Ranjana Jha loved to get lost in the pages of history but when it came to choosing a subject for graduation, she opted for English, the safe option. “I did not want to be stuck in a dry-as-dust teaching job,” is the explanation this freelance writer gives. “In those days that was the only option for a history student, apart from research of course.”

Fortunately, that is no more the case. It may be a little too late for Jha, but those who now choose to graduate in history have an array of options. “A graduate in history can be anything from a civil servant to a curator to a heritage manager. He or she can also become a numismatist or a librarian,” says Delhi-based career counsellor Pervin Malhotra. And of course, you can go on to do a postgraduation in archaeology or art history.

To become an art historian, apart from a love of history, you will need an eye for art, says Calcutta-based art historian Pranab Ranjan Ray. All art historians need to have a knowledge of history and Ray, who had no formal training in the subject, says, “I regret not taking up history”. He later read up on the subject in his own interest. Ray believes that to really appreciate art, you need to know the context that shaped it.

You can do a postgraduate course in art history from any of the art colleges or from the National Institute Museum in New Delhi, which also offers a course on conservation. Apart from becoming restorers, art historians can also curate art exhibitions or, if they have a way with words, become art critics.

History students can, obviously, become museologists. “Nothing can beat the satisfaction of taking good care of artifacts which are a little bit of history themselves. In fact, it is these things of daily use that give a proper perspective of the times that have gone by,” says Neelima Sen, former curator of the Asiatic Society who did her PhD in history from Calcutta University. If you have the spirit of adventure, you can also take up archaeology. Most universities offer the course (MA or MSc in archaeology) though if you want to go on digs you’ll have to do a doctorate. “To get a real feel for the subject, students should work on at least one excavation,” says R.K. Chattopadhyay, who teaches archaeology at Calcutta University.

If you have the knack, you can also take up heritage management. The Delhi Institute of Heritage Research and Management, New Delhi, affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh University, offers a two-year masters degree in archaeology and heritage management and another one in conservation, preservation and heritage management. “Heritage managers take care of buildings, or even whole neighbourhoods, that are special because of their age. They can also be in charge of archaeological sites, whether open to the public or otherwise,” says Malhotra.

These options have at least a connection with history but history can give you a leg up for at least two other career options, though there is no direct connection. A lot of people who want to sit for the civil services exam opt for history as it covers the syllabus for the prelims as well as the mains and is reputed to be a subject where it is possible to score marks. Malhotra, however, advises that IAS aspirants should graduate in history only if they are ready to make a career in the subject if they fail to make the cut. And if you do manage to crack the exam, history will still be of help. “Those in the administrative service need to be aware of the past to successfully handle present problems,” says Mohua Sarkar, head of the department of history at Jadavpur University, Calcutta.

Bhabatosh Ganguly, a retired government servant who formerly worked for the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), believes that being a student of history helped him work effectively. “If you have historic perspective, you can analyse a situation better. In fact I learnt to think analytically in my history classes in college,” he says. If you want to follow in Ganguly’s footsteps and spy for the state, keep your eyes on Employment News, which advertises for divisional officers (for the SIB or IB) from time to time. If you manage to become an IPS officer, the intelligence bureau will itself get in touch with you if it thinks you will be a worthy recruit.

Another category of sleuths also get an edge if they know the past. “I can think of at least three people off the top of my head who were recruited by reputed newspapers during campus placement,” says Sarkar. And does the study of history really help journalists? “You cannot really analyse the present if you do not know the past,” says a senior journalist who graduated in history. “Our teaching methodology helps history students to gather and sort through information quickly,” adds Sarkar.

“History is normally considered dynastic history,” says Ray “But it is actually not so. Apart from art history, we also have the history of science. Unfortunately it is not the historians but the scientists who have taken the trouble to maintain it.”

Indian universities do not have many unusual courses. Boria Majumdar, possibly the best known sports historian in the country, had to go all the way to England to do his doctorate in the history of cricket. But things are changing.

“Jadavpur University offers a course in environmental history,” says Sarkar. “The students of this course normally go on to work with environmental NGOs.”

So no matter what you aim to be, a blast from the past can actually brighten your future.

Money matters

Art historian:

Freshers start at anything from Rs 10,000 (Calcutta) to Rs 18,000 (Delhi), depending on the city. Established names can earn around Rs 25,000 per exhibition they mount.

Curator:

Most curators are employed by government bodies and get paid in the government scale, starting at Rs 10,000 (plus perks) and going up as high as Rs 50,000 for the top posts.

Heritage manager:

Heritage managers start at Rs 20,000-25,000.

Civil servant:

Officers start at Rs 8,000-275-13,500 and can go up to Rs 30,000 (plus a whole lot of perks)

Journalist:

Start at Rs 10,000 (at a reputed newspaper).