Alleviation: An International Journal of Nutrition, Gender & Social Development, ISSN 2348-9340, Volume 9, Number 9 (2022):1-8 © Arya PG College (College with Potential for Excellence Status by UGC) & Business Press India Publication, Delhi http://apcjournals.com, www.aryapgcollege.ac.in

Job Opportunities and Scope of Home Science

Preeti Sharma1*, Saloni Singh2 and Seema3
1Lecturer, Department of Home Science
Pt. CLS Govt College, Karnal
2&3Students, Department of Home Science, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra
(Haryana), India
*Email: preetis509@gmail.com

Abstract

Home science is described as both science and art of study that deals with developing the skills, capabilities, and abilities in an individual to make their living better. It is a field of multi-disciplinary study that involves-nutrition, textile, human resource management, child development, biology, chemistry hygiene, extension, home management, apparel designing, family studies, and communication management. All these fields mentioned above has opened many doors for job or career opportunities, these can also generate self – employment and do wonders in upgrading the living standards of people.
The main objective of this study was to impart skills and knowledge to the people so that they can also enter into the word of entrepreneurship, which covers a wide range of options. There are many private and government universities and colleges that offer home science courses. Earlier, whatever may be the role of home science, now, as the time has changed, our needs and interests also have changed. These days there are many job and self–employment opportunities in different fields, like-diet therapy, confectionery, baking, catering fashion and textile designing, interior designing, child care, tourism, teaching, and research etc. One can have a good salary through these reputed jobs.
Keywords: Home Science, Jobs, Nutrition, Opportunities, Scope, Self-Employment.
Introduction
The home science field is described as both science and art of study that has many disciplines such as food and nutrition, chemistry, physics, biology, clothing and textile, rural development, child development, hygiene, economics, physiology, family studies, sociology, community living and home management. In other words, we can say that it is a subject about homemaking and household works. It is said that the field of home science deals with the most important aspects of modern living and housekeeping. In simple words, home science, or home economics is a branch of art and science that is related to oneself, one’s home and family members and one’s resources. The objective of this field is to maintain and achieve a better living and goodwill being of oneself and one’s family members. In this changing and modern world, the food and nutrition not only deal with the nutritional status of the family members but also with the family expenditure and budgeting resources that are available in a family. Home economics also deals with the expenses, income, and consumption of the whole family. The aim of home science is to inculcate good skills, knowledge attitude, values, and living standards in an individual to meet the personal and basic needs of family members and taught them to become a well-organized member of the family.
Home Science – A Multidisciplinary Field
The field of home science covers a wide area of specializations, like food and nutrition, fabric and apparel communication and extension education, resource management, human development, and many more.
Through this field, one can develop a good personal relationship in the family, and outside the family. Home Science also makes its candidates learn about the management of the available resources in an efficient way, also their time, energy, and money, so that they can get maximum output.
Home science also impart some good values and skills to an individual so that they can make their families’ and communities’ life better.
The new home science field and technology and management also make us superior and help us to cope with the changing environment and meet world’s challenges today.
Home Science also teaches us to value our traditional knowledge and the experiences of our parents and grandparents, so that we can have good cultural and family values.
The syllabus of home science includes both streams, i.e. science and art as home science of living. This prepares home science students for a wide range of opportunities unlike in other fields.
Areas of Specializations in Home Science
The major domains of home science are: food and nutrition, fabric and apparel, resource management, human development, communication, and extension.
Further specializations of main branch areas are
1) Food and Nutrition
• Food Science
• Nutrition –Clinical Nutrition and Public Health or Community Nutrition
• Institutional Food Service.
2) Fabric and Apparel
• Clothing and Textile
• Clothing Construction
• Textile Science
• Garment Designing
• Dyeing and Printing
• Care and Maintenance of Fabrics
• Laundry Practices
3) Resource Management
• Housing Equipment
• Interior Decoration
• Resources Management
• Consumer Rights Education
• Energy, Time, and Money Management
4) Human Development
• Child Care
• Family Studies
Care of the Elderly and Special Children
5) Communication
• Skill Development
• Media for Communication
6) Extension Education
• Extension Education
• Program Planning, Organizing, and Evaluating
• Training and Capacity Building
• Organizational Management
• Public Awareness
• Teaching Aids
There are a number of colleges in India that are offering these courses in home science.
Home Science also has various vocational courses for candidates like:
Tailoring
Embroidery
Early Childhood
Candidates can also opt for higher education after doing master’s like PhD in their particular subjects.
Importance of Home Science
Earlier it is believed that home science is only related to household chores, but the fact is that this field has many more great options since its origin. In today’s world, home science is considered a dynamic field of study that also deals with home economics as well as many other domains, like sociology, community living, psychology, physiology, biochemistry, nutrition, textile, resource management, and many more.
The field of home science opens up a huge number of career opportunities and also self–employment activities. The study of home science imparts students with great skills that are needed to manage their home efficiently.
Scope of Home Science Education
The branch of home science copes with all characteristics of home science and family management, it is considered both science and art of living. It is art because it tells how to manage your skills and resources efficiently and it’s a science because it teaches us how to manage our skills and resources efficiently and can raise our family living standards.
Home science knowledge trains us with the skills and abilities to upgrade our family life by the understanding food, nutrition, clothing, health, childcare activities, income, expenditure, religion, communication, interior designing, and hygiene, etc. It makes us capable of taking better care of us and our family members so that our family members can have an amazing life.
Home science makes us such person who can manage life problems and circumstances effectively. This field also gives us knowledge about our rights and responsibilities as a consumer. It also inculcates the ability of dealing with relationship problems in today’s modern era. Home science also taught people how to manage a healthy psychological balance in the life. Home science prepares us to deal with any of the difficult situation in our life.
Job Opportunities in Home Science
1) Nutrition and Dietetics
With the fast –changing world, health of a person is also becoming an area of concern, so the demand for nutritionist and dietician in India is increasing. They suggest diet according to individual’s requirement, physiology, caloric consumption, their biochemical tests, and pathological conditions etc. The main objective is to provide food management and one can grab the opportunity of a dietician in any hospital or can open their own diet clinics.
2) Health Care Industry
Another area where one can have job is the health Industry which gives knowledge regarding the dietary requirements of an individual according to their disease or illness. They can also generate self-employment option by opening their own health care centers for people regarding their nutritional status. These centers provide awareness and knowledge to individuals, how can they stay fit by exercise and well-balanced diet and can manage obesity and under-nutrition.
3) Teaching and Research
After having a degree in home science, students can also opt for teaching profession. The students have to complete their master’s degree in any of the field of home science, like: food and nutrition, clothing textile, human resource management to become a teacher at secondary level.
For becoming an assistant and associate professor, students have to clear /pass UGC-NET. After their master’s degree in home science, student can also opt for research field if they have cleared NET exam according to the JRF cut –off score.
4) Production Jobs
Production Job opportunities are also available for home science students like-food preservation, dress- making and special cooking. Students can also go for business in clothing and textile field, fashion designing or can also work in hotels and food industry.
5) Service and Tourism Industry
The field of home science provides a lot of opportunities in tourism industry, hotels, tourist resorts, etc. on the post of cook /chef, food analysts, bakers and also in healthcare profession.
6) Textile Industry
After the study of home science, students can apply for jobs in textile industry. With the ever –growing fashion –trends and fabric, textile industry in India grabs more attention and growth. Many jobs options like fabric construction, dyeing, printing and assessing, recognizing and selecting fabrics or products, etc. opens-up in textile field. Home science students can also be offered with the jobs like textile designers and merchandisers.
7) Technical Jobs
Home Science candidates can also apply in manufacturing industries for research assistants, food analysts and food scientists.

Self-Employment Opportunities in Home Science
1) Confectionery and Bakery
As well-known home science also opens many doors for self- employment opportunities, home science students can also start their own confectionery, bakery and ice-cream parlors. These candidates can create their own different products not common in market by using their creativity and skills, that are more nutritious and eye catching and can be served at parties.
2) Fabric and Apparel Designing
Home science also provides knowledge in construction, selection and care of clothing –that effects the family income. This field also imparts knowledge related to behavior and chemical nature of textile weaves, their quality, color, durability, fastness, about the quality of fibers -silk, wool, cotton, nylon, rayon, etc.
Candidates can also set-up their own designer showrooms, boutique, dyeing, printing and embroidery centers for good earnings.
3) Catering Service
Home scientists can also start their catering business at various places like- schools, hospitals, hotels, restaurants. They can also run their own canteens at different places. Skilled candidates can also start their catering services in factories, offices or in any organization. They can also set-up their own independent café, dhaba’s and tiffin-services.
4) Hobby Centers
Now –a –days, Hobby Centers are also grabbling attention of people. Home science individuals can also open hobby centers, where they train or taught the interested students about the various activities like- best-out –of waste, making of candles, paper flowers, rangoli, flower arrangement, fabric construction, soft toys, pot painting and making ,jewelry making, wall painting, file making and decoration, painting , hand-printing, hand-embroidery, art and craftwork etc
5) Child Care Centre
The students of human development can start their own child care centers for babies or kids whose mothers are working or cannot give their attention to their children. The child care centers should be facilitated with proper space, hygiene, toys and nurses. Candidates can also have their own crèches, nursery schools and day – care centers.
6) Interior Designing
Home science students who have their master’s degree in resource management can inculcate skills or training in interior decoration. They can start their business as interior designer of various places like –offices, hospitals, clinics, schools, houses, hotels, café, restaurants, etc.
7) Coaching Centers
Another self –employment option for home science students is that they can open their own independent coaching centers- where interested students can take coaching regarding their desired subjects. In today’s era, there is a great need of these coaching centers as parents of today’s generation are working and have no time to teach their children.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that in the past few years, home science education has received a great attention and there are lot of job /career opportunities, and vast opportunities for an individual entrepreneurship. Involvement of women in the field of home science has lead to women empowerment and empowers them to change their life for betterment. One can choose career from any of the sectors: food and nutrition, textile, human development, extension education, etc.
References
1) Roy R, Bairwa SJ and Babel S (2015) Employment Opportunities in Home Science Education. Asian J. Home Sci.10 (1): 260-264.
2) Sawhney S (2021) Career Opportunities in Home Science. Available at http://www.jetir.org.
3) https://career.webindia123.com/career/options/basic_environmental_science/homescience/ intro. htm
. 4) http://www.myprivatetutor.ae/blog/importance- of -home- science- for- students.