It feels like a lifetime ago since I updated d blog! It's exam season after all, phew! Talking about exams, it never ceases to amaze me how very pathetic our education system is when it comes to assessing n evaluating students! The great I.E.L. aka Indian Examination League is the belle of d ball in students' calendars (not that everyone takes them all that seriously) n to what end really! Seems we are totally hell-bent about quantity n marks and just don't give any importance to quality n intellect! With d syllabi not revised for years at a stretch in many universities n obsolete paper patterns, it is but obvious that results r misleading n often misguided!! Whether it's d elementary, middle, Secondary School exams or at d collegiate levels, the system's rotten through n through with lax reforms n totally anti-student marking schemes!
It pains me (n many I'm sure) when students miss entrances by mere decimal points or percentiles n resort to measures like self - depracation, suicide or unfair means to score higher! With d competition driving them into a predator v/s prey race, the very sequence of evolution n emotional development is left shattered. What kind of education can we as a civilisation hope to impart with such a rigid, all exclusive examination system??? What long-lasting productive ends can we really achieve when just passing d exams is d motto n chief priority of our children?? And how can we dream to become a world superpower when marks and percentiles alone are considered d criteria to judge intelligence n intellect?????
These are just a few key questions out of many more which are raising strong objections to d way student - evaluation is done in our country! It's high time indeed for some serious reforms in d assessment procedures and d examination patterns to make them multi-dimensional and student friendly! There's an urgent need to shift from d dragon's breath to d rabbit's sigh and to create a more inclusive and representative system! The Central Board of Secondary Education's efforts have been great especially with the grading system n making d X Boards optional, but a lot more needs to be done, more so at all levels of d multi-tier n elitist education system!
Hoping we as d citizens of this nation can contribute to evolving better standards n procedures and develop a psychology n social mentality that can see beyond numbers and appreciate the distinct talents and aspirations of their children!!!! Here's to innovation, liberty and self-reliance and a departure from age-old n primitive examination patterns!
It pains me (n many I'm sure) when students miss entrances by mere decimal points or percentiles n resort to measures like self - depracation, suicide or unfair means to score higher! With d competition driving them into a predator v/s prey race, the very sequence of evolution n emotional development is left shattered. What kind of education can we as a civilisation hope to impart with such a rigid, all exclusive examination system??? What long-lasting productive ends can we really achieve when just passing d exams is d motto n chief priority of our children?? And how can we dream to become a world superpower when marks and percentiles alone are considered d criteria to judge intelligence n intellect?????
These are just a few key questions out of many more which are raising strong objections to d way student - evaluation is done in our country! It's high time indeed for some serious reforms in d assessment procedures and d examination patterns to make them multi-dimensional and student friendly! There's an urgent need to shift from d dragon's breath to d rabbit's sigh and to create a more inclusive and representative system! The Central Board of Secondary Education's efforts have been great especially with the grading system n making d X Boards optional, but a lot more needs to be done, more so at all levels of d multi-tier n elitist education system!
Hoping we as d citizens of this nation can contribute to evolving better standards n procedures and develop a psychology n social mentality that can see beyond numbers and appreciate the distinct talents and aspirations of their children!!!! Here's to innovation, liberty and self-reliance and a departure from age-old n primitive examination patterns!
We are totally in the same shoes when it comes to this one! Students, nowadays, study to pass exams not to learn when it's the latter that matters most. After exams, more than half of what the students learn goes to their subconscious mind and they don't get to apply them in the real setting. So what kind of education is that!
ReplyDeleteGreat article, Mo! Writer on the loose again! Keep it up!
Indeed An! Why wd they retain d knowledge n also hw so whn they just cram it up 4 d exams! Besides, tht's nt knowledge at all as , what is wasted n driven away can hardly b called permanent knowledge!
ReplyDeleteAlas, we need a change n very soon b4 all we hv is mechanical cyborgs (human ones) ruling d planet, all hellbent on d theory, none bothering abt d application!