I have done Bsc and Msc in biology.I'm thinking to pursue certified financial planner course.Will it be right decision for job and career?

Dear Apoorva,

Upfront, sorry for being so late in replying to your query. There is definitley scope for a good job and a rewarding career. Whether it will be the 'right' decision or not will depend on your acumen for the finance sector and the hours of hard work that you will have to put in to get the requisite qualification.

Your science background is not a disadvantage as it must have honed your analytical skills, which is very much need in the finance sector as well. Meanwhile, have you done your homework as to what CFP course is all about? If not, here's a brief overview.

The role of a financial planner is to advise people how to grow their money as the market is flooded with a slew of financial prodcts from loans to stocks to government schemes. Choosing the best product can be quite taxing for those who are not familiar with the financial market.

It's here that financial planners comes in. They go by various names from Relationship Manager to Wealth Manager, Personal Portfolio Manager to Investment Advisor. Whatever be the title, trustworthiness is the name of the game as the clients could be trusting you with their life's earnings.

The Certified Financial Planner certification is offered by Financial Planning Standards Board India (FPSBI). To get the  certification, you must pass four exams based on various aspects of personal finance, conducted by the National Stock Exchange.

The modules of these four exams are:

1. Introduction to Financial Planning. 2. Risk Analysis and Insurance Planning. 3. Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits. 4. Investment Planning. 5. Tax Planning and Estate Planning and 6. Advance Financial Planning.

To register, you can copy-paste the following url and get the details:

http://www.fpsbindia.org/Scripts/StuEnquiryForm.aspx

You can either select self-study mode or get the help of education providers approved by FPSBI.

Copy-paste the following url for details of education providers.

http://www.fpsbindia.org/Scripts/EPList.aspx

The program is not recognised by any state or central bodies in India. However, it is widely accepted in the financial sector.

India has hardly 2000 CFP certificants compared to more than 60,000 in the US. As the Indian economy is predicted to become one of the three largest economies in the world in 10 to 15 years and as the band of would-be-investors swell, there will always be demand for CFP certificants. Otherwise, the US is a good option. So, if the field of financial services lures you, don't hesitate to take the plunge. Best of luck!