The video begins by addressing the significance and ancient roots of mathematical concepts such as zero and infinity originating from India, highlighting how India's culture and education have been historically influential yet disrupted. The speaker, Avi Sharma, aims to discuss the journey of rediscovering education from past influences to present developmental necessities in India.

Avi Sharma explains the negative impact of the British colonial educational reforms introduced by Lord Macaulay, which dismantled the indigenous "gurukul" system. By replacing it with an English-based system, education became oriented toward producing clerks and administrative personnel, detracting from holistic development. Sharma critiques the present education model for its rigid, standardized testing approach, and its contribution to stifling diverse talents and causing issues such as brain drain.

Main takeaways from the video:

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Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. shloka [ʃloʊkə] - (noun) - A verse or stanza, typically in Sanskrit, often recited in Hindu religious ceremonies. - Synonyms: (hymn, verse, mantra)

This great shloka from our Vedas mentions that you are infinite, I am infinite and this whole universe is infinite.

2. gurukul [gurukʊl] - (noun) - A traditional Hindu residential school system where students lived with and learned from the guru. - Synonyms: (ashram, monastic school, residential school)

First, he systematically destroyed all our gurukuls and then established new schools all over the India with English language and Western education in them.

3. holistic [həʊˈlɪstɪk] - (adjective) - Considering the whole of something or someone and not just a part. - Synonyms: (comprehensive, integrated, complete)

holistic learning environment. All the basic skills were taught along with the subjective studies.

4. philosophers [fɪˈlɒsəfərz] - (noun) - Thinkers who engage in the study of fundamental nature of knowledge, existence, and values. - Synonyms: (thinkers, theorists, scholars)

Due to this only our India was able to produce great philosophers like Prabhu Shri Krishna and great archers like Arjun.

5. brain drain [breɪn dreɪn] - (noun) - The emigration of highly trained or intelligent people from a particular country. - Synonyms: (talent drain, emigration of talent, skill exodus)

All this in India leads to brain drain.

6. standardized testing [ˈstændərdaɪzd ˈtɛstɪŋ] - (noun) - Forms of tests that are administered and scored in a consistent way. - Synonyms: (uniform testing, norm-referenced testing, standardized evaluation)

But again or somewhat education system and most of them are forced to take one of those competitive exams which tells that 2000 to 2500 students commit suicide annually due to the pressure of such competitive exams like je neet UPSC and this number is increasing which is very shocking and one of the more factors related to it is a standardized testing

7. empower [ɪmˈpaʊər] - (verb) - Give authority or power to do something. - Synonyms: (authorize, enable, permit)

But when we empower the education, we empower India to think critically and to lead India through innovation and development.

8. imposed mentality [ɪmˈpoʊzd mɛnˈtælɪti] - (noun) - A mindset or belief that is forced upon individuals or society. - Synonyms: (forced mindset, indoctrinated belief, dictated attitude)

imposed mentality? This mentality is the mentality of a person believing that some subjects are better than the other.

9. aptitude test [ˈæptɪtjuːd tɛst] - (noun) - An exam used to determine an individual's skill or ability level in a specific area. - Synonyms: (ability test, skills assessment, proficiency test)

So they should be allowed to choose their subjects through maybe some aptitude test very early.

10. personalized space [ˈpɜːrsənəlaɪzd speɪs] - (noun) - An environment tailored to appropriate individual needs and preferences, especially in learning. - Synonyms: (customized environment, tailored space, individualized area)

students should be allowed such a facility that they can learn at their own personalized space.

Rediscovering Education - from Zero to Infinity - Avi Sharma - TEDxSISTec Bhopal

This great shloka from our Vedas mentions that you are infinite, I am infinite and this whole universe is infinite. And when we remove infinity from infinity, what's left is infinity. So there's a quote from this foolish person which says that Indians invented the zero and after that they forgot how to count. But let me tell you all my friends that from the very basic concept of zero to the greater concept of infinity, our India has it all. The answer lies in India's past. How our great culture was shattered or today. Here we are to discuss that how can we discover again the journey of development from zero to infinity. But development Kahasi Agaya, how is this related? Let me tell you in the words of Dr. Kalam that education is the backbone of our nation. It's the wheel that drives the chariot of development. So who better than to take you all through this journey of rediscovering education than a student himself.

Yes. Good morning everyone. I am Avi Sharma. I am Pradhan Mantri. Rashreewal Purskar Awadi. Actually a wonderful introduction has already been given. So I don't think so I need to introduce myself more. So I'm a 15 year old right now and in grade 10th board swali class. And I believe that I am here today to share some of my experiences. And I believe that the journey of a person begins as soon as he or she starts working towards their goal. And I started my own journey at the young age of two.

Okay, so enough about me and without any delay, let's begin with our quest. So earlier we questioned that why are we still a developing country? So this is because the drawbacks of our education system. Because we already have established that education is directly proportional to development. Now speaking of education system, which education system have you all studied in? Okay, I hear someone saying Indian education system. Pardon me, but that's wrong. It's the English education system. We all have studied in the English education system which was brought in India by this man. Yes, Lord Macaulay.

Now doesn't he look like a villain from a Hindi film? Actually he was. And the film was the Indian education system. Or HA is about the real one. Now I'm calling him a villain. Not just because of his looks, however that's an important factor. But because of its arts through which he uprooted our glorious education system. Now his role in the film starts in 1830s and how he did the whole thing. First he systematically destroyed all our gurukuls and then established new schools all over the India with English language and Western education in them.

But the big question, why did he establish new schools instead of, you know, just inculcating western education in the gurukul? See Britishers in their time wanted only two kinds of people. One were the ones who could do clerical jobs or managerial jobs and the other one were laborers and servants or in Donosehi Britishers but future leaders which were a very big threat to British Raj. Let's see. holistic learning environment. All the basic skills were taught along with the subjective studies. Cooking, oration, woodworking, basic skills.

Now Gurukuls also inculcated moral education in children. Yes, from the philosophies of Bhagavad Gita and Ramayan they inculcated moral teachings in them. But these teachings are missing in our today's education system. And then all these things result in cases like the Kolkata doctor case and the increasing crime rate in India. And now our Gurukuls interesting system follow Karthit Hai which was the student centric system that students were not segregated according to their age but according to their learning pace. So that each and every student can learn perfectly at their own pace.

Or Guru Kulsma's choices of subjects like from medicine to astronomy, from music to Vedas they had everything so that warfare they could use, how to learn the weapons. And those who like to study the Vedas or maybe fine arts could learn that subjects deeply. Now there's one very important point. Due to this only our India was able to produce great philosophers like Prabhu Shri Krishna and great archers like Arjun. Also children were very independent in Gurukuls. See they had to make their own bed, fetch their own food and all these things were actually preparing them for the future life challenges. But Aaj Kahamara education system.

But I want to ask you all is it okay? Let me show you some very interesting pictures. This is a camera from 100 years ago. It was actually one of the first cameras in the world. Or iPhone 16 camera. This is a computer from 100 years ago, somewhat 1945 and it was used for some basic mathematical operations and it had very low memory. And now we see that Itna kam to Hamari Chhoti se computer. But now I want your all attention here. This is a classroom from 100 years ago and this is a classroom now. I don't think so. And that's where the problems start seeing.

But Agarama BAAT Kuru necessarily like if I talk about how many of us were trained in our schools about learning basic financing or managing our own taxes or were taught basic electrical skills or cooking all these are necessary life skills but we had to learn them of our own or actual problem start. See, our education system completely focuses on marks it is Totally marks oriented 95% Lanewala person is very intelligent or to 80% below Lai he is like average or marks students or saathi saath they do not focus on the concepts or kahina kahin kahi Reason hai that at the end of their schooling they are not ready with the industry skills or is it that employment, unemployment problem of Hochuki hai India and job mindset

Education system slightly inculcate students the goal of education is to get good marks and good marks will get you a good job or agar government job actual problem start Another major factor connected to it is an imposed mentality. imposed mentality? This mentality is the mentality of a person believing that some subjects are better than the other. Hamara education system super science for commerce, for arts, for the school dropouts and for the uneducated people or acha mara social order engineers and doctors they come under industrialist and businessmen.

These industrial and businessmen follow the orders of IAS IPS generally arts the orders of NETA generally 1012 dropouts or others blindly follow karte hai dhongi gurus and sadhus K jo uneducated however that's just for fun. All these subject biasness creates a lack of knowledge of work, professions and subjects. That says 93% of students aged between 14 to 21 do not know about more than seven carrier options like doctor, engineer, lawyer, IAS, IPS, CA etc. And under the pressure of peers, society, parents and somewhat themselves too they unknowingly kill their dreams and accept one of these socially accepted professions.

There could be anything from a graphic designer to a game developer, from a prompt engineer to even a wildlife photographer. But again or somewhat education system and most of them are forced to take one of those competitive exams which tells that 2000 to 2500 students commit suicide annually due to the pressure of such competitive exams like je neet UPSC and this number is increasing which is very shocking and one of the more factors related to it is a standardized testing. Different students, different abilities, standardized system say one level, one field, one subject testing say or is it's like asking all of the animals in the jungle to climb a tree to prove their capability.

Einstein said that if you ask a fish to climb the tree it will live its whole life believing that it's stupid or yahi kahina kahi students KE saving problems. But all this in India leads to brain drain. brain drain. brain drain means the great brains of India who do not get opportunity in our country. They get opportunity in some different countries and eventually succeed there. Great examples are like say Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Indra Nui. And then we proudly say that the CEO of Google, CEO of Microsoft or the CEO of PepsiCo are Indians. But education system would they be able to reach that level of their potential? And that's the major problem.

Indians apne ache brains. But are we here to discuss about the problems? No, we are not. We are here to discuss about the solutions. So here are some of the solutions which I am proposing and they are very simple. Like instead of rote learning, we should focus more on conceptual learning. We should encourage students to think critically through research projects and group discussions, etc. Also, students should be allowed such a facility that they can learn at their own personalized space. Education system or aches student realize even schools should adopt a new system of evaluation in which they can not judge any student by just what he writes in three hours in an examination, but what he understands in a concept in the whole semester or in the whole say academic year or important equal value institutions.

But it should be done by each and every one of us. Also necessary life skills students, schools, institutions, they can be ready not just for job but for life too. Now teachers training is a very important point. Infosys he said $1 billion. I repeat $1 billion annually should be spent on the training and pay of teachers annually for 20 years million dollar spent only on teachers trainings and pay. Because great teachers, you all have the future of India in your hands and you should get the right respect, payment and training for it.

Now major point skill over degree. Hamara India make man degree Hai so it's great but successful criteria. Ghancham Birla because all of them are school dropouts but they have attained skill in their own profession or in their own field. Also students should be offered some subject selection very early generation. So they should be allowed to choose their subjects through maybe some aptitude test very early so that they can learn many subjects in deep rather than cramming 10 to 12 subjects to Bahadur Shahada second or fine artsy pursue karna hai une Q1 upon sec theta minus tan theta kota by the way it's sec theta plus tan theta so ye both important Hai ki hum Students go subjects early exposure

Also students go human values I hope systech bhaje karai because in human values which is Vidya Adi Vinayam jo sister And I was very happy. So eventually, the goal the purpose of education is to impart and change in the world development, discoveries Only the developments upon the old one. Because Hamari system students critically think. But when we empower the education, we empower India to think critically and to lead India through innovation and development, through ideas and aspirations. Early exposure I was able to create Madhav that is an AI voice assistant by learning it on my own or students.

So I would like to end my talk, that is, that is that. See, wealth of knowledge is the only wealth which when distributed it increases. So that was my time and AB Sabhi Jagarah thank you all. Pranam.

Education, Culture, Innovation, Motivation, Science, Technology, Tedx Talks