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Heritage School students at the counselling session on Wednesday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Setting a goal is the mool (basic) mantra for a career and a person has to choose from various avenues to build it.

Shailendra Kumar, a management faculty at AN College and a professional trainer, made this observation at a career counselling-cum-interactive session organised by the Inner Wheel Club of Patna at Heritage School on Wednesday.

Kumar added: “The most important thing is to set a goal first and then start working on it right away. This is how one can think about achieving goal in life.”

Students of classes VIII and IX took part in the interactive session. Abhishek Anand, a Class IX student, asked: “My English is not good. What should I do to improve it at this age?” Kumar replied: “To improve English, you should start reading newspapers and watching news on the television. Enhance your vocabulary. Start learning 10 new words on a daily basis with a target of 15,000 to 20,000 words. Ensure that you not only learn new words but also use them while communicating with others.”

Kumar added: “One should develop a habit of reading and that too loudly. One should start reading novels. If not of foreign writers, start with Indian writers like Chetan Bhagat, who writes simple.”

Ismail Shah of the same class asked: “My mathematics is not good but am good at sketching. Can I make a career out of it?” Kumar replied: “If you are weak in a particular subject, it does not mean that you should run away from it. Instead, practise it as much as you can. Solve problems again and again. If you are interested in sketching, you can make a career in it. There are many reputed institutes where you can pursue a good course.”

Kaushal Mittal, another student of Class IX, put a question on his interest in history and biology. Shaurya of Class VIII got tips on how to prepare for becoming an IAS officer.

President of Inner Wheel Club of Patna Rashmi Agrawal told the students: “Time is precious. Realising this, students should decide what they have to go for as early as possible and without any confusion. They should explore career options of their interest. This will make cracking entrance examinations after Class XII easier.”