CAREER COUNSELLING AS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT THAT MAY BE OFFERED AS A SPECILIZATION FOR THE POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS PURSUING PROFESSIONAL COURSES IN SHILLONG, EAST KHASI HILLS DISTRICT, MEGHALAYA, INDIA TO ENHANCE TEACHER EDUCATION

Objective: To find out the need to offer career counselling as a specialization among the postgraduate students pursuing professional courses. Methodology: A descriptive, cross sectional study design, collecting relevant quantitative and qualitative data from the respondents was conducted. Data on retrospective histories and experiences in career counselling was captured to link how career counselling is becoming an important aspect for career development and career decision making. In this study, a total of 100 students were studied. Setting: Postgraduate students from MSc Counselling Psychology and Master of Social Work from Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong. Results: Career counselling has led a student to be familiar with his/her interest and aptitudes, hence paving a way for them to make the right career choice. Career guidance has facilitated students to be focus with their career planning and in choosing relevant programmes during their course of study to help built their expertise. Career Counselling as an area should be enhanced, to create more professionals in the field. Conclusion: There was a strong recommendation that proper career guidance and monitoring is the need of the hour, as students are either over exposed to career information or are not exposed to them at all. (198 words).