In all probability, most
of the richest people in the world today were not exceptional academicians at
school. Most of the powerful political
leaders might not have scored very high marks at school. Conversely, the top scorers at school need
not become highly successful in life.
In short, academic
brilliance particularly at school seems to have little to do with success in
life if we associate success with conquering certain quanta of wealth or power
(or both).
More scandalising is the
possibility that many of the best scholars at school did not achieve anything
much in life by way of what is normally
meant by success. I don’t know if any
detailed research has been done on this recently. I know that psychologist Lewis Terman (1877-1956) carried out a very
detailed research on a large number of highly gifted students and found out
that a good many of the highly gifted students did not really make it big in
life. He realised that apart from high
level of intelligence or academic performance, a lot of other factors such as
hard work, luck, social contacts and other skills were involved in achieving
success.
More recently, Malcolm
Gladwell in his book, Outliers: The Story
of Success (2008), vindicated Terman’s findings.
Success in life is not
much related to the academic achievements at school. It depends on many other factors like the
support you get from your family, your inheritance of certain advantages
socially, politically, economically, and so on, sheer luck, your willingness to
work hard, your attitudes, willingness to make compromises, readiness to pay
bribes or flatter or whatever is required...
Then why do we still
attach so much importance to the students’ performance in exams? Why do high scores matter?
The answer is simple: the
scores are given much importance in the various selection processes which are
perceived as the stepping stones to success.
Change the selection processes and you will see a whole paradigm shift
taking place in our schools. For
example, include certain practical sessions in the selection procedures to
medical colleges. Observe the candidates
interact with patients in a hospital.
Make them go through situations which test the skills required of a good
medical practitioner. Stop giving undue
importance to the scores obtained in written exams. Instead, assess the skills and knowledge
really related to the profession.
The whole academic process
at school will undergo a sea change if we start making such changes in the
assessment methods and techniques.
Bookish knowledge alone
matters little in the march toward success in life. Then why do we give so much importance to
such knowledge in our assessment systems?
This is the question raised by the Indispire
Edition 109 #EducationSystem which inspired me to write the above
paragraphs.
But I hasten to add that a
good lot of bookish knowledge is essential at least in some professions.
Let it not be thought that anyone can make it big merely because of luck
or support from others or even the aptitude.
Knowledge is the real power. But
there is much more that is needed to be successful.
True..I also thought of same ideas when I see some successful people around me..!
ReplyDeleteBooks are shrines and bookish people are the devotees who don't want material success! :)
DeleteTrue indeed...
ReplyDeleteFunny world, isn't it?
Deletewonderful Tomichan, I like your reading you blogs because you are so precise.
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear that. After all, failures are the best teachers :)
DeleteWe know it sir that even great academicians have to have 'that something' apart from their bookish knowledge, to be able to make it big even in the field of education:)
ReplyDeleteA great write as always!
Your very presence here is a great feeling, Amit ji.
DeleteA very good post with some food for thought...
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI like how you've added an important disclaimer in the last paragraph. Rounds off the article in a great way !
ReplyDeleteI wanted to avoid a possible misunderstanding.
DeleteAwesome post.. I like the way you put your observations. Yes, there are some profession where bookish knowledge is more needed.
ReplyDeleteHappy to have you here.
DeleteSo true. Books are essential. Knowledge is must. But there are loads of other factors too that lead on to what is called 'success'. Good scores do not matter much in the long run. It is experience, life lived through actions and interactions that matters a lot.
ReplyDeleteParentage too, as Gladwell shows in his book. Bill Gates was lucky to have parents who could afford to put him in a school that had a computer.
DeleteNice information, valuable and excellent design, as share good stuff with good ideas and concepts, lots of great information and inspiration, both of which I need, thanks to offer such a helpful information here on compound sentence.
ReplyDelete