The Essential Guide to Zeitgeist (Myths & Beliefs) in Indian Education
‘Students need more homework!’
‘The syllabus is all that matters!!’
Have you heard things like this and wondered how true they were? Today we’re taking a look at the myths that have built up around India’s education system. To understand them, it’s necessary to take a look at its history.
History of Indian Education
Pre British Era (pre 18th century)
Ancient Indian education was based on the Vedic system of learning. It was seen as the way to achieve enlightenment. Students left home at a young age and moved to gurukuls. Education was holistic and disciplined, and included a variety of subjects. Students studied the Vedas, learnt rituals, philosophy, astronomy, grammar, metrics and more. Older students went on to parishads to debate, study further and learn from each other.
Colonial Era (18th century — 1947)
The Europeans brought their style of education and slowly phased out the traditional forms of learning. The European college system was first introduced by the Portuguese in Goa, along with printed textbooks and other hallmarks of Western education. The British, meanwhile, made English the common language of the country and education. However, their educational system was focused on producing Indian officers for governance, rather than encouraging learning.
Post Colonial Era (1947 — Present)
Post independence, the education system in India maintained many aspects of the colonial system. English is still one of the most widely spoken languages in the country and is used as a medium of education in many schools. The schools are a mix of both private and government. There are several state, national and international Boards of Education that now oversee the schools, all of which have their own curriculum and teaching methods.
Myths about the Education System
The history of education in India, as well as our culture, has led to a number of assumptions about the current education system. We’ve covered some of the most common here, with context for agreement and disagreement.
Myths about Students
Myth 1: ‘More homework will lead to better learning.’
Status: False
India’s learning system has led to a country where kids spend most of their time doing homework. Teachers often assign homework in 2–3 subjects per day. Students spend up to 90 minutes everyday on it. This is in contrast to the internationally accepted “10-minute rule,” which recommends a daily maximum of 10 minutes of homework per grade level.
So does homework actually help students? The studies on this are inconclusive. A TIME cover in 1999 read: “Too much homework! How it’s hurting our kids, and what parents should do about it.” A 2006 meta-analysis by Duke University psychology professor Harris Cooper found a weak correlation between homework and performance for young children.
Bottomline, while homework does not negatively affect performance, too much of it can cause stress and ultimate disinterest in learning. “A good way to think about homework is the way you think about medications or dietary supplements,” said professor Cooper. “If you take too little, they’ll have no effect. If you take too much, they can kill you. If you take the right amount, you’ll get better.”
Myth 2: ‘The only way to discipline students is by scolding them.’
Status: False
Teachers still resort to humiliating punishment in the classroom, such as shouting or hitting the child. This is known as negative reinforcement i.e when the child attempts to distance themselves from the result of a behaviour by not repeating the behaviour. For example, when a child makes noise and the teacher yells at them, they may not make noise again to make sure they aren’t yelled at again. While it can have its benefits, in the classroom, it often creates an atmosphere of fear. Students become scared of making mistakes or offering differing opinions in the classroom. Some students may also purposely rebel, further reducing discipline.
Myth 3: ‘If we bring in technology to the classroom, the students will misuse it.’
Status: False
Schools still seem to think that technology is more of a distraction than a learning tool. The benefits of learning through apps and tablets are lost due to prejudices held against new advances. Adding technology to the classroom can have several benefits. It makes learning more fun and helps students learn at their own pace. Apps and videos often help personalize learning and give the teacher lets teachers understand where mistakes are made. Students often remember more information if it’s presented in a different form, for example, in a slideshow presentation. With the world is going digital, learning through technology will also make sure students are prepared for the future.
Myths about the Government
Myth 4: ‘The literacy rate is going up. Isn’t that good?’
Status: Both true and false
The government has definitely aimed at increasing literacy. The National Literacy Mission and a number of other programs are proof of this. Literacy, however, is the simple ability to read and write, and is no substitute for education.
Government schools are currently underfunded and understaffed. Many schools in rural areas exist in name only. Teachers do not show up and the classrooms lack furniture. With one in six posts vacant, students don’t gain much from such schools. The teachers that do show up are often untrained and inexperienced.
Myths about Education Access
Myth 5: ‘People living in poverty don’t understand the value of education.’
Status: False
As the world progresses, the poor have become as aware of the value of education as anyone else. But they often run into barriers that force them to leave it halfway. While primary school enrollment increases, the dropout rate across the country has also increased. According to UNESCO in 2016, 47 million students annually dropped out by 10th standard. There are many reasons for this.
In rural areas, the schools are often not accessible. The Fifth All India Educational Survey (1989) taken by NCERT found that 94% of the rural population had a primary school within a kilometre. 85% were served by a middle school within three kilometres. What is not taken into account is the terrain. Lack of lighting, rough ground and other obstacles get in the way. What might seem like an easy trip is not possible for a young child.
While education is free, books, uniforms and other items may have to be paid for. Lack of money plays a role in dropouts. An unforeseen illness, a death in the family or any number of reasons can lead to less money. When money becomes an issue, children are often expected to take the burden. This then leads to school dropout.
Myth 6: ‘Lack of education for girls is only a problem in the rural areas.’
Status: False
A survey published by Save the Children shows that only 14 in 100 girls reaches class 12 in in the cities. While better than the figure of 1 in 100 in rural areas, it is still far below what is needed. While enrolment at the primary level is almost 100%, it is not the same as attendance. Primary school attendance for girls stands at 81%. Secondary school attendance for girls drops to 49%.
Myth 7: ‘More girls are topping the Board Exams. The issue of education for girls will solve itself.’
Status: False
In 2010, girls attended schools for an average of 4.1 years compared to boys’ 6.1. There is still a large gender gap. Girls do outrank boys in almost all state exams in boards at the state and central level. But many also drop out before the Boards ever take place. As per Census 2011, almost 20 million girls lose out on education annually.
Myths about Education Quality
Myth 8: ‘More money will solve the issue of school quality.’
Status: True, but that is not the only factor
India’s spending on education in 2015 was about 3.7% percent of GDP. While this seems low compared to the global average at 4.8%. But it is still a significant amount on absolute basis. Before thinking about increasing the percentage, funds need to be spent properly. Several states do not spend their entire budget every year.
Myth 9: ‘Change in student-teacher ratio will increase school quality.’
Status: True, but more changes needed
The Right to Education (RTE) calls for an ideal student-teacher ratio of 30:1 for the primary level. The ideal ratio for upper primary is set at 35:1. The average across India is currently 32:1. However, it hides the reality in each state. For example, in Bihar, the ratio is currently 57:1, while in Uttar Pradesh it is 45:1 at the primary level.
While a change in the teacher student ratio might help slightly, studies show that it does not hugely affect learning outcomes. There are several other solutions that may work better to improve teaching quality and learning:
- Teaching according to a child’s ability — putting children in groups of similar ability has been proven to increase a student’s learning
- Volunteering for educational programs — Encouraging teachers to volunteer on field trips or research programs in their time off will help develop their skills.
Myth 10: ‘Implementing more initiatives will increase school quality.’
Status: True, but more changes needed
Initiating more schemes is pointless if the existing ones serve no purpose. Most school initiatives taken up by the government are torn apart by corruption. For example, the Midday Meal Scheme which currently covers ~86% of schools, often has poor quality food. In such cases, the extra money goes into the pockets of corrupt officials. A way to resolve this is to carry out spot checks and file detailed reports in case of any issue.
Such schemes may also be poorly thought out. While the Midday Meal scheme has provided extra nutrition, many school activities take place before noon. Expanding the initiative to include a meal in the morning would help students concentrate. IIT Madras, after monitoring this scheme, produced a quote, ‘one fruit and one glass of milk for every child every day.’ Such low cost improvements can work much better than implementing new, poorly thought out changes.
Myths about Education Infrastructure
Myth 11: ‘More technology will solve the problems with the school system.’
Status: True and false
There is no doubt that digital education is an innovation in the industry. But the most important part in education outcomes still lies in the hands of teachers. Children learn a lot from human interaction. Quality of teachers and teaching methods are more important for learning than any technology could be.
Technology can only be an enabler, not the end in itself. In 2010, a study found that teacher absenteeism dropped by 21% after cameras were installed and salary was linked to attendance. But qualified and dedicated teachers are still a pressing need of the hour.
Myth 12: ‘The curriculum is all that matters.’
Status: False
The curriculum in the Indian school system is largely based on rote learning. Rote learning does not necessarily lead to good learning. As pointed out by several articles, Indian students often lack basic skills and have much of the same biases as the generations before them. While Indian education provides a broad knowledge base, students only remember information. When asked to apply it, they fail miserably as compared to their global counterparts. A practical, application oriented approach would go a long way in covering the gap.
Myth 13: ‘Arts are not important.’
Status: False
Arts, for many Indians, may include both humanities and fine arts. Both fields are essential to human development, but this is a difficult concept for parents to grasp. Some parents falsely believe that only science or commerce can provide a bright future. However, a society cannot progress without history, psychology, sociology, or law. They all contribute in unique ways to the understanding of human mind and society. And one can make a good living as well.
Fine arts are no different. Painting, music, writing and other arts have formed the basis of human culture. With advances in technology, a creative mind can earn a comfortable salary. The average yearly salary for a user experience designer, for example, can be 5 lakhs for a beginner.
Status: False
Myths about International Comparisons
Myth 14: ‘Indian students are the best in the world’
Status: Both true and false
Several studies have shown that students in India are starting to lag behind other countries. The Quality Education Study by Wipro tracked students learning levels in math, science and reading. It found a 5–10 percent drop in these areas over time. Among 74 countries, including the UK, US, Canada and more, India ranks 73rd in reading, math and science. This data was collected by the Programme for International Students Assessment and paints a startling picture. This is possibly a result of an educational system that does not encourage independent thinking.
However, in some international settings, Indian students have come out ahead of their counterparts. This shows that the value of nurture over nature.
Conclusion
There are many myths around India’s education system. Many of these require further context to gain the full picture. As a parent it is important to take note of these in order to make sure that your child has the best education possible.
It is equally important to break through these myths to increase access to education as well improve its quality. The Indian system requires an overhaul in order to encourage independent thinking and research, so that Indian students may bring more glories to the nation.
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