forensic science
Clue to a thrilling career
Usha Albuquerque

If you are a fan of Dexter Morgan or have watched the television series CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) you are probably familiar with blood splatter analysis (Dexter's realm of expertise), body fluid examination, narco-analysis and the scientific re-creation of the crime scene. The popularity of television crime-solving shows like CSI and Cold Files and books by Patricia Cornwell has brought forensic science to the forefront of popular culture. While cracking a criminal case may not be as glamorous as is made out to be on television, the huge advances made in investigative analyses and techniques used today have not only made this a fascinating field of work but also a science that provides invaluable evidence for the cause of justice.

Forensic science is a multi-disciplinary branch of study that deals with the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to aid in the process of a criminal investigation. As the real life investigation in the Arushi Talwar murder case has revealed, forensic experts search for physical clues to establish or exclude the link between the criminal and the crime by analysing the physical evidence (hair, fibre, fingerprints, blood, semen, cartridges etc.) obtained from the scene of the crime. They match voices, examine the murder weapon, bullet injuries to determine the trajectory of the bullet, investigate signs of struggle before a victim was killed, conduct experiments with dummies to establish how the crime was committed and carefully reconstruct the scene of the crime to find vital clues.

Today with the use of the latest and sophisticated technologies to convert these clues into evidences, the task of forensic scientists is becoming more and more challenging. As cases languish in courts for years, the use of forensic evidence can greatly help in speeding up the process of justice delivery.

Most of the work of forensic specialists is laboratory based. The several areas of specialisation can include:

• Forensic medicine and forensic pathology: This is the application of medical knowledge to legal problems. Forensic medical experts examine victims of crime and suspects who may have sustained an injury while allegedly committing a crime. Forensic medical examiners, deal with the living, while forensic pathologists, deal with the dead. Forensic pathologists perform autopsies to determine the cause, manner and the time of death and work closely with the investigators.
• Forensic deontologists: They are qualified dentists who have undergone additional training and are qualified to provide expert evidence through dental remains, bite-mark analysis and examination of oral facial structures for determination of injury.
• Forensic anthropology: It involves the identification of the victim for determining sex, age, and state of health, ancestral background, and cause of death. Forensic anthropologists can also recreate the face and history behind unidentifiable human remains.
• Forensic serologists: They study the blood groups, blood, and other bodily fluids for identification purposes following a crime. Biological materials such as blood, body fluids and hair are identified and compared using forensic DNA analysis, microscopic analysis and biochemical methods.
• Forensic chemists: They study any evidence of the use of illicit drugs, accelerants used in arson cases, explosive and gunshot residues, trace evidence, including paint, glass, polymers and fibres in committing a crime.
• Forensic scientists and police investigators also work along with criminologists who deal with the scientific study of crime. They try to establish evidence and understand the motive for a crime. Forensic science and criminology are related areas of work, which also involve
• Forensic psychiatrists and psychologists who determine the mental state and mitigating circumstances of the crime and other psychological issues,
• Forensic linguists analyse the content of written or oral communication to identify who is speaking and indicate the speaker's intent, and determine whether two communications are from the same person,
• Forensic artists can draw a likeness of a person based solely on eyewitness accounts. The expertise may enable the police to identify a possible criminal in the absence of other clues.

Getting in

Training in forensic science is offered both through universities and through specialised institutes at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. You can take up a BSc in forensic science after Plus II with science, or an MSc in forensic science after a degree in physics, chemistry, zoology, botany, biochemistry, microbiology, B Pharma, BDS or Applied Sciences.

After graduation, one can also take up PG diploma courses in Forensic Science & Criminology, which is a one-year programme. For conducting autopsies and post-mortems you require to have MD in forensic medicine after MBBS, while DNA specialists should have a degree in biology, genetics, and biochemistry.

There are a number of universities and specialised institutes that conduct study and research programmes in forensic sciences. The National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science situated at New Delhi, and at Sagar, Anna and Patiala is a premier body conducting training and research in the field. Here research programmes and diploma courses are open to forensic scientists, police officers, judges, research scholars and senior officials from forensic laboratories, in a variety of disciplines relating to forensic science, including chemistry, biology, serology, ballistics, toxicology, documents and photography.

Job prospects

Employment can be found in:

• The police service — crime branch and vigilance departments
• State forensic depts.
• Government agencies such as the Intelligence Bureau, CBI, CID, Narcotics departments etc
• Investigative agencies
• Teaching and academics

Forensic scientists can work in the areas of insurance claims, document registrations, forgery detections and in areas of cyber crime for which a certification by the state forensics department is required. The Central Forensic Science Laboratories at Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chandigarh and Delhi also take on experts through competitive selection procedure. Forensic scientists can also diversify into investigative journalism, while those trained in criminology can opt for avenues in social work, correctional administration and guidance and counselling.

Skill set

To make a career in this field you need to have a keen eye for detail and very strong analytical skills and powers of observation. You must be organised, methodical, and capable of high levels of concentration. You should also have a logical bent of mind and possess good communication skills in order to give comprehendible testimonies in court. Forensic scientists and criminologists must also be good team players, as they often need to work in association with social workers, psychologists and the police

India faces an acute shortage of trained forensic experts and scientists in many of the forensic areas of criminal investigation. So if you are prepared for odd hours of work and work pressure that can be physically and mentally exhausting, have a yen for investigation with a keen, logical bent of mind, you will find all the excitement that you are looking for in a career in forensic science and also get the satisfaction of helping society in fighting crime.

— The writer is a career expert

institute watch

• Punjabi University, Patiala: Offers a two-year MSc. in Forensic Science course, with specialisation in forensic biology, forensic serology, forensic chemistry and forensic toxicology
• Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science, Delhi
• Dr.Harisingh Gour Vishwa Vidyalaya, Madhya Pradesh:Offers MA in Criminology, and MSc.in Forensic Science and Forensic Toxicology.
• Forensic Sciences Department, Anna University, Chennai offers a PG diploma course in Criminology and Forensic Science.
• University of Delhi, Department of Anthropology offers a certificate course in forensic science.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Department of Forensic Science Agra: Offers an MSc. in Forensic Science.
• Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Delhi.

smart strategy: effective self-marketing
Make your CV stronger
Charu Bharti

In today’s competitive job market one needs to market oneself. And your self-marketing strategy is best showcased by your CV. CV is a snapshot of what you are and how beneficial you can be for an organisation. Your career depends on how you begin and a CV is the first and the foremost element in your job-search.

A tool to sell yourself

Your CV is a selling tool that outlines your skills and experiences so that the interviewer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to the organisation’s growth. The first hurdle that your CV has to pass is to end up in the “consider file” rather than the “reject file” and this decision may take less than 30 seconds. While you may have all the attributes of a good manager, but your CV is a failure if the interviewer does not instantly come to the conclusion that you have what is required to be successful. 

Proper use of the terms ‘vitae’, ‘vita’ and ‘CV’

The minutiae of this controversial question remain the topic of vigorous debate. However, some standardisation may be possible using the following information:

The term “curriculum vitae” translates as something close to “course of life.” The term “vita” translates as simply “life.” The correct label for one’s (single) document can be either “curriculum vitae” or simply “vita.” In other words, one does not use the term “vitae” by itself, nor does one write “curriculum vita”. In informal conversation we often hear academicians call this document a “CV,” thus avoiding the Latin forms altogether. This practice is widely accepted, but we do not recommend your putting “CV” at the top of your curriculum vitae for application in institutes. It is better to use one of the two acceptable forms shown above.

Attributes

• Words, words and words: The name of the game is word management. Your economical use of words, and the use of the right words at the right place is what we are concerned about. Remember that you must minimise personal information.
• Academics: Start with your highest qualifications, so if you have a master’s, don’t talk about the diploma and certificate courses. Working in reverse chronological order (i.e. the most recent year first), clearly state the year of the award, the college at which you studied, and if it is to your advantage, state the grade attained.

Research

Before preparing your CV it would be helpful if you could do some preliminary research about the organisation so that you don’t put emphasis in the wrong place. Prior to going for an interview, it is essential to find out as much as you can so that you are able to present your credentials as effectively as possible. Here are a few tips on deciding how to make this decision:

Work experience

You’ve probably read this a dozen times by now, but human resource professionals know that the best predictor of future performance is past performance. This means that your work experience section should tell the interviewer what you’ve accomplished in past work experiences, which will suggest what you can accomplish for them in the next job. Basically, this is an extremely important section of your CV.

Activities/Interests

The first thing you need to know is that the activities /interest section of the CV is optional, although every time you include them, you benefit from the same. Here’s why you might decide to include it as you assemble your CV :

• to demonstrate a well-rounded person with more dimensions than just work
• to point out skills that have been demonstrated in your nonprofessional life
• to account for gaps in employment / education
• as a conversation starter

Finally ...

• Spell check document.
• Proof read (firstly for sense, secondly for typing). Be careful of missing words. Errors are highlighted by most computer packages, but omissions often go undetected.
• Consistency of format. (Capitalisation, bolding, underscoring, italics,) Adopt a style and stick with it.
• Have someone else read your CV through. When you are happy that your CV is as perfect as you can possibly make it, it’s time to write the accompanying covering letter.

field in focus: insurance sector
Sure success
Gauri Chhabra

Of all commodities and services, that the entire world is out to sell, insurance is perhaps the most tedious and paradoxical; hence it involves exorbitant amount of patience and perseverance. It is often said “A man who can sell insurance can sell anything and everything”. In India, the concept of insurance was never a given a serious thought. As compared to other countries it is still in a nascent stage here and a career in insurance is still considered a tight-rope walk

However, it is time we shelved these myths and looked at a career in insurance with a fresher and newer perspective. It is a sunrise career option, with people becoming increasingly conscious of its importance and insurance being looked at as a risk covering as well as an investment tool.

At present in India, the insurance sector is nationalised, services are rendered by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and General Insurance Company (GIC) along with its four subsidiaries. While LIC provides life insurance, GIC is concerned with non-life insurance like — automoblie, marine, fire, health and personal accident insurance. LIC employs people in various departments — publicity and public relation, accounts, actuarial, secretarial, legal, investment, mortgages, vigilance, foreign, corporate planning and the like.

Paradigm shift

Parliament’s nod for the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) Bill has changed the whole scenario. With the passage of the Bill, entry of private Indian as well as foreign companies, along with existing players, in the insurance sector has added variety and quality to the present insurance services. The twin impact has been on the creation of new employment opportunities making it an exciting career option.

Career Cursor

Insurance as career offers the following diverse portfolios:

Administrative Officer (AO) and Assistant Administrative Officer (AAO) belong to the Class I officer group. The job begins with the candidates joining LIC and GIC on a probation-cum-training period of six months. This is to provide exposure about the working of the insurance sector. AAOs can choose any of the areas from administration, development and accounts. In administration AAOs handle policy making, policy claims up to certain limit, checking clauses and details, filing official returns and statements to higher regional offices etc.

Candidates applying for the post of AAOs should be aged between 21 and 28 years. They should hold a graduate/postgraduate degree in any subject with minimum of 50% marks. Recruitment is done by LIC Central Office at Mumbai. The entrance examination has two papers, one is of objective type and the other is of essay type — test of English. The former tests intelligence and quickness of response through sections like the quantitative aptitude, logical reasoning, general knowledge, awareness of political, cultural events. After the written test, selected candidates have to appear for interviews which are conducted by the Board and are held across the country.

In the Class II officer group come the Development Officers who are in charge of their territory for the development of insurance policies. They handle recruitment of agents; train them for procurement of new business and servicing of the existing policies. Over a period of time agents recruited by the Development Officers can also rise to the position of a Development Officer. Candidates applying for the post of Development Officer have to be between 21 and 26 years of age and should be graduates. Eligible candidates are then put through written tests in English and mathematics. On clearing the test, they qualify for the interview which is conducted by the Board. Later on selected candidates have to serve as Apprentice for a period of one year. This is important to impart practical training in various areas.

In Class III come the typists, machine operators, stenographers, telephone operators, and clerks. They are recruited by the Divisional Office. The candidates applying for these posts have to go through a written test and an interview. There are reservations in the jobs for physically challenged persons, SC/ST, ex-servicemen. The age requirement for these posts is between 18 and 25 years.

Besides, you can also work as an insurance agent who takes up agency from the insurance company to sell their policies on a commission basis. He acts as an intermediary between the insurance company and the policy holder. But before doing so, he has to undergo training and get a certificate of proficiency from the insurance company. Selling and marketing insurance is complete hard sell, an MBA with specialisation in Marketing and Insurance is a good option.

An independent arm that is not a part of insurance companies is of Insurance Surveyors who are deputed for the assessment of losses, according to their qualification and experience. They play an important role as they serve as a link between the insurer and the insured. Their job is to assess the actual loss and avoid false claims filed by the insured and on the other hand help the insured, who has suffered a genuine loss, by indemnification of the loss. They act as assessors for determining the loss and liability to be reported to the insurance company.

To hold a licence of a surveyor, one must possess any one of the following qualifications.

Fellowship or Associateship of the Institute of Insurance Surveyors and Adjustors (IISA), Mumbai.

A degree or diploma in architecture from a recognised university or institute.

Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered accountants or Cost and Works Accountants.

A degree or diploma from a recognised institute of engineering.

A degree or diploma in naval architecture.

The most important and lucrative position in insurance business is that of an Actuary. He is involved in solving a wide range of financial problems related with insurance investments, financial planning and management. The actuary basically is a mathematician, statistician, who works out the premium rates, the product design, and decides about the solvency margin of insurance companies. The Actuarial Society of India in Mumbai conducts these professional examinations. Entry level salary is expected to be somewhere around Rs 8 lakh p.a.

The life and non-life insurance segments require professional Underwriters who assess the risk in the business and take care of risk management. Normally foreign insurers prefer people with medical or life science background for this job and the same is likely to happen here. Entry level salary can be expected to be around Rs 6 lakh p.a.

With globalisation and a plethora of financial products and services on offer, a career in insurance sector has become a specialised one and a sure way of ensuring success.

So, if you want to take up a career that is a blend of a science and an art, pick up insurance from the financial bandwagon and ensure your way to success.

— The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant

Course Cursor

The institutes that offer specialised training and courses in the areas of insurance and reinsurance are Insurance Institute of India, National Insurance Academy, Pune and Actuarial Society of India, Mumbai. Besides, certain universities and colleges also offer courses in the field of insurance and actuarial sciences which are much in demand.

innovative learning tools
Enriching learning through better thinking
Arupjyoti Gogoi

A well-balanced thinking process provides a solid foundation to the complete learning process. It is a well-established fact that thinking can’t be developed by learning instructions; it is a step-by-step process to polish our brains. Thinking tools and mind games are the best options to enhance analytical reasoning and logical abilities of a child. But ironically, it has not become a part of curriculum in our education system and lakhs of students suffer academically and later in life also as rote learning methods stifle their imagination and creative instincts. However, of late some innovative instructional systems have been developed and have been incorporated in the traditional teaching environment to improve learning among students.

My Thinking Programme is an innovative in-school programme which was conceptualised and created by husband-wife duo Ashutosh Khurana, CEO, Mind Edutainment Pvt. Ltd and Sangeeta Khurana, Co-Founder, Mind Edutainment Pvt. Ltd., which directly develops high-level thinking skills without using academic subjects as an intermediary. It has been clubbed with the existing academic curriculum of schools and is delivered as a regular ‘Thinking’ subject based on the fundamentals of child development, human development, psychology and the educational frameworks of Bloom’s Anderson and Krathwohl’s taxonomy. The programme is currently being used in schools in Pune, Dehradun, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Cochin and Bengaluru. Through this programme a mode has been set to lay emphasis on providing an appropriate experience to a child at the initial stages of the formation of belief and thinking process. Ashutosh Khurana, CEO, Mind Edutainment Pvt. Ltd tells more about the programme. Excerpts from an interview:

How did this concept evolve?

The birth of our first son in late 2002 made me and my wife dwell deep on the existing vacuum in the current education system with regard to training a young mind on thinking. With this realisation, we decided that we should conceptualise and formalise our life’s learning into a programmeme and take it to the schools where the early and the most important development of an individual happens.

We then spent four years studying not only the school education system but also the minds of school authorities, teachers, parents and students. Based on this research and analysis, we started working on structuring the programme. We designed the programmeme curriculum and content for classroom delivery around the following four pillars:

• Thinking skills
• Thinking concepts (ThinkabularyTM)
• Thinking processes and
• Thinking models

COURSE CRUISING

Enter the public health arena

The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), and its constituent Indian Institutes of Public Health (IIPH) have announced admissions for the academic year 2012- 2013. Indian Institutes of Public Health (IIPH), are delivering full–time postgraduate diploma, and numerous short-term, courses on public health.

The courses: PG Diploma programmes offered through Indian Institutes of Public Health (IIPH) Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), Delhi NCR, Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and Bhubaneswar (Odisha). The courses are: PG Diploma in Public Health Management (PGDPHM); PG Diploma in Biostatistics and Data Management (PGDBDM); PG Diploma in Health Economics, Health Care Financing & Health Policy (PGDHEP); PG Diploma in Clinical Research (PGDCR)

Eligibility: Applicants with graduate/postgraduate qualifications in medical, dental, AYUSH, nursing, health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, statistics, economics, etc. are eligible to apply.

Deadline: June 15, 2012

Check out: www.phfi.org

Media management

University of Southampton's Winchester School of Art is inviting applications for its new MA Global Media Management course that will commence in September 2012. This course is designed to bring together the analytical and practical skills required to succeed in communications and media management roles in international public communications.

Eligibility: Candidates having a good honours degree (2:2 or above) in a relevant subject or an equivalent qualification in an appropriate discipline are eligible for the programme.

Fee: The fee for students for the 2012-2013 session is £12,500.

Deadline: June 30, 2012.

Check out: www.southampton.ac.uk/wsa/postgraduate/
taught_courses/ma_global_media_management.page

Basics of Vaastu

Those interested in getting practical training in the application of Vaastu techniques can check out the MahaVastu Course conducted by Aunkar Foundation, New Delhi. The course is based on scientific research and documented case studies based on successful application of Vaastu principles.

Objectives: The objectives of the programme are to make the participants aware of practical and scientific tools used in MahaVaastu to evaluate positive and negative effects of a building, imbibe logical reasoning and tools to pin-point the root cause of their problems in their building, discover most effective solutions and remedies to attract more happiness, love and prosperity.

Duration: Four days.

Trainer: Vastushastri Khushdeep Bansal

Check Out: http://www.mahavastu.com/course-contents.html

Icing on the cake

Those desirous of mastering the nuances of cake decoration and icing should check out the Cake & Culinary Decorating School's specialised diploma programme for baking and decorating state-of-the-art cakes. The diploma is designed to make a student who may not have any background in the field, into a bakery professional.

The course: The CCDS’ Confectionary and Cake Decoration Diploma offers an all-encompassing curriculum that teaches at the outset, the science of baking so that the student does not blindly follow a recipe but can alter or even create one himself. From baking a perfect sponge to professional looking puff pastry delights, gum-paste flowers and sculpted cakes, the diploma offers practical decorating and baking exercises.

Students are also trained on food hygiene and in the session the business of cakes vital information like costing, pricing and marketing cakes is imparted.

Duration: three months (weekend classes)

New batch: June 24

Check out:

www.nowletslearn.com

SCHOLARSHIP ROUNDUP

NEST (junior)— 2012

Applications are invited for the Eighth Nationwide Education and Scholarship Test which awards scholarships worth Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 each. Bona fide students of all government recognised schools/colleges of India of Class XI and XII (science stream only) can take this test. Certificates of appreciation are also awarded to all high scorers in the test with All India Ranking (AIR).

Selection: The scholarships are awarded on the basis of score in a two-hour online test of 200 marks. The test comprises of four sections of 50 questions each (1 mark for each question) in physics, chemistry, maths/biology, English language and simple logic and GK. The syllabus is generally based on the content and level of SSC & HSC books prescribed by the CBSE, ICSE and other State boards in India.

Test centres: All major cities of India. Check list on www.nest.net.in to choose a centre in/near your town.

Date of Test: July 29, 2012.

Deadline: 15 May (without late fee). Thereafter, there is late fee of Rs 100 till June 15 and Rs 200 till July 15.

Application form: Log on to www.nest.net.in to download application form.

ARM offer

University of Liverpool (UK) invites applicants from Indian postgraduate students for ARM scholarship. This is a prestigious scholarship in microelectronics, exclusive to postgraduate students in India.

Eligibility: Students who have been offered a place on one of the University’s master’s degree programmes in microelectronic systems or microelectronic systems and telecommunications are eligible for the scholarship. Candidates should have a first class BE, ME, BTech or MTech degree in a subject related to electronic engineering or a computer science/engineering degree where hardware electives have been taken. Students are also required to have relevant work experience in embedded systems, systems on chip, or IC design.

Duration and details: Four-month paid internship at a world-leading technology company in Cambridge.

Amount: The scholarship is an award of £6,200.

Selection criteria: Candidate will be chosen from interviews in India in May this year. Dr John Marsland, from the University’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics will attend student exhibitions in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai to meet potential candidates. Dr Marsland will be available to speak to students in Bangalore on 20 and 21 May; in Hyderabad on the 22 and 23 May; and in Chennai from 24 to 26 May.

Deadline: May 19, 2012

Check out:

www.liv.ac.uk/EEE/armscholarship.htm

Happiness@work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Ability is in spirit not in body

It is wrong to look down upon differently abled colleagues because when God shuts one door, He opens another. During the tussle for the throne of Mewar in early the 16th century AD between princes Sanga, Prithviraj and Jaimal, Prithviraj’s arrow blinded Sanga in the right eye. Sanga also lost the use of a hand and a leg during various battles. He had scars of 80 wounds on his body. But all this didn’t prevent him from becoming a ruler, defeating Mahmood Khilji, Sultan of Malwa, and giving Mughal emperor Babur a run for his money on the first day of battle at Khanwa in March 1527. Babur had to, in fact, bribe Shiladitya, a general in Rana Sanga’s army, into betraying his master in order to defeat Sanga and get Chittor.

In 1192, Mohammad Ghori defeated, blinded and imprisoned King Prithviraj Chauhan of Delhi. But little did Ghori realise that Prithviraj could shoot targets in the dark — following their sound. So when Ghori ordered Prithviraj to pierce a gong to demonstrate his skill, Prithviraj avenged his defeat by shooting Ghori instead. Soordas, who was born visually impaired, was gifted with sixth sense. At the age of 14, he became famed as a diviner and helped villagers with their problems. Legend has it that he could ‘see’ the idols of Lord Krishna and Radha at the temple and would sing about it. One day, some devotees — in order to test Soordas — didn’t embellish the statues. Much to their amazement, the blind bard described the idols as ‘unadorned’ in his bhajan.

Little Ranjit lost his left eye after contracting small pox. But this brave Sikh boy tasted his first military victory at the age of 10 and on April 12, 1801, he became Maharaja of Punjab.

Zamindar Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur in Bihar took on the British at the age of 75 during the First War of Indian Independence in 1857. He caused so much disruption in British India that Samuells, Commissioner of Patna, remarked, “We are lucky that he is not 40 years younger.” While escaping from the British at Sheopur Ghat, a bullet hit Kunwar Singh’s left wrist. The ‘Old Lion’ immediately cut off the bleeding wrist and resumed his journey.

At Sri Balipuram, Adi Sankaracharya met a boy who had never spoken a word. When Sankara asked him who he was, the boy replied with 12 stanzas on self-realisation. “He has kept quiet all these years as he is a realised soul who doesn’t identify either with his body or with this material world,” Sankara explained. The seer took the boy in his care and named him Hastamalaka.

Before looking down on anyone else due to his physical handicap’s always remember that we all are incomplete one way or the other.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com

CAREER HOTLINE
Pervin Malhotra email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com

Do I need to take GATE for postgraduation abroad?

Q. I am currently doing BTech Electronics and am interested in doing my postgraduation in technology or management from a foreign university. Can you please tell me if I will also have to take GATE besides appearing for TOEFL? — Alok Nahta

A. GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) scores are not required for admission to postgraduate courses abroad.

For seeking admission into an MS or MTech course, you will need to take the GRE, particularly if you are also seeking financial aid for studying in the US. Some universities may also require you to take GRE subject tests in the area concerned, especially in science and technology.

For MBA courses in the US, GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) scores are necessary. However, for Canada, UK and Australia, your GPA here and TOEFL/IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) scores would generally suffice. Admission to postgraduate courses in these countries is based mainly on academic merit. However, all the reputed B-schools require at least three to four years of work experience over and above good GMAT scores.

However, do check out the specific requirements of the course for which you wish to enroll on the institution's website.

Roadmap for continuing education

Q. I am a young housewife. I had to discontinue my studies due to the casual attitude of my parents. I could not even complete my matriculation. Please advise me how I should continue my studies. I feel very inadequate. — Sameeksha Srivastava

A. So what if you couldn't complete your schooling? Nothing is lost even now. You can happily continue your education even at this stage. The open school and university system is specially designed for people like you who may have had to discontinue their studies for one reason or another. In fact, India has one of the most well-established ODL networks in Asia. As many as 14 open universities are functioning in different parts of the country.

National Institute of Open Schooling under the Department of Education is one option. NIOS conducts exams at the matriculation level for which the notification is issued in June/July and the application deadline is August. The forms are available at NIOS study centres at a nominal price.

Exams are held in November and May. In addition to their other vocational courses NIOS also offers one-year certificate courses in Computer Applications and Library Science.

One good thing about NIOS is that you don't have to give all your exams in one go. You can do so in lots at your convenience. Yet another option is to seek direct enrolment for a bachelor's degree at an Open University like IGNOU. Even if you don't have the necessary formal qualifications, you can apply for these student-friendly courses at any age and even more conveniently, from home if you so wish. While some of these open universities admit students on the basis of an entrance test, others like IGNOU ask you to take a short preparatory programme (BPP) prior to joining the course. Besides these, several regular universities also offer a whole array of degree and diploma level courses through their distance learning programmes. So just go ahead and study as much as you want.

'Astro' ambition

Q. I want to become an astronaut. Should I go for electrical or aeronautical engineering? I have an interest in aeronautical branch. — Ritesh Johar

A. You should opt either for aerospace or aeronautical engineering. At the undergraduate level, besides the IITs — Kanpur, Mumbai Madras and Kharagpur — that offer BTech as well as integrated MTech in aerospace engineering (five years), Amity University, Amity School of Engineering, Noida (www.amity.edu) and SRM University, Chennai and Ghaziabad (www.srmuniv.ac.in) also offer courses in aerospace engineering. The Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) (www.iist.ac.in) offers four-year BTech (aeronautical) course.

Alternatively, you could do a BTech (aeronautical engineering) which is offered at several engineering colleges all over the country.

The Aeronautical Society of India (ASI) (www.aesi.org.) conducts an Associate Membership Exam twice a year. Sections 'A' and 'B' of this exam have been recognised by the Ministry of Education, on par with a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering from an Indian university for purposes of recruitment to senior posts and services in the Central Government. You can also take GATE for admission to PG programmes at the IITs and other engineering colleges. Those who have cleared Plus II with science subjects can directly enroll for Section A.

Aeronautical engineering focuses on the design, construction and maintenance of commercial as well as military aircraft and even satellites, spacecraft and missiles. You can further specialise in aerodynamics, thermodynamics, propulsion, structures, celestial machines, acoustics and guidance and control systems.

Future prospects of MA in political science from JNU

Q. I'm in final year of BA political science. (Hons). What are the future prospects after doing MA (with specialisation in international relations) from JNU? — Tarana Govil

A. After completing master's from JNU's prestigious School of International Studies, you will have the following options:

You could either opt for teaching political science or international relations at the college or university level (upon qualifying the National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted by the UGC for central/state universities or the State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) for state universities).

The Civil Services in general, and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in particular, is another popular option for students of Pol Science. The General Studies paper requires considerable knowledge of Indian polity and current affairs.

If you have a flair for writing, you can also become a political analyst for a newspaper, news-related website or TV.

You can take up research jobs in organisations such as:

Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA), Centre for Policy Research Research and Information Systems for Non-aligned Countries,

Indian Council of World Affairs, India International Centre, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library etc

FORTNIGHTLY QUIZ 412

1. How many years have been completed by the Indian Parliament?

2. Who recently swept to power in France’s presidential election by defeating Nicolas Sarkozy?

3. When is National Panchayati Raj Day celebrated?

4. Which country recently began shutting its last active nuclear reactor, leaving it with no nuclear-derived electricity for the first time since 1970?

5. Name the Republican presidential front-runner for the US presidential poll.

6. Where is the Satish Dhawan Space Centre situated?

7. What is the range of Hatf IV Shaheen 1 A missile?

8. Name Edvard Munch’s iconic painting that was sold for nearly $ 120 million, the highest price ever paid for a work of art at any auction.

9. Who has become the first player to complete 2,000 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL)?

10.Name the three top run scorers in Test cricket.

— Tarun Sharma

Winners of quiz 411: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Varyam Singh Bhogal, class VIII, Alpine Public School, near NM College, opposite Mehak Hotel, Mansa Pin Code - 151505

Second: Anshul Sharma, class X-A, Blue Star Senior Secondary Public School, opposite DC Office, Hamirpur (HP) Pin Code 177001

Third: Hitesh Kumar, class V-B, Dayanand Model School, Model Town, Jalandhar Pin Code – 144003 Anshul Sharma, class X-A, Blue Star Senior Secondary Public School, opposite DC Office, Hamirpur (HP) Pin Code 177001

Answers to quiz 411: USA, UK, China, France, Russia and India; Vijay Kumar Saraswat; Shimla; Qutub Shahi; Atlantic; New Delhi-Jaipur; Bihar; Shiv Thapa (56 kg category); Badminton; Frank Worrell Trophy

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 on the letter/postcard to facilitate the delivery of the prize money.

Answers can also be sent at quiz@tribunemail.com