Right after you get your Class 10 board exam results, two roads stand in front of you – Engineering or Medical. Depending on these two, you either choose the Science or Commerce stream for Class 12th boards (Humanities, or Arts as it is infamously called, is clearly the last option parents choose for you).
This comes from a widely held notion that a career in engineering or the medical sciences is a lucrative profession and getting into the IITs or a top medical college in the country guarantees a secure future (which is not really true). As a result, students put in tons of hard work to be able to secure admission into the top engineering and medical colleges of the country. Sometimes they do because they genuinely love the subject, but mostly because this is the only option that parents think is available for their children.
We found a Reddit thread where a user asked how things are for people who chose not to participate in the rat race of engineering and medical sciences. The answers show how, contrary to popular opinion, life is not easy for those who did not choose the two mentioned career paths. And also the fact that there are tons of career choices out there in the world.
1. “I’m a lawyer and I hate it. I’ve done different things as a lawyer over the last decade and a half, and the money is good…I’m longing now to be a corporate drone where I only worry about an a****** boss, my next pay cheque and the weekend, and not have to give two sh!ts about whether this country is going to hell or not.” – Lynx-Calm
2. “I did engineering because I like it. I am doing good in life.” – Mindless-Pilot-Chef
3. I collected traditional degrees but followed an unconventional and very high-risk career path. I travelled the world for and with work. I changed my career track a few times. I took massive opportunity cost risks. I took lengthy career breaks. I failed miserably and succeeded moderately. I am still figuring it out. If I had to redo things — I won’t get into things lightly and won’t leave things at the slightest disinterest.” – Content_Wave
4. “After my MA, I worked with a couple of foreign policy/international affairs think tanks in Delhi and Washington for a couple of years but with a very low income. But I got good exposure and that made me reputable/trustworthy in my field… Life is good and I like my present job…But I do want to settle abroad eventually. I will need to work harder for that.” – wulfking11
5. “I quit engineering and joined Economics. My personal circumstances have been pretty difficult. But I’ve no regrets whatsoever. Life is hard and is filled with struggles, irrespective of the degree. But I’m happy with the path I’ve chosen. It has given me a lot of things to learn that I probably would have never learned. Struggle is inevitable.” – thedank-knight
6. “I studied science and computer science in 11th and 12th. I switched to BBA from one of the top colleges in the country. It was my best decision. It was easier to study these subjects than science or maths and was more interesting to me. I’m working in marketing now and work is also chill. I sometimes think what if I did engineering or any science-related graduate degree. I’m 100% sure, I would’ve sucked at it.” – Pitiful_Citron_820
7. “I did PCMB in 12th and did not get into a medical college or an engineering college. I did B.Com and became a chartered accountant while working with a Big 4 company. However, seeing the SDE salaries nowadays, I wish I had given one more try at engineering. I am happy that I have one of the most respected professional qualification, but sometimes I feel I could have done better.” – This-Ad-5103
8. “I took up journalism, media and communication during my undergrad… It’s a struggle when you start, to say the least, but I am happy with my decision. I was never academically brilliant and had dyscalculia so I couldn’t see myself becoming an engineer or doctor. But I’m a great conversationalist, a semi-decent writer, hard-working, resourceful and always up for learning something new. I find that these traits have really helped with my career growth.” – Nixie96
9. “I work as a motion graphics animator at a gaming company. I love my job and I get to work on some really cool and famous IPs, so I’m pretty happy.” – gameboy716
10. “I always wanted to be an astronomer. I took up pure science in school and I finished my PhD a couple of months ago. I’m starting as a postdoc in July in a really nice and well-known group. Academia has its own issues but I’m really glad about where my career is taking me.” – Revolutionary-Swim76
11. “I finished my MA in Communication and Media Studies last year. I got my first job with 17.5 LPA CTC and earned more than all my relatives’ children who took science. I got 97% in my 10th Board Exams and still, I chose Humanities…The thing I’m most proud of is the fact that three young relatives have chosen the humanities path looking at me rather than the science path which their parents would’ve thrown them into if not for my success here.” – Direct_Ad1073
12. “I quit engineering in my first year. Got a fashion management job in Dubai recently. Life is good.” – thecutienator
13. “Initially my parents were never okay with me choosing the design path. I left them with no choice after I deliberately f***ed up my own JEE and CET rank. I, now, work as a digital product designer. I love what I do and couldn’t ask for a better life – in terms of peace of mind as well as financially. I am pretty happy with where I am right now!” – notgahan
14. “I currently work in wildlife conservation in the Western Ghats. There is no such thing as work hours because we’re on the field almost constantly. The pay is peanuts. My project deals with human-elephant conflict. But waking up early, tracking elephants in the wild, and getting in 7kms of trekking every single day are definitely nice job perks.” – chaotic-indian
At the end of the day only you can make what you want out of your career.