By Nihal Parashar:
I have a bleak memory of what happened with a friend of mine seven years back. It was 2006 when we gave our 10th boards. Being in a city like Patna we did not enjoy the liberty of choosing streams in 11th. We do as we are told. I had a friend who was excellent in calligraphy and painting and was interested in arts and aesthetics. I took Commerce, but he was ‘advised’ to opt for Science. Two years later, before our 12th boards results were out, my friend bought the entrance form of NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) with his savings. Although I was sure that he would crack the entrance, but his father was totally appalled by the very idea. His final verdict for my friend was that he must become an ‘engineer’.
In Bihar, if you fail an exam, the world ends for you and at a time when one needs family the most, it discards you. Fortunately for me, based on my result, I got through the Delhi University and opted for Literature, but my friend had flunked in his Physics exam. I quite remember that a year later the same friend appeared for AIEEE and IIT entrance exams but could not crack either, and his father called me and asked about the best private engineering colleges. Now even though my friend got through one of the colleges in Jaipur, he is still trying to clear his last semester exams. A talent wasted.
The bigger question: Why is our society obsessed with dictating a teenager’s career choice? At an age when you are eligible to choose the leader of your country, you are not allowed to choose your own career. Dual standards, surely.
I have immense respect for my friend’s father and also know that he wanted the best for his son, but what I don’t understand is the obsession with ‘engineering’? This is a complex question and cannot have a simple answer.
Mehul Gala
your friend’s story is very similar to that of Farhan from movie 3 Idiots. I completely agree with the question you have raised. It’s very easy to blame Indian education system for whatever wrong is happening with the students but when you look into the water deeply, you will see the clear picture.
I would rather blame our relatives for such incidents. All our relatives care of is how much is your son’s grades? How much do your son earn? All these talk invariably creates an environment where every parent want to outdo their relatives by showing that their son has better, secured future. In the quest to achieve such reputation, every indian parent pushes there child to the limits. Their personal interests, hobbies, natural talent is completely forgotten. All they are taught is to study hard, get good grades (by hook or by crook), get a decent job offer and spend your life in 9 to 5 routine.
Every parents put their ambitious dreams which they failed to achieve on their child’s shoulders. It puts tremendous burden on the child.