Professional Courses After 12th for Arts, Commerce, Science Students - Check Educational requirements,Colleges
Professional courses after 12th - With the changing trends in the job market and economy at large, professional courses after 12th have gained immense and unprecedented popularity in comparison to traditional academic courses like BA or B.Sc. The reason is simple- professional courses after 12th focus more on skill development and industry-oriented practices that are highly desired by the employers. In other words, professional courses bridge the gap between the skills an employee has and the skills one actually needs on the field. And now when the demands of the industry are being met, employees are rewarded with extremely handsome packages in return, thereby making professional courses after 12th the quintessential choice among today’s youth.

Let us now take a brief look at some of the best professional courses after 12th.
Best Professional Courses After 12th
Courses | Educational requirements | Colleges |
Professional courses after 12th Science | ||
12th Science PCM; 50-75%; National Level entrance test- IIT-JEE Mains & Advanced, BITSAT, SRMJEE or State level entrances | ||
12th Science PCM; 50-75%; National Level entrance test- NATA, IIT-JEE Main Paper-2 | SPA, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, Sir JJ College of Architecture, etc. | |
12th Science PCM Min 50%; Written test + PAT+interview | ||
12th Science PCB; | AIIMS Delhi, CMC, JIPMER, AFMC- Pune, BHU, etc | |
Professional courses after 12th Commerce | ||
10+2 with minimum 55% aggregate; Exam- CA Foundation after 12th or IPCC after graduation | Registration with ICAI | |
After 10+2- Foundation course or Intermediate course after graduation | Registration with- ICMAI | |
After 10+2- Foundation prog. Or Exec. Prog. after graduation | Registration with- ICSI | |
Professional courses after 12th Arts | ||
Min 50%; | NID Ahmedabad, IIT Bombay, NIFTs, Pearl Academy,etc. | |
Min 50-60% in 10+2 from a recognized board; Entrance Exams/Merit-based | GGSIPU, VIPS, St Xavier’s, etc. |
(Note- Data has been collated by Team Careers360)
Now that we have taken a brief look at some of the best professional courses after 12th, read further to understand a few of the professional courses after 12th in detail.
Professional courses after 12th Science
Science is a widely chosen stream, hence, it becomes imperative for students to know about the professional courses after 12th Science. Keep reading to take a look at some of them.
Professional courses after 12th Science- Engineering
Engineering is by far and undoubtedly one of the most preferred professional courses after 12th among Indian students. Engineering is the scientific study of innovating, designing and building new machines and infrastructure as well as devising software technologies for a better future.
B.Tech is a 4-year UG program with several specializations. Civil, Mechanical, Computer Science, Aeronautical, etc. are a few specializations that result in secured career prospects with excellent salaries.
Top colleges and entrance exams: IITs, NITs, BITS Pilani, VIT Vellore. National level entrances like- JEE Mains & JEE Advanced.
Also read- List of engineering exams in India
Professional courses after 12th Science- Architecture
Architecture prepares a student to think rationally and creatively at the same time to be able to plan, design and construct structures which are based on strong scientific principles.
B.Arch is a 5-year program spread across 10 semesters with subjects like Advanced Visual Representation, Applied Mathematics, Interior Architecture & Space Programming, Architecture and Urbanism in Asia and the like. It is indeed, one of the top professional courses after 12th for students with a high spatial ability, as well as an aptitude for Science.
Top colleges & entrance exams: NIT Trichy, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, SPA are some of the top choices for college. NATA and JEE Advanced AAT are the 2 most popular entrance exams with the latter being for B.Arch programs in IITs.
Also read-
Professional courses after 12th Science- Commercial Pilot
Yet another one of the extremely lucrative and professional courses after 12th is that of a Commercial Pilot. The candidate has to undergo intensive training in core subjects like Air Navigation, Air Meteorology etc, with 40 hrs & 200 hrs of simulator & flying training respectively, to obtain a Commercial pilot license approved by DGCA. One hurdle for some students who wish to pursue this might be the massive fee structure this training entails.
Top institutes and admission process: IGRUA, IAA, RAGAAT are a few topmost colleges which require minimum 50% in Physics & Maths (taken together) in 10+2. The selection procedure is quite stringent with 3 stages- Written test, Pilot Aptitude Test and an interview.
Also read-
Professional courses after 12th Science- Medicine
Medicine is one of the highly promising professional courses after 12th which shall forever remain one of the top choices among PCB students. It is the oldest and the most respected profession wherein the sense of job satisfaction is beyond comparison.
Medicine entails courses like 5.5-year MBBS for General allopathic medicine, 5-year BDS for dentistry, BHMS, BUMS, BNYS, BAMS for AYUSH related careers and high-paying paramedical courses like Nursing, Physiotherapy, and so on and so forth.
Top colleges and entrance exams : AIIMS, CMC, JIPMER and other top medical colleges take admission on the basis of NEET-UG results.
Professional courses after 12th Commerce
Commerce is a trending stream among students and has a variety of course options to offer. Let us go through some of the professional courses after 12th Commerce.
Professional courses after 12th Commerce- Chartered Accountancy
Chartered Accountancy is a specialization-cum-certification course by ICAI with excellent high-paying job opportunities. The total duration of the course is almost 4.5years after class 12 if all the levels are cleared in the 1st attempt. Candidates have to register themselves for a Foundation course with ICAI. This is followed by CA Intermediate and Finals. Meanwhile 3 years of Articleship training is mandatory after they have passed a single or both groups of Intermediate level exam. For a Commerce student, CA is one of the best professional courses after 12th.
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Professional courses after 12th Commerce- Company Secretary
A Company Secretary is an expert in corporate laws, securities law & capital markets and corporate governance. Therefore, a CS is an in-house legal expert of the company and also a Chief Advisor to the Board of Directors on best practices in Corporate Governance. Moreover, corporate planning and strategic management are also essential aspects of the profession. CS is one of the evergreen professional courses after 12th.
For a student joining the course after 10+2 there are 3 stages namely- Foundation, Executive & Professional Programmes with practical training requirements. The approximate duration of the entire course is 2-5 years. Upon completion and passing of the Professional Programme the student may enroll as Licentiate ICSI at his/her option.
Also read- Career as a Company Secretary
Professional courses after 12th Commerce- Cost and Management Accountancy
Cost and Management Accountant is a professional certification credential with application in industries across all sectors. Students have to register for the Foundation course by ICMAI after class 12. After passing this level you will graduate to the intermediate and final courses with a qualifying exam at each level. For a 12th passout it is a 4-years course provided all levels are cleared in the first attempt. This duration also includes 3-years of mandatory industrial training i.e. CMA articleship.
It is the highest level of certification in management accounting with job opportunities in Cost & Management Accounting, Financial Management, Financial/Business Analytics, Auditing, Tax Management etc. CMA is definitely one of the best professional courses after 12th.
The career prospects after obtaining CMA certification are highly profitable with top recruiting companies like TATA, Deloitte, KPMG, Siemens, ITC to name a few.
Professional Courses After 12th Arts
While Arts has remained an underrated stream for the longest of times, students are gradually understanding the richness of Arts subjects and the lucrative career options it offers. Let us take a detailed look into some of the professional courses after 12th Arts.
Professional courses after 12th Arts- Law
Legal profession is one of the most sought after careers among students of humanities, with India having the 2nd largest population of lawyers in the world right after the USA. Law is one of the most respected and best professional courses after 12th.
BA LLB/ BBA LLB/ B.Sc LLB/ B.Com LLB are 5-yr integrated courses with specializations in civil, criminal, cyber, corporate, business, tax, media to name a few. Lawyers can work in multiple other set ups apart from the courtroom, depending on their area of specialisation.
Top colleges & entrance exams: As per NIRF 2020 rankings, NLSIU Bangalore is India’s top law college, followed by NLU Delhi & NALSAR Hyderabad. Students can seek admission through entrance exams like CLAT, LSAT, AILET, etc. and more.
Also read- Careers360- Law
Professional courses after 12th Arts- Design
Design offers a plethor of opportunities and is one of the promising professional courses after 12th. B.Design is a 4-year UG course with multiple specializations in the fields of Fashion, Interior-Exterior, Furniture, Product, etc. These are also some of the highest paying domains. The range of Art & Design careers has broadened and it’s beyond fashion now. Reputed colleges like NID, Ahmedabad offer B.Des & M.Des courses in Design.
Top colleges & entrance exams: Some of the best colleges for B. Design courses are- NID, NIFT Delhi/ Bombay, IIT Bombay etc and admission into these is via entrance exams conducted by the institutes- NID, NIFT, UCEED, AIEED exams.
Professional courses after 12th Arts-Mass communication & Journalism
The 3-year course in BJMC is aimed at providing holistic, theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of print and audio-visual media. The field comprises print journalism, advertising & public relations, television & radio, film studies and the like. The BJMC curriculum has subjects like- media management, advertising practices, Media Law & Ethics, Event Management, etc. It is one of the most interesting professional courses after 12th, especially for students with a creative bent.
Top colleges & entrance exams: Most institutes of repute such as LSR, GGSIPU, VIPS, JMI, St. Xavier’s-Mumbai etc conduct their own entrance exams followed by GD & PI. The candidates need to have min 50-60% in 10+2 to be eligible.
As we have seen that with evolving times and job markets, professional courses have gained more popularity over traditional courses. While theory creates a strong foundation in any discipline, the practical aspects of that discipline hold more value as they teach a student to actually do their job on the field. So when in doubt as to which course you shall opt for after 12th to get a secured job with good remuneration, refer to this list and get a fair idea of some of the top-notch professional courses.
Author- This article has been authored by Anindita Nandy, who is a Psychologist, with expertise in career counselling of high school students.
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Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) - Professional Courses After 12th for Arts, Commerce, Science Students - Check Educational requirements,Colleges
Question: Which specializations are the best after MBBS?
Answer:
Some of the most preferred specializations after MBBS are General Medicine, General Surgery, Dermatology, Cardiology, etc.
Question: Which are the top government Mass Communication Colleges in India?
Answer:
Some of the best Mass Communication Colleges in India are LSR- DU and St Xavier’s- Mumbai.
Question: How long does the CMA course take to complete?
Answer:
It takes about 6 months-4years to complete the certification of Certified Management Accountant.
Question: What is the average starting salary of a CA?
Answer:
A ICAI certified CA earns anywhere between Rs. 7-10LPA in the beginning of their career.
Question: What are the best professional courses after 12th Commerce?
Answer:
The best possible professional courses after 10+2 commerce are CA, CMA, CS, Actuarial Sciences and Management.