“Schools or Just Attendance Halls? Youth Canvas Report shows inside story of students mind in West Tripura”

By Indraneel Das, 2nd Year IMD Economics, Tripura University

“School is called the temple of learning. But for today’s students, it has turned into a place of attendance and formality,” observes a striking new study by the Youth Canvas Initiative, a student-led research initiative endorsed by Directorate of School Education to conduct surveys across West Tripura.

 The Crisis in Classrooms

The study, covering 750+ students, reveals a hard truth: while schools enforce a 75% attendance rule, most students admit they attend school only to secure attendance, not because they enjoy learning.

A parallel economy of private tuitions is booming, especially in areas like Ramnagar. After long school hours, students spend evenings in coaching centres, leaving little time for self-study. Many now believe the real classroom exists outside school.

Teaching Methods and Accountability

Though teachers undergo B.Ed. training in pedagogy and child psychology, students report classrooms remain rigid and authoritarian. A 16-year-old struggles to relate to outdated methods of a 40-year-old teacher.

“Strict discipline without understanding only breeds rebellion,” the report notes. Students, however, praised younger, friendly teachers who act as mentors rather than disciplinarians—creating classrooms that are both lively and disciplined.

The study also raises a sharp question: Why are students constantly evaluated through tests and assignments, while teachers face no similar accountability?

Government’s Role & Opportunity

Tripura has allocated 19.02% of its 2025 budget to education and are going to recruit over 1,600 teachers (STGT and STPGT). With schemes like Vande Tripura and TSQAAF in place, the Youth Canvas Initiative argues this is the right moment to reform the system.

Youth Canvas Proposals

To bridge the gap between theory and practice, Youth Canvas suggests:

1.            Guru-Connect Feedback System: A confidential, bi-annual student-led feedback system under SCERT/Directorate, where students rate teacher’s behavior, methods and accountability etc. The report must be prepared with no teacher’s involvement.

2.            Bridge Courses: Special courses to help students shift from Bengali-medium to English-medium in schools, along with extra support for weaker students for weak subjects.

3.            Gyan Setu Platform: A digital platform offering clear, local-language video guides on scholarships, exam applications, and educational schemes. It will ensure that all students understand upcoming changes or notices in a better and easy way.

A Student-Led Vision

The report was submitted to SCERT and the Directorate of School Education. Founder Indraneel Das, a 2nd-year Economics student at Tripura University, emphasizes:

“We are not here to complain, but to provide solutions. If education policies are for students, then students’ voices must be part of shaping them.”

The Youth Canvas Initiative now aims to grow into a community platform, uniting students, doctors, engineers, and lawyers to study and advocate reforms. The Youth Canvas believes this report arrives at a crucial juncture. With significant budget allocations and new recruitments ahead, the state has a historic opportunity to move beyond rote attendance and build schools that students truly look forward to.