India to have an Education System, not an Exam-Centric System: Sibal

By siliconindia   |   Wednesday, 28 December 2011, 02:42 IST   |    4 Comments
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Exam-Centric System

Bangalore: Demand to do away with the routine learning and outdated examination system, has been in the spotlight for the past few years as India tries to find new avenues to a better system of learning.

In the inaugural ceremony of the Ramanujan 125 year celebrations at the University of Madras, Kapil Sibal, Minister for Human Resource Development said ‘Learning and education, henceforth, will be child-centric and not exam-centric as it is now’. He added that “We are endeavoring to reform this with emphasis on skill development and unlocking the creative talent within the child.” The Union Minister also highlighted that the exams are soon going to be replaced with a Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE) as it would help de-stress children and enhance their learning ability.

The Ministry aims to build an education system that promotes creativity, freedom, cultural awareness and practical learning. “It will help our children to retain their sense of wonder, to develop a spirit of enquiry and to nurture the joys of learning,” said Kapil.

In regard to the higher education, Kapil also threw light on the challenges to be overcome, as a high degree of inequality pertains in the access to higher education. He said that the Ministry sought to increase the current Gross Enrolment Ratio of 15 percent to 30 percent within the decade among pupils aged 18 to 24 years.

Earlier this year C.N. Rao, the Head of Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said that India is said to “have an examination system but not an education system. When will young people stop taking exams and do something worthwhile?" He highlighted that the pressure of not faring well in exams gets students exhausted and thus, yields in low performance, reports the Times of India.

In the Indian education context, examination reform would be meaningful only when it reaches the core of the education process. It should be a system that is not purely exam based but a system that ensures the overall growth of the individuals and promotes learning which is more practical and enhances the ability of the students.