Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again.
Failing in Class 12 is not the end of the world! While initially you might be disappointed and feel embarrassed and lost in your career, this also is a great opportunity for you to work harder and develop resilience to prepare yourself for even greater challenges in life.
If your Class 12 results are out and you have failed, then don’t worry! Here are some tips for you to plan your way ahead.
1. Prepare to pass the Board Examination
There is no escaping the Board Examination. The Class 12 course curriculum forms the basis of your next career choice and it is important to attain basic proficiency in this as you plan your next move. Here are 5 ways to clear the Board Examination:
Appear for CBSE’s compartment examination (re-examination for subjects in which the student has failed) the same year in the month of May. The results of compartment exams are declared in July.
Enrol for CBSE’s Open School (Patrachar Vidyalaya) as part of which you don’t need to attend the school but can appear for the examination the next year. The syllabus of Patrachar Vidyalaya is similar to any other private CBSE school and students receive complete study material to prepare for the exam. Patrachar also provides regular coaching classes and allows the students to earn the same certificate as a regular CBSE school.
Visit: CBSE Patrachar School
Enrol for CBSE’s classroom program once again and reappear for the Board Examination the next year. This allows you comprehensive in-classroom training and a chance to strengthen your fundamentals across subjects.
Enrol for another Board, NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) and appear for the Board Examination conducted by the NIOS the next year. This allows you to change your stream altogether (for instance, move from Science to Commerce or Commerce to Humanities) and prepare from home without having to attend classes. This flexibility also allows you prepare for entrance examination, go for ITI training, or even pursue Diploma courses.
Visit: Admission to NIOS
Opt for ODE (On-demand examination) offered by the NIOS the same year. This is open for students from all across India and can help you save a year. The novel concept of ODE is to make the total system of examination independent of the time frame and help students to take up the examinations as per their wish and preparation. Student can walk into the examination center as and when he/she feels ready for the examination.
Recommended Read: Battle of the Boards: Comparison of CBSE vs CISCE vs IB vs Cambridge
2. Prepare for Entrance Examinations
As important it is to clear the mandatory checklist (that is, the Board Examination), it is equally important to create a back-up for self, and one best one, in this case, is preparing for Entrance Examination. These examinations can open you doors that were otherwise shut down owing to less marks in the Board Examinations.
Some courses for which you can prepare for the entrance include Design (B.Des.), BBA, BBS, BSW, BA, Social Sciences, B.El.Ed, and more. For instance, IIIT Jabalpur and IIT Bombay allow you to pursue Bachelors in Design without the PCM compulsion in Class 12.
You can also plan to pursue Hotel Management, Culinary Arts, or Bachelors in Mass Communication offered by recognized universities such as Delhi University and Indraprastha University. These courses are irrespective of the stream one has chosen.
Recommended Read: 6 Highly Effective Tips to Balance Boards and Entrance Exams Together
3. Advance skill-sets
The additional one year is also a unique opportunity for you to acquire skills that otherwise would have been out of your scope at that age. Learning a new language, interning at a firm, or pursuing certifications that are relevant to today’s job market are some initiatives that will always help you in the long run.
Below are 5 useful tips for you to consider:
Do internships at a publication or media house, school, bank, NGO, or an event management company
Earn language or vocational course: Learn a foreign language and get recruited in an embassy or a tour guide or as an interpreter or a PR officer. Join a similar course in graduation to up your skills.
Some of the institutes that offer these courses include Max Mueller Bhavan, Japanese Information and Cultural Center, Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Languages, Alliance Francaise de Delhi, etc.
Online certification is gaining widespread popularity because of reasons such as accessibility, cost effectiveness, self-pacing, industry focus, adaptability, university association. Some popular online courses are:
- Computer language courses such as Python, R, R+, Agile, Angular Java, etc.
- Graphic Design
- Data Analytics
- Microsoft Office
- Photography
Recommended Read: Are Online Certification Courses (MOOCs) Worthwhile?
Pursue courses that can help build life skills and personality: Some of these courses are Public Speaking, Creative writing, Personality Development etc.
Pursue Diploma Courses: In case you couldn’t clear Science in Class 12, you may use your 10th standard certificate and get enrolled in diploma courses such as Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering etc.
Other Diploma courses that one can pursue based on 10th Standard marks include Ethical Hacking, Digital Marketing, Web designing, Retail Management, etc.
4. Reflect and create a proper structure for the way ahead
As you plan to tackle examinations and pursue certifications in the coming year, this is the time to evaluate your career decisions, reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, and prepare a road map for the future. 2 ways to do that are:
Seek career counseling: Career Counselling helps reflect on one’s personality, aptitude, interests, and skill-sets. This will not only help evaluate your intelligence and interpersonal skills but also help you in wisely choosing the subject, course and college that is right for you.
Prepare a timetable for self: When one seeks to achieve bigger milestones, a proper timetable helps facilitate the process. Important aspects to be considered while making a time table:
- Identifying deadlines
- Estimating the time needed for preparation
- Following up regularly
- Striking a balance between studies and extra-curricular activities
Recommended Read: It’s Not the End: 6 Things to Do If You Couldn’t Score Well in Board Exams
Let this failure not shake your determination, instead use it as a stepping stone to develop more grit and the resolve to work harder. Close the past door. Don’t try to forget your mistakes, but don’t dwell on it either. Remember, hard work pays off; there is no substitute for hard work!
