The recent judgment of the Supreme Court on coaching institutions could indeed help reduce avoidable tension, pressure and anxiety suffered by practically every school-going child, particularly those aspiring to crack the entrance tests to professional courses. The court has asked the Union government to create an effective mechanism to regulate the mushrooming coaching industry, which has cast its net far and wide even in small towns. Parents are now more concerned about their wards’ performance in entrance examinations, than the marks obtained in board examinations! High on the preference list are the IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, and institutions sponsored by the state governments.
Tuitions in initial stages and entry in a ‘well-known’ coaching centre are considered as essential parts of preparation to succeed in the entrance examinations. What is ignored in the process is that every child already bears the ‘curriculum load’ as prescribed by the school boards and stands deprived of the childhood pleasures, such as spending time with grandparents, friends and playgrounds. Parents would complain of heavy home and project works, but would not hesitate to send their child to several tuition teachers.
Parental aspirations often neglect the developing interests of the child and force him/her to study courses of the former’s choice and preference. In the process, nurturance of creativity and joys of childhood are lost unnoticed and uncared for. Regular teaching in schools suffers as in several cities, known for their flourishing coaching industry, schools and coaching centres come together; regular school classes are dispensed and coaching classes prepare both for board and entrance examinations. Such practices impinge upon the personality development that takes place in properly functioning schools. Coaching institutions compete with each other and in the process further overburden the learners. Kota suicides have several dimensions that require serious remedial action.
Coaching institutions are business enterprises that focus on dividends. These create hype to attract their clientele, revert to aggressive publicity, spend heavily on it and enhance their fees without anyone else coming in the picture. In a regular school, demoralisation results amongst children who can and who cannot afford coaching. All the promises of level-playing field in education become a mockery. Some aspiring parents even sell land, property and other assets to send their wards to ‘renowned’ coaching classes. It creates huge pressure upon the child, who realises the predicament of his parents. Innumerable tests in coaching institutions and repeated reminder of ‘not being up to the mark’ lead to high depression and culminate in suicides.
Poor quality of teaching, particularly in government schools, accentuates the need to depend on coaching classes. In most of the states, such schools suffer perpetual non-availability of regular qualified teachers. The SC judgment hits the nail on the head asking the government to ensure due weightage to the marks obtained in board examinations and not let the fate of the child depend only on one entrance test. The 60-40 pattern could help restore quality of teaching in regular schools. Strengthening government schools is urgently required in order to restore the credibility of school teaching.
Tuitions must be banned. Remedial teaching within schools must be encouraged, with suitable incentives wherever necessary. School boards need to revamp examination patterns to eliminate malpractices that hurt the students. Those conducting entrance tests must also explore strategies that would eliminate dependence on coaching institutions. Parental pressures on teachers, managements and education department functionaries to set things in order could also help.
J S Rajput
Former director of the NCERT
rajput_js@yahoo.co.in