Students clearing class 12 can face enormous pressure from their parents and peers. To add to that, their own expectations and goals regarding their careers can make things difficult and stressful. Students who scored below 80 per cent in 12 board exams may find themselves in a disadvantaged position as compared to their classmates with better scores.
However, it is just not just the percentage that defines whether a student will succeed or not. Even with a class 12 score below 80 per cent, students have many options for pursuing higher education. Here are some options to consider after 12th:
Mainstream bachelor courses
There are many mainstream bachelor-level courses that do not require a high percentage in class 12. For example, BTech is an excellent option for students who have studied Mathematics as a subject in 12th. Engineering continues to be one of the most popular streams for several reasons. Graduates of this stream are given preference in corporate recruitments, banks jobs, and many other sectors. It is also easier for them to move on to other avenues in multiple fields.
Entrance exams
Admission to BTech programmes is mostly based on various national and state-level entrance exams and students are required to have a minimum of 60 per cent marks in class 12th to appear for these exams. Many candidates secure a good rank in the engineering entrance exams despite having a low score in the 12th boards.
Skill-based programmes
Apart from these, there are several skill-based courses that students can consider pursuing if they have the required prowess such as hotel management, tea management, air hostess, etc. An added advantage of pursuing such courses is that they increase the employability of students and ensure decent placements in the apt industry. Candidates can also follow their passion for photography, tourism, and travel, writing, etc, and enroll in diploma or certificate courses that will train them for better job possibilities.
Explore new-age programmes
The students who find it difficult to prepare for entrance tests and crack them can opt for other undergraduate courses such as BBA, BCA, BCom, etc. Depending on their class 12 subjects, they can easily choose a course as per their aptitude. Several new-age specialisations like data science and artificial intelligence have also been introduced under the BSc degrees. Besides this, there are underdog courses like statistics, actuarial science, psychology, etc, that students with maths in class 12 can pursue, irrespective of their stream.
Focus on a better post-graduate
For many of us, education does not end at the bachelor level and we have plans to explore another course or line of study. Students who aspire to pursue an MBA or wish to get into civil services can complete their undergraduate degree from a middle-range college and prepare for the entrance examinations meanwhile. UPSC aspirants are advised to opt for degrees like bachelor of arts in a subject that will aid their preparation.
ITI and diploma courses
Another lucrative option is to enroll in polytechnic or ITI courses in a field of your choice. These programmes will equip students with both theoretical and practical knowledge of technical subjects. ITI courses are skill development programmes that train candidates for specific job roles in the industry. Further, many colleges provide admission to these students in their BTech or BE degrees through lateral entry.
Non-professional or vocational courses
Students who complete class 12 in humanities or arts can also enrol in courses with promising career options like literature, economics, geography, film studies, mass communication, philosophy, linguistics, digital media and communications, travel and tourism management, interior, fashion event management, design, animation, etc.
Vocational courses are also another option. The approach of vocational courses to education is different from the academically oriented programmes. They focus on sharpening the practical skills of students while providing them with hands-on experience. These programmes are offered in a wide range of fields including photography, web designing, animation, gemology, etc. Vocational courses are much more affordable than the traditional mainstream courses and fetch profitable job prospects as well.
Study a foreign language
From IITs to the University of Delhi, students can sign up for diploma and certificate programmes in any foreign language that they wish to study. The options include widely popular languages like French, Spanish, and German as well as emerging languages such as Korean and Chinese. Students can pursue these courses for as many levels as they wish to and upon the completion of the programme, they can start working as translators and interpreters at leading companies.
Pursue higher education abroad
Students with a score in the range of 70-80 per cent in class 12 board exams also have the option of pursuing higher studies abroad. The selection process of foreign universities is not rigid and advantage is given to students who apply from other countries. Interested applicants can look at countries like the USA, UK, Canada, Germany for courses such as BTech, management, STEM, BSc, etc.
Career counselling
A student who has scored low marks in class 12 might not be feeling their best and it is natural for them to be clueless about the future prospects. In such a situation, career counselling or taking a career profiling test is a good objective method to figure things out and explore the available options. It will also provide much-needed clarity to the student about the various career choices.
— Written by Ruchir Arora, Founder & CEO, CollegeDekho
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