Till class 8 and class 9, the choices students have to make, with respect to subjects, is minor. There are no major changes in your curriculum that may change your career options. But once you have passed your class 10, it becomes important that you give some thought to what you want to do after school. Students are largely given a choice between Science (Physics, Chemistry and Maths/Biology), Commerce (Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics and Maths) or Humanities (History, Sociology, Political Science, Economics, Psychology, etc.). These three streams are as different from each other as the career opportunities related to them. Hence, once you have appeared for your class 10 board examinations, questions like “What Stream Should I Choose?', ‘What next', and ‘How do I know what's best for me?' will be all you have in mind. What you should keep in mind instead is that you are the best judge of your abilities and aptitude. You will be bombarded with lots of advice and suggestions. Your parents, who naturally want the best for you, will expect you to give more than your best. Relatives, friends, teachers and classmates, they will all have certain expectations from you. With so many expectations, comes a lot of pressure. But remember, your parents, your teachers, friends and relatives will not be following a career based on the subjects chosen, it will be you. So, even though you may have several things in mind, go for subjects that draw your attention and interest. A few points of suggestions by career experts are listed below. Keep these in mind when choosing the subjects, and you can say bye-bye to more than half of your tension. 1. Look at subjects you have always been interested in: The reason you have been given a good dose of all the subjects in class 9 and class 10 is so that you know what you are in for, if you choose them in class 11. This way you get to know what subjects you feel comfortable in studying. So focus on these subjects and make a list of the same. Consider how many marks you have scored in those subject in previous classes. 2. Consider the kind of effort you want to put in: Whatever subject you may choose, you will have to put in all you can in order to score well in the higher classes. In case you are comfortable with subjects from all the three streams, it would help if you could decide whether you want to go for subjects that require theoretical knowledge and formulae, like physics, chemistry, maths, or subjects with calculations or a commerce and business related understanding, or would you want information about the world and its ways through history, sociology, etc. Talk to seniors and ask them how they like their subjects. 3. Explore Career Fields: However much you may enjoy studying the subjects you choose, once you are in class 11 and 12, their major aim usually is to direct you further towards your career. Consider the career options from the subjects you plan to choose. It may be too early to choose a career right away, and you may not end up going for the same later too, but having this direction in mind makes things easier. 4. Go through the study material Students of class 10 can also borrow books of their choice of subjects from their seniors or the library and go through them to see if they like what they read. Even if you are not able to understand all that has been explained, you may just like the topics offered and get help with the decision. 5. Talk to your parents or counsellors In case you are still confused, you can still take a few tips from your parents or a career counsellor. Even though they will not provide a definite answer, and the real decision is with you, they may be able to make you see benefits and disadvantages of various subjects. Getting an added opinion from a professional may also show you points you missed out.
