After watching the movie, and having had the privilege to experience the education systems in both India and the United States, I find it very interesting to compare the understanding of the concept of education in the so called East and West and its role in shaping these societies. Here are some of my observations-

One of the biggest themes that stood out for me while watching the movie is the value that Indian society associates with being educated and how it affects your place in society. Education in India is regarded as a means to achieve social status and respect. People are judged based on their level of education. Academic schooling is what gets you validation in the society. Unfortunately, to me that does not seem like a reasoning that would lead to the road of development. In face, I would say it is the opposite of development. Education is supposed to empower people and enable them to dissolve social hierarchies. Ironically, it seems like education is widening these social gaps.

Secondly, the film highlights the fact that Indian education system is modeled around the western education system. The idea is to teach students the skills needed to be successful. Success here meaning a high paying job which helps you lead a comfortable life. Western education is linked to the notion of civilization. It is supposed to bring what the Indian system lacks. This point was particularly interesting for me because I think it plays out also in the way education is imparted in classrooms. Speaking out of personal experience, classroom education in India is very much a one way process. By that I mean that the Professor is considered as the sole possessor of knowledge. The system does not encourage students to contribute from their life experiences. On the contrary, the educational experience I have had in the United States very much taps on the knowledge of the students. It is seen as an exchange of knowledge and ideas.

The other point I would highlight here is that of the idea of Colonization of mind. Colonization of mind is an essay written by the Indian scholar Ashis Nandy. In his essay Nandy talks about the impact of British colonization on India. According to Nandy,one of the impacts of colonization which is still prevalent in the Indian society is that of inferiority complex. The colonizers played with the psychology of the colonized people and convinced them to believe that they are uncivilized and inferior. In order to progress they need to be civilized by their superiors i.e the British. A small example of this phenomenon of colonization of mind in India reflects in the country’s emphasis on using the English language. The school system is highly focused on students learning English, because the language is seen as the superior language and will prepare them for a better and promising future. As shown in the movie, the emphasis on using English is so much that the students are even punished on communicating in their mother tongue. Once again I find it ironic how education is a factor in losing ones own language and culture instead of promoting it.

To wrap up, I would say the movie raised a lot of pertinent questions in terms of the purpose of education. Do we consider education as an expensive commodity to be enjoyed by a selected few who will later contribute to the widening gap between social classes? Or do we understand the true purpose of education as a revolutionary tool which will help to bring about positive changes and liberate us of this phenomenon of colonization of mind?