Introduction:
You’ve just finished your class ten exams and are wondering, “Which stream should I take?“
You are reading this blog, which indicates that you are taking the first step toward understanding your career, as very few people give their career choice serious thought. Congratulations on taking the first step in your career.
In terms of Step 2, stream selection may appear to be a daunting task, but it is actually not that difficult if you are aware of your options and engage in some diligent research and introspection. So, how about we start with the basics?
Figure out what you enjoy (your interest) and what you excel at (your capabilities/skills), When do you forget Time, What do others say you are good at and What do you feel you are good at. This will make selecting appropriate subjects in class 11 much easier. You should not choose Science, Commerce, or Humanities because you are drawn to the idea or because your parents believe it is a good choice; instead, focus on courses in which you excel, enjoy studying, and have aptitude.
Now you must be wondering figuring out is the most difficult challenge for me. Write down why this career interests you. Is it because you enjoy doing this? Or do your parents or friends want you to do it? Or do you believe I will earn more in this role? But let me tell you, choose a stream based on what you enjoy doing, because if you are happy, your parents will be happy to see you happy. You will earn more if you devote your heart and soul to what you enjoy doing.
Now coming to Step 3, Take the help of your parents, teachers and mentors, go to them and understand what are the prospects and challenges in that career, how should I go about it. Which stream should I choose in order to achieve your career goals? Let us give you a brief overview of different streams:
SCIENCE STREAM
The Science stream consists of Physics, Chemistry as the core subjects and Mathematics and Biology as optional subjects. Science students can also choose electives from other streams such as Economics from Commerce, Psychology from Humanities. The Science stream offers many lucrative traditional career options such as Medicine, Engineering & Technology and Pure Sciences. Students who choose Science in school can opt for Commerce and Humanities Stream for undergraduate studies if they wish to move out of the Sciences. The popular choice among the students interested in this stream is:
- Engineering
- AI & Robotics, Data Science
- Programming, Coding
- Cyber Safety and Ethical Hacking
- Research and Scientist
- Medical
- Allied Medical Science
- Forensics
- Epidemiologists
- Alternative Healthcare
- Agricultural Scientist
- Biomedical Engineering
- Environmental Science and Waste Management
COMMERCE STREAM
The Commerce stream consists of Business Studies, Economics, Accounts as core subjects and Mathematics is optional. Commerce students can choose electives from the Humanities stream and not from the Science stream. Commerce with Mathematics tends to be a popular choice among students interested in this stream is:
- Entrepreneurship
- Chartered Accountant
- Investment Analyst
- Business Analyst
- Business Finance
- Company Secretary
- Tax Consultants
- Insurance
- Supply Chain and Logistics
- Banking/Finance Industry
- Marketing
- Human Resource
HUMANITIES / ARTS STREAM
The Humanities or Arts Stream consists of Social Science subjects such as History, Geography, Psychology, Sociology, and Political Science as core subjects. Electives include Mathematics, Economics and Marketing. Humanities students can choose careers in Mass Communication, Journalism, Writing, Film Making and Community Service & Teaching among others. Students who choose Humanities cannot choose Science and Commerce streams for undergraduate studies in India. However, if the student has Economics and Math, they can opt to study Economics or Commerce in college. The popular choice among the students interested in this stream is:
- Civil Service
- Law
- Psychology
- Mental Health
- Sociologist and Social worker
- Content Writing and Story Teller
- Design, Graphics
- Brand Management
- Culinary Art, Hospitality
- Journalism
Conclusion:
Now, Find out subject options available at your school and try to learn more about them to gauge your interest. It helps to speak to seniors who know the coursework to help you know more.
Talk to people, do your own research. The more you do it, the more clarity you will get. You should look for Webinars, Projects and Internships that can help you learn more. Most importantly, remember there is no right stream or one-size-fits-all. The idea is to spend time to understand yourself and be honest about the decision you make. Success in any field comes with hard work – if you are willing to give it your best, you will be successful no matter what.
