Dreams left Unanswered - Consumerism in the Indian Education System

Money is not everything. Although it does make up for a hell lot of things people want, still it is not everything. The trends of consumerism can also be seen in the Indian Education System. If the system boasts to be a myriad of opportunities, it needs a slap on its face right away.

Childhood fosters learning, learning fosters knowledge and knowledge fosters temptation. In this chain, a person often forgets what he aspires to be during his sunshine days. A Fighter Pilot, a Scientist, a Painter, a Guitarist or a Cricket Player, everything just disappears into dust under the immense pressure of Social Duty. The chronological Phenomenon in the Indian Education System is also noteworthy.

A kid joins school, and ever since then, is under pressure to perform academically. He is trialled and tested every now and then to prove to the Society how good or how bad he is. He needs to carry a heavy bag, sometimes almost half his weight, filled with books to school, and is expected to excel in all that. After the board exams, he is expected to take the "best" Course of Action, the "best" being decided as to what the academically brilliant co-students are pursuing or what the general crowd perceives to be marvelous. Consumerism comes into the picture in all this. Starting from the Parent's decision to provide quality education to their Child to the Child deciding what Stream to pursue after his 10th boards, in this case generally following what everyone looks up to - be it a Science or Commerce Stream in the Best Institute Possible. The extreme exposures from Social Pressure and Heavy Responsibilities loaded on the Child's shoulders forces him to take a decision beyond his Childhood aspirations. This is the step when the Fighter Pilot or the Cricket Player dies. And comes up a Potential Engineer or a Doctor or a CA.

Why is society so Skewed in this regard? Why can't every individual pursue what he dreams of becoming? In fact, a person would give his 100% effort for the Society if he is put in a place where he can openly declare that what he is doing is completely independent of any force-feeding or social duties. By social duty, it means the glimpses of the so called "successful career path" which is constantly bombarded upon the individual to force him and make him believe that there is just one path for him to reach Social Happiness and attain a Successful Life. This is how success is defined in the Indian context. And it is a pity.

When it comes to MBA, fifteen years back, majority of the Children would never in fact, think that he or she would end up being a Business Manager. Nobody does. But the Skewed society is such that it forces its self-made definition of a successful path into the human brain that everybody, by the time he or she reaches the 12th standard, or is pursuing Graduation, thinks that MBA (or a similar Master degree) is the only way towards salvation, towards eternal success. People spend ages to get into an MBA institute, blindly believing that this route will provide success for the individual. But financial independence is not the only goal which defines success. Has anyone thought that when he or she sits on a chair, controlling a huge enterprise, he would be completely satisfied and happy with the work he is doing? Wouldn't he rather be controlling a spaceship and traveling through asteroids and visiting alien planets?

Consumerism in the Education perspective has made life a sorry state in India. The West holds a host of opportunities for kids out there, who are allowed to choose anything they desire, without anyone questioning their choices or laughing at their decisions. Theology, Philosophy, Genetic Research, Photographer, Painter, Guitarist, Singer, whatever the person aspires to be can be achieved. I'm not saying it is IMPOSSIBLE here in our country. But one who dares to tread in those paths often are victims of Social Mockery and being labeled as Inferior. The society who indulges in such acts of Negative Reinforcements against such interesting career paths needs to be incinerated, i believe. Because every individual is born for a purpose, a reason. And if, under the pressures of society, he changes his course and becomes a money-minting machine, then God save the World.