INFOKARA RESEARCH ISSN NO: 1021-9056
Commercialization of Education System in India: A Study of Jayant Gilatar’s Chalk N Duster
Ms. Yashaswini, P.1, Dr. Naresh Annem 2
1 & 2 Asst. Professors of English, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore
Abstract:
Education enlightens and empowers the human beings. Hence, every individual in the society should be able to access the education easily and if possible, freely. The other side, movies are part of literature which holds the mirror to the society. Many movies are quite natural in bringing the social issues on the screen with great motto. The contents of these movies make the audience/viewers to understand the ground reality of the society and also question themselves being part of the society. Thence, movies turn out to be documents. The present paper explores issues about commercialization of education system in India and other related issues which are portrayed in the movie, Chalk n Duster.
Keywords: Commercialization, Education, Teaching, Chalk, Duster, Movie
Introduction:
“Education which does not mould the character is worthless”
- Mahatma Gandhi
Education is a process where knowledge is imparted and that knowledge should help to shape an individual and society. Through education an individual can be empowered and enlightened; in turn will help the society. Hence, the priority of an individual and government should be on getting access to the education. Further, cinema is a powerful medium which enlightens, empowers the individuals and the society. Some movies bring out awareness about the events that happen in the society especially social evils like caste, theft, women harassment, child labour, corruption etc. Since cinema or movies became part and parcel in the lives of the people,
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our society and individuals are deeply influenced by it. Technical advancement has made the movies more accessible through YouTube, Amazon Prime, Netflix etc.
Chalk n Duster is an Indian movie in Hindi language directed by Jayant Gilatar in 2016. It was produced by Amin Surani and the story line was written by Ranjeev Verma and Neetu Verma. Popular actors like Shabana Azmi, Juhi Chawla, Zarina Wahab, Girish Karnad and Divya Dutta acted in the lead roles. This movie portrays the framework of Indian education system, commercialization of the Indian private education system and paradigm shift in turning education into business.
Commercialization of Education portrayed in Chalk n Duster:
“Can you imagine what the world would have been without a teacher?” asks Jyoti (Juhi Chawla) a science teacher, in a discussion where the other colleagues asked her why she has opted for this ordinary teacher profession though she being a very talented actor, dancer, state level badminton player. Jyoti replies, “One has to be proud of being a teacher”. She, further, states that “Can you imagine what the world would have been without a teacher?” This very statement makes every audience to think and re-think about the construction of world without a teacher and also tells about the importance of being a teacher.
This movie revolves around the passionate teachers Vidya (Shabana Azmi) and Jyoti (Juhi Chawla) mathematics and science teachers, respectively, working in a Mumbai based high school namely Kantaben High School. They believe that moral and ethical values should be imparted in students besides good grades. They are selfless and believe in qualitative education. The school will be running in a decent and dignified manner by giving the best education to students; teachers were also enjoying their freedom under the administration of the principal Indu Shastry (Zarina Wahab). To the surprise of the teachers, the supervisor of the school, Kamini Gupta (Divya Dutta) gets appointed as the Principal. She starts changing the entire system in the school as she believes that education is the main source of making money and it is the best business. So, she along with the management introduces very illogical and painful rules into the school. She increases the school fee for students, increases the work load to the teachers and she becomes very rigid with the attendance of teachers. Further, she also looks at teachers as employees whose job is not content oriented but a mechanical stuff.
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Nishit Jariwala in his article “Why foreign education system is better than Indian education system” writes “In Dubai, primary and secondary education is free and it is made compulsory in law whereas in India education is becoming business. Taking from privatization of education to tuitions and coaching institute; education is generating good money. So business minds are now moving towards education” (Nishit in Buddy Bits).
This movie Chalk n Duster has brought light on many issues faced by the teachers working in the private schools. It is portrayed in the movie that the old and senior teachers are deliberately targeted and thrown out of the school which may be a strategy of the management. Management of the school simply targets the old and senior teachers because their salary will be high. Instead of paying high salary to a senior teacher, they can hire two fresh candidates and make them work. But, one thing to be observed is an experienced teacher will be expert in his/her subject. Hence, the experience of a teacher has to be considered as an additional degree and given special preference. Further, the methods of teaching by senior teachers are condemned and they are also asked to teach according to the instructions of the management. For example in Chalk n Duster movie, Vidya, an experienced Mathematics teacher, teaches Trigonometry using her own method which helps the students to memorize formula and understand it. To teach the following formula:
푠푖푛 휃 = 푐표푠 휃 = 푡푎푛 휃 =
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She recites a sloka from Hindi: “Pandit Badri Prasad…Hari Hari Bol…Sona Chandi Tol” in which P= Perpendicular, B= Base, H = Hypotenuse. In Sona Chandi Tol…S= Sine 휃, C= Cos 휃, T= Tan 휃 and finally 휃= P/B.
Another example which we are familiar with is in English grammar classes, the teachers used to tell the students that “third person singular ko ‘s’ lagaana” which means ‘s’ should be added to third person singular number in simple present tense, that is ‘he’, ‘she’ and ‘it’ like ‘she dances’, ‘he sings’ etc. These regional mixed phrases were quite catchy to the students which helped them to memorize it always easy.
Ultimately, it reflects that the private institutions want the education digitalized. As a result the traditional methods / ways of teaching are not accepted in some schools. It is clear from the movie Chalk n Duster in which the teacher who taught trigonometry using traditional method was treated as incompetent and incapable; the method she used to teach was said to be outdated. Listening to those harsh comments by the new principal, the Mathematics teacher, Vidya who was a selfless and sensitive teacher could not bear and gets heart attack.
Removal of chairs in the classrooms is one another example which looks inhumane. This is very fact about contemporary private institutions where there won’t be any chairs in the classroom for teacher. This is because a teacher is asked to stand in the classroom and then teach. Well in one way it is acceptable, but any teacher for that matter doesn’t sit for the entire class hour. On set when we look into the issue, there will be few teachers who are old and can’t stand entire class hour and also continuously engage another two three hours. This continuous standing posture makes them tired and loses energy and that affects their quality of teaching. If they look tired, the class won’t be interesting. At least to take attendance one has to be provided with chair and table. It looks very ridiculous when private schools try to reach world class standard and doesn’t provide chairs for teachers.
The movie brings out another incident where the arts and crafts teacher is asked to teach Hindi and Hindi teacher is asked to teach physical education. This is one example that if the work load is less for a teacher, the management asks them to teach other subjects in which they are not specialized. Of course, this saves money to the management.
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Yet another scene from the movie is providing tea for the teachers during break time which was complimentary by the previous principal of the school. But when the new principal takes charge without any notice it was discontinued. One day in morning session break, a guy from school canteen serves tea and to the teachers’ surprise, after serving he asks for money, which was complimentary previously. This simple act shows that saving money by cutting off the facilities to the staff. It is not that teachers can’t afford half tea in the morning session. Usually, after taking the classes, a teacher needs to refresh by having a tea or so. As they are tired, it is just a refreshing thing which will recharge teachers’ energy for next five to six hours in a day. As teachers, their job is to stand for long time and give lectures, their throat will be dried up and also they will be literally tired and have no energy to reach the canteen and run back to the next hours. Considering these things, to be generous towards teachers and also to manage time the tea was provided on complimentary which was no cost. But, later the generosity towards teachers was stopped.
The movie further brings out the role played by the media and money. When the teacher gets heart attack and removed from the school, this issue was taken to the media. At the same time another media channel tries working for the people who have money and gives fake news. Media should bring the negative shade of the society on screen, but most of the media houses work in favor of money and TRP ratings. Media should not forget its roles and responsibilities. It is also shown in the movie that how money buys the media channel and makes media channel to give wrong information regarding the issue. The new principal of the school even tries buying Jyoti’s husband by offering a big deal of buying computers, and offers the school supervisor post to Jyoti just to stop her supporting the mathematics teacher, Vidya. But, Jyoti denies the offer, condemns and criticizes the strategy of the new principal in front of the entire staff and resigns from the post of science teacher.
The movie also brings out the issue of social hierarchy. Jyothi gives an interview to a TV channel in which she criticizes the entire social system and especially education system. She compares the defense and teaching professions. She appreciates the respect given to defense professionals and the amenities like home for living, travelling allowance, medical facilities, canteen etc. Further, she questions in regard with teachers, “what about those who educate the country? Don’t they have right for any respect or amenities?” Jyoti explains quoting an example
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that multinational companies do everything possible for the comfort of their workers, even call center workers will draw more salary than a teacher has experience of 28 years (quoting mathematics teacher Vidya madam’s salary). So a person’s qualification and profession are not taken into consideration. In fact, multinational companies workers’ have dropping and picking facilities. But teachers don’t even get the concession in bus or train. Listening to it the anchor replies, “still teachers do get respect”, Jyoti replies to the anchor that, “In our country, respect is given only to the profession which gives power and money in the India society. Politicians, bureaucrats, film stars and cricketers do get lot of respect as they have money and power and they are made as chief guests and cut the ribbon. No teacher travels in luxurious cars like BMW or Audi”. Jyoti also talks about the allowance and subsidy given by government, where the teachers are made as invigilators and also evaluators in competitive exams conducted by government but paid very minimum amount. Despite all, there is no job security for teachers as they can be thrown out from the schools at any point of time as every decision will be in the hands of management; it can even be on any pretext.
Youth power is shown in the movie where soon after watching Jyoti’s interview in a media channel, the students and other youth fraternity decide to fight against the injustice happened to Vidya teacher. Youth conducts rally “Vidya’s Arjun” in support of her, which in turn pressurized the concerned authorities to give justice to Vidya teacher. In this regard, a bureaucrat from the government takes initiative and both the parties are convinced for a quiz show which decides the future course of action. The knowledge of the teachers is gauged through a quiz show. The teachers show the spectacular command of knowledge on their subject and win over the management. Despite winning 5 crore rupees in the show too, when they asked about the plans of having such a huge amount, the two teachers tell that they will start a new school under the administration of former principal, Indu Shastry, where education with ethics and values will be its priority; no harassments on teachers and no helpless women will be tortured.
Discussing the demerits of commercialization of education, Swapnali in her article “Commercialization of Education System: A Critical Analysis” points out:
“1. More emphasis on marks 2. Unable to maintain the principle of quality
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3. Profit oriented 4. Costly 5. Materialistic outlook 6. Over burden of Teachers 7. Mechanical Process 8. Less salary to teachers 9. Poor service condition of teachers 10. Over burden curriculum” (Swapnali: 2016)
In the same way, the movie Chalk n Duster also portrayed the education system in India. For example, commercialization of education gives more emphasis on marks than focusing on the moral and ethical values. When the institution itself fails having morality and values, the outcome of the institution will also be the same. Generally, people believe that good grades take students to good status but the reality is good behavior takes to good status and that is the quality of living. The movie witnesses that a minority widow woman who is working in the institution as teacher will be having concession in the fee of her son, but in the new management it was removed and that made the lady to join her son in an another school. Because of commercialization of education system, the poor people as well as the weaker section of the society are not able to get education due to high rate of fees where only the rich people can afford to take education as they have the ability to spend high amount of money. Commercialization of education puts over burden on teachers by giving more number of classes that in turn effect on the quality of the teaching and also busy in taking classes, examination, remedial class, tutorial class, to check the examination copy etc. Even after working hard for the entire day, they don’t get sufficient salaries also.
Conclusion: There is rapid increase in private educational institutions in India. This is because many believe that it is better to invest in education institutions which fetch lot of money. There is no loss as the fee structures for students can always be increased at any point and facilities given to teachers be reduced at any point. Hence, it is a beat business to make money. If so then what is the quality of education that these institutions give. But, in principle the educational institutions should work in
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service motto and should never change the service into business. Degrees do not matter but the learning in the process of getting degrees matter. Teachers are the strong pillars of the society. Hence, they should be given facilities from the institutions and should be paid well. They should not be over burdened, if so the quality of education will definitely be decreased. If education without morals and ethics is taught, world will be with machines and not humans. When human beings turn to be machines with no values; rate of crime will be increased in different means and forms.
Further, this movie is very informative about how the service and noble profession is turned into business and its influence on the society. It also brings awareness about the importance of education and efforts of committed teachers for the overall development of children. It portrays that teacher as such has great role in molding the personality of a student. This movie makes every sensible audience to question the entire education system in India. It is also motivational one which teaches every person to question the injustice rather keeping oneself quiet and voiceless, as it is everyone’s bounden duty to voice against the injustice and fight for justice.
References:
1. Chalk n Duster. Dir. Jayant, Gilatar. Prod. Amin Surani. 2016. Film. 2. Jariwala, Nishit. “Why Foreign Education System is better than Indian Education System?” in BuddyBits. 28 Aug. 2014. Web.18 Sep. 2019
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