CollegeDekho’s HEART report, which examines Indian student behavious and the country’s domestic higher education landscape, revealed how this group considers which degree subjects they may go into versus what they actually enrol in.

The biggest search stream among those surveyed, CollegeDekho said, was Education, followed by Science and Engineering – but in overall enrolments, students were most seen going into the Arts.

However, when enrolments that were digitally enabled through CollegeDekho, it said, engineering was the by far the most popular subject – followed by Management, famously one of the most popular subjects for Indian students heading abroad.

Science and Commerce were the second and third biggest subjects in overall enrolments.

“Is the dichotomy real?

“Is it true that those with better guidance, better educational backgrounds at 10+2 levels or those with better access to internet and hence with digital empowerment display greater preference for career-oriented streams and those without the access to right guidance end up choosing more traditional options?” the report posited.

Another popular subject with Indians – Information Technology – ranks in the top four for online searches, but “ranks eighth for overall enrolments”, it noted.

Digitally active students are wanting to enrol for degrees that have potentially better career prospects

CollegeDekho

In digitally enabled enrolments, pharmacy was also spotlighted as “holding its own” in 10^th place. However, it has grown by nearly 40% in just two years.

“As is evident, digitally active students are wanting to enrol for degrees that have potentially better career prospects.

“It is this gap between those who are digitally active and those who are going with the flow due to the lack of guidance that needs to be further bridged to help students pursue degrees that focus on skill development for better career prospects,” the report added.

In degree types, MBAs are by far the most searched via online platforms – but overall enrolments are highest in BA degrees, and digitally enabled enrolments see MBAs come in second to BTechs.

“BA [are] leading the charge in overall enrolment at Rank 1 fails to exhibit the same trend in digitally enabled enrolments and consistently lies in the bottom three, in last three years,” added the report.