Going local
Global companies no longer need to send expats to India as they find talented workforce even in small towns and rural areas
Swati Rai

India’s labour force is expanding at a time when globally there are issues of a dwindling workforce. The much talked about ‘demographic dividend’ referring to the large number of youth in India, as per 2011 census that pins the average age of an Indian in 2020, a young 29 years, can tip the scales in India’s favour economically.

It is especially pertinent now as rural India, along with Tier II and III cities, has become the new growth centre. As education, awareness, infrastructure, transport, means of communication and power improve further, an increasing number of companies are touted to employ and engage with this populace, for expansion and also setting up operational business centres.

The trend of local hiring and utilisation of the human resource bank in Tier II and III cities is fuelled by the fact that these centres are fast becoming bustling hubs for employees in IT, ITES, FMCG, KPO, and BPM apart from the regular housekeeping, catering, security and transport sectors.

The Indian economy is on a steep growth trajectory for the past two decades and this era of growth has seen many developments. The first leg of this growth was triggered by large number of global organisations setting up their local operations in India and the second leg has witnessed most of these businesses developing a ‘Glocal’ approach for the Indian market. This drive has also resulted in deeper penetration in business as these firms were able to grow the business beyond metros to tier II and tier III cities in India. “Our economy has different considerations when compared to the global markets. This approach helps companies to adopt a micro business approach and gives them a local perspective which helps them customise their business strategies for addressing the local business demands,” says Bhavishya Sharma, Managing Director, Athena Executive Search and Consulting, New Delhi.

“Many companies setting base in India prefer to recruit locally and Indian companies plan to recruit local people at the front end of their operations to mitigate the discomfort and outsourcing fears,” says Kamal Karanth, MD, Kelly Services India. His company is already using this approach successfully.

Encashing local flavour

The local talent brings along the right nuances of doing business faster. “They bring in the connect to the required talent which is critical in start-ups in new geographies. This approach brings in empowerment at the local level and allows retention of leadership team,” adds Karanth.

Deepak Kaistha, Managing Partner, Planman Consulting says, “With a localised approach, international companies can customise their businesses, which cater to the local aspirations; thus helping them succeed in that area. Such a practice helps international companies to successfully do business in India’s different business environments. For them, it is a helping hand to overcome various challenges, which specific areas bring along with them. At Planman, we have established ourselves with a mind-set of a local approach but with systems, processes and growth plan of a global standard. To restrain our brand value, we conduct orientations of our new employees to give them an insight of the brand value that our company’s members carry along with their day-to-day activities.”

The NASSCOM survey titled ‘Strategic Review 2011’ notes, ‘Lower cost of operations and better retention of employees are driving growth in these cities.’ Almost 35 Indian cities with a million-plus population are also attracting global and domestic players in manufacturing and IT companies. This shift is also augmented by the fact that many Indian state governments also offer incentives to investors.

Ronesh Puri, Managing Director, Executive Search, a leading head-hunting firm, says, “What works in the favour of a company employing local talent apart from the apparent financial advantage is the added plus of knowing the turf first hand and bridging the cultural and lingual gap to get an in-depth market knowledge.”

“These employees are more familiar with the geography, understand local markets more strongly and hold stronger understanding of the regional culture”, says Sharma.

“Relationships with local government and statutory bodies can be faster and smoother due to cultural similarities and understanding of laws”, adds Karanth.

New phase in hiring

In the ASSOCHAM Annual Placement Pattern report, April 2011 titled ‘Tier II and Tier III Cities Emerging as the New Job Creation Basket in 2011-2012’ ASSOCHAM Secretary- General, D. S. Rawat notes, “Rather than Tier I cities, Tier II and Tier III cities have emerged as the prominent destinations for the companies to provide job opportunities to the aspirants. The hiring activity during 2010-2011 has been more widespread than in the past couple of years”, The Secretary-General further added, “that in the FY 2012, we see a robust growth in the placement patterns across the sectors in India as the companies are very optimistic to increase their workforce ahead of expansion plans of their business. APP projects that there will be an overall growth of 40 per cent in the job market especially in the Tier II and Tier III cities in the near future.”

Future course

On the future of this trend Rawat says, “I foresee more and more global players in India adopting this approach to stay ahead of competition and optimise their business. India offers a unique set of challenges and opportunities to do business and has become a market of significant interest, if not the topmost for most international corporations. Most forward looking corporate enterprises are willing to go that extra mile to exploit this opportunity by customising their business model according to local aspirations and sensibilities.”

Successful ventures

Dheeraj Dolwani, CEO&Co-Founder, of the B2R (Business 2 Rural) Technologies Private Limited, a rural BPO organisation says, “While it is true that our urban locations concentrate on more nuanced operations yet by no means can our work in our rural offices be called low-end, especially as our employees there are engaged in Meta data analysis amongst other complex engagements. If there is world class communications facility and operational infrastructure available, I see no reason as to why we can’t function from a village. Yes, it involves training that is consistent and constant round the year. Sure, any business enterprise works on the economic sense of profit but having said that our focus is also on an organic social engagement with the village community. Our clear goal is to utilise a part of our profit for integrated rural development programmes.”

B2R is three-and-a- half-years old in Nainital district, Uttrakhand, and has been successfully engaged in providing services in the field of banking, insurance, publishing and back office support services amongst others.

Recently recognised in the “League of 10” and “Emerge 50” in the NASSCOM EMERGE 50 Awards (in the start-up category), B2R, currently has five service delivery centres, running at their planned capacity of 50 seats each, all in District Nainital in Uttarakhand. The company plans to get six more centres operational by the end of 2013. Their larger goal is to set up 80-85 such centres employing more than 6000 rural youth over the next 5 years.

smart strategy: reporting to multiple bosses
Caught in the fork
Many people are reporting to more than one boss and learning to handle multiple managers is an essential skill in today’s complex organisations
Gauri Chhabra

Rohit Khosla had been in the software industry for five years when he started with a new firm as a Senior Software Engineer. The company had three partners and Rohit was initially hired to work under one of them. But soon afterwards, besides working for that partner he was also asked to work closely with one of the others.

Now what did work closely mean? In corporate parlance it meant a dotted line reporting to the latter. That was when his life started on a downslide, caught between two strong-headed men.

“It is like being caught between a wife and a mistress”, Rohit says jokingly, “The most difficult thing about working for two partners is that both would have projects that they feel are urgent and it put me in an uncomfortable situation”. Rohit had to try to decide which project to work on first. When he asked one of his bosses for advice, he would say he wanted his project to be dealt with first. It was also not uncommon for one partner to assign him something urgent when he was working on an upcoming deadline for the other. Rohit was so caught up in this mayhem that there seemed no way out…

Ironically, we all are caught in a similar situation. More and more people report to more than one boss and learning to handle multiple managers is an essential skill in today’s complex organisations. As you to go to a matrix structure, you can easily have multiple bosses, dynamic team sizes. Day in and day out, we find Marketing talking to Accounts and Accounts talking to Operations so much so that there is hardly any difference between the top and the bottom line doers. This leads to many challenging situations like:

Overload

When multiple people assign you work, the simple fallout is that your plate becomes a tad too full. Since you have been conditioned to say yes to everything, especially when it comes from your boss, you keep on piling task after task on your plate till you are overburdened with work. If you want to complete everything, obviously you would do something at the cost of the other thus diluting the quality of your work.

Clutter

When too many people breathe down your neck, you get conflicting messages. Each one of us is unique, with a different perspective. Some of us are focused on the process, while some others are bothered only about results. One man’s food is another man’s poison. If you are reporting to two or more bosses you are always in a conflicting state of mind trying to cater to personalities that are otherwise poles apart. One of the web designers in our company who is also reporting to two partners says, “Whenever I come up with a new design or an image change, one of the partners loves it, while the other hates it”.

Caught in the middle

In the corporate culture where minds are hard and egos brittle, doing something for one boss at the cost of another is a sign of betrayal that is not very easily digested. In case you have a dotted line reporting to your super boss, you can’t go against the wishes of your immediate boss and discuss anything of value. The result you are considered to be a nincompoop when actually you are brimming with ideas. Showing your intelligence in front of your super boss with your immediate boss around is suicidal. It is like one owns your left side and the other the right and you feel caught in the middle.

In case you are facing any or all of these challenges, here is what you should do.

Double dip

While you may have multiple managers you take direction from, before you get caught in their whims and fancies, take a double dip. Eliminate the people who matter less and concentrate only on those who matter. If you are reporting to three-four bosses, then like in the popular KBC, first figure out who are those people who matter in your reviews, and who contributes to them. Ask who makes decisions about your compensation, promotions, etc. Focus on who calls the shots. While this may seem mercenary, it’s important to know from the outset what can help and hurt your career.

First things first

The singular skill you need to have while dealing with multiple bosses is making sure you know how to prioritise. In case your bosses are at loggerheads about the priority of other tasks, make sure that you cry hoarse about what is on your plate long before you see it coming. It can be on shared space or through a simple weekly status e mail.

Involve to resolve

In order to wriggle out of a tricky situation that induces the need for resolving conflicting demands, the best way is to get the warring parties on the same ground. Involve them, explain what the situation is and tell them to solve the problem. Start by assuming the best. Invite them to discuss the conflicts and get it out on the table. Bring your bosses together in the same place - in a conference room or on the same email chain - and explain what the conflict is. Enlist them in the problem solving and push for transparency. If you ask your bosses for advice on how to handle the disagreement, they’re more likely to take your perspective and see the challenges from your point of view. Two things might happen. In a healthy organization where it is sheer miscommunication and all are moving towards a cohesive goal, one of the bosses who feels that a certain task demands immediate attention will pave the way even at the cost of his ego. In the second case where the organization is not that healthy, the bosses will know that you can be brutally honest and they cannot take you for a ride and you can stare the problem in the eye rather that shying away from it.

Set schedules

If multiple bosses frequently come to you with questions or to check in about their projects, establish protected times where you can be heads down without disruptions. For that, schedule a daily status meeting on calendar when all details can be discussed and share that calendar with your counterparts. This would give others an idea that you value your time and they would abstain from barging in at odd hours. Keep a quick call every day before noon and try to work interrupted before midday coz this is the time when you are the most productive..

Be honest

In certain organizations, while working for multiple bosses, we tend to get sneaky not telling one what we are doing with the other. While this may work very well in an organization that has an unhealthy grapevine going on it would always pay to be outright honest in a healthy organization. If you were not able to attend a call from one boss because you were on a call with the other tell them so. They might not like it initially but later on they know that you do not mince words and cut corners. Do not be subdued by a fear infested environment.

Do not feel persecuted

It can be easy to develop paranoid fantasies about how your bosses are out to get you, but more often than not, this is not the case. Chances are they are simply pushing their own agendas and you are getting caught in the middle. Try not to feel persecuted, but preemptively identify the conflicts and push to resolve them. In fact, having more than one boss can have benefits as well. Sutton says you are likely to have more autonomy than if you worked for one person. And you can more easily find ways to personalise your job.

Thus, instead of cursing and cribbing about the office politics and reporting to multiple bosses, just learn the art of playing your cards straight and play them well.

— The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant

career compass: maritime law
The point of LAW
Usha Albuquerque

Can you imagine the enormous insurance and compensation that must have been paid out to the victims of the ill-fated Titanic? Who would have dealt with these matters? Today how do authorities today handle Thai fishermen caught trespassing in Indian waters, or ships involved in an accident, and where does a sailor go when he gets laid off a shipping vessel? These are just some of the many complex issues that those in the shipping industry have to face on a regular basis, and which only those who understand and are trained in maritime law can handle. Maritime or 'admiralty' law (as it is sometimes called) is the legal specialisation that deals with laws and regulations relating to the affairs of the sea, such as seamen, ships, shipping, navigation, and the like.

Maritime law, a little known and not so popular legal specialisation, is a premier profession and financially highly rewarding as it deals with ships and shipping matters involving enormous financial stakes. Any problem related to an incident at sea, or during the voyage of a ship will require the services of specialist legal professionals. Issues related to the arrest or detention of personal vessels, an accident at sea, hijacking by Somali pirates are some of the legal matters taken up by maritime lawyers.

Shipping litigation could range from "dry" matters such as disputes related to cargo contamination, detention, insurance policies, and ship building, repair and conversion contracts, to "wet" matters such as advice on rights and liabilities, and disputes arising from casualties, collision, ship arrests, marine pollution, salvage, and accidents. This often involves handling maritime legalities across international destinations and countries, and litigation involving payment of penalties and issues like marine accidental insurance. Seafarers are given special protections and benefits under maritime law above and beyond those of land workers because of the special nature of their work.

The work of a maritime lawyer can be fairly hectic as the shipping industry is fast-moving and clients want quick solutions to their problems. Every day of a ship's halt means millions of dollars lost and so turnaround must always be prompt. The maritime lawyer may also need to interact with legal professionals from different cultures, sometimes of other countries and locations.

Getting in

Although you can probably practice marine law even with a basic law degree, today more and more companies look for a specially trained lawyer with a thorough understanding of international, national and regional maritime law and the legalities of the Merchant Shipping Act, Admiralty Act and other aspects of Marine Law. So to practice in this field it is best to be a law graduate with a master's degree or specialisation in maritime law

Any law graduate can take up specialisation in marine law now being offered by several law institutes, including national Law University, Bangalore and Delhi.

The Indian Maritime University (IMU) will also be starting a specialised two-year course in Maritime Law, beginning from June this year, in academic collaboration with the Malta-based International Law Institute (ILI).

Those who have completed bachelors degree in law with minimum 55 per cent marks (50 per cent for SC, ST, and differently-abled) will be eligible to apply. The Indian Institute of Maritime Law ( IIML) www.iimlindia.in, an association of organisations in the shipping industry also conducts seminars, workshops, and training programmes on Maritime Law and other laws relating to maritime activities.

Skill set

Basic qualities such as analytical skills, persuasive sbilities and good oral and verbal communication important for all lawyers can also be useful for maritime lawyers having to deal with shipping companies, international bodies and others.

Opportunities

With the rapid growth of shipping and the complexities of international trade there are ample opportunities for well-qualified maritime lawyers. Jobs are mostly with international law firms, trading houses, shipping companies and petro-chemical companies with in-house legal advisers. Protection and indemnity clubs and international maritime organisations also employ maritime lawyers. Several national and international bodies have also been set up to promote maritime activities, such as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in Geneva.

Growing concerns in the shipping industry such as piracy, climate change, shortage of manpower and environmental issues have highlighted the need not only to introduce and implement effective maritime laws to protect our maritime economy but to also have a strong body of maritime legal experts and skilled professionals to handle this area of commercial activity.

So if law has been on your mind instead of rushing for the tried and tested options like corporate law, here is a relatively less competitive specialised field that can be both stimulating and financially rewarding.

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

Institute Watch

• National Law University, New Delhi
• National Law University, Bangalore
• National Law University, Bhopal
• NALSAR, Hyderabad

field in focus: civil engineering
Building a strong future
Ashwani Prabhakar

Civil Engineering is the key to many of the issues affecting our lives today. A major portion of what civil engineers are required to do is a combination of materials science and physics. Among all branches of engineering, the range and application of civil engineering is the broadest and the most visible. In fact, the entire infrastructural framework of a modern nation is the creation of civil engineers.

The work

Civil engineering is about the design and planning, construction, supervision, quality control and maintenance of physical structures, such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, canals, sea ports, power plants and airports. Their role is central to ensuring the safe, timely and well-resourced completion of projects in many areas, including highway construction, waste management, coastal development and geotechnical engineering.

Consulting civil engineers liaise with clients to plan, manage, design and supervise the construction of projects. They work in a number of different settings and, with experience, can run projects as a project manager.

Civil engineering offers many opportunities as well as the satisfaction of helping to improve and enhance public quality of life in many settings.

As a civil engineer, you will have to plan out, design and supervise the construction of different types of buildings. You need to posses good knowledge of mathematics and science. Also, you must also have good supervisory and administrative skills. 

Getting in

The minimum eligibility for doing undergraduate program i.e. BE/B.Tech in Civil Engineering is Plus II Science with Physics, Chemistry and Math’s. The selection is generally made on the basis of entrance tests (e.g. IITJEE, AIEEE, BITSAT etc.) conducted at both national and state level.

One can also continue his/her study further by joining ME/M.Tech programs offered by various engineering colleges/universities including the IITs and NITs. A GATE qualification can further make one’s admission process easier.

AMIE Associate Memberships of the Institution of Engineers also offers courses in civil engineering which is equivalent to BE/B.Tech provided by other institutes/universities.

Civil engineers with an academic bent of mind can go on to obtain their Masters and PhD degrees and enter the world of research and teaching.

Job opportunities

There are excellent job opportunities in civil engineering both in public and private sectors.

There are opportunities in small consulting firms, including those specialising in structural, environmental, municipal and geotechnical engineering and some work in larger firms which encompass several branches of civil engineering.

Civil engineers can also work at national, state and municipal levels of the government. They can also start their own business. Opportunities abound in varying aspects of engineering like Bioengineering, Coastal Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Water Resources Engineering. The most popular industries for getting employed are construction, engineering design, residential construction, heavy civil construction.

In India, things are looking up in the infrastructure sector. There is also great employment scope for civil engineers in government and public sectors like the railways, municipal bodies, the Defense Forces, National Highway Authority of India, government development authorities like the DDA and government housing authority, BHEL and many more.

A fresh civil engineering graduate can also look for jobs in road projects, building work, consultancy firms, quality testing laboratories or housing societies.

According to experts, there is a high demand for experienced civil engineers in developed countries. Hundreds of civil engineers migrate from India to Canada, Australia and other countries for better career prospects.

According to an estimate, over 50,000 new jobs in the civil engineering sector are coming up every year across the country in the private sector. The Centre has announced to invest over Rs 50,000 Crore in the infrastructure sector in the next few years.

Fee structure

A graduate course from a private college will cost you between Rs1,00,000 to Rs 2,00,000, annually. However, in a reputed government run establishment such as the Indian institute of Technology (IIT), you will have to pay an annual fee in the range of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000.

Remuneration

A fresh graduate in civil engineering can expect a salary between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 per month at the entry level. A diploma holder will get between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 on an average. After three or four years’ experience on good projects, one can earn up to Rs 30,000 per month. There is no ceiling for the right candidates to progress in this field.

— The writer is CEO, NGF College of Engineering & Technology, Palwal

International scope

Indian engineers are in high demand in Asia, Africa and the middle-east. Those graduating from IITs also manage jobs in developed countries. The employment opportunities abroad are very appealing but sometimes it also carries a certain amount of risk. For instance, Indian engineers involved in construction work in Afghanistan have been repeatedly targeted by terrorists. So the decision to go abroad should be taken after considering all the possible scenarios and your own priorities in life and career.

How to manage an A team

1 Measurable Goals: The first step in effective of management of team is to have a well-defined objective/goal for all team members. It is very important to have objectives/goals that can be measured objectively. And equally important is communicating these goals to every team member.

For eg : A Finance team manager telling his team to try and save cost will work but the chances of his team members responding increases when he specifies that each of the team member has to come up with ideas to save cost by at least 10 per cent. Having specific and measurable goals always help!

2 Honest Feedback: Review the progress of team members and when need be offer constructive criticism or appreciate when they are doing a good job. In the book ‘One Minute Manager’, the author says “a manager has to try catching someone doing something right”. Let them know what it means that they did it to such great quality, and how it makes you feel. No one will ever fault you for giving a deserved compliment.

3 Regular team meetings: Informal meetings should be organised every month where exceptional performers should be felicitated. These performers should be encouraged to speak and share their views and approach also. Research shows that being appreciated in front of peers is the most motivating factor for most of the employees .

4 Act on suggestions: Implementing suggestions from the team members will always bring a sense of ownership. And it is more likely that employees would take the processes suggested by them more seriously rather than the ones imposed on them. Any suggestion from the team members should not be made fun of, however, weird or whacky it may sound. This would demotivate the entire team from making any suggestions.

5 Have a multiplier mindset: In the book ‘Multipliers’ by Liz Wiseman & Greg Mckeown, the authors present the case very nicely. “Multipliers get more done by leveraging (using more) of the intelligence and capabilities of the people around them. They respect others. “Multipliers are leaders who look beyond their own genius and focus their energy on extracting and extending the genius of others”. These are not ‘feel good’ leaders. “They are tough and exacting managers who see a lot of capacity in others and want to utiliSe that potential to the fullest”.

— With inputs from Rajesh Nair- CEO - TopGear Consultants Pvt Ltd.

on my own
Makeover magic

It was her fascination for transforming the way people looked that made IIM Calcutta alumnus Shweta Sachani leave a cushy job at American Express to endorse woman entrepreneurship in the field of make-up. Chasing her dreams she landed in the fashion capitals Milan, Paris and London to explore her skills and acumen in makeup. Shweta is fashion makeup certified from Milan and certified nail artist from Star Nails, USA. Shweta endeavours to build a platform for women entrepreneurs through her venture Makeup India that currently, has presence in Delhi/NCR. In an interview with Arupjyoti Gogoi, Shweta shares her experience in the entrepreneurial journey so far and future plans for her venture. Excerpts:

What prompted you to leave a comfortable job at American Express and start your own venture?

I wanted to explore new territories and challenge myself and though I had a comfortable job, I wanted to do something on my own. Besides starting my own venture in the field of make-up was my dream since childhood. I believe that there are endless possibilities within the makeup industry and one can use the innovations to grow and learn. My start up also gives me an opportunity to enable other women to become self reliant and independent. Contributing to the society in my own way gives immense pleasure and satisfaction to me. I believe that women can really excel if they are given a proper entrepreneurship platform. If my entrepreneurial venture can help women in our country to become self dependent it would be a success for me.

What challenges did you face in starting your own venture and how you dealt with them?

Money was a big challenge. Along with this I faced challenges of sourcing people and products. It was my first venture and the money was scarce because I came from a service background. But I dealt with these by earning first and then investing. I invested everything I earned through makeups. I started with Rs 10,000 which I got from my first client for a few party makeups in Delhi. I worked as a freelance makeup artist. So whatever I earned was pure profit because I didn’t have any overheads and then I invested the entire money into Makeup India. One mistake that entrepreneurs usually make is that they invest huge amounts before they have earned that kind of money. Breaking even becomes very difficult after that.

How has the journey of your start-up been so far?

Makeup India is at a pretty initial stage. In the first year of our existence, we have been focussing majorly in the Delhi/NCR region. This year we have received unbelievable response from our customers. Presently we are offering various makeup services like day/evening makeup, bridal/party makeup, fashion makeup, TV makeup, Portfolio Makeup, Private makeup classes, Wardrobe Styling etc.

What are the key goals you have set for the next three years?

I am planning to set-up 120 Makeup India franchises across the country by 2015. Presently our presence is only in Delhi/NCR region. However, our projected expansion plan will be across the country. To own Makeup India franchisee, one needs a capital in the range of INR 2.75 lakh (without infrastructure) to Rs 6 lakh (With a minimum of 200 sq. ft. space). The product line of Makeup India is basically US and UK based. Makeup India is exclusive distributor of these products in India.

COURSE CRUISING

short -term courses

Diploma in sanitation and hygiene

Centre for Water Policy, Regulation, and Governance School of Habitat Studies, and School of Rural Development, Tuljapur, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, is inviting applications for Post-Graduate Diploma in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) course for 2013-2014

Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree of a minimum three years duration or its equivalent from a recognised university, with minimum aggregate pass class.

Preference would be given to working professionals from rural development sector.

Women candidates are encouraged to apply.

Age limit: Candidates must be below the age of 40.

Seats: 25

Selection procedure: The candidates satisfying the eligibility requirements will be called for interview by the selection committee. The list of the selected candidates will be notified on the Institute Notice Board (Mumbai and Tuljapur Campus) and on Institute website (www.tiss.edu and www.tuljapur.tiss.edu ).

How to apply: The Information Brochure and Application Form can be obtained by paying Rs 500 in person at the cash counter of the Institute. The information brochure and application form, along with the Application Fee Challan can also be downloaded from the TISS website www.tiss.edu. Please note that you have to pay application form fees of Rs 500 at any branch of State Bank of India along with the fee challan.

n The application will not be considered unless the form is complete and all relevant papers are received in time. Candidates should send only attested copies of their certificates along with the application.

Deadline: February 28, 2013

Personal Interview: March 6

Announcement of Selected Candidates: March 8, 2013

Commencement of Programme: March 22, 2013

Check out: www.tiss.edu

Course in Reprography

The School of Archival Studies, National Archives on India, is inviting applications for its 67th short-term certificate course in "Reprography". The objective of this course is to train the trainee in the process of Reproduction of documents & manuscripts, in microfilming, handling of automated information storage, retrieval and dissemination.

Duration: 40 days

Eligibility: Second class graduate from a recognised university, preferably in science subject.

Age limit: Below 50 years for sponsored candidates and below 30 years for private candidates.

Registration fee: Application along-with attested copies of educational qualification and Rs 100 through crossed Indian postal order /Bank draft in favour of Director General of Archives, National Archives of India, Janpath, New Delhi be sent to the Director General of Archives, National Archives of India, Janpath, New Delhi- 110001. Sponsored candidates should apply through proper channel.

Course fee : Rs 300

Application can be downloaded from http://nationalarchives.nic.in/writereaddata/html_en_files/html/reprography.htm

Deadline: February 28, 2013.

Website: http://nationalarchives.nic.in/

Statistics

Indian Statistical Institute

Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata has invited applications for admission to the following courses of Academic Session 2013-14 through Admission Test to be conducted on May 12, 2013:

BStat (Hons.);BMath (Hons.); MStat, MMath; MS in Quantitative Economics; MS in Library and Information Science; MTech in Computer Science; MTech in Quality, Reliability and Operations Research and Junior Research Fellowships

How to apply: Prospectus and application form can be obtained from the following offices of the Indian Statistical Institute by post or in person, by paying an amount of Rs 500 (Rs 250 only for reserved categories of all programmes except Junior Research Fellowship Programme) in cash or by bank draft drawn in favour of "Indian Statistical Institute" payable at Kolkata

Application forms can also be downloaded from the website www.isical.ac.in from February 5, 2013.

Deadline: March 6, 2013

Check out: www.isical.ac.in

MASS COMMUNICATION

Fellow programme in Communication

Applications have been invited by Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA) for admission to Fellow Programme in Communication (FPM-C) commencing in July, 2013.

Eligibility: Applicants must have a master's degree/equivalent qualification with at least 55% marks or equivalent grade in any discipline of the Humanities/Social Sciences /Business Management having Communication / Journalism / Advertising / PR / Marketing as a core subject. The candidate also should have completed a three-year bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification after completing higher secondary (10+2) or equivalent OR

At least 55% marks or equivalent grade in Five year Integrated Masters Degree programme from any discipline of the Humanities / Social Sciences / Business Management having Communication / Journalism / Advertising / PR / Marketing as a core subject, obtained after completing higher secondary (10+2) or equivalent.

Selection criteria: Selection to the programme is based on:

• Performance in FPM Admission Test
• Consistent academic performance from 10+2 onwards
• Possession of M Phil or NET/JRF qualification, and
• Professional work/research experience in media and communication

NEWS BOARD

Common job test in Chandigarh

Common Job Test, the examination for getting entry into premium jobs will be held in Chandigarh on February 10, 2013 at Chitkara University Campus, Chandigarh-Patiala National Highway. More than 6,000 candidates have already taken this test in Delhi NCR. The test is open to those with graduation and higher degrees.

The Common Accounting and Finance Test (CAFT) will also be held for top-notch Accounting and Finance jobs on the same day. Interested candidates can register online for the test. For online registration, a candidate needs to log on to www.CommonJobTest.com till February 7.

Online employability assessment drive

Student engagement and hiring platform, CoCubes.com, is set to host an employability assessment drive in over 500 colleges across 25 towns and cities, including Gurgaon, Noida and Greater Noida. As many as 50,000 students, from all disciplines including BTech, BE, MBA, MCA and graduate courses, are expected to take the test, which will be conducted on February 16 and 17. The test will enhance the employment opportunities of the students, as it gives them an opportunity to be assessed and hired by over 400 companies who will use the pre-assessed talent pool to hire this year. These companies primarily belong to the IT/ITES and manufacturing industries.

The test scores are valid for a year, and the student will be able to enlist for free job alerts from CoCubes.com, based on the scores. To participate in the drive, a student can apply individually, or through his/her college’s subscription, at www.CoCubes.com. In the former case, a student has to enlist the help of the college placement officer to submit his / her details onto CoCubes.com.

NIIT to conduct IT Aptitude Test

NIIT, will hold the 9th NIIT National IT Aptitude Test (NITAT) on February 17, 2013 to enable students and graduates to ascertain their aptitude for the IT industry. NITAT will be simultaneously conducted by NIIT, in over 200 cities nationwide.

NITAT has been designed as a 100-minute objective test assessing functional skills, like Reasoning, Comprehension, Data Interpretation and behavioural traits, such as, Result Orientation and Teamwork of the test takers. Students can register online by logging on to www.niit.com/NITAT or by visiting the nearest NIIT centre. The last date to apply for NITAT is February 16, 2013.

Navikaran awards

The game changers of Indian school education industry were felicitated with Navikaran 2013, in Gurgaon recently — a recognition for their innovative ideas and inspirations implemented with an effort to improve student outcomes and efficiency in schools. The unique recognition was an integral part of the two-day long B2B show, World School Resources Expo for the school education & school resources industries. It not only felicitated the technology-based products but also traditional education aids which have played a pivotal role in education delivery. Navikaran honoured achievers across 19 categories. Vineet Joshi, Chairman,CBSE, was awarded the Change agent of the year award, while DAV Public School was recognised as the Legacy Institution of the year. — TNS

SCHOLARSHIP ROUNDUP

INSEAD Deepak and Sunita Gupta Endowed Scholarships

INSEAD Business School offers Deepak and Sunita Gupta Endowed Scholarships for students from emerging/ developing countries who can demonstrate proven financial need. Outstanding candidates with limited financial means will be granted scholarships. The scholarship is available for master's level for study subject business administration.

Eligibility: Candidates from emerging/developing countries who can demonstrate proven financial need.

Details: The value of scholarship is up to €25,000.

Essay is reviewed for INSEAD Need-based Scholarships.

How to apply: Online. To be considered for this scholarship students have to refer to the INSEAD Need-based scholarship pages and submit application and background material accordingly.

Deadline: February 11 for July classes and August 22, 2013 for December classes.

Tara Nirula ISH/LCF Graduate Scholarship

The London College of Fashion announces Tara Nirula International Students House (ISH) Graduate Scholarship for Indian students. The scholarship is provided to learn design management for the fashion industries or fashion entrepreneurship. Applications are encouraged from those who feel they will benefit from further study to realize their full potential. The Tara Nirula ISH/LCF Graduate Scholarship will be offered annually and is the product of a partnership between International Students House, one of London's largest residences for International Students and London College of Fashion, one of the UK's leading institutions for fashion studies.

Eligibility: Students applying for the scholarship must be undergraduates expecting to graduate with a good bachelor's degree (with Honours) from a Higher Education institution.

The applicants must be accepted to study on one of the following two courses at London College of Fashion: MA Design Management for the Fashion Industries OR MA Fashion

OR

• Be able to demonstrate substantial equivalent and applicable experience
• Must be willing to be a part of a multi-cultural diverse student residential community.
• Be in financial need where the awarding of the scholarship would enable the applicant to pursue the course of study they may not otherwise be able to afford
• Be an Indian national and a graduate from an Indian Higher Education institution.

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
No time to waste

In a lifestyle where one spends most of one’s time earning one’s bread, doing household chores, fulfilling never-ending desires and dealing with numerous distractions, it is criminal to idle away even a single moment.

Soon after emerging from the three-day enlightening dip in the Bain river, Guru Nanak declared, “I can no longer delay my work. I must leave home to show men the path of love and service.”

During his trip to the Amarnath Cave, Swami Vivekananda realised his death was imminent. So, in a hurry, he formally consecrated the Ramakrishna monastery as the headquarters of the Ramakrishna order and paid a visit to the spiritual centres he had established in the West. On July 4, 1902, Vivekananda passed away at the age of 39.

In 1666, Chhatrapati Shivaji and his little son Sambhaji escaped from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s confinement. In order not to get caught, both decided to part ways. While Shivaji reached home disguised as a mendicant, Sambhaji stayed for a while with a Brahmin named Kashipant — as his nephew — in Mathura. In order to make full use of his time, he learnt Hindi from Kashipant.

When Shivaji sent him to Shringarpur to prevent a clash between Sambhaji and his stepmother Soyrabai, he utilised his time studying mythology, history, literature and political science and writing ‘Budhabhooshan’ in Sanskrit.

By the age of 20, intelligent Hiuen Tsang had learnt all the texts available with all scholars in the area. Instead of wasting his time there, he decided to visit India. After years of study and travel, he returned to China, refused ministership and retired to a monastery to translate 74 distinct works that he had procured from India.

When Emperor Akbar asked Birbal the reason for his dark complexion in the midst of other fair-skinned courtiers, the witty man replied, “At the time of creation, God gave man just enough time to either choose good looks or brains. As I went after brains, my time was up when I reached the good-looks counter. Similarly, my companions here have their beauty to blame for their unintelligence.”

On hearing the news that Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had sent General Ram Singh with 63,000 men to conquer Gauhati, Assamese commander Lachit ‘Barphukan’ ordered his uncle to build a rampart within two days at Itakhuli. As the uncle took it easy, Lachit — regardless of his relation — had him executed.

At the time of his birth, eagle Garuda, the King of birds, got to know that his mother Vinata had been enslaved by his stepmother Kadru. So he increased his size immediately and went nectar-hunting — as that was the price that Kadru’s children asked for his mother’s freedom.

Time values those who value it.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com

Training for rural youth

In view of the declining land holdings dairy farming can become a very viable source of income and employment for the rural educated unemployed youth. Five-day dairy farming vocational training programmes were organised in five batches at Rohtak extension centre of Lala Rajpat Rai University of Veterinary and animal sciences recently.

These programmes were attended by 551 unemployed educated youth, women and farmers. The participants were educated about the role of balanced feed in the production of milk and reproduction in dairy animals; importance of comfortable housing, especially the shelter management for reducing labour costs and global warming. They were also made aware of the various dairy farming schemes being run by the department.

One-day field visit to a hi-tech dairy farm was also arranged for participants to impart practical training about the latest techniques in dairy farming. The participants were told about the support provided to the unemployed youths for setting up of hi-tech dairies for self employment and income generation especially the credit and marketing. They were also provided tips for viable running of dairy farms.

Certificates of participation were given to the participants. These will help in getting loans for future entrepreneurs. On an average the dairy farmer can earn Rs 2,000- Rs 3,000 per lactating buffalo/cow per month along with a calf crop in a year in addition to a complete food diet for the family.

Cos bullish on hiring

Majority of companies in the country plan to hire more peoplethis year even though finding the right talent is becoming difficult, according to a survey. About 68 per cent of employers surveyed by leading job portal Naukri.com are planning to recruit new people, with companies from IT and banking sectors emerging as the most optimistic lot.

According to the portal, 68 per cent of recruiters said that new jobs would be created this year as compared to just 62 per cent respondents expressing similar sentiment in July last year. The same stood at 72 per cent in January 2012.

Meanwhile, 69 per cent of recruiters said that talent crunch has intensified over the last few months.

The concern was the highest among Auto and Pharma sectors. — PTI

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

What must an SoP focus on?

Q. I’m facing a lot of difficulty with the ‘Statement of Purpose’required while applying to foreign universities. What must the SoP focus on? Could you please give me some suggestions on writing an effective SoP? — Deepa Rathod

A. The Statement of Purpose (SOP) in which you define your academic goals is a crucial element of your overall application that should not be taken lightly. It is your chance to “sell” yourself to the admissions committee. Along with the necessary letters of recommendation, it plays a significant role in determining your admission as well as financial aid. Why do you want to study a particular course? What have you already achieved and what kind of person are you?

So what do you write? More importantly, what do they want to read? Most admission officers look for signs that you’ve tried to challenge yourself by taking honours courses or doing extra project work. And that you are really passionate about studying this subject. Extra-curricular achievements and social service also rank high on their list. Much of this info can be gleaned from the other forms you fill but the essay allows you to flesh out the details and paint a picture of you, the person.

Essay anxiety is common. And natural. But here’s a word of advice: Don’t let someone else to do your essay because you “can’t write” or “don’t know what to write”. Avoid the temptation to just adapt a senior or elder bro’s essay. Admission officers aren’t dumb — they go through thousands of applications and can smell a rat from a mile.

Write your own essay and then show it to a friend, professor or parent — they may suggest some style and grammar changes. Concentrate on substance rather than trying to dazzle them with your style, wit, intellect or humour. This is one portion of the application that you get to control completely.

Look at it as an opportunity rather than as an ordeal. It is your chance to reveal the dimensions of your personality that make you special. It’s also an opportunity to make you pause and think, and understand your own motivations and goals.

Be truthful. It’s pointless making things up because they sound good; if you can’t say why you’re attracted to a subject or courses and you haven’t read the relevant books, are you sure you want to study the subject at degree level? Honest self-questioning now could save you much heartache and expense later.

Explain why you want to study the subject at that particular university. It needs to be a better reason than your having heard that student nightlife is good or because your aunt lives nearby.

Study the course options and modules and mention them in your personal statement. As a general rule, two-thirds of this should cover the course and university you’re applying for and the remaining third should be about extracurricular interests such as music or programming. Mention work experience — and don’t forget other skills such as IT, numeracy and teamwork.

Be direct and persuasive. Avoid spelling mistakes and bad grammar. Get somebody reliable to proof-read your submission for you. Try to write naturally and avoid pretentious long words and jargon.

Is quitting my job a good idea?

Q. After completing my BTech, I have been working in an IT company. For some reason I’m not happy and feel like changing my job and moving to advertising. But I’m not sure whether it’s a good idea to do so at this point. — Yash Nahta

A. There are several reasons for switching jobs — better opportunities, pay, work environment, boredom or lack of challenge… the list is endless. So what is it that is making you take the final leap?

Whatever be the reason/s, make sure you have a thorough understanding of the industry and what it takes, before you decide to take the final decision to switch over.

For some reason, the grass always looks greener on the other side! But remember, not everything is a bed of roses. Along with the plusses, even your new career option would come with certain disadvantages. And gone are the times where companies (advertising included) offered job security. That’s a thing of the past. So do weigh all the consequences of your decision carefully. You might even want to get some advice from a career counsellor or someone from the field you are looking at moving into. Sure, changing careers is a risky job but once you’ve made the decision, do give it your best shot to make the most of it.

Are there any foreign medical colleges that conduct their entrance exam in India?

Q. Apart from state and national level entrances are there any foreign medical colleges that conduct their entrance exam in India? — Sakshat Pushkarna

A. Admission to foreign medical colleges is dependent on your achieving the minimum qualification requirements.

A lot of Indian students go to Russia, CIS countries like Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, other European countries and even China. Beware: language can be real problem at several of these universities, despite them claiming to teach in English. Make sure you check the credibility of these courses. The onus of finding out if the course and institute you have picked is recognised by World Health Organisation (WHO) and the regulatory body of the given country is entirely yours.

Aside from the shortage of seats in good medical colleges in the country, a part of the reason for the popularity of these foreign medical courses is the cost factor. Tuition and staying costs combined at some of the places can be half of that charged at private medical colleges in India. However, the Medical Council of India does not recognise any medical course offered by foreign universities as a matter of policy. So, if you want to get a foreign medical degree and practice in India, you will need to clear two hurdles:

First, get an eligibility certificate from the MCI. That will also ensure that you are not going for a fake medical programme, because MCI wouldn’t give a certificate for such programmes.

Then, upon returning to India you have to clear the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam or Screening Test conducted by the National Board of Examinations (under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare).

The purpose of the screening test is to enable candidates to register with the MCl or any State Medical Council in order to practice in India. The exam is an objective type test (300 Multiple choice questions) conducted in March and September in Delhi every year.

Scope after MSW

Q. I have done Master of Social Work and have Certificate in Disaster Management. I’m presently pursuing a Diploma in Nutrition & Health Education. What can I do with these qualifications? — Avinash Kaur Ahluwalia

A. With your qualifications, you can look at openings in any of the leading NGOs operating in the Disaster Management or Child Development sector, besides government and UN agencies operating in this field. For teaching at the University level, you need to clear the UGC NET or your State-level Eligibility Test. But until that happens, you can contact relevant institutions in your vicinity where you can start teaching as a visiting faculty.