‘Colonisers promoted rote learning; destroyed critical thinking in India’ 

Governor R.N. Ravi criticizes colonial education system, emphasizes the need for critical thinking and practical learning in India.

:

Governor R.N. Ravi on Friday said colonialism prevented students from learning and thinking critically as the British wanted to wield control over their subjects.

He was delivering the inaugural address at the two-day Association of Indian Universities (AIU) South Zone Vice-Chancellors’ conference held at the VIT campus here.

Mr. Ravi said the then education system laid stress on memorising facts and figures rather than on practical learning and critical thinking.

Promoting rote learning, the British destroyed the traditional ways of learning in India that encouraged critical thinking among students. “The rote learning helped the British to make educated youth do work that was expected by the colonisers. It [rote learning] has systematically killed the traditional way of learning among Indians,” he said.

“Students should not be bookworms. Under the National Education Policy, the government plans to revive the tradition of critical learning and thinking among students,” he added.

Responding to Chancellor G. Viswanathan’s contentionthat the current education system is State-controlled, Mr. Ravi said the education system in the country has never been controlled by the State. Rather, it is State-patronised.