Introduction
Popular belief has been that Indian students and their parents prefer to study science (especially medicine, engineering or Management) in their undergraduate degrees, however the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) Report states it differently, it says that BA is in fact the most popular.
Enrolment in Programmes at Undergraduate Level
According to AISHE Report 2020 released by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, It is observed that more students in India opted for Bachelor of Arts compared to Engineering courses.
The most interesting trend of all, however, is comparing popularity for B.tech, B.B.A, B.Com and B.AÂ for the last past four years, the demand for Bachelors of Arts has been consistently high, in contrast to the popular belief, showcasing that the students show higher interest in this holistic course.
Insights from the leads generated on Collegedunia show a clear trend of how students are shifting from B.Tech to BBA, BA, and B.Com courses. Growth in the No. of Leads and their Contribution to the Overall No. of Leads both have increased significantly in the last year.
| Undergraduate Program | % Leads (AY 2019-20) | % Leads (AY 2020-21) | % Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
B.A
 | 5.27% | 7.02% | 191.51% |
B.Sc
 | 8.89% | 9.22% | 127.07% |
B.Com
 | 6.62% | 7.10% | 134.75% |
B.Tech/ B.E
 | 13.03% | 12.64% | 112.27% |
B.B.A
 | 2.73% | 3.49% | 179.39% |
The possible reasons for the above trends are the Easy Accessibility, Availability & Affordability of BA, BBA, B.Com Programs as compared to the high cost of B.Tech/B.E, MBA and other Programs.
Is it a Boon or Curse for the Youth of India?
The key takeaway with such a high number of students pursuing the BA programme is that the course does not teach students many practical job-related skills.
According to India Skills Report 2023, there is an increase in the employability of Indian Youth from 50.3 percent from last year’s 46.2 percent.
B.Tech, MBA and B.Com were found to be the most employable talent from amongst various domains, Showcasing the relevance of Engineering and Management courses.
The Solutions
This Indicates the skill Gap in the Indian Education system. Which can be Resolved in the following ways:
- Increasing Employability for the B.A, B.com Programs via Upskilling, Internship Opportunities and Enhancing practical job-related skills.
- Providing ample opportunities for diverse post-graduate career options such as MBA, UPSC, MS, Ph.D. etc.
- Better Financing options for students seeking to pursue B,Tech/B.E/MBA and other high cost intensive courses, to make them affordable to all.
This will enable them to bring in students who have made an informed choice based on their skill-set and future aspirations. They should aim to specialise in a specific course, be it B.Tech, BBA or other programs that they prefer since the future for every student is unique to them and shall be based on their interests, not on factors like the lack of sufficient resources and easy availability.
Reference:
- India Skills Report 2023
https://wheebox.com/assets/pdf/ISR_Report_2022.pdf
- All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) Reports
https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/statistics-new/aishe_eng.pdf
