Millions of students across India stand at the crossroads of their careers upon completion of secondary and higher secondary education. They share a common dilemma: what course should they take to make an excellent and lucrative career?
Thankfully, there's no dearth of excellent professional courses in India. Hence, you can enrol for one, depending on your aptitude and interests, passion, and likes.
Importance of Conventional Professional Course
There are several reasons why you should opt for a conventional professional course. The prime reason is they are time-tested and proven to create an excellent career.
Understandably, some of these are the toughest courses in India. But that's not a deterrent if your mind is set on becoming a professional to follow your passion or career goal.
The second most important reason is that some professional courses in India also help you become an entrepreneur. And thirdly, there's no shortage of superb institutes where you can enrol for a professional course.
Therefore, let's look at some of the best conventional professional courses in India,
25 Best Conventional Professional Courses After 12th in India
These courses are available across India. However, you need to be careful while selecting the educational Institute to study these courses. While a good institute will help you find a job immediately, enrolling with the wrong one can leave you laden with student loans and jobless.
1. Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration or MBA is an excellent conventional professional course that rockets your career directly into junior or middle management of a company.
However, it's worth noting that 93 percent of MBA graduates in India face unemployment due to studying at business schools of no repute. Doing an MBA from a top B-school is worth your effort, time, and money.
Median Pay: Rs.10,000 –Rs.100,000 pm (depending on B-school)
Eligibility: Graduate from any stream/ Working persons with Higher Secondary education.
Entrance Test: CAT, GMAT, MAT, or those held by b-schools.
2. Medicine
Days when Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) was the only medical course that would matter are now over. Nowadays, you can do a professional course in Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy, and Naturopathy.
The Indian government's Ministry of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) now promotes these traditional forms of Indian medicine to foreigners seeking medical treatment in India.
Median Income: Rs.30,000- Rs.150,000 (depending on service or own practice)
Eligibility: Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or equivalent with very high scores.
Entrance Test: CET, NEET, or those conducted by medical colleges.
3. Engineering
About four years ago, the unemployment rate among engineering graduates stood at 93 percent. Since 2017 though, this has been showing a steady decline. Now unemployment among engineering graduates is around 53 percent.
The figure, though alarming, is nothing really serious. However, it's worth noting that only engineers from topmost colleges find employment. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and other reputable institutes offer engineering courses that are valid worldwide.
Median Income: Rs.30,000- Rs.200,000 (depending upon skills and engineering college)
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent with very high scores.
Entrance Test: JEE, NEET, or those conducted by engineering colleges.
4. Fashion Designing
Fashion designing is one of the toughest courses in India. It involves a lot of creativity. You also need to be aware of the latest fashion trends and designs worldwide. There's severe competition since some of the largest fashion labels of the world are entering India rapidly to cash in on this booming market. This competition augurs well for you if you graduate as a fashion designer from any well-known institute.
Median Income: Rs.25,000 to Rs.100,000 (job or own business)
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent. (60% to 75%)
Entrance Test: AAC-CET for admission to any college of fine arts
5. Accounts & Finance
Money never goes out of season or out of fashion. As long as there are humans on earth, there'll always be money. Hence, accounts and finance is a superb career to pursue. A regular Bachelor of Commerce will launch you in this field.
Further on, opt for more specific courses to become a company auditor or external auditor. These are also some of the toughest professional courses in India.
Median Income: Rs.15,000 – Rs.35,000
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent with marks stipulated by the college
Entrance Exam– None
6. Law
Forget those stereotype lawyers seen on Bollywood movies and engaging in dramatic arguments before a judge. Nowadays, the law is also a wonderful profession, if you know where to strike. Corporate law, international law, Intellectual Property Rights protection, and some other legal fields hold great promise of superb careers.
With an increasing number of foreign companies opening operations in India, the law is one of the best courses you can select.
Median Income: Rs.10,000 – Rs.100,000
Eligibility: Bachelor degree in Arts, Science or Commerce
Entrance Exam– CLAT or others held by specific colleges
7. Interior Designing
Nowadays, everyone wants the interiors of their homes, offices, and stores to appear chic and stylish. Hence the high demand for interior designing. This is an amazing conventional professional course that would give wings to your creativity.
Visit any mall or brand store, and you'll see excellent examples of interior designing. It involves designing every interior- from small homes to large villas, personal offices, cabins, and commercial complexes and malls.
Median Income: Rs.75,000- Rs.200,000
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent (60 % to 75%)
Entrance Exam: AAC-CET or any other held by the college of fine arts.
8. Web Designing
In this era of the Internet and ecommerce, the appearance of a website really matters. A website is a reflection of an individual or a company's personality and corporate culture. Hence people and businesses lay special emphasis on how their website appears.
This is the job of a web designer. You can do a fantastic web designing course from a reputable institute and also launch your own startup. Or you can work with a company that designs websites for others.
Median Income: Rs.35,000- Rs.70,000
Eligibility: SSC or equivalent (no minimum score)
Entrance Exam: None
9. Digital Marketing
While still on the topic of the Internet and websites, let's look at Digital Marketing. It is the fastest-growing industry in India and will generate over two million jobs by 2022. Digital marketing involves learning several processes that would popularize a website, product, or service using the Internet as the channel.
These are short-term courses and are available easily across India. Anyone with a secondary or higher secondary qualification can enroll in this professional course. There's no age limit too.
Median Income: Rs.15,000 to unlimited
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent (No minimum score)
Entrance Exam: None
Also read: Best Digital Marketing Courses in Mumbai from Top 10 Training Institutes
10. Computer Applications
Computers are part of our everyday life. And nobody can claim to be a master. Hence, experts in computer applications are necessary. These are simple yet tough professional courses and require intense concentration and effort.
The reason: computer technology is evolving even as you read this article. And you need to stay abreast with developments in the field. But it does help you carve a wonderful career.
Median Income: Rs.50,000- Rs.200,000
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent (75% or higher)
Entrance Exam: UGAT, AIMA
11. Animations & Multimedia
Animations and multimedia are an integral part of the advertising, informatics, and entertainment industry. In case you are unaware, several major producers of children's movies and cartoon films from the USA and Japan have their animations made in India.
Animations and multimedia are also a rapidly growing industry, and you could do a course to create a career. These are highly professional courses that demand rigorous creativity.
Median Income: Rs.25,000- Rs.100,000
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent (50% or higher)
Entrance Exams: AAC-CET/ College Specific (depends on course & Institute)
12. Dietetics
A dietician is responsible for ensuring that patients at the hospital or victims of serious disease get the right amount of nutrition and calories through their meals. Hence, they work closely with medical practitioners, healthcare providers, and patients to create wholesome meals and diets.
They help people with digestive, weight, and other disorders to maintain some degree of good health. They also help overweight and obese people shed those unwanted pounds. As India becomes health-conscious and medical inflation soars, studying to become a professional dietician is an amazing idea.
Median Income: Rs.25,000= Rs.50,000
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent (50% and higher)
Entrance Exam: None/ College Specific
13. Civilian Navy
Civilian navy consists of two components: passenger transport and freight carriage. Passenger transport nowadays is mainly in the form of international cruises. Freight transport means moving almost anything from pins and needles to complex machinery, weaponry, and hazardous material from one place to another.
Both these components of the civilian navy offer excellent career opportunities. There are special, professional courses that help you join a cruise line. And there are professional courses to join the merchant navy that moves cargo between countries. Amazing courses if you want to see the world for free.
Median Income: Rs.35,000- Rs.500,000
Eligibility: Minimum SSC (Score 50% or more)
Entrance Exam: No specific exams, depends on the job
14. Hospitality
Your neighborhood restaurant to the swankiest hotel and resort in town are all part of the Indian hospitality industry. Thousands of professionals are necessary to keep this huge industry buzzing. With India gaining several points as the top tourism destination in the world, India's hospitality sector is on the upswing.
There are amazing hospitality-related professional courses available from respectable institutes across India. They range from simple housekeeping courses to complex ones to qualify as a chef.
Median Income: Rs.10,000 to Rs.500,000
Eligibility: SSC/ HSC or equivalent (50% or more)
Entrance Exam: ITI Entrance/ IHM Entrance/ College Specific
15. Journalism & Mass Communications
A good, professional course in journalism and mass communications can prove very tough and exciting at the same time. And it's a false notion that journalism and mass communication graduates land jobs only at newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and TV channels.
Nowadays, journalism and mass communication graduates also find roles as public relations managers, corporate communications executives, and influencers. A professional course in journalism and mass communications can also help you set up your own public relations business.
Median Income: Rs.25,000 – Rs.500,000
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent (Score 50% or more)
Entrance Exam: None. Colleges may conduct a 1-on-1 interview
Also Read: Top 20 Media and Mass Communication Colleges in India
16. Aeronautics and Avionics
Modern-day aeronautics and avionics are not limited only to aircraft, becoming a pilot, or at best, an aeronautical engineer. India has a gigantic aerospace industry that's making news worldwide. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), its international marketing wing Antrix, joint ventures between Indian and foreign firms to make civilian and military aircraft in India are creating a huge demand for aeronautics and avionics professionals.
There are few universities in India that offer world class professional courses in these fields. ISRO also has a course.
Median Income: Rs.150,000- Rs.500,000
Eligibility: Engineer in any stream
Entrance Exam: College Specific
17. Chartered Accountancy
If you are confident about doing a tough conventional professional course, I'd recommend Chartered Accountancy. It is one of the toughest and best professional courses in India. Upon successful completion and becoming a CA, doors to fame and wealth open almost automatically.
CAs are a profession that won't be going out of demand anytime in our lifetime at least. From salaried individuals to high net-worth personalities, small businesses, and giant multinational corporations, everyone needs a CA.
Median Income: Rs.100,000 onwards
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent (60% or higher)
Entrance Exam: CA CPT
18. Travel & Tourism
Diploma to MBA courses is available in this vast field of travel and tourism. These are also some of the best professional courses you can do. Upon successfully completing a travel and tourism course, you qualify to work for an airline, foreign and domestic tour operator, work as a travel arranger at government departments, and get job offers from Indian Railways and state road transport corporations.
The avenues are endless. Travel and tourism rank among India's best and most interesting professional courses.
Median Income: Rs.15,000- Rs.60,000
Eligibility: SSC and above (50% and above)
Entrance Exam: None
19. Film & TV
India has the world's largest cinema industry led by Bollywood- the single largest producer of movies in the world. Hence, there's ample scope for everyone in the film and TV industry.
Professional courses to learn acting, modeling, movie direction, special effects, editing, sound, and other features are available at some of the best universities in India. Since Indians love movies and watch countless television serials, there's no shortage of careers if you do a superb professional course in this field.
20. Graphics Designing
Another top professional course that's trending nowadays is graphic designing. Doing a professional graphic designer course helps you get jobs at large corporations. It also helps you open your own business and provides graphic designing services to small and large clients.
Nowadays, crowdsourcing platforms also register graphic designers from around the world to create material such as company logos, brand images, and other stuff for some of the world's topmost companies.
Median Income: Rs.25,000- Rs.75,000
Eligibility: SSC or higher (depends on course & Institute)
Entrance Exam: AAC-CET for Bachelor degree/ None for private institutes)
21. Pharmacist
There are three types of courses available in India to become a pharmacist. One is a Diploma in Pharmacy while the other is Bachelor of Pharmacy followed by Master of Pharmacy. These professional courses can give you an amazing career at pharmaceutical companies, state-run and private hospitals, and healthcare providers.
A qualified pharmacist easily gets a license to open a medical store and launch their own business. As we all know, pharmacies or medical stores never run out of business and are in demand throughout the year.
Median Income: Rs.35,000- Rs.100,000
Eligibility: SSC (50% or more for Diploma), HSC (75% or more for Bachelor)
Entrance Exam: None/ College specific
22. Environmental Sciences
These involve several interesting professionals and conventional courses such as marine biology and environmental engineering. With India ranking among the topmost polluting countries of the world, there are extra efforts from the government and industries to curb air, soil, and water pollution.
Environment science courses are available at most major universities as well as engineering colleges. Graduates of these professional courses are in demand in foreign countries too.
Median Income: Rs.25,000- Rs.75,000
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent (50% and above)
Entrance Exam: None
23. Software Engineering
At least one engineer from India is involved in creating the computer software you are using right now. Software engineering is the best conventional professional course to do nowadays. Not only do you get well-paid jobs in India, but your skills are also in high demand in countries like the USA, UK, Australia, and others.
Software engineers from India are fondly known as ‘techies.' They are shaping the Silicon Valley of the USA and helping India stay ahead in the Information Technology world.
Median Income: Rs.150,000 onwards
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent with very high scores
Entrance Exam: JEE, IIT-JEE, and others conducted by colleges.
24. Psychiatry & Psychology
India is a rapidly growing economy witnessing rapid urbanization and changes in lifestyles. This is not without cost to the citizens. A lot of Indians suffer from stress-related psychiatric ailments, albeit minor. News reports indicate that children between four and 16 years of age also suffer from mental problems.
Hence, a professional course in psychiatry, usually done after graduating from medical school, would definitely help India and its people overcome such problems. A Bachelor's degree in psychology can help you become an excellent counselor at schools and colleges to help young minds.
Median Income: Rs.100,000 – Rs.500,000
Eligibility: MBBS or equivalent
Entrance Exam: NEET-PG
25. Agriculturist
India has excellent food sufficiency and doesn't really depend upon foodstuff imports from other countries. And to retain this edge, the Indian government and private sector are investing very heavily in the agriculture industry. A professional course as an agriculturist isn't all about growing food crops.
It is also about finding what kinds of seeds can be used for a better harvest, creating varieties of fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides, developing irrigation systems, and a lot more. Agriculturists also find jobs with the Indian and state governments as well as MNCs that work in this sector.
Median Income: Rs.25,000- Rs.75,000
Eligibility: HSC or equivalent (Score 50% or more)
Entrance Exam: None
Selecting Best Professional Courses
Follow this simple step if this list of 25 best conventional professional courses causes confusion over what to choose. Simply find out what you are most passionate about and how it would help make a superb career.
Speak about this with your parents or school teachers. Do some research on the future scope of employment and entrepreneurship before enrolling in any particular course. This way, you'll study a field you love while creating a career you dream about.
Also Read: Top 20 Courses After 12th
Wrap Up
It's worth remembering that all conventional professional courses are equally good. What makes a difference is your interest in that field. It's a myth that one course is more prestigious than another. After all, what matters is your success in your career or business and happiness.
Therefore, don't let this wide choice of conventional professional courses in India confuse you in any manner. Follow your instinct and everything else falls into place automatically.
