"I did my tenth in 2010 and then took science" is perfectly clear in India and largely meaningless elsewhere.
Levels, translated
- 10th standard → secondary school / high school
- 12th standard → higher secondary / high school diploma
- Graduation → a bachelor's degree ("graduation" elsewhere means the ceremony, not the qualification)
- Post-graduation → a master's degree
This one causes real confusion. "I completed my graduation in 2019" reads to an American or British listener as "I attended a ceremony in 2019".
Saying it clearly
- "I have a bachelor's degree in commerce."
- "I did my master's at Pune University."
- "I studied engineering — mechanical, specifically."
- "I'm in my final year."
Useful verbs
- "I majored in economics." (American)
- "I read history." (British, formal)
- "I graduated in 2021."
- "I dropped out after a year."
- "I'm doing a course in data analysis."
Other terms worth converting
- "Give an exam" → "take an exam" or "sit an exam". Only the examiner gives one.
- "Percentage" → many countries use GPA or classifications instead. Say "I got 78%, which was a first class" to bridge it.
- "Batch" → "class of 2019" or "cohort"
- "Passing out" → "graduating". "Passing out" means fainting in British English.
Talking about ongoing learning
- "I'm doing an online course in the evenings."
- "I've been teaching myself Python."
- "I'm working towards a certification."
"Passing out from college" is the single most misread phrase in Indian English abroad. Worth replacing.
