CAREER: Rural Development as a Career Option

CAREER: Rural Development as a Career Option

Ranjan K Baruah

Rural development is the process of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people living in rural areas, often in relatively isolated and sparsely populated areas. Rural development is important in a country like India where the majority of the population still resides in rural areas. Development of rural areas and rural people is a must for the progress of any country. Change in the rural areas and change in the mind-set of the people would lead towards sustainable development which is being discussed globally.

Rural development has traditionally been centered on the exploitation of land-intensive natural resources such as agriculture and forestry. However, changes in global production networks and increased urbanization have changed the character of rural areas. Increasing tourism activities, manufacturers catering to a niche audience, and recreation have replaced resource extraction and agriculture as dominant economic drivers.

The need for rural communities to approach development from a wider perspective has created more focus on a broad range of development goals rather than merely creating incentive for agricultural or resource based businesses. Education, entrepreneurship, physical infrastructure, and social infrastructure all play an important role in developing rural regions.

Rural development is also characterized by its emphasis on locally produced economic development strategies. In contrast to urban regions, which have many similarities, rural areas are highly distinctive from one another. For this reason, there is a large variety of rural development approaches used globally.

Rural development is a comprehensive term. It essentially focuses on action for the development of areas outside the mainstream urban economic system. We should think of what type of rural development is needed because modernization of village leads to urbanization and the traditional village environment disappears. As there is a huge demand for this subject,studies on this area has also evolved as rural development. While there are subjects and similar courses like Social Work or Development Studies but nowadays,Rural Development has also become an independent subject which can be studied by our young people.

There are post-graduate courses and also diploma programmes in Rural Development offered by some institutes in the country. The courses range from Rural Development, Rural Management, Sustainable Rural Studies, etc. After finishing these courses, one may get engaged with different agencies focussing on rural development or they may also try to get employment in government departments and many other NGOs or development organisations. Apart from regular courses, some universities like IGNOU also provide distance courses related to this subject.

One must have employability skills apart from the requisite qualification to work in the field of rural development. It is challenging but working in this field is also a commitment for the progress of the society and bringing change in our society.

Young people from our region may take up rural development and get themselves engaged in rural development for creating a vibrant society and nation.

Jobs are available in different areas which focus on rural development. Trained and qualified individuals may work with government or non-governmental organisations in the country or even some other developing countries. One may join different NGOs or civil society organisations which focus on rural development. A career in rural developmentrequires passion and patience to be successful in this area.

In many developing countries, food security and rural development are ongoing challenges. Most of the poor people in the world live in rural regions. The problems of rural areas exist in all developing countries and hence, one may also work and contribute in countries outside India. Due to climate change and disasters, many countries suffer a lot and in this case, young people with specialisation in rural development may work in this area and contribute towards social change. One may not get a job immediately so initial planning is important for a career in this profession.

One must be ready to travel and meet people in this career option. One may not get good facilities in rural areas but with patience, anyone can excel through rural development. There are ample scopes for careers in rural development in the State of Assam and other parts of the north-eastern region.

There is no doubt that India is a country having a huge number of rural areas. This alone ensures an ample number of career paths for candidates interested in this field.

After completing degree courses in rural development, one may get designations like Research Officer, Rural Executives, Consultant, Project Co-ordinator/Project, etc. There are many other designations apart from the above mentioned ones. Interested candidates may start their own ventures for rural development and for bringing in social change and development.

Scholarships Updates:

Fair and Lovely Foundation Scholarship:The Fair and Lovely Foundation Scholarship is an initiative of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) which invites applications from college-going girl candidates only. Girl students studying in coaching classes are also eligible to apply for this scholarship. The total number of scholarships to be disbursed for the year 2018 is 55. Interested candidates must have scored at least 60% marks or above in Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations.

The scholarship is being offered by Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) with an objective to create a better future every day. Girls wishing to pursue or who are already pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate courses in a government-recognized institution in India, and/or taking coaching classes for entrance examinations like medical, engineering or civil services and have passed Class 12 (Science, Commerce, Arts, Others) and secured a minimum of 60% marks in class 10 and 12 board examinations, are eligible to apply. Aspirants may apply before 30th October, 2018.

S.N. Bose Scholars Program 2019:The S.N. Bose Scholars Program 2019 has been announced by the Science & Engineering Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and WINStep Forward. It aims to provide an opportunity to Indian students to experience world-class research facilities in top U.S. institutions. This scholarship works toward building a long-term collaboration between India and U.S. in the R&D sector.

The Science & Engineering Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and WINStep Forward have all partnered to offer this scholarship with an aim to nurture future innovators and thought leaders. The deadline is 31st October, 2018.

Israel Government Scholarships: Online applications are invited under the Israel GovernmentScholarships 2019-20. There are 5 scholarships for a duration of 8 months each, to undertake research /specialisations, from the universities which are approved by the Israeli Council for Higher Education and two short term (summer school) scholarships for those students seeking to study Hebrew. Aspirants may apply on or before 30th November, 2018.

(Ranjan K Baruah is a career mentor, skill trainer and motivational speaker and can be reached at bkranjan@gmail.com or 8473943734 for any career related queries.)

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