WRITING ESSAY-11

What are the effects of students’ participation in extracurricular activities?

Does a student with mere academic excellence lack enough ammunition to face
the challenges of the future? Is there a possibility that in spite of academic
exposure students may fail to cope with significantly changing patterns in human
settlements? Yes! Say most of the new age schools across the globe. These
schools promise to make every child build several life skills apart from enabling
them climb and conquer stage fright, right away from day one. Administrators
and educators are increasingly batting for adequate development of emotional
quotient along with Intelligence Quotient in all their students. Today, all the
stakeholders in of school and college education are on the same page when it
comes to extracurricular activities. With both parents working in most houses it
isn’t a surprise that they expect the education system to take extracurricular and
co-curricular activities into its fold and provide a holistic learning environment
in an otherwise pure academic rigour. This brings forth two important questions.
What are the effects of students’ participation in extracurricular activities? Do
the positive effects largely stand to outweigh its negatives? It will be interesting
to draw the conclusion after we run through the various the effects of students’
participation in extracurricular activities.

First, let’s define extracurricular activities and differentiate it from the term
‘Co-curricular activities and hobbies. Extra-curricular activities refer to those
activities that are entirely beyond the curriculum, but are essential for the
holistic growth of the students viz. sports, arts, theatre, athletics, model United
Nations, social work etc. Co-curricular activities are those that are seen as an
extension to the curriculum viz. a quiz, mental mathematics, language, 'spell
bee', etc. are co-curricular. ‘Hobby’ is something that stems naturally from
within and not imposed or monitored externally viz. stamp collection, painting,
singing gardening etc. The students of millennial generation do not have hobbies
anymore. It wouldn’t be unfair to dedicate its fall as a direct impact due to the
meteoric rise of extracurricular and co-curricular activities.

If extracurricular activities like NCC, Scouts, guides, yoga, sports etc. is made
available in all schools apart from paid club activities as otherwise it leads to
non-participation due to lack of financial support within the underprivileged
sections of the society. Today, 25% of seats are reserved for backward sections
of the society. It is reported that many students under this RTE act are unable to

RAMANAN SUBBIAH
participate as government subsidies only take care of general academic school
fees and does not support extracurricular activities or online learning.
All extracurricular activities cannot be bundled and labelled together as one for
two reasons viz. the stream / activity itself and the level at which it is pursued.
Being a football player or in theatre is entirely different. Similarly playing for a
school team is different from playing at the district or state level or national
level. Students’ participation in extracurricular activities brings many benefits.
They learn a lot about time management, prioritization, enhanced self-esteem,
team work, leadership, improved concentration, higher academic performance
and helps them create social opportunities through networking and plenty of
essential life skills like goal setting, problem solving, analytical thinking and
public speaking. Apart from improving these skill sets it makes them highly
competitive individuals. It certainly adds value to their resume, turns them into
successful applicants for universities and at job interviews.
When the timelines become so tight and the student has to juggle between
academics and the extracurricular they learn to prioritise and manage time. It
draws criticism that the grades are awarded free to such students or lenient
assessment is carried out showing or covering up explicit favouritism. In today’s
times when study materials are available online it is needless for students to
strike 100% attendance for classroom lectures. Students learn several aspects
especially appreciating other people’s perspectives, compassion, leadership
qualities, building teams etc. that cannot be taught within a closed classroom
environment as they explore debating, playing sports or in drama. Most schools
and universities prescribe only 75% attendance so achieving and maintaining
the balance isn’t a hurdle.
As STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math), STEAM (Science Technology
Engineering Art and Math) are gradually redefining the curriculums and syllabi
across various educational boards. Armed with online learning classroom
education is becoming more interactive, engaging that teaches as it entices is
also seen as an effect of boring lectures seen as an excuse to step outside for
extracurricular activities. Assignments, presentations, project works are
envisaged more creatively to unfold problem solving, team building, cognitive
and contemplative thinking through visual aids, graphic content, one on one
interaction etc. So academic learning has now absorbed into itself the aspects
which were once only met by participation in extracurricular activities. Could
this growth of education system also be seen as an effect of extracurricular
activities?
Apart from doting parents, schools and coaching clubs are known to push the
children to perform in extracurricular activities. It is also known that they
leverage more mileage from individual achievements and use them for brand
building. It is interesting to note that many well-known leaders, professionals
had pursued a sport till their last breadth. Architect Charles Correa used to play
a game of Tennis regularly till the very end of his golden run in the field of
architecture. He has often quoted the benefits of playing the sport helped him

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stay not only fit but also remain focussed and creative. Physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual fitness is the key for a balanced life. Extracurricular
activities are certainly a boon to all students and the society at large. We have
seen umpteen real life examples of herculean incredible immaculate Good
Samaritan tasks carried out by student and youth during Tsunami relief, 2015
Flash floods relief, Vardha, Gaja cyclone relief programmes across the state.
Most of them owe their organisational and management skills to their allegiance
to some extracurricular activity or the other. As long as the choice of pursuing
extracurricular activities rise out of the student’s passion and not forced from
outside, fruits of goodness shall always be reaped.

Conclusion: redo, missing.

RAMANAN SUBBIAH