Top Professional Courses in India after 12th and Graduation

Abhinav Chamoli

Updated On: July 27, 2025 07:38 PM

Top professional courses in India that students can pursue after 12th or graduation include ITI courses, digital marketing courses, IT certifications, photography courses, gemology courses, etc. 

 

List of Top Professional Courses in India

Top professional courses in India after class 12th or graduation include top courses in ITI, Digital marketing, IT, Management, etc. Students must pass class 12th with a minimum of 50% marks in science, arts or commerce from a recognised board.. In contrast, for graduation students, they must pass their graduation with 50% marks from a recognised university. Selection for some courses at the colleges is merit-based, while for some courses, the selection will be based on entrance.
The courses range from 6 months to two years, which students can pursue after their 12th board exams or degrees. These courses aim to focus on practical aspects such as skill development, gaining hands-on experience, and learning the latest industry methods. Professional courses place more emphasis on practical knowledge and training rather than theoretical knowledge. Students eager to know more about the top courses after class 12th and graduation can go through the stream-wise courses, industry-based courses, etc.

Also Read:

Types of Professional Courses 2025

There are various types of professional courses in India in 2025, such as diploma courses, certificate courses, etc. Students can go through the list of courses types given below.

Certification: These are quick courses that give students training and foundational knowledge in a specific field. While certification courses help develop skills, starting a career in a field based only on them is more difficult.

Training: These courses are more practically focused and are intended to give students the specialised skills needed for a career in a given field. These courses are designed for students who wish to advance their professional careers or become more proficient in a particular field.

Diploma: Even though these courses are shorter than degree programmes, many students choose them after completing their secondary education. In a shorter amount of time, these courses assist students in developing the skills and prerequisites needed for a professional field.

Degree: These courses are full-time professional education programmes that give students all the information and preparation they need to pursue a career in that field. To start and advance their careers in their chosen fields, students greatly value and prefer these courses.

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Professional Courses in India 2025: Diploma & Certificate Level

For students who wish to start their careers early, there are a lot of options for diploma courses after 12th or certificate courses after class 12. These courses offer excellent prospects for professional growth and can form a solid base before one pursues a degree.

Course

Duration

Colleges

Certificate in Digital Marketing

3 - 6 months

-

ITI Courses

1 - 3 years

--

Diploma in Nursing Care Assistant (DNCA)

1 - 2 years

Diploma in Nursing Assistant Colleges in India

Diploma in Rural Healthcare

1 year

--

Certificate in General Duty Assistant

2 - 6 months

--

Certificate in Home Health Aide

2 - 6 months

--

Diploma in Construction Management

1 year

Diploma in Construction Management Colleges in India

Diploma in Hotel Management (DHM)

3 years

Diploma in Hotel Management Colleges in India

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT)

2 years

DMLT Colleges in India

Diploma in X-Ray Technician

2 years

Diploma in X-Ray Technician Colleges in India

Certificate in X-Ray Technician

1 year

Certificate in X-Ray Technician Colleges in India

Diploma in Gemology

2 months - 1 year

Diploma in Gemology Colleges in India

Certificate in Gemology

2 - 6 months

Certificate in Gemology Colleges in India

Diploma in Photography

1 year

Diploma in Photography Colleges in India

Certificate in Photography

3 months - 1 year

Certificate in Photography Colleges in India

Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics

1 year

Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics Colleges in India

Diploma in Airline, Travel and Tourism Management

1 year

--

Diploma in Food and Beverage Services

6 months - 1 year

Diploma in Food and Beverage Colleges in India

Diploma in Bakery and Confectionery

1 - 1.5 year

Diploma in Bakery and Confectionery Colleges in India

Advanced Diploma in Cosmetology

8 months

Advanced Diploma in Cosmetology Colleges in India

Certificate in 2D/3D Animation

3 months - 1 year

Certificate in 2D/3D Animation Colleges in India

Diploma in Animation and Multimedia

1 year

--

Diploma in Visual Merchandising

3 months - 1 year

Diploma in Visual Merchandising Colleges in India

Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication (DJMC)

1 year

DJMC Colleges in India

Diploma in Office Management

1 year

Diploma in Office Management Colleges in India

Diploma in Communicative English

1 year

Diploma in Communicative English Colleges in India

Diploma in Scriptwriting/Creative Writing

1 year

Diploma in Creative Writing Colleges in India

Top Professional Degree Programs in India 2025

There are numerous professional courses that students can pursue after class 12th and graduation, such as optometry courses, Fashion & Textile Designing course,s etc. Students can go through the top professional degree programs in India 2025 that they can pursue after class 12th and graduation given below.

Stream-wise List of Top Professional Courses in India After 12th

There are various stream-specific courses that students can pursue after class 12th or graduation. Stduents can go through the stream-wise top professional courses given below.

Top Professional Courses After 12th in Science Stream

There are numerous courses that students can pursue after class 12th while belonging to the science stream. Students can go through the list of courses mentioned below.

Course Name

Eligibility Requirements

Top Colleges

Engineering

  • 12th Science PCM with 50-75% aggregate marks
  • IIT-JEE Mains & Advanced, BITSAT, SRMJEE or State level entrances

IITs, BITS, VIT, NITs, DTU, etc.

Architecture

  • 12th Science PCM with 50-75% aggregate marks
  • NATA, IIT-JEE Main Paper-2

SPA, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, Sir JJ College of Architecture, etc.

Commercial Pilot

  • 12th Science PCM with at least 50% aggregate marks
  • Written test + Interview

IGRUA

Medicine

  • 12th Science PCB with at least 50% aggregate marks
  • NEET-UG

AIIMS Delhi, CMC, JIPMER, AFMC- Pune, BHU, etc

Top Professional Courses After 12th in Commerce Stream

There are numerous professional courses after 12th for commerce students to pursue, such as chartered accountancy, cost and management accounting courses, etc. Students can go through the list of top professional courses after 12th commerce given below.

Course Name

Eligibility Requirements

Institutions

Chartered Accountancy

  • 10+2 with a minimum 55% aggregate marks
  • CA Foundation after 12th or IPCC after graduation

Registration with ICAI

Cost and Management Accountant

  • After 10+2- Foundation course or Intermediate course after graduation

Registration with ICMAI

Company Secretary

  • After 10+2- Foundation, or Executive Programme, after graduation

Registration with ICSI

Top Professional Courses After 12th in Arts Stream

There are numerous courses that students completing class 12th with the arts stream can pursue. Students can go through the list of courses that they can pursue after completing class 12th in Arts stream given below.

Course Name

Eligibility Requirements

Top Colleges

Law

  • Entrance exams like CLAT, LSAT

NLSIU, NLU, NALSAR, etc.

Design

  • Min 50% aggregate marks in 10+2
  • NID, NIFT, UCEED, etc.

NID Ahmedabad, IIT Bombay, NIFTs, Pearl Academy, etc.

Mass Communication & Journalism

  • Min 50-60% aggregate marks in 10+2 from a recognised board

GGSIPU, VIPS, St Xavier’s, etc.

If you are still undecided, you can take this psychometric test to choose the best career option! Career Compass is an intuitive test that will answer a very important question: Can career counselling help ?

How to Choose the Best Professional Course in India?

Choosing the best professional course after class 12th and graduation can be one of the toughest choices, as it directly impacts the career ladder. Students can go through the best ways to choose their professional course after completing class 12 or graduation, as given below.

  1. Research well about the course.
  2. Ask teachers, seniors or guides.
  3. Identify the core interest in the subjects that students have learned.
  4. Create a career map that suits aspirations.
  5. Shortlist the most interesting courses that catch students' eyes.

Also Read: Top Vocational Courses After 10th and 12th

Top Professional Courses in India with the Highest Salary

Multiple courses offer a good salary package, and among these courses, some of them are MBA, MTech, MCom, PGDM etc, Students can go through the list of top professional courses in India with high salary given below.

Course Name

Duration

Average Salary (in INR)

MBA

2 years

8-18 LPA

MTech

2 years

6-12 LPA

MCom

2 years

5-12 LPA

PGDM

2 years

5-20 LPA

LLB (Hons)

3 years

5-10 LPA

MA/MSc Economics

2 years

8-14 LPA

MA/MSc Statistics/Mathematics

2 years

8-14 LPA

MCA/MSc Computer Science

2 years

7-20 LPA

PGP-BAT

3-4 months to 1 year

5-12 LPA

PGD Hotel Management

1 to 2 years

6-14 LPA

Note: The figures mentioned above are subject to change.

Top Recruiters after 12th Grade and Graduation

Here’s a broad overview of top recruiters for professional courses after 12th and after graduation, based on fields of study:

After Class 12

1. Engineering (B.Tech/B.E.)

  • Core Sectors: Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Tata Steel, ONGC, Indian Oil, DRDO.
  • IT Sector: Google, Microsoft, TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant.
  • Automotive: Tesla, Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Ashok Leyland.
  • Consulting/Analytics: Deloitte, KPMG, Accenture.

2. Medicine (MBBS, BDS, B.Sc Nursing)

  • Hospitals: Apollo Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare, AIIMS, Max Healthcare.
  • Research: ICMR, WHO, Novartis, Biocon.
  • Medical Companies: Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic.

3. Management (BBA, Hotel Management, Event Management)

  • BBA: HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Aditya Birla Group, Reliance Industries.
  • Hotel Management: Taj Group, Marriott, Oberoi Hotels, Hyatt.
  • Event Management: Wizcraft, Percept, E-Factor Entertainment.

4. Design & Arts (Fashion, Interior, Graphic Design)

  • Fashion Design: Raymond, Titan, FabIndia, Zara.
  • Interior Design: Livspace, IKEA, Godrej Interio.
  • Graphic Design: Adobe, BYJU’s, Swiggy, Canva.

5. Law (Integrated BA/BBA LLB)

  • Law Firms: Amarchand Mangaldas, Khaitan & Co, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.
  • Corporate Houses: Reliance, Tata Group, Infosys (Legal Teams).
  • Government Sector: Judiciary exams, Public Prosecutor roles.

After Graduation

1. MBA

  • Consulting: McKinsey & Co, BCG, Bain & Co, Accenture.
  • Finance: Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley.
  • FMCG: Hindustan Unilever, Procter & Gamble, ITC.
  • E-commerce: Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato.

2. Data Science/AI

  • IT Companies: Google, IBM, Microsoft, Amazon.
  • Startups: Paytm, Zomato, Ola.
  • Finance: Citibank, Wells Fargo.

3. Engineering (M.Tech/MS)

  • Tech Giants: Intel, Nvidia, Samsung R&D, Qualcomm.
  • Research Institutions: ISRO, DRDO, BARC.
  • Automotive & Robotics: Tesla, Boston Dynamics, GE.

4. Law (LLM or Corporate Law)

  • Law Firms: AZB & Partners, Trilegal, JSA.
  • MNCs: Amazon (Legal), Apple (Compliance), Shell (Contracts).

5. Medicine (Post MBBS, MD, MS)

  • Hospitals: AIIMS, Medanta, Apollo Hospitals.
  • Pharma Companies: Pfizer, GSK, Sun Pharma.
  • Research: NIH, WHO.

6. Media & Mass Communication

  • Media Houses: Times Group, NDTV, BBC, Zee Media.
  • Advertising: Ogilvy, Dentsu, Leo Burnett.
  • Digital Media: Google, Netflix, Facebook.

7. CA/CS/CFA

  • Audit Firms: Big 4 (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG).
  • Finance: BlackRock, UBS, HDFC Bank.

After the 12th grade or graduation, a professional course places a greater emphasis on the acquisition of workplace-relevant skills and practices. It bridges the gap between an employee's current skill set and what is required on the job. As discussed in this article, the list of top professional courses in India after 12th as well as after graduation is the clear choice among today's youth because employees are rewarded with extraordinarily generous packages in exchange for meeting industry demands. Stay tuned to CollegeDekho for more such updates and information. Aspirants can also check out our Q&A Zone to get their queries resolved by our experts.

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FAQs

What are the qualifications needed for professional courses?

To be considered eligible for any professional courses, a student must have completed the 10th or 12th grade with a minimum of 40 to 50% aggregate marks. If candidates want to enrol in professional courses after 12th grade, they must also take entrance exams required by their respective college/university.

What exactly is a professional course?

A professional course is one that teaches you practical skills and prepares you for employment at the end of the course. In contrast, the goal of a degree programme is to provide you with a solid academic foundation in a specific subject, not necessarily to prepare you for employment.

What professional course should I pursue after graduation?

Some of the the top 10 best courses to take after graduation: Management Postgraduate Diploma (PGDM), MBA (Masters in Business Administration), MTech, Hotel Management PGD, PGPM, Project Management Certification in Finance and Accounting (CFA), etc.

Which 6 month professional course is the best?

Some of the top 6 months Certificate Programs are: Laboratory Techniques Certificate, Organic Farming Certification, Clinical Psychology certification, Certificate in Naturopathy & Yoga Science, Beekeeping Certificate, PG Certificate in Agriculture Policy, Sericulture Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery (ANM) Certificate, etc.

What is the best one-year course after high school?

Some of the top Science 1 Year Diploma Courses after 12th are: Interior Design Certificate, Advertising diploma, Medical Laboratory Technology Diploma (DMLT), Animation Diploma, Banking Diploma, Diploma in Business Administration, Hotel Management Diploma, Foreign Language Diploma, etc.

What are the most high-paying professional courses in India?

The list of the most high-paying professional courses in India includes MBA, MTech, MCom, PGDM, LLB (Hons), MA/MSc, Economics, MA/MSc Statistics/Mathematics, MCA/MSc Computer Science, PGP-BAT, PGD Hotel Management, and more.

What are the best professional courses in India to pursue after 12th grade?

The list of top professional courses in India after 12 includes Engineering, Architecture, Commercial Pilot, Medicine, Chartered Accountancy, Cost and Management Accountant, Company Secretary, Law, Design, Mass Communication & Journalism, etc.

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