Don‘t miss the cloud behind the silver lining. The Class XII CBSE pass result has soared to an all-time high of 88.8%. The number of students scoring 95% and above has more than doubled. If only these higher marks were a reflection of students getting more skilled and more competitive. Instead, the odds are they simply mirror an assessment scheme relaxed to compensate students for the many disruptions originating in the pandemic. The goal of reducing student stress levels during this turbulent time is excellent and laudable. But it is a fallacy that high marks can accomplish this by themselves. The real stressor, after all, is shortage of opportunities. When every bout of grade inflation raises cut-offs for higher education even higher, it is no succour. That India‘s Gross Enrolment Ratio is only 27% compared to Indonesia‘s 36%, Thailand‘s 49% and the US‘s 88% is just one measure of the toll taken by our failure to build adequate colleges and universities. Licence raj continues to suppress autonomy and expansion in this sector. For example, a new national education policy is reportedly mulling at least 20% of students being able to attend private higher educational institutions through freeships and another 30% through scholarships, besides fee caps. On top of the stasis already wreaked by reservations, this would be disastrous. Browbeating the private sector to make up for public sector deficiencies is counterproductive. As the pandemic has underlined the key role of good government services in healthcare, so too is raising the standard of publicly funded schools and universities essential. What the students need is an ecosystem where government institutions deliver quality education and private options are plentiful. It is better prospects alone that will best alleviate students‘ stress. Meanwhile, crudely chopping syllabi will only worsen their disorientation and should be reconsidered.
[TOI Edit, Times of India Editorials, Dated July 15, 2020].
For developing a student friendly ecosystem of education, which of the following serve as need of the hour, as per the Author?
I. Increasing the Syllabi in School education.
II. Building adequate number of public colleges and universities.
III. Eliminating Reservation in admissions to Higher education system.
IV. Creating a quality based education system
Correct Answer :
Only II and IV.
Solution :
The correct option is Only II and IV.
Let us analyze the passage to evaluate each statement given in the question:
Statement I: Increasing the Syllabi in School education.
The passage mentions, "Meanwhile, crudely chopping syllabi will only worsen their disorientation and should be reconsidered." However, the author does not advocate for increasing the syllabi, but rather re-evaluating the crude reduction of it. Hence, Statement I is not suggested as a need of the hour.
Statement II: Building adequate number of public colleges and universities.
The author explicitly points out India's low Gross Enrolment Ratio (27%) compared to other countries as "just one measure of the toll taken by our failure to build adequate colleges and universities." The passage further states that "raising the standard of publicly funded schools and universities [is] essential." Therefore, building an adequate number of public colleges and universities is directly supported by the text.
Statement III: Eliminating Reservation in admissions to Higher education system.
While the author touches upon "the stasis already wreaked by reservations," there is no recommendation or call to completely eliminate reservations in higher education. Thus, Statement III is incorrect.
Statement IV: Creating a quality based education system.
The passage clearly states: "What the students need is an ecosystem where government institutions deliver quality education and private options are plentiful." Thus, creating a quality-based education system is explicitly emphasized by the author.
Since Statements II and IV directly align with the author's suggestions for a student-friendly educational ecosystem, the correct choice is Only II and IV.
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