“Take Sciences. The commerce and humanities streams are only for failures” These are the words of the parents of a typical middle class home in India. So the aspiring architects are forced to become engineers and those who dream of becoming actors are forced to become doctors.
Now, why do parents and the society around us think sciences is the only stream meant for “intelligent” students? They think that only doctors and engineers can earn good money and others struggle to even find jobs. This is a mentality that does not allow India to produce good artists,entrepreneurs and architects.Obviously there is a reason that no Indian film has won an oscar yet. Nor has any Indian won Nobel Prize for literature since Rabindranath Tagore.
I am going to quote an example here which shows that how the society decides what will a child do in the future. I have a friend who was a budding cricket player. Now the society filled all sorts of things in this kid’s mind that sportspersons can’t be successful in India. Now that the society has scared him, my friend has chosen to take Sciences. Though I do agree that there is indeed some corruption in the sports arena in India, but nobody can stop the best players to show their talent and compete internationally. If you’re one of the best in your field, no one can stop you from earning recognition worldwide.But the typical Indian society simply does not understand this fact. What I want to tell them is that there are engineers who are driving taxis and there are doctors who are unemployed and there are freelancers earning millions.So choosing a certain stream doesn’t ensure success. It is your passion and drive that can ensure that you become successful.
So when I announced that I was going to take up Commerce stream, my friends were shocked! They think that those who get good grades can’t take up commerce or humanities stream and vice-versa.The people around them have shaped their opinions in such a way that they have started thinking that one stream is better than the other.This then creates a vicious cycle as such children will grow up to tell their kids the same thing. Another stereotype prevalent in the society is that boys can’t take up humanities.In this era of modernity, such thinking is still present in the society. We talk about how men and women are equal, then why do we as a society think in such a way! It is an important issue to ponder upon
Another opinion of the elders around us is that parents should decide their children’s future. According to them, parents should choose their children’s careers. They think that children are supposedly not mature enough to decide for themselves. I tell such people, maturity does not only depend on age . Moreover, myriad of times parents do not know what is their ward’s passion. So how can they decide for their child. Parents should understand that its their child’s life and not their own. I am not saying that they should not guide their children but what I am saying is that they should not force their children to accept their opinion.
So to all those students who still have to decide their stream, don’t succumb under the pressure of the society and do what you like.Don’t care about the comments of negative and stereotypical people around you. Don’t stop the society from preventing you from doing what you like. Just believe in yourself and do whatever your want to but put your heart into your work. You may end up being the boss of the most intelligent kids in your school.
Over and out.
