Career Choices for PCM Students

After passing 10+2 in Science, course selection at UG level becomes a major turning point to give direction to one’s career. Thus, it must be an informed decision with good understanding of the course one is opting for. In this blog we will take a look at some of the most popular course options one could opt for after pursuing 10+2 PCM.

 Bachelor of Technology (BE/BTech)

BE (Bachelor of Engineering)/ BTech (Bachelor of Technology) is a professional undergraduate degree awarded after completing four years of academic study in the field of engineering. Universities offering other degrees along with engineering name their engineering degree as BE while institutes which offer professional courses like engineering name their engineering degree as B Tech.
BE/BTech is offered in more than 35 streams across hundreds of colleges across the country. Admission in all good colleges is based on highly competitive Admission Tests. This is the top career of preference for PCM students.

Bachelor of Architecture (B Arch)

B Arch or Bachelor of Architecture is an undergraduate degree program of Architecture. The program involves the art of planning, designing, and constructing buildings, roads, bridges, dams along with other physical structures. For B Arch exams to write are different from BE. It is a niche course and one should be quite sure before pursuing it.

Bachelor of Science (in Pure Sciences)

BSc or Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate degree that aspirants can take up to pursue a career in Science. Aspirants need to complete Class XII in Science stream in order to be eligible for BSc course. Duration of a BSc course is typically three years in Indian universities and colleges. Some colleges offer a 5 year integrated BS MS course as well. Popular specialisations are Mathematics,
Chemistry, Physics and Biotechnology.

BSc/BS Physics

Right from the credit card we use to shop for clothes, to the smartphones we chat for hours on, every single object around us is governed by the laws of Physics. With the pervasive influence of Physics all around us, it is not hard to fathom that a career in Physics can provide one with countless opportunities.
Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena, such as matter, energy, magnetism, etc., and apply their understanding to advance research in various fields.

BSc/BS Chemistry

Chemists study the properties, structure, composition, reactions and changes in matter. The remarkable thing about a career in Chemistry is its wide applicability, especially if you look forward to entering the field of research. But that is not to say that all Chemistry graduates end up wearing lab coats, as they can explore opportunities across Pharmaceuticals, Petroleum, Chemical, Healthcare, and Educational organizations.

BSc/BS Mathematics

Mathematics forms an excellent base for fields involving computation, numbers and data. Thus, a degree in mathematics can be a stepping stone for a wide range of careers. During your course, you would gain a thorough understanding of mathematical principles and their origins, mathematical models, and their applications to real-world problems.

Forensic Science

Forensic Scientists scientifically collect evidence, document it, and analyse it in the laboratory. Forensic Science is an applied field, and utilises knowledge from various fields of science, including Chemistry, Physics, Anthropology, Biology, and even Computer Science.

Physical Science

This is a very broad domain and refers to the study of inorganic materials, such as the earth, space, and atmosphere. This domain encompasses various fields including Astronomy, Geology, Meteorology, Cartography, Disaster Management, etc., where practitioners analyze scientific phenomena on the basis of the experiments and complex instrumentations.

BSc/BS IT & Software

BSc in IT & Software also known as BSc in Information Technology (BSIT or BSc IT) is an undergraduate course that can be pursued by students who have a PCM academic qualification of Class XII. The duration of the programme is around 3-4 years in Indian colleges & Universities.

Bachelor in Computer Applications

BCA is an undergraduate course generally undertaken by students who wish to explore the world of Computer languages. A BCA degree is considered close to a BTech/BE degree in Computer Science or Information Technology. A candidate who has cleared 10+2 from any discipline with Maths (in some cases English too might be a requirement). Admission to BCA in top colleges is highly competitive.

BSc/BS Statistics

Statistics is yet another go-to field for those with a penchant for numbers and data. While a course in Mathematics deals more with theories and principles, Statistics aims to apply them in practice to analyse trends and make predictions. Statisticians blend their knowledge of Statistics and Maths to build data models for solving problems.

Aviation

A perfect mix of science, technology and travel, a career in Aviation can top your list if you are looking for a career to skip the 9-to-5 schedule.  Being a Commercial Pilot would require you to take command of a flight’s controls, and ensure that passengers and cargo are carried safely around the globe. Yet, the field of Aviation is not only limited to being a pilot

Ethical Hacking

Ethical hacking, by its very name, sounds like an exciting and off-beat career, and it indeed is. A career with a new age flair, Ethical Hacking is fast becoming a popular career option for students due to advancements in the technology space. Ethical Hackers, as opposed to their malicious counterparts, attempt to breach the security of a computer system, to find faults in the system’s defences.
They bring to light any vulnerabilities in a company’s network security, so as to prevent a leak of sensitive information.

Merchant Navy

Would you like a career that would take you all around the world? Would you like a job where you would be at sea for months on end? A career in Merchant Navy gives you exactly that and more. Unlike the Indian Navy, which defends the nation at sea, the Merchant Navy serves to facilitate international trade, by transporting cargo, goods, and commercial items across the globe.

Industrial Design

As opposed to the traditional fields of design, such as fashion and apparel design, which a student from any stream can pursue, there are certain sub-fields of design that require the technical expertise of a science student.
Product Designers (a sub-field of Industrial Design) are involved in the design and manufacture of products, ranging from mobile phones, Bluetooth headphones, smart watches, to wheelchairs, furniture, and home appliances. Yet another application of industrial design – Automobile Design deals with the design and manufacture of automobiles, such as cars, bikes, and even buses.

Fashion Technology

Fashion Technology seeks to amalgamate the principles of manufacturing and technology, with those of design. People in this career, thus, work on the design and development of fabrics, and the manufacturing process to ensure quality and efficiency of fabrics and garments. During your course, you learn about textile fibres, fabrics, garment manufacture, and garment design through Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software.

Animation & Graphics

While the Indian television & film industry has a long history of outsourcing VFX, post-production and CGI to professionals from overseas, the need for home-grown content is being felt. The resulting demand for talented and competent professionals in the field of Animation & Graphics has resulted in a rise in popularity for this career. Professionals in this field are knowledgeable about 3D Animation, Digital Film-Making, Animation, VFX, Multimedia Production, Graphic Design, etc.

Defense

Defense is considered to be one of the most prestigious and awe-inspiring careers. There are various careers in all three primary branches of any country’s defense, namely, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. You can choose to serve in any of the three and would have to undergo varying entry and training procedures, depending upon your choice. Some careers in defense are open to 10+2 students of all streams and some are exclusive to PCM students and Engineers.

 

It must be clear to you by now that Engineering is NOT the only career option available to you as a PCM student. Be it something adventure-driven like Aviation or Defense, to something grounded in research like Chemistry or Forensic Science, the possibilities are endless!