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Spotlight

Chasing life

Yamin Tauseef Jahagngir

FROM the times of our childhood till the brink of being an adult we go through many transition states. Some of us are guided, some get pampered while others learn to lead their lives by taking their own decisions. Children now a days are more confused then ever, and it is evident in all class of students as far as education is concerned. It all starts with the petty issues and then you move on to the bigger pictures of life, where you are pretty much dumbfounded when reality strikes and in most occasions end up taking the wrong decisions.

Parents have always been our mentors and they are the sole beings we turn to whenever we are in a fix. But in recent times a whole lot has changed where most parents impose their thoughts rather than sharing it with their children and some are even adamant in doing so. Most parents fail to realise the true potentials of the child and often it is their choice that brings nothing but trouble for the boy or the girl. It is a common scenario where a family boasts about having a whole generation full of doctors.

Needless to say, the young ones living under the same roof apparently do not have the freedom to speak up their minds and eventually follow the footsteps of the elders. As a consequence, the dreams and the desires are locked up in a small casket and are thrown into the ocean of uncertainty and you know it is hard to reach the shore. Families fail to perceive the inner talents of their children and although he/she had the intentions to explore in the fields of art, music, engineering or health, they are never being asked about their thoughts or ideas because they are taken for granted. The end result is not always a happy one, and you do see these students struggle in their later lives to survive the rat race and some even give up at one point. Students who do not find interest in their core subjects are never content with themselves and are always sacrificing their goals in life just to live up to their parents' expectations. It is true that a lot has changed and that students do get certain freedom in choosing courses where they want to build a career, but it is also true that a considerable percentage still cannot decide on their own.

Apart from these, there are other factors that relates to the current condition that is prevailing on the students. The educational institutions can come forward in order to help out the students who can qualify to get the dream subjects. In our country the system comprises of questionnaire and an admission test and sometimes followed by an interview. However, in many institutions a particular score mark is being set rather than a range for that specific subject. What happens next is as clear as water, where you get to see a lot of students dropping out just for the fact that his/her score was a number short. Does that mean the student is incapable of studying that particular subject?

Is it justified to carry out a selection process based on a set number that needs to be scored? If we see from the international context, admission is completely based on the credentials one has achieved in his/her previous academic career. Regardless of the fact that you scored poor in your mathematics or biology, there are common grounds like SAT, GRE, GMAT etc. which will allow you to exercise your brain, and if you have the desire to accomplish your goals you will give your best shot to make a bigger score there. This platform gives the students from all over the world an equal chance to seek admission for that particular subject. The universities then will assess your results and if the candidate is competent enough, the ball goes in his court. One can argue over the fact that we have got a huge population and that it is difficult to carry out such a system in the country. But if you see things from the overseas viewpoint countries like the United States or Canada or Australia receive applications of candidates from all over the world, and that too in two semesters. Our system can be modified so that we can help out students to study the subjects of their interest and even if the person fails to do so, there should be other considerations based on his previous academic records which might help the student in such situations.

The conclusion is quite simple, a confused mind can never head towards progress. Likewise, parents should always be in support of their children and should have the patience to hear them out as well. That way, children will confide more on their parents and walk on the right paths of life. One should never be disheartened if a goal is not achieved; you only limit your capabilities when you have limited your thoughts. Otherwise, the sky is always the limit, so it is necessary to come out from indecisions and be more confident in chasing life.