DIPLOMAS IN DEMAND

OPTING FOR A POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME CAN PROVE TO BE A WISE OPTION FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE TIME AND RESOURCES TO PURSUE A FULL-TIME MASTER’S COURSE. SATSHEEL REDKAR AND RUCHI CHOPDA ELABORATE ON THE ADVANTAGES OF A PGDP

he increasing number of students looking to equip themselves with additional qualifications other than a mere graduate degree has led to a steady rise in the demand for postgraduate diploma programmes (PGDPs). These courses are not only popular among graduates, who do not have the time to devote to a regular master’s programmes, but also among professionals who desire to keep themselves up-to-date with the current market trends. Disciplines which have been a hot favourite among diploma students include hotel management, finance, management, mass media, law and computer application among others. So what exactly are the benefits of pursuing a PGDP? UNLIMITED OPTIONS The sheer diversity of PG diplomas is immense. Consider this - you can opt for a PG diploma in fields as niche as library automation and networking, school leadership and management, folklore and culture studies and even acupuncture! Diploma programmes offered by institutes are extremely niche. This is beneficial for students who know exactly what they want. Thus, if you are looking to pursue a programme specifically in say creative writing you do not have to pursue a course that will train you in all aspects of media where creative writing will be just one module. Your focus will be the focus of the course. DEGREE VS DIPLOMA Unlike a conventional master’s programme, that lasts for a minimum of two years, the duration of a postgraduate diploma programme (PGDP) varies from one to four years. Furthermore, a PGDP offers you the flexibility a normal fulltime degree would not. It can either be pursued via the full-time, part-time or even the distance learning mode. Classes for most of these courses are either held late in the evening (on weekdays) or on weekends. This allows you to gain knowledge in your chosen field without severely disturbing your existing work or study schedule. Another added advantage of these courses which usually aim to prepare students to be job ready is their high placement records. Explains Mohit Gadodia, who recently completed his PG Diploma in Marketing from a well-known institute, “Colleges try to push for the placements of their PG diploma students over their regular master’s students when it comes to campus placements. This, for the simple reason that a PG diploma is offered by the college and not the university. Hence, its success depends on the placements the institute is able to offer.” PRACTICAL APPLICATION Another edge that diploma programmes offer students is the fact that they are usually more contemporary and market oriented than their corresponding master’s programmes which are essentially theoretical in nature. For instance, a PG Diploma in Hospital and Health Management or clinical cardiology involves hands-on training with practicing doctors as part of the course. Similarly, colleges providing professional diploma programmes too incorporate practical training as part of their syllabi wherever it is required. Shares Yashshri Soman, who recently completed her PG Diploma in Social Communications Media from Sophia Polytechnic, “We had to plan an advertising campaign right from scratch. We were required to conceptualise the campaign, make the logo, posters, etc, for the same and lastly present the campaign to a jury that consisted of people from the industry. This exercise helped us actually go through the entire process of making an ad campaign rather than merely learning it from the book.” Thus, a student not only acquires the modern-day acumen essential for getting a job but also gets the opportunity to put into practice the classroom lessons on the job. Concurs Neha Kapoor, a journalist by profession, who is simultaneously pursuing her PG diploma in creative writing from a popular institute in South Mumbai, “Having completed my degree in mass media a long time ago I was at a loss when it came to actually putting the theories I had learnt to practice. The course I am currently pursuing has a mix of professionals and fresh graduates and therefore presents me the opportunity to learn what is going on in the professional world beyond the confines of my office. I put to use all the lessons of my weekend diploma classes to solve the challenges at my workplace. It works amazingly!” LEARN WHILE YOU EARN As mentioned, a diploma programme can be simultaneously taken up while pursing your job. This is especially beneficial for those who cannot afford to give up their jobs for financial reasons. Though the fees of a PGDP are often higher than regular postgraduate degree programmes, the specialised knowledge one gains at one’s leisure more than makes up for it. As Rajas Rane, an ex-student of the PG diploma in business design programme at Welingkar Institute of Management says, “The course helped me to get a job in my field of study and have direct application of my knowledge.” WORD OF CAUTION However, as in every case where popularity often leads to unscrupulous players in the market, the demand for PGDPs has led to a number of dubious institutes offering courses in various fields. Thus, it is crucial for students to conduct a thorough check on the validity of the course and the affiliation/ registration of the institute. The accreditation can be checked from the official sites of the UGC or the NAAC or AICTE or such other assessment and governing bodies. Career counsellor Jayanti Ghose concludes with a crucial piece of advice, “A student must define the purpose of pursuing a PGDP in order for it to meet his/ her expectations. A fulltime professional PGDP helps a graduate in seeking related jobs. However, a parttime or distance education diploma related to the kind of job one is already doing may add weight to the graduate's CV, but may not directly lead to a job. If the diploma course being pursued is not in line with the individual's abilities and personality, then a prospective employer may not give it any importance.”

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The Administration of Politics

"The democratic method is that institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions which realizes the common good by making the people itself decide issues, through the election of individuals, who are to assemble in order to carry out its will." But as Joseph Schumpeter puts it, “The democratic method is that institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions in which individuals acquire the power to decide by means of a competitive struggle for the people's vote”

Politics is a fine act of juggling, not necessarily between the good of the people and the law of the land, but more often between vested self-interest and the vested self-interest. Although, it might seem that it essentially is a simple task, no one would know better than the politicians and those who carry their orders. Policies are framed, crores are sanctioned in grants and wavers, schemes are drawn, files are made, all this to achieve the common good of the common man. Various forces play on the mind of the politician when decisions are taken. The Political class achieves its objectives by surreptitiously ‘ordering’ the administration to do their bidding in the process to maintain a clean image.

But is it that easy for a politician to make decisions? Wouldn’t the tribulations that plague the society be relegated to unknown territory, decades ago, if these policies indeed worked? And does merely having an efficient administration suffice in the intense job of managing an entire nation? Politics and Administration go a long way in satisfying the “people’s” wishes. But does every wish of the common man get fulfilled? If Nokia were to produce mobiles which would never have any technical problems, would you have gone back to Nokia, ever? A similar logic applies to Politics. Politics is the art of getting people to depend on you, rather than teaching them how to fish.

Political compulsions frequently force administrative decisions which might not be good in the long run, but ‘appear’ good in the short run. Take for example, the Singur plant. Fighting for the rights of the farmers, Mamata Banerjee, forced the Tatas out of Bengal. The administration of that state couldn’t do much, but the Political class of Gujarat rolled out a red carpet for the Tatas. To take a look at the compulsions, we have the farmers’ ‘apparent’ interest on one hand, and the progressive industrialization of the state to create more jobs on the other. The ‘Ma, Maati, Maanush’ cry of the Bengal Tigress, has today lead her to thumping victories in the local elections. But then, could the administration have done anything to stop her? Was it a calculated risk or a farcical silence? It was nothing short of vote-bank politics though.

These are local issues. Similarly, there is the diplomatic tightrope to be managed. At any given point of time, there have been atleast two states or two nations at loggerheads. So when there are two parties a politician needs to please, he would delay taking any decisions and ensure that his popularity isn’t affected on either side of the fence. Take the Canadian Visa row for example – India did not criticize the Canadian authorities and merely expressed a meek displeasure and ‘gave time’ to the Canadian’s to ‘correct’ their stance. For the record, India is to conclude a civil nuclear energy deal with the Canadian’s this year, not to forget the trade balance has been in India's favour ever since 1993. India's total exports to Canada were Rs 3507 crore in 2003 whereas imports amounted to Rs 3336 crore. A curt reply from the foreign secretary would have had far reaching consequences and thus the foreign office feigned initial ignorance.

But why give so much importance to the people or the diplomatic relations? As Joseph Schumpeter describes a politician, “What businessmen do not understand is that exactly as they are dealing in oil so I am dealing in votes.” As mentioned earlier, it is about making decisions which have a profound positive effect on oneself. And why would the executive deny helping the corrupt politicians, if they can fill their own pockets too? According to a Forbes report, in Bihar, more than 80% of the subsidized food aid to poor is stolen by corrupt officials. But this is corruption, just one of the facets of politics and administration.

To exist in politics is a profession in itself. So when you are in power, you need to quickly make your bucks, unless you are 100% sure, you will be back in the seat of power even after five years. Commercially, it does not seem to be wrong. Profit is what should motivate you and it well is. But then are your social responsibilities not of any importance? And should you not be responsible for the amount in salary that the government pays you?

But we do have success stories. Incidences wherein the Political class have formed an intrinsic mechanism with the administrative wing, to rise up to all possible challenges the nation might face, the country coming first and last always, in Swami Vivekananda’s words. We have empirical evidence that when personal goals are subservient to the nation’s pride, there is efficiency and an effective administration, not only of the policies, but also of the future of the nation. We have examples in the nations such as Norway, Switzerland, etc, where even the politicians lead an honest life, quite unbelievable but true. What we need is mass awareness, not only of our rights, but also how to use them. We need to evolve a system of good governance and accountability. As Ruth Grant puts it, “Ingenuity in devising effective mechanisms, and the ability to synchronize their operation, will be more important for controlling abuses of power than a single-minded and mechanical application of the ideals of democracy.” Our objective should be to produce and sustain various kind of accountability systems based on a positive reception of the conflicting and complementary possibilities within the democratic structure.