The SLC phase is a crucial time for students as they will have to decide on a proper high school course to major in. While this state might be one of state transition and confusion for most students, enrolling in a Plus Two course could be safe and prudent decision as it offers a wide variety of courses to choose from—Science , Management , Humanities and Education.
Ever since the government decided to phase out Intermediate courses, Plus Two has gained more popularity among prospective students. Educators say that students are opting for Plus Two courses due to their affordability, competitiveness, accessibility and global recognition. The HSEB board (now called NEB), which was established in the early 1990s with just 1,338 students from 38 affiliated schools across the country, now boasts thousands of affiliated institutions and tens of thousands of students. Current data obtained from the HSEB shows 3,383 colleges and 900,000 students enrolled in 11th and 12th standards.
Over ninety percent of SLC graduates choose to join Plus Two courses while the rest opt for CBSE , International Baccalaureate (IB) and A levels. Additionally, the increasing number of Plus Two colleges across Nepal has been a major factor for decentralised education and a reduction in educational migration to major cities. “There is access to Plus Two courses all over Nepal. They no longer a need to migrate to major cities for further education,” said Lok Bhandari of HISSAN.
In the last two decades, Plus Two courses have produced thousands of competent students each year with national and international exposure and reputation. Private affiliation has also helped enhance the quality of Plus Two with competitive faculties, resources and facilities. “We have updated our institution with new technology while staying within an affordable fee structure,” said Surendra Shrestha of Nobel Academy. After SLC, students feel like grown ups and often take wrong directions, said Shrestha. “We are here to ensure that Plus Two brings out the best in students for their future endeavors,” he said. Among the premier institutions running Plus Two courses, Nobel currently has more than 1,000 students in their Science and Management faculties.
The interest from students also comes as the +2 colleges have good infrastructures and proper laboratories to make sure they gain practical knowledge. Most of the +2 colleges have modern library system, playgrounds and indoor games facility, extracurricular activities and cultural programs, coaching and guidance for students and good transportation facilities.
Right choice
Looking for an appropriate college after SLC is a difficult task for both students and parents. It involves assessing personal aspirations and educational and financial capacity as well. Before taking any decision, students should dissect themselves and judge their aptitudes and interests. While many students are pressured by parents to follow certain paths or opt for higher professions, students should opt for what they are comfortable with.
After deciding what to study, students should look for Plus Two colleges offering the chosen courses. Students should also look at the facilities provided by the college and its faculty. “The faculty of the college is very important as teachers are the ones who impart wisdom and value to young minds,” said Umesh Shrestha president of HISSAN.
Plus Two subject choices
A wide variety of subjects are offered to students in many streams of study. Around 150 different subjects can be studied under the four different faculties and the number is increasing each year. Recently introduced options for students include Agriculture, Music, Applied Beauty, Floriculture, Human Value Education, General Law, Sanskrit and Fine Arts.
In the Science stream, grades 11 and 12 offer a wide ranges of subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, English, Computer Science, Agriculture with additional core subjects. The Management major offers subjects including Accountancy, Economics, OMSP, BOOM, Travel and Tourism, Hotel Management, Computer Science, Mathematics, Finance, Cooperative Management, Business Matt and Marketing while the Humanities stream includes Political Science, Economics, Home Science, Sociology, Population Studies, Mass Communication, Philosophy, History, Culture, Music, Dance, Linguistics, Psychology, Nepali, Maithali, Newari, Hindi, Geography, English, French, Japanese, Urdu, German, Mathematics, Rural Development, General Law, Human Value Education, Environment Education, Byakaran, Jyotish Shastra, Sahitya, Veda, Nitisashtra and Library and Information.
Fee structure
Compared to other boards, HSEB attracts more students due to its affordable fee structures. This is also attractive to migrant students. On average, students have to pay around Rs 100,000-150,000 for Science and Rs 50,000-100,000 for Management in a two years course. The average cost for Humanities and Social Sciences range between Rs 40,000-75,000 depending on the facilities provided by the college.
According to Surendra Shrestha, the main attraction of Plus Two is the fee structure. “We don’t take unnecessary fees. Fees are set according to Nepali standards. Even this year, we kept our fees constant with last year,” he said.
Many colleges also offer a wide range of full and partial scholarships to students who secure high percentages on their SLC examinations and also on individual merit. Students from the districts with good ranks and education records are eligible for scholarships offered.
