99.99 per cent score in NEET exam for nothing; Vital lesson for Indian parents

Many people will not have the luxury of chasing their academic dream and will end up opting for random jobs, leaving behind what they yearned for. The same people will try to resuscitate those dreams through their children, in such a way, programming their offspring to spend quality time achieving them. The trend is ubiquitous among Indian parents, and it is inconsiderate and egocentric.

The tendency to achieve their unfulfilled aspirations through their children by any means has become a disease that grips society in general. It has worsened to a level that now warrants work from society to discourage the trend among parents.

In olden days, the majority of the children of doctors became doctors. Today, only a very few children of doctors choose the medical field. These children grow up watching their parents facing pressure at work, and their lack of time to breathe some fresh air outside of work. All these are catalysts for them not choosing the same field. Nowadays, five years of MBBS study alone would not make anyone a doctor. At least an extra three years of MD study and senior residency are essential to get a good salary.

After that, one becomes a super-speciality doctor only after completing the DM course, which lasts for at least three years. By then, the MBBS student will be at least thirty-five years old. Their classmates who opted for other courses might have already passed the initial stage of family life. The same MBBS course in a private college would empty crores from the pockets of a single student. If the medical field is a godlike profession, an ideal situation would be encouraging students with a serious liking and understanding of the course to go chase it.

Anurag, a 19-year-old from Maharashtra who scored 99.99 per cent score in the NEET exam, committed suicide the other day. His death sent shockwaves across the nation and also showed a mirror to many similar parents across the country. In the suicide note, Anurag mentioned that the pressure of the course was taking a toll on him, and he would rather opt for business than spend a decade mastering MBBS.

It is time for crores of parents across the nation to do a course correction. Let your children study what they like. Parents should help their children only when they stumble. Let them decide their future and write their own epitaph.