With the question of “what next after PU” weighing on their minds, students who attended The Hindu EducationPlus Career Counselling Fair-2026 at Vidya Vardhaka College of Engineering in Mysuru on Saturday got their doubts cleared on career choices. Experts from different fields provided valuable guidance on shaping students’ academic journey.

Amid a wide range of career opportunities, the resource persons enlightened more than 500 students - many of whom were accompanied by their parents - on the choices available and how to select them based on individual interests and aptitude.

Speaking on the technical education scenario, VVCE Principal B. Sadashive Gowda explained the criteria students should follow while choosing colleges for admission and stressed the importance of factors such as infrastructure, faculty, placement records and academic environment.

Sharing data on engineering education, he said India has around 13 lakh engineering seats, while Karnataka alone has nearly 1.40 lakh seats spread across 205 colleges and 29 universities. Mysuru region accounts for about 9,800 seats in 14 colleges, including 6,000 seats in IT-related branches and 3,800 in non-IT branches.

He said around 87,750 seats out of 1.17 lakh available seats were filled last year, recording nearly 75% admissions. He also explained admissions to IITs, NITs and GFTIs, core engineering branches, CET and COMED-K fee structures, scholarships available for students and the seat allocation process.

Speaking on career options beyond engineering and medicine, career counsellor and founder-CEO of CIGMA, Ameen e-Mudassar, said factors such as aptitude, personality, interests and skills shape one’s career path.

Advising students to focus on skill development and adapt to the AI revolution, he said India witnessed a 34% growth in AI and machine learning job postings in January 2026 alone, with nearly 1.25 million AI-related jobs projected by 2027.

He said careers such as Prompt Engineer, AI Trainer, MLOps Engineer and AI Ethics Analyst, which hardly existed five years ago, are now among the trending professions, offering entry-level salaries ranging between ₹6 lakh and ₹15 lakh per annum for candidates with the right skills and certifications.

Pointing out that students need not necessarily build AI systems but should learn to work with AI, he listed AI courses offered by leading institutions, including IIT-Madras. He advised students to start building skills early rather than waiting until after college and also outlined the skills likely to be essential for being job-ready by 2030.

In his presentation, S. N. Manjunath, Professor, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, remarked that the medical profession “has no recession” and explained the road to medical education amid intense competition. He highlighted how the profession has transformed over the years.

Stressing that medicine should be viewed as a healthcare service, he said the challenges begin with cracking NEET and continue through pursuing courses after MBBS. He also spoke about opportunities beyond mainstream medicine such as AYUSH, dental, nursing, allied health and paramedical courses.

Explaining what the Chartered Accountancy (CA) course entails, CA Bhargava S. from Institute of Chartered Accountants of India gave a presentation on the journey from Class 12 to becoming a qualified CA and the ways to achieve it.

Gaurav Yadav, Director (Admissions) at REVA University, spoke on the importance of choosing the right courses, curriculum, college and career path to prepare students for future opportunities.

Highlighting the growing relevance of multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary learning, he explained the significance of deciding both what to study and where to pursue undergraduate education. He said selecting the right institution and UG course plays a crucial role in shaping a student’s academic journey and career prospects.

KEA Helpline Nodal Officer N. Udayashankar explained the key aspects students and parents should keep in mind during CET counselling and especially during option entry while selecting colleges.

Stating that the Karnataka Examinations Authority is always available to assist students, he said the mock seat allotment would help candidates understand their standing in the allotment process based on their rankings. He also advised students and parents to regularly monitor the KEA website for updates.