Science Or Arts? Shashi Tharoor Shares Story Of How He Chose Arts Over Science Despite Family Pressure
Choosing between Science, Arts, or Commerce is a challenge many students face when they have to select a stream after Class 10. Shashi Tharoor experienced a similar dilemma, and the path he chose, despite family pressure, could serve as inspiration for students navigating their own journey.?
Shashi Tharoor's struggle in choosing Arts over Science?
Former Indian international civil servant, diplomat, bureaucrat, politician, author and public intellectual - Shashi Tharoor has many accolades to his name.?
But his academic journey astarted when he had to pick a stream in Class 10.?
Tharoor had a clear decision - he wanted to pursue Arts (Humanities). But society wanted something else for him.
In a video circulating online, Tharoor discusses his struggle in choosing the stream due to societal pressure of choosing science, despite his clarity.?
He recalls, "My teachers were so upset (that he chose Arts over Science) that they called my parents to the school and said, 'This is our best Science student. He has come first in science all these years. How can you let him go to humanities?'"?
"And my parents, like good Malayali parents, had wanted me to be a doctor, engineer. They looked at me with shock and asked what was the matter with me. Why can't you take science?"?
Tharoor explained that although he did well in Science subjects, it was because he knew "how to take exams," but two days after the exam, he would forget everything he studied in Science subjets.
However, if you asked Tharoor about history or literature, he would remember everything perfectly.?
In the end, he did choose Humanities, and he expressed gratitude to his parents for supporting his decision.?
Watch the video here:
Give students right to choose stream, say netizens?
The education system in India is often criticised for emphasising on rote learning and not actual gaining of knowledge.?
One individual remarked, "He got a point. We all are just studying for marks which we forget after 2 days of exams. Nobody is teaching us skills, that is the sad thing in modern education."?
Others shared that they were in a similar situation as Tharoor, but they didn't have parents who were as supportive.?
Another person questioned, "I don't understand what is the relation between good marks and science background? Yes for taking science you at least need satisfactory marks but vice versa doesn't workout for me."?
One comment summed up the reality of the situation in India, stating, "The right to choose the stream we like to study is still a privilege many students doesn't have. Parents think, humanities or commerce isn't good enough for their status in the society or the science stream will allow the kids to study anything they want to take as their career. But they won't understand how much pressure their kids will go through when they are forced to study a subject they don't like. That doesn't mean science isn't bad or other streams aren't good enough. Let the right to choose the stream they want to study be on the students but not on the parents."? ? ? ?
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