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Independence Day precisely for a CBSE [Central Board Of Secondary Education] school going child is the day they are liberated from their main exams. That only holy day basically. That one day when exam ends is when they breathe in full lungs, full out without choking hindrances like homework, projects, tests or so on. Their academic sessions begin with hands tied in hand cuffs called books and pens with eyes rolling like truck tyre over the books. This definition was introduced to me by my high school going child and her friends. These children actually go through this elaborate technique called CBSE board exams.
How I wish they grew up as easily as in just one song, like in the Bollywood movies.
Last month I was part of a small debate. "Exam fear- Is it the children who bear the pressure or the parents"? Damn. I was the first speaker to confess the children were the victims. The parents are the moral inspectors and support systems. Supporting, guiding, mentoring, with all our capabilities, from their induction to school, towards their career plans, and beyond too. But the children who actually actively involve in the learning process feel the shake. We had lengthy discussion on why and how the parents were the passive victims. An argument of a child disinterested in studies too was not a reason. Even that child would still have to undergo his tests ultimately. Hence, I was resting my case. The children are constantly under this "Exam fear".
Exam is one entity. Consider the overall effects!
One of the stand up comedian once took upon hilariously on the Kendriya Vidyalayas to be the torture technique house. These CBSE students will get into trouble even because of their parents. Ask me how? You can't forget to notice the torn or worn out sock and replace it with a new pair, for your child. The child would then have to go through the long lecture of discipline in the school and pass it on to you too. Trust me, when it comes to discipline our CBSE children will beat the so called matured adult leaders of our country that make the most noise in the parliaments. Even the Kindergarten children of our CBSE school march in a line in corridors of school with fingers on their zipped lips.
We Indian's are the most empowered in this world. We believe in hard work. Hard working produces fruitful outcomes. Hard work means donkey work. That in turn applies to countless writing and reading exercises, trick and treat your memory with numerous formulas that don't work in real life but only in laboratories. We are spell bound. Spell of "studies". Many children get beaten like drums, sometimes with sticks or brooms. Because we parents believe in bringing out the beast out of us to produce the best out of our children. All this for the greed of creating the wonder kids. Like we polish our shoes shining, we create wonder children called toppers. They top the hoardings in the school which contains a picture of them with medals around their neck.
Last year, I was overwhelmed when Tulsi Mata of the mini screen had been appointed the Education Minister. Somewhere in this world there is justice. And that she gives it a dramatic slap and changes everything. Just like in her Television soaps. One year and so many changes. And everything is so good in the end. What a lovely fairy tale. But in few months that followed, neither did Tulsi maata stick to her profile nor did life change for CBSE. Yet many things did. In last year and till now these schools witnessed major changeover in assessments and in curriculum. Trial and error basis.
Recently heard the board welcomes opinions from public stake holders in process of rationalising the curriculum.
http://mhrd.gov.in/suggestions/ - Serious readers are welcome to click on the link and do needful. Now, this may be a welcome change. May be. Wonders seldom happen. On serious note, yes, I do see welcome changes over my perceptions.
The burden system has to overturn. One thing required on priority. Give me that one thing dear god- Bollywood style.
Board will hopefully re-consider not the evaluation system alone but the teaching pattern to: accommodate project oriented learning-centered activities; de-emphasis on excessive memorization ; relaxation on writing and flexibility on comprehending and presentation of knowledge. Most of all, the education pattern supported by the curriculum would be able to aid a child build and boost it's confidence. Caning has stopped now. That was a breather. But much more awaited. Looking away from books alone. And by far the most important, CBSE schools are not meant to produce only Engineers or Doctors by hierarchy. This is for all the faculty, parents and children.
Just today, happened to read a viral piece of news that some school in Tamil Nadu has progressed and proposed homework to parents based on sociology. Link Here - . Including relation building with their own children! I am aghast over the biases. What a injustice to the teachers. They deserve some homework too on the same lines. Relation building with the children included!
We are constantly in love with "phoren" studies while we still have the best of the best within us. There's everything, yet something amiss. Probably we have the oasis of knowledge but no breathing space.
All said and done. I embrace the holy truth of a fact that diamond shines brilliantly after that vigorous brushing and polishing. Remember it is these students that make and have been making the "bright India" and few "India bright" outside the country. These polished gems and pearls have decorated farthest of the world's corner. Starting with the brain drain, to the Make In India now, to the CEO of top most IT firms, it is these Indians. These CBSE brats that are twinkling all over.
They end up paying this price for making it to top. Ain't it true?
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