………………………………..

Soon after completing her degree in English literature, Shailaja Purohit, unlike many of her friends, decided to choose the path less travelled. “Some chose to postgraduate in literature, a few decided to do MBA, and others took up jobs, but I had only one goal and that was to become a writer,” says the 25-year-old aspiring novelist from Delhi.

Now working in a Delhi-based publishing house as a writer of short stories and poems for children, Purohit hopes that one day she will be a well-known writer. And she has been pursuing that dream with determination. One of the first things she did to bolster her chances as an author was to enrol herself in a creative writing course.

“The power to transport a reader into the imaginary world of a book is not a gift that everybody possesses, but I know that with practise, time and perseverance I can achieve it,” says a confident Purohit. A diploma in creative writing from Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) has only helped increase her confidence. “After the course, I have a better understanding of the nuances of writing. I feel that my thoughts are a lot more disciplined now,” she adds.

“This is one of the most popular courses offered by Ignou since 1988 and has sharpened the writing skills of thousands of students. The alumni of this course are doing well not only as creative writers but also in related fields that have cropped up in recent years,” says Renu Bhardwaj, director, faculty of humanities, Ignou. “You will find our students as copywriters, content writers, journalists and even as frontline writers in various magazines and books,” she says.

Students of the course can attend the creative writing classes which are held at various Ignou study centres across the country. Students are taught to write features, short stories, poetry as well as for radio and television. To successfully complete the diploma, students have to submit an original piece of writing which can either be a novella, a collection of short stories or a collection of feature articles. Once a student completes the creative writing course, many doors open for him or her.

Deependra Mishra, a student of the Ignou creative writing course, says it was only after his diploma that he was able to expand his horizon. He now writes for radio. “The course was helpful in many ways. In fact, the only reason why I am able to write for radio is because of the capsule on radio writing that is part of the course,” says Mishra.

Content development is one field where a lot of opportunities have opened up in the last few years, and people with a creative writing background are in great demand in this area. “Apart from the ability to write well, a content developer needs creativity and analytical capability. A qualification in linguistics or some experience in journalism, especially in the print media, is an added advantage in this field,” says Nilesh Vani, executive vice-president, Aptech Ltd.

According to Vani, a large amount of content writing work is being outsourced to India in recent times and it is providing work to a record number of people.

Students of creative writing can also forge successful careers as copywriters, technical writers, research writers and ghost writers. In the content development sector alone, corporate houses, advertising agencies, production and media houses, pay quite an attractive remuneration. A person can begin with anywhere between Rs12,000-15,000 initially. With some experience, a professional can easily earn above Rs 30,000.

Because of growing opportunities, more and more students are applying for creative writing courses. And because of the increase in demand, Ignou is planning to revise the course and integrate a multimedia element for value addition, says Bhardwaj.

“We will also increase the intake of students, which is around 1,000 per year at present,” she says.

Since almost all the creative writing courses are offered through distance learning, students from any part of the country can take up this course.

While the diploma course offered by Ignou can be completed in minimum one and maximum four years, Karnataka Open State University offers a one-year diploma course on the subject. Fees for both the programmes is around Rs 2,000, which includes the course material, classes at study centres and other facilities.

The Pune-based Symbiosis Distance Learning also offers two courses, an advance diploma in creative writing in English for postgraduates, and a one-year diploma course. Mumbai-based Xavier’s Institute of Communication also offers a one-year course.

British Council in Delhi also offers a short eight-week creative writing course, where students are taught about various writing genres as well as different aspects of writing. This course is slightly expensive — about Rs 10,000. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan also offers a six-month course in advance English and creative writing, the fees for which is around Rs 9,000.

Mishra has a word of caution. “Only those who are really interested in creative writing should take up the course. It is something you do out of passion. It becomes difficult if you lose interest midway,” he says, citing the example of a few of his friends who dropped out.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

……………………………

It’s a subject that’s as old as the hills — but is now being seen as the new kid on the block. In recent times, it has become one of the most sought-after subjects, giving tough competition to disciplines such as economics and physics. This admission season, the cut-off marks for the subject in Delhi University (DU) was 90-93 per cent, breaking all previous records.

The subject is psychology — the study of the human mind. There is a difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist. A psychologist uses his or her skills of therapy and non-medical tools while counselling patients, while a psychiatrist is a doctor who prescribes medicines for people who face serious psychological or related problems.

The subject has been gaining ground because of the growing awareness in India about the need for psychologists. Several factors — including high-pressure jobs, stressful lives, adolescent issues and increasing crime rates — have led to the demand for trained professionals in this field.

Right now, experts say there is a huge gap between demand and supply. “The industry is facing a serious shortage of trained professionals in our country. For every 10 openings, there are just four trained candidates that fit the bill,” says Ashum Gupta, head of the department of psychology, Delhi University.

The ideal route of entry to the profession would be to pick psychology as one of the subjects in school. Follow it up with a graduation, postgraduation and even a doctorate in psychology. “To be a trained psychologist one has to do specialised courses after graduation. Opting for an MPhil or a PhD helps in the long run,” says Gupta.

One can opt for several specialisations through postgraduate degrees and diploma programmes. The popular subjects include clinical psychology, industrial / organisational behaviour psychology, applied cognitive psychology, social psychology and human development psychology. “The upcoming areas of specialisation include sports psychology, neuropsychology and forensic psychology,” says Dr Santosh K. Chaturvedi, professor of psychiatry, National Institute for Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans), Bangalore.

Clinical psychologists work with people facing disorders because of stress, anxiety or depression. They analyse a person’s behaviour and thought process to plan a mode of treatment that includes counselling and therapy. Industrial / organisational behavioural psychologists are employed by organisations to help employees cope with work-related problems. “Industrial psychologists are a part of the recruitment team. They also work to enhance productivity, employer-employee relationships and promote team-building exercises,” says Gupta.

A professional working in applied cognitive psychology can help improve a person’s attention span, memory, thinking, and decision-making and problem-solving abilities. Social psychologists work with social or research organisations and institutions and seek to understand the nature and causes of social issues such as gender problems, corruption in society and the role of culture in human behaviour. Human development psychologists specialise in human behaviour.

Sport psychologists work with sportspersons to help them, among other things, prepare for competitions, deal with anxiety and develop a team spirit. Neuropsychologists deal with ageing, cognitive impairments and disorders related to the brain. Forensic psychologists apply their skills in the field of criminal investigation and the law.

A career in mental health demands patience, communication skills and the ability to understand people. “You need to empathise with people and situations,” says Chaturvedi. The most important attribute of the job, the experts say, is the ability to listen to others without being judgmental. Logical understanding and emotional maturity are the other key attributes of a successful psychologist. “Also, be prepared to put in hard work, sit through long hours of counselling and deal with other people’s anxieties,” says Gupta.

Most universities in India offer psychology at the graduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels. Nimhans offers specialised postgraduate diploma courses as well as MPhil and PhD courses under the aegis of Bangalore University. Research facilities in industrial psychology are offered by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

Other places of study include Pune University, University of Mumbai, Calcutta University, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi, Kurukshetra University, Haryana, and Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh, to name a few. Distance education courses are available through the Indira Gandhi National Open University and the National Council of Education Research and Training.

Besides hospitals and private practice, many new avenues are opening up for trained professionals. There is a great demand for counsellors in schools to provide academic counselling as well as deal with students’ personal problems. Corporations, too, employ counsellors to de-stress employees working in high-pressure zones.

Psychologists also work with professional institutes, market research groups, rehabilitation centres, prison and remand homes, social welfare departments, selection boards, forensic teams, armed forces, police and research organisations.

Salaries for psychologists vary widely depending on the degree, area of specialisation, position and organisation. “While sports or neuropsychologists may command very high salaries, a school counsellor will earn relatively less,” says Gupta.

A trained psychologist at the entry level can earn anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 30,000, depending on the organisation and the nature of work. “An educational counsellor may earn between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 while a clinical psychologist may command Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 per visit for counselling and assessment tests,” says Gupta.

Those working as industrial / organisational psychologists earn anywhere between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7 lakh per annum at the entry level. “Psychologists who conduct workshops may earn close to Rs 1 lakh for a three-day programme,” says Chaturvedi.

With stressful lives and the need for professional help to keep our anxieties at bay, psychology is a lucrative career option. The field is open to youngsters who are ready to lend an ear to troubled souls and eager to earn a living dealing with the quirks, eccentrics and the enigmas of the human mind.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

………………………………..

Everyday we witness the splendour of light and colour around us. We see them in flowers, insects, mountains and morning and evening skies. And yet, light is one of the most enigmatic phenomena of the universe.

More than 50 years ago, an Indian scientist tweaked light for the first time to transmit data. Dehra Dun-educated Narinder Singh Kapani was the first famous Indian in Silicon Valley, much before it was given that name. Born in Moga in Punjab, Kapani went to Imperial College in London to study optics after graduating from Punjab University. In fact, he was the first researcher in the world to earn a doctorate in fibre optics, a field that is often said to have been pioneered by him. He is known as the man “who bent light”. “When my high school teacher told the class that light travels in a straight line, I had my doubts,” recalls Kapani who lives in the US and has more than 150 patents to his name.

The advent of fibre optics and its application in medical diagnostics as well as modern communication technologies led to the emergence of a new field called photonics, which is concerned with the generation, manipulation and detection of photons or particles of light. Sounds interesting? Then head to Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) in Kerala. Cusat, which has arguably one of the finest photonics laboratories in the country, offers a five-year integrated MSc in photonics. The university launched this course in 2002 and the first batch of 20 students passed out in 2007.

The course, according to V.P.N. Nampoori, director of the International School of Photonics at Cusat, has “a lot of physics, but very little of mathematics, chemistry or statistics — just enough for students to understand the science of photonics”.

The emphasis is on practicals. Students are encouraged to spend a lot of time in the laboratory, learning by themselves. “From the third semester, each student is attached to a faculty member who helps him or her with the lab work,” Nampoori says. The tenth semester is devoted completely to project work. Students are sent to various national laboratories such as the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, or the National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi for project work. Some even go abroad. “One student from the first batch interned in Poland and one from this year’s batch did his project in South Korea,” says Nampoori.

“All over the world, there is now a surge in photonics-based studies. But there is an acute shortage of human resource,” Nampoori says. Although all the students from the first batch received offers from top-notch companies in India, none of them accepted, preferring to go for further studies, relates their director. “Today, about 18 of them are pursuing doctoral programmes in leading universities in the US, Europe and Japan,” says a proud Nampoori. The second batch of students, who passed out recently, have also chosen research over jobs.

Says Aneesh Alex, a 2007 batch student now busy with research at Cardiff University in the UK, “I am happy I opted for this interesting course.” He admits that he would have sought to become a medical graduate but for the push he got from his mother. At Cardiff, he is trying to develop an ultra-high resolution imaging system for diagnosing cancers using optical coherence tomography.

Deepak Vijayakumar, another member of the first batch, says that if one wants to become an optical scientist, the Cusat course would be the best option. Vijayakumar is currently a researcher at Riso University in Denmark.

Students for the five-year programme at Cusat are selected through an all-India entrance exam. Applicants should have passed Plus Two with minimum 60 per cent marks. “Interestingly, we have been getting a lot of students from Bihar and Jharkhand, but there is none from West Bengal so far,” says Nampoori.

An attractive feature of the course is the low level of fees charged. A student has to pay a tuition fee of Rs 8,000 per semester.

One thing is clear. There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel for those who opt for this integrated course in photonics.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

Image via Wikipedia

Chartered accountants have brighter prospects than ever before. Avijit Chatterjee details the opportunities now available to the profession :

…………………..

When Anirban Ghosh passed his chartered accountancy (CA) exam four years ago, he had two options — join his father’s firm of chartered accountants or some other company as an employee. Ghosh chose the latter. And, today, while many of his peers are struggling to set up their independent ventures, Ghosh is living an affluent life as the financial head of a middle-rung company in Dubai.

Like Ghosh, many youngsters are plumping for jobs that offer a lucrative salary and faster growth. “You can rise much faster if you choose the right company. Also, most multinational companies are doling out salaries and perks to CAs that were once unheard of,” says Ghosh.

“Unlike in the past, when setting up an independent venture was in vogue, young CAs are now interested in joining service industries. Also, newer areas of business operation have thrown open opportunities for financial analysts. According to industry estimates, there is a demand for 4,00,000 CAs, but India has only 1,50,000 at present. We need several thousand CAs to meet the shortfall,” says Ved Kumar Jain, president, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

The demand for chartered accountants is directly related to the growth in India’s economy. “The pace of mergers and acquisitions has led to the demand for professionals with an in-depth knowledge of accountancy. The role played by a chartered accountant has also undergone a change over the years. Earlier, chartered accountants were considered just auditors and relegated to the finance section of a company. But they are now being viewed as professionals who can provide a complete business solution, right from planning and structuring to the implementation stage,” he adds.

Arnab Ray, a chartered accountant at a multinational company, says that by virtue of their training CAs gain not only an insight into the financial aspect of a company but also its business operations. “By studying the balance sheet, a CA can advise the company on optimising its resources and maximising profit. This process, known as resource performance audit, has gained wide currency nowadays. Another area that a CA can lend his expertise in is the area of competitive performance audit (that is, assessing the performance of a company vis-a-vis another company in a similar business),” he says.

Avijit Bandopadhyay, chief co-ordinator, placements, ICAI, eastern region, says young CAs are more interested in investment banking as it offers huge growth opportunities.

“Investment banking, which involves raising money through the issue and sale of securities in the capital market and advising on mergers and acquisitions, is a major draw for budding CAs. This area is poised for growth despite the slump in the US capital market and the losses suffered by financial majors like Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sach, primarily because our financial systems are much stronger than those in the US or the UK. Most investment banks in India offer a salary of Rs 9-10 lakh per annum to fresh CAs,” he says.

Electronic commerce has made financial transactions possible across the globe and widened the area of operation for a CA. He can now offer advice on electronic fund transfers to a person sitting in another corner of the globe. Cashing in on this trend, several BPOs are entering into deals with foreign companies to outsource finance jobs to CAs in India, points out Bandopadhyay.

Corporate finance is a core area of operation for a CA. This involves helping the company raise resources at the lowest minimum cost. “The job entails advising the company on raising resources either by issuing shares or by borrowing from financial institutions and working out the lowest interest rates at which it can borrow,” says Jain.

With the growth in international trade, CAs can advise companies on cross-border tax issues. They could also support companies with VAT and customs and excise duty planning, and by helping them design effective procedures for routine compliance work. Larger companies are increasingly recognising the enormous contribution that tax planning can make to strategic planning and shareholder value.

“Today, the sphere of work has widened for a chartered accountant. Apart from the accounting and finance functions, his skills are being sought in areas like purchase and sales. From being a part of the back-end function of a company, he has now moved to the forefront of business operations. CAs are now being involved in every stage of a company’s operation, right from business appraisal and financial analysis to client analysis,” says Sanjeev Maheswari, chairman, Committee for Members in Industry, an arm of the ICAI that looks after placements of chartered accountants.

“Apart from companies in the financial and industrial sectors, banks and insurance companies, non-governmental companies and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) companies are increasingly recruiting chartered accountants. And they are being paid very good salaries too. This year several of our students were recruited by ICICI Bank, Standard Chartered, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank as well as public sector banks like the State Bank of India,” he adds.

Globalisation has opened doors abroad for CAs too. Chartered accountants from India are in great demand in West Asia, South East Asia, North America and South America. “We get regular requests for CAs from oil companies in the Gulf and even from Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada. Many of them participate in the campus placement programme every year. This year some fresh CAs were recruited by the Tolaram group in Singapore and the highest salary offered was Rs 21 lakh per annum,” says Nirupam Haldar, chairman, ICAI, eastern region.

The major recruiters this year have been Infosys, ITC, S.R. Batliboi and Associates, Vedanta Resources, Larsen and Toubro, Wipro, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Idea Cellular and Vodafone. Jain says the response from companies in the Gulf has prompted them to organise a campus placement programme in Dubai next year. Plans are also afoot to start campus placements through video conferencing with companies abroad.

To cope with the demand for trained professionals, ICAI has drawn up plans to increase the intake of students every year. “We have decided to make the three-and-a-half-year course interesting for students by introducing compulsory industrial and computer training. To bring the course on a par with accounting practices followed in other countries, we have decided to introduce International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS), accounting principles set by the International Accounting Standard Board, UK, in the curriculum from 2011. This will enable students to work anywhere in the world,” says Jain.

As the Indian economy continues to grow despite the rumblings in the financial markets in the US and Europe, those with a knack for number-crunching would do well to cast an eye over the prospects for chartered accountancy.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

Related articles by Zemanta

• CAs to Get a Global Edge
• Students Open to Open Learning
• Canada’s CAs extend historic agreement with U.S. and Mexican counterparts

Rahul K. Mitra
Partner,
Pricewaterhouse-Coopers

When I started out as a chartered accountant (CA) many moons ago, life was much simpler. There weren’t that many opportunities available and sheer hard work could help you get wherever you wanted to go. The hard work is still a part and parcel of a CA’s life. You still need to go through piles of books to come up with the answers your client seeks, but now a whole range of opportunities are available to students. That has actually complicated things because now you have to decide early on in life just what you want to do — whether you want to join the industry, that is, take up a job with groups such as the Tatas, or become a consultant.

Becoming a professional, like I am, demands much more work but is also more challenging. To become successful, it is necessary to decide on the area of your expertise early on. How do you decide? Obviously you take your aptitude into account. Also, by the end of the three-year articleship, you should be able to realise which particular area interests you — audit, tax or management consultancy.

We had the luxury of meandering through all of them before making a decision but that is a luxury aspiring CAs cannot afford today. And it is imperative that you like your area of expertise. We have to spend long hours going through dry books — looking for loopholes in a law that a client can exploit or figuring out exactly how laws of all the involved countries will affect an international merger such as the Tata-Corus one — which is very hard if you do not like what you are doing.

Also, some areas of a CA’s work now overlap with that of an MBA’s. I specialise in transfer pricing. I have been able to succeed in this because I’ve gone through the grind but a fresh CA would have to get an MBA degree before he or she could hold her own in transfer pricing. In fact, if a candidate is good in studies and has sufficient ambition, it would be a good idea to get an MBA degree after completing CA. If I had been born a decade later, I might have done it too.

The basic qualities required to be a successful CA are, however, still the same —diligence, perseverance, and an affinity and aptitude for the subject. And, of course, a head for numbers.

Rahul Roy
Director,
Ernst & Young India Pvt. Ltd, and past president, Institute for Chartered Accountants of India

The concept, earlier on, was that chartered accountants took care of the accounts. But plain vanilla accounting is something chartered accountants do not do any more. In fact, ICAI will soon launch a course to train those who now do accounting.

The bit that remains from the original job profile of CAs is auditing. That isn’t likely to change anytime soon because CAs are the only people in India who can certify balance sheets. The accounting language is called GAAP or generally accepted accounting principles. There are various types of accounting languages such as Indian GAAP, IFRS GAAP and US GAAP and one has to specialise in one of these. There is a huge opportunity for IFRS GAAP experts because India is going to change over completely to the IFRS system by 2011.

We have a huge shortage of CAs in India. Just to give you an idea, in a developed country like the UK, there is one CA per 750 people but here we have one CA for about 10,000 people. Incidentally, Indian accountants are considered the best in the world and are in high demand in places like the UK.

To be a successful CA you do need numerical and logical skills, but you also need strong language skills because you have to understand and interpret the language of the law. The most important thing, however, is to plan your career well. You should make up your mind, preferably before the three-year articleship, about which branch you want to specialise in — the traditional audit, tax work or one of the newer things like risk management. One of the most lucrative aspects of tax law is transaction tax, where you have to work on mergers and acquisitions. Smart candidates also ensure that they have maximum exposure to sunrise sectors such as telecom and insurance, where the demand for CAs will be really high.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

Related articles by Zemanta

• CAs to Get a Global Edge
• Accountant loves being hate figure
• AADB launches Worthington Nicholls probe
• Chartered accountant numbers rising in UK

………………………..

An officer’s day begins very early, says Group Captain R.K. Das, a cadet of the 1977 batch at the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadhakwasla, Pune. Physical training (PT), then a parade. A proper British breakfast and then to office to tackle some paperwork. Most of the work is completed by noon when it is time to head home or to the regimental mess for lunch. Afternoons are reserved for playing the sport of your choice. And in the evening, the officers congregate at the club.

If you are punctual, organised and disciplined, a career in the armed forces makes sense. And if adventure sports is your passion, you’ll get all the infrastructure and encouragement to pursue it. After all, risk is an integral part of army life. The first step to becoming an officer in the defence services, is three rigorous years at the NDA.

Those were the best years of his life, says Das who is now the chief public relations officer, ministry of defence. He had to slog from early morning till late in the evening. There was never a moment to spare. From academics to group tasks to intricate problem solving — it was one hell of a roller-coaster ride. “It wasn’t all work. River rafting, parajumping, horse riding, shooting and trekking spiced up our lives,” says Das.

Since its inception in 1949, many have walked through the hallowed portals of the academy and blazed a trail of glory as military leaders. So what makes it one of the most sought after institutions in the country? “At NDA, one gets to experience something which one cannot find elsewhere. The constant pressure on an individual to perform several tasks within the stipulated time teaches one how to manage time. The rigorous routine teaches one to be disciplined. The training ensures no one passes out without excelling, mentally and physically. The academic curriculum is set in such a way that not only is the chosen subject taught in detail but a foundation is laid in all the courses offered,” says cadet Gaurav Hridaya.

“The opportunities offered are enough to make one a jack of all trades as well as a master of some. The training at NDA doesn’t just make one a complete individual but also teaches camaraderie, leadership and chivalry, qualities expected of any service officer,” he adds.

But how does one get into NDA? Only male applicants who have passed Class XII and are between the age of 16 and a half and 19 can appear for the exam. Those who have appeared in the Class XII examination are also eligible to apply. Advertisements for admission to the academy appear twice a year — in March or April and October or November. The process of selection is divided into three phases.

The written examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Those who pass the written exam are called for an interview conducted by the Service Selection Board (SSB). Shortlisted candidates have to then undergo a medical examination carried out by the service medical board.

The written examination is of five hours’ duration. It comprises mathematics and a general ability test (two and a half hours each). The total marks allotted to mathematics is 300 and for general ability, 600. In the mathematics paper, questions are asked from arithmetic, mensuration, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics. The general ability paper consists of English (maximum marks 200) and general knowledge (maximum marks 400). Questions are asked from physics, chemistry, general science, history, the freedom movement, geography and current events.

“Any one who is good in mathematics, physics and chemistry is likely to crack the exam. All the questions are objective type and are of Class X to XI level. Since the questions do not require any problem-solving ability, students from any stream can take a shot at the exam. I have come across hotel management students who have cracked the test,” says Group Captain Das.

Major General (retired) M.P.S. Kandal, an NDA alumni and director of C.S. Institute of Defence Management, Bhopal, says three to four months’ intensive preparation is required to crack the exam. “It is better to get admitted to a coaching institute and appear in regular mock tests as it prepares you for the rigours of the five-hour examination. Also, it is necessary to practise solving question papers of the last seven to eight years,” he says.

“The exam is obviously tough as around 8,000 out of 2,00,000-odd examinees are shortlisted for interviews. From them, around 300 make it to the final list,” he adds.

After the written test is the interview, spread over five days. “The interview is basically a personality test which tries to assess a candidate’s intellectual and leadership quality. A candidate’s team spirit and his attitude to prevailing situations are taken note of,” says Major General Kandal.

The first stage of the interview is the screening process. It is a rough and ready check to assess a candidate’s suitability for a career in the army. The second stage comprises a psychology test, which involves a thematic appreciation test (it assesses the outlook of a candidate through his responses to pictures or slides), word association test (this attempts to gauge the psychological make-up of the candidate on the basis of his response to words in everyday usage), situation-reaction test (the reaction of the candidates in response to everyday situations is analysed. Certain instances, which may occur in the day-to-day life of ordinary individuals are put to the candidates and they have to give their immediate reaction from among the choices given) and self-description test (candidates have to describe their personality). The next stage, known as group testing officers’ test (held on the third and fourth day), involves a group discussion, group planning exercises, group obstacles race, individual obstacles and command task (this exercise gives candidates an opportunity to assume command and get a task executed with the involvement of group members). On the fifth day, candidates are required to appear before the board of examiners following which the final list is declared. Those selected have to then appear for a medical examination at a military hospital.

“The interview process is such that only the best and the brightest are selected,” says Colonel R.S. Gadhok, a former SSB member and a faculty member of Olive Greens, a Chandigarh-based institute that prepares students for the NDA exam.

“We look for cadets who can be moulded into military leaders. And it’s not just leadership that we look for; it is leadership with character and integrity. Every six months we get a batch of 300 cadets after a strenuous selection process. They are turned into officers through a gradual approach,” says Air Marshal T.S. Randhawa, commandant, NDA.

Following a candidate’s selection in one of the three services — army, navy and air force, he is given preliminary training, both academic and physical, for a period of three years at NDA. The training during the first two and a half years is common to the cadets of the three wings. All the cadets who join the NDA are trained at the academy for three years, leading to a graduate degree (BA, BSc or BSc in computer science) from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

On passing out from NDA, army cadets go to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, naval cadets to INS Cochin, the cadets’ training ship, and air force cadets to the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad.

At the IMA, army cadets are known as gentleman cadets. They are given strenuous military training for a period of one year to train them as officers capable of leading infantry sub-units. On successful completion of their training, the cadets are granted a permanent commission in the rank of lieutenants at a salary of around Rs 28,000.

On passing out, naval cadets are selected for the executive, engineering or electrical branches of the navy, and are given sea training for six months on the cadet training ship, on successful completion of which they are promoted to the rank of midshipmen. After training for another six months, they are promoted to the rank of acting sub-lieutenant.

Air force cadets receive flying training for a period of one and a half years. At the end of a year-long training they are given provisional commission in the rank of pilot officer. After successful completion of further training of six months, they are absorbed as permanent commissioned officers on probation for a period of one year.

Male graduates between 19 and 24 years who wish to join the army can do so through the Combined Defence Services Exam. This examination is conducted by the UPSC twice a year, in May and October, for which a notification is published in November and April, respectively. The written examination comprises English, general knowledge and elementary mathematics. This is followed by interviews conducted by the SSB. Those who pass the interview join the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

The Indian Army also offers a choice to those who aspire to serve it for a few years. It is called the short service commission. Here a person can serve as a commissioned officer for five years. After his tenure is over he can opt for a permanent commission. Alternatively, he can also choose a five-year extension and choose to resign from his post any time during this period.

So if you think you have the strength and courage to become a soldier, just fasten your belt and brace yourself for the road ahead.

Sources: The Telegraph Kolkata, India)

Recent studies have shown that improvements in the environment can actually boost the overall performance of industry. It is in this context that business schools in India have taken a proactive role in creating managers and business leaders who can incorporate environmental issues in corporate decision making. Says K.M. Agrawal, head of public systems department, Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM), Calcutta, “Environment management is one of the most exciting professions today, offering a variety of career opportunities. Many engineering and management graduates now opt for a degree or diploma in environment management, as job opportunities in this field have opened up.”

“The demand for environment professionals is linked with the change in the attitude of business houses, which have begun to realise the impact of environmental damage on their businesses. Changes in the environment can have a trickle-down effect on the business scenario, affecting the physical and financial growth of a company,” he adds.

Taking into account the impending risks, most companies have set up green cells to monitor environment and resource conservation, including reduction in raw materials and water consumption.

“Well-informed environment professionals can contribute to the overall growth and profitability of a business. We have been urging business houses to set up environment cells to perform their task of social corporate responsibility. The result has been encouraging so far. A recent survey conducted by us shows that 69 per cent of companies in the eastern region have a dedicated environment cell,” says Rajeev Singh, secretary general, Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Calcutta.

With so much stress on environment management, how does one become an environment manager? “To study environment management, you need to be an honours graduate in any discipline. Science and engineering graduates have a definite edge over others owing to their technical knowledge. However, others with a passion for environment can also do well. What is required is a thorough understanding of environmental issues, policies and the law,” says Agrawal.

Aditya Batra, co-ordinator, education and training, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi, is thrilled about the growing levels of environment awareness in colleges and universities.

“Environment education has finally begun to be recognised as a niche area in the study of management. Several colleges and universities are showing keen interest in the subject,” he says.

Batra feels several factors have led to the demand for environment management professionals. “The pressure exerted by policy advocacy groups and international agencies has forced companies to clean up their act. Growing environmental awareness has led to a change in the consumer behaviour pattern, which has prompted companies to adhere to green norms to improve their image. Also, there is a growing realisation that environment management can lead to efficiency in services,” he says.

Batra is excited about the new career opportunities for those who want to combine passion and ambition. “A budding environmentalist today has more than just activism to choose from. He can work in areas such as capacity building, cost control, conservation, water harvesting and waste management,” he adds.

According to him, an environment manager has a greater role to play in today’s business scenario. “He has to act as a bridge between the company and the public and see that the company is adhering to environment policies framed by the government. He has to work in tandem with environment regulators and other agencies and communicate the concerns of the local people to the company’s top bosses.”

Dipayan Dey, environment consultant and director of the Calcutta-based South Asian Forum for Environment (Safe), says the range of jobs in the field of environment management has grown over the years. While one can go into research and training and work as an environment consultant, there are opportunities in the area of pollution control, air monitoring, wastewater management, rainwater harvesting, environment impact assessment and agronomical management.

“Environment protection has opened up job opportunities for lawyers, engineers, social workers and communicators. There is an increasing role for environmental, mechanical and civil engineers in designing, constructing and commissioning systems for urban water treatment and supply, and pollution abatement,” he says.

Environment management graduates can work with different organisations, agencies, industries and consulting firms. They can work in the area of land-use planning and management, hazardous and solid waste management, crop production, water quality management, source and water pollution control, air pollution control, or environmental and crop consulting. They can also pursue MPhil or PhD programmes in environment management or study environment law.

The ministries of environment, pollution control boards and institutes such as the Cancer Research Institute, Mumbai, the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and the different offices of the Botanical Survey of India, apart from several companies and non-governmental (NGO) organisations, offer opportunities to environment management graduates.

With so many different organisations operating in this sector, the salary spectrum is pretty wide. In some small firms, the salary is not very high, but there are several high-paying jobs in the corporate sector. International NGOs also offer a good pay package.

Agrawal says a fresher can expect a salary in the range of Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 a month. Those with some experience can easily earn Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 a month. “This year, students of IISWBM have received good placement offers from companies like IBM, Hindustan Petroleum and ACC Ltd. The highest salary offered was Rs 6 lakh per annum,” he says.

Most institutes offer a two-year course in environment management, such as IISWBM, Calcutta, Indraprastha University, New Delhi, Institute of Environment Management, Lucknow, Environment Management and Policy Research Institute, Bangalore, Gujarat Environment Management Institute, Vikram University, Ujjain and SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai.

Leading business schools like the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) at Ahmedabad and Bangalore offer environment management as an elective subject. “Students who have completed their first year at the IIM are allowed to take it up as an elective subject. It is also open for participants of PGPX (postgraduate programme for executives) and PGP-PMP (postgraduate programme in public policy and management). IIM also offers a doctoral programme in energy and environment policy,” says P.R. Shukla, head of the public systems group, IIM, Ahmedabad.

The demand for students with an environment management background is on the rise. The emerging recruiters are firms in natural resources and clean technology sectors, consulting firms and international agencies. Besides, many manufacturing firms prefer recruiting those who took at least one course in environment management. This was not the case even a decade ago when manufacturing firms used to consider those who showed interest in studying environment management courses misfits. The environment courses receive significant response from international students,” he says.

IIM Bangalore offers a postgraduate programme in corporate strategy and environment as an elective subject in the second year. “Last year, around 51 students, mostly from abroad, registered for the programme. Environmental issues are also covered in a programme called business, government and society. In the public policy programme, we offer an elective on environmental economics and policy,” says Professor P.D. Jose, assistant professor, corporate strategy and policy area, IIM Bangalore.

Apart from business schools, several other institutes like the CSE, Safe and ICC offer different courses in environment management. While CSE offers courses in rainwater harvesting, waste recycling management, environment impact assessment and environment audit, Safe has started a course in collaboration with the United Nations University on biodiversity management. ICC runs a course on environment management systems relating to ISO 14001.

With so much stress on environment management, those interested in the subject can certainly look forward to a green career.

All in a day’s work

What does an environment manager do? He runs a thorough check on the projects undertaken by the company to ensure that they are in conformity with environmental laws. If any rules have been violated, he brings this to the notice of the management. He inspects project sites to ensure that the company follows the regulations laid down by the government’s environment department. He communicates the concern of the local people on environment-related matters to the management. Finally, he seeks a clarification from environment regulators and sorts out disputes, if any, with them.

A typical day in the working life of S.B. Prasad, head, environment and occupational health services, Tata Steel Ltd, is instructive.

Prasad starts his day by scanning national and local newspapers. Local news on environmental issues is very important, especially in Jamshedpur since the township is also maintained by Tata Steel. These issues need to be addressed suitably.

Prasad starts work at 8.00am. He takes a quick look at the mail box, followed by studying the environment daily report, collecting information about non-compliance, environmental incidents, the functioning of pollution control equipment and so on. This is followed by a quick meeting with sectional heads. Half an hour is reserved for holding teleconferences with the heads of the works department.

A site visit to understand a problem, a scheduled meeting and replying to important mails take up the first half of the day. The emails include queries from various agencies such as the ministry of environment and forests, the ministry of steel, the Jharkhand Pollution Control Board, the Central Pollution Control Board and non-governmental organisations.

The afternoon is taken up by action on various initiatives and follow-up presentations for management information system (MIS), awareness and training. Other tasks include studying legal requirements, compliance monitoring, liaising with various agencies and attending or conducting meetings on various subjects.

While campaigning in Indiana on a Sunday, Hillary Clinton explained how she will address the losses of white and blue collar jobs, saying “We’re going to create green collar jobs.”

What is a green collar job? One green CEO says, ” in essence a blue-collar job that has been upgraded to address… environmental challenges.” And how do green-collar workers differ from their blue collar counterparts? We asked a former steel worker turned “renewable energy technician” to point out a few details on the job site:

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

If computers are your passion and programming your forte, then dot net developing may be the career for you.

The boom in the IT sector has opened up lucrative job options in many areas. One such domain is the dot net framework that has a demand for developers. “Microsoft dot net framework is a software component that is a part of several Windows operating systems,” explains a senior Microsoft spokesperson. “It has a large library of pre-coded solutions to common programming problems and manages the execution of programmes written specifically for the frame work.” The dot net framework is a key Microsoft offering and is intended to be used by most new applications created for the Windows platform.

Dot net developers are responsible for looking after the execution of the dot net framework in a software environment that manages the programme’s runtime requirements. Part of the dot net framework is the common language runtime (CLR). The CLR is the virtual machine component of the Microsoft dot net initiative. The CLR provides important services such as security and memory management.

“For students who want to make a career as a dot net developer, it is very important to have a solid background in mathematics and science right from the school level,” says S. Krishnaiah, professor of computer science and IT at Bangalore University. Krishnaiah emphasises that it is important for students to learn the basics of computers right from school so as to prepare themselves for the challenges ahead. One must be well versed with the different programming operations to handle the intricacies of dot net development.

A degree in computer science or IT is a must for one aiming to be a dot net developer. Rajendra Singh, a professor of IT at the University of Madras, says that students must have a mindset for learning things beyond the confines of the classroom if they want to succeed as dot net developers. “One has to learn things independently since the industry is changing every now and then and one has to keep abreast of new developments constantly,” says Singh.

Expert users of Microsoft’s software programming language dot net can earn between $75,000 (Rs 3,238,525 approximately) and $85,000 (Rs 3,671,217 approximately) a year in major cities. “Starting salaries could be as high as Rs 45,000 for dot net developers in India,” says Susheel Sukhraj, CEO of Indiagodz, a dot net company based in Delhi. The principal qualities a dot net developer needs are enormous patience, a curiosity to learn and persistence. “One has to be tenacious to make a mark in this profession,” Sukhraj observes.

Another job profile that is gradually gaining popularity is that of quality assurance analysts. Says Michael Sherman, CEO of Creative Solutions, a software company based in Bangalore, “Computer systems analysts who do in-depth testing are called software quality assurance analysts. In addition to running tests to determine what computer software and hardware are needed to set up a system, these workers diagnose problems, recommend solutions and determine whether programme requirements have been met.”

To begin an assignment, quality assurance analysts consult managers and users to define the goals of a system. Analysts then design a system to meet those goals. “They specify the inputs that the system will access, decide how the inputs will be processed and format the output to meet user needs,” says Anju George, CEO of Micronix, a software firm based in Bangalore.

Like dot net developers, quality assurance analysts too, must have a strong background in mathematics. “Numerical skills are an essential prerequisite right through one’s educational career to become a good quality assurance analyst,” says Mumbai-based quality assurance consultant Ranjan Kar. He mentions that apart from maths, students should also do well in physics at the higher secondary level to gain entry into an IT or computer science or computer application course. “The level and type of education that employers require for quality assurance analysts reflects changes in technology,” says Sherman. Employers usually prefer applicants who have at least a bachelors degree in a related subject. For more technically complex jobs, people with postgraduate degrees are preferred.

Salaries for quality assurance analysts could be as high as $50,000 (Rs 2,156,170 approximately) per year. “Quality assurance analysts could be paid as high $80,000 (Rs 3,448,708 approximately) per year given the appropriate level of education and experience,” says a spokesperson of Robert Half Technology, a software firm in New York. In India, according to Susheel Sukhraj of Indiagodz, quality assurance analysts could command a salary of at least Rs 50,000 to start off with.

So, if fiddling with computers has been your passion and programming your forte, then go for a career as a dot net developer or a quality assurance analyst.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

Ranjana Jha loved to get lost in the pages of history but when it came to choosing a subject for graduation, she opted for English, the safe option. “I did not want to be stuck in a dry-as-dust teaching job,” is the explanation this freelance writer gives. “In those days that was the only option for a history student, apart from research of course.”

Fortunately, that is no more the case. It may be a little too late for Jha, but those who now choose to graduate in history have an array of options. “A graduate in history can be anything from a civil servant to a curator to a heritage manager. He or she can also become a numismatist or a librarian,” says Delhi-based career counsellor Pervin Malhotra. And of course, you can go on to do a postgraduation in archaeology or art history.

To become an art historian, apart from a love of history, you will need an eye for art, says Calcutta-based art historian Pranab Ranjan Ray. All art historians need to have a knowledge of history and Ray, who had no formal training in the subject, says, “I regret not taking up history”. He later read up on the subject in his own interest. Ray believes that to really appreciate art, you need to know the context that shaped it.

You can do a postgraduate course in art history from any of the art colleges or from the National Institute Museum in New Delhi, which also offers a course on conservation. Apart from becoming restorers, art historians can also curate art exhibitions or, if they have a way with words, become art critics.

History students can, obviously, become museologists. “Nothing can beat the satisfaction of taking good care of artifacts which are a little bit of history themselves. In fact, it is these things of daily use that give a proper perspective of the times that have gone by,” says Neelima Sen, former curator of the Asiatic Society who did her PhD in history from Calcutta University. If you have the spirit of adventure, you can also take up archaeology. Most universities offer the course (MA or MSc in archaeology) though if you want to go on digs you’ll have to do a doctorate. “To get a real feel for the subject, students should work on at least one excavation,” says R.K. Chattopadhyay, who teaches archaeology at Calcutta University.

If you have the knack, you can also take up heritage management. The Delhi Institute of Heritage Research and Management, New Delhi, affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh University, offers a two-year masters degree in archaeology and heritage management and another one in conservation, preservation and heritage management. “Heritage managers take care of buildings, or even whole neighbourhoods, that are special because of their age. They can also be in charge of archaeological sites, whether open to the public or otherwise,” says Malhotra.

These options have at least a connection with history but history can give you a leg up for at least two other career options, though there is no direct connection. A lot of people who want to sit for the civil services exam opt for history as it covers the syllabus for the prelims as well as the mains and is reputed to be a subject where it is possible to score marks. Malhotra, however, advises that IAS aspirants should graduate in history only if they are ready to make a career in the subject if they fail to make the cut. And if you do manage to crack the exam, history will still be of help. “Those in the administrative service need to be aware of the past to successfully handle present problems,” says Mohua Sarkar, head of the department of history at Jadavpur University, Calcutta.

Bhabatosh Ganguly, a retired government servant who formerly worked for the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), believes that being a student of history helped him work effectively. “If you have historic perspective, you can analyse a situation better. In fact I learnt to think analytically in my history classes in college,” he says. If you want to follow in Ganguly’s footsteps and spy for the state, keep your eyes on Employment News, which advertises for divisional officers (for the SIB or IB) from time to time. If you manage to become an IPS officer, the intelligence bureau will itself get in touch with you if it thinks you will be a worthy recruit.

Another category of sleuths also get an edge if they know the past. “I can think of at least three people off the top of my head who were recruited by reputed newspapers during campus placement,” says Sarkar. And does the study of history really help journalists? “You cannot really analyse the present if you do not know the past,” says a senior journalist who graduated in history. “Our teaching methodology helps history students to gather and sort through information quickly,” adds Sarkar.

“History is normally considered dynastic history,” says Ray “But it is actually not so. Apart from art history, we also have the history of science. Unfortunately it is not the historians but the scientists who have taken the trouble to maintain it.”

Indian universities do not have many unusual courses. Boria Majumdar, possibly the best known sports historian in the country, had to go all the way to England to do his doctorate in the history of cricket. But things are changing.

“Jadavpur University offers a course in environmental history,” says Sarkar. “The students of this course normally go on to work with environmental NGOs.”

So no matter what you aim to be, a blast from the past can actually brighten your future.

Money matters:-

Art historian:

Freshers start at anything from Rs 10,000 (Calcutta) to Rs 18,000 (Delhi), depending on the city. Established names can earn around Rs 25,000 per exhibition they mount.

Curator:

Most curators are employed by government bodies and get paid in the government scale, starting at Rs 10,000 (plus perks) and going up as high as Rs 50,000 for the top posts.

Heritage manager:

Heritage managers start at Rs 20,000-25,000.

Civil servant:

Officers start at Rs 8,000-275-13,500 and can go up to Rs 30,000 (plus a whole lot of perks)

Journalist:

Start at Rs 10,000 (at a reputed newspaper).

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

There are plenty of opportunities to earn from home and while some might involve a little travel, it’s not a daily affair. Even if you earn little initially, the quality of life should make up for the loss of income. Take a look at the following options for home-birds:

Online tutoring - You can earn anything from Rs 8,000 to 30,000 a month if you are a qualified teacher with computer and communication skills. The subjects in demand these days are math, English, physics, statistics, chemistry and biology. You can either teach part-time (four hours) or full-time (nine hours).

Freelance writer - You have good writing skills but don’t have time to work a nine to five job? You can still use your skills and earn a good amount of money. Many companies these days require good writers, like the PR industry, journalism etc. One can earn up to Rs 8,000 to 50,000.

Share brokers/online traders - Earn a lot of money by share trading, just clear the NCFM (CAPITAL MARKET) exam and you can start trading. You can rake in Rs 10,000 to 1,00,000 per-month depending upon the commission of the clients.

Designers - If you have the creative skills and creative aptitude, try becoming a designer. Designers are required in different fields like cloth designing, crockery designing, interior designing etc. You can also design different bags, home accessories and work from your home. One can earn approximately Rs 8000 to 20,000 per-month depending upon the clients.

Baby care/crutch - If you love kids and love spending time with them then you can open your baby day care crutch. There are many working mothers for whom such an arrangement is a good source of income. While sitting at home and spending time with kids, you can earn Rs 5,000 to 20,000 per-month.

Cartoonist - Animators and cartoonists are basically illustrators who draw pictures and cartoons to amuse, educate and persuade people. If you are a good cartoonist you can earn Rs 20,000 to 70,000 a month.

Boutique owner - If you are a fashion designer but can’t leave your house, consider opening your own boutique and earn Rs 10,000 to 50,000 per-month.

Placement agency - If you network, you can earn up to Rs1 lakh per-assignment. Many booming spectres in the economy, particularly IT, ITes, insurance, retail and banking, have manpower scarcity. If you tie up with institutes to organise their campus placement (such as www.campusconnect.com) or get databases of people looking for jobs and help organisations find the right people, you can make a fat packet.
Resale - Buy cheap, mark up the prices, make a profit. Depending on what you decide to sell (and your neighbourhood), you can make anything upwards of Rs10,000 a month. And the buying need not be a problem; frequent auctions, garage sales and sales by embassies or large companies can get you almost anything for half the value.

Wrap it - Offer a gift-wrapping service, either in association with a neighbourhood retailer or on your own. You can earn Rs 8000 to 30,000 a month, depending on the demand and your offering.

Event planning - It is a good business idea especially if you manage everything. All the extras such as invitations, banners and balloons can be prepared at home. Networking with the business community can help you get a lot of work. You could make up to Rs1 lakh for every event.

This list is indicative and many other jobs can also be done out of home. Decide what you can do, how much time you can spare, and then go for it. You’ll never miss the nine to five grind.

Sources: The Times Of India