Pre-university Course

The Pre-University Course or Pre-Degree Course (PUC or PDC) is an 2-year Senior Secondary Course under the 10+2 education system after Class 10th (SSLC, SSC) and the PUC commonly refers to Class 11th and Class 12th and called as 1st PUC (1st Year Pre-University Course) and 2nd PUC (2nd Year Pre-University Course) respectively in the pre-university colleges also known as Junior Colleges and this course exists only in some state boards of India because almost all the national and state boards in india provide schooling till class 12th. This Pre-University Course is also known as the Intermediate Course and HSC in some state boards. The PUC Certificate is a certification obtained by the Junior College students upon the successful completion of the Higher Secondary Examination at the end of study at the higher secondary level in India. The PUC Certificate is obtained on passing the “Class 12th Public Examination” which is commonly referred to as “Class 12th Board Examinations” in India. A person desiring admission to an Indian university must pass this course, which can be considered as a degree bridge course to prepare students for university education.

Admission to this course is based on marks obtained for the SSLC (Class 10th), awarded after successful completion of five years of primary school, followed by five years of secondary school. The Indian education system follows a 10+2+3 (4 or 5) pattern, so that a bachelor's degree requires a minimum of 10 years of primary and secondary schooling, plus two years of Higher Secondary Education in Senior Secondary Schools (Almost all National and State Boards) i.e Schools which provide Higher Secondary Schooling for Class 11th & Class 12th or in Junior Colleges (Some State Boards) i.e Colleges which provide Higher Secondary Education for Class 11th & Class 12th in different regions and states, plus either three, four or five years at university. Colleges offering a pre-university course are known as PU Colleges also known as Junior colleges in India.

For example, the state of Karnataka conducts Board Examinations at the end of the 2nd Year PUC for university admissions. This has three program streams with options focusing on science, commerce and arts, respectively. Students desiring to study professional programs in Karnataka must pass the science stream of this exam and qualify through the Common Entrance Test of the state. Recently, the Karnataka PUC Board made the first-year PUC exams public, to filter out low-scoring students and improve overall average scores. Only about 40% of students usually pass the exam, and only about 1.5% score above 85% overall.

Courses after PUC

Students who have completed the PUC in the science stream can enroll in courses such as mathematics, natural sciences, nursing, pharmacy, agriculture, engineering or medicine. They can also enroll for a pure-sciences B.Sc. Admission to these courses depends upon marks scored in PUC exams conducted by the institutes or by the state board.

Students who succeed in the commerce stream may enroll in a graduate Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Business Management degree program at an Indian university.

Those who have passed the arts-stream PUC can opt to study for a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) or Diploma in Education (DEd), Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), or may be admitted to vocational programs in fashion design — offered by the National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFT) — or apparel and knitwear manufacturing.

References

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External links

; General information
*Official website fo
PUC results

Education in India
Junior colleges in India