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Anandhi Viswanathan and Priya Seshadri (Counselors Rotary Bangalore):

We are very happy to share with you that the team from Rotary Bangalore Abilities that took training in counselling from Banjara Academy is all set to put the training to practice. We launched Upashruti Helpline – a telephonic and online counselling service for persons with disabilities – on 15th August, 2019. The helpline is operational between 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

We wish to express our gratitude to you and your team at Banjara Academy for giving us the knowledge and the confidence to start this important service.


Asma Ansari (B.Tech ECE, Freelance writer and translator)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has been a roller coaster ride, where I confronted my blind spots, challenged my apprehensions and beliefs, accepted myself wholeheartedly and began to trust my path and journey. I learnt I can become what I choose to. I learnt how to be and let be. I am forever grateful to my faculty, mentors, batch mates and counselors who have enriched my life. DCS has been the North Star for me and would continue to be, always walking along and subtly pointing me towards the path I wish to tread.


Manisha B. Chhapwale (B.Com and P.G Diploma in Finance. Asst. Manager MIS at Ashapura Group of Industries)

I feel blessed for having been given an opportunity to attend the Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy. My biggest takeaway was the development of a non-judgmental attitude. This course has helped me overcome my inhibitions and helped me appreciate the struggles and strengths of others. And our mentor Ali is one of the few people we can idolize due to his simplicity and modesty – qualities that I would always strive towards for the rest of my life.


Santosh Rao (B.Com. Founder Itjobzone)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has helped me inculcate the habit of uninterrupted listening, understanding the perspective of the speaker and taking my time to make any comments whatsoever.. Institutional visits has helped me realize that we have so much to be thankful for. Looking at the spectra of issues people deal with day in and day out, has made me acknowledge our lives as a gift from god. This has helped me not only in counseling but in my every – day life and relationships too.

 


Padmaja Harish (B.SC. Head Mistress at Nehru Centenary)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has helped me regain my confidence, overcome my struggles and has truly changed my perspective. The program has helped me develop the art of listening to others and catching their emotions. It has taught me skills that I would use, not just professionally, but also personally. I would like to thank the entire team of Banjara for changing my attitude and approach towards others. I now look forward to a long life of happiness!


Prathibha N R (B.A Psychology. Marketing Manager at Production 139)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy was like going back to school. Lots of friends, teachings, assignments, reviews, class parties and lunches! The experience was so enjoyable and interesting, that I never wanted to miss a single class. But, most importantly, this program has built in me the courage to deal with struggles and loss and that is my biggest takeaway in life.


Serene Sarah George (C.A–Inter. Assistant Manager Finance at AIR-ASIA)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has been a course of self-help in terms of understanding and accepting myself better. It has paved way for in depth self-introspection and greater acceptance of my dear ones as well. To an extent that I am able to truly accept the value systems and views of other individuals without making any judgments. I have now become a process oriented person rather than a result oriented person. The entire experience has helped me get in touch with my emotions, sensitized me to the varied life circumstances of others and has, most importantly, taught me to practice gratitude.


Mukesh Madhavan (M.sc – IT Sr.Developer Target Corporation India)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy was a true eye – opener for me and has me helped me see the value in empowering people. The various nuances of counseling are taught with complete transparency. This has helped me gain more clarity and become non-directive in my approach. Meeting so many wonderful people has also helped me network better. Overall, I have got the best of this and more than what was expected.


Srinidhi H K (M.C.A. HOD Of Computers at Nagarjuna PU College)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has given imbibed in me skills that have truly helped me in so many arenas of life. Professionally, I am able to connect so much better with the people I work with, specifically children who are differently abled. Apart from that, I am able to deal with my interpersonal relationships in a much better fashion. I see myself as a calmer person even in times of crises situations, thanks to the program.


Seema Nair (M.SC in Communication. Program Officer of development and human rights)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy was the beginning of the process of self-awareness. The course experience has been pretty good for me in more ways than just counseling experience. Being a journalist, I would earlier ask questions for the sake of curiosity, but now it is a conscious and a deliberate skill used to understand an individual. I has instilled in me a level of discipline and internalized my commitment to the importance of counselling in our society.


Anand Kumar Singh (BBM Finance, Asst Mgr Ops at ATOM)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy teaches you the true difference between sympathy and empathy and helps you practice the latter skill. As someone who practices Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), I have realized that the focus is generally only on the physical and mental aspects of the individual, ignoring the emotional aspect. The course has taught me the importance of dealing with emotions and the value of counseling, which are aspects that I plan to incorporate in the field of MMA.


Rakesh Kumar Vaidya (B.A Working in Indian Air Force)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy delivered beyond my expectations. The program goes past counseling and gives one the opportunity to develop oneself. I am now a changed person from when I began this course. Dr. Ali’s book were truly instrumental in this change. Additionally, the articles and video lectures on the Banjara website give one a bounty of knowledge. All in all, these are skills that were learnt not just for counseling, but for my life.

 


Girish RJ (Masters in IT. – Project Manager HCL)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has created in me a belief, that to be mindful, it is important to be in ‘Peace with self and harmony with others’. There has been great progress in my interpersonal and intrapersonal skills with an increase in self-awareness. I have also become a lot more receptive and understanding to the perspective of others. The non-directive approach taught here has helped me realize that every person is capable of making their decisions and bettering their lives – all with a little mirroring and usage of skillsets by the counselors.


Mamta V Hemdev (B.Com, Home maker)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has built my confidence and courage. I have garnered friends and learning’s that proved to be my greatest eye openers. I am able to recognize a shift in my personality and feel calmer, much more patient and have become more accepting of things and circumstances as they are. I have now accepted life as the most precious gift from god.


Preetam Aswath (Post Graduate MFA, Teacher at Euro Kids)

To be accepting and non-judgmental does not come naturally because of our unique cultural, social, religious upbringing. The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy, however, has completely reversed those beliefs. The course touched on intense subjects seamlessly and helped me garner profound knowledge on such topics. It has opened a door to showcase the vulnerabilities of human life and also how human courage has the ability to make life more interesting, livable and find happiness in the wake of tragedies.


Sharada S (B.E in E&C, Engineer ISRO)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has left me with a deep impact and a great amount of awareness. The exposure to people from varied walks of lives and facing different struggles was an revelation in itself. Additionally, being given an opportunity to interact with eminent personalities gave me a sense of motivation to pursue a similar mindset and life. I am truly grateful to Banjara for giving me, not just theoretical knowledge, but also practical skills for life.

 


Bindu Menon (B.SC Administrator at Vidya Mandir School)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has been a wonderful experience for me in many ways. I have literally relived my college days with all the fun and interesting activities lined up. Meeting individuals from varied age groups was the best and the most unique experience. Institutional visits helped me grasp the importance of positive spirit one needs towards life to be able to face multiple challenges. The staff and faculty of Banjara are supportive and interactive throughout the whole course, which I am truly thankful for.


Parthasarathy (Consultant at Wipro Technologies)

Diploma in Counselling (DCS) is one of the best things that happened in my life at the right time. This program was all about self-exploration at my pace and reconnecting with self-awareness, self-reflection, self-introspection, interpersonal relationships. It gave me an exposure as to how to go about non-directive counseling that enriches one’s being. Banjara and all its wonderful facilitators are part of my gratitude journal for enabling me to see things beyond the obvious in life! Quite happy & proud to be part of this wonderful Banjara Family now!


Dr. Vishwesh Vishnumurthy (MBBS Bangalore University, Diploma in family medicine, UK)

“I had an enriching experience at Banjara and just didn’t realize how short 1 year could be! I learnt a lot of human centric concepts from the rather friendly faculty and more importantly I went through a process of unlearning and re-learning things the right way! Banjara is one of the few places where a lot of importance is given to time! Besides those that are interested in counselling, I would recommend this course for individuals who deal with people constantly in their professional lives”


Chandrika Radhakrishnan (M.A in English Literature Writes for The Hindu, Deccan Herald and various magazines)

Banjara Academy has taught me to look into myself and become more perceptive not only about my own thoughts and feelings, but also of other people. I was taught to learn and hone those skills and become non-judgemental, which was hitherto quite unused by me. I believe that if we would like to be a life-long learner and keep our mental ageing at bay, Banjara is a go-to place, for the learning happens beyond the four walls of the academy.


Sudhir YR (B.E, MBA Digital Marketing, Sr. Mgr at Smart Owner Services)

The Diploma in Counselling Skills course at Banjara Academy had made me a better listener, taught me to empathize with other people, and be non-judgmental. It has made me accept people the way they are with all their inadequacies and look at them at them as a complete whole rather than in bits and pieces. I take this opportunity to thank Dr Ali and his entire team at Banjara Academy for the wonderful learning and driving home the point that “Fulfillment is sought from within and not from the materialistic world outside”.


Dr. Girish Baindur (MBBS. Manager at ISRO)

The Diploma in Counselling Skills course at Banjara Academy is a thoroughly enjoyable experience that is rich in content and form. It taught me a lot about myself and others, as well. We were very fortunate to have such exalted and extra ordinary faculty who gave us their unique perspectives. Not to mention, Ali and the behind-the-scenes hard work of Purnima and staff. This course gave me many things that I needed to know about the finer nuances of Counseling. I feel a lot more confident in handling counselees. THANK YOU BANJARA AND THANK YOU ALI for the way you have transformed us all!!!


J.S.Nathan (Partner at V3 Group)

Banjara as a team are highly committed and highly principled in their approach. The guest lecturers are highly accomplished and stalwarts in their own field, and listening to their experiences and knowledge is like icing on the cake. I also would like to thank our mentor Dr Ali Khawja, a very unassuming and humble person, who conveys his message with humor. The one year of DCS has helped me understand what counselling is and has helped me become a better human being. I will cherish all the good times I have had with Team Banjara.


Dr. H. G. Jayalakshmi (M.DAvurveda. Asst prof of Social Work at IIAMR)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) from Banjara Academy has helped me understand the importance of counseling in today’s fast changing society and has left such an impact on me that I am planning to take up Counseling as my profession. In fact, being a doctor and a teacher, I was practicing it without knowing the nuances of it. All that I was doing was listening to anyone in distress with all my heart. Learning from Banjara has provided me with the tools with which I can work better.


Shruti Kulkarni (Specialist in Movement Arts, Freelance dance Instructor)

Banjara Academy is undoubtedly one of its kind in India. The journey in Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) has not only helped me value the relationships I share in life but has also helped me immensely with introspection. I realized how much we all need help in life and Banjara teaches us exactly this, how to help yourself and others. It makes us better human beings and this world, an even better place to live in! If you have always wanted to make a difference in this world, this course is for you. Because change, my friend, starts from within.


Nanditha Goud (M.A English. Freelance trainer for Soft skills and Behavioral Skills)

“The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy was more of a thought provoking INTERNAL journey through a year accompanied with fun learning. The intense yet relaxed learning atmosphere has taken me through a lot of self – introspection leading to self awareness and self realization which in turn has brought about peace n serenity within. This has brought about a readiness to be with others in their journey of life”


Shubha Roopesh (Primary Teacher at Sri Chaitanya Techno School. Specialises in training children with special needs)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy was more of a journey with self. I have learnt to accept things the way they are and can surely say that this molded me into a better human being. The course has helped me become more empathetic, non-judgmental and has also refined my listening skills. So much so, that the changes in me have been perceived and appreciated by the people around me.


Sheeca Ganapathy (B.A in Psychology, M.A in History and Public Administration. Worked with Taj Group of hotels)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has metamorphed me somebody I love even more now. I have been shaken up from my unconscious, subconscious and conscious slumber many a times and in this awakening, I was awed by my own strengths, determinations, potentials and flaws. This has enriched my knowledge and understanding of human capabilities and emotions. My heart will always be grateful to Banjara for this exposure because I would never have ventured into these territories myself.


Shalini N Chawla (M.Sc Student)

My experience in the DCS course at Banjara Academy is one of personal growth. I have learnt to be self-aware, assertive, calm and patient. Earlier, empathizing and listening to people used to be a challenge for me. But ever since I began my journey at Banjara, I have found myself improving in both these areas and this has furthermore helped me deal with people in a better fashion.


Kalluri Sreya (B.Tech Bioinformatics. Teaches Pottery and Customer Success Specialist at FreshDesk)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has helped me re-discover myself. This program has pushed me to recognize my inhibitions and overcome them. I am now more open to meeting new people and have no qualms in initiating conversation. Hence, along with counseling skills, I have also garnered the knack to network and connect to people from various walks of life. It goes without saying that my personal relationships have improved significantly and professionally, I feel a lot more confident and equipped as a Counselor.


Zulfiya Parveen (Teacher at M.H.N Islamic School)

Joining the Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has been one of the best decisions of my life. It has changed my outlook in life and helped me view people in a better light. Respecting and accepting the belief systems of all individuals without judging them has now become a second nature to me. Above all, I have learnt to love myself. For this, I will always be thankful to Banjara Academy.


Mary Dolly (Masters in Social Work, B.A – Bangalore University. Correspondent at NGO(BOSCO)

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has helped me identify my opportunities for growth, enhance my strengths, look beyond words and identify the emotions in people I chance to meet upon. I am now able to see a human being as a whole, flaws and all, and yet beautiful as ever. It has been an inward journey of finding oneself, seeking the light within and then the outward journey of preparing oneself to be the light to those wanting to find themselves. Thank you Ali and the entire team for this exquisite experience. Proud to be a Banjarite!


Heena

The Diploma in Counseling Skills (DCS) at Banjara Academy has taught me to be grateful for the little things in life that we take for granted. I also realized that accepting and understanding others is what builds relationships. It has helped me moved out of my comfort zone and share experiences with individuals from different spheres of life. It has truly been a beautiful journey of self-discovery.


Rajeshwari V Nag. Counselor Member of High Court, Director AJNA Counseling & Training

I feel DCS has helped me gain a clear insight into how I see within myself and how I view the world external to me. I don’t have to make an extra effort to become self-aware, to accept myself, to cope up with the life events and I am at peace within myself. This is one of the 2 major benefits from DCS. I am able to reach out to many people who are in emotional turmoil and distress through counselling.

 


Sunitha B. J. (Manager, Karnataka Health Promotion Trust):

We internalize what is happening during the course — and there is self-introspection. Because of this I came to know about positive and not so positive qualities of mine, thus bringing about self-enhancement.


Dr. Sumathi K T (counselor Philips Electronics and NXP):

A lay person to whom the concept of counselling is completely new, this course gives introduction. It helps the individual to understand emotions, improve oneself and one’s relationship with others. A person who is really interested in getting into counselling can grow from here.

The Reward for Work well done is the Opportunity to do more


Bala Chauhan (Chief of Bureau, Deccan Chronicle):

It’s about knowing myself, understanding myself, understand people, and put relationships in better perspective — it got me in touch with myself.


Dr. Chandra Janakiraman (former Faculty Bangalore University):

Quite a few people questioned my decision to do the DCS course as I had already done a Diploma course in Counseling from CCC, Vellore before getting my PhD in Psychology. The difference between my other courses and DCS is simply this: Doing DCS helped me understand myself at a deeper level. I became more self-reliant in dealing with life and actually learnt how to deal with life without getting flustered. I also finally learnt how to empathize, for real.


Captain LN Prasad (Retd) Indian Navy. Executive Manager, Project Management Institute (PMI):

“I did my DCS in the year 2011. It is a wonderful course. It enabled me to get a good understanding of human behavior, their emotions,and feelings, It has also helped me to understand and communicate well with people. Finally I am able to face the Ups and downs of life in a very confident way.”


Dr. S.Vasanthakumari, MBBS, MRCOG (London), DRCOG (Dublin), ObG:

When I came I was quite distressed with negative emotions. DCS gave me insight into human emotions and how to process them. I worked on myself and climbed up from narrow end of tunnel to wider end. Now I feel well balanced with my inner peace and outer harmony…Thanks to Dr Ali Khwaja for making practical psychology accessible to all of us.


Suneetha Ramesh….

“Your mind is a powerful thing. When you fill it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change.”

I am Suneetha Ramesh, very passionate about reaching out to people. Completed DCS in 2008, it was more of self-realisation and introspection than owning new skills. My journey started with unlearn and re-learn been given the first priority.

I learnt to be assertive, improved my listening skills and to be more patient. Became more observant of my emotions and feelings, also got more clarity in my thoughts. It helped me to understand human behaviour better.

The skill sets helped me to accept people as they are and at the same time provided me the ability to encourage my clients to talk about their feelings. The proficiency helped me assisting clients to see things more clearly or in a different light. Also gained an aptitude for building a relation of trust based on mutual respect. The course also helped me in improving my listening skills and be more patient. After completion of DCS, thrive led me to do Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy from Kuvempu University. Exploring various areas of counselling has been a tremendous quest.

Being associated as a volunteer with organizations like Spandana Rehab Centre, Nightingale Geriatric Centre, Aruna Chethana School for children with special needs and Banjara Academy at RV road helped me in understanding myself, my strengths, keep me grounded and to empathise.

After exploring many areas of counselling, I realised that my true passion lies in helping adolescents. This led me to do Advanced Certification in Student Counselling. Currently associated with St. Joseph’s PU College from past 5 years, Deepa Academy for differently abled, past 4 years and also conduct counselling sessions for parents and teachers (Group and Individual) at Asha for Autism from past 2 years. My intent is always to be a friend, mentor, and guide for students and usher them towards achieving their goals and building a bright future. I firmly believe that under privileged children are also entitled to such guidance. This drive in me helped in conducting workshops


Dr.S Rajesh……

It is my pleasure and privilege to share the experiences of my association with the Banjara Academy. I have been associated with the academy both as an individual and as the Principal of B M School. My dad Mr KSV Subramanyam has been associated with Dr Ali and Banjara since more than 25 years.

The academy has been closely working with our school in areas of counseling and career guidance. In fact every year after the board exam results are out, Dr Ali takes keen interest in meeting the students who have not fared well and giving them a boost of confidence. Thanks to this, all those who did not do well in the main exams invariably come out in flying colours in the supplementary.

I have the experience of having been in DCS and CCG courses. The DCS course in particular was of immense use to me not just to play the role of a counselor, but to live life more fully. It went a long way in fostering better familial ties and personal relationships. It also helped us to understand ourselves better. As a teacher, my DCS experience was greatly useful in the class room to understand the children. I loved DCS so much that I would not mind repeating the same course any number of times!!

Walking into Banjara is a pleasant and refreshing experience every time. Every one in the academy is brimming with positivity and they make you feel nice and respected.

I wish the academy all the best and that it continues to enrich the lives of scores of persons in the years to come.


Chitra Ramarajan, Associate Director NIVE

Doing DCS and CLST from Banjara, has helped me both personally and professionally. While personally it has empowered me and helped me get a lot of clarity, professionally it has increased my effectiveness as a counselor and trainer,enabling me to reach out and make a positive difference in many more lives.

Thank you Banjara and all the mentors, for all the guidance and help during and after the course too.


Susanna Lokhande

Dear Dr.Ali, I wish to say thank you for everything.You and your team Banjara are Amazing!. My association with Banjara has been a wonderful experience. You have a very professional and caring staff

There has surely been a positive change in my life.Today with joy I am able to reach outnot only to patients at Lokhande Hospital but also as a volunteer at Baptist hospital, Navjeevana orphanage, Helpage India , Kidwai hospitaland many other centres.

All this has given me a tremendous sense of wellbeing, purpose and confidence.

Banjara, without any doubt makes lives better and may god bless you and may you continue your services for many more years to come.


Kamala Vishwanathan

With expertise and years of experience in personality development training, student’s career and family counseling; I firmly believe that I can contribute in a significant way, as I am doing presently to the society.

Today I have secured a challenging position in society that could act as a platform to present myself as professional counselor working to better the lives of people.

I have achieved my goal and have learnt to work on my interpersonal skills. No words can express my feeling of happiness.

Role Reversal

Close relationships change so significantly over a period of time. This is most obvious in the parent-child bonding. A small baby needs 24/7 attention from mother, a toddler needs parents around him all the time, a teenager tries to avoid his parents and only be with his friends, a young adult may have either a love-hate relationship with his parents, or start taking responsibility for them.

At midlife the roles may slowly reverse and the child starts becoming the parent.

The greatest change happens if a parent becomes old and infirm and unable to care for himself.  That is when the clock seems to have taken a complete circle and it is as though the parent has become the toddler or the baby.

How do you deal with the situation?

Boosting self-esteem

For Parents and Tea­­­chers:

Here are a few important tips to parents and elders, that should be followed as far as possible at all times:

Never compare your child with a sibling, cousin, classmate, or any other person.  Motivate and encourage him, but not by talking about others’ success.

  • Do not undermine the self esteem of your child by making derogatory remarks about him. Statements such as “Why were you born?”, “You will never achieve anything in life,” “See how horrible you look, anyone will think you are a beggar,” “If you don’t pass your board exam, get ready to go and become a peon or a coolie,” can leave a permanent mark on the psyche of the child.
  • Do not make him feel unloved, unwanted, and thus making him insecure. Threatening to send him away to a hostel or to relatives, threatening to walk out of the family, or even threats of suicide, can make a child feel very guilty that he is not capable of winning his parents’ love.
  • Do not value him based on his marks or success. While it is understandable that every parent wants the best for the child, remember that some children just cannot excel academically despite their best efforts.
  • Listen to your child – encourage him to talk on any topic without inhibition. Particularly make him talk about how he “feels” in different situations.  Never ridicule or put him down when he says something wrong.
  • Give him emotional support when he is facing anxious moments like exam results. Reassure him that regardless of the outcome, you still love him and accept him unconditionally.

Unhappy with course you selected?

Dr. Ali Khwaja

Some students have very clear goals, lofty ideals and high benchmarks – most common being to get into IIT, National Law School, NDA or MBBS.  The competition being so high, barely 1% of the aspirants actually get a seat.  Even very capable students miss out if they develop stress or are not keeping well on the day of the exam.

Those who have Plan B ready and have made a list of their preferences in descending order, manage to move on to an alternative course. But many students select a particular course in a college they like (often based on what others have recommended), and then realize within a few days or weeks that they have made a wrong choice.  It could be because of the subjects, the teachers, the college ambience, or a fear that that particular course may not get them a good job.

In such a situation, you have three choices (1) continue with the course and somehow complete it even if you do not get very high marks, and plan what you would do after completion, including moving on to a different field through post-graduation or entry-level work experience. A university degree never goes waste, even if you change your field, and a strong foundation would have been laid to move into something which you truly desire (2) continue with your studies planning for entrance exams to get into a better institution next year. In this option if you do not get your favored choice even in the second attempt, you have not lost out and can go through the balance years to acquire the degree you are in (3) drop out, spend the year gaining in-depth knowledge of alternative careers and colleges, doing internship and short on-line courses in the field of your choice, and making a strong effort to get into a very good institution. In the third alternative, you should be very focused and spend the year fruitfully.  I have known students who have dropped out, wasted the year directionless, leading to bigger disappointment in the next academic year.

The essential factor in making choices is to understand and narrow down to your long term career goals, based on not just interest but on a combination of multiple-intelligences, personality traits, specific skills, social and commercial acumen, concentration and attention span, general knowledge and academic capabilities – which taken together determine your aptitude.  Then it becomes much easier to select courses that are most suitable to you and there will be no regret.  I have counseled students who selected a course such as engineering under peer or parental pressure and then felt that they could not cope or are not sustaining interest.  In frustration they dropped out and blindly took up a general course like BBA thinking it will be much easier, without knowing where it is leading them to.  Such students rarely carve out a rewarding or meaningful career in the long run.

Choices in courses and number of colleges and universities have expanded significantly in the past few years, and there are innumerable options in each field including technology, health care, life sciences, social sciences, communication, creativity etc. Detailed and careful selection can ensure that any mistake or wrong decision can still be set right.  The important factor is to select based on your capabilities, and not get influenced by what everyone else is doing, or where there is apparently good ‘scope’.

Completed 10th Standard?

Similarly, those who have completed 10th need to take a decision regarding their academics for the first time in their life i.e. to opt for science, commerce or arts, which combination of subjects, and which Board of study.  Some are very particular about a specific college, but either do not get a seat there, or are disappointed once they start attending classes.  More or less the same principle applies here. Explore whether it is still possible to change optional subjects (which should be done based on your aptitude as mentioned above), change college if admissions are still open, or go through at least one year and explore deeply to determine whether a change is required and for what reason. Taking a year off should be done only as a last resort, and with a clear goal of how that year will be spent meaningfully to ensure you move in the right direction.

One wrong choice need not mean the end of your dreams. If you do not succumb to frustration or depression, immediately start exploring alternatives, and take a calculated decision, you can perhaps move into a better and more rewarding career path.

Ali’s Notes:

“The greatest sin is the one which I don’t commit”

Give a thought to the above statement. Talking about values and principles, many of us inevitably have double standards. We hide or justify our own shortcomings, and we easily condemn others for their mistakes when we are confident that we do not commit the same. If I do not drink alcohol at all, then people who drink are “drunkards, antis-social elements.”  If I am a strict vegetarian, then all who eat non-veg food are inhuman and cruel.

At times it helps to look inward. I may have been fortunate to lead a comfortable life so I have never had occasion to ask favors from others, cheat or let down anyone, beg or borrow. So it is easy to look down upon those who are unfortunate, who have faced many setbacks in life, and who have had to cut corners to make ends meet.

Let us be more understanding towards those who have had trauma, challenges and hurdles yet are making the best of their life.