MADURAI: Today’s students in Tamil Nadu and all over India are intelligent, brilliant, have good potential and they aspire to achieve big. It is a welcome thing. But, it is very important for each student to be practical and scale a clear ladder for ultimate success.
Prof.Dr.A.Thanikodi, Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Annamalai University and former Director of Distance Education, Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) spoke to ‘Lotus Times’ on October 19th 2019 and he gave a simple roadmap to college / university students on how they can set their practical goals and work towards achieving them.
FOLLOW SIMPLE LOGIC:
“As a teacher with long experience, I have suggested students to understand what are the options and alternatives available before them. Unfortunately, I found many of them innocent or several adamant and they stick to only one option. That leads to their frustration and negative effects,” Dr.A.Thanikodi observed and he gave 10 Commandments to students for their easy success.
1. The percentage of Government jobs available is very less these days. So educated youngsters should not dream or aim or confine their goal to just getting a government job.
2. If students are more obsessed with only one idea without knowing facts and figures, they will get frustrated after making few attempts. Be practical, be informed and proceed accordingly.
3. Having a goal and ambition in life is very important. But, that must match with a particular student’s calibre, capability, socio-economic background, resources etc. Don’t be adamant in your choice, be flexible.
4. Each student should have a dream and aspire for bigger things in life. But day-dreaming must not be there. A large number of students are wasting lot of time, money and manpower in the name of attending coaching classes just only they got fixed to only one choice.
5. The most important thing a student must do is to have updated knowledge, be aware of current affairs, read English / vernacular newspapers, follow the media and listen to healthy media debates on current topics.
6. Try to know more about alternative careers / jobs / business opportunities available in what you have studied. Don’t stick to just one option. Private and corporate sector have multiple options.
7. Every college or university student should know his or her potential. They are their best judges. In today’s competitive world, SWOT analysis – Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats – is important o assess their own Strengths and Weaknesses. You do your own SWOT. Then, you go by your potential rather than anybody’s compulsion or influence.
8. If you are determined to go only for a government job, don’t think of only to be an IAS etc. According to your capacity, be practical. And remember that Group 3 or 4 of Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) / other States, are also government jobs. Many students fail to be realistic now a days and this needs guidance from teachers and parents.
9. If one is obsessed with government job, then go for police, army, military and several other govt choices. Don’t be in ivory towers, illusion, imagination and peer pressure. That will boomerang your job prospects and family.
10. And, finally, have a good aim in life is important. Work towards that and at the same time be prepared for alternative jobs. Heeding to good advice will be good.
UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW:
“On several occasions, I told students categorically that they can try for constable exams or any Group 4 exam. Many of them used to be adamant saying that ‘my aim is only IAS’. Because I know that student’s capacity, I gave this advice. I told them to do SWOT analysis by themselves, but in vain,” laments Prof.Dr.A.Thanikodi, who led the Academic Staff College at Bharathiar University too.
“I have found many students who landed in trouble because of their wrong approach in career choice. Distraction, deviation from main goal should be avoided and my humble suggestion to every student is to first know where you are strong and that is enough for your success,” he says.
