It's weird that I am ranting now although I don't have to take these exams again. This is the story. Both the central and state governments attack the (sufficiently damaged) education system when they are bored. There was good reason to not include the class XII board exam marks in the IIT JEE scores. The board exams test one's ability to memorize formulas and solve stereotyped problems. It's really not a big deal as a student gets very comfortable to face these exams after 8 months of repeated practice, tests and revision exams. On the downside, it is easy to mismanage time when one gets caught up in board exam prep and compromises on preparing for the engineering entrance exams.
Here are some quick comments. Exams don't have to be comprehensive. What if someone can't stand optics, organic chemistry and conic sections? Perhaps there is something else that a student is extraordinarily good at (or deeply passionate about). In the war of cutoffs and ranks, many people accept whatever they get and move on. After spending 14 years in school, a student who wants to pursue engineering is mostly left clueless about his / her strengths.
Wisdom dawns late on many of us. We begin to question what the purpose of school education is only after getting out of school. It's not just in school; overall, in all walks of life, the pressure to satisfy some immediate requirement / deadlines saps one's motivation to push himself harder and think beyond the tight realms of the present. I have known some self-starters and I try to emulate them. It's easy to start anything, but really hard to keep at it. Most of us are driven by compulsion and competition. In fact, we are driven so much that we forget to start anything on our own and engage ourselves in it. There's always a truck load to explanations and excuses.
Overall, I can only say that the format of the board exams has to change. If the exams test one's "real" problem solving abilities, they would be incredibly hard and making those marks count would actually be a worthwhile effort. But if the bar is raised to improve the quality of these exams, a vast majority of students won't be pleased. Or am I wrong? I hope I am wrong this time. I am not an IIT alumnus, may be alumni out there would protest against Kapil Sibal's proposal. Sometimes it's easy to separate an individual's problems from the problems of the nation. I hope I find a way to contribute better.
Signing off ...
I like my Fraand’s creation
1 week ago
4 comments:
Well said. Yes. The very purpose or approach of exams needs a change for better. The load of syllabus need not change. but periodical tests on how far a student understood a subject with a second chance to improve the performance will be a solution. This way portions will be fragmented and no need to test him at the end of the year on an overload of syllabus. So far finding a person's passion I think the education system is totally closed. A very good post on the present education system in India.
One exam for all ?
So IITians will be handpicked by the IITs and don't know how the procedure will be for the other colleges. Now the ranks will soar to more than 20 lakhs. WE have be sculpted by our education system to be carefree until the exam draw near and then we do everything in a hurry. We have been used to it for 12 years in school and 6 years in college even in Masters. There is no progressive analysis. The assignments are namesake in colleges where students copy & present copyrighted material across the web to complete them. The genuineness, the raw intellect is lost in tuition calsses for board exams be it 10th or 12th. Then again for the engg. entrance exams. We have problems at every stage of our education system. I must not comment on the changes they are imparting since I don't actually know how it will turn out to be. All I can do from is sit and hope that the next generation will do something about it.
One child asked me ``why should I study History when it is of no use to me?'' and another child,``what if I study the subject of my interest in depth and just leave the others?'' I do not have an answer for both the questions. May be we are still following the pattern formulated by Late Lord Macaulay(of the British regime)We need to open our eyes and equip children to face the real challenges in the world.
``Wisdom dawns late on many of us''
never dawns for so many among us, ha ha ha
People who are in the education field and who have the power to change the schooling and exam pattern should read this.
Matter of Concern.A different thought. Most Institutions thrive on past glory and the brand value they enjoy because of the companies that throng their Campus. Otherwise their real performance is questionable. They thrive only because of the cream of students they get. In this regard I agree with the views of Mr.Narayana Murthy. A total review of IITs - Admissions, Management - including Performance review is overdue.
Post a Comment