http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/OPINION/Editorial/Take_a_right_turn/articleshow/1689183.cms
It is a well-known fact today that India is growing at a staggering rate on the back of its knowledge-driven economy. Various studies have also estimated that the country's trailblazing growth is slated to continue in the next few decades.
Since education and knowledge are going to remain the key factors driving this growth engine, it is imperative to understand how a subtle change in our choice of education and profession can work wonders for the Indian economy and the nation.
Given our 50 years of post-Independence experience, parents have been traditionally risk-averse and made their children tread the beaten path: spend 10 years in school, two years in junior college, three to five years in graduation, couple more (for a lucky few) in postgraduation and then start earning.
The parents' intention was to make the child (read son) 'stand on his own feet' and make him an earning member of the family by the time he is 25 well in time before his father is due to retire. This 'hedging arrangement' served the middle class well.
Oblivious to where the child's interest or natural talent lied, this also extended to the choice of professions. It was dictated by relatively safer options like engineering, management and civil services. Most of the youth today who were born in mid 70s to early 80s have ended up 'left-brained rat-racers'.
But, the nature of not only the economy but also the family has changed drama-tically in the last decade. Very few families today have a single earning member and earning is not restricted to the retirement age.
This has not only increased the savings and spending potential of families but has also made women more influential decision-makers in the family. Moreover, with rising income levels, savings have risen.
To cut a long story short, the opportunity to take risks was never better. Today, one can afford to choose his own rat race. For example, parents today need not restrict their children's career options to engineering, management, medicine or civil services.
In contrast to these largely left-brained professions and risk-averse choices, parents can start encouraging their kids to pursue new professions like art, philosophy, sports, literature and culture studies.
