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This article was just a result of great appreciation that I felt for a friend of mine who definitely seems sure of what he needs, deserves and aspires for in Life. It was just a regular chat with this particular person that prompted me to Google some figures to be sure of what I usually thought. I won’t say I was surprised, but deeply saddened by the figures which show what a major failure our education system has become over time. No amount of easy exams or abolishing them altogether can help the students cope with the pressure that they face today. And that is exactly what I’m worried about. Why should education create any pressure on a human brain? Isn’t it supposed to enlighten and spark the mind instead of burdening it?

As I mentioned earlier, some figures just affirmed a few ideas that I held before. India is a home to approximately 3,573 Engineering Colleges. (Source: http://www.indicareer.com/engineering-colleges-in-india.html) In 2004-05, India produced 464,743 engineers. One can imagine the increase in the number at present and it’s a fact that approximately 80% of the entrants in the IIMs are engineers. So, where does that leave the rest of the chunk of students specializing in some equally important streams like hospitality, media & entertainment, tourism, etc.? There is no doubt about the fact that IIMs promise an assured job with a handsome pay packet at the end of it all, and not to forget the coveted tag of the institute in your C.V. But is that all that takes to lure engineers into taking management as a career option? Then I’m afraid the engineering colleges aren’t doing a very good job at creating engineers out of the already confused freshers that join engineering colleges under peer or family pressures. Even if the schools seem to be failing at preparing a student for the world outside, further studies are supposed to empower the youth not deviate them from their goals (if they have any!). The endless race to top exams, scoring “depressingly” high scores without actually learning anything in the whole process just disables the whole education system at its core with greater evils like the system of unnecessary quotas, which is just another poke in the eye but I will not touch that topic right now.

And with around 3,500 engineering colleges, we still have to hire foreign companies for any massive engineering projects in our country. But with an evident lack of ‘desired’ jobs in the country, we sit and complain about Brain Drain. Why shouldn’t a student go abroad if he/she feels that his knowledge is well accepted and put to better use in some other place that requires it? It’s a shame and a pity to see all the training and education invested in the colleges in India literally going to waste. But who cares as long as they have a satisfied pocket and a collar to brag about! The lousy pay that school teachers are paid, makes teaching just an alternative for most people. I remember my mother threatening me when I showed my interest in teaching! The pressure of the school management on the teachers to produce bright numbers scored by students, leaves the teachers helpless too. Hobbies turned into co-curricular subjects for creating all-rounders instead of activities of relaxation, just doubles the pressure on young minds. Why do humans tend to forget that awards, fame, and money follow when you do what you please? Or else all one can create is horses running after dollar bills to satisfy a ravenousness never satiated. The situation needs to be looked into before all the deserving engineers leave the country and the rest join the management cadre and all that is left is a population that keeps complaining!