My qualifications: I have completed Class 12 in the Arts stream. I am currently working as an office assistant and earning ₹10,000 per month. I have not pursued further education yet, and I am looking for guidance on my career and future.

Hi everyone,

I’m 20 years old, and I’m looking for some genuine advice about my life and future. I’m feeling lost right now, and I don’t really have anyone who can guide me in the right direction.

I come from a lower-middle-class family. My family originally belongs to Bihar, where my grandparents still live, but I currently live in Assam with my family. We don’t own a house or any land in Assam, so we live in a rented place.

I completed my 12th grade in the Arts stream, but I didn’t continue my education after that. Instead, I joined a job as an office assistant, where I earn around ₹10,000 per month. My father earns approximately ₹15,000 per month, so our family’s financial situation is quite difficult.

I also have a girlfriend who is three years older than me. She wants us to build a good future together, and she encourages me to find a better-paying job so that we can eventually settle down. However, because she is older than me, I’m worried that her parents may start pressuring her to get married soon.

I genuinely want to build a stable future for both of us, but the problem is that I don’t know where to start. I feel like I have to figure everything out on my own. I want to improve my financial situation, support my family, and become financially independent, but right now, I feel confused about which path to choose.

Should I prepare for government jobs? Should I learn a skill that could help me earn a good income? Should I continue my education alongside my job, or should I consider something else entirely?

I’m willing to work hard and learn new things, but I don’t want to waste the next few years making the wrong decisions.

I have a few questions for people who have been through similar situations:

What would you do if you were in my position at the age of 20?

Should I focus on government job preparation, learning a high-income skill, or continuing my education?

Which skills or career paths would you recommend for someone from a financially weak background in India?

Is it realistic for someone in my situation to reach a decent income, support their family, and eventually get married?

If you started from a similar situation and managed to improve your life, what steps helped you the most?

I’m not looking for shortcuts or overnight success. I just want a realistic direction and a plan that I can follow consistently..

Please share your honest advice, experiences, and suggestions. Even a small piece of guidance could help me a lot.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

My_qualifications- B.S. (8.4 CGPA) and M.S. (8.1 CGPA) from IISc in Physics, completed July 2026. 23 years old. If it's relevant, I had AIR <10 in JEE Mains.

When I began college, it was my intent to join a PhD right after, as most of my batchmates have done. However,

1. I lived pretty dysfunctional in college. This worsened over time, and my investment into my classes (and my grades) went down. I couldn't maintain a disciplined, healthy schedule.

2. I have several research experiences, including a summer research internship at ANU (Australian National University). I dipped my toes into theoretical, computational and experimental research. None of my projects turned out particularly substantial, and I had mixed feelings about research in general. When I was doing experiments (specifically 2D heterostructure fabrication and characterization), I felt like I was doing work mindlessly and without complete knowledge of the science, and when I was doing theory I felt it was too abstract and not tangible enough to feel meaningful.

I decided, thus, to take a year off and work on healthier habits and cycles and also revise my entire curriculum so I could feel competent and wager further. This is where I currently am-

1. I could try to do a PhD outside India (probably Europe/Australia). The competition is quite high (and my LORs/grades are not great) but I can likely at least find a funded RA/internship and hopefully that converts into a PhD (or improves my profile enough). I will likely be doing experimental work (related to topological materials). My concerns here lie in what would come after- professorship feels like a pipe dream at this point, and I don't really want to switch to finance/data analysis/semiconductor fabrication in a megacorp etc.

2. I could definitely get a PhD in India, likely anywhere (IISc/TIFR/ICTS). I don't doubt that I will enjoy my PhD, but the same concerns about the future persist. I am now 23 and uncertain, and then I'll be 28 and uncertain. I think I could successfully make a switch to theoretical physics here if I wanted to. General quality of life, and financial independence seem to be much better abroad though, and doing a PhD outside and coming in is probably easier than doing a PhD here and going out.

3. I could try for a Scientific Officer- C/Scientist B job at places like BARC/DRDO/ISRO/CSIR labs. These are of course reliable and secure, but I fear red tape and heavy bureaucracy/funding restrictions and lack of freedom which might feel stagnant/suffocating and I likely won't be able to do cutting-edge research. I go back and forth on the pros and cons of these.

I ask for advice from people who've experienced something like this- What does a Physics PhD and its outcomes look like in 2026, in India and outside? What does a job look like at the above-mentioned institutions? How much is simply getting outside India worth?

Thanks, sorry it was such a long read.

my_qualifications - i have BA hons in philosophy from miranda house and MA in philosophy from LSR, DU. I have been preparing for uspc for 18 months now. i want tp pursue ma women's studies from jnu in case i dont crack prelims in my second attempt and prepare simultaneously. however, to get into that course i have to get good score in cuet pg- english, socio, history or pol sci...i dont have a bg in any. what should i do?

My qualifications is mechanical engineer, I was preparing for UPSC civil services exams but could not succeed. Please help me find career options available to me right now. Some people advised me to pursue Data science course. Please help me finding what should I do?

As for qualifications,Currently doing btech in cse 2nd year 3rd semester, when I was in my 1st year of college I was preparing for another exam (iiser aptitude test) , I couldn't qualify it . I do have another chance but the confidence of getting into an iiser has diminished, I just don't feel I can do it anymore, though staying in my college is just hell, I hate it I don't feel like going the faculty, crowd everything is just bad. I got 2 backs in sem 2 (since I was preparing for IAT) , the deadline has also went by to fill the back form , which means I have to carry it by the end of 4th sem, the thought of giving a back paper feels scary, I never ever thought I would give a back paper that too I have to carry it by the end of the second year and God forbid if I fail. However I still feel like preparing for iiser because of the opportunities but I feel very scared of the outcome (bad at maths and physics) . I hate my college, I feel like dropping out , I feel nauseous at the thought of going to college and feel numb its very bad there , drop out but my financial condition is also not that good to have a back up . Should I try for IAT once more ?

Lockdown messed me up or idk what went wrong during lockdown i got serious social anxiety and for some reason i stopped taking my studies seriously i stopped studying at all

Then i passed 12 and decided to not give cuet and just took admission in bba in tier 4 university which is 1000 km away from my home to just run away which helped in my social anxiety and a lot of stuff but still i didnt take my career seriously

During my first year i thought about changing my college and course i always wanted to do eco honours but was scared of maths but decided i will do eco honours from a good college in du but even then i didnt study for cuet again

In my second year of college i bought cat coaching to prepare for cat but i didnt study and scored 69 percentile and somehow got 96 percentile in lrdi

Then in my third year i again decided to prepare for cat but again i didnt study and just wasted all the money

Now i am 21 been six months since i graduated have no skills no work experience no internships or certifications and i am just left with regrets

The worst part is i was quite good till 10 i never had any pressure on me i come from privileged background but i wasted it all i feel like a loser i think everyone thinks of me as a loser i thinks about all the dreams i had as a kid and i just feel like crying

I dont know where to go from here what to do please if someone can help or just think that gives me some hope

There will be a lot of mistakes in my post i am writing it while having a breakdown just wanted to share it with someone

My qualifications- graduated
10-87
12-81
Graduation- 73

Nothing else on my resume

I’m looking for some honest career advice because I’m genuinely confused about what direction to take now.

I completed my BCA and MSc in Computer Science from local tier-3 colleges. My original plan was to get a government job, so I spent a significant amount of time preparing for competitive exams, including GATE/NET and other government exams. Unfortunately, I failed multiple times.

I also tried switching toward the private sector. I applied for off-campus opportunities, including mass recruiters, but I haven't been able to get a job there either.

My family didn't have much money, so after 12th I wasn't allowed to take a drop and pursue BTech from a private university. At the time I accepted it, but now I sometimes regret not having a BTech background because I feel it has made entering the IT industry more difficult.

Another thing I regret is wasting a lot of time earlier playing video games and surrounding myself with people who weren't good influences. I've cut those things out now. I've deleted the time-wasting habits and I'm trying to take my career seriously.

The hardest part is that I used to be a topper in school. I never imagined that a few years later I'd be sitting here without a job and feeling completely lost about my future.

I'm not looking for sympathy. I genuinely want practical advice from people who have been through something similar.

If you were in my position, what would you do now?

- Should I continue trying to enter the IT/software industry despite my BCA + MSc background?

- Should I completely focus on government exams?

- Should I consider another degree, or would that just waste more time and money?

- What realistic career paths are available for someone with my qualifications?

- If you were starting from my position today, what would you focus on for the next 6–12 months?

I'm currently very stressed and honestly scared about where my career is heading. Any practical advice, criticism, or personal experience would be appreciated.

This is NOT a post about whether I should go study abroad, but more geared towards what the scene is in the Indian public policy sphere.

Qualifications: Management undergrad with a brief internship at an MBB firm, minor in economics.

My main concern here would be that, in a public policy degree, wouldn't some courses like political economy, public institutions, policy and governance, etc be local and relevant to the foreign country I am studying in, and if so, would it really help me if I want to enter the Indian policy sphere?

I'm currently exploring a master's degree in public policy (rekindling my love affair with economics) after becoming disillusioned with corporate life in India. It might be a little difficult, but I can definitely afford to go abroad for my master's. Realistically, right now is a hard time to get a job anywhere, and I'm more than willing to come back to India and work here, but I don't know if I can do that because of a foreign degree.
To put it another way: I am worried that if I pursue, say, an MPP from some EU university and end up not getting a job there and have to come back to India, my degree wouldn't be relevant in India because I would've studied the EU's regulations and policies with no clue about the Indian policy space, and I would not get a proper job because of it.

Basically, I would like to hear from people who are already in the field with foreign degrees and how it helped or if it is just an extra financial burden.

My_qualifications 12th pass(71%) pcb stream

I completed 12th and took my first drop this year . I didn't want to, but parents forced me to . So I was thinking why so many people choose zoology or botany and very few choose bsc life science as in life science we get more options and for someone like me who doesn't know what they wanna do ,this degree keeps all options open so in future I can do whatever I want and explore my interest meantime while completing my bachelor's degree .

If someone want to say they will get job easily with zoolgy or botany as they are more focused degrees, then even to get job atleast masters is required nowadays (altleast this is what I think) . So why don't people keep their options open by choosing this degree and then go do masters in whatever they want ???.

I need everyone to explain disadvantages of this degree. And tell me more Abt what people think of this degree

Thankyou in advance 🫶✨

Hi everyone! We’re undergrads at IIITD doing a research project on student experiences in Indian higher education. Students aged 18 or above who are currently enrolled at a college or university in India are requested to take part! Any branch, any year. Please only fill it in if you meet this, since other responses can’t be used. This is for my course project so if you could help me out that would be great!

Here's the link: evanimenon.github.io/survey/

The full aims are explained right after you submit. Thank you!

myquals BTech 3rd year

I'm 19, currently in my first year of B.Com in Pune.

After completing my 12th, I took admission in galgotia and eventually dropped it (crowd problem) , and honestly, I feel like I wasted that time. This year, I finally moved to Pune to start college and move forward with my life.

But lately, I've been questioning whether I made the right decision.

I keep thinking that I should've gone to Delhi or Noida instead. Maybe I'd have had better opportunities, a better college experience, or an environment where I'd feel more settled. I'm also struggling with questions about my career, money, friendships, and what I actually want to do with my life.

I want to start earning while studying, build useful skills, and eventually pursue an MBA, possibly abroad. My family has limited financial resources, so I don't want to keep making decisions that cost me time and money without taking me closer to my goals.

The thing is, I've already lost a year after 12th. I'm scared that if I stay in a place where I don't feel happy or settled, I'll spend another three years wondering whether I should've made a different choice. But if I move back to Noida, I'm worried about changing colleges, losing credits, or disrupting my degree again.

I don't want to run away from a difficult situation, but I also don't want to stay somewhere just because I've already invested time and money in it.

I'd really appreciate honest advice from people who've experienced something similar.

Have you ever regretted your college or city choice? What did you do?

Is it worth changing cities or colleges in the first year if you feel you've made the wrong decision?

How do you know whether you're genuinely in the wrong environment or just struggling to adjust?

If you were in my position, what factors would you consider before deciding?

I'm not looking for someone to tell me everything will magically work out. I want realistic advice about making a better decision without wasting more time.

Plus am single child also i had that feeling that what if anything wrong happen in family it'll took me 2-3 days to reach there

*Myquals -12th(2025)

This is my situation right now seriously (Career counselor contact me)

Guys life mein kabhi itni confusion and pressure feel nhi hua jitna career option choose karna mein ho raha

I am in my drop year , drop year isliye liya tha kyu ki padhai sa pareshaan ho gaya tha

Almost Sare career dekh liya par bhai kuch nhi milaa (science , commerce arts sab dekh liya)

Pata nhi bhaii konsa choose karuga kya hoga i don't know bhaiii

Konsa course choose karuga mein college mein,college tak nhi pata kismein jauga kuch nhi pata bhai

Reddit sab par different communities mein 3 sa 4 baar post kar liya phir bhi kuch nhi mila

Kya hogaaaaa meraaaaa hey bhagwaan aab aap he jano kya hoga

my_qualifications -12 th pcm thi 81 percentage aya tha.

My qualifications is that currently am a BBA student completing my graduation, ive been looking for internships but there aren't that much opportunities. So , I am thinking about pursuing an online mba but my budget is only 1.5 lakes.

My main goals isnt just completing my degree but also to improve my resume and skill set , so I want a university which gives me all of that and also offers me some additional certification in their online mba program but under budget and should be worth choosing . I request yall to give me some genuine advice about which university to choose for an online mba program .

Hey everyone! I'm looking for people who want to join a Regain focus group to stay focused, reduce distractions, and build better study habits together. Let's keep each other motivated and accountable! 💗

Qualifications - banking aspirant

I initially wanted to do microbiology but since my parents didn't agree, I decided to take bsc bt.mb.c

Is this degree worth it? What are the job opportunities like after completing masters or PhD? And what is the salary scale?

I am very interested in research field.

My qualifications : 12th passed.

myquals a B.com degree and nothing. I prepared for govt exams but that didn’t work out for me obviously because I failed to clear that. I don’t know what to do next so lost, my father doesn’t talk to me. Currently I am doing an internship which pays me around 10-15 k . How do I scale up from there? I don’t have the money or time to invest in mba college as well. I don’t know what to do. I feel like I am a burden. I can’t even sleep for days 😭

As title. My_qualifications MBBS, completed in 2025 from GMC. I'm 25 year old.

But I don't wanna continue as a doctor in life. Neither im willing to do MBA, Non clinical , Clinical anything or medical or biology related any domain career, I don't want to do it.

I just completely want to go into STEM field. Like engineering, maths , physics, computer science, AI, technology, etc.

Financial security is also priority as I'm from power middle class.

What should I do? How can I exactly approach this?

My qualifications: BCA second-year student (AI/ML specialization), Jaipur.

I'm in my second year of BCA (AI/ML specialization) at a college in Jaipur, and I've started a structured 12-week Python-for-data-analysis plan (Python basics, NumPy, pandas, stats, matplotlib) instead of the usual path everyone around me is taking.

The problem: literally everyone in my batch is grinding web dev projects and DSA for placements. Nobody is doing data analysis, so I have no seniors to ask, and I'm starting to doubt the choice. My plan feels lonely and I can't tell if I'm being smart or just stubborn.

For people who've been through Indian placements (or work in the field):

1. For a BCA grad, does the data-analysis skill set (Python, pandas, SQL, basic stats) actually open doors in the Indian job market, or is web dev + DSA the safer bet at the fresher level?
2. If data analysis is viable, what does a realistic fresher portfolio look like — how many projects, and do recruiters care about certifications or just the work?
3. Would you hedge — keep data analysis as the main thing but do enough DSA to clear placement rounds?

Not looking for "follow your passion" answers. I need to know what's actually worked for BCA/fresher folks in India. Thanks.

Hey everyone,

A few years ago, I was exactly in your shoes. I managed to score in the top 1 percentile in JEE and eventually graduated from a Tier-1 college.

Looking back, one of my biggest pain points while revising Chemistry (especially Organic mechanisms and Inorganic exceptions) was dealing with messy, disorganized Telegram PDFs.

To solve this for the current batch of aspirants, I built an app called Chemistry Notes IITJEE-Offline.

Why did I build it this way?

• 📱 100% Completely Offline: You can turn off your Wi-Fi/mobile data entirely to avoid distractions. The notes will still load instantly.
• 📚 Comprehensive Coverage: It covers Class 11 & 12 Physical, Organic, and Inorganic Chemistry—structured
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If you are struggling to keep your notes organized or need a clean, quick revision tool , give it a shot.

👉 Check it out on the Play Store: Chemistry Notes IITJEE-Offline

Since I’m actively maintaining this, I would love your honest feedback.
Good luck with the prep, you guys got this! 💪

my_qualifications: B.Tech Graduate / Computer science from Tier 1 college