By Dr. Walunir (EMN)
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 that would, in turn, affect a better society. While informal education is acquired during the entire lifespan of humansand has a holistic life-long effect with moral and material values, formal education in the contemporary world is tilting towards material value. Education seen in relation to material wealth is, no doubt, reductionist but academic institutions today cannot avoid this education-wealth nexus. Humanities and social sciences, in particular, have been affected worst by this nexus because these subjects do not promise immediate monetary returns. Despite the fact that these subjects of study house the world’s best treasure of values, they fail to answer the material objective of the contemporary world. Knowledge, skills and values acquired from such conventional subjects are redundant in a world that has fast evolved which otherwise require specific professional knowledge and skill sets.
There is renewed debate on the objective of education amongst academicians and academic administrators: whether education should continue to serve moral and material purpose of humanity or either one of these. Sad to note, the material relevance of educational degree garner more acceptance and holdmore practical ground in this materialistic world. This is the chief reason why new subjects of study have emerged more important while conventional degrees witness gradual demise. 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.
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 professions. Such degrees are costly and hence the high educationalcost. It takes time for governments to upgrade and changeeducational 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, have inter-institutional collaborations which allows collaborative research, collaborative programmes, ‘teacher exchange’, ‘foreign exchange’, ‘study abroad’ and ‘university exchange’ options. With stateofthe art infrastructure, many institutions offer choice based credit system with a wide range of optional and specialization subjects. As part of degreeprogramme, value added subjectsas Communication Skills, Behavioral Science and Foreign Language are also offered. Student centric pedagogy of IT aided teaching-learning process; rigorous mentoring and industry interaction (industry talks, internship, campus placement) are part of academic culture of such institutions. While research remain a core competency of academics, new organizational and pedagogical practices as ‘Institutional Outcome Research’, ‘Programme Outcome Objective’,‘Student Learning Objective’, Industry and Stakeholders’ Feedback, ‘Incubation’, ‘Rubrics’, ‘Flipped Class’ and ‘Quality Assurance’are becoming part of the system of dynamic academic institutions.
Indian educational system over the last two decades has seen diversification of professional degreesin Business, Architecture, Food Technology, Mass Communication, Animation, Tourism, Hospitality, Insurance, Real Estate, Fashionand 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), seldom 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. Another aspect of this desperation is seen amongst many Nagaland students studyingHistory and Political Science in their graduate programmeas foundational subjects for civil service exams. While the issue of ‘more scoring subjects’ in civil services exam is an accepted fact, it is to be kept in mind that a student’s orientation to and interest in a particular subject is the first criteria for choosing degree programmesfor lifelong career and even for civil services exams.
The risks and challengesof acquiring professional degree are many. On one hand, there are very few government run institutions which offer professional degree programmes. On the other hand, quality and standard of education in the proliferating private institutions cannot be guaranteed despite their tall claims. The third challenge is high academic fees in private institutions. However, these should not act as deterrent for the strong willed students ready to take challenges and risks. However tough entrance examinations are in premier government institutions, students should dare to crack these exams because of the untold multiple rewards. Otherwise, professional degree programme in private institutionsis the inevitable alternative. While opting for this alternative, students and parents should do thorough survey and research on the quality and standard of education and status of private institution and course/programmein relation to recognition and accreditation by relevant statuary bodies.
