Dear readers,
Many times you may have questions related to career guidance that you are not certain whom to ask. We now have a space here for your benefit. If you have a question relating to a course, an entrance exam or the prospects and requirements of any field, do write in to our counsellor at fpjcounsellor@gmail.com
Biology options
Information technology
I’m a class 11 science student. I want to enter the field of information technology and according to my research, I need a bachelor’s and/ or master’s in computer science. I want your views on this matter to know and whether my research is correct and whether I will have to take my engineering entrance exam.
—Zaid Khan
Dear Zaid,
Your research is correct, when you say that you will need a bachelor’s degree and/ or a master’s degree in computer science to enter and work in the field of information technology. To be specific, however, there are several courses that you can opt for, depending on your ability and eligibility.
The first and the most common route is through and engineering degree, this is either a BE or a BTech in Computer Science. If you opt to get admitted to an engineering programme, you will have to take the relevant entrance exams for admission, since most colleges rely on the scores of such entrance exams.
Another option is for you to opt for a BSc-IT programme, which is a three-year Bachelor of Science programme offered by many colleges in Mumbai. Admission to this course depends on the class 12 score of the candidate. Further, you can also pursue an MSc-IT course if you want. In case you opt for this programme, you will not have to take any engineering entrance exam.
Apart from the two mentioned above, many colleges and institutes offer the Bachelor’s in Computer Application (BCA) course. Check the details of this course and see if it interests you. Admission to this course is also every straightforward and depends on the marks scored in class 12.
Lastly, along with all the degree options, you can also pursue a software development course at a private computer institute. These courses are flexible and job-oriented. I have merely listed all the options available to you for entering the field. They are in no particular order of preference.
Medicine requirements
Recently I completed class 12 with biology. I am confused now that what to do next. Please can you guide me through the medical field?
— Shiwangi Sisodiya
Dear Shiwangi,
Since you have said medical field, mostly it is understood as MBBS. You could also opt for the dental field, for which the admission procedure and the work is similar. Students interested in MBBS need to complete class 12 in science with physics, chemistry and biology. A list of medical colleges accredited for MBBS by the Medical Council of India is made available through its website at http://www.mciindia.org/InformationDesk/MedicalCollegeHospitals/ListofCollegesTeachingMBBS.aspx).
The requirement for medical college entry may be different in different states, with different combinations of marks, like some use the class 12 board examination marks for ranking, and the others administer their own entrance examinations.
Apart from the state admissions, a centralised system for admission exists where 15% of the seats from all states except Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh are made available through the central quota. Admission through this quota requires qualifying through the All India PM/PD entrance examination.
The admission criteria also include an age eligibility: The candidate shall complete the age of 17 years on or before 31st December, of the year of admission to the MBBS course.
The MBBS course is of four and a half years duration and is followed by one year of compulsory rotating residential internship.
To obtain medical seat in a reputed institution candidates should appear for various entrance tests in All India level/ state level. Some of important All India Entrance Tests are AIPMT/PD conducted by CBSE, AIIMS Institute of Medical Sciences BHU, AFMC, CMC Vellore, CMC Ludhiana, JIPMER etc.
At the state level, a student has to get through Common Entrance Test of concerned states MH CET in Maharashtra. The deemed Universities conduct their own entrance Exams for Medical admissions. Most of the Government Medical Colleges offer admissions only to Indian students on the basis of their performance in a competitive entrance test.
Besides pursuing MBBS or dentistry, there are many paramedical professions you can look into, like physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy.
PG at IIT
I am in the second year of my computer engineering programme. I missed admission to any of the IITs by a small margin at the undergraduate level, but I’m very keen to work hard for pursuing my post graduation there. How should I go about it?
— Sunmeet Malhotra
Dear Sunmeet,
The score of Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is used for admission to postgraduate programmes in engineering, technology, architecture, science and pharmacy in most prominent universities and institutions, and is a mandatory qualification for the MHRD scholarship/ assistantship.
Candidates will be required to appear in a single paper of three hours duration. You have to choose the right paper which makes you eligible to seek admission to the specific programme/ institute you are interested in. In your case, computer engineering will be a choice for GATE. You may visit the websites www.gate.iisc.ernet.in or www.iitb.ac.in/gate to get details of the institutions using GATE, the format of the paper, the syllabus of the exam and so on. The notification of GATE usually appears in September-October and the exam is held in February the following year. You may apply during the final year of computer engineering or after graduating.
