At present, our country is following the education system, devised and implemented by Lord Macaulay, the British educationist. Earlier, our system was relative and relevant to the age and nation. Macaulay deliberately and purposely introduced a system to keep poor Indians uneducated and enslaved. He observed that India had already in place a functional system covering almost the entire populace. So, the initial British attempt was designed to exterminate our age-old education system based on high concepts and ideals of faith, culture and human values. His next step was calculated to impose on us a vicious system which would project us to the world as uncivilized boors. Our own traditional system was denigrated as obsolete, outdated and incapable of promoting industrial development. In the present scenario, this insidious system is enslaving us to multinational business corporates. Obviously, their interest lies in using our young talents and intellectual resources for furthering their economic and commercial gains. It is strange that our own industrialists, bureaucrats and affluent sections of society prefer to send their children abroad for education so that they may, on return, exploit and dominate over the unprivileged people of their own country. In fact, true education should lead to physical, intellectual and moral growth of learners as it did at gurukuls and madarsas in olden times. Placement or job-orientation was not a priority. Guru Vashishtha and Guru Dronacharya in relation to their disciples Ram and Arjuna may be cited as models or icons in this regard. Objectives and challenges in regard to the times constituted the substance of a true education system as enjoined by our scriptures. Unfortunately, standards of educations in our country are on the decline as corroborated by a recent survey report on the world’s 100 best universities in which India has no place. A special committee constituted by Hon’ble Union HRD Minister Smt. Smriti Irani, under the headship of Shri Hari Gautam, former UGC Chairman, has, in its report, found flaws in the structure and performance of the UGC, and recommended certain basic changes to enable a widening of its function purview as well as induction of eminent educationists. The objectives of such important government bodies as UGC, AICTE, Bar Council and NAAC are getting blurred and need to be redefined. In the name of evaluation, these government institutions seem to be focusing on the placement requirements of multinational corporations. It calls for serious reconsideration. The assessment and evaluation norms and modes encompassing the entire educational spectrum primary, secondary and higher – need a thoughtful and urgent review. The top priority must invariably be qualitative amelioration. Skill – development and entrepreneurship – orientation must be the essential and vital components of the system. It will eventually result in creation of a conducive environment.
Suggestions for a better education system:
- Job-oriented education from X std. onward
- Education should aim at physical, mental and moral growth.
- Education should induct students into the national mainstream
- Attention should be paid to the development of the basic dimensions of education such as literature, arts, sports, culture, history, research etc. without any consideration of monetary gains.
- Communication must be treated as the core requirement. New techniques may be evolved.
- Education should be value-based to build the virtues of self reliance, self-confidence and enterprise in students.
-Dr. Ashok Kumar Gadiya
Chancellor, Mewar University
Gangrar, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan
