Vocational Guidance be a Subject of Study

Vocational Guidance be a subject of study ?
Dalip Singh Wasan, Advocate.

If we go to the local Employment Exchange and see the candidates registering their names, we shall find that all those who are coming from schools and colleges do not know in which trade or occupation they should get their names registered. That is the reason most of the candidates coming from schools and universities are registered in ' General Vacancies' which clearly means that they are not fit for a profession, trade or occupation and they need Vocational Guidance to choose one of the trade or occupation for them out of atleast 3000 professions, trades, callings and occupations already identified and recognised in India. The states have made certain arrangements in the employment exchanges where the freshers could get Vocational Guidance, but this guidance at this stage does not give right direction to the candidates. Time has come when the state must consider the case for Vocational Guidance as a subject after 8th class in all the schools and colleges so that the students could know something about the world of works available in their own country. They shall be given to understand about the occupations in which candidates are in short supply and they shall also know in which trade people are already surplus and no fresh candidates are required. The youths shall also be given information about their interest and aptitutes and about the occupations which can afford them with income as they desire.
At present there is no guidance programme in schools and colleges. Some teachers have been designated as Vocational Guidance Masters, but they do not get time and matgerials and therefore, they never give guidance to the youths nor they make available the materials to the youths. The states must take into consideration the present system and its shortcomings and they must have consultations with experts and see that Vocational Guidance be introduced as a subject of study after middle examination. The students shall be getting informatifon about all the professions, trades, callings and occupations in time and they shall be preparing themselves for one of such trade in which they shall be getting a job. They shall know about the subjects of study which they shall have to opt for a particular occupation and they shall be able to prepare themselves to have success in the enterance examinations. They shall also know about the total expenditure involved in the training and they shall also try to understand from which source they shall be arranging the money. There are institutions which are providing financial help to the youths at low rate of interest. All this information must be made available to the youths so that they could have alternatives with them . The present system is increasing the number of un-employed in this country and we should try to give right direction to our youths and this must be done at school and college level because giving Vocational Guidance after completing study shall not give right direction to our youths and there are chances that they shall go astray because long term unemployment is breeding frustration amongst our youths and most of them are turning drug addicts and criminals. We should ensure that everyone coming out of schools and colleges be at work before he complites twenty five years of his age or earlier if he has left the school earlier.
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