The Indian education system has continued to evolve since it was first established in India on an official note. Although the education system has evolved, many of the features remain the same and it can be said that not many changes have been noticed in the structural setup of the education system. So, it can be said that the Indian education system still has a traditional way of outlook and learning. The Indian education system, unlike the American school system, focuses on training and educating children over 12 years where the child starts right after completing kindergarten education. Several subjects are covered in the syllabus for the children to learn.
Our country India has always been famous for the field of education since the Vedic period. In ancient times, India had the Guru Kula system of education in which a student who wished to study used to go to a teacher’s (Guru) house and requested to be taught. If the student would be accepted as a student, the guru allowed the student to stay at his place and help in all activities at home in return for getting an education. This not only creates a strong bond between the teacher and the student but also helps in teaching the student about all the aspects of running a household. The guru teaches the students about everything that they student wanted to learn, from Sanskrit to the Holy Scriptures and from Mathematics to Metaphysics. The student stayed with the guru until the guru felt that he had taught everything to the student that he could teach. All of the learning was closely related to nature and life and was not just confined to memorizing some information.
Due to the arrival of foreign colonizers in India and the policies of the rulers, India started getting newer policies and systems of governance. Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay was the first person who brought the modern school system to a country like India, including the English language, in the 1830s. The educational program was restricted to only so-called subjects such as science and mathematics, and subjects like metaphysics and philosophy were considered unnecessary and meaningless.
Teaching got confined only to the classroom environment and the link with nature and the close relationship between the teacher or guru and the students were broken.
The main features of the modern education system of India include the following.
● A system of mandatory education for all children up to the age of fourteen. All children below this age must be given education in any government or private school.
● If any child is forced to do any other job excluding being educated, the person concerned in such activities would be treated as per law.
● After gaining primary education, a child can be given secondary education for securing the future of the child.
● For providing this level of education, the central and state governments are both involved through their boards, which are created for this purpose.
● There are also private boards that conduct a high school or intermediate exam patterns.
● After the 10+2 (secondary schooling), a person can pursue a bachelor, master, and an alternative specialization degree in several fields according to their choice.
The vast area of subjects covered enables students to possess knowledge about as much as it is possible to remember. Some subjects help the students to know about the long-lost culture of India, which people should be aware of. Since students learn so many subjects, many of the students find it easier and get determined about what field they want to pursue a career in. Subjects like Economics and English started coming to the use of the students in their day-to-day life.
Most subjects, such as chemistry and physics, focus on textbook knowledge and learning, where they could have been able to apply fun applied subjects in their method of learning. There is lesser focus on physical education and sports, and there is more focus on studying and mugging up all day long. Most importantly the schools in India focus on rot-learning rather than teaching the students to practically apply the knowledge in various activities. Moreover, sex education is not provided in Indian schools, which is something that should be thoughtfully inculcated each year for students to learn about. There is less focus on character building, and many schools do not provide lessons and classes on etiquette, mannerisms, and value education. The subject matter and homework puts a tremendous amount of stress on students’ minds, which is a difficult task for many to bear. Large classes in schools imply that there is a lesser focus given on each student’s learning. Rather, stress is laid on bulk or mass learning. This is extremely challenging to a student’s education journey during and after school hours. Since most knowledge focuses only on memorization and this cannot be retained in the long run, students even feel lost after school hours. Many students even remain unemployed in the future. Most of the private schools charge exorbitant fees, which becomes a heavy burden for the parents. Schools with affordable fees generally have lesser funds, which affects the quality of education and affects the quality of teaching. The examinations are more focused on results, rather than continuous learning, and staying focused on actual learning rather than focusing on the score of the students during the examination.
The Indian Education System has several disadvantages, and newer solutions must be thought of and implemented to bring about a more balanced education for students. Some reforms that can be brought about are a reduction in school fees, a shorter duration of holidays, regular tests, and an increase in the focus on extra-curricular activities as well. The Indian Education System is a topic involving great debates about whether it is good or bad. The focus needs to shift to bring out the best learning experience for the students which would lead to a lot more positive changes within the education system.
It is very necessary to look into the matters of the drawbacks of the education system. This would help the Indian Government to better the education system and bring in new reforms and methods that would be contemporary to the children’s mindset and this would help in providing effective and smart education to the children. This becomes one of the sole responsibilities of the Government as the future of the country lies in the education system and the quality of education that a child gets under the Government education regimes. This would help in a better future for both the country as well as to the lives of the student community.
