MIET Group of Institutions

As the pandemic put everyone to the test, it also paved the way for experimentation, learning and innovation. With e-learning becoming the new normal, education too witnessed a sea change. Vishwas Gautam, Head of Brand and Marketing Communications at MIET Group of Institutions shares his thoughts on the future of education, why the onus is not just on the educational institutions and what educational institutions need to do to ensure a smooth transition to offline classes in the post pandemic era…

It’s been more than one year into the pandemic. There have been many learnings and challenges for everyone. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

When the lockdown was first announced, there was some apprehension in my mind and I wondered ‘what now?’ because that was at the peak of admission season. But I took it as an opportunity and utilized this situation in my favour. We did everything that the other institutions didn’t. There were no layoffs and the full salary was paid to all employees. We made sure to Imake the most of the online space. In fact, MIET recorded the highest number of admissions last year. The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for us – it gave us the opportunity to break into the top league of institutions in the country. We are not an autonomous educational institute. We are bound by the rules and regulations of the university, which was a challenge as we just couldn’t introduce any courses. But we did introduce courses like AWS, SalesForce, Adobe within the university regulations. If we look at adversity as an opportunity, it pushes us to do well.

Is a hybrid model the way forward? If yes, what can educational institutions do now to ensure its success in the upcoming academic year?

I feel nothing can replace the learning and knowledge that is important in an offline class. Online classes are a great tool and it has opened various channels, which students weren’t exposed to earlier. But when it comes to specialized courses, students need that hands-on learning experience. Learning is always in a classroom when a teacher is present. Hybrid may be the future but offline classes will be at the forefront.

In order to ensure a seamless flow in the field of education, especially now, I feel educational institutions need to adapt, learn new ways and innovate. We are still stuck in a rut, which needs to change. Only institutions, who have innovated, will survive. The pandemic has brought out a dynamic side of education, where the teachers will have to read and learn more than the students. This process was long overdue, to be honest. Teachers have to learn newer ways of teaching.

In addition to this, a lot of parents feel that once their child enters an IIT, their job is done and that their child will do well. To be honest, the learning begins once you enter the college. Parents need to stop forcing their kids into a course of their choice. We follow the herd community mentality, which can be devastating. There should be a balance and parents should be open-minded and must allow their children to explore.

The National Education Policy (NEP) made headlines last year and many hailed it as a welcome move. How do you think NEP is going to change the education sector in India?

The mindset of parents has to change in order for NEP to be completely successful in India. NEP will only work if there is a change in the mindset of the parents – the onus is not only on the teachers and colleges. Parents need to be open-minded about their children’s choices as well. NEP is bringing out a lot of opportunities in the future, which can be explored. Students can choose subjects without having a foundation and completely based on their interest – it allows you to explore your interests. But for that to work well, seminars and discussions with parents should be held and parents need to be aware of the courses available.

For a lot of colleges and students, 2020-2021 has been a tough year. Many students, especially freshers, didn’t get to experience college life and final year students graduated under the most unusual circumstances. How is it going to impact them and their future?

I am worried and scared for students. 2020 will be like a blot, where after 4-5 years when students look for employment, they might be rejected by companies. Companies may have a prejudice stating that ‘you were taught online and do not have any hands-on or practical experience in the field.’ Companies may state that students were promoted and given leeway by the government. Recruiters may doubt their credibility and this goes for all big institutions.

What can be done to avoid such a situation is to allow students to have either evening classes or a six-month course, without paying any extra fee to learn what they have lost. The government and private institutions will have to work on this together. A lot of universities are offering different programmes, so if there is a will, there is a way. Many colleges and universities are providing evening classes which are successful. It all depends on the will and the intention of the student. Such classes will make up for all the lost time.

With colleges reopening slowly in many parts of the country, what do you think college administrations should prepare for? Do you see any new set of challenges in the coming months?

Colleges and universities should give students space- let him/her be comfortable with the classroom environment. There has been such a long gap that students aren’t in touch or used to a classroom environment. Colleges will have to make an effort to get the students accustomed to the class environment. Slowly and steadily, they should begin with classes and papers that the students have already studied. If students are pushed to learn new subjects all of a sudden, a lot of students will drop out of colleges. It will break their confidence. Colleges and administrations have to be sensitive to a student’s frame of mind- they are the ones who suffered the most during the pandemic. It has been toughest for students as they were absolutely clueless about classes, exams and the entire situation, including their future.

(Mr. Vishwas Gautam; Head Of Brand & Marketing Communications at MIET;vishwas.gautam@miet.ac.in)

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