ASPIRATIONS OF AN INDIAN STUDENT
In present times, India is developing lightning fast, expanding its branches through the globe by combined effects of globalization, modernization and technology. Even in such tragic economic depression India has been able to sustain its economy and that too efficiently. Thanks to the Indian brain, by virtue of which a country which had been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls, has now integrated itself into a democratic super nation.
But my point is not as easy to understand as it seems. I am not talking of the ARYABHATTA or of KALIDAS or of SHREEDHARACHARYA or of any such multi-faceted, multi-talented, extra-brilliant personality, the reason being that many famous writers and poets have already praised their noble deed. But what I want to focus on is the apathy shown by these noble poets and writers on the real consent, THE INDIAN STUDENT.
As soon as a child is born in India, predictions are on their way. Predictions by the pundit about the kundli or about the sun signs and many more indeed. The engineer father says, “See what eyes he has got, perfect for him to become an engineer.” On the other hand the doctor father says, “Just have a look on his delicate hands, he would be better than me at the operation.” And the one who is a businessman comments, “Ah! That’s my upcoming C.E.O” and in this way the journey of the Indian student begins, an endless journey, into this dreary world of materialism, competition and mutiny.
It seems that after such a healthy discussion, you may have perceived a little about what I want to say.
Since its inception after independence, the Indian education system has focused on the wholesome development of the child. To give him or her that education which will help him to modify into a good human, and who could sustain his own livelihood and contribute to the development of the nation.
But it seems to me, after fourteen years of formal education that we need to openly improvise on the traditional education system for the betterment of the future.
As a kid, there were very few social gatherings indeed where my uncle spared me that eternal question, “Beta what do you want to be when you grow up?” And like the average 10 year old Indian kid, I had no idea. Some of my friends though, had a lot of ideas at that time on what they wanted to be. Sadly for them, things as they stand now are markedly different from the dreams they had harbored way back in 3rd standard.
So how does the average Indian student make his career choices anyway? At the end of the day your career is a choice nonetheless, the question still remains on how many of us actually allow ourselves to choose rather than be pushed in various directions by “the invincible forces” around us. “The forces” as I’d like to call them, and chiefly be broken down into “Parent Trap”, “Peer Pressure”, and the “Sixth Sense”. These three forces shape many of us and perhaps an insight into how they work could serve as a tool to examine which direction the average student’s career takes.
A doctor’s son should be a doctor, a businessman’s son should manage the family business and the rickshaw puller’s son should grow up to be a wife-beater like his father. If you go by the sheer number of star babas and babes in Bollywood you would think that dancing around trees and fighting bad guy dressed in designer jeans has some specific gene that will henceforth be passed on only to the chosen few. The lure of following in your parents footsteps is strong, and it is not genetic in nature. It about the professional network that your father/ mother has built up over a career spanning twenty five years that can give you that cushy start. If you are thinking of going against conventional wisdom and breaking the cradle so to speak, networking will hold the key to ensure that you don’t necessarily have to fall into the “Parent trap”.
Mohan said “I wanna be an engineer when I grow up”. And just because your best friend Mohan said it, the ten year old you had also echoed his words. Some seven years later, while studying day and night for IITJEE, you wondered where that worm of becoming an engineer actually entered your mind. Whenever making a career choice, it would be prudent for all of to see whether we are following our own dream or that of our friends, brothers, sisters, parents. All of us have our hopes and aspirations and dreams we want to chase dearly. But at times we are too lazy to lay down that blueprint for ourselves and introspect enough to come up with what we really want.
“Borrowed dreams don’t make for happy realities”
“Mom, my sixth sense tells me that I want to be a painter”, that’s what most of us tell our mother at a young age, but the fact is only a fraction of us dare to pursue after attaining the age. Recently, one of my friends started a tattooing business in our city. Although I was not able to communicate my feelings to him, but inside me felt I felt as happy as a Lark. At least he knows what he wants to do! Al least he has that much courage to get over the “forces” that many of us don’t posses! And on the top he has confidence on his “sixth sense” that whatever he will pursue will turn into success!
Al last I would end up this time consuming and laborious discussion hoping that you being a student, or a parent, or a friend, or a mentor, would be able to take correct decisions for yourselves or your child. Because,
“Challenges are high, dreams are new, the world out there is waiting for you to dare to dream, dare to try, as no goal is too distant, no star too high……………….”
Aditya Dubey
Student
India
