Reaping rewards through diplomas

In the changing Indian education scenario, diploma courses are seeing a revival with a boom in the number of new and innovative programmes on offer. An assortment of courses are available to suit a variety of career opportunities after getting the required school education qualifications. These courses are basically meant to sharpen one’s skill in one’s chosen profession.

Some diploma courses are now so popular that aspirants have to write an entrance test before joining them.

The courses offered include business management, catering, airlines, fashion designing, fine arts and computer management. Traditional courses such as astrology, palmistry, languages and yoga are also attracting several students.

“I did a one-year executive postgraduate diploma in Human Resource Management at Loyola Institute of Business Administration. It was very useful and I gained an in-depth knowledge in the field of HR after completing my course. Though the fee was high, it was worth it. Now I’m a HRO in one of the most reputed hotels,” narrates Aswathi V.

Apart from newer institutions, traditional universities are expanding the scope of their diploma courses.

This year, the University of Madras introduced new diploma programmes in enterprise systems management, and air crew training. “We have a lot of applicants for our diploma courses,” says a senior official from the University of Madras.

The MGR Government Film and Technology Institute at Taramani offers a three-year diploma in film technology and TV production, while the MGR Medical University has introduced a one-year PG diploma course in learning disability among children (dyslexia).

A diploma course in security practices for those in the supervisory cadre in hotels, malls and cinemas is being offered by the Indira Gandhi National Open University. Fashion designing is another flourishing industry with diploma courses where students are taught drawing, designing, garment and textile techniques, embroidery, weaving and surface knitting.

“I completed a diploma in fashion designing and garment manufacture as I was interested in this field. After completing it, I got placed in a reputed organisation and I earn a decent pay,” says Neethu R.

NIFT has started short summer evening programmes, especially for working professionals.

An assortment of vocational courses in subjects such as Creative Writing in English, Journalism, Youth Development Work, Communicative English, Library & Information Science, Tourism and Hotel Management and Tourism Studies are also offered through distance education programmes. With the emergence of distance learning, students can pursue a full-time diploma course from their own homes.

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