career options in sociology

1. Career Options in Sociology Sociology, in its basic sense, is the scientific study of the Society we live in. We all know the basics about this subject as we grow up in the society we are surrounded by. Sociology, as a discipline, is one of the youngest. It emerged when society started getting complex in the 18th century. Even the basic unit of society, i.e. Family has lots of dynamics involved, just imagine the dynamics and complexity of the larger society. Sociology scientifically deals with these dynamics. The size of the society is growing rapidly, particularly in developing countries like India. The diversity of Indian society makes it unique and increases the scope of its study. Hence, there are immense career options in this field. Career Options in Sociology in India: There are multiple career options in Sociology. The list may not be exhaustive but it will give you a good insight. The options are: •Teaching: This is one of the most sought after professions these days. Various Ed-Tech companies have made teaching a lucrative profession these days. The conventional teaching, however, should not be ignored. Teaching can be at various levels like: •At School Level: One can choose this career path. However, B.Ed is compulsory now-a-days for school teaching. So, one can choose an integrated BA-B.Ed course or go for B. Ed separately after graduation. (or along with it also) •At College/ University Level: One can follow this path but you need to crack the UGC NET exam after your Post Graduation is complete. (Can be given in final year of Post Graduation also) •Civil Services: These are the most coveted services any Indian would want to be in. You might have seen many IAS or IPS officers in movies, and you get inspired by them. You will have to crack the UPSC Civil Services Exam to get into the services. And sociology can play a major role in your preparation of this exam. You can choose it as your Optional Subject (believed to be a game changer) and it will also be very much helpful in General Studies which carries the maximum marks.

2. •Jobs in various Government Departments: One can get jobs as advisors, sociologists, and such like in various government ministries like the Ministry of Social Justice and such like. One can be part of Policy and Law making. In this way you can impact the lives of millions of people. The government releases vacancies from time to time and specifies the qualification criteria for the same. If you meet the criteria, you can apply for the post and try your luck.f •Social Demographers: Demographers are persons who study about the population and related dynamics with it. Since population is strongly linked with dynamics of the society, sociologists are welcome as demographers. Demography is one of the fastest growing domains when it comes to career opportunities in today’s complex world. •Social Service: Although this field of Social services requires a ‘Golden Heart’ to serve the underprivileged people. But these days, social service also has become specialized and professional. There are numerous NGOs, NPOs and Welfare Organizations which have sprung up and they require professionals to engage with them. And they pay you well too. The work may be either policy formulation or administration as well. Once you study sociology, you know the society very well and thus you use your knowledge of the society to serve them. •Social Researchers: Research and Development is a coveted domain to work into. ‘Data is the New Gold’ in today’s world. Your research about society can give new insights to companies wanting to increase their economic footprints. Every major company has a research department and they want to serve and cater to the demands of the society in the best way possible. Hence they need social researchers. And who better than a sociologist would be a social researcher. •Journalism: Journalism or Media is now believed to be the fourth pillar of a democracy.(The other three are Legislative, Executive and Judiciary). A sociologist understands the complexities of the society very well and can use this knowledge to enlighten them in a better way.Journalism can be of two types: •Print Journalism: You can be a writer in a newspaper or social media houses or start your own blogs or website.

3. •Electronic Journalism: You can create VLOGS, short videos or even start your own YouTube Channel. This definitely might sound interesting and appealing to you, but you need to make sure you are imparting the right information to society. There should be necessary checks done before any publishing. •Social Scientist: Social Scientists can be part of critical Think Tanks like NITI Aayog (earlier Planning Commission). Social Scientists may be involved in research work and giving inputs which could influence policy and Law making of the government. Again, an impactful job. •Electoral Analyst: This is a budding field where you design election strategies.You might have heard about Prashant Kishore (Founder of I-PAC). He is a leading Poll Strategist who has helped many political parties with their election strategy and win them. (Mamta Banerjee’s TMC in 2021 West Bengal elections). Since a sociologist knows the society well, it becomes easy to predict the voting behavior of them and this will give you an edge in analysis. Sociology might not seem such a subject which might land you up with a high paying job, but it definitely is. In this article we have seen the scope of the subject. The best part about sociology is that it is easy to understand. This is because we have lived in the society we are learning about. We have to be cautious about one thing and that is, “Be clear on what you want, and put in the maximum effort to achieve it.”