India’s Lucknow University is going to offer a new tool for its students seeking jobs, soon. According to expressindia.com, information that students submit on counseling forms will be posted on a job placement website ostensibly administered by the school itself. In addition to the basic information, the database is going to include educational information, including grades and specialized courses that the student enrolled in.

On the face of it, we like the sound of this idea; putting Internet profiles to a positive purpose. However, there is nothing in the article to determine if the information being placed online is totally opt-in. While it is nice to have your grades available for a potential employer to peruse, what happens if you have a bad term and you get a less than stellar grade in Organic Chemistry one semester? Potentially you could not be hired based on this information, and that’s not so good. Controlling your information online is always a priority in this digital age.

Ultimately, this is a step in the right direction in terms of increasing communication, as Professor Nishi Pandey points out: “The university receives thousands of letters from various institutes and government departments enquiring about the details of students, when they apply for admission or jobs there. Online information of the students will make it easier both for the university and the information seeker.”

Could this be a trend that eventually finds its way to the United States? Only time will tell.

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