Yes, you read it right. The Indian Design Education has its own set of dark sides hindering its potential growth and development, and which needs to be addressed through a collective effort of all stakeholders. I might have to pay the cost for discussing these issues on an open platform, but my sincere wish is to see that you – (all the Design aspirants) get the returns.
Indian Design education with its choice of college and course is still in a messy condition. Also, awareness about the difference between general education and design education is extremely deficient. This lack of awareness and knowledge among the masses is what prompted me to spread awareness about this subject and more through this vlog.
Here are a few vital points which might change your perception towards Design.
There are few Design colleges in India which are remarkably good and stand apart from others. We have the NID to begin with which is National Institute of Design, then comes NIFT National Institute of Fashion Technology, third comes the IIT Indian Institute of Technology which has few Design departments in limited number of IIT’s. Then we have the FDDI Footwear Design and Development Institute. What I have observed is that there’s a general belief that all these are Government institutes. Do you also think these are Government Design colleges? Let me break it to you – the very truth here is that there are no Design colleges in India which are completely run by the Government. I have come across parents insisting on admitting their child in these “Government” colleges for subsidies in terms of fees, good placements etc. But, this debate and argument collapses at this point. Do you know why? Let me explain further.
Yes, they are partially government and are bearing the profit and loss of being an autonomous body.
Here, you need to understand the meaning of “Autonomous” body because NID, NIFT, IIT and FDDI are all “autonomous body”. “Autonomous” means they are not completely government. The professors, support staff etc do not receive benefits of a government organization. However, this is not important from a student’s perspective.
So what is important from a student’s perspective?
The first and foremost point is “Subsidy” in terms of fees, which is not provided in these colleges, since they are autonomous. But, people are unaware of the fact that these are not government colleges. Educating yourself in these colleges does not come cheap. They are as expensive as any other private college. In fact, there are many good private Design colleges which are cheaper than them. So, in terms of education cost and tuition fees, NID, NIFT, IIT’s are placed at a higher end whereas FDDI is placed at a slightly lower end. Other costs still remain the same. Such as hostel, travelling, materials etc. As students, you need to be aware of this fact before you take such a big monetary risk.
So, the question which emerges is why do we not have appropriate, entirely government run Design colleges in India?
Let me explain.
Because,a Design college requires lots of equipment and infrastructure which need to be upgraded every few years and requires a lot of monetary investment, which either the Government is not yetready to bear or it’s not possible to bear the expenses along with offering subsidies.
Let me explain further.
With an accelerated growth in Design and technical innovations, there is a constant demand to upgrade equipment and infrastructure compatible with the job market requirements. This obviously necessitates huge investments which is difficult for the government to handle under many other obligations. This is the reason why there are no proper Government Design colleges offering subsidy in terms of fees and also suitable infrastructure and equipment.
LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT THESE DARK SIDES ARE:
To become a good Designer, you need appropriate infrastructure to learn and implement innovative and original concepts. Fees won’t matter, since paying an “X” amount of money will not magically transform you into a good designer if there is lack of good apparatus and foundation. If a Communication Designer needs to learn a particular software for their course, they will require a good desktop and the software to master their skills, without which their degree and knowledge would be useless. You won’t be able to grab jobs on the basis of quotas, fees, government or private college. You will only be hired on the basis of your skills.
The important factor about “Quotas” which I would like to highlight is that these colleges or “Autonomous” bodies bear both the profit and loss due to them being 50% governmental body. They have a lot of “Quotas” or categories wherein students with less cut off marks are gaining entry. Although, I do not have a problem with it. But, in the real world, Quotas do not matter. What matters is how well you’re being able to grasp the knowledge imparted at these institutions and how well prepared you are to face professional challenges. The acquisition and implementation of this knowledge is what will help you achieve professional success, not quotas or categories.
The Design field, consists ofa limited number of government jobs,and other private Design organizations and establishments will not hire you based on your Quotas and categories. You will only be hired based on your skills and knowledge acquired through Design educational institutions. This is the biggest misconception floating around where students think they would be hired by government organizations through Quotas. The truth is very few government companies hire Design professionals compared to private industries. This has created dis-balance in the field of Design.
Students and parents look for government Design colleges for subsidy which is non-existent, they look for government jobs which again are quite limited or they look for brand name for e.g NID. NID, no doubt is one of the best Design institutes in India and it’s a matter of great pride for students to have secured admission in this prestigious institute. But have you thought why it is one of the best Design colleges? Because only the best students have been able to secure a place for themselves in it. It has one of the toughest Entrance exams and only the most passionate and hardworking students are able to crack these exams and lead a successful professional lives after their course completion.
As students, you need to understand that Design education is not about glory and glamour and show-off. It involves and demands a lot of hard work, patience, introspection and development. Glory and glamour does follow, but only after successfully struggling through your Design weaknesses and emerging a winner.
This is what matters and you need to be aware about it. So arguing about choosing government colleges or private colleges is fruitless.
So what exactly should you consider when choosing a particular Design college.
The first and most important aspect is PASSION. For e.g. if I talk about securing a seat in NIFT, students fail to understand that it’s not their choice which course they would ultimately receive, it’s your rank and luck which decides your course. Hence, if your aim is to achieve the course of your dreams, you need to work extra hard. Beyond this, it’s out of your control. So, let’s say you want to be a good Fashion Designer but due to your rank you get Textile Design. Do you think you would be able to shine and perform well? Or do justice to the talents you possess. No. Why? Because the mindset, the observational skills and attitudes required are very different for a Textile Designer and a Fashion Designer.
This is the reason why NIFT is degrading gradually but no one is aware of it and no one will inform you about it.
It’s like ordering Biryani and getting served a Chicken Pulao – ingredients might be the same but there’s a vast difference in terms of taste, color and food experience. This is what happens if you only focus on brand name and insist on studying only in NIFT. Do you know that most of the popular and famous designers have not really passed out from NIFT? Through this example, I would suggest, you stop chasing brand names and concentrate more on achieving a course most suitable for you for a successful Design career.
For this, you need to introspect and understand what exactly is pulling you towards Design – whether it’s Fashion Design, Communication Design, Product Design, Accessories Design etc. It’s important to recognize where your passion lies because the temperament, attitude, observation, vision varies with each field. Also the technological and infrastructural requirements for each field differs to a great extent. So, if you just keep insisting on receiving education in NIFT – due to its brand identity – no matter which field you ultimately get based on your score – you will still be frustrated and by the time you realize it, it will be too late to rectify your mistakes. Remember, the Design industry won’t accept you just based on your Degree from NIFT. They will ultimately give you a job based on your skills and talents. So, if you are clear about your chosen Design field and really want to crack NIFT, then work extremely hard to achieve your desired rank and course. Don’t come to NIFT like a beggar, accepting whatever is handed down to you, but earn and own your position. Else you can opt for other good Design colleges too.
FDDI is mostly popular for Footwear Design. There’s no competition for it in India. IIT’s are a more serious technical platform, and do not really have a Design friendly atmosphere. IIT’s, NID, NIFT are a completely different ball game. You need to work exceptionally hard to secure a seat and course of your choice.
There are many different Design colleges which offer a variety of Design courses which are inter-connected and are called “Multidisciplinary” categories. Some of them are beneficial and can positivelyaffect your overall development.
- The first point is to understand which Design course you want to prepare for.
- Second and a very important point to consider is whether you have the monetary back-up to establish a business or whether you would be a working professional in your chosen field of Design. You have to be very clear in your mind, because to get a good job with a decent salary you have to prepare yourself differently in your college life. And even to establish a business you have to develop yourself accordingly. So, if you plan to work as a Designer in a reputed organization then you need to choose those minor subjects through the multi-disciplinary approach which will help you to get the job you desire and excel in your field. The same can be applied if you wish to commence a business after the completion of your course, such as Design Business Management etc which will help you in being a successful Design Entrepreneur. So, whichever option you choose, you need to plan and prepare yourself accordingly right from the beginning.
- The third point is about knowing how to receive an accurate Design College Degree, since Degree is a vital element for both job and business.
There are several good private colleges in India who provide an excellent teaching pedagogy but do not provide a good Degree. Which is why I stay away from referring these colleges and also commenting on them in my replies on social media. I avoid mentioning and recommending colleges which are weaker in terms of Degree as well as placements. I refrain from mentioning the names of these colleges directly, because I feel I am responsible for those students who are already pursuing their courses through these colleges and I also cannot defame them on my online platform. The reason being students already studying in these colleges, after seeing my videos,might get affected psychologically regarding their Design career and placements and their overall future. My purpose is to not defame anyone or instill anxiety among students, but to make you aware of the importance of precise Degree and placements and also about your Design career. The importance of a good Design college, it’s infrastructure and Degree is what motivated me to review colleges by personally visiting and exploring their campuses, teaching pedagogy, infrastructure and facilities. This helps you in making an informed decision regarding a particular college. So, whenever you need to choose and decide on a particular college, I would recommend you first go through my college review videos on my You-tube channel and then make an informed decision.
Let’s understand the importance of Degrees that I have been mentioning earlier too.
To secure a government job or even a private placement, it’s really not necessary to achieve your Design education from these colleges alone. A good private college education is also sufficient if they provide a UGC recognized Degree. Because of the increased demand for such Design colleges, it’s imperative for the government to insist on regular checks of the authentic parameters of these colleges. This will ensure a secure future of our Design aspirants. There’s still one area which is vulnerable i.e strength of infrastructure. I have come across a few private colleges who tend to hire infrastructure during the admission process just to impress students and parents but later the same infrastructure disappears in the name of upgradation and changes. This is the Dark reality of these Indian Design colleges and students hesitate to complain for the fear of their career being affected.
Especially for parents, I would like to point out again that debating about superiority of a government college and a private college in Design education is futile. What should be the most important topic to understand is your choice of course and to thoroughly check the authenticity of Degree. There are few colleges providing a UGC recognized Degree and few who provide Associated Degrees. Let me elaborate using an example for a better understanding of the term “Associated”. It’s like, Key Art N Design – that is us – providing a Degree from another college. Which means that you are studying with Key Art N Design and getting a Degree from another college. Here, we need to understand how good the other college is who is providing the Degree. So, before embarking on these Associated Degree courses always check on their value and authenticity. Because sometimes these associations are not always authentic and proper. Research and gain knowledge about them. Only after a thorough check should you go ahead with it. Many colleges also provide foreign college degrees (Associated) but you need to know that such foreign colleges cannot provide you a proper Degree if they are not on Indian soil. That Degree is not valid. These are the dark sides of Indian Design education, because no one is really aware of the truth. However, such colleges might have good infrastructure and if you wish to just train yourself for a business venture then you are good to go because it’s like a coaching center similar to what we are. We coach and guide students in the Art and Design field for Design entrance admissions. We are connected with our students even after they have secured admissions, which is why we limit our intake of students so as to not hamper their personalized attention. Our students also intern with us in our other Art and Design projects.
My point here is that there are colleges which are registered as coaching centers but students and parents are unaware of it. Which is why it’s important to thoroughly check the authenticity and value of such colleges. Why is it important? Because these are all the dark sides of Design education.
So the first introspection begins with YOU:
YOU need to be aware of your course.
YOU need to know your passion, tendency and the field suitable for you.
YOU need to be aware whether you want to pursue a job or a business.
If you are preparing for business, any college with an efficient infrastructure and teaching pedagogy will be good enough for you. Because there are many colleges who have good intentions but due to limitations and restrictions in UGC regulations, they are unable to get a UGC recognition. But these colleges are excellent if you wish to pursue a business since they would provide you with good entrepreneurial training and Design knowledge. But if you aim for a private or a government job you will face problems. Even if you wish to pursue higher studies, again, you might face problems.
Design Education in India, due to its expensive infrastructure and certain regulations and systems is a bit costly affair. So, if you constantly keep looking for a cheap Design college to study, you will end up falling into some kind of a trap. You can’t buy a real diamond at theprice of an American diamond. There’s a vast difference between the two, even though they might look similar. Consequently, the outcome of such a Design education will also be different in terms of placement, job and salary. What I am trying from my side is to gather relevant information by personally visiting Design colleges, understanding their infrastructure and teaching pedagogy and Degrees and providing an authentic review about the same for all you young Design aspirants. But the final thing, which you as students should be prepared for is hard-work. Hard-work is something which will be required irrespective of the college you get into. Always remember, a Design education is not a fun college life. It’s the most important hard-working period of your life. Only then can you achieve success, glory, fame which is commonly associated with the Design field. This eventuality can only be achieved after 4 or 6 years of hard-work, sincerity and passion.
Most of the students have commented on my video that they wish to make their parents proud. My question to them is how are you going to do this? Design is about discipline, analytical approach and understanding. Bring this analytical approach in your life and thoughts. If you think, I am biased and just promoting colleges, you can even raise your objections in the comment box. I visit these colleges, I feel excited and convey all the details through my videos. I am doing this for you because I know there are few Design colleges in India, which is leading to a demand, supply gap. Almost 20,000 students appear for NID exams, out of which only 500 students get admission. That makes 19,500 heartbroken students who are waiting outside NID, similar to NIFT students. Where will they go to fulfill their Design dreams?
Hence, my search is for good private Design colleges equivalent or better than NIFT and NID.
If you think, I have missed out on any important point or have any doubt or suggestion to make, do feel free to mention it in the comment box.
