Mind the gap

Gap years are frowned upon in India as a lost academic year. But this trend is getting acceptable as it is helping students who feel lost at career crossroads — better to pause than go down an unwanted path.

By Rachana Ramesh

After all, what harm can sitting idle for a couple of months, away from the distractions and dangers of the unfurling future cause? You could take the days to travel, although this option might be a privilege restricted to those closer to the first world. You can take time to experience life, to explore your spiritual pursuits or to introspect your journey forward and return to the routine of the real world with a renewed energy to combat it better.

“I took a gap year because of certain personal things that happened. I realised that I wasn’t really in a mental position to be in college and handling everything else. So I decided to take a year off to focus on things I had to do and then come back and do well in college,” says Susan, now pursuing the third year of her undergraduate degree at St.Joseph’s College. “I had only my third year left, and if I hadn’t taken the gap year I would’ve taken time after the third year but I’m not sure if I would’ve passed or done well,” she added.

Mahima on the other hand took a gap year right after finishing her 12th grade. She did so to figure out how to go forward with her future. “I was a management student in highschool. I knew I was not happy with accounts, business and everything commerce. So when I took a year gap, I interned and volunteered across many NGOs, and received the exposure I would not have received if it wasn’t for the gap year,” says she, who now has graduated from a university in Bengaluru and has moved back home to Nepal. “I found out I wanted to be involved with the public sector. That’s how I came about to choose political science as my major,” she added.

A gap year is a term typically used to describe a year-long break that students take between varying levels of college education. It was once considered a luxury that could only be exercised by the rich. However, this is no longer the case. It has now become increasingly common among students who have even just completed their class twelve to take gap years.

Everyone who has allowed themselves a gap year –Obama’s daughter included– looks back at the time fondly, and remembers it as a period that allowed them to find much needed answers before making the huge decision on what to do next.

“The gap year helped me get some things in order. That way, this third year I can actually focus and do well. A clear head definitely helps in any decision making, especially for big ones like what to do next,” says Susan. “There should always be freedom to do what people feel is right, especially in terms of making decisions about education. When it comes to mental health, the person that’s going through something knows best. There should genuinely be more support and help in these cases,” she added. “Gap years have a stigma, especially if you take it in between like that. People think that something is wrong with you or that you did something wrong. Thankfully I only had supportive people around me that encouraged me to finish my studies”, concluded Susan.

Since success hinges on an uninterrupted academic- career trajectory in India, a gap is assumed to represent falling behind. In a tightly-knit family setup, the decision on any sort of break from formal schooling is also influenced by what other family members have to say. One’s parenting choices are also under constant scrutiny by elders who hold power above them. In an overly academic culture, where educational institutions are akin to status symbols, parents are compelled to safeguard a secured seat.

“They (gap years) do have an amount of stigma attached because “discovering yourself and interests for a year” sounds like a waste of time to a generation of parents who mostly came to an employable age during the tech boom. They never had a year’s time to spend discovering their interests and passions because most of them weren’t allowed to have interests outside of the mainstream career paths,” says Aneesh, studying CFA, who also has taken a year gap to make a choice of changing the course he was pursuing. He also says the time allowed him to make his parents understand and allow the changes he wanted to make.

“Yes there are disadvantages to taking a gap year, but there’s always a reason why it’s being taken. Comments made insensitively without understanding anything are unnecessary,” says Susan. Mahima agrees too. “You can lose yourself to your gap year. From studying hardcore to switching to a rout