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experienced that independent thinking education system in India is not upto
is rarely appreciated by the school the mark and it lacks the promotion of
world rather students are directed to innovative and original thinking among
follow monotonous steps decided and students. It has been noted that the
performed by the classroom teachers. focus of the existing school system is on
This type of education not only preparing students to study hard and
diminishes the promotion of original, getting good jobs rather than motivating
flexible, and divergent thinking but kills them to think critically. The use of
the student's instincts to explore the technology for learning and innovations
problems scientifically. is minimum, especially in rural areas
and government schools where the
Guimbal (2015) has observed in “The
Indian Express” that “most of the maximum school population exists.
students in the country are indulged The outdated pedagogy, with a minimal
in memorization of lessons, dates and or complete absence of technology, is
other pieces of texts or information to among the probable reasons for the
be able to write in their exams”. It means lack of critical thinking and new ideas.
that students' main objective appears to The conventional pedagogy discourages
be getting good marks by memorization original thoughts and innovative
of facts while diminishing the application thinking but promotes memorization
of critical thinking in a solution to and indoctrination. The unavailability
a problem. Google Chief Executive of teachers and science laboratories,
Officer Sundar Pichai (2017 cited in “The particularly in rural government schools,
Times of India”, 2018, March 12) also makes the situation worst. Therefore,
expressed his distress about Indians it is important to work for a complete
not being flexible and lacking original overhaul of the quality and method
thinking in work. One of the key reasons of teaching used in today's education
for unemployment in the country has system to inculcate and enhance
been cited as a lack of original thinking scientific creative skills among school
among aspiring candidates. Similar students. Brinkman (2010) stated that
observations were made by Wozniak, “teaching students to be creative is a
the co-founder of Apple, in his interview task teachers do not take because most
with “The Times of India” in 2018. teachers only recognize approaches for
While extending this debate, Wozniak teaching for the best learning results
commented that Indians lack creativity rather than teaching for the discovery
and original thinking because of an ill- of new knowledge and creative ideas”.
structured academic system. In 2014, However, Park et al. (2006) argued
India was ranked 66 out of 140 countries that teachers should use curriculum
by the United Nations Development transactions as an opportunity to
Programme in terms of innovation (“The develop creativity by practicing creative
Times of India”, 2018, March 12). teaching in the classrooms.
The government of India in 2002
The reports in newspapers and personal
observations by eminent personalities launched an Educational Satellite
of the 21st century suggest that the popularly called EduSat to serve the
Indian Journal of Educational Technology 207
Volume 3, Issue 2, July 2021