Thanks Murtaza Amin for the post on Higher Education in India. I 100% agree to it.
Last weekend I was invited by one of the top colleges in S. India – to conduct ‘Mock Interview’ for their MCA 2nd year students. My interview partner was the AVP-HR one of the top NBFC group based out of S. India.
More than doing a mock interview session, we had a great time advising and motivating the students…
These are my observations/ views also shared by my partner:
1. Other than for 1 or 2 exceptions, all of them did BCA as their grad and joined for MCA – “just to do a PG”! When ask why – they just don’t know why, no one ever asked them!
2. Someone felt that going for MCA will help then learn C++ better, because they learn on C for BCA. Lucky we don’t have a C+++, otherwise these colleges will start DCA also
3. Most of the girls think that they will have a better positioning in marriage market.
4. Most of the boys think that they will have a better positioning in marriage market.
5. Most of them seems to have read in <a leading local daily> that doing MCA will fetch them a better job.
6. All of them don’t have any idea of the job they are going to do when they join a company – even after spending 4.5 years of their peak youth.
7. They don’t know anything about the industry they are entering into – companies, jobs, market, future, education options, academics etc…
8. They just don’t consider companies other than Wipro, TCS, Infosys etc as their prospective employers – the reason here is also primarily the marriage market, not their career growth or not even money!.
9. Majority of them don’t know how to communicate. I’m not commenting on their English – they don’t know how to communicate in any of the languages.
10. All of them have C/C++ in their CVs as their only language and just don’t know who is K&R and don’t know how to write a program, compile and make it unless then have Turbo C in front. They don’t know whats #include <stdio.h> is all about. Most of them have never seen an executable made by their C/C++ programs.
11. They don’t have any programming skills (and all relevant skills), basic knowledge about data structure, algorithms etc.
12. Most of their decision are influenced by ignorant teachers, parents, friends and media – event if they think otherwise. They don’t have an opinion of their own – even after becoming adults!
My Advice was mostly around:
1. You wasted the most precious 4.5 years of your life
2. You have 3 more semesters to correct what all you are missing
3. Its your life, you are in charge – you make decisions – not your parents, uncle/aunts, teachers, friends, relatives etc…
4. Work on your skills. Skills are different from knowledge – you need to develop it – whereas you can acquire knowledge in various ways.
5. Read/Listen/Speak/Watch Movies etc., so that you gain exposure and attain the right mind-set/attitude
6. Support your peers – collectively you can work on your shortcoming in the coming 3 semesters.
I really felt pity seeing most of them – victims of ‘excel to get a degree – not knowledge’ mentality, most of them are going to become slaves with some IT companies. Some of them will endup in teaching – circle of life!
But found few originals among them with a sense of direction and purpose for life!