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Clear vision Career Hotline Smart strategy: mind games Stand up to cheating Caught in a bind: Coaching institutes failing to provide the promised services should be taken to task. Scholarship roundup Career compass: filmmaker How you can ace XAT First take Happiness @
work Being blunt may work
GMAC 2012 application trends survey Cubicle
trends Book shelf
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Clear vision At one time wearing spectacles was associated with being a nerd (!) or being too studious. Today it is a fashion statement. On a more serious note, more and more people are wearing spectacles, contact lenses or some form of visual aid — and not just for fashion. Sight is the most precious of our five senses. It is vital to everything we do - work, play, study, read, relax. But it is only when we have a problem with our eyesight, that we realise the importance of good vision. In India, there has been an increase in the requirement for corrective vision - among the youth, the aged and a growing population. While earlier spectacles were only worn by those who could afford to, now it is a necessity for all those with poor vision and there is a demand for healthcare to provide them. Moreover, with so many people requiring glasses/lenses, and growing incidence of macular degeneration in old people and diabetic complications affecting vision, there is an increasing need for trained specialists to help correct and rectify vision problems in the country. The work
Optometry is the science of making eye equipment (including lenses and spectacles), which improve vision of the human eye. Most optometrists assist ophthalmologists in examining a person's vision, testing visual acuity and prescribing corrective lenses. An optometrist’s skill is based on an intimate knowledge of the workings of the eye and visual system. A variety of complex techniques and instruments complement an understanding of the patient's needs. Institute watch
An optometric examination begins with the optometrist taking a detailed case history, to determine what visual problems the patient may be experiencing, as well as other relevant information about their health and visual needs. The optometrist then performs a series of tests, some of which are carried out routinely and others when indicated by the patient's case history and the results of other tests. Based on a diagnosis of the patient’s problem, appropriate treatment is suggested. Treatments can include prescribing spectacles, contact lenses or eye exercises, prescribing medications to treat infections or other eye diseases, or simply giving advice on lighting, visual habits or other issues. When an optometrist uncovers a visual complaint that requires medical or surgical treatment the patient is often referred to a general medical practitioner or an ophthalmologist for medical therapy and/or surgical correction. Most optometrists supply the patient with the items which are prescribed to assist vision, most commonly spectacles and contact lenses. Some optometrists develop special interests in a particular aspect of vision care. Specific areas include:
The foothold
Admission to a degree or diploma course in optometry requires a minimum eligibility of Plus II or its equivalent with minimum 50 per cent marks in physics, chemistry, biology or maths. To practice as an optometrist it is essential to have a bachelor's degree in optometry. Most degree courses in optometry are for four years based on sciences, including biology, physics and chemistry. Therefore, a thorough background in these subjects is essential for students entering the course. The course also covers subjects such as anatomy, physiology of vision, pharmacology and histology, and the final years are devoted to clinical instruction in the management of vision problems. Most of the final year is devoted to practical training under supervision in contact with patients.
Career prospects
One can also practice as a leading retail optometry clinician, or an executive at an ophthalmic industry. There is also a good scope for optometrists to work in an optical shop, and lens manufacturing unit, and ophthalmic equipment manufacturing companies. With a number of contact lens and ophthalmic lens manufacturing multi-national companies coming to India, there are good career prospects for optometrists. There are several companies like Titan engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of watches, jewellery, sunglasses and precision engineering components, who are moving into retailing of prescription eyewear and require professionals with a background in optometry. There are also some specialisations that you can get into. These include working with senior citizens, children and athletes. Some optometrists work to improve workplace safety and others may focus on furthering the field of optometry through research, or be involved in any of the government or non-governmental agencies. Some of the fields where a great deal of research work is being done include low-vision rehabilitation, cornea and contact lenses, refractive and ocular surgery, and ocular disease.
The road ahead
Optometry is an emerging career choice in India but one with tremendous potential, as there is a severe shortage of qualified optometrists in the country. The future of the profession is also bright considering every single human being above the age of 40 will require ocular care in one way or the other. It is also among the top 10 income-earning professions in the US. This is largely because work in this field does not require the odd hours that medical practice normally demands. It is also a field that combines the humanistic touch of medicine and the technological challenges of engineering, and a rewarding option for individuals with interests in patient care, clinical and basic-science research, education and administration.
Remuneration
A professional optometrist can start on a salary of around Rs 15,000 per month. This amount may go still high depending upon his capabilities. Moreover, with the likely establishment of a regulatory body and the recognition of all optometric programmes by the government, the salary graph of an optometrist is bound to take a steep upward rise. Vision care is a field which demands the ability to communicate with people and to work with precision and professionalism. Optometrists also need a willingness to continue learning, particularly as newer technologies and instrumentation comes in. This is essential to keep in touch with new developments in the profession. Given the medical, and in particular the optical needs of people in India, it is estimated that we require at least 2 lakh optometrists, while there are currently barely 8,000. So if your vision is clear, here is one more profession where you may never seriously be without a job. — The writer is Director, Careers Smart Private Ltd.
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Is English proficiency must for pilots?
Q. I am doing my CPL from Australia. While I’m very good in the technical aspects, my English skills are not very good. Will this be a problem for me in finding a job in India after finishing my course. Also, is the market for pilots still down? I’m very worried because I have taken a loan for pursuing this course. — Gaurav Sampat A. Let me address your last concern first. Mainly because there’s good tidings for pilots in-the-making like you. The government’s latest decision allowing foreign airlines to pick up as much as 49 per cent stake in Indian carriers will serve as a game-changer for airline like SpiceJet, Jet Airways and Go Air which will be able to expand their fleet thanks to the fresh infusion of funds. That the resultant competition will benefit the common fliers like you and me in terms of improved service offerings and safety standards, is an icing on the cake. As for your first question, pilots do need to be proficient in English if they have to keep their licences valid. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had set December 31 as deadline for all pilots in the country to clear English language proficiency tests, failing which they can’t exercise their licence privileges. English language proficiency for pilots is an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirement, which contracting states like India have to comply with by March 2011. In keeping with the ICAO norms (which were later adopted by the DGCA), DGCA had issued an office memorandum to airlines and aviation organisations asking them to nominate examinees who can conduct these language proficiency tests for their pilots, flight engineers, air traffic controllers, etc. Pilots will receive a certificate upon satisfactory performance. No licence will be considered valid without a minimum English language proficiency of Level 4. If serving pilots need to be proficient in English, obviously prospective pilots also need to fulfill the requirement. So, for those who can barely put together nouns, proverbs, conjunctions into grammatically correct sentences, it’s time to go back to school books. Is the scope for dieticians limited?
A. Well, I beg to differ. And the study by the Public Health Foundation of India on the shortage of dieticians that has just been submitted to the Ministry of Health says that India is short of as many as 2.36 lakh dieticians. The resultant lack of proper nutritional advice is posing a problem for the country which is suffering from the dual burden of under-nutrition as well as over-nutrition among adults and children. Moreover, the fast developing food processing industry spurred by the entry of multinationals, offers a host of well-paying job opportunities. Dieticians continuously research and experiment at improving the nutritive value, flavour and general acceptability of the food while keeping the calorie and fat content to a minimum. Food processing units, food research labs, hospitals, large industrial and educational canteens, besides hotels, spas, gyms, health clubs and fitness centres employ people specialising in Food Technology, Nutrition and Food Services Management. Sports nutrition is yet another emerging area of specialisation. Moreover, should you wish to strike out on your own you could start your own consulting practice, or catering service, supplying balanced and nutritious low-calorie meals that can be eaten at the desk, for instance.
Single test for medical entrance
Q. I’m a student of Class XII in a small village in Punjab. Can you please tell me which all exams do I have to prepare for if I want to take up a course in Dentistry? —
Umang Kumar Bisht
As a result, the centrally conducted AIPMT as well as the separate state-level medical entrance tests have been done away with. The NEET, which can be taken in all the vernacular languages, will be conducted by the Ministry of Health and Medical Council of India (MCI). The new syllabus for the exam is available on the MCI website: Not only does this come as welcome relief to the 10 lakh medical aspirants who had to juggle multiple-exams and venues, but it will also hopefully put an end to the rampant sale and purchase of medical seats. What this means is that the states will be obliged to admit students albeit giving extra preference to domicile students but only on the basis of the all-India merit list.
Pervin Malhotra email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com...
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Cool conditioning for success D. C. Sharma
Every workplace demands specific job skills from its work force. However, most of the employees don’t give the right response at the right time. Here is a fine solution! Acquire the knack for it. Conditioned response, when acquired intentionally, can work wonders. Even unskillful workers have proved their worth by sharpening their skills considerably in a matter of weeks. What is conditioned response? Well remember the famous experiment by Pavlov involving a dog in which the dog’s unconditioned response of salivating at the sight of food was ‘conditioned’ to salivating on hearing a bell after a bell was rung each time food was given to the dog. It is all about forming the right associations and to be in control of your responses in a tricky workplace situation. Various skills required at the workplace can be acquired by using this conditioned response strategy. Experts have found that instead of developing the required skills many workers fall prey to negative experiences. For example, the fear created by one’s previous boss who would criticise even good work, makes many workers fearful even of the new boss even though he has not done anything to belittle them. This is a conditioned response. The first step to acquire the knack of learning new skills is to keep your mind open and receptive. Remove all the clutter that has rushed into your already crowded psyche. Remember, only fools rush in where the angels fear to tread! Here ‘fools’ mean weaknesses and ‘angels’ the skills that one needs to acquire. Once you condition your mind to stay empty, the needed skills will take root in your mental set up. Learning actually comes from inside, and not from outside. Just three weeks’ practice will make you perfect in this stunning art. Be detached
This strategy will pay you in learning new skills. If you always identify yourself with sickness, fear of failure, anger, jealousy or irritability, you lose the connection with your true strength. With gradual initiatives in that direction, your mind will be conditioned to act likewise in all workplace situations. In reality, you ought to be in control of your body and emotions just as you are in control of your car while driving. Separate yourself from your negative emotions. Condition yourself to use only those that sharpen your skills.
Cope with conflict
Learn to cope with workplace conflict. You lose the chance to learn new skills when your mind is divided. If one part of you says “I want to do this”, and the other part says “I don’t want to do that” you lose control over your true self. In such a situation, use this exercise. Just close your eyes. Take four deep breaths. Feel as if both your hands are coming closer to each other as if drawn together by some magnetic force. Gradually, with practice, you will be at peace and feel motivated to learn new skills.
Be different
Take some such steps that you have never taken so far.
The cells in your brain shall be so activated that new effective skills to do the routine job will be available to you.
Court creativity
Imagination and creativity play a great role in developing and sharpening your workplace skills. Feel that you are someone else who is much more efficient than you are. Forget about your own self for some time. This will stimulate your creativity. You will not only feel refreshed and activated, but new ways and means to handle the job in hand will come to your mind. Nothing is offered to anyone on a silver platter. Taking initiative is a must. With every step taken in the right direction, you will definitely acquire new skills every day. And as you experience using new skills, a day will come when you will feel proud of working most efficiently, making perfect use of your newly acquired skills. - The writer is a psychologist and a career expert
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Stand up to cheating "Believing the claims of a private institute, my friends and I enrolled for a degree course in computer applications. However even after repeated complaints to the director, my batch-mates and I are totally frustrated, as we have lost one full year. There is no full-time faculty and leave aside practical training, no theory classes have been held in the past two months. What should we do?" This is just one of several such letters I have received from students who’ve been duped by unscrupulous teaching shops and diploma mills. Can any action be taken against such erring institutions that are playing recklessly with students’ lives and careers? Most certainly! Here’s a comprehensive action plan for anyone who has been unwittingly caught in this predicament.
You can, therefore, take this matter to the consumer court under whose jurisdiction the institute is located. Every district has a District Consumer Forum where you can file your complaint directly if the value of services and compensation claimed does not exceed Rs 5 lakh. In metros and big cities there is more than one district forum. For instance, Delhi has seven such Consumer Grievance Redressal Fora located in different parts of the capital. However, if you and your batch mates decide to file a joint complaint where the compensation claim is in the range of Rs 5-Rs 20 lakh, you will have to do so in the State Commission (there is one in each state). And if the relief sought exceeds Rs 20 lakh, the complaint must be filed with the National Commission in Delhi. Complaints regarding self-financed courses run by universities/colleges and paid seats in medical and engineering colleges also fall within the purview of the Consumer Protection Act. Not long ago the Delhi Consumer Forum took a flying school to task for defrauding students by promising them training for PPL and CPL licences when it was not even recognised by the DGCA. Not only were they directed to refund the entire fees to the students but also to bear the litigation costs. Similarly, a major player in computer education that was charged with extending the duration of its course, delaying the exams, withholding results and not issuing the necessary certificates, was ordered to pay a hefty compensation to each of the aggrieved students who filed a complaint in the Consumer Forum. In a similar landmark order, NDRC ordered a medical college in Bihar to refund over Rs 6 lakh with 12 per cent annual interest to 12 students who had lost two years in the unrecognised institution. However, consumer courts are over-burdened with a backlog of complaints. You must, therefore, request that the case is taken up on a priority basis, or else a delayed verdict would prove infructuous. nThe UGC also has a “Malpractice’s Cell” where you could lodge complaints regarding errant institutions that come within its purview. The UGC is cracking the whip on the so-called “study centres” of universities offering courses through distance learning, branding them as “commercial ventures”. In the name of “collaboration” universities strike moneymaking deals with brick-and-mortar franchisees — small-time private enterprises that have no connection with the university, what to say with education. Unless the conditions outlined by the Distance Education Council and the UGC are complied with, the degrees offered by these universities will be de-recognised. The Supreme Court’s landmark judgement striking down the recognition of the 120 private universities that had set shop in Chhattisgarh making a virtual mockery of education, is a step in the right direction. In case the course happens to be AICTE-approved, then you should also bring the matter to their notice. Incidentally, AICTE forbids use of the word “Indian” and/or “National” and/or All India” and/or “All India Council” and/or “Commission” in any part of the name of a technical institution and/or any name whose abbreviated form reads as IIM, IIT, IISC, IIIT, AICTE, UGC.
No free lunches
Beware of institutes that issue full-page ads in leading newspapers promising the moon. Following a standard modus operandi, they hire attractive counsellors to con new entrants; host ‘orientation’ seminars in fancy hotels; collect huge sums from franchisees and fat course fees from students. After they've made a neat profit, they promptly forget to deliver on the promise and simply vamoose. There have been several such fly-by-night operators in the last few years who managed to cadge huge sums as franchise and course fees before doing the disappearing act. Don’t fall for glitzy exteriors, AC classrooms and the lure of the ‘Free Laptop / iPad’. Remember there’s nothing remotely free about it (the heavily negotiated price is anyways included in the hefty fees they will extract from you). The more innovative ones will offer four-week “study tours in foreign destinations (at your cost of course, free airport drop and pick-up, free stay at guest house. The list goes on and on.
So what should you do?
So when you next go looking for an institute, keep your eyes as well as ears open. As they say, it's always better to be safe than sorry. — The writer is Career Coach,
Career Guidance India
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Scholarship roundup The Charles Wallace India Trust offers three-year pilot visiting fellowship in arts, social sciences and humanities for Indian students at CRASSH, UK. Eligibility:
Details: The CWIT fellowship at CRASSH offers funding for a term of study and residence in Cambridge during the academic year 2013-14 (October 2013 – June 2014). The theme for 2013-14 will be ‘The Location of Knowledge’. How to apply: Online, email Deadline: October 31, 2012 Email: fellowships@CRASSH.cam.ac.uk
Munby fellowship The University of Cambridge offers graduate fellowship in the field of bibliographical research for students of any nationality. The Munby Fellow will be free to pursue bibliographical research of his/her own choosing. It is, however, expected that the Fellow’s research will be, at least in part, based directly or indirectly on the collections of the university and colleges of Cambridge and likely to be of benefit, in the broadest sense, to scholars using those collections in the future. Eligibility: Graduates in any discipline of any university and nationality. Preference will be given to scholars at post-doctoral or an equivalent level. Details: The stipend will be £31,948 (pro-rata). A non-stipendiary Fellowship at Darwin College will normally be available to the successful candidate, if not already a Fellow of a Cambridge College. Fellows in these categories are members of the Governing Body of the College and may take meals in the college without charge.
How to apply: Electronically Deadline: October 31, 2012 Check out: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/ Vacancies
Raman Research fellowships CSIR HQs offers Research Fellowships for Indian students at foreign institutions/R&D Centres of excellence. The Raman Research Fellowships are granted to the CSIR researchers for carrying out research in the emerging / high priority areas. During the Fellowship period the Scientist will be called “Raman Research Fellow”. The Fellow will be sent abroad on deputation terms. Eligibility: Regular scientists of CSIR with high academic qualifications (post graduate in engineering and PhD in engineering) and research experience, presently working in high priority areas, who have completed minimum five years of service in CSIR on the last date for receipt of the applications. The applicant must have made commendable contribution to research/innovation in the proposed area, which should be of international level. Fellowship should not be sought for training or to carry out tests, etc. using facilities in the host institute. The RRF must be sought to further enhance the skills/capability. The candidate should not be more than 45 year of age as on November 1, 2012. Duration: Four to 12 months (in one spell only) Area: Applied research topics in the high priority areas of the Laboratory/CSIR and also any specific area under basic science of relevance and immediate importance. Details:
Mode of selection: Through interview by a Selection Committee to be constituted by the DG CSIR. Bond: The selected candidates shall execute a bond before proceeding abroad on fellowship to serve the concerned Lab/Institute for three years on his/her return. How to apply: By post Deadline: October 12, 2012.
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From real to reel life Gauri Chhabra
Who is the showman behind this glamour and glitz? What moves strings of the celluloid world? It is a complex cusp of two worlds — one in front of the camera and the other behind the camera. If you are really interested to know what lies at the other side of the picture, you need to step in the shoes of the director who is the real weaver of dreams. He is the one who knows the art of telling a story, or putting across an idea that supports audio and visual matter. Now the question arises, what exactly is filmmaking. Well, it is a broad spectrum of activities performed on the canvas of creativity. The technique of filmmaking is a teamwork which needs close and coherent organisation of various skilled individuals. It involves acting, directing, producing, script writing, cinematography, sound recording, visual mixing, editing and so on. A filmmaker has to concentrate on all these concepts equally. He should have a curious amalgam of the creative as well as technical knack for story ideas and unique implementation skills to deliver an appealing effect. His job demands a lot of work that is from ideas, story, script, cast, screenplay, music, direction, budget, sets, location… and the list is endless. He has to start at the grassroot and work his way up. He has to knock at venture capitalists’ doors to raise capital for the film to its distribution, screening as well as all the steps from ideation to inception to making apperception in the minds of the audience. When asked about the role of a director, Deepak Tanwar who has directed Ab Hoga Dharna Unlimited says, “While hiring assistant directors, I look for enthusiasm as my shoots are fairly rigorous. I shoot my films very fast and aggressively so I want someone who is committed and has the passion. If you can work as an assistant director for someone it is a very cheap way to learn, as you don’t have to join an expensive filmmaking course instead. You’ll get a hands on of the film set.” Educational qualifications
The basic eligibility to enter technical courses in this field is Plus II. For other courses it is graduation. Generally, most universities conduct aptitude tests and interviews to assess candidates’ potential for this specific field of study. There are diploma, degrees, post diploma and even certificate courses in each area of specialisation. The specialisation areas include production, direction, editing, cinematography, film processing, animation, acting, sound engineering, make-up, photography and so on.
Skill set
A filmmaker should essentially have artistic flair, ability to work cooperatively, sense of responsibility, ability to work under deadlines, great physical stamina, strong visual sense, good communication skills as well as administrative skills. Besides, creativity, desire, motivation, focus, sensitivity, self- discipline, patience and determination are few of the necessary attributes one must have to become involved in the art of film making. In addition, one must be an effective storyteller (you don’t want your viewers to yawn while the movie is going on).
The foothold
Filmmaking is complex, expensive, and time consuming. It can also be a big business. Potential filmmakers spend many years perfecting their profession. There are numerous colleges that offer professional filmmaking courses at bachelors, PG and diploma levels. Formal training in filmmaking, however, may make it easier to understand the technical aspects of filmmaking and converting them into action. A course imparts the theories and practical knowledge of the hardware and software needed to make a film. An aspirant filmmaker is taught all aspects of filmmaking be it camera handling, recording systems, editing, productions to the post-production phases of moviemaking. To join a two-year filmmaking course in a reputed institute, you need to be a graduate. The eligibility test for these courses cover areas like general awareness on films and aptitude tested on parameters. Besides, some of the institutes have also come up with a management programme on filmmaking.
Career pathways
With a large number of films being produced in India each year, the field has not only grown vertically but has also widened horizontally to involve many offshoots in its ambit. If one possesses artistic and technical skills and at the same time an ability to express ideas, then it is the most appropriate field to work in. Even for acting and directing, which are basically creative fields that require inherent talent; training helps to hone the skills. Aspirants can explore certain forking pathways like getting employment with film studios, production companies, advertising agencies, and government departments that make films. Having an independent venture is the other avenue. So if you want to build a corridor between real and reel life…film making is the right choice… for
you. — The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant
Institute watch
Course in direction, cinematography, editing, acting and production. www.zimainstitute.com
Bachelor of Film technology (BFT) 1 year full-time Diploma in Film Post Graduate Diploma in Film and TV production “Filmmaking is not a technical craft, it is a mental and creative craft. Students should look for courses that cover different aspects of filmmaking right from script writing, to cinema appreciation, to camera angles and other technical skills. Getting first hand experience of working in a live studio as part of the curriculum prepares students fully for the challenges of this profession. So check out what you are in for while selecting a course and institute”, he added.
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How you can ace XAT Testing Times: XAT For the section on analytical reasoning and decision making, it would be advisable for students to revise concepts pertaining to puzzles and decision making with a focus on practising the distribution-based puzzle questions. The section on verbal and logical ability tests the depth of the student's understanding of the language, context and their ability to use reasoning to spot the logic. The reading comprehension (RC) passages in XAT are usually based on offbeat topics (one of the passages in XAT 2010 was in the form of a conversation from the film — The Matrix). The passages, though short, have been quite difficult to comprehend. It would be advisable for students to revise concepts pertaining to RC, sentence correction, vocabulary-based questions (confusing words), paragraph formation, logical reasoning questions (especially on fact, inference, judgment or FIJs and inference-based questions).
Students should also focus on figures of speech, as there have been questions on identifying the metaphor, personification, oxymoron, etc in XAT papers of previous years. For the section on quantitative ability and data interpretation, the preparation done for CAT should be sufficient. Students should brush up on their mental maths concepts, as some of the questions in DI tend to be calculation intensive.
PART B
For general awareness, students should know about the developments in economic, business and social arena. Regular reading of newspapers and magazines will be of help. For essay writing, students should practice writing essays on diverse topics. In 2012, the students were asked to write a 350-word essay on the following statements. Statement I: Poverty is the major problem that is plaguing India. Because of the magnitude and complexity of this problem, government policies are not successful. Statement II: Poverty is a consequence of the government policies. Instead of trying to address the problem, the government should concentrate on the root causes of the problem. Overall, while most of the areas tested are similar to CAT, the difficulty levels of all the sections have traditionally been higher. You are advised to take sufficient number of mock XAT exams to brighten your chances. The writer is Director, T.I.M.E., Delhi Fact
sheet
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Global edge for fashion course
JD Institute of Fashion Technology has come bagged the distinction of being the first Indian fashion institute to have its own campus in London. R.C. Dalal, Executive Director of JD Institute of Fashion talks about the idea, vision and challenges faced while setting up a campus in London. The JD Institute now has a centre in London, what triggered this move? London as a market is very huge, where students from India go to study for a large number of specialisations. Graduates from the city dominate the worlds of fashion and art and it has contributed some of the biggest names in the field. Damien Hirst, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, the Chapman Brothers, Chris Ofili, Ozwald Boateng and John Galliano - all ‘A’ listers in the world of fashion from London. This popularity triggered the move to set up a centre there. Now sixth semester students of the institute from India can go and specialise in various projects and plans in London. London is not only a fantastic city but is also an important hub of world fashion, one of the trade sectors like Milan and Tokyo. How is this move going to benefit the students? Every design student needs a certain amount of exposure; this exposure can come in from various cultures, places or through various systems. This campus in London will help the students explore design education. It would also provide exposure to the students in British design and standards, which are aesthetic and innovative as well. This is one of the ways of exposing them to a culture and a design system. As Indian students will be given a chance to complete their final semester in London, this would give them an opportunity to interact and learn from students in London leading to an exposure to global trends. Meanwhile, students in London would get a chance to learn about the Indian Art and Fashion as we are planning to name a department as ‘Indian Art & Fashion Department’. Students, who want to do research on Indian Fashion, will get an opportunity to come to India to carry out their research. What sort of affiliations you have got and what all courses (undergrad, diploma etc) will be offered there? It is mandatory for any institute to partner with a similar institute in London for the necessary affiliations and recognition from any body in UK. To partner and initiate the campus, JD Institute of Fashion and Technology is in tie up with London State College (LSC). Initially two departments would be introduced. The 2013 session will have Fashion & Interior courses i.e, Fashion Design and Interior Design. In 2014, jewellery design and gemology would be introduced. Similarly, Indian students can complete their final semester in London starting from February, 2013. A lot of emphasis would be given on Europian design and master craftsmanship. In 2015, students of MSc will complete their final semester in London. What will be the cost factor? The fee structure would be comparable to that of the other institutes in London. In view of the recent incident regarding the de-recognition of Metropolitan University, what are the pitfalls that students should be careful about? In my opinion, students should be careful enough while applying for any foreign university and should do the following:
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Happiness @
work As most of us stay away from our place of work, the mode of transport that we use to get there assumes importance for success in our ventures and work. On the 17th day of the Mahabharata war Karna knew that his battle with arch rival Arjuna was on the cards. So he demanded that he should be given a ‘charioteer as skilled as Krishna’. Duryodhana agreed and King Shalya of Madra was handed over the reins. As Shalya had been equated with Krishna, he demanded that Karna must unquestioningly listen to his advice as Arjuna did to that of his charioteer. On the battlefield, Shalya advised Karna to aim at Arjuna’s heart, but the warrior went for his enemy’s head instead. Krishna ‘sunk’ his chariot a few inches and the dart dislodged Arjuna’s helmet. Enraged, Shalya walked out on Karna, leaving him to be an easy prey for Arjuna’s arrows. When Debendranath Tagore heard of his son Rabindranath’s desire to travel, he gave him the charge of the zamindari of Kushthia (now in Bangladesh). As the family estates were scattered, Rabindranath Tagore got enough chance to travel by boat. To start a flight from Karachi to Bombay, JRD Tata went to England to purchase two Puss Moths. He decided to fly from there to Bombay in one of them, but at Naples, he realised he had high fever. So he came to Bombay on ship with the plane folded up and strapped on the ship’s deck. At Bombay, the plane was moved to Juhu mud flats by bullock cart. On October 15, 1932, the Tata Airmail Service started. To avenge Lala Lajpat Rai’s death, the revolutionaries decided to kill “10 Englishmen”. As Assistant Superintendent of Police Saunders went to climb his motorcycle on December 17, 1928, Bhagat Singh and Rajguru shot him. They rushed to the opposite building — DAV College, Lahore — went to the first floor, climbed down a water pipe and mounted a cycle left there for them by Chandra Shekhar Azad. When the police tightened its grip on Lahore, Bhagat and Rajguru escaped to Calcutta and Azad to Mathura by train. On the 14th day of the Mahabharata war, Dronacharya set up the needle formation to protect Sindhu King Jayadratha as Pandava prince Arjuna had vowed to either kill him by dusk or enter fire himself. Around afternoon, charioteer Krishna realised that the horses would not be able to reach their destination without rest. So he ordered Arjuna to ‘create’ a pool and a shelter of arrows where he could give the beasts some water, rest and a massage. Thus, riding on the refreshed horses, the riders fulfilled their vow. Take care of your car or it will, one day, take you for a ride. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Being blunt may work
While it should not be done lightly McQuaid said that sometimes verbally lashing out at your boss could have a positive result. According to her, it can rebalance your stress levels, flip your negative feelings back to positive and get back on level playing field with difficult bosses. According to research commissioned by McQuaid, nearly 40 per cent of Australian employees feel unappreciated, uninspired, bored and miserable at work. Further research found that three in four report their boss is the most stressful part of their job. According to McQuaid, when confronting your boss it’s important to make them feel like it’s done in a respectful way and not make them feel like they’re under attack. However, she doesn’t recommend every disgruntled employee to walk into their boss’ office and launch a verbal attack. “There are about 24 other practical and proven ways to deal with a bad boss,” she said. “It’s best for employees who are the end of their tether and have tried everything else. It will go one way or the other after that,” McQuaid said. Based on the studies of world’s leading positive psychologist Martin Seligman, McQuaid outlined five reasons why it might be time to get real and consider what you’re putting up with in work and the cost to your wellbeing. Firstly, if your boss is making you feel miserable — you need a healthy dose of positive emotions like joy, hope, pride and amusement to do well at work and in life but if all this has been stripped away by your boss it’s time to do something about it. Secondly, if your boss will only give you work that’s boring and tedious. Only two out of every 10 people report they get to do what they do best each day at work, leaving most of us feeling dreary, helpless and unworthy. Thirdly, if your boss is making you feel isolated. Having a best friend at work makes it seven times more likely that you’re engaged in your job. Don’t let your boss’s behaviour make you forget your manners. Gratitude is a kind of mega strategy when it comes to improving our levels of positivity and our relationships so take the time to appreciate the good things others are doing and say thank you. Fourthly, if your boss makes you feel like your work is pointless — any job can be re-crafted, even if it’s just a little without saying a word to your boss to focus more on the tasks and relationships that align with our beliefs and passions to make it more than just punching the clock. Lastly, if they stop you making any progress — one of the keys to a fulfilling life is making progress towards our goals so if you feel like you’re stuck in a dead end job or you’re sick of waiting for the long promised next step up then you need to find a way to get around your boss.
— ANI
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GMAC 2012 application trends survey The demand for graduate business and management education around the world has shown signs of renewed growth, as 51 per cent of programmes surveyed by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) have reported more applications than last year. The overall demand — as revealed in the 2012 Application Trends Survey — is spread among a greater variety of programme types, including part-time self-paced, flexible, and online distance MBAs, as well as specialised master’s degrees in business, including information technology management. “As the global business space continues to become more complex, there is a greater demand that business schools today offer specialised and flexible programmes to meet corporate and student needs,” said David Wilson, GMAC president and CEO. The annual survey, which charts year-to-year application changes at the programme level, shows that specialised master’s programmes in management, finance, and accounting continue to show robust growth, and applications to full-time two-year MBA programmes appear to be stabilising globally, with about half of all full-time two-year MBA programmes showing increases or holding steady from last year. In open-ended comments, admissions professionals responding to the survey noted that economic conditions continued to play a role in student demand for programmes. “(A student’s) reluctance to leave full-time position,” cited one admissions professional from a US full-time two-year MBA programme. “The economy is picking up and students are finding full-time jobs or have received promotions and do not want to leave to go back to school for two years,” said another. A record 744 programmes from 359 business schools in 46 countries participated in the survey this year. These include 527 MBA programmes, 24 business doctoral programmes (PhD/DBA) and 193 specialised masters programmes. This year’s survey report includes, for the first time, results for masters in information technology management and masters of marketing/communications. Key findings
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Cubicle
trends If you’re looking for a new job, you might want to consider using Twitter along with more traditional search tools to market yourself, find open positions, get career advice and network, it has been revealed. You can begin by highlighting your skills in your Twitter bio, career experts advise, the New York Post reported. According to reCareered.com President Phil Rosenberg, if you’re currently employed and secretly looking for a new job you can create an additional Twitter profile for job-seeking purposes. Use keywords as you detail your credentials in your bio, so that recruiters and hiring managers can find you, and include a link to an online resume and your e-mail address. Northwestern University’s Career Services website also suggests creating a “Twesume,” or a condensed resume of just 140 characters that you can tweet or use as your Twitter bio. You can also use the background of your Twitter page to showcase your skills, if you work in a creative industry. You can search using hashtags to find openings or advice. According to career experts and our own research, the most effective hashtags for job search are #jobs, #hiring, #jobhunt, #jobsearch, #jobtips, #jobopening, #career and #resume, which you can also attach to your own tweets to help recruiters and hiring managers find you. Searching using a combination of #jobs and a hashtag specifying the industry or location you’d like to work in is also useful, according to Diane Crompton, the co-author of “Find a Job Through Social Networking.” Crompton also advises job seekers to think like a recruiter and search by the hashtags someone would use to tag a job opening. You can also use Twitter to follow dedicated job-listing accounts and experts in your industry, and begin a dialogue with them by re-tweeting or replying to one of their tweets. These Twitter conversations can lead to real-life networking contacts. But don’t ask for a job right off the bat. Being bossed around
can hurt your heart
A highly demanding job but having little control over it could be a deadly combination, a new study has revealed. For the study, the researchers analysed existing studies covering nearly 200,000 people and found “job strain” was linked to a 23 per cent increased risk of heart attacks and deaths from coronary heart disease. According to the study, the risk to the heart was much smaller than for smoking or not exercising. The British Heart Foundation said how people reacted to work stress was the key. Job strain is a type of stress. The research team at University College London said working in any profession could lead to strain, but it was more common in lower skilled workers. Doctors who have a lot of decision-making in their jobs would be less likely to have job strain as compared to someone working on a busy factory production line. “Our findings indicate that job strain is associated with a small but consistent increased risk of experiencing a first coronary heart disease event, such as a heart attack,” Prof Mika Kivimaki, from University College London, said.
— Agencies
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The opportunities created by a fast-globalising world have led to executives jet-setting across the globe-wining and dining, negotiating, and networking for business. Indian executives, who are brand ambassadors of both their company and their country, too, are making a mark on the global stage, and increasingly find themselves in a number of situations where their people skills can make all the difference. Business Etiquette shows the art of creating a positive impression through the ABC of good manners: Appearance, Behaviour, and Communication. Shital Kakkar Mehra, one of India's best-known corporate etiquette trainers, teaches us how to create our own brand, dine with grace, mingle with ease and conduct business keeping in mind racial, gender, and cultural diversities. It's a one-stop guide to side -stepping those embarrassing slip-ups and awkward gestures, and sailing through the complexities of modern-day office life with ease.
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At one time wearing spectacles was associated with being a nerd (!) or being too studious. Today it is a fashion statement. On a more serious note, more and more people are wearing spectacles, contact lenses or some form of visual aid — and not just for fashion. Sight is the most precious of our five senses. It is vital to everything we do - work, play, study, read, relax. But it is only when we have a problem with our eyesight, that we realise the importance of good vision.
Zubin Malhotra
Gauri Chhabra
As most of us stay away from our place of work, the mode of transport that we use to get there assumes importance for success in our ventures and work.
On the 17th day of the Mahabharata war Karna knew that his battle with arch rival Arjuna was on the cards. So he demanded that he should be given a ‘charioteer as skilled as Krishna’. Duryodhana agreed and King Shalya of Madra was handed over the reins. As Shalya had been equated with Krishna, he demanded that Karna must unquestioningly listen to his advice as Arjuna did to that of his charioteer.
Optometrists are eye doctors who diagnose vision problems and correct them with
contact lenses, eyeglasses, and through medication. Optometrists, or dispensing opticians, also called ophthalmic technicians are responsible for the visual health of patients, and work to maintain or improve the quality of patient's lives.
An optometrist also fabricates lenses to prescribed specifications and fits them and other low-vision aids to suit individual requirements. They also operate machines for the purpose of polishing edges, hardening and adjusting the sizes of lenses, and so on. With the new developments in the field, optometrists are expected to know about the latest in visual aids and technologies.
A qualified optometrist can choose to work in private practice (spectacle and contact lens clinics), working with eye hospitals, spectacle or contact lens manufacturing units, spectacle, instruments or contact lens industry, working overseas, and working at teaching institutes or as research scientists. 
Q.
After completing my BSc in home science, I’m thinking of doing M.Sc in dietetics. But every one says that the scope is somewhat limited. What do you feel?
— Adhuna Gautam
A. Perhaps you’ve missed it, but the latest news is that medical aspirants will now take a single test for admission to medical and dental colleges in India. The first version of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) will be held on May, 5 2013. Students will be admitted to the 355 recognised MBBS and 300 dental colleges on the basis of the all-India merit list which will be drawn up on the basis of marks scored in the test.
The corridor from real to reel life is covered with a red carpet; brings to our mind a mosaic of the drama of life — scripted on the canvas of creativity, born out of the idiosyncrasies, follies and foibles of real life, spiced to emote and play with the subconscious to merge with the reel life. Stationed along this corridor is the chaotic loud speaker, the quixotic team with cameras and lenses all over, the picture perfect heroes, the launch parties, the interviews with the press and the red carpet with all its glamour and glory. 
Kurt
Inderbitzin, CEO of Annapurna International School of Film and Media (AISFM), Hyderabad, is an experienced and successful director and producer from Hollywood. He has produced feature films, television movies and series for CBS, ABC, NBC, Lifetime, TBS. While sharing his views on filmmaking as a career and the importance of training during a visit to Chandigarh, Kurt emphasised that a professional degree goes a long way in equipping students with the right tools to be successful in this highly competitive field. 
If your boss is making your life miserable, a blunt approach could be the answer, a new book has suggested. After years of studying positive psychology, author Michelle McQuaid has penned a book called ‘5 Reasons to Tell Your Boss to go **** Themselves’.