The Hindu Business Line : Sustaining the economy must be a class act

The sustainable economic development of a nation depends largely on its children's physical and mental growth. If India is to sustain the economic growth, its children need to be taught to understand and appreciate the country's social, economic and cultural fabric, the Indian way of life, which influences a gamut of economic activity.

For instance, Indian goldsmiths have honed their skills over generations and the country exported jewellery worth $17.1 billion in 2006-07 on the strength of their traditional skills.

Different festivals celebrated across the country have nurtured idol-makers who are now winning appreciation in foreign shores. Painting — a part of tribal life — has spawned renowned artists. India is an intriguing economy where art and culture get intertwined with the economics of living for millions of people.

Global influences

Thus, the difficult journey to appreciate the Indian economy should start at the school level. But, today, global influences on the education, and the social and cultural life are such that people seem to have pushed to the back of the shelves the India ways. Children are losing their innocence even as, or probably as, they see the adults in a headlong rush to make it, at times cutting corners without being affected by it. This dangerous pursuit of wealth, which some call transition, erodes a nation's strength. The main reason for India's low Human Development Index, in spite of a trillion-dollar economy, is its lack of conviction about the development concept.

The concentration on certain sectors such as Information Technology and services has closed the horizons for India's Generation Next that is often forced — by peer pressure or by parents — to pursue a certain set of courses in the chase for money; the personal interests and inclinations are sacrificed at the altar of Mammon..

In this mindless race, the majority of poor and middle-class children end up in poorly-equipped `me-too' schools and institutions, as their parents are unable to afford the public schools and technical/managerial schools where money just about edges out merit as a criterion.

Indian schools, thus, ought not to be of two kinds: Those that breed talent for global opportunity and those that keep the shop-floor humming. They must ensure fair development opportunity for poor meritorious students.

Four-year-old Rizwan Rajmohammad Shaikh of Khandla taluk, Satara district, Maharashtra, can answer questions from physics, geography, and history, up to Class 10 level, and can also share important facts about the world. Rizwan had to skip school due to poverty until he was sponsored by Heinz Toelle, a German.

It was an ordeal for Rizwan's father to find an Indian sponsor for his son's education. Or, take Budhia Singh, Orissa, who was discovered by a sport enthusiast.

There are hundreds of such children, waiting while their talent withers, because the country has not created a system that would bring out and nurture their abilities. This is why a nation of one billion plus fails to even make a mark (barring in a few events) in Olympics leave alone win medals.

Recognise Merit

The system must ensure that merit, a most precious asset that powers a nation's growth, is recognised, wherever it is. India needs to halt the merit drain if it wants to become a developed nation.

The country needs the cream of its human resource to build on the growth story and improve the quality of life of its people. The dollar gains are no match to the talent loss.

(The author is a Pune-based freelance writer.)