Data science is one of the most in-demand career paths, To become a data scientist after 12th, you should choose subjects like mathematics and computer science. After that, pursue a degree in fields like B.Tech in Computer Science or B.Sc. in Statistics.
Along with your degree, learning skills like programming, machine learning, and data analysis will help you succeed in this field. Data science is a growing field; getting the right skills early will give you many career opportunities.
Who Is A Data Scientist?
A data scientist is a professional who works to collect, analyze, and interpret large amounts of data to help businesses make better decisions. They have to use their knowledge of statistics, programming, and business to reveal trends, patterns, and insights to solve complex problems.
They create models and algorithms to predict future outcomes and help organizations improve their operations, marketing strategies, or product development. In simple terms, a data scientist is someone who makes sense of complex data to guide important decisions.
Types Of Data Scientists
- Data Analyst: A data analyst collects and examines data to identify trends and patterns that help businesses make better decisions. They use tools like Excel, SQL, and Tableau for data analysis and visualization.
- Data Engineer: Data engineers build and maintain the systems that store and process data. They ensure data flows smoothly and is structured in a way that makes it accessible for analysis by other professionals.
- Machine Learning Engineer: These professionals design algorithms that allow computers to learn from data. Their work helps create systems that can predict future outcomes or make decisions without human input.
- Business Intelligence (BI) Analyst: BI analysts help businesses make data-driven decisions by analyzing performance metrics and trends. They create visual reports and dashboards using tools like Power BI and Tableau.
- Data Architect: A Data Architect designs the structure of data systems. They focus on creating efficient data models and setting up databases to ensure data is organized and easy to access for analysis.
- Data Administrator: Data administrators manage and maintain the databases that store data. They ensure that data is secure, accessible, and properly optimized for performance, making sure everything runs smoothly.
How to Become A Data Scientist After 12th
1. Complete 12th with Mathematics and Science
To start, you need to take Science in 12th grade and choose Mathematics as one of your subjects. This is important because data science requires strong math skills, like problem-solving and logical thinking, which you’ll learn in your science subjects.
2. Complete a Bachelor's Degree
After 12th, you’ll need to get a Bachelor’s degree to get the basic skills for data science. Some good options are a B.Sc. in Computer Science, a B.Tech in Computer Science or Engineering, B.Sc. in Mathematics or Statistics. These degrees will teach you about programming, math, and statistics.
3. Learn Programming and Data Analysis Skills
Once you start your degree, focus on learning programming. Learn Python and R, which are the main programming languages used in data science. You’ll also need to learn how to handle data—like how to store it and work with it using SQL. This will help you work with large sets of data in your future career.
4. Learn Machine Learning and Statistics
Data scientists use machine learning to teach computers to learn from data. You also need to understand statistics to analyze data properly. Make sure to focus on learning these subjects in your degree. They are key to becoming a data scientist.
5. Get a Professional Certification (Optional)
You don’t need this step, but getting a data science certification can give you a little extra advantage. There are many good online courses available on platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and edX. These can help you get certified in machine learning, data science, and AI, and look great on your resume.
6. Build a Portfolio and Projects
As you learn, start working on projects and building a portfolio. This is a collection of your work that shows your skills. For example, you can try analyzing a dataset, creating graphs, or building a small machine-learning model. You can share these projects on GitHub, where employers can see your work and see what you’re capable of.
7. Get an Internship or Entry-Level Job
Once you feel confident in your skills and have some projects to show, try applying for internships or entry-level jobs. Roles like Data Analyst or Junior Data Scientist are great starting points. This will give you real-world experience and help you learn more while working in the field.
8. Keep Learning and Improving
Data science is always changing, so you need to keep learning new things. Take more advanced courses, join hackathons, and stay up to date with the latest trends in machine learning and AI. The more you keep learning, the more skilled you’ll become.
9. Apply for Data Scientist Jobs
Once you feel confident in your skills, it’s time to apply for full-time Data Scientist jobs. Make sure your resume shows your skills, projects, and any certifications you have. Be ready for interviews that will test your knowledge and problem-solving abilities.
Eligibility Criteria To Become A Data Scientist
- Bachelor’s Degree: After 12th, you should complete a Bachelor’s degree in something related to data science like in computer science, statistics, maths, or science.
- Key Skills required:
- Programming language like Python or R
- Better understanding of Math and Statistics
- Good knowledge in SQL
- Knowledge of Machine Learning
- Data Visualization tools like Tableau or Power BI
Salary Of A Data Scientist in India
According to data available on Glassdoor, the Salary Of A Data Scientist in India ranges between ₹8 Lakh to ₹20 Lakh per annum. On average, the base salary is around ₹13 Lakh annually. In addition to the base salary, data scientists may also receive extra payments like bonuses, commissions, tips, and profit-sharing. These additional payments can increase the total salary, depending on the company and the individual’s performance.
Roles And Responsibilities Of A Data Scientist
- Extracting Useful Data: Data scientists find and collect important data from different sources to make sure they have the right information for analysis.
- Cleaning and Preparing Data: They clean and organize both structured (like spreadsheets) and unstructured data (like text or images) to make sure it’s ready for use.
- Choosing the Right Features and Optimizing Models: They pick the most important data points and use machine learning tools to create models that make predictions or decisions more accurately.
- Building Predictive Models: Data scientists create models that predict future trends or outcomes. For example, they might predict customer behavior or sales numbers.
- Finding Patterns in Large Datasets: They analyze huge amounts of data to spot patterns or trends that can help solve problems or make better decisions.
- Working with Other Teams: Data scientists often collaborate with business, IT, and product teams to make sure their data insights match the company’s goals.
- Presenting Results Clearly: They use charts and graphs to explain their findings in a way that’s easy for everyone, even non-technical people, to understand.
- Suggesting Solutions: Based on the data analysis, they propose strategies and solutions to help businesses improve and solve problems.
Advantages and Disadvantages Of Becoming A Data Scientist
Advantages of Becoming a Data Scientist
- High Demand for Jobs: Data science is a growing field, and companies in almost every industry need data scientists. Whether it’s healthcare, finance, or tech, there are many job opportunities.
- Good Salary: Data scientists are well-paid. In India, even beginners can earn a decent salary, and with more experience, you can make a lot more. Because data science skills are in high demand, the pay is higher.
- Variety of Career Options: Data science offers many different career paths. You could work as a machine learning engineer, a data analyst, or even in business intelligence.
- Opportunity to Learn Continuously: The field is always changing with new technologies and techniques. This means you’ll never stop learning, which keeps the job exciting and challenging.
- Making an Impact: As a data scientist, your work helps companies make smarter decisions. You help solve real-world problems and improve products, services, or customer experiences.
- Flexible Work Options: Many data science jobs offer flexible working hours and even the option to work from home. This helps you maintain a good work-life balance.
Disadvantages of Becoming a Data Scientist
- Steep Learning Curve: Data science can be hard to learn. You need to understand math, statistics, programming, and machine learning. It might feel hard to understand initially, especially if you’re new to these topics.
- Long Hours and Pressure: Sometimes data scientists work long hours to meet deadlines or finish big projects. There’s often pressure to provide quick results, which can be stressful when you deal with large amounts of data.
- Data Cleaning Can Be Boring: Data scientist spends Most of their time cleaning and organizing data. Raw data is often messy and needs a lot of fixing before it can be analyzed. This part of the job can feel repetitive and boring.
- Lots of Competition: While there are many jobs in data science, there is also a lot of competition. More and more people are entering the field, so you need to constantly update your skills to stay ahead of others.
- Understanding Business Needs: A data scientist needs to understand the business they are working for. If you don’t know what problems the company is trying to solve, it can be hard to use data to help the business succeed.
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Conclusion
Becoming a data scientist after 12th is a great career choice. As more companies rely on data, the need for skilled data scientists is growing. With the right education and skills, you can build a successful career in this field. Whether you decide to get a degree or take specialized courses, there are many ways to get started. If you like solving problems, working with data, and learning new things, data science can offer you both a rewarding job and plenty of growth opportunities.
FAQs
Q1: What should I study after 12th to become a data scientist?
Ans:You should study a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or Statistics. After that, you can take specialized courses in data science to build your skills.
Q2: Do I need to know math to become a data scientist?
Ans:Yes, understanding math, especially statistics, is important.
Q3: Can I become a data scientist without a computer science degree?
Ans:Yes, you can. You don’t need a computer science degree. Degrees in Engineering, Mathematics, or Economics can also work as long as you learn the necessary skills.
Q4: What skills do I need to become a data scientist?
Ans:The key skills are programming (Python, R), statistics, data analysis, and machine learning. You'll also need to know how to clean data and use tools for data visualization.
Q5: How long does it take to become a data scientist?
Ans:It usually takes 3 to 4 years to complete a Bachelor’s degree, and another 1-2 years to gain practical experience or pursue further training.