Did you know that every year 1.5 crore students take the board exams nationwide? But how many do you think become the crème de la crème?  As the board results of Class XII came out earlier this week, students and parents rushed to the internet to check out their near-perfect scores.  

Don’t get us wrong, getting good marks in board exams is awesome but we genuinely believe marks are not a benchmark for one’s intelligence. So even if you did not make it to the top of the list, let us tell you one thing; it is not that big a deal. There are many examples of average students ( if you go by their marks in board exams) who excelled in their fields – Sachin Tendulkar, Bill Gates, Walt Disney, Richard Branson, the list is long.  

And if you are pondering over your next move, here are some tips.

In today’s day and age, there is a plethora of interesting career options for students to pursue. Gone are the days of traditional career paths. We’ve got umpteen engineers, doctors, and commerce graduates among us. In fact, many of the jobs / roles today shall become obsolete in another five years. Our advice: Become future ready! It is time to chart the unconventional route with career options that are equally viable in the industry today. It is always best to put your knowledge to better use, especially when you know what you are good at. Here’s how:

Fashion and lifestyle

Being one of the most trending career options, it is all about creativity, style, and originality. The exposure to the fashion business industry lays the essential platform that allows you to fit into the roles of buyers, category managers, retail operation managers and what not. For an industry that is growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12% is set to reach Rs 3,94,000 crore by 2020. The employment rate thus is around 60 million, opening long-term doors to leading manufacturers, brands, and retailers.

Almost all institutes have a set criterion for admission. Candidates should have passed Class XII from a recognized board after which the institute conducts its own entrance exams which has no relation to your board’s score. So, if you are young, vibrant and live, think, breathe fashion and lifestyle, then this course is ideal for you.

Mass communication

Mass Communication and Journalism is one such comprehensive course that in spite of having a merit-based intake process does not have a high cut off criteria in most colleges and universities. The reason for listing this course here is to throw light on the fact that it is an industry oriented and cost-effective course. No matter where you do it from, exposure of practical knowledge will always hold more credibility than theory.  

If you are a people’s person, love talking and listening and have a flair for writing, looking to get a better understanding in Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising, New Media and Entertainment & Film Technology then we hugely recommend giving this course a shot. India has many good colleges for Mass Communication that hold immense value amidst industry stalwarts.

Ethical hacking

Got great IT skills but do not want to pursue engineering? Take up a course on Ethical hacking as an alternative to whatever you choose to study in college. Ethical Hacking makes for a very lucrative career. A number of Universities, colleges and private computer schools offer courses and diploma degrees and training programs that align with an industry Certified Ethical Hacker curriculum. And guess what, you do not need your board results for admission.

So, if you possess a strong knowledge in web and computer systems, understand security protocols, can hack into systems and take ethical corrective measures to prevent cyber-attacks with the thrills, then it’s time to target this course. No doubts on guessing the plethora of employment opportunities that will open up for you. Popular cities offering this course are Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, and Hyderabad. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, job outlook for information security analysis is expected to increase 18 % between 2014-2024. A rate growing much faster than the national average. This is especially because the National Cyber Security Alliance has data proclaiming that one out of five small businesses are affected by cybercrime each year.

Coding

With a growing emphasis on high tech and computers in our educational system, this is in fact a valuable skill, termed as the 21st-century literacy. There are a number of apps, books, games, and online tools through which students can build their own knowledge as well as explore skills that allows them to possess the most in-demand skill across industries. Seven million job openings are in occupation that required coding skills. Programming jobs overall are growing 12% faster than the market average. Close to 50,000 positions are currently available at big firms and around 61% of these roles require candidates with less than five years of experience. Who knows, you could be the developer of next bestselling app on the play store!

Pursue your passion

Today’s era is all about doing what you love. A number of universities have introduced professional courses which are not considered mainstream. Acting, Dancing, Arts, Radio Jockeying, Fitness Training are some offbeat courses that have taken the spotlight as rewarding and satisfying options. From short courses, workshops, part time courses to diploma courses, there is not dearth of opportunities. Television, film, theatre and now web series, there are universities all over India giving you a chance to hone your skill-set and help you achieve your future goal.

Students are taken not on the basis of their high school merit but their individual talent and creative excellence. So if you want to do something different that ensures greater personal satisfaction, then these may be the courses for you.  

A career in sports

Children who are good at sports have a plethora of opportunities in front of them. The Government of India, large Corporate Groups and renowned sports personalities have taken steps in promoting sports. If you are passionately driven, then there are umpteen ways you can help hone those skills and make any sport a full-blown career option.  

Sadly, the pressure and concern of not performing well and getting into a leading institute is a cause of sheer repulsion and horror for many. A fiercely competitive environment, parental pressure and the sky-high cut of lists of India’s most sought-after colleges make the struggle to perform all the more arduous. What parent and students simply need to understand that in the end, everything falls into place. The game of life has just begun!

This article has been contributed by Sarvesh Shrivastava, Co-founder and MD, Eupheus Learning, and Amit Yaadav, Director, Pathfinder Global School.