Last week B.Com second-semester students were asked to choose their open electives, which would turn out to be their minor and major subjects for that semester, owing to the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). It was sure to expect some unique subjects from Mithibai College, but students were surprised when it came down to making that choice.
For their major, the commerce students had to choose from travel writing, advanced ethics, advanced web design, and anthropology of food. As creative as these subjects are, it would make a really interesting argument to hear why students with hard mathematical, accounting, and management aptitudes would want to major in non-traditional or some would say, even non-commerce subjects.
But the flip side to this coin also reflects the boldness of the college to have allowed these choices and their commitment to pioneer this. Students would be opened to vast avenues and the future may even see commerce in an amalgamation with anthropology and travel journalism, something that would end up making a breakthrough in traditional and otherwise described as “dry” commerce subjects.
If these subjects are surprising, then there is more when it comes to hobby-oriented minor subjects. What do terms like ornithology or hydroponics mean?
While ornithology is the study of birds, hydroponics is the scientific art of growing plants in water, sand or gravel, instead of soil. Apart from these minor subjects, students had options like food adulteration and preservation and microbes to choose from.
All of these minor subjects are science-oriented, and it is absurd to assume that the strength of roughly 650 students lies in studying science. Some would have liked to have hobby subjects spread across all streams and that way maybe, the students would have had higher chances of actually taking upon something they are interested in.
Upon having asked to comment, Maya Subernath, one of the first-year students subject to this experiment said, “It is indeed creative and the students have gotten the electives of their choice but seeing as none of them were truly really appealing to us commerce chaps, its best to not complain and better to adapt.”
On a personal note
To express a personal opinion on this topic, I for one feel like this could be a huge step up for all students. I am a hydroponics student and took part in the experiment like my peers and enjoyed it. And that’s more than enough optimism a Mithibai student could feel all at once. And when I say this, my fellow Mithibaites may have similar thoughts.
