»What to do after 10th

The ability to realize and evaluate your true potential, correct decision and long term planning are the three steps to a successful career.

» Self Evolution
» Careful Planning
» Long Term Planning
» Question Arises
» Selecting The Final Path

(1) Self evaluation : Analyze your abilities and potential
Are you doing justice to your potential or you are rating your potential high without having the requisite ability? An honest assessment of yourself will provide you the answers. If you have potential and ability then the direction needs to be worked out.

The basic idea of a career option springs from your like or dislike of a particular subject, your aptitude, proficiency and fundamental knowledge, etc. In order to embark on a successful career, you need to have clarity of thought, ability to convince others of the worthiness of your choice, and belief in your own ability from an early stage and if you have crossed that early stage than probably performance at that stage would give you a broad division of choices. For e.g.: if you are able to just pass in your 12th class with science subjects and are eyeing for a career in engineering or medical because of the charm associated with it at the stage than probably you are in the wrong shoes. Its better you may pursue your graduation from humanities. Else if you are hell-bent for a professional league then you can opt for the NDA or other such exams. The options are various, for all the backgrounds.

(2) Careful planning and following it up with proper execution :
This is what it takes to achieve the desired goal. Here the role of the parents as well as the teachers assumes importance. They must not only share a healthy relationship with the child but also be free of the prejudices related to the various careers. Instead, they must play a guiding role and encourage the child to take up the area of his/her interest.

A career is the totality of your life's work, including family, learning and leisure. You should choose a job, which is compatible with your interest and capabilities, provides comfortable living and hold a good future prospect.

The Career Plan is a document for students to record their development throughout their life in the areas of self-knowledge, job exploration, your expectations from your job and life goals. Your selection of a career must reflect what you consider to be important and worth doing. If you do not value the work you do, no other incentive can compensate for your lost sense of importance. Simply put, your chosen career needs to fit your personality just as your shoes fit your feet. But, how can you determine the type of work that will best suit you? First, look at what you have done in the past that you cherish and enjoy. Then, think about what you might like to do in the future and what activities would be important to you.

The Essentials of Career Planning : The essential elements of career planning are
(1) Knowledge about ones own self
(2) Career Exploration
(3) Future Goals
(4) Decision Making
(5) Skills /Application

(3) Long Term Planning :
Careful planning after "X" Std. or after senior secondary and graduation and following it up with a workable plan is needed for a successful career. After passing out at different levels you have two options -
(1) Pursuing your study
(2) Choosing a career oriented course

If you are choosing the first option then decide according to your abilities. Do not get swayed by the mass hysteria regarding the traditional Career choices. It is better to opt for a commerce stream and secure distinction rather than opt for science (due to parental or peer pressure) stream and fail or secure poor marks.

If you are willing to chose the second option then:

You should take into consideration the following.
1. Your interest and abilities
2. The perks or the monetary benefits
3. The working environment
4. The future prospects, i.e. where the Job will lead you to five or ten years down the line.

In its broadest sense, career refers to an individual's work and life roles over their life span.

In the Indian social context, with a burgeoning population, the idea of pursuits has caught up only recently. What used to be a set of achievements emanating from a traditional career has now shifted to a wide plethora of choices ranging from the traditional ones to the newer ones to the unconventional ones breaking the socio-cultural taboos.

Now, the question arises : Where you begin form and how?
Well, the best thing for you is to judge yourself. Decide which is your strongest subject or combination of subjects; pick the ones that appeal to you and you have had consistent high marks in them. The next step would be to consult the subject teacher who may be able to guide you in this matter. Next, you could look around in your social circle. You can ask them to judge you in specific subjects as to whether you are brilliant, average or dull. Their verdict need not dishearten you. Remember that verdict is a result of their personal bias. These days there is number dearth of information about careers

If you are interested in making a career in sports but you have your limitations as an athlete you can still be close to your chosen area of interest by becoming a sports journalist or a physiotherapist or a psychologist.

These days a plethora of information being available about the various academic disciplines; what course is available and where; the common admission tests conducted countrywide (for the purposes of admissions or recruitment or both), the paraphernalia of rules & regulations, eligibility conditions etc. results of the aforesaid examinations, Scholarships/fellowships and grants available to the bright students for pursuing higher studies and research, within the country or abroad. Then there are numerous career related magazines, scientific and medical journals that disseminate wealth of information to career aspirants, attempting to put them on the right track. A sizeable number of television channels transmit programmed related to career choices, counseling and guidance.

Selecting The Final Path :
Secondary Education (10th)

If you haven't arrived to a conclusion yet than probably this section would solve your riddle and rid you of all confusion. To find one indecisive as to what to do where to go especially at three junctions i.e. after passing out 10th/12th and the bachelor's degree is not a unique problem. Couples of reasons are responsible for this that leads to an array of confusions.

You need to precede step wise to arrive at a conclusion. Concluding what is best for you as per your aptitude, abilities and ambition.

The most important thing that keeps us moving is ambition. But it takes a lot to fulfill our ambition and realize our dream.

Secondary Education (10th)
Up till this stage of your school life you never faced the problem of selection. Selecting one thing over the other. Ideally speaking this is the stage that sets the Course of your future.

You need to make one out of seven choices at your disposal at this stage.

Your choices are
1. Science stream with Math's
2. Science stream with Biology
3. Commerce stream
4. Opting for professional course

Options one to four should be decided on the basis of your ability and aptitude. If you don't have the aptitude for problem solving you should avoid Science with Maths and the idea of becoming an engineer. Reason being if you did not enjoy solving maths and physics numerical in class 9th and 10th than it would be difficult for you to develop a liking for the same in your 11th and 12th. But than if you have a firm determination to be an engineer than no hurdles can stop your way.

Take in to account the following :
First and foremost you need to have a good and just assessment of the exam. You should have a fair idea of the standard of the exam. You should go through the syllabus and the previous years question papers thoroughly.

Secondly you need to make a through assessment of yourself, your strength and weakness as well as your capacity. You should give a couple of days in planning for the exam taking into account the syllabus of IIT-JEE and that of your class work. Thereafter you should take thoroughly in to account all the other related aspects of the exam viz. the kind of assistance available to you for the preparation i.e. to say whether you would be preparing on your own or you intend to join any coaching institute and if later is the case then which coaching institute you are about to join etc.

The same applies for option two and three with respect to medical and CPT/CA/CS as a future course of action. Opting commerce stream becomes all the more meaningful if you dream of becoming an entrepreneur. The crux of the matter is first you should judge your abilities and aptitude and then weigh the feasibility of realizing your dream. But then even if you lack any of the requisites but have the firm determination and the iron will nothing is going to stop you.