After passing out from class 12, students have to decide on their further course of study on the basis of their aptitude and interest. Of course, the most common choice is graduation in science, humanities or commerce from any of the various colleges and universities of India. But there are many national level competitive exams that students can appear for to achieve a better career prospect. For students completing class 12 in science, there are pre-medical tests and engineering competitive exams to gain admission in medicine and engineering colleges. For those not opting for medicine or engineering, there are many other career prospective entrance exams to appear for.
List of most popular competitive exams after class 12
- National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy (NA) Exams: This is an All India entrance exam and the best option for those youngsters who love to work for the nation and serve the nation. After qualifying the NDA and NA entrance exams, students have access to job opportunities in Army, Air Force and Navy. The eligibility criteria for appearing in thse exams is education up to class 12 standard from a recognised school board for Army, and for Naval and Air Force wing, he or she should have studied Physics and Mathematics in class 12. After clearing the exam, selected candidates have to undergo three to four years’ training.
- Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test: This is an all India entrance test for class 12 students in science to get admission in Diploma in Nautical Science (DNS) offering a BSc. (Nautical Science) degree.
- Indian Navy B.Tech Entry Scheme: This entrance test for class 12 students is to get admission in Indian Navy B.Tech course.
- Indian Navy Sailors Recruitment: A competitive exam held for class 12 students with subjects Maths and Physics/Chemistry/Biology/Computer Science who get basic training at INS Chilka, followed by professional training.
- Indian Army Technical Entry Scheme (TES): Class 12 students with PCM background can appear for TES exam.
ENGINEERING ENTRANCE EXAMS
For Admission in Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Technology, Bachelor of Architecture, Bachelor of Planning, there are certain engineering entrance exams. These are as follows:
- Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main: This is the common engineering entrance test for science class 12 students with PCM. The students who qualify this test can apply for admissions in various reputed engineering colleges of the country like as the NITs, IITs and centrally funded technical institutions like IIST.
- JEE Advanced: If a student scores the qualifying marks in JEE Mains, he or she is eligible to appear for JEE Advanced, which is the final screening for the admission in IITs, State and Central engineering institutes and NIIT and ISM Dhanbad.
- Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT) entrance exam: This is a separate entrance test for opting for engineering and other programs in BITS Pilani, Goa and Hyderabad campuses. Birla Institute of Technology & Science offers bachelor degree engineering courses in Technology, Sciences, Engineering, Pharmacy, Humanities and Management.
- National Aptitude Test (NATA): This is an entrance exam for admission to Bachelor of Architecture courses in India in Government and private colleges of Architecture.
There are other individual engineering entrance exams for private institutes and state level engineering entrances such as COMED-K, IPU-CET (B. Tech), Manipal (B. Tech), VITEEE, AMU (B. Tech), IISC-Bangalore, KIIT, Assam CEE etc.
MEDICAL ENTRANCE EXAMS
- National Eligibility Entrance Exam for Under Graduate (NEET UG): This is a single entrance cum eligibility test for admission in MBBS/BDS courses. This is an all India entrance exam after 12th science. Previously, All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) was conducted by CBSE. But now NEET UG has replaced AIPMT and other Medical entrance exam of under graduate level and the exam is conducted by CBSE.
- Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) Entrance Exam: Armed Forces Medical College is a premier medical institute in India and it is said that the entrance exam is one of the toughest entrance exams after 12th. This is on all India entrance exam and it provides brightest career options in Indian defence services medical branch. MBBS courses of AFMC have a duration of 4 and half year, followed with internship of 1 year. After qualifying AFMC entrance exam students, it is compulsory for the students to serve as commissioned officer in medical services of Defence forces minimum 7 years. Eligibility criteria to appear for AFMC is clearing of class 12 with subjects English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology and securing 60% aggregate marks in science subject (PCB) and not less than 50% marks in English subject.
- All India Pre-Veterinary Test (AIPVT): For admission in B.V.Sc. and A.H. degree courses in Veterinary Colleges, All India Pre-Veterinary Test (AIPVT) is conducted. The course is a 5-year course and eligibility is class 12 with PCB subjects for admission in Government Veterinary colleges.
- All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT): Conducted by the CBSE for admission in government medical/dental colleges in Delhi University, AFMC, BHU, Jamia Hamdard and for medical colleges in states of Jharkhand, Punjab, Chhatisgarh, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh.
Other National Level Medical Entrance Exams:
- AIIMS
- CMC-Vellore
- CMC-Ludhiana
- COMED-K
- JIPMER
- Manipal (MBBS)
- MGIMS-Wardha
- AMU (MBBS)
- BHU Medical
LAW ENTRANCE
- Common Law Admission Test (CLAT): This is an all India entrance exam after 12th for admission in under graduate and post-graduates courses of Law (L.L.B and L.L.M). The law courses and the exams are conducted by 14 National Law universities (NLUs).
- Law School Admission Test (LSAT) India: This competitive exam is to get admission in B.A. LL.B (Hons) in participating colleges like Amity, ITM Gurgaon, UPES Dehradun, Faculty of Law Dehradun, RGSOIPL.
- All India Law Entrance Test (AILET): This entrance test is to get admission in B.A., LL.B. (Hons.)
HOTEL MANAGEMENT
- National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT) Entrance Exam: If you are interested in a career in catering & hotel industry, then this is the entrance test that you have to appear for after class 12. Once you qualify the entrance exam, you get admission in a regular full time 3 years B.Sc Degree course in Hospitality and Hotel Administration, jointly with National council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology and Indira Gandhi National Open University. The eligibility for appearing in this exam is class 12 with English as one of the main subject.
FASHION
- National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Exam (NIFT): It is a leading institute in the field of fashion design, technology and management for developing a professional career in fashion design. NIFT has a network of 15 domestic professionally managed centres located in major cities all over India.
- National Institutes of Design Entrance Exam (NID): An internationally known premier institute of India providing professional education in Industrial, Textile, IT and Communication design, NID is an autonomous institute under Ministry of Commerce and Industry, GOI.
- All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED): This is another entrance test for admission in 4 years’ undergraduate level programmes in design.
There are other private institutes which offer fashion and design courses after class 12, for which these institutes conduct their separate entrance exams. They are:
- Srishti School
- School of Fashion Technology
- Symbiosis Institute of Design
- Footwear Design and Development Institute
- Pearl Academy
- Maeer’s MIT Institute of Design
- National Institute of Design
- National Institute of Fashion Design
- National Aptitude Test in Architecture
- Center for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT)OthersStaff Selection Commission (SSC) Exam: This is a good option for students who want government jobs. On clearing this exam, selected candidates can join government service as lower division clerk in any of the various government ministries and departments, armed forces or railways. Students have to appear for SSC exam the minimum educational qualification requirement for which is class 12.CPT for Chartered Accountancy: The Common Proficiency Test (CPT) is conducted by the Council of the Institute Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). A student who qualifies this test can pursue Chartered Accountancy course along with his or her B-com graduation course.
