April 20, 2020 | Page 2 of 2 | Adamas University

Doing What You Love: Turning Your Passion for Language and Literature into a Viable Career

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a student in India pursuing English Language and Literature for higher studies must be in want of common sense. Curious neighbors buzz around what they smell to be the carcass of a dead career where jobs are scant and the academic slope is stiff and endless. Vexed parents prepare themselves for an endless barrage of questions on precisely why their child chose to commit (what is seen as) a career suicide. The student, caught in such a quagmire, prepares himself/ herself for a perplexing journey whose end is shrouded in uncertainty. Or so the misinformed fable goes. This false fable, like all false fables, has its roots in incorrect information, and can be countered by adequate awareness of all the available career options for a student choosing to study English Language and Literature. Which this objective in mind, this blog post has a twofold purpose: elucidating the career options available to students of English Language and Literature, and delineating the pivotal role that mastery over the English language plays for students pursuing other careers:

Career Options for Students of English Language and Literature:

Teaching: Teaching remains one of the most rewarding career options for those studying English Language and Literature. The journey for a career in education may involve teaching in schools or teaching in colleges or universities. English majors wanting to teach in schools may get a Bachelor Education (B.Ed) degree and apply to the large number of (government and private) schools all over the country. A degree in English is particularly beneficial here for it gives the student a pan-India access as English is the connecting language between different linguistic regions. English graduates with an ambition for teaching in colleges can sit for the National Eligibility Test (NET) after completing their masters in the discipline (with a minimum of 55 percent) which qualifies them to apply for assistant professorship in any college in India. Here too, students of English Language and Literature have the advantage of having a larger number of colleges to choose from because they are not restricted by language barriers. Moreover, colleges offering courses in subjects other than the humanities (for example: law colleges, engineering colleges, medical colleges etc) also have compulsory English papers, which further increases the number of colleges students of English can apply to for assistant professorship.

Research: Those with a passion for English Language and Literature can pursue research in the discipline. It is a common misconception that research is a low-paying, never-ending endeavour. On the contrary, if chosen with awareness and devotion, research can be a career option with provides both monetary and psychological benefits. Apart from the sense of fulfillment and satisfaction one gets in continuing to pursue the field one is passionate about, research provides ample funding opportunities both in India and abroad. In India, students qualifying for JRF (Junior Research Fellow) get a fixed stipend every month. In the UK, there are multiple opportunities for funding in the form of scholarships such as the Commonwealth Scholarship, Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships, Hornby Scholarships and others. In the USA, most PhD programs are fully funded.

Journalism: Students of English Language and Literature can also build a lucrative career in print, media and digital journalism. Command over the English language helps the student in constructing hard-hitting, coherent arguments which are imperative to the professional journey of a successful journalist. Further, a degree in English Language and Literature necessaites a strong familiarity with a large number of texts that hone the ability of the student to comprehend a difficult situation, and simplify it into comprehensible sections which can then be studied in a detailed and systematic manner. This ability proves invaluable to students in their careers as journalists, as journalism requires participation in and comprehension of a vast range of complex events and scenarios.

Content Writing: Students may choose to pursue a career in content writing as a freelancer. A degree in English Language and and Literature equips students with the necessary tools required to be a successful content writer. These skills include, among others, linguistic fluency, argumentative ability, comprehension skills and writing skills.

Interdisciplinary Career Paths: For a variety of reasons – ranging from globalisation to recent innovations in research – boundaries between disciplines are becoming ever porous, facilitating a rich exchange of ideas across a wide range of streams. The career options for students graduating in English Language and Literature therefore need not be limited to one specific discipline. They can pursue higher studies or explore career paths across a vast spectrum of subjects. For instance, an understanding of the technical and structural elements of the English language (taught under ‘linguistics’) can equip students (once they have learned coding from any of the large number of available sources such as Code Academy etc) with the necessary tools for further research in the field of Computer Science Engineering, or more specifically, in the field of developing Artificial Neural Networks for Natural Language Processing. Further, mastering the nuances of corporate language (taught under the course ‘Business English’) can prepare a student for a rewarding career in the corporate sector. Similarly, mastery over legal English (taught under the course of the same name) can greatly help students achieve optimal performance in careers in the field of law.

It is therefore evident that English Language and Literature is a lucrative and versatile discipline. It prepares students for a vast range of careers that span multiple disciplines. This interdisciplinary nature of the subject is particularly important in the contemporary era of globalisation. To return to the false fable with which the article begins, one can now counter the misinformed premises on which it is founded, and confidently decide to do what one loves and turn one’s passion into one’s profession.

Mental health issues of the college learners : A burning issue

Medicine and mental health

Health does not always come from medicine. Most of the time it comes from peace of mind. Short term stresses and worries are very common in our life. But when it lasts for a significant period of time, then it should be taken seriously. In recent years, a huge number of people are suffering from mental health problems worldwide. Among them mental health crisis in youths are revealing alarming reports. These mental health issues interfere with the personal, emotional, social, and educational life of a person. Various factors ranges from biological to psychosocial contribute to the development of the mental health problems. Now it is the time to take this matter seriously. In this endeavor, teachers, students, mental health professionals should work collaboratively to create sufficient awareness to check the mental health issues at the earliest and to minimize its effect in every spheres of life.

So, In this regard, it is needed to be understand that mental illness is not a personal failure. So let’s talk about it and say no to stigma!

Mental health issues

In recent years, it has been found that young persons suffering from mental health issues are increasing significantly. According to World Heath Report (2001), around 450 millions people currently suffer from such conditions, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill – health and disability world wide. Among the mental health sufferers, a good portion of youths have been found to be suffering from mental health problems severely. For them trying to do college work and managing other responsibilities, while experiencing mental illness can make it even harder. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13-18 live with mental health issues, develop them prior to the age of 24. Mental health conditions can make some learners withdraw inward rather than seeking help.

Prevalence of mental health issues faced by the school learners :

Mental health problems are very common among students today. There are various types of mental illness, the learners are suffering from. According to WHO, worldwide 10-20% of children and adolescents are suffering from mental health problems. Half of all mental illness begin by the age of 14 and three-quarters by mid-20. Many studies have been conducted worldwide to find out the mental health challenges faced by the children. Findings from some of these studies can be stated as follows :

In one survey by the school teachers in Britain, Britain’s school children are found to be suffering from a range of mental health epidemics of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. In that survey teachers have seen anxiety as the most common problem faced by the children. Besides it has also been found that a pupil struggle with a mental health problem in the past year, with 14% cases involvingsuicidal thoughts or behavior, 45% cases with depression, 30% cases with eating disorder, 28% cases with self-harming tendency and 10% with addiction.

In mental health research conducted by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately 11% of children are diagnosed with a depressive disorder by the age of 18.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America found that 1 in 8 children are affected by anxiety, yet 80% of those with a diagnosable anxiety disorder do not receive treatment.

In a study by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) it is found that 70% of high school seniors have tried alcohol, 50% have tried an illegal drug, and more than 20% have used prescription drugs for a non-medical purpose.

The data by the National Survey of Children’s Health indicates that approximately 6.1 million American children aged 2-17 had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).

Data from the National Institute of Mental Health indicates that school children have the tendency of suffering from eating disorder.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half a million American children have been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

From surveys like National Survey of Children’s Health, it is found that in America approximately 4.5 million children aged 3-17 years has been diagnosed with behavior problems; approximately 4.4 million children aged 3-17 years have been diagnosed with anxiety; and approximately 1.9 million children aged 3-17 years have been diagnosed with depression.

So from the above discussion it can be said that the mental health problems affect youths largely. Most of the mental health problem includes anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder(ocd), attention deficit hyper active disorder(adhd), eating disorder, drug addition etc.

Suggestions :

Mental health awareness is an important issue for all educators. It can be said that mental health has a connection with educational outcomes. So, keeping this fact in mind. necessary knowledge and skills to be imparted as a comprehensive, integrated health education programme, They include :
- Life skills education
- Basic knowledge of risk factors
- Basic knowledge of mental disorders
- Ability to recognize psychosocial and mental disorders
- Classroom management of psychosocial problems
- Mental health interventions
- Use of referral resources

The knowledge and skills should be maintained or updated through workshops and continuing educational activities.

Conclusion

In the present days, the numbers of mental health problems sufferers are rising at a high rate, and where these problems does not limit in the age range of adult hood- it also affects greatly the children and adolescents. So mental health awareness is required to live a healthy life.

Let our knowledge guide us through the COVID-crisis

“Imagination is more important than knowledge”- Albert Einstein

“The Only Source of knowledge is Experience”- Albert Einstein

Hello Students and knowledge –seekers!

I won’t start talking about novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic now. All of us know about it already! There is an onslaught of real and fake information that is bound to be overwhelming. It is time to take a sane and rational decision based on scientific evidence.

In this situation, we are sitting at home, doing our daily chores. The only front-line fighters are our doctors-health workers-scientists and police. But while we are quarantined at home, there is a lot of productive ways we may be able to contribute. How? One way is to disseminate facts and scientific protocols that need to be adopted to keep us and our families secure. In the words of Einstein….imagination is important than knowledge! In this context, I want to talk to all the students and future generations of thought leaders who want to give back to society in this crisis. The world is desperate to devise strategies to combat with COVID-19. Knowledge and ideas will be able to provide us deliverance and eventually redeem us!

Knowledge-based domains like Biotechnology & Molecular biology are guiding us to understand the nature of the virus, their weaknesses that can be exploited for their eradication. Finally, we can target this pandemic by blocking their reproduction, processing, and packaging. We can generate a vaccine that will enforce our immune system to fight back the intruder virus! In a nutshell, we need to know microbiology, molecular biology & biotechnology.

What you can do as a Biotechnology/Molecular Biology researcher to save the world from Corona pandemic:

Creating a testing apparatus
Immuno sequencing and machine learning
Cell-free manufacturing of glycosylated proteins
Develop vaccine

Another significant paradigm that needs to be investigated is in the domain of novel therapeutic intervention for COVID-19 and any future pandemic that may arise. New treatments are urgently needed to ameliorate this pandemic. Traditional, as well as de novo drug design/development, is a time consuming and expensive process, and we need a rapid and inexpensive strategy so that therapy can be administered as swiftly as possible.

An alternative strategy is to repurpose existing drugs that can meet the current needs. The therapy can be developed using a single drug or a combination of two or more drugs, chosen very carefully to avoid any potential side effects. Some of the existing antiviral agents are already in clinical trials. Some of the potential repurposed anti-COVID drug candidates are Chloroquine and related hydroxychloroquine (anti-malarial drug), favipiravir (used for the treatment of Influenza), IFN-β (a drug for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or COPD), Ritonavir (medicine for HIV), some antibiotics such as Azithromycin, Oritavancin, etc. These drugs have already been successfully used in the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients. Many more combination of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs is under investigation. Hence there is ample opportunity for us to contribute in a meaningful way as biotechnologists. All it requires is the intent of purpose and resolve. If we put in the collective effort we will be able to overcome this difficult phase in our civilization and we will be able to come out of this stronger as a community and civilization.