What kind of difference am I talking about? Well, one very important difference between the under developed and the developed country. I came across this difference long time back during my student years, but found it very interesting when it was talked about in one of the debate, in BBC radio. The difference lies in perspective of the science student, in the developing country and the developed country.
The program in the BBC radio had very interesting point to make. They had two teams of science student- one from UK and the other from some Asian country. Both of them were asked why they chose to study science. Remarkably the views were very very different. And off-course it had lot to do with the economic conditions of the country.
The students from under developed country told that, they hope to bring the changes in the country, by pursuing science. Some wanted to be engineers, some doctors and some wanted to go to medicine. In one view, it seems very likely that they would think that opting science would really help their country to grow.
On the other hand, the student from the developed country had never thought of it that way. They were studying science merely because they were interested in the subject.
Now here is the big difference, isn't it? So this is how young minds of different continents think. So.....seriously, does taking a science subject help you to over come the difficulties of your country. I really want to get to the bottom this is discussion.
Some of my observations goes in this way. Many science student in under developed country, do their further studies in foreign country and very rarely do we find them returning to their home land. Hmmm. Development! Where did that go? But it doesn't happen this way always and I am not blaming anyone.
The main problem lies when young mind start getting deeper into their studies. As they go further, they find themselves entangled in the mystery of their field. They go further into the field rather than their vision. In other words, they get overwhelmed by the depth of knowledge. So knowing becomes more important than applying the known knowledge. Nothing wrong with going deeper with knowledge, just know when to act when you have it all.
Therefore, its not the field that you choose that is going to help you help the country. Instead, its your vision that is going to help. What do you really want to do with your knowledge, is more important than what you want to study. Being practical with your knowledge is what I was trying to tell so far.
So this difference between the beliefs has really something to tell us about the way we decide what we want to study and why. So if you really want to help try being practical.
I think that the study of science does not boost the country's economy. It's rather the requirement of the management in the nation; management of economy, of resources, of skilled manpower, of industries,...
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in my undergraduate one of my teacher from south india told that in india top scoring students go to the management field. But in nepal the reverse, these group of students choose science stream. So the field of management is chosen by those student not capable to score higher academic scores. And many of those who don't care about study and knowledge, drift towards the mgmt field.
And later on these are the individuals we see in high management positions in different field. So think, how good they may be in their job? But i'm not telling that managers are bad but in present Nepalese context the subject is also taken by irresponsible persons and then how can we get development???
So So Right Kabin.
ReplyDeleteThere is this thing about development that is very spooky.
About the skills necessary in the Country. Right now, Nepal's most skills production are to be outsourced??? Not for the development of the self's infrastructure but for others. Not that its bad or u know. But the profit from these outsource must be somehow utilized in the self development.