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Robo Pals
The
meltdown
When the tough get going!
Monday morning blues?
Huge talent deficit may hit corporate India
OFFICE
Mantra
Media multitasking doesn’t work!
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Robo Pals
IMAGINE a mechanical device that can do all the things you find tiresome to do — making your bed, driving the car, or even doing homework! One day, robots will probably do all those things, and more. Robots have already replaced humans in many jobs that are repetitive and do not require human intervention like some automation jobs in industry like welding, painting, and assembly line functions. They are also used for performing tasks in space, sea-exploration, nuclear science, servicing of transmission electric signals and designing of bio-medical equipments. Robots are indispensable in several hazardous military operations, including the handling of munitions for transporting explosive weapons and operating in highly radioactive environments.
Robots are built to work repeatedly and accurately and programmed in a way that enables them to operate automatically. That’s why robots are being used for more and more applications and will continue to have a major role to play in simplifying processes in the future. Robots are being increasingly used in space, for dangerous military operations such as clearing minefields, and also in the field of medicine, performing minute procedures that the human eye or hand cannot undertake. Robotics is, therefore, an ever-expanding industry that is expected to witness rapid growth strides in the future.
Understanding robotics
ROBOTICS is a field of engineering that deal with design and application of robots and the use of computers for their manipulation and processing. Robotic technologists use their skills to assemble, program, troubleshoot, coordinate and design robots for a variety of uses, and develop applications for them. There are broadly four categories of robots based on their functions: n Industrial robots: This is the largest category of robots. These are simple, programmable robots used in manufacturing plants for welding, painting, and feeding components into machines. They robots work mechanically and are not capable of reacting to change. n Personal robots: Most of these are basically just expensive, high-tech toys. Sony has developed the Aibo ERS-210, an odd-looking, three-pound metallic dog capable of limited voice recognition. Robopal a two-foot-tall home-security robot, developed by Honda Motor Company can patrol your home, walk up and down stairs, and senses danger with ultraviolet sensors. n Robots for medical or surgical use: The greatest advancements in the use of robots have been those developed for use in the medical field. Surgical robots, for example, can do everything from tying sutures to moving cameras in response to spoken commands. n Autonomous robots: Currently being developed as the “next generation” in robotics, these can make decisions and can even determine right from wrong. Kismet, a thinking robot developed at MIT, is capable of socialising with people and even eliciting emotions like surprise, happiness and anger!
The first step
ROBOTICS is an interdisciplinary field with applications in many areas. So, you can study robotics after graduation in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, instrumentation engineering or computer engineering. If you wish to specialise in designing and control, a mechanical engineering background is useful, while a specialisation in control and hardware design of robots would require electrical or electronics engineering, and a computer design programmer can look at hardware design in robotics. Robotics courses include the study of related research technologies, such as artificial intelligence. AI, as it is better known, is the method that enables a computer to think rationally. This implies that the computers are able to take intelligent decisions. The seven IITs, BITS Pilani, and several other institutes offer courses in robotics which can be pursued from several departments — computer science and engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering. To encourage more students into the field the IITs also organise a robotics competition every year open to students from all schools and engineering colleges. The Indian Institute of Science at Bengaluru also offers computer science with a specialisation in artificial intelligence while National Institutes of Technology and University of Hyderabad offer MTech in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), a premier centre for research, development and training of computer hardware technologies, also focuses on applied artificial intelligence.
No full stops
WITH a specialisation in robotics engineering you can work in diverse fields such as nanotechnology, medicine, space exploration, mining, nuclear science, ammunitions, power plants and a variety of other areas. Besides, there is great scope for qualified experts and researchers in different segments of R & D in robotics. There has been a rapid growth in robotics over the last couple of years with Japan, Germany and the United States leading this industry. Robotics companies need a host of talents, including programmers, systems engineers, technicians, database and simulation experts, and industrial engineers. With the advancement of computer science and related research technologies, artificial intelligence jobs in India are also gaining more popularity, particularly in the area medicine, police intelligence and space research. Intelligence agencies and police departments across the world use artificial intelligence to detect bombs and explosives and defuse them. Space research organisations like NASA, ISRO are also making innovative uses of artificial intelligence technologies. A career in robotics is more than creating high tech toys and gadgets. It is a highly advanced science that can bring about major changes in technology and the use of the computer. Those looking for a career in robotics must therefore possess high intelligence, a vivid imagination, the ability to visualise and anticipate the future application of robots and work towards designing such robots within a team. If working with computers and mechanics sounds interesting and if you have advanced science and math skills, then a career in robotics might be just right for you. You could start by participating in the IIT robotics competition! Institute Watch n
Indian Institutes of Technology: Delhi, Kanpur, Mumbai, Chennai, Kharagpur,
Guwahati and Roorkee n Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru n
University of Hyderabad n Jadavpur University, Kolkata n
Birla Institute of Technology &
Science, Pilani n Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthinilayam,Tamil Nadu n
PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
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The meltdown IT professionals come together to start a portal to help pink-slipped peers, offer tips to find a new job, industry news, entrepreneurship ideas & a stress busting platform! Ramnath Shenoy
“Part of this idea came three months ago when we were moved by newspaper reports that two IT professionals have committed suicide in Bangalore and one in Chennai,” head of the team, T.N. Thandava Gowda, said. “Through this portal, we have created a platform for IT professionals to share their thoughts and post vacancies, if available, in their respective companies”, he said, noting that employees letting known openings in their firms is a unique model and such opportunities won’t find mention on various jobsites. Quoting industry sources, Gowda said approximately 3,000 IT jobs were lost last month alone in Bangalore. “Prior to that, the figure was higher.” Unfortunately, there were no openings for those who picked-up pink slips. The new web forum that the team has launched has interesting sections. Recession forum allows one to blog about anything related to recession and lightens one’s burden. They can talk about their layoff experiences and seek counselling. In the ‘Hot Jobs - A helping hand’, there are leads for those on the lookout for jobs while ‘India & recession’ has several tips and advice on coping with recession, on entrepreneurship ideas, stress busting and related issues. ‘News update’ has industry news that keeps one up to date with the recent happenings in the industry and thus helps one stay competitive. “This website is not just on getting jobs. We talk a lot about recession, where it’s moving and trends. We give tips to people on what they have to do to keep their jobs”, Gowda, who runs an IT firm focussed on e-governance projects, said. The other six members of the team were not willing to be quoted as they are working in private companies and want to steer clear of any attention on them. “They (the six members) certainly have concerns and have been seeing job losses in their own companies on a daily basis. Certainly there is a fear that they might lose jobs. There is a lot of turmoil,” Gowda said. The website, started out of curiosity and concern, is receiving one lakh hits a month, he claimed.
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When the tough get going!
Interestingly, most of the executives also find their work more exciting and meaningful now, despite the rising stress levels, according to a survey conducted by global consultancy firm McKinsey. “Most respondents are working more hours since the crisis began, and nearly 40 per cent have more responsibilities without the benefit of a new title. “But although stress levels have increased, most executives say they can cope,” the report said. Conducted in July, McKinsey Quarterly survey received responses from 1,653 executives worldwide. Among the respondents, 47 per cent were C-level executives (like CEO and CFO) or corporate directors, while 33 per cent were senior executives and middle managers made up 18 per cent. According to the survey, about 95 per cent of the executives were to some extent satisfied with their own performance but much less impressed with superiors’ work. “Most find their work more exciting and meaningful than they did before the crisis, and almost all — 95 per cent — are at least somewhat satisfied with their own performance as business leaders. Far fewer are impressed with the work of their direct superiors,” it noted. Amid companies looking to cut down on operating costs, the report said executives are working harder. “Executives are working harder in this environment — 55 hours a week on average, compared with 45 (hours) before the crisis,” the survey said. More than half of the executives who are satisfied with their own performance as business leaders were spending extra time on motivating people — compared with only 30 per cent of those who aren’t at all satisfied.
— PTI
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Monday morning blues?
When people are asked to remember how they felt in the past or are likely to feel in future, they predict being despondent on Monday mornings and really happy on Friday evenings, ahead of the weekend. But when Charles Areni of Sydney University and Mitchell Burger of marketing consulting firm NTF Group asked 351 people about their moods throughout the week, none of them validated any of the stereotypes. “Monday mornings were not the low point of the week, and although Friday and Saturday evenings were associated with positive moods, they were no better than moods reported on Tuesdays,” said Areni. “What we found is that actual moods don’t seem to vary systematically throughout the week. As it turned out, the low point of the week in our data was Wednesday, not Monday.” Areni said the day-of-the-week stereotypes stem from a cultural belief that people are generally happier when they are free to choose their activities compared to when they are engaged in paid work. “Monday morning is remembered and predicted to be the worst part of the week because it is the first work-day after two days of free time, and because four work-days follow before the next period of free time.” “Likewise, Friday evening is the best part of the week because it marks the beginning of an extended period of free time,” Areni said. But the research, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, does not bear this out.
— IANS
Wednesday is the worst day!
MONDAY was always assumed to be the day we are most miserable, but as it turns out, Wednesday is the worst day of the week. That’s the claim of two American applied mathematicians, who analysed words used in 2.4 million internet blogs such as Twitter, giving a score out of nine depending on how positive they were.
Professors Christopher Danforth and Peter Dodds, of Vermont University, gave words like free, fun, rainbow and sex 8+ score, while words such as betray, cruel, hatred and suffocate all scored less than two. Saturday and Sunday rated predictably well but, most shockingly, Monday came out as the second happiest day of the week, partly because people were still reminiscing about the weekend, reports The Telegraph. However by Wednesday, these feelings had subsided. Professor Danforth said: “People’s daily experience is being reflected somewhat in what they’re saying. And this is more of a story, we think, for Twitter messages, which we’ve just started to pay attention to, about a year ago. “They think they are communicating with friends, but since blogs are public we’re just looking over their shoulders. The weekends tend to be fairly happy and Wednesday turned out to be the saddest day.” The expert added: “What we’re attempting to do is measure collective happiness on a much larger scale, similar to measuring the temperature outside. “The energy of a few molecules bouncing around doesn’t give a good indication of heat, you need billions or more.”
— ANI
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Career Hotline Phoren degree is no guarantee Pervin Malhotra Q. I am in the second year of BTech. On completion, I want to continue my studies abroad. Please give me the right guidance for pursuing an MBA. — Ritesh Jamwal A. Since this is a question I’ve been asked very frequently, let me give you a reasoned and detailed answer. First of all, lets get the fundas right. What exactly do you want out of a foreign MBA? With thousands of MBA programmes available globally and loads of them here (1000+), you first need to be very clear about what you expect out of studying abroad. Also ‘abroad’ is too vague a term. Which specific country (US, UK, Australia or Canada) are you looking at? Do you want to work abroad or come back to India armed with a “phoren” degree? Are you looking at a fast-track one-year executive programme or a regular two-year one? And buddy, if getting into a good B-school in India is tough, making it to the top-50 B-schools in the US or even UK is no cakewalk either — considering the procedural hassles, time and costs involved. So do give it serious thought. Spaced over 11-18 months with no breaks between semesters, the one-year programme is typically developed around one specific functional niche. It is ideal for someone who has been working for a while and is looking at continuing in his functional area i.e. finance (in which case an MS in finance or financial engineering may do just fine). Unlike here, a good B-school in the west may even allow you the freedom to customise your courseware. However, the one-year MBA, also called an executive MBA, typically demands stiff prerequisites of approximately five years of work experience and academic eligibility. As there are no breaks, there are no internship opportunities for overseas students. On the other hand, the two-year MBA, quite like its Indian counterpart, spans over 18-20 months. While the first year covers the core curriculum in all functional areas, the second year focuses on chosen functional electives. You also get to intern with a company during the summer break/s and develop cross-functional skills. Now consider whether you would prefer an integrated or non-integrated curriculum? Which is your cup of tea — the lecture or case study method? Are you looking for functional depth in a particular area or a general management overview? A good foreign MBA broadens your horizon and gives you a global perspective. It also gives you an opportunity to develop contacts with people all over the world and can get you a job in any part of the world, thus making you a global citizen. However, since a decent US MBA can cost you an arm and a leg (Rs 35 lakh-1 crore+), do also consider the return on investment. Don’t expect industry to go gaga over your degree and offer you a fancy job at a fancy salary just because you have a foreign degree. The reality may be quite the contrary. If you have done your foreign MBA or MS from a B-school that is not so well known back home, you may well have to do the rounds of placement agencies before you find a job. After all, there is no dearth of MBAs here, and don’t forget Indian MBAs have the advantage of campus placement! Besides excellent GMAT scores, good B-schools lay a great store by your work-ex, essay and SOP (statement of purpose). When drafting your statement, take care to highlight the USP that distinguishes you from others. Highlight your strengths while balancing your weakness without going overboard. Also don’t take it casually or ask someone else to write it for you. They can sniff out a fake from a mile off. Be original. Your undergraduate academic record, including your extra-curricular activities, matter as much as your scores and work experience. As for the latter, no decent B-school, in the US or UK or Canada, Spain, France or Australia will take in fresh graduates. But it’s a myth that nothing less than three-four years (58-60 months) of industry experience is mandatory (and some B-school websites and brochures do give you such an impression by). While this may be true for average students, exceptions are always possible — even at the top schools. If you satisfy the rest of the conditions, there’s no reason why you can’t apply.
To become public notary, seven years of practice must
Q. I am a lawyer practicing in court for the last six years. I am interested in becoming a public notary but I have heard that one requires at least 10 years of work experience. Is this true? Also could you please tell me a little bit about the work profile? — Charanjeet Chawla
A. Notaries draft, verify, and attest various deeds and documents both judicial and non judicial such as conveyances and power of attorney concerning real estate, factories etc. They often bear witness to and certifying signatures on legal documents and of course you will be called upon to prepare a person’s last will and testament that we so often see hotly contested on TV soap operas. Sometimes the courts direct notaries to exercise the function of pro tem judge (temporary), magistrate, commissioner or arbitrator. Appointment of a notary is a statutory appointment, which is done under the Notaries Act and the Rules. To answer your first question, the eligibility for becoming a public notary is as follows: advocates (civil/criminal/taxation/revenue) who have been practicing for the last 10 years and enrolled with the Bar Council of India and with a no-objection certificate from the concerned Bar Council are invited by the judicial branch of the state government. However, you are in luck — applicants belonging either to SC, ST, OBC and women candidates need only seven years of legal practice.
To open path lab, you need MBBS or MSc
Q. I am doing inter (PCB) and want to open a pathology lab. What course should I go in for? Please give me information on pathology. — Deepak Mehra
A.
The mandatory requirement for opening a path lab is an MBBS degree registered with the state medical council or MSc in the relevant biomedical field. However, only a doctor with a post-MBBS specialisation — either a post-diploma or MD in pathology, radiology etc — is allowed to sign a report after reading the investigation. A medical laboratory technologist (from a recognised institution) can only assist the doctor in taking the samples, centrifuging, making the slides using specified stains, etc under the guidance of a qualified pathologist. Moreover, no pathologist can supervise more than five labs. The mandatory registration of a lab is reviewed every five years. There is also a proposal to ensure that labs are accredited to the National Accreditation Board of Laboratories (department of science and technology) Details: www.nabl-india.org, WHO
BSc (IT), BCA are job-oriented courses
Q. I am 17. After high school, I did a polytechnic diploma in computer science and engineering. I cannot enroll in BSc due to my weak financial condition but I want to pursue a job-oriented course. Which course should I do? — Jasbeer Hoon A.
In that case, you can do BSc (IT) or BCA. These will be more job-oriented than most other science courses. Of course you will need
to follow these with an MCA/MSc (IT) or certifications for higher-end jobs.
NIOS at par with education boards
Q. Is the certificate acquired from the National Open School considered at par with a certificate of passing through a government school to get a government job? — Kishori Dang
A.
Yes, for all practical purposes, an NIOS certificate is recognised as being on par with any government school certificate, unless specifically mentioned to the contrary. The National Institute of Open Schooling is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. Hence, the Secondary/Senior Secondary certificates obtained from NIOS have the same recognition as those issued by other boards.
This column appears weekly. Please send in your queries, preferably on a postcard, along with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to: The Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers @tribunemail.com
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Conquering failure
Psychological studies reveal that fear alone is behind all failures. Fear stops people from making the most of their opportunities. Fear closes our mouth when we need to speak up at the right moment. Fear causes irrational anxieties and phobias that put hurdles in our way to success. To succeed one must learn to tackle fear. Once fear is routed out, a healthy and confident outlook is restored. It opens the doors to opportunity, ultimately leading to success. Here is an excellent strategy to handle fear of failure. Thought control is the first step. It is not possible for all of us to have thought control, but once we realise every thought originates in our mind with a word having a similar feeling, we can get the knack of thought control by intentionally using the desired word. No thought can come to our mind without a word in mind. Humans can intentionally substitute failure-oriented words with success-oriented ones, provided we are convinced of the results. The system of failure and success is the same. The only difference lies in the thoughts we carry. Our thoughts produce actions and feelings. Feelings produce vibrations. Vibrations propel us to take further action and action produces results. The quality of our thoughts determines whether we will fail or succeed. If we dwell upon thoughts of failure, we’ll be propelled to take steps that will make us fail. If we dwell upon thoughts of success, it will be ours. Though we can’t control our thoughts that easily, we can make it work by changing the words we use.
Realistic expectations
PSYCHOLOGISTS firmly believe that there is no failure. We feel like a failure when we carry high expectations. Even success in other’s eyes can be a failure in our view. “To really succeed in the right sense, keep your expectations at the reasonable height and sight. High expectation alone is the source of frustration. That might be what failing is,” says psychologist Jonathan Haidt. While too high expectations cause frustration, never thinking of unpleasant situations and failures reverses this vicious circle. Now whenever you feel depressed about failure thoughts, practice thought control. Simply use success oriented words: “I’m a winner... always a winner...” Repeating such words time and again will erase failure-oriented words from your memory bank. All this requires real concentration and effort. It really works, even enthuses you at the time of interview. With practice, your win-win attitude will become a habit. Failure shall be foreign to you then.
Actions rule
FEAR of failure can be conquered only with an action. The first action on your part is the intentional use of positive words. Famous psychologist Dr George Crane says: “Remember, motions are precursors of emotions. You can’t control the latter directly, but only through your choice of motions and action.” The actions must be right and appropriate. Fear of failure is banished when you act in the right way.
Body posture
OUR body posture also affects our attitudes. Always sit erect in a chair. While walking, keep an erect posture. Mostly people lounge and slump in an easy chair. When practised regularly, such an incorrect posture not only changes our attitude into a negative one, it also causes certain physical ailment compelling one to make frequent visits to physiotherapists. Beginning this day, resolve to sit erect and walk more quickly. This will not only give you more confidence and improve your balance, it will certainly make you more confident to succeed with flying colours.
Wear a smile
FAILURE-ORIENTED people are almost always pensive while success-oriented ones always keep a smile upon their faces, whatever the circumstances. So why not cultivate a pleasant, relaxed smile? It tends to inhibit anxiety and despondency. Relaxing you thoroughly, it gives confidence not only to you but also to others in your surroundings. Your attitude is contagious. The more you practice, the more it will become a habit with you. Resolve to follow the above-mentioned steps. You will soon develop enough faith and courage. Faith alone works wonders. Without faith nothing constructive can be done as it develops a feeling of firm belief in you. Faith and belief act like a magnet that attracts all good things in life. Even faith grows with use. The more you practice, the more it develops. It, too, would become a habit with you. Your confidence would develop your good relationships. Happy situations will automatically come your way. You must act in the right earnest. How dare fear of failure break you then?
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Huge talent deficit may hit corporate India
According to report titled on the ‘New India Manager’ by Deloitte, the new talent management model in companies would need a shift in outlook where the paradigm of ‘scarcity of jobs’ would convert into a ‘scarcity of talent’. “Talent deficit is likely to grow significantly in the coming years as universities and educational centres are not providing the adequate skills for the country to produce required number of talented managers,” Deloitte vice-president (strategy & innovation) Manish Agrawal said. Unless a fundamental shift occurs in the educational system it will continue to produce degree holders but they will lack skills to operate in a corporate environment, he added. Agrawal has authored a study on the evolution of the Indian manager from the pre-liberalisation period till now. The report stated that globalisation, post-1991, has helped the Indian managers to develop their competencies and a global outlook unleashing a wave of creativity and innovation in the domestic industry. “However, not many managers in the country have required soft skills, like communication abilities for operating in a global environment among others. We need to build such skill sets to enhance our talent pools,” Agrawal said. The Deloitte report stated that it remains to be seen as to what extent the country would be able to enhance the competence level of its young population to make them employable. And this is also a challenge which the Indian policymakers would have to deal with in the years to come, it added. Asked if the Indian government were to make favourable changes in the educational system to focus more on innovative skill sets in the coming years, Agrawal said, “if the shift is made it will take five to 10 years to generate a good quantity of employable talent.” Other than the upgrade of skills, the challenges which managers have to face going forward include retention of existing talent in the company, support learning and development of employees. The Indian managers also need to enhance outlook and mobility as with domestic companies making inroads into foreign shores the need for a global outlook and experience has increased many folds. Moreover, there is growing talent gap in the developed world as well which will continue to target Indian managers. In the years to come US, Europe and Japan are going to see an ageing population and a reduction in available talent and workforce. The report revealed that there was already an increasing recognition of the quality of Indian managers and there is very chance of this trend accelerating further.
— PTI
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OFFICE Mantra Take those wild party pics off Facebook
Forty-five percent of the employers surveyed for CareerBuilder.com, the largest US online job site, said they use social networking sites to check on job candidates, up from just 22 per cent in a survey conducted last year. Another 11 per cent said they plan to start using social networking sites for screening. “As social networking grows increasingly pervasive, more employers are utilizing these sites to screen potential employees,” CareerBuilder said in a statement. It said job seekers should “be mindful of the information they post online.” CareerBuilder said that of those who conduct online searches as background checks on job candidates, 29 per cent use Facebook, 26 per cent use LinkedIn and 21 per cent use MySpace. Eleven per cent search blogs while seven per cent follow candidates on micro-blogging service Twitter. Thirty-five per cent of those surveyed said they have found content on a social network that caused them not to hire a candidate, CareerBuilder said. Examples included “provocative or inappropriate photographs or information” or content about drinking or using drugs. Other reasons cited were badmouthing a previous employer, co-workers or clients, poor communication skills, making discriminatory comments, lying about qualifications or sharing confidential information from a previous employer. Information found on social networking profiles was not always a negative factor in finding a job. Eighteen percent of employers said they have found content on social networking sites that caused them to hire the candidate, CareerBuilder said. Some profiles “provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality” or supported their professional qualifications while others demonstrated creativity or solid communication skills. Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, recommended that candidates “clean up digital dirt” before beginning a job search by removing photos, content and links which could hurt their chances. The survey of 2,667 hiring managers and human resource professionals was conducted by Harris Interactive and has a sampling error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.
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Media multitasking doesn’t work!
IF you are one of those who multi-task media activities like watching YouTube, writing e-mail and talking on the phone, this one is just for you. Media multitaskers struggle with too much information and are not very good at any of their tasks, according to a Stanford University report.
Researchers said the results had surprised them. They were looking for the secret to good media multitaskers but instead found broad-based incompetence.” Heavy multitaskers are lousy at multitasking. The more you do it, the worse you get,” said Stanford communications professor Clifford Nass. Compulsive media multitaskers are worse at focusing their attention, worse at organising information, and worse at quickly switching between tasks, the Stanford scientists wrote. After testing about 100 Stanford students, the scientists concluded that chronic media multitaskers have difficulty focusing and are not able to ignore irrelevant information. Nass said that multitasking is becoming more widespread — some jobs require workers to keep an instant message window open — and the scientists were surprised. “We knew multitasking was difficult from a cognitive perspective. but thought, ‘What’s this ability that people have that allows them to multitask?’ Rather than finding things that they were doing better, we found things they were doing worse,” Stanford symbolic systems professor Eyal Ophir said. On the bright side, media multitaskers will be first to notice anything new!
— Agencies
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Fortnightly Quiz-343
1. Which day is observed as “AkshayUrja Diwas”?
2. Who founded the Sulabh Sanitation Movement in India? 3. What is the full form of NICD? 4. Name the places where the Central government has given its nod to set up four new tiger reserves. 5. With which discipline is Dr Devi Prasad Shetty associated? 6. How many years ago was the famous Bishop Cotton School of Shimla founded? 8. Name the Ethiopian who recently wrote his name in history books by claiming the fourth consecutive world 10,000m title at the World Athletics Championship in Berlin. 9. What is the world ranking of Olympic bronze medal winner Vijender Singh in the International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) latest listing? 10. What time was clocked by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in the 100m finals at the 2009 IAAF Athletics Championships in Berlin recently? — Tarun Sharma
Winners of quiz 342: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Chitjot Kaur Sidhu, class X-A, SS Mota Singh Senior Secondary Model School, Guru Harkrishan Nagar, New Delhi, Pin Code - 110087 Second:
Basu Jindal, class IV-A, St Joseph’s Convent Junior School, Lajpat Nagar, Jalandhar, Pin Code - 144001 Third:
Harshit Gupta, class VII-B, St Luke’s Senior Secondary School, Solan (HP), Pin Code - 173212 Answers to quiz 342:
Deep Joshi; Amartya Sen; Tamiflu; INS Arihant; Gulshan Bawra; Baikal; Finland; World Anti Doping Agency; Seven times; Cycle racing 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. Note:
Kindly mention the pincode of your place to facilitate the delivery of the prize money. Answers can also be sent
at quiz@tribunemail.com
Name
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IMAGINE a mechanical device that can do all the things you find tiresome to do — making your bed, driving the car, or even doing homework! One day, robots will probably do all those things, and more. Robots have already replaced humans in many jobs that are repetitive and do not require human intervention like some automation jobs in industry like welding, painting, and assembly line functions.
Career
Hotline
GRIPPED by despair after being slapped with pink slips, IT professionals affected by economic slowdown now have help at hand, thanks to a group of concerned fellow professionals who have hosted a website to help them. Seven professionals from the IT hub of Bengaluru have developed and launched a unique website www.conquerecession.com to help the IT and ITeS (business process outsourcing) community, which is the worst-hit due to recession.
CHALLENGING economic times seem to be extracting the best from executives worldwide, as many of them are putting in longer hours and are having more responsibility at work.
MONDAY morning blues or Friday afternoon highs are purely a figment of the imagination, as moods tend to remain uniform throughout the week, according to a study.
WE all face one kind of failure or the other in a job and career. Some learn from failure and bounce back stronger, others keep repenting how failure destroyed them. The latter fail to know that the world salutes those who know and feel the grace even in a fall. Only the daring can rise from the ashes and touch the pinnacles of glory.
INDIA Inc is likely to face a huge ‘talent deficit’ in the coming years, as the country is not producing enough people equipped with the right skills required for the globalised environment, global consultancy Deloitte says.
NEARLY half of US employers research the online profiles of job candidates on social networks such as Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn, according to a new survey.
7. Who holds the world record for bowling the highest number of maiden overs in Test cricket?