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It is part of their learning

College Students are all too eager to take up part time jobs these days, writes S.S.KAVITHA

Photo: N.Bashkaran

BALANCING ACT Donning a role of a teacher

It is a long road towards development. Perhaps inspired by the President, A.P.J Abdul Kalam, today's generation foresees India marching ahead, transforming itself into a developed nation in the coming decades with the support of its unique strength from its united human resource and bubbling and brilliant youths.

It is always said that a country's success lies in hands of its youths. How youths feel, their ambitions and achievements, all collectively contribute to the success of both the individual and the nation. There was a time, when student's life meant only being glued to academics.

But not any longer. With varied exposures and opportunities, students today take to various vocations and even part time work.

Ease financial pressures

"This combination of "earning while learning" helps students to ease financial pressures and enhance their career prospects. A well-chosen job provides an excellent work experience and gives them a competitive advantage when they leave educational institutions in search of a permanent employment for life," says M. Kasthuri Bai Director, Self-Finance Courses, Yadava College.

"Getting paid while they learn might sound too good to be true, but they take up a dual role both as a student and an employee as they do an excellent balancing act to excel in both the worlds," he adds. Students generally are known for their dedication to succeed in professional work and are not afraid to commit themselves. But it is important they take a realistic approach to part-time job so that it meets both monetary and course requirements.

Two categories

Mostly students opting for part-time jobs do so out of necessity and with a genuine reason to shoulder their parents' burden. Part-timers on college campuses are primarily of two kinds.

Those who work for sake of gaining experience and earning extra bucks as their pocket money. Like V.G. Vallinayakam of Yadava College, who works in a computer centre with his extra computer education gained with the support of his parents.

Or his classmates A.M. Karthik Kumar, who earns in a typewriting institute and M. Gopi, who works as a computer operator in an advertising company. They all believe that taking up part-time jobs will reduce unemployment problem in the country.

The other group of students are those who work to fund their studies. Like R.Senthil Kumar of Yadava College, who has been working to pay his fees ever since his father died when he was in X standard. Now in MA Tamil literature Final Year, Senthil Kumar does some odd jobs but he is more established as a TV mechanic and an electrician in Oomatchikulam.

For P. Prem Kumar and P. Pandikumar, both doing B.A. Tamil in Yadava College, the day begins at 4 a.m. as a `milk delivery boys'. After 9 a.m. they don the role of a student.

"We should be dependent on parents to a certain extent but after a particular level we should support ourselves. If we can not support ourselves now, what will we achieve later," says M. Deepa, a Ph.D., scholar of Yadava College and an announcer in All India Radio besides an Abacus teacher.

Entertainment

On an average these enterprising students earn around Rs.1,500 to Rs.2,500 per month. Some of them spend their 20 to 30 per cent of earnings in watching films with friends, shopping and visiting internet cafes.

Others spend it for their studies and are also always on the look out for extra jobs. Like P. Sudharsan of American College who takes on a triple role as a paper boy, tuition master and a student. C. Vasantha Kumar of the same college is in search of a second job as he is free in the evenings.

Ease at juggling

Does working and studying simultaneously affect their studies? The answer is an emphatic `no' as all these students feel they have enough time to work, learn and earn. But there are exceptions like N. Chithara of Fatima College does not buy this argument, she feels `part-time' work disrupts regular studies even though she juggles between a job and college.

Majority of mathematics and commerce students prefer taking up tuitions as it not only helps them to earn but also update their knowledge given the revised and enhanced syllabus.

It benefits both the learner and teacher, who is still a student. All students quip that job inculcates self-confidence, helps them shed shyness and above all it helps them gain experience that leads to the path of success when they step out of the cosy-college life.

There is another group of students who make money with their knowledge of martial arts and classical dance. B. Bruce Lee of Yadava College is surely a model representative of youths.

He plans to be a silambam, karate and `surulval' master to have a second income while he wants to pursue his main career in the IT field.

"Double income is a must and perhaps that may become the future law so I am preparing myself to fit into the changing scenario," he says and is endorsed by his friends. S. Archana of Fatima College earns around Rs.3000 a month by teaching dance to students and giving performances.

This way she meets the expenses for her Diploma course in Bharathanaytam. R. Uma Maheswari of the same college spends Rs.500 for browsing and the rest for diploma course from her earnings that come from tuitions.

Service

There is yet another group of students who take tuitions for the sake of helping others. Like M. Begum of Fatima College and L.R. Charles Clifford Jahesc of Yadava College, take tuitions free of cost for their neighbours.

Yadava college also has made arrangements in providing job opportunities on the college premises such as in gardening, documenting in library and maintaining labs to motivate the students, says G. Thiruvasagam, Principal, and adds that the college had even changed timings of college from 9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. following a representation from part-time-job-doing students.

The American College provides opportunity in its Centre for Visually Challenged where students do documenting work, or help visually-impaired students in writing assignments.

Fatima College also provides in-house job opportunities where students are paid yearly.

"Part-timers on college premises are more serious students because of their financial pressures," says S. Silas Ebenezar, Director, Placement Cell of The American College.

Mr. Ebenezar also says that working students are introverts but they are perfect and never fail in their duty as students while submitting assignment papers, finishing home work, attending classes and scoring good marks in examinations for they realise the value of money earned. Earning while learning is a good concept borrowed from the West.

Youths are raring to go and it is for the parents to be ready to let their children into the rough sea of life.

For that is where the real challenges lies which later ensure a proper and healthy development of their wards.

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