CHENNAI: They might have obtained a perfect score in mathematics, physics and chemistry and stood in the never-ending queue to get the applications at the premier Anna University, but for few of the toppers of the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) 2014, joining the BE programme is not the priority.
“I would definitely prefer MBBS at Madras Medical College to engineering and I want to take up cardiology,” was the reaction of the two toppers, Sundar Natesh K and Abhishek S, who stood first and second respectively. Incidentally, the duo had the same positions in the MBBS rank list released earlier this week as well.
Having the option to pursue two of the most sought-after streams, Abhishek wants to fulfil his father S Sukumar’s wish and opt for medicine.
It is not only MBBS aspirants who have given engineering the back seat. Keerthana M, who obtained the 29th rank overall and 1st rank in her community, aspires to become an architect and is determined not to join the bandwagon of engineers in the city. “I want to have my own construction company in Chennai after I complete my bachelor’s in Architecture. There are too many engineers anyway,” she concluded.
With toppers in the city moving away from engineering, is the demand for the courses and the profession plummeting?
Other stereotypes broken amongst these achievers are that none of the three toppers flocked the mushrooming tuition centres, nor did they spend endless hours of studying without recreation. “I never strained myself during these two years with extra coaching classes or burnt the midnight oil. The coaching at school was more than sufficient. Meticulous, consistent and adequately-paced work is the key. I used to listen to AR Rahman songs, catch up a game of cricket in the middle and yet study regularly,” said the topper Sundar.
Not a week passes without watching a movie for Abhishek, who in his two years at Vidya Mandir, Krishnagiri spent every Sunday in the nearby theatre. Also, he did not have a photocopy of all the text books etched in his brain. “I don’t know if I am passing on the right message but smart work, understanding the question paper patterns and apt choice of answers helped me. I did not mug the text books from cover to cover,” he chuckled
With the conventional patterns of preparations changing, anxious engineering aspirants might benefit by taking a leaf out of the toppers’ books and tweak their study routines to accommodate some recreation too.