Worldwide, around 62 percent of Generation Y students (born between 1996 and 2000) are open to consider joining the workforce rather than pursuing college or university; however, 36 percent fear they would not find a job matching their personality, says a survey by employer branding specialist Universum.
Setting career goals after 10+2 could be overwhelming. Many students in India decide for a professional course after 12th, but choosing the right course may still be difficult. Ideally, you should select a course considering a number of factors, including career prospect, placement opportunity, your interests, and long-term goals. Here are the top 7 options to choose from.
1. MBBS
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) is perhaps the most coveted course among 10+2 passed students in India. However, getting admission to MBBS is no easy feat. Every year, nearly four million candidates compete for only around 30,000 seats available at the medical colleges in India. You must secure at least 50 percent marks in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English to be eligible to appear for the medical entrance examinations conducted by various medical colleges and agencies in India. All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) entrance exams, All India – Pre-Medical/ Pre-Dental (AIPMT) entrance exam, and Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) exam are some popular medical entrance exams in India.
2. B.Tech
If you pass 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, you can consider doing a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) course – which is basically a four-years engineering undergraduate course. You need to clear an engineering entrance exam to get admission to B.Tech. In India, a number of national-level engineering entrance exams, including Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main, VIT Engineering Entrance Examination (VITEEE), and Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT) are conducted every year. Depending on your ranking in the entrance exam, you could secure a seat in one of the top engineering colleges in India, such as Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and National Institute of Technology (NIT). Candidates with a B.Tech degree in computer engineering, mechanical engineering, or electronics engineering are highly in demand in the job market.
3. CA
After 10+2, you can also join a Chartered Accountancy course. Chartered accountants usually get multiple job offers from the top paying companies. They can also work independently or start their own business. Either way, they enjoy a rewarding professional career. The Chartered Accountancy course has multiple levels, including Common Proficiency Test (CPT), Integrated Professional Competence Course (IPCC), and the Final Examination. It is one of the toughest professional courses in India. You need excellent math skills, attention to detail, patience and dedication to clear the CA exam.
4. Mass Communication and Journalism
A bachelor’s degree in mass communication and journalism opens doors for a successful career in print media, electronics media, publishing, public relations, and other related fields. After completing the course, you can get employment opportunities in advertising agencies, newspaper agencies, marketing firms, radio and television channels, and film production houses. Top institutes offering courses in mass communication and journalism in India include Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi; Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU); Banaras Hindu University (BHU); and Xavier Institute of Communication (XIC), Mumbai. Most institutes conduct their own entrance exam to select candidates for the course.
5. Bachelor of Hotel Management
With the Indian hospitality industry growing at around 14 percent per year, hotel management could be a rewarding career option after 10+2. If you can complete a course from one of the top institutes, such as Institute of Hotel Management, Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development Delhi, and Christ College Bangalore; you will easily find a job in top-rated hotels, touring companies, airlines, and event management firms.
6. Bachelor of Nursing
India needs six million nurses by 2034, says a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). If you want to seize this opportunity, start planning your career in nursing right from the school. You need to pass 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to be eligible to get admission to a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing (B.Sc. N) program. Alternatively, you can do the one-and-a-half year diploma in auxiliary nursing and midwifery (ANM) or the three-and-a-half year diploma in general nursing and midwifery (GNM).
7. BA LLB
Law graduates can find a job in corporate firms, work as an independent lawyer, become a judge, join government agencies as a public prosecutor, or work with NGOs and media houses as a legal adviser. To become a lawyer in India, you need a bachelor’s degree in law or BA LLB. It is a five-year course after 10+2. Candidates for LLB course are selected through a law entrance exam. Depending on your performance in the entrance exam, you can get admission to one of the top law colleges in India, such as National Law School of India, NLSIU, Bangalore; Government Law College, Mumbai; National Law Institute, Bhopal; and Balaji Law College, Pune.
Some other professional courses for 10+2 passed students in India include Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Bachelor of Fashion Designing. Whichever course you choose, it is always a good idea to do it from a reputed college in India.