Chennai:Eminent academician and career counsellor Jayaprakash A. Gandhi says that the state government should bring in reforms in the question paper pattern making it difficult for students to score centum. However it should be easy for students to pass the exam. He also suggests that students look at job prospects in each course before seeking admission.
Q) In this year’s Plus-2 examination, results for which were announced a couple of days ago, 9,710 students scored centum in Mathematics and 5,167 secured full marks in Accountancy. What do you think about the trend of students scoring centum in large numbers? What does it indicate?
We should not have a blueprint for examinations saying that you will have this pattern of questions. We need to bring in reforms in question paper pattern. Questions should not be asked direct from the textbook rather should test students’ analytical skills. Exam is not conducted to test students’ memorising skills but their analytical skills. Several toppers who scored 200 out of 200 in class XII exams have failed in Maths in first semester engineering programme. We should appreciate state government schools, which do not rush up class XI syllabus to start class XII syllabus. Our students should be mentally prepared to take up competitive exams.
Q) This year, nearly 1.30 lakh engineering aspirants have bought application forms for government’s single window counselling. How do you look at this trend?
Students never understand that buying an application form would not guarantee them a seat in an engineering college. We cannot say it is the same wave, we have to ultimately see how many students submit their forms to the university for counselling. Last year too several students purchased application forms but not everybody submitted it to take part in the counselling. This year too this might happen. We have to wait and see. About 40 percent of students who registered for counselling last year abstained. So, this year’s application trend cannot be taken as a wave.
Q) You had been interacting with students and giving suggestions to them on career opportunities for more than a decade. What are the courses in which students have shown interest and asked your suggestion?
Students are attracted to courses like Biotechnology, marine and petroleum. They have got attracted to these courses without knowing the scope of the industry. Students have to look at job prospects in each industry and then decide. Some courses may look attractive but will not have job prospects. So, students should look at all points before taking a decision.
Q) What is your suggestion to students who want to join engineering colleges this year?
Students should look for colleges which teach them knowledge beyond the textbook syllabus, encourage reasoning, thinking and logical skills. Students who get trained this way will get a job as corporates look for these talents. Students should prepare themselves to take up coding tests conducted by companies like Google. Colleges too should teach students to face these type of tests. Undoubtedly, some colleges don’t have know about these contests.
Q) In the recent past the number of students opting for arts and science colleges in the state seems to be on the rise as they do not want to take up engineering, is this a good trend ?
Many students think engineering has lost sheen. One should not see it that way. If a student studies engineering in one of the top colleges he has good opportunity to get a job. The same applies to arts & science and law colleges too. The college that you study also plays a key role in getting students placed in top companies. Nowadays, corporates assess and accredit colleges. So they would look at the colleges, not the course. They take in students only from the colleges they had accredited.
