This article has been submitted by Komal Khare for the CLATGyan Blog Post Writing Competition. If you think this article is a good read, ‘Like’ this article on Facebook (the button is at the bottom of this piece) or post a comment using the ‘comments’ section below.
The bomb has been dropped. The ultimate punch line delivered. I am staring defiantly forward, my breath coming in breathless gasps, as I wait for the disapproving ‘tch-tch’ to come to the fore. Only my Mom nods encouragingly toward me.
“Law? You want to pursue law?” Uncle asks.
“Yeah”, I affirm, still not meeting anyone’s eyes.
“But you can’t do that. It’s not for you.” he says, condescendingly.
My blood boils. Now, that is rich coming from someone who doesn’t know me enough to tell that I don’t give a hoot about what he says.
“I’ll manage.” I grit out a reply.
“But beta, what’s the reason for this mood swing? I thought you were perfectly happy pursuing engineering.” Aunt butts in.
No, I wasn’t. You assumed that on your own because you never cared to know what I wanted to do.
“I was….once. But now, Math and Chemistry doesn’t interest me.” I reply.
Uncle and Aunt exchange a look.
Ah, that look. God, how I hate it. You know the look people exchange when you tell them that you’re ditching engineering. That look which is loaded with over-the-top sympathy and insulting smugness at the idea that you are opting for law because you are too stupid/lazy to crack IIT-JEE.
I take a few breaths. Calm down!
“Oh well, we can discuss this later.” Aunt suggests.
“Sure”. And I bolt out of the room.
Damn the hypocrites. Just because I like English better than Math/Physics/Chemistry doesn’t mean that I am stupid. I knew if I had opted for Medicine, I would have been praised. I knew that even if I wouldn’t make it into top 1000s in JEE, I would be extolled relentlessly. Oh no, but that is much more preferable than CLAT. What is with IIT anyway? It’s not the Be-All-And-End-All. There is a world, much better, than Trigonometric functions and integration. Why it is that everyone classifies 11th/12th graders into to-be-IITians and Anything Else?
I have my own dreams and aspirations. My own goals. Should I waste the precious years of my life to live your dreams? No, sir. Not at all.
And the most grating and aggravating thing is that we live in it. In the stifling conventions of the society. In the narrow-mindedness. It’s suffocating. The norms are clear- Crack JEE with any godforsaken rank. Get into IIT. If you follow this path, then you are brilliant. And anything else, it’s a time waste. A whim. Not at all worth it.
I’ve had enough. I’m done. With following every rule. With living up to everyone else’s expectations.
I’ll get into a NLU and show them it’s worth it. Anyway, it’s much better than pouring 4 years into a career I don’t get at all. Yes, much better.
Because, after all, as Bon Jovi puts it-
It’s My Life. It’s now or never.
I Ain’t Gonna Live Forever.
I Just Wanna Live While I’m Alive.
It’s My Life.
Ed: We all know that feeling. Whenever anyone asks me where I study these days, I bring out my most polished accent and begin “I’m at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, Hyderabad.” The long and impressive-sounding name usually keeps derision at bay. 😀
nice article…. i think it is a fitting reply to all those people who feel anyone who attempts iit is a genius by birth and others all are just a waste..
Thnx..
i suffer from exactly the same dillemma..the diffrence is i m nt presurized by aunts or parents……..my parents dont deny trying for law but dey dont even want me 2 leave my iit coaching(the problem is iit is too taxing & i cant do it,i m nt made for it).With iit i’ll never b able 2 go for clat…..dey have left me confused between what is practical in this world & what mayb i wish 2 do!!!!!………..u story looks a like,mayb it was tough time 4 u & now its my chance !!!!!!….:-D
I have my own dreams and aspirations. My own goals. Should I waste the precious years of my life to live your dreams? No, sir. Not at all.
this line is just apt… an article to be read for those who claim that only engineering is important and the most respected stream.
Me too a sufferer of PCM but glad have got to do what worths me and yes the humiliating faces made by people getting to know am not at all interested in Engineering wow hell is better than that humiliations having words like, IIT me nai hua arrey kaise ????? Law krke kya hoga yahi se karlo na kya zarurat itna dur jane ki?? Huh huh….. Just hate it.
This is just what is happening to me. I’m in 11th grade and my parents forced me into taking PCM even though I like the languages and social studies more.
And now my parents are like, “Study maths/physics well only then you can get into IIT.”
And I don’t crack JEE and get into IIT. I want to crack CLAT and get into any of the NLUs. This was my aim since 9th grade when I realised that science was not my cup of tea. And whenever I talk to my parents about it, they say, “it is just a passing fancy. You will get over it soon enough. And besides it is not worth it.” And my uncles and aunts ask me what CLAT is!
I loved the part of “The long and impressive-sounding name usually keeps derision at bay.” I have done that a lot of times too.
sir plz tell is which is better law or engineering………..i mean to say CLAT VS JEE. i came to heared that CLAT OR LAW HAS BRIGHT FUTURE THAN ENGINEERING plz help in my choice . wht should i go with law or engineering.
One year late reply. But NALSAR is epic !! I’d be enthralled to get in there xD
CLAT, What is that ?
This is eloquent
Meticulously explained perception about JEE -_-
The long and impressive-sounding name usually keeps derision at bay is reviving part.. 😀 😀