LIMITATION OF ASSAM EDUCATION SYSTEM

India as a developing country acquired a prominent position in post 
modern period. In the field of education, India played a very 
important role in Third World Era of intellectual development. 
Assam as an integral part of our country has been producing highly 
fertile brains and personnel. Though Assam has constructed a proper channel of education system from primary level to university level in 
its own territory, yet a number of difficulties and problems are 
hampering present education system in the state. The 
administrative inefficiency and the lack of resources are the 
immediate problems in all stages of education. 
After Indian independence the all India primary education mission 
could not achieve expected goals. In Assam, the children education 
faced two formidable difficulties in enrolling all the children. The 
major difficulties come from the resistance of the parents to send 
their girls to the school and the creation of infrastructure in the 
rural areas. Among the causes for failure to implement the only 
Directive Principles of state policy in education may be included, the 
large birth-rate and consequent population explosion, the inability 
of the government to raise the required financial resources, the 
apathy of the illiterate masses, the tradition resistance to the 
education of girls, the poverty of the parents which compel them to 
use the labour of children, small and scattered habitations etc. 
(Shekhawat, 2007:15). 
In this context, the Kothari Commission recommends that the step 
should be taken to reduce wastage and stagnation by seeing that 
not less than 80 percent of children who enter class I reach class VII. 
Besides improving the general education of the teachers, steps 
should be taken to see that nobody is recruited who has not 
completed his matriculation, and also provision should be made to 
improve the professional training of the teachers which should be 
at least two years in duration. The commission also recommended ancillary services like midday meal, free supply for text books, 
school uniforms etc. 
The secondary education system is not functioning properly and 
could not fulfil the national objectives. The two main defects are 
that it is academic, without taking into account either the variations 
in the interest of the students or need of the society, and that even 
the academic education that is given by the secondary schools is 
not satisfactory, as it does not enable the students to pursue higher 
education at university level. On the other hand, the secondary 
education is not geared to meet the needs of industrialization. 
For the betterment of secondary education system the diversified 
curriculum has been introduced at this stage which inevitably 
implies development of a strong and effective guidance 
programme. Guidance involves the strategies of helping the boys 
and girls to plan by themselves their own future in the light of the 
personal factors of ability, aptitude, and interest and the availability 
of job opportunities. The Secondary Education Commission 
recommended that Educational Guidance Bureaus should be 
established in every state and attempts should be made to broaden 
the pupil's understanding of the scope, nature and consequences of 
various occupations and industries. The Kothari Commission also 
recommends that and guidance and counseling should be regarded 
as an integral part of education assisting individual to make decision 
and adjustments. 

THE HAPPY PRINCE by OSCAR WILDE

The Happy Prince

Question 1: Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?

Answer: The courtiers are mentally conditioned in certain ways. This can be compared with the way sycophants behave with political heavyweights. They are conditioned to say pleasant things to their masters. The prince was brought up in a protected environment where he lost touch with ground realities of life. He never enjoyed the normal pleasures of childhood. So he may be having all the comforts money can buy but not the true happiness. Now even after death he sees so much misery and depravity all around. This makes him further sad.

Question 2: Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?

Answer: The Happy Prince sends ruby so that the seamstress can get good amount of money after selling it. With money she can buy medicines for her child. She can be in a position to pay more attention to her child. At present her economic needs don’t permit her to pay proper attention to her child.

The swallow flutters her wings over the sick boy’s head so that he would feel easy. Feeling the relief from high temperature the boy falls asleep.

Question3: For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?

Answer: The young play-writer needs money to buy firewood which will keep him warm. The little girl needs money to buy matchsticks. The Happy Prince wants to help as many people as he could. Lifting people’s misery makes him happier. To help the playwriter and the little girl the Happy Prince sends sapphire.

4. What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?

Answer: When the swallow flies over the city it sees the stark contrast of plenty and poverty. It sees rich men making merry oblivious to the plight of the poor down the lane. It sees the nadir of condition of poor when they are denied even a sound sleep by police patrolling the street.

Question 5: Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?

Answer: While helping people the Prince loses his eyes and becomes blind. The swallow seems to be touched by Prince’s sacrifice. Moreover it is also touched by poor’s plight. It thinks of helping poor with the help of the prince. So the swallow decides to stay with the prince.

Question 6: What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?

Answer: The precious thing mentioned in the story is the misery of people. This is precious because it gives you chance to help out people. It helps you to share your riches and happiness to others. It gives you an opportunity to do charity.

In The Kingdom of Fools

Question 1: What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools?

Answer: Two strange things observed by the guru and his disciple are as follows. In the kingdom people slept throughout the day and even animals didn’t dare venture out during daytime. All work was done during night only. Everything cost one duddu, the local currency. Be it gold or banana, for fools everything had same value. In a way people were not capable of judging the true worth of a thing.

Question 2: Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is it a good idea?

Answer: The disciple thinks of the easy life ahead. He thinks that he could afford all pleasures of life without worrying about monetary budget. He dreams of relishing every rich food on offer as everything cost same in that kingdom.

stion 3: Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court, and give the reasons for their trial.

Answer: The merchant was the first accused because his house’s wall collapsed and killed the thief. The next person was the bricklayer as it was thought his bad workmanship created a weak wall. Then the dancer was accused of distracting the bricklayer resulting in poor quality of the wall. Next accused was the goldsmith who called the dancer time and again to deliver the jewellery which in turn led to the distraction of the bricklayer. The goldsmith passed the buck on the merchant’s father as his pressure on the goldsmith delayed the finishing of dancer’s work. At last the wheel turned full circle and the blame came back to the original merchant.

Question 4: Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape punishment?

Answer: The king applied his weird logic to come to the conclusion that as the merchant inherited everything from his father so he should take the share of his father’s sin as well. As the merchant was too thin to fit on the new execution stake so he escaped execution. The king concluded that a man fat enough to fit the stake will serve the purpose.

Question 5: What are the Guru’s words of wisdom? When does the disciple remember them?

Answer: The guru said that you never know what those foolish people would do to you next. When disciple’s life was at stake then he remembered his guru’s words of wisdom. This is normal human behavior. During good times we tend to forget the good teachings of our teachers and well wishers. It is only when the going gets tough we tend to remember them. We usually remember god during times of crisis.

Question 6: How does the guru manage to save his disciple’s life?

Answer: The guru tries to confuse the king by expressing his desire to be killed first. Then to further confuse the king he tells the story of becoming the king in the next incarnation. Apparently it may sound like a case of pure lie to save your dear one’s life. But if we go deeper consciously or unconsciously the sage is trying to save everybody’s life in the kingdom. Ultimately he is able to pull everybody out of the misery of living in the kingdom of fools.

ISWARAN THE STORY TELLER by R.K LAXMAN

Q1) In what way was Ishwaran an asset to Mahendra?

Ans1) Ishwaran could cook the delicious dishes, wash clothes and chat with his master at night. He could tell endless stories on variety of subjects. Therefore Mahendra considered him as an asset and took him with him always.

Q2) Why did Mahendra have to move from place to place?

Ans2) Mahendra had to observe the activities at construction sites like factories, bridges, dams etc. He had to move from place to place often as ordered by his head office.

Q3) How did Ishwaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway?

Ans3) The uprooted tree was looking as enormous bushy beast to the Ishwaran. It was lying sprawled across the road.

Q4) How did Ishwaran control the tusker?

Ans4) One day an elephant went mad and entered the compound of the school building. Ishwaran was in the junior class at that time. Out of fear students and teachers climbed the rooftop. But Ishwaran courageously took a rod hit the third toenail of the tusker. It shivered from head to foot and collapsed.

Q5) How did Ishwaran manage to make even the simplest Incidents interesting?

Ans5) Ishwarans was a good orator. He could narrate even a simple incident with great detail by adding suspense and humour in it. Actually all his descriptions were influenced by his Tamil readings. For instance if he wanted to describe the uprooted tree lying across the road he would say an enormous bushy beast on a deserted road.

THE SUMMIT WITHIN- extra questions & answers CLASS 8

Q1) What are the three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb?

Ans1) The three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb endurance, persistence and will power..

Q2) Why is adventure, which is risky, also pleasurable?

Ans2) People have natural urge for undertaking adventurous activity. They possess an internal love for adventure which is spiritual also. Climbing is also one such activity. It gives the climber many challenges to win over. A true climber accepts all hurdles. Victory over them gives him joy and satisfaction. It encourages him to take risk and go on.

Q3) What was it about Mount Everest that the author found irrestible?

Ans3 The peak of Mount Everest attracted the authr to itself because it is simply beautiful, lonely and the most powerful. So, its climbing could not be given up.

Q4) One does not do climbing for the fame alone. What does one do it for, really?

Ans4) One does not climb high peak for becoming famous alone. People have natural urge for undertaking adventurous activity. There is the feeling of satisfaction of this deep urge in completing difficult climbing. Climbing experience is physical, emotional and spiritual. It is an act of communication with God Almighty.

Q5) What were the ‘symbols of reverence’ left by members of the team of Everest?

Ans5) The symbols of reverence offered by the members of climbing expedition on the top of Everest were as follows.

1)      A picture of Guru Nanak left by H.P.S .Ahluwalia.

2)      A picture of Goddess Durga left by Mr. Rawat.

3)      A relic of Buddha left by Phu Dorji, and.

4)      A cross left by Edmund Hillary.

Q6) What, according to the writer, did his experience as an Everester teach him?

Ans6) According to the writer his experience as an Everester taught how to face the difficulties with strong determination. It also taught him to look within at the internal summit which is higher than the Everest.