Skill Based Curriculum - Challenges and Opportunities for Management

Education in India

*Basava.Aruna

Abstract
Teaching for successful learning cannot occur without high quality assessment. Assessment,
therefore, needs to be integrated with the process of teaching and learning. The greater the
integration the better the outcomes of learning. Assessment has to be so designed that it can
be used as a powerful means of influencing the quality of what teachers teach and what
students learn. While doing so, special care must be taken to ensure that it is humane and it
enables the learner to grow in to a responsible and productive citizen.

To become a prosperous global economy within first five ranks, we have to qualitatively
strengthen our education, especially higher and management education. .Due to efforts and
initiatives taken during successive Five Year Plans and particularly due to policy changes in
the eighties to allow participation of private and voluntary organizations in the setting up of
management institutions on self-financing basis, the growth of management education has
been phenomenal. Presently, there are several management education institutions playing
crucial role in converting the human resources into human capital 'by creating skilled
manpower, enhancing industrial productivity and improving the quality of life'. There are11
IIMs and almost all the universities have Dept. of management.

In education, a curriculum is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur
in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of
instruction, or to a view of the student's experiences in terms of the educator's or school's
instructional goals.. Curriculum may incorporate the planned interaction of pupils with
instructional content, materials, resources, and processes for evaluating the attainment of
educational objectives. Curriculum is split into several catego0ries, the explicit, the implicit
(including the hidden), the excluded and the extra-curricular.

Keywords: Curriculum, Management Education, Instructional Goals, Industrial Productivity,

Teaching,

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*B.Aruna, Assistant Professor, Department of Management Science, Sasi Institute of
Technology and Engineering, Affliated to JNTU (K) Tadepalligudem, India, Mobile:
7396810776 Email Id:baruna@sasi.ac.in

INTRODUCTION

Management education is considered as elistist as it attracts young men and women who are
usually motivated by the positive consequences associated with management education. In
India higher education especially management education is witnessing a exponential growth
in terms of number of institutes imparting management education which are usually termed
as business school. The management education plays an essential role in todays dynamic
business environment. The rapid trend of globalization and technological changes have made
difficult for organizations to survive in the competitive world. As a result the importance of
management education has been increased many folds.

Business executives need to update their skills due to sudden changes in the external
environment. Due to the increasingly complex nature of organization and businesses, there is
a need that the business schools impart relevant, current, and cutting edge knowledge to the
students. This research also identifies some of the emerging areas in the business and
management education. Given the significance of management education which is essential
for todays organizations, the business as well as engineering schools should play pivotal role
in equipping our future managers with the emerging trends of management skills to face the
challenges of dynamic business world.

IMPORTANCE OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION:

Management education adds value to the existing qualifications. It helps students

irrespective of their domains in graduation as it widens their knowledge base and encourages
them to think differently. Management education enhances managerial and leadership skills
by sharing of ideas, insights through healthy, meaningful and case study discussions. Having
students with cross cultural backgrounds adds value to management education as there is
probability of generating multiples ideas. Apart from providing requisite skills and abilities to
get going smoothly at the corporate world, it provides an opportunity to network with others

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and promotes cross-cultural diversities. It helps in equipping the executives with
competencies and capabilities to take on the corporate challenges with confidence. Now a
days, we find there is growing demand for the programs in the domain of strategy and
leadership development in MBA education.

THE NEW DIMENSION FOR MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

The emergence of such a new dimension has already begun. Companies are feeling the need
for global standards to benchmark human resources, and academics are encouraging the use
of merit-based candidate selection systems. India's position as a lead contributor to the global
IT human resources pool will need to be supported by the adoption of global standards for
talent selection. At the time of independence, Indian economy was developing and hence we
required bureaucratic management skills. However 50 years after independence, the Indian
economy has become more mature and hence we require entrepreneurial management skills.
Our management schools have failed to meet this challenge. Therefore there is a need to
revamp our management education. Keeping in view the above facts and demand of the time,
prospects of Commerce as Education and Profession seems very bright.

GROWTH OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

In 1950, the Department of Commerce of the Andhra University Started the first M.B.A.
programme in India. In 1963, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad was set up in
collaboration with the Harvard Business School. The 1950s and 1960s witnessed the growth
of commerce education and 1970 and 1980s witnessed the growth of Management Education
in India. There has been a tremendous growth of management institutes in our society. Every
year about 14,000 students pass out of management schools. Keeping in mind the demand,
the supply is very meager. Management courses have become 'Academic Courses' rather than
'Professional one'. Management Institutes, barring a few exceptions, have reduced to
commerce colleges. There is an urgent need to restructure management education to meet
new challenges of 21 Century. India has adopted domestic policies and institutions that have
enabled people to take advantage of global markets and have thus sharply increased the share
of trade in their GDP. India has been catching up with the rich ones our annual growth rates

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increased from 1 percent in the 1960s to 5 percent in the 1990s. Now it is above 8%. Indians
saw their wages rise, and the number of people in poverty declined.

CHALLENGES AND DRAWBACKS IN MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

Challenges

1. The current curriculum in management education does not teach students in facing the
challenges in business environment.

2. How to manage uncertainty and complexity are not taught in business schools.

3. It merely teaches the concepts with case studies.

4. It does not focus on the challenges arising out of rapid growing technology and the
challenges involved in running an enterprise.

5. Unfortunately, the best talent is going to industry where salaries are lucrative.

6. Those who come to academic area are the ones who could not be absorbed in the industry
or those who come to this profession by chance or those who chose this career out of passion.

Drawbacks

1. Insufficient availability of specialized experts and qualified faculty.

2. Lack of Industry based specializations.

3. Lower infrastructure.

4. Burden with heavy subjects.

5. Lack of necessary guidance to the students.

6. Lack of updated and industry based syllabus.

7. Lack of admissions in Management Research.

8. Lack of Inter-disciplinary approach.

9. Lack of specified authorities for quality research in management studies.

10. Insufficient Grants for research.

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OVERCOMING CHALLENGES:

RE-ENGINEERING OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION MUST BE DONE

Provide decent salaries and professional ambience to faculties.

Send the faculties regularly for training programs to update their skills and abilities.

Develop right mindset and attitude. Focus on quality of education not quantity.

There has to be interactive sessions for the students rather than mere preaching what is
mentioned in the books

You cannot become a crack shot unless you lose some ammunition.

The students have to be exposed to the industry through interface so that they understand
the practical problems in

corporate world. This boosts more confidence among the students. The project work should
be contextual, relevant and should focus on the current scenarios.

MBA is a professional degree and it should train and groom the students to be true
professionals to take on the

challenges being faced in the business environment. Make accreditation mandatory to

ensure quality of education.

Take stringent action against the illegal and unauthorized MBA colleges.

Use online courses and other e-learning methods to increase training opportunities for field
and local staff

Provide training in languages besides English

SKILL BASED CURRICULUM:

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India (GOI), has been
assigned a lead and coordinating role in the management of Technology and the formulation
of S&T policies and their implementation. To facilitate smoother technology acquisition,
commercialization and management of appropriate skills of the work force of the Indian

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industry, the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board
(NSTEDB) of DST has been engaged in upgrading / developing skills of this work force in
the frontier areas of technology through its various skill training programmes.

TREC-STEP, Tiruchirappalli, being an organization promoted primarily by DST, in 1986,

functions as a nodal centre for implementation of DST Projects and is also actively engaged
in all DST's major new initiatives. TREC-STEP is the Implementing Agency of
many DST Projects such as - Skill Training in Science & Technology, UNIDO-DST Project
for Cluster development of Trichy Engineering & Fabrication Industries, Design Innovation
Facility along with World Bank's Business Incubator initiative etc. TREC-STEP has also been
successfully providing several pioneering training programmes in emerging areas of
Technology on a commercial self-sustaining mode, since 1986, training 2000 to 3000
students annually.

An initiative taken up under the GOI-UNDP development cooperation, during 2000 - 2004,
has been the "Technical Human Resource Development - Vocational Training for
Employment Generation" or VoTEG for short, for which TREC-STEP was the National
Implementing Agency. This project culminated in development of new, technology based
skill training curricula for unconventional trades (Trades for which regular curriculum /
training is not available in the main stream institutions, but these skills have the potential to
generate sustainable employment), such as the curriculum for Modern Appliances
Maintenance (MAM).

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THE SKILLS PROJECTS

The SKILLS programmes in Modern Appliances Maintenance, are innovative, short term
highly occupationally-driven Diploma courses, that shall benefit a large number of

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unemployed youth by providing them with an opportunity to upgrade their skills and income
generating potential by developing competent technical skills in repair and maintenance of a
wide range of Modern Household appliances that are available in the market today. Also in
the areas of Computer Hardware Maintenance and Mobile Phone Servicing which is gaining
importance now.

The curriculum focuses on developing the desired competencies, at performance standards

that are set by the 'Industry' the Original Equipment Manufacturers of White/Brown goods.
Market leading brands and other premier Institutions, were actively involved during the
critical stages of curriculum formulation and validation, the OEMs continue to extend their
support especially in areas of technological advancements and new product development
keeping the Curriculum regularly updated to remain current with the ever evolving industry.

The curriculum is drawn up for essentially four specialized training program:

1)Diploma in Electronics Servicing and Maintenance Technology(MAM)

2)Diploma in Refrigeration and Air-conditioning(MAM)
3)Diploma in Computer Hardware Technology
4)Certificate Programme in Mobile PhoneTechnology

In addition, Repair and Maintenance of Modern Household Appliances is a common module

to both the MAM specializations and includes various types of washing machines,
microwave ovens and other common heating element based and rotary electric appliances.
Another important component of the Training curriculum that is crucial to the servicing
industry is the module on development of Soft skills, providing every trainee a wholesome
approach to Appliances servicing.

TRAINEE PROFILE

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This comprehensive curriculum covering over twenty five modern household appliances,
Computer Hardware and accessories and Mobile Phone Maintenance at service center is
designed keeping in mind the target segment, comprising youth with secondary school level
education, of necessary intellect, having basic skills in science and mathematics. Medium of
instruction shall be in Local language and English. The duration of the Training programme
is planned for 200 hours or approximately 3 months @ 3 hours / day , with one week devoted
for on-site training at service centers. The Certificate programme in Mobile Phone
Technology is for a duration of 6 weeks.

Skill development in school education: Importance of evolving skill training from a

young age

India Today spoke to experts on why skill development is necessary from a young age and
how it should evolve according to the student's age to create ideal employees in the 21st
century

The employable skills apart from the core skills as mentioned above should be
introduced to school students from an early age of 6-7 years onwards in an incremental
manner.

Primary school (classes 1 to 5) (age 6 to 11): Communication skills, attitude,

adaptability and IT skills

Middle school (classes 6 to 8) (age 11 to 14): Above skills plus self-management,

teamwork, creativity

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 Secondary education (classes 9 to 10) (age 14 to 15): Above skills plus stress
management, self-motivation

Upper secondary (classes 11 to 12) (age 16 to 17): Above skills plus initiative,
interpersonal sensitivity

Higher education (graduation or professional programmes): Above skills plus

commercial awareness, problem solving, lifelong learning

INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM IS AS FOLLOWS:

Factors in the Indian education system that prevent skill development of students:

In my view, the Indian education system puts maximum emphasis on bookish

knowledge. Hence, when an individual graduates, he/she struggles to apply this
knowledge in the real life scenario

From primary to upper secondary, the subjects covered in the school curricula are the
languages (mother tongue/regional/foreign), mathematics, science and technology,
social science, art education, physical training etc. It will be observed that the
curricula do not cover components of employable skills nor is there any option to
introduce students to different vocations

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 The Indian education system does not consider the component of skilling in its
curriculum. The option of vocation education is limited to certain boards, which do
not cater to the larger target audience. In India there are different boards that follow
diferent systems/curriculum

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Conclusion

Indias future as a center of knowledge production. We need higher educated people who are
skilled and who can drive our economy forward. When India can provide skilled people to
the outside world then we can transfer our country from a developing nation to a developed
nation very easily and quickly. According to Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh
The time has come to create a second wave of institution building and of excellence in the
fields of education, research and capability building. We need an educational system that is
modern, liberal and can adapt to the changing needs of a changing society, a changing
economy and a changing world. The thrust of public policy for higher education in India has
to be to address these challenges. However, one university cant make much difference. If the
government.

After independence, there has been tremendous increase in institutions of higher learning in
all disciplines. But with the quantitative growth has it been able to attend to the core issue of
quality. India is today one of the fastest developing countries of the world with the annual
growth rate going above 9%. In order to sustain that rate of growth, there is need to increase
the number of institutes and also the quality of higher education in India.

REFERENCES :

1. Sharma, Yogendra, Fundamental Aspects of Educational Technology,

2. Krishna Vijay, Institute quality in Management education, Indian Management,
June 2000
3. http:/www.oppapers.com/essays.
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management
5. http:/iamee.edu.in//management-education.
6. http:/oppapers.com/essays.
7. http:/oppapers.com/essays.
8. http:/sooperarticles.com//management-edu.
9. research journals of international studies-issue 18(January, 2012)
10. http:/indianmba.com.
11. http:/dreducation.com//2010-trends-indian-2/11/2012.

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