Education: Traditional or Vocational

A college education aims at the holistic development of the individual but a vocational training produces a professional

Vocational education in India
India’s policy-makers have always tried to adopt a balanced approach to education. Mahatma Gandhi himself stressed that the urgent need of the new nation was to link the world of work with the world of education. For years however, there has been a steady underutilisation of the state policies and programs with regard to vocational education.

In India, vocational instruction includes vocational training and vocational education. Vocational training is often a certificate awarding course in craft training and requires no minimum qualification. Vocational education includes the courses offered in school in class XI and class XII under a centrally sponsored scheme termed ‘Vocationalisation of Secondary Education’ and requires minimum educational qualification.

There is a general consensus in the air that India has neglected vocational education until now. With overpopulation and unemployment, there is a paradoxical deficit of skilled manpower: there is a superabundance of an amorphous mass of graduates while there exists a severe shortage of skilled labour.

Vocational training emphasises on the practical training. It imparts skills that are directly relevant to the job market. It produces both skilled labour for specific jobs as well as prepares the individual to venture into their own enterprise. It’s a streamlined approach where the social and behavioural training itself is part of the larger project of making the individual fit for employment.

Typewriting, Stenography, Secretarial Practices, Computer Operator & Programme Assistant, Architectural Draughtsmanship, Desk Top Publishing, Electrical Technician, Electronics (Radio/TV/Tape Recorder Mechanic), Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Library Assistant, Cutting/Tailoring & Dress Making, Hair & Skin Care, Fruit & Vegetable Preservation Programs are some popular vocational courses in India.

Traditional education
A college education, on the other hand, aims to impart a more holistic schooling. From the very beginning, university education has aimed to cultivate the mind both in regard to academic research and community living.

A college education can be extremely subject specific but instructions on morality and ethics are etched in the very structure of the system. A society may be extremely productive but without proper guidance it may be plagued with all sorts of vices and oppressions. The Taliban is a blatant example of a society crippled due to the lack of education to women. Moreover, time and again, it has been proved that institutes of higher learning have been crucial facilitators of social change.

At the level of investment, college education obviously seems more expensive. However, in the long run a college education brings in an annual income that is triple the initial investment. In fact, financially speaking, lack of a college education is something that you cannot afford these days. In this day when multiple careers are in vogue, a college education makes it easier for switching between professions and interests.

A college education also teaches the nation’s young minds to think and reason critically. Listening to experts in their fields often proves stimulating and encourages the students to continue further research. Research has also proved that children of educated parents tend to naturally opt for higher education building a foundation not only for a family and its posterity but also for the nation at large.

Make a wise decision
A choice between college education and a vocational education depends on the priorities, circumstances and inclination of the candidate. If you believe that your career should be geared towards a specialised occupation or craft then vocational training may be good for you. And if you are interested in pursuing higher studies or academics then opt for a university education. In both cases, think hard before you take a decision because it will later determine the quality of the rest of your life.