In Sep. 2011, I wrote a post about “Smarter Literacy: Taking a break while studies – a phenomenon unheard in Bharat“. The article talked about why vocational education was important and why taking a break while studies was essential for Indian students (if not for all students).
Nearly 3 years from then, we finally hear that Vocation Education does kick off in 92 Indian Colleges (4 in Mumbai) as this Mumbai Mirror article confirms. The new approach (applaud) is welcome and will allow students to take a break after the first year and also do some internships. The number of courses as of now are limited but this is a great start.
Innumerable students are clueless after their A Levels (12th std.). Most, after 10th std., would not even know the reason of their own selection of ‘Science’ over ‘Commerce’, and almost never ‘Arts’. Strangely, the answer I get almost always is because they scored well, they took up ‘Science’ after 10th std. The worst thought is that one selects to study ‘Arts’ because they could not get through ‘Commerce’ or ‘Science’ at good Colleges because of their 10th std. score. Parents may still take sometime to accept this fact (a happy phenomenon) to allow an additional year of learning at an undergraduate level.
The new move of being able to take a break while studies may increase a year for the student. However, like I mentioned in the 2011’s post “Smarter Literacy“, this singular decision changes a student’s life trajectory. Students would at least now have the opportunity to make a mistake, work on the reality and move on. Let us also hope that they do not take this vocation as a one year vacation!
Education system in India is changing. We may find happier people at jobs in future times and the next decade may see a better race of intellect!
VB 