We have become marksvaadis: Education minister flags marks obsession

Union education minister Prahlad Joshi on Tuesday used the launch of the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) Experience Centre at its New Delhi headquarters to criticise an alleged culture of marksvaadis obsessed with examination scores and rote learning, which he said was hurting the self-confidence of students.

He also linked the associated pressure with student suicides.

“Today, most of our time is spent figuring out how to memorise things and score marks. Parents, too, feel that somehow, by whatever means, children must get marks. I often say that, in a way, we have all become marksvaadis,” Joshi said.

“Whenever the results are announced, there are reports of students taking their own lives. Why has this weak mindset developed among us? Because our entire focus is on somehow filling children’s minds with information and ensuring that they pass competitive examinations,” he said.

Building self-confidence was therefore crucial, Joshi said, adding that he hoped CBSE’s Experience Centre would help students develop curiosity, understand their interests and explore possibilities beyond examinations. “I firmly believe that this Experience Centre will become a major force in building children’s self-confidence,” he said.

Spanning 6,000 square feet, the centre has 12 zones and 21 exhibits designed to introduce students to India’s educational heritage, emerging technologies, career choices and environmental interconnectedness through interactive experiences. According to a CBSE press release, visitors can use radio-frequency identification (RFID)-enabled smart cards to interact with exhibits, participate in activities and access personalised takeaways and game-based leaderboards.

The experience is bookended by Shiksha Ki Kahani, a film narrated by the personified river Saraswati, tracing a journey which begins with the gurukul system and ends with digital classrooms,and ‘Eduverse’— which uses motion-based features and multisensory elements to present an experience of forests, oceans, the Himalayas and the solar system to emphasise the interconnectedness of natural systems.

In addition, the centre features historical photographs and archival records documenting CBSE’s evolution, an interactive geological timeline that introduces visitors to the history of the earth, holograms of eminent personalities such as Dr BR Ambedkar and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, and multiple exhibits aimed at helping students explore various career paths. It also features a kiosk on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s book for students, Exam Warriors.

CBSE chairperson Mandeep K Bhandari said the centre reflected the board’s broader efforts to look beyond examination results towards students’ overall development. “Preparing students for the future also means introducing them to new areas of learning and work. Artificial Intelligence is now part of the curriculum. Giving students and opportunity to understand and engage with the technology that will become increasingly relevant in the years to come. The experience centre also reflects this thinking,” he said.

Prachi Pandey, joint secretary in the Union education ministry’s school education department, said exposing children to new subjects, professionals and technologies could help them recognise their interests and consider future opportunities.