Is the present Higher Education system in India flawed?

Pradium Moirangthem *

This is a question arose to all the readers to derive with a decision about the higher Education System in India.

This topic was discussed in the OUGRI 2016 Debate Competition, held at National Institute of Technology, Manipur on April 01, 2016. Some participants including me, supported the motion that the present higher education system in India is flawed, while some others were against it. I would like to disclose some facts regarding this topic.

Higher Education System may be defined as the system which includes four basic groups - the Minister of the Department of Education, the Head of the Institutes, the teachers and the higher level studying students.

The linking of these four groups leads to a system called the Higher Education System. A proper Higher Education System is called only when these four groups are functioning well. The most important is the proper relation and interaction between teachers and students in the higher education level. Given below are the terms discussed in the debate competition by the two groups that day.

For the participants who were in motion, their primary evidence was the low number of students in the present higher studies level while the present primary level is higher.

The coming of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Right to Education all collaborate with primary school studies only. This may be the reason why the ratio of students in primary level are more than the higher studies. Even if scholarships are provided, most of the higher secondary students are just deprived of it.

The second reason is that the present higher Education System in India do not satisfy the right dream of a student. Pen is the ultimate weapon of a student, but the society does not respect those who go against the bound rules to fulfill their dreams.

For example, a seventeen year old boy wants to become a dancer but before he sets out to fulfill his dream, he has to go through rounds and rounds of approvals from his parents, he has to think what his society would think of him. So, this is what the present higher education system lacks.

The third case is very much familiar to the students. Mostly, students in the adolescent age group commit suicide for failing to prove himself to the society. The students of higher studies have become a bait to the society and those who could not resist to the pressures of the society, they just commit suicide. In many movies too, such incidents have been shown which reveals that it is a fact.

The students of higher Education System has a less interaction with the teachers in this present moment. In many cases, students have to study on their own or to go for tuition. And the students too do not educate their students thoroughly but to get their salary. This fact do not apply to the renowned top colleges but it is also an applies fact in the low grade colleges in which most of the students belong.

These were the points of view presented by the participants who were supporting the topic. Now, for those who were against the topic, the following facts were put in order.

In the first case, a student compared the Indian Education System with the European Education System saying that our Indian Education System is one of the best and other countries too are setting it as an example. Although the British brought the Education System to recruit clerks and other low grade jobs in that time, but today, many developments in India such as the advancements in the IT sector, launching of newly modified and advanced rockets etc. are the fruit of the Indian Education System.

The second case was the fact of being practical. The things learnt in theory are made into reality. This was the key point that led to the against of motion. Many researchers of the Universities split out to the small villages to undergo their practical skills regarding their learnt facts and terms. Advancements of the Green Revolution defines the bringing of the fruit of Education from labs to lands. Hence, the present Education System in India is not flawed. This was the term brought up by a participant.

The third term proposed was the interactions between teachers and students. Well! the participant made it clear by saying that why would teachers run after the students to submit their assignments. This is all because of interaction. We all laughed because it is a fact.

The bill was not passed in the Debate Competition held that day. The participants who spoke against the motion won. But I give the right to decide to all the readers whether to go for the motion or against the motion because both are facts and it needs to be discussed about. We need improvement in the present higher Education System to make more and more students the right to better higher Education System.

Our Nation will only develop if the pillars of the Nation are strong. Hence, this is high time for all of us to look forward for a better higher Education System than the present. And for this to come true, the authorities concerned should make up a good list of perfect teachers even in low grade colleges. The Education system needs to modify such that the students should not bury their dreams in studying some courses.

It was a nice experience for me to take part in that debate competition. That day proved to be an inspirational day for me. So, I implore everyone who is holding this article right now that only we could bring a change to the present Higher Education System. Because there is a saying by a great senior of mine, "If not you, then who. If not now, then when." Thus, let us look for a brighter Higher Education System than the present one.