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Time of India
31-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Beyond test scores: Helping students find meaning
By Nayaswami Nitai When we read about yet another student suicide, it calls for understanding and some action. Not only in India, but also in Japan, US, and countries worldwide, we see that the problem is severe. A friend of mine shares the story that during her teens, she concluded that life had no meaning and that for her the best way out was to commit suicide. While waiting for the right moment to act, she was drawn to an article by Paramhansa Yogananda. He mentioned that suicide, like other major decisions, creates a pattern, and that over a few incarnations, it can become habitual. In this cycle, a soul will continue to incarnate until it can overcome the same life lessons that it has encountered previously. She had never heard anyone present suicide as a 'bad' habit, something she would need to break. She always thought of it as an alternative to the endless ups and downs that come from looking for happiness outside oneself. With this new perspective, she was able to accept life's challenges and move forward in facing them. While studies point to a wide variety of causes for student suicide, academic pressure is one of the most common and one of the most preventable. The intense focus on high test scores creates tremendous stress for students, as evidenced by the fact that children as young as seven and eight are subjected to hours of after-school tutoring. The root cause of this pressure is the widespread belief among parents and teachers that high test scores will significantly enhance a student's chances of securing a good job. This perspective is outdated. Guy Halfteck, CEO, Knack, reports: 'Cognitive ability is a small fraction of what we measure. We measure everything from creative abilities to emotional and social intelligence, to how you think and make decisions.' It is time for us to defuse the frenzy around test scores, not only for those who might take their lives, but for all those students who are burdened by these unnecessary and harmful pressures. A more balanced approach is presented in India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Making space for critical thinking and more holistic, inquiry-based, discovery based, discussion-based, and analysis-based learning. To shift from student stress to student enthusiasm, we need innovative ways to nurture the full potential of each student. Students can use meditation as a means of relaxation and connecting with their inner selves. They must be encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences as they investigate a wide variety of life skills that can enhance their sense of well-being and happiness. Perhaps most importantly, they can learn that they are not alone in facing life's challenges. These practices can also benefit students in other settings, from kindergarten through graduate school. Meditation is a time-honoured method of disengaging attention from outward tensions and redirecting it to the rejuvenating experience of inner peace. Students can identify small, achievable steps toward overcoming debilitating tendencies like nervousness, anger, melancholy, and loneliness. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Hindustan Times
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Yogi Adityanath says security gives true meaning to development
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday evening asserted that development and prosperity are only possible in a secure environment. 'Security gives true meaning to development. Without security, prosperity is not possible,' he said during his two-visit to Gorakhpur. Referring to the inauguration of BrahMos Integration and Testing Facility Centre in Lucknow earlier in the day, he stated that this strategic milestone has only been made possible due to the secure environment now prevailing in Uttar Pradesh. The powerful BrahMos missile—used in Operation Sindoor—will soon be manufactured in the state capital, he said. Calling Pakistan a terrorist state, he also said artillery from Uttar Pradesh will instil fear in enemies. 'The fight for the nation is everyone's fight. If the nation is secure, we are secure,' he added. He urged citizens to remain united and respond strongly to those who insult the nation's dignity. The remarks were made after Adityanath laid the foundation stone of the Shri Paramhansa Yogananda Janmasthali Smriti Bhavan, a memorial at the birthplace of spiritual leader and author Paramhansa Yogananda near the Kotwali police station in Gorakhpur. The project has an estimated cost of ₹27.68 crore. Adityanath credited the improved law-and-order situation since 2017 for Uttar Pradesh's rapid development in infrastructure, employment, and cultural revival. He also took a swipe at previous governments, accusing them of promoting mafias and corrupt individuals, who allegedly hijacked public welfare schemes and illegally seized land from the poor and traders. 'Today, anyone attempting to harass daughters or traders will face severe consequences,' he warned. 'Each district is now achieving new milestones in development, heritage conservation, and youth employment,' he said. Reflecting on Paramhansa Yogananda's spiritual legacy, the CM said his (Yogananda's) inclination towards spirituality was nurtured during childhood visits to the Gorakhnath Temple. Yogananda was born on January 5, 1893, in Gorakhpur. He authored 'The Autobiography of a Yogi.' Swami Ishwarananda, general secretary of the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, lauded the chief minister's initiative, calling it a 'great gift to Yogananda Ji's followers worldwide.' Following the bhoomi pujan ceremony, the chief minister inspected the project's architectural designs and layout. Officials briefed him on the planned features and facilities of the memorial complex. Gorakhpur MP and actor Ravi Kishan Shukla also addressed the gathering, stating that the memorial would serve as a source of inspiration for the new generation to honour and preserve India's spiritual heritage.
