With right vision, arts offer lucrative, stable careers, says art teacher

With over a decade of teaching experience, Pooja, an art teacher at Nehru Garden Girls Senior Secondary School, Jalandhar, has made it her mission to ensure her students become financially self-reliant - on par with professionals like doctors, engineers and financial experts.

Despite a dip in enrolments in the arts stream in recent years, particularly with the growing trend of IELTS coaching, Pooja continues to teach batches of 50 to 60 students in Classes 11 and 12.

She remains undeterred by societal perceptions that often undervalue the arts stream. "People may look down on art compared to other streams, but that's a misconception. With the right vision, arts can be just as lucrative and job-secure," she says. Through state awards and new earning avenues on social media, her focus has remained on enabling her students to become financially independent. "With the grace of God, we've been succeeding," she adds.

One of her earliest students, Ruksana, secured a spot in the merit list during Pooja's first year at the school - a trend that has continued annually. Her students regularly win awards at the state-level Kala Utsav competitions.

"Whether it's 2D, 3D art, realistic portraits, graphic design, sculpture, or fabric painting, there are always people willing to pay for good art. If you have vision and passion, success will follow," she says.