I almost pity those teachers paid miserly by the CBSE for going to various schools challenging the intellect of the students with an excuse called 'Practicals'. Perhaps the argument goes on that the entire education system should be practical knowledge and the need arises of kicking the theoritical aspect aside, but since change comes at a turtle's speed and the hare too is not in sight, we have far behind left our dreams as such.
So this guy - tall, smart and intelligent in his own stubborn way - questions relentlessly from 8 in the morning to 4 in the evening, nervous, damp faced students - on whose wishlist is only the exit door - soon.
Eventually, he looses his stature and realizes the futility of it all. Enters a guy around 1 in the afternoon, wrecked with his bold ideas of a disaster of a viva. The chubby, fair and authentically Elvis inspired guy sits across this gentleman and gives a feeble smile. Ten minutes later he comes out with a grin unmatched by any of Aishwarya Rai's artificial ones when she's being chased by the 'hero' under a tree.
Apparently, five hours of continuous questioning, and ten glasses of tea later, the poor chap who had come as an external examiner just asked him to sing an Adnan Sami song and take his leave.
It would be my modest wish to hold memories as such, singing in front of five top teachers of the school and being marked on it - and it having to do nothing with what the three fat books hold...
Comments
Adnan Sami song... very interesting, i hope my externals ask me to sing a song as well, but i wasnt lucky enough..me sighs...
PS: education system should be practical knowledge will eventually result in increase in the number of failures, but finally will be more effective one
made cooler by The Geek on February 9, 2004 7:04 PM
Not the education, but the grading system in India is crap! It should be based more on daily/weekly/monthly assignments & projects and not on the final marks - which I think is 100% of the year work.
made cooler by Preet Chandhoke on February 9, 2004 8:22 PM
It's all like a ritual, Like our environmental classes, In the end of the year....you have to attend 16 lectures or ur not allowed to appear for exams. And just to complete the ritual, the lecturers just ask for the list of present students...and that's it for the current environment. Same is for the practicals, Theroy is fine for learning, but atleast we need to know who to apply it. But what the hec! It's a long way ahead...to make things more practical.
made cooler by Sarthak on February 9, 2004 9:21 PM
I agree, they should have vocal exams like these more often. But even in vocal exams, the parrots'll memorise and vomit their thing, just like the speeches of our politicians. And good debaters'll leave the examiner scared by their vocal abilities. So nothing's fair at the end. Just like I said before in my last post 'intelligence cannot be measured in the current era' You know, the best examination system would be to have 50 marks in practicals and 50 marks in MCQs and not paragraphs of learning. Infact, even the MCQs should be asked in the practicals, to further reduce the chances of cheating. I think I'm going to be writing letters to cbse after my boards, and tons of em, and encourage all other friends to do so too. Mass pressure'll surely bring down the system, I hope.
made cooler by Rohit on February 10, 2004 8:57 AM
Kushagra: I don't know if it would really increase the number of failures, for I think it would only bind the interest of the students in the subject more strongly - perhaps it will curb the corruption that exists in examinations. But maybe India and corruption will remain lovers for a long time to come, regardless of such changes...
Preet: Everything is crap.. what do they teach you for thirteen years which makes any sense for the rest of your life? The only thing perhaps which contributes to your living and wellbeing would be math - which too is taught more efficiently by private tutors nowadays. How will grading help if the standards of education remain as they are?
Sarthak: Long way ahead, or maybe not coming up at all - who knows where the extra funds for education go anyway?
Rohit: Oral exams are perhaps just as bad as written ones - I agree with what you say for sure. But I think the need is to spin practicality into theory - like Sarthak said. Unless we're making sense of what we learn, its all a very futile practice after all.
made cooler by Lime on February 10, 2004 4:10 PM
Hell ya! My report on the "Education System in India" is really an eye opener. I have made all the measures to send this to top brass people concerned! Might get me on the news channels soon! I'll post the STATS soon on my Blog..And a free copy to you all! Enjoy!
PS: By the way Lime..Did you get the card?
made cooler by Shonal on February 13, 2004 6:28 AM
Shonal: Would be looking forward to a copy of it - probably on your blog, eh? And sorry - no cards :( What address did you mail it on!?
made cooler by Lime on February 13, 2004 8:02 AM