Study in India: explore your passions

Explore your passions

Dear Sir,

I’m a final year computer science student but I am interested in finance and accounting and I want to do a short-term course in it. As of now, I have enrolled for an online course but I feel this is not enough to get an internship in that field. Will doing a certificate course at a reputed institute help me get a job or land an internship? I’ll also be writing the CAT exam but doing an MBA is expensive and I want work experience. Should I attend the placements and get an IT job and later do a degree in finance or directly get into the finance field.

Navya S

Dear Navya,

It is good that you have been able to identify your field of interest. Now you need to verify whether you have the right talent and skills to do well in finance and accounting, and also be willing to start with the basics – because others have studied accounting while you were studying engineering. After confirmation that you have the required aptitude and ability to do well in finance, try to narrow down whether you would like to be in pure accounting (audit, budgeting, cost analysis), or applied finance such as banking, actuary, stock markets, international trade etc. Try and get an entry-level job or internship in any company working in that field regardless of the salary or position you get. Ensure that they give you opportunities for learning.

Go for higher studies only after you have finalised and gained some work experience in the domain you wish to work in for the next 40-50 years. If you take up an IT job now, it may become more difficult to move into finance later.

Dear Sir,

I am interested in studying BSc Agriculture. Should I apply to a private college recognised by the UGC? Are recently opened colleges okay? Can I get a government job after getting a degree from a private university which is recognised by the UGC but not from ICAR? Is there any preference for students from ICAR recognised colleges?

Devika Murthy

Dear Devika,

First question yourself why you would like to study agricultural sciences and what career you are looking for. It is risky to study a course primarily hoping for a government job because government is continuously changing its policies and staffing patterns. Many activities that were done by permanent government employees are being outsourced to private organizations. So enter the field if you have understood the world of agricultural sciences, are attracted towards it, if you are good in subjects like biology, chemistry etc., and also have the temperament to work either in open fields or in scientific labs.

It is preferable to study in a college with a proven track record, experienced and capable teaching staff, good infrastructure and equipment, sincere and committed students and up-to-date curriculum. Find out by visiting, talking to people, getting feedback. As far as admission in ICAR recognized institutions for higher studies is concerned, again one can never say for sure because the government keeps changing rules and policies from time to time. If you graduate with good marks from any reputed college, you will find ways and means to get higher education in the best of institutions, and also job opportunities.

Dear Sir,

I am in the second year of BSc Hons Geography. Please suggest some specialisation in MSc which will enable me to get a job with a high package. Please give me info about colleges in India offering such courses.

Sunil Madde

Dear Sunil,

Jobs with high packages always go to those who can deliver goods, are passionate about their work, and have the required talent and attitude. After two years of having studied Geography at degree level, you should have a fair idea about what specialisation suits you. If you are unable to connect to the subject or the course, then look beyond to use your degree as a foundation to move into related fields or people-oriented work. There is nothing wrong in even changing your path completely and exploring something that you are passionate about and can do well in.

Another alternative would be to take up an entry-level job in your chosen field, get a feel of the actual working conditions and requirements, and then plan your higher studies in the next academic year. Even taking up good internships while doing BSc may give you a better picture of what you are suited for most.

Dear Sir,

My son is studying in I PUC (PCB and PE combination). He has been a school topper and wishes to become a psychologist. Kindly let me know various job prospects in this field. Will he be able to write competitive exams like CSE etc., after pursuing a course in psychology?

Trishaly Raj

Dear Trishaly,

Give your son exposure to the world of human behaviour and psychology through the Internet, people working in the field, teachers of psychology etc. Opportunities vary from HR Management, Consumer and Product Development, Educational Counselling, Behavioural Economics, Interpretation of Big Data, working as a Political Analyst, to industrial, forensic and clinical psychology. Only when given an opportunity to understand where his future lies will he be able to take a calculated decision.

All managerial courses, civil and military service entrance, research and teaching opportunities will be open to him as a psychology graduate. Once he is convinced that it is the right field for him, he may take up a degree in psychology which will lay the foundation, and he will have three years to go deeper into the vocation and narrow down to a specialisation. Jobs depend entirely on how good he is at his work.

Dear Sir,

I have finished my II PUC (PCMB). I would like to know about Pharm-D (Doctor of Pharmacy) course and its job opportunities in detail.

A student

Dear student,

Pharm-D is a six-year course started a few years ago and is open to students who have completed 10+2 with science. Many colleges are offering the course and generally, admission is through their entrance process. There are not many graduates from this course so far hence it is difficult to predict its long-term prospects. If you can study in a college which is directly connected to a teaching hospital, you will have opportunities to work with patients and get practical exposure, increasing your demand in the clinical setup.

Since it is a six-year course, ensure that you are fully committed to the field of pharmacy before you take the plunge. Alternatively, you can enrol for a four year B Pharm, and go for higher studies later.