Genetics
A career with strong genes
Usha Albuquerque

Genes may be pronounced as “jeans” but are, in fact, quite different from the distinctive blue item of clothing that has become standard wear of young people. These are the living characteristics that identify each individual.

Genes are the basic units of heredity such as the colour of your eyes or the shape of your nose that are passed from one generation to the next. And Genetics is the study of genes and their effects.

What it involves

Genetics the study of DNA molecules and the genetic code they represent is a study of how living beings receive common traits from their ancestors.

These traits are mainly described by the genetic information carried over by a molecule — DNA.

It is an exciting field of science and technology as it stretches across all living organisms, whether animals or plants and provides an opportunity to study genetically transmitted diseases, develop disease resistant plants, or medicines for helping cure life-threatening ailments.

Geneticists are immersed in exciting science, technology, and medical advancements every day. The opportunities are numerous to contribute to the advancement of science, the care of patients, and the teaching of the next generation of genetics professionals.

Specialisations

As genetics covers human history, nature and evolution it is a field of science where you can specialise in many disciplines.

● In medicine, genetics is the basis for understanding the inheritance of genetic diseases, and conducting scientific investigations so that treatments may be developed.

● In agriculture, genetics is the basis of breeding new crop plants and livestock based on heredity, especially the mechanisms of hereditary transmission and the variation of inherited characteristics among similar or related organisms. Plant breeders/geneticists carry out scientific research and apply a range of techniques to improve existing plants as well as create new varieties. Their role is vital to the agricultural industry, allowing it to increase and maintain yields in important crops grown for many uses.

● A rapidly growing biotechnology industry is using genetics to produce a range of products from pharmaceuticals to microchips. Genetic tests are also being employed in forensic sciences to identify individuals from a drop of blood, in food testing to identify minute contamination by disease-causing organisms, in space sciences and many other ground breaking scientific developments.

The work

The work of geneticists may be carried out in academic, research and commercial settings and varies according to specialist area and level. Much of the work in genetic sciences is in research or as healthcare professionals, and biologists. This may involve hours, even days and weeks of experiments and lab / or field work conducting studies, reading and researching scientific literature, maintaining detailed records throughout the research and development cycle analyzing data, writing and presenting work to other scientists and publishing scientific findings for scientific journals and so on.

Getting in

You must have a strong interest in science particularly the biological sciences, to get into this exciting field. Genetics involves scientists using many skills from varied disciplines. Scientists with backgrounds in cellular biology, biology, computational biology, plant biology, genomics, and molecular genetics perform research utilising therapy techniques, DNA sequencing, basic forensic medicine, genetic mapping and research gathered from the Human Genome Project.

So to get into this field you would need to start with a basic study of sciences —physics, chemistry, biology and maths in Class XII, although students with or without biology and maths can also get into genetics.

While you can take up a BSc or BTech in Genetics or genetic engineering, there are many more MSc, MTech and M.Phil / PhD courses in Genetics, Genetics & Plant Breeding, Genetic Engineering and Genomics being offered by universities and research institutions.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, holds a Combined Entrance Examination every year for admission to the MSc. course in Biotechnology offered at almost 20 universities.

Universities offering the MSc. programme through the Combined Entrance Exam include: Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi; Pondicherry University; M.S. University, Baroda; Poona University; Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyala, Indore; Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Central University, Hyderabad; Punjab University, Chandigarh; G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar; and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi etc.

Most of these universities offer specialisation in genetics and genetic engineering, as well as related specialisation such as molecular biology, enzyme technology, tissue culture, cell and development biology, DNA technology and so on.

Job prospects

There are openings for genetics graduates with MSc/ MTech for opportunities in government hospitals, research centers, and medical centers across the country. The work in this field is generally in academic or industrial research, as a research scientist or teacher. Academic research is technical. Academic research is conducted not only in medical and academic institutions, but also in some major pharmaceutical and chemical industries. You could work as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes doctors specialising in genetics, specialist nurses as well as genetic researchers.

Research organisations in the government and private sector also employ genetics’ for conducting appropriate research and development studies for application in the areas of concern such as disease prevention, pollution control, waste management, and various chemical processes for increased productivity. Various research organisations such as the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), ICAR (Indian Council for Agricultural Research), Center for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Central for Plant Biotechnology, Central Drug Research Institute, National Institute of Nutrition, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, National central for Biology Sciences, Potato Research Institute, Tobacco Research Institute, recruit those with master’s qualifications.

You can also get ample research opportunities in pharmaceutical companies, food processing companies, and other companies involved in bioprocess technology, such as Ranbaxy, Cadila, Wockhardt, Pfizer, Dr. Reddy's Laboratory, Sun Pharmaceutical, Monsanto, Shanta Biotechniques, Proagro, Mahyco, National Fertiliser Corporation, Cynamid, Hindustan Lever, and others. Several large Indian conglomerates including Reliance, are investing huge amounts of money in biotechnology projects.

Other areas of work for biotechnologists either as a faculty member or as a research fellow, is with universities, many of which are involved in path-breaking research — Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indian Institute of Science, Jadavpur University, Delhi University, University of Hyderabad, GP Pant University, Anna University, Banaras Hindu University and others.

So if you have a burning desire to develop new medicines for millions of suffering patients, or love to experiment with new bio-technologies or work in stimulating research projects, a career in genetics could put you could at the forefront of the new science revolution.

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

INSTITUTE WATCH

Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana (MSc)

Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab (MSc) Dr. Y.S Parmer University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan (M Sc Gentics and plant breeding)

Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (M Sc Genetic engineering)

University of Poona, Ganeshkhind, Pune (B Sc)

University of Delhi, Delhi (MSc)

Osmania University, Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh

Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut

(M Sc Gentics and plant breeding) 

field in focus: human rights 
Make the right choice
Gauri Chhabra

Human Rights are universal and fundamental rights regardless of man-made classifications like caste, creed, sex, nationality etc. Human rights are the basic rights of a person to survive in this world i.e. the right to healthy food, right to clean water, freedom of movement and speech and freedom from slavery and discrimination. Representing fundamental human values, these rights are eternal, inalienable and unvarying; all other rights flow from these.

Career scope

The experience of recent times like an agonising cry of pain, women being abused and treated sub humanly, children being made instruments of violence and abuse, highlight the need for a segment of people who can safeguard our basic rights and make the earth a better place to live in. Hence, the increasing significance of a career in Human Rights. Traditionally, the human rights violation occurred due to State or its actors, however, the contemporary time has witnessed human rights violations by individuals, institutions and at societal levels. Over the years, the National Human Rights Commission of India has been recording and reporting a number of human rights violations including civil, political, social and economic rights. These violations and victimisations are with regard to the issues concerning right to food, right to health, right to education, rights of women against violence and exploitation, rights of Children against abuse and exploitation, rights of migrants and their violation based on caste, creed, region and region.

Course cursor

A number of institutes offer certificate, diploma and degree courses in Human Rights. Most of the university departments offering a PG or undergraduate programme have Human Rights as one of the main subjects. Some universities, colleges, institutions and NGOs also offer diplomas and certificate courses. The eligibility to take admission in these courses is generally a Bachelor’s degree in any stream having some understanding of human rights issues.

Specialising in human rights or international law, after a basic law degree would offer better opportunities.

Broad canvas

This field has huge potential and need for professionals from different academic backgrounds. Work in this field can be challenging and intense. Organisations use a variety of disciplines in their approach to Social Justice, Juvenile Justice, Gender Justice, Custodial Justice, and now the emerging area of Climate Justice including direct service, monitoring and evaluation, lobbying and networking, advocacy, policy development, documenting and research. Activities include research focusing on preventing and ending human rights abuses in all regions of the world, monitoring human rights development, conducting on-site fact finding and investigations, writing case studies and reports on human rights conditions, engaging in advocacy to publicise and curtail human rights violations, litigation, lobbying, and promoting human rights practices in social and political structures. In addition, human rights professionals provide advisory and educational services, refugee assistance, victim’s rehabilitation, policy analysis for national and international institutions, assistance in institution building and project development and management in the field of human rights based civil society Organisations.

Job scape

A degree in Human Rights opens a number of opportunities across various sectors. One can be an activist, defender, analyst, researcher, human rights advocate, teacher etc.

Career opportunities abound with social service organisations like old-age homes, age-care centers and NGOs.

Human rights professionals can also work with established NGOs that operate in the field of human rights and civil liberties in general.

International organisations and NGOs are constantly looking for people specialising in human rights. These include the United Nations, ILO, UNESCO, UNDCP, UNFPA, WHO, US Aid, Amnesty International, Oxfam, CRY, Red Cross, DANIDA, YMCA, YWCA and many more.

Statutory government bodies and cooperatives in India like the national and state commissions on women, children, human rights, labor, welfare, minorities, Panchayati Raj institutions, schools, colleges and universities including research bodies and centers of excellence, district rural development agencies and district urban development agencies, human rights consultancy organisations run by lawyers and legal experts are some other places to tap for career openings.

You can also work with correctional institutions working in the fields of juvenile delinquency and child abuse as well as in women reformation centers, prisons and homes for the homeless.

Pay packages

Salary depends upon the nature of job such as permanent, temporary, ad-hoc and project- based assignments. However, the higher remuneration and various other benefits depend upon the sector one is working in like government, non-government organization, corporate houses or International Organisations and even whether person is working in India or abroad.

— The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant

Institute watch

Degree courses

● Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

● Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

● Cochin University of Science & Technology, Kochi

● Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

● M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara

● Berhampur University, Berhampur

● Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam

● Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi

Certificate courses

● Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi

● National Law School of India University, Bangalore

Diploma courses

● University of Mumbai, Mumbai

● Nagpur University, Nagpur

● Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi

● University of Madras, Chennai

● University of Mysore, Mysore

● J.N. Vyas University, Jodhpur

● H.P. University, Shimla

● University of Kashmir, Srinagar

● Indian Law Institute, New Delhi

● Indian Institute of Human Rights, New Delhi

on board(s)
Sacrificing sleep can hamper performance

March has always been the most stressful month for students because of exams. Somewhere around February is the time when students start getting anxious over their exam preparation and start sitting late into the night pouring over books. Losing out on sleep and feeling further fatigued they are often ill-equipped to do anything that requires them to be attentive, leave alone attempt to take an exam that is often 3-hour long!

Sleep is the best stress-buster. After you tire yourself from studying for a long time, your body needs to rest for a while and prepare itself for the next round of working on problems.

Lack of sleep also adversely affects your memory. If you do not sleep for the required number of hours, you will not be able to remember the concepts you had spent so much time mulling over, during your exam preparation. Your mind loses the agility to recall topics clearly, leading you to write an unsatisfactory response to the question in the exam paper.

Excessive sleep deprivation often leads to a lot of physiological and behavioral symptoms, such as palpitation, irritability, inattentiveness etc which can affect your academic performance adversely.

Remember, in order to be at your best on the day of your exam and do justice to all the hard work that you have put in during your revision sessions, it is important that you get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep on the night before the exam.

Here are some tips to avoid stress during exams, sleep well and do well in your exams.

● Follow a set timetable during exam time. Realistically divide your time between studying, taking breaks and sleeping.

● Snack only on food products that are low on sugar and caffeine so that when you do decide to go to sleep, you will not have to wait for a long time for it to happen.

● Do not drink coffee or any other energy drink before you go to sleep. You can snack on light, non-oily snacks 2 hours before the allotted time for sleeping. Fresh fruits, snacks made of peanuts, sunflower seeds, lightly spiced sprouts and puffed rice are snacks that are ideal for late night studying. They don’t hamper your sleep schedule and can keep you company while you study for the exam.

● Practice deep breathing exercises every morning after getting up and when going to sleep at night. It will help you calm down and will help in organizing whatever you have learnt more effectively.

● Remember, sleeping before an exam is not a waste of time. It will aid your memory and will help keep you fresh during the exam.

— Inputs from Payal Krishnan, Career Expert-Meritnation.com

first person
International edge for law students

There has been a considerable rise in the number of students opting for Law courses not only in India but also abroad. One of the main reasons for this increasing popularity is the vast range of specialisations and career opportunities that this field offers to students nowadays. There has also been increasing interest in degrees offered by universities abroad. During a visit to India recently, Professor John Linarelli from The School of Law at Swansea University, UK, talked about the options available in the UK. Excerpts:

What makes law an important field of study for students?

Law is fantastic subject to study and a very rewarding profession to pursue. Apart from the satisfaction it delivers, it is also what one might call a necessary profession. Every great democracy needs a great set of lawyers who are hard working and passionate.

Even if one may not pursue this as a profession, it gives great joy to academically follow the subject. It instills the qualities of creative thinking, aids in analysis of text and helps develop a clearer understanding of how to evaluate and present situations or cases. It also improves communication skills.

Which are the most promising specialisations in this field?

Corporate Law, Commercial Law and Intellectual Property Rights are all highly in demand in the current job market. However, the best way to excel is to choose an area of interest. Every legal specialisation has it’s own place and demand, and each one is necessary in every society. Any area of law that is pursued with keen interest and deep passion will be the area that one shall excel in.

How is a degree from a foreign country beneficial for career growth in this field?

It is a transformative experience. It not only enhances the interpersonal ethics of the individual but it also works towards making the student a global citizen.

Travel always open up the mind and studying abroad plays a great part in broadening one’s outlook. It influences the student to become a cosmopolitan citizen with exposure to new cultures, which again plays a role in increasing their cultural literacy. And with a global understanding one’s outreach is wide and that translates into the person being an effective operator. The whole experience adds up to a very holistic education given the fact that it inculcates knowledge and the ability to think comparatively. Lastly, it goes without saying that it surely increases the employability of the student.

What is the scope for studying law in the UK?

London is one of the main centers for Business Law. It also is helpful in increasing the employability of the candidate. The programmes have been developed to train students not only to think like lawyers but also to make them proficient in legal language. Students can pursue courses at different levels. For example Swansea University provides a platform for three levels of learning law, namely; Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctoral (PhD).

What are the opportunities available for Indian students wanting to get an international law degree in your university?

Swansea University is working towards developing a lot of initiative for the foreign students. Some of the existing initiative include complimentary English language classes for the overseas students.

Apart from these initiatives, the university also offers internships and work placements that international students are eligible for, keeping in mind the visa and work guidelines. The university also offers a year long legal course that enables students to work as solicitors.

What are the job prospects for international students in UK?

The job market in UK is a competitive one. It is based on the resume of a candidate as that is what makes the cut. In order to stand out every student must develop a strong resume. We try to ensure that we do the best for our students we have what we informally call an ‘Employability Boot-Camp’ where we deal with everything that can add up to give them an edge. All of this is clubbed with our law courses to increase the employability of our students.

— As told to Geetu Vaid

smart strategy: hire right
Interviewers also need to prepare
Swati Rai

With ruthless appraisals and assessment the hiring season is upon us 24x7! As prospective employees queue outside the hiring manager’s office, it is time for both sides to gear up for the hiring process! It is a misnomer that only the interviewee needs preparation for an interview. As an interviewer if you are judging the candidate, then remember, the latter is also doing so. You represent your company and its integrity; therefore, take out some time to become the perfect Interviewer!

Before an interview

Knowing, why you are interviewing a candidate is as important as ‘How’ to interview! Be sure about the qualification, trait, skill, aptitude, quality, and attitude that you are looking for in the person you hire. For instance motivation, subject matter skills, initiative, workplace habits, communication skills and problem solving and analytical ability etc.

Writing a complete job description will help you in defining the qualities most important for the position. Lay a premium on the importance of each skill by ranking it in order of importance. Match each skill with a question to assess that particular skill. Have a few second and third party questions ready for topics that may emerge from future discussions. Prepare a separate sheet listing the information that you would like to give the candidate along with points that you would like to discuss with them such as distance from workplace, extra-curricular achievements, salary negotiation and such forth.

Ending an interview and Post-interview process

Be a thorough professional by committing to the candidate the exact date of declaring the result and don’t waffle; more importantly stick to the given deadline. Give a chance to the interviewee to ask you questions pertaining to the position and the company.

Encourage and appreciate forthrightness in the candidate in seeking information from you on company policy. Usually the queries will be on when are you likely to make hiring decision, opportunities of growth, training facilities, dress code and such forth. So keep your answers ready and rehearsed and also to field any out of the way question.

You owe the candidate the courtesy of a quick decision and indecision certainly will be detrimental to the hiring process.

Each prospective employee’s motivation is different from the other so you must end the interview accordingly.

After the interview a collective comparative analyses with inputs from all the interviewers on the panel will give you a clear picture on the probable candidates for the next level of selection.

While selecting, keep paramount professional qualifications, attitude and personality traits of an employee and keep your prejudices and preconceived notions out of the way! Do not make false promises neither give ready assurances right in the first interview. Be fair and forthright especially at a time when clinching the right employee is essential to enhancing the company’s productivity and promoting the brand image!

— The writer is an English language trainer

During interview

It is an interview and not an inquisition; so first make the candidate comfortable in your office. You could also think of using a commercially available “personality trait assessment system” to assess in minutes, the personality of the candidate.

Further, you can ask situational questions and gauge how they react in a real situation! For instance, rather than “how do you react to pressure?” you might say “Tell me of a recent situation when you were under a lot of pressure and your reaction to it”.

Allow the candidates to talk about their achievement and question them by asking about their strength or weakness to assess their suitability to the job. Keep your eyes and ears open to the usual markers for a confident body language, the comfort and the ease of communication of the interviewee. Handle awkward situation of long pauses by rephrasing the same question in two to three ways. Rather than saying tell me about yourself, be more specific and ask questions like ‘Describe yourself in three words.’ ‘Why are you the most suitable candidate for this position?’

Listening as interviewer is more important than speaking. The worst is half-hearted listening and interrupting in between Keep a 70/30 ratio of listening and speaking; wherein you speak 30 per cent only and listen more!

Job cuts likely in auto sector

With automobile manufacturers in India being hit hard by dwindling sales, only 51 per cent of them are likely to hire for new jobs in 2013, according to job portal Naukri.com.

In its latest survey on the Indian automobile sector, Naukri.com said many companies are likely to even resort to firing employees to cut operational costs.

“The Indian auto market has been facing turbulent times, with car sales growth pegged to be the lowest in last 10 years. A survey with recruiters from the auto sector echoed a dismal sentiment with only 51 per cent predicting new jobs to be created in 2013,” the website said in the report.

Naukri.com, however, said there is a ray of optimism as about 60 per cent recruiters have said that they will continue with replacement hiring even if the companies do not create new positions.

Talking about dismissal of staff to reduce costs, the report said: “Employers said layoffs will happen at the 8-15 years experience levels, while new jobs will be created for the 4-8 year experience category.” Further, talent crunch has also emerged as an area of concern for almost all recruiters with 78 per cent of them saying that finding the right person matching with job requirements is the biggest challenge faced by them.

On giving out annual salary hikes, Naukri.com said: “When we asked recruiters on what increments they plan to give out to employees in 2013, then 50 per cent said the range will be within 10 per cent to 15 per cent and about 33 per cent said increments will be lesser than 10 per cent.” — PTI

Career Hotline
Pervin Malhotra email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com
Guide me about Doctoral programmes in management

Q.Please provide me information about the colleges, institutions offering PhD in management and their admission procedure. — Ishwar Singh

A.Doctoral programmes in management and related disciplines are offered at all leading B-schools and also at several premier Technology Institutions and Universities.

The programmes are ideally suited for the academically inclined who have some professional experience, intellectual curiosity and discipline – common prerequisites for any scholarly inquiry. These programmes do not require prior management study, and in fact students from diverse academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. These are ideal for those who wish to go into teaching, advanced research or training as well as for those looking at consulting or post-research positions abroad.

While the IIMs, XLRI, ISB and other stand-alone institutes offer a Fellow Programme in Management (FPM), universities and the IITs and NITs offer a “PhD” in Management.

The difference between a PhD and FPM is similar to the distinction between an MBA and PGDM. Arguably, the number of prestigious FPMs is higher than that of PhDs. Do keep in mind, though, that for securing teaching positions in Universities and Colleges, UGC mandates that you have a PhD, while private B-Schools and even the IIMs will readily appoint both an FPM and a PhD.

Regardless of nomenclature, Doctoral programmes in management are structured so as to introduce students to major functional and general management areas and provide a thorough understanding of the concepts and theories underlying management practices. The first two years of the programme are devoted to course work and the rest to qualifying exams followed by dissertation work.

Where to Study: All the IIMs and leading B-schools such as XLRI, MDI,

Several IITs and NITs, IISc, and engineering institutes (such as Delhi Technological University, BITS Pilani, Thapar University) have a Department of Management Studies that offers PhD programmes.

Typical Eligibility Criteria: Master’s degree (any discipline) or a professional qualification (e.g. CA, ICWA, CS) with at lease 55%, or a BE/BTech (4-yr) with at least 60% marks or equivalent GPA

Typical Selection Procedure: The selection committee will assess your suitability for research work based on your portfolio and performance in the interview.

Consistently good academic record, professional accomplishments, research interest etc are of particular importance. Most institutes will use the scores of any of the following exams as the first-level of screening: CAT / XAT / CMAT/ GMAT / GRE / GATE, with some institutes also accepting UGC-CSIR NET scores.

Parents’ IIT dream goes sour

Q.My husband and several of our family members are from IIT and NITs. However, our son, who is academically very bright, says he would rather go to a local engineering college so that he can continue to learn martial arts on the side. While all his friends are preparing for their entrance exams for IIT and AIIMS, he spends hours building his body. We are very disturbed. — K. Marwah

A.There is absolutely no denying the fact that the IITs are superb world-class institutions, but this is also a fact that we have imbued college education and degrees with more symbolic meaning than they deserve.

Urban India is a status-conscious society. Everyone is obsessed with rank and reputation. And the competition is not just among students. It’s equally among parents, who are grading each other on how well they have raised their kids. Everyone wants to have their sons and daughters flaunt “the best” academic pedigree. We have become so status-driven, that anything other than the “accepted” options in education and later careers, makes us uncomfortable. But what’s best for your neighbour or nephew may not be the ideal choice for your son. The goal is to find the best fit between the criteria that is conducive to him and the opportunities available at a particular college. If studying in a good local engineering college allows him to continue practicing the martial arts, and if he’s able to balance the two, what’s wrong with that? I’m sure you’ll be proud of your budding Jackie Chan, when he brings in the laurels!

How can I get into journalism?

Q.I want to become a journalist. Which course should I pursue immediately after completing my Class XII this year? Can you please guide me in this area, about the college and courses? — Satbir Sarna

A.While you can pursue an UG course in Journalism / Mass Communication and several universities do offer such courses; it’s certainly not the ONLY route to a career in journalism. In fact, your graduation can be in any stream — science/commerce/humanities — and you can still make a career in journalism as long as you have good written communication skills and some of the personal attributes. These attributes may include, nose for news, working well under pressure, not getting ruffled by deadlines, being aggressive and forthright, not giving up easily, beinginquisitive and curious about things.

While doing your graduation, try and intern with a local newspaper, or even a magazine; write for your college magazine; set-up a blog; and also submit articles to publications. After completing your graduation, join a PG course in Journalism / Mass Communication where you will the basics and the “rules” and techniques in different types of journalism. 

Scholarship roundup
Development studies in Italy

The University of Pavia and the Organisation for the Right to Education (EDiSU) Italy are offering ten scholarships for developing countries’ students. The scholarships are available for both junior and senior members of universities in these countries and members of major research centres and international organisations with specific interests in the field of development studies. Academics and other researchers from developing countries who wish to carry out research in collaboration with a professor at the University of Pavia can apply. Applicants must have the support of a collaborator at the University of Pavia.

Eligibility:

● Applicants must have either two years of either teaching experience or activity in international organisations and institution.

● CICOPS scholarships are foreseen for research collaboration in the short period in order to encourage the mobility of researchers from developing countries and cannot be awarded in case of doctoral studies or enrollment in a Postgraduate course at an Italian University.

Number of award(s): 12

Duration: Four to 10 weeks

Details: Travel expenses (economy class), board and lodging expenses and a pocket money of 150.00 Euro (gross) per week.

Notification: A decision will be taken by a Committee composed of the President of CICOPS and by two members designated by the Reactor by July 31st 2013.

How to apply: Online. Applications must be supported by a letter of invitation from a teacher of the University of Pavia, someone who would work with you on a joint research while in Pavia.

Deadline: June 30, 2013

Check out: www.univpv.eu

Rotary peace fellowship

The Rotary Foundation offers Rotary Peace fellowships for international students. 60 fellowships are available for master’s degree studies in the fields of international relations, sustainable development, peace studies and conflict resolution and up to 50 fellowships are offered for earning professional development certificate in peace and conflict studies. The fellowship is tenable at Rotary Peace Center University Partners that includes University of Queensland, Australia, International Christian University, Japan, Uppsala University, Sweden, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, University of Bradford, United Kingdom, Duke University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. .

Eligibility:

● A strong commitment to international understanding and peace demonstrated through professional and academic achievements and personal and community service activities

● A bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience as a minimum, with strong academic achievement.

● A minimum of three years’ combined paid or unpaid full-time relevant work experience (master’s degree) or five years’ relevant work experience with current full-time employment in a mid- to upper-level position (professional development certificate)

● Proficiency in a second language (master’s degree) or in English (professional development certificate)

● Strong leadership skills.

● Individuals who participated in the Rotary Peace Centers master’s degree program are not eligible for the professional development program at Chulalongkorn University.

Number of award(s): 60 Rotary Peace Fellowships are available for master’s degree study in international relations, peace studies, conflict resolution, and related areas, and up to 50 Rotary Peace Fellowships are available for a professional development certificate in peace and conflict studies.

Details: The fellowship covers:

● Tuition and fees

● Room and board

● Round-trip transportation

● Internship/field study expenses.

How to apply: Applicants must submit their application and all supplementary materials to a Rotary club, preferably a club near your legal or permanent place of residence, full-time study, or employment.

Deadline: Application deadlines vary by club, so you must contact the club before you complete the application. District-endorsed applications for the 2014 Rotary Peace Fellowships competition are due to The Rotary Foundation by July 1, 2013.

Check out: http://rotary.org

Newsboard
Digital aid for teachers

Oxford University Press (OUP) has unveiled a digital aid Oxford Educate for schools.This digital aid will integrate an e-book with interactive teaching tools and learning materials. This aid incorporates a variety of resources: interactive animations, videos, poem and prose animations and audios for ELT courses, instructional slide shows, lesson plans, answer keys, additional worksheets, image references and much more.

Used in conjunction with the embedded tools available in the Oxford Educate platform, the interactive resources organised around the digitised coursebooks with page-by-page linkages, will enable teachers to enrich, supplement, and transform teaching -learning in the classroom.

Blackberry Application Development Programme

Corporate Online Institute of Professional Education, (COIPL ), a unit of Corporate Infocom Pvt Ltd., has launched Blackberry Application Development programme in order to help people learn and develop applications for Blackberry smartphones or tablets. The course follows an audio and visual education format and enhances the learning curve of the candidate.

This innovatively designed programme allows a student to experience better learning and at the same time make the best use of smartphones by developing their applications. Through this platform candidates and learners can also bag a few freelance projects and earn as the demand to develop such applications is largely scaling up in industries relating to technology. The course focuses on training candidates through visual education and can be studied online as per one’s convenience.

This course also trains a student to monetize game applications through the courseware of mobile application development. Also, people pursuing their jobs also have a fair chance to enroll for this uniquely designed course. Apart from this, COIPL offers the course through CS Educard which allows a candidate to learn these courses offline anytime anywhere and can even be taken on smartphone devices.

This coures covers from basic to advance, Building And Monetizing Game Apps.

Duration — 2hr 20min. Which covers 40 topics.

Course cruising
FINANCE
Diploma in finance from LSE

The Indian School Of Business & Finance (ISBF) invites Applications for Admissions 2013 to the Post Graduate Diploma in Finance from the University of London – London School of Economics. ISBF is an Affiliate centre of the University of London (UoL) with academic direction from the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE).

Duration: One year

Eligibility: 3 year full time graduation degree. Students appearing for their Final year exams in 2013 may also apply. All applicants must have demonstrable proficiency in both English & mathematics.

Selection Procedure: Admissions are based on good prior academic record and performance at the Personal interview conducted by the ISBF Admissions Committee. The college follows rolling admissions and therefore early applicants are in the best position to secure their admission.

How to apply: Online at www.applytoisbf.com

To apply Offline: Download Application form. Visit www.isbf.edu.in Print the Post Graduate Diploma for Graduates application form. Complete the form, attach documents and courier it toour campus address : ISBF, 15A, Ring Road Lajpat Nagar- IV, New Delhi -110024.

The Application Fee of Rs. 1200/- can be paid through Online payment / Bank Transfer / Cheque / Demand draft . (Please make the Cheque / Demand Draft in the favour of ‘Teamwork Education Foundation’, payable at New Delhi)

Deadline: March 19, 2013

HOSPITALITY

STEP programme by Oberoi centre

The Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development (OCLD) is inviting applications for its three-year Systematic Training and Education Programme (STEP). The programme combines practical on the job training with study towards a Bachelor of Tourism Studies (BTS) degree from the Indira Gandhi National Open University.

The course: STEP offers practical training at a hotel of The Oberoi Group. This training involves the four core operational departments in a hotel: Front Office, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage Service and Kitchen. The students will be in the operational department five-days in a week. The programme offers students an opportunity to acquire specific and specialised training and knowledge either in Kitchen Operations or Hotel Operations,

Eligibility: The candidates should be:

● Class XII pass-out by July 2013

● Aged between 17 and 20 years July 1, 2013

● Demonstrate strong academic performance in class X and XII (minimum 50% aggregate and 55% in English in Class X).

Fee: There is no fee. Students once selected are offered a stipend.

How to apply: To fill the on-line application form for the STEP programme (Batch 2013-16), go to http://www.oberoigroup.com/careers/join_us/step.htm. For any queries please write to at step@oberoigroup.com or call 011-23906422/23. The programmes commence in June.

Deadline: April 7, 2013

Number of seats: 50

Check out:

www.oberoigroup.com/careers/join_us/step.htm

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom

Every project has interesting and uninteresting parts. For its completion, both have to be taken care of. Even while he was born in the Tata family, JRD Tata spent five years working from a small desk as an unpaid apprentice to John Peterson, Director-in-charge of Tata Steel in Bombay. Greek Ambassador Megasthenes was surprised to find Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta Maurya having detailed discussions on administration, judiciary and foreign affairs without taking any rest.

Patriot Veer Savarkar was sentenced to a 50-year term in the Andamans. While most of his revolutionary mates there “ran away as soon as they saw a book”, he knew that education was vital to run the nation after freedom from the British. As there was no pen and paper, he scribbled principles of democracy on the prison walls.

When four-year-old Shah Jahan was made to learn Turkish, he found it boring. His teacher said, “If you want to read the Baburnama about your ancestor Babur, you must pay more attention to this language.”

Ram Shastri, Chief Justice under the Peshwas of Maharashtra, began his education at the ripe age of 16. The other students, who were much younger to him, teased him by sporting fake moustaches. Taking it in his stride, he practised hard for 12 years till he became a ‘shastri’.. Albert Einstein dreaded examinations as these entail cramming. As there was no escape, his mate Grossman gave him the notes of all the lectures Einstein had missed. With their help, Einstein passed the exams at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic.

From the boring emerges the sweet water of success.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com Don’t shirk 
the grind

Fortnightly quiz 434