The Evolution of Education and Innovation in India Though digital India has been one of the biggest political agendas for a while now, education has been balanced with digitisation, physical activities and quality content
By Vinay Aranha
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Education and the right to education is one of the main fundamental rights of our country's citizens. It is compulsory for children aged between 6-14 to have an education. Over the many years, especially after independence, India has managed to increase its literacy rates to nearly 75%. It also has more primary education than ever before.
There is a lot spoken and written about the education system and the lack of accessibility. We fail to acknowledge that we have come a long way in making our country progressive through education. We are the only country that is in high demand for our skills in the English language. Our citizens are speaking more than one language and are proficient in English which is a universally accepted corporate and business language. Our education system has made English language as our first language of education. This means that we are as fluent as any native. The knowledge of the English language alone is an advantage over other nationalities when seeking higher education or jobs.
Our education system encourages technology as well. We not only ensure that the children understand and know technology but also encourages the use of it. Most schools today have computers 1:1 and use technology in their teaching as well. Projections, online classes, online access for homework and similar use of trendy technology is making students and to an extend their parents technologically sound. This helps children and parents to stay up to date as well as embrace the fast changing times. It wont be long when all schools are digital.
Though digital India has been one of the biggest political agendas for a while now, education has been balanced with digitisation, physical activities and quality content. Many State boards as well as the Central board have ensured that the textbooks and lessons that children learn within the classroom are up to date as well. They have made sure to include inspiring stories as well as stories that are making the next generation broad minded and not confined to religion or to dated thoughts. It is making kids respect one another better and accept each others shortcomings. It is an effort to keep education more human than simply digitised.
In recent times, we have seen that children have been put under a lot of pressure and therefore the education system underwent a serious change. Parents also demonstrated their frustration when they saw their children were under stress and took drastic steps to release that stress. In Maharashtra we now allow all children to attend class and be pushed into the next grade until 9th. This is good as well as unhelpful for the children. The education itself is taken for granted by the parents and in turn the kids. They learn but they don't take it seriously. Competition is a way to make children enjoy the process of education as well as helps in keeping their memory sharp. It encourages participation, learning, and exploration of the mind. The teachers passion, in our observation, has also taken a back seat which is not benefitting the children.
On the other hand, there are any passionate teachers who campaign in their own small way to ensure that the children have a holistic development. They encourage children to read books, take physical training classes and voice their opinions unabashedly. Efforts at an individual level is truly something that has benefitted education and the children.
We needed to appreciate the positive changes that have taken place in the process of bringing better education to the speedy generations. They are knowledgeable of so any things before they Coe into class. It is now becoming a need to channelise this knowledge that todays kids have, thanks to advancement of technology. It is y appeal to all education institutes, teachers and parents to encourage their children to take education seriously without applying pressure on their progress. Progress is not not what we see on the report cards, it is in their social and intellectual skills and its applications at their individual level. Appreciation of the children in everything they do and channelising their mistakes to learning fro the is what will make India a highly skilled and civilised country.
