If we can’t prescribe the same medication for different diseases, then why do we prescribe the same education for different brains?

Can we argue that all brains are the same?
“Everybody’s a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.”
• Albert Einstein

The traditional grading system fails us. Why? Because it does not grade our character as a person, it does not grade our accomplishments, it does not even grade our true intelligence. All it does, is that it grades the similarities between our work, and their work (ie, the Textbook). It grades our skills in reproducing what we’ve read, yes, READ, not learnt. Because real learning doesn’t take place in CBSE to begin with.

Ever wondered why millions of Indians work under other people?

Because that is what we are taught to do. We are taught to just submit.

We are taught to sit still, follow rules (regardless of how useful or useless they are), to not question anything, to follow the same methods given in our textbook, and use the same words in our textbook when we write answers in the exam. This leaves no space for thinking outside the box, for imagination, curiosity and for creativity.

Creativity and curiosity are some of the most important and valuable skills that a human could ever possess. One day, when the world is run by AI, these skills are what will set individuals apart, and give them value and opportunities.

Just imagine what the world would be like, if Newton didn’t have the curiosity to wonder why things fall down, and not up. We probably would never have understood the concept of gravity, and therefore, would not have understood the many things that the study of gravity leads to.

And just imagine if the Wright brothers didn’t use their creativity and imagination to create the first fully functional airplane.

The 4-hour trip from India to Qatar, would still take weeks to accomplish.

And yet, creativity and curiosity are not encouraged by most Indian schools. Why? That is the question I ask each and everyone of you. Why are we taught WHAT to think, instead of how to think? Why are we not allowed to keep asking why? Why are we not allowed to explore our individuality and uniqueness?

Sure, now we could all just go and blame the teachers.

Trust me when I say that teachers are not the only problem. Policy makers, educational boards, and the government, they are the problem. But there is hope in that sentence. Since they are the problem, they are also inevitably part of the solution.

This republic day, I ask each and everyone of you, to put your hand forward and speak up for yourselves, your students, your children, and your peers. To protest against the lack of significant educational development. To stand up for the millions of students whose talents are wasted year after year because of this outdated education system.

We can make our voices heard. We are the citizens of this country, and it is time our voices become part of the demand for change.

75 years since we became a republic, and yet, no substantial change in the quality of general education.

Our predecessors who struggled to make this Republic Day possible, would they be proud of this lack of development?

Let us not let them down by creating a generation that is no different than the last. Let us work together to create a generation with a difference.
Let us rise and speak up, and become a part of the solution, not the problem.