Committed to the cause, youths sign up for teaching initiative

Updated on: Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Kolkata: If there was ever any doubt about Kolkata’s commitment to the cause of learning, it was well and truly removed last week. City youngsters made a beeline for the Teach For India (TFI) fellowship recruitment presentations held across colleges around Kolkata and at the IIT Kharagpur and IIT Guwahati.

The initiative offers to rope in students for a two-year, full-time, paid fellowship programme on teaching and leadership, and then to support them to get jobs at premier institutes after two years. The recruitment team attracted hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate students eager to join the TFI programme.

The presentations got under way at the St. Xavier’s College. “We had scores of brilliant youngsters wanting to join the Teach For India movement, and spread the spirit of knowledge. Many have got the potential to do the fellowship, but perhaps had never considered the option,” said Shveta Raina, recruitment head, TFI.

Some of the students agreed. “It was indeed a privilege to be a part of this lively presentation which was very interactive. We got to know a lot about teaching in low-income schools, and the fact that there are opportunities post the two years which we didn’t know about. I will definitely apply for the fellowship,” said Samreen Khan, president of the student body for Loreto College.

The TFI recruitment team also met students and faculty from Jadavpur University, National University of Juridical Sciences, IIM Calcutta, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati, and the economics department of Calcutta University. Everywhere, the presentations had a full-house. And students had all kinds of interesting questions.

“We also have several applications from students wanting to represent their campus as a Teach For India Campus Ambassador. The Campus Ambassadors are crucial to help us build this movement of leaders who will work together to eliminate inequity in education.” said Raina. At IIT Kharagpur, undergraduate student Saurabh Harnathka was extremely enthusiastic about the prospect of joining the movement and was accepted as a campus ambassador the very next day.

“Feels great to be among likeminded people working for an exceptionally great cause. I am sure that with all the hard work and spirit, we will be able to achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves and for Teach For India,” he said. At Presidency College, students got together for a round table meet with the recruitment team to discuss the fellowship. They asked several pressing and intelligent questions about educational inequity, it was very exciting to see the next generation of leaders being so well-informed.

IIM Calcutta students, too, participated enthusiastically. Here, TFI had the opportunity to have a session with the director.

Those interested can learn more and apply at www.teachforindia.org.

Committed to the cause, youths sign up for teaching initiative

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