Education is a microcosm of all that is indispensable to life. It is next to impossible to undermine the vitality of education in the progress of society as envisaged by the great many leaders and common masses. Even before we delve into the various concrete streams of education which exist today, it is imperative to understand the word ‘education’.
“Education transcends books”- a dictum which has withstood the trials and ravages of centuries and has etched its existence boldly in the minds of one and all. On retrospection one would invariably realize that education had augmented its roots from the time when evolution of man began. In fact it would be apt to conclude that had it not been for education in its varying forms, evolution of man was both an improbability and impossibility. Over the centuries we have learnt to ‘learn’ and ‘imbibe’ the best- this is the spirit of education.
Reverting to the 21st century, education has encompassed all barriers of classroom walls and has become more comprehensive. Just about three decades ago only three major strands were popular among the youth to be pursued for a career viz. , medicine, engineering or government service. Sounds like history. Isn’t it? Globalization and increased exposure to international education standards coupled with the advent of multifarious job opportunities provided by multinational companies has ensured that a plethora of career and educational options are available to students. Gone are the days when education was bound in books with little or no attention being paid to the practical aspect of the subject and the student’s aptitude and personality. The increased competition is an evidence of the expansion of education beyond books and theory.
Innumerable career options today lay unfolded for students within the realm of education. To begin with, let us review some of the popular competitive entrance exams which have nullified the emphasis laid on marks obtained through cramming. The most coveted career option today is that of management. Thousands aspiring to be an MBA appear for the CAT exam every year. Clearing the CAT means that the 6 Indian Institutes of Management open their gates for the successful candidates. Never mind if you can’t get through CAT, MAT, SNAP and XAT are some of the other management entrance exams conducted by other institutes which will help you achieve your dream of being a management graduate.
Though MBA is the call of the day, Engineering and Medical profession still retain their charm. The key difference now is that the entrance exams for admission to reputed engineering and medical institutions have become more challenging. To get through to engineering, hundreds queue up each year to take the JET- Joint Entrance Test- and AIEEE i. e. , All India Engineering Entrance Exam. PMT – Pre-Medical Test- too sees an ever increasing turnout of aspiring medicos each year. Administrative services still woo many by the hordes. That’s why the IAS or Indian Administrative Services Exam is becoming tougher by the day.
Even if you wish to study abroad, you are required to clear IELTS which stands for International English Language Testing System. It is a comprehensive exam designed by the Cambridge University to assess a candidate’s English language skills in all the four aspects viz. reading, listening, writing and speaking. Most of the US universities accept scores of exams like TOEFL, GRE, GMAT and SAT for admission.
Education, as we can see, has now assumed a more significant role. Most of the institutes and colleges hold entrance exams to assess the real ability of a student. Therefore it could be said that education has now blossomed and its myriad ‘petals’ are exuberant with all the hues displayed.
To end I would like to quote B. F Skinner, who very aptly said, “Education is what survives when what has been learnt has been forgotten. ”
So be educated, stay educated and spread education.
