As students are celebrating over their results and
scoring good marks, they are at the crossroads between
choosing the subjects they wish to study; that their friends
will attend on one hand, and their parents’ aspirations
on the other. Parents usually play a key role in looking at
the percentage of their child and enrolling them in the
college in question.
“My mother wanted me to opt for the Science Stream
in Class XI because I attained a high overall percentage. I
barely passed in Science and Maths but she wanted me to
become a doctor. Since my marks were not great, I was
on a waiting list and finally got through the admission
process. My Class XI experience was horrific as I couldn’t
understand anything and had to study throughout the day
to keep up with the coursework. Having failed to clear my
Class XI, I happily joined the Arts Stream because I loved
History,” says Fatima D’Souza from Mapusa.
While some parents are not open to the change of
subjects, others are more understanding. “I loved Science
but after answering my Class XII board exam, I realised
I enjoyed travelling more than working long hours in a
hospital. It would be a waste studying something I didn’t
want to pursue. Hence, I enrolled myself in Arts and did a
short term course in cabin crew training. Today I get to fly
all over the world with an internationally-based company,”
says Natasha Tavares from Panjim.
Fr Walter De Sa, Principal of St Xavier’s College of
Arts, Commerce and Science, Mapusa receives very few
requests per year for the change of subjects or streams as
most of the students make a firm decision on what they
want to study.
“There are very few cases which crop up where the
students want to shift from Science to either Arts or
Commerce. It is either because of the wrong choice of
subjects in Class XI and XII or their interest in the subjects.
They also feel that they could score higher marks in more
descriptive subjects in the Arts Stream which can raise
their percentage in the finals,” says Fr Walter.
“Once the student selects Science Stream in the
first year, they cannot switch to another stream without
starting all over again from the first year in that particular
stream. Usually, the cut off for the Science Stream at the
time of enrolment is 80 percent, but as most students
answer their GCET exams, they leave the course and
instead of letting the seat left go vacant, we allow students
in the range of 45 to 50 percent to also join the course,”
he adds, as he eagerly waits for the students to join the
new academic year on June 15, 2015.
Principal of Dhempe College of Arts and Science,
Miramar, Dr Yasmin Modassir feels that students either
want to undertake professional courses or have pressing
family issues when they move from Science Stream. “Most
of the students I have come across are more attracted to
professional courses like the paramedic course available
in Goa or the neighbouring states, but a sizeable amount
of them are not interested in the subjects or have to
attend to pressing family issues. A good percentage of
students (20 to 25 percent) make the move.”
Since the college is run by the Dempo Charities Trust,
the students are admitted on a first-come first-serve
basis, rather than being admitted on the basis of their
percentage alone. “The admissions are not on merit and
the students who are on waiting list can be admitted by
July 15, 2015. The percentage is not a problem because
students who come with 45 per cent, leave the college
with 75 to 80 percent by the end of their third year,” says
Dr Yasmin.
