In an exclusive interview with Higher Education Review, Prof. Rekha Sethi, Acting Principal, Indraprastha College for Women, share her insights on the importance of live projects and assignments, the rising significance of soft skills in getting employed, the evolution of commerce education in India and more.

Student engagement is crucial to ensure smooth transfer of knowledge but for many educational institutions, ensuring the same has been a major problem. How can live projects and assignments help educational institutions to increase student engagement?

Due to rapid technological advancements the way we look at education has evolved considerably over the years. Earlier, the teaching and learning process was limited to just verbal communication. Now, instead of just using lectures and tutorials there are many other tools that can be used as teaching aids. Live projects are one of them and it gives the students a chance to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical scenario. Students are now more interested to face new challenges and live projects as well as assignments help them to explore new opportunities and hone their skills. Constant industry interactions are also making the learning process more engaging for the students.  

Organizations are now getting more integrated and because of this, no man is an island anymore. Considering this, how do you view the increasing importance of nurturing soft and interpersonal skills in students and how can educational institutions ensure the same?

Each industry demands something unique and the Indian education system as a whole is not giving ample importance in nurturing the soft skills of the students. Now, students should have proper communication skills as it is important to get employed. Organizations are also looking for candidates who can work well in a team but at the same time show the ability to take initiative in crucial times. Now, basic computer skills are also important to get employed regardless of the industry you are working in.

Creating a meaningful connection between the community and academia is a challenge for many higher education institutions in the country. How can this problem be addressed and in your opinion, how can commerce colleges use various extension activities to improve community-academia connections?

I have always looked at three attributes in an educated person and they are – a) their education should be such that it can make the person confident enough for employment, b) the education should be able to create an intellectual space in the mind of the student so that he or she is able to look at a problem, decipher it, and find solutions, c) education should also be able to make a person a better human being who can give back to the community. Community outreach and extension activities have become an integral part of learning in many educational institutions. Our students are working on a plethora of extension activities starting from waste management to bio diversity. These activities help them to develop as an individual and gain valuable practical experience.

Hands-on training is important to prepare students for the industry. In light of this, how do you view the importance of industrial workshops in helping students get ample practical training?

We have always prioritized on offering hands-on training to the students and working alongside the industry. We have a sizable number of students who are differently abled and ‘Help the Blind Foundation’ has approached us to train these students for two years in technical and soft skills. They are also going to help these students find jobs. We have a multimedia and mass-communication program which is one-of-its-kind in the country. Students enrolled in this program have a Saturday workshop where an industry expert will come and interact with them. This expert will guide students and help them hone their skills. During the vacation, the students have to do their internships as it is an integral part of their education. We also have multiple centers within the institute that focuses on specific areas like translation studies and earth studies to name a few where students take part in subject-specific workshops and research activities. These workshops and centers act as a great platform which has helped us to improve the aspect of interdisciplinary studies at our institute.

In many higher education institutes, ensuring student-centricity is a perennial problem. How can commerce colleges tackle this issue and how can open elective programs improve the aspect of customization in Indian higher education? 

When the students get a chance to look at different dimensions, it opens up new avenues for them. Now, students are also more willing to experiment with the courses they study and take up different academic options. Having electives allow them to move between different streams and at the same time acquire knowledge on different areas. In India, many parents persuade their children to pick a certain course and sometimes it is only after joining a college these students get a clear idea of what they want in their career. Electives allow these students to try out different subjects and see which area they are interested in.  

What are some of the major changes that you foresee happening in commerce education in India and how will these changes impact the employability of students?

We are going to implement NEP this year itself and if it is executed well, NEP has the potential to be a game changer. NEP has given top priority for Indian languages and as languages play a major role in social equity, this is a welcoming sign. NEP is also emphasizing more on the importance of internships and social responsibilities of the students which will help the institutes to nurture industry-ready socially-committed learners. Apart from this, online courses are revolutionizing education and it will open up new alleyways of opportunities for the students to learn and improve themselves constantly.