Our 15 year old wants to do nursing, and the first question at home was 'why not MBBS?'

Dikri has wanted four different things since class 8. Last month it was forensics, because of a web series. At 15 I'd let her explore, nothing to lock in yet except keeping biology in class 11.

I work as staff nurse. I did the diploma (GNM) after inter, not BSc. Work is hard. Night duty, standing the full day, sometimes patients' families shout at you. But it is respected work and there are jobs everywhere, here and outside also. If she likes caring for people she will manage. Now BSc is better than diploma for promotion. Let her talk to nurses in a hospital, not only at career day.

Our chinna vadu has his board results coming in May and has named three careers since February, so take my view lightly. But if she's still saying nursing after a year of BiPC, that's real. If any hospital takes school students as volunteers in the summer, a week on a ward would tell her more than all of us put together.

Something worth finding out is what an ordinary week in a BSc Nursing course looks like, not only the job at the end. My daughter's hostel roommate did nursing. From the second year it was hospital postings early in the morning and classes after. Four years, and quite physical. Your daughter will judge better once she knows what a Tuesday looks like.