This tries to shed light on the topic not touched by many- does better marks mean a better student? Also, what other factors come into play in the currect schooling system?

1. Competence- More than Marks
In this new era of technological advancements, we students gain exposure
to many
fi
elds that we couldn't have even imagined. Sports, social media,
Sciences, and Literature from around the world come knocking at our
doors and ask us for our precious time. Though one may have different
aspirations and life goals, everyone wants to shine in whatever
fi
eld they
choose to work in.
This leads us to the corridors of school. In fact, the word "school" comes
from its Greek counterpart, scholē, meaning 'leisure'. In the olden times, it
was an exclusive haven of knowledge, which could only be accessed by a
privileged few.
Today, this place where most children spend around 12 years of their life
(or even more, when college is considered) is almost a second home. But
(yes, there is a but), a
fl
icker of doubt might come into mind as to how
effectively the school measures the various abilities of children. Catering
to the average child, it often overlooks the varied talents and has a
straightjacketed approach towards assessment. Usually, there are exams on
the different subjects taught there, but other than that, in other
fi
elds, there
is no way to hone and identify the skills that the child possesses. At
schools, getting more marks has become a metric for the competence of
the individual, ignoring many other crucial life skills. Children getting
lower marks are usually interpreted as being less hardworking and
intelligent than their peers. Students who just mug up the answers without
understanding the topic are given a pat on the back. Such is the case in
most of the schools.
India is a young nation, with about 25% of its population below 15 years
of age, equalling the entire population of the USA. It is crucial for us that
these young minds be appropriately nurtured because in a few years, they
will be the ones running the country. Without people actively contributing
to society, India will lag behind in the pursuit of excellence. For all this to
become a reality, competence is of paramount importance.
Nowadays, there is an abundance of role models to look up to. The
decision is on us who we choose to idolise. It doesn't take much for

2. someone to become famous- even a jig on the internet is enough, but that
is not success. More often than not, obscenity is the main factor that
attracts people, whether it be in language or actions. The young mind is
like a sponge- it absorbs whatever it is exposed to. Combined with the
mindset of instant grati
fi
cation, this can lead to 'brain-rot' (as described by
them) and the incapacitation of minds.
Not to fear, some solutions can stop the progress of this bleak future. First,
schools should be a place of holistic development. That is, they should
encourage the children to explore diverse
fi
elds and not limit themselves to
the school syllabus. The teaching should be pragmatic, with real-life
examples and should offer a vision about the future as well as awareness
about the present. In addition to performance in tests and exams, student
interactions, weekly co-curricular and extra-curricular activities can also
be considered as parameters.
Most of all, students should be clear about their future and learn to think
for themselves. With the
fl
ooding of modern AI technologies, it is easy to
fall into the trap of narrow-mindedness. It is key to know the difference
between the human mind and AI, lest we become slaves of our own
creation.
In conclusion, for a person to be competent, that is, to perform a task
effectively, they should be happy, healthy, and creative. Therefore, it is of
great value that the schools also encourage the children to set aside some
time for themselves, like picking up a hobby or trying something new.
When everyone is competent in society, the system will work like a well-
oiled machine, leading to rapid progress of our country. Let us strive for
that future and bring about a change in the perspective of competency.
—Niyati Jois 9C—