Centre forms panel to review competitive exams, cut dependency on coaching centres, Pg14

Key Highlights: 

• The Union Education Ministry has formed a high-level committee under Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi.
• The panel will explore methods to reduce student dependence on coaching centres.
• It aims to evaluate the effectiveness and fairness of competitive entrance examinations.
• Members include officials from CBSE, NCERT, IITs, NITs, and principals from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya, and a private school.
• The panel will also examine the mismatch between school education and entrance exam preparation, and the impact of dummy schools.
• It will review advertising practices of coaching centres and the availability of career counselling.

Detailed Insights:

• The rise of coaching culture is linked to gaps in schooling quality, particularly in critical thinking and conceptual clarity.
• Dummy schools allow students to enrol formally while attending full-time coaching, undermining the formal education process.
• Formative assessments are lacking or ineffective, weakening students' conceptual foundations needed for competitive exams.
• A limited number of seats in premier institutions (IITs, AIIMS, etc.) and high parental expectations drive students toward coaching.
• Rote learning still dominates school education, failing to build logical and analytical skills.
• The committee will assess the psychological and social impact of intense competition and full-time coaching.
• A key task is to enhance awareness among students and parents about multiple career paths beyond engineering and medicine.
• The panel will also review the effectiveness of career counselling services in schools and recommend improvements.
• It may suggest policies for better regulation of coaching centres and integration of competitive exam preparation within formal schooling.

Key Concepts Involved: 

• Formative Assessment: Regular, low-stakes evaluations aimed at improving ongoing learning and understanding.
• Dummy Schools: Institutions where students are officially enrolled but rarely attend, opting instead for full-time coaching.
• Rote Learning vs Conceptual Learning: Rote learning involves memorization, while conceptual learning builds deep understanding and application skills.