Ah India!
Where 2.9% of the entire population gets a chance of higher education and less than half of them get a chance to chase a career of their own choice. And through this post, I raise the voice of millions of such Indian kids who, I believe, have a similar story to share.
I don’t know as to why exactly this has started bothering me a lot these days.
Maybe, because in my university I’m seeing a lot many people who unlike me, are techfreaks.Who’ll love to code 24*7.Yes,I do like the IT stuff ,but I cannot keep on applying logic 24*7!I guess, That’s where the difference lies between like and love.
I consider myself seriously very lucky to be among those 2.9% who at least had an option of pursuing her studies. And unlike most of the parents, I was lucky enough of not being enforced to take up a particular stream of studies. I was given a heck of lot of streams to choose from. Like I had medical, commerce, engineering etc.But, at that time, around 4-5 years back, I had my elder sister working with Goldman Sachs as a software analyst. A 16 year old mind had been swept away watching her beautiful accessories, her posh black clutch and her wonderful dresses.16, Yes. Thats the age when we are told to take a final decision of our life. They tell us that this decision is going to decide your future.Plus,if you were good at academics from the start, it creates a hell lot of problems for you.Here,if a student opts for Arts ,it’s very naturally assumed that it was because he/she couldn’t get an admission into Commerce, leave behind the Science. During such situations, what a 16 year old kid would do? Isn’t it natural for her, having heard such pathetic comments, to get carried away with that lure of earning huge. And it’s neither the fault of parents’ here. What they all want for their child is a secure and a safe future. Which is their right as well as duty!
I was always very good at arts. Creativity still rushes in my veins. A hard-core Piscean I am, with a lot many people saying that I possess special characteristics of an orator. And Yes, I love to speak. I love to address the mass. I love to hear myself in a conversation.Recently,I met a young guy and was having a short informal conversation with him which on an ending note led him to say “Pooja,you could make a very good career in the field of communications”.Sigh!Leave that not-so-close guy. My very own blood sister keeps on saying to her friends that I’m more into Journalism, Politics and kinda stuff so that when I meet them they give me a pity look saying “She told us that you’re more into J&P”.And I’m like,”Maybe I am best at that,but that doesn’t mean,I don’t like what I’m currently doing”.
Coming up to the point of which field I would choose to specialize in UK, my choice would be either a
POLITICS/ECONOMICS/FINANCIAL ECONOMICS course from London School of Economics and Political Science or a JOURNALISM, MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONScourse from Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. My interest in politics manifested, when these difficult to digest words like corruption, fake people, fake promises etc. started getting into my head. That’s when I knew and understood of how in such a pity condition a country can be in! A country where people still die of malnutrition and hunger. A country where politics is just the fight for a chair, acquiring that seat and enjoying power. A country where your soul gets hidden because of your money and power. But, now I believe, India is finally witnessing a change. With a new party emerging in the country, it is intensifying the hopes and expectations of many.But, a lot still needs to be changed. And I believe to remove the dirt, to clean up the system, the youth of the nation ought to actively participate in the process. And I wish to be a part of that change.
And I wish to take up a course at my own cost(Pun Intended!).That's because ,as Geet,a character from a famous Bollywood movie says ,that'll make me the sole responsible for a decision I take.
This post is written for the Knowledge is Great contest organized by the British Council in assosiation with IndiBlogger .To explore,visit http://knowledgeisgreat.in/ .
