Education - a barrier for innovation and enterprise

Education tends to constrain one to think in straight jacketed paths and on lines of what previous innovators have done. It also tends to guide one to follow a normative path prescribed by the educational system. True Innovation demands bold unconstrained thinking to the point of being typecast as a maverick to imagine the impossible. Historically all path breaking Innovations have had their origins in mavericks thinking of the possibility of what are considered impossible. Educational system should encourage original thinking, break out of the easy herd mentality to follow the laid path. One has to be trained to be innovators. There must be incentives to challenge status quo and disincentive to parrot the time tested rhymes. This cultivating the challenging attitudes should start at preschool levels, build and support courageous acts during formative years. Unfortunately Indian culture has been more of obedience oriented and not challenging. This has led to competent people made to become incompetent, disgusted, rebels, flight or fate.