GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday August 6 expressed concern over the declining interest among students in pursuing Science, saying the growing preference for Arts over Science could have long-term consequences for the state's development and employment landscape.
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Speaking at the launch of application forms for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Aasoni and Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Aasoni schemes, Sarma said he has observed a worrying trend in higher secondary education, with fewer students opting for science stream while enrolment in the Arts stream continues to rise.
"I am noticing two negative trends in particular. The interest among our high school students in studying Science is gradually declining. The number of Arts students is increasing, while the number of science students is decreasing," the Chief Minister said.
Highlighting the impact of the declining number of Science students, Sarma said competition in the stream has reduced significantly, even affecting admissions to medical colleges.
"Today, we are having to grant admission to medical courses to students with basic scores simply because competition in the Science stream is continually decreasing," he said.
Calling for a reversal of the trend, the Chief Minister stressed that scientific education is essential for the progress of society and urged students currently pursuing Science to take their studies seriously.
"We must reverse this trend. A society can never move forward if there is no inclination toward Science. To all the higher secondary students currently studying Science, I have one request: please take Science very seriously, as employment opportunities are highest in the Science stream," Sarma said.
Addressing students enrolled in Arts and Commerce, the Chief Minister said they should complement their regular academic curriculum with specialised and thematic knowledge to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive job market.
"For those of us studying Arts or Commerce, alongside the regular curriculum, we must acquire specialised, thematic knowledge—mastering a specific subject thoroughly," he said.
Sarma added that merely obtaining a general degree would no longer be sufficient for employment.
"One will only become employable after acquiring expertise in a specific thematic subject. Without it, one will not remain employable," he said.
The Chief Minister's remarks came while launching the application process for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Aasoni and Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Aasoni schemes, during which he emphasised the need to align education with future employment opportunities and the changing demands of the workforce.