I still remember that day when I had scribbled a new year resolution for 2020, a list full of self-motivating goals. But who could have ever imagined; that this year will take a life-changing turn for all across the globe? Every breath was at risk, and every day was a challenge, a challenge to survive, and a challenge to accept our flaws.
Every Action Against Nature Will Have An Equal Reaction
The pandemic phase made us realize that every action against nature will have an equal reaction. All our inventions and discoveries were at stake; we were unable to save our kind. Yes, every discovery and theory of millions of master-minds were failing.
However, the human race is also known as a race of survivors. And this lockdown situation reminds me of a Hindi proverb, which says, “डूबते को तिनके का सहारा!” that means “When all options are closed, we catch hold of anything that comes to our rescue.” And our rescuer was the internet or social media. Our creative and intelligent minds started working all over again.
We started connecting with everyone across borders with the help of this mighty internet. And the one thing that our race never settles for is learning. We opened all the possible doors for learning and teaching. For once, we all were at the same level of vulnerability; differences of rich and poor, powerful and weak, were at par.
One more thing that made us equal is; the pattern in which we start cursing others for our mistakes. Therefore, in 2020, we all reiterated curses for the virus, 2020 being a jinxed year.
Nevertheless, my thoughts on the cursing pattern are different from the rest, and I thought that this phrase was, ‘The need of the year’ It was not the first time that we had faced such a pandemic; if we go back in time, one will find many which shook us to the core.
AI May Be Creating Jobless And Redundant Youth
Perhaps, there were two significant differences between the previous era and the current pandemic; back then, at the start of the century; technology was yet to develop and replace humans at work. However, in 2020 technology has raised its head and has replaced us with AI (Artificial Intelligence).
I deliberately mentioned these differences because in the early century, when our genius minds were not empowering technology, we had created more jobs for us. And in the current scenario where we have built this humongous AI, we built jobless and redundant youth.
Although technology in 2020, in a way, is the beginning of setting new trends in various sectors. We could surpass all the possible difficulties with this ardent technology. However, a developing country like ours did face major setbacks in some sectors; some managed to prevail and boom during this pandemic phase. At the same time, others required a drastic change.
The whole idea of skipping school or college is fun in itself, but wasting one entire year due to a virus was unacceptable. Moreover, providing an education in India from the grass-root level to the top-notch students of high society is a challenge.
India Is A Nation Full Of Dynamic Minds Yet The Unemployment Rate Is High
India being a developing country, has many loopholes in terms of the education system. Nonetheless, we managed to provide and sail through this lockdown period. But it showed us the reality that we were yet far from being a developed nation.
In one of the TedTalks of 2013, Dr Shashi Tharoor (Congress MP & Author) had stated that by 2020, “India will have 116 million people in the age group of 20-24“. That means this year we had more than half of our population young & productive than the rest of the world.
- But the question here arises were we able to utilize the energetic & dynamic population at its best? Quite doubtful, despite our country inaugurating thousands of schools, colleges & universities, we are still struggling to get a 100% literacy rate across the country.
- In the age of AI, rural India and the states located in the extreme corners of our country struggle to get a regular power supply. So, did they manage to complete their Online classes in such situations?
- A country that still follows archaic methods of teaching; was exposed to E-Learning methods. Were there any digital skill training available for the teachers & students of remote areas?
- From British Raj to this date, we have tried our best to increase institutions and decrease illiteracy rates but, how far have we managed to provide them quality education?
- Right to Education states: “that every person irrespective of their age, gender, caste, region or religion has the right to education.” But our society has set rules for that as well. We have managed to change this mindset to a certain extent but yet far from 100%.
Overall, the classroom can reach us only if we have the right means to get to it.
A nation full of young and dynamic minds, but the unemployment rate was high. Yes, it was the same across the globe, but the rest of the developed nations have an aging population compared to our young population. So, except for our education system, what else needs a change?
Thousands of students graduate every year without a clear picture of what lies in their future. The textbook theories are nowhere to prepare them for Real Life lessons. And to prepare them, we need not force them to follow the set standard of education. Instead, give them vocational and soft skills training that will empower them in this competitive world. Education in 2020 means having the right skill set with a degree.
Work From Home Culture Is Gaining Prominence
The trend of having permanent staff is diminishing but; a workforce of freelancers is on the rise. The youth of 2020 believes in the trending ‘Gig Economy.’ They need their own space, mood, and a format in which they will work. The set rules of the company and the shelter of a permanent job are no more in fashion.
Nowadays working remotely, is preferred over working in offices. People enjoy having meetings in a café or restaurants than in boardrooms. Hence, for this new trend of meetings and working patterns, we need more Wi-Fi connectivity.
Every parent in our country dreams that their child should either be a Doctor, Lawyer, or Engineer. Not to forget, the new profession added to their wish-list is a Chartered Accountant. But no one wants to dream about an Artist or a Soldier for that matter.
How can they wish for an artist or a soldier as the former does not guarantee a monthly income and the latter does not assure one’s life. But in 2020, we have realized that there is no assurance of our planned future. Anything can happen to anyone.
2020 was all about learning, embracing the change, and accepting AI as our colleagues in our workplace. It has also taught us that social media (a part of trending technology) is a double-edged sword for us. Depending on whether it is used wisely, it can either save us or harm us.