[Assam] Job courses as parallel study (The Telegraph,26.05.2008)

[Buljit Buragohain]

        Job courses as parallel study 
    A STAFF REPORTER                May 25: Cotton College and B. Borooah College, the two oldest and leading colleges of the city, will introduce add-on courses at the Higher Secondary and the degree levels from the next academic session beginning in July. 
  “The new system will enable regular students take admission in job-oriented degree, diploma and certificate courses while pursuing the conventional courses. The idea is to ensure career enhancement and help them get jobs soon after leaving the college. We want our students to leave the college trained in career-oriented courses besides the conventional ones in the science, arts and the commerce streams,” the principal of B. Borooah College, Dinesh Baishya, said. 
  The college, in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou), has started a two-year MSc in mathematics with application in computer science, a three-year bachelor degree on social work, a one-year PG diploma in environment and sustainable development, a six-month certificate course in computing, a one-year diploma in tourism management, a six-month certificate course in laboratory technique and a one-year diploma in creative writing in English. 
  “Earlier, we proposed to induct students in the career-oriented courses after they complete studies in the conventional courses. However, we found that many students have evinced a keen interest to pursue the two types of courses simultaneously. They do not want to idle away time after leaving the college,” Baishya said. The students will be given an option to pick any of the job-oriented courses of their choice. According to Baishya, arrangements have been made to ensure that classes for the two types of courses do not overlap. 
  “Classes for the job-oriented courses will be held on weekends and holidays,” he said. 
  The principal of Cotton College, Indra Kumar Bhattacharyya, said keeping in mind the students’ aspirations, the premier institution would introduce the add-on courses. 
  Bhattacharyya said following a fast decline in the number of students pursuing the conventional degree course in the science stream, it had become necessary to do something innovative. 
  The courses the college has introduced in collaboration with Ignou include a certificate course in laboratory technology, a diploma in tourism studies, an MA in tourism management, a PG diploma in disaster management, a diploma in women empowerment and development, a PG diploma in rural development, an MSc in mathematics with application in computer science, a PG diploma in audio programme and a diploma in creative writing in English. 
  “If a BSc student also takes admission in the certificate course of laboratory technology, it will be much easier for him or her to find a suitable job after completion of the course,” Bhattacharyya said. 
  “Another important objective of introducing add-on courses system is to compete with private institutions. Students can pursue the career-oriented courses along with the conventional ones at these two colleges at a rate much cheaper than that charged by the private institutions,” a senior college teacher said.
   
  (The Telegraph,26.05.2008)
   
   
  http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080526/jsp/guwahati/story_9319517.jsp
   



       
---------------------------------
 Best Jokes, Best Friends, Best Food. Get all this and more on  Best of Yahoo! Groups.