QUERY HOTLINE
Q I am 17 years old and will be appearing for my higher secondary examination next year. I am interested in a career in the Indian Navy. Can women seek entry into the Navy? If yes, please tell me about the eligibility requirements. Kindly provide me with an address where I can get direct information. 

FORTNIGHTLY QUIZ-183

Event management growing fast

Have you ever wondered how every element - sound, lighting, music and anchoring are timed perfectly like clockwork in a film award function or a fashion pageant without missing a beat? Well that’s event management ka kamaal for you!

A novel non-conventional means of advertising and brand building for creating awareness and providing information, event management involves planning, organising and executing live events to create awareness about a particular product, organisation or cause.

The event could be - a musical night, a fashion show, a corporate seminar, an exhibition, a conference, a sports event, a product or brand launch or even a wedding or birthday bash.

The corporate search for cost-effective ways to reach niche markets and stand apart from the competition has made special events management one of the fastest-growing areas in marketing. Business houses are willing to spend large amounts of money to promote their brands, as much as Rs 30 lakh or even more on a single event!

The number of such firms has multiplied manifold in the past few years and with more and more international companies coming into India, their number is likely to increase further. This in turn spells a big demand for the specialists who plan, promote and produce corporate-sponsored promotion and sporting events, festivals and cultural extravaganzas.

Gone are the days when marriages were made in heaven. These days they are being planned in the offices of various event management companies. During the wedding season, a host of companies and professionals design and arrange extraordinary theme-based wedding parties, which could range from designing a wild-West evening to a traditional Tamillian wedding to a scene straight out of The Arabian Nites replete with belly dancers and all. The event management firm takes charge of handling the entire wedding — right from conceptualising the theme, to planning the layout to the minutest detail, to executing each element of the project with clockwork precision.

It is critical for an event manager to understand the four W’s of event planning: Why is the event required; When is it taking place; Where; and for Whom is it being conducted.

The work can be divided into two essential areas: Logistics Management and Marketing. Logistics involves organising the venue, visualising the stage design and arranging for artistes and celebrities who will perform or attend the event.

Marketing involves finding sponsors for the event and media promotion.

The ability to work in stress and demanding situations should come naturally to the manager along with the ability to analyse problems and offer solutions. Leadership and supervising skills to train and delegate and monitor the work assigned so that the deadlines are effectively met.

You could be either working for an independent firm with many corporate clients, or for a large company with an in-house events department, or for the event management wing of an advertising or PR agency. .

Freelance co-ordinators and artistes are recruited as and when required. Freshers are paid Rs 500-1000 a day with grub and at times clothes thrown in. Although you’ll be made to run around, this is an ideal opportunity to learn the ropes.

Typically, a good-sized firm would have a staff of 30-40 persons grouped in three main departments.

Technical professionals handle the production and organisation of the event - lighting, acoustics, video, venue management and logistics, procuring relevant permits. Venue management includes commissioning security personnel, managing the banquet area, refreshments and hospitality.

The marketing department comprises a mixed bag of professionals drawn from sales and marketing, public relations, advertising and mass communication. Their main job is to sell the concept to the client and market the event to the media, sponsors and the public. For instance, the Miss India and Mr India contests and film award shows attract sponsors with deep pockets who stand to derive considerable mileage through association and brand recall from partnering such events.

The creative team conceptualises the event - the actual presentation and visual impact. A special theme is created for the event, which is then reflected in every piece of communication, décor and music. A course or background in advertising would arm you with the necessary skills. Even commercial art graduates with some multimedia skills are suited for this department. In general, the minimum qualification required is graduation.

What it takes: Besides loads of creativity, you essentially require the following qualities to succeed in this field: excellent communication and networking skills, organisational and logistic skills, marketing and presentation skills, many of which you will acquire on the job.

According to a FICCI - Arthur Andersen Survey, the live entertainment and event management segment is poised to grow rapidly from Rs 250 crore at present to a whopping Rs 1,100 crore by 2005.

No Indian University offers a specific course in event management either at the undergraduate or postgraduate-level. While a degree in marketing or sales, or even public relations, advertising or mass communication would give you a leg-up, you could also check out the following:

Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune, offers a 2-year Master’s programme in Mass Communication, which provides training in organising seminars.

MICA, Shela, Ahmedabad (www.mica-india.net) offers Postgraduate Programme in Communications (with specialisation in Direct Marketing & Event Mgt). Selection is done on the basis of CAT scores, MICA Entrance Test, GD & Interview).

International Centre for Event Marketing & Management, Delhi. Tel: 26200978/ 26237903. E-mail: psinghal@ndf.vsnl.net.in.

Course: 1-year Part-time Certificate Programme in EM.

Fees: Rs 12,000 (Dean: Mitaali Patel)

The National Institute of Event Management, 7, Avon Arcade, D J Rd, Vile Parle (W), Mumbai 400056 Tel: 6142137/ 6191253. Courses: 1-year Undergraduate and Postgraduate Diplomas in Event Management (Sundays & holidays). The courses cover event team leadership, event law, event accountancy, public relations, sponsorship, event marketing, logistics, etc. Fees: Rs 16,000/- (UG Diploma), Rs 28,000/-(PG Diploma). (Dir: Hoshi Bhiwandiwala).

Taleem Tel: 26328866/ 26237903 (Dir: Kailash Singh)

Courses (4): 1-yr Advance Management Course (Rs 21,000/-); 6-mth Part-Time Basic Mgt Course (Rs 11,000/-); 3-mth FT Intensive Crash Course (Rs 59.000/-, includes accommodation); Correspondence Course (Rs 14,000/- (Basic) & Rs 15,000/- (Advance) for outstation students.

Elig: Graduates and Undergraduates with experience in marketing, advertising or public relations.

Empire Institute of Learning, Mumbai.

Courses: FT/PT in Event Mgt (7-9 pm, 4 times a week & Sundays)

Some leading players: Wizcraft Entertainment, Fountainhead, Big Shows (Vipin Pal), DNA Networks, Showbiz, Showtime Events, IMG, Tiger Sports Marketing, Encompass, LINOpinion & Advent (Linta’s India Group).

Cineyug, Backstage Productions (Vandana Mohan & Vidyun Singh), Envisage (CR Park, New Delhi), Candid (Hauz Khas, New Delhi)

Q I am 17 years old and will be appearing for my higher secondary examination next year. I am interested in a career in the Indian Navy. Can women seek entry into the Navy? If yes, please tell me about the eligibility requirements. Kindly provide me with an address where I can get direct information. 

Jatinder Kaur

A Women are recruited in the Short Service Commission (SSC) for non-combatant posts at the officer level in several branches of the Indian Navy. Although the duration of SSC is 7 years, it is extendable to 10 years.

Postings in the Navy are great, the housing good, and there are excellent opportunities for postgraduate studies.

But there’s some great news in the offing. The Cabinet Committee on Security plans to allow induction of women officers into all branches of the Navy. This includes engineering, electrical and all branches of the executive cadre. However, it is not yet clear whether this includes the flying and submarine wings of the Navy as well.

Presently though, opportunities for women exist in the following branches:

Law Cadre: Eligibility: LLB (55% agg) qualified for enrolment as an advocate. Age: 22-27 years.

Logistics Cadre: Eligibility: BA (Eco) or BCom (II Div) (no additional diploma required) or B.Sc (II Div) with minimum 50% marks and degree/diploma in Material/Financial Management. Age: 191/2-25 years.

Eligibility: Master’s degree in one of the following (55% agg):

Physics (with Maths in BSc) or

Maths (with Physics in BSc ) or

Chemistry (with Physics & Maths in BSc) or

Computer Applications/Computer Science (with either Physics or Maths in BSc) or

Humanities (Eng/Eco/Hist/ Pol. Sc.) or

Engineering degree (Mech/ Elect/Comp Sc/Tech)

Age: 21-25 years.

Watch out for advertisements published in Employment News and other leading national dailies. There is no entrance test. The selection procedure includes an interview and a comprehensive medical examination.

For further information, log on to the Indian Navy’s official website: www.nausena-bharti.org.

The Directorate of Manpower Planning & Recruitment has launched its interactive voice response system on: 011 - 23016296.

Career options

Paramjeet Singh

A Depending on your interest and aptitude there are several options you could consider. These include entry-level jobs’ in IT, beauty and hair care, fashion design, hotel management and catering, modelling, travel and tourism, photography, sales and marketing, secretarial work, insurance and IT-enabled services like call centres, etc. Typically the courses that prepare you for these jobs are short-term ones.

However, it is always advisable to have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline of your choice, (albeit through correspondence) as most jobs today require graduation as the minimum eligibility at the entry level. Today every university offers a choice of vocational courses at the Bachelor’s level.

Besides, should you wish to study further at any time in the future, your graduation will prove handy.

Vikram Bhalla

A A uniform fee structure has been introduced by the All-India Council of Technical Education following the recent Supreme Court judgement. Earlier, 50% seats in a college were considered ‘free seats’ for which a nominal fee had to be paid, while the remaining 50% seats were ‘paid seats’ for which a very high fee was charged.

Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak, will conduct the common entrance test for admission to engineering colleges in Haryana on June 10. Of the 10,000-odd seats in these colleges, 15% seats will be filled through the All-India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE) conduced by CBSE.

In government owned colleges, the remaining 85% of seats will be filled on the basis of the entrance test conduced by MDU for students of Haryana domicile. The management of private engineering colleges can fill 15% of seats on their own on the basis of merit in the AIEEE or the MDU entrance test. The remaining 70% seats in private colleges are for students of Haryana domicile on basis of MDU entrance test.

The Haryana Government is finalising a policy for admission to the engineering colleges being run by members of minority communities where not more than 50% of seats will go to students belonging to the community. The state government has asked the universities to work out a cost-based fee structure for different courses, after withdrawing the provision of paid seats following the apex court’s ruling in the TA Pai Foundation case last year.

Please send in your query preferably on a postcard along with your name, complete address and academic qualifications to: 
Editor, Query Hotline,
The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160020, or at careerguide@tribuneindia.com

FORTNIGHTLY QUIZ-183

1. Which Russian city recently celebrated its 300 years of existence?

2. Name the new Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

3. Expand CAS.

4. Who was the first woman to scale Mount Everest?

5. Who was the first person to climb Mount Everest without bottled oxygen?

6. Where is the annual Sindhu Darshan Festival held?

7. Name the founder of the Sulabh International Social Service Organisation.

8. In which year was Queen Elizabeth II coronated?

9. When is the World No Tobacco Day observed?

10. To which country does this year’s Miss Universe belong?

11. Which Pakistan cricketer’s book is titled ‘Cutting Edge: My Autobiography’?

12. What is India’s latest FIFA ranking?

13. Who recently captured the men’s singles title of the World Table Tennis Championship?

14. With which sport is Susanthika Jayasinghe associated?

15. Which country recently ended Australia’s run of 21 consecutive one-day international cricket victories?

 

Winners of quiz 182: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Sanjay Gola, X-A, Anupam Public Sen Sec School,Hodal-121106, dist Faridabad, Haryana.

Second: Prateek Arora, XI-C, Govt Sen Sec School( boys), Dholpur, Kullu-175101.

Third: Ishu Sharma, XII-B, St Lukes Sen Sec School, Solan-173212.

Answers to quiz 182: West Indies; 50; 8; 20; May 21; 1961; Andhra Pradesh; Kishore Kumar, Mohd Rafi, Mukesh & Hemant Kumar; Grozny; Sunil Gavaskar; Steve Waugh; Steve Waugh; Mumbai; Australia; Wasim Akram.

Cash awards of Rs 400, 300 and 200 are given to the first, second and third prize winners, respectively. These are sent at the school address.

— Tarun Sharma