Dr. Pojul Loying
(pojulloy@gmail.com)
The axiom “catch them young” expresses the desire to train, cater, support, and guide children early in life for all-round development and to develop a love for education to become lifelong learners. The idea behind this axiom is that children are like sponges, ready to absorb knowledge, skills, and values from their surroundings. Therefore, it is important to provide them with positive and stimulating experiences early on, as these experiences will shape their future attitudes and behaviours.
Research has shown a strong correlation between students’ exposure at the early stage to higher educational institutions, industries, technology, different environments, cultures, etc., and career outcomes. It is a gateway to new experiences, ideas, and perspectives that can broaden their horizons and expand their future opportunities. Such exposure fosters adaptability and resilience in young individuals. When exposed to diverse situations and challenges early, they develop better decision-making in career choices, broaden horizons and expand opportunities, and overcome barriers to gaining experience.
Studies have also shown that navigating at an early stage with proper guidance and mentorship significantly impacts a person’s life trajectory. Mentorship programmes provide a supportive environment for young individuals exploring different career paths and seeking learning opportunities. Mentors can offer valuable insights, advice, and connections that help bridge the gap between education and real-world experiences. Even UNICEF also works on early child mentorship with the slogan “Catch them young, watch them grow.”.
To identify young talents at the early stage and provide mentoring, the Government of Assam, with the visionary leadership of Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, launched a programme called “AROHAN” in 2022–23. AROHAN is a mentor-mentee programme for meritorious secondary students in government schools that emphasizes inclusivity, support, and societal contribution. Under the programme, talented students aged 13 to 18, studying in classes IX to XII, receive support through mentoring and counselling for career progression, exposure, and incentives in the form of cash or kind.
The students are guided by mentors, which include senior government officials, both serving and retired, alumni of schools, students pursuing postgraduate degrees or higher at esteemed universities, entrepreneurs with their businesses, professionals, or corporate individuals originating from Assam and currently serving anywhere in India or abroad. The District Commissioner/Principal Secretary (in the case of 6th Schedule districts) serves as the Chief Mentor in the respective district. A total of 11,604 mentors have been mentoring students under Arohan since 2022–23.
The selected students under Arohan are called mentees, and the mentees of this scheme are top performers from the annual Class VIII exams, currently studying in IX, X, and XI in government/provincialized schools, Adarsha Vidyalayas, Tea Garden Model Schools, and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. Since 2022-23, a total of 12,489 students have been selected for this programme. In 2022-23, a total of 3,885 students were selected, and these students are currently studying in class XI. Likewise, a total of 4324 students were selected for the year 2023-24, and these students are currently studying in class X. This year, a total of 4,280 students have been selected and are studying in class IX.
One of the most attractive features of the Arohan programme is the exposure visit to the premier institutions/organizations and interaction with various stakeholders. The mentees are invited to Guwahati, the capital city of Assam, along with district representatives and are provided accommodation at IIT Guwahati. They visit and interact with professors, scholars, and scientists of the premier institutions/organisations like IIT Guwahati, AIIMS Guwahati, Biotech Park, Assam State Zoo, National Science Centre, State Museum, Planetarium, Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, etc. Further, to attract the students towards defence services and expose them to a sense of the ethos of nationalism, mentees are also given the opportunity to visit Narengi Military Station for a day. They are also given career guidance by renowned career experts at Assam Administrative Staff College.
According to records from Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Assam, mentors under this program consistently provide guidance to students, with each mentor visiting the homes and schools of their mentees an average of five times per year for mentoring support. Mentors have also provided various support items to mentees, like bicycles, books, clothes, Geometry Box, Oxford Dictionary, GK books, other study materials and stationery, etc.
In conclusion, catching children young not only benefits individual children but also results in a positive impact on society as a whole. Research has shown that quality early childhood education programs lead to better academic performance, higher employment rates, and reduced involvement in crime and other risky behaviours. Therefore, investing in early childhood education is a crucial step towards building a better and more productive society.