Q I study in Class IX in a Madhyamik school. I really like geography and am good at it. Apart from teaching, what other career opportunities can it lead to?

Saptarshi Kundu

Geoinformatics, GIS, remote sensing, global navigation satellite system, digital image processing - these are just some names that you or people around you might have heard in connection with oil, climate, environment, disaster management and so on. All of them are linked with your favourite subject. Geography by itself, however, has limited options. After Class XII, you could consider graduating in environmental science, agriculture, geology or in civil or mining engineering. Some science fields such as computer engineering can also lead to geoinformatics or GIS. Even though these professionals study the natural world, they spend a lot of time in laboratories analysing samples and building models on high tech computers.

The companies in India that employ geologists are mainly government or public sector ones such as the Geological Survey of India, Coal India, ONGC, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing and so on. Private sector companies in mining and oil also employ GIS professionals while the construction industry needs soil analysis and other data before putting up large projects. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts a combined geoscientist and geologist exam and another one for the Indian Forest Service.

Environmental science is one of the leading interdisciplinary sciences so you could consider doing a graduate or postgraduate degree in it. Environment consultancy is an emerging domain related to geography within which air pollution, water contamination and environmental impact assessment are studied. There is potential in the consultancy domain and in working for the government. Since you are in school, you have plenty of time, do some research/science projects in these areas to broaden your mind further.

At this stage, the most important thing is to develop your ability to observe, hone your curiosity and learn to do research by reading more on topics of your interest. Start a science club in your school and initiate these discussions. Request your teachers to invite professionals in this field so you can get more information. If you would like to pursue a geography-related career, take up the science stream in Plus Two. Don't ignore maths as it will be required to clear the admission exams at the bachelor's and master's levels.

Shivani Manchanda has master's degrees in career counselling and child development. She has been counselling about opportunities in India and abroad since 1991. Mail any questions you have for her to telegraphyou@gmail.com