Teaching is one of the most sought after professions today especially for females. With growing competition in the job market, acquiring a good job has become no less than participating in a rat race. Hordes of job seekers throng multinational companies with the desire of landing up with the highest paying job. The career in teaching is away from all this, it being a highly noble profession.

One should be careful while selecting teaching as a profession because it requires much more than just academic qualification. For Indians, teaching is not just any profession, it is seen as a boon to society. Teachers are responsible for developing an individual’s intellect as well as his/ her personality and character. They make a big difference in students' lives while contributing to the social and economic development of the country as well.

Intelligence, patience and wisdom are the most important traits required to become a successful teacher. Teachers become ideals or heroes of students, their guidance and motivation is always looked upon. A good teacher always brings out the best in his/ her students and creates responsible citizens for the society. There are various teaching opportunities available with both government and private educational setups like schools, colleges, institutes, etc.

Teaching career offers various options in areas of specialization that can be opted for depending on the subject of interest and skill sets. One may teach at play schools, nursery schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities, coaching institutes, special training schools, etc. The vast number of teaching jobs include nursery teacher jobs, school teacher jobs, college teacher jobs like Jr. Lecturers, Lecturers, Readers, Associate Professors, Asst. Professors, Professors, etc., Technical & Engineering jobs, Computer and IT jobs, Sports teacher jobs, Arts teacher jobs, Math teacher jobs, Science teacher Jobs, English teacher jobs, Tuition teachers, Graphics teacher, Multimedia jobs, etc.

Every level requires different qualification and skill sets while the eligibility criteria also vary. You may visit online education portals like Shiksha.com for detailed information though it could be broadly summed up as:

• Any 10+2 with 50% aggregate along with a course in teaching can apply for pre-primary teaching jobs.

• Graduates in any stream along with a diploma or degree in Education can apply for primary teaching jobs.

• One needs to have a B.Ed degree after graduation to be a secondary teacher or become TGTs (Trained Graduate Teachers).

• And post graduation to teach senior secondary level or be a PGT (Postgraduate Trained Teacher).

• NET or National Eligibility Test conducted by UGC (University Grants Commission) has to be appeared for by candidates with at least 55% marks in Master’s Degree.

One needs to decide the area of field of teaching according to his/ her interests. You should think if you like to monitor toddlers more or teach little kids or mentor young adults and so on. If you like to be with small children, you may opt for pre-school teaching as a career. A pre primary school teacher helps in developing physical, social and creative abilities of small children. He/ She organizes various learning and fun activities; teaches personal hygiene skills, good behavior, etc. to enable overall growth of children. The role of a teacher changes according to the level and area of specialization chosen.

The basic qualities in a teacher should be interest in all round development of students. One must have mentoring abilities, passion for teaching, perseverance and an inspiring personality. The teacher must exert a positive influence that encourages students to pursue their interests and excel.

Large number of avenues available for teachers in India has made it a popular profession among youngsters and adults alike. Good salaries are given out to teachers with relevant qualification and experience throughout the government and private educational institutes.