Professional Courses after 12th : Professional or vocational courses are the courses that focus majorly on preparing a student for a job in a particular type of industry.It is known fact that good professional courses after 12th play a vital role in the development of young individuals. These professional courses help students to choose their career based on their interest and aptitude level. The aim of these professional courses is to provide an opportunity for those who are willing to join the field of Engineering or Medical Science. The various advantages of professional courses over academic courses are aspects that maybe not all students are aware of in our country. Professional courses help a candidate to build professional credibility, helps to increase the earning potential of a learner, also plays a major part in rapidly increasing efficiency in a particular field/profession. Professional courses teach all the sufficient skills and impart enough knowledge to a candidate, thus making him/her job-ready within a short period of time.
Indian students regard the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC)/12th as their life’s turning point. Post HSC, students are presented with different choices. A large variety of courses are offered by Indian colleges and universities.
There are several professional courses that students can pursue after completing 10+2 level of education. These courses are designed to provide students with the specific skills and knowledge they need to enter a particular profession. Some examples of professional courses that can be pursued after 10+2 include:
Chartered Accountancy (CA): A professional course in accounting that leads to the Chartered Accountancy (CA) designation.
Company Secretaryship (CS): A professional course in company law and secretarial practices that leads to the Company Secretary (CS) designation.
Law: A professional course in law that leads to the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.
Engineering: A professional course in engineering that leads to a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) or Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree.
Architecture: A professional course in architecture that leads to the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) degree.
Medicine: A professional course in medicine that leads to the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree.
Pharmacy: A professional course in pharmacy that leads to the Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) degree.
Management: A professional course in business management that leads to the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree.
Hotel Management: A professional course in hotel management that leads to the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Hotel Administration (B.Sc HHA) degree.
Mass Communication: A professional course in mass communication that leads to the Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM) degree.
It is important to note that each professional course may have different admission requirements, so students should research and check the specific course requirements before applying.
Benefits of Professional Courses:
Most 10th and 12th grade students are encouraged by their parents, teachers and peers to get admitted into a deemed institution, under a good academic course since according to popular beliefs, the brightest career opportunities open up after completion of good academic courses. Also it is believed that good campus recruitments take place in renowned colleges, under the academic course programs.
However, modern concepts are changing. People are now understanding the importance of professional courses which take a sharp turn from the academic oriented approach of academic courses, and focus more on the practical job-oriented aspects like skill-development, learning latest techniques and trends, gaining hands-on experience, etc. Higher education courses that train students directly for specific careers are open, thanks to reforms in India’s education system. Undoubtedly, a course aligned with a career is better than normal graduation. Some career-centered courses are treacherous: they trick students into wrongly thinking a promising career. With a shift in approach towards career-building nowadays, the significance of such professional courses are rapidly increasing.
How to make a choice?
There are ways to choose between the available professional courses according to one’s interests and aspirations. Here are the sources you can take help from to choose the right professional course for you.
▪List the areas of your professional interest and prioritize what exactly you want to do with your life. These decisions can be shaped by your surrounding influences, your parents, relatives, and friends.
▪Search online for courses that interest you
Keep in mind the type of course attributes that you are looking for.
Example:
1>Type of course
2>Duration/total time period of course
3>Average fees that need to be paid
4>A broad idea about the course curriculum
And, most importantly,
5>Career prospects after course completion
▪Match the available courses with your interests and shortlist the most suitable ones for you.
▪Keep in mind other factors like cost of education, availability of seats, job opportunities as aforementioned, etc. All these might also have an impact on your choice but these alone should not be the leading deciding factors behind choice of course.
Professional Courses Admissions 2022-23
While programmes in the field of Engineering, Medicine, Law etc. are good professional course with an already established reputation for great career prospects and growth, here are some more of the unconventional professional courses in India.
List of Professional Diploma/Certificate Courses in India:
An early start is always better, rather, the best. Students who wish to start off with their career early can take a look at this list of top Diploma/Certificate courses in various programmes starting at the basic 10th or 12th level. These courses offer excellent prospects of professional growth and can form a solid base or foundation in that particular subject/area before one pursues a degree.
| Course | Duration | Eligibility Level |
| Certificate in Digital Marketing | 3 – 6 months | 10th |
| ITI Courses | 1 – 3 years | 10th |
| Diploma in Nursing Care Assistant (DNCA) | 1 – 2 years | 10th |
| Diploma in Rural Healthcare | 1 year | 10th |
| Certificate in General Duty Assistant | 2 – 6 months | 10th |
| Certificate in Home Health Aide | 2 – 6 months | 10th |
| Diploma in Construction Management | 1 year | 10th |
| Diploma in Hotel Management (DHM) | 3 years | 12th |
| Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) | 2 years | 10th, 12th |
| Diploma in X-Ray Technician | 2 years | 12th |
| Certificate in X-Ray Technician | 1 year | 10th |
| Diploma in Gemology | 2 months – 1 year | 12th |
| Certificate in Gemology | 2 – 6 months | 10th |
| Diploma in Photography | 1 year | 12th |
| Certificate in Photography | 3 months – 1 year | 10th, 12th |
| Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics | 1 year | 12th |
| Diploma in Airline, Travel and Tourism Management | 1 year | 12th |
| Diploma in Food and Beverage Services | 6 months – 1 year | 12th |
| Diploma in Bakery and Confectionery | 1 – 1.5 year | 12th |
| Advanced Diploma in Cosmetology | 8 months | 10th |
| Certificate in 2D/3D Animation | 3 months – 1 year | 10th, 12th |
| Diploma in Animation and Multimedia | 1 year | 12th |
| Diploma in Visual Merchandising | 3 months – 1 year | 12th |
| Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication (DJMC) | 1 year | 12th |
| Diploma in Office Management | 1 year | 12th |
| Diploma in Communicative English | 1 year | 12th |
| Diploma in Scriptwriting/Creative Writing | 1 year | 12th |
List of Professional Degree Courses in India:
If you have the time and resources to pursue a professional degree course, it is highly recommended that you take admission into one of the colleges offering vocational degrees in India. A professional degree course will not only open more pathways for you to find a job but it will also keep the door open for you to pursue a master’s degree. Plus, a degree course covers multiple subjects and widens the scope for the future.
| Courses | Duration | Eligibility |
| Bachelor of Optometry | 4 years | 12th PCB |
| B.A. in Fashion and Textile Design | 4 years | 12th |
| Bachelor of Visual Communication (BVC) | 3 years | 12th |
| B.Sc in Physiology | 3 years | 12th |
| B.A. in Visual Communication | 3 years | 12th |
| B.Sc in Animation | 3 years | 12th |
| Bachelor of Tourism and Travel Management (BTTM) | 3 years | 12th |
| Bachelor of Vocation (B.Voc) in Software Development | 3 years | 12th |
| Bachelor of Fine Arts | 3 years | 12th |
| B.A. in Jewellery and Accessory Design | 3 years | 12th |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Technical Writing | 1 year | Bachelor’s Degree |
