In 2002, an amendment was done in Article-21A in the Constitution of India with the aim of providing compulsory and free elementary education to each and every child. The Act clearly states that children between ages 6-14 must receive free education. In the wider picture, there is a clear aim at increasing the literacy rate in India. But, that’s what all it is, increasing numbers that can be flaunted in the next election campaign. On April 1st, 2010, this act was implemented much to the delight of education enthusiasts.
This act more or less is of no use. In India a literate person is an individual who can write his name and offer a signature. Is educational development decided on how many people can offer a signature? On the surface, this act seems like a great initiative by the Indian government. But, the reality is quite different, this act harms more than it benefits. The provisions of the Act are designed to destroy the society and make it a parasitical one. Some provisions and their malicious effects are mentioned below:
Admitting a child to an age appropriate class: A 10 year old child who has never even picked up a book will be admitted directly in the grade year according to his age. In the given case, the child will be admitted in 6th grade. The child is deprived of all the basic education that act as building blocks to growth.
Nobody must be failed: The Act has this pathetic provision where it says that children of age group 6-14 (1st to 8th standard) must not be failed under any circumstances. Even if the answer paper during examination is left blank, the student must be promoted in the final result.
Private schools not affected: Private schools are immune to this Act. Only Government administered Schools fall under this provisional Act. The Act states that a child can attend any school of his/her choice if they can afford the fees. Otherwise, admission in Municipality or Government School fares as the only option.
Scrapping Advanced Exams: The CBSE board exam of 10th standard was scrapped in 2011. Plans to imply the same in SSC board were in progress but, did not fall through. The idea of scrapping IIT-JEE entrance exams were also becoming topics of discussion in the HRD ministry for Education. Thankfully, the talks have cooled down.
Effects and malice
- If a child can pass an examination even after leaving the paper blank, the actual development of his intelligence is null. Class 1st to Class 8th is the foundation on which all basics that are requisite to learn and understand higher levels of knowledge are built. When the foundation is so easy to pass through, schools will promote parrots and not brains.
- Languages or Social Sciences can be learnt in a couple of years but, Maths and Science takes a lot of basic work. With knowledge of passing very easily, no student will study and no teacher will teach. Education will become a formality.
- Exceptional brains will never get challenging questions because the Act supports easy question papers. So even if an intelligent child wants to study to his potential, this education system will never act as a platform. He instead will become average as there will be nothing challenging for him for 8 years of his elementary education.
- On reaching higher standards like 9th or 10th, a whopping fall in percentage is imminent. 8 years of spoon feeding will never help a child in finishing a race. Indian education will then produce employees who can occupy small jobs at big companies.
- Scientists and Engineers will be less as Maths and Science’s basic education never let their brains to grow.
The Bigger Picture: Is it a conspiracy or an unacceptable blunder, we don’t know. But, surely, this system is flawed and our future generations will face the wrath. This Act assures the production of average or below average brains. There will be scientists and engineers in future, but ordinary ones. This drop in scientific brains will increase our dependency on foreign brains. Their Science and Technology will place ‘them’ on top while Indian brains follow their instructions.
No matter how rhetorical it may sound, the truth is that this Right to Education Act has threatened our educational freedom and independence. It must be scrapped away immediately because it can’t affect us, but it will definitely affect our children and their generations to come.
