Career guidance to be introduced at govt PU colleges, schools

Students pursuing high school education at government-run schools/colleges will soon be guided by experts to decide on their career path.

The state government is planning to introduce career counselling/guidance as part of the school education to make them understand the various options available.

According to sources from the department, this will be implemented on a pilot basis at high schools and pre-university colleges located in Chintamani, the assembly constituency that Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar represents.

This was even discussed during the first meeting of the State Education Policy Commission (SEP) held recently, where the minister suggested the commission have a dedicated subcommittee to recommend career guidance for school and college students.

Confirming this to DH, Sudhakar said, "My plan is to start career guidance from an early age. Class 8, 9 and 10 are the right age to decide on options for higher studies."

The minister mentioned that the same will be continued for Class 11 and 12 students, too. "We are planning to begin from my constituency from the next academic year. In fact, I have suggested the SEP Commission include this in their recommendation." 

He said the plan is to provide digitalised information for students about the opportunities available in various fields. "We need to make them understand science doesn't just mean engineering. There are plenty of competitive examinations for Union staff selection, Public Service Commission, etc. In commerce itself, there are many opportunities. We should help them explore the options as per their interest." 

The minister is even trying to introduce career guidance at schools and PU colleges in his constituency this year. 

"I have asked the district administration to verify the availability of infrastructure. The idea is to telecast recorded motivational speeches from people in various fields, success stories, and opportunities available," Sudhakar said.