Pursue your passions

Dear Sir,

I am an engineering student. However, I am interested in the fields of animation and interior designing, and not in engineering. How can I pursue a career in these fields? Please guide.
Aditi

Dear Aditi,
If you are scoring fairly well and have the motivation to complete the course, your engineering studies will not go waste. As an engineer, you can move into any field of your choice, including design, animation or interior design. You can get yourself assessed for your creative talent, and if time permits start taking up short-term part-time courses in visual communication.

You can also practice with small tasks in those fields, or take up internships with those who are practising professionals.

By the time you come to your final year, you can prepare to narrow down and finalise your long-term career and accordingly start working or go for higher studies.

 Dear Sir,

I am a second year BCom student. I am interested in photography and cinematography as a career. In this light, how can I prepare to take these interests further and what are the best institutions to pursue them? Do also suggest a way that I can pursue my interests alongside my current studies.

A Student

Dear Student,
It is good that you want to complete your studies, because as a graduate in commerce you will be eligible for various postgraduate courses, including in photography or cinematography. Most of the good courses in this field are by private professionals who have made a name and are acknowledged experts. It will also help if you take up some short-term courses in the subject during your
holidays or weekends.

Next year, you can start
exploring which course
you would like to join.

Some of the reputed institutions are Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (www.srfti.ac.in), Film and Television Institute of India (www.ftiindia.com), Indian Institute of Mass Communication (www.iimc.nic.in), Asian Academy
of Film & Television (www.aaft.com) and Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication.

 Dear Sir,

My son is studying in Class 10. Although he is interested in Maths he doesn’t like Physics and Chemistry. He doesn’t want to take Science because of this in the next academic year. Can I know if he can pursue Maths without studying Physics and Chemistry?

A Parent

Dear Parent,
Maths is available for students who take up commerce also. He will have to study Accountancy and Business studies, and he can choose a fourth subject. Many PU colleges offer this option.

Dear Sir,

I have completed my BE
in Computer Science this year. I am interested in
pursuing a career in
Psychology. Could you let me know the scope for Psychology in India and whether as an engineering graduate, I can step into
the field of Psychology.

A Student

Dear Student,
Psychology is an evergreen field since understanding human behaviour and dealing with relationships is the core of every activity. However, in general, psychologists do not earn as much as Computer Science engineers at present, though the scenario is likely to change in future.

As an engineering graduate you are eligible to enrol for an open university Masters in Psychology and related fields.

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), University Of Madras, Annamalai University and Bharathiar University are some of the reputed open universities. A few institutions like Sampurna Montfort College in Bengaluru allow non-Psychology students to take up the regular MSc classroom course.

You can combine engineering and Psychology by getting into fields such as market research, consumer behaviour, product development and analysing big data. The fields have very good openings.

Dear Sir,

I am a PUC Science student. I want to become a lawyer. What course should I pursue after my PUC to be a lawyer. Can you suggest any law colleges?

Gagana

Dear Gagana,
There are five-year programmes that offer BA+LLB, BBA+LLB, or BCom+LLB options. Any of these entitles you to become a lawyer and work in courts or take up
corporate law, intellectual property rights, human rights etc. There are good colleges in almost all major cities but the most prominent are the National Law Universities, for which admission is through the Common Law Aptitude Test (www.clat.ac.in). Students who have completed 10+2 from any stream are eligible. The last date for admission is generally in March every year, and you need to prepare in Legal Reasoning, Current Affairs, Maths and English.

Another test is the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), which provides admission to a dozen reputed private law colleges. Other colleges give admission based on your II PUC marks or their own tests.

Dear Sir,

I am a fourth year BE (EEE) student. As I am interested in Electrical engineering, I am planning for masters in core fields like power electronics, drives or power systems. I have started to prepare for GATE exams. Could you let me know of what the job scenario might look like for me after completing a postgraduate course? Is there any good opportunity and future? Is this a good way? Or should I think of masters abroad?

Aditya

Dear Aditya,
It is good that you wish to make a career in your core subject that you have studied. For those who are good in their field, there is definitely good opportunities. It is just that your first job may not be very highly paid and you may have to be patient till you acquire domain specialisation and then you will be able to progress very well.

If you get yourself an MTech from one of the reputed institutions you will certainly be able to move ahead. Put in your best effort in the GATE exam, and also narrow down to what type of work suits you most, that is, pure research, applied research, product development, quality control, teaching, production, business management, design, etc. Then, you can keep focusing on the area of your choice, do some good internships, take up short-term courses and enhance your skills to ensure that you will get good opportunities.