[Surekha]

In present times, in nations across the world, a dwindling number of people opt for teaching as a profession. The desire to teach at the secondary level is even less prevalent. The essay believes that the primary reasons for this phenomenon are the low-income levels of teachers and the declining respect they command in contemporary society. The essay elaborates upon these reasons and proposes solutions, followed by a logical conclusion.

In numerous countries, the lure of teaching among people has declined as their salaries that are given to them are incommensurate with the high-aspirational lifestyle of today’s youth. Salaries are far more lucrative in sectors such as legal, banking and engineering. Furthermore, there is an increasing trend among parents to interfere in their child’s schooling. The inputs of teachers in shaping the learning and personality of the students is often questioned by parents, who disagree with the instructional mode of teaching that is still prevalent in many institutions. The increasing commercialisation of education in many countries, including India, has meant that parents view learning as a commodity and the teacher as a mere seller of a product, who can be directed and in case of disagreement, even dispensed with.

The primary means of rectifying this problem is to hike the salary of teachers, so that the best minds can once again be attracted to this profession and teaching is no longer seen as a back-up career. Another way is to publicly recognise the contribution of good teachers. While the success of students is rewarded through certificates and medals, there is no similar recognition for teachers. Beyond the token respect accorded to them on Teachers’ Day, there is a need to highlight their positive efforts in catering to a diverse body of students and helping each of them attain par.

In conclusion, it can be said that the lustre of teaching should be enhanced by remedying the situation vis-à-vis the low incomes offered to them as well as acknowledging their contribution to a child’s success.

[Surekha]

The increasing popularity of the digital medium is evident in the rising proliferation of E-books in our midst. A section of the populace fears that expanding digital readership will lead to the disappearance of conventional reading forms, including newspapers and magazines. The essay disagrees with the assertion that digitised mediums will completely displace long-standing modes of readership. It discusses the reasons for this opinion, followed by a logical conclusion.

While digital technology has gained an abiding presence in all spheres of our lives and has the capacity to take over traditional channels of communication, inequitable access to technology prevents this from becoming a reality in the foreseeable future. As per the findings of the National Health and Family Survey (NFHS), 2019-20, nearly one-third of men and almost 50 percent women lacked regular access to a computer, laptop, I-pad or even, an android phone. Access to internet connectivity posed a problem to another 15 per cent of the population who had access to these modern gadgets. Given the scenario, the takeover of e-books over traditional modes of communication such as the newspaper and print magazines seems like a pipe dream.

A section of the population is also thoroughly attached to the conventional print media. For millions of people, perusing the newspaper, alongside their cup of morning tea or coffee, is an inherent and irreplaceable part of their daily life. Moreover, the online experience is beset with numerous pop-up video advertisements, which serve as unnecessary distractions. These destroy the sanctity of their serious reading experience. For other people, their familiarity with the hard-copy of their favourite reads, including magazines, makes this an inviolable experience. The smell of paper and the look and feel of a used magazine cannot be recreated over the digital medium for such people.

In the end, while a section feels that modern technology has the potential to oust more established forms of reading, including newspapers and magazines, limited access to digital gadgets and poor internet connectivity, combined with the love of a section of people for the traditional modes of reading makes this an unviable proposition in times to come.

[Surekha]

In current times, a greater share of the sporting spotlight is shone on men’s sports than on the sporting activities of females. The primary reasons are long-standing notions of male physical superiority in all dimensions of life, including sports and the higher investment in infrastructure and playing opportunities for men from a nascent stage. The essay believes that the present situation deprives women of their share of recognition. It elaborates upon the reasons and the outcomes of the situation, followed by a logical conclusion.

The belief in the greater physical prowess and athleticism of men is widespread in current times. Numerous persons feel that men are biologically tougher than women, which makes their sporting action more exhilarating. The limited physicality of women does not make for an equally eventful experience as their sporting events are considered to be comparatively dour and timid. Additionally, social and cultural beliefs regarding channeling the independent and playful nature of men into constructive activities leads parents to encourage boys to join sports from an early age. For the girl child, the domain of participation is the household. Infrastructure is accordingly developed. The various cricket clubs for boys and young men dotting the expanse of India serve as an example.

The limited focus on male sporting excellence prevents women from following their passion. Women have to overcome adverse social beliefs to even register their participation in sports. Once they enter the sporting arena, facilities are limited for them. The absence of female toilets and women coaches, as well as instances of sexual and psychological harassment by male peers and trainers, deters many young girls and their family members from pursuing their passion into a full-fledged career. Even when they reach the pinnacle of their sport, the tendency to decry their achievements on account of poor competitiveness leads to a devaluation of their performance. Tennis, long considered to be a bastion of gender equality, continues to dole out lower pay-cheques to female players.

In conclusion, it must be said that participation of women in sports should be given as much prominence as men. Socio-cultural barriers to participation should be confronted and their performance should not merely be seen from the prism of mere physicality but the nuances in their game should be equally appreciated.

[Surekha]

Art and crafts are commonly perceived as vital subjects for children to pursue in school. However, naysayers feel these subjects have little utility within our educational curriculum. The essay discusses these contrasting positions, followed by a logical conclusion.

Supporters believe that having a compulsory art class in school helps children in developing their creative instincts. Not every child is equally accomplished at academics and pursuing art helps to restore balance by enabling children with different interests to develop their requisite skill sets. This also helps shape the career trajectory of those students who wish to pursue a career in art. Moreover, having regular art classes provides an important outlet for children to let off steam within the highly competitive and stressful academic arena. It allows them to pursue a subject without the burden of having to devour a huge number of chapters in order to succeed.

This opinion is countered by those who feel that art adds little value to the educational life of a student. Not every child has the talent or desire to pursue this subject. Each child has different hobbies, which can be as diverse as collecting stamps, sculpting, gardening and star-gazing. A single art class does not benefit such students, rather their poor performance in this medium often becomes a point of ridicule and inadvertent stress for them. An art class should be optional for students. This view is bolstered by those parents who feel that in today’s competitive world, the role of the education system is to prepare children for gaining admission in the best colleges and universities in the country and the world. They wish for their children to excel in academics as their future prospects depend on their performance in normative subjects. The sky-high cut-offs in the country’s premium graduate schools, including Delhi University, justify their stance.

In conclusion, it must be said that while having an art class enables those who are desirous of pursuing this medium to fulfil their passion, it is frustrating for those with little interest or ability in this medium. Rather than having art as an essential subject, participation should be optional.

[Surekha]

In numerous nations, an increasing number of people are shifting from their rural environs to urban centres for the purpose of gaining employment. The chief benefit is the opportunity it presents for persons to alleviate their family from penury through the greater opportunity for work available in cities. The disadvantages are the stagnation of rural economies and the frequent deterioration in living conditions of workers migrating to cities. The essay will analyse the merits and demerits of the situation, followed by a logical conclusion.

Supporters argue that the increase in the phenomenon of migrant labour to cities enables workers to fashion an improvement in their socio-economic condition. The lack of wide-ranging job opportunities in villages limits their pursuit of creative economic ventures. The abundance of skilled as well as unskilled labour in the cities due to the in-migration not only facilitates the development of ambitious public works in the metropolitan centres, but also allows persons from various geographies to interact and develop enterprising business ideas. A case in point is the development of numerous patents by persons who have shifted to urban centres and found themselves unencumbered by financial worries and the scientific temperament.

The principal disadvantage of this rural out-migration is the increasingly sluggish growth of the agrarian economy. With limited labour available in villages, even during the tilling and harvesting season, farm owners find it increasingly difficult to cultivate land to its fullest potential. The other major drawback is the decline in the health and well-being of workers as they are forced to live in deprived shanties, which have become a common feature of towns across the world. The first point of entry for most workers are overcrowded tenements in cities, as with their limited economic resources, they are unable to afford better conditions. Jehangirpuri slum in Delhi and Dharavi in Mumbai are known to house millions of migrant labour.

In conclusion, it must be said that the disadvantages, in terms of decline in rural productivity and the deterioration in the health and well-being of workers, outweigh the advantages of this phenomenon.