The Hindu Education Plus Career Counselling kicks off in Bengaluru, gets massive response

The 23rd edition of The Hindu EducationPlus-Career Counselling-2025 commenced on Saturday at NMKRV College, Mangala Mantapa auditorium, Bengaluru, and received a massive response from students and parents.

Around 40 higher education institutions, including private medical and engineering colleges, banks, and around 1,200 students and parents participated in the event. It facilitated the students and parents to collect information about the colleges, various courses, fee structure, infrastructure, placement, and so on.

Aspirants gathered details about Civil Service Exam (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), CET-2025, COMED-K, medical, engineering, and other professional courses from experts through various sessions.

Karnataka has pride of place

In his inaugural address, Ramalinga Reddy, Minister for Transport and Muzrai, said, “Karnataka is famous for higher education and has the highest number of top engineering and medical colleges. Therefore, it is a favourite destination for students from outside the State and abroad too.”

He advised the younger generation to study professional courses. “The State has a population of about 7 crore, of which only 1% can be given government jobs. The private sector has provided the rest with a large number of jobs. Thousands of multi-national companies are operating in the State, and Bengaluru is the capital of startups,” he said, also urging students tobecome employers by pursuing entrepreneurship.

Mr. Reddy recalled his schooldays and said that coming from a rural area, it was difficult for him to get education. “We had one teacher to teach classes 1 to 5. I studied in Kannada medium until class 10, and switching to English medium in PUC level was difficult. But now the education sector has made huge improvements, and quality education is being provided with good facilities in government and private schools and colleges,” he said.

Topper recalls experience

Dr. Ranga Manju, All India Rank (AIR) 24 and Karnataka State topper in the Civil Services (Main) Examination-2024 shared his experience and explained the speciality of the number 24 in his life, “I started to prepare for CSE at the age of 24 and I got the AIR 24 in CSE. My library seat number in the private coaching centre was also 24.”

“I came from the medical field. My father passed away while he was an IPS officer. Seeing him in service was my biggest inspiration. It was in third year MBBS that I decided to take CSE exam,” he said.

“We are entering a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how we see things. It makes me nervous and even a little suspicious how it changes the way we look at social issues and even the government. As long as society exists, governance must exist. Those who govern, permanent executives like civil servants, will always remain,” he added.

He lauded ‘The Hindu’s contribution in helping him crack the CSE, adding that he regularly followed The Hindu newspaper and its editorials. “I suggest that CSE aspirants not go for brand-new materials. There is an entire market running on the fear of missing out. You will be flooded with content every single day. So, revise the same source again and again. Have a small group for study discussion and find a good library,” he said.

Being service-minded

Speaking about medical courses, K.S. Ravindranath, director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, Bengaluru, said that the medical profession will demand more service-minded, community-oriented people with a human touch and ethical values.

“If you take up a career in medicine, it is a noble profession, and there is a lot of respect in society. There are around 760 medical colleges in India, and around 1.18 lakhs seats are available. In Karnataka, there are around 70 medical colleges, including 24 government colleges with around 12,000 seats. NEET qualification is mandatory to get into any college, whether it is government, private, or overseas. If you get a good ranking in NEET and get a government quota seat, the fee will be less and reduce the financial burden to the parents,” he said.

Advice on engineering

Speaking about engineering courses, K.N. Subramanya, principal of RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru, said, “Whenever you choose engineering colleges, don’t stick to the main branches. Instead, you make cluster branches. If you take an electronic cluster, you have electrical engineering, electrical and telecommunication, electronic and instrumentation, and medical electronics. In the mechanical cluster, industry engineering, automobile, aerospace engineering, and mechatronics are there. In the computer science cluster – AI, DATA Science, robotics, bio-tech, and chemical engineering are other clusters. From this year onwards, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has ordered that every cluster should go through AI. Apart from this, irrespective of branches, students can learn AI and other courses as a minors degree courses online.”

Pramod Hegde, Chartered Accountant (CA) and chairman of the Southern India Regional Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, explained the demand for CAs globally. He also explained the curriculum and the scope of the CA profession. A.S. Ravi, former PRO of Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), explained the CET-2025 counselling process.

Ameen E-Mudassar, career counsellor and CEO of CIGMA, talked about general education and said, “Students must learn multiple skills, upgrade themselves, and try to acquire online knowledge. Don’t choose your career influenced by others.”

Many students raised questions and cleared their doubts about the selection of professional courses seats, counselling process and other things.

Platinum sponsors: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Presidency; Reva University.

Gold sponsors: R.V. University, Bengaluru, Chanakya University, Bengaluru, East Point Group of Institutions; Cambridge Group of Institutions; Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences.

Silver sponsors: GSSS School of Architecture for Women, Mysuru; JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru; JSS Science & Technology University, Mysuru; Karnataka State Open University, Mysuru; Malnad College of Engineering, Hassan; Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Mysuru; Sir M. Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, Bengaluru; Soundarya Group of Institutions, Bengaluru; Adichunchanagiri University; The Christ (Deemed to be University); CMR University; Indian Institute of Fashion Technology; Karnataka Milk Federation; MSIL.

Associate sponsors: Khaja Bandanawaz University, Kalaburagi; SDM Educational Society (R), Ujire; The Institute of Cost Accountants of India; Karnataka Bank; Shaheen Group of Institutions, Bidar; Bapuji Educational Association (Regd), Davangere; Hyderabad Karnataka Education Society, Kalaburagi; VTU; Navkis Engineering College.

Regional sponsor: MVJ College of Engineering, Bengaluru.

Snack partner: Naturo.

(With inputs from Vyas Ponnuri and Mathew William)