What are my questions?
Namrata Ghosh
A man once believed that the history of all humankind involved a struggle of classes at every juncture, in every domain, at all levels. It was an astute observation of the then social fabric that created a new wave of idealism. His belief has since then brought about a huge transformation in the thoughts and ideals of millions of people, created an unprecedented amount of literature and debate, brought about a massive change in lives and lifestyles of people, across all possible geographical zones, created a new discourse on the ‘problem of order’ and even succeeded in bringing about a couple of revolutions!
Even though personally I haven’t been swept away by this wave, it would be dishonest if I said that I was altogether unmoved by the statement or the aftermath of it all. The belief that ‘as long as man existed, struggles existed’ caught my attention. Why was there a struggle in the first place? What for? The struggle would obviously not ensue if we were all equal, for then there would be no play of power, domination and subservience. It is only because there are definite inequalities, that there is struggle. So in turn, it means that as long as man existed inequalities existed!
If inequality then, is as old as Man himself or Woman herself, then my other question is – specifically, what is the one single factor that is instrumental in causing this ‘lack of equality’?
After a lot of reading and deliberation I came to a conclusion that it is actually differences- individual, social, physical, occupational, economic and others that is the epicenter of inequality. However, differences by themselves don’t breed this vice, it is only when these differences instead of being celebrated, are exploited, that it leads to disarray, anguish and conflict followed by struggle. It is this negative view towards differences that create and perpetuate inequalities. We, who believe in inequalities and are ingrained with this notion, then become prejudiced. Prejudice takes on a practical form and turns into the lethal practice of discrimination. Ethnocentrism, parochialism, casteism, racism, chauvinism are some manifestations of this phenomena.
However, a lot of us truly believe that differences should be celebrated; that we are all one, that despite all odds and evens, we belong to human kind and thus, a common vein runs through us all. Isn’t this the sentiment echoed in all our written and unwritten Constitutions, in all our laws and decrees?
If then, we believe in equality for all, what measures have we taken to ensure it? Education and Affirmative Action are some of the responses one might give. Let’s focus on education. After more than 50 years of independence, does the current system of education at all point towards the ideal of equality?
Education is supposed to be a leveler. Then why has it knowingly, consciously and methodically dismissed certain information systems and knowledge content as irrelevant? Why is it then that only certain kinds of knowledge are considered worth teaching and find a place in the curriculum? Why are the indigenous knowledge systems, the indigenous techniques, sciences and languages systematically rejected and dust binned. Why isn’t modern knowledge system integrated with the indigenous and local ones. Why do certain sections of society squirm at the thought of their child’s classmate being a durwan’s daughter or the gardener’s son? Why do dropout of students from upwardly mobile families start the minute a school opens its gates to the more underprivileged sections? Why has education, which set out to bridge divides, ended up acting to create and foster greater inequalities?
We have today not one education system but as many education systems as there are classes in society. The poor and underprivileged children go to government schools, usually discontinue education after primary and upper primary, the lower middle and middle class children go to the scores of private schools and take scores of private tuitions due to the poor quality if teaching learning in the schools, and the upper class children go to elite schools.
From the very beginning differences are grounded- Munipality and Corporation schools, Government, small private schools and big private elite schools, state schools and Central schools are created to schematically generate differences among the children studying there. These crevices are further deepened thorough language barriers. Today the difference created by these different schools in the minds and lives of the children has led to the continuation of inequalities. If equality is what we cherished, why have we allowed a variety of schools to run? Why have the government and the various commissions and schemes not foreseen this eventuality? Was it at all unforeseen or was it deliberately willed?
From the very inception then, a child’s destiny gets written, much like the practice in ancient India. We are still as ascriptive as we were, as feudal as were and as colonized as we were. Our birth still determines our fortune, if not the exact occupation, at least it determines the education we would receive and consequently our employment opportunities and status. Is this what the writers of the constitution had in mind? Is class the new caste in modern India?
A recent study undertaken by the National Law School of Bangalore has shown that untouchability, one of the worst manifestations of discriminatory practices, though made illegal, is far from abolished. This kind of untouchability is faced by children in schools as well. The study says that in many schools in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and some other states, children of lower castes are made to sit at the back benches and are given the mid day meal separately. If these are the practices operative even in schools, what kind of education are we passing on to the children? How can we expect these children to be righteous citizens of a new tomorrow? Can the upper caste children in these classrooms ever appreciate the spirit of equity and equality? Can the lower caste child who goes to this school everyday, sits secluded and eats secluded ever be free from the trauma and the stigma she undergoes each day? Will she ever consider equal to her peers?
The man who had believed that the history of mankind to be a history of struggles is no more today, but the differences, the inequalities and the struggles continue to exist as much as they did, when he was provoked to write. The only difference is that inequality today is far more institutionalized. It is systematically created and perpetuated, and the prime lever for creating this systematic production and reproduction of inequalities is the education system.
Call me a cynical if you will, but I wonder if ideology and consciousness are redundant concepts today? In this light, will making education free and compulsory make any difference in this landscape, or will the vested interest groups find a new innovative ways to ensure further deepening of inequalities?
Namrata Ghosh
A man once believed that the history of all humankind involved a struggle of classes at every juncture, in every domain, at all levels. It was an astute observation of the then social fabric that created a new wave of idealism. His belief has since then brought about a huge transformation in the thoughts and ideals of millions of people, created an unprecedented amount of literature and debate, brought about a massive change in lives and lifestyles of people, across all possible geographical zones, created a new discourse on the ‘problem of order’ and even succeeded in bringing about a couple of revolutions!
Even though personally I haven’t been swept away by this wave, it would be dishonest if I said that I was altogether unmoved by the statement or the aftermath of it all. The belief that ‘as long as man existed, struggles existed’ caught my attention. Why was there a struggle in the first place? What for? The struggle would obviously not ensue if we were all equal, for then there would be no play of power, domination and subservience. It is only because there are definite inequalities, that there is struggle. So in turn, it means that as long as man existed inequalities existed!
If inequality then, is as old as Man himself or Woman herself, then my other question is – specifically, what is the one single factor that is instrumental in causing this ‘lack of equality’?
After a lot of reading and deliberation I came to a conclusion that it is actually differences- individual, social, physical, occupational, economic and others that is the epicenter of inequality. However, differences by themselves don’t breed this vice, it is only when these differences instead of being celebrated, are exploited, that it leads to disarray, anguish and conflict followed by struggle. It is this negative view towards differences that create and perpetuate inequalities. We, who believe in inequalities and are ingrained with this notion, then become prejudiced. Prejudice takes on a practical form and turns into the lethal practice of discrimination. Ethnocentrism, parochialism, casteism, racism, chauvinism are some manifestations of this phenomena.
However, a lot of us truly believe that differences should be celebrated; that we are all one, that despite all odds and evens, we belong to human kind and thus, a common vein runs through us all. Isn’t this the sentiment echoed in all our written and unwritten Constitutions, in all our laws and decrees?
If then, we believe in equality for all, what measures have we taken to ensure it? Education and Affirmative Action are some of the responses one might give. Let’s focus on education. After more than 50 years of independence, does the current system of education at all point towards the ideal of equality?
Education is supposed to be a leveler. Then why has it knowingly, consciously and methodically dismissed certain information systems and knowledge content as irrelevant? Why is it then that only certain kinds of knowledge are considered worth teaching and find a place in the curriculum? Why are the indigenous knowledge systems, the indigenous techniques, sciences and languages systematically rejected and dust binned. Why isn’t modern knowledge system integrated with the indigenous and local ones. Why do certain sections of society squirm at the thought of their child’s classmate being a durwan’s daughter or the gardener’s son? Why do dropout of students from upwardly mobile families start the minute a school opens its gates to the more underprivileged sections? Why has education, which set out to bridge divides, ended up acting to create and foster greater inequalities?
We have today not one education system but as many education systems as there are classes in society. The poor and underprivileged children go to government schools, usually discontinue education after primary and upper primary, the lower middle and middle class children go to the scores of private schools and take scores of private tuitions due to the poor quality if teaching learning in the schools, and the upper class children go to elite schools.
From the very beginning differences are grounded- Munipality and Corporation schools, Government, small private schools and big private elite schools, state schools and Central schools are created to schematically generate differences among the children studying there. These crevices are further deepened thorough language barriers. Today the difference created by these different schools in the minds and lives of the children has led to the continuation of inequalities. If equality is what we cherished, why have we allowed a variety of schools to run? Why have the government and the various commissions and schemes not foreseen this eventuality? Was it at all unforeseen or was it deliberately willed?
From the very inception then, a child’s destiny gets written, much like the practice in ancient India. We are still as ascriptive as we were, as feudal as were and as colonized as we were. Our birth still determines our fortune, if not the exact occupation, at least it determines the education we would receive and consequently our employment opportunities and status. Is this what the writers of the constitution had in mind? Is class the new caste in modern India?
A recent study undertaken by the National Law School of Bangalore has shown that untouchability, one of the worst manifestations of discriminatory practices, though made illegal, is far from abolished. This kind of untouchability is faced by children in schools as well. The study says that in many schools in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and some other states, children of lower castes are made to sit at the back benches and are given the mid day meal separately. If these are the practices operative even in schools, what kind of education are we passing on to the children? How can we expect these children to be righteous citizens of a new tomorrow? Can the upper caste children in these classrooms ever appreciate the spirit of equity and equality? Can the lower caste child who goes to this school everyday, sits secluded and eats secluded ever be free from the trauma and the stigma she undergoes each day? Will she ever consider equal to her peers?
The man who had believed that the history of mankind to be a history of struggles is no more today, but the differences, the inequalities and the struggles continue to exist as much as they did, when he was provoked to write. The only difference is that inequality today is far more institutionalized. It is systematically created and perpetuated, and the prime lever for creating this systematic production and reproduction of inequalities is the education system.
Call me a cynical if you will, but I wonder if ideology and consciousness are redundant concepts today? In this light, will making education free and compulsory make any difference in this landscape, or will the vested interest groups find a new innovative ways to ensure further deepening of inequalities?
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