Career should match your aptitude, personality traits

Study in India

Dear Sir,

I am a BCom (second year) student. I want to study MBA. I want to work while pursuing MBA but apprehensive about managing both at the same time. Also, I am confused which specialisation to opt for. Please guide.

Praveen C

Dear Praveen,

It is always better to identify and finalise your long-term career goals before you decide on the courses you wish to take up for higher education. Having studied two years of commerce, you would have by now had exposure to various fields such as accounts, stock markets, mutual funds, insurance, actuary etc. If you could spend the remaining months of your study of BCom in exploring each of these, matching them to your own traits and skills, and if you can narrow down to what your long-term career would be, then you can decide what higher education to go for. In general it is recommended that you take up an MBA only after gaining some work experience so that you know what specialisation to go for and can get maximum learning benefit. So starting with internships and going on to entry level job in your area of interest, go deeper at the practical level to understand and be convinced which is the most appropriate career for you.

Dear Sir,

My son is studying in I PU. He would like to take up a career in product designing. Please suggest some good colleges in the country. I would also like to know about the fee structure and the scholarships available.

Kumuda

Dear Kumuda,

As a first step, evaluate whether he has a creative mind, is good in art, and can do design work successfully. Any neutral expert in the field of design will be able to assess him and give feedback. Once that is proven, then check out how hard working and consistent he is. If he is willing to put in the effort, he may aim for National Institute of Design, Indian Institutes Technology for Bachelor of Design through U-CEED exam, MICA, which are the most reputed. Other good colleges include Srishti, Symbiosys, NMIMS, Manipal, Whistling Woods etc. Each of them have their own entrance procedure and fee structure which is available on their websites. Start training him in sharpening his creative skills and keep track of the dates for applications. Scholarships in this area are rare.

Dear Sir,

I am studying in final year BSc (CBZ). I want to do MSc in Applied Genetics. Please provide more information about the course, good institutes, its scope and career opportunities.

Sneha R Rao

Dear Sneha,

You should be doing your exercise in the reverse order. Find out everything about various careers (not courses) in the world of life sciences, match them to your aptitude and personality traits, and ensure that you will enjoy doing that type of work. For instance, if it is applied genetics, then what will be the type of work you will be doing as a geneticist, what skills are required, and what attracts you to that field. Once you explore different options you can narrow down and then decide which course will take you towards that career, and then identify which are the best colleges you can aspire for. Do not base your decision on ‘scope’ which changes every few years, and anyway if you are good in your field, you will inevitably get good job opportunities all along your career span of 40-50 years.

Dear Sir,

I am a 2nd year PCMB student. I am interested in Biology but wish to continue my career in computer science engineering. Is it a good option for me?

Aparna Nath

Dear Aparna,

Having studied Biology will in no way affect your study of computer science. Base your career choice on all parameters including your personality traits, concentration ability, math-logical skills, ability to work alone for long hours, willingness to do repetitive work, etc. which are essential in the world of computer science engineering. Then you can prepare for entrance exams and try for the best possible college.

Dear Sir,

I am studying in Class 10. I aspire to become a doctor. For this, I want to study in a prestigious college. My parents are forcing me to consider a local college as I got low marks in Class 9. Please guide.

A Student

Dear Student,

Getting into MBBS is highly competitive due to the limited number of seats available. Even after you get admission the course is very rigorous involving extensive reading and learning. If you are not scoring well in Class 9 itself, do reflect whether medicine is the right option for you. There are many other fields, including those in healthcare and life sciences, which do not involve so much of study or scoring very high marks. Reflect over it and ensure that you take a realistic decision.

Dear Sir,

I am a working professional with over 10 years of experience in IT industry. At the start of the pandemic in 2020 I joined an online MBA program from an ed-tech platform. I really liked this style of education (part-time) and am contemplating doing doctorate in Business Administration. However, I am not able to find good courses in India...

Gautam Chaturvedi

Dear Gautam,

Doctorate in Business Management is offered by most of the prestigious institutions in India including the IIMs, IITs, IIITs and NITs. They are generally referred to as “fellowship” programs and are offered in both full-time and part-time mode. Similarly, many of the reputed national level private universities offer Doctorate in Management. Do explore their websites and you will get detailed information.