I dropped of my daughter for her IITJEE exams today and observing the people over there was an illuminating experience in judging how dead serious we are about our child's education. We all have seen our education minister, deride the IITs as intellectual and have seen him make several half-baked attempts at “reforming” the process. He should really come and see for himself how “elitist” the folks whose children take the exams.
I even saw a father pedalling on a simple bicycle with the son on the carrier in the back. With moms who laid out picnic blankets and were waiting in the 39 celcius temperature with lunch laid out for the kids. They stayed from 8am to 5pm providing the nurturing the ecosystem for the kids. Finally, the kids for whom a good college admission is a meal ticket to prosperity, trooping in and out of the exam hall.
The expectations were written all over the faces of the parents as much as the students. Our policy makers really need to visit these centres interact with the folks and then maybe better plan things for the future. I propose a simple formula, an IIT, AIIMS, IIM in each state followed by a NIT & Medical College in each district, with 2-3 polytechnic and nursing colleges as well. In addition to ensure that locals benefit for each of these institutes 50% should be domicile admission as well. That way each area will have a good shot at pursuing education locally or nearby. The all India institutes can be totally merit based over time as well. One thing that can be done today itself would be to make all PG admissions totally based on merit. This will ensure that those that get left out for bachelors will get another chance to pursue their heart for PG.
Sometimes I wonder as to how come such simple common sense proposals elude our government and in particular our education minister…
Please, visit such educational entrance exam sites to understand the real India, only then you will automatically give up such nonsensical ideas such as grades etc.
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