This document summarizes an interview with an 18-year-old Indian male who recently graduated high school. He qualified for undergraduate programs in computer science, mathematics, and physics. While he enjoys mathematics and physics, he feels pressure to study computer science engineering to please his family and have job prospects, as other family members and friends are engineers. He seems resigned to pursuing his passions on the side and adapting to what will make his family happy and secure his employment.

1. Digital Ecosystem
July 2013

2. Person Interviewed
 Age: 18 years
 Nationality: Indian
 Gender: Male
 Education: Standard-12
 Graduated from School, with Physics/ Chemistry / Mathematics / 2 Languages and Computer Science
 Qualified for Undergraduate courses through National and State Entrance examinations
 Courses Qualified For: B.Tech. (Computer Science) in multiple colleges, including a National Institute of
Technology (NIT)as well as B.Sc. (Mathematics) and B.Sc. (Physics) in St. Xaviers
 Hobbies: Photography, Sudoku

3. Say (1/2)
•“I love physics and mathematics and that is what I would like to work on.”
•“No, I would not like to be a teacher or a professor, although I idolize our
mathematics teacher”
•“My dad is an engineer and so are my uncles, maternal and paternal. In fact, the
whole family is so full of engineers”
•“The expectation is I would be an engineer as well, especially since I have already
got an admission from one of the NITs in computer science”
•“I really don’t know how much I will like to study computer science, but it is what
all top rank holders usually take”
•“Pure science graduates don’t get good jobs in India. That’s what everyone says.
Who will give me a job if I study physics or mathematics?”

4. Say (2/2)
•“I may like to dabble in mathematics puzzles while I am doing engineering”
•“My family or I don’t know what non-engineers do after they graduate, although
even non-computer science engineers seem to flock to Infosys”
•“I like photography, but Arts is not for best students. Science and engineering are,
as I will get jobs. Who will get me a job otherwise? I am financially from middle
class family.”
•“I have not got any idea what jobs I could get after graduating in physics or
mathematics, other than in academics. Everyone tells me non-engineering fields
are having hopeless job prospects”
•“Not everyone may be able to do what one likes. I have to make my family happy. I
will grow to love what I will study.”
•“Mathematics and physics students don’t get campus placements”

5. Do
Observations:
•Interviewee was happy and confident that he has got admission
into computer science and spoke of the hours put into studying
•Interviewee had pride in his voice explaining how his family was
proud about his performance in engineering entrance
•Interviewee shrugged when mentioning that not everyone gets
to do what one loves. It was almost like a resignation.

6. Think
•Thinking of the happiness that his entrance into
engineering will bring for his family
•Thinking of the uncertainty of “good jobs” if he goes for
what he likes
•Thinking of adapting to “reality”
•Thinking the need to balance to passion and reality
•Thinks best jobs prospects are for engineering students
•Thinks of middle class background as a constraint to follow
his passion

7. Feel
•Feeling that one can pursue passion for mathematics
or physics on the sidelines
•Feels “good students” invariably study engineering
•Feels the need to study engineering as his “middle
class” family feels it to be a secure way to a job
•Feels non-academic prospects of a degree in science
to be limited, especially the glamour and certainity of
campus placements

8. End of document