‘Class of Now' rewrite career script, select courses that fit

Time of India

23-06-2025

Mumbai: Once upon a time, there was a path laid down like railway tracks: science for the toppers, commerce for the cautious, arts for the wanderers. But the 'Class of Now' is more invested in writing its own script.
Ananya Singh, 23, had planned to wear a white coat with forensic psychiatry on her mind. But NEET, with its punishing pressure, made her hesitate. "I was always scared of the 'Where do you see yourself in five years?' question," she said. The answer came not from a textbook, but a phone call — a cousin studying International Relations at Ambedkar University in Delhi opened a door she didn't know existed.
Ananya enrolled in International Relations, graduated, and went on to do her Master's at the University of Manchester — turning down an offer from the more prestigious University of Edinburgh.
"Manchester just felt more student-friendly," she said. A quiet reminder that for this generation, fit matters more than fame.
Sometimes, the city matters more than the course. Additya Shrivastava, 19, fell for Boston after a summer stint at Berklee College of Music. "I wanted real-world experience, not just lectures," he said. Now in his second year at Northeastern University, he's studying Environmental Sustainability and Economics, a degree shaped as much by urban energy as academic interest.
It's not just anecdotal. Education counsellor Karan Gupta sees it daily — students with sharper filters and deeper questions. "They're not just chasing rankings," he explained. "They weigh return on investment, global exposure, safety, campus diversity, and post-graduation outcomes. Even political stability matters now."
For some, the pivot comes from introspection. Hita Rai thought journalism would fit as she liked to write, after all.
But halfway in, it felt limiting. "It wasn't creative enough. And honestly, it isn't lucrative," she said. So, she switched tracks. At O P Jindal Global University, she's now studying Corporate Communication and Public Affairs. "It combines PR, advertising, storytelling; it just feels like me."
This fluidity must be encouraged, said Sunita George, principal of Bombay Scottish School. "Some children are sure of what they want.
Others are lost. That's natural." Her advice: allow students to explore. "Experiential learning is everything," she added, pointing to her own daughter, who discovered a love for marketing through school activities.
On college selection, George has a simple rule: "Course first, college later. There's no such thing as a bad college, it's about where you fit."
Sarah Nathani, 19, knew she wanted more than just formulas and labs. A physics enthusiast with a liberal arts heart, she found her perfect match at Harvey Mudd College, California, known for blending STEM with humanities. "I wanted depth in science and breadth in thought," she said. That the college was in proximity to tech hubs was a happy coincidence.
Today's students are crafting paths that reflect who they are becoming, not just what they want to do. In their choices, there's agency. In their detours, discovery.