Making educational choices “can often feel like trying to hit a moving target. Many of the old assumptions about education and careers are becoming outdated and our educational institutions are struggling to provide young people with the support and guidance they need to thrive in this rapidly changing environment,” writes Pramath Raj Sinha in his new book, Learn, Don’t Study: A Guide for Students and Parents.
Through the book, the founding Dean of the Indian School of Business, and founder of Ashoka University and Harappa Education, hopes to address the question: “What should I study to best prepare myself for success in today’s working world?”
Pramath Raj Sinha | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
According to him, there is no single answer, but one needs to develop a certain mindset. This is the conclusion he came to after interviewing an “inspiring group of individuals who have navigated (and are navigating) the modern career landscape” such as media giant Uday Shankar, interior designer Anita Mackenzie, economics graduate Ambika Nigam and serial entrepreneur Srikant Sastri, among others. Excerpts from an interview:
Learn, Don’t Study: A Guide For Students and Parents by Pramath Raj Sinha | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
What prompted you to write this book?
Over the decades, lots of young people have been coming to me for advice. The most common question is, “What should I do next?” Everyone seems to be suffering from the same dilemmas. So I decided to address this through a series of essays giving examples of others who have made these choices — real people from my life — and add my own thoughts and ideas.
What was the common factor among those you interviewed?
Interestingly, what they studied has no direct relation to what they are doing now. They all started out a bit confused in the early stages of their life — graduate studies or first job. Ultimately, they all “squiggled” their way into doing what they enjoyed. This comes from being open to newer opportunities. Not restless or constantly looking out, but simply by not being close-minded. Youngsters do not realise this. Instead, they obsess over what course they should do. Other common traits were resilience, tenacity, hard work, and being comfortable with uncertainty.
You write about the need for agility and adaptability for students. Is this also true for educational institutions?
Traditionally, educational institutions have been behind in keeping up with the times. To make up for it, what they can do is provide students with more flexibility and give them a chance to discover new things. This doesn’t mean you have to change your curriculum, start a new school, or hire new faculty. This is possible to implement within the existing structure. But this freedom must come with certain rules, constraints and requirements. If you are an Arts student who wants to pursue Computer Science, take up courses that prove you can do it. It is also okay to find out that you are not good at it. It is okay to fail. That’s what resilience is. That’s part of education and learning. The learning will be “My choices are not always perfect. I will survive”.
Which skills do you feel technology cannot replace?
Technology can provide the first draft version of many solutions that people are looking for. So, many of those skills required in quickly putting together research or a memo on a topic will be replaced. But what will not is the skill of discerning if there are inaccuracies or if the information is too generic, or deciding how to further develop this information beyond the data available on the Internet. Another irreplaceable skill is critical thinking or, rather, “critical ignoring”. What are you going to ignore where so much information is thrown at us? Some of the core skills that we will need, regardless of technological evolution, are critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and self-awareness in your leadership — knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
How can students zero-in on what they are good at or what they want to do?
By trying many different things. What you should do is not going to come from an assessment: answer 20 questions, and oh, you can be a lawyer! Everyone has access to the same curriculum. What will distinguish you will be multiple experiences and dots that will eventually connect. But you cannot connect the dots if you don’t pick them up. Volunteer, do odd jobs, take up a project through a personal reference, and take the initiative. Parents, in turn, should encourage their children to try new things. And importantly, don’t give up on your passions. Pursue them because they will likely contribute much more in the long run to your success than what you study in school or college.
What are the two mistakes youngsters make in the transition from college to first jobs?
First, they focus too much on salary. They don’t look at the quality of learning, support, or responsibility that the job or the company offers. The first job is critical in one’s career; it sets the expectation and tone for how you do your work, teaches you valuable skills and helps you understand your strengths and weakness. The second mistake is becoming restless. They have FOMO about what others are doing, whether they are doing better, and wondering if they deserve better. That destroys confidence. Show your confidence in taking on new challenges and tasks, and learn. Once you prove yourself, bigger opportunities will naturally come to you.
