In some schools and universities, girls tend to choose art subjects (e.g. literature), and boys tend to choose science subjects (e.g. physics). Why do you think this is so? Should this tendency be changed?

It is often argued that girls prefer to study art subjects like literature, home science, and history, whereas boys tend to take up science-related subjects like physics, chemistry, and mathematics at the secondary and tertiary level of education.

This

essay will try to analyse the reasons for their preferred choice of subjects between the two sexes and whether

this

trend needs to be altered. Undoubtedly, the difference in subject choice between the sexes does exist in all parts of the globe. One of the primary reasons for

this

selective trend is the basic difference in the working of the human intellect between the two genders. To specify, it has been proved that several types of research that there are subtle differences in the mental makeup and working capacity of the male and female brain. Girls have been consistently performing better in subjects like arts because of their increased capacity to memorize facts and data, and their tenacity.

On the other hand

, the male intellect usually has more analytical power than their female counterpart.

Additionally

, societal norms and pressures often tend to create

this

bias between boys and girls. It is expected by the society that girls will do better in arts-related subjects whereas boys will excel in science. In a recent survey conducted in the world famous, prestigious universities in the United Kingdom, it was seen that over 60% of female students took up literature whereas only 20% of male students studied home science. Together,

this

selective tendency needs to be changed or not is a controversial topic. In my opinion, it can be changed only partially because we can only change societal outlook towards a particular stream or profession. We cannot change the anatomy or physiology of the human brain. To illustrate, over the

last

30 years, the number of female students entering the Indian Institutes of Technology has risen by 35%!

This

clearly indicates a paradigm shift in the Indian mentality towards the education of women. To conclude, it is true that there is a definite selection bias in subjects between girls and boys which is partly due to biological differences and partly to societal beliefs. Societal mindset can definitely be changed over time to decrease

this

selection bias.