Humanities grads, what are you doing now? Need guidance

[Shobha]

I'm about to finish my BCA, 21‑year‑old female, and I feel completely lost. I used to be obsessed with engineering, wanted to crack IITs and chase big names, but it never happened. That blew my confidence and I couldn't study properly; my mind feels at rock bottom now.

Lately I've realised my strengths lie in humanities, social sciences and arts. I keep wondering why I didn't pick that path earlier – maybe I'd be in a better place today.

Could anyone give me honest advice about the scope of humanities in India? I didn't get into a top arts college, so I assume options are limited. Is doing an MA a worthwhile move or are there better alternatives?

What do genuine humanities lovers actually do? What are you doing now?

My qualifications: BCA graduate.

[Kamal]

Did you switch to science because of family pressure? If yes, don't beat yourself up – it wasn't your choice. Focus on what interests you now.

[Lokesh]

There isn't much scope. You can go for a PhD or B.Ed, then appear for exams. Most humanities folks end up doing an MBA or SSC CGL. So pick one of those and give it your all.

[Kamal]

Humanities graduates often struggle to find high‑paying jobs, unlike tech or finance. Look at how journalists are faring in India – many call their journalism degree a big mistake. It's hard to grow financially or even personally.

[Aishwarya]

Social sciences still have options. Economics is a solid choice if you're comfortable with maths. Sociology and political science are decent too. Interdisciplinary fields like development studies or public policy have become quite lucrative lately. Classical humanities such as English literature, history or philosophy are tougher to crack in today's market.

[Sandeep]

It depends on what you want – high salary, work‑life balance, or something else.

If you're into humanities, consider these paths:

Corporate law – pays well.
BA Economics from a top college.
MBA from IIMs (more business‑focused).
Masters in counselling psychology to become a therapist – initial pay is low but you can build a practice.
Digital marketing – creative field.
M.Des from NID for product or UX design – good salaries.
HR – do HRM from a good institute like TISS; tech HR pays well.
Government jobs – SSC CGL, RBI, bank PO, UPSC etc., though competition is tough.
Teaching – school or college level; schools pay modestly unless you get into an IB school.
Professor – after MA and PhD, via NET‑JRF route.

Remember, humanities may not pay as much as STEM, but a degree from a top college like DU or Ashoka can fetch a great placement. Sometimes the college brand matters more than the subject.

[Arjun]

I'm a humanities student and I regret that choice daily. My friends from other streams earn a lot, while I'm putting in ten times the effort and getting peanuts. I love the subjects, but I hate my decision.

[Isha]

Bro, I'm a science student who took PCB and still regret not choosing maths. I'm doing B.Sc now and have attempted NEET twice. There are hardly any jobs; the only options are a low‑pay PhD or a lectureship.

[Tanuja]

If you're not into tech, doing MCA is a dead end. As for MA, the future scope is limited. You could consider B.Ed followed by M.Ed or aim for government jobs like SBI PO, SSC CGL, etc. MA graduates don't have as many options as those in finance, tech, law or medicine. Honestly, stop comparing yourself – that mindset only holds you back.

[Ansh]

Every third person I know who isn't from humanities or social sciences says they wish they had taken humanities and felt they had a knack for it. Schools, however, don't give a true picture of HSS. It's a very different world and you only understand it by actually studying it, which can be disillusioning.

As a career, it's highly competitive. There are very few good jobs, mostly in academia (except economics, which has more openings). If you're not at the top, you won't land a decent position.