Education has come a long way in India from the traditional Gurukul system. There have been both positive and negative developments from the time Lord MacCaulay brought in the British English Language system almost two centuries ago. The last ten years have seen major changes and innovation, but the year 2007 has been a path-breaking year with rapid and radical changes in various areas.
As we close the year, it is imperative that stock-taking be done to evaluate what changes have occurred and what they imply for us in the coming New Year.
THE IT SECTOR this year opened its doors to more and more non-engineering graduates. Even in the highest positions of IT companies, one can find a significant number of non-engineers, and a reasonable number of those who do not have management qualifications. This is an indicator that companies are looking more for life skills, soft skills and interpersonal skills of candidates than their technical qualifications
SCHOOL EDUCATION has also come of age. On the one side Alternative Schools offering non-traditional methodology of learning are making a mark – notable ones in Bangalore being Valley School, GEAR, Centre for Learning (CFL), Asha Kiran, Poorna Learning Centre, Brindavan, Paatashala, Tull Academy – and on the other side there has been a proliferation of "International Schools." The latter offer qualifications from foreign boards such as International Baccaulerate (IB) and IGCSE, and a very sophisticated infrastructure and wide variety of co-curricular activities.
TEACHER TRAINING: One good news has been the awareness that teachers need to be trained in more creative and effective ways to deal with students of the twenty first century. Since it is widely accepted that the traditional B.Ed. and D.Ed. leave much to be desired, wonderful institutions like Academy of Creative Teaching (ACT), International Academy of Creative Teaching (iACT), Teacher Foundation and others have come out with more appropriate training, both for beginners and for in-service teachers.
LIFE SKILLS: With the push given by the CBSE and ICSE Boards, schools seriously took up training adolescents in Life Skills this year. While some have trained their own teachers to impart this training, others have sought out consultants like ACT, Banjara Academy, and individual professionals to implement this essential aspect of learning.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT: has found innovation and gone beyond the routine of marks and ranks. Consultants like Educational Initiatives (EI) have evolved unique tools for measuring the actual learning that a child has acquired, and matching it with peer levels. Similarly, many engineering colleges have gone in for assessment of their students' communication and soft skills, and their employability.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE has acquired a greater significance due to the globalisation of almost all industries. This gave rise to a plethora of English Language Training Schools (ELTS) in both large and small cities, offering spoken English skills through part-time short-term courses. Due to competition, these courses are quite affordable, and a boon to students who went in for higher education but could not overcome their hesitation of English language communication.
DISTANCE LEARNING: With more and more people wanting to enhance their qualifications after starting their careers, Distance Learning Courses are available with increased choices of Universities as well as subjects. Another innovation that is likely to give an impetus to those who cannot attend colleges full time, is the availability of on-line courses, which offer teaching through the Internet.
Overall, the year has been a landmark in creating wider and better opportunities for students of all ages and background. A new era has dawned where barriers and roadblocks are being surpassed and anyone interested in enhancing skills or qualification at any age, can do so with ease. The important issue now to be tackled is to help students choose the right courses and the right careers, and not get swept away by false promises and tall claims of many private institutes looking for short-term gains.
ENGINEERING: While engineering continues to be the No.1 choice among professional courses, the large influx of engineering colleges has brought about a scenario where some of the seats are remaining unfilled. Hence engineering education, at least in a new or average college, is no longer a difficult proposal even for a mediocre student.
MCA: On the other hand, a very popular course like Master of Computer Applications (MCA) seems to have lost its glitter, and very few graduates have the patience to take up a three-year post graduate course when IT jobs are available without it.
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION: Other professional courses are increasingly competing with engineering as a foundation to move into higher management. Significant among them is Ll.B., particularly from reputed institutions like National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bangalore and others. It is found that a large number of graduates from these institutes are going in for higher studies and for lucrative management careers. Some more professional courses such as veterinary, agriculture, hotel management, visual communication etc. also offer a platform for students to move into management of their choice.
PURE SCIENCES: Another small but not insignificant development has been the commencement of more honours courses and integrated (B.Sc. + M.Sc.) courses in pure sciences. These will bring back at least some students who love pure sciences, into the scientific arena.
MANAGEMENT EDUCATION has also seen horizontal growth through specialised institutions offering post-graduation in Tourism Management, Plantation Management, Rural Management, Family Business Management, to name a few. There are courses for those seeking managerial careers in Pharmaceuticals, retail management, banking, insurance, education or development management, etc. The focus is shifting from traditional University affiliated MBA degrees to Post Graduate Diplomas in Management, which are either autonomous, or affiliated to foreign universities.
CAMPUS RECRUITMENT: This year starting salaries of management graduates shot through the roof, with the Rs. One-crore-per-annum mark being breached. Not only IIM graduates, but also those from various other younger institutions that have gained repute, find themselves being offered unbelievably high salaries through campus recruitment.
SOFTWARE TESTING is one field that took off in a large way this year, and is continuing to grow. It offers employment to both software programmers as well as to those without technical qualifications. Currently only a few private institutes are offering specialised courses in Software Testing, and most candidates are learning on-the-job.
