Prime Minister Narendra Modi while raising key issues in the seventh episode of his outreach programme titled “Pariksha Pe Charcha” cautioned parents against treating their children’s report cards as their visiting card and touched upon the trust deficit between children and parents. Other significant suggestions from the PM ranged from competing with oneself instead of others and the need to instil resilience in children to help them cope with academic pressures. A comment on how parents use the successes of their children to blur their own shortcomings was another pointed observation.
Modi was spot on picking up issues plaguing the education system that are out in the open. From exams to use of electronic gadgets, the PM had it well covered. The question that plays on the mind now is whether the discourse will bring about a change in outlook. Or whether it will be business as usual?
Beginning with the focus on report cards and the rising competition between peers that puts enormous pressure on students there are numerous issues in every schooling system, issues that have remained unresolved because of an array of factors — from a rigid learning structure, temperaments and backgrounds of students, teachers and parents, environment, mental well-being, etc. There are cases where students have gone into depression after failures, and there are several students across India who have committed suicide unable to cope with failures.
The points raised by the PM are no doubt pertinent in the current environment, but some of them are beyond the realm of the current setup. For example, instilling resilience in children to help them cope with pressures is possible, but extending the student-teacher bond beyond syllabus and curriculum is challenging given the workload of both teachers and students. Also, approaching exams with a relaxed mindset is not practical in any scenario. While it is easy to ask students, teachers and parents to collectively address stress, on the practical side, it is a tough ask for respective components to find a common ground. Creating no-gadget zones and restricting cellphone usage at home is a disciplinary sign, but it’s difficult when Information Technology becomes the “carrier” of education. Moreover, suppressing the use of cell phones could hurt behavioural patterns.
The PM had a lot on his list, but apparently, the stress takes pole position because it has links to other issues. The Education Department, especially in Goa, has introduced student counsellors to address issues of failures and negativity, but that has not helped the cause because of the race for excellence. Stress comes in different denominations and cannot be treated with a “one-size-fits-all” prescription. The education system needs professionals who can dive deep into the mental and emotional aspects.
While there were important lessons to learn in Pariksha Pe Charkha for students, teachers, parents and school management, there is a big role for State governments to play. The entire system will have to change, and the National Education Policy holds that ray of hope.
Pariksha Pe Charkha is an excellent exercise, but the success of the discourse is not dependent on how forceful the PM is, nor is it based on how genuine the suggestions are. Much will depend on whether the PM’s words of wisdom will be taken to their logical conclusion by the torch-bearers of the education sector. Time will tell.
