While the 100% cut-offs seem to reflect the evolving intellectual capacity of upcoming generations and grab headlines year on year during the admission season, another understated but equally critical fact that seems to get overshadowed by its more popular cousin is that of the increasing suicide rate among the students caused due to academic pressure, or as the Government of India puts it, ‘due to failure in exam.’
While we have put a satellite on Mars at a cost which is even cheaper than a few Hollywood movies; signed pacts with developed countries to invest billions of dollars in the next few years to boost our infrastructure; even managed to invest sufficient time in denouncing people as unpatriotic for voicing their views on the spread of intolerance in the country, we still haven’t been able to spare time to discuss and find solution to the problem that is one of the leading causes of death among our youth, considered the biggest resource and strength of our country.
According to the data provided by the Government of India, suicides are the second biggest cause of death in the 17-29 age group and the ones ‘due to failure in exam’ contributes significantly, with as many as 2403 such cases (mind you, these are just the reported ones). Kota, considered as an Education hub by many, had reportedly 30 suicides in 2015. That is 3 STUDENTS KILLING THEMSELVES EVERY MONTH BECAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE TO COPE UP WITH THE STRESS AND THE DEMANDS OF THE TRAINING INVOLVED IN CRACKING THE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION TO AN UNDER-GRADUATE INSTITUTE! As ludicrous as the last statement sounds, unfortunately, it is the grave reality that we are living in right now.
And why just suicides, the education system, with its inherent tendency of taking away the fun out of learning and a dedicated focus on the marks scored, has ensured the downcast state of the moral fabric among the youth. The cases of cheating and paper leaks have become a rampant endemic and the instances of students copying in the examination is rising at an alarming rate. As a result of which, the evaluation process becomes anything but fair. Even B-schools haven’t been spared, with students with 2, 3 and even 4 years of work experience risking the ordeal of having their answer scripts cancelled so as to be able to clear the cut-off criteria for the different company’s during placements. All this at a time when the debate and stress on virtues like ETHICS and INTEGRITY has become part of everyday discussion. What moral right are we left with in crucifying companies like Volkswagen when we ourselves engage in practices similar to theirs, albeit at a smaller scale!
So what is the solution to this fiasco called the Indian Education System. To be honest, the solution that will be the best fit to the problem will be more complicated than putting a satellite on Mars. Given the diversity, inequality and the spread in the social and economic composition of the country, a solution that can be fair to everyone might come with conditions. Which is still acceptable as long the new system manages to put a tick mark across the following two check boxes – 1. Ensuring fun in learning by having a more practical and relatable syllabus 2. Efficient evaluation system of grading (the current one based on end terms marks or entrance test marks is failing significantly).
Once the above two factors are incorporated, they are sure to take care of the majority issues plaguing the education system. Moreover, the parents and the guardians also need to be counselled and educated that while it is important that their child is taught to be competitive and made to challenge his abilities from time to time, at the same time, he must also be taught that winning isn’t every thing. Going out there and giving his best is what matters. Success-failure are just connotations put up by the world to segregate his efforts. At the end of the day, a person’s biggest competitor is his own self and his success needs to be measured from where he started to where he ends up.
For the students, it is very important to put the marks that they obtain in their life’s perspective. Only then will they realise how small and insignificant portion of their life does it cover. They are merely stepping stones towards opening some doors that will help them achieve their goals. There isn’t going to be any shortage of opportunities. If one door shuts, be rest assured that another one will open soon. One needs always keep in mind that the best learning in life usually happens from failure.
Shobhit Agarwal 