Self-Employment”
Co-authored by:
Ms Parul Popat
parulpopat@gmail.com
www.parulpopat.blogspot.com
Head
Department of English
N S Patel Arts College
Anand (Gujarat) India
Mr Kaushal Kotadia
kaushalkotadia@gmail.com
www.kaushalkotadia.blogspot.com
www.kotadiakaushal.blogspot.com
www.remediesathand.blogspot.com
Resource Person
H M Patel Career Development Centre
Vallabh Vidyanagar (Gujarat) India
Designated as the language of communication, English today is spoken and read by the largest number of people in the world. On account of its this feature in particular and others in general English is no doubt preferred by one and all. Available data from all the walks of life support the claim that English has aided people in creating many success stories and is contributing to many lives in earning their bread and butter. The world of 21st century has opened many new vistas for those who have quite a good command over the language.
There is not any iota of doubt of English language being a tool of empowerment. The list of areas where people have done well owing to their expertise in English language is endless. KPO, BPO, competitive exams, translations, writing, web-page writing, education to name a few. The equally heartening thing is that it has also led to self-employment. Nevertheless, the question that arises here is how much knowledge of the stated language is required to empower oneself and to be self-employed. This paper tries to study the role of English in the empowerment of people with its focus on success stories from the field of education confined to Vallabh Vidyanagar and Anand (Gujarat) India.
The title of the paper talks about two things in main viz;
English as a tool of empowerment
English can lead to self-employment
Before going any further, I would like to explicate all the dimensions of the terms employed in the title.
To begin with, at first the title deals with the capacity of English as the tool of empowerment. To be empowered, in simple words, means to have more control over one’s life or the situation one is in. The most common use of the term "empowerment" refers to increasing the power of the low-power group, so that it more nearly equals the power of the high power group.
Empowerment, as it may seem to many today, is nothing more than the most recently popular buzzword thrown in to make sure that old programs get new meanings. However, the reality is quite different. Empowerment is much more than that. Empowerment is a process that challenges our assumptions about the way things are and can be. It challenges our basic assumptions about power, helping, achieving, and succeeding. Empowerment is a process of change.
At the core of the concept of empowerment is the idea of power. The possibility of empowerment depends on two things. First, that power can change and the other that power can expand. Thus, empowerment is a process of change.
As a general definition, however, we suggest that empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power (that is, the capacity to implement) in people, for use in their own lives, their communities, and in their society, by acting on issues that they define as important.
We suggest that three components of our definition are basic to any understanding of empowerment. Empowerment is multi-dimensional, social, and a process. It is multi-dimensional in that it occurs within sociological, psychological, economic, and other dimensions. Empowerment also occurs at various levels, such as individual, group, and community. It is a social activity in a sense that it affects the lives of many in the society. Last but not the least; it is a process as it is a series of things that happen, especially ones that result in natural changes.
Self-employment
The core of the paper is devoted to role of English in creating self-employment. However, before referring to that part let me make the concept of self-employment a bit clear.
Ø Being self-employed simply means being your own Boss. This also means that there is no one looking over your shoulder. Freedom of time, moment, goals and finances everything is left to you.
Ø It means you are own time master. It gives you a flexibility to do whatever you want to do and whenever want to do.
Ø A self-employed person is far away from the problems of job security and fear of unemployment. On the contrary, he may be able to provide job to others.
Ø Self-employment is something that makes one a complete person who can proudly say that he/ she is an entrepreneur who has achieved something.
Ø When you are self-employed, your self-confidence goes through the sky. This factor will help you face most hurdles in life with a less stress.
Ø When self-employed the limitations of earning do not exist. You can earn as much as you want by just stepping up the speed.
Ø Last but not the least; success becomes a commodity, which you can measure with your own yardstick rather than others, which contributes a lot to your personality and the finances through the extra income you earn.
Keeping in mind all the above benefits one questionnaire was prepared for the respondents to analyse the role of English in making them successful entrepreneurs. The present paper is a study of those successful entrepreneurs who have been empowered by the language under discussion. Vallabh Vidyanagar and Anand, being the educational township, I preferred to take into account the field of education in general and various educational institutions and private coaching classes in particular.
Among the educational institutions, three successful women entrepreneurs were selected who have earned a name and fame for themselves. Heart and the soul of the institution that they run, the entrepreneurs are Mrs Maria V Pinto of Pinto’s School, Mrs Alanknanda Parnekar of Nirmal Niketan and Mrs Dhara Shukla of Kids’ Empire. Among the private coaching classes, the names are
Mr Manoj Ray of Bright Tuition Classes, Mr Vipul Shah of Vipul Tuition Classes and Mr Sohin Treya of Vidya Classes.
One questionnaire was designed to learn the role of English Language in the empowerment of the stated people. In addition to the personal as well as professional information of the respondents, the questionnaire also had statements which can help the researcher to learn the attitude and aptitude of the respondents towards the work that they are doing and the factors that led them to venture in the profession in which they are at present.
Glimpses of the successful journeys that have contributed in the process of change.
Mrs Maria V Pinto, Managing Trustee, Pinto’s schools
Featured in the reputed daily ‘The Times of India’ more than once as a successful and inspirational woman entrepreneur, Mrs Maria V Pinto started her journey as a working woman way back in 1983 as an Administrator cum Nursery Teacher with a meager salary of 500/- with Boho Shishu Vihar, the 1st of its kind in Anand.
Encouraged by her daughter to be independent, she started a kindergarten school in 1987 with a bank loan of Rs. 20,000/- in a small rented house with 18 tiny tots. At present, she is moulding the career of almost 400 students studying under her care and supervision. Not only this, she has also generated employment for as many as 40 people. She aspires to start a school for the differently abled children to help them to come into the mainstream of life. When asked the role of English in her empowerment she said
“With today’s pressing need of knowing to speak English fluently, I think our institution has been able to achieve what I have today purely because of my fortune of having some kind of special hold on the English language right from my childhood…”
The feature, which is the most motivating about her success story, is that she has studied up to matriculation only and does not have any formal degree with which many are judged and appointed. Her case proves one thing that you have to have the instinct within you and only degree does not lead you to success.
Mrs Alaknanda Parnekar, Headmistress, Nirmal Niketan Kindergarten
An effort to make her student a better one at Kendriya Vidyalaya was taken otherwise. The complaint lodged against her gave her a feeling that she would not be able to what she wanted to and she straightway decided to withdraw herself from the permanent government job she was doing. Her resignation from the job proved a turning point in her life and motivated her to start her own venture in 1994, today better known as Nirmal Niketan Kindergarten, an English Medium Kinder-Garten School. It is the first of its kind in Vallabh Vidyanagar in the sense that here she started admitting children from 2½ years which was against the mentality of people and so had to make extensive efforts to convince the grand parents. Nevertheless, with her charming personality and absolute command over the English language, she could do that and now she is running Nirmal Niketan Kindergarten successfully with 250 children studying from Nursery to first standard. She confirms that her knowledge of English language has helped her to hold her head high. About the role English in life, this is what she had to say:
“It is essential for everyone to have at least the working knowledge of English and special skills of English language definitely empower an individual in more than one ways.”
Mrs Dhara Shukla of Kids Empire
A lady with a degree of Diploma in Civil Engineering, Mrs Dhara Shukla’s story is a little bit different from the above two in a way that the only reason behind the setting up of Kids Empire was the motto to do social service through language. She did not have even any kind of professional experience either. During the interview, she humbly denied of having any special skills, training or professional experience of any kind when she started her own institution. What she had was the required amount of knowledge of the language. When enquired how she managed without basic requirements she frankly said that apart from the knowledge of the language, her experiences of bringing up her two children helped her a lot. In addition to this, she did a survey for 3 to 3½ years of the field where she wanted serve society through language. As far as the role of English in her life is concerned, she says that it is a tool but depending upon the nature of work, other qualities are also equally important.
All the above three mentioned cases are common as none of the discussed case had any acute financial problem or had problem of survival. They were not the sole breadwinner though their ventures did help their families. The next three cases are completely different as they directly do not teach the language but they do deal with English language in the form of terminology used in their fields. They too in one voice agree that the working knowledge of English language has played a vital role in earning them a respect and recognition for themselves. All these cases are the torchbearers for those who have suffered due to the policy of government or being exploited by self-financed institutions. The only message that their achievements convey is that if you have faith in your abilities then nobody can stop you. Let’s peep into their struggle and have some inspiration.
Mr Manoj Ray of Bright Tuition Classes
A bright student from the beginning Manoj Ray studied in vernacular medium but was always the master of Accounts and Statistics. He knew very well what he could do with his talent. Hence, having worked for BJVM for one year as a lecturer in Commerce and Accountancy, in 1997-98 he started his own classes at his home where the students used to sit on the floor. This venture by him proved to be a great support for his family that was earning his livelihood by supplying tiffins to students. Gradually, his method of teaching and learning increased the strength of the students, which today has crossed the strength of 300. Today, he has his own air-conditioned classes with two teaching faculty whom he is paying more than what our government is paying to lecturers now as Adyapak Sahayaks. A down to earth person, he very humbly says that he cannot speak English that fluently but he knows the terminology of Accounts and Statistics perfectly well. Today, 65% of his students are from English Medium who find no problem with his teaching suggest others to join his classes.
Mr Vipul Shah of Vipul Tuition Classes
If employed immediately after the completion of his masters, how much can a person earn in the teaching field in this scenario? The answer obviously cannot be very encouraging unless he is serving in those institutions that are ready to pay as per UGC norms. Mr Vipul Shah of Vipul Tuition Classes learnt from others experiences, did not try much for any ‘permanent’ job and thought it better to start his own institution. Only three years have passed since he began his classes for commerce students but today he is a proud person with 218 students studying under him and has also generated employment for two more. He too, like others accepts that English has instilled confidence in him and motivated him towards self-employment and has contributed a lot in his success.
Mr Sohin Treya of Vidya Classes
A victim of the Government Policy of Shikshan Sahayak, Mr Sohin started his career as a teaching assistant with the salary of Rs 2000/- only but soon felt that it was too difficult to lead his life and so joined hands with the other teacher like him and jumped in the field of private coaching. Today he too, is earning a handsome amount with the help of his knowledge of the English language by providing coaching to the students from 5th to 12th standards.
Every success story has something new to tell with one thing in common that the English language is a key-factor behind their empowerment and self-employment. The respondents were given few reasons, which might have motivated them for starting their own venture. The importance of the language in empowering people and leading them to self-employment can also be gauged from the table given below:
1. The salary was inadequate. - 33.33%
2. You were desirous of expressing your unique talent. - 83.33%
3. You wished to utilize the special training you had. - 50%
4. You were bored with your previous job. - 16.66%
5. You felt that your career was going nowhere. - 16.66%
6. Your previous job was very stressful. - 16.66%
7. Social status attached with the profession. - 83.33%
8. You saw better prospects in the field of education with English language. - 100%
9. You intended to do Social Service through language. - 83.33%
10.You thought of utilizing the extra time you had. - 16.66%
11.You felt you could do this in a better way. - 16.66%
12. Your family needed financial support. - 66.66%
13.This was a better and a safer way of earning. - 50%
The figures shown in the table clearly prove the role of English in the empowerment of people helping them to be their own boss. More than one factors can be responsible behind the choice of English language but everybody agrees on point that today in the field of education there are better prospects for the people who have an adequate command over the English language and the same can definitely help in the development of the family first and community next.
The results of this empirical research clearly suggest that English proficiency can become a more important determinant of earnings for all the entrepreneurs, especially in the field of education and can easily lead them towards self-employment.
No comments:
Post a Comment