merchant navy
Romancing The Seas
Life at sea is not for the faint hearted. Merchant Navy offers multiple entry points for those with a passion for adventure and a penchant for challenges
Gauri Chhabra

They that go down to the sea in ships
and occupy their business in great waters;
These men see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep…

For those who have an unquenchable thirst for travel and have a sea-faring instinct, these oft-quoted immortal verses by John Masefield sum up the glamour and the adventure of the Merchant Navy. It is a non-combatant commercial fleet, which deals with transporting men and materials by sea. Its fleet comprises passenger vessels, cargo liners, tankers, carriers, as well as other special types of vehicles. A career in this field is full of adventure and long voyages to exotic places. Moreover, the opportunities of elevation and escalation make this career lucrative and exciting in spite of all the hard work.

Merchant Navy offers a three-pronged pathway — the Deck, the Engine and the Saloon department — seen as performing primary, secondary and tertiary functions on a ship. The deck officers include the Captain, Chief Officer, Second Officer, Third Officer and other junior officers. The engine department consists of the Chief Engineer, Second Engineer, Third Engineer, Fourth Engineer, Electrical Officer and junior engineers. The service department manages the kitchen, laundry and other services. Aspirants can get in as navigating officers, radio officers and marine engineers. They are usually employed by shipping companies on a contractual basis, which is generally of six to nine months’ duration. Earlier, a career in this field was considered purely for men, but now women have also entered this field as ship doctors and radio officers.

Eligibility
The minimum eligibility for courses in nautical science and marine engineering is Class XII or an equivalent examination with physics, chemistry and mathematics. The candidate should also clear a medical fitness test for sea service under standard norms and should have 6/6 eyesight with no colour blindness. Candidates wishing to enter the navigational and engineering fields should have a bachelor's degree in nautical science or marine engineering.

Selection to the B.Sc. nautical science at T.S Chanakya, Mumbai; and the four-year marine engineering degree course at Marine Engineering Research Institute (MERI), in Calcutta and Mumbai, known as DMET, is through the Joint Entrance Examination conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), which assesses a candidate's knowledge of physics, chemistry and mathematics. The examination is followed by personal interviews/counselling, where the interviewers assess the degree of alertness, and awareness of the external environment in the candidates and their suitability for this field.

Getting in
The entry level for a fresh Marine Engineer (ME) is at the rank of Fifth Engineer or Junior Engineer; and for a nautical science graduate is as a Deck Cadet. Promotions depend on further examinations conducted by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), the quality of experience and personal merit.

On successfully completing these examinations the candidate receives the 'Certificates of Competency' needed for promotion to the respective classes. This examination is conducted by the Ministry of Surface Transport, in association with the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) Mumbai.

Direct entry
Direct entry is also possible n Students who have completed their Class XII with PCM (physics, chemistry, mathematics) are eligible to join as Deck Cadets and a student holding a bachelor's degree in mechanical/electrical/ technology engineering could also join as a Engine Cadet/ Fifth Engineer/Junior Engineer.

Direct entry Deck Cadets are required to undergo a basic pre-sea training arranged by the recruiting company itself, and the direct entry engineering cadets have to do a pre-sea course of nine months duration in marine engineering conducted by the MERI.

Skill threshold
The singular skill required is a strong inner self and tough physical form, along with a sporting, adaptive and adjustable attitude.

* Willingness to take on responsibility, love for adventure and challenges

* Intelligence, intuition, willing to work as a team, flexible and patient

* Have a liking for solitude, willing to live apart from loves ones for long stretches of time.

* Those opting for a career should not be sea sick.

* Engineers need to be resourceful and practical; skilled at maths and physics; have in-depth knowledge about the workings of the different machines. Manual dexterity is a must; one should be willing to learn new ways and work with modern technology; and able to work in the deck department as well if need arises.

Pay Packet
The pay packet can be between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 a month for freshers. A person gets a variety of benefits such as free food, accommodation, paid leave, two-way free passage and facilities for families. In other words, the salary can be saved entirely while one is on ship. The perquisites include bonus, holiday travel and other annual benefits.

On the whole, Merchant Navy is a complete renaissance and revival of the trade carried on in ancient times via sea route. It sounds a clarion call for all those with a love for the blue oceans.

Course Cursor

n B.S. Nautical Technology

n B.Sc. Nautical Science

n Diploma in Nautical Science

n General Purpose Rating (GP Rating)

n Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)

n Graduate Marine Engineering

n Higher National Diploma (HND) in Nautical Science

n Pre-sea Training for Diploma Holders (DME)

n Pre-sea Training for Graduates (GME)

The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant

Varied pathways

Deck Department
The Captain or the Master of the ship is in charge of the ship. He is not only responsible for the safe navigation of the vessel but also for the discipline on the ship and safety of passengers, crew and the cargo. He must ensure the observance of national and international codes of conduct guiding sea transportation. The Captain is further assisted by first, second and third mates. The First Mate or Chief Officer is the right-hand man of the Captain; the second in-command. He overseers the cargo planning, assists during navigation, allocates duties and works for the maintenance and upkeep of the ship to the deck cadets and crew, ensures that discipline and order are maintained.

The Second Mate or Second Officer is assistant to the First Mate and is in-charge of checking all mails and keeping the navigational equipment and charts in good condition and also assists in navigational watches at sea and cargo watches at port. The Third Mate or the Third Officer is responsible for keeping safety equipment — the lifeboats, fire fighting and signalling equipment in top condition and acts in the capacity of signal officer and assists with cargo work.

The deck department also has other staff with specific duties called 'ratings'. They act as look outs and helmsmen, assist with the securing of the ship as it docks at ports and help clean tanks and holds before the cargo is placed in them.

Engine Department
Marine engineers have the complete responsibility of the ship’s technical management. The main personnel in this department is the Chief Engineer who ensures safe and economic running of all engines, boilers, electrical, refrigerating and sanitary equipment, deck machinery and steam connections aboard the ship. He supervises the work of the engine-room crew and is assisted in his duties by the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Engineers and other junior personnel.

Second Engineer looks after the day to day work in the engine room. Third Engineer is in charge of the main engine, spare parts for the main engine, all purifiers, boilers, compressors etc. Fourth Engineer is in charge of the numerous generators onboard ship as well as certain small pumps.

Besides the officers of the navigation and engineering teams, most ships have a Radio Officer and an Electrical Officer. The Radio Officer is in charge of the radio room and handles the operation of the wireless and transmitting of signals. Electrical Officer is responsible for the functioning and handling of all electrical equipment onboard the vessel.

Service Department
The work undertaken here revolves around the living and catering services for all the crew on board. The Chief Steward heads a large team of stewards, bakers, mess men etc. Apart from this, the department also has other services such as the services of Divers for underwater examination of the heel of the ship, propellers, pipes etc. Light Keepers, who operate light house signalling equipment to guide incoming and passing ships, and Nautical Surveyors, who prepare charts of particular regions of the seas.

Career Hotline
Can I take up gift wrapping as a career?
Pervin Malhotra email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com ...

Q. I have a natural talent for gift-wrapping. Using odds and ends lying around the house, I can transform an ordinary gift into a piece of art. Can I possibly take this up as a profession? — Jahnvi verma

A. Why not! Have you ever seen the look of sheer delight and curiosity on a child's face as she excitedly tries to 'judge her gift by its cover'?

Part of the joy of receiving a gift is the element of surprise and it's something even adults don't grow out of. The wrap is a part and parcel of the whole gift experience. Haven't we felt ever so often that a package simply looks too exquisite to open!

And the market is bursting with an exquisite array of paper, boxes, fabric, embellishments and accessories like dry flowers, ribbons and pearls... you're spoilt for choice!

For those of us who get our fingers tied up in knots while wrapping gifts, help is at hand.

The demand for designer gift-wrapping has given rise to a whole new breed of professionals called gift-wrap stylists. These designers often sit in consultancy with their client and take down details such as the recipient's profile, the budget and the occasion. Of course, a corporate gift-wrap is very different from a birthday or trousseau gift.

The festival and wedding season spells boom time for gift stylists - you can charge anything from Rs 100 to Rs 5,000 per wrap. Designers charge a lot more for theme-based trousseau gift-wrapping.

So if you have a gift for gift-wrapping you can certainly look at this profession. Beginners can start out from home or join designers or stores that specialise in gift-wrapping to hone your skills.

The Japanese are masters of this art form (even their everyday vegetables and groceries are so artistically packaged. While you could sign up for a short-term course or apprentice with an expert, there are some excellent books in the market, to inspire you and get you going. Attend exhibitions and fairs like Bridal 
Asia and Vivaha to keep abreast of latest trends and innovations. There's no end to innovation. Just keep experimenting with different materials and colours, and you'll never have a dull day.

Full-time course a better bet

Q. What would be the difference between doing MCA through correspondence or as a full-time course as far as jobs prospects are concerned? — Gokul sharma

A. As far as the course content is concerned, there is no difference between a regular and correspondence MCA. However, a full-time course would definitely give you far more practical hands-on experience.

Hence, given a choice, employers, too, tend to prefer those who have passed out of a full-time course from a good university.

A distance MCA is meant for working people who wish to enhance their qualifications on the side or for those who are already pursuing some other regular course of study. Also, some of the better F/T MCA departments offer campus placement on the completion of the course - a facility that is not available to those studying through the distance mode.

So you may have to scout around on your own for your first job if you choose to do MCA through distance learning mode.

Actually, what really matters in software jobs is one's live hands-on project experience over and above the formal qualifications. If your fundamentals are strong and your communication skills decent enough, job options should not be too difficult to come by.

Even if you get to intern at a low or no salary just grab the opportunity. Even technical support jobs in BPOs will do for starters. Here even freshers are paid pretty decently.

While there are hundreds of institutions and university departments offering regular MCA courses, the competition for the good ones is stiff because the number of seats in each programme is limited.

Given a choice, it's always best to pursue a full-time course to improve your career prospects.

I want to get into advertising...

Q. I am postgraduate in computers but I am very interested in the advertising field. I can design entire scenes with dialogues, characters for an ad for any product on my own but I don't know how to get into the advertising field. Please guide me. — naved beg

A. Like most advertising copywriters (I used to be one in my previous avatar), you can start out as a copy trainee after taking a copy test administered by leading advertising agencies and proceed to write your way to the advertising hall of fame.

A typical copy test is designed to test your command over the language (English/Hindi), your creativity, and awareness of the world around you.

While a course in mass communication may help, it is by no means mandatory to become a copywriter.

Depending on the medium, you may pen a compelling out-of-the box ad for a new brand of lipstick, a script or jingle for a tourist destination, content for a corporate website, a detailed storyboard for a TV jingle or commercial or a catchy traffic stopper for a billboard and conjure up a snappy brand name for a new car in between.

With companies across sectors becoming communication savvy, copywriters can easily transit to related areas like FM Radio, ad film making, strategic panning in an agency, public relations or corporate communication and brand management departments of large corporates and Search Engine Optimisation (to drive traffic to a website).

Private students can't opt for science subjects

Q. Can I take up the science stream in CBSE Class XII as a private candidate? — Heena Bedi

A. As far as I know, private candidates are not allowed to take up subjects that involve practical work except in the case of students who failed earlier and had pursued a regular course at a school affiliated to the CBSE in the previous academic year. Nonetheless, female students can take up home science.

OPPORTUNITIES
German odyssey awaits young environmentalists

Entries are being invited for the Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Programme (BYEEP) 2012. This programme is in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and provides young environmentalists an opportunity to win an all-expenses paid week-long field trip to Germany. The week-long study trip, will give students the unique opportunity to gain a firsthand experience of best environmental protection practices by the company, people and government in industrialized countries.

LEARNERS ALL: Successful participants of the WISE Learners' Voice Programme last year

Entries from students with active participation in an ongoing or completed environment project will be shortlisted based on various criteria such as sustainability, inventiveness and project management. From the shortlisted entries two students will be chosen to represent India as a Bayer Youth Environmental Envoy 2012 to Germany.

The India application form for the Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Programme 2012. Eligibility: The programme is open to all Indian students within the age group of 18-24 years, holding a valid passport and actively involved in a current or completed environmental project.

Deadline: July 31, 2012
Check out: www.bayeryoungenvoy.com

Learners' Voice Programme

The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) invites representatives of institutions, organisations, programmes and networks to nominate outstanding and motivated young learners to participate in the WISE Learners' Voice Programme. Learners are also invited to apply personally by submitting an application endorsed by a recommender.

Details: The programme engages young learners and supports their development as change-makers and advocates in the field of education. The 30 young people will be invited to participate actively in the 2012 WISE Summit in Doha (November 13-15) and will have an opportunity to take part in global experiences throughout 2013.

Who can apply: Highly motivated learners/recent graduates with outstanding or original academic/learning experiences, aged 18 to 25 (as of November 13, 2012).

Selection criteria: Participants should be currently enrolled in (or recently graduated from) a course of study at a recognised college, university or training programme and be willing to contribute some of their time to the programme throughout the year.

How to apply: Download the official nomination/application form from the WISE website: www.wise-qatar.org. Please note that only the first 300 applications received online will be evaluated.

Deadline: June 30, 2012
Check out: www.wise-qatar.org.

 Scholarship Roundup
Minority report

Eligible students can apply for the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India funded Post-Matric Scholarship for meritorious students belonging to the minority communities. 30% of scholarship are earmarked for girl students.

Study subject(s): Any subject

Course Level: Class XI and XII,undergraduate, postgraduate, M.Phil and Ph.D.

Eligibility: Students should have secured not less than 50 per cent marks or equivalent grade in the previous final examination

The annual income of parents/guardian from all sources should not exceed Rs 2 lakh. Scholarships will not be given to more than two students in a family.

Duration: Scholarship will be provided for the entire course. However, maintenance allowance will be given for a period not exceeding 10 months only in an academic year.

How to Apply: Online. The state government/Union Territory administration concerned will supply the application forms.

Deadline: September 30, 2012

A helping hand

Getting into college? Check out these undergraduate scholarships in arts, commerce, science, medical, engineering and other technical and professional courses for students belonging to BPL category, SC/ST community at any university/institution/college. FAEA will be offering a limited number of scholarships for the year 2012-13 to pursue undergraduate studies at any university/institution/college of students' choice anywhere in India. These scholarships are sponsored by BHEH, TATA, CII and Others.

Course level: Undergraduate

Eligibility:

(i) Students should belong to BPL category, SC/ST community

(ii) Students who have passed Class XII from a recognised board in India

(iv)Students who are in Class XII may also apply.

Details: On selection of student FAEA provides financial aid for completion of undergraduate courses which includes tuition fee, maintenance allowance or hostel/mess charges and other allowances to cover travel, clothing and book purchase. Scholarships may be for up to a maximum of five years. All grants must be renewed annually, based on the scholar's progress and budget proposal.

How to apply: Online

Deadline: June 23

Check out: inquiry@faeaindia.org.

CBSE’s offer

Students who have availed of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) scholarship after Class XII can go in for renewal of scholarship for PG course. The CBSE is funding the renewal of scholarship under the central sector scheme for college and university students pursuing post graduation in the same stream that they had in the graduation course

Study subject(s): Courses offered by the university

Course level: PG

Eligibility:

1. Applicant should have passed Class XII from CBSE in 2008/2009 and awarded Central Sector Scholarship by the CBSE. They are eligible for this scholarship if they are pursuing PG in the same stream in which they passed the graduation programme.

2. Applicant should not be availing any other scholarship from any other scheme/source.

3. Applicant should have passed in all the subjects with not less than 60 per cent marks (or equivalent, if grades have been awarded) in the annual examinations (or aggregate of 2 semester) in the course pursuing.

4. Applicant should have maintained not less than 75 per cent attendance, good discipline and should not have been involved in ragging.

Details: Rs 2000 per month for a maximum of 10 months in a year for a maximum of two years and if combined with graduation for a maximum of five years. The particulars filled in the renewal form are to be attested by the Head of the Institution in which the candidate is pursuing his/her higher studies.

How to Apply: Post, email

Deadline: June 30, 2012 (for receipt of online renewal application). The hard copy of the online application is to be submitted before July 15, 2012

For queries: Contact 011-22526745 or email at scholarship.cbse@nic.in

Perfect plan
If you are good in communicating, high on adrenalin and can combine strategy, statistics and logic, then this field will take you places
Usha Albuquerque

Why is it that we see certain kinds of ads in newspapers and magazines, others like shampoo and soap ads jump out at us just at a critical point of a saas-bahu serial, and still others like mobile ads follow us just about everywhere. When you see the new mobile apps on TV, hear a housewife rave about the ICICI insurance scheme on the radio, or are allowed to test drive the new Chevrolet, you are experiencing planned forms of brand contact. Advertising is nothing if it is not seen, heard and experienced by the right kind of people. Media planners are the people who decide how a media campaign will unfold and the kind of exposure to, and interaction with a product or service that is required for maximum marketing benefit.

Work profile
Media planners, also known as brand planners, work at advertising agencies. They work with a particular client or brand and choose the best outlet or medium to reach the customer they want. They plan, schedule, book and purchase space in the print media (newspapers, magazines) or outdoors (billboards, kiosks and bus panels) and time (TV, radio, internet etc) so that their client's product (and brand) is advertised to the target audience. There are numerous TV channels, newspaper and magazines, radio stations, cinema theaters and out-of-home sites for advertisements. So they work with the print media, television, radio and new media, in particular the internet, as well as more unusual platforms.

Media planners need to know which shows, websites, magazines and other purveyors of entertainment will draw the client's desired audience. In addition, today media also includes the digital world of online advertising and mobile phones, events, product demonstrations, public relations, bus-stop posters, in-store displays, banner ads on the web, or a flyer on Facebook and anything else that can reach and influence consumers or potential consumers. In other words, media planners select media time and space to disseminate advertising messages in order to accomplish marketing objectives. When advertisers run commercials during the IPL matches at more than Rs 10 lakh per 30-second spot, for example, media planners are the ones who are involved in the negotiation and placement process.

The first objective of a media plan is to select the target audience - the people whom the media plan attempts to influence through various forms of brand contact. Some products need to reach millions of consumers, and television may be the best vehicle for this. For others it may be a specialised, distinctive consumer reached through limited print magazines, or FM radio.

The media planning exercise often involves conducting some targeted brand or need-specific research to identify target audiences and analyse their characteristics, behaviour and media habits, and assess recall and viewership/readership of a campaign. A lot of groundwork and research is vital for a successful advertising campaign.

Job profile
A career in media planning involves several kinds of work. One could be working with an ad agency, or a media company as a media planner. An agency may employ its own personnel or commission an outside agency for the job. You can also work as a media buyer with a media agency, where you would need to examine all the different kinds of media, their rates and ensure the best deals for the highest and most effective visibility for your ad. For this you need to make and maintain good contacts with media owners, such as newspapers, magazines and websites;

Another important job is media scheduling. Once the deal has been struck with the media houses, the actual delivery of the advertisement material, availability of space in media have to be worked out. Therefore, the media scheduler is responsible for the actual output of the advertisement in the specified media.

Finally, the role of media planners has expanded as they have moved beyond planned messages to take advantage of unplanned messages as well. Word of mouth, mobile messages, blogs, tweets both online and offline, are forms of unplanned messages. Although advertisers have little direct control over the flow of unplanned messages, they can and often do facilitate such a flow.

Getting in
Media planning can be a fascinating career. You don't need any specific qualification and can take up a course in advertising, brand management, or communication management, after graduation in any subject. It is an advantage if you have a background in maths and statistics, an MBA or an MBE. Media planners deal with numbers and rating systems and are also involved in analysing, crunching and reporting numbers that help sell advertising. So a graduation degree in economics, mathematics or statistics is often helpful. This helps the professional to delve into demographic and psychographic (consumers' personality traits) reports and in analysing data.

There are several institutes such as the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, and Xavier's Institute of Communications, Mumbai that offer PG diploma courses in mass communication, with specialisations in advertising and media planning. Some of the institutes like MICA (Mudra Institute of Communication, Ahmedabad) specialise in communication management as an MBA programme, too. Most good institutes offer 1-2 months internship as part of the curriculum. The best way to get into the field after a course is to also get some on-the-job training.

However, very few colleges offer mass communication with specialisation in advertising at the bachelor's level. Those that do, cover advertising in general, and often media planning is not covered in much detail. Specialising at PG level is usually the best route to getting a good job in this field.

Salaries
Starting salary is flexible, between Rs 15,000- Rs 40,000 and depends on an individual's merit, qualifications, experience as well as the company's size and performance.

Advertising is not a glamorous profession as most believe it to be. Those who join must be prepared to work long hours and under much pressure and deadlines. But this is also one career field where success comes early to those who show promise. If you have the required aptitude and skills, and are willing to put in hard work sky can be the limit.

field in focus: media planning Skill set n Good creative instincts n Communication skills n Ability to work in a team n Withstand the high stress levels of an extremely competitive environment and an interest in socialising with colleagues and clients n Objectivity n Numerical ability and a logical, analytical brain n The main thing a media planner needs is a willingness, and eagerness, to learn about the advertising world, and the entertainment world (which TV shows and magazines attract which type of audience), the most popular hang-outs, the latest gadgets so that they can place the ads appropriately.

Range and reach Today there are several hundreds of advertising agencies, local, regional, national and international, as well as media-buying houses, and their numbers are growing continuously. This has meant a proportionate increase in the number of career opportunities at various levels. Media planners are playing an increasingly important role in today's advertising industry because of the continuing proliferation of new media options and the increased complexity of media and audience research. Consumers and consumer behaviour are changing too. More than just figuring out numbers and ratings, the media planners of the future will need to examine the psychology and the buying patterns of the new consumer, whether in the metros, tier II and III towns or in the rural areas. Moreover, advertising as a medium is constantly evolving with changes in technology and its desire to find new and better ways to reach an ever-growing consumer marketplace. The digital technology has also revolutionised marketing strategies with on-line advertising developing as a global medium with massive potential.

— The writer is Director, Careers Smart Pvt Ltd, New Delhi

course cruising
BBA with corporate edge

The Millennium Academy of Professional Studies (MAPS) , promoted by Educomp Raffles Higher Education Limited is offering Corporate BBA programme at its Chandigarh campus. On the successful completion of the course, the students would be provided BBA degree by UGC recognised, NAAC A grade university and a graduate diploma certificate by Educomp Raffles. The key highlights of the programme are that the students will also get an opportunity to learn one of the 2 languages- French and Chinese to expand their horizon of career opportunities in other countries apart from India. An education trip to abroad will also be planned for the students.

Duration: 3 years
Eligibility: Plus II in any stream with 50 per cent marks in aggregate.
Selection process: MAPSAT-UG (MAPS Aptitude Test-UG) score. In addition, past record of Extra-Curricular Activities, Presentation on a given topic and a Personal Interview will also be considered. Along with BBA , MAPS Chandigarh will also offer B. Com.

How to apply: The application forms are available on the website www.maps.edu.in and at the admission office in Chandigarh and Delhi

Check out:
www.maps.edu.in

On the hospitality front

Lakshya Bharti Institute of International Hotel Management (LBIIHM), New Delhi is inviting applications for admission to its three-year BSc and two-year MSc in hotel management courses.

Eligibility: Class XII pass in any stream for BSc course and graduation for MSc course
Selection criteria: Personal interview
Deadline: June 30, 2012
Checkout: www.lbiihm.com 

Fast-track MBA
One-year courses are adding a new dimension to management education
Geetu Vaid

An established code in the job market is that one can't go wrong with an MBA degree. There is an increased preference for management graduates when it comes to hiring by companies across the board. Even the recent Corporate Recruiters Survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) also revealed that 79 per cent of the companies planned to hire recent MBA graduates this year. 

However, in spite of this favourable trend not all B-school graduates are considered job ready even after getting the coveted degree. Experts opine that the curriculum in B-schools has not been able to keep pace with the fluid and dynamic corporate environment. Content has to be in sync with the fast changing needs and trends in the industry, so in this scenario of substantial demand and the need to modify the system, the trend now is of shortening the MBA course by laying more stress on the practical aspect.

The new courses laid on the table are sumptuous but lean as these are one-year rapid ones rather than the traditional two-year post graduate courses.

Highlighting the need for a shorter management course, Nitin Sharma, Director, Sambodhi Research and Management Institute, says, "Management is an applied subject and the emphasis now is on skill development and knowledge building". The institute has recently launched a one-year management course based on the European model. The programme has two training modules of three and 10-week duration.

Melbourne Business School (MBS) is another institute to have gone for this new MBA model of a 12-month full-time programme. "The new programme will focus on integrated learning to provide a holistic view of business in the real world", says Prof Zeger Degraeve, Dean of Melbourne Business School, while adding that the programme would prepare the next generation of global business leaders.

The main thrust area of these one-year management courses is intensive practical component and exposure to real-life work situations. “Learning isn't confined to the lecture; it's venturing out in the field, working alongside companies and understanding the impact of decisions at the cutting edge”, says Prof Degraeve.

Talking at length about the course at Sambodhi Institute, Sharma informs, "When a student joins this programme the first three months are devoted to core compulsory courses which cover all streams within management and all students have to undertake this module. After this there is a training of three weeks to strengthen the classroom lessons through practical application. This gives students a fairly good idea of their strengths and weaknesses which helps them to confidently choose their field of specialisation. A student is free to choose the area of specialisation like finance, strategy etc and then in the last part there is an extended training module in the student's field of specialisation. Here a student has an academic and a corporate mentor and he gets a first hand experience of the corporate world. So by the end of one year a student is fully equipped to enter the corporate world".

Going along the same line the MBS programme, too, has blended academic rigour with the experiential learning to offer a diversified learning menu. Students have the freedom to tailor their elective programme based on their aspirations.

But does a shorter duration make this programme more hectic and stressful for students? "Shortening the programme to 12 months (from 16 months or two years) will not overburden students — instead, it allows for a smarter way of learning in a shorter time”, says Prof Degraeve. According to Sharma, the programme is no doubt a high energy course requiring a student to spend at least five hours in classroom. “But the approach to teaching is very different as we are dealing with adults rather than children. Here the students are encouraged to seek learning rather than being doused with information. It is more of 'androgogy' rather than pedagogy”, he adds.

The entry threshold for these courses, however, remains the same with a bachelor's degree. While the MBS also seeks students with at least two-year work experience. The Sambodhi Institute is currently having a tie up with MDU, Rohtak, where the students of two-year MBA in distance learning mode can also enroll for this course in the first year. 

smart strategy: tips for managers
Getting dividends from human capital
D. C. Sharma

Research indicates that in spite of advanced management tools, several top level managers fail to get the best out of their subordinates basically because they use the tool of fear and intimidation rather than understanding and compassion with their employees. While the dictatorial attitude generally leads to disobedience and revolt using fear and spreading insecurity leads to eroding of confidence among the employees and create a work atmosphere where even the most diligent worker is not able to give his best. Such faulty management techniques are very detrimental for the overall health of an organisation. Understanding of the emotional needs of employees and an empathetic and compassionate approach always leads to enhanced productivity and loyalty. Here are some tips that managers should keep in mind while interacting with the human capital in their charge:

Are you also a tough manager? Do not follow where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Give your subordinates room to showcase their talent rather than stifling them with pre-determined notions. Too much of interference on your part can lead to frustration and failure among the bright juniors. Let them apply their respective methods and have a congenial work environment where their talent and skills can blossom and you will always get wonderful results from them. Intervene only when someone goes astray.

Manage well
As a manager you have to think, foresee, organise and plan work schedules and targets. And then simply convince your employees to put your strategy into practice. Successful management lies in working well through men and women who are your employees. It does not lie in doing the work yourself. You have to handle matters as well as individuals. Only when you organise efficiently, can you expect to succeed.

Nurture good relations
Have the perfect knack of building human relations. A good manager should not only have good workplace relations with his colleagues himself but he should also encourage them to have good relations among themselves. Amiable workplace relations help in bringing about the best possible coordination. And the better the coordination among the workplace colleagues, the better is the output that a manager can expect to have from them.

Appreciate
A few simple words of praise falling from your lips every now and then can work miracles for your subordinates, making them highly motivated and perform well. Efficient managers spread such words of praise not in the presence of the employee concerned but behind one’s back. And the same words, with added dimensions from the colleagues, reach the employee in question by word of mouth. The praise lavished in this manner certainly does more good than the one made in the presence of the said employee.

Handle with tact
A successful manager is tactful and diplomatic. Even when one of his employees makes a mistake, he keeps his patience. That way he softens the blow and doesn’t let the morale of an employee go down. Instead of letting a subordinate feel humiliated and lose confidence, a successful manager consoles and encourages him.

Keep promises
Never betray faith. He never makes promises unless he can keep them. He is always ready to help his colleagues and never lets a good worker wait for the need to arise, but is prompt enough to help him. He even gives an indication that such kind acts of help and cooperation would be lavished in an ample measure in future too.

— The writer is a psychologist

Poor compensation

Indian workers earn much less than counterparts in rich nations. A vast majority of workers in India get just about 10 per cent of what their counterparts in the developed countries make by doing the same work under identical working conditions and technology, says a study.

The research paper by Orley Ashenfelter, a professor at Princeton University, documenting wages of workers at McDonald's restaurants said a McDonald's worker in India gets just $ 0.46 per hour, while his/her counterpart with same skills set and under identical working condition in the US earns nearly 16 times more.

It studied wages of McDonald's workers doing the same kind job in over 60 countries and the price of a Big Mac or its equivalent in each of those outlets. It further says a McDonald's employee in the US earns about USD 7.33 per hour and with this pay the worker can afford more than two Big Macs worth USD 3.04 each.

On the contrary, a McDonald's worker in India gets just $ 0.46 per hour, while the equivalent of Big Mac in India is sold at a price of $ 1.29. Hence, the worker needs to slog for two to three hours just to buy a single Big Mac.

It said a vast majority of workers, including those in India, China, Latin America and the Middle-East earn much less that what workers in developed countries like the US, Canada, Japan, and Western Europe earn.

The study further notes that though there has been some remarkable growth in the world's low-wage countries in the last decade, this growth has slowed, and in many cases halted, since the start of the recent financial crisis.

"The wage rates of workers using the same skills and doing the same jobs differ by as much as 10 to 1, and that these gaps declined over the period 2000-2007, but with much less progress since the Great Recession," Ashenfelter said.

The cases of India and China, countries that contain nearly one-half of the world's population, are especially "noteworthy", the report said, adding that the growth in real wage rates in China averaged about 9 per cent per year, while in India it was nearly 8 per cent per year.

A real wage rate is a nominal wage rate divided by the price of a good and is a transparent measure of how much of the good an hour of work buys.

Real wage provides an important indicator of the living standards of workers and also of the productivity of workers. — Agencies

news board
Placement bonanza for nursing, pharma students

All 200 students of nursing and pharma course pass outs of 2012 of the Swift Group of Colleges have got placed in reputed hospitals and companies during the campus placement drive recently. According to the college spokesman all students of BSc and Post-Basic Nursing were absorbed by reputed hospitals like Indus, Cosmo, Silver Oaks, Grecian, Grewal Eye Hospital, etc. The students of B.Pharma also got placement offers by pharmaceutical major Ind-Swift Ltd. The students were put through grilling rounds of group discussions and several interviews.

Job fair
Continuing series initiative to enhance employability in India staffing solutions company Team Lease Services and Indian Institute of Job Training (IIJT), a vocational skills training company, recently organised a career seminar followed by a job fair for the youth of Delhi, Dehradun, Allahabad, Gorakhpur, Sonepat and Ratlam. The job fair was conducted with an aim to connect job aspirants with employers, assessment counselors and training professionals. Top companies like Idea Cellular, Godrej, SPANCO BPO and Mark3 Integrated services participated in the job fair.

The job fair in the Delhi, Dehradun, Allahabad, Gorakhpur, Sonepat and Ratlam centres saw more than 300 walk-ins and around 140 candidates were shortlisted.

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Boss, show some spine

At the workplace, differences of opinion crop up regularly. Juniors can breathe easy if they know that their senior would back them in case the top boss finds a fault.

When Ahilyabai Holkar became the Queen of Malwa in 18th century AD, Raghoba, the uncle of Madhavrao Peshwa, decided to bring the Holkar kingdom directly under the Peshwas. When Ahilyabai heard this, she wrote to the Peshwa. Madhavrao Peshwa disapproved of his uncle’s actions and gave Ahilyabai a free hand to deal with Raghoba.

On August 11, 1911, the first anniversary of the martyrdom of patriot Khudiram Bose, Subhas Chandra Bose and his schoolmates organised a fast. Not only did Headmaster Beni Madhav Das of the Ravenshaw Collegiate School in Cuttack not stop his students, but he also fasted on that day. For this, Das was transferred to Bengal by the British authorities.

During Haidar Ali’s tussle with the ruler of Balam, Haidar’s son Tipu Sultan took the family of the ruler of Balam captive. Taking advantage of this, Maqbool Khan, a commander in Haidar’s army, dragged the wife of the ruler of Balam out of her tent. Knowing well that his father would support him, Tipu shot down the molester.

The devotees at the Kali temple in Dakshineshwar, near Calcutta, were unable to understand the divine love Ramakrishna Paramhans had for the Mother. When they thought of getting rid of him, Mathur Mohan, son-in-law of the rich lady Rani Rasmani who had got the temple made, stood firmly behind the 19th century saint.

Despite knowing that his second wife Soyrabai was against the crowning of his elder son Sambhaji by his first wife, Chhatrapati Shivaji declared Sambhaji crown prince in 1674. Tired of his stepmother’s machinations, Sambhaji briefly joined the Mughals under Diler Khan, Commander in the Deccan. When he rejoined the Marathas, Shivaji forgave Sambhaji and assured him the throne. On January 16, 1681, Sambhaji succeeded his father as Chhatrapati.

When Hasan, the Afghan estate owner of Sasaram, realised that his eldest son Farid by his first wife was good at managing the estate, he handed the reins over to him. Hasan kept supporting Farid even when Hasan’s second wife — who wanted her son Sulaiman to inherit the estate — threatened to kill herself. Farid later became renowned as Sher Shah.

To protect the indigo-growers of Champaran district, Bihar, from the atrocities of the British landlords, Gandhiji went to the Champaran. When the government ordered him to leave, he refused. He would instead willingly go to jail. The court released him and the landlords were slowly persuaded to return part of what they had forcibly taken from the peasants.

Boss, back your juniors. When the time comes, they will support you.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com

Fortnightly Quiz 415

Race hots up

1. Who has been the only President of India to have been elected unopposed?

2. In which year was Aung San Sun Kyi awarded Nobel Peace Prize?

3. Name the 96-km disputed strip of water between India and Pakistan that separates the Kutch region of Gujarat from Pakistan’s Sindh province.

4. Name the legendary ghazal singer, credited with renderings like ‘Zindagi mein to sabhi pyar kiya kartein hain…’, ‘Ranjish hi sahi…’, ‘Patta patta boota boota…, who died recently.

5. Which Asian country recently put its first woman astronaut into orbit?

6. What is the full form of BEML?

7. Name the ace Indian shuttler who recently won the Indonesia Open badminton tournament and Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold title.

8. Who won this year’s French Open mixed doubles title?

9. Who recently became the 10th woman tennis player in history to have won all four Grand Slam titles?

10. Who has won the men’s French Open tennis title for a record seven times?

— Tarun Sharma

Winners of quiz 414:
First: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Sarsiz Chauhan, class XI (Topaz), Little Angels Senior Secondary School, Patel Nagar, Sonipat, Haryana, Pin Code - 131001

Second: Manik Arora, class VIII-E, St Stephen’s School, Sector 45-B, Chandigarh, Pin Code - 160047

Third: Kushagar Dhiman, class XII (Arts), RS Senior Secondary Public School, Meera Ghatti Chowk, Karnal,

Answers to quiz 414: Viswanathan Anand; Badhsa village in Jhajjar district; Mitt Romney; Mumbai; Higgs Boson; Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Damascus; New Zealand; Roger Federer; Kolkata Knight Riders

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