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border security force It pays to divide and rule Cool Counsel in conversation cubicle trends Job insecurity may affect health tips
for career transition scholarship roundup Happiness @ work Career Hotline
school
rankings—2012 hall
of fame
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border security force In an era of constant flux where political correctness has eclipsed political truth and facts have succumbed to fads, we need a strong watch over our border. And to keep India’s multitudes in a worriless domain regarding security, the BSF works day in and day out to prevent trans-national crime. The Border Security Force (BSF) is a border guarding force of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is a paramilitary force charged with guarding India’s land borders during peace time and preventing transnational crime. It is a Union Government agency under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. BSF, one of the largest para-military forces in the world, is a versatile force, responsible for guarding our vast and volatile borders not only against trans-border criminals but also against heavily armed trans-border terrorism. Primarily concerned with guarding the borders, the security forces also incessantly remain involved in combating insurgency and militancy in various parts of the country. Because of its friendly and human face, BSF remains the much sought after force for combating and containing serious law and order situations in sensitive and violence-prone pockets of the country. And this is not all. In times of war, BSF works as a force multiplier and contributes substantially towards over all war efforts as a credible front line force. If you want to go in for a profession that has a unique amalgam of the power of the soldier and pelf of the police, border men or the prahari is the unique profession, you will find yourself in. You might find yourself performing a triple role for your motherland — safeguarding the border, maintaining law and order situation in the interior, and fighting a war. It teaches you to sweat during peace to ensure that the country does not bleed during war.
Organisational set-up
Headquartered in New Delhi, and headed by the Director General, BSF has a well-defined organisational set up that breathes a culture impregnated with patriotic fervour and empowered professionalism. Various directorates like Operations, Communications and IT, Training, Engineering, General, Law, Provisioning, Administration, Personnel, Medical and Finance, function under the DG. Each Directorate is headed by an IG who heads the Field Formations also known as Frontiers Head Quarters (Ftr HQ). There are 10 such frontiers under which Sector Head Quarters (SHQ) function headed by a
DIG each. BSF is the only Indian paramilitary force to have its own air wing, marine wing and artillery regiments, which support the General Duty Battalions in their operations. The BSF also has a national level school for breeding and training of dogs. Dogs from other CPOs and state police are sent to National Training Centre for Dogs (NTCD) to be trained in infantry patrol, detection of explosives, tracking and the like. The BSF maintains a Tear Smoke Unit, which is unique in India. The TSU
is responsible for producing tear gas munitions required for the anti-riot forces. It also exports a substantial quantity to other countries. The concept of border fencing, flood lighting and construction of roads has been introduced with the aim to stop infiltration on the borders.
Getting in
In order to get in, you need to undergo a physical efficiency test, a written test, an interview and a medical test. The candidates who meet the prescribed physical standards will be put through the physical efficiency tests which include 100 m and 800 m race, long jump, high jump and shot put. Females appearing should not be pregnant at the time of taking the test. The written examination consists of two papers each of two hours duration. The first paper consists of general ability, general science, current events, Indian polity and economy and intelligence. The second paper consists of essay, précis writing and comprehension to test the candidates' ability to bring forth ideas on any given topic, arrange them in a coherent, linear, concise, cohesive and lucid manner in a syntactically and semantically correct language. After qualifying the written exam, candidates have to appear in an interview. As far as medical standards are concerned, the minimum distant vision should be 6/6 & 6/9 for both the eyes without correction i.e. without wearing glasses. You should not have knock knee, flat foot, varicose vein or squint in eyes and should possess high colour vision. You need to be in perfect mental and physical health and free from any physical defect which is likely to interfere in the efficient performance of the arduous life expected ahead of you. (For details visit the website: http://bsf.nic.in/en/introduction.html) In addition to above recruitment, one can also enter BSF as PRO, law officer and medical officers, including veterinary doctors. It requires an adventurous mind and a never-say-die attitude. The versatility of Border Security Force (BSF) at times is questioned by, “Is it peril presaged?” The answer to this is No, it is not. It does not presage peril, it wards off peril that may arise from across the border and it always pays to be proactive. After all, to quote Robert Frost, “Good fences make good neighbours…” — The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant
road to Recruitment
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subject matter: geography Do the natural wonders of the world fascinate you? Do you spend hours watching National Geographic’s breathtaking accounts of volcanoes erupting, and under-water explorations, deadly earthquakes and terrifying typhoons? Have you enjoyed studying geography but are apprehensive to take it up for Plus II or college as you are not sure what you can do with geography? Geography is the science of the earth and the study of the surface of the earth, the location and distribution of its physical and cultural features, the aerial outlines of places, and also the influence of these physical aspects on our human population. In our rapidly-changing world a study of geography prepares you to understand topics impacting our planet such as climate change, global warming, desertification, El Nino, water resource issues, among others. Geography is a blend of both social and pure sciences that has helped scientists understand the physical structure of the earth, its different and varying physical features and their influences on the economic, political and cultural life of all creatures that inhabit the earth. The knowledge and use of geography has helped scientists predict and deal with natural calamities, enhance soil fertility where required, demarcate geographical boundaries and provide logistics and remote-sensing data for a range of uses from tourism and travel management to town planning. Geography is a multi-disciplinary science that covers history, sociology and economics as well as geology, meteorology and the sciences and can be taken up for study with humanities or science stream.
Areas of work
Geographers study and interpret the occurrence, distribution and inter-relationship of physical and cultural elements in the world. Using field techniques, statistical methods, cartography and computerised data they analyse different natural and geographical phenomena. The techniques and approaches used in geography provide graduates with a broad range of skills that are useful in a host of careers. In understanding and making sense of the world around them, geography graduates develop skills in areas such as spatial awareness, data gathering, information retrieval, problem analysis and solving, project planning and management, and report production and presentation, both written and verbal. Such skills equip geographers with relevant training to work in the following areas of work:
Job scape
Geography graduates can also enter a wide range of occupations, many of which may not be directly related to their degree. Their communication skills, numerical ability and analytical skills are valued in some common areas of employment. These include: Nature conservation involves the protection, management and enhancement of wildlife habitats. The work may include conservation tasks, ecological surveys, negotiation with planners and developers or educational and interpretative work. Tourism involves the development and promotion of quality tourism products to attract visitors and produce significant economic benefits to the region. NGOs cover a wide range of activities aimed to help people develop their skills or habitats thus improving their quality of life, such as a local community project aimed at the regeneration of an area. Retail/supply chain management involves exercising overall control of the activities and resources of a store, with the aim of maximising profits, increasing customer satisfaction and ensuring continued business growth. This includes responsibility for the day-to-day management of the staff and stock control.
Job prospects
After getting a degree in this subject one can work with the Survey of India in planning and surveying as also in areas such as mapping and cartography. One can work with book publishers and manufacturers of geographical equipment, with travel agencies, market research organisations, shipping, insurance and financial firms. Environmental consultancy firms, environmental protection agencies, and those handling environment impact assessments require geographers. Public utilities and organisations involved in rural and urban planning, government departments such as those concerned with mines and minerals, population and demographics, planning, logistics, food chain and the rural sector recruit geography specialists. The National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad, and remote sensing centres in different parts of the country, as well as the Institute of Population Studies, Mumbai, take on geographers. Other avenues could be in commerce and industry, as also the entertainment and leisure industry, GIS specialists work for organisations dealing with power and telecommunications, health, pollution monitoring, water resources management, disaster management and urban planning. Marketing and management companies also use GIS professionals to explore new markets and plan strategies for distribution. Foreign companies are also outsourcing GIS high resolution mapping technologies for commercial applications. So, if you have a keen interest in the world around you, a love for exploration and outdoor work, an inquisitive mind with a scientific approach, patience, perseverance and strong powers of observation, then you can certainly choose a worthwhile career from the wide assortment of fascinating opportunities in geography.
Training
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career compass: wedding planner No one has the time to personally ensure that all arrangements are perfectly done. Add to this, the influence of a cocktail of bollywood tamasha and highly-publicised international celebratory weddings, and you have an Indian wedding that has become louder, bigger, exotic and not to mention upscale, lavish lifestyle ‘events’. No wonder then that people are increasingly turning to wedding planners to pull-off their dream weddings.
The work
Wedding planners and consultants have become an integral part of modern day weddings. They direct and arrange the wedding from the sidelines, making sure that every detail is taken care of. They provide expertise in planning and coordination of the biggest event in the life of an individual. They conceptualise the wedding, right from the invitation card and gifts to what the bride and groom and their respective families will wear, to the numerous functions and ceremonies, some even the honeymoon! The wedding industry in India is pegged at Rs 1,90,000 crore, and continues to grow 20 per cent annually, seemingly unaffected by the dark clouds of double-digit inflation and global recession.
Skill set
A good wedding planner must be able to understand what the client wants (in terms of budget and taste). Sourcing the right vendors/ agencies that will provide the required services and ensuring that all functions and ceremonies flow smoothly without a glitch need a high level of coordination and organisational skills. You require good communication skills, creativity, pleasant personality, friendly and positive attitude, sensitivity to understand and handle difficult situations, patience and confidence to manage any crisis, organising skills and an eye for detail. You must also be knowledgeable and innovative about menus and floral decorations and be familiar with music and fashion trends. Being thoroughly conversant with the rituals, customs and traditions of various religions that form an intrinsic part of wedding ceremonies will help you enormously. Wedding planning, a sub-set of the event management industry, attracts individuals from varied backgrounds who bring different skills and qualities to the team and thus ensure seamless execution. Entry, and success, in this sector is based more on personal attributes — energy, enthusiasm, efficiency, creativity, multi-tasking, planning ahead — than on formal training and qualifications. The best way to train to be a wedding planner is to work for a wedding management company or assist an established wedding planner or consultant.
Training turf
While wedding planning is generally considered a part of the event management field, certain specialised courses like the advance master’s in wedding planning and designing are ideal for those wanting to venture into this field. These courses give training on different aspects like designing, conceptualisation, safety, event insurance etc. Generally the event management courses are one-year programmes that one can do after completing graduation. Some of these courses only focus on event management while others club this with PR and advertising. Several institutes also offer part-time (weekend) courses that can be taken up along with a regular job. A word of caution: Although these courses are useful, they don’t guarantee entry into the profession. Following up the course with a job in an established wedding co-ordination / event management agency would help you gain hands-on experience. Once you’ve worked a few years and have several dozen wedding under your belt you could even consider branching out on your own. Wedding co-ordination does not require a huge investment. A small office and minimal staff will do. The only requirement is perfect coordination between different service providers. Wedding co-ordination being a seasonal business, some entrepreneurs also branch out into party management, event management and even public relations, etc. — The writer is Career Coach,
CARING India
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It pays to divide and rule So, difficult as it may be to believe it, but this policy can actually be applied, with a twist though, for generating profits and enhancing employee satisfaction and also to develop positive employee-retention strategies. Divide-and-rule in this mode does not mean divide the people and rule politically and unethically. It actually means divide the work equally, and rule positively, ethically and peacefully for increasing workplace effectiveness and employee satisfaction. According to experts the combination of two policies — divide and rule and unite and rule — is an effective tool to enhance productivity, employee satisfaction as well as retention. Here are some strategies that can be used in corporates to ensure a healthy and happy work environment: n Say no to favouritism: Entrepreneurs need to be very fair in their policies and practices and should avoid favouritism. This includes keeping out their personal biases and liking for employees whose whole focus is on pleasing the bosses rather than work. Hardwork, dedication and commitment towards the workplace and not to the bosses should be encouraged. n Say no to self-praise: This approach also leads to unfair practices and encourages the divide-and-rule policy. According to Steven Canvey’s 80:20 Rule, in a work environment only 20 per cent are willing employees, who are competent and honest to their work and work not to please the bosses but to please their own self to achive high satisfaction level. These 20 per cent are the employees who give 80 per cent of the profits to their organisation. According to this rule 80 per cent of the employees are unwilling workers who just want to enjoy a good designation without doing any work because they are very much familiar to the approach of their bosses who indulge in self-praise. Thus these 80 per cent know how to make their bosses happy by buttering them all the time. This category eventually becomes parasites for organisations. This philosophy also encourages the divide-and-rule policy which should be strictly avoided and prohibited. n Promote collective team work: The allocation of work and responsibilities need to be the top priority of the entrepreneurs for fair appraisals and for creating and maintaining a healthy teamwork culture. It is in this scenario that the divide- and-rule strategy is very helpful. This means divide the work and rule peacefully. That is how the Co-optation Approach (Competition +Cooperation) comes into picture. n De-stress rather than distress: Work related stress also affects the productivity and profits of an organisation and a lot of emphasis is being laid these days on alleviating work stress as far as possible. An effective remedy for this malaise is the unite-and-rule policy. This approach of taking everyone along on the path to success is also a healthy mantra for the bosses to maintain peace at workplace. This policy will make the bosses de-stressed because most of their time will go in the supervision and monitoring of the day-to-day routine functions. Every day will be a happy day for bosses and employees. Divide-and-rule leads to distress (negative stress). Most of the creative energy is spent in resolving conflicts and interpersonal issues created by dividing the people and ruling politically. So time has come for a collective paradigm shift from divide-and-rule to unite-and-rule policy as corporate governance strategy for physically, economically, intellectually and emotionally happy and healthy workplace culture. — The writer is Assistant Professor, Amity Institute of Psychology and Allied Sciences and Behavioural Science Programme Coordinator, Amity
University
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Cool Counsel The value that one attaches to one’s qualities is one’s inner strength. This is, in fact, the essence of one’s spirit and sustains life and career. Personal value has more to do with who you are, than how you act and behave. To be inspired, creative, resourceful, and to act and behave with courage and confidence, you need to build your inner strength. This alone can help you succeed in any job or career, enabling you to face any interview or test. You may build any level of outward grandeur, yet everything else is futile if you lack the inner strength.
Love yourself
Connect with honesty
True achievers always keep some spare moments to reflect upon their coveted goals. They have the habit to use those spare moments to dwell upon their inner strengths. Inner strength gets a boost when you stay open, straightforward, honest, kind, compassionate, and cooperative. This gives you the ability to connect with others in a better way. That connection is made only when you stay attuned to be constructive and productive in the larger interest of proving useful to others, without the least expectation of any rewards. You might have felt at some time or the other that the presence of someone at the workplace uplifts your mood, while the presence of another makes you depressed. This clearly marks the difference between a person of inner strength and the one who just poses and projects his outward glory. Inner strength enhances one’s enthusiasm, sense of humour, joy, persistence, and courage.
Forget failures
Your inner strength increases when you celebrate your successes, and forget your failures. No doubt, failures also teach us great lessons in life. Failures make us realise that it is easier to succeed than to fail. But if one dwells upon failure alone and never focuses on success, he loses contact with HIS inner strength.
Forgive
Inner strength gets a boost when you learn to forgive those who have ever harmed you. It is human nature that others never relish when you do something unique and praise worthy. To pay them in the same coin would never enhance your inner strength. It is only when you forget and forgive that you are at peace. The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shades you don’t expect to sit.
Learn to relax
Be happy even in tough times. Remember, hard times will not last forever. Learn from such trials and tribulations. — The writer is a psychologist
and a career expert
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in conversation Managements and HR personnel have to grapple with resistance each time a new policy has to be implemented and often this resistance can sabotage the whole move to implement new ideas and severely cripple the performance and productivity growth. Securing employee cooperation and affecting a smooth take off of a new policy is a challenge for which more and more companies are now taking the help of professional companies by outsourcing the responsibility of introducing a change in the existing system. Introducing new concepts and policies by involving all parties concerned falls under the ambit of these ‘performance consultancies’, says Alka Bakaya, founder of R.E.D, who has helped a number of companies in sectors like FMCG, industrial products, yarn and textiles, health insurance, ITES, banking, and telecom among others to address various performance goals. In an interaction Alka talks about the concept and strategies adopted to enhance performance. Excerpts: What is the role of a performance consultancy? It partners with businesses to help them implement and execute their business strategy or processes. It also helps identify critical performance gaps and works out innovative solutions to address these and allows managements and employees to achieve sustained performance. Adopting a holistic approach is the key strategy and a variety of areas are covered. While a training company will come and impart training and leave in a matter of weeks, a performance consultancy is part of an organisation for a longer period and may be there for over six to eight months and handholding the target groups through facilitated behavioural change. How did this concept evolve? A whole lot of management consultancies are there in the market. These tell companies where they are going wrong and how they can increase productivity and profits. Basically, the role of these companies is advisory as they give directions to companies about various problem areas. Apart from these there are consultancy firms that provide training to the staff regarding a particular project. So their role is project-specific and has little effect on the overall functioning of an organisation. But this is a limited approach as when there is a strategy to be put in place; a random training programme is not going to work. It is a challenge to implement change as there is generally a lot of resistance to such change so a performance consultancy partners with companies during the change period. What is the strategy to deal with the challenges of effecting change? Change can take root only in an environment of trust and familiarity. So the most important thing is to be seen not as implementers of change but as facilitators of learning. Employees should be encouraged to question why a certain thing needs to be done in a new manner and what is in it for them. Performance teams first of all basically sell the idea and address the mindset. New skills required are demonstrated and are then taught to be applied in real-life situations. This way these become a part of their system through realisation. How are challenges of hierarchy dealt with? The main thing to remember is that the touch point here is not hierarchy; it is the performance challenge that is important. Everyone from the CEOs to the frontliners is involved.
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cubicle trends Men are most desperate to appear successful, with 55 per cent who tell tall tales exaggerating how much they earn. The research, to mark the first National Reunion Week on September 10, found 8 per cent of the men also pretend to drive a much flasher car. Meanwhile, of the women who stretch the truth, 45 per cent claim to have a far more glamorous job than the one they actually do. Many (12 per cent) also lie to make it seem that they live in a much nicer area. “We live in a time when everyone is desperate for everyone else to see them in the best possible light,” Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos said. “People’s use of Facebook shows we are increasingly aware of how we can use certain information to manipulate what others think of us. And people don’t necessarily see why they should stick to the truth. So we tell people the postcode we have — or would like to have, or the car we have — or wish we had, to impress others. “School reunions or gatherings of old college friends can be full of boastful untruths. All of those old feelings about whether you’re cool and ‘do I fit in?’ seem to resurface. Childhood insecurities rear their heads again when all these people get together and people increasingly resort to lies to impress each other,” she said. At such gatherings, boasting about the stamps in their passport is also a favourite, with 26 per cent of the braggards claiming to be much better travelled than in reality. One in six — 17 per cent — confess they would lie about their relationship status, perhaps in the hope of hooking up with an old flame. And one in 17 men (6 per cent) admit they have been to a school reunion just to boast about their achievements.
— Agencies
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Job insecurity may affect health Employees who feel their jobs are not secure are more likely to rate themselves in poor health and have increased symptoms of anxiety and depression, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of Michigan found that workers with job insecurity were nearly four times more likely to report symptoms of anxiety attacks, and close to seven times more likely to have symptoms suggesting minor or major depression. The study analysed data on about 440 working adults living in southeast Michigan in 2009-10. The analysis was part of a larger study to assess the impact of the recent economic recession and ongoing recovery on the lives of workers in the Detroit area, which was hit particularly hard by the “Great Recession”. Nearly 18 per cent of workers perceived their job was insecure — they felt it was at least ‘fairly likely’ that they would lose their job or be laid off within the next year. Workers with job insecurity rated their health lower than workers who perceived their jobs as more secure — they were nearly three times more likely to rate their health as fair to poor. “The study provides some of the first available evidence on the extent and distribution of perceived job insecurity and its association with health in the wake of the Great Recession,” lead researcher Sarah A Burgard said in a statement. The study was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
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tips
for career transition 1 Be flexible: Ensure that you are prepared
to move. Expanding your opportunity requires you to expand your geography. 2
Speak your passion: Potential employers would love to see a passionate
candidate. Find what gets you out of bed every day; what gives you a sense of
accomplishment. They would like to know how your passion to do things can
actually relate to the business goals of the employer. Career change requires a
lot of self introspection and it's a passion to do things that should drive
this 3 Your edge: What are the selling points that will make you stand out
from other potential hires? Obviously, you will not have your experience to
speak about as you are going to be moving in to something new. But certainly,
you will have your interpersonal skills, your leadership and communication
ability, your demonstrated ability of connecting to people, your ability to
perform to talk about. Would be worthy to identify what skills you possess to
perform on the new job. Make this the selling point. 4 Hone your skills: You
will have to sharpen your interview skills, recreate your resume and network
intensively. 5 Solid methodology: You will need the right approach and plan
your job search in a thoughtful and effective manner and be ready to take a
call or visit an employer for an interview. Before doing all this, you
should have carried out a basic research on potential career options. The
career change process is not that easy, it’s complicated. It’s important
that you don’t rush into things. First you broaden the horizon to understand
the possibilities and then narrow it down to two or three potential careers
that interest you. — Inputs from Career Builder India
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scholarship roundup The University of Oxford, UK is offering master's and PhD scholarships for Indian students in various fields. Felix Scholarships are intended for scholars who would be unable, without financial assistance, to take up their place and who have not studied outside their home country. Up to six Felix Scholarships will be offered for Indian graduates taking up places in October 2013 for:
Eligibility: Candidates must have at least a first class bachelor's degree from an Indian university or comparable institution. Exceptionally those with an upper second-class degree at the bachelor's level may be considered if they hold a first-class degree at the master's level. Those who already hold degrees from universities outside India are not eligible to apply. Details: The Felix Scholarships will cover full fees, living costs, a return air fare, and provide additional allowances for books, equipment, warm clothing etc. Spouses' costs will not be met. How to apply: By post. Application for a Felix scholarship can be made through only one of the three academic institutions (University of Oxford, University of Reading and SOAS, University of London). Deadline: January 4, 2013 for medical sciences, politics and international relations and philosophy and January 18, 2013 for all other subjects. Check out: www.ox.ac.uk/feesandfunding Online enquiries: www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ag
Bond University offer
Bond University is offering scholarships to international students in undergraduate and postgraduate courses being offered at the university. Eligibility:
Details: The scholarship will cover 25 to 50 per cent of tuition fees of any undergraduate or postgraduate degree (excluding Bond University's Medical Programme, Master's of Psychology, Doctor of Physiotherapy) How to apply: Online Deadline: Semester Scholarship Application Closing Date For January 2013 semester is September 21, 2012; for May 2013 semester is January 25, 2013; for September 2013 semester May 31, 2013. For enquiries: scholarships@bond.edu.au
For the single girl child
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) offers merit scholarship scheme for single girl child for such students studying in Class XI and XII. The scheme is aimed to recognize the efforts of the parents in promoting education among girls and to provide encouragement to meritorious students. Eligibility: All single girl students, who have secured 60 per cent / 6.2 CGPA or more marks / grades in CBSE Class X examination and are studying in Class XI and XII in school (affiliated with CBSE) whose tuition fee is not more than Rs 1,500 p.m. during the academic year, shall be considered for the purpose. In the next two years, the total enhancement in tuition fee in such school shall not be more than 10% of the tuition fee charged in the year 2011 - 2012. NRI applicants of the board are also eligible for the award. The tuition fee for the NRIs has been decided maximum of Rs 6,000 per month.
How to apply: Online Deadline: October 31, 2012
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Happiness @ work On July 25, 1895, Marie Sklodovska married Pierre Curie. Besides the housework, Marie, during the day, continued her research in Pierre’s laboratory. At night, the couple studied till late at their home. As it was difficult to fight off the British at daytime, ‘Masterda’ Surjya Sen, his five friends and an army of young boys went into battle in Chittagong on the night of April 18, 1930. They divided themselves into seven groups. After cutting off the transportation and communication lines that the British could have utilised, they raided the Police Lines and Auxiliary Forces of India armouries. The revolutionaries hoisted the Tricolour and proclaimed the formation of the Provincial Revolutionary Government. Shaken by these bravehearts, the Brits sent reinforcements and soon regained control of Chittagong. As he was of a ‘low caste’, Chokha Mela could never get near the Lord. One night, Chokha — drawn by his inner voice — walked towards the temple of Vithala in Pandharpur, opened the door and ran towards the idol. Hugging it, he fell in a swoon. For this ‘impure’ act, the priest slapped Chokha on his left cheek. The Lord had to intervene. The idol’s left cheek became swollen which subsided only when the ardent devotee was brought back before the Lord. Sultan Adil Shah had an able minister in Hemu. When Junaid Khan of Ajmer rebelled, Hemu was sent to quell him. After defeating and killing Junaid’s General Daulat Khan in battle, Hemu made a tactical decision — to attack at night as he not only had lesser men than the enemy, but also they were tired and wounded from the previous battle. No wonder, Hemu won. He later went on to conquer Agra and Delhi and was proclaimed Maharaja Vikramaditya for a short while. When Gandhiji gave the call ‘Britishers, quit India’, Jayaprakash Narayan was in Hazaribagh Jail. As he wanted to take part in the revolt, he planned an escape. On Diwali night in November 1942, JP and five others climbed over the wall when the other prisoners and sentries were bursting crackers. Krishna in the Gita (2.69) says, “What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled. And the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.” In the night, the knight rises! — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Life beyond laboratory
Q. I am a student of B.Pharma. I love the subject but hate the idea of working day in and day out in a lab. What are the related options, if any, for me? — krishen bhat A platform in pharmacy can serve as a stepping stone to careers in pharmaceutical patent laws, business planning and strategy, project management, operations management, publishing, media, communications and promotional activities, management consulting, competitive research, clinical research, regulatory support, and business development (setting up alliances with partner firms). These functions, all critical to drug discovery, are intellectually stimulating, and offer a great opportunity to stay within science while leaving the lab behind. Depending on the area of your choice, you may need to pair or enhance your present qualification with a relevant degree/diploma course, if necessary.
How can I get into counselling?
A.
A growing number of mental health professionals work in marriage and family counselling. Psychologists with a master’s or higher degree in psychology/counselling evaluate and treat mental and emotional disorders, health and behavioural problems, and relationship issues-all within the context of the family. Often, a patient seeing a psychologist individually, is referred to a marriage and family therapist when it’s determined that family dynamics and family life cycle issues such as the birth of a child, or the death or terminal illness of a family member or parent-child issues are contributing to a problem. Parents and couples struggling to make family relationships work also benefit from this kind of therapy. The therapist mostly sees couples and the whole family together, but may occasionally see individual family members as well. The idea is to help them find better ways to communicate and meet each others’ needs. These counsellors often come from the ranks of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, paramedics and teachers. Recognising how vital the family experience is to overall health and well being, they seek additional training to specialise in this important field. A diploma, degree or certificate course in counselling would be a good starting point. The course will teach you the skills of the counsellor’s art. However, before you decide on a career in this field, do make sure you possess the attributes required of a good counsellor:
You probably have some of the skills already. And people approach you with their problems, because they see you as a sympathetic person. Now you can use those skills, overlaying them with professional counselling skills, to become a
counsellor.
Can I submit toefl scores to study in UK?
Q. Earlier, I had planned to pursue my master’s in psychology in the US, but now I’m looking at doing a one-year master’s course from the UK. Please tell me if I can submit my TOEFL scores to study in the UK? — uma gaur A.
People from around the world who wish to work, study or settle in the UK can also use the TOEFL iBT® test in addition to the IELTS to demonstrate their English proficiency for Tier 1, 2 or 4 visas under UK’s points-based system. This decision was taken by the UK Border Agency (UKBA). However, as the requirements relating to visas are complex and change frequently, it would be advisable to regularly check the UKBA website for updates: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ Since you haven’t mentioned your TOEFL score, I would also advise you to check the TOEFL score requirements set by the institution where you intend to study. If you don’t have the required minimum section score required for the CEFR level the college may choose to reassess your English proficiency skills in that section.
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school
rankings—2012 The survey conducted by the Delhi-based opinion polling and market
research agency C Fore (Centre for forecasting and research) polled a mix of
3,070 fees-paying parents, principals, teachers and educationists in 21 cities
across the country asking them to rate 443 of India’s most well-known schools
on 14 parameters, including academic reputation, quality of co-curricular and
sports education, infrastructure, leadership/management, quality of alumni and
faculty competence, disabled friendliness, teacher welfare and development,
among other attributes. Day Schools: Vasant Valley, Delhi, with an aggregate
score of 1,301 (out of a maximum possible 1,500) has dislodged The Shri Ram
School, Delhi (Gurgaon), to be ranked first in India, Delhi NCR and Delhi. It
is followed by The Valley School, Bangalore (1,296) and The Shri Ram School,
Delhi (1,292) and Mallya Aditi International School, Bangalore jointly ranked
third all-India. Boarding Schools: Rishi Valley School, Chittoor, has
retained its premier position as India’s most respected boarding school with
an aggregate score of 1,276 once again followed by The Doon School, Dehradun.
With a discernable shift with the SECA (socio-economic category A) public in
favour of new age education, Mayo College Girls, Ajmer, jointly ranked second
last year has been pushed down to No. 3, followed by Welham Girls’ School,
Dehradun (No. 4) and Bishop Cotton, Shimla and Lawrence School, Sanawar,
jointly ranked No. 5. International Schools: Forty new genre
international schools (defined as institutions offering the curriculums of
offshore examination boards from primary/middle years onwards) of whom there
was sufficient awareness within the respondents’ base, were rated and ranked
across 14 parameters of education provision. Indus International, Bangalore and
Dhirubhai Ambani International, Mumbai (both established in 2003) broke the
four-year duopoly of the vintage Woodstock School, Mussoorie and Kodaikanal
International ranked third and fourth.
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Competitive
edge
Skills Champion
award for IACM head
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2. How many years have been completed by India in its space programme? 3. Name the new long-haul plane that Air India bought from Boeing recently. 4. Where is the country’s oldest and largest fireworks hub situated? 5. Which states of India have got uranium reserves? 6. Who has been chosen as the Republican Party’s nominee for the US presidential election? 7. Where was the first power house set up in India in 1901? 8. Which head of the $ 83.3 billion business conglomerate of more than 100 operating companies recently chaired his last major company annual general meeting? 9. In which state is the Omkareshwar dam situated? 10. Who led India to victory in the under-19 Cricket World Cup recently? — Tarun Sharma Winners of quiz 420: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Bhartesh Garg, Class VII-C, St Xavier School, Bathinda, Pin Code - 151001 Second: Shubham Rana, class VIII-D, Lawerance Public School, Sector 51, Mohali, Pin Code - 160062 Third: Nitigya Chug, Class-10, DAV Public School, Lawrence Road, Amritsar, Pin Code - 143001 Answers to quiz 420: Curiosity; Neil Armstrong; Thirty nine; Carbon dioxide; Celiac disease; China; APJ Abdul Kalam; Cycling; VVS Laxman; India 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 Name……………….…………............................................. Class....………….......….…….......................................... School address .......................................................
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The world’s largest para-military force offers an exciting career brimming with patriotic fervour and empowered professionalism
In the general cadre recruitment is done in the rank of Constable, SI and Assistant Commandant whereas in communication it is in rank of ASI, HC (RO) and HC (Fitter). Education qualification for a constable/HC/ASI is Matriculation and age should be 18-23 years whereas for SI it is a bachelor's degree and age between 20-25 years. Age relaxation is available for SC/ST/OBC/ex-servicemen and other categories as per the instructions issued by the government. For NCC cadets, possession of NCC ‘B’ or ‘C’ certificate or outstanding achievements in sports or athletics will be an added qualification
The big, fat Indian wedding is rarely free of worries, anxieties and last-minute headaches — from over-booked caterers, to lack of ghodis and choice of good venues. Then there are a hundred things to organise and co-ordinate. Nowadays the bride and groom and everyone around them lead busy lives and often belong to different cities.
More and more organisations are seriously pondering over the positive connotations of the “Divide and Rule Policy” at workplace. Divide-and-rule, in its negative avatar, has often been adopted by managements to weild power over employees but its results have been disastrous for organisations.
Almost every employee or career aspirant craves for outward glory and very few care to nurture their inner strength. Only those who apply a balanced approach to their inner as well as outer strengths attain success. 
Inner strength can be nurtured by loving and respecting oneself. This doesn’t mean that you become arrogant and proud, but you should always think positively about yourself and about your ability to face tough times.
If change is the only constant in life then resistance to change is also an equally constant factor. This is amply evident in the business environment. 
And challenges of change are also many. When a reputed educational institution had a tie up with a foreign university, the sales team was entrusted with the task of ‘selling’ the educational courses and enroll students. The team was given a target to sell a specific number of applications and after the initial few days the target was increased. So this was a change that the sales team had to cope with. But despite getting training from a management consultancy, the sales team was not able to achieve the target. Intervention by another consultancy firm that adopted a different approach, revealed the root of the problem. The sales team was found to be unclear about its role and was found to be acting as counselors advising parents and students rather than selling the application forms. They never asked the right questions and the drive was missing. So first the supervisors were trained to handle the calls properly and motivate the sales team to work out sales closure rather than just acting as counselors. So, better performance goals were achieved by a consultancy with a different focus. 
One in five people lie to old friends about things such as jobs and cars in a bid to appear more successful, a new study has revealed. The research found 21 per cent admit fibbing when they get together with friends from school or university, the Daily Mail reported.
Has
your current job become less satisfying or did you just realise that you hated
going to work? May be it is the time for a transition. Here are some tips to
make the change smooth and easy:
In this competitive world, working in the day may not be enough to maintain an edge over rivals. So work while the world sleeps, it pays. As Ramji Sakpal of Ambadve could only afford a cramped one-room accommodation in a ‘chawl’ in the noisy mill area in Parel, Bombay, his son Bhimrao Ambedkar was not able to concentrate on his studies. So Bhimrao slept in the day and began studying everyday at 2 am.
A.
Many students want to stay in the science world, but don’t like the idea of a lab-based career. The good news is that drug discovery is unique in offering multiple career options that let you stay close to science without the daily grind of the laboratory life. 
Q. I have been teaching in a school for the past eight years. Over the years, I have found that many of my friends and colleagues have turned to me for advice in solving their personal problems. And I have been able to guide them properly. This leads me to think that I would make a good family or marriage counsellor. Can you tell me something about this field? Does one need to pursue a specific course for this? — Vanya Pathak 
Vasant
Valley, Delhi; Rishi Valley School, Chittoor and the Indus International
School, Bangalore, have been voted India’s No. 1 day, boarding and
international schools, respectively in the EducationWorld India School Rankings
2012.
Clearing
competitive examination is a habit with Sandeep Tripathi, a lecturer at DAV-15, Chandigarh, and it has propelled him to national and international record books. His name has been entered in the Asia Book of Records recently for clearing the maximum number of competitive examinations, 17, in the country.
Currently he holds three records — two national and one international. He started accomplishing his dream with a modest beginning by clearing the NDA and the TS Chanakya Marine Engineering entrances. He has also cleared the DSP (Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi) exam, HCS exam (2004) and several others.
Ravinder Goyal, Founder Director of computer training company, IACM SmartLearn Ltd., has won the Roll of Honour certificate in the Skills Champion: Emerging Warrior adjudged by FICCI — Leap Vault Skills Champion of India Award-2012. This award has been conferred on Goyal in recognition of his contribution in developing technologies, distinctive training solutions, research and commitment towards the ‘skilling’ movement in the country. IACM is working closely with the Central Government, various state governments and government departments for executing skill development initiatives and targets to train over 10 lakh students over the next five years.
1. Who is known as the architect of ‘White Revolution’ in India?