WHO ARE IDIOTS ?

Give me some sunshine

Give me some rain

Give me another chance

To grow up once again.

Since Independence, the education policy accepted by India is a matter of debate. ‘3 Idiots’, the movie interrogates the system by using the model of three friends who do not really fit into the prestigious engineering college and are considered idiots by their professor. However, the movie clearly shows who the three real idiots are- the education system, the teachers and the parents. The film questions the system of evolution on the basis of examination in particular and the education system in general. It conveys a message that education is development of the mind, not learning by rote.

The real concern about the students that they are only eager to become doctors and engineers. In our institution you just ask over the students about their aspiration and you will search out the same answer almost certainly more than 95% students. If they fail to carry out this, it fetches frustration to them and with lack of enthusiasm they connect with other courses where there they can’t fabricate their interest solely. Imagine a country where everyone is a doctor and engineer. Such a country will have a terrible time managing in affairs. The surrounding and home culture of the students induced them to think only about to become doctors and engineers. Their own instinct is brutally killed only to gain so called glittering professions. Moral? We need people well-equipped and well trained in every field; a competent person in any area should be able to make a decent living and every profession must be deemed dignified enough to choose. We must guide students as according to their interest. It is true that “If you create your interest in your work, it becomes your hobby”.

Azim Premji explained a real condition of today’s children by giving a following example-

“A colleague in Wipro has a child studying in Std IX in a reputed school in Bangalore. This child wakes up at 5 A.M. and studies for an hour before going to school. She returns from school at 4 P.M. and rushes for her IIT entrance exam coaching class. At 6 P.M., she has tuitions for two hours. After dinner, she spends an hour or more on homework. I asked her when she gets time to play. She replied that she did not play. She gets half an hour of free time each day, which she spends watching her favourite serial on television. She also added that board exams and entrance exams are very important, and that you get one chance.” He then asked a question “Is the condition of this child different from the child working in the zari factory?”

So as the condition of each and every science student in Std. XI and XII. They are overstrained by thousands of cares.

They have no time to stretch their wings to taste new winds. They have no time even to explore new world and follow their curiosity. Their may be so many issues which are available for discussion but these are main concerns. I would like to close the first side of the coin with the statement of Azim Premji-“We will refrain from pushing our knowledge down their young minds, and begin the democratic process of being joint learners as we discover and understand our world. I believe a powerful force for empowerment is to have motivated teachers who are learners first, teachers second. Only then will we stop trying to mould children into our adult likeness. Only then we let them blossom.” He further added “If India has to develop economically, socially, intellectually and culturally, we must empower those most vulnerable to social diktat: Our Children.”

Coin has a second side also.

Let me explain - - - Today’s world is known as the world of Science and Technology. Technology has been changed the living ethos of human life. This is a time of transformation.

Every thing is going to change positively as well negatively.

So it is a need of the time to change the minds and go ahead. Many well known institutions , organizations and industries also arranged workshops, training and orientations programs to cater the needs of their employees so that they can work more efficiently and update their knowledge. Education Industry should also step forward in this direction.

Modern India’s most notable teacher and philosopher, the Late Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was Independent India’s second President advised to follow the attitude of Sincerity, Punctuality and Regularity in personal and professional life. Once he asked painfully, “What is it that this country is lacking in? It has manpower, great traditions, natural resources - - but why is it lagging behind in the battle of life?” The question asked decades ago seem to be pertinent even now. this is a time where the duties of teachers, management and responsibilities of pupils and their parents must be analyzed. As a teacher we should interrogate ourselves. What does teaching involved? How and what is the pupil required to learn? Can there be a process of learning without the discipline reflected by the teaching community for setting their own example for themselves? Is educating feasible without the teacher’s learning the responsibilities towards society? Can we break with impunity the rules of the road? Can we stand or sit on the side of the road and start defecating?

Dr. Parth J.Shah in his article- Education System - promote more ‘idiots’ said that the only thing that has changed over the last 1,000 years is the architecture of school and the quality of furniture. It just reflects that we have only focused on resources all these years while nothing has changed in the way education is provided. He also focused on the western education system by saying that there is a system where not only the child opts for the subject of his choice but the teachers as well. By his view, this is the best way of education, if a child chooses a subject of his liking then there are valid chances that not only will he focus on studies but will also fetch good performance.

Our current system is exam oriented. Students work hard only to gain marks in examination but in some while if they have any problem and they can’t attend the examination, they are declared fail. Means their knowledge, which they earn by their so called hard study becomes fruitless as per the system.

Generally in India, the real feeding of this hasty competition gets from the parents. They expect that their children to be at the top of their classes get and admitted to the best institution and follow traditional career options- engineering, medicine and the like. But they never encourage them to go according to their own instinct. Also the teacher assumes that the answer he knows is the only answer of the question. But it will be better if a teacher will play a part of facilitator rather than teach.

It is true that teachers are highly blamed in comparison of others but it is also not untrue that only teachers mean not the education system. Yes, they are the key part of education system. In this course of action, everyone should think. It is the collaborate duty of each one to introspect because the results and action in the education field is the reaction of the efforts of everyone. I would like to conclude with a dialogue in a movie

“Just imagine if Lata Mangeshkar’s father had told her she can’t sing or Sachin Tendulkar was forbidden from playing cricket. Where would they be?”

Think - Think - Think - - - -