Hyderabad: In an era where students are no longer limiting themselves to engineering and medicine, choosing a career has become both exciting and overwhelming. From artificial intelligence (AI) and business analytics to psychology, sustainability and fintech, students today are exposed to an ever-expanding universe of opportunities — but with that abundance comes confusion, anxiety and the fear of making the wrong choice.As students across CBSE, ICSE, IB and State Board schools increasingly navigate different career paths, professional career counselling has quietly emerged as an essential support system. Career counsellors say that over the last few years, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a sharp rise in the number of students and parents seeking professional guidance before making crucial academic decisions after class 10 and class 12. While many schools now have in-house counsellors, a growing number of students are also approaching independent counsellors for personalised advice, aptitude analysis and psychometric assessments that help them understand their strengths, interests and long-term suitability for different careers.Too many choices, too much confusion The counsellors that TOI spoke to shared that for many students, the problem is not the lack of ambition, but the inability to navigate the endless options available to them, especially at a time when AI is taking over many conventional roles. Nazlin Ukani, a career counsellor from the city, said: “A large number of students are familiar with only a handful of conventional career paths, while today there is a broad spectrum of evolving career possibilities available. At the same time, the rapid growth of AI and automation has made students anxious about job security and whether their chosen careers may become obsolete,” she said, adding that this has led to a significant rise — nearly 40 to 50 per cent — in demand for professional career counselling over the last three to four years. According to her, many students are also seeking counselling after graduation, when they begin feeling disconnected from the field they initially chose.Inside the counselling roomCareer counselling sessions today go far beyond simple advice. Counsellors spend time engaging in detailed conversations with students to understand their personalities, emotional blocks, aspirations, academic patterns and family expectations before suggesting career pathways. Ukani explained that she often uses a creative adaptation of the “5 WHY” technique during counselling sessions to uncover the underlying motivations and fears influencing a student’s decisions. “I try to understand not only what students want to pursue, but also what may be preventing them from reaching their full potential,” she said. One of the most significant tools increasingly being used during counselling sessions is psychometric assessment — structured tests designed to evaluate aptitude, personality traits, interests, emotional quotient, learning styles and behavioural patterns.How psychometric assessments helpAccording to counsellors, these assessments help bridge the gap between how students perceive themselves and what their actual strengths indicate. “These tests typically assess multiple parameters such as aptitude, personality traits, interests, learning style, strengths and emotional quotient,” said Roshini Makhani, another career counsellor from the city. “They help identify a student’s natural abilities, preferences and behavioural patterns, making it easier to explore career options that are aligned with their personality and potential.”Makhani explained that psychometric assessments are never interpreted in isolation. Instead, counsellors combine the results with personal interactions, academic performance and behavioural observations to arrive at meaningful conclusions. “When interpreting psychometric test results, I do not rely only on the scores or the report in isolation,” she said. “I first spend time listening to the students describe themselves, their experiences, behaviour patterns, strengths, struggles, likes and aspirations. The assessment helps validate, clarify and deepen that understanding.” She added that analysing the relationship between different traits often becomes more important than individual scores themselves.“A student may score high on creativity, which indicates strong imagination and idea generation, but if their spatial ability is comparatively lower, they may struggle with tasks that require advanced 3D visualisation or technical drawing,” Makhani explained. “These cross-connections help us make more realistic and personalised course and career recommendations,” she said. Counsellors say such assessments often become turning points for students who are struggling between societal expectations and personal interests. For instance, a student, currently studying in class 11, whom TOI spoke to, shared how he was torn between science and commerce because of family pressure to pursue science for better opportunities abroad.“Academically, I was fairly consistent in mathematics, but was struggling to build interest and performance in physics and chemistry. My psychometric assessment showed strong numerical ability, logical reasoning and a clear inclination towards finance, analytics and structured problem-solving careers,” he said. After reviewing the results along with his academic performance and comfort with subjects, the student realised that pursuing science would require him to constantly push through areas he was not naturally inclined towards.“With the help of a counsellor and assessment results, I eventually understood that commerce would allow me to perform better and build stronger long-term opportunities in areas such as finance, fintech and actuarial sciences. That clarity helped him make a far more confident and aligned decision,” he said. Another counsellor, Shweta Agrawal, shared how assessments can also help students overcome fear and self-doubt. She recalled counselling a student who had always dreamt of pursuing medicine but had begun reconsidering the idea out of fear that he might not clear NEET. “After the assessment and reviewing his academic scores, we helped him understand that he was capable of pursuing medicine,” she said. “We also explained that even if he does not crack NEET, there are several other career opportunities within the biology, physics and chemistry streams, such as physiotherapy, nutrition and pharmacy. The key was helping him understand that he still had multiple pathways available.”Agrawal said she strongly recommends psychometric assessments for every student because they provide much-needed clarity during a phase often dominated by confusion and pressure. Another trend counsellors are increasingly witnessing is students discovering strengths they had never previously recognised in themselves. A student who may consider themselves “average” academically could possess strong communication skills, leadership abilities, creativity or people-oriented strengths that align better with careers in law, media, hospitality, entrepreneurship or psychology.Finding the right fit, not just the popular oneCounsellors also point out that the aspirations of students today are changing rapidly. Unlike previous generations that largely followed conventional career tracks, many students now actively seek interdisciplinary and emerging fields, making counselling a necessity. “The learners of this generation are very open to exploring new career paths,” said Naveena Bhayani. “Many of them come to me saying they want to do something unique and not follow the crowd.”According to Bhayani, there is growing interest among students in fields such as fintech, CFA, psychology, food technology, sustainability, biotechnology, cognitive psychology, marketing, supply chain management, economics, cybersecurity, AI, machine learning, business analytics and stock market-related careers.“Students today are looking for interdisciplinary careers that combine multiple skill sets and interests,” she said. At the same time, counsellors emphasise that parents continue to play a crucial role in shaping a student’s confidence and decision-making process. “Parents today are more considerate and supportive than before,” Bhayani observed. “They put in a lot of effort to provide good education and opportunities for their children. I have also noticed that conflicting cases have reduced compared to earlier. Parents are becoming more mindful of their children’s mental health as well.”
