KOCHI: The past few years have seen a sharp decline in the number of students applying for humanities courses in high school. Last year, nearly 30 batches in the state lacked an adequate number of students, a trend more noticeable in the southern districts.
In view of this, several batches were outright removed from the upcoming academic year in the region, a move which invariably also means that several teachers are likely to lose their jobs.
“This is particularly worrying,” says Sakkeer Sainudheen, the state president of the Kerala Higher Secondary School Principals’ Association (KHSSPA). According to the body, the primary reason for this decline in interest in humanities is the popularity of skill-oriented courses among students and parents.
Science vs Humanities
“A glance at the admission pattern makes this very evident,” explains Sakkeer. “Students with top marks prefer the science stream. The courses in that branch are witnessing a rush. Last year, the state government was forced to increase science batches in many schools, especially in the Malabar region,” he says.
Martin T G, the principal of Cardinal HSS in Kochi, seconds this theory. According to him, the past years have seen a gradual decrease in the number of students opting for humanities.
“The situation was worse last year. The extent of this decline and how many schools are without the adequate number of students in this stream will only become clear after the directorate of higher secondary education publishes their survey,” he says. However, with the department’s recent order stipulating that the minimum number of students per batch should be 25, the numbers are bound to rise further.
After the science stream, the Commerce courses “get the next best students. Those who want to aim for the UPSC examinations tend to opt for it more,” Martin adds, much to the detriment of the humanities branch.
The allure of ‘going abroad’
Another factor that has likely become a bane for the humanities stream is a desire among students to go abroad. Since the chances of landing a job in foreign countries are higher if you are from the science stream, many opt for that, even if it means abandoning their interest in arts and humanities.
Since nurses are most sought after in foreign countries, nursing courses have seen a boom in the past decade. A background in the science stream is a prerequisite to joining nursing courses in Kerala.
“Gone are the days when only medicine and engineering courses mattered. Now, paramedical courses too are gaining interest among youngsters. But what about the humanities? Maybe it is time to project the positives of this stream,” says Martin.
Why humanities?
Humanities is a vast subject area, says James V George, the assistant professor of commerce at Sacred Heart College, Kochi. “It is a vast subject encompassing culture, human lives and emotions , of the past and the present, and the possibilities of the future. It opens doors to innumerable higher studies options,” he asserts.
However, James admits that the idea of education has changed from learning to skill development and this, he says, is precisely what has crippled the humanities stream. “The public is aware of what skills one gains from engineering and similar professional courses. They know what job markets can open to them. But humanities remains a mystery. Though there are umpteen opportunities, not many are aware of them,” he says.
There’s a misconception among many that the humanities is a course that one opts for when they don’t like to study science. “Not many choose subjects like history, economics or languages for the love of it,” James adds.
To crack an exam vs job
Anil Kumar, a former archaeology professor at Kerala University, says that it is unfair to take humanities just for the sake of getting a job.
“Nowadays, not many pursue a career in the same stream as the studies. This is true for the humanities too. It is easy to crack the PSC examination and similar competitions if one takes up subjects such as history,” he says.
Fr Jose Charuil, the principal of St John’s Model HSS in Nalachira, says his school is still witnessing a good number of students opting for humanities.
“Every year, we have around 60 students in the batch. Most of them join as they want to appear for civil service and other national-level examinations,” he says.
This phenomenon is also observed in colleges. “I had a student who wanted to be a police officer but studied Physics for graduation. However, he couldn’t crack the written test. So, he joined the archaeology course as it has History as a subject. Finally, he cracked the test and is an SI now,” says Anil. From office jobs to research, humanities and liberal arts are packed with choices, he adds.
Umpteen career options
For those who want to stay with the subject, James makes it clear that research opportunities are aplenty in top institutions across the country, including the IITs.
“Malayalis tend to consider the humanities as a subject with less privilege. They have no inkling about the career options that this branch paves the way for. This lack of awareness needs to be addressed,” he says, while also adding, “Kerala needs to develop the syllabus available for this stream and make it relevant to the current scenario. Only then can it flourish.”
Sajith Thomas, career consultant at CareerTestLive, concurs. “Humanities is a much more developed course outside the state. One can have a double or triple major in the subject at foreign universities. Lack of proper guidance is one hindrance for students from Kerala,” he says.
According to him, the career options are plenty. “There are options in finance, stock market, service industry, graphic design, animation and interior designs,” Sajith says.
Social services, psychology, law, international relations, political science and then languages — there are many subjects that humanities students passionate about society can take up for higher studies and consider building a career in.
“However, with the advent of AI, it is important that the syllabus is updated,” he says.
In focus
After the directorate of higher secondary education publishes the survey on admission patterns, more than 120 schools without 25 students in the Humanities will lose the batch and teachers’ positions.