Mangaluru (The Hindu): Speakers at The Hindu-Edge Career Counselling 2017, held in the city on Sunday, encouraged students to pursue a career of their interest without succumbing to parental or peer pressure.

Krishnaprasad Rai, correspondent, Ramakrishna Degree College and Ramakrishna Pre-University College, who released thenext.step, a career handbook published by The Hindu, said knowledge about the various career options available is vital to face the competitive world. The counselling was held to help students decide the courses to pursue after pre-university education and class 10.

Citing the example of a student of his college, Mr. Rai said the student quit his B. Com course in the second year in order to join a four-year ITI course. He had to waste two years as he did not take the correct decision at the PU level, he said. He also told students not to bow to pressure from peer groups and parents. A student should opt to study the subject his heart is into, he said. “Have a strong dream and dream the ultimate,” he said.

Naveen Shetty K., principal, Ramakrishna Degree College, said The Hindu was conducting the career counselling session all over the country as it was a social responsibility. He said enough career options were available apart from engineering and medicine. “Happiness is the key to success and students should love the subject they choose,” he said.

M. Nagarajappa, principal of Government PU College, Shikaripur, was the resource person from the Karnataka Examinations Authority. Surfraz Hasim J., director (academics), PA College of Engineering, Mangaluru; Shivananda Prabhu, professor of surgery, Kasturba Medical College, Mangaluru; and Shoaib Valai, a career counsellor from CIGMA India, a career information and guidance agency, also spoke at the event.

REVA University, Bengaluru, was the platinum sponsor of the event. The gold sponsors were Presidency University, Bengaluru; AMC/CITY Institutions, Bengaluru; Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bengaluru; and Cambridge Institute of Technology, Bengaluru.

Ramakrishna Degree College, Mangaluru, was the venue sponsor, while Hangyo Ice Creams Pvt. Ltd. was the beverages sponsor.