By Ranjan K Baruah
One of the career opportunities for students is in the healthcare sector. Students who get good marks in secondary level examinations mostly choose science as many want to appear in medical entrances and become doctors. If we explore health sectors then we see many opportunities apart from being doctors.
Career options and opportunities in the health sector include degrees like MBBS, BDS or courses like Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Unani, Siddha, Nursing, Lab Technicians, Pharmacists, Physiotherapist, Optometry, Audiologists, Speech Pathologist, etc.
Apart from these there are also options in animal health. Students studying science in senior secondary with biology are eligible to appear in different entrances or interviews for getting admissions in above mentioned courses.
Though we know about medical entrance in the country, still let me write a few lines about the main entrance which is being held in the country for selecting students for their admissions in medical colleges in the country. NEET stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test which is the single-level national exam carried out for medical aspirants enabling them to seek admissions to medical courses across different medical institutes of the country.
From the year 2020 onwards, the exam has emerged as the only medical entrance exam that has to be qualified to seek admission even to AIIMS and JIPMER institutes thereby scrapping the multiple entrance exams that were carried out previously at state levels. The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the NEET exam on September 12, 2021. Though it was supposed to be held earlier but due to pandemic dates was postponed.
NEET is an offline test carried out in a pen-paper mode, standing as the only medical entrance exam at Under Graduate level. In order for students to be able to appear for NEET, the minimum educational requirement is clearing class 12 board examinations from a recognized institution from science stream. A minimum of 50% must be scored. One must mandatorily qualify the examination to take up a seat in medical institutes at the undergraduate level. NEET score is also needed to get admission into private medical colleges in the country though they may have other admission processes but appearing in NEET is important. Qualifying NEET enables one to take up a seat in MBBS/BDS/AYUSH courses and many other such related medical programmes.
As NEET is a national level entrance exam, aspirants need planning and preparation. Some may take admission in coaching centres but systematic studies and preparation is needed. Aspirants who are interested to join medical colleges like Armed Forces Medical College also need to appear in NEET.
As the seats in government colleges are limited, many private medical colleges in India and abroad try to get students by publishing advertisements. My request to all students and guardians to be careful before taking admission in private colleges as it involves a lot of money. One must get proper guidance before taking admission into private institutions.
Entrance Update
CDSE: A Combined Defence Services Examination will be conducted by the Union Public Service Commission on November 14, 2021 for admission to the courses at Indian Military Academy Dehradun ; Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala; Air Force Academy, Hyderabad ; Officers Training Academy, Chennai( Both male and female). The CDSE is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission and aspirants may apply on or before 24th August via online mode.
CAT: CAT (Common Admission Test) is conducted by IIMs (Indian Institute Of Managements) for its admission to Post Graduate (PG) Programmes and Fellow Programmes. Candidates aspiring to get admission to the Indian Institutes of Managements need to appear for the Common Admission Test. Apart from the IIMs, various other Management Institutes use the CAT score for shortlisting the candidates. Aspirants may apply till 15th September.
(The author is a career mentor and skill trainer and can be reached at 8473943734 or [email protected] for any career related queries)