The Manzil Initiative

A study found that nearly 93% of Indian students are familiar with only seven career paths, indicating a major gap in career exposure

(Higher Education Digest).

In India, career counselling remains a privilege rather than a norm, particularly for students in government schools. While private school students often have access to structured career guidance, personality assessments, and exposure to diverse career paths, their counterparts in government schools—who make up nearly 50% of India’s student population—receive little to no formal career counselling.

The Gaps in Career Counselling for Indian Students

• Lack of Exposure: A 2019 survey found that 93% of Indian students are aware of only seven career paths, primarily in STEM and commerce fields, leaving vast opportunities unexplored.

• Government School Disparity: While over 75% of government school students have never received career counseling, private school students are significantly more likely to receive guidance.

• Parental & Social Pressures: Many students from economically and socially marginalized backgrounds face rigid career expectations from families and communities, discouraging them from pursuing alternative or creative career paths.

• One-Size-Fits-All Approach: Existing career counselling models focus on generalized, lecture-based career awareness programs, which often fail to resonate with students who lack the context, confidence, or prior exposure to even consider these options.

A survey found that 75.8% of government school students had never received any form of career guidance, further demonstrating the lack of structured support

1 Selvapranambika, R., & Vimala, A. (2022). Understanding the nature of career planning among the higher secondary students in Coimbatore and Tirupur District. International Journal of Research, 9(3), 39.

Program Structure

The Manzil Initiative is structured around a three-tiered framework

Phase One: Initial Engagement & Student Outreach
(2 Months)

The first phase focuses on establishing partnerships with government schools, engaging stakeholders, and introducing the programme to students and their families. The programme team will collaborate with school principals, teachers, and community leaders to ensure student participation. Special efforts will be made to gain parental support, as skepticism about non-traditional career paths is common.

Instead of formal career counseling sessions, students will be engaged through informal, small-group discussions designed to make them comfortable expressing their aspirations, doubts, and interests. The goal is to create a safe space where they can explore possibilities beyond conventional career paths. Additionally, student background information will be collected, including academic interests, financial constraints, and parental expectations, helping the team identify students who may require tailored guidance and additional support.

Phase Two: Interest Identification & Mentorship Mapping (3 Months)

Once students are engaged, the second phase will focus on categorizing them based on their career interests and connecting them with relevant mentors. Students will be grouped into interest-based cohorts such as academia, business, arts, sports, and vocational skills, ensuring that the guidance they receive is relevant to their aspirations. This phase will also differentiate between students who need career guidance and those who require confidence-building and exposure to alternative opportunities.

A critical component of this phase is mentor identification and onboarding. Professionals from various fields will be invited to participate in the programme, with an emphasis on case-by-case mentorship, rather than assigning students to generic career counselors. Mentors will be provided with orientation sessions to equip them with an understanding of the socio-economic challenges faced by government school students and how to best support them.

Additionally, this phase will include the development of a multilingual career resource bank consisting of video content, articles, and case studies tailored to students from different backgrounds. Resources will also include information on scholarships, vocational training programs, and skill-building opportunities, ensuring that students have access to practical pathways to success.

Phase Three: Personalized Mentorship & Career Navigation (6 Months)

The third phase will be the most intensive, involving structured mentorship sessions, practical exposure, and career-building support. Students will be matched with mentors based on their identified interests, and mentorship sessions will be conducted in small groups or one-on-one settings, either in person or virtually. Instead of theoretical discussions, mentors will engage students in real-world experiences such as internships, field visits, and project-based learning, enabling them to gain first-hand exposure to various career paths.

Skill-building workshops will also be introduced, focusing on public speaking, problem-solving, and leadership, which are crucial for any career. The programme will facilitate direct access to training programs, vocational courses, and career fairs, where students can interact with professionals and industry leaders. A career simulation approach will be adopted in certain cases, such as mock business setups for aspiring entrepreneurs, coding challenges for tech enthusiasts, or arts workshops for creative students, providing them with a taste of what their future careers could look like.

To ensure the long-term impact of the programme, a student tracking system will be established. This will help monitor engagement levels, interest shifts, and overall growth, ensuring that students remain on track with their mentorship journey.

Aimed Outcomes of the Manzil Initiative

The Manzil Programme is designed to create long-term, measurable impact in the lives of high school students, particularly those in government schools and marginalized communities. The key outcomes we aim to achieve are:

1. Increased Career Awareness & Exposure

✅ Students will gain awareness of diverse career paths beyond the conventional options of engineering, medicine, and commerce.
✅ Exposure to alternative fields such as entrepreneurship, sports, arts, humanities, vocational skills, and social impact careers.
✅ Reduction in career misalignment, where students make uninformed choices due to lack of guidance.

2. Personalized Career Guidance & Mentorship

✅ Students will receive tailored mentorship based on their interests and aspirations rather than generic career talks.
✅ A case-by-case mentor directory will be developed to provide relevant industry connections for students.
✅ Mentorship sessions will help build students' confidence, equipping them with practical knowledge and soft skills.

3. Sustainable & Scalable Career Support System

✅ Establishment of a long-term mentorship network connecting students with professionals.
✅ Creation of a resource hub (multilingual guides, case studies, videos) to support students beyond one-on-one mentorship.
✅ Expansion of the program to more government schools, reaching a wider student base.

4. Shift in Student & Community Mindset

✅ Reduction in dropout rates and disengagement by showing students meaningful career possibilities.
✅ Parental and community awareness programs to shift perspectives on alternative career paths.
✅ Encouragement of self-driven learning, motivating students to actively explore their interests.

5. Measurable Career Progression

✅ Students will make informed post-school decisions, whether in higher education, vocational training, entrepreneurship, or direct employment.
✅ Tracking of student success stories, demonstrating long-term program impact.
✅ Increased participation of marginalized students in non-traditional career paths.