While at Karunapuram or Kondabada, I rarely gave the students questions or themes to write assignments or papers about. Mostly it is they who would approach me with topics they wanted to write about.
However, here I find my classmates (at least some of them) rather diffident to come up with a question or theme to write about. Most often the professors set out a few questions from which we are to choose. Those who wish to write on topics other than those listed, need to get it approved by the professor before hand.
The reason for this 'difficulty' is because we are unable to (as of now) have a comprehensive view of the topic or issue under discussion. Within that to pin-point one minor topic and come up with a question is therefore challenging. My former students would come with topics because they have the papers of the past years!! The very notion of copying someone else's work just doesn't arise for my present classmates! They have tasted the thrill of thinking for oneself and thereby enjoy 'creating' stuff, rather than 'getting over' with the academic challenge. The ambiance further assists this 'creative' enterprise.
I suppose this is one of the major differences between the education system between the West and in India. Here education is geared towards helping one reflect for oneself. In India, education is more about 'getting through'.
However, here I find my classmates (at least some of them) rather diffident to come up with a question or theme to write about. Most often the professors set out a few questions from which we are to choose. Those who wish to write on topics other than those listed, need to get it approved by the professor before hand.
The reason for this 'difficulty' is because we are unable to (as of now) have a comprehensive view of the topic or issue under discussion. Within that to pin-point one minor topic and come up with a question is therefore challenging. My former students would come with topics because they have the papers of the past years!! The very notion of copying someone else's work just doesn't arise for my present classmates! They have tasted the thrill of thinking for oneself and thereby enjoy 'creating' stuff, rather than 'getting over' with the academic challenge. The ambiance further assists this 'creative' enterprise.
I suppose this is one of the major differences between the education system between the West and in India. Here education is geared towards helping one reflect for oneself. In India, education is more about 'getting through'.
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