12th class is one of the most life-changing periods in every student’s life. It comes with the responsibility of answering the greatest question that we have all been asked since childhood—“Son, what do you want to become once you grow up?’
If you have resolved this question since the beginning, you are sorted for life! But if you haven’t (which is mostly a lot of us), there is a vast array of opportunities waiting for you to explore.
This can get confusing because of the number of top professional courses after class 12th.
So here we have provided a compilation of the best career options after 12th in PCM other than engineering.
Perks of Being a Science Student
Science students always have the advantage of choosing their careers from different streams.
For example, if someone discovers their passion for a course like law or management despite being a science student. Then they can still take up that course in their undergraduate years, unlike students from commerce or arts stream.
So if you are someone who is not sure what to choose in your school years, then it’s safe to opt for science so that you get to choose from a variety of popular career options.
The Eternal Rat Race
People in India generally believe that if a child chooses to study science, he/she will either become an engineer or a doctor.
This mindset was predominantly present in our older generation, but it’s slowly changing these days. It can be found even today among the majority of people.
This is why entrance exams like JEE and NEET, which are entrance tests for engineering and medical science courses, respectively, are so popular in our country.
In order to pursue Medicine, one must opt for PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) in their 12th standard. PCM majorly focuses on engineering and IT-related courses.
List of Courses for PCM Students After Class 12th
If you are a PCM student and wondering about what to pursue for your higher education, then below is the list of best career options after 12th in PCM other than engineering.
You can blind-foldly pick any one of these courses from the list (only if you are genuinely interested), without worrying about the scope for these professions because they are, no doubt, the most popular career options in our country.
1. B.Sc. (Bachelors in Science)
Bachelors in Science focuses on pure science stream subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry etc. This is also again a very vast course with numerous different options to select from.
One can either pursue a normal B.Sc. degree in which you can select three different subjects of your choice to study. Or if you are interested in a particular disciple, then there are Honours degrees which specialize in one subject alone.
Indian Institute of Science (IISC) in Bangalore is the highest top ranked university in our country which is primarily for pure science education. KVPY is a national entrance exam written to join renowned pure science universities like IISC, IISCER’s and NISCER.
Students passionate in these fields can go ahead and complete their higher education like M.Sc. and PhD in their desired subject. The career opportunities available in this course are majorly in the research or education sector.
This is slowly becoming the most opted field among students and one of the popular career options available for PCM students. This is in fact, the best career option after 12th in PCM.
2. BCA (Bachelors in Computer application)
This undergraduate course mainly focuses on imparting computer-based knowledge. This 3-year BCA course gives deep insight into computers and their applications.
This course helps form a good academic foundation for an advanced career in computer applications. It is considered at par with B.Tech/B.E in computer sciences. It is a popular course in India and is available in almost every other college.
After graduating with this degree, the popular career options are in the IT and software industry. This is one of the best career options after 12th in PCM for girls other than engineering who are interested in computers and coding languages.
3. Law (LLB)
Law is a highly opted profession since generations and is one of the top professional courses after 12th. This stands top on the list of best career options after 12th in PCM, outside the science field.
There are numerous ways to pursue law. For example, some people complete their basic undergraduate degree and then get admitted to law colleges. But that’s outdated now. These days, students can enroll directly in an integrated five-year course.
There are three major options, such as BA/LLB, BBA/LLB, or B.Com/LLB, in which an individual completes both degrees side by side.
There are national law schools in India that provide these courses. To study at NLSIU (National Law School of India University), one must pass the CLAT (Common Law Admission Test).
4. Aviation/Pilot
Aviation is another popular choice among students. Students can opt for courses in this field regardless of their stream. There are numerous courses to choose from directly after 12th grade, such as Aeronautical Engineering, BSc in Airline and Airport Management, B.Sc. Aviation, BBA in Airport Management, etc.
Who hasn’t dreamt of becoming a pilot at least once as a kid? Before, it was compulsory to complete an undergraduate degree and then receive training to become a pilot. But now there are flying schools where students are given training right after 12th.
One has to pass the entrance test and fitness checkups at the flying schools to get admitted. This course is slowly getting added to the list of best career options after 12th in PCM other than engineering.
5. B.Arch (Bachelors in Architecture)
Bachelors in Architecture is a full five-year program that students take up immediately after class 12th. The undergraduate degree focuses on aspects like interior design, rural and urban planning, landscape architecture, and building architecture.
Students can later specialize in their desired area in further education. Architecture is among the top professional courses after 12th class, and hence, there are prestigious universities mainly for this course in India authorized by the government.
In order to acquire a seat there, one must either pass national entrance exams like NATA or JEE Mains. This course today stands as the best career option after 12th PCM who have an interest in drawing.
6. B.Plan (Bachelor of Planning)
Bachelors in Planning is another add on to the list of top courses after 12th. It is a 5-year professional undergraduate level degree program. Taking Mathematics as one of their core subjects is mandatory in order for students to choose a B.Plan course after 12th.
Prestigious national-level institutes accept admissions only through JEE or NATA rankings. Other private colleges offer this course to PCM students. For students interested in drawing, this course is also the best career option after 12th in PCM.
7. Journalism
Journalism is a valued profession and one of India’s popular career options. The undergraduate courses vary from 3 to 4 years, depending on your choice.
There are highly specialized courses like Bachelor of Honors in Journalism and many generalized courses like Bachelor of Journalism, BA in Mass Media, BA in Journalism, BA in Convergent Journalism, BA in Sports Journalism, and BA Journalism & Communication.
Many diploma courses are available in this field for interested students as well. This is the best career option after 12th in PCM for girls other than engineering with an arts background.
8. BHM (Bachelor in Hotel Management)
Bachelors in Hotel Management is a professional undergraduate course that focuses on the study of various fundamentals of hotel management and catering technology. Depending on the institution, the degree lasts 3 to 4 years. The course revolves around all the necessary skills to prepare for the hotel industry.
The students are taught the methods of cooking, the science behind the food and beverage industry, and event and lodging management. Chefs are paid really well in 5-star properties, and it is recognized as a top career option in India.
This course is one of the career options after 12th in PCM other than engineering who are passionate about cooking.
9. BBA (Bachelors in Business Administration)
Every other person in today’s GenZ generation wants to be an entrepreneur. Bachelors in Business Administration is typically a 3-year course.
This is one of the top professional courses after 12th and the best career options after 12th PCM for girls other than engineering, and it is seen as a popular choice among students. Students from any stream can pursue Business Administration in their undergraduate years. The degree mainly focuses on developing the candidates’ entrepreneurship skills.
The degree is broadly divided into three courses, from which one selects: BBA (General), BBA (Banking and Insurance), and BBA (Computer-Aided Management).
Top prestigious institutes like IIM (Indian Institute of Management), which are ranked high on a global level provide a 5-year integrated MBA immediately after 12th.
10. B.Pharm (Bachelors in Pharmacy)
B.Pharm another excellent option in the list of best career options after 12th in PCM other than engineering. Even PCM students who have opted Mathematics and not Biology can enroll themselves for this course.
A Little Out of the Box
Apart from the above mentioned mainstream top courses after 12th, there are many other popular career options available.
For students willing to explore outside the mainstream courses, here’s a list of out of the box best career options after 12th in PCM that are equally successful and have scope in our country.
The new generation has started to explore these fields and is gradually realizing its potential. So let’s dive in and take a look at these areas.
- Marketing: The first on our list is Marketing. This is a great career option because of its application in day-to-day life. Social media is filled with affiliate marketers, chain marketers, network marketers etc. Thus it ticks the box as a career with enormous scope in future and the lately emerging best career options after 12th. There are numerous diploma courses made available in this area. Marketing Management is a popular course on marketing offered under BBA and B.Com undergraduate degrees.
- UPSC/NDA: Students who have completed their 12th grade and wish to join any one of the services like the Indian Army, Navy or the Indian Air Force have to appear for a nationwide entrance exam conducted by NDA. NDA (National Defense Academy) is a joint services academy for the army, navy and air force where the candidates are given training before they join their respective services. This is not a popular choice among girls and thus ranks relatively low on the list of best career options after 12th for girls other than engineering.
UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) conducts a nationwide entrance exam for joining the Civil Services. This Civil Service Exam is an entry-level exam for joining the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, and Indian Police Service. For students passionate about serving the nation, these are really good career options after 12th grade. A huge number of girls opt for Civil Services, making it the best career option after 12th grade in PCM for girls other than engineering.
- Ethical Hacking: Ethical hackers are always in demand in the current case scenario. With the growing advancement in the IT industry, there are potential risks to big companies that operate at the multinational and national levels. Their data can be exploited, which can cause a huge loss for the company. Thus, the need to hire an ethical hacker for big companies is growing. They are paid well, and this job position is recognized in the IT industry. There are job listings for ethical hackers in cyber security forms as well. This still isn’t at the top of the list of best career options after 12th.
- Agriculture: This sector is slowly coming to boom in recent times. Knowing that India is an agriculture-based country, there is no point in questioning the scope and growth in this field. Extensive research has been happening in the agriculture sector lately, making this one of the popular career options now and in the future. One can pursue a B.Tech/ B.Sc. in Agriculture depending on their interests and the course structure. There are several other associated courses with agriculture, like B.Sc. in Horticulture, B.Sc. in Dairy Science, B.Sc. in Agricultural Biotechnology, B.Sc. in Fisheries Science, etc. This course has emerged as the best career option after 12th in PCM other than engineering.
Highest Paid Careers Options for PCM Students After Class 12th
Who isn’t motivated by a 7-digit annual package? After seeing a list of the best career options after 12th in PCM, let’s see which popular career options get paid the most in India!
- Data Scientist—At the top of the list of highest-paying careers is data scientist. Their average base pay is 905K per year. This industry is relatively new but is considered the best career option in India. Everything today is stored in terms of data, and thus, managing and analysing it is a tedious job. The qualification is BTech/B.E. This is a highly paid profession and the best career option after 12th.
- Software Developer—It is known to everyone that people in the IT industry earn the highest compared to others. BlockChain Developers and Full-Stack Software Developers are the best examples of professions that make the most money, even with minimum experience in the industry. The qualifications are B.Tech/B.E in the specific course and a few programming languages required for their profession.
- Product Management – This is a little surprising, but the product managers in really good companies like Amazon and Flipkart make an average of 25 lakhs per annum. This industry is accelerating at an unstoppable rate, and the popular career options in this field are expanding continuously. The educational background required for product manager roles is a bachelor’s in business administration or related areas like economics, marketing, or public relations.
- Management Consultant—This industry is expected to generate revenue of about hundreds of millions in the upcoming years. The number of consulting firms being established in metro cities is enormous. Management Consultants require educational qualifications such as a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a business-related field.
- Investment Banker—the guy in the movies advising firms and companies to invest their money in places with the highest returns—remember? Yes, that’s the role of an Investment Banker.
On a closing note, a career or which course to study isn’t just decided based on how much money one can make.
There are numerous best career options after 12th in PCM, but you are supposed to pick the one that’s made for you! It’s important to know that you are truly passionate about that subject and at the same time good at it.
Another important factor to keep in mind is that the subject you choose to study has to convert into a career option which has scope in today’s world and at same time enables your professional growth.
So make a wise choice from the above top courses after 12th list and pave your way into the professional world!
FAQ on Courses for PCM Students After Class 12th
Q1. What are the popular career options after 12th?
There are numerous career options depending on one’s interest, such as Software Engineering, Managerial posts, Research-Related jobs, etc.
Q2. What are the qualifications to become an Ethical Hacker?
A bachelor’s degree in Information Technology (IT) or Computer Science is mandatory to become an Ethical Hacker.
Q3. Can PCM students take up B.Pharm?
Yes, PCM students can opt for B. Pharmacy after the 12th.
Q4. Is Astrophysicist a best career option after 12th in PCM other than engineering?
Yes, an astrophysicist is a prevalent career option, especially outside India.
Q5. Where can I study Aerospace Engineering?
A bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering is offered by numerous reputed institutions like IIT, NIT and BITS.
