by Sudipto Banerjee
Education holds the key to success. We have been reminded of this truth time and again. So, right from our childhood days we have tried hard to do well in school. We have memorized as many questions as possible, solved years of past exams, written long answers, aced the clock in our CAT exams. Lot of us either have good jobs or are poised for one. So, can we call ourselves educated? Probably not.
What most of us have received in school or college is training for the labor market. It helps us to make the right decisions in our workplace or perform our jobs efficiently. If a manager figures out what is the cheapest way to increase sales revenue, or if a hardware engineer figures out a cost effective way of storing data then it�s a good application of the training acquired for the job. Education does not figure in this context.
Education is something that enables us to think and judge on issues of (social) equity, (social) justice and helps us to fight the deep rooted evil beliefs which are unconsciously planted in our belief systems through our socialization. Many of us scored an �A� when we were asked to write an essay on Science and Superstition, but still we carry our lucky charm when we go for our most important meetings or exams. We have read a lot about Religion and Tolerance, but when it comes to cricket, we are the happiest souls when India beats Pakistan. Why? Most importantly, we are not bothered when the government distributes land to corporations displacing thousands of starving poor, but we become extremely annoyed when the homeless beggars take the shine out of �shining� India�s streets. The thriving urban middle class of India hates to believe that India is still a poor country and they have successfully immunized themselves from the poor . This is not only selfishness, but lack of education as well. Our academic training has failed to build our notions of a just society. Everyone does not need to wear the cap of a social activist, but they must try to promote equity and justice through their individual actions. So, it�s a long way till we call ourselves educated, but we must remain hopeful.
Author's website: http://web.econ.ohio-state.edu/~sudipto
