Foolish proposal by Kapil Sibal

Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has decided to contribute his rubbish too to Indian school education. And for that he placed the views to make classX board examinations optional. He thinks that it would relieve the stress of students. Perhaps he might have sought lessons in this direction from Kerala Education Minister M A Baby. Baby has made Kerala School and Secondary Education into debris as the marks or grades in the certificate these students carry have no significance. For reducing stress evaluation system has been made simple and there would be a sure pass for a student who writes or tries to write the examination. Result percentages of Standard 10 and 12 in Kerala are near to 100. However, added stress will be given to these students at Medical/ Engineering Examinations. This year there was reports of deaths among candidates for not getting the desired rank in Entrance Examination. No competition up to the age of 17 brings a stiff competition after that. Out of the 56000 appeared in the examination only 1800 are eligible for MBBS course!

Actually, a little competition should be there for success in one’s life and without a firm desire to excel none will work hard. Competition will always exist among all human beings to prove themselves more worthy than others. Stress is a fundamental facet of survival, and abandoning examination is not an easy way to reduce stress. If the authorities need to put end to examination stress then all examinations are to be given up. Stress at the age of 15 is not higher than that at 17. The students in their school life should be trained to deal with the stress of sitting examinations.

It is to be understood that there is good stress and bad stress. Good stress keeps us alert to things we need to be concerned about, whereas bad stress undermines peace of mind. It is better on the part of the Government to reschedule TV cricket at the time of examination than abandoning the examination itself. If channels air live cricket at examination time the parents face a tough time put their children for study and both parents and children experience big stress. Dumping of examinations as proposed by Kail Sibal or slackening the examination as did by MA Baby in Kerala are ill-timed ways to remove the stress of children. Instead these children are succumbed to huge stress in their life for survival. Parents and teachers have a crucial role to play in managing the exam stress of their students whereas government’s main role is to conduct the examinations in a nobler way. Mark sheets possessed by the school final children should have a little value than mere piece of paper. As stress manifests itself both physically and mentally throughout one’s life removal of it by abandoning examination alone is a foolish act. No government could abandon all examinations in the life of a person.

KA Solaman