Just do it.

I can never talk (or write) about Distance Education, and Sikkim Manipal University Directorate in Distance Education in particular, without giving a reference to my close friend Anand.
Anand comes from a decent background. His father, now retired, worked in a state department. He is the eldest of the three brothers. He had some expectation from life, just the way we have. He enrolled for an engineering course as most of the people aiming for a corporate career in late 90s and early 2000s did.
He was doing well for himself chasing his dreams.
But dreams have a habit of turning sore especially when you are not watching.
His father was implicated in a corruption case (After a 3 year long legal battle, he was proved not to be guilty). His brother met with an accident. His youngest brother had to be sent to the village.
Anand started crumbling under pressure. His grades slipped. He was asked to repeat the semester. With no bread winner in the family and he being the eldest had to quit his engineering course mid way.
Anand went to Delhi. He took any job coming his way. His first job paid him Rs 20 per hour. He lived in shabby conditions.
Life had changed for Anand. But his dreams had not.
He slogged in Delhi for 2 years. By this time his father was cleared of the corruption charges. His brothers were doing well again.
But, Anand was still not a graduate. This was hampering his career progress.
In every office he tried, he was offered less than any person doing the same job because he was not a graduate. He could not have left his job to do a full time program. And moreover he was still interested in the IT/ITeS sector.
At that time he decided to enroll for SMU-DE B.Sc. IT program. He completed this 3 years course in 4 years. He was able to time it as per his own convenience as he even got the extra facility of online learning called Edunxt.
On 5th Spetember this year he completed his B.Sc. IT degree. By Diwali he had changed his job. Today his take home is 12K.
Starting from 20Rs per hour to 12K p.m. is a journey he covered in 6 years.
Come to think of it, it is a 25% year-on-year growth.
Now, Anand plans to do an MBA in systems from SMU DE.
His train may have got delayed but it is still on tracks.
This is why I think DE has a very important role to play in a developing economy like India. There may be millions like Anand. Those who could not have the kind of education they liked. But they are ready to work hard.
But they are living their lives in constraints. Probably many of us could relate to these constraints, but many may not be.
If India has to become a super power then we need to help “such” people move up on the value chain. If we can develop our courses in a way which make people like Anand more employable then I believe we would have done our job.

Bangalore, India