Top Vocational Courses in India

Also called Career and Technical Education (CTE), Vocational Education (VE) or Vocational Education and Training (VET) is an education that prepares individuals or would-be-professionals to take up employment in a skilled craft. Vocational Education is sometimes referred to as technical education that aims at inculcating expertise in learners. It is the responsibility of a vocational school to impart vocational education through various vocational courses.

Vocational Courses in India

Vocational courses in India are designed to equip or develop practical and industry-specific skills in students for a specific trade, vocation or occupation, hence the term. At the secondary or post-secondary level, vocational education can interact with the apprenticeship system and is often classified as teaching procedural knowledge.

Until the end of the 20^th-century, such education mainly focused on various trades, namely – an automobile mechanic or welder. Today, vocational courses make the students career-ready with career-specific skills, employability skills and academic skills, hence the high demand among millennial.

How Vocational Courses Are Different from Traditional Courses?

When you say traditional courses, particularly in India, people think about B.A., B.Com. Engineering, Medical and other such degrees. These degree courses are undoubtedly highly sought-after by the Indian parents as they want their children to have a secure job. With more students seeking to get a degree in their respective traditional courses, it ultimately increases the number of unemployed college graduates. Not to mention the cut-throat competition and sky-high cut-offs, many talented students fail to get a seat or enrolled themselves for their preferred course.

Moreover, these traditional courses are studied in a classroom with case studies and theories. Speaking of experience, that too practical, it is the internship that matters the most in traditional courses.

On the other hand, vocational courses, as stated above, focus on the practical and on-site experience. By the time students complete their respective courses, they build on massive experience, which comes in handy at the workstation. This gives the individuals an added advantage over fell applicants to showcase great industry-trained skills.

Why Study Vocational Courses?

• You gain industry-based skills and hands-on experience.
• The course duration is shorter.
• The course fee is inexpensive.
• The monetary compensation or salaries are pretty high – depending on your skills and knowledge.
• As soon as you complete your course, you will immediately get a job.

Benefits of Vocational Education

Today, the demand for vocation education is sky-rocketing. Fewer classroom lectures and more practical, on-site experience have attracted more and more youngsters to pursue a career in their preferred fields. Students who enrol in vocational courses gain on-site training and learn skills first-hand by putting it to use. By the time they finish their study, the vocational course module allows them to count on loads of practical work experience they have gained over the period.

Some of the benefits of enrolling in vocational courses in India are –

• You come out job-ready.
• Focus remains on specialised knowledge.
• Gaining both professional acumen and traditional knowledge.
• Supplies skilled manpower to the industry.
• Specialization on industry skills.
• Vocational courses are less expensive, less time-taking and aimed at the needs.
• Eligibility is only high school completion as lots of vocational courses after 10^th are available.
• In-depth industry knowledge through practical education.
• You understand the on-going trends in the global market.
• Sign up for both offline and online courses as many vocation training institutes offer this facility.

Vocational Courses in India Major Highlights

Let’s take a quick at the key highlights of vocational education in India.

The UG level vocation courses offer Bachelors of Vocational Studies (3 years) degree and the PG level courses offer Masters of Vocation Studies (3 years + 2 years) degree. For BVoc courses, students must complete Class 12^th or diploma from a recognised institute, while MVoc courses are pursued after completing BVoc from a recognised university. One can also enrol themselves into Certificate and Diploma courses. At the moment, more than 200 institutes in India are offering various vocational courses. Since these courses are introduced by the University Grant Commission (UGC), they are valid, hence trustworthy.

10 Top-notch Colleges in India Offering Vocation Courses

Below, we have furnished information about the top Indian colleges offering the best vocational courses, city, average course fees and admission process.

List of Vocational Courses after 12th

Your search for the best vocation courses after 12^th ends here.

1. Audio Technicians or Sound Engineering: If you are good at technology, particularly learning a new skill, audio technicians or sound engineering could be your cup of tea. This is one of the highly sought-after courses. You need to learn to operate the tool to record music and audio tracks. This certificate course will incorporate skills and knowledge on the technical side of music and broadcast communications. After completion of this course, the chances of getting hired by small as well as big medical houses are quite high.

• Course Level: Diploma
• Position: Studio Sound Engineer and Audio Technician
• Duration of Course: 6 months to 1 year
• Course Fee: INR 25,000/- to INR 4,00,000/-

2. Forensic Scientist: This is a three-year undergraduate course. Individuals pursuing this program will learn about scientific applications and knowledge and a wide range of subjects. You must possess several skills including analytical skills, observation skills, technical skills, team spirit, attention to detail and ability to work under pressure and for long hours.

• Course Level: Undergraduate
• Position: Forensic Scientist, Drug Analyst, Private Investigator, Forensic Serologist, Forensic Engineer, Crime Laboratory Analyst, Police Office, Forensic Toxicologist, Forensic Architect, and Forensic Consultant
• Duration of Course: Three years
• Course Fee: INR 20,000/- to INR 50,000/- (depends on institute)

3. Game Designing and Development: If you have a special interest in games and animations, B.Sc. Game Designing and Development is the best course for you. This three-year course involves the fundamentals of game development and also deals with advanced technical skills and code languages. Keeping 1 billion people in mind, it can be said that the game industry will have a blast in the coming days. Enrol in one of the streams – Graphic Design, Computer Science, Animation, Software Engineering, Multimedia Design, etc. and learn the basics of game and animation programmes, 3D modelling and animation, storytelling, storyboarding, etc.

• Course Level: Undergraduate Programme
• Position: Game Designer, Animator, Gameplay Programmer, Cinematic Character, Tools Programmer, Level Designer, Art Designer, Interface Artist, etc.
• Duration of Course: Three years
• Course Fee: INR 1,00,000/- to INR 7,00,000/- (depends on institute)

4. Telecommunication: There’s sheer competition amongst companies to offer the best Internet. With the emergence of new technologies like 3G, 4G and 5G, companies need high-qualified professionals and skilled technicians who can carry out the task efficiently. Not just in the Internet field, sectors like defence, aviation, public utilities, health, etc. seek experts.

• Course Level: Undergraduate Programme
• Position: Telecommunication Engineer
• Duration of Course: Four years
• Course Fee: INR 1,50,000/- (depends on institute)

5. Foreign Language Expert: If you have a penchant for learning new languages, particularly foreign languages, you hold a great chance of grabbing one of the most lucrative jobs in the present time. French, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean and German are some of the most preferred languages in multinational companies. Knowledge and proficiency in these languages will grab the attention of big companies like Tech Mahindra, TCS, WIPRO, Accenture, Infosys, Kuliza, Fiserv, Scabbard, EValueserve, etc. Also, these industries – Tourism, Education, Hospitality, Entertainment, PR, Mass Communication, Diplomatic Service, Embassies and Publication House – always keep an eye on well-trained professionals.

• Course Level: Undergraduate Programme
• Position: Foreign Language Specialist, Decoder, Teacher, Tourist Guide, Air Hostess or Flight Steward, Interpreter, Content Writer, Translator, Research Associate, Hotel Attendants, etc.
• Duration of Course: Four years
• Course Fee: INR 3,00,000/- to INR 4,00,000/- (depends on institute. If enrolled with a central university, the fee would be quite less. Many universities do offer foreign language scholarships)

6. Photography: Photography is not anymore confined to wedding shoots. It is a vast area, ranging from event photography to product photography and travel photography to wildlife photography. Many big organisations are looking for professional photographers who can do magic with their lenses. Each photograph has its perspectives and techniques. Various newspaper agencies, advertising agencies, magazines, travel companies, Fashion and Advertising need photographers, hence the demand for the course.

• Course Level: Certificate, Diploma and Undergraduate Degree
• Type of Photography Course: Diploma in Photography, Certificate in Photography, Diploma in Digital Photography, Certificate in Digital Photography, Certificate in Professional Photography, Certificate in Camera and Photography,  B.A. Communication Design-Photography, B.A. in Visual Arts and Photography, etc.
• Position: Photo Journalist, Event Photographer, Fine Art Photographer, Wildlife Photographer, Forensic Photographer, Feature Photographer, Fashion & Advertising Photographer, etc.
• Duration of Course: 3 months to 3 years (depending on the course)
• Average Course Fee: INR 50,000/- (depends on institute)

7. Hotel Management and Catering Technology: Completed 10+2 from a recognised institute? Great! You can enrol in a full-time Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology programme. Top colleges offering this vocational course are Kamat’s Institute of Hotel Management (Maharashtra), Gujarat Technological University (Gujarat), Cenneys Institute of Hotel Management, VELS University (Chennai), etc. If you are contemplating working in hospitals, airlines, hotels, etc., get into this course.

• Course Level: Diploma
• Position: Field Supervisor, Catering Officer, Cabin Crew, Hospitality Executives, Marketing Manager, Catering Supervisors & Assistants
• Duration of Course: 2 years
• Average Course Fee: INR 1,20,000/- (depends on institute)

8. Disaster Management: Leading colleges offering Diploma in Disaster Management are Jamia Millia Islamia University, Punjab University, Christ College, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Symbiosis Institute of Geoinformatics. The job of a professional is creating strategies to reduce hazards and cope with natural calamities and other disasters including industrial sabotage, public disorder, terrorism, etc.

• Course Level: Diploma
• Position: Operations Analyst, Database Analyst, Security Manager, Disaster Management Personnel, Security Administrator, Teacher, etc.
• Duration of Course: 1 year
• Average Course Fee: INR 6,000/- INR 80,000/- (depends on institute)

9. Physical Education: If you have adopted the mantra of staying fit by doing regular exercise, a career in sports and fitness will surely intrigue you. Staying active, energetic, physically fit, etc. are some of the attributes that would take you a step closer to your dream job as a sports teacher, P.E. teacher, physical therapist, sports trainer, coach, fitness instructor, personal trainer, self-defence expert and dance expert. Enrol in a two-year Diploma in Physical Education at some of the top colleges in the country including Jayaram Polytechnic College, Malwa College of Physical Education, Gujarat University and Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University.

• Course Level: Diploma
• Position: Physical Education Teacher, Fitness-in-Charge, Sports Teacher, Recreation Centre Director, School Gym Teacher, Personal Trainer, Athletic Trainer, Physical Trainer, etc.
• Duration of Course: 2 years
• Average Course Fee: INR 5,000/- INR 2,00,000/- (depends on institute)

10. Journalism: Have been dreaming of a career in TV? What about a journalist? A diploma or degree in journalism and mass communication will land you in a reputable News Channel in the country. During the course, you will learn a wide range of skills including writing, anchoring, photography, news reporting, video shooting and news production. To enrol in this course in the top colleges you don’t have to appear in any entrance examination.

• Course Level: Diploma
• Position: Journalist, Translator, Script Writer, News Representative, Anchor, Content Writer, etc.
• Duration of Course: 1 year
• Average Course Fee: INR 1,00,000/- (depends on institute)

List of Vocational Courses after 12th Arts

Students who don’t want to follow the herd and take up traditional courses can enrol themselves in various vocation courses after 12^th Arts. Check out some of the top-notch professional courses that you will find fascinating.

1. Event Management: An act of organising, planning and coordinating an event for communities, teams and people is called event management. However, an event manager must possess certain skills such as proficiency, confidence, good communication, creative and organisational skills. The syllabus of Event Management courses comprises Principles of Event Management, Event Accounting, Negotiation Skills, Event Risk Management, Business Communication, Special Event Topics, Event Production & Catering, etc.

• Course Level: Diploma/ Bachelor of Vocational Course
• Position: Wedding Planner, Event Coordinator, Marketing Manager, Event Manager and Business Development Executive
• Duration of Course: 2 years
• Average Course Fee: INR 30,000/-

2. Hotel Management: The tourism industry is growing. It is evident as more and more working professionals have started taking more holidays, short breaks, weekend gateways and family holidays, they not just choose a destination in advance but a perfect hotel to stay comfortably. This has surely put many hotels into thinking of hiring the best professionals with great administrative and managerial skills. If you find this profile fascinating, sign up for a three-year job-oriented Hotel Management course. Many leading hotels, cafes, resorts, fast food chains, restaurants and catering companies are looking for qualified professionals.

• Course Level: Bachelor of Vocational Course
• Position: Front Desk Officer, Front Office Managers, Convention Service Managers, Resident Managers, Chef, Sales Manager and Accounting Manager
• Duration of Course: 3 years
• Average Course Fee: INR 90,000/- (Yearly)

3. Fashion Design: If you take pride in your creative mind when it comes to attire and clothing, why not pursue a career in fashion designing. Professional courses in fashion designing can be taken up based on your choices and interests. This is a creative field and you must showcase your inventive side to impress your employer. The course covers a wide spectrum of trends, colours, patterns, styles and fabrics that define the fashion. Apart from investing your knowledge in clothes, put your thoughts on accessories, footwear and handbags. Some of the skills that you must display – innovative thinking, creativity, communication skills, competitiveness. Artistic thinking, observation skills, etc. Amongst the top Fashion Designing colleges in India, you may seek admission in Parul University, National Institute of Design (NID), Pearl Academy, Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, International Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).

• Course Level: Certificate Course
• Position: Costume Designer, Fashion Coordinator, Assistant Designer, Fashion Consultant, Product Manager, Fashion Merchandiser, Design Manager, Fashion Stylist, Accessory Designer and Fashion Assistant.
• Duration of Course: 1 year
• Average Course Fee: INR 5,000/-  to 5 Lacs (depending on institutes)

4. Apparel/ Visual Merchandise: An apparel merchandiser serves a bridge between the industry and the buyers. If you complete a 1 –year diploma in apparel or visual merchandise, bigger players like retailers, brands and markets will need your knowledge and technical skills. During the course, you will learn about retail operations, buying, merchandising, fashion co-ordinations, garment costing, production management, quality control and international marketing. Top job recruiting firms, including Entertainment Industry, Production Houses, Designer Stores, Firms, Studios, etc. always look for knowledgeable Fashion Merchandiser, Fashion Designer, Pattern Cutter and Graders, Quality Controller, Apparel Merchandiser and Stylist.

• Course Level: Diploma Course
• Position: Fashion Merchandiser, Fashion Designer, Pattern Cutter and Graders, Quality Controller, Apparel Merchandiser and Stylist
• Duration of Course: 1 year
• Average Course Fee: INR 1,00,000/-  (depending on institutes)

5. Integrated Law Course: Want to study law? What about the Integrated Law Course? Considering its popularity, you may like to take up this course in these colleges – Amity University, Symbiosis Law School, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Jaipur National University, National Law School of India University, Alliance University, etc.

• Duration of Course: 5 years

6. Graphic Design: Graphic designers work for fashion companies, designing studios, IT and generate games. One of the lucrative jobs in the designing sectors, this particular programme aims at equipping you with great computer skills, organisational skills, editing skills and immaculate communication. This professional course is in tremendous vogue amongst creative and computer-savvy individuals who want to work for top recruiting companies, gaming studios, multimedia sectors, graphics studio and 3D designing. To name a few colleges offering this course are Pacific University (Udaipur), Netaji Subash Open University (Kolkata), Aligarh Muslim University (Aligarh), International Academy of Computer Graphics – IACG (Hyderabad) and Management and Design Academy – MADA (New Delhi).

• Course Level: Diploma Course
• Position: Corporate Identity Designer, Advertising Art Director, Packaging Designer, Editorial Designer, etc.
• Duration of Course: 1 year
• Average Course Fee: INR 32,000/-  to INR 90,000/- (depending on institutes)

7. Teacher Training: If you are not quite impressed with the above-mentioned career choices, should you give it a shot? You can become a vocation teacher. Possible job titles for this career are Vocational Teacher, Technical Teacher, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher. Also, you may like to sign up for a Nursery Teacher Training program if you have the following qualities or skills -  Patience, Friendly Attitude, Good Communication Skills, Energy & Enthusiasm, Passion and Eye for Detail.
8. Interior Designing: What is Interior Designing? As per Wikipedia, “Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordinates, and manages such enhancement projects.” If you wish to pursue this course, you must be informed that it is a multifaceted profession. You should be ready for a wide range of responsibilities including site inspections, communicating with stakeholders of a project, conceptual development, research, programming and space planning. Institutes, where you will love to complete your course, are Madras Institute of Fashion Technology, Hamster Institute of Fashion and Interior Design, JD Institute of Fashion Technology and International Academy of Fashion Technology.

• Course Level: Diploma Course
• Position: Wedding Decorator, Automotive Interior Designer, Assistant Manager, Draftsman, Setup Designer, Business Head, etc.
• Duration of Course: 1 year
• Average Course Fee: INR 18,000/-  to INR 2,20,000/- (depending on institutes)

9. Sales and Marketing: The 6-month to 1-year diploma course is offered by some of the reputable institutes in the country – Institute of Management and Technical Studies – IMTS (Uttar Pradesh), All India Institute of Management Studies – AIIMAS (Tamil Nadu), Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University – BAMU (Maharashtra), Marwari College (Jharkhand), Tirupati College of Technical Education, etc. After the completion of the course, you will have a plethora of opportunities to explore. You can be hired as Marketing Executive and Marketing Managers in Retail Sectors, Marketing Companies, Financial Services, e-Commerce Sector, etc.

• Course Level: Diploma Course
• Position: Marketing Executive, Area Sales Manager, Territory Sales Executive, Loan Officer, etc.
• Duration of Course: 6 months to 1 year
• Average Course Fee: INR 4,000/-  to INR 1,00,000/- (depending on institutes)

10. Travel & Tourism: The travel industry is at its peak. For business or pleasure or study – corporate employees, families, senior citizens, teenagers and school children, all of them indulge in some kind of travelling these days. With many luxury hotels, swanky resorts and cosy cafes setting up at the street corners or in the city centre, it has opened up opportunities for 10+2 individuals. Doing a basic level certification vocational course in the Travel and Tourism domain will get you a dream job.

• Course Level: Diploma/ Certification Course
• Position: Tour Operator, Program Analyst, Tour Manager, Travel Planner, Travel Consultant, Travel Analyst, etc.
• Duration of Course: 6 months to 1 year (depending on institutes)
• Average Course Fee: INR 15,000/-  to INR 2,70,000/- (depending on institutes)

Vocational Courses List after 10^th

The best thing about being born in the twenty-first century is that you are spoiled with choices when it comes to picking up your dream career.

Don’t believe it?

Okay! Let’s say you are not good at academics and fail to get an “A” or “A+”. There’s no reason to be disheartened. You have a plethora of choices to choose from. Take a look at the top vocational courses list after 10^th and select one that captivates you.

• Stenography (English/Hindi)
• Typewriting (English/Hindi) VIII or X class pass from a board
• Secretarial ( English/Hindi)
• Library Assistant (VIII pass)
• Refrigeration & Air Conditioning (VIII pass)
• Electrical Technician VIII or V Class pass with 2 years’ experience in Electrical Trade
• Cutting/Tailoring & Dress Making (literate)
• Plumbing (VIII or V Class with experience)
• Beauty Culture (VIII pass)
• Electronics (Radio/TV/Tape Recorder Mechanic) X or VIII pass with two years’ experience in the trade.
• Jan Swasthya ( X pass)

You can sign up for these vocational courses online, too.

Vocational Courses in DU

Not only is Delhi the political capital, but also it is the education hub with hundreds of educational institutions scattered across the city. Students from various states throng in large numbers to enrol in top-notch colleges for higher studies. Since in this article we focus on vocational or professional courses, the University of Delhi, also known as Delhi University (DU), comes first into the frame.

The College of Vocational Studies is one of the constituent colleges that offers B.A. (Vocational Studies) in Seven (7) fields such as Marketing Management and Retail Business (MMRB), Management and Marketing of Insurance (MMI), Office Management and Secretarial Practice (OMSP), Tourism Management, Human Resource Management (HRM), Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), and Material Management (MM).

Eligibility Criteria for Admission to Professional Courses

How do you know you meet the eligibility criteria set by the college for the particular course that you want to apply for? Well, you must know that the minimum eligibility for admission to any vocational course is 12^th or 10+2 or equivalent.

• Students should have completed 12^th or equivalent exam from a recognised board with a minimum of 50% marks.
• Reserved category students may obtain certain relaxation (depending on institutes).
• There’s no prescribed age limit to pursue your preferred vocational course.

Admission Process for Vocational Courses

Below, we will furnish information related to the vocational course admission process. Most institutes follow the below-mentioned common procedure. Take a look –

• Application Form: Visit the official website of the institute in which you want to sign up for the course. However, you must check your eligibility before applying for the course online and filling up the application form.
• Evaluation: It varies from college to college or institute to institute. Some colleges offer admission through an entrance exam, while some institutes consider students based on the merit.
• Counselling: If you have made through, the college will call upon the shortlisted students for counselling. You will have to choose your courses.
• Admission Letter: Once successful, the institute will offer admission letter after the fee payment.

Top Entrance Exams for Vocational Courses Admission

So, what are the entrance examinations that students must appear for admission to various professional courses?

• Banaras Hindu University Undergraduate Entrance Examination (BHU UET) – Conducted by Banaras Hindu University
• Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test (IPU CET) – Conducted by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
• Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT CET) – Administered by Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra

Vocational Courses – Preparation Tips for Entrance Exams

• Irrespective of the professional course that you want to study, make sure you go through the latest syllabus. The syllabus varies from course to course, however, if you have studied Class 12^th well and know the syllabus, it would come in great handy.
• You should pick your career based on your preferences. If you are good at computer and graphics, enrol into a graphic designing course. If you are a fitness freak, choose a profession that would want you to stay fit and energetic. The Sound Engineer can be a great choice if you are a tech geek.
• Get your concepts clear.
• Practice mock test and sample papers. Also, refer to the previous years’ questions papers.
• Last but not the least, stay healthy and stay fit.

Are you confused about a career? Not sure about which vocational course to study? Worry not! Ask our experts your query and get instant career help!