Early coaching: Headstart or hurdle?

In Class 9, Vikrant was named a 'national junior scientist'. Because of his keen interest in science, he was enrolled in a techno school and began studying for the coveted IIT-JEE exams. He was chosen in the "elite batch," which consisted of only the highest-scoring students. He endured the rigours of the engineering tests for 1.5 years, but then he became weary. Eventually, he abandoned his plans to pursue engineering.

His parents and teachers admonished him as he shifted his career path from science to the arts, saying that wasting his gift on the arts was "a waste of his abilities."

He adds that when children start to stray from the path that their parents set for them, "it creates dread and anxiety in parents."

Vikrant, the son of a doctor, had the seed of success in science sown early in his life. "The most widespread societal falsehoods nourished those seeds — that joy is found in outlandish accomplishments, achievements, and acclaim," added Vikrant.

A recycled concept

Early coaching for children is done in various forms. One of them is the flourishing trend of techno schools, where children are coached in-house, as early as in Class 6.

"Although the term 'techno schools' is fresh, it is not really a new trend," says Siddhant Pratap, a master's student and engineer based in Germany who attended one such school a decade ago but without the tag.

By definition, a techno school is outfitted with the most up-to-date technologies like projectors in classrooms, learning through laptops and tablets, etc. along with traditional classes. The method of instruction is supposed to be more 'effective' than regular schools.

The syllabi in such schools give the students a good foundation for entrance exams of IITs, NIITS, AIIMS, and other medical and engineering institutes. Students are not required to enrol in a separate coaching academy.

The right age for coaching

Vishnu Narayan Rai is on the board of advisors to a techno school in Bengaluru. He has been a teacher and has taught the IIT-JEE and medical exam students. "Children should begin preparing for the IIT-JEE/medical exams early in a country like India, where the competition is fierce. A few decades ago, pupils did not need as much help preparing for these exams. Today, passing an exam is virtually impossible if you don't get an early start," he says, stressing that when a student's ultimate goal is to pass the IIT examinations, it makes little sense to attend school and coaching separately.

Dr Sangeeta Gupta, principal of a CBSE school in Bengaluru, believes otherwise. "We should not instil this idea into young pupils that they need to solely put all of their attention into studies," she argues. Anxiety, depression, and suicide rates are on the rise as competition standards are increasing. These were uncommon concepts just three decades ago, but are now part of every student's daily life. Students can 'succeed' in exams with the help of techno schools and coaching institutes, but the old-school approach to education is wholesome and brings out the best in students."

Vivek Rai, who went through the rigours of preparing for multiple engineering exams for four years, is now an engineer. He speaks from experience, "When it comes to competitive tests, there is no set age at which a child should begin studying. Eight years of preparation for a single exam and foregoing their entire childhood is plain bizarre. Some students are able to pass the exam after only one year of study."

"The entrance exams are merely a part of the battle; students must also cope with the pressure that comes with being accepted to these prestigious schools. A student who has been studying for eight years will inevitably burn out, even if the subject is interesting," he adds.

He goes on to add, "I think Class 11 is an ideal time to start. Prior to that, children should concentrate on their regular course of study, such as their board exams, which is a good enough parameter in itself that the child is capable of furthering their education."

Akshara Damle, a consulting psychologist, says that the overall development has to be focused on early childhood. With proper guidance, a child can pick up the syllabus and crack the exam even if it studies from Class 9 or 10 onwards, he says.

The downside

Kaushik Pandey, a Class 10 student currently enrolled in a Bengaluru-based techno school, told DH: "I used to go to hobby classes during the summer holidays until I was in Class 8, but I've been unable to devote much time to my interests since then. My parents and professors had given me a heads-up about how much the syllabus would expand in Class 9, but I didn't expect it to be so much."

Nilay Kumar, a PhD scholar and a psychology expert, explains the changing nature of aspirations and how early mentoring in a single field could harm the child. "Dreams and aspirations are ever-evolving. A student's goal at the age of 15 is likely to change by the time they reach the age of 20. Failure can have a devastating effect on children. Enrolling a child in coaching or techno school could harm their mental health."

Kaushik argues that it is impossible to devote time to sports or other recreational activities at this pace. "The monotony of my daily routine has worn me thin over the previous two years," he says.

Impact on life skills

Alka Rao, a Bengaluru-based career counsellor, says that in the last decade, she has been counselling more and more students who want to give up on science, "possibly due to the idea of early coaching."

Annapurna Adhikari teaches chemistry in a government school in Bengaluru, for Classes 8 to 10. She believes that students should enjoy their time in school because that is when they discover who they want to be. Schools that focus solely on making students "industry-ready" reduce them to potential commodities for the job market, she says.

Damle says that while early coaching may appear to be a good idea in terms of making children capable of cracking competitive exams easily, it will impact them in other ways as well. "Because of rigorous training from primary schooling, the child will not get time for the activities desired in general at that age. They will not get time to play or mingle with children and will become isolated with no life skills like communication, leadership, negotiation and so on."

Devoid of all this, as adults, they will find it challenging to lead a fruitful life, gelling with others etc, and hence, the basic human essence itself would be lost.