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Study options for the so-so- 24-Jun-2015
A majority of the student population is fair to middlingthat is, their mark range is 60-80 percent. Also, these modest students are those who excel in their careers on a par with the top-rankers. Thats precisely because this lot also shows interest in arts, sports and other extra-curricular activities, making themselves holistic personalities.
But the million-dollar question is: which courses suit them best after their plus-two? Beyond the most-popular-evergreen medical and engineering streams, there are millions of other extraordinary courses that can place you in a high pedestal. But these two streams cannot be ignored! So, first, lets examine these two critically.
Looking at the humungous number of engineering seats on the offer in Tamil Nadu colleges, it seems that even after placing every student in the state there will still remain vacant seats. Completing the engineering course has become a more arduous task that acquiring a seat itself. Hence, it becomes essential to contemplate whether the course can be successfully completed by a student or not before choosing the engineering stream.
When it comes to the medical stream, there are just a handful of institutions in Tamil Nadu, and hence, it is a distant dream for the mediocre student, reserved just for the top notch. Notwithstanding, instead of just looking at MBBS, if the students broaden their focus to include other medical courses, their prospects of securing a seat brighten. Just like MBBS, same-duration courses in alternative medicine like Siddha, Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani are also gaining popularity of late.
This apart, colleges that offer the dental course, BDS, outnumber medical colleges in the state, and hence, chances of securing a seat in these dental colleges are a tad higher. Similarly, courses like B.Pharm (Pharmacy), B.Sc. (Nursing), BPT (Physiotheraphy) and Optometry could be considered. Moving on from human to animals, veterinary courses have also remained popular. B.V.Sc. is offered at the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Chennai, and in an affiliated college in Namakkal. A bachelor degree course in fishery science (B.F.Sc) is offered at the Fisheries College and Research Institute in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. This college also comes under the Chennai veterinary university and these courses are becoming popular in the recent times.
This apart, B.Sc., Agriculture is also an important option. The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) in Coimbatore and its constituent colleges in Tiruchy, Periakulam and a few other districts offer this course in agricultural science. Another course that is gaining good grounds in agricultural colleges is Horticulture. Apart from these, the TNAU also offers a few specialized engineering degrees, which many are not aware of. Engineering courses like B.Tech (Biotechnology), Food Process Engineering and Agricultural IT are among them.
Earlier, the law colleges were considered to be the gateway for a political career. It was the passport to become a politician and highly popular. However, then law courses faced a slack in popularity and are now bouncing back. Whichever groups the students had taken up in their plus-two, they can apply for the five-year degree in the government law colleges in Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchy, Nellai, Madurai and Chengalpet.
Beyond these professional courses, there are hundreds of popular arts and science colleges that offer B.A., B.Sc., and B.Com., courses. These colleges are now offering a platter of new courses. Engineering courses like Computer Science and Biotechnology are now being introduced as B.Sc. courses in these arts and science colleges. This apart, in the science streams, specialized majors like Microbiology, Biotechnology, Plant Biology are made available. Female-centric courses like Nutrition and Food Science, Tourism and Travel Management, Home Science and Psychology are also on the offer especially in womens colleges.
Another course that is highly popular in arts and science colleges is B.Com. However, a few allied courses that B.Com., graduates need to consider remain mostly ignored. Chartered Accountant (CA), Cost Accountant (ICWAI) and Company Secretary (ACS) are among them. Earlier, it was only possible to take up these courses after the completion of the bachelors degree. But today, after the completion of plus-two and after joining the B.Com. course, a student can attempt the examinations of these courses. As a result, since the bachelors degree and the examinations for these courses can be done side-by-side, the three years can be saved from being wasted.
Joining a film institute was earlier prohibited in many a households. But today, the time has changed. Each and every course offered in film institutes is capable of landing a plum job in the television industry. The Government Film and Television Institute in Chennai offers several diploma courses in streams like Cinematography, Sound Recording and Editing. Similarly, the Government Music College in Chennai Adyar offers several degree courses in dance and music, just like the other music institutes spread across the state.
Do you also know that your artistic skills alone can fetch you a bachelors degree? The century-old Government College of Fine Arts in Chennai and the one in Kumbakonam offer B.F.A. and several specialized groups under it. To join this course, the student will have to pass an entrance test that will examine artistic abilities. Since these two are government colleges, the fees are kept at low levels. A majority of successful art directors ruling the South Indian film industry are products of these colleges.
Of late, Fashion Technology has started fascinating the student community. The Central Government-administered National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Chennai is nationally renowned. Several fashion designing courses are offered here.
Courses in Catering Technology and Hotel Management create immediate employment opportunities. Catering degrees could offer you jobs in Five-Star Hotels, ships or flights, and provide regular opportunities to travel and visit foreign countries. If you like food and travel, this is your cup of tea.
Last but not least, courses like B.Sc., Visual Communication, M.A. Mass Communication, Public Relations, Journalism and Electronic Media could help you fetch interesting jobs in the media and advertising industry.
To conclude, it will be always wise for the modest student to rout the rust and choose a course less taken to excel depending on his/her own interests.
