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Law Of Success
Career Hotline
Rare talent
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Enriched jobs, happy workers
JOB bUZZ
SMART STRATEGY
News Board
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Law Of Success
Recent trends in the field of Intellectual Property are encouraging to say the least. Data shows a significant increase in the number of filings in each category of IP, especially in patents, copyrights and trademarks.
There have been a number of changes in the Indian IP Law during the past one decade. India being a WTO/TRIPS signatory, was under International obligation to comply with the standards set by the treaty and thus made substantive amendments to its patent law. With effect from January 1, 2005 a transition from a process patent regime to a full-fledged product patent regime took place which has given a significant boost to innovation. According to Mc Kinsey Report, (2007); “By 2015, patented products in India are likely to capture 10 per cent share of the Indian market, implying a market size of $2 billion”. A recent research indicates that, at present only 3,800 professionals are providing patent-related services to US from India; but by December 2015 there is going to be a significant increase in this figure, which would further see a rise of up to 30,000 by December 2015. The increase in number of patent applications filed at IPO by industry sector, during the past six years has been threefold. According to Indian Patent Office (IPO), during 2009-2010 over 34,000 patent applications were filed at IPO. Out of these drugs and chemical industry contributed a decent percentage (33%), computer/electronics industry recorded (23%), and mechanical industry (19%). Based on these statistics it can be concluded that types of industries having good prospects in IP are biotechnology, bioinformatics, pharmaceuticals, information technology, telecommunication, chemical, mechanical, textile, automobile, and heavy engineering. Career openings in this field can be directly attributed to the growth in certain areas like IP-related work outsource from US to India and patents filed by the industry sector in a year (both domestic and international). The awareness about IP has increased manifold and businesses, large or small, are devoting more time and money on the management of IP issues. With increasing importance the need for more professionals has also become acute. There is a huge demand for professionals with legal and/or scientific background.
Skill set The knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, biotechnology, electronics, is an added bonus for IP professionals. At present, there are doctors, engineers, scientists specialising in biotechnology and various other scientific disciplines who are working in the field. For a person with a legal and a scientific background, the field may be an open playground since the areas of operation for such persons become unlimited and they can practice trademark, copyright, patent, design or any other matter involving any form of IP. For most legal professionals, the areas of operation are also immense, IP prosecution, opposition and litigation offer endless challenging opportunities. "Introduction of IP in law and science education institutions
will surely go a long way in encouraging young professionals to take up IP", says Rahul Chaudhry, Partner at IP law firm Lall Lahiri & Salhotra.
Profile An IP Professional, is required to perform multitude of tasks and should be well-versed with both scientific and legal concepts (IP related). A career in IP offers a host of challenging and fascinating activities like conducting patent and prior art searches, which actually involve searching all the patented and non-patented literature, filing patents, drafting patent application at the patent office, prosecuting patents at the patent office, litigating at the court, conducting trademark searches, managing IP portfolio etc. Patent filing, patent application drafting need technical skills.
Remuneration IP law is one of the most lucrative fields of practice. For an attorney practicing IP Law exclusively, the scope of operations determines the remuneration. An attorney with a scientific background usually gets a higher remuneration starting at around Rs 30,000 to Rs 45,000 a month. Those without science background can get started at anything between Rs 20,000 and Rs 35,000, which is a relatively higher pay package than a normal law grasduate would be offered. There is this ocean of career opportunities in the offing in the field IP. There is no better time than now to embark on a Career in IP and to acquire a formal education in IP. The writer is CEO, GIIP
Institute watch A number of academic institutes have started IP courses, which are either short-term programmes or specialisation at the post-graduate level:
n IITs (except IIT, Kharagpur) that have IP awareness programmes as a part of their regular curriculum, n
National Law School, IGNOU, n
Private law colleges like NALSAR, AIPS, IIPs, n
Private institutes like Symbiosis, Amity Law School, Global Institute of Intellectual Property
(GIIP). n Online courses are also available such as those offered by WIPO (which is free and cover the basics) and Indian Law Institute (ILI in New Delhi).
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Career Hotline
A. The eligibility for all BSc Nursing courses is Class XII with science (physics, chemistry and biology) and English (minimum 45% agg). Over 1,600 recognised nursing colleges in India offer GNM courses. Selection is on the basis of an entrance test. Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot will conduct PPMET-2011 on July 10, 2011 for admission to BSc Nursing at government and private institutes affiliated to the university. Application form and details can be accessed from www.bfuhs.ac.in. The application deadline is June 25, 2011 Combining the art of caring with the science of healthcare, nurses are perhaps the most important link in our healthcare programme. The boom in the healthcare sector has ensured more opportunities and better salaries for men and women entering this field. If you are temperamentally cut out for helping and caring for people, it's certainly a good career choice. The Health Ministry estimates that India will require 10.43 lakh nurses by the end of 11th Plan (2012), and 30 lakh nurses by 2017. At present states like UP, Bihar, Orissa, MP and Rajasthan have as many vacancies as the number employed. The best way to enter this profession is by obtaining a degree in nursing through a medical college or university affiliated college. You also have the option to go in for further specialisation at the postgraduate level in areas such as paediatrics, geriatrics, coronary care, cardiology, ophthalmology, oncology, psychiatry, dietetics, orthopaedics, etc. Another option would be to move into hospital management or healthcare administration by pursuing a specialised PG course in the subject from a reputed institution. Besides hospitals and nursing homes, clinics and heath departments, orphanages and old age homes, armed forces, schools, industrial houses and factories, railways and public sector medical departments, there are openings in health clubs, spas, hostels and home-based patient care services. Of course you can join a Nursing Training Institute as an educator. You can also go abroad. Better pay packets and fast track visas offered to nurses and paramedics have led to mass exodus of qualified nurses to other countries. The US alone is headed for a deficit of over 8 lakh nurses by 2020. However, be cautious before you head for a nursing college - particularly a private one. Charging hefty fees from gullible students, several institutes do not even have their own building, or hostel facilities, leave aside proper faculty, labs etc. It is mandatory for nursing colleges to be registered with the Indian Nursing Council (www.indiannursingcouncil.org ). INC is autonomous body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Make sure you are enrolled in an INC-recognised college or else, you won't be allowed to practice nursing or midwifery outside your state. You can get the relevant information about colleges from this website or that of the UP State Medical Council.
BCA good option
A. It all depends on which field you are interested in. However, I think doing a BCA may be a good option, at this point - particularly since you have maths as a subject in Class XII. This will enable you to do an MCA subsequently, if you are interested in specialising in this field or pursue an MBA or any other professional course, including law or mass communication etc depending on your interest.
Life after VRS
Q. After working in a bank for 18 years, I have recently taken VRS. I am wondering if there are there any relevant opportunities for someone with my experience in the BPO sector. I would prefer structured work hours, if possible. — BK Vats
A. Since you have a good understanding of banking operations and credit appraisal, you could certainly look at some of the captive banking and financial BPOs like GENPACT, HCL Capital Market Services, Amex, which serve as back-office processing centres for international banking operations like ABN Amro, Citibank, JP Morgan, Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank etc. You could also look at domain specific BPOs catering to the financial/insurance services sector like ExL Service.com etc. Besides paying well, BPOs work in shifts so the hours are fixed. And your experience and skill-sets will come in handy. Working hours in the ITES sector are relatively structured as they function in shifts.
Set for a Marine drive
A. I don't think you should have a problem if you enrol for the one-year Pre-Sea Training Courses offered by institutes like the following for which the eligibility is a BE Mechanical Engg / Naval Arch. Marine Engg & Research Institute (MERI), Hay Bunder Rd, Mumbai 400033. Binny Engineering Ltd., 65 Armenian Street, Chennai 600001. Institute of Armament Technology, Pune. Course: ME (Mech) Marine Engineering. International Maritime Institute Ltd., 13 Institutional Area, Surajpur Kasna Road, Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, Greater Noida 201306. Punjland Shipping & Maritime Services, SCO 487-488, Sector 35-C, Chandigarh 160022. International Maritime Institute Ltd. (IMI): (www.imiindia.com) 13, Institutional Area, Surajpur-Kasna Road, Gautam Budh Nagar, Greater Noida 201036. (UP). Del Off: 208/D, Lado Sarai, Mehrauli Badarpur Road, New Delhi 110030 However, if you are seeking admission to these courses make sure you are medically fit. Glasses are permitted but the power in each eye should not exceed +/-2.5. You must also not suffer from colour blindness. On completion of the course and after obtaining Part 'A' of the MEO Class IV Certificate of Competency of the M/o Shipping from the Directorate General of Shipping, you will be recruited as an Assistant Marine Engineer on any vessel of a shipping company. Of course you will have to approach these companies directly. With further experience at sea and upon obtaining a higher Certificate of Competency, you will have the opportunity to rise up to the level of Chief Engineering Officer.
Improvement exam eligibility
Q. I am doing my BTech with Electronics and Communication Engineering. I am in 1st year (2nd semester). I got less than 60 per cent in Plus II (CBSE). Can I fill the improvement form?
— Lokesh Mehta
A. As far as I know, you can take the improvement exam in the subsequent year to improve your performance in a subject(s) or in the whole exam, provided you have not pursued higher studies in the meanwhile. So I guess, in your case it is not possible at this stage. However, do check the CBSE website www.cbse.nic.in to be doubly sure.
Healing touch
Q. What is chiropracty, where is it taught? — Uma Rathod
A. Chiropractic therapy is part of the alternative system of treatment. This 5,000-year old non-invasive, non-surgical approach for managing ortho-neuro-skeletal disorders, problems of the spine and other chronic disorders by restoring normal body function is quite popular in advanced countries like USA (where it is taught in 30+ medical colleges), UK, Australia and Germany. Circumventing surgery (in most cases) cuts down recovery time and costs by half. Chiropractic therapy is remarkable successful in conditions such as slip disc, cervical/lumbar spondilytis, golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, whiplash, sciatica, frozen shoulder, knee, ankle and hip joint problems etc where normally surgery (entailing fair amount of hospitalisation) is recommended. Ancient Chinese texts on Kung Fu and our Vedas and Puranas contain references to this form of treatment (merudand or marmabindu chikitsa). Incidentally, Dr NK Sharma, Sr Consultant, VIMHANS was the first doctor in India to introduce chiropracty in the country.
The writer is a noted career expert and director, Career Guidance India (CARING). Please send in your queries 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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About a year ago, only about 16 per cent companies were facing difficulties in getting the right talent for critical positions, the survey by staffing services firm Manpower said. According to Manpower's sixth annual Talent Shortage Survey, India results are well above the global average of 34 per cent and second only to Japan, where 80 per cent of employers are struggling to fill critical positions. Talent scarcity in India has worsened, as just a year ago, India was ranked 29th among 36 countries surveyed, when 16 per cent of employers faced difficulty to fill jobs. Explaining the reason behind this talent crunch, Manpower India Head (Sales and Marketing) Namr Kishore said, "For the past many quarters the demand for talent is increasing in India, but the supply is limited as individuals are lacking mission critical skills, resulting in such talent scarcity. On one hand we have a demographic advantage, and on the other hand due to low employability, many of our talent is not employable. It is quite an ironical situation," Kishore added. In India, employers have most difficulty filling vacancies for research and development, sales manager and IT staff, the survey said. Trailing behind Japan and India in the global list is Brazil, where 57 per cent of employers are having difficulty in finding the right people for the right job. This is followed by Australia (54 per cent), Taiwan (54 per cent), Romania (53 per cent), USA (52 per cent), Argentina (51 per cent), Turkey (48 per cent)and Switzerland (46 per cent). Some other factors behind the talent crunch is that during the recession time many organisations chose to let many of the talent go. As the demand for talent is now increasing, many organisations are now finding it difficult to fill the mission critical positions, Kishore said. Besides, as organisations are adopting a global way of functioning and becoming more competitive, the skills for the same jobs have changed overtime. — PTI |
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Job stress can fray nerves, keep you up at night, and contribute to health problems, but to cure it you first need to find its origin. Now, experts have identified some specific work situations that are likely to make your blood boil and their corresponding solutions, reports Fox News.
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Overworked underling: You're busy from the time you get to work until the time you leave with little freedom while you're there. These types of jobs-known as "high-demand, low-control" - tend to cause a great deal of psychological strain, said Peter L. Schnall, an occupational stress expert at the University of California at Irvine. n
Castaway: You are not in a good way and your boss is not helping you. To solve this, work on communicating your needs, both practical and emotional. If you want your boss' help, be as specific as possible, and make connecting with co-workers a priority, the researchers suggested. n
Frustrated go-getter: Here you work your tail off, but you feel you don't receive enough credit-or compensation. We should try discussing our career goals with our boss. You may not get the rewards you want right away, but you could gain some insight about how to improve your situation-and outlook, said experts. n
Doormat: When you have to tolerate demanding and verbally abusive customers. Ask your boss for advice or additional training on how to handle difficult customers without feeling demoralized, according the researchers. n
Tech prisoner: This happens when your boss' 24/7 call invades your personal life. "Technostress is an important and growing issue", said Rosch, who is also a clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College, in Valhalla, N.Y. To protect yourself from mental and physical strain, learn how to unplug (literally), the researchers said.
— ANI |
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STUDY ABROAD
When it comes to making the right career choice, students often find themselves caught in a Hamlet-like dilemma . Earlier, this decision was pre-defined or pre-determined by the parents. But now with a growing awareness and multitude of avenues, things have become more complicated. In a scenario of intense competition for limited quality higher education opportunities within the country, more and more young people are choosing higher education in a foreign country as the route to broaden their horizon and excel in their chosen field.
Pursuing higher education abroad, however, needs a lot of careful research and planning vis-à-vis the right career, the right course, the right country and the right university. Following tips can help a student choose the right university.
Set goals The first question is perhaps the most important because different universities are renowned for different programmes and departments. When reviewing options, students should research each university for its relative strengths and weaknesses, particularly in their area of focus. Students should consider which universities will best launch a career. Many universities have established partnerships with law firms, major corporations, large media outlets and government institutions. These partnerships will be beneficial in getting the best internships that go into building better resumes. Simply being renowned may not help if the university can’t help a student find the career he desires.
Local reputation Another useful strategy is to look at each university’s acceptance with local students. If a university has been steadily climbing in prestige, the value of the degree will continue to increase as time passes. Likewise, if a university has fallen on hard times and endowment and recognition amongst the local students is diminishing, logic suggests the degree will be devalued by the time you enter the job market. And don’t forget to find out which university will be finally awarding the degree.
Value for money A degree is an investment, as the international experiences will build career skills and bolster the resume. A student should not, therefore, simply organise options from least expensive to the most expensive; there are good reasons for discrepancies in base tuition fees. More expensive schools may have access to enhanced resources and have world-renowned professors on staff; these advantages will work to your benefit when you enter the job market. So one should compare the fees of studying in a college to the benefits it’s providing.
Best fit Many countries also offer myriad options for higher education; there are tiny liberal arts or community colleges that offer personalised lessons and intimate campus environments, and then there are large research universities that offer specialised degrees, but don’t offer small classes or a cozy campus. It is up to the student to choose which environment he wants to live in. But ensure that the infrastructure is robust enough. Make sure you understand the terminology of the education system in the country you wish to study. For example the term “college” refers to a different structure of school in Australia than it does for example in Canada. Students look to achieve personal happiness and financial security through studies abroad. Obviously, no single answer will make the final decision a simple one.
Permanent residency, temporary gain Many Indian students choose education as a pathway for migration or permanent residency, and did not make study choices based on their long-term career aspirations, thereby putting money and their careers at stake. Students need to understand that overseas education and permanent residency (PR) are two very different things and it is dangerous for students to mix them for short-term gains. Students should be careful about choosing the right course, institution and consultant to adopt a smooth path to realising their study abroad dreams. The writer is COO, Oceanic Consultants
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People who are given greater variety and independence in their jobs feel both less stressed and more satisfied, according to findings which suggest that several management practices designed to make employees more efficient also make them happier.
Employees are also more likely to be happy when management readily shares information and consults with them, according to a release from the University of Leicester. Stephen Wood, Professor of Management who led the research, said: “The way jobs are designed has a huge impact on employees’ sense of happiness at work. But this is in danger of being neglected, at a time when people are worrying about unemployment, job security and the fairness of large salaries.” The research measures two separate forms of well-being: anxiety and job satisfaction. It tests to see whether either is different in workplaces where executives practise what management gurus call “high performance work systems”: boosting performance by giving people greater involvement in their own companies. This includes granting employees more variety and autonomy - what Wood calls “enriched jobs”. It also includes “informative management”: telling people more about changes in their company, including staffing and its overall financial performance. Another example is greater consultation between bosses and employees where both sides can put forward their views: “consultative management”. Prof Wood says: “This research shows there are ways of treating people at work that can make them happier, which have little to do with money.” The study is reported in a paper written by Prof Wood and Lilian de Menezes, Professor at Cass Business School in London. The paper suggests that in particular, “Enriched jobs appear to be key to well-being at work. An enriched job may also increase opportunities for skill use and development, job variety, and the sense of being valued or playing a significant role in the organisation or society, thus adding to the potential impact on well-being”. Taking the findings into the practical realm, the authors recommend: “Our study implies that priority should be given to initiatives that enrich jobs, enhance consultation and improve information sharing and consultation”. Wood also stresses that future surveys of well-being organised by the government should include the quality of work. — PTI |
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JOB bUZZ In the Union Budget 2011-12, the Finance Minister has allocated a sum of Rs 2,14,000 crore to the infrastructure sector which is an increase of 23.3% than the last year. The growth rate of the infrastructure sector in India's GDP increased after the Indian Government opened the sector to 100% foreign direct investment (FDI). This was done in order to boost the infrastructure sector in the country. "The result of opening the sector to the private sector has been that the growth rate of the sector has increased in the range of 9-10 per cent", says S. Chakraborty of Larsen and Toubro. The biggest ongoing project in the infrastructure Sector in India is the Golden Quadrilateral, which is improving the main roads that connect the four cities of Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata. Key job profiles Project Head: The overall execution of the project is his responsibility. He is the project leader and is responsible from the conception to the execution and even in sales and marketing. The onus is on him for the costing also so as to make the project financially feasible for the organisation. He is usually a civil engineer from an ivy league institution and an MBA degree can be the icing on the cake. Heads of Department: They are basically heads of support function to assist the project head. The various verticals may be Marketing, Finance, Liasoning and Coordination. They are basically designed to keep the organisation systematised and the day-to-day operations organised. Each one of them has his own specific niche function. Land Acquisition and Coordination: This is one job endemic to infrastructure sector only. If the project is conceived and has to be executed then land has to be acquired first. For that there is a separate team negotiation with the persons owning the land and getting it registered in the name of the company. It is not a salaried job but mostly on commission basis. Even the process of getting various stipulated approvals is done by this team. Architectural Team: They are first movers towards the execution of the project. Their first job is to provide the architectural drawings which include the layout plans, the elevations and the colour schemes. This happens after the land is acquired and then they demarcate the green areas, the roads and the entry and exits. They are paid lumpsum as a project fee on the whole. Site Engineers: These are basically civil engineers involved in the construction activity. They are those who spend most of their job hours at the site and basically ensure that the work is being executed as per the drawings. Salary is somewhere close to Rs 80,000 a month. Site Supervisors: They are basically the technical hands with practical knowledge of construction activity, They are mostly diploma holders and at times can be fresher civil engineers also. They get around Rs 30,000 per month. Quality Controller: This is one of the most important jobs in the infrastructure sector. He is to ensure that whether the work that is being executed is according to the original drawings or not. He has to gauge the plinth levels, the elevations, distances etc. In other words we can say that he is the auditor of the building plans. He is always an engineer with attractive pay package. Bill Auditor: The job is always entrusted to an engineer as he is concerned with the payment of bills submitted by the contractor. He checks the running bills and keeps a record of the payments. He keeps a track of the measurements for which bills have been paid. Public Health Services: Personnel in this field are entrusted with the job of maintenance of sewerage, water management as well rain water management. "It is a specialised job wherein all aspects of public health services are entrusted to them", says S. Chakraborty of Larsen and Toubro. Public Health Services engineers have to ensure that every unit has proper sewerage linkages as well as water facilities. Usually they are civil engineers with a salary package of around Rs 60,000 per month. Road Engineer: "Most of the road engineers taken up by infrastructure firms usually have spent some time in NHAI", says Col. Manmohan of Gillco. They are usually engineers, with in-depth expertise to execute the road maps as per the original drawings. They need to see that all necessary parameters and guidelines are followed while laying down the roads. Material Management: They are inventory specialists. The outflow as well as inflow of materials is to be taken care of by them. In large organisations at times the persons involved in material management are usually six sigma specialists. Even at time they check the quality of material s purchased, to ensure that whether it is at par with the requirements. They at times can be both generalists with experience or specialists.
Fact sheet
n Total investment requirement in the infrastructure sector over the next five years would be more than $ 1trillion. n
The contribution of private sector in infrastructure sector is 33.74% or about $186 billion. n
Since 2006, annual PE investment in infrastructure has grown fourfold, from about $1-billion (Rs4,450-crore today) to $4-billion in 2010. n
The investment in infrastructure is likely to increase to about 7.55% of GDP during the eleventh five year plan. n
It is estimated that the Infrastructure Sector needs to grow at a CAGR of 15% over the next five years to support the growing requirements of virtually every other sector of the Indian Economy. n
Under Section 80-IA of the Income Tax Act, 1961, a 10- year tax holiday is available to enterprises engaged in the business of development, operation and maintenance of infrastructure facilities, subject to compliance with the conditions prescribed therein.
n The concept of Public Private Partnership (PPP) has been a resounding success in India in the infrastructural sector, where the best practices of public and private sector are combined to maintain the infrastructural facilities.
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SMART STRATEGY
WRITING A comprehensive vocabulary and a mastery of the elements of grammar are important here. An ill-formed sentence, needless repetition and use of clichés often remain unnoticed and are excused in spoken language, especially when the speaker has a friendly and likeable personality. But in writing such mistakes are not pardoned so one has to take extra care while writing especially when one has only what one writes to commend and recommend him. Be economical with words. If ten words can be telescoped into six and convey the same meaning, use the shorter form. There should be no wasted words. Learn to eliminate the unnecessary ruthlessly. This will give your style punch and clarity. Good writing is clear to the reader in the first reading. Aim at simplicity in sentence construction. Use short words rather than long ones. The words should be vivid and concrete as such words are more likely to be understood and make a greater impact upon the reader. Where and how can the average person express himself in writing? Writing letters is one obvious answer. Some people develop a lucrative hobby by writing for newspapers and magazines. Why not write to yourself (and may be to the future generations) by keeping a journal? You need have no inhibitions with this kind of writing. Pour out your heart! You will find it a satisfying and a rewarding hobby. When you have acquired skill and confidence in the use of words, you may turn to professional forms of writing. It would be wise to enroll with one of the organisations specialising in training people as writers.
ACTION First consider your daily employment. Actors, writers, artists teachers, preachers are fortunate in that almost every working day provides them with opportunities to express themselves, their ideas, convictions, skills, experience and learning. However, there are a few jobs that do not permit some form of self-expression. The amount depends upon our attitude to our work. If we always work to the best of our ability and if we do our daily work with devotion, pouring into it all our skill, care and concern, then, however humble the work may be, we are expressing ourselves. We can also make our work an avenue of self-expression. It is this attitude which makes work satisfying, transforming toil into a form of self-expression. Without it, the humdrum daily life is little more than serfdom. Should we find that, despite putting all that we have into our work, we still yearn for further opportunities of self-expression many avenues are open to us in leisure time. Perhaps the best is to take up some creative hobby, joining an amateur dramatic society is another option. So is engaging in public speaking. Yet another one is to take up some form of social service. Most humanitarian and philanthropic agencies are proud of part-time volunteers as there is always so much All these provide opportunities to exercise a multitude of talents and abilities and this is self-expression.
SPEECH Through speech we express thoughts and emotions. The problem is to express ourselves in speech more effectively and attractively. As far as effectiveness is concerned, we need a good command of language. This involves mastery of an adequate vocabulary and a knowledge of the basic structures and conventions of language. Most people stumble along with an extremely limited vocabulary and are helped out by a pathetic string of expression like "you know", "sort of", "nice", "fab" and "super". Such paucity of language is quickly remedied once the need for a larger vocabulary is realised. Begin with taking an interest in words, jotting down new words as you find them. Then, at regular intervals have a session with a dictionary, re-writing your new words. Allow space between each word to note its pronunciation and its main meaning. To make the word really a part of your working vocabulary, compose several sentences of your own which use it, writing them out and saying them aloud several times. This will ensure that, when you wish to use your new word, you will do so easily and confidently. If you learn roughly only 10 words a week, within a few months your vocabulary will be enriched considerably and this feat will be accomplished without spending too much time on it. Practical books on this subject are : Six Weeks to Words of Power and 30 days to a More Powerful Vocabulary. Both are by the authority on words, Dr Wilfred Funk. |
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News Board
Having witnessed a dip of over 4,500 staff from its headcount in last fiscal, Anil Ambani group's financial services arm Reliance Capital will hire over 3,500 managers for its various businesses this year.
Besides, the company also plans to hire 50,000 insurance agents in the current financial year ending March 2012, Reliance Capital CEO Sam Ghosh told PTI. The large-scale hiring plans come on the back of the company witnessing a decline of 4,550 persons from its headcount in its insurance, mutual fund and other businesses during the fiscal ended March 31, 2011. The company's total headcount stood at 18,069 as on March 31, 2011, down from 22,619 employees a year ago on March 31, 2010, as per its financial presentations for the two fiscals. Reliance Capital now plans to increase its headcount to near 21,000 in the current fiscal, Ghosh said. Reliance Capital is the financial services arm of the Anil Ambani group, which also has presence in businesses like telecom, power, infrastructure, media and entertainment. The group employee strength also dipped by around 10,000 employees between May, 2010 and March, 2011, but latest figures are not available for across-the-group headcount. As per a Reliance Capital investor presentation in March 2011, ADAG had "120,000 young, trained and motivated people" across its various group companies, as against a figure of "130,000 young, trained and motivated people" mentioned in a previous presentation dated May, 2010. The sharp decline in Reliance Capital's headcount during 2010-11 was mainly due to life insurance business, while asset management, broking and distribution and general insurance segments also saw their staff strength declining in the year. Asked about the decline in staff strength, Ghosh said it was largely because of a cyclical movement of people in life insurance business and the company has already started a major hiring drive. "The fluctuation in headcount last year was predominately on account of cyclical movement of sales managers seen in life insurance business. We have already started hiring sales managers for our life insurance business and will be crossing the 12,000 headcount mark by July," Ghosh said. "In addition, we also plan to add 50,000 agents in our insurance business during this fiscal," he added. Across the various businesses, Reliance Capital will hire more than 3,500 managers and take the total headcount to near 21,000 persons, Ghosh said. — PTI
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Happiness @ work
To prevent Shiva from entering the palace while she was bathing, Shiva created Ganesh out of her dirt and posted him as a guard. Shiva thought it was his right to enter his palace anytime while Parvati stuck to her right to some privacy. A great tussle ensued between the young lad Ganesh on one side and Shiva’s hordes, Devas, and the Trinity on the other that led to the severing of the boy’s head. To appease Parvati, Shiva not only restored Ganesh to life with an elephant head and accepted him as his son, but also ordained that Ganesh will be the first to be invoked at all rituals. Head over heels in love, Rama’s great grandfather Dilipa and his wife Sudakshina once went by the Ganga. The couple’s eyes were so fixed on each other that they failed to notice the divine cow Surabhi there. For their oversight, the divine cow cursed the duo that they would not have any children till they served its offspring — Nandini. Grandsire Bhishma never failed to recount Karna’s twin failures — at Dwaitavana and at Matsya. The son of the Sun God got so irritated that he vowed not to fight till the grandsire stood in command. Only after the fall of Bhishma on the 10th day of the Mahabharata war did Karna join the Kaurava ranks. Despite Shiva’s request not to go to Daksha’s yagna uninvited, Sati did so. By the time Sati realised that her husband was right in stopping her from going to her father’s function, Daksha started showering abuses on the three-eyed god. Unable to take the insult, she shed her mortal coil at the venue. Wrongly accusing sage Mandavya of being a robber, the soldiers impaled him with a spear. The sage asked Yama, the god of death, why he had met with such a death to which Yama replied, “You hurt birds and bees in your childhood.” Enraged at the disproportional judgement, the sage cursed Yama, “May you be born in the world of mortals.” Hence, Yama took birth as Vidura, the Prime Minister of Hastinapur. Bhishma erred in abducting Amba without asking her wish. As Amba found herself without a husband, she vowed to kill Bhishma and did so in her next birth as Sikhandin. When was fire ever quenched by fire?
— Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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STUDY ABROAD
IP is a term that covers various forms of intangible assets, such as trademarks, copyrights, patents, industrial designs, geographical indications, etc. The reason all these are referred to collectively as IP or Intellectual Property is because they are all considered distinct types of creations of the mind for which property rights are recognised — and the corresponding fields of law.
Q. I am an intermediate student with biology. I want a career in nursing. Tell me how I can make a career in this field? Please tell me about the eligibility and duration of degree course. Job possibilities, institutes especially in UP.
— Akriti Dagar
Q. I have given Class XII exam with PCM. I don't want to do BTech. What is good for me, BBA or BCA? Which field has more career opportunities?
— Amrita Khosla
Q. I am doing BTech, mechanical (7th semester) with an aggregate of 62 per cent till now. I want to join merchant navy but my percentage in Class XII is less than 60 per cent, will I be able to join the merchant navy?
— Kshitij Gaur
A
WAS — writing, action and speech — includes all the major forms of self-expression. Anyone aspiring to climb the greasy pole of success in career cannot afford to ignore these. A person wanting in these elements feels frustrated because he is rejected, while the one who is efficient in these goes up in life. Let us examine the power of WAS in detail
To err is human, wise men say, but we act strangely to errors. The defaulter doesn’t want to admit it and the admonisher tries to rub it in hard.
