In India, career counselling has evolved significantly in recent years, becoming a vital part of a student’s educational journey. With the changing dynamics of education — where students now have access to numerous career paths, subject combinations, and study abroad opportunities — the role of counsellors has never been more crucial.
Let us delve deeper into the importance of career counselling, how it has evolved over the years, and the challenges faced by both students and parents in navigating this complex process.
A world beyond Engineering and Medicine
With a shift towards multidisciplinary education, students now have access to a plethora of career options that were not available a few decades ago.
Bhawna Venugopalan, a student counsellor at Silverline Prestige School in Ghaziabad, emphasised that in a time when the job market is changing every few years, it is important to start career counselling as early as possible.
"If a student is now in Class 10, this is the time to do career counselling—but better late than never," she shared.
This proactive approach helps students understand their strengths, interests, and the available career paths that align with their capabilities.
More importantly, there has been a shift from the past, where the focus was primarily on the traditional fields of engineering, medicine, and law. With the rise of multidisciplinary education and unconventional subject combinations, students are increasingly exploring careers that reflect their unique passions.
Breaking the herd mentality
According to Ali Khwaja, career counsellor and founder of Banjara Academy, it is not about chasing the most popular options but about finding the path that best suits each student.
“There still continues to be a ‘herd mentality’ when it comes to career options among students and parents. For example, today AI is all the noise—everyone wants to get into this field. But it is important to understand if it is a fit for you as per your own skills and capabilities,” he said.
“This is where career counsellors step in. We use tools to assess students’ aptitude, personality, creativity, and skills before deciding what career they would fit better in. For example, if a student really wants to go into law but does not have good retention power, I would suggest they go for corporate law, where memory is not as crucial as in other specialisations,” he further explained.
But while the herd mentality might still exist, there is growing awareness and openness to alternative, personalised career paths.
Higher education: A maze of choices
As India’s education system evolves, students are faced with a growing array of choices when it comes to higher education.
Geeta Jayanth, Head of Chaman Bharatiya School, observed that Indian students are no longer confined to the traditional streams of science, commerce, and arts.
"Indian education has evolved into a more flexible, multidisciplinary model. Students can now take unconventional subject combinations, like English Literature, Physics, and Music," she explained.
However, with this flexibility comes greater complexity, making the role of career counsellors even more critical. Counsellors guide students through this maze, helping them identify universities and courses that align with their aspirations.
"We help students explore subject choices, potential careers, study destinations — even things like whether they’re okay living away from family or adapting to certain climates," Geeta shared.
For students aiming for top international universities, planning ahead is essential. Geeta emphasised the importance of starting early, particularly for competitive destinations like Oxford or Cambridge.
Role of parents
One of the biggest challenges in the career counselling process is changing the mindset of parents, particularly those with limited exposure to the vast range of career options available today.
"It’s not their fault — it’s the limitation of the knowledge or exposure they have," Geeta explained. To bridge this gap, schools have started conducting regular parent orientations, alumni sessions, and open university forums where parents can hear firsthand about the success stories of former students.
Such initiatives help shift parental scepticism into informed support.
"We keep parents in the loop about what learning looks like today, including things like presentations, original research papers, and even responsible computer use," said Geeta.
This approach helps parents understand the modern educational landscape and support their children in making informed decisions about their future.
At the heart of all these changes is the evolving role of career counsellors. They are not just there to help students with applications but to provide guidance, purpose, and direction.
Counsellors help understand a student’s unique journey—from their academic progress to extracurricular activities—and can provide a more tailored approach to career guidance.
