Education for sale.

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the Lighting of a Fire” ….. a thought no one can deny. From the age of the sacred schools called ‘Gurukul’ to world famous old centers like Nalanda and Takshila Universities, from IIMs and IITs to institute like PGI and AIIMS, we Indians have plenty to boast with regard to our education heritage. But today, we have reached an era where the entire education system is corrupted and commercialized.

Students in villages to small towns to cities have understood that it is education alone that will help them live with dignity and a head held high. This has led to a massive migration of students towards cities where there are plenty of colleges and better job opportunities. Over the last few years, the cost of education right from play schools to post graduation institutes has risen exponentially and its quality has ‘faithfully’ been inversely proportional. The temples of education have now become money making hubs. People are now willing to pay unimaginable amount of money, earned by fair or unfair means, wanting their child to be privileged to the best of education. As a result, hundreds of private colleges have sprung up across the country providing every course possible under one roof but with no proper infrastructure or the faculty to teach. Politicians having thousands of Crores stashed in bank accounts abroad find a good money making investment in building an educational institute…after all its easy to usurp the public land and construct the building…provide centralized air conditioned class rooms, free laptops and foreign trips to affiliated universities with similar interests…..but no real education !

All private colleges/Universities now want an autonomous status…..become deemed…not because they want make their own customized curriculum to improve the standard of education but because the chances to ‘sell’ seats is higher..The inflow of cash under the table would be easier…the percentage of management and NRI seats can be raised as per their fancy…Exams can be conducted in ‘Pencil Paper’ format and so that results can be erased and altered later. The placements offered from such colleges are even more disappointing. And the cost of the course itself takes years to recover with the packages offered to the students.

Coaching classes are another partner in crime who is hand in glove in this money minting racket, tying up with schools and colleges for sending students to their classes and in return paying royalty on annual basis per student. My fee for the 10th, 12th and medical entrance coaching itself was greater than the cost of 4.5 years in MBBS ! ….and that was 7 years back, I’m sure it would have skyrocketed now.

With my MBA exams coming close, I feel frustrated at times to be applying to different B-schools and paying them between Rs.1500 – 2000 in the name of registration alone. Lakhs of aspiring students like me register for the 60-100 available seats and the college trustees are laughing all the way to the bank for making Crores without any pains.

I’m writing this since I’m angry and frustrated at the way things are going on…According to a recent report in the Times of India newspaper, people have forgotten to live happily, enjoying life…I really don’t understand what is all the rat race for ? This post will hardly make any difference since people will continue to pay Lakhs and Crores for Medical, Engineering , MBA and other courses….after all everyone is now searching for the sign board which reads “ Education for sale…hurry…offers valid till seats last.”