In another few years and definitely one of the post-COVID-19 scenarios, the number of non-traditional students who are responsible and mature, going to increase who would believe dropping out of a college doesn’t mean the end of learning.

With time, administrative control and its overtures failed the underlying philosophy of learning across institutions and modern educational systems went orphan in the hands of policymakers whose bigotry tried to take India ahead but left the time behind.

By Dr. Debarshi Mukherjee

India perhaps is the only country in the world that is addressing two dimensions in its name. Before the English named our motherland India; according to Vishnu Purana, it was from the ancient times known as BharatVarsh and the name of this great country can be split into two distinct syllables, i.e., Bharat – after the ancient great emperor Bharat and Varsha – time interval.

The combination of these two syllables identifies with the unique characteristic of a country in the realm of time where the prognosis was worshipped over procrastination; augmentation was practiced over resistance to change. Colonial dominance in the post-independence era has influenced our minds so firmly that we don’t remember to address our nation BharatVarsha anymore.

Metaphorically, the time dimension has worked as a guiding light for this country over centuries and thus the civilization could reach its vertex in every sphere, be it astrology, scientific discovery, or religious discourse; the development was evident. 

In the year 1933, when John Dewey proposed his famous constructivist theory of peer group learning and knowledge construction in tertiary education he has opined that the maturity of a learner is of paramount importance to achieve learning gain for the students. He wrote, "If you have doubts about how learning happens, engage in sustained inquiry: study, ponder, consider alternative possibilities, and arrive at your belief grounded in evidence." 

Even in 2005, after so many years, when George Siemens proposed the theory of connectivism, a similar emphasis was given on the learner’s maturity. Over the years many researchers have time and again have harped on the fact the learner may just not be treated as a spectator or receiver in a classroom rather they also have an important role to play in the teaching-learning process.

The rote mechanism has become so etched in our minds that the institutional teaching-learning process has become more like an administration where the success of a policy framework is measured though the scale of pass percentage within a stipulated syllabus and the administrative self dominates over the teaching self.

With time, administrative control and its overtures failed the underlying philosophy of learning across institutions and modern educational systems went orphan in the hands of policymakers whose bigotry tried to take India ahead but left the time behind.

As a result of our classrooms, those are filled with students who have been prescribed a “one-size-fits-all” syllabus end up churning out a school of students who despite having a degree are not only unemployable but also lack conviction. If we only had honored the soul of our great country we could have realized the importance to move on with time and liberated the minds without fear removing the shackles of unnecessary control of chalk-n-talk education.

All modern concepts of learning today, be it media richness theory, peer and self-learning, ubiquitous learning or lifelong learning all were prevalent in ancient India but now all these concepts have been accepted as western imports and floating since with high esteem.

The only common component among these concepts besides students and teachers is the time component indicating the fact that there is heterogeneity among learners and each individual has to be given space and choice to churn gainful learning. And we missed it....trust me! Yes, we did!   

If we had taken our teachers and students little more seriously and allowed them with resources to explore and seek for themselves, if administrators would have focussed their energies on building learning infrastructure and support system all across the country, if policymakers would have demanded targeted research output from scientists, thought-provoking innovative ideas would have received real patronage, skill acquisition could have been the measurement of one’s ability and not the certificate only, and likewise we would have been on a different space and time. Alas!

We made feeble attempts in these areas and lost on time. Even today, when the universality of education 4.0 is knocking our doors we are still looking to retard to traditional confines of a syllabus which changes after a long gap or for a convenience ignoring technology of the time – a perfect regressive plan.

Today’s millennials reckon with the fact that information is the key and directional flow of relevant information construe knowledge which doesn’t necessarily have to come from a single source rather a global repository of information should disseminate knowledge over the cloud network. A section of economists argues that ‘higher education is a public good’, and therefore knowledge should be made free to all for the development of industry and not vice versa.

However, worldwide the higher education as good isn’t nonexcludable nor it’s nonrivalrous like the national army or public roads rather it’s having positive externalities. It’s difficult for the governments to take a call! However, standing in the twilight of learner outcome and revenue, the policymakers need to adopt a time-bound strategic plan.

The government must erect the necessary infrastructure and create unified knowledge architecture across the nation as an investment for future generations with specific stated objectives and outcomes.  

The words of Tagore should intone again, “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high/Where knowledge is free/ Where the world has not been broken up into fragments/ By narrow domestic walls”. Indeed, if knowledge remains exclusive and doesn’t permeate down to the common people, the pursuit of the same will always be a higher order contribution from privileged access platform with limited or poor outcome.

In another few years and definitely one of the post-COVID-19 scenarios, the number of non-traditional students who are responsible and mature, going to increase who would believe dropping out of a college doesn’t mean the end of learning.

The learning aspect essentially reflects one’s ability to break-down any problem and subsequent resolution which needs the development of faculties of the brain and activates the neuro-transmitters to disseminate information for decision making. This cognitive development of the students is one of the most important reflections of maturity that fosters knowledge construction which only increases with time and exposure to an equally evolved peer group.

The second most important challenge awaiting us is the ‘management of aspiration’ of young minds. Be it employment, education, or any other social or economic activity, we know for sure that with time situation and scope will certainly improve from now, but being able to reason with the prevailing hostility of time and space that too for the energetic youth is quite a task.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us, the teachers to adorn the great role of a mentor just like ancient times when one holds the hands of his disciples and takes them to salvation i.e., the liberation of mind in the realm of time, thus both will realize the true spirit of BharatVarsh!!

Dr. Debarshi Mukherjee is working as an Associate Professor and HoD of Business Management, Tripura University, a Central University (GoI); Head of the Deptt of Tourism Administration, Tripura University; He has over 70 publications including a book, and edited books in her credit. Email - debarshimukherjee@tripurauniv.in  

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinion of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Indian Observer Post and Indian Observer Post does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

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