Do Arts and Humanities Degrees Have No Market in Kerala?

"Arts and humanities degrees have no market." It is repeated so often in Kerala that capable students are steered away from fields they would have excelled in.

Why so many Kerala families believe it

The belief has a real half behind it, which is why it sticks — and a missing half that changes everything.

What's actually true

The true half: a humanities degree taken with no plan — no entrance target, no professional add-on, no portfolio, no postgraduate direction — genuinely is one of the most common routes to educated unemployment in Kerala. The market does not reward the certificate on its own.

The missing half: the same degree, paired with a named destination — law through CLAT, the civil services, psychology, journalism, a central university through CUET — is a serious, competitive qualification. The market rewards the plan the degree is attached to, not the degree in isolation.

What to do instead

If your child wants humanities, say yes and attach a target from the start. The failure mode is a directionless BA; the success mode is a humanities education aimed at a specific professional exam, portfolio or postgraduate path. Choose the destination and the degree together.

Want the full picture, honestly?

This is one of dozens of decisions we untangle in Kerala Career Compass — After Twelfth — and in a free counselling session at Veda Topper, Irinjalakuda.

Book a Free Career Counselling Session See the book

Frequently asked questions

Do arts degrees have any scope in Kerala?

Yes — paired with a target like CLAT, UPSC, psychology or a central university through CUET, humanities is a strong route. The risk is a directionless degree with no entrance exam or professional plan behind it.

Why do people say humanities has no market?

Because a humanities degree with no plan attached often leads to underemployment. The market rewards the professional target the degree is aimed at — so the degree plus a plan sells, the degree alone struggles.