The Haryana Education Department has decided to raise the standard of education in the state, in its own unique way. To make the year 2008, being celebrated as the year of Education, a great success, a whopping 33 grace marks has been allotted to the Class VIII students. Now that makes failing in a Board exam, as tough, as may be passing it was earlier. Shocked with the original dismal performance, Board has decided to take this unprecedented step. Education should be one of the top priorities of any state, sadly, the power lies with the politicians and they have no qualms in making a mockery of this sacrosanct system. Understandably so, since education for that matter sometimes literacy has never been top priority in their lives too.

The rot starts right from the appointment of teachers. Infrastructure and other facilities, though important, are not basic necessity, the first and foremost need is good teachers. Over the years, teaching profession, due to many reasons, has lost its sheen. Consequently, bright students keep teaching at a very low priority in their pursuit of career. All those who take pains to study and obtain professional degrees in education are left in a lurch. New schools and colleges are opened at the drop of hat, for political gains; however, appointments are not made at the same pace. Thereby, leaving qualified candidates waiting and hoping for the best.

The State Governments devise different modes of recruitments to save on money and find politically correct persons. Once such person is recruited, he knows what and how of the whole process and tries to keep his political masters happy at the cost of students. Once this rot spreads the overall performance suffers and it is ‘gracefully lifted’. These seats of disgrace produce half learned, half baked citizens who then go into various arms of Government and the whole process is repeated again.

Private sector is doing a commendable job in providing quality education. This is evident as all officers, politicians and top brass send their wards to private institutes. However, the chief concerns of these institutes are commercial. Therefore, the poor and the needy, who constitute a big chunk, are deprived of the quality education, especially at primary level.

Once a social reformer had suggested, to improve the standard of education in the country, all private institutes should be banned. As a result all the top brass, will be forced to send their children, to the Government schools, consequently they will be forced to improve the standard of these schools. What is required is the complete revamp of system, which require tremendous political will, which in turn is dependent on a strong political opinion. Thus the onus lies with the general public as well as political power to overhaul the whole education system, so that the growth of new India is not stemmed in the beginning.