I'm a Lazy Girl...

I'm feeling extremely sleepy right now (I can actually feel the effort which I'm putting in so that my eyelids wouldn't shut down all of a sudden), but for some inexplicable reason, I feel like writing something for all of you to read, as well. So kindly take some extra pains to read through this piece, however hard it may seem, for I'm using all my literary capabilities in making this sound as coherent and sensible as I possibly can; and I'm sure this would come as a big surprise to all the regular visitors on this blog, because I'm generally much more sanguine about my writings turning out suitable enough for human consumption.

My thoughts are all muddled-up at this very moment and I'm just not able to think clearly; so much so that I'm quite sure that I wouldn't be able to tell apart a physics theory from a chemical reaction! And so, the question may arise that why, for the love of all things that are holy, am I still sitting in front of my laptop's screen in place of drifting away peacefully to sleep. The answer lies in a very well known saying which goes like "As You Sow, So You Reap". This is, sort of, a confession to an outrageous crime which I've been committing pretty frequently for quite some time now, by not paying much attention to my final-year dissertation. And now, the mid-semester evaluation is due in a few days. So, because of my lackadaisical attitude, I'm a dead duck.

Right now, as I type these words very, very, very slowly (for I have little energy left in me, and also because if I don't do anything to keep myself busy, I'll drop off right here in front of the screen), the financial database Prowess is working at snail's speed in order to retrieve some data which I desperately need for the above mentioned dissertation.

I wish there was some way to avoid the academic fiasco which stares me in the face at the moment. Sigh.

By the way, the database just displayed the required data. So I'm off to sleep. I'll write in again soon if I survive next week's evaluation!!

The Wild Horses of Imagination and the Indian Education System

Does the title say it all? Well, if it doesn't, kindly do take the pains to read on, and of course, you are more than welcome to read this piece of literary excellence even if you are sure that you know what lies ahead.

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. 

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.

Some thought, this one!

On the lookout for another Newton?