The choice of the right career specialization is of paramount significance for the students graduating from their 12^th standard. The economy is moving fast and developing finer specializations. Unless the student is aware of the career options after 12^th, he cannot make out the informed and rational decision for self. This could cost him dearly. The career counsellors and professionals keep track of the emergent demand dynamics and the right academic destinations to get enrolled. Besides, they offer complete career guidance after 12^th in a personalized manner so that a matching decision is made for the student.

While offering the individual guidance, the specialists take into account the affinities and capacities of the student and practical advice are tendered. Online career counselling portal careerfutura.com offers dedicated career guidance after 12th to ensure the best results for the seeker and simultaneously remove the chances of a bad decision for him!

10^th standard is considered crucial as for the choice of career. However, with such vast number of specializations now available in the academics, students often feel crippled in making the decision. For those seeking good advice on career choice after 10^th, it is better to have a holistic career counselling done through a professional. This allows a thorough analysis of the student’s strengths, weaknesses, affinities as also the availability of the opportunities. The student is made aware of the practical options available to him and the decision becomes more rational and fruitful in the prospects.

Online career counselling has become a fine option in the wake of increased internet penetration in the society. Now every student can get the resonant advice and avoid the bad decision as for career choice after 10th. There are leading examples like careerfutura.com that secure easy interfacing with the career specialists and subject specialists. Personalized guidance is also facilitated for the students.

Students today are fortunate to have a wide array of career options, unlike their parent’s generation. The advancing technology has given rise to the development of new courses in almost all fields; be it arts, science, commerce, management, engineering, medicine you name it, you have it! Although having so many choices is good but narrowing down on a career that best suit’s an individual is no simple task either. For students to make career decisions they need to be aware of their abilities, interests, aptitudes and personality. Besides this it is essential for students to be aware of various courses available in different fields. Apart from this information about the eligibility criteria and the options in the specific course, job profile, institute details and market opportunities are also required in order to make a career decision.

For those of you who wish to pursue Arts, can look forward to careers in various offbeat courses namely animation, dance, painting or various designing courses like fashion, accessory, jewellery, web and interior designing, Radio Jockey, Disk Jockey, Video Jockey, are some others. Here the skills that matter the most are creativity and the ability to come up with innovative ideas. Apart from these options students can also pursue courses in the social sciences such as history, politics, economics, sociology, geography and psychology, languages, philosophy, business administration, law, journalism and mass communication, social work, library and Information Sciences etc.

Students who wish to pursue science can opt for medical related courses such as MBBS, BUMS, BHMS, BAMS, DMLT, physiotherapy, pharmacy, nursing etc. in addition to these there are several non medical courses namely computer applications, computer science, botany, physics, chemistry, biology, biotechnology, geology, geography, zoology. architecture, engineering, aeronautical engineering, aircraft maintenance, Actuarial Science, nutritionist and dietitian, veterinary, are some other options available.

The commerce aspirants too have a wide range of careers such as chartered accountancy, cost and work accountants, Charted Financial Accountants, Company Secretary, Banking and Finance, various management courses like BBA, BBM, Hotel Management, Hospitality Management, Travel and Tourism, aviation and related fields, IATA courses. Apart from these students can also go in for integrated B.Com. Courses such as B.Com with Accountancy and Finance, Banking and Insurance, Financial Markets are other options available.

Students wishing to pursue a career in the civil services the Union Public Service Commission (UPSE) conducts selection examinations i.e. Civil Services Examinations (CSE). The CSEs are conducted for recruiting individuals for various posts of Indian Civil Services such as Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Allied Services in the Central Government, Doctors, Engineers, Economists, Geologists, Statisticians and Assistant, Grade C and D exams, Forest Service, Combined Defense Services but for Graduates. For 10 + 2 or PUC (Pre – University Course) candidates the UPSE conducts only 2 competitive examinations namely National Defense Academy (NDA) for the selection of armed forces candidates and Special Class Railway Apprentices Exam (SCRA). The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) is in charge of recruiting individuals for the middle and subordinate level posts for all the departments of the Government of India at a National Level. the middle and subordinate level post’s comprise of Clerks, Assistants, Inspectors of Income Tax, Excise, Customs, Sub Inspectors of Police, CBI etc., Stenographers, Auditors, Junior Accountants Exam etc. apart from the UPSE even the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) and Banking services conduct competitive exams. For the posts of non technical office clerks, commercial clerks, Ticket Collector, Trains clerk, direct recruitment is made by RRBs. For the areas that require technical skills such as Diesel and Electrical. Assistant, skilled artisans, mechanical/electric, 10th & ITI certificate in the choice of field is required.

Also students wishing to pursue a career in the Armed forces can join the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Merchant Navy and Indian Air force as well.

For students who wish to pursue Diploma courses then applying for Minimum Competency Vocational Courses; more commonly known as M.C.V.C. is an option for you. These courses were started with the intention of training students with general technical knowledge, developing vocational skills and to promote self – employment. These courses were started by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in New Delhi. On a similar note the Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) located in Mumbai also conducts diploma course along with degree courses. On the basis of a diploma students can opt for degree courses in the specialized field.

Most students in the 10^th Standard are in a dilemma because they have to decide which course they should opt for. The advancement in technology is giving rise to development and along with it newer careers are surfacing. As a consequence students are pushed further in to confusion with a wider array of choices, thus making the career decisions that much more difficult. Most often than not, the immediate sources of students for gathering information are their parents who aren’t aware of the options available as they are constantly pressed for time. Between juggling work and family life, making career decisions for children isn’t an easy task either. This leads to students seeking to gather as much information as they can about the various avenues available.

In order to make a right decision it is important for students to know where their interest lie as that is generally where their strengths are. Making a career decision relies wholly on the information gathered and the resources used. Some other sources apart from the Internet are visiting education fairs conducted or by applying for career guidance are some effective ways to begin with.

Generally students after completing the 10^th grade usually opt for + 2 or PUCs (Pre-University Courses). The common fields that students opt for are Science streams with Mathematics, Biology, Computers and Bio-Mathematics, Commerce stream and Arts and Humanities stream. Students who choose Science at the PUC level have the option to change their stream to either Commerce or Arts and Humanities. Students who choose the Commerce stream can opt for Arts but not Science, similarly arts students cannot opt for either the Science or the Commerce Streams.

Apart from these general courses there are other courses that are run for the sole purpose of generating employment at an early stage. These courses are termed as vocational courses. The Vocational courses are conducted by Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Industrial Training Centers (ITCs). These institutes are constituted under the Ministry of Labour of the Union Government of India. Many Government and Private run ITIs and ITCs, have began training organizations that provide training in various technical fields. Courses that require basic skills that are course specific are electrician, machinist, fitter, plumber, turner, welder etc. On the successful completion of these courses students can opt for practical training courses in the industry of their choice. After completing the practical training course a National Trade Certificate (NTC) is issued to these individuals by the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) in the opted trade. A student is required to qualify for the All India Trade Test (AITT) in order to obtain the NTC. The job openings for such courses are plenty for instance they can apply in government sectors like Indian Railways, telecom departments etc. but only after qualifying the written examination.

If a student’s interest is in the Armed Forces and has done a vocational course then they can join the Indian Army or the Indian Navy or even the Police Force. If a student wishes to join the Indian Army as a Soldiers in the technical trade but they need to give written examinations such as Indian Army Soldier Clerks Examination, Indian Army Soldier General Duty (N.E.R.) Examination, Indian Army Soldier Technical (M.E.R.) Examination, Indian Army Soldier Nursing Assistants (M.E.R.) Examination etc. For those students who wish to join the Indian Navy the Job opportunities are Dock Yard Apprentices, Sailors, Artificer Apprentices, etc. this too on the basis of written examinations. Student wishing to join the Police Force need to undergo a physical test and a written test, thereafter they can join as a constable (tradesmen) via the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). If one wishes to secure a job as a clerk then these individuals need to clear the grade examination conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

In addition to the above mentioned courses there are also short term courses such as diplomas for individuals who wish to pursue them. For instance if one is interested in the teaching field then these individuals can opt for Nursery (Pre-primary) and Primary Training Diplomas conducted by the departments of primary education in various states. Another option for students is to pursue a 3 years Polytechnics Diploma course in Engineering. After pursuing a diploma in engineering these students can pursue 2^nd or 3^rd semester of B.E. /B.Tech. Degree courses through the Lateral Entry Engineer Test (LEET). The other diplomas available are 3 to 4 years diploma in pharmacy, design fields such as web designing, fashion designing, jewellery designing, interior designing etc. as per the field of interest. In addition several job oriented courses are also available in the I.T. sector and other fields such as, animation, modeling, beauty care, radio jockey, video jockey, disk jockey, video editing, etc.

Now that the results are out it’s time to choose a course and a college. Isn’t this the most puzzling question for both parties’ students and parents as well?  Since, neither can decide whether the college is good or if the course is authentic. In addition the uncertainty displayed by children when questioned about their interest, makes career decisions that much more challenging. This is the pattern that is present more so with students today due to the variety of options available in all most all streams. Even if a course is decided the question of which college arises nonetheless.

If you have identified with these statements then you have come to the right place. Whether you are looking for engineering, commerce, arts and humanities or medical colleges, all you need to keep in mind are a few points. These points will definitely clear all the doubts that you may have about the college or the courses offered at a particular institute.

Step 1 Check the Accreditation of the Institute:

Most people do not pay a lot of attention to this aspect and find themselves stuck is a soup where they can neither switch the college if they find out that it is not an accredited. By the time they figure this out it is generally too late as most institutes have closed admissions.

Step 2 Check the College facilities and the environment:

When looking for information about a college or the facilities that they have, most students use the internet. Although it is a good source it is not the only source and not the best.

Step 3 Check the Hostel facilities and the environment:

This is important especially for those parents who wish to send their children out of town for further studies. While this is a good decision many parents forget to check the hostel facilities even though it is like a second home for their children for the next 3 to 4 years.

Step 4 Check the Teaching Staff:

Find out how the teaching staff is and the medium of instructions used before enrolling for the courses. There have been several cases where medium of instructions was supposed to be in English but majorly in another language. This may hinder the performance of children if they aren’t able to understand the language effectively.

Step 5 Check the pass percentage of 3 years:

If you check the pass percentage of the institute for the past 3 years it will give you an idea as to how good the college is.

Step 6 Recheck what resources are used to gather information:

Although the internet is a good source to gather information about colleges it is not the best. While the internet does give you most of the information that you are looking for it will not be able to tell you exactly how good the college is or whether the institute exist at all. Visiting the college in person is the best and the most effective source. Even though it sounds cumbersome it has its advantages nonetheless. By visit the institute personally you will get a fair idea about the college, its staff, its facilities such as hostel, laboratory, library so on and so forth.

 Step 6 Use the right resources to gather information:

Due to the advancing technology, gathering information has never been easier. Therefore we tend to think that the information we have is enough. This forms the basis of our decisions even though the information isn’t enough. As a consequence we have forgotten to realize the importance of meeting with people to gather information to make informed decisions. Thus we find ourselves making the same mistakes that other people have made as we haven’t stopped to learn from the mistakes made by them. So our children become victims of the mistakes we sometimes make as parents. In today’s day and age using the right resources to gather information has never been as important.

• Students as a source:

All this information can be gathered by speaking to students studying the same course that your child wishes to pursue from the institute. From these students you can find out more about the faculty, the environment of the institute and about the facilities such as laboratory and library and the medium of instructions used. These students will also have friends who have passed out and are working after completing the course so they may have an idea as to the job opportunities and job profiles available. This information will help you to verify if the course will be beneficial for your child. From students who are pursuing the same course and using the hostel facility you will be able to gather information about the hostel facilities and its environment.

• Office Staff as a source:

Apart from speaking to students you can also speak to the office staff and enquire about the college, its teaching staff, and its facilities such as hostel, laboratory, library so on and so forth. Therefore gather as much information as you can about the aspects discussed, before enrolling children for courses. Ensure that your children also look for these aspects so they too can learn. This will clear most of the doubts that both children and parents have about the college, therefore making decisions about colleges will reduce the challenging aspects. It is said, “The biggest mistake that one can make, is not having enough information”. “So put in that extra effort, though it may take a while, be assured that the decision made is right”.

Students wishing to apply for various management courses are required to go through a series of rounds before they are given the acceptance letter for admissions. The series of rounds conducted are a part of the candidate selection process and can be classified into 3 stages namely Entrance test, Group Discussion and Personal Interviews and finally end with the Acceptance Letter or final call letter giving you the confirmation that you have been selected and can proceed with the admission process.

Stage 1 Entrance Test: Every institute has a written test, either its own or through various common entrance tests conducted at the all India level or the regional level. Most management aspirants can avail the benefit of giving the entrance test in either the P.B.T. (Paper Based Test) or the C.B.T. (Computer Based Test) modes as per their comfort level. The duration of these entrance examinations are usually for 2 hrs to 2½ hrs and consists of objective type questions.

The core areas tested here are:

a) Data Interpretation – this section assesses your ability to understand and interpret the data interpreted via different types of graphs and pie charts.

b) Reading comprehension – this section assesses the candidate’s ability to provide accurate responses to questions based on passages in written language.

c) Data Sufficiency – this section tests one’s ability to reason quantitatively i.e. it checks the sufficiency of the 2 available constraints or conditions involved to come to the answers.

d) Logical and Analytical Reasoning – as the name suggests this part tests the aspirant’s logical and analytical ability in solving puzzles, teasers and deductive reasoning skills.

e) Verbal Ability – this section tests the candidate’s fluency in the language mainly its usage, vocabulary, grammar and verbal reasoning.

f) Quantitative Ability – this section assesses one’s mathematical skills and aptitude. The topics covered are Algebra, Arithmetic, Geometry and Mensuration (measurement of geometric quantities).

Stage 2 Group Discussions (GD) and Personal Interviews (PI): most institutes conduct GDs and PIs between February and March. The GDs and PIs are conducted to check the personality traits of the candidate’s. The traits that are checked are Group Behavior, Awareness and Communication skills, Initiative, Flexibility, Leadership, Assertiveness, Confidence, Creativity and Reasoning Ability. The interview can be classified into Personal Interview, Written Test and Group Interview.

a) Personal Interview - apart from testing the applicants personality traits, the interviewer or the panel also test their academics, self awareness levels and their goals.

b) Group Interview – apart from the above mentioned parameters even the analytical abilities are assessed.

c) Written Test – this is institute specific; some institutes have essay writing or case studies to check the insights and foresights of its applicants.

Stage 3 Final Call: on clearing the above 2 stages the applicant receives the acceptance letter or the final call letter stating that he/she has been granted the permission to seek admission for the desired course and can proceed to the admission process. Most institutes ask the candidate to pay the first instalment for the course within 30 days from the call letter date.