The Platinum Jubilee of social work education in India was observed in 2011. But there is nothing to cheer about. Mushrooming of social work courses (BSW and MSW ); sub-standard distance education programmes barring the ones of IGNOU; no national association of social workers; no regulatory council; no certification for social work practice:...
For some years a voluntary association called Association of Schools of Social Work in India (ASSWI)existed. It was called a Headmasters' Association as a small group of "headmasters" and their collaborators controlled it.They were the permanent participants of international conferences and seminars; and beneficiaries of government nominations and international assignments. They also claimed themselves as practitioners. During 1977-81, a committed team was elected to manage ASSWI in which I had the opportunity to be one.For the first time social work teachers from different regions were nominated to international programmes ; many were invited to direct many workshops and seminars; and organised various faculty development and curriculum restructuring workshops.But when our four-year term ended, we faced a vicious character assassination campaign led by a group of "senior" social work educators. The new team succeeded in making ASSWI a weak organisation, which eventually had its demise.
The association of social workers--Indian Association of Social Workers (IATSW)--was a fairly strong Delhi-based body for some years. When a new power centre emerged in another city, internecine squabbles led to its closure.But the recent trend of associations of professional social workers in different cities without any national strangulating agency is a healthy sign.
From time to time, attempts were made for a statutory regulatory council of social work education without any success. The promoters of the council are overzealous as they could control the council if it ever becomes a reality.
In recent decades, a good number of committed professional social workers across the country are changing the landscape of professional social work practice in India .Thank GOD! they are independent of social work educators whose agenda is more personal than professional.
source Dr T K Nair's Social Work Blog
Dear Professionals
ReplyDeleteI strongly feel that we ourselves are responsible for the degradation of the values of Social Work Profession by not revolting against the mushrooming of social work schools and colleges all throughout India. Some of the institution providing Social Work course in Distance Mode without Concurrent Field Work,Social Work institutions are growing by quantity and not by quality.With years the professional social workers are becoming money minded and loosing out on the ethical and moral aspects of the profession.They are hardly united for a cause.They discuss and debate over several pressing issues in seminar, conferences ,workshops etc but hardly bother about putting words into practice.Kudos to NIRATANKA by Mr Ramesh and his able team who is doing a great job by uplifting our profession to some platform of glory through Google Groups.
Regards
Sudeshna Saha
Assistant Professor
Dept of Social Work
Visva-Bharati
Santiniketan
09475657337
sudeshnasaha1@gmail.com
Dear Sir,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the critical writing. While I was going through a
training conducted by V V Giri National Labour Institute on Enhancing
youth employability skill, I was wondering about two facts.
1. the future prospects of social work in 2020 or 2030. Labour
insitute was delivering different figures that speaks about the need
of skilled professionals in the fourth coming years. there i did not
find my glorious profession. if any one of you see the figures,
please rectify my mistaken observation.
2. employability skill of Indian social workers even after spending
thousands to lakhs of rupees in order to complete the BSW, MSW and PhD
programmes. ( I am not excluding myself).
I have searched in Google regarding the prospects of Indian Social
Work Industry. It did not gave me an answer. So I would like to use
this platform as an opportunity to ask the question; what shall the
freshers and experienced social workers will do in the coming decades?
My question is based on one ting: day by day, the foreign assisted
developmental projects are stopping their financial aid. (if i am
wrong, pls correct me). newly enacted CSR law gives more room for MBA
professionals rather than MSW. So kindly guide me and the fellow
social workers with some information about the prospects of Social
Work in India............
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Thank you
Ajeesh Sebastian
Research Scholar
Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur (C.G)
Yes, it is a serious and sensitive issue. It requires genuine leadership, true academic spirit and organized effort to establish SW profession in India. I've discussed the matter, within the scope of my research, in my recent book on " Ethics in SW Education and Practice". Copy available with Mr. Ramesha MH.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
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I.Goswami,PhD
Director-Department of Management Studies
INFO institute of engineering
Kovilpalayam
Coimbatore-641107, TN
Tel:0422-2363700
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