Cracking hard nuts is easier than treading right career path in life!

Aurangabad, July 13:

The 'vector point' shows directions leading to different places. This point emerges in everybody's life at different stages, but in a student's life, it comes immediately after passing SSC (or 10th standard). At this point, the joy of passing life's first board examination lives for a very short period and confusion prevails among students and parents in selecting the right career.

After SSC, each student is welcomed by a crossroad showing three directions (career options). The first direction leads to diploma courses in polytechnic. The second leads to traditional college (of Humanities, Science and Commerce stream) and the third directs towards Industrial Training Institute (ITI). Thus, the struggle of parents takes over. They run helter-skelter, meet school teachers, veteran teachers, seek career guidance from experts (on payment and sometimes free). The parents arrive at the blank stage after consultations with all of them and they are unable to decide on picking the right career in one go. The motto of every parent is that their ward should tread the right career path in life.

Tricking 'As you wish'

According to student Ananya Belsare," My SSC batch dispersed in different directions. Some went to Commerce and Science stream and some of them planned to go to the polytechnic. If we chose the Science stream, the confusion is over choosing Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) group or Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) group right from the 11th standard only. We all are underage and have just stepped out of school and are evolving minds. I contacted a few reputed and newly started coaching institutes in the city. They have no plans to help if you chose the PCMB group for safety. They suggested selecting one specific group (for IIT-JEE and NEET) and focusing on it and going for self-study of Maths or Biology subject. We had to bear the pressure for two long years. Hence to get rid of the situation, I told my father to select my career as per his wish."

According to a worried father (who wishes to remain anonymous)," I met at least 10-15 people including my ward's school teachers, veteran teachers, career guidance experts and also interacted with few students who are doing well in different spheres. I landed into a zero mind situation as the stock reply of all of them was, "Let the kid do what he wants". I wanted to admit my ward in polytechnic as wasting a couple of years in college is not a wise decision, these days. Besides, after completing the polytechnic course, the student gets

admission directly to second-year B.E courses. However, one career expert-recommended admitting my ward to a regular college with a Science stream, while a teacher told me to admit to Commerce stream as it is a low investment deal. Not all kids are aware of what to do in their life unless there is the peer pressure of doing things unitedly."

Board exam score often misleads

A career guidance expert Dr Satish Tambat," The vector point after 10th standard is a turning point in the life of students as one wrong decision pushes him to suffer. The students should not take decisions emotionally or under anybody’s influence or peer pressure. They should self-analyse their calibre, strengths, weaknesses and area of interest. The psychometric test helps understand the psychology of the student and his inclination towards a specific career. It is my earnest appeal to all parents not to decide based on marks scored by the student in the first board exam. The percentage is not his/her strength. The figures are misleading as securing a high percentage does not assure that the student is fit for IIT-JEE or NEET or specific career.”

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Select your educational plan today?

According to an ideal headmaster Devendra Solanke, " Selecting a career has two aspects. One is a long-term plan and another one is a short-term plan. Hence, choose a career based on your financial condition and priorities before you which are needed to be fulfilled immediately. Besides, also analyse whether you are prepared to face the highs and lows coming in the way of your ward's career (financially, emotionally and morally) single-handedly or unitedly. I am discouraging anybody as education does not have right of anybody, but planning for it in advance always yields better results."

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Post-SSC situation

Duration of diploma course - 3 years

Duration of regular college - 2 years

Duration of ITI courses - 1 -2 years.