- ASISH BASAK

Today’s cosmopolitan world has provided us amenities which we could not have imagined even fifteen years ago. Converging technologies of material science, electronics and telecommunication, genetic engineering, outsourcing, internet, etc. have opened before us the door of Eldorado. By redefining and restructuring the way we live, it has thrown forth hundreds of opportunities in front of all of us.
The people who can reap the best harvest from this are the students. But usually it is very difficult for students to decide which course of studies to follow once they exit high school. A satisfying job of choice and successful career can be built on the pathway of proper knowledge and information.
Education imparts us the capability to meet life’s various situations, to adjust with the ups and downs that comes with the changed circumstances. But the great aim of education is not knowledge but action. (Education is derived from the Latin word ‘Educo’ which means to educe, that is, to bring forth, to extract from lees the real treasure that life holds in abundance for us.) Thus it is imperative that we put into force whatever little we know, practise the theories we have learnt, and always lead by example and action.
With respect to an individual, check point of high school is the pleasant plateau from which he has to take important decisions of his life. At this formative stage of his life, he is faced with many questions and dilemma which cloud his mind. Suddenly he is forced to come out into the world to fend for himself. Sometimes responsibility is thrust on him and he may feel bewildered by the swift transformation from a happy-go-lucky school-goer to a mature adult. Choice of course is very important for a candidate at this stage. One must explore all possibilities, within oneself and outside, before zeroing in one particular option. The analysis shall consist of minute assessment of one’s own interest, aptitude, chances of improvement and, of course, his surroundings and future prospects, weighing both pros and cons before committing himself. This is, in management parlance, the SWOT analysis - evaluation of strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. He must always look for betterment and hence make proper changes in his current profile. Special care must be taken to improve communication skills which are now identified as a core competency of any individual.
Mental success works in a synergistic way to make improvements on our skillset and ability to adapt to the changes. Self-belief and confidence help us tide over rough time and to learn from mistakes. Learning fresh skills, new technology, taking up added responsibility and looking for newer avenues to channelise his latent talent will help the student very much. This will not only add vital points to his CV, but also fan his mental growth. Thus we see as long as we have the confidence to take actions, to be aware of it and are responsible for those precise actions, success can be ours.
Now let us examine the different lines a student can pursue after completing XII th Standard. Students of merit who are interested in science can opt for engineering and medical degrees, the two most commonly attributed degrees of honour in our country. Students who wish to continue studies in research and development can opt for graduation in their respective subjects of choice. Students with affinity towards finance can start fundamental CA along with their B.Com. studies.
This world of globalization and modernization has thrown open a lot of opportunities for everybody. Nowadays, there is a lot of scope of advancement for even less meritorious students. Both Government and several private institutions are offering vocational courses like hotel management, tourism, aviation, hospitality management, merchant navy, video editing, acting, photography, dramatizing, choreography, fashion designing, event management, information technology enabled services (ITES),
software, hardware, web development, graphics, multimedia, networking and what not.
Thus we see there is great scope to explore oneself. Even lesser talents have to draw confidence from this wonderful adage - ‘What anybody can do - You can do, if not better.’ An adult man is found to develop on average only 10% of his latent mental capacity. Science has proved that as a child every man is in the same starting line. Neurologically and structurally we are all the same. So if we really exert ourselves we can emulate and achieve our personal goals as the great men have done before us.
Career option of students is a topic of great concern for not only the student but also for his family.If one or both parents are excessively critical or demanding, or if they are overprotective and discourage moves toward independence, children may come to believe they are incapable, inadequate or inferior. Everyone has talent(s). It takes some longer than others to find that talent. Every human being starts with a natural endowment of knowledge, ideas and volitions. So, if someone has the right attitude,
rather than thinking about how you don’t fit into their world, you could think of a way of inviting them into yours. This wish is a closed concept because it clearly defines the amount and time in which a person wills to reach there.
Goals are set on a number of different levels. First you decide what you want to do with your life and what large-scale goals you want to achieve. Second, you break these down into the smaller and smaller targets that you must hit so that you reach your lifetime goals. Finally, once you have your plan, you start working towards achieving it. By setting up this structure of plans you can break even the biggest life goal down into a number of small tasks that you need to do. Enacting what you intend to do is always much tougher than the intent itself. It must be done commensurate with the resources available to surmount obstacles with scope of additions and alterations. Self-assessment is the key to build self-confidence. We must regularly look into our inventory to evaluate our strengths and weakness, to analyse the right method for growth and success. Continuous self-evaluation at this stage helps one to focus on the job at hand and to compare the progress with the past results. Remember - Knowledge is power only when it is applied.
To summarise - there is ample opportunity for everybody - both meritorious and non-meritorious students. To succeed a student must inculcate in himself an orientation to learn, contribute, excel, work and enjoy at the same time. Perseverance and dedication will lead him to realize his dream. In dreams begin our responsibilities and when dreams are big enough, facts hardly come into account.
In the end let us remember this immortal statement and apply it in practice -
‘The man who wins is the man who thinks he can.’

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