Manzoor Ahmed
The stream of Humanities is from a long time deemed as a branch of study suitable only for students who secure low marks at the school levels. Students who opt for humanities are considered to be not as intelligent as their engineering and medicine counterparts. Humanities subjects have always been a prevalent choice for students in other countries. But in Jammu and Kashmir, like in other states of India, most of the students either want to become a doctor or an engineer. Or they at least want to be a science graduate. All this is not due to their pure love for science and technology, but mainly for better career prospects. And most of the students are still not appreciating the fact that the Humanities are also offering great career prospects and command same respect in the job market that science and technology course do.
The advent of globalisation has altered the scope and practice for Social Sciences and Humanities. Fast growing markets, mushrooming media houses and increased importance for higher education and research have brought the Social Sciences and Humanities which were once thought as secondary disciplines to the front. The raising professions of marketing, media, entertainment, research and administration are laying red carpet for students of these disciplines.
The demand created by market economy has raised the prominence of disciplines such as Economics, Commerce, Management, Literature, Fashion Technology, Law, Communication, Fine Arts, English and Foreign Languages. Now, the experts and professionals from these subject areas are also commanding great respect and high salaries in the job market; and competing with their Science and Technology counterparts on the entrepreneurship front.
All the subject matter of Humanities and Arts originates in relation to the society and aspects of it. This broad umbrella, encompassing numerous core and sub disciplines, often presents itself with different names, the Arts, Humanities, Social Science, Liberal Arts, Performing Arts, Fine Arts, Visual Arts, Cultural and Ethnic Studies, Literature and so on. These varying names make one curious of knowing and the same may confuse the young minds.
Social science refers to the academic disciplines concerned with the society and individuals within it. It is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to History, Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology. The humanities in common indicate the academic disciplines relating to human culture and thinking, where in languages falls in as a crucial part. Fine Arts include subjects of aesthetics like Painting, Sculpture and Music, where as performing arts denoted the theatre, dance and other disciplines related to physical performances in culture.
Arts and Humanities at schools begin as mere language teaching at school. Unlike the sciences disciplines, the disciplinary basics of social science subject starts after school. Adding to it, most disciplines of arts in higher education are unfamiliar and unheard for most of the students and their parents. This was mainly because of the less demand and scope in the past.
The scenario is fast changing now. For instance, the ever-increasing Indian Incorporated needs a good number of Charted Accountants and Company Secretaries. Even the supposed to be unviable profession Law is witnessing increasing demand due to rise of the business. The rising standards of markets have brought in new professions such as Law, Fashion Technology, Culinary Studies, Hotel Management, Marketing, Photography, Journalism, Multi Media, New Media and Advertising etc. These current day occupations are interest driven, yet highly earnable.
Hence, if students and their parents work on their basic interests and plan properly, one can achieve great heights with Arts and Humanities too. If students want to opt for higher education in Arts and Humanities, it is imperative for them have certain skills so that they can become the best in their chosen subject. In fact, the learning difficulties and catchy quotients in school persuade students’ interest. One has to dwell for and understand his interests and difficulties, further relate them to disciplines and career. Few skills like English Communication Skills, Skills of Presentation, and Decision Making Skills etc. needed to flourish in humanities and social sciences professions.
Alongside identifying the area of interest, nurturing the same with needed skills prepares the students for better future. Skills mark the difference of wavered and profession. As in arts and humanities, interaction and observation form a good portion of the job. Ability to understand, explain and presenting occupies the most of it. One needs to acquire command over language, develop interpersonal skills of engaging with others and quick grasp of the situations. Leading professions of CA, Management, Economics and others need good mathematical abilities too. Independent thinking, research ability, decision making and problem solving, makes the career grow smoother.
Hence, if the child is less interested in sciences and more interested in the topics that dealt by social sciences, it would be better for parents to identify right Arts discipline for them and chart a perfect strategy for their progress. Class X is the first prominent step in anyone’s academic life. The young minds at school have less exposure and any courses other than curriculum seem new, yet strange. They are asked to make a choice of combination for their further future, which mostly is based on elderly guidance. It’s not surprising that many of the students want to become either doctor or engineer. But what is crucial is to know the capability and interest of the child.
Unlike the past, the combinations of optional courses at the intermediate and plus two levels has increased today. Commerce, Economics, Accounts, Statistics, Business Studies, History, political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Logic, Sociology, Geography and Geology along with the languages and other papers are offered for the students after tenth standard. Boards like CBSE is facilitating interdisciplinary learning at +2 levels by offering subjects like Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Environmental Sciences, Business Studies subjects as optional. The MEC (Mathematics, Economics and Commerce) group offered by the Board of Intermediate is one such programme.
If students want to plan for career in Arts, it is important for them to have to select the subject of their interest after the Intermediate or +2 and join an institution of repute. They can either choose professional programmes like Integrated MBA, LL.B., CA, CS, or they have to join an undergraduate degree with Arts subjects such as History, Economics, Political Sciences, Sociology or Journalism and Mass Communications.
