Plethora of options after Class 10

The juncture after finishing Class 10 is quite crucial as choosing the next course will to a certain extent decide one’s future. While opting to study an intermediary course i.e., 10 + 2 course in either Science, Commerce or Arts stream remains the most popular option, there are other courses one can pursue after Class 10. Such courses are ideal for those students who wish to start working soon due to financial constraints or otherwise. It is also possible for these students to do their intermediary course through correspondence at a later point of time. Some of the courses to consider after Class 10 are:

Polytechnic diploma: A student can pursue a diploma course in various technical fields ranging from engineering specialisations such as Mechanical engineering, Civil engineering to other branches such as Agriculture, Architecture, Mining technology etc. Polytechnic courses are generally for three years, upon completion of which a candidate can either take up a job or apply for under graduation in the same field.

To apply to polytechnic colleges in Karnataka, log on to dtetech.karnataka.gov.in/kartechnical

ITI course: Industrial Training Institutes provide vocational training to students in technical fields such as plumbing, pump operation, electrician engineering etc., as well as non-technical fields such as hair and skin care, food production, secretarial practice, stenography etc. ITI courses are for a duration of one to two years. Students after completion of the course can either take up a job or set up their own workshops.

Paramedical course: The healthcare sector offers a lot of job opportunities. Paramedics are health professionals who assist doctors and other specialists in the treatment of patients. By pursuing a paramedical course, one can work as a technician or a medical assistant. Some of the courses in the field are: Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology, Diploma in Ophthalmic Technology, Diploma in Audiometry, Diploma in Health Inspector, Diploma in Physiotherapy etc. These courses are for two to three years.

One can also pursue certificate courses such as X-Ray technician course, ECG and CT scan technician course, lab assistant course, nursing care assistant course etc. These courses are for six months to two years. One can also do certificate courses in naturopathy and yoga.

Short-term courses: There are many short-term courses ranging from a few months to a year that one can take up. Some of the courses are desktop publishing course (which involves creation of documents using page layout software on a computer), graphics course, animation course, web designing course, cyber security course etc. One may also pursue beautician, jewellery designing, fashion designing and photography course.

Defence service: After Class 10, one can also join the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy. To check the eligibility criteria, log on to:

www.joinindianarmy.nic.in (Indian Army website);

airmenselection.cdac.in/CASB (Indian Air Force website);

www.joinindiannavy.gov.in (Indian Navy website)

Police service: Karnataka State Police recruits candidates who have cleared Class 10 to the post of Police Constable. For more information, log on to http://rec20.ksp-online.in.