Demand for Humanities surges but where are the schools?

“I wanted to study Class XI and XII from the same school but now will have to change it,as it does not provide humanities as a stream. I fail to understand this disparity,” said a student of the Carmel Convent School,Sector 9. Similar views were shared by other students. “I did not realise the problem until I decided to take Sociology,Political Science and some other subjects offered in humanities. It is really surprising that the city does not offer a decent option for students opting for this stream,” said Rohit Aggarwal,who is awaiting his Class X results.

“It is a fact that hardly any schools in the city offer Humanities as a stream in Class XI and XII. There would not be more than five “good” schools in the city,” said DAV-15 Principal Rakesh Sachdeva. The perception that only those students opted for humanities who did not score well in Board exams has changed considerably now. “I have students in the humanities section who scored more than 90 per cent in their Board exams. In the last two years,there has been a major shift in this trend. Students,irrespective of their marks,are looking towards other options,” said DPS Principal Reema Dewan.

School authorities,on the other hand,claim that humanities is not offered in many schools because of economic factors. “Economic non-viability attached with humanities is a major reason for schools not adding it in their curriculum. Giving a large number of options to a smaller group is not as economic viable as other steams like medical and non-medical,where there is a five-subject formula. The schools will have to appoint a TGT subject teacher for just three or four students,which they try to avoid by completely eliminating the choice,” said Dewan.

Realising the demand and shift in the trend,however,from this year onwards,the Bhavan Vidyalaya,Sector 27 will offer humanities on a regular basis. Till now,it was offered every alternate year.