India
produces 17 lacs graduate engineers every year for an economy of 5 trillion
dollar or so whereas US with 45 trillion-dollar economy produces less than 2
lacs engineer. The surveys show that out of 17 lacs engineer hardly 5 lacs get
job related with engineering. Basically graduation is the minimum criteria for
getting a job.
During my
student days in Delhi we knew that one becomes graduate to get a job as clerk,
for chaprasi class 8 pass was enough, which later on became matriculation. The
career option were offered in form of UPSC examination for Clerical, Assistant
grade and IAS. Then of course there were engineering, architecture, medical
study were other options. Those who were not getting job would go on studying
till master, Phd level which would lead to teaching job in school and colleges.
It was pretty cut out, private jobs meant sales person in stores or in
construction sector. My father used to tell my friends who were not good in
studies to learn typing and shorthand, as per him be it private or government
these two skills are must for office job. Those days every locality had typing
and shorthand learning schools.
Now becoming
graduate engineer is not targeted to become practicing engineer but a step to
something entirely different which has nothing to do with engineering.
So my
premise is that the graduation is the basic requirement for getting job but the
subject of graduation has hardly any relevance with the job. The graduation
does the screening so that the recruiter need not sieve through infinite number
of applicants. The postulation is that whatever taught is hardly has use in
real world. While selecting the recruiter looks at the capabilities like team
player, leadership quality, initiative, sincerity, positive thinking etc which
one does not acquire through formal education but from family and the
environment where he grows up. Even mental mathematics is not acquired through
education it is more or less in born quality. Our stress is more on rote system;
we keep on testing general knowledge which one rarely uses in work place. The
work place requires one to be disciplined, obedient, sincere towards the
routine job given and which one learns within a few days. After the penetration
of internet, when one has Google in his smart phone then all those unknowns are
only a tap away on the screen. Recently in UK it was found that students are
not aware about various towns in UK, when asked they said knowing about those
is of no use to them, if required they can always Google that out. So Google
has made life easier for students and they don’t have to mug, a smart phone has
replaced that traditional knowledge based education. It is common knowledge
that computer geeks are not gold medalists, often they are school dropouts. The
other plethora of profession look for talent in a particular discipline, its
tunneled completely. I came across an innovator of windmill in Australia who
has done law and not engineering. Our jobs are so much mundane that most of
those can be replaced by Artificial Intelligence, algorithms are the driver,
machine learning is the threat.
I personally
have come across many individuals during my working life those who are less
educated but have more common sense. Yes common sense is the main requirement
in engineering industry which comes through keen observation and absorption,
unfortunately this cannot be taught. It’s either you have or you don’t. That is
why lightly it is said that common sense is the most uncommon among
individuals.
I know I am
painting a very disturbing picture about our education system but to me it is
only acting as a first level of screening but in real terms not making job
ready. Every organization take the fresher through their own system, purge out
the things learnt and coach them as per the requirement of the organization.
Come to
think of it all knowing Google is the disrupter, it has entered our daily life.
Now I hardly devote any time to newspaper because of Google updates me in my
device continuously, thus I have more time for doing my paintings which is my
latest fad. I don’t give ring to my relatives or friends to find out about
something which I don’t know because my Google Home is sitting there with all
my answers.
It is time
that in schools Google becomes a part of curriculum and thus the size of school
bags will come down. The artificial intelligence has to be factored in our day
to day functions. Friends this is my view and I am sure most of you will not
agree with me.
I have not included specialization like medical, lawyers and some high skill jobs.
I have not included specialization like medical, lawyers and some high skill jobs.
