Pilot

Most commercial airlines require an associates degree at a minimum to get hired on with almost all of the major airlines requiring a Bachelors degree. It doesn't matter if your degree is in underwater basket weaving, a degree is a degree and it checks off the box for the requirement. Specialised degrees, such as aviation business degrees are a great bonus, but won't necessarily get you a job with an airline. They also limit you down the road if you have an epiphany and realize that you hate flying. Now you have to redo a bunch of coursework that probably won't transfer to another field or degree. I would pursue what you enjoy in a field of study and see if there is a way you can tie it into aviation. Something like electronics engineering with a specialty or minor in aviation comes to mind. The one specific thing that you can do to help to become an airline pilot is to start flying as soon as possible. As I have eluded to in other answers, while having a degree may be a mandate to getting hired on with the airlines, having the 1500 flight hours is also a requirement (there are some exemptions to this rule). You could take every college level aviation course out there, and if you don't have flight time, you will be stuck doing something else other than flying for sure. Whether you do the flight training in conjunction with your college coursework or attend a flying school not affiliated with your college is up to you, and both have their strengths and weaknesses.

By course, I am assuming that you mean a major field of study, or curriculum and not a specific class. The answer to the second part of your question is a resounding YES.
Most commercial airlines require an associates degree at a minimum to get hired on with almost all of the major airlines requiring a bachelors degree. It doesn't matter if your degree is in underwater basket weaving, a degree is a degree and it checks off the box for the requirement.
Specialized degrees, such as aviation business degrees are a great bonus, but won't necessarily get you a job with an airline. They also limit you down the road if you have an epiphany and realize that you hate flying. Now you have to redo a bunch of course work that probably won't transfer to another field or degree. I would pursue what you enjoy in a field of study and see if there is a way you can tie it into aviation. Something like electronics engineering with a specialty or minor in aviation comes to mind.
The one specific thing that you can do to help to become an airline pilot is to start flying as soon as possible. As I have eluded to in other answers, while having a degree may be a mandate to getting hired on with the airlines, having the 1500 flight hours is also a requirement (there are some exeptions to this rule). You could take every college level aviation course out there, and if you don't have flight time, you will be stuck doing something else other than flying for sure. Whether you do the flight training in conjunction with your college course work, or attend a flying school not affiliated with your college is up to you, and both have their strengths and weaknesses.

There is an "All India Pilot Challenge scholarship exam and earn a scholarship. This examination is conducted once a year between April and June. Aspiring student pilots across the nation graduating this academic year are invited to participate in this scholarship competition. Participating students will be sent a series of information emails on the following:
Career opportunities as a pilot:
Requirements and training involved in becoming a pilot competition details. This will be followed by a written aptitude test in four major cities across the country following the end of the 12th standard exams. The top 200 participants of this exam will be invited for an interview and pilot aptitude test on our flight simulator at Delta Flight School, Chennai. The top 120 students from this selection process will be offered appropriate scholarship awards in a dedicated award ceremony to be held at Chennai. The topper who clears all the stages of the competition will be sponsored a Commercial Pilot License, worth Rs. 25 lacs. The top 120 students in the selection process will be awarded other scholarships. Hope this information helps. Please feel free to revert.

To become a commercial pilot, there is a specific eligibility criteria which you should first be aware of. This is decided on what subjects have you taken in class 12th. It requires PCM to be a pilot. And, even if you have not opted for the same, then you can appear separately for these subjects and become eligible.
Further, you should be aware that you are medically fit to be a pilot, so I would suggest you to visithttp://www.dgca.nic.in/medical/medical-ind.htmand go to the class 2nd examiners tab to find out doctors who will examine you for initial fitness. You can visit any doctorate from the list as per your convenience.
Once you are done with Class 2nd medical, find out a suitable flying club for you as per your convenience. You can fly in India or abroad. I would suggest you fly in India.
Besides finding the club, be aware that you will have to appear for:
1. Air Navigation
2. Aviation Meteorology
3. Air Regulations
4. Aviation Technical
5. Aircraft Specific
6. Radio Telephony
Here, 1-5 are conducted by DGCA and 6 is conducted by WPC. Prepare for these subjects and appear, as exams are conducted every quarterly. For preparation, Flying Club will help you or there are private instructors available in metro cities as well.
You will fly for 200Hrs + Clear DGCA and WPC exams + Clear Class 1st medical, then you shall get your CPL. The next license is ATPL, which you shall be able to apply for once.
You will then have to probably fund or self-sponsor your type rating on whatever fleet you are selected in an airline.
Then, you finally get a job as a pilot.
I hope the process is well explained to you.
CPL is an expensive affair. It might cost you around Rs.18-20 Lacs for flying + DGCA exams Rs.500/- each exam + Medicals for Rs.10,000 + endorsements and license issue fees around Rs.25k + Type Rating around Rs.15 Lacs.
So, decide wisely before you enter the field.

To become a pilot, there are certain eligibility criteria which you should first be aware of. This is decided on what subjects have you taken in class 12th. It requires PCM to be a pilot. And, even if you have not opted for the same, then you can appear separately for these subjects and become eligible.
Further, you should be aware that you are medically fit to be a pilot, so I would suggest you to visit http://www.dgca.nic.in/medical/medical-ind.htm and go to the class 2nd examiners tab to find out doctors who will examine you for initial fitness. You can visit any doctorate from the list as per your convenience.
Once you are done with Class 2nd medical, find out a suitable flying club for you as per your convenience. You can fly in India or abroad. I would suggest you fly in India.
Besides finding the club, be aware that you will have to appear for:
1. Air Navigation
2. Aviation Meteorology
3. Air Regulations
4. Aviation Technical
5. Aircraft Specific
6. Radio Telephony
Here, 1-5 are conducted by DGCA and 6 is conducted by WPC. Prepare for these subjects and appear, as exams are conducted every quarterly. For preparation, Flying Club will help you or there are private instructors available in metro cities as well.
You will fly for 200Hrs + Clear DGCA and WPC exams + Clear Class 1st medical, then you shall get your CPL. The next license is ATPL, which you shall be able to apply for once.
You will then have to probably fund or self-sponsor your type rating on whatever fleet you are selected in an airline.
Then, you finally get a job as a pilot.
I hope the process is well explained to you.
CPL is an expensive affair. It might cost you around Rs.18-20 Lacs for flying + DGCA exams Rs.500/- each exam + Medicals for Rs.10,000 + endorsements and license issue fees around Rs.25k + Type Rating around Rs.15 Lacs.
So, decide wisely before you enter the field.

Training to become a pilot is obviously an expensive task. Hence scholarships and freeships help the candidate to offload their financial burden.
In India, government flying clubs support schemes which are offered by various government institutions who finance loans for candidates who are looking for CPL training.
For general category candidates, who fall under a certain defined value of family income, Nagar Nigams have schemes for freeships are loans.
For those who belong to the Other Backward Castes, Schedule Tribes and Schedule Castes, their respective commissions have schemes to offer loans, scholarships and freeships to candidates belonging to their respective commissions.
Under such schemes, the funding is provided by the authority directly in the name of the flying schools where the candidate has enrolled himself.
This process involves a lot of documentation and paper formality. The file hence created is made to go through various sanctions and approvals. Hence the process becomes lengthy and time taking. So you to be really patient and calm if you are looking for any such scholarship or freeship or loan from the authority.
I hope I have given you enough information about the subject for you to decide wisely. Good Luck.
Any further query is most welcomed.