What to Do After 12th? Best Courses for Science, Arts & Commerce Students

Students often get confused after completing their intermediate education. They are bombarded with a lot of career options right after class 12th. Hence, they usually wonder, “What to do after 12th?”

It is a completely normal thing to feel this way, as previously you used to just focus on your studies and not the career-related choices. If given proper guidance, you can choose a rewarding and fulfilling career ahead.

What to Do After 12th: Complete Career Guide

Career options that a 12th pass student can explore mainly depend on the stream he/she had chosen. Thus, for 12th-grade science students, the options will be different from those of commerce or arts students. 

These career choices are not only domain or stream-specific, they even vary as per the subjects you had in your 12th level. For example, for 12th-grade Science students, there will be two tracks in which their career options will be decided. One is PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), and the other is PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Maths). 

In this blog post, we will clear all such doubts that you have after the 12th. We will also be giving you a clear picture of what options you have as per your stream.

Best Courses After 12th - A Quick Comparison

To give a glimpse of the top courses that you can apply to based on your 12th stream, a comparison table has been listed here.

Best Courses After 12th Science

Science students generally have two main categories, the first one is of the PCM (Physics, Chemistry & Maths), and the second one belongs to the PCB (Physics, Chemistry & Biology) category. Both categories of students have great career options as per their streams. 

Here we have the career path after 12th maths & biology explained below streamwise:

What to do after 12th PCM?

Maths students usually have big career aspirations, as they want to do it big. Mostly preferred by students with a maths background, students can usually do courses like engineering or applications after finishing the intermediate with the maths stream. 

They also have the option to pursue specialisation in their preferred sectors in the maths subject. But there is a lot of doubt & concern about the career options for maths students after 12th.

 (1) Career as an Engineer

Students from 12th PCM have the option to pursue great courses such as B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) or BArch (Bachelor of Architecture), if they feel the urge to delve into the field of creating solutions for the existing complex problems. These courses are very popular among the 12th passouts and are very much pursued in large numbers.

They even get the option of choosing from different streams:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Electronics Engineering
• IT Engineering

They have to appear for the entrance exams, such as IIT-JEE or NATA, to get the best colleges for courses like B.Tech & BArch. They have to clear the JEE Mains first and then the JEE-Advanced later on, for B.Tech and NATA for B.Arch. 

The following table highlights the course name and the eligibility needed, with the respective entrance exams for the courses, B.Tech. & BArch:

*There are currently no available options in the country for the Online BTech & BArch courses*

The fee range for a B.Tech program at IITs ranges between ₹8 Lakhs and ₹10 Lakhs. At NITs & IIITs, it ie between ₹5 Lakhs and ₹10 Lakhs. The fee structure for a BArch degree generally starts at ₹4 Lakhs and goes up to a maximum of ₹20 Lakhs.

(A) Jobs after BTech

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the B.Tech courses:

Source: AmbitionBox

(B) Jobs after BArch

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the BArch course:

Source: AmbitionBox

(2) Choosing Technical Careers 

This is one of the most job-oriented courses after maths in 12th-level education. The students who are eager to work in the fascinating field of computer science but don’t wish to follow the usual route of engineering can opt for BCA after 12th, having maths as one of the subjects.   

In order to get top NIITs for pursuing BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications), students have to appear for the CUET UG entrance exams. 

The following table highlights the course name and the eligibility needed, with the respective entrance exams for the BCA:

*The students also have the option to pursue an online BCA from any of the UGC-approved online universities.*

They even get the option to pursue different specialisations or majors:

• Web Development & Design
• Android Application Development
• Full Stack Development
• Data Science
• Cyber Security
• Digital Marketing
• Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
• Database Management
• Multimedia & Animation
• Cloud Computing

A BCA degree has a fee structure of ₹1 Lakh and ₹3 Lakhs per year at Private & Autonomous Universities. This range may go down to ₹50,000 to ₹60,000 per year at the Government University for the same course.

Jobs after BCA

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the BCA course

Source: AmbitionBox

(3) Continuing study in the maths domain

The student can pursue the path of science majors after 12th grade with maths as the main subject. They can pursue BSc (Bachelor of Science) Math Honours quite easily. It provides a solid background for higher studies ahead for the students. 

This is a very good course choice if the students wish to pursue a career as future teachers. They can easily focus on their research and become lecturers in higher institutions. 

The following table highlights the course name and the eligibility needed, with the respective entrance exams for the courses, BSc or BPharma (Bachelor of Pharmacy):

*While students usually get the option to pursue an online BSc course too, there is no such option currently in India for an online BPharma.*

At a private university, you will enroll in a BSc program at a starting fee of ₹3 Lakhs, which goes up to a maximum figure of ₹9 Lakhs. 

A BPharma degree costs around ₹3 Lakhs to ₹14 Lakhs at private colleges. While it is of ₹20,000 to ₹4 Lakhs in total at government institutions. 

Jobs after BSc

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the BSc courses:

Source: AmbitionBox

Jobs after BPharma

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the BPharma courses:

Source: AmbitionBox

What to do after 12th PCB?

Biology students have great course options helping them to pursue careers as doctors, surgeons, nurses, and therapists. 

(1) Choosing Medical Science

The students who are from the Biology/ Science stream can easily opt for courses in medical science, therapy, etc., like MBBS & BSc Nursing, if they aspire to be a doctor in the future. 

They have to sit for the entrance exams like the NEET UG and in multiple rounds to get their MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) done from prestigious medical institutes in India, such as AIIMS. 

The table given below highlights the eligibility and the entrance exams for the courses such as MBBS & BSc Nursing:

*Currently, no university in India offers either an online MBBS or an online BSc nursing course to medical students*

The cost of MBBS in India is from ₹6 Lakh to ₹25 Lakh annually, at private medical colleges. The same course has a fee range of ₹10,000 to ₹1 Lakh annually at government medical colleges.

For BSc Nursing, you will have to pay around ₹25,000 for a year at a government college, and at the private colleges, it will be between ₹50,000 and ₹3,00,000 per year. 

Jobs after MBBS & BSc Nursing

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the MBBS & BSc Nursing courses:

Source: AmbitionBox

 (2) Switching to Pharmacy as a Career 

They can also select from options such as BPharma. These would help them learn about the medical field and the world of therapy/nursing. Alternatively, they can become lab technicians, biologists, zoologists, etc. through courses like BSc Biotechnology. 

They still have the option to switch to pharmacy in biology streams (like maths), but they have to give entrance exams for this. 

The table given below highlights the eligibility and the entrance exams for courses such as BPharma & BSc Biotechnology:

*Courses such as BPharma & BSc Biotech have no online option available in India*

Jobs after BSc Biotechnology

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the BSc Biotechnology course

Source: AmbitionBox

The fee range for the BSc Biotechnology program is around INR 5 to 10  lakhs in total at a private college. The same will be offered at a fee of INR 25,000 to INR 1 lakh at a government university.

Best Courses After 12th Arts

The arts students have great course options ahead to pursue through courses in law, journalism, creative or fine arts. All these courses help them with their creative talent and find relevant jobs. 

 Pursuing Law or Journalism

The arts students are usually very much interested in career fields such as law, media/journalism, humanities & social sciences. Students can easily pursue undergraduate courses in these fields. 

The law students can choose from 4 law branches:

• Criminal Law
• Civil Law
• Constitutional Law
• Administrative Law

The journalism student has the branch option to choose from:

• Print & Digital Journalism
• Broadcast Journalism
• Advertising & Marketing
• Public Relations (PR) & Corporate Communication
• Film & Television Production

The eligibility for these arts courses, along with the required entrance exams, is given below in the table:

*While online BA is available in India, there is no option available to pursue LLB or BA-LLB courses online*

The cost of LLB is ₹15,000 and ₹15 Lakhs in total. This wide gap in the fee range is based on whether you choose a private or a government institution. For the integrated BA + LLB program, the fee range increases and ranges between ₹3 Lakhs and ₹20 Lakhs.

The fee range for a BA degree in India is between ₹1,500 and ₹30,000 per year at government universities. At private universities, this cost is around ₹30,000 to ₹2 lakh per year.

Jobs after LLB

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the LLB courses:

Source: AmbitionBox

Jobs after BA

The table given below lists the jobs offered after BA courses:

Source: AmbitionBox

(2) Arts as a career

Students with a creative bent of mind can also go for the creative arts as well as the design, performing arts, or fine arts by courses like BFA or BDes after finishing their intermediate education. 

The arts student has the branch option to choose from:

• Painting & Applied Arts
• Animation & Design

The eligibility for these arts courses, along with the required entrance exams, is given below in the table:

*There are no institutes in India offering online BDes courses to students, but there are options available for online BFA in a few universities*

BDes has a total fee range of ₹8 lakh to ₹18 lakh at government colleges like IITs, NIDs, NIFTs, etc. The same course costs between ₹15 lakh and ₹40 lakh at private colleges like Pearl Academy, IICD, and more.

For BFA, you will have to pay between ₹10,000 and ₹50,000 annually at a government college. While at the private colleges, this range would be between ₹1,00,000 and ₹3,00,000 annually. 

Jobs after BFA & BDes

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the BFA & BDes courses

Source: AmbitionBox

Best Courses After 12th Commerce

Commerce students have course options in two fields: finance and business management. These two courses provide great career opportunities in the business world. 

1. Field of Finance

The students coming from the commerce stream, who are very much interested in the field of commerce, can pursue courses like the BCom, and the students can do courses like BBE, BAF, and BFM. 

The students can easily choose from any one of the commerce specialisations:

• Accounts & Finance
• Economics
• Investment Management
• Banking & Insurance
• Statistics
• Taxation 

The table given gives details about the commerce courses like BCom, BAF, BFM & BBE, such as eligibility, entrance exams, and best colleges:

*Online BCom is offered through the top online universities in India, but BAF, BFM & BBE are not available in online mode in India*

Fee Structure for Finance Courses

• BCom 

Government Colleges: ₹10,000 to ₹30,000 per year

Private Universities: ₹60,000 to ₹3,00,000+ per year

• BAF

Government & Autonomous Colleges: ₹15,000 to ₹50,000 per year

Private Colleges: ₹80,000 to ₹1.5+ Lakhs per year

• BFM

Government & Aided Colleges: ₹15,000 to ₹30,000 per year

Standard Private Colleges: ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000 per year

Premium Private Universities: ₹1,50,000 to ₹3,00,000+ per year

• BBE

Government Colleges: ₹15,000 to ₹50,000 per year

Private Colleges: ₹1,00,000 to ₹3,00,000+ per year

Jobs after BCom & BFA/ BFM/ BBE

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the BCom & BFA/BFM/BBE courses:

Source: AmbitionBox

 2. Management Studies

Along with the field of commerce, 12th passouts also have the option to go into management studies through courses like BBA or BMS. They must go for the entrance exams, such as CUET UG for BCom, BBE, BAF, and IPMAT, for the courses such as BBA. 

The candidates can choose from any of these specialisations for the management studies:

• Human Resources
• Operations
• Marketing
• Finance
• Operations
• Supply Chain

The table given below highlights the commerce courses with the eligibility, entrance exams, and best colleges for BBA & BMS courses:

*Online BBA course option is available in top Indian universities, but not for the BMS course* 

The fee for BBA at Private Colleges is between ₹1,50,000 and ₹4,00,000+ per year, and at Government Universities, it is ₹15,000 and ₹60,000 per year.

The BMS fee ranges between ₹15,000 and ₹1,20,000 for the entire 3-year course at government universities and is around ₹3,00,000 to ₹10,00,000 for the entire course at private universities.

Jobs after BBA & BMS

The table given below lists the jobs offered after the BBA & BMS courses:

Source: AmbitionBox

Top Government Jobs After 12th for Science, Arts & Commerce Students

12th pass students also have the option to prepare for government jobs along with the graduation courses. These jobs allow the students to get job stability and career freedom. 

Students can apply for posts such as GDS (Gramin Dak Sevak), serve in the army through NDA (National Defence Academy), or the railways through the Railway Group D exams. They also have the option to work in the police force through posts such as the state police constable.  

All of these posts allow them to serve the country right after completing class 12th. 

The table given below highlights the government job posts with the salary & required exams for these posts:

Source: 7th Pay CPC Matrix

Can I enrol in an Online Degree after 12th?

Students can easily pursue the courses they want in the online mode, as they don’t have to worry about attendance or the entrance exams. They get the interactive learning environment, learning resources & other benefits in the online mode, which is not available in the offline mode. 

Students from any stream in 12th are eligible for these online UG courses. It removes many of the students’ stress factors, like regular attendance, relocation, high fees, entrance exams, etc. Working professionals also prefer these online courses very much due to a highly flexible learning schedule.

Best Online Courses After 12th

The online courses are a great option to pursue right after finishing the 12th grade. This gives students the flexibility to prepare for competitive exams as well. The advantages students generally experience after pursuing those online graduation courses include:

• Flexibility of Time
• Cost-effectiveness
• Attractive Scholarships
• LMS and digital learning resources
• No entrance exam requirements

1. Online BSc

Students have the option to pursue an online BSc after finishing 12th grade. This online course is the full-time equivalent of the BSc course in offline mode. 

Top Universities that offer Online BSc, with their given rankings & approvals:

The fee range for the online BSc is ₹12,500 to ₹3.10 Lakhs for the entire course, depending on the university you choose.

2. Online BCA

The online BCA is one of the most pursued courses for candidates with career aspirations of being a developer. It equips them with the tools and skills necessary for the job roles ahead in this field. They need to just have maths as a mandatory subject in their intermediate level education. 

Top Universities that offer Online BCA, with their fee details, are mentioned below:

3. Online BA

Arts students have this course option to easily pursue their preferred arts career choice. Given the flexibility and online demonstrations, enrolled candidates achieve great results in their respective fields, whether creative or traditional ones. 

Top Universities that offer Online BA, with their fee details, are mentioned below:

4. Online BCom

Commerce stream candidates can easily continue their graduation ahead by enrolling in this course. It serves as a great foundation for these 12th passouts. 

Top Universities that offer Online BCom, with their fee details, are mentioned below:

5. Online BBA

Online BBA is a great option for management candidates to pursue higher studies. This supports their full-time jobs and does not interfere with their schedules in any kind of way. 

Top Universities that offer Online BBA, with their fee details, are mentioned below:

Why Is the Right Course Selection After 12th Important?

Your future and career goals/aspirations are very much dependent on the right choice of an undergraduate course. Till now, you have been working on your base foundations, but now your streams will be distinguished in a real way, and you can pick a major you would work upon in the future. 

The right UG course motivates students to study well and gives their 100% in their studies. If they don’t feel burdened during the course selection and are given the right career support and guidance, they perform well ahead in their future jobs. 

How to Choose the Right Course After 12th?

You must figure out your strengths and weaknesses after finishing your 12th grade to figure out the best course that suits you. The course must be in alignment with your career goals and aspirations. 

There are a few points you must keep in consideration while choosing your undergraduate course after finishing intermediate education:

• You must explore the industry and the job prospects properly before finalising the course for you. Awareness and information are very much necessary to keep yourself away from making wrong decisions.
• You must match your strengths with the key responsibilities of the jobs related to the course you’re opting for. It must not only be the hype you’re looking for, but it must also be a stable career option.
• You must keep tracking and aligning the course with the new education policies (NEP), syllabus changes, and new trends in the job market. You must ensure that this course is here to stay for the long run by providing you with a stable career. 

Final Statement

Choosing career options after 12th seems to be very confusing. But with the right support and career guidance, students can easily move into a stable and shining career ahead. 

Students can easily pursue these courses right after 12th standards, as per their streams and preferences. They must take every step with great patience and thought, as these shape their careers ahead.    

LearningShala is one of those platforms that students can trust to get career guidance after 12th. They will get the handheld support through a group of counsellors ready to assist them 24/7.