Narrow down your career goals

Study in India

Dear Sir,

My nephew is currently studying in Class 10 (CBSE board). He likes Social Science and Chemistry but finds Physics, Math and Biology tough. Which stream can he choose in Class 11 so that he can pursue a career of his interest and what are the kinds of jobs available in that field?

Ritu

Dear Ritu,

Liking particular subjects is only a small contributor to career selection. More important are his personality traits, social skills, commercial acumen, concentration span, potential and aptitude towards certain activities, and his interest. There are a few selected schools/colleges that do allow a combination of chemistry with social science, but most insist on his selecting either science or humanities.

Encourage him to explore all possible careers and match them to the parameters mentioned above. Let him talk to people in different careers, find out more details on the internet, and visualise what work he will enjoy and be good at for 40-50 years of his working life. If he is unable to narrow down, a holistic aptitude test that measures each of the skills requirement and connects them to suitable careers would be advisable.

Dear Sir,

I am currently in fourth year Industrial Engineering and Management. I aspire to pursue higher studies in data science. Can I take GATE 2020 in Production and Industrial stream and then apply for MTech in Data Science? If so which are the best colleges to do the course?

Ranjana

Dear Ranjana,

Eligibility, entrance procedures etc should always be verified by the authorities concerned, as they change from time to time. You will need to apply before September when they close registrations for GATE. Basic information is available on gate.iitm.ac.in, www.som.iitb.ac.in, but it is better to forward your specific query and get a reply from an authorised source. Depending on your GATE ranking you will come to know which colleges you are getting admission in and then you can select suitably.

Dear Sir,

I am currently pursuing BSc BEd integrated four year course with CBZ combination. I want to pursue Master’s in a course which is much in demand now. Can you please suggest some good colleges in Bengaluru. How can I apply for scholarships.

A Student

Dear student,

MSc in life sciences is available in many colleges in Bengaluru and other cities. If you are ambitious, you may even try for admission in IITs (details are available at jam.iitkgp.ac.in) or in IISc or their associate institute — National Centre for Biological Sciences (www.ncbs.res.in) etc. If you wish to have outstanding education, do not restrict your college selection to Bengaluru, as there are many reputed institutions all over the country. First determine what career (i.e. type of job and work profile) you would like to be doing, do not take up a course just because there seems to be demand for it.

Dear Sir,

I am currently in Class 12 (ISC- Science). I like Mathematics and everything involved with it. I want to pursue BSc in Mathematics. What are the admission criteria in colleges offering the course? I would prefer a job in research or data mining field. Can you suggest me a suitable path for turning my passion into a profession?
Pranshu Jaiswal

Dear Pranshu,

Glad you have been able to narrow down your area of interest as well as the domain in which you would like to work. Degree courses in Mathematics are offered by a number of reputed institutions including IITs, NITs, BITS Pilani, IISERs, IISc etc. Since you are aiming for research, these institutions will prepare you very well. Your specific area of research can be kept open, and you may even move from one area to another during your long working life. A degree in Math from a reputed institution will open doors for you, and you can explore further as you go along your chosen path.

Dear Sir,

My son is studying in third semester in Finance and International Business. Is it better to work for one year or to directly do Master’s in Finance or International Business? What are the top universities from where he can pursue his Master’s. He has completed a B1 in French and plans to study the next levels.

Nagamani R

Dear parent,

If your son is the type who will not shirk from getting back to full time academics after getting the pleasure of earning a salary, it is a good idea to get a feel of the working world and the practical realities and of dealing with people in the corporate sector. It would be helpful if he takes up an entry level job in a not-too-huge organisation, as he will then get exposure to different departments and day-to-day challenges. Within a few months he will have a much clearer idea about his future plans and then he can decide which course to pursue, and whether to do it in India or any specific Western country. In the meanwhile let him continue learning French, it will always be useful.

Dear Sir,

I am currently pursuing undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering. I am entering my final year this academic term. I am in a dilemma whether to go for higher studies in India or abroad. I understand that clearing GATE is a big challenge, but is pursuing studies abroad any easier? What are the things that I should be looking into?

Rajesh

Dear Rajesh,

You should first be narrowing down to specific career goals and the type of work you would like to be doing after you have completed your education. Being in the final year of a specialised field, you would be aware of the different opportunities and branches in the aerospace sector, and which ones suit you best. If you are still unable to do so, do not be in a hurry to go for higher studies, take up an entry level job in your industry, get a feel of what is going on, talk to knowledgeable people and narrow down to your domain specialisation. Then it will be easier to start working towards admission either in India or abroad for your Masters, or any other course you may select.