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Sowing Success
Nursing opportunities
The meltdown
..but job security concerns rose in June
Portals work out new strategies in tough times
Food for Thought
Get angry for a better career
India becomes R&D hotspot
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Sowing Success
Agricultural scientists applying the principles of biochemistry, genetics or microbiology are providing the technological support for the development of new and high-yielding varieties of agricultural products to feed, clothe and house a growing population. Agricultural scientists study farm crops and animals and develop ways of improving their quantity and quality. They look for ways to improve crop yield with less labour, control pests and weeds more safely and effectively, and conserve soil and water. Plant scientists study plants, helping producers of food, feed, and fibre crops to feed a growing population and conserve natural resources. Agronomists and crop scientists not only help increase productivity, but also study ways to improve the nutritional value of crops and the quality of seed, often through biotechnology. Some crop scientists study the breeding, physiology, and management of crops and use genetic engineering to develop crops resistant to pests and drought. With recent advances in the study of genetics and use of biotechnology to manipulate the genetic material of plants and crops, attempts are being made to develop plants that are more productive and resistant to disease. The bio-genetically engineered BT Cotton plant is already being extensively grown around the country, and there are indications that genetically modified seeds will be introduced for food crops such as brinjal and tomato also. Soil scientists study the chemical, physical, biological, and mineralogical composition of soils as it relates to plant growth. They also study the responses of various soil types to fertilizers, tillage practices, and crop rotation. Because soil science is closely related to environmental science, persons trained in soil science also work to ensure environmental quality and effective land use. Animal scientists work to develop better, more efficient ways of producing and processing meat, poultry, eggs, and milk. Agricultural scientists working with food technologists also research methods of converting raw agricultural commodities into attractive and healthy food products for consumers, while others work with biologists and chemists to develop processes for turning crops into energy sources, fuels from bagasse or oil seeds, or ethanol produced from corn. Most agricultural scientists work in basic or applied research and development. Basic research seeks to understand the biological and chemical processes by which crops and livestock grow, such as determining the role of a particular gene in plant growth. Applied research uses this knowledge to discover mechanisms to improve the quality, quantity, or safety of agricultural products. While most agricultural scientists spend time outdoors conducting research on farms and agricultural research stations, those involved in management or basic research tend to work regular hours in offices and laboratories.
Getting started
MOST agricultural scientists need at least a master’s degree to work in basic or applied research, whereas a bachelor’s degree is sufficient for some jobs in applied research or product development, or jobs in other occupations related to agricultural science. A PhD in agricultural science is needed for college teaching and for advancement to senior research positions. To be eligible for BSc in agriculture, you should have passed 10+2 with science subjects, and in some cases, you may need to clear an entrance exam. You can also get into an MSc in agricultural science after degrees in related sciences such as biology, chemistry, or physics or in related engineering specialties. Most universities offer graduate and postgraduate courses in agriculture and its allied fields. There are 27 state agricultural universities and 35 agricultural colleges. Programmes of study in agriculture may include courses in chemistry, biology, animal and plant sciences, horticulture, soil science and even agricultural engineering. Most agricultural institutions offer a choice of several agricultural specialisations, such as agricultural economics, agricultural chemistry, horticulture, animal breeding and genetics, agricultural marketing and farm management, so you can specialise in a subfield of interest. If you are interested in doing genetic and biotechnological research in the food industry you need a strong background in life and physical sciences, such as cell and molecular biology, microbiology, and inorganic and organic chemistry. You also need to be able to work independently or as part of a team with the ability to apply statistical techniques, and to use computers to analyse data and to control biological and chemical processing.
Field of activity
A MAJORITY of agricultural scientists work with the government in state and central government agriculture departments or with government-funded research organisations. The ICAR (Indian Council for Agricultural Research), the Institute for Horticultural Research and some agricultural universities are engaged in research activities and thus require trained professionals. There are also new areas such as biotechnology and genetic engineering for researchers in this field. Agricultural scientists can also work for agricultural service companies, commercial research and development laboratories, seed companies, wholesale distributors, and food products companies. Those managing or administering research and development programmes or in marketing or production operations can get jobs in companies that produce food products or agricultural chemicals, supplies, and machinery. Agricultural research has always played an important part in creating higher yielding crops, crops with better resistance to pests and plant pathogens, and more effective fertilizers and pesticides. However, as insects and diseases continue to adapt to pesticides and as soil fertility and water quality continue to need improvement, there will always be a need for continued research and for agricultural scientists. They will also be needed to balance increased agricultural output with protection and preservation of soil, water, and ecosystems. Moreover, with the increasing demand for biofuels and other agricultural products used in industrial processes, agricultural scientists will be needed to find ways to increase the output of crops used in these products. Also layoffs and job losses are less likely among agricultural and food scientists than in some other occupations because food is a staple item and its demand fluctuates very little with economic activity. So, if you have a scientific temper and want a job that is different – here is an opportunity that will not only put food on your table, but on the tables of millions around the world. (The writer is a career expert)
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Nursing opportunities
Q. I want to know about a course in nursing. What is the difference between BSc nursing and general nursing course? Please also tell me about the selection procedure.
— Neerja Govil
A. There are several entry points for training to be a nurse:
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After Class X 18-month auxiliary nurse midwife / multi-purpose health worker courses (merit-based entry) n
After Class XII or work experience - Three-year diploma in general nursing Eligibility: Class XII, preferably in science Selection: Objective type entrance exam in English and general science. - Four-year BSc nursing Eligibility: Pass in XII (physics, chemistry & biology) Selection: Entrance exam or merit in qualifying exam - Three-and-a-half year certificate in general nursing (GN), general nursing midwives (GNM) and male nursing (MN) diploma courses are offered by every state at designated hospitals. Eligibility: Class 10 with science (40 per cent), 17-25 years Exams are conducted by the respective State Nursing Boards. - Two-year BSc nursing post basic/certificate Eligibility: Class 12 pass or equivalent in science with work experience of three-five years after completing general nursing/midwife training. Notification and admission details are published in leading newspapers. Alternatively, information can also be obtained from the Director, Medical Services Training of the state. Colleges admit domiciles of respective states but some national level colleges conduct all India entrance tests. Most nursing colleges tend to admit women candidates only, but the courses are also open to males in restricted numbers.
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No crossing over from ayurveda to allopathy
Q. My wife is a BAMS (ayurvedic) doctor. She wants to do MD in anaesthesia. I want to know whether that is available after BAMS. If yes, please tell me about the institutions and the fee structure.
— R.K. Sood
A. I’m afraid it won’t be possible for your wife to branch off into MD anaesthesia with a BAMS degree, as the two systems of medicine are different.
BAMS graduates can also apply for three-year postgraduate programmes. The PG programmes are conducted by many recognized institutions lead to degrees of doctor of medicine in ayurveda (MD, Ayurveda) and master of surgery in ayurveda (MS, Ayurveda). Your wife could also do a postgraduate course in hospital management or administration or a course in clinical research with a BAMS qualification.
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If you want a degree, go for IGNOU MCA
Q. I have completed ‘A’ level course from DOEACC and want to do ‘B’ level. What are the job opportunities available for me after ‘B’ level? I am a graduate. Also advise me on what will be more appropriate — IGNOU’s MCA or DOEACC ‘B’ level.
— Mrigank Bisht
A. DOEACC’s B-Level, or graduate level course, is considered equivalent to BE/BTech, MCA or MSc. A B-level professional is proficient to work as a network systems administrator, database administrator, software engineer or senior faculty member. Eligibility: Level ‘A’/PGDCA/ three-year engineering diploma/ bachelor’s degree Similarly, you are also eligible for taking the CAT, as the eligibility is a bachelor’s degree for both. While both DOEACC and MCA are considered equivalent, MCA is clearly a degree. So, perhaps, from that point of view, the IGNOU MCA may be a preferred option.
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Polymer chemistry is the place to be
Q. I am pursuing MSc (final) with organic chemistry from CCS University. After this, I want to specialise in polymer chemistry. Please tell me about related institutes in Delhi and future prospect of the course.
— Vineet Suri
A. Polymer science is to chemistry what electronics is to physics. In a recent issue of the Journal of Chemistry Education Review that published a conference calendar for the year, 30 per cent of the conferences were related to polymers! So important is polymer science. Globally, the plastics and polymer industry has emerged as a major sector of growth. Demands from a variety of industries such as the transport sector, household appliances and goods, packaging and electrical and telecom industry have in turn accelerated research and production generating employment in all sections of the industry. For instance, synthetic rubber is now in great demand. Opportunities exist in technological applications, research and development, production and marketing in industries that use these materials. Almost everything we wear and almost everything we carry in our pockets or bags are made of polymers. Moreover, since 90 per cent of polymer goods are disposable, they have an unlimited replenishing market. Hence understandably, specialising in polymer and plastics will make an excellent career. The Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET), Chennai, established under the directorate of chemical & petrochemicals, ministry of petroleum and chemicals, Government of India and assisted by UNDP, is an autonomous institute that offers specialised and practical training in plastic technology, engineering and testing. The courses are designed to address practical problems involved in relevant areas. CIPET’s courses are offered through eleven regional extension centres and are recognised by the University of Madras as a centre for conducting research leading to PhD in polymer science and technology and polymer engineering. All the eleven centres conduct a variety of courses, but for chemistry students like you, the following courses are specifically suited: n
Postgraduate diploma in plastic processing technology n
Postgraduate diploma in plastic testing & conversion technology Courses at CIPET are of the level of IIT. For more details, log on to www.cipetindia.com
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Career Hotline
Q. I am a final year student of diploma in engineering. Is there any way diploma engineers can get into the Merchant Navy?
— Sukhbir Singh
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Pre-sea training course for diploma holders (DME) Eligibility: 50 per cent in the final year of the diploma Duration: Two years Age limit: 28 years n
Second year of marine engineering degree course Eligibility: 55 per cent and 50 per cent in English in class 10/12 /diploma exam Duration: Four years Age limit: 25 years The list of recognised institutions can be accessed from the website of the Directorate General of
Shipping www.dca.ac.in
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You can bank on this sector!
Q. I have completed BCom and am pursuing MCom. I want to make a career in the banking sector. What do I have to do? What are the minimum marks required for this at graduation level?
— Jitin Negi
A. Public sector banks recruit probationary officers through PO exams from time to time as per their requirement. In fact, despite the global slowdown and crisis in the financial sector our PSU banks have been on an active recruitment drive. The minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree. No minimum percentage of marks is specified except in some cases (SBI asks for 65 per cent, RBI asks for 60 per cent at the bachelor’s level or 55 per cent at the master’s level). The age limit is usually 30 years (some relaxation in marks and age limit is offered for reserved category candidates). Besides banks, accounting and auditing firms also recruit MComs as audit trainees. Banks also recruit specialists in management, economics, statistics, computer science, engineering and agriculture as specialist officers. International banks prefer MBA, CA and CFA.
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The meltdown
The latest employment and business outlook report by Bangalore-based staffing firm Teamlease, after interviewing HR heads, CEOs and senior executives of 495 companies across the country, indicates signs of revival. For the July-September quarter, the net employment outlook index stands at 46 points, an increase of 22 points compared to the previous quarter. Similarly for net business outlook, the index stands at 24 points, an increase of 26 points compared to the previous quarter (it was in the negative last quarter indicating high levels of firing). The telecom domain is seen to be closest to recovery with 55 points, followed by information and infrastructure at 53 points. But the ITES sector is yet to show any sign of revival, said the study. Teamlease general manager Surabhi Mathur-Gandhi said, “With the stabilisation of economies and optimism in global expansion, there is a direct positive implication for the Indian employment situation. We are observing a slow and steady upsurge in the hiring intent across sectors. The advent of new players and aggressive expansion of large telecom giants has seen a bullish outlook for the industry with a promise of exponential growth.’’ There is a slow and steady upsurge in the hiring intent across sectors, according to the Teamlease study. IT, infrastructure, manufacturing and engineering sectors seem to be optimistic too. “There is a large play to replenish good talent to further business. There are active hiring plans reported by Indian employers and the overall employment outlook, though a bit conservative, is bullish and upbeat,’’ added Gandhi. Chennai has scored the highest improvement on employment outlook with a rise of 37 points, followed by Delhi and Pune at 33 points and Hyderabad at 28 points. All these cities have also shown an increase in business outlook index while Pune topped the pack by scoring 47 points.
— Agencies
Bangalore tops in attrition
BANGALORE showed an increase of 9 points in the net employment outlook compared to the last quarter, one of the weakest increases among cities, and an 18 point increase in the net business outlook. However, the city accounted for the highest attrition rate, IT accounts for over 80% of the city’s total labour pool, at 23% in the last quarter, over the previous quarter’s 16%. Much of the attrition could be involuntary attrition (or layoffs). Attrition was also high in Hyderabad and Chennai while Kolkata reported the lowest.
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..but job security concerns rose in June
THE Indian economy may be on the road to recovery but employment outlook remains weak, with as many as 52 per cent of those surveyed last month pointing that there has been decrease in job security against 48 per cent in May, research firm Boston Analytics said.
“The job market in India has been sending some mixed signals in recent months. Sentiment related to job security on an observed basis has fallen again in the last month, reaching its lowest level since August 2008,” according to Boston Analytics’ monthly Consumer Confidence Survey. “In the June survey, approximately 52 per cent of surveyed respondents observed (compared to 12 months ago) a decrease in job security compared to 48 per cent in the May survey,” it said. Export-oriented sectors such as gems, jewellery, textiles and leather have seen large scale layoffs triggered by the global economic downturn. Sectors like information technology, construction, aviation, financial services and real estate that contributed to India’s nine per cent GDP growth also witnessed significant retrenchment, the survey said. “On the expectations front, about 22 per cent respondents (surveyed last month) feel unemployment will decrease in the next 12 months compared to 19 per cent in the May survey,” Boston Analytics said. However, companies appear optimistic about business conditions and are expecting domestic demand to grow, it added. “Sectors such as FMCG, food and beverages, banking, retail, energy, infrastructure, and pharmaceuticals have witnessed an upswing in hiring activity,” the Consumer Confidence Survey said. Sentiment about India’s unemployment continues to be pessimistic, there has been some improvement in the last month, it pointed out. About 24 per cent respondents observed a decrease in unemployment in June compared to 21 per cent in the previous month, the survey said. “Positive sentiment about the nation’s macro-economic outlook has translated into optimism about creating alternative means of employment,” it said. Close to 43 per cent respondents felt it would be easy to create alternative means of employment in the event of a job loss, the survey added. Boston Analytics surveyed 10,000 respondents across 15 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
— PTI
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Portals work out new strategies in tough times
WITH the recruitment market shrinking due to the global economic slowdown, job portals are working on new strategies like launching city-specific portals or targeting fresh graduates.
According to Vivek Madhukar, vice president of timesjobs.com, the content and the jobs listed in city portals are more focussed and serve the interests of both job-seekers who would like to stay at a particular location and recruiters who like to recruit people already based in the city. “Both job seekers and employers prefer specific locations,” Madhukar said. Times Business plans to have around eight city-specific portals including those launched already for Delhi and Mumbai. “After the launch of the Delhi site (www.delhi.timesjobs. com), the number of hits jumped 38 percent, job listings by 27 percent and applications by 25 percent,” he said. “The next city portal will be Bangalore-centric.” Expertus, however, has decided to be even more focussed — and target fresh graduates. Explaining the rationale behind the move, the company’s managing director of global operations, Srini Krishnamurthi, said: “Popular job portals like naukri.com, timesjobs.com cater to everybody. A fresh graduate’s resume there is like putting a drop of water in an ocean.” According to him, the best way a fresher can get a job is in the college itself with the placement officer interfacing between the campus and the corporate world. Naukri.com, too, feels first-time job seekers open up a new segment. Said Deepali Singh, business head at www.firstnaukri.com: “India has over 5,000 recognised management colleges, yet the placement procedure remains offline for most of these colleges.” “This would help the recruiters to do first round of short-listing online. Second, there is no specialised portal, which allows recruiters to showcase internship jobs or limited period projects for students. Firstnaukri.com will attempt to fill this gap in the online space,” added Singh. Krishnamurthi of Expertus said job portals for freshers offer tier-two and tier-three colleges an opportunity to showcase their students to the corporate world, as leading firms usually visit only the top colleges. According to him, conventional campus hiring made talent supply seem short, increasing the wage bills for firms. Expertus is now planning to launch a similar portal in Malaysia with a local partner there. Times Business is also catering to the segment. “It (portal for freshers) does not serve our primary purpose of finding for people the right job, at the right time and place. (But) we have a special section and micro site on timesjobs.com called ‘CampusDirect’ that showcases freshers to employers,” Singh pointed out. — IANS
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Food for Thought
YOU might be working harder and longer in a desperate bid to succeed, but if you are doing so at the cost of your health, then you need to get rid of those workaholic habits. “Many people feel like they have to push themselves to unhealthy levels in order to succeed. But high-pressure jobs and long hours take a real toll on your immediate and future health,” said George Griffing, M.D., professor of internal medicine at Saint Louis University.
These are the seven worst habits of workaholics: n
Forgetting to relax: While some stress can be good because it keeps you alert and motivated, too much stress or chronic stress will take its toll on your body. n
Eating on the go: Between meetings, conference calls and deadlines, workaholics forget to take out time to sit down for a healthy lunch. But a good meal is exactly what a person needs to stay mentally sharp throughout the day. n
Putting off sleep for work: Even busy professionals need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Missing out on sleep can lead to irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory problems and poor judgment. It has also been linked to obesity. n
Not making time for exercise: Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise most days is very important to immediate and future health. n
Working even when sick: Many people come to work despite being ill. But there are three common sense reasons to stay home - Nobody wants your germs, you’ll be less productive and you need your rest to get better. n
Drinking (too much): Excessive drinking can lead to alcoholism, liver disease and some forms of cancer. n
Skipping annual medical checkups: In order to detect problems early, prevent others from developing and get the best treatment if you have a condition, you need to know what’s going on in your body.
Gossip is good!
THOSE who believe gossip is nothing but idle talk or rumour, think again, for a new study advises employers to use it to their advantage instead of fruitlessly seeking to stamp it out. Gossip is believed to be one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views. At every place, home, school, college and of course office, we find gossipers who spend quality time in talking about others which may be of no importance to them. Researchers have now advised companies to harness water-cooler gossip to test business ideas as informal channels could prove the perfect environment to sound out ideas. They point to the example of a Sydney-based recruitment agency’s managing director, who could not afford to award all staff a pay rise but was worried that only doing so for some could adversely affect morale. Instead, he chose to ignite a rumour by informing a key aide that he was seeking to award some employees pay rises in return for their taking on more responsibility. The rumour spread rapidly and the workers proved so supportive that the notion was adopted as policy, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reported today. Grant Michelson, the research director at Audencia Nantes Business School in France who has written a book about gossip in the workplace, suggests that employers should use it to their advantage.
— Agencies
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Get angry for a better career
IF you want to rise in your profession and attain true happiness, then get angry. That’s the conclusion of a new study which suggests staying cool can damage a person’s career and lower his or her satisfaction in life.
On the other hand, the study, which tracked volunteers’ lives since 1965, found that those who learned to harness and channel their anger were far more likely to be professionally well-established, as well as enjoying emotional intimacy with their closed ones. Professor George Vaillant, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, said: “People think of anger as a terribly dangerous emotion and are encouraged to practise ‘’positive thinking’’, but we find that approach is self-defeating and ultimately a damaging denial of dreadful reality.” “Negative emotions such as fear and anger are inborn and are of tremendous importance. Negative emotions are often crucial for survival: careful experiments such as ours have documented that negative emotions narrow and focus attention so we can concentrate on the trees instead of the forest,” the expert added. Vaillant maintains that, while uncontrolled exhibitions of anger are destructive, learning to positively channel anger serves a vital role in people’s well-being. Internalising the emotion can cause depression, health problems and communication difficulties.
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India becomes R&D hotspot
AT Microsoft’s research centre in a leafy lane in India’s tech capital,
Bangalore, a new generation of researchers are being groomed half a
world away from the software giant’s sprawling Seattle headquarters.
Complete with beanbags and coffee served in steel tumblers, the centre is helping change the perception that India is no place for top-end research and development. Staffed with about 60 full-time researchers, many of them Indians with PhDs from top universities in the United States, the centre is at the cutting edge of Microsoft’s R&D. It covers seven areas of research including mobility and
cryptography.
Its success, including developing a popular tool for Microsoft’s new search engine Bing, underscores the potential of R&D in India at a time when cost-conscious firms are keen to offshore to save money by using talented researchers abroad. Showing off the Bing tool, which enables searches for locations with incomplete or even incorrect addresses, B. Ashok, a director of a research unit at the centre, said the innovation would never have taken root if the R&D had been done in the United States. “It was completely inspired by the Indian environment, but is applicable worldwide,” he said. While India might seem like a natural location to expand offshoring into R&D, it is hampered by some serious structural problems that range from not enough homegrown researchers to a lack of government support. India produces about 300,000 computer science graduates a year. Yet it produces only about 100 computer science PhDs, a small fraction of the 1,500-2,000 that get awarded in the United States, or China, every year. “Students here are not exposed to research from an early age, faculties are not exposed to research and there’s no career path for innovation because there’s a lot of pressure to get a ‘real’ job,” said Vidya Natampally, head of strategy at the Microsoft India Research Centre. With few government incentives and an education system that emphasises rote learning, India lacks the kind of environment found in say, Silicon Valley, where universities, venture capitalists and startups encourage innovation. “China has a policy in place for R&D; we don’t,” Natampally said, adding that India could move up the value chain faster if even a small percentage of its engineering graduates went into research. The small numbers of PhDs and the lack of government incentives for India’s fledgling R&D sector are blunting the country’s edge, analysts
warn. Stiff competition
RIVAL China has already pulled ahead with more than 1,100 R&D centres compared to less than 800 in India, despite lingering concerns about rule of law and intellectual property rights. Aside from providing funding to encourage students to complete their PhDs, China also offers fiscal incentives such as tax breaks for R&D centres and special economic zones provide infrastructure for hi-tech and R&D
industries. India is also losing out in the patent stakes. In 2006-2007, just 7,000 patents were granted in this country of 1.1 billion people, compared to nearly 160,000 in the United States. “We’re nowhere near the US or even Israel when it comes to innovations,” said Praveen Bhadada at consultancy Zinnov, which estimates the R&D sector in India is worth about $9.2 billion. Our costs are low and our talent pool is ahead of China, Russia and Ukraine, but China gives specific incentives, and produces way more PhDs than we do.” India is cheaper than China for R&D, those in the industry in Bangalore said. But salaries in India have been rising by about 15 per cent every year and may soon reach parity with China. R&D centre costs in Shanghai are currently just 10-15 percent higher than in India.
Beyond coding
MICROSOFT and other firms have been working around the government’s indifference. Cisco, IBM, Intel, Nokia, Ericsson and Suzuki Motor have all gone beyond low-end coding and tweaking products for the local market, with hefty investments and recruitment. Their success shows India’s potential if the government starts supporting such ventures and building high-tech parks and incubators. “If Paris asks for some work, it’s not because they think it’s cheaper but because they want inputs from India,” said Jean Philippe, chief designer of the Renault India Studio, which competes with the French carmakers’ five other global studios. Texas Instruments and San Jose-based Cadence Design were among the first to set up R&D in India in the mid-80s, drawn by the legions of English-speaking software engineers who could be hired at about 20 percent of the cost of engineers in the United
States. The opening of the economy in the early 90’s and the establishment of software services industry drew more foreign firms looking to cut costs and tap emerging markets. “From when a few companies offshored non-critical design work, we have seen India emerge as a preferred destination for design and development of chip, board and embedded software,” said Jaswinder Ahuja, managing director, Cadence India. Firms first focused on the ‘D’ in R&D, but research has grown in importance in recent years, and many of the facilities in India are now the largest outside their home base. Half of Cisco’s core R&D work, including innovations in WiMAX and optical networks, and about 40 per cent of SAP’s ideas for processes and product development come from
India. IBM’s India Research Labs do a “fair share of patenting”, helping swell the parent’s record numbers every year, said director Guruduth Banavar in Bangalore. Its new $100 million-mobile communications research, Mobile Web, is the first time a big project has been driven from outside the United States, he said. “For a research lab it’s the best environment to be in: you can see the problems and the opportunities,” said Banavar, previously at IBM’s lab in Boston and has, like several of his peers, returned to India to oversee operations here.
— Reuters
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Today, as we pray for rain and a normal monsoon, we also look towards science and the role it can play in providing adequate food to the growing population of the world. With technological advancement available in terms of scientific knowledge, automation and biogenetics, farming is no longer the preserve of the simple, uneducated farmer with his bullocks tilling the soil, but is becoming a specialised professional activity.
AT Microsoft’s research centre in a leafy lane in India’s tech capital, Bangalore, a new generation of researchers are being groomed half a world away from the software giant’s sprawling Seattle headquarters. world away from the software giant’s sprawling Seattle headquarters. Complete with beanbags and coffee served in steel tumblers, the centre is helping change the perception that India is no place for top-end research and development.
Today, as we pray for rain and a normal monsoon, we also look towards science and the role it can play in providing adequate food to the growing population of the world. With technological advancement available in terms of scientific knowledge, automation and biogenetics, farming is no longer the preserve of the simple, uneducated farmer with his bullocks tilling the soil, but is becoming a specialised professional activity.
However, with the increasing popularity of alternative systems of medicine, those specialising in Ayurveda have pretty good career prospects. Besides working in private or government ayurvedic hospitals, BAMS graduates can also work in pharma companies producing ayurvedic medicines and cosmetics, as tutors in colleges, in private practice, in health centres of hotels, health resorts and spas.
The government (MHRD) recognises the exam for employment in the Central Government wherever MCA is the desired qualification. This makes B-level graduates eligible for government jobs in all departments of the Centre, states, UTs as well as in all PSUs. What’s more, you can also take the GATE to pursue ME/MTech courses.
Plastic / polymer and synthetic rubber technologies are some of the fastest growing high profile industries. Substances used to make these products are synthetic resins. Plastic technologists develop, adopt and supervise various processes for manufacturing plastics. Some of the processes that are involved are compression, heat moulding, lamination, calendaring, fabrication, and vacuum forming. Supervising these processes involves arranging materials, studying the specifications, installing and operating machines, tools and moulds. Machine operation of moulding, injection and extrusion require operators working on laminating presses and table machines.
A. Yes, diploma-holders in mechanical, marine, naval architecture, electrical, and electronics engineering can enrol for either:
IS there some respite in sight for job seekers in the country? If data from a recent study are reliable, green shoots are visible on the hiring front.
While Times Business Solutions that owns the portal www.timesjobs.com is betting on city-specific portals, Info Edge that owns naukri.com and a city-based learning management firm Expertus have come out with job portals exclusively for fresh graduates. 
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, which included 824 men and women, found that those who bottle up their frustration are at least three times more likely to admit they had hit a glass ceiling in their careers and have disappointing personal lives, reports The Guardian. 