Situational analysis

Quality of higher education has become a major concern today and is often being
compromised due to an institution’s lack of understanding in effective curriculum
construction process. Curriculum development is a comprehensive process and involves
students, teachers, environment, resources, infrastructure and social climate settings. All
these factors together constitute Situational Analysis and could be used to analyze ways to
improve tertiary education. Often it is seen that the lack of Situational Analysis at the level of
curriculum planning have a negative impact on its proper implementation and goal
attainment. One of the aims of education at tertiary level is to make students more self reliant
and gain competence to get employment. This expectation (aim) for tertiary education is
currently not achieving its aim as unemployment is increasing and self-reliance is decreasing.
This paper discusses main factors to strengthen education, self-reliance and enhance
competence to gain employment in India.
Higher education in a country is the prime means of producing qualified human
resources. One of the need at present Indian society is the development of skilled manpower,
which is not being properly addressed by any of the levels of education be it primary,
secondary, higher secondary or tertiary. Tertiary education in this regard holds more weight
because it purports to produce human resources at the higher end of academic ladder. Hence
it becomes the prime responsibility of curriculum planners at the tertiary level to incorporate
skill based training process which can cater to needs of society and at the same time develop
and enhance competence and calibre of students after completion of their tertiary education.
India can harvest the best out of its young enlightened minds by promising the best
educational opportunities to them and can excel in its economic growth generating huge
human resources. Self reliance based on knowledge gained by students holds the key to solve
the issues of unemployment in this century.
The 21st century has undergone two impressive booms, namely the Population and
Knowledge boom, both acting as a vital agent of empowerment in terms of ‘manpower’ and
‘knowledge society’ respectively. India is rich in manpower but lacks skilled manpower at
majority. India’s knowledge quotient is increasing but not at the level which is required to
have an edge not only at national but also at global level from long term perspective because
of lack practical exposure while gaining education and skills. The inadequacy of practical
exposure is a serious problem at present curricula at large. This can be done by employing the
analysis of the major factors that are decisive for the success or failure of the curriculum.
Curriculum itself as a project includes the human resources, natural resources, and financial
resources that affect the planning implementing the curriculum.
Considering the human resource factor there comes a question whether the
universities getting ample fund for running courses? Are universities contributing in Research
and Development wing of Human Resource development authority of nation? The answer to
this question itself decides that the situations in higher education across the nation differ
significantly to a magnitude that it can provide different directionality to the institutions
concerned. Institutions which easily get access to funding for researching are few. On the
other hand there are institutions that are unable to excel in lack of adequate funds. Situational
Analysis needs to be done more proactively to resolve these discrepancies in the best possible
way. In context of north-eastern belt of the country a situational analysis suggest that there
had been a continuous negligence of Science and Mathematical education which in turn have
severely affected the human-resource development of the region.
In my opinion, curriculum development is a serious, comprehensive, continuous
exercise that needs a more commitment from responsible authorities and decision makers.
For improvisation of curriculum, an expert in relevant field is needed in every Department of
Education at higher education level. The expert can also be independently recruited for other
departments across the stream so as to facilitate the purpose of curriculum development.
There is a popular saying that, “Well began is half done” and there is another popular saying,
“All is well when the end is well”. They highlight the two important stages of Curriculum
Development process, namely the Situational analysis as a beginning step and the Curricular
Outcome in terms of Qualitative Output as the ending step. Curriculum development is a
never ending process, the outcome suggesting a new beginning step hence both these aspects
are interdependent and holds a strong linkage. If a proper investigation of prevailing
situations is performed prior setting of objectives, content, methods and evaluative strategies
then the outcome of a particular curriculum experience can be greatly enhanced.