STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts
17 December 2017
Prof. S. Ramkumar
Education
Success as a student
This is an excerpt of a few points that I shared in my address to the students of Veterinary science after taking charge as Dean of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER) Puducherry, recently. Thought it may have relevance to any college student. There is a greater role for teachers if the students need to follow these!
Being a college student is an opportunity blessed to you all. Many are there who couldn’t make it to a college. Whether by choice or by chance you are into an amazing subject of study.
You should first feel that you are fortunate and privileged to enter into the subject domain you have been offered.
Use the time of your study period, to learn about yourself and your capacities in addition to the subject you study.
Understanding you – your abilities and strengths- is impor
tant since your success in life depends on matching these abilities to the subject you are studying and delivering your service.
I consider the following 4Cs as the vital factors that will shape a student successful and useful to the Society and the Nation.
- Competence: it changes depending on the graduate course you have chosen.
1.1 Professional skills: For eg. In Veterinary Science the student who passes out after the five and half years course should have Day-one competency skills as stipulated by the Veterinary council of India.
1.2 Social skills: Irrespective of the courses, the students should develop skills understanding, analysing and approaching social issues.
1.3 Soft skills: Abilities to improve communication-spoken and written, basic language abilities in English, in addition to the mother-tongue or other languages, facing an interview, writing a CV, building confidence.
- Compassion: Understanding clients, patients or people for whom (s)he has to work for. The empathy and realisation of the conditions and problems of the society helps us to deliver the subject (or knowledge) in a fuller manner, making education more meaningful. It takes us one step towards Wisdom.
- Creativity: Whatever may be the subject of study, students need to learn innovating and improvising. Once they receive the certificate and start working with the world, they realise that many things and thoughts have to be modified. College should be the place where they should get experience for that. They should reinvent curiosity (in case they have forgotten it), which takes them through originality and finally creativity.
- Connectivity. The present day order is connectivity, like our globe rotates around its axis, connectivity is the axis on which our lives revolve. Instant Information is the key mantra of the human civilization of the present day. Whether its the internet, social media or whats app, connect wisely. Technology is neutral; it is the people who apply or use them who distort the neutrality or usefulness. Creating connections lets you grow more useful to the society.
We have a dominant examination system compared to the education system. Need to respect it. However if you get less marks please don’t think it is the end of the world. Don’t start worrying. Instead, find out why you got less marks and try to address it next time. There is always a good next time, provided you don’t get stressed and worried.
Believe in yourself and that will surely lead to confidence.
The Degree certificate that you receive is a testimony of the knowledge of the subject that you have undergone. It’s a license to enter into the real world, where real learning starts.
Be prepared for the cycle of “Learn- Unlearn- Relearn” continuously for a successful life.