Best Career Options After 12th Science [Guidance 2023]

A common question that arises in every young mind after their 12th examination board is “what to do after boards?” The question becomes even more tricky considering that by the end of school education, students already choose a major stream of education and must accordingly go for relevant college courses. 

If you are a student who has completed their class 12th education in the science stream, you have landed on the perfect spot that will provide you detailed facts and information about the top courses and career directions to choose after you complete your schooling from the science stream. 

So continue reading to find out the top sought career options for science students along with details about the various job options, courses and other pertinent details for making the right and informed choice about your future education after class 12th boards. 

What is Science Stream?

Before we progress to the specific fields one can explore if they have education in the science stream, it is important to know what is science. 

It is well-known that in India, the science stream is one of the most popular choices of higher education among students. It is often preferred by students who aspire to pursue professional medical or non-medical fields. 

Science as a stream is a combination of subjects that teaches you the scientific study of related streams such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, and Mathematics. These subjects encompass the elements of scientific theories and practical concepts with an analytic approach. 

Why Choose the Science Stream? 

Although the popularity of the science stream in students after class 10th has been consistently high, students may often wonder what after all made this popularity soar throughout decades consistently? In other words, why should one choose the science stream for higher education? 

Subjects and concepts included in the study of the science stream provide stimulation and a space to students with a curious and analytical acumen. Moreover, there are a number of other advantages of going for higher studies in the science stream that have been enlisted below:

• Science stream consists of subjects like biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics etc. which are interesting and engaging for learners with a curious, critical and analytical bent of mind. 
• The career domains in the science stream are well-developed and highly acclaimed in India, including those like medicine and surgery, engineering, research and development etc. This vast and well-developed domain of available career options for students from a science background is one of the reasons for its popularity. 
• The available career domains and jobs for students from the science background are highly paid and prosperous in scope for career development. 
• Moreover, students who go for studies in the science stream can easily switch their careers to domains pertaining to commerce and humanities, a facility which is missing for students from commerce and humanities backgrounds. 

Thus, it can be seen that there are quite a number of advantages which make the science stream appealing for students. 

What are the Qualities a Science Student Should Have?

As you know, science stream has lucrative career options such as medical, IT, engineering, pharmacy, research, data-science and many more. Career options for science students are vast in range. However, to thrive in education and a career in the science stream, students must have certain key skills and abilities, a few of which have been mentioned below: 

• Having a Technical Bent of Mind
• Creativity and Innovation
• Experimental and Open-minded Attitude
• Application and Analytical Aptitude 
• Critical Thinking Ability
• Research and Data Analysis Abilities
• Adaptability 

Now, let us see what are the career options available for science students in their respective science streams in detail of the plethora of the field.

Subjects included in Science Stream

Pursuing the science stream entails the study of subjects such as: 

• Biology 
• Chemistry 
• Physics 
• Mathematics 

Some of the other popular subjects related to these broader disciplines include those like geography, geology, environmental studies, computer studies, statistics, psychology, botany, zoology etc.  You might be familiar with these subjects in the science field. Let us now explore the career options available in the science stream.

Career Options After 12th in PCB Stream (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)

In the broad domain of what is called the “science stream”, there are two main subdomains, commonly called PCB (physics, chemistry, biology) and PCM (physics, chemistry, mathematics). If a student is highly interested in Biology and in the field of medicine, then they have vast career options available in the medical field to discover. To make their career in the medical field the student needs to study Physics, Chemistry, Biology (PCB) at the 10+1 and 10+2 levels. The study of PCB subjects helps a student develop careers in both the medical field and non-medical fields related to other niches of life sciences. 

Career Options in Medical Field with NEET Entrance Exam

1) MBBS- Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery: MBBS is one of the highest-paying and most popular courses in India and abroad. It is preferred by a large number of science students after the completion of the 12th board. Students who aspire to become doctors or surgeons can pursue this course and develop their careers after class 12th.

• Duration: 5 Years - 9 Years
• Fees: INR 3 lakhs – INR 20 lakhs
• Entrance: National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)

2) BHMS- Bachelor’s of Homoeopathic Medicine & Surgery: The study of Homoeopathic Medicine is related to the cure of the human ailments with the homoeopathic medical system which involves diluted potions of medicines in pill or liquid form. Homoeopathic treatment and consequently BHMS is one of the popular career directions students interested in medical studies take up after class 12th

• Duration: 5.5 Years – 6 Years
• Fees: INR 1.5 lakhs - INR 10 lakhsEntrance Exam: NEET, CET, BVP, CET,  KEAM, PUCET, IPU CET 

3) BDS- Bachelor of Dental Sciences: Students who are keen on studying orthology or prosthodontics can pursue this course in the science stream. This course teaches the study of dental organs, to become a dentist or dental surgeon. It is a compulsory course for medical aspirants to practise as dentists in India. 

• Duration: 5 Years (4 Years + 1 Year Internship Period)
• Fees: INR 5 lakhs – INR 30 lakhs
• Entrance: NEET 

4) B.Pharm- Bachelor’s of Pharmacy: Students who are keen on making their career in the pharmaceutical field or aspire to establish their own pharmacies can pursue the course to study the process of creation and the science of chemicals and medical salts.

• Duration: 4 Years – 5 years
• Fees: INR 1 lakh – INR 15 lakhs
• Entrance: NEET, BITSAT, TS EAMCET, BVP CET, AP EAMCET, IPU CET, WBJEE, MHT CET 

Career Options in Medical Field without NEET Entrance Exam

1) BSc Nursing : The profession of nursing is to tend to and take care of patients. The course is designed to provide the learner with the basic knowledge and skills of assisting medical professionals like doctors and surgeons with medical procedures in the ICU, ER, CCU, OT etc. in addition to taking care of patients. 

• Duration: 4 Years – 5 Years
• Fees: INR 20,000 – INR 2 lakhs

2) BMLT- Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Technology: This course teaches the student to work at the backend to make medicines or medical instruments in hospitals, medical centres, or laboratories. This course is ideal for those aspirants interested in learning about the basic and complex medical laboratory procedures. The course is of a duration of 3 years and can be taken up from a private or government college. 

• Duration: 3 – 4 years
• Fees: INR 50 thousand – 5 lakhs
• Entrance: AFMC, PMT, KEAM, SAAT, GUJCET, OJEE Medical, NEET (Not Compulsory). 

3) Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT): This is a 5 year undergraduate course in the field of physiotherapeutic sciences. BPT is a course ideal for candidates who wish to learn about rehabilitative medicine and use of various techniques like exercise, heat, pressure etc to heal the body naturally. 

• Duration: 4.5 Years to 5 Years 
• Fees: INR 50,000 to INR 3,00,000
• Entrance: IPU CET, NEET, IEMJEE etc. 

C. Non-Medical Fields in PCB Stream 

In addition to seeking a career in the medical field, there are a number of other options after studying PCB in class 11th and 12th. These options are not related to the medical field but general domains related to life sciences ranging from biotechnology, botany, zoology etc. to agricultural studies and forensic sciences. 

These courses are commonly available as a 3-year undergraduate course–Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) within the chosen specialisation. Listed below are a few of the most prominent specialisations available in a B.Sc degree that can be pursued by PCB students:

B. Sc Agriculture	B. Sc Anthropology	B. Sc Biochemistry
B. Sc Biostatistics	B. Sc Botany	B. Sc Biology
B. Sc Anatomy	B. Sc in Food Technology	B. Sc in Food Science
B. Sc Biotechnology	B.Sc Zoology	B. Sc in Forensics
B. Sc Genetics	B. Sc Geology	B. Sc Life Sciences
B. Sc Neuroscience	B. Sc Nursing	B. Sc Physiotherapy
B. Sc Psychology	B. Sc Nutrition and Dietetics	B. Sc Physical Education

Career Options After 12th PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Maths)

The second popular domain of the science stream in higher secondary level is the subject combination of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. The domain of PCM is concerned with the study of natural sciences and mechanical sciences and is needed for studies in domains related to engineering, software designing, IT, chemistry, mathematics, physical sciences etc. The most popular career directions one can explore after studying PCM in classes 11th and 12th have been listed here. 

Career Options in Engineering after Class 12th PCM

Engineering is by far the most common career domain chosen by students after class 12th boards in the science stream (PCM). With a number of available specialisation domains which are not only highly acclaimed and regarded but also highly compensated, engineering remains one of the most popular career choices among fresh school graduates. The field of engineering entails the study of mechanics, operations, physical and scientific foundations of working of machines and other devices. 

Engineering in India can be pursued in the form of a four year degree of Bachelor of Engineering (B.E) or a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech). These degrees at the UG level allow students to choose between highly demanded specialisations and develop their knowledge and skills in accordance with latest industry trends.

• Duration: 4 years
• Fees: INR 1 Lakh to INR 20 Lakhs
• Entrance Examination: JEE (Mains and Advanced), BITSAT, WBJEE, VITEE etc.  

The top course specialisations available in the B.Tech or B.E. courses have been enlisted here. 

• Civil Engineering: Civil Engineering is a specialisation concerned with the creation, design, construction, planning, maintenance etc. of buildings, roads and other macro structures and their infrastructural aspects. 
• Electrical Engineering: Focused on learning about the electrical circuits, systems, energy and power systems, electrical engineering is one of the popular specialisations in the domain of engineering.  
• Mechanical and Automobile Engineering: Mechanical and automobile engineering is related to the study of machinery, their creation, construction, operations, scientific basis of functioning etc. The stream of mechanical engineering encompasses the study of applying physics and mathematical principles for functioning of machinery and automobiles. 
• Computer Science Engineering: Computer Science Engineering, popularly known as CSE or CS, includes the study of computer softwares, their creation, designing and applications. CSE is currently among the most demanded and well-compensated specialisations in engineering, and provides appealing job opportunities in both the public and private sectors. 
• Electronics and Communications Engineering: Popularly known as ECE, electronics and communications engineering is concerned with the study of communication systems, electronic systems, power circuits, power systems, electronic devices etc. with respect to their design, creation, maintenance and functioning. ECE is also a well-paid specialisation area in engineering with a good scope of career development.  

Some of the other common specialisations available to pursue in the field of engineering include:

B.Tech in Information Technology (IT)	B.Tech in Mining Engineering	B.Tech in Biotechnology Engineering
B.Tech in Nuclear Engineering	B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering	B.Tech in Marine Engineering
B.Tech in Chemical Engineering	B.Tech in Robotics Engineering	B.Tech in Instrumentation and Control Engineering
B.Tech in Materials Engineering	B.Tech in Environmental Engineering	B.Tech in Petroleum Engineering
B.Tech in Transportation Engineering	B.Tech in Textile Engineering	B.Tech in Construction Engineering

Some of the top colleges and institutes in India in both the private and public sector for engineering education have been enlisted below: 

Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)	Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs)
Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT)	BITS Pilani
SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMISC)	Lingaya’s Vidyapeeth
Sri Venkateswara University (SVU)	Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (IISB)
Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata	Vellore Institute of Technology
College of Engineering Pune	Amity University Noida
Delhi Technological University (DTU)	Lovely Professional University
Sikkim Manipal University	Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar

Non-Engineering Career Options after Class 12th PCM

Although engineering is one of the most widely preferred career trajectories after studying PCM in class 12th, the education options after PCM are not limited to engineering or related domains. In fact, in addition to engineering, there are a number of appealing career and educational options in research and development, data sciences, computer sciences etc. after class 12th boards. Some of them have been elaborated upon below. 

1) Data Science: This is a much-demanded professional domain within and beyond India in the field of science and data management. The data scientist job profile is essentially that of an analytical expert who adapts, learns, and performs the collection, processing, analysis and interpretation of large amounts of data. Students interested in this course can take up a B.Sc in Data Science, B.Tech in Data Science, BCA in Data Science or even a BBA in Data Science. 

• Duration of Course: 3 Years to 5 Years 
• Fee: INR 1 Lakh to INR 10 Lakh 
• Entrance: JEE Main, JEE Advanced, BITS-HD, GATE etc. 

2) Architecture: Students interested in the study of architecture are required to have studied physics and mathematics and hence those having studied PCM in class 12th can take up the course of Bachelor of Architecture or B.Arch, which is a five year undergraduate program specialising in foundational concepts and principles of architecture. 

• Duration of Course: 5 Years
• Fee: INR 3 Lakhs to INR 10 Lakhs
• Entrance: JEE Mains, NATA (National Aptitude Test in Architecture)

3) Bachelor of Computer Applications: This is an undergraduate course of 3 years curated specially for enthusiasts of computer science, computer studies and information technology, especially those students aspiring for a career in CS and software without having qualified for admission in B.Tech. This course is available in a number of specialisation areas depending upon the interest and aptitude of the student. 

• Duration of Course: 3 Years 
• Fee: INR 50,000 to INR 3 Lakhs 
• Entrance: Based on General Eligibility

The popularly chosen specialisations in the BCA course include: 

BCA in Data Analytics	BCA in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI and ML)	BCA in Big Data Analytics
BCA in Cloud Computing	BCA in Cybersecurity	BCA in Computer Science and IT
BCA in Database Management System	BCA in Multimedia and Animation	BCA in Graphic Designing
BCA in Blockchain Development	BCA in Data Science	BCA in Game Development

4) Bachelor of Science or B.Sc: The Bachelor of Science or B.Sc is a 3-years degree course at the undergraduate level which can be taken up by PCM graduates of class 12th in a number of specialisations including those like physics, chemistry, technology, IT, forensic sciences, aviation, mathematics etc. 

• Duration of Course: 3 Years
• Fee: INR 20,000 to INR 5 Lakhs
• Entrance: CUET-UG, Based on Minimum Eligibility Criteria 

The common specialisations in B.Sc that students from the PCM background can take up include: 

B.Sc in Mathematics	B.Sc in Physics	B.Sc in Chemistry
B.Sc in Hospitality and Tourism Studies	B.Sc in Sport Science	B.Sc in Computer Application Information
B.Sc in Multimedia Animation Graphics	B.Sc in Aviation	BSc in Statistics
BSc in Renewable Energy	BSc in Geology	BSc in Astrophysics

 Career Options in Management After 12th Science 

As already stated earlier, students who study science, irrespective of the specific stream (PCM or PCB), can take up courses in management and business administration, which is a field open to students from all fields and streams. 

If a student from the science stream is interested in developing a career in business or management, then the most apt course they can pursue is a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). A BBA is a 3-year undergraduate degree course which covers the foundations of business management, administration and development as well as provides students to specialise in a number of specific domains.

• Course Duration: 3 Years 
• Fees: INR 30,000 to INR 3 Lakhs 
• Entrance: CUET, Institutional Entrances, Minimum Eligibility 

The major specialisations in BBA that science students can go for include: 

BBA in Marketing Management	BBA in Human Resource Management	BBA in Finance Management
BBA in Operations Management	BBA in International Business Management	BBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
BBA in Digital Marketing Management	BBA in Data Science	BBA in Business Analytics
BBA in Banking and Finance Management	BBA in Project Management	BBA in IT & Systems Management
BBA in Aviation Management	BBA in Travel and Tourism Management	BBA in Strategy and Leadership Management

A BBA can be pursued in the form of a full-time offline degree or a full-time online degree. Commonly, although higher education is envisioned as including physical classroom lectures, regular visits to the college and campus, an online degree course simulates the learning experience of a physical degree course in addition to providing students with sufficient flexibility to pursue other interests like internships, jobs etc. alongside the degree. 

An online BBA is equivalent to a regular BBA when completed from a college/university approved for online education by the UGC-DEB. It can be pursued from top-accredited online colleges and institutes at a much more affordable fee range, with the benefit of placements in top-notch institutes. So, in addition to pursuing an offline regular BBA, students can also go for an online regular BBA.

Career Options in Humanities & Allied Fields After 12th Science  

Students interested in career switching or those wanting to pursue a subject in the purview of humanities, arts or related fields can do so easily even if they belong to a science background. This means that students studying science in class 12th have a myriad of options for higher education available to them. 

Among the popular courses related to humanities that they can take up, a few are mentioned here:

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A)
• Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC)
• Bachelor of Arts in Photography

These courses have a duration of 3 years and are degree programs at the undergraduate levels. Both private and public institutions offer these courses as these are some of the most popular choices for higher education among students of humanities and other streams. The common specialisations that students can select from include those like:

History	Political Science	Psychology
Social Sciences	Anthropology	Philosophy
Journalism and Mass Communication	Fashion and Designing	Hospitality Management
Photography	Culinary Arts	Labour Studies
Linguistics	Public Health	International Relations
Health Administration	Education	Public Administration

The Future of Higher Education After Class 12th Science

With so many available options in career selection that have been listed herein, a common question that may arise is how to pick the right trajectory, especially when you are confused between more than one option? 

An effective solution that has been introduced in place by the UGC is the provision to pursue dual degrees at the UG and PG levels. So if you are a student who has just completed their class 12th education in the science stream, you have the chance of going for dual degrees, i.e. two degree courses– provided both are at the undergraduate levels. 

So you can choose two Bachelor’s degree courses in science (or other) subjects of your choice to pursue after completing class 12th education. Especially helpful is the recent uprise in full-time online degrees that carry equivalent weightage and value as offline regular degrees. 

So with an online degree, you can conveniently pursue a full-time regular degree alongside a full-time online degree, investing your time and efforts meaningfully in two degree courses at the same time, gaining a broader repertoire of knowledge, skills and expertise. 

Conclusion

As we have discussed above, the science stream has a myriad of options for further studies and professional development after completing class 12th education. Science is a vast area to build several career trajectories and career opportunities after class 12th boards. Students can also go for higher studies in science streams at the Masters, Ph.D., or professional levels as per their interests. Hope this blog has cleared all your doubts related to what career options you can explore after 12th boards in the science stream.