How to pick the perfect career

How to pick the perfect career
JAYANTI GHOSE

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2006 10:34:58 AM]

CHOICES AND ENTRY PROCESSES

After class 12/ SSLC in Science/ Arts/ Commerce or non-science based Chartered Accountancy (through Professional Education -I ) (www.icai.org), or Cost and Works Accountancy (http:// myicwai.com) or Company Secretaryship (www.icsi.edu) through the relevant Foundation course to be pursued alongside your graduation (preferably B Com). Changes are in the offing regarding the CA course, so keep track of developments.

5-year Integrated Law Degree course, National Defence Academy (for entry into defence services for unmarried males)( www.upsc.gov.in), Hotel Management, BBS/BMS(www.mu.ac.in) /BBA, BCA, Bachelor of Financial and Investment Analysis(www.cbsdu.net) (an indicative listing). Admission into most of these courses is through a selection process that includes objective type multiple choice tests covering English Language proficiency, Quantitative Ability, Reasoning Ability, General Awareness. Selection to NDA, BMS and Hotel Management courses at prominent national level institute would also involve Personality Assessment through Group Discussion, Interview, etc.

Bachelor of Journalism/ Mass Communication /Mass Media (www.mu.ac.in) course admits through an assessment of general awareness and writing skills.
The five year integrated Master's degree course in Foreign Languages at JNU(www.jnu.ac.in) admits through an objective type test with questions from English,general knowledge,reasoning and foreign language awareness.
4-year Integrated B A/B Sc/B Com +B Ed courses are offered at the Regional Institutes of Education after Plus Two in the relevant discipline .

TALENT BASED

These choices are open to you on the basis of talent specific to the course.
Admission to Bachelor of Fine Arts / Visual Arts/ Design /allied would be based on testing artistic aptitude, creativity and aesthetic sensitivity . So too for interior decoration, interior design, commercial art, jewellery design, fashion design and related courses. Admission to National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad (www.nid.edu) and NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) (www.niftindia.com) is based on all India entrance tests conducted in January and February respectively. However, applications have to be made usually during October-November of the preceding year. Hence, if you are appearing for HSC in 2006, your chance for applying will come next year.
BFA Performing Arts (Music/ Dance) is meant for those who have innate abilities and practical exposure in the field.
Physical Education is offered as a 3- or 4-year course for those planning on a career as a Physical Education teacher, Sports coach or Fitness Trainer or to proceed for higher education and research in the field.

SCIENCE BASED

Selection to engineering and medicine courses involves testing of academic ability in the relevant sciences.

Choices through Physics, Chemistry and Biology are in Medicine - MBBS/BHMS/BUMS/BAMS, Dentistry, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics & Orthotics, Audiology & Speech Therapy, Ophthalmic Technology/Optometry, Medical Laboratory Technology, Home Science, Veterinary Science, etc. Some institutions also admit students with PCB in their B Tech Biotechnology courses, e g Vellore Institute of Technology (www.vit.ac.in), JIIT Noida (www.jiit.ac.in), Padmashree Dr D Y Patil Institute for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics,Navi Mumbai (www.dypatil.com), to name a few.
Pharmacy, Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Sericulture, Fisheries Science, etc are open to students with Physics, Chemistry and Biology/ Maths Choices through Physics, Chemistry and Maths could be Engineering (Aerospace, Agricultural, Ceramic, Chemical, Civil, Computer Science & Engg, Electrical, Electronics and Communication Engg, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Leather Technology, Materials and Metallurgical Engg, Mining etc ); Architecture [you also need technical drawing skill/aesthetic sense]; Bachelor of Computer Science; Interior Design [plus drawing ability/aesthetic sense for Undergraduate programme at CEPT University Ahmedabad www.cept.ac.in]; Special Class Railway Apprentices Exam(www.upsc.gov.in), Dairy Technology, Food Technology; Marine Engineering /Nautical Science (www.dgshipping .com); Pilot training(www.igrua.com); Technical Entry Scheme for Army(after 10+2) and 10+2 (Technical) Cadet Entry Scheme (Permanent Commission) of the Indian Navy.

WHAT ELSE?

B Sc with related subjects would open up avenues for M Sc leading typically to careers in research and academia.Those pursuing arts may opt for BA if they are interested in careers related to subjects like Economics, Political Science, History, Geography, Psychology, etc.You can pursue B Com if you completed HSC with commerce. These are among the major choices after Plus Two/HSC (listing is indicative, not exhaustive).
After graduation, you may decide to work, or appear for competitive examinations for direct entry into a service or to pursue a variety of professional courses ranging from management, mass communication, fashion communication, journalism to law, computer applications, accountancy, etc.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER


Science students are eligible to join B A or B Com. HSC commerce students may move to arts discipline.
However, being eligible to make a switch from science to arts or commerce,and from commerce to arts would be possible only if you have competitive scores.If you do not keep school subjects in your graduation programme, chances are it would be difficult for you to enter a B Ed programme .
While choosing branches of engineering, consider the nature of work, industries to work in and the placement profile of the college where you are offered a seat. In the field of medicine, just because the merit list gives higher rank holders the choice of MBBS and then BDS, Physiotherapy, etc does not mean that any one course has better prospects. Choose the course in which the long term career path appears meaningful to you.

FINAL DECISION

Set realistic goals in which you have a 50% chance of success. Think of alternatives to a medical degree if you have never scored beyond 55% marks in biology and chemistry. It is better not to consider engineering as an option if your physics and mathematics scores are below 60%.
Just remember, there are no good or bad careers.You will have the maximum potential for success in a career which is in line with your personality , skills and abilities. Do not just follow what your friends are doing now or opt for any career which is 'in' .The occupational world is not only complex, it is also dynamic. So what is a huge opportunity today may not be so good in a few years time. Keep developing your communication skills and enhancing your general awareness so that you are abreast of developments in various industries and occupations