After Class XII where? The eternal question
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 14, 2024 -
A pass percentage of 97.6 and this is perhaps one of the best news to have greeted the people who have been in a state of war for over a year now.
The efforts of the Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur in successfully conducting the Class XII exam and announcing the results in good time is acknowledged and this is perhaps the right time to again address certain points which concern the interests of everyone.
With the Class XII results out now, many from the Science stream will be readying to put more muscle in their preparation to make it through competitive examinations including the much sought after NEET and JEE and go on to become doctors and engineers in life.
This is about students from the Science stream and there could be many among them who would prefer to continue their further studies taking up the subject of their choice such as Physics, Chemistry, Zoology and Botany.
Manipur is fortunate to have three medical colleges in Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) and Churachandpur Medical College (CMC) and a National Institute of Technology (NIT).
This is about the professional institutes, but as stated not all Science students would prefer or be able to make the cut to get into medical and engineering schools and going by the past trends, many would be looking to pursue their higher studies in institutes based outside Manipur.
It is the same for students in the Arts and Commerce streams too and the fact is not all parents and elders are placed to comfortably to send their children outside the State for further studies but this does not stop them.
The compulsion felt to send their children outside Manipur for their higher studies is what is deeply worrying.
Not the first time The Sangai Express has raised this point but yet the need to address this point is felt whenever the Class XII examination result is declared.
Manipur has enough good schools, but the same cannot be said when it comes to colleges and this is where the question, why this is so becomes very relevant.
A question which every discerning citizen of the land must be raising within themselves.
As in the past, one can expect many students to proceed to places such as Delhi, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune etc for their higher studies, if they manage to clear the Common University Entrance Test.
There are quite a number of private universities too and those who can afford will prefer to the send their children to any of the better known private universities.
A reflection that parents will walk the extra mile to give the best they can afford to their children. The question is, why can't Manipur be amongst the best for the young students.
Manipur may perhaps be the only State in India where students feel constrained to appeal to all concerned to make education a free zone.
This should concern everyone. Creating the right environment for students to freely proceed with their academic pursuits is a responsibility that lies with the people and the question is whether Manipur can continue with the present reality wherein parents and elders of the family feel constrained to send their children outside the State for their higher studies.
Going to the best institute for their higher studies is understandable but why can't the institutes here in Manipur rank amongst what is generally understood as amongst the best in the country ?
And creating the right atmosphere for young students to pursue their studies is the first and most important step.
Education should be given the top priority for it is education which can take the people and the place ahead in the coming days.
Has the Government ever questioned itself on why so many parents feel constrained to send their children outside Manipur for their higher education once they pass Class XII ?
This is a question which should be tackled on priority by the Government for education is, central to development.
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