Sometime ago, I had the privilege of participating in the ATL SARTHI and Frontier Region Program held at the Convocation Hall, University of Kashmir. The event marked the inauguration of 500 new Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The program was graced by eminent dignitaries including Dr. Jitendra Singh, Hon’ble Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences; Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of J&K; Shri Atal Dulloo (IAS) Chief Secretary and Professor Nilofer Khan Vice-Chancellor University of Kashmir.
The aim of this initiative was to ignite creative and innovative thinking among young minds, helping them explore how their ideas could transform into meaningful innovations. I was fortunate to attend this event as an escort teacher for my students from Bandipora. Students from both government and private schools across Kashmir participated with great enthusiasm.
Initially, it seemed like a golden opportunity for them to learn how to become creative, innovative, and inspired by the distinguished personalities before them, individuals who could help light the candle of curiosity in their young hearts. But soon, I noticed something disheartening. Many students appeared bored and disinterested. They were barely paying attention and showed little curiosity about the exhibition stalls where young Kashmiri innovators displayed their remarkable creations.
This observation disturbed me deeply. I felt compelled to understand why such a valuable program wasn’t capturing their interest. So, I decided to speak with them directly. Behind my seat were a group of students from a well-known school in Srinagar. My colleague, Dr. Nisar-un-Nabi, and I began a friendly conversation with them. They were intelligent, well-spoken ninth graders with impressive academic exposure. When I asked about their ambitions, their responses initially filled me with pride. One wanted to become a politician, another an IAS officer, and another a lawyer.
I was genuinely happy to see that their dreams stretched beyond the conventional answer of becoming a doctor, something we so often hear from Kashmiri students. But my joy soon turned into sadness when, after a few minutes, they asked, “Sir, how can we qualify NEET to become doctors?” I was taken aback. Their earlier ambitions had vanished within moments. When I asked why, they replied exactly as I feared, “Because of societal pressure.” Their parents, relatives, and peers all expected them to pursue medicine, even though their personal dreams were different.
This conversation left me thinking, how many brilliant young minds are silently surrendering their dreams under the weight of society’s expectations? I counselled them gently: “Chase your dreams, not others. You can only succeed truly when your passion drives your journey.” But as I interacted with more students from other schools that day, I heard the same story repeated, societal pressure shaping ambitions and suffocating individuality.
This pressure is spreading like a communicable disease in our society. In Kashmir, many of us have developed a “sheep mentality”, following others blindly without understanding where the path might lead. Even parents, often unintentionally, contribute to this problem by imposing their own unfulfilled aspirations on their children. From a psychological standpoint, the effects of such pressure are severe. It can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, loss of individuality, and even risky behaviours such as substance abuse or academic dishonesty.
The renowned psychologist Carl Rogers, in his Humanistic Person-Cantered Approach, emphasized that every individual has an innate drive toward personal growth and fulfilment. However, this drive is disrupted by what he called “conditions of worth”, when young people internalize the judgments of society. They begin to live for others’ expectations rather than their own happiness, destroying their self-concept and leading to anxiety and confusion.
Modern neuroscience also supports this. Studies show that during adolescence, the brain becomes highly sensitive to social evaluation, making teenagers more vulnerable to external judgment. As a result, many of our young people are losing their sense of identity, suppressing their real interests, and feeling isolated as they hide their true selves behind the mask society wants them to wear.
In today’s digital world, social media adds another layer to this problem. Constant comparison to unrealistic lifestyles and success stories, only fuels anxiety, fear of failure, and the feeling of “not being enough.”
It’s time we, as parents, teachers, and members of society, take responsibility. We must help our young generation view societal pressure positively, as motivation for excellence, not conformity. Let us guide them to compete not with others, but with their own past selves. True success lies not in following society’s definition of achievement but in pursuing one’s own dreams with courage and conviction. Our youth must be reminded Chase your dreams, don’t let them fly away.
The author is teacher by profession in the department of education
