Focus on importance of soft skills for students
PALANI: Communication skill, soft skills, personality development and change in attitude were basic requirements for graduates to become employable. Ability to communicate effectively was important to face stiff competition in every sphere of life, said P. R. Sampath, Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments.
Delivering the 27 {+t} {+h} Graduation Day address at Arulmigu Palani Andavar College of Arts and Culture here on Saturday, he said that the 'right speaking skill' had been neglected for a long time in our school and college curricula. Fading habit of reading books also contributed to the inability of students to communicate in a better way.
Spoken English must be taught as a separate subject in schools and colleges using modern methods of teaching, training and testing. Practical exercises on extempore speech, prepared speeches, group discussion and debates were some of the techniques to be followed to enhance communication skills. Video recording of speech, speaking before mike, voice training, gesture exercise, confidence building measures and eye contact would certainly enhance speaking skills, he said.
Stating that recession was temporary, the Commissioner said that six lakh jobs would be created in the Information Technology sector in the next three years.
A continuous process
Learning must become a continuous process. Acquiring a job should not become an end of learning. Graduates should inculcate a habit of reading, observing nature and refining abilities to become successful. Education should create magnanimity, fair-mindedness and sacrifice to work for a goal, Mr. Sampath said.
Education, in the recent past, had become a tool for a learner to get a job and for countries to develop economy. It should also make a man civilised. Higher education must develop basic courtesy and culture among people. Graduates should develop friendship and cooperation while learning to co-exist in a socio-economic environment. Above all, education should develop one's personality.
The Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments had been managing five arts colleges, one polytechnic college and 36 schools, he added.
