In India, we cannot say that there are plenty of jobs in hand in the history field itself. There are some departments like archeology, survey, monument protection, Indian heritage etc where a degree in history could be useful. But if you think yourself as a graduate, then there are opportunities available in government especially on a clerical cadre in different departments. However there are good opportunities in government colleges and schools for teaching history itself.

Central Government Jobs after B.A in History

The Indian government carries out many entrance tests for the recruitment of candidates for a variety of posts that are available in the public sector organizations. A graduate of the liberal arts can apply for these posts by attending the concerned written exams. Some of the main exams are carried out by the UPSC and the SSC. Candidates can also attend the UGC – CSIR (NET) exam, as to apply for posts as teachers, lecturers, research assistants etc, in different reputed central government organisations.

State Government Jobs after BA in History

Candidates who have finished their graduation in history can apply for a variety of posts in the state government. Archeology, museum management are the best departments applicable for graduates from History stream. It is possible for them to get employed as police officers, private investigators or in the fields of transportation or agriculture and many more. In order to get employed into the State services, the students have to appear for the state wise entrance exams that are carried out by the Public Service Commission (PSC). After the candidates clear the written test, they will be notified about an interview.

Jobs in railway after BA in History

As said earlier, there are no specific jobs in Railways for graduates from history stream. But B.A History graduates are also considered for other opportunities. The Railway Recruitment Board holds entrance exams annually for the recruitment of eligible candidates into the Indian Railway Accounts Service as well as the Indian Railway Traffic Service. The recruitment is done on the basis of their result in the Railway Recruitment Board Exam. It is also possible for the candidates to join the Indian Railway as Special Class Railway Apprentices, Clerks, and Foremen etc. After clearing the written exam, the candidates will be shortlisted. These shortlisted candidates have to appear for an interview. Notifications regarding the exams will be published in all leading newspapers.

Teaching Profession after BA in History

Teaching is the best bet for History graduates in government sector other than jobs in Archeology and Museum departments. Candidates who seek to become teachers can also get good jobs with top most Universities like the

• Jamia Millia Islamia University
• Aligarh Muslim University
• MG University
• Kerala University
• JNU,
• Delhi University, etc.

In addition to this, many private institutions also take in students of BA History. But these candidates are required to have a B.Ed degree in order to teach in schools. An M.Ed degree and NET qualification is necessary to teach in colleges. On entering any of these jobs, the candidates can appear for entrance tests and get promoted to higher designations.

How to prepare for all these exams

The first thing the candidates need to do when preparing for the exam is to obtain a very good idea about their subject of study. In addition to this, the students also require a very through idea about the syllabus and pattern of the exam. To get this, the candidates can separate the subjects according to their levels of difficulty and study accordingly. They can finish off all the easier ones first and then focus on the topics that are difficult for them. Devoting more time to these sections will enable them to handle the subject easier at the exam time. Apart from this, the candidates can also refer books or other guides. Question papers of the previous years will be available for the candidates to practice on. By this method, they will be able to gauge the possible difficult parts of the exams. Internet can also be used to gather detail information. In addition to this, the candidates can also join different coaching centres as to train themselves for the oncoming exams.

Reference Books for B.A History Graduates preparing for PSC tests

• Books by R.S Agarwal
• General Knowledge by J.N. Sharma
• General Knowledge Digest by Pratiyogita Darpan
• Indian Bank Clerical Staff Exam Guide
• Railway Examination Books by Jain
• Railway Recruitment Board Exam by Khanna and Verma

Coaching Centers for Competitive Exams

There are many coaching centres in India that provide students with coaching for various PSC tests. Some of the well known centres of competitive exam coaching are Success Point, T.I.M.E, Brilliance College,  RACE, and Infinity Classes.