Studying Outside

Shohaib Rahaman *

It's a trend where many students in the state would head towards Tulihal for their next destinations after twelve standards. The educational standards and opportunities available in the major Indian cities fascinate the young minds, also their parents and guardians that make them think it's worth to go there for higher studies. True, those standards of education are far better as compared to what is there in the state.

But it's a high time we introspect the existing trend considering how it will affect us in long term prospects. Studying outside the state means a lot of money is going out there through this youths where our parents and guardians are well readied to spend for their sons' and daughters' future.

Isn't it a matter of concern that we can afford such a huge expenditure every year from a state like ours with a very small economy where economic scenario is wearisome. It's not that we should stop studying outside from next year right. The big question is if those cities can have such institutions, why can't we?

It's a question which is very hard to go down our throats for many of us are happily or unhappily buried deep in the confined boundaries of narrow minded negativities -what Manipur can do?

What do you expect from this land? We are fooling ourselves. It's undeniable those cities are far ahead of us and it's natural those cities will drag our youths. Also they are the ones which start developmental works much earlier than us which then obviously makes them come to the current position.

But does it mean that we should always remain behind them? Shall we let it continue and hamper our economy? Zero in on the questions, we may ask if we ever thought of it? Have we ever thought of competing them through our young minds?

Coming to the economic point, one way to make the money stay inside the state is that this students should be trapped. They should be trapped by providing the educational standards they are looking for and by giving them opportunities which they get outside.

This is where the state needs to make investment with emphasis on higher educational sector. Also Manipur is a such a state with a good number of colleges as many as 86 colleges in total under Manipur University including all affiliations. How they are functioning is a big question which needs to be answered.

Except for a few, several of these colleges are in a sorry state. There is a great necessity for rejuvenation and improvements in their infrastructure and working and establishment of new ones if need be.

Unfortunately it is a far fetch expectation that it will be materialized out in the near future considering the mentality of the government. This is where the striking point lies. We need to either mould this mentality by breaking it down completely and remaking it or recasting it, in whatever way it is better.

Besides investment, it requires help and support from every sections of the society. Also those students studying outside can contribute to the state in this regard after completing their studies.

Moreover we need good professors, college administrators, educationists etc. to drive our qualities of education to the long road that lay ahead of us.

The concept of making education a free zone must be there on ground and the student community and their studies should not be disturbed at any cost for our bandhs and strikes being a great impediment to the learning process, many students cite it as one of the reasons they study outside.

Now, it's upto us how we tackle the issue and we should also know the sooner, the better.