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Watch: Jairam Ramesh tells Rahul Gandhi, 'You are lucky your parents allowed you to...'
At an interaction with the students in Kota a few days ago, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told Rahul Gandhi that he was lucky that his (Rahul Gandhi's) parents allowed him to study what he wanted.
As Rahul Gandhi recently interacted with the students in Kota and probed to know whether the students actually wanted to study medicine or engineering, Jairam Ramesh, the party's general secretary told him that he (Rahul Gandhi) was lucky that his parents allowed him to pursue what he wanted, while for most people it's either medical or engineering -- as imposed by the parents.
In his interaction with the students, Rahul Gandhi said the system is of selection and those who memorise well and don't raise controversial questions in the classroom get selected. “Whenever I interact with students and ask them what they want to become, I get 4-5 types of answers -- engineering, doctor, army, IAS, teacher or judge. Why do all students want to pursue only these fields?” Rahul Gandhi said.
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If you are given the freedom to choose your career, what will you choose? Rahul Gandhi asked. A student replied that she still would want to be a doctor.
"Okay, if you were given the choice to become an astronaut. Even then you would become a doctor?" Rahul Gandhi asked.
"Yes, sir," the students replied.
"Even Then?" Rahul Gandhi asked. The student again said yes.
It was then that Jairam Ramesh intervened and took the mic from Rahul Gandhi and said, "Rahulji, when I was 16 years old, my father told me that I would have to get into IIT. And I gave the exam and I got in. So, you are lucky that your parents allowed you to do whatever you wanted..."
"No, my parents said...my father said first you see and know everything and then take the decision on what you want to do," Rahul Gandhi said adding, "But you guys have already decided that you will become doctors or engineers."
A student told Rahul Gandhi that they only think of these three-four things as their career option as they are not aware of what other careers they could choose; their parents were also not aware of what other career options they had.
