What to Read in Indian Express Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1 : An Education For the Real World

Context: A university education, for the real world.

Graduate Unemployability

• Indian Higher Educations Institutions (HEIs) struggle to integrate job-oriented skills into BA, BCom, and BSc programs, leading to poor employability.
• Graduates lack industry-relevant skills despite forming a large share of higher education enrolments.
• Reasons
  1. Outdated curricula disconnected from industry needs.
  2. Regulatory inertia and weak academia-industry collaboration.

 

NEP 2020 & UGC Guidelines: Key Reforms

• Core Objectives
  1. Bridge the gap between academic learning and job-market demands.
  2. Promote skill-based education, experiential learning, and micro/nano-credentials.
• Framework Features
  1. Personalized Learning Pathways
     • Students can design their education using the National Credit Framework (NCrF).
     • Stackable credits from academic and skill domains.
  2. Micro/Nano-Credentials
     • Targeted skill development in specialized competencies (e.g. AI, blockchain, cybersecurity).
     • Courses accessible via SWAYAM Plus and linked to the Academic Bank of Credits.
  3. Industry Collaboration: Enterprises/MNCs can propose skill-based courses evaluated by UGC committees.

 

Focus Areas for Skill-Based Courses

• Advanced Technologies
  1. AI, machine learning, robotics, data analytics, cybersecurity.
  2. Aim: Meet demand in high-growth sectors like IT and fintech.
• Traditional & Regional Sectors
  1. Courses in crafts, textiles, tourism, and hospitality.
  2. Goal: Boost regional economies with cultural heritage linkages.
• Soft Skills
  1. Micro-credentials in communication, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
  2. Ensure holistic professional readiness.

 

Alignment with National & Local Priorities

• Localized Skill Development: HEIs must align courses with regional industries (e.g. agri-tech in farming regions, fintech in financial hubs).
• National Agendas: Focus on sustainability, digital literacy, and emerging sectors.

 

Challenges in Implementation

• Academic Resistance
  1. Perceived ‘dilution’ of traditional degree programs by skill integration.
  2. Elitist mindset prioritizing theoretical knowledge over practical skills.
• Structural Barriers
  1. Outdated faculty roles and rigid curricula.
  2. Lack of accountability for graduate outcomes among HEIs.

 

Way Forward: Recommendations for HEIs

• Curriculum Overhaul
  1. Integrate industry-relevant skill courses into degree programs.
  2. Adopt blended learning and competency-based assessments.
• Faculty & Institutional Restructuring
  1. Train faculty to deliver skill-based education.
  2. Foster partnerships with industries for curriculum design.
• Accountability Measures: Track graduate employability and reduce reliance on post-degree upskilling.

 

Conclusion: HEIs must realise that the Indian students deserve more than obsolete degrees. They merit an education that invigorates them to succeed in the real world.

 

Editorial 2 : Mapping Her Work

Context: Rural women are working, informally. But are they doing well?

 

Introduction: The latest rounds of the periodic labour force surveys show that overall employment, particularly self-employment, among rural women, has increased significantly since 2017-18. Most of these women report being helpers in a home-based enterprise.

 

Time Use and Domestic Work Burden

• Rural women spend ~60 hours/week on domestic tasks (2019 Time Use Survey).
• Cooking and Cleaning
  1. 40+ hours/week (4 hours/day) spent on cooking/cleaning.
  2. 75% use firewood/dung as primary fuel, increasing time and health risks (indoor pollution).

 

Impact of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on Time Savings

• Key Findings from Rural Indore Survey
  1. Cooking Time Reduction: LPG users save ~30 minutes/meal compared to solid fuel users.
  2. Fuel Collection Time
     • Dung collection: Reduced by 70 minutes/week with LPG.
     • Firewood collection: Marginal reduction (~10 minutes/week).
  3. Daily Time Reallocation: 30 minutes saved daily reallocated to leisure (~20 minutes) and minor reductions in other chores.
• Limitations of Time Savings
  1. Fuel collection is a weekly/monthly activity, not daily.
  2. 30 minutes/day insufficient for full-time employment.

 

Why No Increase in Labor Force Participation?

• Economic and Social Barriers
  1. Low Value of Women’s Time
     • Saved time valued at ~5% of monthly household income (based on rural unskilled wages).
     • Limited high-return job opportunities (e.g. manufacturing/services) in rural areas.
  2. Employment Context
     • Female employment rate: Only 15% (primarily agricultural self-employment).
     • Flexible work options for women are scarce.
• Structural Challenges
  1. Mixed-Fuel Usage: Low LPG adoption despite PMUY success (3 cylinders/year vs. potential 12 for a 4-member household).
  2. Gender Dynamics: Men control LPG refill decisions, perpetuating reliance on solid fuels.

 

Challenges in Clean Cooking Adoption

• Barriers to LPG Usage
  1. Cost and Accessibility: High refill costs deter regular use.
  2. Cultural Preferences: Dependence on traditional fuels due to familiarity.
• Health vs. Economic Trade-offs: Clean fuels reduce health risks but offer limited economic incentives for households.

 

Conclusion: Unresolved Questions

The fact sheet on the 2024 Time Use Survey shows a 1.5 percentage point increase in overall employment and 24 more minutes spent on employment activities by women, relative to 2019. The reasons behind the observed 20 percentage point increase in women’s self-employment between 2017-18 and 2023-24, therefore, remains unresolved.