How to Become an Archaeologist after 12th: Eligibility, Courses, Entrance Exams, Benefits, and Salary

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The archaeology courses are based on the minute study of history and exploration. While learning archaeological topics students are trained to comprehend and decipher multiple projects regarding the ancient anecdotes and incidents of India. This is an intriguing option for those who have an academic background in history and are passionate about knowing the historical backgrounds of different places, people, architecture, and cultural practices.

Sometimes, an Archaeologist might have to rework a previous discovery and relevant information which is supposedly done by another former Archaeological expert or a student. It is always one of the best streams for students after the completion of class 12 as there are versatile career options and ample opportunities to study and settle abroad successfully. People who hold creative minds within them, actually find satisfaction in this career. Read: Job of an Archaeologist

This course takes all the applicants three years to finish with certificates. This is basically a Bachelor of Arts Degree. The entire schedule costs around INR 35,000 – INR 1,25,000 each year. Students might go for higher studies after graduation and research afterwards other than being professional instructors and archaeologists acquiring lucrative Salary Packages after becoming an Archaeologist. Read: What does an Archaeologist do

Table of Contents

How to Become an Archaeologist after 12th: Quick Facts
Eligibility to Become an Archaeologist after 12th
Steps to Become an Archaeologist after 12th
Courses to Become an Archaeologist after 12th

4.1 Entrance Exams

Top Archaeology Colleges
Skills Required to Become an Archaeologist after 12th
Benefits of Becoming an Archaeologist
Salary of an Archaeologist
How to Become an Archaeologist after 12th: FAQs

How to Become an Archaeologist After Class 12th: Quick Facts

Eligibility	Class 12
Qualifications	BA in History and Other Adjacent Subjects
Starting Salary (INR)	INR 2.5 – 3.5 LPA
Average Salary (INR)	INR 3 LPA
Highest Salary (INR)	INR 1.35 LPA
Top Recruiters	National Heritage Agencies, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Government and Private Museums, Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR)

Eligibility to Become an Archaeologist after 12th

Students who are contemplating studying archaeology in the future need to complete the class 12th board exam successfully. They will be taking admissions to their preferred colleges for an undergraduate course in this subject depending on their scores in the higher secondary examination.

In the larger context, archaeology lessons rely upon cross-disciplinary examination. Studies in works of art, ethnology, topographical survey, geographical landscapes, comprehensive history, logic, and theories are all included in this stream. Furthermore, it additionally covers artistic examination, material science, information sciences, bits of knowledge about fossils and plants which is called palaeoecology, deciphering of historical manuscripts, and the history of scientific analysis of plants and animals. There are several steps mentioned below that are incorporated into the eligibility criteria.

Applicants must score 55% - 75% marks in relevant subjects like History, Anthropology, etc. in their final examination of class 12. Sometimes students receive many preferences for their schooling backgrounds, depth of knowledge, and scores.
According to some reliable sources, there is no certain age limit to pursuing archaeological courses in India but one must keep in mind that there are specific time frames for taking admission to colleges and universities during regular sessions. Candidates can also apply for an MA and higher courses after finishing their undergraduate classes.
Mostly, students who are supposed to get admitted for the bachelor’s degree and diploma courses need to sit for different entrance tests to prove their merits. These tests are generally known as IPU CET, BHU PET, and AUCET following the Institutional IDs. After the written examinations selected students have to appear for final counseling.
Selecting the right college or institution can be challenging sometimes. Being established as a professionally capable archaeologist requires students to complete their graduation with a brilliant performance graph. That is why when students look for colleges, they should pick the one that offers incredible practical lessons for growing strong experiences and campus facilities, and exposure to various paid internships to help them keep going energetically. One of the most outstanding colleges that offer archaeology as a major in India is Banaras Hindu University, which is situated in Varanasi. Field archaeology, classical archaeology, bioarchaeology, and prehistoric archaeology are some of the specializations available in archaeology.
Archaeologists concentrate on such a set of staff that include worn-out objects, artefacts, daily essentials, places, and monuments that were once associated actively with ancient people. Archaeological experts observe and analyze the results of collecting a variety of human history evidence from various locations. If one has any desire to turn into an excavator, one feels the necessity to have a piece of significant information on History and Geology. To become an excellent archaeologist, one needs to have extensive research skills, efficiency in writing and communication, strong observation ability, and a collaborative approach.

Steps to Become an Archaeologist After Class 12th

Aspirants should carry their pass certificates for class 12 and other important documents to gain admission to colleges, universities, and other institutions to continue higher studies. They must have completed their undergraduate lessons at least to become an archaeologist in the profession. Some students pursue certified Diploma courses that are allocated for a certain period of time to establish their future as Archaeologists. There are also various segments of an Archaeology career, such as – historic archaeologist, underwater archaeologist, ethno-archaeologist, classical archaeologist, etc. These are the following steps to become an archaeologist after the 12th:

Students are supposed to secure 55% marks compulsorily in the board examination of class 12.
After that, they need to appear in some entrance exams held by different university boards aiming to take admissions to various colleges and universities. However, it is not necessary to crack entrance tests to pursue Archaeology in institutions.
Candidates must be admitted to top universities for college classes in paleo history, History, Humanities, or other related subjects.
Aspiring students must finish a college class in a separate stream with a decent result.
At the next step graduated students need to prepare themselves for different exams like CUET, JNUEE, etc. to continue higher studies.
If students complete their post-graduation they will be able to secure better job options in their lives with higher salary packages.
Students should gather practical experiences besides studying their major. They can apply for internships in ICHR, ASI, and other platforms.
Those who wish to continue with academia, need to complete their PhD courses to apply for the post of lecturer of archaeology in the colleges of India and foreign countries. They can also become researchers in affluent institutions.

Archaeology Courses after 12th

This is typically the basic BA course that students execute, as are other courses taken before graduation. A three-year Bachelor of Arts in archaeology program is available to students who demonstrate an interest in archaeology and a passion for in-depth study of Indian history. Moreover, there are some archaeology courses after the 12th that aspirants like to take up. Those courses are for some months to a year. These might even lead to a diploma. Moreover, if somebody has any desire to concentrate ahead, they can go for post-graduation in Paleohistory. They can pursue an MA in either archaeology or history.

Degree	Full-time Certificate Course in Archaeology, Roman Art and Archaeology, Exploration of the Stone Age, Architecture and Sculpture, Epigraphy	Full-time International Certificate Course, PG Certificate is also available	Full-time Diploma Course in Archaeology, Advanced Diploma in Epigraphy, Diploma in Archaeology and Epigraphy, Diploma in Museology and Conservation	Full-time Undergraduate Course in History and Archaeology, Ancient Period, Culture and Archaeology, Museology and Archaeology	Full-time Postgraduate Course in Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, Heritage Management, Post Graduate Diploma in Archaeology and Museology	Full-time Doctorate Course, PhD, M.Phil in History, Geographical and Sociological Archaeology
Eligibility	Class 12	Class 12	Class 12	Class 12	Bachelor’s Degree	Master’s Degree
Entrance Exams	N/A	N/A	N/A	IPU CET, BHU PET, AUCET	CUET, JNUEE	NET
Top Colleges	Singhania University, Jhunjhunu University, Rajasthan University, Jaipur University	Vada Volaterrana Archaeological Field School	JSS Mysore, Tamil Nadu Open University	Shivaji University, Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Divyanga University, Janardan Rai Nagar Rajasthan Vidyapeeth, HNBGU	Banaras Hindu University, University of Calcutta, Mumbai University, Shivaji University, Madhav University, Delhi Institute of Heritage Research and Management	Punjab University, Panjab University, University of Calcutta, Shivaji University, University of Mysore, Kerala University
Course Fees	INR 12,000	INR 31,500 - INR 18,00,000	INR 1,80,000 - INR 6,00,000	INR 20,000 - INR 4,00,000	INR 30,000 - INR 5,50,000	INR 1,00,000 - INR 7,50,000
Average Salary (INR)
Top Recruiters	Colleges Government and Private Museums, National Heritage Agencies Cultural Galleries	National Heritage Agencies Cultural Galleries	Indian Council of Historical Research National Museums, Government and Private Universities, Colleges Government and Private Museums, National Heritage Agencies Cultural Galleries	Government and Private Universities, Colleges Government and Private Museums, National Heritage Agencies Cultural Galleries	Indian Council of Historical Research National Museums, Government and Private Universities, Colleges Government and Private Museums, National Heritage Agencies Cultural Galleries	Indian Council of Historical Research National Museums, Government and Private Universities, Colleges Government and Private Museums, National Heritage Agencies Cultural Galleries

Entrance Exams

In most cases, institutes take into account the merit-based admissions process. As a result, colleges and universities provide seats to candidates who are deserving. It all depends on how well they did in the 12th standard. For that matter, numerous different organizations even lead their entry test. They will assign seats to serving individuals based on their scores. However, admission to the college is also preferred by other institutions by donation. The table below informs about some of these entrance tests in India.

Entrance Examinations	Application Deadlines	Examination Dates	Result Declaration
IPU CET	April 30, 2023	May 30, 2023 - June 15, 2023	June 9, 2023
BHU PET	July 2023	May 2023	August 2023
AUCET	April 2023	Will be Notified Soon	June, 2023
CUET	April 3, 2023	May 21, 2023 to June 23, 2023	July 20, 2023
JNUEE	August 4, 2023	December 27, 2023 - December 30, 2023	September 26, 2023

Also See:

BA Ancient History	MA in Archaeology	Ph.D. in Archaeology

Top Archaeology Colleges

Archaeology aspirants need to be admitted to various institutions to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree intending to establish themselves as professional archaeologists afterwards. After completing the 12th grade, the student must be eligible to enrol in the undergrad course. The colleges offering archaeology courses could be either government-based or self-funded private universities. The Central Government oversees the government college courses if students tend to begin studying in BA colleges can be found all over India. It is a low charging expense cost. Here are some well-known archaeology colleges in India.

Names of The Colleges	Locations	Average Fees
Shivaji University	Kolhapur, Maharashtra	INR 5500
Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University	Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh	INR 3305
Janardan Rai Nagar Rajasthan Vidyapeeth University	Udaipur, Rajasthan	INR 17000
HNBGU	Garhwal, Uttarakhand	INR 8690
BAMU	Aurangabad, Maharashtra	INR 28536
Banaras Hindu University	Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh	INR 4620
University of Calcutta	Kolkata, West Bengal	INR 2314
Mumbai University	Mumbai, Maharashtra	INR 34405
Delhi University of Heritage Research and Management	New Delhi, Delhi NCR	INR 21200
Kerala University	Trivandrum	INR 37500

Skills Required to Become an Archaeologist after 12th

Youngsters who aim to become an archaeologist in the future need to acquire various crucial skills to shine in their professional lives. These skills trigger continuous progress which is essential for their career, the organizations they will be working for, and ultimately this country.

Language Skills	Communication	Interpersonal Skills
Teaching Skills	Leadership Management	Research Skills
Adaptability and Patience	Teamwork	Writing Skills

Benefits of Becoming an Archaeologist

The advantageous points about growing into a professional archaeologist are quite clear to the students who are already passionate about studying the subject. The reasons might be the utmost interest they have nurtured since a younger stage of their careers. However, it is not that easy for beginners to find out the benefits of choosing to become an archaeologist among so many career options. Here are the profitable sides of selecting this profession mentioned below.

Archaeologists have the rare opportunity to discover and investigate ancient structures, artefacts, and human remains. Their work influences the procedure of growing comprehension of how one might interpret mankind's set of experiences, culture, and society, filling in holes in the verifiable story.
For the benefit of future generations, archaeologists are essential in the process of cultural heritage preservation. By examining and reporting relics and locales, they add to the insurance and legitimate administration of significant verifiable assets.
History, anthropology, science, and even technology all are incorporated into the field of archaeology. The work is intellectually stimulating because of its diversity, allowing archaeologists to continuously learn and modify their strategies.
Archaeologists frequently travel to different regions of the planet to direct hands-on work and exploration. The career is appealing to people who enjoy adventure and exploration because it gives them the chance to learn about various cultures, languages, and settings.
Archaeological examination adds to the more extensive group of information about mankind's past. Historical events, social structures, economic systems, and technological advancements are all reconstructed using this information.
Archaeology experts draw in with general society through displays, addresses, and instructive projects. The public gains a deeper appreciation for history and cultural heritage when discoveries are made public.
Archaeological activities frequently include joint efforts with specialists from different fields, including students of history, anthropologists, and geologists, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. This interdisciplinary cooperation can prompt creative methodologies and a balanced comprehension of the past.
Archaeologists can work in the scholarly world, galleries, government offices, non-benefit associations, and private counselling firms. This variety of business choices permits people to pick a professional way that lines up with their inclinations and objectives.
These experts face difficulties connected with information understanding, site conservation, and examination techniques quite frequently. This supports solid critical thinking abilities and decisive reasoning skills.
Archaeological examination can assist networks with interfacing with their past, encouraging a feeling of personality and social mindfulness. It can likewise advance a more extensive appreciation for the social variety and the interconnectedness of human social orders.

Salary of An Archaeologist

Archaeologist jobs are available in different settings, including government offices, private counselling firms, galleries, colleges, and non-benefit associations. The compensation of a palaeontologist can differ essentially contingent upon variables, for example, training level, insight, area, kind of boss (government organization, the scholarly world, and so on.), and the particular field of archaeology (management of cultural resources, academic research, work in museums, etc.). Each year an archaeologist earns around INR 6 to 12 LPA in India.

Designations	Average Annual Salary
Cultural Heritage Consultant	INR 4 L
Underwater Archaeologist	INR 5 L
Bioarchaeologist	INR 2.2 L
Historical Archaeologist	INR 2.5 L
Academic Archaeologist / Researcher	INR 5 L
Museum Curator	INR 12 L
Archaeological Conservator	INR 5 - 9 L
Cultural Resource Manager	INR 5 L
Laboratory Archaeologist	INR 5 L
Field Archaeologist	INR 2 L

How to Become an Archaeologist after 12th

Ques. Is a postgraduate degree important for a fruitful profession in palaeontology?

Ans. While not generally compulsory, postgraduate schooling can open up cutting-edge professional doors, research positions, and concentrated jobs inside archaic exploration.

Ques. Do archaeologists just search for antiques?

Ans. While unearthing is a huge part of palaeontology, it likewise includes examining curios, leading exploration, deciphering verifiable settings, and adding to how one might interpret the past.

Ques. What vocation open doors are accessible for archaeologists?

Ans. Archeologists can work in scholarly communities, research foundations, historical centers, social asset-the-board firms, and government offices, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. They can likewise have some expertise in regions like verifiable archaic exploration, submerged paleohistory, and measurable prehistoric studies.

Ques. What are the essential abilities of an archaeologist?

Ans. Critical thinking, research abilities, endurance (for fieldwork), analytical abilities, and efficient communication are all skills.

Ques. Is field experience significant in antiquarianism?

Ans. Yes, archaeology relies heavily on field experience. Fieldwork is a part of many programs, and it helps apply what one learns in the classroom to real-world situations.

Ques. Can students major in archaeology after completing any high school course (Science, Commerce, or Art)?

Ans. Archaeology can be pursued after any high school course, but a background in science or the humanities may be more relevant.

Ques. Where could students at any point concentrate on prehistoric studies after class 12?

Ans. There are a few colleges and universities overall that offer paleohistory programs. Research establishments and colleges with solid human sciences offices are great spots to begin.

Ques. What degree is required to pursue an archaeology career?

Ans. The minimum qualification is a bachelor's degree in archaeology or a related field. Notwithstanding, for further developed jobs and exploration potential open doors, an expert's or even a PhD might be fundamental.

Ques. Are archaeologists typically employed by the government?

Ans. Archaeologists can find employment in both the private and public sectors, but it's worth noting that the government sector tends to provide a greater number of job opportunities for archaeologists compared to the private sector.

Ques. Is UPSC required for a career in archaeology?

Ans. Archaeologists can secure positions as senior research officers in government institutions by successfully passing the UPSC examination. Additionally, archaeologists often travel to search for historically significant sites, where they excavate to uncover remnants of past human civilizations. For private opportunities, UPSC is not required.

Ques. Which country offers the best opportunities for archaeology studies?

Ans. The United States of America (USA) is renowned for its robust foundation in archaeology. The USA provides an extensive array of archaeology programs that cover diverse aspects of this field. It's considered one of the top countries globally for excellent archaeology programs, following closely behind the United Kingdom.