Education: The Aptitude Decides Stream or Stream Decides Aptitude?

By Muskan Bhatnagar

Here we are again, it's that time of the year when school students are promoted to the next grade. While 10th class students are promoted to 11th Standard, they're supposed to choose a stream among the three- Science, Commerce and Humanities/Arts.

The Science stream happens to be the most popular among the three. Possibly everything can be pursued under the field of Science. With Commerce, the career options narrow down and similarly, Humanities provide the least number of career choices. No, these aren't facts, but mere observations of people.

Science stream is considered to be the toughest of all three, whereas Humanities is seen as the easiest one. "History is just about mugging up things!", "What is Business Studies in comparison to Physics?", "Only the intelligent ones opt for Science and the failures end up in Humanities and Commerce ". These are a few taunts every non-science student must've come across at least once in their lives.

Since the beginning, Science is considered to be the most elite and Ideal stream. More than a subject, Indian families consider science as a part of their 'family honor'. If a child doesn't take up science after 10th then it is considered as an act of rebel and immaturity.

And hence, most of the families force their kids to take up science.

The main issue lies with the thinking and the old mindset of parents and society. If a child doesn't opt for science then the whole society especially the relatives of the family think that the child must be poor in studies or don't want to work hard.

Unfortunately, opting for science increases the child's social status and has a lot to do with prestige issues.

The fact that doors to all possible career options remain open with the science stream is a major factor in pushing kids into science against their will. Parents tend to overlook their child's interests and aptitude. To them, science is a tried, tested, and full proof career option for their kids. They're not completely aware of the options they can avail in other streams. And even if they are, who wants to take the road less traveled?

And therefore, once again, kids are forced to take up science.

"If your brother can do it, then why can't you?", "You have 3 different tuitions and you still can't do it?", "What are you going to do in Humanities? There's no scope!" and so on. No importance is given to the fact that every child has a different aptitude and every child has his/her field of interest.

Imposing such decisions on kids can have major consequences. Do you know, every one hour a student commits suicide in India? And the others silently and secretly suffer from depression, anxiety, intellectual disability, etc just to live up to the expectations of their families.

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If a child is good at something or interested in a particular stream, then what is so wrong about it? Can't we trust our kids enough that they'll shine in the stream of their choice? Can we not show others that our kids can be successful in all the streams? Can we not support and encourage our children to excel in the field of their choice?

To guide and to enforce are two completely different things. For once, let's guide our kids in their journey and not force them, overlooking all the taunts from society. Let's support them in the field of their choice and watch them shine bright in the future.