ENGINE'ering a career: The old-school of thought is a hurdle for students

Making the right choice in school and college is extremely important. But in India, anybody you ask seems to be choosing the science stream in 11th grade and then engineering. They try to avoid being the black sheep of the family in this way. But students later regret these decisions, drop out and follow their heart.

The old-school of thought is a hurdle for students. Goutham, a final year B.Com student, who opted for science in PU as per his father’s wishes says, “Low grades during those two years made my self esteem drop like a meteor. But my dad wanted me to take up engineering. He even bought me a new phone to coax me into it, as it was his dream and a matter of his reputation. Both of us are now glad that I did not listen to him,” he says.

Realisation that you’re on the wrong path may strike anytime. “Only after a few years of working in IT did I realise that learning new technologies and coming up with a piece of code was not my cup of tea,” confesses Srikanth Tatti, who left his job last year to become an entrepreneur.

Though music and writing are passions, for Manu Naik, he believes it’s all about the money. “Engineering, contrary to popular belief, actually pays quite well. And it pays reliably. If I chose to become a writer or a musician, I’m not sure I’d be able to live comfortably as I probably wouldn’t know when my next paycheck is coming or where it’s coming from. Sometimes, you just gotta do the dirty work to bring home the bread,” he reveals.

Career counselor, Swarnalatha Iyer opines, “Students get into medicineor engineering as a safe choice. Their parents are unaware of the options available and their scope and can’t be blamed either. Grades alone don’t reflect a student’s aptitude. It is an innate ability that can’t be enhanced by coaching.” She concludes that systematic career counseling and psychometric tests along with interest in the field is what leads you to a happy and successful career.

— Rachanaa Raaj