Showcase leadership – The Hindu

I have completed B.A. History and want a career in the Defence Forces. What are my alternatives? Vignesh

Dear Vignesh,

After graduation, you can take the Combined Defence Services Exam to apply for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Officers Training Academy (OTA), or Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) to join the Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches. You can also write the UPSC Central Armed Police Forces Exam to become an Assistant Commandant in forces like the BSF, CRPF, or CISF.

Beyond this, you can explore becoming a historian, an archivist, or a cultural resources manager. Other roles, like being an executive in a public relations firm or an HR executive in a corporate are also feasible. You can also be a content strategist or writer across media and the digital space.

I am in Class 8 (ICSE stream). How can I do my Class 11 and 12 in an English-speaking foreign country with a scholarship? Ananya

Dear Ananya,

Most institutions look for students who are not just good at studies, but also active in leadership, sports, or community service. United World Colleges (UWC) offers fully or partially funded programmes for Indian students and has 18 campuses worldwide (including the U.K., Canada, the US, and Singapore). It offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Scholarships offer both partial and full need-based support (covering tuition, room, and board). You will need to apply while in Class 10. They look for students passionate about social change, peace, and sustainability.

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) programme is funded by the U.S. Department of State. It allows Indian students to live with an American host family and attend an American high school for one academic year. It is a fully-funded scholarship focussing on cultural exchange. You act as a “Youth Ambassador” for India. Check for the current criteria today.

The AFS Intercultural Programme offers exchange programmes to many English-speaking countries, such as the U.S., Canada, and Australia. They offer several merit-based and need-based scholarships (like the BP Global Citizens Scholarship), and applications usually open a year before the programme starts.

Some country-specific opportunities include HMC scholarships for students from specific countries (check if India is on the list for that year) to study at a top independent boarding school in the U.K. In Canada, Ridley College or Upper Canada College offer their own internal scholarships for exceptional international students. Singapore has SIA-NOL / GIIS scholarships, specifically for Indian students to study in Singapore for Junior College.

Start building your profile now in both academics and extracurriculars. Follow the websites of UWC India and AFS India to understand their specific essay prompts and interview styles.

I am a B.Com (Finance) graduate preparing for the CAT. My interests are Entrepreneurship and Fashion. But Design courses are mostly four-year programmes. How can I pursue my interests? Arya

Dear Arya,

Bridge your Commerce background with your passion using shorter, more strategic paths. Aim for a specialised two-year MBA programme that combine business with the lifestyle industry such as Master of Fashion Management or an MBA in Luxury Brand Management or even a general MBA with electives in Retail Management or E-commerce.

If you want to focus on designing clothes, look for short-term professional diplomas or certificate courses from institutes like Pearl Academy, JD Institute, or Hamstech that offer one-year PG Diplomas in Fashion Design or Fashion Entrepreneurship and certifications in Pattern Making, Fashion Illustration, or Garment Construction.

If you want to become an entrepreneur, consider fashion-tech or lifestyle incubators (like those at NIFT or IIM-Bangalore’s NSRCEL) to start your own brand. Start small and use your finance skills to manage a lean supply chain.

I am in Class 12 (Humanities). I am interested in preparing for the Civil Services and am considering Political Science as my main subject. I learnt about the CUET for admission to the Central Universities. Are these affordable? Do I need to be fluent in Hindi to study there? How can I choose the right course and institution through CUET? Lakshmi

Political Science from a Central University is a highly strategic move. Central Universities are among the most affordable higher education institutions in India, as they are heavily subsidised by the Government of India. Most universities offer Post-Matric scholarships for SC/ST/OBC and EWS students, making the net cost almost zero for many.

Fluency in Hindi is not a requirement. The primary medium of instruction and examination for Political Science is English. You can appear for the CUET in English even if the university is located in a Hindi-speaking state. Through the CUET portal, prioritise institutions known as “UPSC hubs” due to their academic rigour and active aspirant community. University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), and University of Hyderabad (UoH) all have highly competitive peer groups and strong academic foundations.

The Political Science syllabus overlaps significantly with the UPSC General Studies (Polity, Governance, IR) and the Optional paper. When studying for college exams, use UPSC-standard books. This way, you can prepare for both simultaneously