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Right of Children to free and compulsory Education

Right of Children to free and compulsory Education Bill 2009 was passed by Lok Sabha on 4^th of August and President of India has given her consent. Hence the bill which was pending from 2002 for various reasons has become the law of the land. Unfortunately education is in the concurrent list of the constitution and states can have their own laws. But most of the states have agreed to implement the most of the provisions of the bill.

                According to this bill, every child of age 6 to 14 years has the right to get free education till 8^th standard in their locality. A child may be mentally differently-abled, physically challenged, suffering from learning related disorders or economically poor  has a right to get free education  in  any local school of any medium of instruction, either run by the State or Central government. Even unaided private schools should reserve 25% of the seats for such disadvantaged children. Unaided minority schools can reserve 50% seats to their community but still, 25 % seats have to be reserved for disadvantaged children. Government will reimburse the fee of these children to the institution. Infrastructure of the schools must be disabled friendly.

          According to this bill, receiving donations from the children below the age of 14 is forbidden. This bill also prohibits  oral or written tests and interview for these children for admission. A child cannot be detained or dismissed from the class till the age of 14. . Giving corporal punishment or mental torture is also prohibited. Teachers will not be given any other work except census once in every ten years and election duty. They will be available to teach the children. Giving tuitions at home by the teachers is also forbidden.

          School syllabus will be light. Qualified teachers will have to be appointed. There must be sufficient facilities like toilets etc. especially for girls. Many parents do not send their girl child to schools after they are have reached puberty due of lack of facilities in schools.

Why this Bill?

Even after 62 years of independence more than 50 % of the children below the age of 14 are school drop outs or never went to school. Special children who are mentally challenged or physically disabled are not sent to schools. . Only 12% of the children admitted to first standard reach graduation level. This bill aims to increase this ratio to 15% by 2012 and 35% by 2020. Today education is commercialized and only government and aided local language schools are catering the education need of the poorer section of the society. Many schools do not have proper facilities and study atmosphere. Many schools use illegal methods to get good results. Students who are expected to fail are detained in the lower class or asked to leave with a transfer certificate. Some are asked to answer the exam privately. This is a mental torture to those children and their parents. Hence, HRD ministry has made 10^th standard exam optional for central schools. Many state schools are falling in line.

Challenges before the ministry

HRD minister and his ministry is doing a commendable job by passing and implementing this bill. From 2011 10th Board exams will be optional. In 2010 only grades will be given to 10th  STD students and no marks card.  But who will bell the cat?  Today prestigious schools are run by politicians, business houses, powerful religious congregations.  These are either part of the government or part of vote banks. If this bill is implemented in letter and spirit, a new era will usher in India and we can see egalitarian powerful India by 2020.

Popular courses after 10+2

Every parent in India is worried and confused about choosing a course for their children after 10+2.  Many parents dream to see their children become a doctor or an engineer.  They become desperate if this dream of theirs is not fulfilled.  But there are other better options other than these. The children should be allowed to make the choice of their education. A graduation degree in any field, be it engineering or medicine or any other, is not the ultimate goal of life. It is only a means to reach there. There are a lot of unemployed engineers or doctors today because they just chose what someone else wanted them to be. Everyone should give their goal a thought and accordingly choose the education stream after PUC. For most of the high level career in India in banking, insurance, railway, defense and civil services graduation is the minimum requirement. A  BA graduate can become an IAS officer if he/she has determination, skill and capabilities.  Communication skills, positive leadership qualities, literacy in computer are the other basic requirements.

Popular courses after 10+2

These are the popular courses  for Arts, Commerce and Science students after 10+2.

1.      Law :  Law is one of the important profession in the world. National Law School of India University, Bangalore and other 14 similar institutes in India produce best law graduates in the world.  They are selected on the basis of CLAT( Common Law Admission test) after +2.  There are other law colleges affiliated to Universities or Law University where one do theis bachelors and masters in Law.  Later they can also write judiciary exam and become judges.  Lawyers and judges become part of judiciary which is the pillar of democracy which controls today even the legislature and executive power.

2.       Buisness Management, Hotel Management and Hospitality Management and Tourism.

Hotel industry, Tourism industry require a lot of manpower and therefore there is a lot of scope in this field. This is a three and a half year course with good practical knowledge.  But one should be careful in choosing the institution in which to study as today some institutions are using education as a bait to make money. Choose the course through the entrance exam National Council for Hotel Management  or a institution attached to a very good five star Hotel attached.  Many colleges in Karnataka have degree courses in Tourism.  Most of the colleges have BBM course.

3.      Merchant Navy:  If anyone is interested to travel world over through sea then merchant Navy provides good opportunity. Shipping corporation of India ( Mumbai)  and many other private players in Goa, Cochin, Madras are providing education in this field.

4.      Journalism and Mass communication:  Today mass media including print media is expanding in exponential rate and lot of man power with skills and creativity is required.  There are institutions like Manipal Institue of Mass communication and colleges offer mass communication degree courses.  It is a good option for the students  with language skills, communication and artistic skills. 

5.      Social work:  BSW leading to MSW

Opportunities for Science Students

1.      Integrated Science education:

(i)                 B Tech in Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Trivandrum:  This institute offers 4 years B.Tech programme in Physics and students are absorbed in Indian Space programme by ISRO.  Selection through the JEE entrance exam (60% weigtage) and annual exam.(40% weigtage)

(ii)               Integrated M S programme: Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for advanced scientific Research Bangalore, Indian Institute of Astro-physics Bangalore conducts such programmes,.  This five years course and students can choose job or Research in reputed institutions.  Selection is through selection exam.  This course is to attract manpower to the reputed Science Research Institutes.

2.       Paramedical Courses:

 i)        B.A.S.L.P. : (Bachelor in Audiology & Speech       Language

Pathology) - 4 years including 1 year Internship

 Science or equivalent.

ii) Bachelor of Physiotherapy (B.P.T.) - 4½ years including six months

iii) B.Sc. Medical Laboratory Technology – 3½ years including 6 months

iv) B.Sc. Radiotherapy - 3½ years including 6 months Internship.

v)B.Sc. Medical Imaging Technology - 3½ years including 6 months

vi)BSc. (N&D) : Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics

vii) BSc. (HC&M) : Bachelor of Health Care & Hospital Management

viii)  BSc. (AHS) : Bachelor of Allied Health Science

3.   Nursing:

 B Sc nursing followed by MSc M Phil and PH D in nursing courses are available in our medical Colleges. Eligibility is PCB in PUC. 

4. B Pharma, M Pharma, M Phil and Ph D courses.  These courses are offered by Pharmaceutical colleges.  Eligibility is PCB in PUC

5.   Agriculture:

The students with P C B combinations are admitted to the following courses through CET.  In all these course further lead to MSc, Ph D and research.

i)BSc  in Agriculture,ii) B Sc Sericulture iii) B Tech Dairy,

iv)B Sc   in Horticulture

     v)B Sc   in Forestry

vi)B Sc  in Fisheries 

6  Veternary Science : 
Even though it is a very old discipline now there is renewed interest because of lot of job opportunities and life style of people who want to live with pets. Students with PCB are eligible to this and admission is through CET. B V Sc degree holders also designated as doctors.

7    BSC

B Sc is versatile course  leading to M Sc in Photonics, M Sc  In Nano Science, M Sc in Bio Physics, M SC in Bio Informatics etc. M Sc in Chemistry( Industrial chemistry, bio chemistry, Applied Chemistry),  MCA, PhD in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space science, Nanotechnology , Nuclear Energy, Material Science etc. B Sc students also can join for engineering as lateral entry( directly to third sem).  A lot of scholarships are also available from the govt to encourage basic science in Physics, chemistry, maths , botony and Zoology.

8     B Sc  in Design: 
Fashion design, Ornament design, textile design, Interior design, 

9.   B SC Home Science

10. NDA

Highest level defence personnel are selected through NDA exam after 10+2 science. They will be trained given BSc degree of JNU Delhi and trained and inducted into  Air Force or Air wing of Navy.

11.    Pilot

Science graduates are admitted to Indira Gandhi Udan Institute where they will be given commercial pilot license.

12.  BCA

 Bachelor of computer application  and they can join lateral entry for MCA in some institute like Manipal University. 

Opportunities to Arts Students

General feeling is Arts is meant for slow learners only.  But Arts is the backbone of the society. It provides teachers, lawyers, literary people, artists, Psychologists, Economists, Journalists, Mass communicators, Social workers  and social scientists, government officials to the society. Now there are variety of combinations for study in BA.  B A with one of the following subjects  will help to employment easily.

1.      B A – Journalism, Mass communication, Psychology, Counseling, Human Resource Development,  Fine arts,  Literature( English, Kannada, Hindi),  Tourism,  Computer Applications, Geology, Geography, Human Right, International Relation, Labour & Social Welfare, Corporate Mag,  Corporator Secretary, Criminology & Forensic Science, Music, Military Science. Museology, Clinical Psychology. Applied Psychology Public Administration, Public Relation, Rural Development, Visual Art,  Women Studies,

Opportunities Commerce Students
 Now in the globalised world ,where everything is commercialized, commerce and acountancy plays a major role hence there are lot of opportunities in this sector.  Small businesses to corporate world require specialized people in finance and accounts. But in this field opportunities for higher education and research are limited. B Com and BBM are   the courses commerce the  students can opt for after 10+2. Charted Accountant, Cost Accountants and company secretary are the prestigious and much demanded course which can be after PUC. But these courses are regular academic courses so can be pursued along with B Com or after B Com. Eventhough these courses are natural courses for commerce students, science students are also eligible to these.  The students who want to be qualified as C A,  Mathematics  in PUC  will help. Computer knowledge is also desirable. After the completion of the exam, they have to work as an article with a C A.  It must also be remembered that pass percentage in All India level is less than 10%. At the post graduation level there are many specialized courses in finance, insurance, finance management, management ( MBA). Now a days demand to BBM is declining.