Course Details
It is preferable for candidates to have a background of ancient history and culture. A 10+2 pass student is eligible for Bachelor course in Archaeology. After graduation he/she can opt for a Post graduate Diploma in this subject. Archaeology is a rewarding career opportunity for those who have an analytical bend of mind, a keen desire to know about the past, perceptive and probing mind, keen observation, analytical and logical thinking, adaptable to physical stress and a lot of patience.
Career Prospects
The profession of Archaeology offers interesting job opportunities in government as well as in private sectors. In India, students who pass out from the Institute of Archaeology, have brighter career prospects as they are readily absorbed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Archaeologists also can seek jobs in government sectors by taking up competitive examinations conducted by UPSC and SSC. They can also join private environment monitoring companies or similar organizations working in this field. They can seek to be employed in Defense services, museums, art galleries, archives and other cultural and historical centers.
A degree holder in Archaeology can works as tourist guides, heritage managers, interpreters, resource persons of trip organizers in the tourism industry. After obtaining Doctoral degree one can take up teaching and research work. Archaeologists can even seek employment in other disciplines as historians, linguists and surveyors and as specialists like Numismatists (study of coins) and Epigraphists (study of ancient inscriptions). Archaeology graduates have great scope of jobs in abroad. Here they work as curators, heritage conservators, archivists or even as teachers.
Top Colleges Offering UG/PG/Other Courses
Several institutes offer Bachelor and Master’s degree in Archaeology. Prominent among them are Institute of Archaeology, New Delhi; School of Archival Studies, Delhi; Delhi Institute of Heritage Research and Management; Andhra University, Patna University, Punjab University, Banaras Hindu University and Gujarat University. Besides, there are other Universities in India that offer Archaeology as a course.
Remuneration
Archaeology is a well paid job. However, salaries of archaeology vary depending upon their skill, abilities and experiences. In public sector junior archaeologists are earning 8000 to 10000 per month while seniors may well go up to 18000 to 20000. Pay scale is little bit of higher in private sector. In collages and universities archaeology teachers are getting 12000 to 25000 depending upon seniority.
