Why Students Hesitate To Read?

Why Students Hesitate To Read?

Reading habit is like a blessing. To be aware about society, people and their behaviours, environment, national and international issues and their repercussions, religions, regions, various theories, ideologies and their propagators, various economic and socio-political issues, and most important thing to know self – we have to read. We have to read newspapers, magazines, various academic and non-academic books-whether it is fiction or non-fiction, old or new, hardbound or in soft format. As per a study, the number of book readers and their quality of reading is dwindling. There are many causes, but here we will try and understand the factors responsible for this phenomenon, as the title given, from student perspectives.

1.General Factors

First of all, reading anything will not provide any physical result. If it is so, then it provides in future means the gratification is delayed. People say, it is the only thing if you invest Rs.1 then it will start yielding after 10years. Students think in this way, “If we can cross the exam with one or two days stress and selective readings, then why we will read so much, which is simply waste of time.” And another factor there is no point of creating “Cherishing moments”. Most of People feel happy to say like their first drink, stealing something in childhood, or throwing ball to others home, time spent with school friends and other hey days or moments. Very less or none of the students, feel proud about the book or anything they read because reading does not creates any memory to which you can cherish in future. Another general factor which really comes as hurdle is environment, means where you live, the family members and their attitude towards reading and education, after all, the persons around you. Everyone can’t deny that, reading has the power to change the regular flow of life and the person involved in it first. If a student wants not to break the status quo, which most of them fall in it, s/he may hesitate to read.

2.Academic Factors

Our education system has been following traditional pattern of reading of certain particular subjects to get degree in each discipline.. Up to 10th it is ok, but after that students are divided as Arts, Commerce and science and there is less scope of reading diverse subjects. To cater this issue, Government has came up with a provision of taking inter-disciplinary subjects through New Education Policy(NEP)-2020, which was some or other way there in CBCS system, and hasn’t been resulted as expected. And the exam pattern, specifically semester system, which mostly focused on objective type of questions and they have to read in very less time in haste also a factor of taking students away from reading consciously and think about it. Syllabus and curriculum also does not match with the real world, but to pass only in exam.

3.personal Factors

In social media world, distractions are inevitable(it is in personal cause because it can be avoided if we put a little effort). A well known author once said reading and doing anything else like listening music can’t go at a time. You have to choose only one. Friends and family also may came as distraction factor in reading. While reading, knowledge of vocabulary also important. The interesting thing is vocabulary skill comes with reading much. One might have faced problem of comprehending (or wrong comprehending) sentence even knowing the meaning of all words written. Because of which s/he can’t grasp or comprehend the idea totally or as intended by author which demotivates the students to read in faster way. Some other personal factor like having showing up personality. Cultivating reading habit is like marathon which needs energy called cool energy which lasts long. Person having urge to show up other that I am reading, may lashed out as the time comes.

Reading habit is a gift of almighty. It doesn’t mean other can’t have. Any one can have. Along with, all the knowledge acquired through reading must be implemented to get its real power. One said it rightly that reading and not implementing means not reading.

At last I would rather say read books and meet cool people; this is what all about life.

Views are Personal

Santanu Kumar Nayak

Lect. in Commerce

Chandbali College, Chandbali