Something I’ve been thinking about lately — in Indian households, is cracking IIT/NIT more about fulfilling a child’s dream, or is it really about satisfying a deep-rooted need in the parents to prove something to society?
It often feels like for many parents, especially in middle-class families, getting their child into IIT/NIT is less about their kid’s passion for engineering or science, and more about bragging rights. The conversations are telling:
"My son is in IIT Bombay."
"Beta Sharma ji ka bhi NIT mil gaya, tumhara kya hua?"
"Unki beti to MIT tak pahunch gayi, hamara kya?"
It's a constant comparison game — not just about what you do, but where you do it from. The pressure doesn’t end once you get in either. Your rank, your branch, your package, even your LinkedIn title — all of it becomes a family asset to flaunt at weddings and WhatsApp groups.
Worse, kids who don’t get into these “top” institutions are made to feel like disappointments, no matter how talented or happy they might be elsewhere. The obsession with a handful of institutions sometimes overshadows the actual growth or interest of the child.
Why does Indian parenting often equate a child’s worth with how “presentable” their achievements are to others? Is it truly about securing the child's future — or more about how their success reflects on the parents?
Would love to hear your thoughts. Did you feel this pressure too? Did your achievements feel like yours, or more like a trophy for someone else?
Submitted July 10, 2025 at 07:41AM by Appropriate-Ear-3051 https://ift.tt/CIDBiPv
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