3 Idiots - 3 Views of a System

I came out of the theater after watching 3 Idiots with a thought in mind. A thought regarding the Higher Education System that we currently have. Not that this was the first time I was thinking about it in fact I myself have been a part of this system earlier. However having watched the movie I feel it has has helped me understand my thoughts much better. They have become more real than abstract.

The entrance exams conducted by these institutes are one of the toughest to crack. Undoubtedly the best brains enter these institutes. They are also taken through a rigorous course while at the institute. All this leaves us with a couple of questions. Are these brains ever given a choice to choose their destiny themselves? Are we aware of the goal we want to achieve in doing so?

The entire exercise which is no doubt a very tough one seems to be going wrong somewhere. I firmly believe that the system itself is not at fault. On the contrary it is we who fail to understand the goal of the system thereby rendering the system useless (read as not being used for its intended purpose). The system I am sure would have been an easier one to change.

I also happened to read the book 5 Point Someone, which is in news these days on to what extent the movie is based on the book. Not going into the extent to which the scenes are similar or congruent as this is not what I want to bring up right now, I was not left with any thoughts after reading the book. It seemed to be more like an amalgamation of incidents which could at best leave you nostalgic remembering your college days. The movie on the other hand used the incidents to give my thoughts on the Higher Education System a direction. The three protagonists (3 idiots) are used metamorphically to look at the system in three different ways. All again the best brains with differences though. The first one has a brain which is suited absolutely well for the system. He is not only at the right place but also is aware of the misunderstanding of others about the system. The second one is not meant to be a part of this system, but has cannot do much because people who made this choice on his behalf failed to understand the system. The third one is meant to be a part of the system, but does not understand it well. He is too afraid of it to not misconstrue it.