1/12/2015 GapyearpaysforlifeTheHindu

http://www.thehindu.com/features/education/gapyearpaysforlife/article6775420.ece?css=print 1/5

TheHindu

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Published:January11,201517:30IST|Updated:January11,201517:30IST

GapyearpaysforlifeNRaghuraman

Illustration:SatwikGade

Lakshmi

1/12/2015 GapyearpaysforlifeTheHindu

http://www.thehindu.com/features/education/gapyearpaysforlife/article6775420.ece?css=print 2/5

AnantSingh

ChayantGonsalves

MadhurAnand

1/12/2015 GapyearpaysforlifeTheHindu

http://www.thehindu.com/features/education/gapyearpaysforlife/article6775420.ece?css=print 3/5

RahulHasija

Uncertaintycanbeunsettling.Butitcanberewardingtooforthefewwhodaretofacethechallenge.Uncertainty,notnecessarilyoutofconfusion,butoutofadeepurgetofindoutwhatlifemeansbeyondtheacademicroute,toexplorewithinandfindtheirtruevocation.Andwhatbettertimeforthatthanthetransitionphasefromschooltocollege!HowcanaClassXIIstudentfindhisinnateinterestsbeforepursuingoneseriouslythatwilldefinehishappinessquotientforlife?Teachers,parentsandstudentswhohavegivenseriousthoughttothishavecomeupwiththeconceptGapYear!Takeabreakafterthehecticacademicphase,exploretoexperiencetherealworld,discoveryourselfandgoaheadseemstobeagoodideaforthem.SaysG.Gautama,DirectorSecretaryofTheChennaiEducationCentreKFI(Pathashaala&Outreach),andformerPrincipal,TheSchoolKFI,InIndia,thepressuretobeonthetreadmill,fromschooltocollegetoworkisheavy.Creatingroomforthestudentstogetabreathingspacetogettheirbearingsisnecessaryforthejourneyofalearner,forahumanbeingtofindhispassionandavocation.Butwhytakeagapyearforhavingsuchabreathingspace?Can'ttheregularacademicstreamaccommodatethat?Overthelasttwotothreedecades,whilethetimeframe(12yearsfromClassI)hasremainedthesame,theinformationtobeprocessedhasgoneupmanifold.Ideally,thisshouldleadtoextendingK12toK14,butthealternativeistogivestudentsagapyeartothink,inanunstructuredmanner,whatkindofcareerandlifetheywouldliketohave,saysSriramNaganathan,southernIndiacoordinatorforIGNUSERG,aninitiativethataimsatimprovingthequalityofeducationformarginalisedstudents.Andlearningisnotlimitedtoprocessinginformation.Byandlarge,ithappensthroughdirectioninschools.Lifeteachesina'nondirected'manner.Onegoesthroughexperiencesandoneabsorbs,learnsthroughtrial,failure,observation,participationandassumingresponsibility,explainsGautama.BreakingfreeForLakshmiwhofinishedherClassXIIinaCBSEschoolinChennaiin2012,thisdirectedlearningandtheconsequentacademicpressurewasstifling.Somuchso,abrightstudentwhoaspiredforamedicalseatandevengotit,shedecidedtobreakfreeandtakethebabystepstothebeginningofalifewithmeaning.Lookingback,shesays,IwasirritatedwithpeopleexpectingtoomuchfrommeandIhadsubmittedmyexampapersblankonce.Whathasthisgapyeardonetoher?ItwasagiftIgavemyselftofindoutwhoIam,stepoutofmycomfortzone,explore,experimentandlearnnewthings.Atschool,wearealwaysfedwithinformation,ideas,andperspectivesofhowothershavemadesenseoftheworld,whatweshouldeat,buyandsoon.Wearenevergiventhetimeorfreedomtohaveourownperspective.Thegapyearisthatbreathingspace.ThisbreathingspacehasexpandedthefrontiersoflearningbeyondtheacademicsforAnantSingh,nowanorganicfarmerandasustainabilityconsultant.Hetookagapyearin200607.Itisthetimeyougiveyourselftofindoutwhatkindofworkyouwouldliketodofortherestofyourlife.Meetingnewpeople,travellingalone,gettinghandsonatajob,immersingoneselffullyinahobby...thebenefitsareendless.Yougettospendqualitytimeonwhatyouaredeeplyinterestedin,buildyourworldviewandlearntobepartofthesolutiontotheworld'sproblemsandnotbepartoftheproblems!,hegoesonaboutthemeritsofabreakfromtheacademics.Forsomeitisapilgrimageandaperiodofunconditioningoneselfof12yearsofschooling.SaysMadhurAnandwhotookayearoffin2012,Ithelpstoletdownthelensesandtheconditioningyouhaveacquiredatschool.AtschoolI

1/12/2015 GapyearpaysforlifeTheHindu

http://www.thehindu.com/features/education/gapyearpaysforlife/article6775420.ece?css=print 4/5

wasina'race'towin.Butmygapyeartookmeintoapilgrimage.Whereyourjourneyisyoursalone.Itbroughtmefacetofacewiththeworld.Withoutanyinstitutionalbacking.AndIfeelmoreempowerednow.NewopportunitiesGapyearisalsoseenasanopportunityfortryingoutunconventionalskillbuildingandcareerchoices.ChayantGonsalves,nowaIIyearstudentatMadrasChristianCollege,Chennai,justifieshisgapyearin201112:Myinterestwaswildlife.InmygapyearIvolunteeredatfourNGOs,46weekseach.Thatgavemeclarityastowhetheracareerinconservationwouldsuitme.ThatwouldhavenotbeenpossiblehadIfollowedtheconventionalacademicroute.Therearealsostudentswhoinitiallyfelttheyhadfailedintheratrace,tookayearofftostudymoreandreappearfortheexams,onlytorealisethis'gap'hasopenednewdoorsoflearningforthem,asinthecaseofRahulHasija.Aftercollege,ItookayearoffandwantedtoreappearformyCATexams.Butthatideastayedbarelyfortwoweeks.Irealiseddecisionswerebeingtakenbyothersformeandmymindwasinfluencedbysocietalpressures.Andtherebeganajourneytoreclaimmylife.Ineverwentbacktoafourwalledclassroom.Isawlifeexistsbeyondthe34streamstaughtinschool.Thegapyearhasnotalwaysbeenasmoothrideforthesestudents,facedwithpeerpressureandcriticismthattheycouldwastetheirtime.So,howdidtheyspendtheirtimeandrespondtothesechallenges?Lakshmi'sanswerputsgapyearintheproperperspective:Thekeyistospendalotoftimedoingnothingifthat'swhatonewants,onlythencanonemakesenseofwhathehasalreadyexperienced,startquestioning,lookinward.Mostoftheyear,Ilearntnothingnew(fromoutside,butIdidaboutmyself),whichgavemeclarityonwhichdirectionshouldImoveon.Justhowafterhisgapyear,Chayantrealisedhisdirectionlayinwildlifestudies.It'suptotheindividual.Thelearningcurveisincrediblysteepbutonceyou'vecaughton,it'safantasticjourney,hesays.It'sYearOnTochallengethenotionthatgapyearisawasteoftimeandonlythosewhoarenotsmarttakeit,SwarajUniversitywhichoffersvariousselfdesignedlearningprogrammes,hasdoneacampaigncalledthe''YearOn.SaysRewaDandage,oneofthecofoundersoftheuniversity:ItisnotaYearOff,itisYearOn.Itnurturestheseedoflearningforever.Aperiodoftimewithnoagendaishealingandgivesonetheopportunitytoquestionthingsaroundhim.Bytheageof16or18,youthareexpectedtodecidethefieldofstudy,buttheydon'thavetheopportunitytoexperiencehowthisfieldofknowledgeisactuallyappliedintherealworld.Bytakingabreak,theycanapprenticeinanareaandfindoutifthatiswhattheywouldliketodevotetheirenergytooverthenextfewyears.Itisanewlifeopeningupforthesestudentsastheybreaktheacademicbarriers.Alifewithneverendinglearningopportunitiesastheyunfoldthemselvesandtravelawonderfuljourney,withclarityandconfidence.AsGautamaputsit:Studentswhodroppedoffthetreadmill,breathedeasier,werenotafraidofthecriticismthattheyknewwouldcomeandtheysmiled.LakshmiAftercompletingClassXIIinChennaiin2012,spenttwoyearsatSwarajUniversity.Atpresentmanaging/mentoringandorganisingvariousnewprojectsatreStore,anorganicstoreinChennaiFreelanceFacilitator,cofacilitatesworkshops/eventsaboutlocalisation,sustainability,alternativeeducation,sexualityandsexualhealth,alternativetherapy.HaslaunchedaprojectcalledCOW(ConsciousWorkplaces)tohelpstartups/companiescreateaculturethatpromoteshappinessandprosperityofeveryoneinthecompany.AlsopartofdifferentgroupssuchasVikalpSangam,InternationalAllianceforLocalisation,LearningSocietiesUnConference,EconomicsofHappinessConference.HerTEDxtalkathttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciXAtt1eJnkAnantSinghOrganicfarmerandasustainabilityconsultant.Livesinhisgrandmother'sfarm,workingtowardsmakingitfullyeconomicallyandecologicallysustainable.ConductscycletoursofSrirangapatna.Runsacompanyproducingvirgincoconutoil.AftercompletingClassXinChennai,tookgapyearin200607.LatercompletedClassXIIthroughtheNationalInstituteofOpenSchooling.ThenjoinedaselfdesignedlearningprogrammeatSwarajUniversity.Duringhisgapyear,volunteeredattheMarudamschoolfarminTiruvannamalai,participatedintheLandscapesandLifeskillscourseattheGurukulaBotanicalSanctuaryinWayanadVolunteeredatAuroville'sorganicfarmscycledaroundthecity,apprenticedatanelectronicsshop,didexperimentswithhisownsolarpanel,workedonhisownselfwateredrooftopgarden.RahulHasijaNowworksasaLeadFacilitatoratSwarajUniversity,doesfreelancewriting,editing,translation,storytelling.

1/12/2015 GapyearpaysforlifeTheHindu

http://www.thehindu.com/features/education/gapyearpaysforlife/article6775420.ece?css=print 5/5

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Aftercompletinggraduationin2009,tookgapyearbeforejoiningSwarajUniversityasalearnerin201012.Duringhisgapyear,learntaboutbirdwatching,terracegarden,insectlife,organicfarming,unschooling,giftculture,dancemovement,bodyintelligence,consumerism.HispresentroleatSwarajincludesdesigningandimplementingthestructureoftheprogramme,developingfacilitationtools,hostingsessionsonteambuilding,cooperativegames,circulardances,reconnectingwiththeancestralroots,rethinkingdevelopmentandconnectingwiththenature.HisTEDxtalkon'Whatiflearningwaspossiblewithoutdegrees'athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYL_vleJd3kChayantGonsalvesCurrentlystudyingzoologyatMadrasChristianCollege,Chennai.Wantstopursuemaster'sinwildlifeecology/conservation,sustainabledevelopmentorsocialentrepreneurship.GraduatedfromCentreforLearning,Bangalorein2011.Tookgapyearin201112.JoinedMCCin2012.Duringhisgapyear,workedasResearchAssistantondifferentwildlifeprojectsintheWesternGhats,AssamandArunachalPradesh.MadhurAnandAftercompletingClassXIIinBhopal,underwentagapyearprogrammeatSwarajUniversity.Atpresent,facilitator,workingonrethinkingdevelopmentatSambhavnaaInstituteofPublicPolicy,HimachalPradeshassistanteditor,Enlivenedlearning.comHowhegenerallyspenthisgapyear:Walkinginthewoods,cycling,journaling,workingonafilmproject,cooking,storytelling,participatingincommunitymeetings,workinginfarms.Afterhisgapyear,gotworkingwithaninternationaldocumentary,EnlivenedLearning,whichisaboutquestioningthepurposeofuniversitiesandexploringexperimentsinhigherlearninginUSA,IndiaandLatinAmerica.Usefullinksyearon.wordpress.comswarajuniversity.orglsuc.weebly.combanyantreebookstore.weebly.comKeywords:gapyear,YearOn,SwarajUniversity

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