BKC shaping careers of many students in a big way

PATNA: Dipak Kumar, an MCA student with IGNOU, used to find himself uncomfortable whenever one asked him about the practical side of 

his knowledge. 

Kajal Kumari, pursuing B.Com, did not have a clear cut idea about her career in future. 

Things, however, witnessed a positive change for these two young people, once they joined the Bihar Knowledge Centre (BKC), around a month ago. 

"Thanks to the unique teaching methodology, I have started understanding the real applications of things I learnt from course books," Dipak told TOI. 

So feels Kajal, who now strongly believes that her career would be shaped according to job market demand. "I can say so because trainers here do not teach you rather they make you learn which helps in confidence building," she said. 

Kumar and Kumari are not isolated examples, rather all the 40-odd students who have joined BKC have something similar to offer. 

The BKC has been established by the Bihar e-Governance Services and Technologies Limited (BEST), a joint venture of the state government and IL&FS. The government has provided a one time grant-in-aid of Rs 70 lakh for the centre. 

Set up as a finishing school to equip Bihari students with the latest skills and customised short-term training programmes at an affordable cost, the centre, apart from honing technical and professional skills also imparts training in soft skills, including communication skills. 

On the teaching methodology front, the BKC is different, as a concept of mentor has been introduced with each mentor having the responsibility to groom four to five students. Then, there are separate practical classes for hands on training. Weaker students are given special treatment. This, in addition to well qualified teachers and well equipped classrooms with one computer for each student. 

"Our goal is to deliver products which are readily employable in industries," principal secretary, IT, C K Mishra said.

The state government has also a long-term planning of replicating the BKC concept in maximum number of colleges in Bihar. Instead of pushing it from above, said Mishra, we expect the demand for such centres to be generated from below. "This would happen once BKC students start getting employment in renowned industrial houses," he added.

This is likely to happen sooner than latter, for many big employers are likely to hire students of this centre by means of campus selection. This includes names like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Spanco Telesystems and Tulip Telecom.