Air of Higher Education in Manipur

James Khangenbam *

Birds migrate for a favourable climate. Students who have just passed their higher secondary examinations are packing up for better education in other States or aboard. Most of the colleges in Manipur are on the verge of extinction with no students turning up. Species do extinct due to environmental factor. Youth is a prime time in life.

Youthful energy thirst for a happening place, a college campus is one such place. Young boys and girls love to gaze the defining beauty of their self in the mirror. Their mindset is like that, but when they reach college they sighted dismay and felt no pride. Our colleges are not built up to the mark. I believe infrastructure is a defining edge for a model institute.

A green lawn to sit on is a mind refreshing site. Let us ponder over the missionary schools that bring out top results in Manipur, no doubt administrators are from outside the State but who are the teachers teaching there.

We have good teachers but we lack investors. Certain big private schools run by Manipuri people are coming up with good administration and meritorious results nowadays. Of late, the State Government is furnishing Government schools with proper buildings but our colleges are not.

If youths are the future pillars of the nation, we are left only with the building blocks. Other States are digging foundation sites for erecting pillars. The energy in the youth is made dull and dormant with no vision in the State. These could only be solved by making our State an educational hub.

The dream of an educational hub could be fulfilled if we can stop the larger percentage of migrating students from our State. In this knowledge age and knowledge economy, students should dance to the best tune and go wherever necessary. But why our colleges are failing? Why do we lose our students?

Why is the Government or the stakeholders not challenging the matter with the right step? One rupee expenditure will fetch hundreds is what I believe because we have qualified teachers and brilliant candidates for teachers. Our main focus should be on retaining meritorious student and when they are regionally tuned they will erect power and bring certain changes here. Our citizens do not hesitate in spending amounts of money in educating their ward.

Let the college goers enjoy well-equipped colleges, let them play in big campus, let them have the best teacher, let there be world class interactions through invitation lectures, let them surf the globe. If the environment is disturbing built residential colleges for them. Let's observe the ability of these resourceful youths.

Agricultural economy is no big competition, industrial economy is out of vogue but knowledge economy is what the world is going after because a knowledgeable man can generate many employments. Global village search for the rightful human cause and knowledge is the only means of approach. Software boom in India is making the country rich.

China is leading in hardware that is because both these nations has speciality in the matter through knowledge and skill development. The southern State of India is where the nations' software engineers are groomed and nourished. The success indicates the ability of the region in tapping its human resource and consequently attracting others to meet the demands.

Our State should gear up and save the valuable possession or the gift of the nature in accumulating a knowledge pool with proper line ups. At the brighter side, JNIMS is coming up, we have the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Central Agriculture University; these colleges could be termed as pioneer institutes in making the region an educational hub.

NIT is nearing its launch mark. High school and higher secondary institutes are performing as student migration up to this level is not high.

If the State Government is keen in opening up various institutes, it can gain a lot. Sikkim Manipal is doing good business because India's economy is growing and more students are ready to get enrolled in different courses even at higher cost. If we notice the education system in India and relate it to employment and absorption level, there is a huge gap in numbers.

Let us consider this alphabetical fact. If A is the number of high schools, A-X the number of higher secondary, {(A-X)-Y} graduate colleges, and the least of number is the single digit Universities which give degrees to students. Large number of students in India got drop out due to unavailability of educational institutes. Vocational course and open Universities started supporting huge number of displaced students.

But still many youths are left out. You have numerous institutes in the lower grade but finishing at a point in the inverted pyramid figure indicates the extreme wait loss and slimming process that makes the nation stand at a pin point. Absorption at a certain level should have been there. Same is the situation prevailing in the State; many students who want to pursue their Master's degree had to leave the State as the seats are limited and the willing candidates are numerous.

Some have to wait for the next session. Where do we place these displaced students is a big concern. The State needs to find alternative ways. Dhanamanjuri College could be upgraded to University level so that the State is able to give degrees to the needy at the affordable cost and comfort level. Else if we have numerous institutes we can absorb many students from other States and prosper like other States are doing by opening up evening classes. That's the way how we double crop.

Investing in education sector has no lost but to make it profitable we need certain treatment. All we need is to follow the trend and pace with a standard value to make it a happening one. Youth needs to be addressed in their ways. When they are happy they exhibit their best and we need to see the bountiful colours of Manipur.

The State Government and stakeholders urgently need to gear up with modernised colleges in Manipur. People living in this reason will be very happy at the outcome. In this region, a poor or a rich citizen do not hesitate in spending amounts of money in educating their ward, perhaps world vision.

Let's build grand colleges for a brighter cause and feel proud of it. If the people living in this reason are willing to spend money in education why shouldn't their representatives feel it? The public wants an answer.