Cutchi Memon wing holds session to guide youth on career decisions

MUMBAI: Wrong career decisions often land students in a spot. And by the time they realise their folly, there's little they can do to salvage the situation. Low on confidence, some could even veer towards problems like depression if there's no timely intervention, and guidance.
It is against this backdrop that the free career guidance and psychometric tests held by Cutchi Memon Students' Circle, youth wing of Cutchi Memon Jamat, Mumbai, recently assumes significance.
Over 100 students who cleared their Std 10 and 12 boards this year attended the day-long session at the Cutchi Memon jamat khana. Experts from various fields were invited to guide the youngsters in a move aimed at helping them make informed decisions. Sharing their own experiences, the experts encouraged the students to remain committed to achieve their goals no matter what the challenges.
"We are primarily a business community, but it is increasingly being felt that our children should also become professionals and join the global job market. We want some of our youngsters to try and become IAS and IPS officers too," said Kutchi Memon Jamat president Hafiz Mohammod Irfan Dadani. He added that the Jamat supports the students' circle's initiatives, including career guidance sessions.
Circle president Arafat Lakdawala said that the guides included a doctor, an engineer, a CA and a lawyer besides an expert for conducting psychometric tests of the students.
"Apart from motivational speeches and advice to stay focused, we also conducted one-to-one interactions where the students were explained what kind of careers would suit them," said Lakdawala, a lawyer.
Founded on July 27, 1952, Ghulam Hussain Banatwala was the circle's first president. Apart from annual career guidance camp, the circle also holds competitions in drawing, elocution, handwriting and Qirat (recitations of the holy Quran). Banatwala, who was also a leader of Indian Union Muslim League and a parliamentarian, understood the need for such a student association to work among youth and strove to empower them through the activities of the circle. He acknowledged youth power and wanted to harness it for positive use and tried to empower youngsters through skills, knowledge and expertise.
"While competitions are held among only Cutchi Memon students, the career guidance is open to all," informed Lakdawala. He added that the response was overwhelming and even some parents wanted to participate in the guidance sessions but they were kept away. "We guided parents separately," he said, adding that students from other Muslim sects and even non-Muslims would be included for the various completions. "Right now, these competitions are being held for Cutchi Memon students, but we will include others too in future as we build resources," said Lakdawala.
Tracing their origins to Kutch region in Gujarat, the Cutchi Memons have established various institutions (schools, colleges, mosques, madrassas, maternity homes, hospitals) in Mumbai and elsewhere in the country.