Students must be free to pick their course

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With the Delhi University admission process on in full swing, excitement level among aspirants is bound to run high.
Students have been rushing to the campus to get forms and apply to as many colleges as possible to keep their options open.
However, associated with this thrill is the Herculean task of convincing parents about their choice of a course. And considering the innumerable options in DU, we all know how difficult it is to choose the right one.
“My father is very strict and believes that it’s every parents’ universal right to choose a career for his child. I passed my high school exam with good marks in arts and humanity. But my father wants me to take up Physics honours as he feels it would be the best choice for me. I don’t know how to convince him that it’s my career and I should have every right to choose it,” opines Adhiraj Kumar (name changed on request), an alumni of Laxman Public School. “It’s important to make parents feel that they are participating in your decision. That way they feel more comfortable. The best option for a student would be to research about the career options his choice of course can provide, and present it to his parents asking them to review it,” opines Sheela Sharma, a career consultant.
However, there are many who feel that the choice of a career should have parents’ blessing, and feels parents’ advice is important as they have seen more of life, and hence know the pros and cons of a particular choice.
“For a teenager it’s hard to be independent without sounding stubborn. Parents are the only rational, responsible and unbiased party in one’s life and hence their opinions need to be valued. Parents do know what’s best for you,” opines Neha Bora, a college-goer.
“Parents should advice and guide their children rather than imposing their views on them. I staunchly believe that a child should be given the liberty to choose and fail. That way he would be able to learn more. Today there are so many options for students to choose from, I feel it’s imperative to let them learn their own way and become successful rather than be spoon fed,” opines David G. Pyngrope, father of 11-year-old Myra.