Going forward I have decided to flag the title. Since some of the topics are local, either specific to a region or culture, I realized that not every one may have the vocabulary for it. I will however try to use equivalent english to convey the meaning. The title flag will indicate the kind of post it is. Hopefully it will provide a "warning" so to speak before anyone can jump in.
Education became a topic because I have just seen one more cycle of folks either entering the 12th exams or further higher studies. Along with this decision, comes the unique Indian experience of a struggle. I went thru this 20 odd years ago and it has only grown worse.
The need to become an "engineer" or a "doctor" is all pervasive. I totally understand the drivers as I came thru the same.
In addition, I am perceived as a senior executive (which I am in terms of my position etc) and I get lot of profiles/resumes requesting for a job. I see a lot of it from fresh engineers for entry level position. Since the market is just coming out of a disastrous year, it is actually painful.
I also was invited to address a symposium in one of the many engineering colleges dotting chennai. Though I did not attend due to other official commitments the experience of interacting with some of the students and teachers enlightened me to certain facts. Broadly they are as follows:
(1) Branch and degree does not matter. The "in" degree varies based on the market vagaries.
(2) The basic knowledge that one expects for a certain specialization has become relatively rare
(3) Potential job is the only driver for a majority of the folks
Disclaimer: My intent is not to question genuine folks in all fields. This is only to highlight this as an issue and see if we could possibly address this. I have also done the "engineering" and have made money in IT. So I can be accused of doing the same thing. In my defense, I have this. I was blessed (isnt this word repeating in my posts!!) to have excellent teachers both in my schools and college. I believe my grounding was definitely better and so I was better equipped to manage the professional atmosphere.
WHATS THE SOLUTION?
One potential could be from what I have seen in Switzerland during my two year stint there.
The number of folks who go for their degree is very less there. Most of the companies (industries) have a scheme for apprentices. They are not degree holders. At the end of the (higher secondary) school, they apply to different companies and get selected to one of them. They get exposed to the different functions of the company and choose one specialization in the second year. For three years they specialize in the chosen department. At the end of four years, they are given a job. PERIOD
Why do we even have to get a degree for degree's sake? The only person who will then pursue this are the folks who want to get deep into the subjects. Employment specific courses can be included as part of the apprenticeship itself so that the young ones can also get qualified.
This way you would not see Geologists and other qualified folks coding!
Running Engineering or Medical colleges, considered to be charitable under Income-tax law is really source for amassing wealth indirectly by the so called trustees of these institutions. Look at the farmer in fields where from he learns the field to be shallow or not, which seed is good to sow, while for a layman all seeds may look alike. If we delve deep so called green revolution, glorified thirty years ago has turned red only ultimately. Whatever we lament it fails to fall into right ears, even if it does it goes out of left ears..
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