The document emphasizes the need for students in tier-II higher educational institutes to rethink their career plans due to the drastic changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. It suggests that instead of relying solely on a traditional career path (Plan A), students should consider entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities in response to a shrinking job market. It also outlines potential new avenues for employment and business in areas such as digital marketing, rural development, and agro-processing, urging students to adapt their goals accordingly.

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Career Post CORONA: Challenge your Plan ‘A’
Sarang Bhola
This manuscript is targeted at students studying in tier-II higher educational institutes.
Quite often career counselors’ talks about Plan B, Plan C and so on. I think it’s time to
rethink the Plan ‘A’ itself.
What is Plan A?
Plan ‘A’ is the major focus of career where students concentrate and puts major resources
to achieve it. For instance, majority students wish to take up a job after education
especially after MBA. Or few students prepare for competitive examination to take up a
government job. Few are planning for employment followed by entrepreneurship.
In the event of failure of Plan A - Plan ‘B’ or C comes to rescue.
Career by chance or by choice is an issue on toss especially for job seekers. Of course
career by choice should be preferred. Dream and do what you love. That will reach you to
the ultimate goal of life that is ‘Happiness’. Present circumstances have disturbed the
entire economic scenario including job market on which students had planned earlier. We
were simply not prepared. Students pursuing education related to hospitality i.e. tourism,
hotels, event management and all such sectors where customers gather in crowd are likely
to face job crunch.
Thus Rethinking of Plan A is a MUST!
The days are changing; instead of venturing in retail mall a chain of small shops will do
that to preferably doing business online and delivering products at doorsteps will preferred
by consumers. A hotel supplying ordered snacks and meals at doorsteps. How does it
sound the snack center on wheels? Or a retail shop on wheels? All students are in danger
particularly those who are having only plan ‘A’, especially job seekers.
Agreed that square cannot be fitted into triangle. Current scenario has changed drastically.
We are adapting to the situation and to great extent we have adopted as well and going
ahead. That is the way of life. This Covid-19 helps bring real strength out of us.
We have two major choices one is trim the square to fit in triangle i.e. adjustments rather
forced adjustment or wait till situation get normalized (which is unpredicted and do not
know how long will it take).
The world is in lockdown owing to Covid -19 and poses many social and economic
challenges. The scenario is likely to take a toll on your career. If you are dreaming of

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desired job then you are at high risk. Experts foresee the future of miserable
unemployment and underemployment.
1. Possibility of crores of jobs loss in the world and in India. Job market will shrink
whether it is government or private.
2. Migration of skilled and semi-skilled labour from Metropolitan of state to out states and
within state. It is difficult to judge the number which will return to work after lock-
down gets over.
3. Youths working abroad are likely to return home since the issues of citizenship is a
concern specifically with USA. They will claim prime jobs in India.
4. Professional operations have started shifting online. Many have adopted and found
convenient with a belief to take it further as routine procedure as this saves costly
resources. Travelling for business might reduce in the country. Online system will
replace the operational manpower. The job of operational manpower will become more
multi-skilled.
5. Travel and tourism will pause for few months; may be few years and hence, the entire
supply chain will be in distress.
6. It is likely to shift the international supply chain from China to India –Provided India
offers right infrastructure and business environment. Forthcoming scenario provides
scope to technical graduates for entrepreneurship on the magnitude of likely shift of
supply chain.
7. Mahatma Gandhi wrote ‘the future of India lies in its villages’. There is likely shift in
policy, focusing more on self dependency and self reliance. This leads to creating jobs
at sub urban and rural India.Rural industry likely to upsurge position in economy.
Arresting rural to urban migration may help to defuse high dense manpower
concentrated at cities.
8. Fortune lies in the rural economy. To save the losses of farm sector, policy measures to
boost food processing industry is likely in rural sector. The migrated skilled labour
from metropolitan may be absorbed by these units to attain full employment in rural
economy.
9. The migration of students for higher studies will arrest. Since there are less employment
opportunities world over and in India this leads to competitiveness in tier-I higher
education institutions (HEI).
The issues mentioned above are interlinked and are based on if’s and but’s. The scenario
above offers opportunities to students associated with tier II higher educational
institutions.
What options students have?
Do you feel you are a student among top 5% or 10% in tier –II segment then continue with
your Plan A. Otherwise, challenge your Plan A. Following are few possible measures to be
taken to correct plan ‘A’.

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a. Invest time in education and self enrichment – owing to down job market. Get ready
and wait till opportunity to knock.
b. Need of an hour -Think of shift from employment to self professional or startup or
entrepreneurship in the sector you love. If you are dreaming to get employment in
marketing then instead of marketing for others better work for your own firm.
c. Lucky are the second and third generation entrepreneurs. Continue with utmost honesty
with a vision of multiplication of business and not simply addition.
d. On the backdrop of abundant availability of agriculture produce the agro processing
industry is the future.
e. New Business Models: Numerous scopes for development of non agriculture businesses
at feeder villages.
f. Consultation – be an international marketer, an advertising agency, a research firm, a
consultant in quality certifications, system auditor, tax consultant, portfolio consultant,
insurance advisor, training and development firm, artificial intelligence professional,
data analytics professional and the like.
g. Look at the Service Businesses existing and New ones those would emerge in the
changed Situation –Different focus on extra care of Old age population (since their
children, mostly living in Cities, would have travel limitations or If you are an early
bird in learning Digital Marketing – start training small Businesses on ‘How to do
Business Online’ in their locality.
Overall you need to be Observant and Creative in order to capture the unique
Opportunities rising out of Situation.
The future entrepreneurship and employment prominently lies in the area of international
business, international business services, entrepreneurship, digital marketing, supply chain
management, data analytics, artificial intelligence, rural development, agro forestry and
post harvesting processing. Students studying in tier-II HEI should focus on these study
area.
So invest time, introspect and rethink on your Plan ‘A’. Do enrich it to suit the given
environment.
Sarang S. Bhola
Associate Professor,
Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Institute of
Management Studies and Research, Satara – 415015.
Chairman, BOS in Management,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra – 416004