By Class 10, you have had enough time to know and develop an interest in the subjects that you score well in and enjoy studying versus those that you dislike. It is important at this stage in your decision-making to be conscious and aware of your strengths and weaknesses so that in Class 11, you can take the right stream to further orient yourself in that domain.
It is one of the most important decisions to make the right decision about the subject stream in class 11. It is a decision that will form the basis for the candidates to make further decisions related to their educational goals and professional careers.Â
One of the first things to focus on while choosing the right stream is to calculate a candidate’s passion and interest. Make sure you select subjects that are of interest and determine your level of commitment, interest and motivation. For those candidates who love problem-solving and are fascinated by numbers, there is a high chance that they will be more inclined towards choosing Mathematics, Science stream or computer science. On the other side, candidates who are inclined towards understanding human behaviours, social dynamics, history and creativity should go for the Humanities or Arts Stream. Â
Those who completed their Class 10 Board exam, it is high time for them to decide the best subject stream in Class 11 after the Class 10 Board Exams. Those students who are not sure about which stream to choose in class 11 should go through this Shiksha article to get an idea about what they want to pursue further. The decision of choosing a stream in class 11 should be based on what they would like to become in future and what they would like to choose for higher studies.Â
Many students look for guidance to choose a stream they want to pursue in class 11, compared to a few who exactly know what they want to choose for further education. The chances are high that a students make such an important decision based on what their friends and family members wish, but they must evaluate all the pros and cons of deciding which stream is best for class 11, to be able to cope with the syllabus.Â
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Step 1: Become self-aware
By Class 10, you have had enough time to know the subjects, and now the situation arises where you need to make yourself aware of your strong and weak subjects. One can always get confused here because, at times, maybe you are not looking forward to taking that strong subject in higher education, or maybe your interest develops into another subject. Now, at this dilemma, you can always ask this question to yourself by making a list of:
- Subjects you would like to continue
- Subjects you would like to discontinue and
- Subjects you are confused or unsure of
- Subjects of your interest
For subjects you are confused about, you should ask yourself questions like:
- Do I like Mathematics?
- Am I good at it, and could I be better if I had the right guidance and coaching?Â
- Am I willing to spend time practising Math to improve my grades in class 11?
Step 2: Take a Career Test
A Career Test is a great starting point. Verified Career Tests are scientifically designed to help you get insight into your personality, motivations, interests and areas of strength that would help you succeed in a potential career. They often include variables such as academic performance to give you a complete roadmap of what subjects you can choose today for a successful career in the future. Once you have done the assessment, you can get one-on-one counselling with a professional to help you plan your next steps.
CONFUSED WHAT TO DO AFTER CLASS 10TH OR 12TH?
The Career Test helps you make the right choices about your Subject Combinations, Courses and Careers, thus providing clarity and validation on your Career Decisions.
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Here is a quick overview of the subject stream options that most schools offer in India:
SCIENCE STREAM
The Science stream subjects in class 11th consist of Physics and 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 subjects in class 11 offer many lucrative traditional career options such as Medicine, Engineering & Technology and Pure Sciences. Students who choose Science in school can opt for the Commerce and Humanities Stream for undergraduate studies if they wish to move out of the Sciences.
COMMERCE STREAM
The Commerce stream consists of Business Studies, Economics, and 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 careers in Finance, Accounting, Investment Banking and Entrepreneurship, among others. Students who choose Commerce cannot choose the Science Stream for undergraduate studies in India. They can, however, opt for Humanities subjects.
HUMANITIES / ARTS STREAM
The Humanities or Arts Stream consists of Social Science subjects in the 11th, 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.Â
Step 3: Learn about new subjects
Those students who already have the information related to subjects such as Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies should also explore other subjects of their interest. Students must know that while choosing the 11th science subjects, they also get the option to choose many new subjects that they have not done earlier, such as Psychology, Sociology, Economics, Biotechnology, and Marketing. Find out the subject options available at their school and try to learn more about them to find out your interest. It allows students to speak to their seniors who know the coursework, to help them understand better. Apart from knowing how many subjects are compulsory in class 11, students should also know which stream is best for class 11.Â
Step 4: Think about your long-term career goals
This is a tough but important step. Think about your future and work backwards to where you are today. You should ask yourself – What is important to you? Are you someone who likes structure and working independently, or are you someone who likes to work as part of a team? Do you like routine or do you prefer flexibility? These are important questions that help you understand the kind of career you should choose and then decide the best Subject stream that would lead you there.Â
Step 5: Take an active approach to decision-making
Take an active approach towards decision-making by researching on your own, meeting and talking to peers, parents and teachers. 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 understanding yourself and being honest about the decisions 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. This will help them know which stream is best in class 11 and make a better decision while choosing the best subject stream in Class 11.
Parents play a key role in helping children make this crucial decision. To know more about how you, as parents, can guide your child, read my article on Parent Guide: How to help your children make the right career decisions.
About the Author:
Kunal Sandhu is Founder & CEO of a specialised student assessment company. Kunal is an Electronics Engineer from Delhi Technological University and holds an MBA in Finance & Marketing from XLRI, Jamshedpur. His company, CogitoHub, uses predictive analytics and machine learning to help students and educators realise their true potential and perform better.
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