Career Counselling
Introduction
One of the policy decisions in. the UGC XIth Plan provides for establishing Career and Counseling Cell in college. The scheme of establishing a Career and Counselling Cell in Colleges has been formulated to address the diverse socio-economic challenges and geographic backgrounds of the heterogeneous population of students coming to the Colleges vis-à-vis equity of access and placement opportunities through availability of appropriate institutional support information. Linguistic differences and cultural gaps among students also call for the setting up of placement cells. Availability of relevant and accessible information coupled with professional guidance to utilize the same can result in better career achievements outside the classrooms and help in the healthy progression of students. In each College, curricular inputs are important.. The conventional information system is now to be supplemented with active guidance and information technology that is fast replacing the print media with a system that can quickly retrieve information details for the benefit of all concerned. Now it is important to institutionalize this support to enhance the reach and scope of available opportunities for the students and prepare them for the future challenges. To implement the above, Counselling Services are to be formalized which will enable the students to get over their social institutions and exclusivity, which are attributed to their socio-economic and cultural diversities and linguistic barriers. The active participation of institutional experts from these could give greater on site experience in search of suitable candidates. In this exercise, the institutions, for positive help, could also involve their alumni. They could also undertake an affordable training programme to acquaint the students with the high demand market areas and invoke industry institution linkages.
Objective
Along with the academic and administrative processes in a College, Career and Counselling Cell has to be a dispensation of well-informed and interested teachers. It has to support the students in the development of soft skills and communication ability to challenge the rigors of competitive tests and on-job-training in add-on or vocational courses. As a purveyor of healthy inter and intra personal relations, it has to inculcate social values and ability to think independently for carrying out social responsibilities. There may be a team of teachers with different subjects and interests to create a homogeneous group to translate this vision and carry out its healthy functions as an institutional imperative. The guidance and counselling cell in a College has to be a resource centre of information, guidance and counselling with free accessibility and internet based global connectivity and exchange of information on professional placements.
Functions Of Career And Counselling Cells
- To gather information on job avenues and placements in different institutions and concerns related to the courses that the College offers.
- To analyse information in the local, regional and national contexts to explore its relevance and utility for the students in their placements and on-job training.
- To organise seminars and guidance workshops for informing students about the emerging professional trends and events, job profiles, leadership roles, entrepreneurship, market needs and risks and implementation of national socioeconomic policies and to impart training in soft skills.
- To promote discipline, healthy outlook and positive attitudes towards national integration and removal of narrow provincial preferences and prejudices.
