Saturday, May 1, 2010

Education for living - Not just for life

            The modern schools of learning that impart domain specific education and knowledge mould their students as experts in their domains. The students do cutting edge innovations and inventions in each field, but all this is to make a living. Every job, every profession is to make a livelihood. It is a source of income. Earning does not make an entire life. Two other important things that make a complete living is to do judicial and confident spending for a happy today alongside with a sensible savings for a secure tomorrow.  It is not just sufficient to learn to earn, but also to spend and save. And it is on the shoulders of the centers of learning that produce graduates or indirectly taxpayers into the economy every year to teach them to spend and to save and also pay taxes :P. Graduating students are the major portion of the country that begin contributing to the pool of taxpayers in the country. Paying taxes is another issue that majority of us would not like to do... Why is it that we pay the government the money we earned slogging like donkeys for our employers? is the question that often pops up in my mind. I do not feel shy to confess that many of us even do not know what it is to pay taxes and how they are calculated. When we pay taxes, we have every right to know how the money is being spent. But though we have access to that information, we are handicapped in understanding those details.
                    Coming to our institute, it is highly commendable that the governing body concentrates strongly on inculcating human values in the students. Measures like Jeevan Vidya, the Human Values sessions or the Humanities courses are being introduced to make students realize the importance of these values in life. True to the fact that life is not just about money, but about relationships and values, we should also agree that life is more about living rather than principles and values. And living includes earning, spending and saving. It is only when each family strives to develop its economic standards that the country's economy can grow. Having fulfilled its moral responsibility, it is also the economic responsibility of the institute to make its students aware of the economics of the country and our individual lives. It is not just the business schools that should pass on this education, but this responsibility vests in every institution that is producing graduates. In fact, it is due to this reason, that our lives are being controlled by some financial consultants (business school graduates) whom we do not know. The institute should teach us to spend our money, take our own decisions  and make a prosperous living leading to the development of the nation.
              In short, this is a request to the institute to introduce courses that teach the basics of economics, business and finance so that each individual need not depend on others for his living. He can make his decisions, save and spend according to his choice. Values and Spirituality can come at a later stage in life when one gets frustrated with money and living. This is a greater necessity and institutions should realize and take immediate action.What is the use of having Vedic Darshan or the human values when one does not get two square meals a day? It is more important to teach about money, about diplomacy and decision making rather than values. It is with these talents that today's students can develop into better leaders of tomorrow.

9 comments:

  1. Your title is misleading .... but nice point ,I would definitely take a course in economics if is offered

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  2. FYI

    ...institute is not following you here!

    better raise this issue where it is heard by the ppl whu r d decision makers!!

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  3. arey gusa gusa , register on blogroll

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  4. Nice post Kittu ;)

    Previously, we used to have a course on Economics. I don't know why it's no more.

    However, I once discussed this issue of having this course again in our curriculum , with Dr. Sangal....and he was very positive about it.
    So, let's see if we have some kind of course on Economics in the coming academic year...

    I doubt, having a course where u get to learn diplomacy :O..... this thing cannot be taught. It's with experience i guess.....mainly it's in your nature.

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  5. Intention of introducing Economics is fine but
    "Values and Spirituality can come at a later stage in life when one gets frustrated with money and living" - Not later stage dude ... you need have them(values) throughout your life. Spirituality is irrelevant of age.
    "when one does not get two square meals a day?" -
    Even if students of IIIT-H do not have any knowledge of economics / finance, they can still have more than 3 meals a day.

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  6. @phani you can always learn diplomacy from @KoNvicT :P

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  7. ha! I remember a course being offered. "Critical Economic Theory" I 'd tell you that initially i was also so much interested like you guys in opting for the course; i opted for it, and after a while, it got really bad...

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  8. Infact there can be courses like Micro and Macro economics.. IIT-K has a cell that teaches courses in these areas.. and they are taught as a part of the HSSM courses in their institute.

    @Vignesh: who is KoNvict?

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