India, today has been leveling up its name in terms of world class education. While its institutes escalate to the top of charts, entering these major universities is nothing less than a rat race. In a way, it helps filter prodigies from the pool of candidates applying, but those who get in, may not promise the level of competency expected out of them. Why if you ask? Answers Why Cheat India, a film starring Emraan Hashmi, which uncovers the loopholes in our education system.
Hashmi, who plays the mastermind of one exam scam, took to social media and shared a new promo of the film, along with its changed name. “Akalmandi nahi Nakalmandi” is what our system thrives on, as highlighted in the movie.
Talking about the anomalies in the system, he said, “I have learned a few things in my school life as a student but there are lots of things which I haven’t learnt during that period. We concentrate on mugging rather than understanding a subject. In colleges, our faculties are unqualified or they are disinterested in teaching. We have limited seats in educational institutes where huge number of students pass out from schools and colleges every year.”
When questioned about how the three word title (Why Cheat India) reflects the education system in our country, the actor replied “There needs to be more open dialogues, a logical and analytical way of thinking and a semblance of consistency which I’m not seeing. Our system is all about rote mugging, and not asking questions. No one is supposed to ask why, ‘why’?”
One can’t deny how big a ‘market’ education is in India. Commercialization of education has been prevalent since long, and so are the exam scams. Not just the students, the parents are at fault too. Their desperation to secure a desirable job redirects them towards undesirable means. A mother of a high school student, paid 16,000 rupees (£175) for her son to cheat. She believes “It isn’t cheating, it’s a way out.”
But however, as one digs deeper, more dirt is likely to be found. From the conventional Guru-Shishya Indian teaching, we have come a long way. The cheating mafias have taken over, who capitalize the desperation of students, and turn it into a detrimental business.
But with a country producing 17 million job seekers every year, there are only 5.5 million jobs. What is more jolting is the insecurity of unemployment that has made cheating a lucrative business. People are eager to grease their palms with malpractices and unfair means to emerge on top.
Where is our educational system heading to? Is it really our way to achieve success? Here’s hoping that the movie Why Cheat India gives us a clear picture.