Vocational Courses Introduced by CBSE for Class XII Not Accepted by Degree Colleges

Hoping she would have an edge over others while applying to the bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) programme, Shriya Sharma (name changed on request) opted for the (then) newly-introduced financial Market Management (FMM) paper in Class 12.

However, much to her dismay, she wasn’t even allowed to take the BBS entrance exam. Five years have passed since then, but even now the fate of students choosing vocational subjects in Class 12 hangs in the balance. This year as well, those with vocational subjects in Class 12 cannot write the BBS entrance test as the university has decided not to include vocational courses in the best four.

With vocational electives offered by Central Board of Secondary Education not finding acceptance in major universities, including the University of Delhi, students are the worst hit. Says Nishtha Shailajan, a design student at National Institute of Design, “It is very unfortunate. It pinches a lot when you are denied admission even after specialising in a certain discipline. Two years of hard work and dedication gone in vain! If there is no acceptance of these courses in major universities, what is the point of offering them in the first place?”

In its circular introducing mass media studies at the senior secondary level, the CBSE notes, “In view of the media as one of the most powerful agents affecting and constructing the perception about the social reality the CBSE had introduced Mass Media Studies on a pilot basis in 2010-11. After the success of the pilot, the CBSE has decided to open this elective to all affiliated schools interested to offer this elective from this academic session onwards.”

But, mass media students also have a similar fate as that of FMM students. The CJET (Common Journalism Entrance Test) does not acknowledge the subject. Says Dr Sunil Sodhi, principal, Maharaja Agrasen College, one of the only two co-ed colleges offering BA (hons) journalism in Delhi University, “At the moment there is no such provision. However, if a course like this is being offered, it should be considered. Rather, these students should be preferred.”

Dilip Chenoy, CEO and MD, National Skill Development Corporation, says, “Bringing vocational courses into mainstream education is a big challenge and continues to be so. At present, one can hope that the setting up of the National Vocational Education Qualifications Framework will address this problem and bring students under the purview of mainstream education.”

Offering a solution is Dr Poonam Verma, principal, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies. “I feel that somewhere the university is not too convinced about the inputs given to the students at that level. The kind of requirement they have at the graduate level might not be up to the mark that is why they are not open to the idea of including these subjects. To convince the decision-makers about the quality of the academic input given to the student, some interactive sessions are required which can create some awareness on this,” says Verma.

Open to Vocational Subjects:

Advertising-art courses

• College of Art, Delhi
• College of Art, Chandigarh 
• College of Arts & Crafts, Lucknow

FMM

• Mumbai University
• Banaras Hindu University

Banking

• Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad
• Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli

Fashion design

• National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
• National Institute of Fashion Technology

Mass Media

• Mumbai University
• IP College for Women, Delhi University

Tourism

• College of Vocational Studies, Delhi University

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Source: HTEducation (Garima Upadhyay Rawat)