A distinguished educationist, who has made exemplary contribution in the field of education, Dr Sanjay B Choradia, CMD, Suryadutta Group of Institutions, has plans to use education as a tool for empowering the disadvantaged sections of the society. In this interview, Choradia shares his passion to create a knowledge society
Tell us about the courses offered by your institute?
We are primarily looking at the skills and vocational courses. When we started our group in 1999, our philosophy was to offer education to all, irrespective of their caste, financial status and economic background. Today there is a big gap between those who are educated and those who are un-educated. The Indian government does not have a policy to cater
to the educational needs of those who could not take regular education at the right age and due to various constraints. So we have decided to bring the marginalised people into mainstream education space. Many of these people are into minor
jobs where they barely eke out a living. They work on daily wages. In order to improve their status in the society, we have designed courses that specifically cater to the needs of these low-income groups and senior citizens. This will help them to upgrade themselves by acquiring new skills. New job opportunities will open for them. They will also have the chance to become entrepreneurs.
What made you decide to stress on the vocational courses?
Our vocation and life skills courses are designed to encourage students to upgrade their skill sets and become a more productive member of the society. The vision behind these courses is to bring more strength into the life and work of those who exist at the lower strata of society. Today, in many cities we will see that the children are highly educated; however, the parents never got the opportunity to learn. Our aim is to include them as lifelong learners and enable them to get acquainted with latest technology such as computers. We have conducted many workshops for the auto rickshaw drivers and daily wage workers on computers and English to help them upgrade their skills and knowledge in their workplace. We hope to improve the overall standards of education in the neglected sections of society.
What are your expectations from the government?
The government should introduce many channels of formal education for those who belong to the low-income groups in society. This will help in creating a good balance in the society. Knowledge can be provided in the form of skills, it does not necessarily have to be just degree or certificate printed on paper. We have a boutique of courses for students and working professionals. The evening classes are held for the working professionals and they can avail of all the infrastructure and educational resources available at the institute. This is a great opportunity for educational institutes to make the most of their infrastructure and accommodate more learners . The government has many scheme designed for school and higher education for regular education, we as corporate players in the education field can contribute to the society by creating new ways of gaining knowledge.
