Neena Sharma has just cleared her class 12 examinations. There are decisions to be taken, and Neena is in two minds: Should she pursue medicine, or should she enroll for a degree programme in general science before getting into a business school?
The 17-year-old, who likes to think of herself as someone who walks the path less travelled, has decided to take a ‘sabbatical’ from her studies and plan her future course of action.
Neena is not alone. Jaydeep R, 17, is also ‘on a break’. His class 12 results were declared a few months ago.
“My friends got admitted to one college or another. I am a bit confused, so I am just taking a little break,” Jaydeep said, adding that he wishes to be an artist. “I am going to devote the next few months to honing my skills as a painter,” he says.
Neena and Jaydeep are among a growing tribe of teenagers who are choosing to veer off that student career to explore other avenues. And all these teens intend to later return to their studies.
Education counsellors and experts say that this is a welcome trend. It is sensible for students to be self-reflexive.
“In recent times, we have observed a new trend. Students, mostly after their class 12 or graduation examinations, take a break from studies. Many of these youngsters are in the 17-22 age range,” said Manjula Raman, a career counsellor and principal of Army Public School, Bangalore.
Parents are no longer alarmed by such experimentation: “My son took a break from studies, after completing his graduation last year. I supported his decision. This year he has enrolled himself in a graphic designing course,” said Rita Kapoor, a software engineer and mother of 21-year-old Sanjay.
SN Omkar, a motivational guru and principal research scientist at the aerospace engineering department at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) said, “Students on such a break could engage in teaching or other social work, and they will find that experience rewarding.”
But do such breaks harm growth? Not unless the student takes a break and whiles time away in frivolous pursuits; in which case he could find it hard to shrug off the lethargy and sluggishness, said an educationist. But even that is no irreversible damage.
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