Education, education & education.

First up, congratulations to all who are done with their board exams and the results too hopefully. Well, the nightmare isn't over yet. It has just started for many who have fallen for this (like me): "You've to just work hard and study now, then you can enjoy for the rest of your life" Sounds good? Let me tell you, how it goes: You're going to hear this when you prepare for your tenth std. boards, when you appear for your 12th std. boards and when you're in a degree college, preparing for your final year exam. No, it doesn't end here. Also, when you're at your first job, you'll be reminded to work hard and rise up and that enjoyment is just for later. Also, when you're planning to start a family, you've to work hard, so your little ones can enjoy. Maybe there's little enjoyment after retirement, and we do hope the definition of enjoyment doesn't change by that time.

In India, if you're good at something, your parents will ask you to give the engineering entrance. Lucky are those who aren't dealing with the question yet, 'What branch of engineering should I pick?' (As there is an engineer in every house) In no way, I'm writing this to degrade the science stream. But its good if you realize it soon enough, Engineering or Medical is not everyone's cup of tea. 'Log kya kahenge' has killed more dreams in India, than anything else. From my experience, even I was trapped in the claws of choosing a career. I was confused between Engineering and Mass Communications. Which are poles apart actually. Sometimes, it's tough to choose between your brain and passion.

Let me lay down some points: (Which may confuse the like-minded people even more)

I came to take advice from one of my distant friends (Yeah, that's how people who choose science look like) who topped both the engineering entrance exam & the Maharashtra boards last year. What I heard was- he used to study all day, sometimes all night, complete all his journals & assignments on time, he left watching cricket & didn't see a movie for 2 years, sacrificed almost anything, also Pokemon, but he used to take one collective hour for himself in which he used to do some less important things in life like eating, peeing, washing, bathing, brushing, etc. He didn't know of social networking sites. The only thing common between us was that we both didn't attend college & shared the same surname. Well, no one really wants to top everything. I'd like to appeal to all the people who have given SSC boards and are now planning to take up science, do medical or engineering, cause their parents & relatives have advised them, unless you give in 25% of the effort that he gave, you won't make it, you'll eventually be bored. Trust me, with so many private colleges, (We've Lovely Professional University and Sharda University too) anybody can become an engineer or a doctor, ask your dhobiwaala too, but there's a difference between being bad, good or the best. One should pursue engineering only if they have a mind which works towards the technical side and they sincerely want this with sheer determination.

BMM is for those who have a better creative side, who have imagination. If you possess a talent and you want to show it to the world, it can be very common like writing, singing, dancing or it can be as strange as rapping, managing or directing. If you don't see yourself trapped in front of a computer coding programs or attending calls and if you hate mugging up stuff from books, if you want to get away from the monotonous approach of the education system and maybe if you love having fun, well then BMM is for you. And if you're planning to do it after wasting  studying two years in the science stream, you'll invite awkward gazes from your family members. Some may treat you as if you're undergoing a sex change operation. BMM is our mother who passionately engulfs us within her when the ferocious father (like: Engineering, medical, etc) removes us out of the house. (Please don't confuse BMM with a social media app BBM like all the auntijis and unclejis who have no work other than to know what we're doing in life.) And this field is not as bad as you make it look. It's not an unrecognized course, it has been immensely rewarding for people who have always strived to achieve something. Obviously you need to pass out from a good college in any field you take.

Talking about the money factor: Every argument boils down to: 'Kitna salary milega?' Yes its true, engineers & doctors are going to get paid much more than any other stream. But it is only because they have invested so much money to get the degree. A seat in a good engineering college in Mumbai costs approximately around 1.25 lakh a year. In this much money, two BMM students can easily pass their three year course and commerce students can finish their degrees. And talking about donations, a private MBBS seat costs you around 40-50 lakhs. In that much money, you can easily buy a house somewhere. (Talking about the front page ads in a newspaper) Also in the degree colleges of South Mumbai who sell out 6000-8000 forms every year, and earn 100 per each, That makes it 6-8 lakhs on just admission forms? And they offer only 60 seats approximately in which most of them are taken by less-deserving Minority and Reserved students. Education is a goddamn business in India.

Anyway, sticking to our topic, How much you scored is not going to matter afterwards, not even the money unless you're happy. Money is always secondary. Its all about pursuing your passion, pursuing what you like to do. Won't you be happy in getting 15,000 for doing a job in which you'll work happily all days? It is alright to be happy and earn less, have a small house or a small car. Obviously, your salary will be raised in future. Follow your passion, it's never too late to do that. The world is replete with such examples. If Michael Jackson's father forced him to be a boxer, and Mohammad Ali's dad pushed him to become a singer, then imagine the disaster.With such fear for tomorrow in our minds, will one be able to live the present & focus on studies? Its better to curse yourself rather than cursing your parents for your future. Why wait till one becomes Farhan Qureshi of 3 Idiots? No opinions of Mr. Kapoor are going to make a difference.

Ultimately, the decision is upto you. Success is hard-earned in whichever field you take. Luck is involved everywhere. From your results to your job recruitment. I've just talked about 2 career choices, there are many, which you haven't even heard of. Also if my opinion does hurt someone, please don't put me in a jail. I've no political alliance. Well, I'm not paid to write this, so thank you for your time. I hope somewhere, I help out a person who's in distress. At the least, if you can can figure out what you do not want to do with your life, you'll be better off. And you can work hard and enjoy hard too..

 Also, to have all, absolutely all of your questions answered, one should read Bhagavad Gita atleast once in his/her lifetime, actually just the Gita-Saar i.e the epic conversation between the world's greatest warrior Arjuna and his charioteer Lord Krishna. That will give you all kinds of motivation you need.

P.S. If you like, you can send me the money which you were anyway going to spend on a career counsellor.