It is quite comforting to see government and CBSE are trying to make education a less traumatizing experience. Making the class X boards optional is one such step. Now the students can be evaluated through a nine point grading system. While it cannot be denied that it will certainly reduce the stress from the students, a lot more needs to be done to improve the education system of India.

One major problem that is often overlooked in such discussions is this that due to so much competition in studies, the talents of the students in other fields is curbed. By the time a child realizes what his capabilities and interests are, he is mostly too committed to his carrier to nourish his talents. Even if he knows where his interest is, due to the stiff competition, he has to choose between his interests or secure livelihood. As a result, most individuals end up joining engineering, medicine, CA, without any real interest. Some days back, a teacher asked our class that how many of us came to an engineering college because we wanted and not because we were forced. Not many said that they themselves wanted to be engineers. Not that all others were forced. Its just that most of us did not know any better. Most students do not have enough time to find out what their real talent is.  

The root of such problems is that the marks obtained in one examination are going to pave the way for your whole future. The concept of continuous evaluation is still in its nascent stages in India. Whether you’ll get admission into a good college or not, depends mostly on the marks that you get in the board examination. And the cut offs go so high that even one small thing that goes against you in the examination can make you loose the seat. The lack of quality institutes of higher study has further worsened the situation. The solution to this problem is to increase the number of seats and not to change the ways of evaluation. If the students will know that there are so many good institutions of higher study to choose from, they will certainly be more relaxed and willing to pursue their interests.

I just hope that the steps to improve the education system continue at a greater speed and are soon able to provide an atmosphere where a student is able to fully realize his potentials in all the fields.