Ensure Safe Surfing On The Net
Meenaksi Mehta
IN 1999, two teenagers form Columbine High School at Denver Colorado, U.S. walked into their school : This time not to learn but to shoot down their schoolmates and then themselves. Investigations revealed that they had learned to make pipe bombs from the Net. Then goes the story of a 12-year- year-old girl from Chennai who meets a 12-year-old-girl from Pune on the chat site.

CAREER QUERIES HOTLINE
Pervin Malhotra, Tribune’s career expert answers all your career queries

Admission deadline

Ensure Safe Surfing On The Net
Meenaksi Mehta

IN 1999, two teenagers form Columbine High School at Denver Colorado, U.S. walked into their school : This time not to learn but to shoot down their schoolmates and then themselves. Investigations revealed that they had learned to make pipe bombs from the Net. Then goes the story of a 12-year- year-old girl from Chennai who meets a 12-year-old-girl from Pune on the chat site. They become good online friends exchanging detailed information about each other. When the Chennai girl hears that her Pune Internet friend is in Chennai staying with her parents at a hotel and wants to meet her, the Chennai girl is thrilled. She decides to make it to the hotel all on her own, only to live through a nightmare: the 12-year-old Internet friend turns-out to be a 35-year-old man from Chennai with no name and obviously no scruples.

Hair-raising and nerve-wrecking, as they may sound, such incidents have been reported with increasing frequency. Parents are naturally worried. Yet in less than four years after being opened up for public use in India the Internet has seeped into every aspect of life. There is an online equivalent of almost everything. "The Internet is no more a hot new technology", says Shivani, a university student and a regular net surfer.

"Already, the word ‘mail’ means only e-mail. The other variety that people drop into red boxes is often referred to as ‘snail-mail’ by our generation".

How effective an educational tool is the net as far as school-going children are concerned? That is the primary reason parents want to expose their kids to the net. Do children essentially need this new technology? Perhaps a daft question for some but parents are beginning to wonder. "Children will have to cruise down the so-called information superhighway to keep pace with global standards and pursuits says Indira Merani, a parent and an engineer, who teaches computers to plus 1 and plus 2 students a Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 47.

Says Naveen Galav, a parent and an engineer with an MNC at Faridabad. "Although no one addresses the psychic or social meaning of adaptation, Children, more than adults, adapt to virtual realities as information highway. Keeping kids away form the net is neither possible nor judicious. The solution is guidance and counselling."

"Internet is the buzz word, no doubt but as far as children are concerned they should be kept in touch with the Internet only at schools perhaps, where there is minute supervision. Beyond that I don’t see why children require the net", says Alok Aggarwal a parent and businessman. "Unfortunately as far as children are concerned this technology is simply a transformation into an end product where they can pick and choose. Directionless, they often go haywire."

It’s not that school education has revolutionised so drastically or that the curricula has made a 180 degree turn that school assignments call for indiscriminate reference to the net. "So far, I’ve never missed not having the Inter connection at home", says Deepika Arora, a student of class X who has been a topper. "In instances when some particular information is not available from books, I browse the net at school. Otherwise there is no pleasure reading from the monitor", opines this first position-holder at the Inter-State Exhibition recently held by the SIE.

The threat percepts are umpteen and needless to say worrying. Children may be exposed to pornography, violence, underground sites etc. in a number of ways. Apart from accidentally stumbing on a site or using a search engine to intentionally reach such sites, chat rooms remain a major concern. In November 2000, Priya Singh a class 11 student from Mumbai, eloped with Asad, a guy from Utter Pradesh. In another incident, Akbar Ashraf, a student of class VII from Mumbai was kidnapped by Persis Williams-thanks to meeting through chat rooms.

"The internet can be very disturbing many a times. This involves exposure to inappropriate material which could be sexually explicit, violent and discriminatory", says Shivani. "Beside , some of my friends have experienced molestation through e-mail and bulletin board posting which involves abusive messages, obscene photos etc. in their mailboxes".

Browsing centers have their own tales of apathy, of course not to be told. In India most children and teenagers are able to access the net only from browsing centers. These centers make Internet access affordable to all, but what is alarming is the callous attitude of the managers/owners running them. So long as these centers are commercially viable, issues related to concern for child safety take a walk.

After much coaxing and on condition of anonymity a manager of one such browsing center disclosed: "Most centres discourge customers from visiting pornographic sites on open monitors, which is objectionable to other surfers. But, we do not interfere with the same in ‘private seats’ (a separate enclosure where others cannot view the monitors.) Doeas that mean children are kept away from these so-called ‘private seats’? "If they want to (pay for it ) they get same privilege". How about some adult advice ? "We prefer to ignore it as there is no locus standi to advice", he says.

To abandon a virtue simply because it comes with vice is not, the right solution. There, nevertheless, is an urgent need to take new technologies with a healthy dose of skepticism and step back and take another and better look at our priorities. Parents essentially must play a pivotal role tactfully to ensure safe surfing. "Most real-life parents guidelines should be applicable to the net too. Children should be encouraged to tell you if they experience anything unpleasant or threatening. Parents of younger children can surf along with them or at least be at hand", says Indira. "For older children parents can discuss with them what they dis online, the sites visited and the people they met etc. Developing a relationship of trust where the child confides in you is imperative."

"Parents should keep e-mailing websites to their children that would interest and engross them. This keeps them from going on a wild goose chase on the net. Besides, it’s a good idea to place the computer in a common area rather than in the child’s bedroom" say Naveen. "It must be impressed upon the child never to give in the log-in password to anybody. No service provider will ask for it. If the child has inadvertently given the password, it should be changed immediately". Never should children send pictures of themselves or their families to anyone unless they have permission for the same. Personal information like name, address, phone no. etc. should not be given in public places where others read what you type. Infact, using nicknames in chatrooms that are gender, age or location specific are an explicit ‘don’t’. Using gender-neutral nicknames is the solution. If any e-mail messages are strange, children must be encouraged to ignore them or approach parents/teachers if they persist. Learning to use the power on/off switch on the computer is the best weapon against hacker attack. Parents must also be concerned about online friends. Meetings with an online friend should be at public places and more importantly under parental supervision. Teenagers resent being snooped on. It is possible to monitor the sites visited by your teenager or even read his/her web-based mail.

Given the constant threat in so many forms, parents seek more solutions to exposure of children to objectionable material. "It’s not possible for parents to continuously monitor the sites our children visit", says Aggarwal. One option exists in the form of software that control or restrict access to many such sites. Content filtering utilities are software that automatically block or screen access to certain sites on the NET. There are two methods for filtering Web sites-server-side filtering and client-side filtering or software ISP level and involves blocking deleterious sites by the server itself.

CAREER QUERIES HOTLINE
Pervin Malhotra, Tribune’s career expert answers all your career queries.

List some universities that offer 5-year integrated law course

A The 5-year integrated Law Course is offered at 38 universities in India. Some of these are:

* Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.

* Bangalore University, Bangalore

* Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune.

* GGS Indraprastha University, Delhi.

* Madurai-Kamaraj University, Madurai.

* Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak.

* Mahatma Gandhi College of Law, Gwalior.

* NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad.

* National Law Institute University, Bhopal.

* National Law School of India University, Bangalore.

* National Law University, Jodhpur.

* Osmania University, Hyderabad.

* Punjabi University, Patiala.

* University of Mumbai, Mumbai.

* University of Pune, Pune.

A Marine Engineering gives you an opportunity to see the world. Well-paying openings for Marine Engineers exist with firms involved in ship design, survey, maintenance and research, engine and ship building companies, foreign and domestic shipping companies, port and harbour departments, consultants and government bodies. They are also recruited as ship and shore engineers in the Indian Navy and the merchant navy (cargo as well as passenger).

The Marine Engineering Research Institute (MERI), with its headquarters at Kolkata, offers a 4-year course in marine engineering. T.S. Chanakya is affiliated to the University of Bombay offers a 3-year degree in Nautical Science. Entrance to both institutes is through the IIT-JEE. Eligibility is a 10+2 with PCM, and admission is open to unmarried girls and boys below the age of 20 years. Physical fitness and good vision are essential.

The following Institutes also offer courses in Marine Engineering and related fields like Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture:

Academy of Maritime Education & Training, 3/4/5 Ambedkar Street, Gandhinagar, Saligramam, Chennai - 600 093. Courses: Higher National Diploma in Marine Engineering, UK (21/2 yr.), Higher National Diploma in Nautical Science UK (31/2 yrs). Eligibility: 10 + 2 with Maths, Physics, and English (55%). For both these courses, the first year of training is held at AMET, Chennai and 2nd year at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, UK.

College of Engineering. (Andhra Univ.), Waltair, Visakhapatnam 530003. Courses: BE/BTech (Marine Engineering), Eligibility: State residents; 10+2 (PCM) or Diploma in Engg/Architecture.

Dept of Ship Technology, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Kochi 682022. Course: BTech (Naval Architecture & ShipBuilding) - 4 1/2 yrs. Eligibility: Class XII (PCM) with First Class.

IIT-Chennai, Chennai 600036. Course: BE/BTech (Ocean Engineering & Naval Architecture), Dual Degree Programme. Eligibility: 10+2 (PCM).

IIT-Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302. Course: BE/BTech (Ocean Engg & Naval Architecture), Eligibility: 10+2 (PCM).

Mohamed Sathak Engineering College, (Madurai Kamaraj University), Kilakarai 623806, (T.N) Course: BE/BTech (Marine Engineering). Eligibility: Class XII (PCM or vocational subjects) with 60% marks in each subject and 70% agg. Diploma-holders of State Board of Technical Education (60-70% agg) are also eligible.

Naval Maritime Academy, 9, IRSD Area, Kancharapalem Post, Visakhapatnam 530008. Course: BSc (Tech) Marine Engineering offered by the Andhra University. Eligibility: 10 + 2 (PCM 55%).

Tolani Maritime Institute, Sharada Center, 11/1 Off Karve Rd, Erandawane, Pune - 411004. Course: BE/BTech (Marine Engg) Eligibility: 10+2 (PCM 60% + English at Class X/XII with 50%).

Just make sure that the course you opt for is approved by the Directorate General of Shipping (M/o Surface Transport, GoI), Jahaz Bhavan, Walchand Hirachand Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai 400038.

A You can take your pick from the following correspondence courses:

Institute of Management Technology, Raj Nagar, Hapur Road, Post Box 137, Ghaziabad 201001. Course: Diploma in Export Management. Duration: 1-year. Eligibility: Graduation.

Indian Institute of Export Management, PB 7531, 1953, 9th Cross, 4th Main, New Thippasandra, Bangalore 560075. Course: Diploma in Export Management. Duration: 4 months. Eligibility: Class XII.

National Institute of Shipping & International Trade, 6-21-4, East Point Colony, Visakhapatnam 530023. Course: PG Diploma in Export Management. Duration: 1-year. Eligibility: Graduation.

A Biochemistry is the study of the chemical composition of living systems of animals, plants, insects, viruses and microorganisms. Accordingly, it is concerned with the study of chemical combinations and reactions involved in a variety of life processes such as metabolism, growth, heredity, etc.

Besides teaching, the main areas open to you are pure research or research-based assignments in chemical and allied industries (chemical, pharmaceutical, agrochemical) or the food industry.

There is an increasing demand for biochemists involved in biochemical genetic research not only in the country but also abroad, especially for those with a specialisation in cell biology, genetics, biochemical methods and research.

While MPhil or PhD is necessary for working as a scientist, you could work as a research assistant straight after MSc in research-oriented organisations, both industrial and governmental

You can also access the sales and marketing jobs in leading pharmaceutical companies.

A You could do a BCom (Pass) without Maths and still do your CA/CS alongside. Whether you do it through full-time study or through distance education is immaterial. While maths is not a statutory requirement for these professional courses, it is certainly an asset if taken at the graduation-level.

For instance, you do need to be fairly comfortable with Maths to tackle the quantitative ability section of the MBA entrance test.

Although knowledge of maths up to Class XII-level is sufficient, speed in solving the large number of questions is of the essence. So even if you decide to drop maths, make sure you keep in touch with the subject and have your fundas absolutely clear.

If you were to seriously get down to revising your maths syllabus right from Class X upwards, you would realise that it's not such a terrible subject after all.

If you get a good aggregate, why not take BCom (Hon) - either regular or through correspondence in the first year? If you find it unmanageable, you can always switch over to BCom (Pass) the following year. All said and done, an Honours course is a more desirable option. So do give it a sincere try.

A Good news! Indians staying/studying abroad (US, UK, Canada, Japan etc) will now be able to take the NET in Indian embassies there. This will prove a great boon to people like you, who are pursuing post-doctoral studies abroad and wish to teach in India.

The revised NET syllabus became applicable from the June 2001 Exam. For further details, contact:

University Grants Commission, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110002. Or log on to: www.ugc.ac.in.

Admission deadline

Distance Education

Sep 20 Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Centre for Distance Education, Anantpur-5150003 (AP).

(1) MCA (3-yr)

(2) MBA

Elig: (1) & (2): Bachelor's Degree.

Selctn: Scores in ICET, MAT, ATMA, CAT or any other State, National Admission test scores. Univ may conduct an entrance test if necessary.

Appln F: Send Rs 350/- by DD favouring "Director, CDE, SK University" payable at Andhra Bank, 410, SKU Branch, Anantpur/SBI, Anantpur to the Director at the above address or Rs 300/- (DD) at Univ counter and respective MCA/MBA study centres.

Sep 07 Indian Institute of Information Technology, Nehru Science Centre, Kamla Nehru Road, Allahabad - 211002 (UP) (Deemed Univ).

Ph: 0532-461374/75

Website: www.iiita.ac.in

BTech (4-yr)

Selectn: IIT-JEE 2002.

Details: See Website.

Sep 07 Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management, , Gola-Ka-Mandir, Gwalior-474005 (MP) (Deemed Univ).

Website: www.iitm.ac.in

Integrated PG Programme (5-yr)

Selectn: IIT-JEE 2002.

Details: See Website.

Sep 30 Bundelkhand Institute of Engineering & Technology Jhansi-284001 (UP).

MTech Construction Tech & Mgt (PT/FT);

MTech Manufacturing Sc & Tech (PT)

Appln F: Send Rs 300/- by crossed DD favouring "Director, BIET, Jhansi" payable at Jhansi along with unstamped, self-addressed envelope (25 cm x 30 cm) to The Dean (Academics) at the above address. At counter Rs 300/- (cash).

Details: See Website.

Sep 03 HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar (Garhwal)-246174 (UA).

BBA (Media & Mass Comm)

Elig: 10+2.

Selctn: Merit in qualifying exam, GD & Interview (at IIMT, Dehradun) on 04 Sept.

Appln F: Send application on plain paper detailing name, father's name, date of birth, educational qualification, marks in 10+2, contact address & tel no. to the Registrar at the above address. At counter: Rs 300/- (cash).

Sep 14 G B Pant Social Science Institute, Jhunsi, Allahabad-211019 (UP).

(Affiliated to UP Technical Univ)

Ph: (0532) 667206, 667214

Website: www.gbpssi.com

MBA Rural Development

Elig: Bachelor's Degree;

Selctn: Test 15 Sep at campus. Followed by GD and Interview

Appln F: Send Rs. 500/- by DD favouring "Registrar, G B Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad" with application in the prescribed format and 4 self-attested coloured photos to the Registrar at the above address.

Details: See Website.

Nov 25 School of International Business, Gitam Institute of Foreign Trade, Visakhapatnam-530045 (AP).

Ph: (0891) 790505/7900306

Website: www.gitam.org

Masters Programme in International Business (2-yr)

Elig: Bachelor's Degree (50% agg)

Selctn: CAT (09 Dec)

Appln F: Send Rs. 500/- by crossed DD favouring "GITAM Institute of Foreign Trade, Visakhapatnam" with 2-self-addressed stickers & adequate postage at the above address.

Details: See Website.

Dec 07 Management Development Institute, Mehrauli Road, Sukhrali, Gurgaon-122001 (Har).

Ph: 6349831-836, 6340153

Website: www.mdi.ac.in

(1) Post Graduate Programme in Management

(2) National Management Programme

Elig: (1): Bachelor's Degree;

(2): Bachelor's Degree with at least 5 yrs of executive work ex

Selctn: CAT (09 Dec). Application Deadline: Oct 08

Appln F: Send Rs 850/- by DD favouring "Management Development Institute" payable at New Delhi along with 2-self-addressed stickers superscribing the envelope with programme name or download from website.

Details: See Website.

Dec 08 Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, Shastri Sadan, Venkateshwara Mandir Marg, Sector-III, R K Puram, New Delhi-110022.

Ph: 6191081, 6172407

Website: www.lbsim.edu

PG Programme in Management (2-yr/FT)

Elig: Bachelor's Degree

Selctn: CAT (09 Dec)

Appln F: Send Rs 925/- by DD favouring "Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management" payable at New Delhi to The Admission Coordinator at the above address. At counter: Rs 850/- (cash).

Details: See Website.

Dec 08 Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad, Shela, Ahamedabad-380058 (Guj).

Ph: 3739946-51

Website: www.mica-india.net

PG Diploma in Communications

Elig: Bachelor's Degree

Selctn: CAT (09 Dec)

Appln F: Send Rs 1200/- by DD favouring "Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad" along with stamped (Rs 40/-), self-addressed, envelope (12" x 10"). At counter: Rs 1200/- (cash). Also at specified Federal Bank branches for Rs 1240/-.

Details: See Website.

Dec 14 Goa Institute of Management, Ribandar- 403006 (Goa).

Ph: (0832) 444638, 444819

Website: www.gim.ac.in

PG Programme in Mgt (2-yr)

Elig: Bachelor's degree (50% agg).

Selctn: CAT (09 Dec)

Appln F: Send Rs. 850/- by DD favouring "Goa Institute of Management", payable at Panaji with 2 slips (9 cm x 5 cm) mentioning name, address and tel no to the Admission Office at the above address or download from website.

Details: See Website.

Dec 14 Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad-826004 (Jhar) (Deemed Univ).

MBA (2-yr)

Elig: Bachelor's Degree (Regular, 55% agg).

Selctn: CAT (09 Dec)

Appln F: Send Rs 800/- by DD favouring "Indian School of Mihes" payable at Dhanbad with a self-addressed, unstamped envelope (25 cm x 12 cm) to the Assistant Registrar (Academic) at the above address.

Aug 31 DB College of Mass Communication, A-35 Sector 19, Noida (UP).

Ph: 4444978, 4529705

Advanced Diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication (1-yr) (App by CCS Univ, Meerut)

Elig: 10+2

Appln F: Send Rs 325/- by DD favouring "DBCMC, Noida" to Mrs Ragini Sinha, Chief Controller (Academics) at the above address. At counter: Rs 300/- (cash).

Sep 30 Deptt of Science & Technology, Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi-110016.

Ph: (011) 6567373 (475- extn)

Website: http:// mst.nic.in /dst/ adv/adv.html

"DST-DAAD" Project based Personnel Exchange Programme-2002 (Agri, Vet & Forestry Sc; Engineering Sc; GeoSC; Med, Life, Health & Nutri Sc; Physical, Material & Chemical Sc; Math Theoretical Computer Sc & Informatics)

Elig: See website

Appln F: Download from website and send to Shri R K Sharma (Jr. Analyst), International Divn (Room No 04) at the above address.

Sep 30 Sports Authority of India, Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Moti Bagh, Patiala-147001.

Sports Scholarships (2001-02)

Elig: Sports Scholarships for sports persons studying in Schools/Colleges/Universities who have secured I/II/II position in Individual Events or Winner/Runners-Up Position in team events in various recognized competitions held between 01 April 2000 to 31 May 2001.

Appln F: Request from the Executive Director (A) at the above address.

Details: See Employment News 18-24 Aug.

Unless otherwise specified, the dates mentioned above are deadlines for receipt of completed application forms.