Is education a myth today? Has today’s educational system become a commercial business? Is it no more than any other business whose final shore is to make profits? This thing has taken me aback one more time and this time to a deeper extent.
Today’s institutions sell their degrees on the basis of large 6digit, 7digit numbers and not on the basis of knowledge. They distinguish themselves on the basis of infrastructure, posh automated systems in place, luxurious hostel rooms and sometimes go to the least extent of bragging students by providing free laptops. They promise to educate the students to creatively fool (“Jugaad” being the c-word) others and do the same in turn to the students of their own college.
It starts from the central of the entire system, from the dean of the college to the security guard outside the main gate. Everyone wants to earn green but show their system as “going the green way”. Every one considers themselves to be the central stakeholder whose interest should be taken care of. And on the way forget their real stakeholder “students”.
Faculties have forgotten the “purity” that is needed to take on the job of being a “guru”. The word “academician” is no less than “black magician” who can cast every possible wrong spell on you. Nowhere does the word “credibility” come into picture when it should be the epicentre of all. The shady picture of the system has its roots stretched till the deepest clay of soil. Say it the attendance system, say it the grading system, say it way of conducting exams, or say it the way of setting exam paper. Or for that matter, the syllabus to be taught to the students is decided more on the basis of convenience than requirement.
And then you have one gem amongst all, who by mistake falls into the trap or rather prefer the trap to change the things. But when you have one climbing the ladder, there are 10’s of others waiting for that opportunity to put you down. These are two mutually exclusive sets. Either you can be on good terms with the few members on panel or be the ray of light of those 100’s of students who need a helping hand. While there are many to show the “dirty road”, it takes something to be on the other side. But it is not all that easy. Each time you make a small attempt to improve the system, you are pushed aside to the possibility of going out of sight. You try and retry, and from all I have come across, either the system throws you out or you prefer to walk out of the system. And I pity those institutes who discards the once in a lifetime opportunity of rewinding the steps.
This is my channel of putting across the emotions of a dear friend, who called me yesterday evening, while I was busy admiring the lunar eclipse. Although the shadow of earth went past the moon post 9:30pm, it left a shadow on my thinking, my life, my approach.
P.S: It's not that students are not to be blamed.But who started the vicious circle..?
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| A check needed? |
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| It's all the number game.. |
It starts from the central of the entire system, from the dean of the college to the security guard outside the main gate. Everyone wants to earn green but show their system as “going the green way”. Every one considers themselves to be the central stakeholder whose interest should be taken care of. And on the way forget their real stakeholder “students”.
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| Anything is possible! |
Faculties have forgotten the “purity” that is needed to take on the job of being a “guru”. The word “academician” is no less than “black magician” who can cast every possible wrong spell on you. Nowhere does the word “credibility” come into picture when it should be the epicentre of all. The shady picture of the system has its roots stretched till the deepest clay of soil. Say it the attendance system, say it the grading system, say it way of conducting exams, or say it the way of setting exam paper. Or for that matter, the syllabus to be taught to the students is decided more on the basis of convenience than requirement.
And then you have one gem amongst all, who by mistake falls into the trap or rather prefer the trap to change the things. But when you have one climbing the ladder, there are 10’s of others waiting for that opportunity to put you down. These are two mutually exclusive sets. Either you can be on good terms with the few members on panel or be the ray of light of those 100’s of students who need a helping hand. While there are many to show the “dirty road”, it takes something to be on the other side. But it is not all that easy. Each time you make a small attempt to improve the system, you are pushed aside to the possibility of going out of sight. You try and retry, and from all I have come across, either the system throws you out or you prefer to walk out of the system. And I pity those institutes who discards the once in a lifetime opportunity of rewinding the steps.
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| Either ways |
This is my channel of putting across the emotions of a dear friend, who called me yesterday evening, while I was busy admiring the lunar eclipse. Although the shadow of earth went past the moon post 9:30pm, it left a shadow on my thinking, my life, my approach.
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| 10-12-2011 |
v true..
ReplyDeleteIts all about money... Money has become the mantra of every1's life now... Education has lost its value for it has taken the shape of commercialism. Education has become a business where everything is measured in terms of profits..
errrr....things don't sound good here and i can feel that it's very critical. whatever it is, i'll not ask as we are under the non-disclosure policy.
ReplyDeletebut all that i can say is that life always tests u..usually the hardest way and u have to deal with it the same way. They say "if life throws u lemons, squeeze it in life's eyes and then laugh ur lungs out!". If u have true belief in yourself, none can stop u from achieving what u want.
Plz convey my wishes to the person concerned....
Very well written Komal.......perfectly indicative of the present education system which is being increasingly for the rich and which trains students to run a rat race ...... in short robbing the 'Human' element in all of them..... yes once in a while a gem as you say gets entangled in as net, but is as good as a drop of fresh water poured into a large mass of salt water....... a change or still better a revolution is the need for the hour......
ReplyDeleteY this Kolaveri Kolaveri Kolaveri di ! :)
ReplyDeleteWell I strongly believe in the statement - 'Somebody's Loss is somebody else's gain'
So,the focus should be 'on how to gain' n not 'how to change'...:)
IMP:This view is strictly intended for the given B-School’s doing commercial business situation. Don't generalise ;)
But what a superb write-up..very well structured with some good use of right words..
U r a gem..in every sense!
@Mr. A - Yes this is not as cheerful a post as usually they are...Words taken...
ReplyDeleteOh yeah The non disclosure policy..:)
Ms.A urf Lakshmi - very well said - robbing off the "Human element"...Welcome to my blog..:)Keep reading..:)
ReplyDelete@RJ - It would be advisable not to target any name in specific...As it is open to public..:)
ReplyDelete@Vijender - It calls for kolaveri di when things are not just fair..:)Well put thought of gaining at the loss of someone else...It is all fighting wrt the same share of base pie..:)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the appreciation..!
I agree with you .com. your thoughts are growing, but I think there is lot to come in life to add to it. so as bhaiya said don't generalise. and as always undoubtedly you have amazingly expressed your thoughts using your best friend "words". love you
ReplyDelete@Disha - Yes! Lot t come and good to know things are making me think..:) and thank you the appreciation..:)
ReplyDeletea very intense topic that you wrote about :D amazingly written, can feel the frustration..
ReplyDeleteits pretty true that its become commercial but its ok, we dun really have to sit back think and be upset about it because we cannot change anything.. as said by u also, even if u attempt to change, nothing actually will happen.. wats the point then :)
at the end of the day if we sit back n think of everything considering every aspect, we are a part of this and we are ok with them, we ourselves look for convenience more than anything.. so why blame anyone, we should learn and live the convenient way rather :) good for us hai na :)
the main teacher, 'the guru' for us is our 'life'.. the teachers of any institute are also just a part.. so y bother them :)
i hope u get my point the rt way :P