Memorising the study materials and passing is harming Education on a whole

Education plays a significant role in a person’s life. Education has a great social relevance in the current modern revolutionized society. Education has no replacement. There is hardly any alternative to education. But then inspite of the important role that education plays in our lives, the techniques used for imparting education has been did not upgrade that much nor any efforts have been taken to replace rote learning.

If you are wondering what Rote Learning is, then let me help you out. Rote learning is the process where you repeat the words, phone numbers or written paragraphs as long as you don’t know it by heart. It is the technique of mugging up.

Courtsey : Adam Blatner

If researches are to be believed, performance of students are on the decline. Nearly 75% of second year engineering students in colleges in and around Chennai failed in at least one subject in the third semester. Months after acing their Class 12 exams, nearly 40% of first year medical students in 27 colleges across the state failed, a review in 2011 revealed. Among dental students too the pass rate of final year students in the state was around 40%.


Another survey claims that 80% of the school principals believe that rote learning is to be blamed. Infact they state that rote learning has spoiled the creative thinking of the students. They are so much accustomed to rote learning that they are incapable of independent thinking and producing notes of their own.

Experts are of the opinion that educational systems in school still follow the “factory model” i.e. that was created to suit the requirements of the Industrial Revolution.

Researchers across the globe have reached the consensus that the key to addressing these challenges is to bring a transformation in student thinking, classroom dynamics, learning ambience, and technology integration and teacher empowerment.


One of the leading education service provider in India, EzVidya conducted an interview amongst 2,512 schools across India to find out whether the schools are properly equipped to meet the needs and requirements of the 21st century classroom. 78% of the principals opined that class participation on part of the students increases their performance. At the same time they also pointed out that “less attention span” was the most common challenge that they face while taking the class. Infact 82% of the teachers were of the same opinion. However when students plays video games their concentration is quite high but when in class it wanders and the students remain attentive hardly for 15 minutes. 85% of teachers opined that 90% of the class comprised of either average or students with slow learning speed.

"Teachers need to understand that children today need a variety of techniques to hold their attention. This is because when they are engrossed in a video game or on the internet they are participating and getting instant feedback. In class, however, there is no constant stimulation to evoke responses," said EzVidya CEO Chitra Ravi."

However the principals feel that the new educational technologies don’t go with the existing curriculum and that they were not easy to use. 85% of the schools surveyed stated that the teachers don’t use classroom walls to conduct their classes.