Betting on a trip off the beaten path
|
With the job market turning to MCA, MBA students, pure sciences and social sciences have lost their sheen. But the latter courses, too, have takers, finds out Puja S. Navin
|
Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan
EXPLORING NEW VISTAS: First year postgraduate students at Osmania University explain why they look beyond professional courses
It's the age of computers and managers. An MCA or an MBA, or a masters in biotechnology can get you into the corridors of companies faster than a history, Sanskrit, physics or chemistry for post-graduation. Then why bet on pure sciences and social sciences? Isn't it much safer to bask in the security of a professional degree?
The social and pure sciences might have lost their sheen but the courses continue to attract students and it was evident on the Osmania University campus that has come alive with the newcomers. But these students don't find themselves inferior to their peers in professional courses. They think every stream has its own charm and throws up job opportunities.
Jobs, here too!
For K. Narender, Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology is his weapon to crack the State Public Services Examination. "It will be useful," he explains. His game plan is ready. History forms a large portion of the General Studies paper in the Civil Services examination, so a through knowledge of the subject will be an advantage, says Narender.
Another Civil Services aspirant, Shailja A., thinks her subject choice, Public Administration, besides being relevant and interesting, is scoring as well. K. Sudhakar is all set to enter the teaching profession with two years of M.Sc (Chemistry) behind him.
"I want to be a mathematician," discloses M. D Imthiaz, whose interest in the subject has spurred him to stick to the field and join the teaching profession. He also plans to take Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering (GATE) and Centre Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) examinations for research.
G. Kiran Kumar sees the M.Sc course in Physics as a stepping-stone to a career in Electrical and Electronics Research and also Indian Space Research Organisation. Adds Rajesh R., a final year Physics student, "All the professional courses depend on basic sciences and I plan to do my Masters in Sciences from the U.S. in Solid State Physics."
Different point of view
"If you only look from one point of view (job-orientation), you will not get the happiness that a subject can give you," adds Vinaya G., a budding Sanskrit scholar.
Ask her why Sanskrit and comes a well-thought-out reply, "Whatever we are today is based on the past, so it is important to understand the past."
Vinaya, who plans to go to Germany for research, finds the subject provides her a holistic understanding of the evolution of the present day life.
"It offers a combination of everything. Maths, physics, chemistry, social sciences and polity." She hopes to write and educate those who underestimate Indian culture, about its glory and grandeur.
G. Satyanarayana, Principal, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Osmania University, thinks, "Job orientation is the least priority of education." It is a means to develop a perfect human character, he asserts. He feels, "Arts are creative expression of human life, without which, people will not derive the meaning of life." And social sciences such as economics, political sciences, and sociology help to throw light on the real conditions and needs of the society. And provide action plans and solutions for need-based development.
Fundamental research is behind all progress, says Veera Reddy Kadaru, Principal of Osmania University, College of Science. He opines that without foundational research in physics, chemistry, mathematics, which are fundamental sciences, applications will not emerge. "What cannot come out of a good scientific pursuit?" he asks. New jobs, new ways of organisation and new institutions. One is tempted to think of the omnipresent ITES industry that has created innumerable jobs in the world, through the invention of the World Wide Web, while public services, research and teaching motivate social sciences aspirants.
Professor Kadaru says all sciences from astronomy to zoology have defined careers paths. "Students can opt for teaching in the universities, research and development and higher education at foreign universities," he adds. "We have a placement cell and companies register with us, but we make sure that the salary that they offer is not less than Rs. 10,000 because if a student joins as a junior research fellow under the any of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research Institutions or University Grants Commission, the minimum starting salary he gets is Rs. 9,000." Oil and Natural Gas Commission, Tata Motors, Shell Group of Companies, Reliance have visited campus for placements.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Education Plus
Karnataka
Chennai
Coimbatore
Hyderabad
Madurai
Tiruchirapalli
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
