Education vs. college degrees

The most debated topic is about the need for college degrees more than the need for real leadership. Not only has it opened up a plethora of doubts, it also has exposed the shallow mind set of people.

There was a time when the most educated Indians migrated and settled down in other countries. When most of the educated (read as people with college degrees) people left the country in search of good employment opportunities, those who stayed back realised the need to work on ground zero.

People who worked in India gained far more experience and knew how to tackle local problems than those who went in search of cushy jobs outside. This helped them grow and the knowledge that they acquired through work experience was counted far greater than the degrees that the universities held on display. But what this also meant was that the education system, largely remained a breeding ground for export purposes rather than internal consumption!

The system was geared to cater to the needs of those who wanted to leave the country. Therefore those who chose to stay did not bother to revamp it. Those who chose to leave did not come back to change it.

Recently, this system has died a natural death, with nothing else to replace it. There is now a sudden need to find a replacement. Attempts are being made to bring a better system in place of the old one.

By not introducing changes at the right juncture, this system has now collapsed unto itself.

A system waiting to be revamped and refurbished...

Therefore a change is now imminent and it can be successfully ushered in only with able leadership at the top. Things are looking positive and hopefully the Indian gen next can expect more courses to choose from and wider choice of subjects.

Over emphasis on select few fields will prove detrimental to the growth of a country and such an emphasis will bring about lopsided development. Any one-sided growth will eventually topple the very system that it was meant to develop.

India needs a balanced approach so that uniform importance can be given to several areas of expertise. Hopefully the next generation will see political leaders holding degrees in political science and writers holding degrees in Creative Writing!

Please feel free to share your thoughts in this matter.