Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Confusion About Career Options: A Major Problem of the Youth

Assignment Executed by: Aparna Khanna, Class IX, St. Joseph's Convent School Jalandhar.

Supervision and Gudiance: Sumir Sharma


I had been thinking all through the vacations on the issue about one major problem which youth faces.

I took the help of my father. He was also not certain. He took the help of Internet and gave me the list.

The list is really quite long. Some of the problems which are being discussed on the Internet were apathy, non-compliance, depression, withdrawal, bad attitude, truancy, dropping out, poor motivation, verbal abuse, impulsiveness, unemployment and many more problems. There were some other problems like drugs, gambling etc which I think is not that prevalent in my society or which sounded really out of my world. May be, in India or the society and social class to which I belong, these problems are not there or may be they are there but I do not have any idea about them. He gave me points to elaborate upon and write an essay and then discuss with him. The offer was good but it left me more confused.

Then, suddenly, I start realizing that my main problem is confusion. Yes, for me, one of the most deafening problems is confusion.

It is not confusion about one thing or the other. It is confusion about the very existence of being in this new world about which being a young person, one is unable to understand what actually one want to say and do.

After giving a deep thought on the issue of confusion which one faces in his or her youth I have narrowed down to a list which may be listed as follows.

a. The Career Options
b. The issue of values or to put simply what is right or wrong concerning good behaviour.
c. The issue of keeping friendship with a circle in which such talks take place which are shunned by parents in their advice.
d. The physiological problems which are showing with the age.
e. The issue of dress up
f. Absence of a person in whom we can repose faith and discuss our inner apprehension. My mother is there but even then there is inhibition about discussing few things.

The list can be made long but I am really perturbed by above issues. It is not with me only. I have found that my other friends also feel like that. However, I would like to take up the first issue which is “The Career Options”. I think that it is one of the major problems of the youth. Hence, for me, it is one major problem of the youth. But for me the major problem is Confusion about Career Options.


When I listen to my peers or to talks which generally take place at home concerning the job taken by son or a daughter of our family friends, they are generally about some one becoming engineer or doctor. I understand that in order to become doctor, I am suppose to take medical stream at plus two level. If I would like to become engineer then I would go for non-medical stream. But there is a confusion. It is that what it is meant to be a doctor or an engineer. I do not know what I have to do after choosing of the stream at plus two level. I have doctor around. I am impressed by the respect which they receive. I admire them. But I do not know what I have to do in order to become a doctor. I do not have any idea that what it is being a doctor. Similarly, I have learnt that some of my uncles are engineers. But I really do not know that what actually they do. The family people feel proud in telling that such and such acquaintance is an engineer. What type of career it is? I do not know.

The second option about which I learn is commerce stream. The elders tell that some one has done commerce and he is now on a good post. I understand that commerce is to do something about business. I really desire to be a rich lady. But what type of career is it? What I have to do for being commerce graduate and what career options will be open for me after going in that stream? I am not clear about them.

Sometime, my father talks that if I will study hard, then he would like me to join civil services. He says that it is a privilege to be an IAS or IPS or IRS officer. I have seen police people. When they move around, they really seems sensational beings. I have fear for them. But sometime I dream that if I could also become a police officer. How can I become a police officer? What is this IPS officer? I do not know. I have also learnt that Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar is always an IAS officer. All the elder people talk with great awe for this officer. Would it not be a nice thing if I become a Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar. But what have I to do for that? I really do not know. Well father is there. He will guide me. But I myself is not clear that whether I really want to be an IAS officer. Similar confusion is there about being an IRS officer which I have learnt that it has to do about taxes. Now this tax affairs are such which I have heard and seen people talking and fearing the most. I have seen rich people, salaried people, shopkeepers every one, talking about it. But I have no idea what it is all about.

I am highly infatuated by my teachers. I admire them. I respect them. My father is also professor and an author. Can I be a teacher? Should I become a teacher? I do not know.

My uncle is an editor. He is also eagerly sought after by many people. He is quite resource full. I have found all the important people, including my grandfather, uncles and other elders reading papers and discussing over the contents of the papers. If I become an editor of a newspaper, then I would be also like my uncle. I will be sought by many people for my attention. But I am not sure.

One field also attracts my attention these days. Whenever I watch television, I find that there are some reporters who visit places and report on different happenings from different parts of the world. It sounds very sensational to me. They travel through whole of the world and then report back. Should I become a reporter of a television media? What have I to do for that? I do not know and I am not sure if I really want to do that. Similarly, I am also infatuated by the film world. It is really envious to observe the type of adulation and attention which the people of film world receive. But I am not sure if ever I would like to join that.

Army people also infatuate me. I have learnt that now women can also join army. They can join air force. But I do not know how to join armed forces. What have I to do for that? Secondly, I do not know what type of career would it be for me?

Another field is also arresting my attention. It is the world of computers and the technical people concerned with it. I have computer at home. My father spends most of the time punching keys on the keyboard. Whenever he is free from computer, we all take hold of the machine and watch some education CDs or play computer games. I just desire that I should also learn more about computers. But what is the course which should adopted to achieve this dream? I do not know.

My mother is the sweetest human being on the earth. My world can not be imagined without her. But she is a housewife. What I am able to understand, that our society also consider this type of life for girls. But I have many contentions against it. I do not know what will be in store for me in life if such a confusion continue to prevail like this.

I wish to thank my teacher who has given such a topic to us for the vacations. I had been thinking about it all through the vacation about the contents about it. Now in the end I just plead to my teacher, my school and parents to help us to come out of this confusion.

Before, writing off, I must make them clear about their set of arguments. Whenever this issue, that is choosing of career option comes, they give a fixed answer. They say that each young person to judge his aptitude for deciding the career. They say that we should judge our liking. But I have to counter all my elders. Today I like one thing but the next day I am attracted to other thing. I am young. I want to do something. But what is that something? I do not know. I here plead before them, if it is we who are expected to decide our future then what is the need of the guidance of elders? If we are so mature enough to decide such issues, then why you put restrain on us? I question my elders, including my parents and teachers, Just tell me how much you know about career options which I have pointed out above? How far you consider yourself enough confident to guide on this course? Can you explain the whole course for each career option which I have mentioned above? If yes, then give us awareness in concrete terms about them? If no, then get us the guidance for the above discussed issue?

However, the main issue is confusion. It is here I just bow before you and plead, kindly help us out of it. I may sound emotional, but this is what the real problem is. The confusion makes us more emotional.

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