Bhubaneswar: The Plus Two results announced by the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) on Wednesday have thrown up a worrying trend in Odisha’s higher secondary education landscape.

Even as the total number of students appearing for the Plus Two examinations rose marginally this year, the Commerce stream — already a small segment in the overall academic ecosystem — registered a further decline in enrolment, raising concerns among educationists and policy planners.

Out of the 3.953 lakh students who appeared for the CHSE examinations in 2026, nearly 64.9% opted for Arts, while 28.9% chose Science. Commerce accounted for just 6.1% of the total enrolment, with only 24,289 students appearing this year compared to 25,526 in 2025.

The numbers underline a deep structural imbalance in Odisha’s higher secondary education system, where Commerce continues to remain the least preferred stream despite growing opportunities in finance, banking, entrepreneurship and business services.

The “Binary Choice” Problem

Education experts say the roots of the problem begin at the school level itself.

In large parts of rural and semi-urban Odisha, students are often pushed into a simplistic academic divide — Science for high scorers and Arts for the rest. Commerce rarely emerges as an independent aspirational choice.

Moreover, unlike Science and Humanities subjects that students encounter during school education, Commerce introduces entirely new disciplines such as Accountancy, Business Studies and Economics at the Plus Two level.

For many students and parents unfamiliar with the stream, the sudden transition creates hesitation. As a result, Commerce struggles to establish its identity among students at the critical decision-making stage after Class 10.

Urban-Centric Infrastructure Hurting Growth

 Another major reason behind the shrinking enrolment is the limited availability of Commerce education outside urban centres.

Setting up a Commerce stream requires specialised faculty in subjects like Accountancy, Finance and Business Studies. Such faculty strength remains concentrated in cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur.

In contrast, many government-aided and rural higher secondary schools either do not have sanctioned Commerce teaching posts or lack the infrastructure to run the stream effectively. This leaves students in rural districts with little practical choice beyond Arts, regardless of their interest in business or finance-related careers.

Perception of Limited Career Opportunities

Experts also point to a perception gap surrounding Commerce education in Odisha.

Science continues to offer visible local career pathways through engineering, medical, pharmacy, nursing, paramedical and agricultural diploma courses.

Arts, meanwhile, remains closely associated with state government examinations, teaching careers and civil services preparation.

Commerce, however, is still widely viewed as a “metro-centric” stream linked mainly to careers such as Chartered Accountancy, MBA, corporate finance and private-sector jobs concentrated in bigger cities.

For middle- and lower-income families in rural Odisha, streams offering immediate employability, affordable higher education options and clearer government job prospects often become the preferred choice.

Need for Structural Push

Academicians believe the declining trend can only be reversed through long-term institutional reforms.

They suggest introducing basic Commerce-related subjects at the school level before Class 10 so that students gain early exposure to financial literacy, business concepts and entrepreneurship.

They also stress the need for expanding Commerce streams in rural higher secondary schools, improving faculty recruitment and strengthening links between education and Odisha’s emerging service economy.

Observers say sectors such as banking, retail, logistics, accounting services, consulting, e-commerce and wholesale trade must expand significantly within the state to make Commerce education appear more relevant and employment-oriented for students.

Unless stronger institutional support and career ecosystems are created, experts warn that Commerce may continue losing the enrolment battle in Odisha’s Plus Two education system, despite the growing importance of business and financial skills in India’s evolving economy.

Also Read: Plus 2 Results / CHSE 2026 Results: Why Science Records Higher Pass Percentage Than Arts Despite Tougher Curriculum | Exclusive