what colleges should teach but don't

 Hello warriors,

This is 2nd post of the year as it’s the second month of the year too, so do the math geniuses, it’s a monthly blogpost and you will get a blog every month.

Well, this post is more about what colleges in India should be teaching but don’t. Not that I am an expert in the education system, but I am very much a part of it, that’s because I have been through this same system.

With the education year ending, most of the fresh graduates must be making their career choice. Some may get into the corporate world and draw an annual salary, some may continue higher education, and rest of the warriors like myself will start up ventures. Right now the biggest tension would be about clearing the exams, but it’s not even the beginning fellows, later on, submitting the sales report to your boss will be a bigger tension than clearing examination papers.

Let’s take a look at few things I believe should change in our education system:

1.      Theory vs. Practicals: These days most of colleges and B Schools are focusing on theoretical education, but what companies need today is more of practical expertise. Nobody wants to know whether u know a certain diagram with logos and flowchart, all this is useless as per me, if u can apply these principles in real life without even remembering the chart, u r d boss.

          In our system, I think they should bring in more of internships from college level, where students should have the experience of choosing their industry and understanding the work culture so that they can make wise choices later on, and as a part of the industry, I am sure you all will be welcomed, nobody ignores free service and young people in office, it creates a lively atmosphere too. The hunger for knowledge that people have at this time of century is the driving force that will take our nation forward, but for that the Industry and the Education System has to go hand in hand.

2.      Dress Code: The college where i went to, we were allowed to wear whatever we want for daily classes, but we had to wear business formals during guest lecturers or industry visits or formal presentations. Now not everyone in class is suppose to get a corporate job, so if you want to become a photographer or let’s say a travel writer, wearing formals is not a part of that, so whatever you are passionate about, wear clothes and represent yourself accordingly, this will help people understand your mindset and you may earn some cool brownie points with your professors as they will finally start taking you seriously because they will see that you are serious with what u want to do in life.

3.      Use technology when required: Now this generation of students are so much into Facebook, Twitter, posting pictures on Instagram, searching for food on Zomato, sending IMs to class mates when in class, it takes the whole concept of studies for a toss. But when you get into work and corporate life, take your work seriously, even a fashion designer is expected to keep phone switched off while sitting in meetings, and if you are into a corporate job, there will be hours of brain storming meetings in boardrooms where using a phone is a strict NO NO.

            So one should get in to the habit of keeping cell phones away and use it as and when required, this is a facility, not a necessity. Use it for your advantage; don’t let it come in between u and your goals. This may seem like a silly point to most of you, but trust me when u get older, u will regret the amount of time u had wasted on phones, all this may seem fun now, but later on it will seem like a total wastage.

4.      It’s still about people & relationships: What the cyber world has done today is it has forbidden people from one on one face to face interaction, people are judgemental about a person before even they meet them. But in a work atmosphere, you still need to interact face to face.

             Thus one needs to develop certain skills of communication to survive in the world outside, your ideas and concepts for the new company may be very bright, but if u lack the proper communication skills, you may not be able to express them to the person and your competitor who maybe less competent than you will win the deal or offer or whatever it is. Learn how to start conversations, learn the art of networking that is super important, stay humble and appreciate people for what they do, a little pat on the back boosts morale more than you can imagine.

5.      Welcome feedbacks: in college there is very little feedback given in person, the only feedback is results online or on notice boards. If you cannot take feedbacks, you will take criticism as a negative factor, but in today’s world, being criticized should be taken as a positive factor and it will only help u learn more and be better at what you do.

Well, today’s post went little long, but I really hope it helps. As a student you can bring in these ideas at staff meetings, and if you are in the teaching business, please take these points super seriously.

Cheers,
Akash Poddar