Career Options after Class 12th

Careers after 12th

WHEN you were in primary school, you might have known exactly what you wanted to do when you grew up. Today, as you are about to step into college, you might not be so sure. As you get older, you discover that choosing a career is a complex, multi-step process. It requires learning about yourself and the occupations you are considering.
The starting point for a review of options after class XII is your choice of subjects. Not all choices for higher studies are linked to the academic background you have laid down. Then there are those that are suited only to individuals with a certain temperament and/ or talent. Some options are very academically demanding and require long years of study, while others are more personality-oriented.
Here are some of the typical choices (indicative, not exhaustive).
OPEN-ENDED
Students who have completed their class XII in any discipline are eligible for the five-year integrated law degree course (BA LLB/BBA LLB, etc), the hotel management degree or an integrated five-year Master’s in English/mass communication/foreign languages at a few universities/institutions like IIT Madras (http://hsee.iitm.ac.in), The English & Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad (www.efluniversity.ac.in), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (www.jnu.ac.in), etc.
Training to be a chartered accountant or cost and works accountant or a company secretary is open to students of all disciplines, though commerce in the background is useful. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (www.icai.org) trains you to become a chartered accountant (CA) and the shorter Accounting Technician Course (ATC). Institute of Cost & Works Accountants of India (www.icwai.org) conducts the Cost & Works Accountancy course and the shorter Certificate in Accounting Technician (CAT). The consciencekeeper of the company, the company secretary, is trained by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (www.icsi.org).
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor or Mass Communication & Journalism or similar programmes or BBA etc are open to students passing class XII in any discipline.
After passing class XII with maths in any discipline, BCA, BSc IT and Bachelor of Architecture are choices to explore.
Unmarried male Indian citizens may join the National Defence Academy (NDA) for a career in the Indian Army after class XII in any discipline by qualifying the NDA Examination by the UPSC (www.upsc.gov.in).
TALENT-SPECIFIC
Bachelors of fine arts/visual arts/interior design/applied art/fashion design, jewellery design etc programmes are suitable for students passing class XII in any stream, but with a clear aptitude for drawing and sketching. Admission to B Arch degree programme also requires the same aptitude.
BFA Performing Arts (music/dance) is for those with innate abilities and exposure to music and dance, and who are keen to pursue formal education in the same.
Bachelor of Physical Education is for students involved seriously in sports and athletics, and keen to train for a career as a physical education teacher, a sports coach, fitness trainer, etc in future.
COMMERCIALLY-ORIENTED
CA, CWA and CS as professional courses and BBA have been discussed above. BCom and BCom with vocational components, and variations on the same are open to students passing class XII with commerce or science.
TECHNICAL/ ENGINEER
ORIENTATION (PCM)
Engineering degree programmes across different disciplines including aerospace, aeronautical agricultural, avionics, ceramic, chemical, civil, computer science & engineering, electrical, electronics and communication engineering, information technology, industrial, instrumentation, mechanical, mechatronics, materials and metallurgical, mining, ocean engineering, telecommunication or textile engineering, etc or Bachelor of Fashion Technology are open to students passing class XII with physics, chemistry, mathematics and English.
Marine Engineering and Nautical Science courses leading to careers in the merchant navy are for the same group of students, provided they fulfil the vision (eyesight) standards required by the Directorate General of Shipping (www.dgshipping.com). Training for the Commercial Pilot Licence is open to students completing class XII with physics and maths who qualify the medical exam by a DGCA (www.dgca.nic.in) approved medical centre.
Unmarried male Indian citizens may join the Indian Navy or Indian Air Force after passing class XII with physics, chemistry and mathematics through the NDA Exam. These candidates may also opt for +2 Technical Entry into the Indian Army or the +2 (Technical) Cadet Entry Scheme (Permanent Commission) of the Indian Navy. Appointment as Special Class Railway Apprentices in Mechanical Department of Indian Railways is possible through the SCRA Exam by UPSC (www.upsc.gov.in) for students passing class XII with PCM.
HEALTH SCIENCES (PCB)
MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BUMS, BHMS, BPT, BOT, BPO, BVSc & AH (Veterinary), Speech & Language Pathology, Nursing, Optometry, Medical Laboratory Technology, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Medical Imaging Technology, BSc Home Science, Pharmacy, BTech Biotechnology and BTech Bioinformatics and some of the agricultural science programmes (State Agricultural Universities listed on www.icar.org.in) are open to science students completing class XII with physics, chemistry and biology.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Integrated five-year MSc offered at IISER (www.iiser-admissions.in), UMDAE CBS, Mumbai (http://cbs.ac.in), NISER, Bhubaneswar (http://niser.ac.in), Integrated Science Education & Research Centre (ISERC), Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan (http://visva-bharati.ac.in), some of the IITs, National Institutes of Technology and a few universities are meant for students completing class XII and aiming a scientific research career.
VOCATIONAL
Technical and non-technical vocational courses are offered at polytechnics, vocational and industrial training institutes.
THE RIGHT OUTLOOK
Since admissions to professional courses like engineering, medicine, pharmacy, architecture, hotel management, design/ fine arts, law, etc and some of the non-professional degree courses are based on entrance tests, it is advisable to chart out a schedule and plan accordingly. In the 21^st century of choices, celebrate the fact that there are so many opportunities to explore.

JAYANTI GHOSE, TOI