KAS And NEET: What About Other Careers?

Life in Jammu and Kashmir is narrowly conceived, particularly in case of students and parents. Well, it is not their fault; when the main motive of life is to earn money by hook or by crook, parents deliberately and their children voluntarily or involuntarily choose that way that can give them money in heaps. KAS and NEET are two ways that have become the trademarks of learning. In fact, such is the impact of these two things that other professions and occupations have taken a back seat. Recently, social media, electronic media and print media were full of success stories, regarding KAS and NEET qualifiers. Yes, it is a moment of happiness that we produce good bureaucrats and doctors. But the main thing is that is life all about qualifying an examination or is it about to know the world and yourselves? In the present context, this line of demarcation has blurred a lot. Those students who have no inclinations towards these professions, are called useless. Those students who are called useless, follow their own whims. They want to do something adventurous that can pacify their nerves. They don’t want to be in a race of cut throat competition. They live the way they find life. This state of affairs is not the malaise of some days or years; rather it takes time to fix its roots. A majority of population in Jammu and Kashmir are Muslims. They know that Islam is quite clear in earning things. Islam doesn’t want to practise a particular profession or occupation but it wants to earn in a legitimate manner. Every Muslim is aware of this fact but they still behave like that they are unknown to this fact. But what are the causes responsible for this malaise? Let us discuss some of them in the coming lines.
If someone wants to opt any profession or occupation, he or she is forced to prefer the profession whicj is not suitable to them. In this way, the menace of educational system is to blame. It is this that generates narrow mindedness in our society. In short, there should be a broad consensus on what the real meaning of life is.
First is that we have narrow concept of life. Apart from physical needs, we have spiritual needs. Physical needs are can be fulfilled but spiritual needs need to be quenched. Being a bureaucrat or a doctor, doesn’t mean that we have reached the pinnacle of spirituality. I have come across many bureaucrats and doctors who only live mechanical life. They live like machines where repetitive things happen quite often. A doctor told me that I had no time to know life. A doctor told me that I have no time to know life. I only know to earn and follow sanitation rules. We live less life. So, it somehow becomes clear that earning in this way has some apparent limitations. If I take the example of an entrepreneur, he or she lives his or her life comfortably and moreover, he or she gives employment to other people. They live their lives. They have a lot of experience of real life. They find solutions to each others’ problems. Second is that we need instant money. Either we work for quite a short time or work not at all. But the thing that doesn’t leave us is that how much I will get after this process. My cousin, who is in the UAE, had interacted with many doctors and sought their responses regarding their profession and life. They responded that we worked hard to become doctors in order to have fame and earn money to live comfortable lives. My cousin delved deep into the things and sought out more from them. They, after cold behavior, responded that we only know that we are here to earn. Build a good house and die peacefully if God wish. I think this is the narrowest meaning of life. As told earlier, apart from home, clothes, job, etc., there are some things that can never be underestimated. In this way, these professions should not be everybody’s concern. Instead, there should be respect for every job and profession. The profession that gives respect, money and comfort is welcomed while the profession that gives fake respect, money but no comfort has to be taken carefully. Third and last is the failure of education system. Our educational system never takes individual differences into account. From the beginning, we are taught that all we are going to become doctors, engineers, bureaucrats, entrepreneurs, etc. We are never taught that the main aim of life is to know one’s life. When a person knows his or her worth, he or she opts a profession or an occupation according to his or her liking and necessity. However, in the present world, it is seen that the majority of people engaged in different professions, is misfit. They are not there where they want to be. If someone wants to opt any profession or occupation, he or she is forced to prefer the profession whicj is not suitable to them. In this way, the menace of educational system is to blame. It is this that generates narrow mindedness in our society. In short, there should be a broad consensus on what the real meaning of life is. After knowing this, there should be pondering over different professions and their need. Knowing all these things will enable us to respect every profession. We will be in a position not to give unnecessary hype to those things that are like others. William Bill Gates, Ellison, Jack Ma, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Warren Buffet, etc are some examples.
(The author is a freelancer and writes frequently for “Kashmir Horizon”. Views are his own) [email protected]