Still confused over what to do after completing English Hons? Want to become a public servant but not sure if BA English (Hons) degree will suffice? Check out this article below which will clear all your doubts.
There is no dearth of opportunities for those students who study BA English (Hons) at the graduation level. Everyone talks about those career prospects which are, most of the times, chosen by the English graduates. Everyone knows an English graduate can make a career in teaching, journalism & mass communication, public relations etc but seldom do people talk about the opportunities that a student with a BA English (Hons) degree has in the public sector or Government sector. In this article, we will try to jot down the list of government jobs that BA English graduates can look up to.
In the following section, we will try to pinpoint those Government jobs which are most suited for those with a BA English (Hons) degree.
Government Job Options for English Graduates
Given below are some of the Government job options that a student with an English (Hons) degree can aim for:
| Name of Exam | Details |
|---|---|
| Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) | Students with a B. English (Hons) degree can target UPSC exams for sure. Given the syllabus which the students are made to cover during the three-year programme gives them an advantage over the other exam-takers in many ways. Firstly, English graduates do not have to sweat much for Paper B, which is the English paper. Plus, during the entire three years, the English graduates are taught a lot about history as well. For Eg - While reading a Victorian novel, the students are also taught about the Victorian period and its characteristics. Along with these, what were the important historical moments and how the author tried to connect the events to one of the characters in the novel are also explained which enhances the knowledge of history amongst the graduates. Also, with sharpened communication skill, English graduates can fare pretty well in the final round of the exam, i.e the interview round. After clearing the exam, the graduates will be chosen for Indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Police Services (IPS), Indian Forest Services (IFS) and Indian Foreign Services (IFS). |
| Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level Exam (SSC CGL) | Every year various Ministries, Departments, and Organisations of the Government of India releases a list of vacant posts in their respective departments to be filled by graduates from various disciplines. An exam, SSC CGL, is conducted for the very purpose and English graduates can get a government job if they clear the exam. The exam is conducted in four stages - Tier I, Tier II, Tier III and Tier IV. It is expected that an English graduate can easily score good marks in the English comprehension portions of Tier I and Tier II exam along with the descriptive writing section, i.e Tier III. |
| Intelligence Bureau Exam | English graduates can also apply for the post of Assistant Central Intelligence Officer (ACIO) through an entrance exam conducted by the Intelligence Bureau. They also can apply for the post of Executive/Grade II in the IB through the entrance exam. Versatility is the key characteristic required in a candidate who wants to serve the nation through the Intelligence Bureau and English graduates have it in plenty. |
| UPSC CDS | After obtaining a degree in English Honours from a recognised University, the students who want to serve the nation through the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force can apply for the UPSC CDS exam. After qualifying the exam, the candidates will be called up for a 5-day SSB interview upon clearing of which, the candidates will be sent to the Indian Military Academy Dehradun, Officer’s Training Academy Chennai, Indian Naval Academy Ezhimala and Air Force Academy Hyderabad respectively as per their choice. After going through extensive training for a year in these academies, the cadets will be inducted into Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force as officers. |
Through the above-mentioned exams, the English graduates can apply for Central Government jobs as these exams are conducted by the central bodies. However, there are some state-level exams which are conducted by the state bodies through which the B.A English graduates can get government jobs. In the following section, we will try to shed some more light on a popular few of those.
State-Level Government Jobs for BA English Graduates
Presented here are some popular state-level Government Government jobs for students with a B.A English (Hons) degree:
| Name of Exam | Detail |
|---|---|
| State-Level PSC Exams | PSC stands for Public Service Commission and the PSC exams are conducted by the state public commission. The candidates who have done English honours can apply for this exam. The future is very bright in context to job opportunities. PSC offers several job options and the Deputy collector is the highest rank post in PSC. Only the candidates with Indian citizenship can apply for PSC examIt is to be noted that in some states, the authorities want the candidates to possess fluency over one language while in a few others, language is no barrier. PSC and UPSC exam patterns are almost similar. The exam pattern of both PSC exams and UPSC exams are almost similar. The job one gets after clearing this exam is of very reputed and high rank. The average starting salary in this job starts from Rs 56,100 per month. |
| State-Level SSC Exam | The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) in every Indian state conducts an exam for filling up the vacant posts like clerical posts, Sub Inspector posts etc and English graduates can easily apply for such a state-level SSC exam to grab a government job. The candidates must, however, ensure to fulfil the minimum eligibility criteria (as different states might have different eligibilities) to be able to become a public servant with an English graduate degree. State-level exams SSC are conducted by the state government. The candidates have to be graduates from a recogised university for applying in this exam. Eligibility criteria differs from state to state. Thus, the candidates should fulfill the eligibility criteria according to the demand of that state. The average starting salary after clearing this exam and getting a job is Rs 47,600. |
As evident from the sections above, the life of an English graduate does not only revolve around teaching, journalism, advertising etc. They can also aspire to become a public servant with their B.A English (Hons) degree. Nevertheless, the entire CollegeDekho team wishes you English graduates all the very best for all your future endeavours!!!
Also Read : Top 10 BA English (Hons.) Colleges in DU: Seats and Cutoff 2022
For more information and updates stay tuned to CollegeDekho !
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