Why Aptitude Test is Important for Choosing a Career?

  •   Sat, Jun 12 2021
  •   By Judy Lewis

June 12, 2021

The topsy-turvy Covid times have set forth a season of uncertainties. Take for example, the educational calendar of our students. Both 10th and 12th Standard board examinations have been postponed creating psychological catastrophe to the entire populace concerned, chief among them being the students who are preparing for the examinations that willy-nilly determine their future.

This article, as the title indicates, has something to do with their future. The currently available time, instead of wiling away, they can use to plan an “Aptitude Test”. The concept of Aptitude test is not popular in Indian context, but it is obligatory in many countries, which desire to plan the right course of action for their youth.

Many a time we live in a hallucinatory world of hypothetical possibilities, at other times we live in a speculative abstract world far away from ground level realities. Many children are carried away by the influence of their friends and peer groups, still others who succumb to the plans made by their own parents, which may not tally at all with the innate instinct and potentials of the student concerned.

All these can make the future career of a student frustrating, as all the above cases may not correspond with the core reality of what one really is, what his potentials are. Actually any growth or the achievement of any goal should be smooth, enjoyable and fulfilling. And it actually becomes so, if the choices made tally with the in-born capacities of the person concerned. The psychologists have made extensive studies and produced innumerable tests to discover the innate potentials of a human personality. These tests go after the name “Aptitude Tests”.

Every child is born with natural talents, natural desires, natural aptitudes and natural potentials. All these are hidden within us in an unmanifest state. Human growth is nothing else but a process of making “manifest” the hidden potentialities of a personality. Many a time we do not know ourselves. We want to be like others, think like others and act like others. We are blind imitators, and as a result we never succeed to bring out and unfold what we really are. The genius within us is kept suppressed due to various circumstances. The ‘Aptitude Test’ is a method invented by the learned psychologists to help a client to ‘discover’ his/her own potential, and plan his future guided by the self-revelations. Here ‘dis-cover’ means remove the cover under which your potentialities remain hidden.

Let us go to concrete examples. A tenth standard student, as soon as he gets his results should make an option and choose a stream of curriculum for his PUC. Now for PUC varieties of streams are available, especially to urban students who are surrounded by several PU Colleges. He might be influenced by his friends or have to oblige his parents and choose a stream to please them. His own potentials might be totally different. If he makes an option commensurate with his own inbuilt potentialities, not only will he enjoy his future academics but also bound to achieve his goals spontaneously. What he has to do is to undergo an ‘Aptitude Test’ in the tenth or even in the ninth standard.

Similar options again he faces when he completes PUC, there are varieties of choices within a particular stream when one enters undergraduate studies. If he has chosen Biology in PUC, then for undergraduate level he can choose Bioscience, Biotechnology, Microbiology etc. It is highly recommended therefore that he again undergoes the ‘Aptitude Test’ to rediscover his specific potentials, interests and orientation of life; thus remain in the right track suited to his own personal aptitudes.

Of course one can choose a stream just to fulfil his childhood ambition or the ambitions of parents, which are contrary to his core potentials. This will either lead to failure in academics leading to frustrations, or out of sheer determination he may put up hard work and just complete his degree. But he will not enjoy the studies and will not be able to manifest his creative powers that will bring out his original genius and win laurels for himself and for his family.

Having explained the relevance of Aptitude Test let me give a clue how it is done. First of all, there are meticulous tests developed by psychologists which correctly and scientifically reveal the aptitudes of the clients. Every test has a standardised method of administration and scoring. The results are quantified and compared with the empirical data and tables furnished by the psychologists. The final results point exactly to the career and orientation a person should opt. There are seven areas which the test exactly points:

• Language Aptitude (LA)
• Abstract Reasoning (AR)
• Verbal Reasoning (VR)
• Mechanical Reasoning (MR)
• Numerical Aptitude (NA)
• Spatial Aptitude (SA)
• Perceptual Aptitude (PA)

In these tests the guidance of a psychological counsellor is very significant. The test involves heavy post-test interpretations and calculations related to scoring, which finally provide excellent results. The parents can approach me for further information. The students can even take a test in the ninth standard, so that he can focus on his tenth standard studies in the right direction leading to a proper stream suited to his personality and aptitude. You are welcome to visit our centre in Mangalore and receive necessary information before you decide on the test. To conclude, let me recommend an aptitude test to all our adolescents as an indispensable tool of right choice of a career.

 

 

 

 
By Judy Lewis
Sr Dr Judy Lewis UFS is a clinical psychologist and counsellor. She can be contacted on 9535309187
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Comment on this article

  • NAGARAJ PRABHU, UDUPI

    Mon, Jul 26 2021

    I AM LOOKING FOR MY SON'S EDUCATION Aptitude Test

  • Sameer, Bangalore

    Sat, Jun 19 2021

    Dear Sr, Once again an interesting and need of the hour article. Congratulations!!! to you for. writing this article. I hope you keep writing articles that will continuously inspire the young minds. All the best and God bless.

  • Leedia Gama, St Xavier's HP's Tumarikoppa

    Fri, Jun 18 2021

    Once again I am thankful to you for your meaningful article to our younger generation. This article is very much needed for all of chose right career in the life. I feel all those who read will surely gain more knowledge about what to choose in life. Thank you very much for your hard work and good job. May God bless you always. Many people may support u.

  • Melwyn Lobo, Mangalore

    Wed, Jun 16 2021

    As mentioned by the author Aptitude test is one of the ways to decide the career or course the student wants to take under peer pressure. In the 1970's Fr. Austin Dsouza SJ who was teaching at St. Aloysius high school was a pioneer in this field. He would give aptitude test forms to students and ask them to fill it. Based on the assessment of these forms he will suggest students which career path is right for them. During the '70s and 80's, there was less peer pressure and it was difficult for students to decide which field they should choose. He would assess and tell them whether they should take science, technical, commerce, or arts field. . This was a voluntary exercise and it was done in his room and not in the class. It had helped many to decide their career path and progress. Late Fr. Austin was truly a guide to his students. Apart from this he was a professional beekeeper which was his hobby and had Beehive boxes in the high school garden which required a lot of patience

  • Anitha, Bangalore

    Wed, Jun 16 2021

    Dear Sr Judy very meaningful article..Through this article many youngesters may inspire to choose right career...Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge for the betterment of the society.

  • Melroy C.F.Fernandes, Mangalore

    Wed, Jun 16 2021

    Thank you. What a relief! It seems to have taken a million years for someone to bring out the science that was available to those who do not live in the “let’s keep reinventing the bicycle” , "lets blindly follow the mob" age. Yes, these tests should be conducted early rather than at PUC stage - by when it is already too too late. Entrepreneurs in the education field should start documenting the various available careers in the world and create videos(cd's, youtube etc.) for each profession or means of earning a livelihood. E.g.: career “A” - what are the educational qualifications required, what are the percentages required to be obtained for enrollment to an institute, the costs of training, availability of loans, a live demonstration of a working day in the life of a person performing various activities in his/her job “A”, work hours, work locations, the renumeration, promotion prospects, type of life that one can live by working in “A” etc. This will help every square peg to explore and find his/her own comfortable zone to fit into in order to earn his/her livelihood honestly.

  • Latha, Bangalore

    Tue, Jun 15 2021

    Very inspiring message to all the youths. . Make use of this opportunity.

  • Joyce, Dubai

    Mon, Jun 14 2021

    It is an apt topic, for students to know about the right subject and career choices. Thank you sister for your excellent article.

  • Beatrice Sitther, Bengaluru

    Mon, Jun 14 2021

    A succinctly written article at a very apt time! It is so important for students to choose careers that enable them to reach their potential - where aptitude plays a role and not solely the ability to make money.

  • Fr Richard Mascarenhas SJ, Puttur/Bidar

    Sun, Jun 13 2021

    Thank you Sr Dr Judy for your excellent article on "Why Aptitude Test is Important for Choosing a Career? I think it would be very useful and an apt one for the present younger generation when they are mostly influenced by the parents, friends and media and NOT by their own inner strengths. Your article therefore is an invitation to the younger generation to listen to their own inner spirit first and own it rather than getting influenced by the outer spirit and struggle later in life. Kudos to you.

  • veera, Mumbai

    Sun, Jun 13 2021

    Very informative article.

  • Fr Vincent D Souza, Capuchin, Mogarnad

    Sun, Jun 13 2021

    Dear Sr Dr Judy, Today's world is competitive one. Discerning a career is much important for the youth, since it involves their future plans. Aptitude Test is needed to choose a proper and right career. Thanks a lot for this informative article.

  • Roney, Bangalore

    Sun, Jun 13 2021

    Yes agree, an aptitude test will help the high school students to determine which type of careers they might be good at. very good article.

  • Winston Suares, Brahmavar

    Sun, Jun 13 2021

    Very informative.. good article...3

  • Veena, Israel

    Sun, Jun 13 2021

    Aptitude tests are very good to understand and acknowledge the abilities of a learner.

  • Jason, Udupi/Thottam

    Sat, Jun 12 2021

    Dear Sr. Judy ,Very informative article , very much concern towards Students. Thank you very much for your contribution to the society.

  • Asha Monteiro, Ukkinadka

    Sat, Jun 12 2021

    Thank you for your generosity in sharing your knowledge to the society, for your special concern towards the children. May God bless your ministry.


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