With the last few days of school life zipping past, students in Class XII have one additional concern that is almost as immediate as the board examinations. Which course next?

A good number of students in the science stream, or importantly, their parents, believe that medicine or engineering are the only courses meant for them and make sure their attention is on them.

For many in the commerce stream, a B.Com degree or Chartered Accountancy seems the next appropriate choice. But every batch has its share of students who, in retrospect, are not sure they took the right decision.

“I was pretty comfortable with the idea of pursuing an engineering degree, but it was a lot of pressure until I actually made it to a college. I know that many of my classmates were there not because they liked it, but because their parents wanted them there,” says S. Karthik, an IT professional.

Krishnakumar, an engineer, is now a budding music director. Not everyone gets an opportunity to return to their passion after completing a conventionally popular course. “It could be very depressing for students to study something they are not interested in. I know of friends who had a very difficult time,” he adds.

B. Abhinaya had originally planned to take up a management course after B.Com. However, she found the B.Com course too dry for her, and decided to explore other options after it.

“I realised that most of us made our decisions regarding college education based on what friends were planning to do, what our parents said and what our teachers believed would be right for us,” she says, adding that it is usually difficult to find students very interested in their course work at undergraduate level, precisely for these reasons.

There are some like Sayeram Umasankar who go by sheer instinct. “I knew that electronics or electrical was not my cup of tea. I was not particularly interested in computers, either. But engines and automobiles sounded so easy to understand and fun to work with, so I chose mechanical engineering. I am quite happy about my choice,” says the IT professional.

On how to make this vital decision, Krishnakumar thinks it is very important for students to visit colleges, interact with faculty, take a look at the facilities before actually deciding what to study and where to study.

Talking to students currently pursuing different courses will also give a good idea, note professionals. “Sometimes, it is possible that certain courses considered valuable are actually not all that good. Only students who pursue it will know of its weaknesses. But, no student should make a decision on one person's opinion. The sample should be large enough,” says S. Vidya, a chartered accountant.

Psychometric tests

This is where psychometric tests can also be of help, says Kalavathi Amarachelvam, career division head of Bodhi, an organisation and people development consultancy.

The organisation has been observing that more and more students opt for these tests that are said to help students identify their areas of strength and accordingly choose the right course or field for them.

“The trend of psychometric tests has picked up really well. Top schools today ask up to put their students through these tests so that they could be guided on choice of stream in Plus-Two, and later,” she says.

“It is all about giving students the right career perspective. Otherwise, they might get boxed into stereotypes, without putting to use what they are really good at,” Ms. Amarachelvam adds.

History

Although India obtained its independence on August 15, 1947, it did not yet have a permanent constitution; instead, its laws were based on the modified colonialGovernment of India Act 1935, and the country was a Dominion, with George VI as head of state and Earl Mountbatten as Governor General. On August 29, 1947, the Drafting Committee was appointed to draft a permanent constitution, with Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar as chairman.

A draft Constitution was prepared by the committee and submitted to the Assembly on November 4, 1947. The Assembly met, in sessions open to public, for 166 days, spread over a period of 2 years, 11 months and 18 days before adopting the Constitution. After many deliberations and some modifications, the 308 members of the Assembly signed two hand-written copies of the document (one each in Hindi and English) on January 24, 1950. Two days later, the Constitution of India became the law of all the Indian lands. The Constitution of India came into effect only on January 26, 1950. Following elections on January 21, 1950, Rajendra Prasad was elected as the president of India. This was, in fact, a deliberate act, signing the constitution on January 26, to mark and respect the freedom fighters who wanted January 26, 1947 as India's initial independence day.

Granville Austin has described the Indian Constitution drafted by Ambedkar as 'first and foremost a social document.' ... 'The majority of India's constitutional provisions are either directly arrived at furthering the aim of social revolution or attempt to foster this revolution by establishing conditions necessary for its achievement.'

The amending mechanism was lauded even at the time of introduction by Ambedkar in the following words: "We can therefore safely say that the Indian federation will not suffer from the faults of rigidity or legalism. Its distinguished feature is that it is a flexible federation."(CAD VII : 36).

"The three mechanisms of the system derived by the Assembly, contrary to the predictions, have made the constitution flexible at the same time protected the rights of the states. They have worked better than the amending process in any other country where Federalism and the British Parliamentary system jointly formed the basis of the constitution" -- Granville Austin, 1966, 321.

Rashtrapati Bhavan and adjacent buildings, illuminated for the Republic Day, 2008.

What Sir Anthony Eden, the Prime Minister of Britain (April 1955 to January 1957), said at the time of the emergence of Indian Republic is relevant in this context. He said, ‘Of all the experiments in government, which have been attempted since the beginning of time, I believe that the Indian venture into parliamentary government is the most exciting. A vast subcontinent is attempting to apply to its tens and thousands of millions a system of free democracy... It is a brave thing to try to do so. The Indian venture is not a pale imitation of our practice at home, but a magnified and multiplied reproduction on a scale we have never dreamt of. If it succeeds, its influence on Asia is incalculable for good. Whatever the outcome we must honour those who attempt it.’

Even more meaningful was the opinion expressed by an American Constitutional authority, Granville Austin, who wrote that what the Indian Constituent Assembly began was ‘perhaps the greatest political venture since that originated in Philadelphia in 1787.’

Celebrations

Agni-II missile in Republic Day Parade 2004.

To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi, from the Raisina Hill near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's Palace), along the Rajpath, past the India Gate and on to the historic Red Fort. Prior to its commencement, the Prime Minister lays a floral wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, a memorial to soldiers who died for country at the India Gate at one end of Rajpath, which is followed by two minutes silence in the memory of soldiers who sacrified their lives for country . Thereafter he reaches the main dais at Rajpath to join other dignitaries, subsequently the President arrives along with the chief guest of the occasion. First he hoists the National flag, as theNational Anthem is played, and a 21-gun salute is given. Next, important awards like the Ashok Chakra are given away by the President, before the regiments of Indian Armed Forces start their march past.

The different regiments of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force march past in all their finery and official decorations. The President of India who is the Commander-in-Chief of theIndian Armed Forces, takes the salute. Floats exhibiting the cultures of the various states and regions of India are in the grand parade, which is broadcast nationwide on television and radio. Also part of the parade are children who win the National Bravery Award for the year ^[1]. The parade also includes other vibrant displays and floats and traditionally ends with a flypast by Indian Air Force jets.

Celebrations are also held in state capitals, where the Governor of the state unfurls the national flag. If the Governor of the state is unwell, or is unavailable for some reason, the Chief Minister of the state assumes the honour of unfurling the National Flag of India. A description from tajonline: