There are some traits in Bengalis
which you just can’t miss - their passion for education, interest in cultural
activities and being a foodie. Being one myself I don’t miss a single trait
from the ones listed. Bengalis give a lot of respect to education – for any
respectable Bengali family knowing where your son or daughter is studying and
what is he studying means a lot. Same was the case with me. Physics, chemistry,
mathematics – the subjects which are not favoured by a lot of people were very
dear to me. Being a science student is a prestigious thing.
My dad has been a gold medalist
engineering student from one of the most prestigious colleges in Kolkata. It
has been an inspiration for me through out. I wanted to follow in his footsteps
too. And I was pretty sure I would have done well.
But things are always not that
rosy. It was also a time when there was a huge slowdown for all engineering
students. Engineering colleges were mushrooming up across the country but there
was a big lack of good faculties. But the aftermath was even scarier – no jobs.
I have seen engineers’ applying for job posts with as meager a salary as of three
thousand a month!! That is not a situation I wanted to be in – nor would
anyone.
It was a time I had to decide my
future. Which stream would I choose? And there I was, leaving the dream of
studying science and taking up commerce instead. Believe me it wasn’t an easy
decision. It meant focusing on numbers and figures and no experimentation –
which originally I wanted to. But I had to choose a path which will secure my
future.
It also meant I had wake up and
start college at 6 in the morning! Those who are aware, St. Xavier’s B Com
department functioned early in the morning earlier. Now they have an evening
dept. too, I have heard. But that was a boon in a way because we had the entire
day free. When some guys proffered to take up sports I took up courses for
Chartered Accountancy. I had enough time in the day to go for my CA classes and
the eventual articleship.
It finally helped me to clear all
the CA papers at one go without losing a year. It was practically graduating
and becoming a CA at the same time. It also opened up opportunities to take up
lucrative job in one of the most prestigious auditing firm which brought me to
this beautiful city of Bangalore.
Sometimes I do feel that I missed
out on studying science, but mine was not just a decision that I had taken – it
was a practical decision. The situation of majority of engineering students in
the country has not changed much ever since. At least I secured my future.
It is just right sometimes to deviate from
your path and #StartANewLife
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