Page 112 - DENG201_ENGLISH_II

English - II

Notes about a decade ago and had some degree of success. But it has been very limited. An important
reason for this relative failure is that the teachers themselves do not possess those skills which the
students are expected to acquire.
The shortcomings in the present educational system can be attributed to the fact that only a few
changes have been made in the system since the 19th century. The same regimen of three-hour exams,
emphasis on rote learning and a rigid division between academic and vocational streams has continued.
Ideally, the education system should have been over-hauled after Independence. But unlike Japan or
China, Indian academics failed to carry through curriculum or examination reforms in any radical
sense. Though some intellectuals helped in improving books in certain subjects, the overarching
colonial legacy of the classroom, text and the annual examination remained unaltered.
The obsolete educational system need be scrapped and replaced by a reformed one. There have been
a few attempts to reform the educational system. Many commissions have been constituted to look
into the flaws of the existing system. The Mudaliar Commission, the Kothari Commission and the
Radhakrishnan Commission have recommended thorough reforms in the present pattern of
educational system. According to the recommendations, the judgement of a student’s performance
should be on the basis of periodical tests and his overall performance. They have also recommended
imparting of practical training to the student which would enhance his skills and confidence. The
scope of the formal education should be broadened by giving a place to community work, sports,
crafts and fine arts in the main curriculum. This work should be assessed along with academic
disciplines on a regular basis — rather than a three-hour written exam. The aim should be development
of personality as a whole, instead of sharpening analytical and literary minds in isolation. This would
help in lapping the various talents of the students. There should be a graded system of marking at the
school and the college level so that the students do not feel depressed when they fail to match up to
their expectation by a few percents.
Education should be planned keeping the requirements of industry and business in mind. It is necessary
to discourage the culture of taking up graduation course at the college level just for the sake of it. The
number of vocational courses and colleges should be increased which would be able to provide job to
the youth. The flaws in the existing educational system need be removed to give way to a perfect and
befitting system. The required changes should be brought about to make the system more effective
and development oriented.

Key-words
1. hackneyed—become dull 2. gruelling— difficult 3. grey cells—brain power 4. herculean—needing
a very great strength or effort 5. lucrative—producing much money, profitable 6. rote—learn
without understanding the meaning

Points to Remember:
1. Historical background.
2. The present educational system was inherited from the British.
3. The number of universities and colleges in India.
4. Students learn their lessons by rote in this exam-oriented system.
5. Admission in a good college is a herculean task.
6. College degree does not assure employment.
7. There is a need to reform the existing educational system.

3. Population
India is the second most populous country in the world. A developing nation by economic status,
India cannot afford to increase her population. India accounts for only 2.4 per cent of the world’s
land area which is inhabited by 16.7 per cent of the world’s population. The country’s population
which was 345 million at the time of independence grew up to 1,027 million as on March 1, 2001
(census 2001). India became the second country in the world after China to cross the one billion
population mark. It achieved the dubious distinction by mid August 1999. The United Nations has

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