Guiding towards the right path

I am a Class XII student and I graduated with 81 per cent. Though I didn’t score well in JEE and AIEEE, I scored good marks in Odisha JEE. Eventually, I wish to do an MBA. Should I go in for a BSc or a BTech course?

You can choose either of the routes and move on to do your MBA. It is more important for you to decide at this stage which stream of engineering you wish to study and later which MBA stream you wish to specialise in. You should  also be aware that the duration of the engineering course is four years and BSc courses take three years to complete. Further, you may also consider options like  BBA/BMS/BCom, if an MBA is your dream.

My dad wants me to become an IAS officer. Please shed light on the challenges involved.

A career in the civil services is indeed very challenging. You need to prepare a lot to qualify for the IAS cadre. Write your UPSC entrance exams (prelims) and if you clear it, you need to appear for the finals. Then there is the interview to clear. It is a good option to take the arts stream for graduation and postgraduation, as this will be easier to qualify for the IAS than the other streams. You can get more details at www.upsc.gov.in.

I am a DPharm student and wish to complete my MBA in pharma management. Please list out the best colleges to pursue the same.

Your first target is to complete your BPharm or at least a bachelor’s in life sciences such as genetics, biotech, etc.You may then pursue your aspiration of doing an MBA in pharma management. Some of the best options include Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies University, Mumbai, SIES Institute of Management Studies,  Nerul, Indian Institute of Health Management Research, Jaipur, and Manipal University, Manipal.

I am a Class XII student. My dilemma is whether to pursue engineering in civil or electrical. Which stream holds better prospects?

It is better to base your specialisation in engineering on your aptitude and interests rather than the  projected prospects. Further, both areas indicated by you have good scope. In case, you are unable to decide, visit a career counsellor.

I am a Class X student. I wish to do automobile engineering. Will taking up biology group affect my ambition in any way?

Taking biology as a subject of study will not affect your ambition in any way. However, if you have made up your mind not to study medicine or allied areas, then you could drop biology as a subject and choose electronics as an elective instead. This would be a more useful and relevant subject for you .

My daughter is interested in doing her master’s in aerospace engineering. What courses can she opt for other than BTech aerospace?

BTech aerospace is the ideal graduation degree in case your daughter wishes to pursue master’s in aerospace engineering. However, she could also consider an engineering degree in allied areas such as electronics, instrumentation, computers and such.

She could apply to institutions like IITs, Indian Space Research Organisation, Bangalore, and Indian Institute of Space and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram