Shiksha Opinion: Giving the power of choice to students with cafeteria model

"The times they are a-changin."

Remember singer Bob Dylan's famous lines? For a young economy like India, this is specifically true. What will be the new trends in education? One is getting rid of the 'I-want-to-be-a-topper' syndrome. Gen-Next will focus more on learning and acquiring skills rather than scoring.

The second upcoming trend will be an extension of the first trend - the 'cafeteria model'. Ever heard of that?

What is a cafeteria model?

Imagine a salad bar with a range of offerings -- various kinds of breads, sauces, vegetables and so much more. The customer has the option of selecting whatever he wants in both limited and unlimited portions for a certain price. 

Cafeteria model is exactly like a salad bar. Students are offered a wide range of courses from various fields. One can choose whatever they are interested in and create their own platter, which is the timetable. To get the finishing degree or diploma, one needs to meet the necessary credit requirements (just like paying the price).To become a master in a certain subject, one has to pay-up more, meaning take up more credits (courses) in that particular subject. One can also opt to be a jack of all trades and pay the basic prices, that is fulfilling the basic credit requirement to graduate.

This model is also known as choice-based credit system.

Advantages

The best advantage of a cafeteria model is one can pursue diverse range of subjects. Imagine graduating in management with arts, or film-making with architecture, or journalism with computer-science. Two diagonally different subjects can be combined in one single diploma or degree.

Secondly, pupils can opt to study both professional and vocational subjects along with traditional academic subjects, resulting in rounded-education and wholesome character-building.

Thirdly, students are responsible for their own decisions. There's no involvement of parents and society or any university-imposed curriculum. The buck of blame can not be passed to others anymore.

Fourthly, a cafeteria model ends up offering more industry and skill-oriented courses, thereby making students employable by the time they graduate. By offering choices to students, one can weed-out unwanted courses and evolve the popular courses. This sort of a situation keeps everyone on their toes and the curriculum is constantly updated.

 

Disadvantages

While there are more positive factors than negative elements in favour of cafeteria model education system, the Indian society may have their reservations.

First of all, parents will view this new arrangement with suspect and try to influence their ward's course selection.

Secondly, after years of being told what to study and how to study, students will be dazed with so many subjects on offer. They may end up choosing subjects due to peer influence rather than self-interest.

Thirdly, students can end up choosing courses without realising that they do not have a knack for it or may find the course uninteresting by the time they are already in the middle of it. 

Solutions 

The answer to the above problems will be arranging counselling and guidance sessions at regular intervals. The management and faculty will have to take the onus of educating the students the benefits and disadvantages of each course. Reference handout sheets, outlining the course curriculum with future prospects should be provided right from the beginning. Senior students should also mentor the new batches, guiding them towards apt decisions. 

Outlook

The cafeteria model is already prevalent in various universities abroad.

In India, a host of new and old universities are offering this new model. JNU (Jawahar Lal University), University of Mysore, Presidency University Kolkata, Ambedkar University Delhi, English and Foreign Languages University, Ashoka University and Ansal University are some examples. The choice-based credit system was first introduced in various Central Universities of India. The latest varisity to adopt this model is Bangalore University.

But sooner or later traditional Indian varisities too will start offering it. After all, education should be aimed at both skill-acquisition and wisdom.