There is no doubt that the efforts taken by the students and parents to complete admission and follow-up activities for different courses in the middle of the challenges and complications created by Covid-19 pandemic are highly commendable.
Amidst the current crisis, let us proactively assume that everyone will pay attention to ensure judicious participation in the activities required for curriculum activities and completion of their courses. Though the procedure for the admissions to various institutions this year has caused a lot of uncertainties, let us not forget that this is the time to actively concentrate on the preparation and training for the next academic year’s courses and admissions.
It is high time for students studying in Grade 12 to look more cautiously and attentively at the procedures and entrance exams for further study in the finest institutions in India. The opinion that expatriate students do not make significant entry in institutions of national excellence is quite apparent.
A thorough analysis about this matter reveals that there is a lack of awareness and understanding among the expatriate students and parents about the various institutions and admission processes. The students studying in different schools do not seem to be careful enough to prepare for various competitive exams and thereby gain admission in institutions that are known as institutions of national importance. It seems that even parents who are believed to have awareness and understanding are only concerned about popular and general entrance examinations. Students and parents should spare time to identify their aptitude, interests and personality traits, to correlate the suitable courses and institutions matching with them.
While there is a possibility for some reforms in the admission procedures and methods, it is the need of the hour to seriously consider and move forward in the right direction by creating a greater awareness and understanding about institutions’ admission procedures. The situation where there is a lack of understanding of the entry procedures and other procedures of important institutions and hence denial of access to them is quite painful.
Admission to most of the courses in leading institutes is done through the entrance examination but it has been noticed that many opportunities are missed due to not paying proper attention to the notification or not being careful to submit the application before the stipulated time frame. Although the Plus Two course under various boards and the general examination are held in the months of February and March, most of the entrance examination notifications are likely to be issued by the end of the previous year itself.
The most important thing as far as the competitive and interested students who want to get admission in the best institutions for higher studies in science, commerce, humanities, management and design are concerned is the preparation for the same since the beginning.
Admission to most prominent institutions is through entrance examinations which are being conducted in a systematic way. The fact is that there are around 40 entrance exams for those who are studying in Class 12 in a particular year.
It is often overlooked that there are many competitive/entrance exams that can be applied not only to science students but also to those studying in the humanities and commerce streams.
It is essential to have a very clear cut understanding of the time to apply for such entrance examinations, and details related with the examination such as documents to be attached along with the application, the method, syllabus, type of questions etc. It has been commonly seen among expatriate students in recent years that opportunities are denied for competitive examinations due to the inability to organise the required documents from the local government offices in India well in advance. There is a need to handle things easily by avoiding major headaches by having the necessary paperwork ready in advance. Entrance examinations have distinct features which differentiate it from other board examinations. The exams require a thorough knowledge of the subject and the ability to quickly find the most appropriate answers from similar answers in a short period of time, which require proper training and preparation.
It is clear that even academically gifted students are disqualified or lag behind in competitive examinations due to lack of familiarity with these examination methods and lack of proper training. Connect with children of similar interest and opt for joint training, online coaching and crash courses offered by the best institutes.The practical way for students in Grades 9, 10, and 11 is to try to find out what their preferences in advance, and to choose courses that suit their aptitude, interests, and personality traits, and to find the best institutions where such courses are taught and to prepare accordingly. There are many popular online tools available to scientifically identify the aptitude and interest of the students and to proactively help them to select the prospective colleges and courses.
The teachers, parents and educators can play a significant and vital role in preparing children for such an endeavour. Students need to be made aware in the proper manner and to be motivated to pursue their academic journey after taking wise and timely decisions. In this regard, everyone has a responsibility to provide better opportunities for expatriate students who have planned long-term career objectives.
(The writer is an engineer by profession and a career guide by passion. He holds a diploma in career guidance and counselling, and is a certified career counsellor. He is associated with CIGI, one of the Indian NGOs which supports students and parents to select the right careers)
Firos P T
