Title: Researches in 21st Century: A Global Perspectives

Sub-Theme: Twenty First Century and Skill Education

Submitted by:
Ram Vikram Doke
Principal
Bharati Vidyapeeth School
Email Id: ram.doke2003@gmail.com | Ph: 8983099333
Introduction:

It is an unprecedented experience for all during this lockdown period due to the Covid-19
pandemic. Almost everyone is going through a rough phase and finding it challenging to deal
with the abrupt change in lifestyle. What is going on in everyone’s mind is the thought to adopt
the change. Maybe the bulk of people seek a disciplined schedule so that they can invest the time
in relevant concerns.

My attempt in this content is to direct you to manage time properly during this stay at home
span. Here are some ideas you can explore to remain productive during the Corona virus
lockdown.

Terminology

Other words used in place of alternative by many educational professionals include non-
traditional, non-conventional, or non-standardized, although these terms are used somewhat less
frequently and may have negative connotations and multiple meanings. Those involved in forms
of education which differ in their educational philosophy (as opposed to their intended pupil
base) often use words such as authentic, holistic, and progressive as well. However, these words
each have different meanings which are more specific or more ambiguous than the term
alternative.

Objectives of the study:

The main objectives of the study are;

1. To suggest Community College as an Alternative System in India.

2. To prove how it has helped towards the positive performance in assisting the Community
and the beneficiaries, the student and the parents through an objective evaluation of the
existing Community Colleges.
 3. To provide inputs to exploit the untapped resources namely industrial establishments,
factories, etc., for collaboration.

4. To assess the needs of the school dropouts and others to enable them acquire the
necessary skills for livelihood and formal qualifications for social status and societal
recognition.

5. To consolidate the experiences of existing Community Colleges.

6. To prepare a blueprint and policy framework for the establishment of

Community Colleges all over the Country.

The concept of Community College in USA

Transfers and Training

Many university advisors recommend that students attend community college "college transfer"
programs first, and then transfer to universities for the final two years. Students transfer or use
their credits from community colleges to earn a four-year degree.

Helping the Local Community

Community colleges meet the educational and vocational needs of local communities. Usually
they are run by a state government. By maintaining an "open door policy" with low tuition costs
and few entrance requirements, community colleges have offered many U.S. citizens a chance to
get a college education.

Classroom environments are more supportive.

Two years at a community college can help an international student improve language skills and
grow accustomed to the U.S. educational system

Community Colleges: Changing Individuals, Meeting Global Needs

Community colleges constitute the largest segment of higher education in the United States.
They include nearly 1,200 institutions with an enrollment of 11 million students, 6 million of
whom are seeking a degree or certificate. Most community colleges provide open access,
enabling both U.S. and international students to benefit from the high-quality and low-cost
courses they offer. These students are enormously diverse-in terms of goals, needs, backgrounds,
and life circumstances.

Community colleges were created to serve their localities, and they continue to place high
priority on responding to local needs. At the same time, these colleges increasingly recognize
that their students will live in a multicultural, interdependent society. For this reason, community
colleges are expanding their programs and services to embrace the "world community." A basic
goal is to help students become more comfortable and competent in moving personally and
professionally among cultures of the world.

Importance of Community College in USA

Low Cost Education

Community colleges are meant to provide an affordable education to their communities, and
because of their funding, they are able to offer classes up to 50 percent less than public
universities

Open Enrollment

Anyone can attend a community college Placement in classes is a result of assessments, but
there are no grade-point average.

Community Involvement

As part of their role in the community, colleges offer various services, including assistance to
companies and individuals who want to write grants and small-business administration support.

Dual-Credit

Certain states allow high school students to take college-level courses at a community
college for both high school and college credit, letting the student graduate with part of their
college already completed.

Comparative literacy statistics for India and some neighboring countries

About 35% of world's illiterate population is Indian and, based on historic patterns of literacy
growth across the world, India may account for a majority of the world's illiterates The table
below shows the adult and youth literacy rates for India and some neighboring countries .
Adult literacy rate is based on the 15+ years age group, while Youth literacy rate is for the
15–24 years age group.
Adult Literacy Rate Youth Literacy Rate
China 93.3% 98.9%
Sri Lanka 90.8 98.0
 Burma 89.9% 94.4%
Iran 82.4% 95%
World Average 84% 88%
India 66.0% 82%
Nepal 56.5 62.7
Pakistan 54.2 53.9
Bangladesh 53.5 49.7

Literacy rates (by district) in India.

Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to
68% in 2007 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947.According to the latest survey by the
National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in June 2008, the literacy rate among the population
with age 7 and above was 72% whereas the adult population had a literacy rate of 66%.

Although this was a greater than fivefold improvement, the level is well below the world average
literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the largest illiterate population of any nation on
earth. Despite Of government programs, India's literacy rate increased only "sluggishly, "and a
1990 study estimated that it would take until 2060 for India to achieve universal literacy at then-
current rate of progress. The 2001 census, however, indicated a 1991-2001 decadal literacy
growth of 12.63.
Why are Community Colleges important in India?

The idea of introducing community colleges in India similar to those which have been so
successful in the USA is innovative and worthy of very serious consideration. Community
colleges can play a very positive role and meet a real need of the community provided that they
are endowed with a central source of dynamism and evolve as an organic part of the social life of
the community they are intended to serve. At the same time we must be careful not to attempt an
exact imitation of a foreign institution which developed and flourished under very different
circumstances than those that pertain in this country today

Learning for livelihood

The community college movement, an innovative system of education aimed at empowering the
disadvantaged sections of society, has today become a national phenomenon.

Concept
“The Vision of the Community College is to be of the Community, for the Community and by
the Community and to produce responsible citizens”.

The Community College promotes job oriented, work related, skill - based and life coping
education. The Community College initiative is in conformity with the Indian political will that
priorities in education, primary education, information technology education and vocational
education. The key words of the Community College system are access, flexibility in
curriculum and teaching methodology, cost effectiveness and equal opportunity in collaboration
with industrial, commercial and service sectors of the local area and responding to the social
needs and issues of the local community, internship and job placement within the local area,
promotion of self employment and small business development, declaration of competence and
eligibility for employment.

The Chief Advantages of this system

The chief advantages of this system which led to its enormous expansion, especially during the
last twenty years when enrollment at this level more than doubled, include:

Low cost education:

Almost all community colleges are state run and heavily subsidized to offer college level
education at a very low cost. Since students live at home, the cost of room and board is also
eliminated.

Lower academic standards:

The lighter work load and less rigorous course material makes higher education available to
many who could not survive in the highly competitive climate of American colleges and
universities.

Vocationalisation:

The offering of work-oriented courses in bookkeeping, real estate, business, computer and
countless other fields provides short term practical training unavailable at higher or lower levels.
Accessibility: since students may take anywhere from one to six classes at a time and many
classes are even offered at night, it makes higher education available to the full time worker and
even the housewife who cannot afford to attend college fulltime.

Conclusion:

Some suggestions about to adapt this concept successfully to indigenous conditions.

The first community college should be located in a highly developed area where the demand for
skilled personnel is high, such as Coimbatore.

The emphasis should be on training students for self-employment or higher level performance in
a job.

There is a real need today for vocational training in many fields which these colleges can
provide. For example, every store and trade has a bookkeeper, but very few have any formal
training in writing accounts. Short courses in bookkeeping can provide an important service to
the business community.

References:

1. MCRDCE, Chennai (2003): The Impact and Prospects of the Community College System
in India.

2. IGNOU, the Indira Gandhi National Open University: A Profile (2009 & 2010)

3. Definition of alternative school. Retrieved August 9, 2007. Archived 2009-10-31.

4. "Alternative Schools Adapt", by Fannie Weinstein. The New York Times, June 8, 1986,

section A page 14.

5. J. Kellmayer, "How to Establish an Alternative School", Corwin Press (1996).

6. Note on Community Colleges For India Karmayogi February 9, 1982

7. UNICEF. "India Statistics". http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/india_statistics.html.

Retrieved 2009-03-27

8. Literates and Literacy Rates - 2001 Census (Provisional), National Literacy Mission

retrieved 2009-11-27

9. Preventive and social medicine by K. Park, 19th edition(2007), M/s Banarsidas Bhanot,

Jabalpur, India

10. Educational News Today Friday, January 04, 2008