FIGHTING FOR ZERO LEVELS! ARE WE?

Fighting for Zero levels! Are we?

In a system, where the young ones are being compressed into a box of structured thinking, compelled to have a xeroxed logic if any, and stereo type answers to ensure top positions in the exams, it is now observed that very few of these almost mechanized products would really cope with what is on offer in the business, or academic world. The gap between the expected levels of knowledge and the actually available in form of the students, is huge and sadly it is widening, in spite all tall claims by the concerned authorities.

Most MBAs, do not know basic management principles, and have no inkling about what a manger does in the actual business world. Engineers are not far behind and most of them cannot explain basic units like ampere, volt, or force distribution.   The only ray of hope is the standards of exams conducted for CAs and the Cost Accountants.

The terms like innovation, research aptitude, comprehension, expression, and attitude are discussed again and again, but never implemented. The system never allows any curiosity in the minds of the students. Every State has a parallel industry of the easy to learn, guides and such things which tells the students that they need not bother about what happens in the academic sessions in their respective institutes. Further, the worst part is that the teachers also teach from the same books.    

Every year there are lot of panel discussions, which keep telling the institutes to improve the employability of the students. The fact that the discussions are still going on after about four decades, tells us about their seriousness or rather lack of it. The trouble is born somewhere else and solutions are sought at totally different places.

Before venturing into any further in the topic it is necessary to know:

That out 100 students appearing for the school leaving exam, only 30 would clear effectively. Out of these 30 further 30 percent would be effectively pursuing careers in engineering, medicine, law, and other professional careers. That means only 9 students out of the original 100 would be deserving. All other numbers provided are just hollow numbers.

Every year AICTE and other such regulatory authorities keep repeating that only 10 to 15 percent of the BE are employable. What is apparently hidden is that this 15% includes the students from IITs, NITs, and some other still good institutes. Please note that if similar performance was to be reported in the private sector, entire vertical would have been fired, but in government it is continued. The ultimate responsibility of what goes on in the engineering education is squarely fixed on AICTE or other such regulatory bodies. If after so many years and so many claimed innovations, nothing much has changed then it is clear that either the process or the personnel are responsible. If their process is right, then it seems that they cannot implement the same. After so many decades, if they cannot find the defect they do not deserve to be at the top. Or in other case, if they have found the defects and cannot rectify either due to their inefficiency or intentionally, they must be removed in both cases.

Something similar happens in the medical education. The absence of quality doctors is fact of life. Coupled with future malpractices in the medical profession we know what we risk when we go to hospitals. It is a matter of shame but nobody seems to bother. The money spinning goes on.

What is worse is that everything on paper is clean. The audits, inspections, submissions are correct. Usual cramming of the knowledge in the brains has been going on for last 5 decades. Nothing much can be attributed to the process. The statistics provided by the institutes, teachers, management and sadly by the governments is mostly made up, so, is of no practical use. A very casual guess would tell you that nobody respects the education process and its products. All stake-holders such as students, teachers, management and even the regulatory bodies, know the worth of their efforts and hence almost always maintain a stony silence.   If some of the students are good and do perform at the highest levels, we have to understand that they do so, despite of the system. In a fair appraisal of the system no one in the system can claim any credit for the good in the system.  

In academics, the only important aspect is the merit irrespective of where it comes from. Compromise with caliber at every stage of the education process for last five decades has literally putrefied the whole system. The stink is so strong that it cannot be ignored by any sensible person. The finished products of the systems are not even at the beginner’s levels. The comprehension levels are poor and expression non-existent, and yet their expectations reach sky-high. The arrogance stemming from hollow ignorance is repulsive.     

The real worth is checked at the competitive exams. GATE, CAT, CA, NET, SET exam results prove that something is seriously missing in the graduation courses. Exams like IAS or IES even in their recent ease of passing modes do not get what they want as the cream of the education process.

If we do same things with same inefficiency, we would get same inefficient people. There is a talk of changing the patterns of curriculum, exams, evaluations, but the vital point is always missed. Fault is not with the design of the system but it lies in the faulty, corrupt handling and implementation of the system. The component which needs to be changed is the system handlers and not the system.

We have seen that with every change in the education pattern things have gone from bad to worse and now we are heading to worst. The sanctity of 11 and 12 classes is gone to zero. Almost all colleges are attached to some private coaching rackets. Everything is managed from internal marks to actual exam papers. It is sickening.

We have to seriously address the issue of education and its imparting to the students or we are heading for a down slide in terms of credibility, and relevance to the rest of world.

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