Question: So, which stream have you opted for?
Answer: You have three options:
Science (The only right answer)
Commerce (Still respectable but to an extent, i.e. you can do better)
Humanities (Are you sure this is your final choice? You may want to recheck your answer)
Whichever one you choose will determine your career path for the rest of your life.
So please, choose wisely and remember to take your time. This will affect your future.
Reader, there’s a pretty high chance that you have had to face the above situation at least once in your life. This is the reality for most high school students in India, and while this may seem like a simple choice to make, it holds a lot of weight.
The scores of hopeful teenagers who opt for the humanities stream are unfortunately met with criticism from their parents, who call this “well-meaning” (albeit unsolicited) advice). Students are also often forced to take up other streams such as science or commerce, even if they have not previously expressed interest in them, writes Krishna J for Youth Incorporated Magazine. As a result, thousands of young Indian students enter the workforce discouraged, unmotivated and uninterested in their field of study.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this attitude stems from a very early level. In private and public schools, only STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects are given importance and are heralded as frontiers of exploration with limitless job advancement opportunities. The most popular joke associated with Indian parent-child relationships revolves around career choices as well— ”If you have Indian parents, you can only become a doctor, lawyer or engineer.”
It is these statements that shape the attitudes of students and turn them against the humanities. Ask any of them and they will let you know that they perceive arts students as “untalented”, “weak” and “lazy”. They have chosen the easy way out, and have no idea how to apply themselves. Most people view the humanities as a simple way to obtain marks through rote learning and feel that they do not put in the hard work that is an entry-level requirement for other subjects.
This couldn’t be further from the truth. Studying the humanities challenges you intellectually and transforms outdated methods of thinking that are common to the Indian education system. As stated by Pallavi Priyamvada for Youth Ki Awaaz, humanities teaches you to think critically and creatively. Out-of-the-box solutions to real world problems are prioritised. While science can provide you with laws about how the world really works, only the arts can encourage you to question.
Another problem stunting the growth of arts education in the country is underfunding. When it comes to extracurriculars such as student-run clubs or societies, an overwhelming majority of them are STEM-focussed (for example: robotics clubs, hackathons and science societies). It is easy for them to garner monetary support for their programs from faculty members as well as interest and participation from other students.
Even at a college level, it is becoming increasingly difficult to accumulate research funds for the humanities and the social sciences, write Ishani Pant and Kirti Dass for the Bastion. A 2010 report revealed that the humanities received only 2-3% of the amount given by the government to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Aside from funding, the arts face other barriers such as course restrictions as well. In 2014, top liberal arts institutions such as Ashoka University, Shiv Nadar University and Symbiosis Law School were forced to cut short their four year liberal arts degree to three years, obeying a regulation put forward by the University Grants Commission.
Ultimately, for the liberal arts to truly flourish in India, work must be done at a grassroot level. Parents need to change their old mindsets and outdated ways of thinking. Changes must be made in curricula to introduce the humanities in a way that is independent of rote-learning techniques. In a country as diverse as ours, it is imperative for every student to understand that the humanities are as important as the sciences for the development of our nation, and we can only move forward by giving them the funds, respect and resources they deserve.
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