Best Diploma Courses After 12th To Pursue in 2024

After completing senior secondary education in India, there are numerous courses after 12th that students have the option to follow, and diploma courses after 12th are one of the many options.

Here are some popular diploma courses after the 12th, along with their eligibility criteria, course duration, course curriculum, best colleges/universities to pursue them from, and future scope:

Science Stream

Popular diploma courses in the science stream are listed below:

Diploma in Engineering

Diploma in engineering under the science stream is probably the most sought-after avenue for students after 12th. Given below are the course details of the diploma in engineering.

• Eligibility: 10+2 with Science stream (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as core subjects) from a recognised board.
• Course Duration: 1-3 years, depending on the course and institution you have joined.
• Course Curriculum: The curriculum focuses on core engineering subjects, technical skills, and practical training related to the chosen specialisation (e.g., Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, Computer Science) etc.
• Best Colleges/Universities: State-level private and government engineering colleges.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can work as junior engineers, or technicians, or pursue higher education such as B.Tech/B.E. for better career prospects.

Here is a list of trending diploma courses in engineering:

• Mobile Application Development
• Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
• Software Engineering
• Animation & VFX
• Web Designing & Development
• Nautical Science
• Robotics and Automation Engineering
• Data Science and Analytics
• Cybersecurity Engineering
• Renewable Energy Engineering
• Mechatronics Engineering
• Automotive Engineering
• Civil Engineering (Smart Cities)
• Aerospace Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering

Check career options after 12th science in 2024!

Diploma Courses in Medicine/Paramedical Sciences

The most common question that arises in the minds of students who want to pursue a course in medicine is whether any medical course after 12th without NEET is available or not. Well, absolutely yes! There are a lot of courses which are available in medicine, especially diploma courses after 12th:

• Eligibility: Students must belong to the science stream (Physics, Chemistry and Biology as core subjects in your 12th standard) with a minimum aggregate of 50% marks from a recognised board.
• Course Duration: 1-3 years, depending on the institution/college you have joined
• Course Curriculum: The course curriculum for a Diploma in Medicine/Paramedical Science typically includes subjects such as Anatomy and Physiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Medical Terminology, Medical Ethics and Professionalism, Diagnostic Techniques, Patient Care and Clinical Skills, Specialised Paramedical Subjects, and Clinical Training.
• Best Colleges/Universities: Government and private paramedical colleges in the state.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can have a plethora of career prospects to choose from.

Diploma courses are mostly viable for paramedical streams. Students can pursue the following diploma courses to attain practical knowledge of the same: 

• Nursing Care Assistant
• Physiotherapy
• Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM)
• Radiology
• Gynaecology and Obstetrics
• Child Health
• Rural Health Care
• Community Health Care
• Orthopaedics
• Ophthalmology
• Optometry
• Dermatology 
• Clinical Research
• Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy
• Medical Record Technology
• Medical Imaging Technology
• Medical Lab Technology 
• Hearing Language and Speech
• Operation Theatre Technology

Commerce Stream

Diploma in Finance and Accounting:

Diploma Courses After 12th in Commerce stream gives a lot of options for students to choose from. Yet, the most popular among the diploma courses after 12th remains finance and accounting.

• Eligibility: 10+2 in any stream from a recognised board, preferably a commerce background. A minimum of 50% marks and 45% for SC/ST/PwD category students.
• Course Duration: Typically, 6 months to 1 year. It varies depending on the course and college/institution you are a part of.
• Course Curriculum: The curriculum includes accounting principles, financial management, taxation, auditing, financial software training (e.g., Tally), and practical sessions on maintaining financial records.
• Best Colleges/Institutes: Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI), National Institute of Financial Management, and various private institutes offering accounting courses.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can work as accountants, auditors, and tax consultants, or pursue further professional courses like Chartered Accountancy (CA) or Cost and Management Accountancy (CMA) for better career prospects.

There are several diploma courses after 12 available for students in commerce. Here is a long list of them:

• Banking and Finance
• Advanced Accounting
• Certified Management Accountant
• Financial Accounting
• Retail Management
• Business Management
• Industrial Safety
• Accounting and Finance
• Management

Also, check out 6 Best Commerce Courses After 12th with High Salary!

Arts & Humanities Stream

In recent times, pursuing arts courses after 12th has gained traction because of the immense scope and possible avenues it opens up for the students. Here is a comprehensive list of the most preferred diploma courses after 12th in various professional fields under arts & humanities:

Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication

• Eligibility: Students must have passed their 10+2 in any stream from a recognised board, preferably a commerce background. A minimum of 50% marks and 45% for SC/ST/PwD category students.
• Course Duration: 1 year to 3 years (varies)
• Course Curriculum: The curriculum covers subjects like media ethics, journalism ethics, news writing, reporting, editing, video production, radio broadcasting, public relations, media law, and internships in media organisations.
• Best Colleges/Institutes: Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Xavier Institute of Communications (XIC), Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC), Asian College of Journalism, and various private institutes offering journalism and mass communication courses.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can work as journalists, news reporters, editors, content writers, radio jockeys, TV anchors, and public relations executives, or pursue higher education like a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication for better career prospects.

Check out 10 High Salary Courses After 12th!

Diploma in Hotel Management

• Eligibility: Students must have passed their 10+2 in any stream from a recognised board, preferably a commerce background.
• Course Duration: 1- 3 years, again varies depending on the institution and specialisation you have opted for
• Course Curriculum: The curriculum covers subjects like food production, housekeeping, front office management, food and beverage service, hotel operations, and hospitality marketing. Practical training and internships in hotels are also included.
• Best Colleges/Universities: Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) – various locations, Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development, Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA), and various private hotel management institutes.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can work in hotels, restaurants, resorts, event management companies, and cruise lines. With experience, they can also move up to managerial positions or start their own ventures.

Diploma Courses in Hotel Management

Students can go for diploma courses in hotel management that offer immense practical knowledge and are valuable for enhancing the skills, much required in this particular sector:

• Hotel Management
• Bakery Operations
• Front Office Operations
• Hotel Management and Catering Technology
• Housekeeping Operations

Diploma in Culinary Arts

• Eligibility: Students must have passed their 10+2 in any stream from a recognised board, preferably a commerce background. A minimum of 50% marks and 45% for SC/ST/PwD category students.
• Course Duration: 1 year to 2 years (varies)
• Course Curriculum: The curriculum focuses on culinary skills, food preparation techniques, bakery and patisserie, menu planning, food hygiene and safety, kitchen management, and practical training in commercial kitchens.
• Best Colleges/Institutes: Culinary Institute of India, Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) – various locations, Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA), International Institute of Culinary Arts (IICA), and various private culinary institutes.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can work as chefs, sous chefs, pastry chefs, or kitchen supervisors, or start their own restaurants, bakeries, or catering businesses. They can gain further specialisation through advanced culinary courses and gain international exposure.

Check most trending law courses after 12th here! 

Diploma in Fashion Designing

• Eligibility: Students must have passed their 10+2 in any stream from a recognised board, preferably a commerce background. A minimum of 50% marks and 45% for SC/ST/PwD category students.
• Course Duration: 1-3 years (varies)
• Course Curriculum: The curriculum focuses on fashion design principles, garment construction techniques, fabric study, fashion illustration, textile science, and fashion merchandising. Practical projects and internships are included.
• Best Colleges/Universities: National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), National Institute of Design (NID), Pearl Academy, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, and various private fashion designing institutes.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can work as fashion designers, fashion illustrators, merchandisers, and stylists, or start their own fashion labels. They can also pursue higher education in fashion design for advanced career opportunities.

Check- List of exciting Design Courses After 12th in 2024!

Diploma Courses in Designing

Bachelor of Design or B.Des has been the talk of the town ever since, but it is definitely not limited to just fashion. Here is a list of the programs that have the term ‘design’ in them:

• Fashion Design
• Accessory/Jewellery Design
• Graphic Design
• Product Design
• Communication Design
• Industrial Design
• Furniture and Interior Design
• Animation Design
• Film and Video Design
• Visual Communication 

Diploma in Event Management

• Eligibility: Students must have passed their 10+2 in any stream from a recognised board, preferably a commerce background.
• Course Duration: 1 year to 2 years (varies)
• Course Curriculum: The curriculum covers event planning, budgeting, vendor management, marketing strategies, event logistics, risk management, and practical training through organising real events.
• Best Colleges/Institutes: National Institute of Event Management, Event Management Development Institute (EMDI), Institute of Event Management, and various private event management institutes.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can work as event coordinators, event planners, wedding planners, exhibition organisers, or start their own event management companies. With experience, they can handle larger events and corporate projects.

Diploma Courses in Management

Students can go for diploma courses in management as well. Here is a list of the few most preferred ones:

• Business Management
• Retail Management
• Event Management
• Travel and Tourism
• Financial Management
• Human Resource Management
• Export and Import Management
• Advanced Diploma in Business Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Supply Chain Management
• International Business

Diploma in Digital Marketing

• Eligibility: Students must have passed their 10+2 in any stream from a recognised board, preferably a commerce background. A minimum of 50% marks and 45% for SC/ST/PwD category students.
• Course Duration: 6 months to 1 year (varies)
• Course Curriculum: The curriculum covers digital marketing strategies, social media marketing, search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, email marketing, content marketing, web analytics, and practical projects.
• Best Colleges/Institutes: Digital Marketing Institute, Manipal ProLearn, NIIT Digital Marketing, Simplilearn, and various private institutes offering digital marketing courses.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can work as digital marketing executives, social media managers, SEO specialists, and content marketers, or start their own digital marketing agencies. With experience, they can handle larger campaigns and strategic roles.

Diploma in Animation and Visual Effects

• Eligibility: Students must have passed their 10+2 in any stream from a recognised board, preferably a commerce background. A minimum of 50% marks and 45% for SC/ST/PwD category students.
• Course Duration: 1 year to 3 years (varies)
• Course Curriculum: The curriculum focuses on 2D and 3D animation techniques, visual effects, character design, storyboarding, compositing, digital modelling, texturing, and software proficiency in tools like Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya, and more.
• Best Colleges/Institutes: Arena Animation, Frameboxx Animation and Visual Effects, Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC), Zee Institute of Creative Arts (ZICA), and various private animation institutes.
• Future Scope: Diploma holders can work in animation studios, film production houses, gaming companies, and advertising agencies, or pursue freelance opportunities. They can specialize in areas like character animation, and VFX compositing, or pursue higher education for advanced career prospects.

Distance Learning or Diploma Courses After 12th in Online Mode

The Ministry of Education, Government of India has taken a number of initiatives to make education accessible and viable for every student in India. There is no age to learn, hence, a number of Open Schools and Universities at the National and State levels offer quality education in distance and online mode, so that students can learn at their own pace. Some of the initiatives are:

• SWAYAM: Swayam is a platform that facilitates hosting of all the courses, taught in classrooms from Class 9 till post-graduation to be accessed by anyone, anywhere at any time. All the courses are interactive, prepared by the best teachers in the country and are available, free of cost to any learner. 

Students can enrol on multiple of these short-term courses and learn at their own pace. An optional examination is also conducted to test the students on their learning, apart from the assignments, to grant a certificate to the learners. The certificate holds immense value as well and the knowledge gained shall help students in many walks of life.

Candidates can check the Top Distance Learning Courses After 12th 2024.

Open Universities/Schools for Diploma courses

A number of accredited national open learning universities are established in India, exclusively for the said purpose. Apart from the exclusive open universities, almost every eminent university in the country has a separate analogous branch that offers distance/online learning. Here is a list of the most important ones:

• IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University): One of the oldest and most prestigious institutions for distance learning, IGNOU has a plethora of courses to choose from. Starting from bachelor’s to master, diploma, postgraduate diploma to PhD. The entire process is centrally coordinated and the examinations are conducted in all Indian regional centres.
• DU SOL (Delhi University School of Open Learning): One of the most sought after institutions for higher education, Delhi University offers distance learning programs under its DU SOL branch. Students must check the eligibility and courses offered.
• Netaji Subhas Open University: It is a state open university imparting quality education to learners in Eastern India. There are a lot of courses to choose from and the admission procedure happens annually for the students.
• Dr. B.R Ambedkar Open University: It is a state open university in Telangana also known as Telangana Open University, offers quality education to students and has a functionality like any other regular university.

UGC Initiative: No matter whichever state you belong in India, UGC’s initiative to know the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) near you that offer online/distance learning programs will be beneficial for you. Starting from the central to state universities, along with the option of downloading the PDF of the list, you can view and select the most feasible option for you.

Conclusion

We hope that this article on diploma courses after the 12th proved to be helpful for you. On the one hand diploma courses provides the much-needed practical knowledge and skills in the specific subject, yet opting for higher education from one of the top university or college in India should be the preferable next step.

Do let us know which diploma course you liked the most and would want to pursue after class 12th. We would love you hear from you.

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