And I thought growing up was fun!

I was impressed when my 16 year old cousin in New Delhi scored 93% in his board exam. His parents weren't. It seems in the new competitive India, you don't have a future if you score less than 95%. Like most teenagers in the world, he likes football and online games. But all that he's been doing in the last two years is solve algebra. When he takes a break, he studies science.

As a kid I envied my classmates who knew what they wanted to do with their lives at 15. At 24 I am still figuring it out. I was never a good student. In school, I just managed to stay afloat i.e. not flunk. I was a non-conformist kid. I learnt dancing and I read Shakespeare. My conventional teachers didn't appreciate it, and I never found a mentor. But that was me.

There is no doubt that Indian education system is rigorous and disciplined. But it's also linear. There is little appreciation for a child's natural capabilities. Everyone is measured with the same scale of test scores. And it's frightening. The Indian education system needs a little retrospection. With X board exams being removed, there might be a little respite for children. Vocational studies should be introduced in high school, where students can experiment with future professions. It's not fair to make high school students decide at age 16-17, what they want to do for next 40 years of their life, without giving them a taste of different vocations.

Educators and parents need to be aware of gauging their's children's performance and strengths across various parameters like interests and creativity . I wonder how many teachers/parents know if a kid is right brain or left brain. If they know what a kid was naturally good at, they would be better equipped as mentors. Children are a nation's hope. It's our duty to give them an environment, where they are nurtured and encouraged based on their talents and not just scores.

Let's make growing up fun!