A spell in the real world

Knowledge is valued the most when it is put to practical use. While many colleges in the City focus a lot on imparting theoretical knowledge, the students channelise this into their stints in the real world — namely, their internships.

Internships are crucial as they give the necessary platform for budding professionals to prove themselves. Metrolife speaks to some students and teachers to find out if internships should be made mandatory for college students.

Gaurav, an engineering student from Bangalore Institute of Technology, says, “I think they should be made mandatory, because at the end of the day, students benefit from them. If the choice is left to students, they might not opt to intern. During college days, students aren’t that focussed on their careers — they might even crib about  having to intern. But I am sure it will be helpful in the long run.”

Vismitha Prakash, a student of Mount Carmel College, feels that internships are always a good addition to a student’s CV.

She says, “In colleges, all we gain is theoretical knowledge. We would not really know about the professional world or the work pressure that exists there. Many of my friends have taken up internships although they aren’t mandatory. But, there are others who take internships very lightly. For such people, it is necessary to make it mandatory.”

Internships are completely different from the college atmosphere; they give students a glimpse of the world that they will be stepping into. Anusha, a BBM student, says, “Interning was a totally different experience for me. It was so professional. In college, everything is so informal; the way we behave with our classmates is different from the way we behave with our colleagues. This sort of etiquette is learnt during internships — they groom us to be thorough professionals. I highly suggest that internships be made mandatory.”

A physics lecturer from Swinsaws College, Harsha, also strongly endorses internships.
He says, “As a lecturer, I have noticed that the students are not always willing to take up internships. However, there is a wide consensus amongst the students themselves that internships are helpful. The next question that arises is why do only some people opt for it? This is where the relaxed attitude of a student comes into the picture. They need to be pressurised to do internships — otherwise they will not know the importance of them.”