In an attempt to bridge the gap between bookish and practical knowledge, educational institutes are walking the extra mile and spending big money in bringing in experience from practical world through guest lectures by professionals.

"Guest lectures by industry experts and professionals from various fields give students information about real-time situations that they may face once they enter the job market in reality".

In schools and colleges students learn from text books which helps them secure good marks in examinations. All the learning however, comes to a naught once they enter the school of where practical experience counts much more than text book knowledge.

In an attempt to bridge the wide gap between bookish and practical knowledge, educational institutes are walking the extra mile and spending big money in bringing in experience from practical world through guest lectures.

A number of well-known professionals are invited to school and colleges to take guest lectures and have informal conversation with students. It is a golden opportunity for students to know how things work in real time situations from those who have facet these situations in real life. Organising guest lectures seems to have become the norm in educational institutes across the city.

With a large number of students graduating every year, the competition in job market is growing. Recruiters look for competencies like knowledge, skills and correct attitude among job aspirants. Guest lectures by industry experts and professionals from various fields give students information about real-time situations they may face when they enter the job market. Students when as job aspirants they need to prepare their resume and crack job interviews.
Guest lecturers are invited to synergise theoretical knowledge with practical orientation. Though the faculty can help students with bookish knowledge, people from the industry can share with them the actual scenario at work. They can inform them about job requirements and the plus and minus points of a particular job.

The trend is particularly visible in many management colleges that want to give their students exposure to diversified syllabus of management studies so people from Indian Institute of Management (IIM) are also called in for guest lectures. Dr Naval Vajpayee, a professor, shares, “the demand for world-class education and the lure of gaining IIM expertise is the reason for organizing guest lectures in a number of colleges.”

While colleges really need to prepare their students for their entry in to job market, schools managements too are keen to widen students’ knowledge base. Hence high officials in administration, police, medicine and even NGOs and social activists are invited to interact with the students.

In most schools, guest lectures are mainly issue-based. For instance, as consumerism is drying up natural resources, schools are calling environmentalists to talk to student about the significance of sustainable living. Students are told about many things ranging from energy saving to less usage of fossil fuels, from planting trees to saving water, etc. guest lectures by experts in various fields are appreciated by students and this also creates a better image of the school. Dr Ashish Sadh, a management expert, says, “It has recently become the need of the hour to have a wide knowledge base to succeed in one’s career. Smelling the shift, schools and colleges are taking the right step forward.” Students too are appreciative of guest lectures. Sumit ahuja studying in a leading college, says, “I really enjoy sessions taken by eminent people form the industry.They help me get relevant knowledge.”

Talking about the need preparing students for the role they’d be playing once they pass out, especially management students. Dr Sanjiv Marwah, director, Era Business School,

Shares , “Business strategies are fine, but what B-school programmer should also lay great stress on is developing and strong business ethics. In fact, various business schools plan to introduce MBA oath, wherein, students would pledge to respect business values and ethics. The aim is to make true leaders.”