Lalit Garg
(The writer can be reached at lalitgarg11@gmail.com)
The Union Ministry of Education is giving start to a scheme called Prayas’ or ‘Promotion of Research Attitude in Young and Aspiring Students’ with the aim of providing opportunities for research and discovery to the school students through introducing them to scientific methods and experiments during their education. The objective of the scheme is to generate scientific temper among young students and develop evidence based on scientific process, innovation, and creativity. This ‘effort’ to give an open sky to the creativity and imagination of the students is worthwhile. As a result, widespread positive changes will be seen in the school education of India, which will remove the imperfections of traditional education.
There are limitless possibilities to boost creativity, skills, originality, and efficiency among children. If the child is confined within a limited framework, then his talent also remains confined within the given scope. Therefore, by identifying the interests in childhood and adolescence itself, if a child is given an opportunity to know, understand, and do something in the field of his interest, then there are full possibilities that the talent of a large number of children will come to the fore and the country and society will benefit from it. Although this should be a basic aspect of the educational system and has been taken care of to some extent, now the government is formally going to take a concrete initiative in this direction.
We can’t do everything. But it is also true that we can do much more than we think about our abilities. How many times do we hold ourselves back, just thinking that we will not be able to do it? Many of those who are less than us go ahead, while we cannot take a step forward. This situation is a tragedy in student life, and it is ironic. Until now, educationalists were not able to pay attention to these basic things; now efforts have started in this direction, so it should be welcomed. It is a fact that the process of discovery and learning is very intense among children and adolescents. Especially if the subject of their interest is allowed to develop freely during their studies, their creativity often brings out something new. But our prescribed syllabus is an essential part of the educational structure for most of the children, and they have to complete their studies accordingly, suppressing their inherent creativity. Due to negligible conditions for moving ahead from bookish knowledge, children’s talent does not blossom and manifest properly. In this, the talent of many such children remains suppressed, whose interests do not get the right direction and opportunity to be understood. Such cases are common and rather rampant, and many times during schooling, parents force children to study such subjects, which they have to study forcibly. It is assumed that children should be educated according to the prescribed curriculum and the wishes of their parents, while they are discouraged from understanding and learning something new in the subject of their choice.
To meet this situation, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has prepared a guideline for the ‘Prayas’ scheme 2023–24, which is to start on October 10, 2023. According to the guidelines of ‘Prayas’, its objective is to generate scientific temper among young students and give them an opportunity to grow according to their true potential, skill, ability, and talent. Psychological consultant Dr. Robert Woods said, ‘Who is at the forefront of your priorities?” If you are, you will not intentionally make mistakes. If the mistake is being made under a well-thought-out conspiracy, then its consequences can be bad. Unintentional mistakes, whether at work or in conversation, can be handled with time.
According to the effort, a total incentive grant of Rs. 50,000 will be given for each selected research proposal. Out of this amount, Rs. 10,000 will be given to the student. If there is more than one student, this amount will be divided. Out of this, Rs 20,000 will be given to schools and Rs 20,000 to experts of higher educational institutions to facilitate students research work. In the project, a science teacher from the school will be appointed to guide the students in their research work throughout the term.
After observing and assessing all the situations, this fact has been coming to the fore again and again: education should be given a new form. This is a great expectation to remove the incompleteness and inadequacy of education. The effort is a step towards fulfilling such an expectation. Often, the creative talents of many children are suppressed in some way during their schooling. The children, who can become carriers of new discoveries in the fields of knowledge and science, remain followers of a ready-made pattern. From this point of view, the importance of ‘Prayas’ can be recorded in the form that it emphasises the development of the ability of the students to do research or discover individually or in groups. In fact, children learn the most by observing and understanding the environment around them. That is why, according to the Prayas plan, any local problem will be identified, and studies will be conducted on it. The emphasis is on examining the scientific reasons behind it, finding solutions, and researching any solution, idea, or concept. Zen Master Marie Jacsch says, “Facing our conflicts and embracing the unknown leads us to growth, and that makes us move forward.
Under ‘Prayas’, an effort will be made to solve a local problem or to find a research-based solution with the help of an expert from higher educational institutions along with school students and teachers. The age of the participating learners will be 14–18 years. It will be mandatory for them to study in grades 9–11. Obviously, if opportunities are made available in the right direction under the well-thought-out guidance of experts who understand the psychology of children and adolescents, then this scheme can prove to be a significant initiative in expanding the horizons of imagination and creativity of the students. Nothing happens just by knowing; we have to work on that too. In the same way, nothing is achieved by merely thinking or having desires. We also have to take steps towards fulfilling those desires. But what happens is that we have a lot to do, but we do nothing. Due to this kind of educational process, the overall talent of the students was not being revealed. If attention is paid to this lack of education, then its results will also be good. Whatever we want through education, such elements have to be put into it. Acacia seed was being sown, and mango fruit was expected. How was it possible? Kudos to our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji! Now these things are being taken care of in the new education policy!