The latest snippet of news that relates itself to the brand new path-breaking changes which the National Vocational Qualification Framework plans to introduce in the way us Indians get educated in the near future, is something of a revolution when you consider the rote-learning ways which have been masquerading as "education" in our schools till now. For the ones who are clueless as to what I am harping about, the latest news is that now you wouldn't necessarily have to be a science student in order to take up engineering or medical studies after school (Read the 18th July "Hindustan" for details). In fact, one would actually be able to decide what one really wanted to do with life, at any stage of their career. So now, since just anybody would be able to apply for admissions into engineering or medical colleges, the entrance exams' patterns would also need to be changed in order to accommodate these sweeping new changes. They can now be expected to become a true judge of a student's aptitude.
Also, with this new system in place, what earlier would have been termed as "fancy thoughts", might soon just become a reality, i.e., our students might as well become their own "decision-makers" when it comes to career choices, because now school students would be able to study just anything that they want to study in school, without having to worry about hurting the "pride and prestige" of their over-ambitious parents with their oh-so-very-fragile egos that can break into a million pieces at the mere thought of their beloved kid taking-up anything other than engineering or medical studies while the neighbor's children slog it out at the nearby coaching center in order to prepare for entrance into some prestigious institute.
Imagine that there would actually be days in our students' lives when they wouldn't have to put up with something like, "Oh! The agony of having to face your grandmother's sister's daughter's brother-in-law in the wedding reception of your uncle's son! Do you even know that his son has taken-up the Physics-Chemistry-Biology-Mathematics combination in his Class XI?! And what's more, he's actually scored 95+ in each of his First Term School examinations!! And then, look at you! What a shame you've brought upon the family's name by taking-up Humanities!" So now, students would be able to go about discovering their own little talents and aptitudes while they are still in school, without having to rely on their parents' "wisdom" as to what they should do, because now they would have the opportunity to find out what they CAN do best, without having to worry that their decision to take up a particular set of subjects would prove to be a hindrance if they later on choose to do something else with their lives.
Also, with this new system in place, what earlier would have been termed as "fancy thoughts", might soon just become a reality, i.e., our students might as well become their own "decision-makers" when it comes to career choices, because now school students would be able to study just anything that they want to study in school, without having to worry about hurting the "pride and prestige" of their over-ambitious parents with their oh-so-very-fragile egos that can break into a million pieces at the mere thought of their beloved kid taking-up anything other than engineering or medical studies while the neighbor's children slog it out at the nearby coaching center in order to prepare for entrance into some prestigious institute.
Imagine that there would actually be days in our students' lives when they wouldn't have to put up with something like, "Oh! The agony of having to face your grandmother's sister's daughter's brother-in-law in the wedding reception of your uncle's son! Do you even know that his son has taken-up the Physics-Chemistry-Biology-Mathematics combination in his Class XI?! And what's more, he's actually scored 95+ in each of his First Term School examinations!! And then, look at you! What a shame you've brought upon the family's name by taking-up Humanities!" So now, students would be able to go about discovering their own little talents and aptitudes while they are still in school, without having to rely on their parents' "wisdom" as to what they should do, because now they would have the opportunity to find out what they CAN do best, without having to worry that their decision to take up a particular set of subjects would prove to be a hindrance if they later on choose to do something else with their lives.
So now, talents can actually be discovered by the ones who have them, at a pace which suits them.
Just imagine what it would be like to live in a country where talent and aptitude would not have to be sacrificed at the altar of parental ambition; where decisions wouldn't have to be made just to compete with some distant odd relative, and, where the student's will and his own assessment of his capabilities would determine what he does with his life. I guess this would amount to being our very own Renaissance, which would enable its own Newtons, Da Vincis and Descartes to blossom.
Just imagine what it would be like to live in a country where talent and aptitude would not have to be sacrificed at the altar of parental ambition; where decisions wouldn't have to be made just to compete with some distant odd relative, and, where the student's will and his own assessment of his capabilities would determine what he does with his life. I guess this would amount to being our very own Renaissance, which would enable its own Newtons, Da Vincis and Descartes to blossom.
Some thought, this one!
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| On the lookout for another Newton? |
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