A Ph.D student of Pondicherry University has proposed to the Union government a rural internship programme and an innovative suggestion to involve Ph.D students in rural education.
Md. Sikandar Azam, student at the Department of International Business of the university mooted the proposal to the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) after the completion of a Student Parliament programme.
Following a written and oral contest on the topic of “Shikshit Bharat,Shaksham Bharat - Quality Education to all”, Azam, had been selected as one of the students from central universities for visiting Parliament as well as meeting with the Union Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Irani last December. After conclusion of the programme, Mr.Azam has sent a report proposing various suggestions to the MHRD. In the report, he said since rural education has been a challenge for the nation, the government should make it compulsory to the Ph.D scholars to work minimum 3 months in rural schools so that all scholars would be in a position to understand the challenges in the villages.
Stating that there must be the job security for the scholars after getting Ph.D degree, Mr.Azam said the average age of Ph.D scholars lies between 28 and 32 years where growing mindset of job insecurity is a matter of serious concern. He also proposed enhancement of the age of “Right to Education” from 14 years to 16 years.
