Much as i would love to discuss theory and of course, kaku's contribution to the Physics class, i cannot help but ponder on the scams in education that are a part and parcel of Indian life. Ask any set of middle aged parents in India and they will tell you how worried they are about their children's college education. The whole of the college scene is a dismal ,sleazy world dominated by goons.
One would think that education is the least likely o fields to have sensationalism rear it's ugly head but here, you cannot escape it. The stories connected with higher education are full of murder, tales of underhand dealings and the reality makes bollywood dramas look like primary school plays.As far as western education is concerned, India is a fairly young country. Most of our colleges have opened post independence and so higher education is just about 70 years old.
Colleges favoring humanities were the first to open. Technical education also began after the British left. Most doctors and lawyers would have to make a trip to the UK or Germany to get trained. However, things changed and by the 90s we had full fledged institutions. But instead of training brilliant students who would be an asset to the country, these institutions became the hot bed of politics and the exploitation of students is a saga that Indians today, should be ashamed of.
The common admission tests are all in the hands of goons whose duty it is to arrange mass irregularities in the selection process. Each day we wade through newspaper reports that go into gory details. Such details which would frighten any parent or any adolescent. In the long lists of such scams murder is also being added.
Worse, it's not only the children who want to pass in the usual way that are hit.Those whose parents arrange for an admission through a financial arrangement suffer most. Some of them are murdered if the scam comes to light. Some are harassed for more money through out the course of their studies. Recently, i went to a reputed private medical college for my son's admission. They took a test and on finding him suitable invited me in a special study to confer with the director.
Silently, the man gave his calculator and said,"Madam, please deposit this amount in cash by next week for the offer of admission." I peered in to the device to see ,by my standards at least, a huge sum in Indian rupees. I managed to croak," Can i give this amount in a cheque or bank transfer?"
The man smiled indulgently and said""No, cash only." A phrase which has become so common in India nowadays that i have my doubts about our banks.Are they for show or they too have a hand in fostering this malpractice through the loans that they give out so readily?
But nothing had prepared me for my son's reaction. "No, mummy we musn't pay them.' he murmured. Still i ventured," Maybe we should ,after all it's your future we have to think of. ' What is he thinking of ? i wondered, is it heroism or too much honesty or is he feeling guilty about it.
Then he looked up and i saw the terror in his eyes."No mummy, don't even think of leaving me to study here, alone, with these goons." That's when pity , not just for my son but all of them, our children, my students welled up in me. What have they done to deserve this terror? He hasn't even turned 18 yet.
One would think that education is the least likely o fields to have sensationalism rear it's ugly head but here, you cannot escape it. The stories connected with higher education are full of murder, tales of underhand dealings and the reality makes bollywood dramas look like primary school plays.As far as western education is concerned, India is a fairly young country. Most of our colleges have opened post independence and so higher education is just about 70 years old.
Colleges favoring humanities were the first to open. Technical education also began after the British left. Most doctors and lawyers would have to make a trip to the UK or Germany to get trained. However, things changed and by the 90s we had full fledged institutions. But instead of training brilliant students who would be an asset to the country, these institutions became the hot bed of politics and the exploitation of students is a saga that Indians today, should be ashamed of.
The common admission tests are all in the hands of goons whose duty it is to arrange mass irregularities in the selection process. Each day we wade through newspaper reports that go into gory details. Such details which would frighten any parent or any adolescent. In the long lists of such scams murder is also being added.
Worse, it's not only the children who want to pass in the usual way that are hit.Those whose parents arrange for an admission through a financial arrangement suffer most. Some of them are murdered if the scam comes to light. Some are harassed for more money through out the course of their studies. Recently, i went to a reputed private medical college for my son's admission. They took a test and on finding him suitable invited me in a special study to confer with the director.
Silently, the man gave his calculator and said,"Madam, please deposit this amount in cash by next week for the offer of admission." I peered in to the device to see ,by my standards at least, a huge sum in Indian rupees. I managed to croak," Can i give this amount in a cheque or bank transfer?"
The man smiled indulgently and said""No, cash only." A phrase which has become so common in India nowadays that i have my doubts about our banks.Are they for show or they too have a hand in fostering this malpractice through the loans that they give out so readily?
But nothing had prepared me for my son's reaction. "No, mummy we musn't pay them.' he murmured. Still i ventured," Maybe we should ,after all it's your future we have to think of. ' What is he thinking of ? i wondered, is it heroism or too much honesty or is he feeling guilty about it.
Then he looked up and i saw the terror in his eyes."No mummy, don't even think of leaving me to study here, alone, with these goons." That's when pity , not just for my son but all of them, our children, my students welled up in me. What have they done to deserve this terror? He hasn't even turned 18 yet.
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