When Childhood Becomes a Rat Race !
This morning, while reading the newspaper , one advertisement caught my attention.
At first glance, it looked like any other school advertisement. But one line made me stop reading and start thinking.
“IIT, NEET & UPSC Aligned Curriculum from Class 1.”
I read it once.
Then I read it again.
And the first question that came to my mind was —
Is this really the direction in which Indian school education is heading?
I am not writing this article against any particular school. I am writing because I am worried about the direction in which our education system is moving. Recently, I saw an advertisement proudly claiming ‘IIT/NEET/UPSC aligned curriculum from Class 1.’ Instead of feeling impressed, I felt uncomfortable. Since when did a six-year-old become an aspirant for an examination that is more than a decade away?
We often talk about ViksitBharat ,innovation and the future of India. But can a nation become truly developed if childhood itself becomes a competitive race? A developed country is built by curious children, creative minds and compassionate citizens — not by making every child think that success has only three names: IIT, NEET and UPSC.
Get umesh byamal’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
The coaching culture has slowly entered schools It began after Class12 ,then reached Classes 11 and 10,then 9, then 6 .Now advertisements proudly mention Class1 .Every few years the starting line moves backwards. Nobody asks whether children are happier, healthier or more curious. We only ask whether they are ahead in the race.
As a student, I know the value of competitive examinations. They open opportunities. But they should never become the purpose of education. A school should produce thinkers before toppers, citizens before candidates, and human beings before rank holders.
NEP 2020 speaks about holistic development, critical thinking, experiential learning, sports, arts and flexibility. If that is the vision, why are we selling schools primarily through competitive examinations? Are we implementing the spirit of the policy, or simply using new marketing language?
Parents also have a responsibility. Instead of asking only how many IIT selections a school has, ask whether children read books, play sports, learn music, ask questions, develop confidence, empathy and leadership. These qualities shape a lifetime.
India needs doctors, engineers and civil servants. But India also needs teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, writers, farmers and innovators. No six-year-old should feel that life has already been decided for them.
This is not a call to ban ambition. It is a call to protect childhood. Let children explore before they specialise. Let them discover who they are before we decide who they should become. If we truly believe in building a developed India, then education must first create free minds — not fearful minds. Thanks
