Does Indian education system make students industry-ready?

We memorised tables and trigonometry formulae, we learned computer languages, and Sanskrit, too, knowing in the back of our minds that we may not be using most of that knowledge in the real world. But, did they actually helped us in real life?

Alarming as it may sound, but we need to ask ourselves - has the ultimate objective of our education system come down to making the students' job-ready? I am afraid the answer may not be an affirmative no. Somewhere deep down in our conscience there may be a hidden agenda. This intent is often apparent in many a teacher’s style of delivery which may be a product of the market requirement.

There was a thrill in learning. There were the 'Why’s' and 'How’s' to be answered. There was a curiosity and a thirst to be quenched. Doing chemical experiments and seeing the colors change, dissecting frogs and learning basic biology was unwelcoming but fun too. We were learning and we knew that was the purpose. We memorized tables and trigonometry formulae, we learned computer languages, and Sanskrit too, knowing in the back of our minds that we may not be using most of that knowledge in the real world.

Surely getting a job was of concern when in college but the value of learning never ceased, and the excitement of learning new things and concepts never died.

Today, barring a handful of students, that spark is missing. Education at many institutions has become a job preparation factory. What is relevant for an exam or a job interview seems to be in exclusive focus. That inquisitiveness of knowing why the rebellion of 1857 took place and how it changed history, the notion of why the litmus paper changes color, or what is the reason that six sigma can never attain 100% perfection, or why is a data dictionary created in a database in the first place, seems to have escaped. These, amongst thousands of other questions, unfortunately, are neither asked nor discussed at a majority of schools.

The million-dollar question here is whether knowledge is necessary or even relevant any more. And when we come to that point, rest assured that education has taken a back seat and we have moved on to a different track. If indeed, that is the case, then we need to introspect if our education system has turned into a gigantic coaching center.

One may argue that there is nothing wrong with that approach. We are ultimately preparing students for careers and making them job-ready. However, with that mindset, there is a possibility that the essence of education may be lost. According to Martin Luther King, “the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”

Things are not that gloomy, fortunately, there are a few quality schools and world-class educational institutions that are providing a balanced program. With the advent of foreign university affiliations in India, things are looking bright.

One must, therefore, choose wisely. 

About the Author:

Schooled in India and the US, Dr Yavar Ehsan has completed his graduation and post-graduation from Temple University's Fox School of Business, Philadelphia. He later completed his PhD from Jamia Millia University, Delhi. Prior to settling down in the academia in India, he has worked in Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This has helped him gain a rich exposure with various international corporations as well as experience in multi-cultural workforce management. Currently, he is the Associate Professor of Management at Indian School of Business & Finance, Delhi.