Think beyond IITs and IIMs

FOR most students fresh out of school, life after school is all about getting into either IIT or IIM and nothing else. This is specially true of the urban and middle class society in India. The pressure on these young minds is tremendous and many of them suffer permanent trauma if they are unable to get thorugh.

Almost 3,85,000 candidates appeared for the IIT entrance exams in 2009, of which nearly 10,000 students have been declared as qualified. What about the rest of the 3,75,000 candidates? If one were to go by the fenzy of the students in their preparations for the IIT exams, it would appear that most of them see no future other than the IIT. Thus those students who have not qualified would probably carry the disappointment with them for a long period.

Similarly almost 2,30,333 candidates appeared for the 5,000 seats on offer in the IIMs. Which means more than 2,25,000 students have been disappointed. If we include both IITs and IIMs, we have an astounding figure of 6 lakh students this year alone who have been disappointed and who feel that their future is bleak.

Why does it have to be this way?

Why do these students stake everything on clearing these competitive exams. The status of IITs and IIMs has been pumped up to such a level by society, parents, well wishers, teachers and everybody else involved in this. It's all about money. There is no doubt that an entry into and the successful completion of the courses in these prestigious institutions more or less guarantees a highly paying job. It is time we allow our children to think beyond IITs, IIMs and other similar institutions and let them do whatever they are good at.

Indian society is fixated with our children becoming engineers, managers, doctors and so on. A career in non conventional professions is usually frowned upon and those who dream of pursuing such careers are dissuaded. Parents, teachers, career consultants etc need to check out on the childs inclination and help the children to realise their dreams by following the careers of their choice instead of pushing them into something, which is more acceptable to society.

Let us allow our children to think for themselves. Let us be a guiding light in their lives instead of cramming fancy degrees down their throats!
Source: http://www.merinews.com

Date: 24th March, 2010

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