Rajesh's Blog

Mr. Kapil Sibal -  the one name which often hit my ear drum when I tried to overhear the political gossips of my dad while I was still at the schooling even though barely did I know him then that he had obtained Master’s in Law from Harvard School – has been at the receiving end of some relatively modest criticisms from some dammit heads of opposition parties – which they often do whenever a proposal is brought in by the ruling government irrespective of whether it does good or not – ever since he proposed the idea of making the 10th grade exams optional. *oops, let this sentence end here!*

Well, even I’m not an ardent supporter of Mr. Kapil’s above said proposal. Though, the idea is not entirely to scrap the 10th grade exams but to make it optional, the politicians, as always, are making issues as if it has been implemented with immediate effect and without any treatments of educational adepts. If I had read correctly then his one of the lines in the statement was to let the exams not traumatise those students who will be pursuing their higher secondary school studies in the same institution. Does anywhere has he been quoted as saying if to scrap the earlier system to the core as Ms. J (as far as tamilnadu politicians are concerned) has been issuing statements?!? Hardly, could we blame Mr. K for not issuing any tit-for-tat statements as he would be often busy in framing plans to make his great grandson and/or yet-to-born great grandson enter his politically radical group!

Here goes my personal views about Mr. Kapil’s idea….. Firstly, I would wish to consider 10th grade exams as a utile precedent of the 12th grade exams rather than as one which takes both physical and mental toll of students’. But those which take toll are the tutions in the name of extra coaching to keep students’ mind occupied with the thoughts of science and maths all the time even after they head home from school and the added efforts by almost all school managements & some parents to frighten the little hearts as if it is the end of their road if they fail to score ample enough in exams. Also, by the way, one should not forget a section of the community who considers the 10th board exams as just their first experience before they appear for all-the-more important 12th board exams and take it in their own constructive way.

Going by the exact words of Mr. Kapil “The Indian education system which is marks-centered and examination-based is a source of trauma for both parents and children… knowledge, like everything else, should be user-friendly, and the acquisition of knowledge should not be a stressful exercise.” Well, if that’s his case then hasn’t the twelfth board exams been marks-centered !? Marks are just a criteria to rate students’ knowledge which will be tested by exams. If he demands modification then it should be in the pattern over which the examination papers are framed and not on the entire system over which exams are conducted. Can he name at least one exam be conducted without the involvement of the term ‘marks’ !? You should not wonder if one gets surprised if Mr.Kapil names one!

Even now several state run boards are there across this nation which hardly gives practical exposure to students till their 10th grade. With some boards giving practical exposure and others not weren’t the students been partisaned though choosing their board of study is not entirely their fault! None, even I, couldn’t say a person with high calibre like Mr. Kapil wouldn’t be wary of these things but as lieke many others it is the political knot which may keep him from acting in a more fervent way if he really feels the need for the change in our age old education system!