News
are so mundane this days, I mean the print media, same news again and again.
The roads in Mumbai or in general are in bad condition, there is nothing
new right?
A
similar news which is a routine is of young students dying by
suicide... 27th in Kota that was reported, may be much more (Suicide is still a
stigma at places and mental health is still a taboo subject), this cannot be a
news any more. The minister said there may be a love angle... that can
be a story. This are just the numbers of Kota, calculate the numbers form all over the country.
Share of Students Among Suicide Victims in India
Grew 70% Over Past Decade. And the population has increased by you know how
much? Just do the maths and you will know what I am talking about. Coming to
maths, why are we so much obsessed with Maths?
Everyone who has a kid knows about Kota (and
quota), the place where they churn out entrance examination toppers, it is a
big industry estimated to about 6000 crore annually. Take a minute to digest
that. People are spending 6000 crores to get their child eligible for IIT or
MBBS entrance, about 2.5 lakhs students come to Kota, many of them from middle
or lower middle class, taking loans or borrowing from relatives, selling off
assets. Now just imagine a kid from a village or small town who is extremely
intelligent but has no interest in becoming an engineer or a doctor, but since
it was thrust upon him that all the "bright" students are suppose to
go to IIT and since good tuitions are available in a place outside of his
village 1000 of kilometres away from his family and he is packed off there... A
17 year old in an unknown place where people may not speak his language he may
not get his food and people who are able to do maths faster than him. With no
emotional support the kid in an unknown place and all lost, what do you think will
become of the kid?
Is it not high time that we stop glorifying
academically bright students? Why have posters showing top rankers from
different institutes for whom coaching is a business (none of my business)
which is ok, since everyone earns money and wants to earn more and more and
more. Education should be focussed on learning rather than earning.
For the parents it is ok if the kid is not in IIT,
let the child do what it wants. It is more of a peer pressure from the parents'
friends than the kids liking that forces people to go for Kota.
There are students who really want to become an
engineer have an ambition to become a doctor give them the best you can, but
let the child decide.
Couple of examples a child being brilliant and
still not in IIT is Sachin Tendulkar, M S Dhoni you can add Kohli to the list
too for his super dedication. Are this people not brilliant? Look at all the
young actors, singers artists all are brilliant. The rich and famous, D Mart
founder, he is not from IIT. The new age chefs, Ranveer, Vikas Khanna all are
brilliant. Singing , playing, running a business all requires brains.
In olden times when people had to rely on a job and
specific lines of education it was mandatory for a few of them to get in to the
IIT, but times have changed now, entrepreneurs are growing all over, artists
who show their skills on you tube or insta still make huge money...
Do you ever remember the name of the person who
stood first in the 10th or 12th standard? But you surely remember the name of
the famous actor cricketeer born in the same year as you have.
Education is must, a basic degree is must, but to
push a kid beyond his limit is not fair... seer salamat to pagdi hazaar is the
famous quote, बच्चा बचा तो डिग्रिया हज़ार should be the new quote.
Learn from
the kids, what we have learnt is of little use in this new world, kids are
smarter wiser, don't teach them, just help them.
It
is a big world many avenues to build innumerable seas to cross and much
mountains to climb... The world is much beyond the college, let them learn
unlearn climb and fall...
Let
them explore and find the beauty... they will be alive for long after we are
gone...
