Chandigarh : Stenography and Computer application has emerged as the most preferred vocational courses for students vying for admission in government senior secondary schools in the city. In all, 586 students have applied for the course while 447 have applied for Information Technology Application as their preferred vocational course.
Interestingly, Financial Market Management and Accountancy & Taxation were among the least preferred vocational subjects this year with only six and nine applicants respectively.
The Chandigarh Education Department now offers 23 vocational courses to students taking admission in Class XI across senior secondary government schools. In addition to selecting five main subjects, students have the option of choosing between 23 such courses ranging from electrical technology to food production. For the additional vocational subject that students take up, they are provided with a training certificate at the time of graduation by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). For girls, however, vocational subjects like Health & Beauty Studies and Fashion Designing & Garment Technology have emerged as the most ought courses with 355 students applying for the two courses this year. No boy has applied for the two courses, a trend which has been noticed by government school authorities over the years.
On the other hand, courses like Electrical Technology, Electronics Technology and Automobiles Technology are among the most preferred vocational courses for boys. This year, 163 boys have applied for Electrical Technology, 69 for Electronics Technology and 172 students have applied for Automobiles Technology. Of them, only two are girls. A vocational course in Medical Laboratory Technology is however among the subjects which is preferred by boys and girls alike with 125 students applying for it this year. “For majority of the students, these vocational subjects are a means of earning extra income. A lot of students take training as stenographers, and on the basis of the skills they acquire in two years, they end up getting jobs as soon as they graduate from school,” Swarn Singh Kamboj, a government school teacher told the Chandigarh News-line. “Scope of getting a job after Class XII is the main reason why courses in stenography and IT applications are the most sought after vocational courses,” he added.
As a matter of fact, based on their training in vocational courses, a lot of government school students coming from economically weaker sections start taking up part-time jobs to earn some money. “During their school days, girls take up small jobs as beauticians, whereas boys start working as electricians within their localities — it’s a great way for them to put their skills to use and earn for their families,” Kamboj added.
Note: News shared for public awareness with reference from the information provided at online news portals.
