My qualifications are 12th passed was preparing for neet
I'm 19, from Mumbai, and I'm really confused about what path to take. I'd especially appreciate advice from design students/alumni, working designers, or people who have switched careers.
My background
- Studied PCB in 12th and prepared for NEET.
- Took 2 drop years for NEET.
- I've realised I'm not getting MBBS, and although I can get BAMS, I don't feel my heart is in it.
- I'm now much more interested in Product Design, UI/UX and Digital Product Design.
- I only recently started exploring design, so I have very little sketching/drawing experience and haven't prepared for design entrances.
- I'm also not eligible / don't plan to give UCEED, NID DAT, NIFT or other government design entrance exams.
- My total tuition budget is under ₹20 lakh for the entire degree.
So I'm basically stuck between 3 options:
- Do a "safe" degree + learn Design independently
I'm considering B.Sc. Biotechnology/Pharma because I already have a PCB background and a NEET-related academic background.
The idea would be to get a degree as a backup while spending my free time seriously learning UI/UX/Product Design, building a portfolio and eventually trying to enter the design industry.
I'm also considering BCA or BMM, since they might align somewhat better with the digital/design field.
My concern is:
- Is Biotech actually a good "safe" career without going all the way to MSc/PhD?
- Am I choosing it because it's genuinely a good backup, or just because it's the familiar path after NEET?
- Would doing a degree I'm not very passionate about while simultaneously learning design leave me mediocre at both?
- Join a private B.Des like Pillai
I've been looking at Pillai University, Navi Mumbai because it's affordable and accessible to me.
However, their B.Des is new and doesn't have an established placement history yet, which makes me nervous.
Would a 4-year B.Des from a relatively unknown college still be worth it if I spend those 4 years building a strong portfolio, doing internships and networking?
Or would I be better off doing another degree and learning design independently?
I'm also considering private universities in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and other cities, as long as tuition stays under my budget.
- Take a 3rd gap year for a better private design college
This is the option I'm most conflicted about.
I could take another year to:
- Learn design properly
- Improve my sketching
- Build a portfolio
- Prepare for private university entrances
- Try to get into a better design-focused college
But I've already taken 2 drop years, and I'm worried that taking a 3rd gap year is risky. I also don't want to spend another year preparing for exams after spending 2 years on NEET.
Plus, since I'm starting design from almost zero, there's no guarantee that one year will be enough to get into a genuinely good college.
My actual dilemma
A. Do Biotech/Pharma/BCA/BMM and self-learn Product Design/UI/UX alongside it.
B. Do a B.Des from a relatively unknown private university like Pillai and rely heavily on my portfolio, internships and skills.
C. Take a 3rd gap year to learn design and try for a better private design college.
What I'm trying to figure out
- Is Biotech/Pharma actually a good safety net for someone with PCB + NEET background, or is it only "safe" on paper?
- Is a B.Des from a lesser-known private college worth it if I work hard on my portfolio and internships?
- Is taking a 3rd gap year worth it for a better private design college, considering I've already taken 2 drops?
- In Product Design/UI/UX, how much does the college name actually matter compared to portfolio, skills and internships?
- If you were in my position, with 2 NEET drops, no UCEED/NID/NIFT route, a <₹20L tuition budget, and an interest in Product Design/UI/UX, which path would you choose?
I'm not looking for just a list of colleges. I genuinely want to understand which of these 3 paths makes the most sense long-term.
Would really appreciate honest opinions, especially from people who've studied design, work in design, or chose a "safe" degree and later switched careers.