Students travelling far distant places for studying....

As there are only a few colleges in the state that offer career oriented courses. A large number of students are ready to travel long distances, sometimes even more than 40 km a day. A career oriented course provides the students, an edge over the others.

Sometimes students are also ready to stay far away from home, while there are many who travel regularly to long distant places. Despite the various hardships in the infuriating long journey, students are yet firm towards achieving a degree in these courses.

Felicia Gomes, 18, whose studying mass media at Don Bosco Panjim travels all the way from Carmona said “I always wanted to study mass media but since I stay in a village such courses aren’t available in this area. No matter what, I wanted to pursue this course that’s the reason I don’t mind travelling so much. As this area, have only a few buses. I often face the problem of being stuffed between so many people in an over – crowded bus. I just want more regular buses in this area.”

Jevisco Fernandes from Benaulim too had a similar opinion; he said that as the college is one of the reputed institutes and the desire to be a part of such an institute motivated me to travel such a long distant place.

The 20 year old, who’s pursuing a B.B.A at St. Xavier’s college, Mapusa, said “I selected this college because it’s one of the reputed institutes in state and it gives me a platform to put forth my practical knowledge into practice. I have been traveling in the bus from the past one year and what has been affecting me the most is the inconstant bus fare”

Students often face a lot problem while travelling long distant places, like inconstant bus fare, overcrowded buses, rude attitude of the conductors, unhygienic conditions of buses, rareness of buses, yet they are determined.

Pooja Naik, 18, from Tuvem travels to Goa College of Fine Arts, Panjim, to pursue her fine arts studies in painting. “Fine Arts colleges are quite rare in Goa. So when I heard about this college I said I should join it, the distance doesn’t matter. But there are a few difficulties while travelling in the buses. As I have to board three buses to reach my college, it gets difficult to get a connecting bus. Some of the buses aren’t in good condition while there’s also a shortage of buses in this area.” 

Lisvan Rodrigues, a Journalism student from St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa too felt that there should be an increase in the number of buses in the area, especially during the weekdays.

Rodrigues, 19, from Benaulim said, “It was a dream to study Journalism and what better place then St. Xavier’s?  Travelling so far for a course like this is completely worth it. I travel everyday by bus and I have noticed that the conditions of the buses plying on Goan roads are pathetic.  The conductors are rude and they keep denying the student’s legitimate 50% concession. On Mondays, there are hardly any buses leaving from Margao to Panjim. We find it quiet difficult to reach to college on time.”

Mohan Das Kamat, A resident of Margao, his daughter was a student of Mass Media studies and regularly had to Panjim. He said that it’s totally worth it, and that there should be separate student oriented buses especially during the peak hours of the day.

Kamat said, “I feel the course is totally worth it. It has made our children more confident about themselves. But I feel regarding their travelling, if there are more student oriented buses especially in the peak hours, it would be better for the students, reach college on time.”

Santosh Patkar, the Principal of Saraswat Vidyalaya, Mapusa said, “I do agree that a large number of students travel almost every day to pursue courses which are available in certain colleges of the state. There are few colleges which offer career oriented courses. And this is because the demand in a partivular place would be less as the fees of these courses are high and it might not do well in that area. So, mostly colleges having such career oriented courses are situated in big cities like Panaji, Mapusa.”

He further added “Nowadays, the government has been really very helpful by providing educational loans for students. And thus there aren’t many problems for the students to opt for career oriented courses.”