Students should keep multiple career options ready and not lose confidence if their first preference does not materialise, speakers said at The Hindu EducationPlus Career Counselling 2026, held at Doddappa Appa Sabha Mantapa on the campus of Sharnbasva University in Kalaburagi on Saturday (May 16).

More than 500 students from various colleges, including Chandrakanth Patil PU College, Appa PU College, Disha PU College, Shaheen PU College and Sharnbasveshwar Residential Composite PU College, participated in the event.

Anilkumar Bidve, Vice-Chancellor of Sharnbasva University, advised students to keep Plan B, C and D ready if Plan A fails.

“Unfortunately, our education system is designed in such a way that a three-hour examination decides your destiny irrespective of what you studied over the last 15 years. Once you cross the PU stage, the choices you make will influence your career. If you fail to secure your first preference, do not get discouraged. Keep multiple options ready and continue to work hard,” he said.

Citing the example of NEET aspirants, Prof. Bidve said nearly 24 lakh students appeared for the examination every year but not all could secure medical seats despite scoring high marks. Students should therefore not lose confidence if they failed to secure their desired course or institution, he added.

Sharing his own experience, he said he had aspired to become a scientist in national laboratories but could not realise that dream. “I implemented Plan B and became a teacher in a CBSE school. Today, I am the Vice-Chancellor of a reputed university,” he said.

Prof. Bidve underlined the growing gap between demand and supply of skilled manpower in the country and said unemployment persisted despite the huge demand for skilled workers because of lack of employability.

“Only degrees are not sufficient. Skills are more important,” he said.

He also observed that while there was a rush for computer-related engineering courses, there were limited opportunities to absorb all graduates in the sector. At the same time, traditional engineering streams such as civil, mechanical and electrical engineering continued to hold strong future prospects as their core skills could not be replaced easily, he added.

C.R. Shivakumar, head of the Surgery Department at Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences, spoke on opportunities in medical sciences and allied healthcare sectors.

“The medical profession demands dedication, hard work and passion to serve society. If your only goal is to make money, healthcare may not be the right field for you,” he said.

He advised students not to feel disheartened if they failed to secure MBBS seats, pointing out that several alternative courses such as dental, ayurvedic, unani, naturopathy, homoeopathy, pharmacy, nursing and physiotherapy also offered promising career opportunities. He also highlighted growing opportunities in allied health sciences, including medical laboratory technology, anaesthesia and operation theatre technology, cardiac care technology, respiratory care technology and medical imaging technology.

Career counsellor Abdul Nasir Mauzam of CIGMA urged students to assess their interests, passion and competence before choosing careers. He also addressed concerns surrounding AI, saying it would not replace humans but people who failed to adapt to AI tools could be left behind.

Drawing a comparison with calculators, he said people once feared calculators would replace humans, but later those unable to use calculators lagged behind. A similar trend would emerge in the AI era, he added.

Chartered Accountant Santosh Patil highlighted career and business opportunities in commerce and chartered accountancy. He urged students to learn from failures and focus on acquiring skills rather than depending solely on academic degrees. He also encouraged students to read subjects beyond their syllabus, including Kannada literature.

Karnataka Examinations Authority representative Suresh Shetagar guided students on CET application procedures and option entry during online counselling, explaining common mistakes students should avoid while selecting courses and institutions.

Sharanabasappa Pappa, president of the Kalyana Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries, and Iranna Yalawantgi, head of the Physics Department at Disha PU College of Science, also addressed the students.