After passing Class 12th, many students feel confused about what to do next. There are so many different career options after 12th that it’s easy to feel lost. Some students want to go for science careers, some want to explore commerce fields, and others may be interested in arts or creative jobs.
This article will help you understand the best courses and career choices after 12th. Whether you want to earn a high salary, get a government job, or follow your passion in new-age fields like design or digital marketing — we’ve listed all the options in one place.
Read on to explore the top career options after 12th in science, commerce, and arts streams. This guide also shares useful tips on how to choose the right path based on your interests.
Career Options after Class 12th
Monster India only intends to enlighten you with the wide range of options available after 12 via this article. We hope you will be able to figure out which career option suits you best by the end of this article.
Let us begin.
Courses after class 12th for Science Students
Science is the most common option anyone would suggest after 12th after all the most respectable professions in the society like Doctors and engineers come from this stream. Most of you by now must have already heard about various options in the science stream but let us go through systematically about after 12th graduation courses in science.
Course after 12th for science is divided according to your subjects in +2. The following table will provide a fair idea about all the courses after 12th science PCMB, which will enable you to choose from after 12th courses list a suitable career path.
Sr. No. |
Course |
Duration in years |
Eligibility |
1 | Bachelor in Technology/ Bachelor in Engineering (BE, B. Tech) |
4 |
12th Science PCM with a high score and eligible score in the entrance exam |
2 |
3 |
10+2 with the subjects PCB or PCM | |
3 | National Defense Services – Indian Navy or Indian Air Force Officer |
3-4 |
12th PCM plus entrance exam clearance (for unmarried Indian males) |
4 |
5 |
12th Science PCM with a high score and entrance exam score | |
5 | B.Sc. Nautical Science – 3 years BE (Marine Engineering, Harbour and Ocean Engineering, Naval Architecture, and Offshore Engineering) |
4 |
12th Science PCM with a high score and eligible score in the entrance exam |
6 |
Railway Apprentice Exam |
4 |
12th Science PCM with at least 60% marks |
7 |
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) |
5.5 |
10+2 with PCB with at least 50% marks and eligible score in the entrance exam |
8 |
4 |
10+2 with PCB with at least 50% marks and eligible score in the entrance exam | |
9 |
Bachelor of Homeopathy Medicine & Surgery (BHMS) |
5.5 |
10+2 PCB with at least 50% marks and eligible score in the entrance exam |
10 |
B. Pharmacy |
4 |
10+2 PCB with 50% or above marks |
11 |
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) |
4 |
10+2 PCB with at least 50% marks +English as a compulsory subject |
12 |
Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine Surgery (BAMS) |
5.5 |
10+2 PCB with at least 50% marks (40%for SC/ST) with English as a compulsory subject |
13 |
Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) |
5.5 |
10+2 PCB with at least 50% marks and eligible score in the entrance exam |
14 |
Bioinformatics |
3 |
10+2 PCB with minimum 50% marks and eligible score in the entrance exam |
15 |
Genetics |
3 |
10+2 with minimum 50% marks in PCB and eligible score in the entrance exam |
16 |
Microbiology |
3 |
10+2 with Science (minimum 55% marks) |
17 |
Forensic Sciences |
3 |
10+2 with Science (minimum 55% marks) |
18 |
Biotechnology |
3-4 |
Min. 55% marks in 12th in any three out of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths or Computer Science subjects |
19 |
Nursing |
4 |
10+2 with PCB as compulsory subjects |
Career options after class 12th for Science Stream
There are numerous career options after 12th science PCMB that will help you grow as a responsible member of society. The PCMB career options are not limited to Doctors and Engineers but include a host of other avenues are listed below. The list includes the most recognizable career paths, and students can always look for new avenues according to their interests.
Data Analyst |
Architecture Designer |
Interior Designer |
SSC-JE/AE/Station Master |
Air Force Pilot |
School Teacher | ||
Co-Pilot/Chief-Pilot |
Domain Expert |
Professor |
Researcher |
Industry Expert |
Design Consultants |
Advisors |
Managers |
Hospital Pharmacist |
Inventors |
Doctor |
Nurse |
General Dentist |
Ayurveda Consultation |
Geneticist |
Research Assistant |
Environment Journalists |
Public Health Specialist |
Civil Servant | |
Indian Forest officer |
Medical equipment designer |
Radiologist |
Medical Management trainee |
Courses after class 12th for Commerce Students
The Commerce field is one of the most widely neglected streams that provide high-paying jobs in various categories. The stream is generally preferred by people who want to move to business fields and would like to specialize in the financial sector.
Over the years, commerce has attracted young talent who want to take part in India’s economic growth story by learning the various nuances of the financial sectors. Students who want to become CA, CS, and get into MBA take an active interest in commerce after 12.
B.com or Bachelor is the widely recognized degree in the commerce field, and you will easily find a B. com commerce graduate among the generation of your parents. With changing times and market needs, commerce has diversified into a specialization that caters to the industry’s specific need with job guarantee after graduation. If you are looking for the best career options after 12th in the commerce field, this article will help you decide what is best for you.
The details of various notable after 12th courses in commerce are tabulated below to give you a gist of the different options available before you as career paths.
S. No. |
Courses |
Duration in years |
Eligibility |
Fees |
1 |
B. Com (General) |
3 |
10+2 from a recognized educational board with commerce subjects |
INR 10,000 – 1 lac |
2 |
B. Com (Hons.) |
3 |
Passed 10+2 with 45% marks (aggregate) |
INR 10,000 – 7 lac |
3 |
Bachelor in Business Studies |
3 |
60% marks in aggregate in class 12th |
INR 60,000 – 1 lac |
4 |
3 |
Must have scored 50% and above in 10+2 from a recognized board |
INR 1 lac < | |
5 |
Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Legislative Law (B. Com LLB) |
5 |
10+2 from a recognized educational board with commerce subjects |
INR 2 lac – 12 lac |
6 |
Bachelor of Management Studies |
3 |
10+2 from a recognized educational board with commerce subjects |
INR 30,000 – 6 lac |
7 |
Company Secretary |
3-5 |
Passed Class 12 in any discipline (except Fine Arts) from a recognized university or equivalent. |
Around INR 60,000 |
8 |
Chartered Accountancy |
5 |
Class 12th with at least 50% marks (aggregate) |
55,500 |
9 |
Certified Financial Planner |
10+2 from a recognized educational board with commerce subjects |
Career options after class 12th for Commerce Stream
It is very natural to think of what career options one can choose from before selecting a particular stream. The career options after 12th in the commerce field have various shades according to your taste and talent. The jobs can vary from simple accounting and sales jobs to more complicated management positions.
Commerce offers some of the very best courses after 12th that can land you high paying jobs with a respectable position in society. One of the advantages of doing commerce is that it opens up a graduate to a host of decent-paying jobs right after graduation. A student can easily find a job right after graduation to gain experience and keep doing certification courses or post-graduation while working.
Various banking vacancies in the government and Private sector are readily available to students from the commerce field. A commerce graduate is a healthy place to get into top financial institutes Indian Economy to advance its career.
The following table gives you a brief idea about the career option a student has as a commerce graduate. Although the list is exhaustive, the opportunities are not limited to them.
Accountant |
Chartered Accountant |
Financial Manager |
Business Manager |
Sales Manager |
Retail Banker | ||
Cost and Work Accountancy (CWA) |
Insurance & Banking service |
Business Accounting and Taxation |
Fund Managers |
Market Analysts |
Legal Advisor |
Public Prosecutor | |
Legal Manager |
Attorney |
Legal Service Chief |
Law reporter |
Law writer |
Legal Aid |
Domain expert |
Risk manager |
Solicitor |
Teacher or lecturer |
Social Worker |
Legal Commentator |
Document drafting lawyer |
Public Prosecutor |
Judge |
Administration |
Enterprise management |
HR management |
Sales and marketing |
Business Consultancies |
Financial management |
Business Development Manager |
Professor/Teacher |
Business Consultants |
Businesses lawyer |
Company Secretary |
Company Registrar |
Corporate Planner |
Administrative Assistant |
Investor Capital Market Relations |
Member of Board of Directors | |
Corporate Policymaker |
Chief Financial Officer |
Business Services Accountant | |
Cost Accountants |
Accounts Clerk |
Courses after class 12th for Art Students
Humanities or Arts is the most popular career option after 12th. The courses that fall under this stream are readily available in all nooks and corners of the country. Numerous colleges offer courses in arts that are controlled by both private and public entities. All the major professional courses have some subjects from the humanities department to look after the overall development of a professional.
BA and BFA are the most common courses that are enrolled by ranks of students in the country. The stream is preferred by many students who are looking to appear for civil services. The general courses in art stream have a lower difficulty level than other streams, hence students who want to pursue graduation and continue with their other business ventures can prefer some introductory courses in humanities.
Students who want to pursue fine arts, performing arts can also find suitable courses to pursue their careers with a professional degree.BA offers various subjects from pure philosophy to the hybrid course on philosophy, language, culture, etc. The fields add new courses every year, which get updated on the websites of respective universities.
Some universities in India and Abroad also offer some arts subjects clubbed with science and commerce, like free-wheeling courses. The following table will detail the various course, duration, and other related details regarding courses in Arts Stream.
S. No. |
Course |
Duration in years |
Eligibility |
Fees |
1 |
3 |
10+2 from a recognized educational board or pre-university colleges from a recognized board |
INR 10,000 – 30,000 | |
2 |
Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Legislative Law (BA_LLB) |
5 |
Passed 12th or equivalent exam from a recognized board with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks. The criteria may change according to universities |
INR 5,000-10 lac |
3 |
Bachelor of hotel management (BHM) |
3 |
10 + 2 from a recognized educational board |
INR 1 Lac to 5 Lac |
4 |
3 |
10+2 from a recognized board with the required percentage in required subjects. |
INR 25,000 – 6 lac | |
5 |
Bachelor of Journalism & Mass Communication (BJMC) |
3 |
10+2 from a recognized educational board with minimum 50-60% marks + minimum 17 years in age |
INR 50,000 – 6 lac |
6 |
Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) |
4 |
10+2 from a recognized board |
INR 20,000 – 1.5 lac |
7 |
3 |
10+2 Arts from a recognized educational board with minimum of 50-60% marks |
5,000 – 2 lac | |
8 |
Fashion Designing |
3-4 |
10+2 from a recognized educational board |
INR 1 lac – 8 lac |
9 |
Bachelors of Social Work (BSW) |
3 |
10+2 from a recognized educational board |
INR 7,000 – 1 lac |
10 |
Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA) |
3-4 |
10+2 from a recognized educational board and elementary knowledge of the art form |
INR 5,000 – 1 lac |
11 |
Bachelor of Design (B. Design or B Des ) |
4 |
Class 12th or equivalent qualifying examination with 19 as the minimum age |
INR 50,000 – 5 lac |
12 |
Bachelor of Travel and Tourism Management (BTTM) |
4 |
10+2 from a recognized educational board |
INR 10,000 – 2.5 lac |
13 |
Bachelor of Event Management (BEM) |
3 |
10 + 2 with a minimum of 50 percent marks with Commerce / Mathematics as primary subjects. |
INR 4 lac – 5 lac |
Career options after class 12th for Art Stream
There are numerous career options for an art graduate to pursue, unlike a science graduate. Students can start their venture if they have the required skill set acquired during their graduation, like the graduates of fine arts, etc. Many prefer to join the existing family set up with the primary graduation degree.
We provide an exhaustive list of career options after 12th, that an art graduate can presume after completing the course.
Fashion Designer |
Graphic Designer |
UI/UX Designer |
Textile Designer |
Industrial Designer |
Art Director |
Public Relations Executives | |
Promotion Managers |
Brand Development Managers |
Design Managers | |
Corporate event manager |
Conference manager |
Event marketing manager |
Wedding planner |
Resort general manager |
Schoolteacher |
Researchers | |
College and university teacher |
Blogger |
Archaeologist |
Artwork restorer |
Business manager |
Tour operator |
Hotel manager |
Museum manager |
Academic Writing and Editing |
Air Hostess/ Flight Attendant |
Political Consultant |
Author/ Writer |
Historian |
Psychologist |
Counsellor |
Social Worker |
Foreign Language Expert |
Risk Assessment Manager |
Marketing Manager |
Executive Assistant |
Lawyer |
Constitutional expert |
Legal Advisor |
Corporate Lawyer |
Customer Service Representative (CSR) |
Subject expert |
Freelancer |
Government Services |
Software Tester |
System Administration |
Junior Programmer |
Web Developer |
System Analyst |
System Engineer |
Software Developer |
Database Administrator |
Business Analyst |
Copy Editor |
Television Correspondent |
Photojournalist |
News Critic |
Cartoonist |
Art Director |
Animator |
Diploma Courses after 12th
Many students prefer doing diploma courses and start their journey as a specialty while earning significant work experience to graduate school. Many students prefer these cost-effective and time-saving options as they want to earn quickly or prefer such short courses while having a break.
Some diploma courses provide technical knowledge in the field of engineering. A detailed list of such courses is given below.
- Diploma in Fashion Designing – 1 year
- Diploma in Computer Application – 1 year
- Diploma in yoga – 1 year
- Diploma in Banking – 1 year
- Diploma in Financial Accounting – 1 year
- Diploma in Industrial Safety – 1 year
- Diploma in Business Management – 1 year
- Diploma in Hotel Management – 1 year
- Diploma in Physical Education – 1 year
- Diploma acting and anchoring – 3-6 months
Conclusion: Choose What Feels Right for You
Choosing a career after 12th is a big step, but don’t let the pressure get to you. The best course or stream is the one that matches your interests, strengths, and long-term goals. Whether you want to become an engineer, designer, lawyer, coder, teacher, or entrepreneur — there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
Explore your options, learn about different fields, and don’t be afraid to ask for help or change your path later if needed. The world is full of possibilities — you just have to find the one that’s right for you.
FAQs on Career Options After 12th
Q1. Which stream is best after 12th for a high salary job?
It depends on your interest and skills, but popular high-paying fields include engineering, medicine, law, data science, finance, and design.
Q2. Can I get a government job after 12th?
Yes, you can apply for government exams like SSC CHSL, NDA, Indian Railways, Police Constable exams, and state-level recruitment tests after 12th.
Q3. What are the career options after 12th for students who don’t want to go for traditional courses?
You can explore creative and new-age options like graphic design, animation, digital marketing, game development, YouTube content creation, or entrepreneurship.
Q4. What are the best professional courses after 12th commerce?
Courses like CA, CS, CMA, B.Com, BBA, BMS, and Financial Planning are excellent choices with good career scope.
Q5. Are there diploma or short-term courses after 12th?
Yes, students can take diploma courses in fields like hotel management, photography, computer applications, interior design, and travel and tourism.
Q6. How do I choose the right course after 12th?
Think about your interests, skills, career goals, and job demand. Talk to teachers, mentors, or career counselors for guidance.
Q7. Can arts students apply for law, design, or journalism courses?
Yes! Arts students can pursue law (BA LLB), fashion design, journalism, psychology, fine arts, and more — there are many career paths in humanities.
Q8. Which stream offers the most flexibility in career options after 12th?
The science stream offers the most flexibility, allowing you to switch to commerce or arts-based careers, while other streams are more limited in switching.