If Indians have to pick two professions that they pine for, a lion's share of them would probably say doctors and engineers. At least the average Indian parent still would expect that. But do the children think that putting that extra pressure of coaching classes on themselves is worthwhile? We asked children from across the country this very question at TNIE's Let's Debate — Should tuition or JEE, NEET coaching be restricted to the weekend? The largest inter-school virtual debate competition was held in association with Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, MEIL and Linc Pens. The judges for the 16th debate in the series were educator Jyoti Swaroop and Kannan Venu, Deputy News Editor, TNIE.
While Maanya Chaturvedi from Mother's International School said that these are trying times and this is when the students probably need more guidance than ever. "In 2016, an NSSO survey showed that 7.1 crore students in this country opt for some kind of after school education. Undoubtedly, this has increased over the years. During the pandemic the students find themselves needing more more educational resources than ever. But the students already attend school on weekdays and if they also go to coaching centres, it causes such an overload of work that it affects them not just physically but mentally as well. It makes them so tired that they are not able to absorb anything properly, " she added.
But Neha Singirikonda from the CHIREC International School, Hyderabad said that it falls upon the student to decide. If they are willing to put in the extra hours who are we to stop them? "The students have chosen to go to these classes for a reason — maybe it's because they are having a hard time at school and they don't believe that the school is able to provide them with that help or maybe it's because they perfectly understand what's being taught in school and they need some advanced lessons. And since they have chosen to go to these classes, isn't it only just that they choose when to go to these classes?" asked Neha.
While Jyoti Swaroop, the external judge for debate, pointed out that some of the participants didn't make full use of their allotted time and some kept hammering the same few points, she also congratulated everyone for a civil debate. "I have not come across a more civil debate than this and I wish this could be put up on television for everyone to know how to debate without fist thumping, screaming and shouting. What we liked was that you were thinking on your feet," she added.
The students who won te awards were Finest point: Neha Singirikonda | CHIREC International School, Hyderabad, Counter Strike: Maanya Chaturvedi | Mother's International School and Lighter side: Gayathri Rajesh | Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vaduthala.
