Dr. Walunir
There is a renewed debate on the objective of education amongst academicians and academic administrators especially faced with ‘Industry 4.0’: whether education should continue to serve moral or material purpose of humanity. Even though the function of education (formal, informal and non-formal) is to draw out the best of individuals and simultaneously nurture them towards becoming better humans, it is sad to note that the material relevance of educational degree garner more practical acceptance in this materialistic world. This is one of the reasons why new professional subjects of study have emerged more important while conventional degrees witness gradual demise. Education, seen in relation to the material is, no doubt, reductionist but academic institutions today cannot avoid the nexus between education and wealth. Humanities and social sciences, in particular, have been affected worst by this nexus because these subjects do not promise much job prospects. Despite the fact that the conventional subjects and degrees house a treasure of values, skills acquired from such conventional subjects are redundant in a world that has fast evolved, which otherwise require specific professional skill sets. With every turn of the world, value systems undergo change and newer forms of knowledge and skills are needed to drive the ever changing and developing world.
While research remain a core competency of academics, pedagogical practices as ‘Curriculum Upgradation/Review’ ‘Institutional Outcome Research’; ‘Programme Outcome Objective’; ‘Rubrics’; ‘Student Learning Objective’; ‘Graduate Attributes’; ‘Flipped Class’; ‘Student-Industry Interface; ‘Incubation Cell’; ‘Student Progression’; and ‘Quality Assurance’ are becoming part of the system of dynamic academic institutions. IT aided teaching-learning process; rigorous mentoring system; industry interaction (industry talks, internship, campus placement) form core academic culture of leading academic institutions. Even though ‘choice based credit system’ is the buzzword in all institutions, only a few offer a wide range of optional and specialization subjects. Many educational institutions try to keep pace with the dynamism of the world by providing degrees in specialized knowledge: tailor-made to specifically fit into the requirements and demands of different industries. Some advanced centers of learning have inter-institutional collaborations which allows collaborative research, collaborative programmes, ‘teacher exchange’, ‘foreign exchange’, ‘study abroad’ and ‘university exchange’ options. Educational cost of such institutions is high. It takes time for governments to upgrade and change educational policies or increase spending on educational sector, which is why private institutions emerge as an answer but with high academic cost. Many advanced educational institutions, mostly private, continually spend on Smart Classrooms; Digitised Libraries; Advanced Labs and other state-of-the-art infrastructure for Co-curricular and Extra Curricular Activities.
Indian educational system over the last two decades has seen diversification of professional degrees in Business, Architecture, Food Technology, Mass Communication, Animation, Tourism, Hospitality, Insurance, Real Estate, Fashion and other technical programmes/courses. However, some of these, especially Business Studies, have already started showing signs of decline in the last five years owing to ‘production’ of innumerable degree holders much more than available jobs. Newer subjects as Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Environmental Management, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Organic Agriculture and other upcoming disciplines also have promising potentials. Besides, degree in music can give lucrative career for those with natural musical talent. Also, skill based vocational programs (Certificate and Diploma), often sidelined by students and parents, have promises of job satisfaction and lucrative returns.
Sadly, people of North East India, especially Nagas, suffer from hangover of Engineering, Medical and Civil Service as the best or only career aim. Most people of Nagaland are yet to understand that these three professions, especially Civil Services, can be achieved by very few and that many students lose their career in the blind desperate pursuit of these professions. While these services can be kept as topmost career plan, students can keep multiple career plans.
In India, Government run Academic Institutions still remain the top most institutions of academic excellence as compared to Private institutions. One should keep in mind that institutions of academic excellence are hardly seen in TV Commercials and large hoardings. However, the number of good government run institutions is less and over and above that, very few offer professional degree programmes. Moreover, entrance examination and selection for studies in top class government institutions is very tough. However, these aspects should not act as deterrent. Once a student is selected for studies in any of the top notch institutions, the students enter a completely different world of academic universe with distinguished professors and brilliant peers. Once a student carries the stamp/seal of these primer institutions, there is not much to worry for job and career. So it is worth to be passionate, hard working and daring spirit to crack tough entrance exams.
Besides JEE and NEET exams (For Class Science stream) Class 12 students can prepare and sit for other entrance exams as National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination; All India Law Entrance Test; Indian Statistical Institute. Class 12 and Graduating students should prepare and sit for Combined University Entrance Test (CUET) for entry into the some of the best government run Academic institutions in India (Last date to apply online is 31st March, 2024). With the score of CUET, a student can apply in numerous Colleges/Universities that fall within the ambit of CUET. Beyond these exams and degree programs, students can still venture into Vocational Certificate and Diploma Courses in government run Polytechnics and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) anywhere in India. Most of them range from Six months to Two years. In fact, students can apply and study in the Nagaland Government run ITIs. At the end of the Vocational Training, one can become an entrepreneur or have his/her own startup.
Even after all these, if ‘Private Academic Institution’ or ‘Study Abroad’ is the inevitable option, one should do thorough survey on the status of the private institutions in relation to recognition and accreditation by relevant statuary bodies. One should also do enough survey on the relevance and job prospects of the selected subject/programme of study. Finally, a thorough study on the quality of education imparted in these institutions should be done.
The writer is Principal of St. John Higher Secondary Residential School, Dimapur, and former Associate Professor at Amity University.
