In recent years, there has been a constant rise in the number of students opting for Arts after 10th. The myth that this stream is only for students with ‘no future’ or the ‘bad apples and black sheep’ is thankfully debunked. With career in hospitality and service sectors on the rise, students are opting out of traditionally prestigious careers like Medicine and Engineering and choosing to venture into a field that they genuinely like.
Even so, being confused is normal. We understand the pressure of entering an already infamous stream and not knowing what to say when someone asks you what you want to do. It’s okay if you don’t have it figured out, nobody really does. Given the diverse array of careers, it’s too early to decide the exact career you want, but you can certainly decide on what field holds your interest, and how to get there.
We’ve compiled a list of fields you can get into after 12th and the degrees you can pursue –
Law
A commonly pursued field after opting for Arts till grade 12is law. Although a very challenging and competitive field with very few seats in the best institutions, pursuing a career in law ensures high profile jobs with excellent pay. To get admission in reputed law colleges, students must get above 60% on their grade 12 board exams, and also get a phenomenal score in their CLAT exams. Getting admitted into the best Law colleges is no easy feat, but absolutely worth the hard work. Most students choose the BA + LLB course for 5 years.
Hotel/event management
Two incredibly job-oriented fields, students with a good temperament and knack for organisational skills will opt for this course. For this, you will have to do your bachelors in hotel/event management where, based on your skill and the college you complete the course from, you will be given a job. The hospitality industry is one that never runs out of jobs. Additionally, you may choose to do your MBA after this course and even start a hospitality business of your own.
BA + MA
The most commonly opted course after grade 12Arts is the BA course. The course duration is 3 years. You can choose from a very wide range of subjects to do your BA in, from Psychology, English Literature and History to Yoga, Agriculture, and French Literature. The list is endless. Truthfully, in today’s economy with all its competition, doing just a BA is almost always not enough to land you a well-paying job, at least in India. You must have a plan of sorts after graduating or continue your education by pursuing a Master’s degree or an MBA. More often than not, students end up choosing a career which is in no way related to their BA degree, or for that matter even their Masters, so choose carefully – but don’t worry too much about it.
Tourism
If travelling and sightseeing is your passion, then a career in tourism may just be the one for you. Although admittedly not a very lucrative field at first, it gets better with the more experience you gain. Many entrepreneurs start their own firms for travel and lodging, while others conduct guided tours. Tourism involves travel and glamour, but equal amounts of hard work and dedication.
BBA + MBA
If business and entrepreneurship is your forte, then choosing to major in BBA might be a good option for you. But you should know that a BBA degree by itself doesn’t hold much value, so most people choose to follow up with an MBA. Keep in mind that pursuing your MBA can be done after any degree and BBA is not a prerequisite for MBA.
Advertising
Creativity is of utmost importance for a career in advertising. When it comes to getting a job, your portfolio plays a greater role than your degree. To get into advertising, you don’t need a specific degree, but most people enter the field through a BMM or a BFA degree.
Journalism or Media
Another highly sought after field, you can enter into journalism or media by pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in media and communication. Like advertising, your portfolio, experience and skills are more important than your degree. You can also enter into journalism through BMM. For a career in journalism, you must be willing to travel long distances, be comfortable speaking to strangers and be assertive.
Arts is a stream of a million possibilities, and the ones listed here are just a few. It’s normal to be confused about what you want to do, especially when you’re spoilt for choice. Know where your strengths and interests lie, and if your personality fits your career. You are going to spend a majority of your life working, so it’s incredibly important for you to choose a career you genuinely enjoy. Taking aptitude tests to determine your path is highly recommended, because sometimes, we may not have an aptitude or personality for the career we want to choose.
Check out this article to get a more in-depth account of three of the most commonly pursued fields after grade 12 Arts.
