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Hi!

I’m Aniketh Brian Madhok, an 18-year-old boy with a smiley face, little mischevious, fun loving and always polite with others. Living in the metropolitan city of Kolkata in West Bengal, India. I am currently studying in 12th Standard and am about to take my Term-1 ISC exams. It has been a year since I have not paid any heed to my studies. I never have been so disattached from my books but; thanks to the Covid Lockdown and Online Classes, I literally forgot that a tsunami of exams are upcoming which will pave the future for my college admission, and; as the only child and the sole hope of my parents and, also, as a responsible young man, I must do my only job, i.e., I MUST STUDY!!!

I took up the Commerce Stream (that too with a little andolan within my family). I went against the stereotype “Science hai toh zindagi settled” and chose this subject. The unfortunate part is though I feel I made a good decision, but, if I had taken my studies seriously during this period, I could have bridged the gap between basics and the upper level concepts in subjects like Economics and Accountancy. It’s my fault too, not only the circumstances of the situation.

After five months, I will be going to College. It is such a different and weird feeling for me because after 14 years of schooling, I will be studying somewhere else in a particular field with different people, not the ones with whom I grew up in school.

So now I quite often get asked this question – what after 12th?

I have no answer to this.

Before you scream ‘hay hay!’, I’ve been thinking of it from 11th grade and only thinking since then, always leading to confusion and unsurety and then my mind says to postpone or let it go for now.

But I have an answer now.

And that is JOURNALISM.
Yes, I’m chosing one of the Most Dangerous Jobs in India and that is;

Journalism – standing with the people, highlighting their issues and speaking Truth To Power!
But is that the real definition of Journalism in India today?

On paper – yes
but in reality – NO

We know how our journalism has stooped down in this country from anchors shouting in debate rooms, media channels spewing venom and becoming lap dogs of the establishment, those doing the job correctly getting harassed or attacked.

India’s Press Freedom Index is 142 out of 180 countries, which brings them in the list of one of the most dangerous countries for journalists.

Then why do I chose such a field?
Because journalism is still alive in this country. The HOPE of safeguarding the fourth pillar of the Constitution of our Great country is still paramount.

There is a saying, “Umeed pe hi duniya kayam hai” and its the same for me and many young Indians who want to pursue this field.

Once again, I do not want to follow the normal trend of BCom/BBA/MBA, etc, which normally most people do after Higher Secondary but rather want to go where my interest lies, that is for Journalism and be unique like the way when all the newborn babies in the room were lying straight while I was the only one lying left winking at the nurse (nurse part was a joke:D….)

During this past period, I gained interest and was engaged a lot into current affairs and the politics of India and I really find journalism is the best field to pursue in order to follow this passion. But can this be my bread and butter? Which College will I get into? What if my parents want me to go for MBA to have a secured job rather than have their son’s life in danger covering a deadly story? Will the earnings be sufficient? These queries could stall me entering this field and permit me to go for something else.

So the final question is:

Will Aniketh follow his passion to select journalism or be one of those to go for MBA for his parents’ or societies’ preference?

Aniketh will have to fight and answer this on his own with time to come.

Published on countercurrents.org on the 19th of December 2021

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