EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORK

Librarian / Information Scientist

Manages books and digital resources in schools, colleges, universities and research institutions, and helps users find information.

Any stream in Class 12 After Class 12 Government job

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Quiet, orderly work with books, records and systems
Helping people find what they need, from a Class 6 student to a researcher
Mixing reading and organising with technology and databases

It may not suit you if you dislike

Government posts are few, so the wait can be long and the competition is real
Pay in private schools and small colleges can be modest
Much of the work is routine, such as cataloguing, counting stock and paperwork

Class 11–12 subjects: Any stream in Class 12 works. There is no subject rule at this stage. The library degree (BLIS) comes after a bachelor's degree in any subject.
First degree: Any bachelor's degree (3 years), then BLIS (1 year), then MLIS (1 year). IGNOU offers both BLIS and MLIS by distance learning. Some universities also run them as regular courses.
Entrance exams: UGC NET in Library and Information Science (conducted by NTA) for Assistant Professor posts and research fellowship. Central school posts such as KVS Librarian have their own recruitment exam. State public service commissions and universities run their own exams (reported).
Licence or registration: None needed to start working.

Open to every streamAny stream in Class 12.Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Buying, cataloguing and arranging books, journals and e-resources. Running the library's software and digital databases. Helping students and researchers find reliable information. Teaching reading and research skills. Looking after the budget and the staff.

A day in the work
You open the library before the first bell and check which books came back overnight. A Class 9 student asks for help finding a book for a project, and you show her how to search the catalogue. Later you add new books to the software, handle a teacher's request for a reading list, and check that the e-resources and subscriptions are working. Before closing, you plan a book display or a reading week, and update the records.

The path, step by step

Step 1 · Class 11–12Pick any stream. Build a reading habit and get comfortable with computers and search tools. Both help later in cataloguing and digital library work.
Step 2 · 3 years after Class 12Finish any bachelor's degree. IGNOU's BLIS asks for a bachelor's degree with 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/OBC/PH). A bachelor's degree plus a one-year library diploma, or two years' library work experience, is also accepted. So aim for at least 50%.
Step 3 · 1 yearDo the BLIS (Bachelor of Library and Information Science). It covers cataloguing, classification, library management and IT in libraries. Theory and practical work are both part of it.
Step 4 · 1 yearDo the MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science). IGNOU's MLIS takes a BLIS degree or an associateship from NISCAIR or DRTC. A master's is needed for college and university posts.
Step 5 · Exam for school postsFor Kendriya Vidyalaya (KVS) Librarian posts, the 2025 notification (Notification 01/2025) asked for a library science degree with 50% marks, computer knowledge and working Hindi and English. It listed 147 vacancies. Selection was a written exam in tiers plus an interview. Age limit was 35 years, with relaxations for reserved categories. Vacancies come only every year or two and change each time. Check the latest notice. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 6 · Exam for college and university postsUGC NET has Library and Information Science as a subject. The December 2026 bulletin asks for a master's degree with at least 55% marks (50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD and third gender candidates). Final-year students can apply, but they are admitted provisionally. Clearing NET makes you eligible for Assistant Professor posts, and for a research fellowship if you also meet the JRF age limit. Whether a college librarian post needs NET depends on the university or state rules (reported).
OptionalPhD in Library and Information Science for teaching and research. Or move into digital libraries, data or records management in a company.

Ways in

School libraryBLIS at minimum. Apply to KVS, NVS, Sainik schools, state government schools or private schools. Each recruiter sets its own exam and age limit.
College or university libraryBLIS, then MLIS, then UGC NET or a state exam. Many posts are advertised by the university or state. Rules differ from state to state.
Research institute, company or digital libraryMLIS with strong IT skills. Roles include information officer, documentation officer and digital library manager. These are mostly hired through interviews, not one big exam.

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Class 11–12 (any stream)	2 years	Your school's fees	Your school's fees	—
Bachelor's degree (any subject)	3 years	Check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page	—
BLIS via IGNOU (distance, one route)	1 year	₹9,000 total (IGNOU, 2026–27), plus ₹300 registration and ₹400 development fee	—	—
MLIS via IGNOU (distance, one route)	1 year	₹12,000 total (IGNOU, 2026–27), plus ₹300 registration and ₹400 development fee	—	—
BLIS or MLIS at a regular university (route with no fee figure on page)	1 year each	Check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page	—
KVS Librarian exam (school posts)	1 day exam	Check the notice	—	—
UGC NET in Library and Information Science (college and university posts)	Check the notice	Check the notice	—	—

Total timeAbout 5 years after Class 12 (3-year degree, then 1-year BLIS and 1-year MLIS for college posts)

Total costIGNOU's BLIS and MLIS together come to ₹21,000 in course fees, plus registration and development fees; other colleges depend on their own fee pages.

Good to knowThe page gives no paid training or stipend for these posts, and exam fees are not stated, so check each notice. KVS's pay is Pay Level 7 (reported).

Fees from: IGNOU: BLIS programme page · IGNOU admission portal: MLIS programme page · IGNOU Common Prospectus July 2026 (official PDF, ignou.ac.in) - BLIS ₹9,000, MLIS ₹12,000, registration and development fees. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Official pay

Pay Level 7, ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 (7th CPC) plus allowances, for KVS Librarian in the 2025 notification (reported).

Source: KVS/NVS Notification 01/2025 Librarian details, as reported by LIS Portal ↗

Pay in central and state government posts follows a fixed pay scale and rises with promotions. Private schools, small colleges and corporate libraries can pay much less or more, depending on the city and the employer.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~A librarian just stamps and shelves books.~~

Fact: Modern librarians also manage databases, e-journals and digital archives, and teach people to find reliable information. Information science is as much about technology as books.

For girls and students with disabilities

UGC NET needs 50% in the master's for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD and third gender candidates, against 55% for others. The KVS 2025 list of Librarian vacancies also had posts for reserved and disability categories (reported). Check each notice for exact relaxations.

Try it now

Class 7–9Offer to help your school librarian this month. Sort a shelf, or make a simple list of 20 books with their author and subject in a spreadsheet. That is cataloguing in miniature.
Class 10–12Explore the National Digital Library of India. Search for a topic from your syllabus and see how books, papers and videos are organised.Open link ↗
College or afterBrowse IGNOU's free study material for library science on eGyanKosh to see what BLIS covers before you decide.Open link ↗

Good to know

The BLIS is not an after-Class-12 course. You need a bachelor's degree first, so Class 12 is only the start of a 5-year path.
Government posts are few and come in waves. KVS's 2025 notice listed 147 Librarian posts across the whole country (reported). Keep an eye on state and university notices too.
The profession is changing. Libraries now run on databases, e-journals and software. Learn basic IT along with the library courses.
Check each notice for the exact qualification. Some posts ask for BLIS only, others ask for MLIS, NET or a PhD.

Sources: IGNOU: Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) programme page · IGNOU admission portal: MLIS programme page · Information Bulletin UGC-NET December 2026 (UGC/NTA) · KVS/NVS Notification 01/2025 Librarian details, as reported by LIS Portal (not the official page)