What to do after graduation

After a degree the choice is between working, studying further, and preparing for a competitive examination. Many people combine two of these.

Government examinations

• UPSC Civil Services and state PSC examinations.
• SSC CGL: for inspectors, assistants and auditors in central departments.
• Banks: IBPS and SBI for officers and clerks.
• Railways: RRB NTPC graduate posts.
• Defence: CDS and AFCAT.
• Teaching: B.Ed and then CTET or TET.

Any degree qualifies for most of these. Check the age limit of each: they differ, and they decide how many years you have.

Further study

• MBA or PGDM: through CAT for the IIMs, and XAT, CMAT and other tests elsewhere.
• Master's degree in your subject: through CUET PG for central universities and others. For engineers, M.Tech through GATE.
• Three year LLB, open to graduates of any subject.
• B.Ed, two years, to teach in schools.
• UGC NET after a master's, for college teaching and research fellowships.

Work

A first job teaches things no course does: deadlines, colleagues, customers. If you are unsure what to study next, a year or two of work usually makes the answer clearer, and many postgraduate courses value experience.

Preparing full time: set a limit

Full-time preparation for government examinations is common. Set a limit before you begin, in years or in attempts, and keep one skill or qualification growing on the side. A gap of several years with nothing to show is hard to explain later.

Read about each path

Check the official notice. This page describes how the path works in general, as understood in November 2026. Age limits, eligibility, exam patterns, dates and fees change. Before you apply or pay for anything, read the current notice on the official website named on this page. This is general information, not personal career advice.

Questions people ask

Other stages