A revolution needed to make education work for young

One might surmise that Indian education in the last seven decades has evolved significantly, especially considering the literacy rate, which increased from a paltry 18 per cent in 1951 to 77.7 per cent in 2022. Since Indian independence, successive governments have worked to ensure that education is for everyone, and not just the elite.

In 1968, the Indian government wanted to streamline education. The recommendations of the Kothari Commission, which was the first commission with comprehensive reference on education, included universal primary education, three-language formula and introduction of regional languages in higher education, development of agricultural and industrial education. In 1986, education as we know today came into play, when the National Policy on Education was formalised to ensure universalisation of primary education, vocationalisation of secondary education and specialisation of higher education.

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) at national level and State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) at state level were established to maintain the standard of education. In 1953, UGC was instituted to determine the standard of higher education. The last seven decades have seen greater emphasis on education and a diverse set of policies have come into play to ensure quality education. For instance, in 1995, the mid-day meal scheme was introduced to check dropout rates in government schools. Emphasising on technical education resulted in setting up of IITs, NITs and IIMs. While it is no surprise that women continue to be in the lower range of literacy rate, many states have different policies to encourage education among girls including free education.

However, what is the purpose of the Indian education system and how is it helping young Indians? While there has been progress in the education ecosystem, are we preparing the young for the future?

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), student deaths spiked to a new high of 12,526 in 2020. While this number is alarming, and the aftermath of the Covid 19 pandemic can be blamed for it, we need to look beyond the numbers, to arrive at what is driving young Indians to take such drastic steps. Traditionally, Indian education and its policies have always focused on degrees, marks and ranks. Study well, complete your degree with a distinction, build a great career and success follows. This has been the dominat narrative for the better part of the last seven decades.

However, in this journey to success, the social and emotional well-being of our young has been ignored for far too long. The Indian education system as we know it, currently, is not preparing young people to face uncertainties and the demands of the 21st century. With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 promising to bridge the skill gap and empower young people for a promising future -- and including life skills as a part of the curriculum -- Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has come to light, although dimly. If success continues to be equated with power, money and status, our young will continue to be on the losing side.

As we celebrate 75 years of independence, we are at an opportune moment to transform education and change the course of young peoples’ lives. There is an urgent need for policy makers to look at education as a means for a holistic and happy life for our young people. Life skills cannot just be a part of curriculum where an hour is set aside for it; it needs to be ingrained in the very fabric of our education.

The focus needs to shift from marks to equipping young people with relevant life skills to help them navigate through life and thrive. There is a need for all stakeholders in the educational ecosystem to acknowledge now more than ever, that the ‘one size fits all’ approach no longer works.

Learning needs to be made relevant, , student-led, parent engaged and teacher empowered. Education systems need to be led from a space of equity, inclusivity and dignity. One way to do this is to unlearn what has not served us, what has not served young people and ask honest questions on how we need to change the way success has been popularly defined in our education.Can success also mean young people taking responsibility for their lives and communities? Can success mean young people who are happy with their life choices? Can success mean young people overcoming everyday adversities and being resilient to face life’s many uncertainties? Stakeholders in the education ecosystem need to create space for young people to thrive and rewrite the narratives of what success means to them.

(The writer is CEO, Dream a Dream, a not-for-profit for empowering young people from vulnerable backgrounds)