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After completing your 10th standard, one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing between science, arts and commerce. It’s indeed one of the biggest academic and career decisions. It will help you navigate your future studies and most probably your career. Out of this, arts vs science has been a long-standing debate that has been around for ages.
Some believe that art and science are two sides of the same coin. While others believe that they are two completely different fields that cannot be compared.
The truth is, both arts and science have their unique advantages and disadvantages. The choice between the two ultimately comes down to your personal preference and career goals. What sparks your interest is key here. Let’s explore the age-old science vs arts debate and shed light on the key differences between the two fields.
What is Arts Stream?
Arts refer to a broad range of creative and expressive disciplines, including visual arts. However, people often confuse arts with drawing, paintings, crafts etc. Arts include a diverse range of subjects. This includes history, geography, political science, philosophy, psychology, language etc. Studying arts can help individuals develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. It can enhance their creative and critical thinking skills.
Why Study Arts?
- Arts can help individuals develop emotional intelligence and empathy.
- Studying arts can enhance problem-solving skills and creativity.
- Arts can help individuals develop better communication skills.
- A Livewire report states that with a recent surge of creativity and its importance in the media, many students are opting from Arts or Humanities.
What is Science Stream?
Science is one of the most sought-after fields after the 10th. It indeed is also one of the fields that requires high scores to enter into. Science is a field that involves the study of the natural world through observation and experimentation. The study of science can lead to a better understanding of the world around us. It can help individuals develop analytical and problem-solving skills. The subjects you can find in science include physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, language etc.
Why Study Science?
- Science can help individuals develop a better understanding of the natural world and scientific methods.
- Studying science can enhance problem-solving skills and critical thinking.
- Science can lead to careers in various fields, including healthcare, engineering, research, and more.
Arts vs Science: Key Differences
While both arts and science have their unique advantages, they differ in several key aspects.
Some of the key points of difference between arts and science include:
- Arts focus on creativity and self-expression, while science focuses on objectivity and empirical evidence, and definitiveness.
- Arts is a more social field while science is a technical field.
- Arts tend to be subjective, while science is objective.
- Arts tend to be more interpretive, while science is more definitive.
- Arts tend to be more open-ended, while science is more structured.
Here’s a more comprehensive difference between arts and science.
| Criteria | Arts | Science |
| Subjects | History, philosophy, geography, social science etc. | Chemistry, mathematics, biology, physics etc. |
| Difficulty Level | You can opt for arts if you have average to decent grades. | You need to score well if you want to pursue science after your 10th grade. |
| Stream shift | Stream shift to other streams like science or commerce not possible. | You can shift to other streams like commerce or arts even after you select science after your 10th grade. |
| Subject Choices | Variety of Subject choices. | Limited subject choices. |
Scope in India: Arts Vs Science
In India, the debate between arts vs science has been a long-standing one. Both fields have their unique advantages. But the current job market in India tends to favour science and technology-related fields. This has led to a decline in the popularity of arts and humanities courses in India. However, recent years have seen a rise in the demand for arts and humanities courses. Several universities and colleges are offering a wide range of courses in this field.
But one of the key things to keep in mind while selecting between arts vs science is your interest. It is important to note that the fields of science are more restrictive. The two most sought-after fields are engineering and medicine. You can find a plethora of options in these two fields. But from a larger picture, these two are your principal options if you select science.
Arts, on the other hand, offers a more diverse range of options. Arts is open-ended and you can always pursue a career of your interest. Further, you can also shift your career if you pursue arts.
However, it is quite difficult to change your career if you select a particular stream in science. For instance, if you select engineering, it is challenging to pursue medicine thereafter. Let’s see the arts and science examples of careers available to you.
| Career Options for Arts Students | Career Options for Science Students |
| • Journalism • Lawyer • Hotel Management • Designer (Fashion, interior, graphic) • Fine Arts • Teaching • Psychology and counselling • Civil Services • Social work/NGO management • Library Science | • Engineer • Doctor • Pharmacy • Agriculture and horticulture • Aviation and Space • Information technology • Pure Sciences • Environment Sciences and sustainability • Civil Services • Architecture |
Career Choices Under Arts
Following are the different career choices you have if you decide to pursue arts in India.
Journalism
This field involves reporting, writing, editing, and broadcasting news and information. This is communicated to the public at large through various media outlets like newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, and online media.
Law
Law involves the study and practice of legal systems, laws, and regulations. It offers many opportunities, including litigation, corporate law, and civil rights law. After a master’s, you can also become a judge in a court of law.
Hotel Management
This field involves the study of hospitality and tourism management. It includes managing hotel operations, food and beverage management, and event management.
Designing
This field includes various areas like Fashion designing, Interior designing, Graphic designing, etc. You can become a professional who works on design and create aesthetically pleasing and functional products, spaces, and graphics.
Fine Arts and Performing Arts
This field includes visual arts like painting, sculpture, and drawing. It also includes performing arts such as theatre, music, and dance.
Education
If you have a keen interest in teaching, then this career is for you. It includes teaching and research, where students can pursue careers as teachers, professors, and education researchers.
Social Work and NGO Management
You can select to work for social welfare and the betterment of society by working for NGOs, non-profit organisations and social services departments.
Civil Services
This is one of the most sought-after fields in India. It includes working as an IAS, IPS, IFS, and other government administrative and diplomatic services.
Psychology and Counselling
Life can be hard sometimes! If you love to study the human mind and behaviour, then you can pursue psychology. You can provide therapy and counselling to individuals who need mental and emotional support.
Library Science and Information Science
This field involves managing, organising, and sharing information through libraries, archives, and other information centres.
Career Choices After Science
In case you decide to pursue a career in science, then the following are the options you have.
Engineering
This is one of the most popular fields. It involves the design, development, and maintenance of various systems, structures, and machines. It offers many expertise options like computer science, mechanical, electrical, civil, and chemical engineering.
Medicine
Another popular field in science is medicine. It includes the study of medical science, patient care, and treatment of illnesses. It offers various expertise options such as neurology, cardiology, oncology etc.
Biotechnology and Bioinformatics
It involves using living organisms and biological systems to develop new technologies and products. It includes areas like genetic engineering, bioprocessing, and bioinformatics. This is like discovering the future.
Pharmacy
This field involves the study of medicines, drug development, and distribution. It includes expertise options like pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry, and pharmaceutical analysis.
Agriculture and Horticulture
This field involves the study of plant and animal cultivation. It includes soil management, crop production, and animal husbandry.
Architecture
Architecture involves the design and construction of buildings and structures. It can involve commercial, residential, and industrial buildings.
Environmental Science and Sustainability
It involves studying the environment and its sustainability. This includes developing ways to preserve and protect it for future generations.
Aviation and Aerospace
A dream of most children! This field involves designing and manufacturing aircraft, spacecraft, and related equipment. It includes expertise options like aeronautical engineering and aviation management.
Information Technology
This decade is of IT! It involves the study of computer systems, software development, and information management. It includes expertise options like data science, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
Pure Sciences
This field includes the study of natural phenomena and laws. This involves physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology etc.
Also Read : Commerce vs Science: What to Choose and Why? Salary, Scope, Courses & Benefits
Arts Vs Science: Make the Right Choice
The science vs art debate has been around for ages. There is no clear winner. If you are wondering arts vs science is better, then it’s all about your interest. Both fields have their unique advantages. The choice between the two ultimately comes down to personal preference and career goals. Science may be more lucrative in terms of job prospects.
While arts can help individuals develop creativity and emotional intelligence. This can be valuable in various aspects of life. It’s important to remember that both fields have their place in society. Both fields can contribute to the overall betterment of humanity.
Evaluate numerous career choices to choose the right career path for yourself. Dive in to our guide on Career Advice.
Frequently Answered Questions (FAQs)
There is no direct answer to this question. Both science and arts have their unique strengths and importance. Science subjects tend to focus on quantitative data and empirical evidence. Arts subjects tend to focus on creativity and expression. Ultimately, the decision of which is better depends on your interests, skills, and career goals.
This can vary depending on the intellect and level of each aspirant. However, arts are always perceived to be relatively easier than science. Science is a technical field. Therefore, it requires a certain level of intellect as the study and curriculum is relatively lengthy and tough. This is also the reason why the cutoff marks for entering science are higher as compared to that of commerce and arts.
The subjects of science and arts are entirely different from each other. Subjects in science are relatively technical. It includes physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, language etc. While the subjects in science are more open-ended, social and creative and include humanities, geography, history, social science etc.
There are several reasons why someone might choose arts over science. For instance, you can have a passion for creativity, expression, and the arts. So you might find arts subjects more fulfilling and enjoyable. you might be interested in pursuing a career in the arts. Choosing arts subjects can provide you with valuable skills and knowledge to help you achieve your goals.
Yes, arts can be a valuable subject for the future. The creative industry is growing and constantly evolving. It provides numerous job opportunities in fields such as design, advertising, publishing, and entertainment. Additionally, the skills developed through arts subjects, such as critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving, are highly transferable. They can be applied to a wide range of professions.
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