<p>With the announcement and implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), changes are expected in the curriculum, examination system and method of selection for professional courses. As with any change, there is bound to be disturbance and confusion, at least for some time.</p>.<p>This is being felt most in entrance exams for major professional courses such as engineering and medicine. This year the number of candidates appearing for both JEE and NEET has gone up significantly, and so have the aspirants of CUET (Central Universities Entrance Test) indicating that the vast majority of the students prefer to stick with established and proven courses. Obviously, the competition and confusion have also increased.</p>.<p>However, abrupt changes are causing anxiety and disturbance to those who have been preparing to get into reputed institutions for courses that are in demand. Since last year there have been many additions and deletions in the syllabi of science subjects. For example, in the topics of Class 11 and 12 which form the basis for most entrance exams, there has been a deletion of reproduction in organisms to environmental issues. Solid State, Polymers, Surface Chemistry, P-block elements, and some more chapters have been deleted in Chemistry. In Physics, Semiconductor Electronics has been trimmed down. More changes are in the pipeline.</p>.<p>Obviously, students and teachers are alarmed about how the students will be able to answer questions in popular entrance exams such as JEE and others. The focus on cracking these competitive exams is so strong that innumerable students and parents feel that is the only path to success. They are scared of how they will be able to ace the highly competitive exams under these circumstances.</p>.<p>There is a need to look at this issue rationally and holistically. Change is inevitable, and students will realise that even after completing their degrees they will have to face sudden and unpredictable alterations in their work responsibilities, skills required, and challenges which come with progress. Hence we should understand that however distressing these changes are at present, they are preparing the students to face greater hurdles and unexpected variations later in life. </p>.<p>Equally important is to understand that if certain out-of-syllabus questions are asked in the exam, it applies to all the aspirants on an equal footing, and all of them will be unable to answer. Entrance exams do not go by marks scored — they generate rankings based on which admission is given to the highest rankers. So if an entrance test is very tough, everyone will get lesser marks, and because of that, the ranking will remain more or less the same.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Need to adapt</strong></p>.<p>The lesson to be learnt from this change which has come out of the blue is that those students who focus on true learning, are willing to explore outside the box, ensure that their fundamentals are strong, and have grasped the concepts will be most successful. Those who have been concentrating only on how to get the maximum marks by learning techniques for cracking exams are most likely to suffer. Our education system is slowly moving away from the traditional rote learning which was a legacy of the pedagogy built by the British. Today's students will have to be more innovative and proactive.</p>.<p>The current generation of students are going to be global citizens. They will have to face different cultures, methods of education, management techniques and varying work-related practices. Those who are ambitious and upwardly mobile will need to adapt themselves to practices and technology from countries as varied as the US, Europe or Japan. Added to that, with the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data sciences, those with the highest level of adaptability will be the most successful ones.</p>.<p>In fact, in the coming years, it will not be enough to just follow and adapt to change, one will need to have the ability to anticipate change and prepare accordingly. The current challenges being thrown up by rapid alterations in the education system will strengthen and prepare the students for greater and more fulfilling progress.</p>
<p>With the announcement and implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), changes are expected in the curriculum, examination system and method of selection for professional courses. As with any change, there is bound to be disturbance and confusion, at least for some time.</p>.<p>This is being felt most in entrance exams for major professional courses such as engineering and medicine. This year the number of candidates appearing for both JEE and NEET has gone up significantly, and so have the aspirants of CUET (Central Universities Entrance Test) indicating that the vast majority of the students prefer to stick with established and proven courses. Obviously, the competition and confusion have also increased.</p>.<p>However, abrupt changes are causing anxiety and disturbance to those who have been preparing to get into reputed institutions for courses that are in demand. Since last year there have been many additions and deletions in the syllabi of science subjects. For example, in the topics of Class 11 and 12 which form the basis for most entrance exams, there has been a deletion of reproduction in organisms to environmental issues. Solid State, Polymers, Surface Chemistry, P-block elements, and some more chapters have been deleted in Chemistry. In Physics, Semiconductor Electronics has been trimmed down. More changes are in the pipeline.</p>.<p>Obviously, students and teachers are alarmed about how the students will be able to answer questions in popular entrance exams such as JEE and others. The focus on cracking these competitive exams is so strong that innumerable students and parents feel that is the only path to success. They are scared of how they will be able to ace the highly competitive exams under these circumstances.</p>.<p>There is a need to look at this issue rationally and holistically. Change is inevitable, and students will realise that even after completing their degrees they will have to face sudden and unpredictable alterations in their work responsibilities, skills required, and challenges which come with progress. Hence we should understand that however distressing these changes are at present, they are preparing the students to face greater hurdles and unexpected variations later in life. </p>.<p>Equally important is to understand that if certain out-of-syllabus questions are asked in the exam, it applies to all the aspirants on an equal footing, and all of them will be unable to answer. Entrance exams do not go by marks scored — they generate rankings based on which admission is given to the highest rankers. So if an entrance test is very tough, everyone will get lesser marks, and because of that, the ranking will remain more or less the same.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Need to adapt</strong></p>.<p>The lesson to be learnt from this change which has come out of the blue is that those students who focus on true learning, are willing to explore outside the box, ensure that their fundamentals are strong, and have grasped the concepts will be most successful. Those who have been concentrating only on how to get the maximum marks by learning techniques for cracking exams are most likely to suffer. Our education system is slowly moving away from the traditional rote learning which was a legacy of the pedagogy built by the British. Today's students will have to be more innovative and proactive.</p>.<p>The current generation of students are going to be global citizens. They will have to face different cultures, methods of education, management techniques and varying work-related practices. Those who are ambitious and upwardly mobile will need to adapt themselves to practices and technology from countries as varied as the US, Europe or Japan. Added to that, with the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data sciences, those with the highest level of adaptability will be the most successful ones.</p>.<p>In fact, in the coming years, it will not be enough to just follow and adapt to change, one will need to have the ability to anticipate change and prepare accordingly. The current challenges being thrown up by rapid alterations in the education system will strengthen and prepare the students for greater and more fulfilling progress.</p>