Can Modi’s ‘Make In India’ revolutionize India’s Education Sector?

Narendra Modi has cast a spell on the entire globe. The Modi wave that started in India during the General Elections 2014 has now ‘modi’fied into a global Modi wave after his mesmerizing speech at the Madison Square Garden. Modis ‘Make in India’ campaign is yet another example of his great thought process that promises a good future to India.

Most of us are now keeping a tab on the politics and progress of the Nation. Hence ‘Make In India’ is not an alien term to us. Just to add a little more clarity to this, Make in India campaign is launched by Modi to make India a manufacturing hub. India is a huge reservoir of talent, scientists, doctors, engineers, businessmen, you name it and we have it all then why not use it?

 “Let’s resolve to steer the country to one destination. We have it in us to move in that direction.

Come, make in India”, “Come, manufacture in India”. Sell in any country of the world but manufacture here. We have got skill, talent, discipline, and determination to do something. We want to give the world a favourable opportunity that come here, “Come, Make in India” and we will say to the world, from electrical to electronics, “Come, Make in India”, from automobiles to agro value addition “Come, Make in India”, paper or plastic, “Come, Make in India”, satellite or submarine “Come, Make in India”. Our country is powerful. Come, I am giving you an invitation.”         -   Narendra Modi

Now that we are planning to manufacture everything in India why not extend these thoughts to the medium of education as well. It is a known fact that India is a hub of engineers and doctors. We are a storehouse of talented and energetic youth. Then why should these valuable resources look out to other countries for education? Why not equip India with the things that attract these students to universities abroad. Make in India, which as of now is just focussing on the manufacturing and business aspect, should also include education. Our next motive obviously should be- Make Education in India.

The things acting as a crowd puller for Indian students who go abroad are listed below. India should make it a point to provide all these facilities to students so that we can reduce the export of talent and increase its import from the other countries.

1. Independence of choosing your own subjects in School

Students abroad have the liberty of choosing the subjects they want to take, a practise in which India is lagging behind. Students should be able to make their pick on the areas they want to lay their focus on. In addition to the compulsory subjects students abroad can chose over a few class subjects (electives) also. This helps students to remain focussed at the very beginning of their careers and gain clarity about their future. India still has a long way ahead to coping with this practise. The school curriculum abroad also gives importance to arts subjects and the creative career options as opposed to India where these are just a part of the extra-curricular activities.

2. Daily Jobs

A very healthy practice in the education system across the globe is teaching things that are applicable in the daily lives of the students. Apart from subjects like carpentry, plumbing, gardening, driving lessons, focus is also given to subjects where students learn about anatomy, nutrition, first aid, sexuality, drug awareness, and birth control. While these are an integral part of the curriculum abroad, India is yet to include these things of grave importance as a part of the high school education. These are very essential for the overall development of the individuals.

3. Courses

There is an ocean full of options available for students in India today, yet we still lag behind in the number and types of courses that attract our students abroad. New courses should be introduced in India. We should rise above the clichéd career options and make way for new and the so called off- beat careers that are now attracting mass audience towards them. It is essential that all jobs and careers are given the same amount of recognition and importance in the education system. Not only will this reduce the number of Indian students going abroad for education but it will also help in inviting foreign students to study in India.

4. Global Atmosphere and Students Exchange Programmes

An exposure to the global atmosphere is what appeals to the students who cross the border for higher education. Students are exposed to a universal work culture which helps them sustain all across the globe. They are made to face global challenges and work methodically to survive the international market. Student Exchange Programmes is yet another measure which helps to hone the skills of the students in accordance with the global expectations. There are a handful of Indian universities that offer exchange programmes and send their students abroad for a semester or two to grab the basics of the international working standards. There is an increase in the collaborations of Indian educational institutes with the international universities. Hence, the takers for exchange programmes have seen a substantial increase. Such practises should be picked up by all universities for the overall growth of the students.

5. Overall Classroom Experience

Technology is the real deal in classrooms today. Most foreign universities are competing in the kind of technologies that their universities are adopting for teaching purposes. Education is yet another area that has been taken down by the digital world and everyone is neck deep in competition to provide the students with the best learning tools. A huge section of the schools in India have turned to smart boards to make learning more interactive and attractive for the students. Universities in India also have adopted a lot of new techniques to provide the students with the best learning experience. Despite all these efforts, India is still crawling in comparison to universities across the globe. Students today are smart and it is only justified that they should be taught in the smartest way to complement their skills.

6. Scholarships

How many Indian Universities do you know off that offer scholarships to students? Not many, of course and nowhere close to the numbers foreign universities boast off. The foreign universities make sure that that their students do not miss out on the education due to lack of funds. The universities provide as much financial aid to deserving candidates as possible. When we talk about India this is a practise that should be given more importance than it receives today. There are a lot of deserving candidates for whom their financial instability puts a full stop to their education. With abundant talent and enough opportunities to utilize that talent, India should really fasten its belt and provide the necessary help to the deserving students who have the potential to outperform many others. Talent should never go waste and that is exactly why universities abroad make sure that money is not a limiting factor in the progress of its citizens. In fact these universities also provide scholarships to international students, to promote and attract international students to its universities, such a practise is a must for a developing country like ours.

7. Job Opportunities for Students

There are a majority of students who prefer earning while pursuing their graduation. The countries abroad have a more student friendly working atmosphere where students are paid on an hourly basis. The class timings are also such that they can be managed well with the part time jobs that students take up. India has no such facilities for students, the freelance job opportunities that are the only ray of hope for students are just a means to exploit their talent. The students are hardly offered a respectable amount for the ideas and the hard work they put in. Students look out for jobs while pursuing their education for money as well as industry experience. Part-time jobs prove to be a great option of extra earning for those who wish to be independent. Universities abroad have all the provisions to help students sustain and become independent. They are paid by the number of hours they devote in serving an organisation. The pay is also in respectable numbers as opposed to the trend in India. Such practises should be encouraged in the Indian work domain as well to provide the students with the right facilities they need.

8. Facilities

Students who are pursuing education from the foreign universities have a lot of facilities to help them sail through their journey as a student. They are entitled to a number of privileges which makes the students crave for the student life even more. So much so is the craving that at times students don’t wish to opt out of the university life due to the fear of losing out on the facilities of the student life and they continue with further education. Foreign Universities have special travel discounts, special deals for accommodation, restaurant offers, a 24*7 library, banking facilities, loans and a lot more in its kitty. All in all being a student is a huge boner in other countries. India has these student facilities but then they are not implemented properly. The students are not aware of them and most importantly they are not put into practice the way they should. The education bodies should implement such facilities on a more serious note, bring awareness about them and also ink down more of these privileges. These just act as a medium to attract students and should be a very important criterion for our country to boost the education sector.

9. No Corruption

Education scams occupy a huge area of the front page of our newspapers. What is sad is that the area is just increasing with every passing year. Seat blocking scam, donations, affiliation scams and all types of forgery are clouding the education sector in India. Deserving candidates often lose out on opportunities because their seats are often bought by candidates who least deserve them. The reservations and quota system also fences the brilliant minds out of the institutions. The education sector should be transparent and should give importance to talent and skills instead of the big bank accounts. The foreign universities refrain from indulging in such practises and hence students in India look out for options rather than sticking to their own country.

Make In India, is a great initiative if it is exercised the way it has been promised to. The nation is hoping that campaigns like Make In India and Swach Bharat Abhiyaan emerge as actions and are not restricted to just words that impress but fail to make an impact. If Make in India is extended to the education sector then India is sure to go a long way in the overall development of the nation.