Many students are of the opinion that engineering is the only career worth pursuing. But not everybody is cut out to be one and there are many lucrative options available if one is unable to crack the entrance exam.Aakash Chaudhry tells you that one can opt for courses like MBA, BBA, Economics Finance, etc. The only condition is that one should have the faith in oneself and a passion to excel at whatever one attempts
There is no denying the fact that cracking engineering entrance exams is the dream for many. Not only are these exams tough and competitive, they are also one of the most prestigious feats one can accomplish in one’s lifetime. However, there is life beyond the engineering and not being able to crack it doesn’t mean the end of the world.
There are many successful professionals and business people who couldn’t crack the competitive exams that allow admission into one of the prestigious institutions of the nation. They weighed other options and got on with life just fine. Of course, one should make the choice of moving on only after one is certain of having given one’s best to crack the engineering exam.
If for some reason, one feels that one couldn’t give the best in the first attempt and one can afford to devote another year to rigorous coaching and studying, do it. However, if not, then there are plenty of other alternative career paths which can be equally rewarding and lucrative. The first step should be to look at the top private colleges that have a good record of imparting education and organising placements. Try to get into one of these in a stream of one’s choice. If one does well, one can get a good job after studying at such colleges. It is true that one won’t get the IIT brand name on the CV but one can more than make up for that if you acquire the requisite skills and knowledge of an engineer at any of the private institutions. In fact, there are many world renowned personalities who are college dropouts who have created history.
If one truly loves science and has a scientific bent of mind then one can make a mark in the field in other ways. Students, who don’t make the cut for engineering colleges, often decide to study pure sciences which offer them a very comprehensive and in-depth knowledge base. Students who pursue BSc programmes invariably end up falling in love with the course they are pursuing and follow it up with a very fulfilling career in research or academics.
Another lucrative option for those who didn’t make it to an engineering college of their choice is changing their stream and opting for courses like MBAs, BBAs or courses on finance. These options are most viable for engineering students because engineers already have the practice of playing with numbers. Finance, actuarial sciences, investment ianking etc are today some of the most highly-paying careers and studying for these is no mean feat. Either one can go in for a bachelors’ degree in business administration or study streams like economics or commerce at the graduation level to embark on this path. Apart from this the students can also attempt to enter into more creative fields like advertising and public relations, as there have been many such instances where the creative quest of the engineers has been satiated.
However, if one intends on studying engineering itself and changing lines is simply not an option, one can consider universities abroad that offer good programmes in various streams. Some international universities are at par with the top-notch Indian engineering colleges and these can be given due thought.
Of course, one must consider finances and other situations at home before making this decision. For instance, if one will be taking a student loan to study abroad at any of these institutions, make sure you only opt for the crème de la crème. Otherwise paying off the loan later could be problematic.
Consult a good career counsellor who can also offer help in the application process for foreign universities. Career counsellors can conduct aptitude tests and throw more light on the matter. They can help one understand the strengths and weaknesses and can help gauge what the best career path. For instance, if your strength lies in finance then it wouldn’t be entirely logical to pay a hefty fee for studying engineering in an institution abroad. Reaching out to seniors from school, who have been in a similar position as this, is also a good idea. With the advent of social media, it is much easier to contact those one has known from the alma mater. Get in touch with them and get an idea of how they approached the dilemma of what to do if one hasn’t cleared engineering entrances. One will get inspiration from their tips and how they handled the situation. They will also be able to give an insight into the other alternatives available. One might also get some tips on how to break it to the parents that one wants to change the stream, if that’s the case.
If one fails to qualify in the engineering exam, take a break and look at alternatives. With faith in oneself and a passion to excel at whatever one attempts, one can make one’s professional life a grand success with or without an engineering degree.
(The writer is director, Aakash Educational Services Pvt ltd)