Advantages of opting for BSc

Pervin Malhotra  

Q.I am in Class XII and have to choose my course options this year. I don’t want to go for engineering and would like to know what are the advantages of doing BSc at the college level.  — Kumar Jaiswal

A.If you enjoy the thrill of puzzle solving and discovery, then there’s nothing like Science. But you must opt for a field that interests you, and not because people say it’s the next big thing.

All science courses teach you how to think logically and analytically besides encouraging you to become inventive and imaginative. These skills are highly valued by employers and consequently there’s hardly a career that one can’t pursue after graduation in science.

You may choose to work in pure science or applied science, on the basis of higher education (master’s / PhD), or pursue an alternative career requiring an understanding of science or use the general skills you have acquired whilst studying. Specialised courses and higher degrees would lead to employment in industry, business, hospitals (life sciences, especially), research institutes or higher education colleges and universities. Apart from working in a lab, one can also get into careers such as computers, finance and insurance, industrial and scientific sales and marketing, retail, technical support (especially, IT/computer science graduates), teaching in school, journalism, even traffic engineering.

Business management, banking, accountancy, travel and tourism, social work, publishing, advertising, public relations, and insurance are fields of higher education and employment where you can use your communication, critical thinking and project management skills to advantage. Science courses continue to be the foundation stone for multiple careers because the basics covered in these courses are needed almost everywhere and in all spheres of life.

BSc will help in developing scientific thinking and a progressive attitude. A science student can establish him/herself in almost all the vocations, even those which traditionally don’t belong to their domain.

Admissions in B-schools also reflect the trend of science students — engineers, doctors and other professionals — moving to new pastures.

Science students can be found in all spheres; be it IT, stock-trading, aviation, tourism, entertainment industry, defence, management, etc. The clear advantage the students have is that they don’t have any restrictions in moving from one parallel to another, making them versatile.

While commerce or humanities students are not eligible for jobs in sectors that belong to the science stream, a science student has no such restrictions.

A science student can also explore professional opportunities in the field of research, teaching, administrative services, consultancy services, etc.

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Which nursing courses can I choose from?

Q.I want to know about the various types of nursing courses available in India. I have taken physics, chemistry and biology in Class XI.

— jaya sharma

A.There are several entry points for training to be a Nurse in our country:

Auxiliary Nurse & Midwife, 2 years

Eligibility: Plus II pass

General Nursing & Midwifery 3½ years

Eligibility: Plus II (40%)

BSc (Basic) 4 years

Eligibility: Plus II (45% agg in PCB)

BSc (Post Basic), 2 years (Distance, 3 years)

Regular: 10+2 + GNM

Distance: 10+2 + GNM + 2-years work-experience.

MSc Nursing, 2-years

Eligibility:

1 Registered Nurse & Registered Midwife with a State Nursing Registration Council.

2. Academic:

BSc. Nursing / BSc (H) Nursing + 1-year work-ex. OR

Post Basic BSc. Nursing (55% agg) + 1-year work-experience before/after Basic BSc. Nursing from a college recognized by the Indian Nursing Council.

MPhil (Nursing), 1-year (FT) /2-year (PT)

Eligibility: MSc (Nursing)

Ph D, 3-5 years

Eligibility: M Sc./ M Phil

Post Basic Specialty Diploma, 1-year

Eligibility: RN & RM

The notifications are published in leading newspapers. Alternatively, contact the Director, Medical Services Training of your state.

While many nursing colleges admit domiciles of their respective states, national level colleges like AFMC, AIIMS, CMC, Vellore etc conduct their own all-India entrance tests.

Most nursing colleges admit women candidates, but increasingly, nursing courses are open to males as well, although in restricted numbers.

Specialisations are offered either as part of the master’s degree or as a post diploma course in areas such as Medical Surgical Nursing in Operation Theatre nursing, Cardio-Thoracic/Vascular, Neuro-medical and Neurosurgical,  Cancer (Oncology), Nephrology & Urology, Pediatrics, Psychiatric, Geriatric, Obstetrical and Gynecological, Rehabilitation Techniques, etc.