Author Name:   Nitin kumar

Importance of education in shaping the personality and future of a person.

Educational Scenario of India

India has always cherished a glorious heritage in sphere of education. Universities such as Nalanda, Taxila have never had second options and any amount of homage paid to their literary and scholarly products such as Vaskaracharyya, Arya Bhatta etc. can never define their contribution to the sphere of education.

But after 61 years of Independence condition of a large quarter of Indian population is now pitiable. A large part is deprived of even primary education, leave apart the professional education. Southern parts of the country are in a leading position. As per the recent literacy report Puducherry has surpassed Kerala which uptil now was known for the maximum literacy rate. Although, states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are still striving to touch the mark of basic literacy rate. Speaking of eastern states, people there are still tied with the obscelete social dogmas. Western states are financially good enough just to support the basic necessities in which education has no place. Many steps have been taken to improve condition, but still it is grim and requires major amendments.

Education plays the most important role in shaping the personality and future of a person, which, in turn is elementary in socio-economic development of a nation. But, Indian citizens have not been fortunate enough to attain the benefits of this bane. As per Human Development Report-2003 Youth (15-24 years of age) literacy rate in the middle-income countries is 87.8 per cent whereas in India it is 73.3 per cent . Out of 94 developing countries, the position of India is 76th as far as educational development index is concerned. Percentage of students enrolled in Class-1 and reached to Class-Vth standard is 77 in the developing countries but in India it is only 60. Speaking of internal condition, urban area residents are still better off, than villagers, who are oblivious of importance of education. Whereby a labor in a city might strive hard to educate his child, a farmer in a village will still consider physical labor superior to mental work and try to invest his child’s energy in his sphere rather than educating him. This mindset has been a big reason for the above stated disparity. Social dogmas add to the misery. Girls are still looked down at and from the very childhood forced towards household activities rather than being taught. They are called as “Grihalaxmis” but have still not been accepted as financial supporters. Thus their education is highly demotivated.

Past few years have seen a tremendous rise in private schools. No doubt these schools have all the latest facilities to make the students feel comfortable and best of the teachers to impart best of the knowledge. But, the cost of knowledge they impart is not affordable for lower middle class and still lower classes. These classes constitute 80% of Indian population. As a result a large chunk of population is still forced to go to government schools, which are often miles away from their homes. Moreover teachers are also not so capable and are more into punishing rather than teaching.

Higher educational courses are lending no help either. People under the influence of herd mentality opt for courses for which they are not suited and end up with abecedarian knowledge and dark future. Hundreds of students enroll for undergraduate courses such as Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of sciences, from universities not capable of imparting right guidance. Engineering once considered as a respectable qualification producing only the creamy layer, now witnesses its graduates working as mechanics or clerks. Law was once considered as a profession of the men of letters. Today, it is considered as a profession of the unsuccessful. Once worshiped Medicos, have to hit the tooth and nail to restore faith of the people in them. The root cause of all this degradation is the tremendous rise in number of institutions and a high slump in the quality of education imparted. It is but obvious that institutions opened in every nook and corner cannot impart right quality of education. Their students cannot compete with the products of already established good universities. Thus even at the workplace students are forced to face the defeat. This all is a chained series to the consequential malpractices prevailing in the society.

Educational scenario of India is marked by a certain ‘ritual’ of students been forced into science stream, though not all have a tilt towards it. Instead from the very beginning, capabilities of each student should be judged and he should be led into the stream worthy for him. It should be understood that a child having an aptitude of Picasso cannot be groomed into Newton.

Government in past few years has taken measures to improve the condition. 86th Amendment of the constitution speaks for it. Before this amendment, there was no provision for universal education of the children up to 14 years of age, but, by the amendment in the Constitution, education for children in the age group 6-14 has been incorporated and for children of pre-6 years has been assigned to the States or local bodies. Right to education has now been incorporated in list of fundamental rights as Art.21-A, a sub-clause to Art.21, Right to Life. Recently a large amount of money has also been contributed to Sarva Siksha Abhyan. Special measures have also been taken to exhort the young children and their parents to support actively for the success of the program. Some state governments have made extra efforts such as sending people door to door on carts, loaded with books, to educate girls who are not allowed to leave their homes. Night shifts have been introduced to promote adult education, so that they can earn their living during daytime and be educated simultaneously. Scheme of mid-day meals has been implemented to attract more and more poor children.

As for higher education, new courses such as fashion designing, media and entertainment, dual degree courses, management courses etc. have attracted huge masses. Various Government as well as private colleges have taken the lead and have been successful in identifying and promoting various talents. Multifarious options have helped new generations to think beyond the established norms.

Thus, though India has gained success at higher level, competing globally, producing latest technology, yet there is a darker side also, which needs to be highlighted and be improved upon. A huge part is still in a dire need of a worthy guidance to its talents and capabilities. Support and not resistance should be offered to the mavericks who have tried to break the shackles of old beliefs and unsocial dogmas. Still there is a long way to go, but, only effective education can improve the present educational scenario of the country.

ISBN No: 978-81-928510-1-3
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