Jewellery design

Not your traditional area of study but a very lucrative profession if you can make your mark. Jewellery designing includes grading, designing and manufacturing of jewellery. There is a theoretical part in every course though practical training takes precedence. Over the last few years, job prospects have opened up. “Every jewellery company worth its name has professional designers on their payroll,” says Rekha Chopra, student relations officer of Sindhar Gem and Jewellery Design Institute. “I wanted to do the course for it was my dream to launch my own line of jewellery,” says Udita Dugar, a student at the institute.

But teachers point out that grading and manufacturing are as important as designing in this course. Diamond grading is a tough job. One has to study the colours, sizes and shapes of stones and that is perhaps even more difficult than designing. Manufacturing calls for a lot of hard work as well for it involves moulding metal into jewellery.

What it takes: You must have oodles of creativity and a knack for designing. You need not be academically brilliant. But you must have the stamina to work long hours. Basic computer skills will come in handy. You can join from any stream.

Where to study: Jewellery design and manufacturing department, SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai; Indian Diamond Institute, Surat; Sindhar Institute of Gemology, Calcutta; NIFT, Mumbai; NIFT, Hyderabad.

Biotechnology

This will let you manipulate that all too happening field of modern bio-science ? genes. Biotechnology strikes a balance between engineering and bio-science. Although more popular at the postgraduate level, several colleges across the country have started offering it at the undergraduate level as well.

“We have a paper on basic engineering principles along with maths other than biochemical engineering and downstream processing. Computers are important for the bioinformatics part and some prior knowledge might come in handy though it’s not essential,” says Professor Subrata Pal, dean of science, Jadavpur University.

What it takes: Experts say biotechnology can’t be taken as an escape route from mathematics. You need to fall back on maths quite a lot, along with physics and chemistry. A curious and explorative mind will be of help as well.

Where to study: Jadavpur University, Calcutta University, North Bengal University, Anna University, IIT Kharagpur, IIT, Delhi, Andhra University, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Patna University, University of Madras, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi.

BBA

It is increasingly being looked at as a springboard for an MBA and a substitute for the dated BCom course. BBA is a three-year programme broken up into six semesters with more than 15 papers in all. Initially, the focus is on language and communication skills, mathematics, law, taxation and accountancy. Business economics, business mathematics and statistics, business law and taxation and principles of accountancy will be the major papers in Part I. Part II covers virtually all the areas of management from human resource, production, materials, marketing and international business, and operations research to cost and management accounting. There’s a term paper and presentation for which students have to come up with a project.

As you move on to your specialisation papers in the third year, you have project and computer application. You can choose from marketing, human resource, finance, public systems, systems, etc. But a BBA doesn’t guarantee you an entry into an MBA programme. “The course has a sharper focus than BCom. But this is an age of specialisation and it’s advisable to complement the degree with an MBA,” says Sumantra Banerjee, MD of CESC.

What it takes: You need to be fairly strong in maths and have an aptitude for finance-related subjects. BBA, like commerce, involves number crunching, accountancy, economics and law.

Where to study: Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad, Madurai Kamaraj University, St Xavier’s College, Calcutta, Ashutosh College, Calcutta, J.D. Birla Institute, Calcutta.

Fashion

If fabrics and garments excite you, jump on to the fashion bandwagon. National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and the National Institute of Design (NID) are counted among the best in India. A typical fashion design course would start with a foundation programme that includes fashion illustration, fashion studies, fabric understanding, art appreciation, history of design and go on to have an in-depth study in design, production, research and development. “If you have the talent, a course helps you to hone your skills. Most importantly, they teach you the basics on which you can build,” says designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh.

Fashion also has a technical and management side to it. The technical aspect includes material studies, computer application, merchandising and quality management. The management side has product and manufacturing knowledge, economic analysis of managerial application, marketing research, consumer behaviour, etc.

What it takes: Needless to say, you need to be creative, have a strong sense of design and colours. But as designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee says, no course can teach you to be creative. It can only help augment your innate sense of design and aesthetics.

Where to study: NIFT (New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Calcutta, Gandhinagar), The National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, The Pearl Academy of Fashion, New Delhi, J.D. Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi, Wigan & Leigh, Calcutta.

Journalism

For those with a flair for writing, journalism could be the ideal option. Traditionally, students with a literature background have done the job. But now you have journalism courses at the undergraduate level as well. In fact, some of them, like the ones offered by Lady Shri Ram College and Indraprastha College in Delhi are quite tough to get into. The course helps students hone their skills in research, writing, reporting and editing. Students are also required to produce a house newspaper. “A course gives you a fair idea about the profession and the things that you are required to do. Editing and production work can’t be done without some sort of training. I think I would have missed out on a lot had I not enrolled for a course. But, of course, there’s lots to be learnt on the job,” says Bibek Bhattacharya, who has passed out of the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai.

What it takes: Strong communication skills in English, an enquiring mind, tenaciousness, that will hold you in good stead when you are pursuing a story, and ability to work hard.

Where to study: Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Manipal Institute of Communication, Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, International Institute of Mass Media, New Delhi, Amity School of Communication, Noida, Indraprastha College for Women, New Delhi, Kamala Nehru College, New Delhi.

Environmental Science

You could be exploring the forests, studying the habitat, food habits, behavioural patterns of wild animals and collecting their DNA samples for research. Or, you could investigate the reasons for the depleting forest cover in the country, or for the rise in suspended lead particles in the atmosphere. Environment is a wide area with plenty of scope for new study and research.

Any environmental science programme covers major aspects of the environment, including water, air, soil and noise pollution; their control technology; effects of pollution on ecosystems and management of environment. You can take it up only if you have science in your Plus Two.

What it takes: A solid grounding in science subjects. You must be ready to rough it out in the outdoors. A concern for and interest in environmental issues is essential.

Where to study: Tamil Nadu G.D. Agricultural University, Coimbatore and Delhi University.

Travel and tourism

With tourism now a major revenue earner for the country, those with a course under their belt have an edge in the expanding job market. Courses include a little bit of everything ? historical and cultural background of India, basic management principles, computer fundamentals and principles of accounting, communication skills, hotel management and international tourism and world geography.

Among the well-known programmes is a bachelor in tourism management offered by the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, Gwalior. Garware Institute of Career Education and Development under the University of Mumbai has an under-graduate diploma in travel and tourism.

But they won’t make you eligible for a job in the directorate and departments of tourism for they recruit candidates from the civil service. For operational jobs in government organisations, a degree in travel and tourism is required. The Indian Institutes of Travel and Tourism Management provide educational options for all kinds of jobs in the industry. “More than anything else, a course teaches you the basics that give you a headstart. We generally stick to trained people,” says Shubhro Mukherjee, regional head, eastern India of SOTC.

What it takes: You’ll need to work on your communication skills, confidence level, and ensure that that you carry yourself well.

Where to study: Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, Gwalior, Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Hyderabad, Foodcraft Institute, Jaipur, Garware Institute of Career Educa-tional Development, University of Bombay.

Social Work

If you have fire in your belly, an idealistic bent of mind and the will to work at the grassroots level, then go for a degree in social work. The aim of the subject is to help people develop their full potential and prevent social dysfunction.

As a discipline, it is close to sociology with a lot more emphasis on outdoor activities. So, you train to work with vulnerable groups, study labour welfare, family welfare and counselling. You also dabble in research, evaluate data and formulate projects. “Theoretical concepts help but to be a successful social worker you need to be passionate about your job ,” says Satyagopal De, manager, development support, CRY.

You can get into a bachelors programme from any stream after your Plus Two. But to work as a professional social worker, a masters degree is desirable. Most leading NGOs look for candidates with a bachelors or masters degree from a reputed institute. But getting admission is hardly a cakewalk. Delhi’s Jamia Millia, that offers a masters course, received more than 10,000 applications last year.

What it takes: You must be committed. You should be keenly interested in social issues and feel excited about working on the field.

Where to study: Visva-Bharati University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, IISWBM, Calcutta University.