Rawdon Street: Don't be rigid and don't give in to peer or parental pressure when choosing your stream or career - this was the advice students took home from a career counselling session at La Martiniere for Girls on Monday.

The session was aimed at students of classes IX and XI in Church of North India schools that may not be able to give students the opportunity to interact with professionals who can guide them or resolve their queries. Christ Church Girls High School, Union Chapel School and United Missionary Girls High School were some of the schools that attended the session.

"It is not enough to just teach the curriculum. It is important to give students a sense of direction as well. Career counselling is essential but it is an expensive affair, which many schools may not be able to organise," said Rupkatha Sarkar, the principal of La Martiniere for Girls.

Her advice to the students at the beginning of the session was to be open-minded.

"Don't be fixed on any one thing but attend as many sessions as possible because you really don't know what you will like to do."

The idea was to keep students abreast of the diverse options available such as hospital management and the hospitality industry.

Both Supriyo Dhar, the secretary of La Martiniere Schools, and John Rafi, the principal of the boys' school, emphasised the need to listen to one's heart and not give in to pressure.

"You maybe a good photographer but your family may pressure you to take up engineering or law but be sincere to your heart and take a course you want and that is where you will excel," Dhar said.

Rafi urged the students not to follow the crowd. "If you walk into the wrong stream it will de-motivate you, your self-esteem will be lost.... You are the best judge," he said.