More Schools or Places of Worship: What Does Today's Youth Want?

The kids' responses on national developments highlight how religion is impacting young minds.

Kids from Delhi and Mumbai give their take on what is more important for the country's development.

(Photo: The Quint/Zijah Sherwani)

Video Editor: Prashant Chauhan Camera: Shiv Kumar Maurya, Gautam Sharma, Asif Iqbal

During an unfiltered conversation with kids in Delhi and Mumbai, when we asked them to list some significant developments in India, we assumed they would mention roads, trains, Chandrayaan, Digital India, etc.

However, the predominant response was the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. So, we then posed the question: What is more important—more schools or more places of worship?

Most kids were of the opinion that more schools should be built because education is essential for the future. Some suggested that both schools and places of worship should be built.

Only a few chose places of worship over schools, citing that they have enough schools nearby, and access to education isn't a problem for them.

If I don't study and just sit idle at home, I'll achieve nothing. My family won't survive like this. We have to study to progress in life and to secure our future.

Siddhesh, 15 years old

Education is important as most people here do not consider education to be important. Many kids quit school and work to make more money. Their parents force them to work.

Azeem Khan, 13 years old

In Delhi, we visited slum areas where many kids pointed how access to education is a problem and since their day-to-day life is impacted by financial woes, going to school only adds to it.

Without education there isn't much one can do. You end up picking up the shovel, which I am doing now after quitting school a year ago. There are only private schools nearby which we cannot afford.

Ruby, 12 years old

Kids living in the slums expressed their dreams of becoming IAS-IPS officers, teachers, so we asked them what they seek from the government to help achieve their dreams.

Most of them mentioned wanting more schools, improved access to education, and better living conditions in the slums. Many kids also revealed how their families are burdened with debts, which is one of the significant obstacles preventing them from getting an education.

Dhruv from Mumbai summed up this debate for us.

It's okay to follow your religion, but we shouldn't let it divide us. Speaking of education, there's not much importance given to it in our country the government should do something about it. The nation never moves forward if only one particular community progresses. When equal opportunities are provided to all communities, that's when the country becomes truly secular.

Dhruv, 15 years old