Why do parents choose courses for wards?

Chennai: Seeds of interest for journalism were sown at an early age for N. Swarna who had keenly followed current affairs and good at writing. Her dreams were, however, devastated by her parents who do not see journalism as a serious career.  A third-year-engineering student now, Swarna says she is studying the course only to make her parents happy.

Hopeful of switching to her passionate course after engineering, Swarna labelled the four years of engineering as a nightmare and a mere waste of time. The craze for engineering could be slowly declining, but the inconvenient fact that many parents are not open-minded for other courses unleashes many tales like that of Swarna. Lack of conviction at a tender age and consistent counselling by parents and relatives often confuse the wards who eventually listen to their parents. “I could not convince my parents as to why I should study journalism. Each exam makes me regret my decision,” grieved Swarna.

Talking to DC, Swarna’s mother, Kodhai. N said, “I was apprehensive to admit  her in journalism as she was not prepared to face the world.  Having seen her suffer in engineering, I feel bad for the decision.”

G. Vinodhini who has enrolled herself for Common Proficiency Test (CPT) to become a chartered accountant is least interested in what she does.  A painter since childhood, her aim to take up fine arts in under graduation was deterred by her father. “I now while away my boring classes by sketching the landscape view near the class window,” she chuckled. “My father said arts would fetch no money. I don’t know how to keep a painter in me alive,” she said. A section of parents DC spoke to expressed fear and discomfort in admitting their wards in arts and science courses. “Being a doctor, how could I let my son become a chef?  I would be ashamed to tell my colleagues and relatives,” said a surgeon.

When 19-year-old Subash M expressed his interest of becoming a football player after twelfth grade, he got a rude shock from his parents.  “It is not practical to become a football player. Study engineering,” he was told.

“I also went for IIT JEE coaching from my eighth grade. I hated it as much as I loved football,” said Subash M who now studies engineering. “I simply cannot allow my children to go behind the impractical courses. We should think about financial situation too. Becoming an engineer/chartered accountant helps them in earning well in life, which is very important,” said Ramalakshmi S, mother.

Psychologists say that children who pursue something they dislike would lose their capability levels. “Their concentration levels will slip while pursuing courses they hate. And the trauma they undergo to do justice to the course is intense,” said psychologist P. Krishna Mathi.

“Students should do thorough research about the courses before deciding on them.  They should be aware of every subject in the semester and check if that interests them, said Deepika Kannan, psychologist. It is high time parents got  updated on latest courses, Deepika added.