This course can be your ticket to the burgeoning fashion industry. Institute of Career Studies offers some tips :
The Pearl Academy of Fashion (PAF) was established in 1993 by the Little People Education Society, which is a statutory registered body. Starting with 47 students, it now has a student population of over 1,100 at three campuses in Delhi, Jaipur and Chennai. In 1995, the academy entered into collaboration with Nottingham Trent University, UK, to offer a curriculum of international standard.

Pearl Academy is also associated with LDT Nagold, Germany, for retail-related programmes; Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Amsterdam Fashion Institute, Netherlands; International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes, Ravensbourne College, London; and Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada.

The four-year BA (honours) in fashion design programme equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a designer or design professional.

While design is the main focus area, professionalism and creative excellence are also emphasised. This provides an environment in which students are able to develop a personal design philosophy, a sense of critical judgement and professional competence.

The application form is available at the academy’s counter against payment of Rs 1,000 in cash or by demand draft.

The form can also be downloaded from the website (www.pearlacade my.com), filled in and sent to the Pearl Academy of Fashion, A-21/13 Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110028, along with a demand draft for Rs 1,000 drawn in favour of Pearl Academy of Fashion, payable at New Delhi. To get the forms by post, send a request to the academy along with a crossed demand draft for Rs 1,150 drawn in favour of Pearl Academy of Fashion, payable at New Delhi, by registered post.

Eligibility

Candidates have to pass Plus Two with a minimum of 50 per cent marks.

Entrance exam

The entrance exam is held in the first week of June in New Delhi, Calcutta, Chandigarh, Chennai, Jaipur and Lucknow.

Pattern of exam

Applicants’ written communication skills, English comprehension, general arithmetic and logic, as well as their proficiency in perception, illustration, drawing, visualisation and colour concepts will be assessed.

The shortlisted candidates will be called for a situational test and an interview. In the situational test, candidates will have to collaborate with others to implement a design brief with materials provided within a stipulated time limit.

How to prepare

To ace the design aptitude test, you need a creative, inquisitive and analytical mind. Practise drawing a range of objects like locks, traffic signs, a car or a computer in enlarged sizes showing all possible details. Think up communication messages using graphics or pictograms. You can also do the exercises from the NIFT and NID guide books.

Practise comprehension and verbal ability exercises from Objective English and Comprehension by S.Chand. Solve a variety of maths and reasoning problems from guide books like M.S.L.C. Arithmetic by Tejram and Ravi Chopra and Reasoning by Edgar Thorpe.

It would be best if you practise solving old question papers within a time limit. A set of previous years’ question papers is enclosed with the application kit.

You can buy more sets at the academy by paying Rs 50 per design aptitude test and Rs 75 for each general proficiency paper. If you want the papers by post, you will have to pay Rs 15 as postage charges.

Sources:The Telegraph Kolkata, India)