Will we soon become Vishgurus by selling our education and childhood?

Article By- Meenakshi Sangwan

When I switch on the TV, I hear debates in the news. Anchors are screaming, political analysts sitting with them, spokespersons of parties are jumping around. Somewhere the campaign is in full swing, somewhere it has cooled down. Leaders are all saying their own thing. Now slogans like ‘If we divide, we will be cut’ are echoing. Someone is threatening someone. Someone is raiding. There is shouting and screaming everywhere. Issues… on which elections were fought and won, all of them have become secondary. Neither the common voter raises any question on these issues and the leaders are as if they have gone to Haridwar and performed their last rites. Now even the news has to be watched secretly from the children so that this absurd hateful language does not affect their mental health.

When I switch off the TV and pick up the mobile, I see dance, dancing, vulgar comedy, obscenity, gyrations, God knows what all. To be honest, I have to hide the mobile from the children. But I wonder, what books do children need now? But why? When education has already been commercialized, what to do with books?

They will get admission in a good school by paying a huge donation, if they pay good fees, they will also get good marks in the exam. If they pay a little more money, their photo will be displayed on hoardings at crossroads. What will happen after 12th? Same from engineer to doctor, like money, like degree?

Till now I have heard that education is a strong pillar in building the future of a country. Perhaps thinking this, developed countries first improved their education system so that in future the country gets citizens with good intellect. They fought the world war but did not bomb schools. They believed that the future of their country is still stretching in these schools. But what does this matter to the leaders of our country? We have become Vishwaguru, right? So why should we listen to those western countries, i.e. the followers?

We have political parties here who create a ruckus over absurd things. There are media institutions that advocate for the government. So everyone is keeping mum on the issue of loot and exploitation happening in the name of education. Parents are currently in deep tension regarding the admission of their children. There is no effective intervention initiative from the central and state governments to curb the arbitrariness of private schools. Another big problem is that if a complaint is made to any government agency or officer at the local level against the arbitrariness of private schools, then who listens?

Today, all these questions remain a big question for the system. Government schools have become centres for poor children to have their lunch. This inequality in education is increasing the gap of social and economic inequality and has made the word ‘equality’ mentioned in the preamble of the constitution lifeless.

I have heard that centuries ago, there was a Gurukul system in our country too. Educational institutions like Nalanda University, Takshila, Vikramshila, Vallabhi and Odantpuri have been the pride of our country. Children from China to Europe used to come here to get education. They used to live and receive education under the guidance of a Guru or teacher. This system combines academic education with moral and spiritual development for the overall development of children. And it used to be free. Then the kings used to do their work and the Guru used to do his own. That is why the Guru must have been given a status above God.

Now educational institutions have become like hotels and restaurants, they keep menu cards, according to the money, so is the degree. Another truth is that this expensive education has taken away childhood from children and peace from parents. They have taken away the power of thinking and understanding from the youth. In their eyes, education means only getting a job. The education which used to make people educated till now, is now turning children and youth into pressure cookers. In this race for marks, they are either committing suicide somewhere or sitting quietly in a corner somewhere. Then how can we expect to find an Abdul Kalam or an Ambedkar in the future?

Macaulay’s sanskar-less education system prepared employees for the British by giving hollow verbal knowledge of English to our future generations, but it hollowed us out by completely cutting us off from our ancient daily cultural beliefs. This was the reason that the students coming out of this education system remained cut off from the roots of their culture. All-round development of a student is not possible without education.

Today education has been made a business and commercialized. Private coaching centers are trapping everyone in their net by giving false temptations in every street, locality and society and are openly bargaining in the name of education. Helpless and helpless parents while looking for alternatives get trapped in their sweet talk, which private institutions are taking full advantage of.

There are many capitalists who have nothing to do with education, but on the strength of their wealth and prosperity, they have made these Vidya Mandirs a means of earning money only and only. If this is not commercialization of education today, then what is it? Many times, this question also arises in the mind that who is responsible for this? We ourselves, the government or our teaching method. Perhaps no one has the answer to this. This is the reason that in the elections of the country, we are hearing ‘Bhaans Chura Lenge’, ‘Mangalsutra Chura Lenge’, ‘Mujra Karega… If we divide, then we will be cut’ and the children sitting quietly in the corner are staring at us. Perhaps soon we will become Vishgurus by selling education and childhood?

Article by- Meenakshi Sangwan