The college that came far
Varinder Walia
The ancient village of Sirhali in Amritsar district is replete with legends of brave warriors, staunch patriots, sportspersons, artists, craftsmen, artisans of great talent, saints and sages. Creating a legend of its own is Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Sirhali, established in 1970.

The strength of girl students is nearly 45 per cent in Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College (GGSKC), Sirhali, and the the bus facility is free for them. Eight buses bring them here from Moga, Zira, Amritsar, Makhu and Tarn Taran.

Lucrative career awaits Indian nurses in US
Hyderabad: A lucrative career awaits Indian nurses in the US with the healthcare sector in America looking at tapping the nursing talent available from India. As per the estimates of the US National Centre for Health Work Force Analysis, US healthcare sector would need 1.25 lakh nurses and this is expected to touch one billion by 2020.

The college that came far
Varinder Walia

The ancient village of Sirhali in Amritsar district is replete with legends of brave warriors, staunch patriots, sportspersons, artists, craftsmen, artisans of great talent, saints and sages. Creating a legend of its own is Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College (GGSKC), Sirhali, established in 1970, the only rural college of the district that NAAC found fit to grade B+.

Except the villagers from 22 adjoining places, including Sirhali, who have a common ancestor, no one else can be in the management committee of the college. Sirhali is predominantly Sandhu Jats area. The 22 adjoining villages are offshoots of Sirhali where members of the clan settled with time. Their forefathers were said to be followers of Naath Jogis.

The college, government aided and co-educational, is affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University and is one of its associate institutes. Dr Mahal Singh, Principal, says that the college has achieved excellence in a short period since the establishment.

It’s hard to miss the college; it’s on the main Amritsar-Harike road. The wonderful location and beautiful ornamental plants and trees on its premises have not interfered with the rural flavour of the college that Baba Tara Singh of Kar Sewa Wale established with cooperation of the local people.

It’s hard to imagine a rural college with landscaped lawns and imposing fa`E7ade that houses the main administrative offices, a PG wing, all major departments and a library bigger and better than one would find in most big and reputed colleges in cities.

The college library subscribes to many national and international journals. The computer section has SLIM software computerised information management system that allows immediate tracing and retrieval of information.

The college has introduced many career-oriented courses in keeping with the changing needs of the academic field.

The college emblem bears the motto "Shubh Karman Te Kabhun Na Taron", words of Guru Gobind Singh that exhorts us to do righteous deeds fearlessly and be victorious with determination.

Spacious, well-maintained playground, modern, double-storey cafeteria and a book bank—where else would one find all this in a rural college. Close-circuit cameras, fitted in Principal’s room, help him monitor the activities in the college. Members of the faculty have to file a daily self-appraisal report.

The college has more than 100 computers at the disposal of students. The management has engaged four M.Sc. students to teach under the "earn while you learn" programme.

The strength of more than 1,300 students may cause other educational institutes to be envious.

The strength of girl students is nearly 45 per cent and the bus facility is free for them. Eight buses bring them here from Moga, Zira, Amritsar, Makhu and Tarn Taran.

The alumni, many of whom have settled abroad or got the top slots in India, have been funding the college regularly.

A Foreign Development Board had been formed here to give financial support to the college.

This is, perhaps, the only rural college offering seven postgraduate programmes (economics, commerce, computer science and Punjabi to name a few).

The college attributes its success story to the popularity of its professional courses like MBA (Under distance education), PGDCA, PG DD (Dress designing) and PG diploma in Financial Services. Rural? No way.

Hyderabad: A lucrative career awaits Indian nurses in the US with the healthcare sector in America looking at tapping the nursing talent available from India.

As per the estimates of the US National Centre for Health Work Force Analysis, US healthcare sector would need 1.25 lakh nurses and this is expected to touch one billion by 2020.

Besides, many vacancies are likely to be created as a majority of the serving nurses in the US are in the age group of 50-55 and are fast approaching the age of retirement.

The increase in nurse-training colleges and the favourable response the profession is getting in urban India are resulting in a fad for immigration, according to the analysis.

"The training being offered in India is taken in good stead in the US. The good English-speaking skills are also an added advantage to Indian nurses who eye a career in the US", Sri Harsha, General Manager, Apollo Group’s Healthcare Staffing International, told PTI.

Currently, about 50,000 qualified nurses are stepping out of colleges every year. Those nurses who nurse a dream to work in the US have to qualify an aptitude test conducted by the Commission for Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) which is conducted four times a year.

"With a little preparation, our nurses can qualify this test," adds Harsha.

According to sources in the Immigration Department, the process of immigration is a little less complicated for nurses than those from other categories.

"Trained nurses are eligible to be granted EB3 visa that entitles them to a permanent employment in the US and a green card," said sources in an immigration consultancy here. As of now the remuneration package for nurses in the US is lucrative—in the range of $30,000-$42,000. — PTI

PAU, Ludhiana

Kisan mela: Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) organises regular interaction between farmers and scientists round the year, the annual kisan mela remains a special attraction. Farmers from across the state who converge on the PAU campus to interact with the scientists and with each other, too.

This year, the mela was organized on September 22 and 23 with the "conservation of water table" as the main theme. Dr K. S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, and Mr G. S. Kalkat, former Vice-Chancellor, who is now chairman of the Punjab State Farmers’ Commission, emphasised the need for diversification to break the paddy-wheat routine.

GND University, Amritsar

Pak tour for 13: A 13-member delegation of social scientists led by Dr Harish Sharma, senior professor of History, Guru Nanak Dev University, visited Pakistan to interact with the faculty and students of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). The invitation for the visit was extended by the Vice-Chancellor of LUMS. The delegation included two teachers (Dr Amandeep Bal of the History Department and Dr Rajesh Kumar) and ten students (Amarbir Singh, Simrat Kaur, Bikramjit Singh Rataul, Ritika Sood, Kanwar Preet Kaur Sethi, Amit Bamby, Harshdip Singh, Amandeep Singh, Sumit Sharma and Urvashi Bali of School of Social Sciences).

— Contributed by Vimal Sumbly and Sanjay Bumbroo.

Engineering

1) PhD Programme in Engineering & Technology / Science / Architecture & Regional Planning/ Humanities & Social Science / Mgmt)
2) Post Doctoral Fellowship

Eligibility: For 1: BTech / BE/ BArch/ MBBS/ MSc/ MBA (after Bachelor’s Deg) with GATE Scores (For MA, NET Fellowship) or ME/ MTech/ MCP/ MBA (after BTech/ MSc/ MA/ MCom). Qualified candidates may apply without GATE/NET scores as self-supporting sponsored candidates
For 2: PhD Age Limit: 35 years.

Selection: Interview: 7 - 9 December, 2005

Application Form: Send Rs.500/ - by DD favouring "IIT Kharagpur" drawn on any nationalized bank with a self-addressed envelope (30 cm X 22 cm) to the Assistant Registrar (PG&R) at above address.

MTech (Biotechnology)

Eligibility: BSc (Agri) / BVSC / BSc (Home Sc) / MBBS / BTech / BE (Chemical / Biochemical / Biomedical / Biotechnology) / BPharmacy (60%)
Age Limit: 28 years (on 1 December ‘05)

Selection: Merit

Application Form: Send Rs 200/- by DD favouring "Principal, G B Pant Engineering College, Pauri Garhwal" to the Dean (Academic) at the above address or download from website.

PhD & MS Programmes with / without Half Time Teaching/ Research Assistantship (HTRA) in Engineering Departments of: Aerospace, Applied Mechanics, Biotechnology, Chemical, Civil, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical, Mechanical, Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Ocean Engineering & departments of Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Humanities & Social Sciences & Mgmt Studies.

Application Form: Send Rs 250 by DD favouring ‘IIT, Madras’ payable at Chennai with self-addressed envelop (26 x 18 cm) to the Deputy Registrar (Acad) to the above address. Superscribe "Request for Application Form for PhD/ MS Programme" on envelope by 19 October 2005 or download from website.

Details: Website

Condensed Course in Tool & Die Making (1-yr)

Eligibility: 10+2 (with Maths & Sc)

Selection: Test / Interview: 20 October 2005

Application Form: Send Rs 200/- by DD favouring ‘TRTC, Delhi’ to the above address (At counter: Rs 200/- in cash).

Advanced Technician Course in

1) Tool Room Machine Operator’s (1-yr)
2) Tool Room Die Fitter’s (1-yr)

Eligibility: 10+2 (with ITI or NCTVT) For 1: Machinist / Miller / Grinder & Turner
For 2: Tool & Die Makers, Die Fitter & Fitters Age Limit: 24 years (on 1 Nov ’05)

Selection: Entrance Test: 21 October 2005, Interview.

Application Form: Send Rs 100/- by DD favouring ‘TRTC, Delhi’ to the above address. (At counter: Rs 100/- in cash).

Management

PG Diploma in Business Management (2-year, Residential)

Eligibility: Graduates with CAT/ XAT/GMAT scores

Selection: GD, Interview

Scholarship: Cover 25-100% of yearly tuition fees on a ‘Merit-on-Means’ basis.

Application Form: Send Rs 200/- by DD favouring "Institute for Technology & Management" payable at Mumbai to the Admissions Co-ordinator at the above address or download from website.

Details: Website

Scholarship Deadline: 31 December 2005

1) PG Diploma in Management (2-year)
2) PG Dip in General Management (2-year)

Eligibility: UG Deg (50%).

Selection: SNAP Test - 2005

Details: Website

PG Courses in Personnel Mgmt / Rural Development / Information Mgmt
MBA in Finance / Marketing.

Eligibility: Bachelor’s Degree.

Selection: XAT (Jan 08 ’06)/ MAT (Dec 04 ’05 & Feb 05 ’06) scores, GD, Interview

Application Form: Send Rs 600/- by DD favouring "Xavier Institute of Social Service" payable at Ranchi with a photocopy of the filled in MAT Form or the XAT ID to the above address.

Details: Website.

Executive Fellow Programme in Management (PT)
Specialization: Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, Operations Mgmt, Organizational Behavior, Personnel Mgmt & Industrial Relations / Human Resource Mgmt, Strategic Management

Eligibility: MBA with a full time job or atleast 3 years of managerial experience.

Selection: Interview: November 3rd / 4th week.

Application Form: Download from website.

1) PG Programme in Rural Management (2-yr)
2) Fellow Programme in Rural Management (3-yr)
(Mgmt of Co-operatives; Agriculture /Rural Marketing; Rural Economics & Natural Resources Mgmt; Development Mgmt; Micro-Finance).

Eligibility: For 1) Bachelor’s Degree (50%);
For 2) PGDRM (IRMA) / PGDM (GPA 2.60 out of 4.33), 2-year work experience or 1-year programme from IRMA (GPA of 2.60), 3-year work experience or PG (55%) or GPA 2.60, 2-year work experience or MPhil (55%) or GPA of 2.60.

Selection: Written Test: 18 December 2005 (at 20 centres, IRMA’s PGDRM Candidates applying for FPRM exempted), GD, Interview.

Application Form: Send Rs 100/- by DD favouring "Institute of Rural Management Anand" payable at Anand with 3 addressed slips (3" x 3") to the Admission Co-ordinator at the above address or download from the website.

Details: Website.

Diploma in Training & Development (18-month).

Eligibility: Bachelor’s Degree, 2 years work experience in Training / HRD or PG Degree / Diploma (any discipline).

Selection: Entrance Exam

Application Form:

Send Rs 300/- by MO/DD favouring "ISTD (Diploma Programme)" payable at New Delhi to the above address.

Details: Website.

— Pervin Malhotra
www.careerguidanceindia.com