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Social worker
Also called: MSW
Supports families, children and communities facing poverty, illness, abuse or exclusion.
What the work is
Social workers help people and communities in difficulty: children in need of care, patients in hospitals, people with disabilities, families in crisis, workers and rural communities. They connect people with services, run programmes, counsel and advocate for rights.
A Master of Social Work (MSW) is the main qualification, with specialisations such as community development, medical and psychiatric social work, and family and child welfare.
A typical week
- Visit families and communities
- Connect people with schemes and services
- Run awareness and support programmes
- Keep case records and reports
It suits people who
- Care about fairness and people in need
- Are resilient and patient
- Communicate across cultures and languages
Your path to get there
School (Class 8-10)
- Any stream; volunteer in your community
Class 11-12
- BSW, BA Sociology or Psychology
College or fresher
- MSW through TISSNET or university entrances
- Do fieldwork with NGOs and hospitals
Working or switching
- Professionals from any field can do an MSW and join the sector
- Start with a skills refresh of 6 to 12 weeks: one short course and one TalentMeter assessment to show where you stand today.
- Use returnship and second-career programmes; many large employers in India run them for people back after a break.
- Explain the gap in one honest line on your CV and LinkedIn, and list what you did in it (caregiving, freelancing, courses, volunteering).
- Contract, part-time and freelance roles are a common way back in; they turn into full-time offers often.
Exams and certifications
| Name | What it is for | When |
|---|---|---|
| TISSNET | MSW at TISS | Once a year |
| CUET-PG ↗ | MSW at central universities | Once a year |
Exam names, eligibility and dates change. Always check the official website for this year's notice.
Job market
Job titles to search
Who hires
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