What to Do After 12th? Discover the Range of Options

What to do after Class 12 is the priority of students in higher secondary classes. The time after Intermediate Boards is decision time for what to do in the future, thinking of a career, personal ambitions, and lifestyle preferences. This process will look different for each student. It may be a time of reflection, weighing interests, and experimenting with options.

Arts and humanities students

Numerous famous Indian personalities have found success, achieved career satisfaction, and contributed to the nation and globe through their work and studies in the arts and humanities. Swami Vivekananda, Ashoka the Great, Chanakya, Amir Khusrow, Mahmud Begarha, Ahilyabai Holkar, and Harshavardhan are a few examples of people who used their imagination and creativity to make the world a more interesting place.

Mother Teresa, Rudyard Kipling, Kailash Satyarthi, and Rabindranath Tagore won Nobel Peace Prizes, highlighting India in the arts field, which encompasses art history, literature, religious studies, ancient and modern languages, music, performing arts, anthropology, history, communications, and more. 

Similarly, Anand Mahindra holds a spot on the list of top Indian billionaires as the vice-chairman and managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra Limited. His university studies were in filmmaking and architecture. He lives by the maxim that success can only be noteworthy if a person's image is established on a set of moral principles.

What options are available for arts and humanities streams after 12th?

Bachelor of Arts degrees in history, geography, social work, design, performing arts, business administration, journalism and mass communication, and fashion design are just some of the degree options you can pursue in the arts and humanities. Law (solely or in integration with business studies), culinary arts, hotel management, business studies, travel and tourism management, management science, foreign trade, and event management are additional fields to pursue that contribute to society. 

You can take diploma courses after 12th in arts and humanities in: 

• Retail management

• Paralegal practice 

• Multimedia

• 3D animation

• Creative writing 

• Web development

• Early childhood care and education

• Public relations 

• Corporate communication

Job prospects in arts and humanities stream

Professionals in the arts stream can be curators, counsellors, graphic designers, animators, illustrators, photographers, radio announcers, musicians, writers, librarians, and many more. 

Suppose you wish to see yourself in an arts and humanities career. In that case, you can pursue multiple online courses like Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, English for Journalism, and others on Coursera.

Commerce students

Learners who chose commerce in Class 12 might be more inclined towards finances, business, economy, and similar domains. Commerce students must be adaptable, confident, negotiators, multi-taskers, communicators, and critical and analytical thinkers, and they have many options for the future. 

Indian personalities who love commerce and have proven their calibre in the field are Prannay Roy, Deepak Parekh, Arun Jaitley, Rajat Sharma, Nimrat Kaur, Gulshan Grover, and Naveen Jindal.

Abhijit Banerjee and Amartya Sen were Indians awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Science. 

What are the options for pursuing a career in commerce after 12th?

You can pursue bachelor courses from top colleges or certified online educational platforms, such as a Bachelor of Accounting and Finance (BAF), Bachelor of Economics (BE), Bachelor of Commerce in Financial Market (BFM), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) including International Business BBA-IB) or Computer Application (BBA-CA), Bachelor of Commerce in Banking and Insurance (BBI). You can also become a chartered accountant.

Diploma courses in commerce that are possible after the 12th include computer application, industrial safety, banking, business management, hotel management, and financial accounting. 

Job prospects in commerce stream

A changing economy, personal or organisational finances, and legal issues require a talented candidate with a commerce background. Thus, some high-income job profiles awaiting after pursuing commerce in 12th are:

• Product, retail, or marketing manager

• Chartered accountant 

• Company secretary 

• Cost or professional accountant

• Actuary, research, or financial analyst

• Financial advisor

• Human resource manager

Students interested in business, finances, and commerce can choose to begin their career with courses such as E-Commerce Academy, Launch Your Online Business, and the multitude of choices available via Coursera. 

Science students

Encompassing a vast domain of studies, the science stream offers many possibilities. Engineering, technology, arts, health, and medicine comprise theoretical and practical approaches that pave the way for various career options. Some world-renowned personalities from India in the field of Science are Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, C. V. Raman, J. C. Bose, Homi J. Bhabha, and Har Gobin Khorana. Raman earned the prestigious Nobel Prize in physics, and Khorana earned the Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine.

What options are available for pursuing a career in science after 12th?

Students fascinated with science have two options: opting for a broad scope of studies or narrowing it down to a particular field. For instance, biotechnology is among the blooming fields in India. It contributed to the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. Biotechnology applies to a wide range of research; however, genetic engineering is a subdomain of biotechnology that focuses on genetic modifications. Similarly, biochemistry, forensic science, microbiology, and other options focus on specific domains. 

Students may have the option of pursuing many courses, including: 

• Technology

• Information technology

• Biotechnology

• Food science

• Biochemistry

• Marine biology

• Astrophysics

• Zoology

• Chemistry

• Botany

• Physics 

Moreover, science students can opt for a diploma in:

• Nursing

• Medical lab technology

• Biotechnology

• Applied sciences

• Computer science and engineering

• Computer science and technology

• Natural science

• Atmospheric science

Job prospects in science 

A sampling of careers in science includes machine learning engineer, physicist, research scientist, astrophysicist, machine learning engineer, data scientist, medical officer, agronomist, pharmacist, veterinarian, web developer, forensic pathologist, software engineer, geologist, chemist, blockchain developer, and many more. 

Coursera encourages career advancement in science by listing certificates and courses in every field, beginning from basics like Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios and the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate.

Next steps

If you are considering options after Class 12, take some time to reflect on what you enjoy and your career aspirations. Short courses in various subjects that interest you can support your learning and decision-making. Consider taking a course, such as Career Planning: A Pathway To Employment, on Coursera to help you decide between your options.