GIVE ME SOME SUNSHINE

ABSTRACT

Apart from love stories, life confessions; this is something realistic and need to spread awareness about. The so less hyped topic of our education system has got unveiled amidst the corona virus pandemic. All of us are being happy about the news of exams getting postponed but do we realize how much it has affected us? Obviously, it is impossible to conduct online examinations across the country in an effective way. But the committee could have tried to contemplate over some other options like taking the exams in batches or through certain Computer Based modes. Certainly, these wouldn't have been as effective as the manual way of taking up the exams but who would think about the syllabus being left unread? Or the concepts left to be taught. In the era of internet, nothing is impossible to read about. But we are ought to keep in our thinking the needs of rural areas or the students for whom reading about a topic isn't just a click away. Hence, their education following their bright future is more likely to be hampered. That's where even our media has lagged behind. There have been no polling, recommendations or discussions among the representatives of various educational institutions of our nation to come out with the best "to-be" implemented ideas. Happenings around us have enforced the rules and we, as liberal citizens, have to follow them without even questioning.

There is another issue regarding the publicity of competitive exams in India at under school and under graduate levels. Very few of us must have given a thought to the statistics of suicide attempts in the student's category of India. Why the suicides among under school children are more? Well, the reason of this lies in name, fame and money. Under school entrance examinations like NEET, JEE-MAINS etc are been giving so much of unwanted attention in the last few years that students aspiring to enter into Medical or Engineering colleges and dreaming of a great life in all such prestigious institutions get stabbed back. Rather than studying happily and conceptually, it has become a game of flipping between numerous coaching classes, running behind study materials and end up getting depressed with the marks awarded in mock exams. Mock exams are the ones taken up by classes to indulge the students into a zeal of actual examination environment but despite of all these competitions having a moderate to difficult level of questions, mocks are always difficult relative to the former. Again, dirty politics of coaching to keep one's name and fame higher. Students who are internally capable of cracking the exam get depressed, assume that they would be breaking their family's expectations; attain a simpler way of abstaining themselves from the preparation and attempt a suicide. All the hoardings of these mentioned exams give false hopes, build the peer pressure among the students and they run behind this bait neglecting the fact of where their real interest for profession lies in.

India sets itself as a divine source of inspiration of knowledge, health, wealth, education and much more, at a global level. Before getting into the race of exams, scores and ranks, set yourself aside for a minute and think at an individual level. There could be many prospects to this, how your presence affects the society, how your contribution to the good uplifts many communities around, how your positive and truthful approach to the obstacles in life could light up somebody else's life too.

Be it academics, sports, music, culture, theatre; Indian youth has always set best standards internationally. Thus, it also embarks our sense of responsibility to leave behind the hitherto undue pressure of getting good grades, be a person of all substantially inculcated values and shine brighter within the walls of fame!

Coming to the entrance exams which are conducted at under graduate levels, they are not much hyped among the students as well as on media. NEET and JEE toppers are bashed into celebrations and interviews right after the results are declared but who even takes the interview of a CSIR, JAM or even GATE topper. Many of us do not even completely know what these exams are all about, what are the future scope; nothing. And the ground-root reason is awareness. Media doesn't show it, people don't know it. Even the ones preparing and appearing for these exams, their families do not burden their shoulders with so many expectations. When there is nothing to lose, nobody to beat; there is no feeling of suppression and depression. Likewise, the statistics of suicide attempts holds true. School going children are always over-burdened because of not knowing their path and with this, comes the fear of not getting admitted in a famous college whereas college students are already expected to be sensible enough so as to follow their passion along with their professions are not much being hyped about.

There shouldn't be any discrimination on this basis, mainly because no competition is ever easier to crack. Attending full time colleges rather than attending dummy schools which many school going students do, writing assignments, taking part in college activities even involuntarily, studying for the end semester hoax while preparing for some upcoming competitive exam is not easy at all. The one reading this might be thinking that there is some sort of comparative analysis going on, you're not correct.

Question is not of analysis; it is of why to give so much of importance to one and neglecting the other?

When can we change the perception of our government, media and press still lies uncertain!

As someone who has "BEEN THERE, FACED IT", I'd just conclude this by mentioning that not any exam will be deciding any of us as a person, as a social being. What you do is what you get, this is the basic aspect any human being should keep in back of their mind. Keep your focus on your ultimate goal and stay true to yourself, if not to anybody else around. Work in that direction; your path will be created and when you're right about to touch the milestone, just bare your heart out and give 200% of your dedication, hard work and perseverance.