You’re told to “follow your passion” or “choose what you like,” but how do you choose when you don’t even know what’s out there?
In this blog, two ETASHA volunteers pursuing graduation share what it was like to stand at that same confusing crossroads while choosing stream in class 10. From pressure at home to unclear options in school, from peer pressures to biased opinions, their experiences reflect what thousands of students go through every year. Their stories also show why career guidance matters—not just for getting a job, but for building a life that fits who you are.
The Problems We Faced While Making The Career Choice
I’ll never forget the day our school principal handed out the stream selection forms. The classroom buzzed with nervous energy as we all pretended to know exactly what we wanted to do with our lives. Spoiler alert: none of us had a clue.
The Great Indian Career Dilemma
My hands shook as I stared at the three options: Science, Commerce, Arts. Choosing felt like deciding the rest of my life with zero information. I looked around at my classmates—Nitya was confidently ticking Science, Garvit was chewing his pencil eraser, and I was sweating through my uniform shirt.
What followed was the most confusing year of my life. I ended up in Commerce because “it keeps options open,” which really meant I had no idea what I wanted. Nitya, the topper, chose Science to please her parents but hated every minute of it. And Garvit? His parents pulled him out of school entirely to join a “dummy school” for IIT prep. Last I heard, he’d locked himself in his room for three days during JEE Advanced and now can’t bring himself to even open a physics textbook—when all he ever really wanted was to study literature.
Why We All Felt So Lost
The problem wasn’t that we were lazy or uninterested. The real issue was that no one gave us real guidance. Our teachers kept saying “choose what you like,” but how was I supposed to know what I liked when the only careers I’d ever heard of were doctor, engineer, CA, IAS, and maybe banker?
Google wasn’t much help either. One career test told me I should be an astronaut, another suggested florist, and my parents were convinced I should do CA or prepare for UPSC because “it’s stable.” Meanwhile, Garvit’s coaching center kept insisting IIT was the only respectable path—even as he cried over organic chemistry every night.
What Actually Helps (That Nobody Tells You)
Years later, I discovered what we really needed back then:
First, someone to explain what different careers actually involve. Not just the impressive labels, but what those people do every day. What does a data analyst really work on? How is marketing different from branding? What is “policy research” and why does it matter?
Second, we needed help identifying our real skills—not just marks on a report card. Turns out I was actually good at visual thinking and problem solving. Nitya discovered she loved research, not medicine. And Garvit? He found peace only after finally admitting he never wanted to be an engineer—he wanted to study literature all along.
These experiences are not rare—they’re the norm for many Indian students, struggling to find the right career path. At ETASHA, we work to break this cycle of career confusion and social pressure through our structured, unbiased, digitised Career Guidance Program.
These workshops help students explore their strengths, understand real-world careers, and make confident and clear choices for their future.
👉 Learn more about our Career Guidance Program here
👉 Know someone who might benefit? Share this blog or connect with us at info@etashasociety.org or call us at +91 9311897779
This blog is written by Dishita Garg and Vasud Tandon , Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College, 1st year students