IndiSpire EDITION #22
Born in India? Are you an Engineer or a doctor? True dreams, passion, do they exist? Are they being chased by this generation?
I remember the day I told my parents that I did not want to be either an engineer or a doctor. The resounding chaos and the shouting match that followed made it seem like I had committed a heinous crime and was sentenced to death.
All of this coming from a supposedly well-educated family.
I wanted to go for law. But, somehow, my parents were against that as well. Their argument being that I had taken science at school and so I had to be either an engineer or a doctor.
Finally, I managed to mellow them down and they agreed. But, getting into the prestigious NLUs weren’t fated for me. I missed my flight and couldn’t write the entrance.
Then again, they latched back in to the idea of me going for engineering.
I refused and finally managed to get into quite a good college for a bachelor’s in business.
Although there are still instances when my mum resents my choice of a major, it has quietened down a lot.
I got to choose my major by being firm and stubborn. Even if it was my second choice. Plus there is the fact that I can always opt for a three year law degree after my bachelor’s in business.
A lot of my friends did not even have the freedom for that.
There was this extremely talented classmate of mine who had wanted to go for fashion designing but is now stuck doing something like Electronics Engineering.
That is the reality of India. Or rather Indians.
It seems like everyone in India does what they actually wanted to do, only after getting an engineering degree. And after realising that the engineering field is not exactly a bed of roses or everyone’s cup if tea.
But, the good part is that at least a chunk of the young adults out there do go on to chase their dreams and pursue their passion, even if it is after studying engineering for four years only for the parent-pleasing aspect.
And also to avoid the drama about how you wasted your life and treaded the dark path only ’cause you didn’t go for either medicine or engineering. (Drama courtesy: Desi Aunties mainly)
It gets worse when you are a South Indian with extreme intellectuals in your family. So-and-so’s daughter is doing her doctorate in cardio-vascular shiz at Oxford. Why can’t you? Or some obscure Mani Uncle’s son (whom I have never met or even knew that they existed) is doing MS in Harvard. So, why can’t you?
Why can’t I? It is not that I am a simpleton. Or an yiddiiot.
It is just that I am not interested. I love something else. And I am interested in it. I’ll put my heart and soul into it. It’ll be with me day in and day out. I’ll breathe it, I’ll live it. It is my dream, my life, my ambition. And I’ll try to achieve it. Even if it is the last thing that I do.
But, unfortunately, it may not be valued by Indians ’cause it is not either engineering or medicine.
July 25, 2014 at 4:34 pm
Welcome to India (reality) :P.. all the best for your college! 🙂 and which college btw?
July 27, 2014 at 12:16 pm
Sigh. The attitude of Indians is the same, even if they live in the Antartic.
Thank you! Although I started college about a month back! 😀
It’s a college called M.O.P. Vaishnav at Chennai. 🙂
August 2, 2014 at 1:28 pm
That’s a great college! 🙂
August 3, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Omg! You’ve heard of it? Seriously? 😳
That’s so cool!!
August 9, 2014 at 10:09 am
Yep! I have heard about it… 🙂 I hope I get into MOP college if I don’t get into IIT-M Humanities…
August 9, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Best of luck for IIT!! 😀
If not, just come over here!!!
Yyyyeeaaahhhh!!!
Right. Sorry. Over-excited person here. 😛
But, well, it depends on the course too, I guess. What are you trying for?
August 9, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Alright. Sorry if it was a bit too early for that question.
I was pretty clueless till May. Honestly.
August 11, 2014 at 2:28 pm
Bachelor in Commerce! 😛
July 27, 2014 at 3:03 am
Great post. Very true. But times have started to change Anu. This craze for Engineering has since started to die albeit a slow death. Thanks to politicians, the number of engineering colleges has far out-numbered the number of applicants and hence engg grads are available dime a dozen. Now the focus is tilting towards environment, arts and commerce. And that is a welcome change.
July 27, 2014 at 12:19 pm
That’s so true! The number of engineering graduates outnumber the job vacancies.
And yet, nearly every Indian parent who belong to the previous generation want their kids to be either an engineer or a doctor.
There were quite a lot of people who told me that I was on the path to nowhere with my choice of going for a business degree. -_-
July 27, 2014 at 3:41 pm
True story!
August 5, 2014 at 8:16 pm
I think one would have to decide on their own about their favourite elements include in future education.
I have opted for my passion, which is http://www.mollywoodframes.com 🙂 🙂
August 9, 2014 at 12:51 pm
It’s awesome that you got to pursue your passion!
August 9, 2014 at 8:54 pm
🙂 🙂
August 9, 2014 at 6:29 am
Goodness. I have Indian heritage, but luckily, my mom is fine with me doing whatever I want. I’m very passionate about animals, so I want to be a veterinarian, but that’s only because it seems to be one of the only stable jobs there is when it comes to animals. Lots of my parents’ Indian friends have tried to push me to become a doctor, but I’m not having any of it! For goodness sakes’, I want to be a vet because I like ANIMALS. I actually do not like spending time with people, unless we’re talking about writing or animals. My mom went through this with her parents, though–she wanted to be a writer, but they wouldn’t allow it. We have a lot of writer heritage in our family, and luckily, her parents allowed her to pursue an English masters and her writing outside of her studies, even though she became an engineer.
August 9, 2014 at 12:49 pm
All I can say is, you are one lucky person!
It’s great that you got to pursue your dream!
A vet is like totally awesome! I could never be one though. (Psst! Some kind of big dog-o-phobia)
August 9, 2014 at 12:50 pm
The main reason my parents finally allowed me to go for a business degree was because the both of them were from a commerce background. Also why they were deadset against me going for a liberal arts degree.
August 11, 2014 at 6:31 pm
Well written! I really love the stuff you write. 🙂
Indians are really stubborn when it comes to choosing a career.
I’m an Indian teenager too. Just came to 11th grade and all this entrance exam bullshit began. My parents made me join a coaching class for engineering entrance. A little bit about myself first. I’m an amateur programmer and a roboticist (robot builder). I’m currently trying to do stuff that interests me and discover who I am. I found a deep interest in programming and robots and I have been pursuing this for a few months now. So when I first came to this engineering coaching and interacted with people, I was truly perplexed by the fact that none of the kids in my class had any interest in engineering. All are just trying to mug up as much as possible and get into an IIT. Retards.
This system has no place for people like me (and you?). Yes, I am passionate about robotics and programming. But who cares? I can’t get into a “good” college unless I understand Ionisation Enthalpy or solve trigonometric functions. This is a rat race, none of them know where they are heading, but they just run. Blindly. No passion, no dreams.
And then, 5 years later, they post questions like “What do I do if I hate my job?” on the internet.
Funny people.. :p
August 15, 2014 at 4:16 pm
Thank you so much! 🙂
Absolutely true. I took PCM in 11th and 12th grade, only because I kind of liked math. And by the end of 12th, I was pitted against physics and chemistry in a fierce battle.
I had a hatred, or a fear maybe, of science. That’s why I branched off. To find things I enjoy. Than wasting your life with something you don’t like. Because, in the end, it is your happiness, your life and how you lived it, that matters. 🙂
And ‘good’ colleges or not, it is who you are. If you are interested in robotics and programming, go for it! It doesn’t matter where, or which college. As long as you enjoy the subject and are sure that you will enjoy your career in it! 🙂
January 2, 2015 at 11:04 am
True story! I’m glad I’ve open minded parents. If not I’d be another Ill-fated Indian Engineer.
January 2, 2015 at 11:44 am
Congrats, mate! You’re lucky to come under the super-lucky 10% of Indian youth.
Although, the stigma attached with doing something other than engineering or medicine, kind of drives people away from other fields, even if they have parental support.
P. S. What are you studying/hoping to study at college? Slightly curious.
January 2, 2015 at 11:47 am
I want to be an Architect 🙂 I am doing my 12th right now in Coimbatore.
January 2, 2015 at 11:57 am
Ooh! That’s nice! Best of luck for your boards and entrances too!
Architecture is pretty brilliant.
Although, I knew I wasn’t cut out for it, being this totally un-artsy person.
Coimbatore is pretty close to my Dad’s place. Although, Chennai is my hometown. 😀
January 2, 2015 at 11:58 am
Cool 😀 see you when I’m there for college.
January 2, 2015 at 11:59 am
Haha. Sure! 🙂