The purpose of education is to provide every child the opportunity to recognise and develop his or her natural talent in a manner that helps not just in making a living but also achieving creative satisfaction. This requires basic schooling for all and, then, moving on to what one wishes to do – study further or train in some particular occupation. Learning, itself, is a lifelong effort, not just to acquire excellence, but also to satisfy one’s curiosity and interests. For every individual it is a personal quest and by no means a race to get ahead of others.
The so-called ‘competitive’ exams are just a selection process to identify those who are most suited to a particular profession. Those not ‘selected’ are not ‘rejects’ or inferior in any way. It must be understood that it is only a means of recognising whether one has a natural inclination for the job being applied for. Someone who by nature likes the outdoors, for instance, should not be pressurised into taking up a job that requires sitting at a desk most of the time, no matter how ‘prestigious’ the post is.
There was a time when there were few choices available for a regular or stable job. It can be understood that this forced middle-class youth to spend years ‘preparing’ for them. Today, the job market has expanded to unpredictable levels, particularly as India’s economy is expanding quite rapidly to catch up with the developed world. Actually, the best opportunities lie with entrepreneurship of various kinds – government jobs provide much less satisfaction even with fixed salary grades, pension, etc. (This is why there is so much bribe-taking, as the desired lifestyle is that of the money making business folk.) Unfortunately, while the scaffolding of most wealth generating activities is growing, the mindset of the security seeking population remains stuck in the socialist era.
Just think of how lucrative the world of Cricket has become. Just a brief stint at higher and intermediate levels provides an income that provides financial security and status. Imagine what will happen when all the other sports rise to that level. Consider how social media, alone, has brought fame and fortune to so many. The entertainment industry is expanding, as are the restaurant and tourism sectors. The examples are plenty.
As such, for parents and society to pressurise young people to opt for a government job even without a natural talent for it, is extremely foolish. Go where the heart takes you – the whole of India, even the world, is your oyster!
