The paradox of liberal arts education in India – and how to fix it

At the core of liberal arts education lies its social focus: equity, justice, freedom – something most professional education lacks. But here’s a paradox. Liberal arts students face a significant social problem themselves – employability.

According to Statista, the employability among graduates with a bachelor of arts degree across India was only 47.1% in 2024, a decrease from about 49% in 2023.

In fact, a majority of students who enrol for higher education choose arts, science and commerce instead of professional courses like engineering, medicine or law. Of these, the 33.5% students who choose arts programmes are driven perhaps by genuine interest, inability to secure admission to professional programmes or financial constraints. Of course, the systemic imbalance between the demand and supply in educational streams is a matter of policy and economic factors.

Critical thinking

In principle, liberal arts education – primarily social sciences and humanities – resists the instrumental view of learning. It aims to develop citizens who can question societal norms, challenge existing narratives and drive positive change. These disciplines are also critical in tempering the unbridled optimism of science, technology and markets with considerations of fairness. The pursuit of knowledge in liberal arts is not merely an end in itself, it’s a catalyst for civilisational progress.

However, the reality falls...

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