Chart your career

I have completed BBA Innovation and Entrepreneurship. What should I focus on to do an MBA at an IIM or Ivy League university? Sneha

For the top IIMs, you need to master the CAT and score a realistic 98.5-99.5+ percentile. Work on Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), higher-level arithmetic, algebra, and complex data arrangements. Your Class 10 and 12 marks and graduation GPA are significant.

The Ivy League cares more about who you are and what you have done. Realistically, you need three-five years of high-quality professional experience. Freshers are rarely accepted unless applying to specialised deferred programmes. They look for promotions, leadership roles, international exposure, and a clear vision of how you plan to change an industry.

Over the next two to three years, join a start-up in a high-growth role, work as an analyst at a VC firm or entrepreneurship incubator, or launch something where you raise seed capital, manage a small team, or build a product. Take the GMAT Focus Edition or GRE. Aim for a GMAT score of 685 or higher or a GRE above 325. GMAT scores are valid for five years. Ensure your extracurricular activities demonstrate genuine leadership.

I am from Manipur. I have a Master’s in Sociology and am doing B.Ed. My dream is to become an IAS officer. But I am worried about not getting a job. I want to work with an NGO but don’t know how to go about it. Sinthangambi

Working with an NGO can keep you financially independent and provide practical experience for your UPSC interview. Target NGOs focused on education, child rights, and community development such as Social Transformation and Educational Platform (STEP) North-East (Imphal), Korou Education Foundation (Imphal), Seven Sisters Development Assistance (Seesta), and North East Network (NEN). Pan-India NGOs with a strong presence in the northeast are The Hans Foundation and Pratham Education Foundation and Central Square Foundation. Look up portals such as NGOBox.org, DevNetJobsIndia.org and NGO-Darpan.

Draft a functional resume and highlight your skills. Find the emails of the HR or Project Heads of the NGOs listed above and send emails for roles such as content developer, research associate, or programme coordinator. These are office-based or semi-remote roles where you write reports, design lesson plans, or manage data.

Consider a Fellowship pathway, as it provides a structured stipend and adds value to your resume. The UPSC interview panel values real-world execution over theoretical textbook knowledge. You have a very strong profile. Step into the development sector to secure your financial independence, and use that stability to power your civil services preparation.

Could you guide us on the academic pathway to specialise in Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT), which combines my daughter’s interests in Psychology and dance? Prasanth

To practise as a Dance/Movement Therapist, clinical training with a foundation in Psychology, Anatomy and Neuroscience is required. She will need to do a B.A. or B.Sc. (Hons) Psychology while continuing formal dance training. She can then pursue a Master’s in Counselling or Clinical Psychology and a specialised PG Diploma/Certification in DMT in India. Institutes offering relevant programmes include TISS, Mumbai; Sancheti Healthcare Academy, Pune; and VIMHANS, Delhi, in association with Arts Therapists Co-Lab. Alternatively, she can explore Master’s programmes abroad approved by professional associations such as the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) or the U.K.’s Association for Dance Movement Therapy (ADMT). During college, she can intern with or shadow NGOs or special schools that use expressive arts to help her make an informed choice.

DMT and expressive arts therapy are emerging fields with applications in special education, neurodivergence, hospitals, rehabilitation, trauma care and corporate wellness. Abroad, expressive therapists are more integrated into healthcare systems, with opportunities in schools, hospitals, prisons, elder care and rehabilitation centres.

I am in Class 10 and interested in research in Zoology and Robotics. Which has better scope? Which government colleges in India have courses for these? Swara

Zoology and Robotics may seem unrelated, but they intersect through emerging fields such as Bio-robotics and Bionics. Robotics offers opportunities in advanced manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, medical robotics, drones and space exploration. It is a fast-growing, high-paying field with global corporate and academic opportunities. Zoology has strong relevance to ecology, conservation and medicine, with careers across wildlife institutes, marine biology labs, genetic research and environmental consulting. An exciting interdisciplinary area is Bio-inspired Robotics, which studies animal movement and mechanics to develop agile, next-generation robots.

To keep options open, choose the Science stream (with Biology and Maths) in Classes 11 and 12. Consider taking the IISER Aptitude Test or CUET and explore integrated B.S.-M.S. programmes at IISc Bengaluru and IISERs. Universities such as BHU, Delhi University and the University of Madras also have established Zoology departments. For Robotics, consider B. Tech programmes in Robotics and Automation or specialisations through Mechanical, Electronics or Mechatronics Engineering. The IITs, IIIT-Allahabad, IIITDM-Kancheepuram and several NITs offer strong options.

Disclaimer: This column is merely a guiding voice and provides advice and suggestions on education and careers.

The writer is a practising counsellor and a trainer. Send your questions to eduplus.thehindu@gmail.com with the subject line Off the Edge