Top 21 Courses and Career options after 12th With PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics)

December 1, 2025|
Vaibhav Kakkar|
Jobs, Knowledge, Skill Development|

This is the reason today we are going to discuss the top 21 courses that you can take up after the 12th PCM. The average starting salary for these courses and career options is generally 2.5 lacs to 5 lacs. That invariably goes up with knowledge, experience, and ability to perform.
Physics is the most popular course that students in the science stream with PCM combination take up in their undergraduate studies.
It is a three-year program that focuses on providing you extensive education on the different elements. You get high-paying job opportunities after completion of the course.
Some institutes conduct entrance examinations while others enroll students based on their performance in the class 12th exams.
It is one of the most lucrative options for students. They get recruited in research and development organizations, space Research, minerals technology, and research, aviation, astrophysics to name a few. One can also take up higher studies and complete master’s and doctoral programs. That would provide even greater opportunities and more scope for success.
Engineering is the most widely chosen option after 12th with PCM. Most of the students who chose science in their 10+2 tend to take up engineering. You have to possess the qualities of critical thinking analytical acumen to excel in this domain.
There are several entrance exams like JEE, SAT by which students can apply to different engineering colleges. They are then selected based on their results in the examination. Institutes and colleges also conduct their own entrance exams for the different engineering and technology disciplines.
One of the main reasons for students taking up engineering is that it provides better career opportunities in different companies. Moreover, it is one of the most highly paid jobs. As we grow in experience the monetary incentives and perquisites grow manifold. Moreover, the Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Technology offers you a lot of diverse subjects to study as seen above.
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Defense can be highly rewarding as well as a satisfying career option after 12th PCM. It offers great opportunities to explore and work in different parts of the country. Your recruitment in the defense sector gets you respect and accolades.
A career in defense catapults you to the position of a hero in the eyes of the people of the country. However, it needs you to possess an innate love to serve your country and fearlessness. Students opting for a career in defense after 12th should have nationalistic fervor and the zeal to put their heart and mind into serving the nation first.
A career in defense means that you can take up work in the Indian army, navy, and Indian air force. There are entrance exams after which you get enrolled in the National Defence Academy.
There are technical and non-technical departments you can choose to work in. However, if you select the technical option, it generally means that you are inclined to pursue an engineering career in defense. Whether it’s in the army, navy, or airforce, you have to sit for the technical entry scheme course.
That helps you to finish studies in a chosen discipline to become prolific professionals. You can then get commissioned as a lieutenant officer.
Architecture is one of the most fascinating career choices after 12th PCM. A career in architecture ensures that you combine your innovative skills with your creative acumen. And, then create designs, plans, and construct different establishments. You have to keep track of the trends and new developments in the field to keep up with the evolving nature of the architecture field.
You can specialize in landscape designing. Moreover, there are options like creating designs for different events as well as big buildings. For example, commercial buildings, shopping malls, office spaces, and other such sites.
An architecture graduate also needs to possess good communication skills to work with clients, brainstorm ideas. Only then will you effectively plan, and align their designing skills with the requirements of the client. Just like engineering courses, most of the institutes offering Bachelor of architecture conduct entrance examinations like JEE and NATA.
There are job openings in event companies, construction firms, architectural firms, consultancies. You can also work as building inspectors, landscape architects, interior designers.
It also offers you the avenue of taking up the job of professors, lecturers, and teachers. The master’s and doctoral programs can provide greater potential for success in the field. For the Master’s program, you have to sit for entrance exams like GATE.
The chemistry Honours course is for 3 years after you complete your 12th with PCM. The course teaches you the different chemical components, reactions, compositions extensively in this 3-year course.
It is one of the challenging as well as intriguing subjects that requires you to possess an affinity for mathematics and analytical skills. You need to have a talent for critical thinking and aptitude to become a skilled professional in the field of chemistry.
The best part of the work is that there are diverse options to choose from. Once you understand where your interests lay, you can choose a field that will provide you with a promising career.
Chemistry graduates can take up research and development, and work for different sectors. Forensics, Industrial Management firms, pharmacies, toxicology departments are some sectors.
You can always choose something you love working on. For example, some might be interested in environmental chemistry while some may be interested in crystallography.
Planning is another career option after 12th Science PCM that you can choose. It covers theoretical as well as practical understanding of Designing urban and rural areas.
The main objective is to provide you with professional training to create a feasible environment plan taking into account all important factors.
Some of the entrance exams that students can take are JEE, Jadavpur University entrance exam, NATA. Some other institutes conduct their own entrance tests. And, others directly enroll students based on their performance at the higher secondary level.
The Career options after you complete your bachelor’s in planning are plenty. There are job positions available as urban planners, regional plan designers, interior designers, project managers, and planners. Both the private and the public sectors are replete with jobs concerning this field.
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Mathematics is one of the most important subjects in your 12th with PCM combination. It also offers a lot of opportunities in different fields.
You have undergraduate degrees for 3 years and you can get admitted based on your performance in the higher secondary examination.
The career avenues are several for mathematics graduates. Job positions are available in big corporate organizations in the finance department and marketing.
Graduates get diverse roles in the Information Technology sector, research and development firms, and colleges as lecturers. Private and public companies have diverse job opportunities for mathematics graduates.
Since they are good with numbers, they can also work in the Economics departments doing consultancy work for organizations.
Digital marketing does not specifically require you to come from a particular stream. But people with 12th science streams with PCM combination can take up work as data analysts as well as researchers in the digital marketing world.
Today, so many options available today in the online department. There are some distinct advantages of digital marketing as a course and career option.
The online industry today has seen such great proliferation that they are immense jobs available in different positions in the digital domain.
Moreover, every industry today is required to have a digital presence. Whether it is a construction from a real estate company, public relations firm, every industry and sector needs to have a reliable website that needs to be in place. Therefore, career avenues to pursue are enormous. The duration of these courses is generally up to 6 months.
The courses provide you the opportunity to gain an understanding of the online world which is paramount today. They also offer an understanding of a wide variety of topics that never lets monotony creep in.
There are international accreditations and training for different certifications. One of the greatest advantages is that you have location independence and can work from wherever you want.
However, there are complex modules like Data Analytics, Search Engine Optimisation, Google AdWords. You need to gain in-depth knowledge of these concepts to be able to become successful in the web domain.
A thorough course in Digital marketing gives you the freedom to start your own business and work at your own pace with your conditions.
The Information Technology sector is the most coveted career choice for students after 12th science PCM. Lots of students every year dream of taking up a job in the IT sector.
A promising career and great scope for growth are the reasons why this career field is so popular among young vibrant students. Work in the Information Technology sector mainly deals with the hardware and software of a computer.
There are plenty of job opportunities in web designing, coding, networking, programming. You can develop apps and games. You can choose to combine your writing skills with your technical knowledge and become a technical writer.
Technical writers today are very much in demand. Now, more than ever, you need content to disseminate information about your product and services to the consumer at large. Technical writers with their expertise in writing and technical background are immensely helpful in conveying these messages for brand success and recognition.
Mass Communication opens job opportunities in mass media, digital platforms, and social media platforms. The undergraduate program is a 3-year extensive course that provides knowledge on the various aspects of communication and journalism. People from diverse fields opt for this course owing to the enormous possibilities of success.
In the course, you learn how to communicate pertinent information to the world at large to make a difference. It is no news that the media has gone through a rapid transformation as well as expansion in the past few years.
With the development of mass media in India, opportunities have only increased. They have further provided students with a great alternative to conventional education.
The mass Communication course is generally combined with the journalism course. Here, you learn the various aspects of a career in journalism. The only prerequisite to having a great career in mass communication is to have the traits of curiosity and communication skills. You also need to possess the enthusiasm to learn and evolve continuously in this greatly dynamic field of mass communication
Fashion Technology is again one of those career options that require you to have technical expertise along with creative prowess to become successful.
It is different from the designing aspect because you concentrate on the technical know-how of the process to work in this field. Also, if you want to pursue fashion Technology you need PCM in your 12th science.
The course is mainly practical-oriented and provides you with an intensive understanding of the production, manufacturing, and designing aspects of the fashion world. You get knowledge of the different materials and textiles.
It is a 4-year exhaustive course that offers knowledge on the fundamental aspects of designing along with offering your knowledge on the technical part.
This is one career avenue that opens up work in various sectors. You can become fashion writers and can take up jobs in big fashion houses, websites. Moreover, you can start your own business and offer fashion designing and Technology Services to consumers. You can also have your consultancy.
If you are one of those interested in solving puzzles, riddles, forensic science can be one great career option to pursue. Forensic science is not just limited to your role as a forensic scientist but there are many options to pursue.
Mostly, forensic scientists are connected with the departments of crime and law. They carry out investigations to find perpetrators in criminal investigations.
The BSc forensic science course is of three years’ duration. You learn about the various scientific applications and implement them in practicals. This way, you get a thorough understanding of the complexities of investigating a crime.
A forensic scientist has great observational skills and puts meticulous attention to even the littlest of details. They are astute and have great technical and analytical acumen.
Geology is extremely interesting and full of prospects. Students with Intellectual capabilities and a knack for critical thinking and problem solving can have a thriving career in the field of geology.
Geology is a subject that still has some amount of ambiguity surrounding it. Therefore, someone who has a deep understanding of the subject can become extremely successful with their work.
A career in geology generally helps you to get positions in engineering firms, corporate organizations, oil, petroleum, mining companies.
You can also work for government organizations helping in Research development and get other positions. The Geological Survey Of India, Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited, Bharat Gold Mines Limited, Hindustan Copper Limited, Coal India Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, are some recruiters in India. You can get many employment opportunities and coveted designations.
Graduates in geology can study further and complete their masters. This enables them to get jobs as professors in eminent colleges and universities.
Computer science graduates have great opportunities in the coding and technical aspects of computers and online domains. They are concerned with maintaining, managing, and analyzing different devices and systems.
It is an especially popular course for students who have taken up 12th science with PCM combination. The course is approximately 3 years and teaches the fundamental aspects of computers. After the completion of the course, you can take up jobs in different IT companies.
The course offers knowledge of different operating systems, number systems, and codes. You understand the application of various devices and learn about programming concepts.
Additionally, you learn about the application of Windows and its distinctive features. Students with a penchant for mathematics and coding can have a thriving career in computer science.
You should develop communication skills. This helps you to glean information on the different software and hardware from people using them. You can incorporate the feedback into your research to create more developed systems for better functioning.
Bachelor of Science in Computer Applications helps you to understand the development of the different computer programs and software.
Whether graphic software, office suits, or gaming applications, a graduate in computer applications is adept at handling and managing these application-oriented programs.
The job opportunities for computer application graduates are humongous. Some of the top names like Google, Yahoo, Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Adobe, Accenture, Airtel, offer attractive packages with great job designations.
You learn the nitty-gritty of computer applications including designing and managing websites. Also, you derive an understanding of different operating systems and programming languages.
Students need to have a strong grasp of the English language and communication skills to be able to perform the tasks efficiently. Everything considered Computer Applications is the finest career option for students after 12th science with PCM.
A course in graphic design helps to get career opportunities in various sectors starting from marketing, advertising, writing to becoming creative directors. It is a prosperous job avenue that is both compelling and rewarding.
The main objective of a prolific graphic designer is to create art using computer programs and software for different sectors and industries.
All graphic designers have an in-depth understanding of Photoshop, Adobe, CorelDRAW, illustrator, among other things. It is mandatory. Once you gain mastery in these applications, you are on your path to becoming a successful graphic designer.
You need to have the qualities of critical thinking and aligning the consumer’s thoughts with your ideas. That requires the skills of observation and deep thinking.
Students who have had PCM in the 12th already possess the skills of analysis. Therefore, a career in graphic design becomes all the easier for them to pursue.
It is one of the most vital sectors of Engineering that is concerned with the study of metallic elements, alloys, and compounds. Students with PCM can apply for the BTech courses in metallurgical engineering. Some of the fundamental principles of metallurgy are taught in these courses.
India provides a lot of scope for growth in the career of metallurgical engineers. They can take up jobs in government sectors, work as research, and associate partners. They can also work as scientists and lecturers in top eminent universities. The courses are full of practical training. These engineers are committed to finding different scientific and technological advancements with their work.
With digital expansion, cybersecurity has become paramount to the welfare of a business. Most of these businesses have digital footprints, and therefore consolidating the security aspect becomes important.
Students with PCM can easily take up cybersecurity and ethical hacking courses to become prolific professionals in the field.
Cybersecurity deals with identifying the threats and taking preventive and precautionary measures to stop any illegal activity or hacking.
Information Technology courses have in-depth courses on cybersecurity and ethical hacking, However, there is a separate cybersecurity course which is the BSc degree in cybersecurity. It helps you to have a comprehensive understanding of how to carry on work to protect the interest of concerned parties.
Most of the cybersecurity courses come with a mix of understanding the business aspect and the technological part of designing and maintaining online security.
It not only means securing your desktop applications against malware and harmful virus. It also means securing your wireless and mobile devices for overall protection.
Cybersecurity experts often take up writing projects and apprising people of security threats. They provide information on securing their websites and applications. Hence, you can also have a bright future in writing where you combine your prolific writing skills with your technical knowledge in cybersecurity and ethical hacking.
Geography as a career is apt for students after the 12th science stream with PCM. You are concerned with the study of earth science also known as physical science. It involves understanding the relationship between the different elements of earth with living organisms. Geography also helps you to know how the environment and civilizations work together even if unwittingly to create a balance.
Geography graduates can work in administration, cartography, environment research firms, surveying firms. They can become skilled climatologists and competent meteorologists. The job roles are interesting and diverse. Geography graduates research various aspects of earth, science, and the environment.
Content writing & Marketing is a field that you can pursue at any point in life. Science subjects of a plethora of opportunities for writers to explore their writing acumen and create successful careers.
Whether technical writing, academic writing, or writing for informational videos, and magazines, content is required everywhere. This gives rise to job opportunities for people who know science and language.
People can coalesce the two together to create some of the most influential articles educating and informing people. Writing business can be thriving on its own. You get to be the one making your own decisions and working at your own time, convenience, and place.
To become successful content writers you have to possess an understanding of the online doing today. Content writing courses come into play in this regard.
You understand how to create content that people will reach incorporating keywords, SEO. You learn to write content in different formats with a well-organized structure.
The courses are quite affordable and the duration is less. The Best thing is you can do that course along with your undergraduate program in any other discipline in the science stream.
An aviation career includes aeronautical engineering where you study for approximately 3 to 4 years studying the creation of aircraft and airplanes. However, there are a lot of other courses that you can take up after your 12th with PCM in the aviation sector.
There is commercial Pilot training that requires you to have PCM in and proper knowledge of English. Moreover, there are branches like airport management, aviation hospitality, ground staff cabin crew management & training. You also have air hostess training.
The BSc in Aviation deals with understanding the essentials of the aviation industry. Let’s look at the curriculum in BSc aviation. It mostly deals with navigation, laws & regulations, security, safety, and management aspects.
All these courses can provide you with great opportunities if you PCM in your 12th. They offer a good salary, scope for better employment opportunities, and intrigue in your work life.
Peruse these courses and their curriculum carefully. It will hopefully be able to provide you with some clarity on what to choose after your high secondary examinations are over.
Vaibhav Kakkar is the Founder & CEO of IIM SKILLS, a global EdTech leader committed to making professional education practical, affordable, and career-transforming. Recognized as a global voice in professional...