Recordius Enmi Kharbani
The importance of human capital development in Meghalaya has been talked about by the Chief Minister, Dr. Mukul Sangma from time to time. Last year while addressing a gathering at the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Cultural Centre, the CM expressed his concern over the failure of the policy makers prior to his leadership to come up with suitable approaches towards investment on development of human capital in the state. His reported quote runs, “We have missed out on human capital investment which should have been the top priority of every government to ensure rapid development in the society through enlightened, productive and responsible youths” (ST, 19th August, 2012). He stressed on the importance of empowering the youths to bring development in the state. Recently, the CM’s discourse on human capital has been reported yet again, but appeared to be clouded with desperation. The same person who has been optimistic about the enhancement of human capital development in the state has lamented that the main cause of unemployment in the state is the inadequacy in skills among educated youths which could render them employed, i.e., there is shortage of human capital among educated youths in the state which has led to the high prevalence of educated unemployed youths. While recognizing the importance of creating more jobs in the public sector and private sector, a scheme promised in the election manifesto, the CM asserted that the “scope for providing jobs in the state is constrained due to inadequate skill sets,” that youths are not equipped with the required skills to be employable (ST, April, 9th 2013). The same has been echoed by the Chief Secretary, Bah WMS Pariat (ST, 24th Apr., 2013). The reports demonstrate the importance of human capital in the development process of the state and that its development is neglected is undeniably a great concern.
The concept of human capital which otherwise is not commonly talked about in our sluggishly developing Meghalaya is brought to the awareness of the ordinary people, thanks to the ice breaking statements of the CM. In the simplest sense, human capital refers to the sum and quality of knowledge, skill (expertise) and experience acquired by individuals through investment in formal education, training and involvement or being associated with the trade. Most scholars prioritize investment in formal education as the major means in manufacturing human capital in individuals though they do not ignore other avenues which are handy. Apart from formal education, any type of learning which endows the individuals with knowledge and skill and any association with any field of activity which bestows experience constitute the process of acquiring human capital. Thus the acquisition of human capital ranges from formal education to any type of learning and experience, and human capital implies knowledge and skill acquired through schooling which is regarded as the foundation of other learning as well as those learnt beyond formal education.
Human capital occupies a central position in the career of an individual. The human capital theory believes that assuming other things constant, the better the quantity and quality of human capital the better are the chances of employability of the individual. Further, it maintains that human capital ensures returns in terms of better remuneration; the higher the scale and quality of human capital an individual possesses the better is remuneration. It provides for a logical argument that the higher the degree of schooling or training and experience, and the more defined the specialisation, the better is the employability and income of an individual. Human capital also plays decisive role in the process of development of any country, state or region. The importance of human capital is felt in every field of developmental activities based on the fact that things would function better when people with better knowledge, expertise, skill and experience administer or are involved in. Human capital theorists believe that investment in human capital pays much better than investment in inanimate technological capital because these would be inoperative without human capital. A machine is useless unless being operated by an expert.
Investment on the development of human capital is definitely central for the development of Meghalaya and Dr. Mukul Sangma proves himself wise enough to have recognized this vital area in his quest of leading Meghalaya on the road to its development. While development in other areas like infrastructures and technological capital is important, the development of human capital requires serious consideration. It becomes more imperative in Meghalaya where economic mode though is in transition from traditional to modernity, is outweighed by the conventional structures, ideas and methods. The prevailing state of affairs in the State calls for innovative and creative knowledge and skills required to initiate pioneering schemes of entrepreneurships which human capital if sufficiently harnessed would make available.
Human capital contributes to development of the society primarily by endowing its individual members with the knowledge and skill which render them readily employable accompanied by better rewards. The same human capital in turn generates better available resources which would contribute to the development of the society. The prevailing structures in Meghalaya, however, hardly present an environment suitable for either the development of employable human capital or the production of individuals with resources to boost development. The flaws and ineffectiveness of the mainstream education system in Meghalaya has contributed to the failure of producing productive and employable human capital in the state. Batskhem Myrboh’s two articles (ST Feb., 6th and ST Mar., 20th 2013) and Mohrmen’s article (ST 22nd Apr., 2013) have exposed the reality of the education system in the state. The problem is not the non-production of graduates with human capital, but is the failure of the education system to keep abreast with the demands of changing time and situation. Further, the failure of the system to produce individuals with varieties of specialisation has resulted in production of individuals with more or less identical knowledge and skill but with no demand for them in the job market. The over emphasis on conventional subjects leaving minimal space for specialisation on major sectors which generate better employment opportunities like agriculture, tourism and their allied activities has contributed much to the problem. It is unfortunate that while the number of educated unemployed youths in Meghalaya is massive but they are not employable because they lack the requisite skills. As a result individuals from outside are engaged in many areas of specialisation.
The failure of the education system in the state to produce employable, educated youths manifests itself in several ways. The number of youths who have completed education have grown exponentially but so has the list of educated unemployed. The system seems to produce young people who know very little and do not fit into the groove of the changing employment market. As presented in the national case (A S Guha, ST 20th Apr., 2013), most youths pursuing mainstream education in the state do not know what to do with their degrees. With the exception of those who come from better off families and the privileged few, the life of youths in the state pursuing higher education becomes traumatized when they find that the degrees they have acquired after half a life- time of struggle does not match up with he needs of employers. Most of them are compelled to take extra short term courses in private institutions to obtain supplementary degrees. The major success of the mainstream education in the state is not in producing readily employable graduates demanded by the present employment market but more in preparing them to attain additional degrees which require extra investments hardly affordable to the majority poorer sections and rural folks.
Apart from the employability factor, the inability of the youths to excel in competitive examinations like entrance examinations to institutions like NEIGRIHMS, IIM, etc., which are located in our own city reflects the incompetence of the system to arm them with cutting edge knowledge to compete with others. The state education policy seems to serve only one purpose; to boost literacy rate so as to gain political returns for policy makers. They are uncaring of the quality of the educated youths produced and their employability and well-being. Discouraged by the inability of educated youths to get employment, many parents are beginning to doubt the credibility of the education system especially in some areas of rural West Khasi Hills. Such parents have therefore shown a disinterest in sending their children to school.
The importance of human capital in the development process of the state is perhaps unquestionable and the acceptance of this fact by both the CM and the Chief Secretary is a welcome phenomenon. However, the prevailing system of attaining it is a great concern. There is urgent need to overhaul the education system with the objective of generating employable and resourceful human capital. Hopefully the optimism and concerns expressed in words will be realised in deeds.