The marks secured in senior secondary examinations will have an impact on the candidate’s professional life. It is common practice for employers to check the academic performance of job seekers during the hiring process

India’s higher education system is the third largest in the world after the US and China. It provides the much-required fillip to the economy of our country. India’s bourgeoning education system is the engine of economic growth. Be it the manufacturing sector, the service sector or the energy sector, the success of all is dependent on the quality of manpower which is nurtured in the portals of educational institutions. There are more than a quarter of million students who pass the higher secondary examination every year with hopes flying high and dreams of a bright future.

While many students aspire to get into a good Government institution, may be owing to the less fees, credibility and accessibility, some aim for private institutions and others march towards foreign shores. Most middle-class or lower middle class families want to send their children to private schools. The trend is more noticeable in cities where more than 50 per cent students enroll in private schools. Parents prefer private educational institutions with a hope that better education will make it easier for their wards to get admission in professional institutions or colleges of high repute. 

Seeing the trend in higher education admission process, it is found that in most of the schools, the students are advised to take extra subjects in Class XII to increase their overall percentages, which in turn also impacts the result of the school.

Although in Class XI, it is important for students to select subjects which match their career aspirations and future trajectory, in Class XII, they are advised to take simple and high-scoring electives like physical education, music and sculpture, which have little relevance to their core subjects. If a student is interested in pursuing a career in arts or physical education, then he should be counseled to take core subjects which are lighter and in sync with his career path.

However, gullible students are taken aback when they are told by colleges and universities that the electives, which are not related to the programme they have applied for, cannot be considered for calculating their score against the given cut-off. For instance, a student who applies for B Tech cannot include the marks of sculpture, painting  or physical education, even if he has distinction-level marks in those subjects.

The entire exercise of studying extra subjects goes futile and leaves the student disheartened that their considered percentage is much lower than what they thought. Throughout, the students work hard to fulfill the aspirations of their parents, teachers and the school, quite often overlooking their own interests and inclinations.

The marks secured in senior secondary examinations are important for a person throughout his life. Wherever he goes for an interview later on, the interviewer usually check the academic performance right from the school to college. Even Public Sector Units and Government enterprises have laid down a criteria of a minimum 60 per cent throughout academics.

It is the duty of the concerned school to mentor, guide, counsel and advise students to be well-informed about the career choice they make in consultation and after discussion with their parents, taking into consideration their caliber which will lead to a successful career. The consequences of the decision made by them in school are bound to affect their career path and lives.

Every year, over 20 million students apply for under-graduate programmes across India. Over three lakh students apply to Government colleges for

about 54,000 seats. With skyrocketing cut-offs in Delhi University and also reserved criterias, disillusioned students realise that they don’t stand a chance to get into the course of their choice.

Earlier, there were not many avenues for students who could not make it to a State university like Delhi University due to limited in-take and infrastructure constraints. There are many students who are no less diligent or hardworking but miss the coveted courses by a whisker. Amity University, with a wide choice of academic options, gives the students an opportunity to pursue higher studies in career-oriented professional streams.

These study programmes are industry-aligned and are aimed at enhancing the learning and overall development of the student. Admission is based on merit and the university gives a fair chance to every student with decent score to apply and study. For over 12,000 seats across all under graduate programmes, the university receives 80, 000 applications every year.

In a private university, it is seen that a science student who has scored well in chemistry but not in mathematics and physics can opt for BTech with specialisation in chemistry and pursue a career in the same. For all the fortunate ones or the crème de le crème that enters the portals of a Government university, there is a need to map and analyse the percentages they score while leaving the premises of colleges and the level of success they achieve in their career. It’s not rhetoric but a timely question to ponder over.

(The writer is an educationist)