The COVID pandemic has driven all to our wit’s end. The governments, medical fraternity and others are struggling to bring it under control. They are doing their best with all their might. Hats off to them. Their efforts are surely going to bear fruit sooner than later. Caught in this whirlpool of events, however, are the students, particularly the students who have completed their schooling. In the case of the children and school students, all concerned have taken greater care and precautions. The matter seems to be resolving to the best possible option.

The school education is well settled and classes are continuing online. Hardly there seems to be any other option. However, in the case of higher education, the options are galore and the major decision many need to take is, should one take admission this year or wait for a year and decide? This is a dilemma many students and their parents are facing in this severe COVID period. This thinking is very relevant and logical too.

Similar to a coin having two sides, this problem too has two answers. In the case of a coin, no side is wrong, but you should call it correctly to win. So also in this case. No decision is wrong. But one should be on the side of the right decision to win. That’s where the similarity ends. In the case of the coin, the probability is 50% you will win. Also, you can not do anything about a con falling on a particular side. However, there is no such known probability available in case of the present pandemic and it is not true that nothing can be done about it. We can be better prepared for one or the other decision.

Let us examine the two possibilities. In the first case, we wait and watch. The present situation is not going to last forever – in fact, no situation lasts forever. Most of the predictions are that by this year-end there will be a turn around in the situation and in all probability, the second half of 2021 will be a near-normal – may be a new normal situation will prevail. We, the followers of this first case, will be starting from scratch as we have done nothing constructive during this period.

Examine the other possibility. In this second case, we continue to study and learn as usual, albeit in a different mode – hybrid or online mode. Going by the same above argument, at the end of this pandemic, we will, however, be better prepared than our friends who had chosen the first way. The world would be in greater need of professional people then, and we can succeed without much competition.

So we can see that, even without knowing the probability, the second choice seems to be the winner.

I am not suggesting any course nor any college for the study. The only conclusion that emerges from the above argument is that one should continue his study without waiting for the pandemic to be over. The suggestion is not to take up the regular classroom classes. That may a little while away. Definitely, one can join the online classes conducted by regular institutes and continue to learn from the safety of one’s home. Surely the early bird will get the worm. Students who are better prepared than others will able to reap the benefits of their decision.

Safe and happy learning!