The trend of students scoring high marks in Class 10 opting only for science courses for Plus Two admissions is slowly changing.
More number of students with A+ in all subjects are now preferring humanities courses as their first option, claim teachers in the district.
N.K. Saleem, who teaches at the Chendamangallur Higher Secondary School, near Mukkom, told The Hindu on Tuesday that science seats used to get filled in the first two allotments itself for Plus One admissions in the past. Very few students used to give humanities as their first option. However, in the past four-five years, the trend had been changing. “In our school, 11 students who gave their first option for humanities had scored A+ in all subjects in Class 10,” he said.
Almost similar is the case with the Naduvannur Government Higher Secondary School, Kuttiyadi Government Higher Secondary School, Nochad Higher Secondary School, and Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Koyilandy.
Gireesh K.P. of Kuttiyadi Government Higher Secondary School said that of the 40 students who got admission to humanities courses in his school, 10 had scored A+ in all subjects.
Mr. Saleem attributes this changing trend to the increasing awareness among parents and students about the possibilities of pursuing higher studies in social sciences outside the State. Engineering courses had lost their sheen too.
“It is a fact that students want to move away from traditional courses. And parents are respecting their choices. For example, there is an integrated five-year programme at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras in social science. Many of our students are planning to join that course. There are many other similar courses in universities outside the State,” he said. It is easy to get admission to Bachelor courses in humanities subjects too, while scoring above 70% may not ensure a seat in B.Sc. course.
Another lure is the increasing passion among students to join the civil service for which geography is an optional subject. Sensing an opportunity, institutions such as the Chendamangallur Higher Secondary School have started a foundational course in history, geography, economics and political science to help civil service aspirants.
However, many higher secondary schools do not have enough seats for humanities courses. Generally, if there are two batches each for science and commerce, only one batch would be allotted for humanities.
“Parents are increasingly demanding that the seats in humanities course be hiked,” said Mr. Saleem.
The third allotment for Plus One course is now on though classes started on June 21.
