder.

The Indian Constitution says that the 'Right to Die' is not a fundamental right under Article 21.The Right to Die is inherently inconsistent with the Right to Life. The Court held that the Right to Life is a natural right, embodied in Article 21. However, suicide is an unnatural termination or extinction of life and therefore, incompatible and inconsistent with the concept of Right to Life.

Supporters of euthanasia are of the opinion that being in a permanent comatose and helpless condition was not at all beneficial to the patient. It was held that this concept was unrelated to the 'Principle of Sanctity of Life' or the 'Right to Live with Dignity'. The Court said that this argument was of no assistance to determine the scope of Article 21 of the Constitution while deciding whether the guarantee of 'Right to Life' includes the 'Right to Die.'

The court made it clear that the 'Right to Life,' including the right to live with human dignity, would include the existence of such a right till the end of natural life. This also includes the right to a dignified life up to the point of death, including a dignified procedure of death. This may include the right of a dying man to die with dignity, when his life is ebbing out.

The Court reiterated that the argument to support the views of permitting the termination of life in such cases by accelerating the process of natural death, when it was certain and imminent, was not available to interpret Article 21 to include the right to curtail the natural span of life.

The various reasons which support euthanasia are choice, which is an essential feature of a liberal democratic society, pressure on the medical facilities which is otherwise wasted on a person who does not really receive the wholesome goodness of such resources, economical pressure on the kins of the affected person and the outrageous exploitation of human resources and emotions.

Conversely, there is equal number of motivations to oppose euthanasia. These reasons, in brief, are disrespect to the moral code of medicinal conduct, feasibility of such an act when the patient is not in sane mind, act being against the wishes of the family or being performed under some pressure which is not appropriate. Further, the act is considered immoral if seen under theosophical light.

Euthanasia can never be implemented in a country where there is a clash of ideologies. There has been a lot of debate over this topic over the past few decades. The right to life of an individual is certainly the most fundamental right. Yet in extreme cases, it should not be binding on the individual to exercise that right in cases of agony.

Suicide should not be confused with euthanasia. The former is a narrower term when compared with euthanasia. In Greek, euthanasia means a 'good death'. Other countries will have to decide for themselves whether they should implement Euthanasia or not. Maybe, the Dutch style of an open policy is the best way to deal with such a delicate and ambiguous concept.

THE YOUTH BRIGADE SEEMS TO BE A FARCE

If there is anything which has taken more political space this past
elections other than the worthless allegations over BOFORS and soap
operatic party structures, has been the contribution of the ‘youth’ of
the country towards this election and their entry into the world of
Indian politics often seen as a haven for the older generations. Rahul
Gandhi the flag bearer of the youth brigade has been seen as the one
who has rounded off on the young leaders of the Congress and has been
leading them, for having revived the Youth Congress and for bringing
some national political presence in student politics. But the youth
that he seems to lead or speak so passionately about brings about a
range of questions and most prominent of it is are they really the
youth of the country?

The so called young leaders who have been elected into the Parliament
this year are truly the youth in terms of their age. They are vibrant,
robust and bring in new ideas but the diet being forced down our
throat at every opportunity of them being true representatives of the
youth is very misleading and to some extent a farce.

If we hand pick some of the new entrants amongst the ‘youth’ we find
that they are off springs of big political houses, come from
economically prosperous family and so in turn are very well educated
and have had a cushioned entry into the world where they claim to
represent the youth of the country.

For example, Nilesh Rane, all of 27 is the son of Narayan Rane, a
political veteran in the state of Maharashtra. Elected from the
constituency of Ratnagiri in Maharashtra on a Congress ticket, he
seems to have gotten a platform ready made for his big arrival into
the Parliament. The bell rings the same tune for another young
Congress MP, Hamdullah Sayeed who won the Lakshwadeep seat with a
Congress ticket and is the youngest MP in the house. But what is
overlooked with convenience is that the Delhi High Court advocate is
the son of late P.M. Sayeed who won from the Lakshwadeep seat for four
decades. Ravneet S. Bittu, another Congress MP is a Youth Congress
leader whose grandfather just happens to be former Punjab CM late
Beant Singh.

And the cases can go on and on…..

RLD MP from Mathura, Jayant Chaudhary is a LSE graduate whose father
is Ajit Singh, the founder of RLD. Shruti Chaudhry from the Bhiwani
seat is the granddaughter of Bansi Lal and daughter of Minister for
Forest and Tourism, Kiran Chaudhary in the Hooda Government in
Haryana. Shatabdi Ray from Birbhum is an acclaimed actress from
Tollywood. Similar are the stories of Priya Dutt, Sachin Pilot and
Jyotiraditya Scindia who come from illustrious political families.

Need we speak more about the Marans from Tamil Nadu who publicly
declared that we must accept dynastic politics or the Chautala’s from
Haryana, or the dynastic politics of SP in Uttar Pradesh, or the
Gandhi’s from across the Indian political lines, where debutants or
second timers have all blue blood running in their veins? Agreed Rahul
Gandhi fielded 10 Youth Congress leaders of which 8 won but what about
the rest who represent privileged hues. Agreed again that the aam
youth of the country might not want to be part of politics, choosing
high profile jobs instead, but what is disturbing is that these
elected MP’s claim to represent the youth when in fact most don’t
identify with them and their journeys. Agreed that dynastic politics
rules in our country but don’t mislead us with the rhetoric of true
youth representation when we all understand that it is the new guard
replacing the old ailing guard from the same family to safeguard the
golden gates of the same treasure trove of power and political fame.

The political parties functioning across the Parliament must realize
that they must accept dynastic politics with a free arm just as DMK
did, oh so proudly, and stop manhandling the expectations of the
country that someone new can come, when the newness comes from the
same stable working overtime without any results over the past few
decades. There is nothing wrong with sons of politicians becoming
politicians themselves and getting a cushioned entry, its there in
every professions, sports, the arts, medicine and law but the
hypocrisy of the entire exercise as seen in politics seems as a tick
off.