Myth: "Science is for toppers, and everyone else takes Commerce or Arts"
This is probably the most damaging myth in the entire system. Streams are not a ranking of intelligence — they're a difference in the kind of thinking each one emphasises. Plenty of academically strong students genuinely prefer working with people, ideas, language or business over physics and chemistry, and plenty of "average" scorers in Class 10 go on to excel in Commerce or Arts precisely because the subjects finally match how they think. Treating stream choice as a proxy for merit pushes students into subjects they don't enjoy and sets them up to struggle with material that has nothing to do with their actual ability.
Myth: "Commerce is only useful if you want to run a business or become a CA"
Commerce opens banking, company secretaryship, cost accounting, actuarial science, economics, investment banking, hotel management, and increasingly, data-driven roles in finance and analytics. Several of India's most competitive government exam routes — including many banking and administrative services roles — are entirely open to Commerce graduates. It's a much wider field than "future business owner."
Myth: "Arts has no real career options"
Arts/Humanities is arguably the most misunderstood stream in India. It's the direct route into law, civil services (IAS/IPS), journalism, psychology, teaching, design, and the social sciences — several of which are amongst the most competitive and respected career paths in the country. A political science or economics background is also one of the most common preparations for the UPSC Civil Services Exam, one of India's most selective exams of any kind.
Myth: "You can always switch streams later if you change your mind"
Partially true, but it's more limited than students assume. Switching from Arts to Science after Class 11, for instance, usually means starting the two-year cycle over, and some specific combinations (particularly re-entering PCB/PCM after a gap) can be genuinely difficult depending on your school and board. It's not impossible, but it's not as simple as "just switch next year" either — which is exactly why it's worth taking the initial choice seriously rather than treating it as low-stakes.
Myth: "Only Science leads to well-paying careers"
Chartered accountancy, company secretaryship, law, civil services, investment banking and UX/product design (several of which are reachable from Commerce or Arts) are all careers with strong, well-documented earning potential in India. Income potential has far more to do with the specific role, skill level and experience than with which stream you picked at 15.
The pattern behind all of these myths
Almost every myth about streams comes from generalising one relative's experience, one topper's story, or outdated assumptions about the job market, and applying it as a universal rule. The honest answer is that all three streams lead to serious, viable, well-respected careers — the right one for you depends on your own interests and strengths, not on which stream has the better reputation at your local tuition centre.