EDUCATION OR PASSION - Does it always have to be one or the other?

3 Idiots, the iconic film that left an indelible mark on the millennials through a statement that loosely translates into English as “Don’t run after success. Instead learn and be worthy & passionate. Success will have no choice but to come after you.” The timing of the film’s release couldn’t have been better. This was the time when India’s economy grew at a rapid pace and income levels of Gen X, the parents of the millennials, skyrocketed. This made the millennials being the first generation in India since independence which didn’t have to forcefully acquire education and get a job to survive.

But was that the only problem? While the various job options and entrepreneurship opportunities opened up, the typical Indian mindset which was far deep rooted than expected became the biggest roadblock to let the children follow their hearts or passions. While they told their children to live their lives and did whatever they wanted yet the love for traditional schooling, marks achieved in boards, becoming an Engineer, a Doctor or a CA and getting a ‘respectable’ job still ruled the roost. The children were told, “We are not stopping you from doing what you want but you still need to be a graduate.” This totally confused the kids, “If I want to become a professional tennis player then I need to hit the balls and there is no way I am going to get 95% marks in my high school.”

Who is right? And who is wrong?

Put yourself in either’s shoes and you would be flabbergasted as neither seems to be wrong from their respective perspective. If both are not wrong, then both are right. How’s that even possible? That’s what I call the “MX Conundrum”, wherein there are conflicting directions that the Gen-X and the Millennials want to take and neither of them is wrong. So, is there a solution to this impasse?

Luckily for both of them, there is…

Almost at the same time, another revolution had started seething. Internet had been born in the mid-nineties, but it came of age towards the closure of the first decade of the new century as download speeds increased exponentially from dial-up modems and GPRS to 3G to 4G and broadband. The first iPhone got launched in 2007 making way for the tsunami of smartphones that would engulf the world in the following decade. The student of today now has a powerhouse in her hands, a smartphone with high speed internet, which can be used to access hordes of content available through affordable apps or even free. This clearly has a potential to break the deadlock – Passion or Schooling? Since now the student can easily pursue her passion while at the same time study anytime anywhere. In fact, not just for traditional schooling, there is enough and more content available which can even help in honing the passion in case the choice is the former. Someone who wants to be a poet can learn the basic minimum maths while someone else who wants to become a rocket scientist can only learn working English.

Take a look at the IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum, founded in Switzerland in 1968, which is fast gaining ground across the world. It offers HL (Higher Level), SL (Standard Level) & Ab-Initio levels across all subjects. Depending upon the requirement for the career that one needs to pursue and the individual competence, a student can opt for different levels across various subjects. This is just the beginning of personalisation. E-learning provides the option of yet again creating a gurukul wherein every student could pursue whatever skill or vocation one wanted to at the pace that comply with the individual’s capacity to cope, where a student can learn anytime depending upon whether one is a lark or an owl.

So, Gen-X and Millennials can call it a truce. With e-learning firmly holding ground, it is definitely a possibility today for someone to pursue his or her passion while simultaneously obtaining formal education, certifications and degrees to always have a fall-back option to help live a safe and comfortable life in the worst case scenario.