The education system is embracing necessary change in India because the academia is constantly accused of being outdated. The system is striving to become more efficient in bridging the gap between the learning and professional spheres, in which context B.Vocational (Bachelor of Vocational) courses come to limelight. In fact, B.Voc courses have been in the picture since before NEP came to play but now they have taken the forefront. Skill oriented courses are becoming more and more relevant with the drastic changes taking place in every professional sphere. Theoretical knowledge, as important as it is, is happy taking a relatively back seat where skill comes into play.
The idea behind vocational courses
The biggest problem that the current education system faces is its obsolete curriculum that causes quite a culture shock when students move from colleges to a profession. Most students are talented, but they’re not trained as per the requirements of the professional sphere. This obligates the employers to invest heavily towards training freshly hired candidates again. The worse consequence however, is a great part of the graduated population of the country being unemployable because they lack even the most basic skills needed to ace a job.
B.Vocational courses are professional courses that are designed specifically to prepare students as per the trends and demands of the specific professional stream. [‘Vocational’ means professional so fundamentally, these are professional courses.] Specialized skills required for given jobs are administered here. With these, they’ll be prepared to take up the job right after graduation, without the need for on-job training or having to deal with culture shock.
How are B.Voc courses different from other graduation courses?
At the onset, they’re not completely different because B.Voc courses are graduate courses that a student can pursue for three years. They are NOT diploma or certificate courses; but full-fledged graduation courses like the traditional ones administered in colleges.
But once you venture into them, you’ll see that there are a lot of differences.
The fundamental difference is the structure of the curriculum. The structure of B.Vocational courses is designed to be 30% theory and 70% practical. The practical subjects constitute greater value as they include mandatory projects and internships in the fields. These practical papers provide the opportunities and platforms for students to enhance and execute their skills while beginning to build a strong portfolio and network during student days itself.
B.Vocational courses focus more on skills rather than theoretical excellence which means projects and internships take the front seat through industry collaborations and such measures. The courses are very specific in nature – ensuring that the students can enter the professional field as experts in a subject.
Are B.Voc courses legitimized?
B.Vocational courses are absolutely legitimized and recognized by every University and industry. The MHRD and the UGC have pioneered the designing of these courses, with the MHRD identifying the areas where skill development can take place through B.Voc courses. The courses are formulated with NSQF guidelines. The graduation certificate is authenticated and issued by the respective university that the college is affiliated to, like all other graduation courses.
Are B.Vocational courses similar to diploma courses?
No, they’re not diploma courses. B.Vocational courses are actually graduation courses, like B.Com, BCA, B.Sc BBA, or BA. They differ drastically in structure; but they are 3 years long grad courses with similar certification procedure and legitimacy.
Are all job offerings accepting of B.Voc graduates?
Every job provider in your stream of learning is definitely accepting of B.Voc graduates. Your resume consisting completed projects, internships and add-on courses you completed at B.Voc will also give you an advantage at job opportunities. All kinds of competitive exams can also be appeared at after completing B.voc.
What prospects are available for future education after B.Voc?
If you opt for higher education after B.Voc, you can pursue M.Vocational courses in the same stream. Or, you can also switch to PG courses in an allied stream.
What is the eligibility to take up B.Voc courses?
Clearing PUC or equivalent education is the basic eligibility. Students with higher degrees can choose to pursue B.Voc as well.
Where are B.Vocational courses available?
B.Voc courses are available at very limited institutions at the time. In South Karnataka, only two organizations administer B.Voc courses, out of which SDM College Ujire is one.
Currently, SDM offers three B.Vocational courses –
Digital Media and Film Making
Software and App Development
And Retail and Supply Chain Management.
These courses were chosen and designed on the basis of the understanding of the job market. These are the areas that employ a staggering number of youngsters every year, in adherence to which the curriculum and industry associations have been designed. Being an autonomous institution, SDM has the liberty to make alterations to the curriculum based on the latest trends of the job market with due approval from Mangalore University.
B.Voc courses are futuristic and professionally rewarding. They are a welcome change in the rather rigid education system that has been struggling to keep at pace with the drastic developments of the professional sphere. Spreading awareness about the skill oriented courses can benefit students a great deal.
You can learn about B.Vocational courses at SDM College Ujire here.
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