ENDANGERED INDIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
LEARN FROM RAMAYANA AND MAHABHARATHA
“Over the next few
decades, as we tried to reach education to the lowest common denominator, we
constantly lowered standards so that the weakest could catch up. As a result
the average intellectual capacity of our nation today is determined not by our
brightest, but by our dumbest.” (Ghazala Wahab
India enjoyed an
enviable reputation in the international theatre due to her very rich culture
and heritage derived from high level of education. Bharath produced many scholars, philosophers
and scientists whose research works were stepping stones for the entire world.
Education which brought
fame and respect to India all these centuries is being spoiled by short sighted
approaches and deliberate dilution of standards. Indian education which was in
the hands of highly dedicated and erudite scholars supported by philanthropists
who respected education is now being managed
by selfish and rapacious politicians,
movie magnates and fake holy men. Education which was revered and respected is
now reduced to a business where students are looked upon as customers.
There is a big clamour
about the declining standard of our education and the below 30% employability of
the graduates/post graduates. The
unscrupulous mass education programme has precipitated several malpractices like bribery
, paper chasing, fake certificates/degrees,
showering of high marks , appointment of
less qualified tutors, mark sheet manipulations, name changing , copying in
exams, impersonation of candidates, tampering
question papers, plagiarism, cut
&paste practice in research papers, making qualification insignificant to price tags
for admission to professional courses and for recruitment of teaching staff and many more. Majority
of the students who have little interest and seriousness in learning but
ambitious to get a degree are being pushed to pursue higher education.
Lowering the standards
to help the undeserving to get through is a dangerous trend that is swamping
the educational system which will have a serious negative impact on the growth
of the nation.
Lesson
from Ramayana
Private universities boast
about their modern building, A/C classrooms, high style furnishing, restaurants,
large play area, cultural activities and foreign tours etc. but are silent about
the quality of faculty and standards of curriculum. They try to sell not only low quality
education but also false dreams to the innocent and ignorant boys and girls. All universities circle around marks, grades
and placements.
King Dasaratha got his
four sons after a long wait. He brought
them up like jewels. He was a very learned person who had a complete
sense of value on education. He could
have easily built a mansion for the Guru Vasishta and asked him to give tuition
to the princes for their education.
Instead, he sent them to Gurukulam where the boys had to stay at the Guru’s
hut, sleep on the floor, fetch him water, clean his house, wash his clothes, do
all services and try to learn as much as possible. They
learned the disciplined way and realized the value of education.
Education
has to be earned. It is neither a product that can be bought over the counter
nor a gift or compliment. “Mahatha
Shramena, Mahatha Shradhaya cha” - We earn education with lot of efforts
and dedication.
LESSON
FROM MAHABHARATHA
Removing all the bars
like ethnicity, caste, religion, gender and financial capacity should be in place
so that equal opportunity is given to all; but the standard bar should be elevated in post graduate and research
studies to maintain high quality. Higher
education should be only for those who have the interest and ability to pursue
it.
Guru Dhronacharya in Mahabharatha
made it clear that he will teach and guide only the Kshatriyas (Royal family)
in the art of warfare. Secular social scientists criticized it as arrogance of
casteism. His approach had no caste discrimination;
it was pure rational thinking. Kshatriyas have the natural inclination and
seriousness to learn because it is required for them to run the government and protect
their citizens. Dhronocharya wanted only such students having the commitment and
concentration to learn.
Ekaliva was an
exception and not an example. Similarly a Sheppard called Kalidasa who became a
great poet by the grace of Goddess Saraswathi was also an exception.
Dedicated teachers are vexed
with the influx of unfit and disinterested students. The system is further roiled as the teachers
are made scapegoats for their poor performance. The teacher/student relationship has become
meaningless without mutual respect and trust.
Conclusion.
The low employability
is not only due to rote education system but also the dilution of its standards.
Prof. Arun Kumar of JNU,
Delhi wrote “Many Indian intellectuals tend to be “derived intellectuals”
recycling knowledge from the West. Government’s ‘Make in India’ programme
depends on strong R&D capability which in turn requires a dynamic system of
higher education.”(The Hindu Jan/8/2015)
Scholars including the
President of India have been blathering about the poor quality of education. No action will be taken because dilution has
become a populist game to influence vote banks. The deterioration is also due to depriving the
deserved from pursuing higher education due to
socio-political pressure. Over pampering the weak at the cost of the qualified will
backfire on the quality of the future teaching staff.
Indian education is
becoming a factory where the students are manufactured rather than developed
and groomed. An army of mediocre graduates
/post graduates rolled out of diluted education system are now available for
the progress of India. Indian
intellects are already puzzled to find the prestigious IITs and IIMs rank after
200 in the list of top universities in the world; netting them into the dilution
process will push them further down in the list. Education, the powerful weapon of India, is
getting blunted; a bold corrective action is required sooner than later.
The procedure of
Ramayana and Mahbharatha may not be suitable now, but they had the right
approach for quality education.
Dr. Krishnan Arunachalam
( Published in The Mylapore Club Magazine February/2015)
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