Lucknow: Moving beyond conventional degrees, many Class XII students in the city are opting for niche undergraduate courses, driven by passion and a clear intent to become entrepreneurs.Amrita Singh of Lucknow Public College has applied for a BVoC in Beauty and Wellness in Noida, among the few courses offering specialised training in nail art and cosmetology.“I enjoy creative work, especially nail design. While scrolling on Instagram, I realised nail art can be a profession. With nail studios doing well in the city, I decided to pursue it seriously,” she said, adding that she plans to train professionally and start her own venture.Animesh Singh of Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial School is targeting a four-year BDes programme in Mumbai, focusing on toy design, a niche but growing sector.“The children’s segment is huge. I want to design safe and engaging products by combining design with child psychology and material science,” he said. “I don’t want to be a job seeker; I want to build my own startup.” He is considering institutes in Mumbai and Ahmedabad.Tanya Bhatnagar of City Montessori School is opting for a BA in Liberal Arts, drawn by its flexibility.“It opens doors across sectors, from communications and marketing to education and public policy, while building critical thinking and communication skills,” she said.Career counsellors say the shift reflects changing aspirations among students. “There is a clear move towards skill-based and interdisciplinary courses that offer both employability and entrepreneurial scope,” said a Lucknow-based career counsellor. “Students today are more aware of emerging careers and are willing to take calculated risks rather than follow traditional degree paths.”
