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Indian School

New Boy is a really telling snapshot of life in India – the school is a representation of society at large. All the tensions of everyday life are mirrored in the school. There’s almost a harsh competitive edge which the head teacher recognises and justifies as a form of preparation for the outside world. It’s important to recognise that good schooling in South Asia is seen as a privilege and therefore, for those fortunate enough to attend, there is real family and peer pressure to do well. The costs are usually astronomical and families make many sacrifices to allow their children to attend. Failure is not a consideration and the sheer quantity of students makes the whole environment ultra competitive.

Children in India learn from a very early age that they need to work hard and be extra-special to be seen to be above the rest. The school election illustrates this very well and shows the seriousness with which the candidates take their responsibility and position. This demonstrates a maturity not often seen in children of a similar age in the West.

It’s fascinating to note that the same types of pressures reach across cultures. The desire to succeed is universal, except that in India there is a fear factor that if good schooling is not taken advantage of, poverty waits around the corner.

About the author

Billy Khokhar is an assistant director with the Open University, and an expert on cultural awareness and diversity. Billy used to be a teacher, and is interested in how education in India compares and contrasts with the UK.