Are We Gatekeeping Quality Education?

A wise individual once remarked, "Finding a pearl in the ocean is easier than securing a seat at Delhi University."

Since its establishment in 1922, Delhi University has expanded its campus to include over 90 colleges, 16 faculties, and 80 departments. It stands as one of India's oldest and most esteemed universities. While it offers numerous advantages, gaining admission to Delhi University is an extremely challenging and exclusive process. Sri Ram College of Commerce, for instance, receives approximately 28,000 applicants each year for only 400 seats, making it more exclusive than Ivy League schools.

In a controversial post by Ashneer Grover, he criticized the education system of the public university.

As Grover made this comment, many individuals came out in support of the system, questioning whether average or academically mediocre students should have access to the same education as those who have put in years of effort to gain admission to Delhi University. The problem with this statement is evident: it implies that quality education should be reserved exclusively for brilliant students, denying the same opportunities to those who do not possess outstanding grades. Suddenly, education becomes a reward instead of a right.

While it is true that many students at Delhi University have rightfully earned their place through dedication and brilliance, this perpetuates the idea of education as an exclusive domain. Many colleges within Delhi University are seen as prestigious brands, an aspect every applicant desires on their CV. It is not healthy to make an educational institution so competitive that it reduces the potential of the candidate down to numbers.

Of course, Ivy League schools also have their own competitive nature. Acceptance rates at schools like Harvard can drop as low as 4%. These schools are also exclusive and prestigious. However, the difference lies in the selection process. Western schools assess an applicant's potential based on their communication skills, entrance scores, writing abilities, and overall personality. These factors closely align with the real-life skills that are sought after in individuals.

The flaw in the selection criteria of Delhi University, along with other schools in India, is that their assessments are purely based on academics. This approach is problematic because, after college, academic excellence is not the most highly sought-after skill by recruiters and in today's job market. Beyond the life of a Delhi University student, there is no shortcut to success based solely on a 99% academic score. So, the question arises: Is Delhi University truly preparing its students for real life?

Undoubtedly, the sheer volume of applicants each year makes meticulous screening a challenging and time-consuming process. However, perhaps if the education system were restructured to diversify the focus from academics to other areas such as personality, skills, intelligence, communication, and mindset of the applicant, we could finally have an institution that does not solely rely on academic excellence to determine one's future.