What schooling taught me.

What schooling taught me.

1. After 12th when I did not get into IIT, it meant that I was worthless.

2. Afterwards when I got into IISc it meant I had some worth

It took years and years of unlearning to regain balance.

To understand that neither meant anything. And that in both one had given up ones sense of worth and self esteem to some narrow exam.

To understand that co-operation is what counts and not competition.

And that these exams, and everything else beginning from the ranks given in middle school exams, simply make us competitive, jealous. And insecure and arrogant in turns.

To understand that what matters are higher values. Of empathy, of sensitivity, of courage to walk the thought.

It took a village, illiterate, poor, assetless. Rooted in wisdom. A community knitted together into collectivity. To even make me see all this. In stark clarity.

... the damages of schooling will take a long time to undo ... work in progress.