I didn't even think about this at first, but—perhaps the parents' occupation is there because of the caste system? I heard that it's still around not just in India, but also in diasporas like the Silicon Valley.
Could be. I work with a lot of Indians, both here and abroad. I won't/can't profess to be an expert on them of their culture. But I can say that I've learned a lot over the years. I can only speculate (but won't do so here) on the reason for giving parent's occupation. From what I understand, the caste system is not what it once was and is beginning to disappear into the past, but it's legacy can still be felt in some profound ways both in India and here in the U.S.
