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INDIAN NAVY
career compass: risk manager
testing times: cracking jee
smart strategy: the abc of business
english!
High premium jobs
Vacancy
Best employer award
Career Hotline How does one get the job of a surveyor with the Indian Register of Shipping? I want to appear for SCRA exam Is it a good idea to get into bioniformatics:?
Happiness @ work
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Sentinels
of the sea Gauri Chhabra Jawaharlal Nehru had said, “To be secure on land, we must be Supreme at Sea”. This reminds one of the seafarers who protect us day in and day out and secure our maritime interests — the Men in White, the navy personnel. Besides having the honour of serving one’s country, career in the Indian Navy also gives one an opportunity court adventure. Besides giving an opportunity to youngsters to display leadership skills, this career bestows one with a tremendous amount of responsibility. It is a profession which gives a highest level of security and comfort coupled with the chance to travel widely. The Indian Navy provides a sea of opportunities to those with different academic backgrounds in its different branches. Tracing its genesis to the year 1612,Indian Navy (IN) or Bharatiya Nau Sena is the naval branch of the armed forces. It is the world’s fifth largest three-dimensional force, capable of operating above, on and under surfaces of the oceans. A fleet of submarines, destroyers, freights and other support vessels operate under the Indian Navy. Getting in
Recruitment as an Officer in the Indian Navy is carried out on the basis of All- India merit. The Commission in the Indian Navy is open to young men and women of the country. They have the option to join the Executive, Technical and Education Branches of the Indian Navy. Officer and Sailor cadres are the major lines of work in the Indian Navy. There are two modes of induction in the Indian Navy viz. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) entry and non-UPSC entry. UPSC entry: UPSC holds a competitive examination for getting into the National Defence Academy (NDA)/ Naval Academy (10+2) and Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE), twice a year. The UPSC entries are Permanent Commission entries in which the UPSC conducts a written examination which is followed by an interview by the Service Selection Board. Result of qualified candidates is forwarded to UPSC for making the final merit. Medically fit candidates, who are in the merit are appointed by IHQ of MoD (Navy). Education qualification for UPSC entries are: For the National Defence Academy (NDA) & Naval Academy examination candidates should have completed Plus II (PCM). Students in Class XII, too, are eligible to appear for this exam. Successful candidates can join the NDA or Naval Academy as Naval cadets. To be eligible for the Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE) the candidate should be a graduate in any discipline. The degree should be recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Non-UPSC entry:
The Non-UPSC entries are both for Permanent Commission and Short Service Commission. The duration of the Short Service Commission is 10 years, extendable to 14 years. There is no written examination for the Non-UPSC entries. In this case the applications are invited and are shortlisted at Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Navy) on the basis of marks secured in the qualifying educational exams i.e Plus II, graduate or postgraduate levels. The shortlisted candidates have to appear for SSB interview. Thereafter, a merit list of qualified candidates is prepared as per the availability of vacancies.
Entry Points
BTech entry: Under the scheme, after Plus II (PCM) qualifications, and selection through the Services Selection Board, are sent to the Naval Academy for the NOC. Thereafter, the candidates undergo a four-year engineering course at INS Shivaji/ Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) for Naval Architecture. On successful completion of the course the cadets may be granted permanent commission in the Executive/ Marine/ Electrical/ Electronic Engineering/ Naval Architecture branch of Indian Navy. University Entry Scheme (UES): Final year engineering students are eligible for induction into the Technical Branch. Naval selection teams from the IHQ of MoD (Navy) and Command Headquarters visit AICTE- approved Engineering colleges across the country to shortlist the candidates. The shortlisted candidates, based on all-India merit, are called for interview at the Services Selection Board. The successful candidates, thereafter, are put through the medical tests. Final selection is based on all India merit. Special Naval Architects Entry Scheme (SNAES): Government has recently approved the induction of Naval Architect officers into the Naval Architecture Cadre of the Engineering Branch of the Indian Navy, as Short Service Commission Officers, under a ‘Special Naval Architects Entry Scheme’ (SNAES). An empowered Naval team visits IIT Kharagpur, IIT Chennai, Cochin University of Science and Technology and Andhra University, that are offering B Tech (Naval Architecture) courses, to select candidates through campus interviews. The selected candidates undergo medical examination at the nearest Military Hospital and if found fit, are selected for training. The selected candidates, inducted into the Indian Navy under various schemes are given basic training at Naval Academy. Branch specific training is subsequently imparted at other naval establishments. Women are granted Short Service Commission (SSC) in Naval Architecture, Law, Logistics, ATC, Aviation (Observer) and Education Branches.
Growth Trajectory
In the navy your escalation path can go as high as that of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). CNS exercises operational and administrative control of the Indian Navy from Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Navy). He is assisted by the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) and three other Principal Staff Officers.
Overview
The Navy also offers attractive pay package, perks, pension, medical benefits for self and family. Besides, it has a dedicated organisation to give opportunities to its personnel for participation in all kinds of adventure activities like Parasailing, mountaineering, scuba diving, hang gliding, skiing, and water sports. — The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant
Operational basics
The Western Naval Command The Eastern Naval Command The Southern Naval Command The Western and the Eastern Naval Command are operational commands and exercise control over operations in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, respectively. The Southern Command is designed as the Training Command, operating on the Arabian Sea. Besides these, the navy has important bases in Kolkata and Goa.
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A risk worth taking
Risk managers play an important role of steering an organisation through difficult situations which they are trained to forsee and tackle Seerat Toor Grewal Organisations today are faced with a dynamic environment where it has become imperative to gauge the situation before it finally takes shape. The strategic playfield has become more intense and calls for bigger roles and responsibilities. The assessment, analysis and taming the risk that a company faces has emerged as a challenging and interesting career. The acronym VUCA-Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity very aptly describes the challenges one has to overcome on a routine basis once you pick up risk management as your career. Who is a Risk Manager? Risk managers are the pillars of all strategic decision-making in an organisation. The work deals with gathering all intelligence which helps in assessing, evaluating and mitigating risks underlying the basic operational framework of any firm. As a risk manager one needs to have a clear insight about the company's strategic intent, the insider and outsider risks involved in framing and implementation of the same. The profile gives one a wide range of options to explore: Financial Risk Managers: They bag key positions in financial wings of all firms. Financial risk management generally involves compliance roles demanding combating various risk factors, financial audits, debt, interest rates, asset and equity losses, amortisation, accounting issues etc. as it is the primary focus for all the stakeholders. They can contribute in many peripherals based on individual interest like: Chief Risk Officer Risk analyst Claims adjuster Account administrator Broker Insurance coordinator Strategic Debt Manager Strategic Sourcing Specialist These roles come loaded with special skills which need to be thoroughly polished and practiced. Operational Risk Managers: Every firm is initially endowed with some operational hazards that it needs to overcome at the earliest for general good health of the organisation. The operational risk managers have to be updated with the legal compliance regulations of the area and finally steer the organisational environment in the changing scenario and tough competition. They are mainly responsible for maintaining the code of general conduct and ensuring a robust inner health as otherwise the company can be caught up in a whirlpool of goodwill issues leading to a dip in the market value and a severe jolt to reputation. The roles which can be opted for include a range of interesting profiles which require keen analytical vision. To name a few: Crisis Management analyst Global Business Continuity Management Specialist Operational risk manager Marketing analyst and customer campaign manager Operational risk consultant Master agreement risk manager Hazard Risk Managers: There are some factors over which organisations have no control but still have to be prepared for such contingencies. These could stem from any natural disaster, macroeconomic factor variance, change in law etc. Such situations don't find mention in routine strategic plan blueprint but have a special wing or team devoted to it as and when the need arises. The hazard or unforeseen risk managers, thus, have a major task to execute in crisis situations to maintain the sustainability in organisation's inner and outer stakeholders. Strategic Risk Managers: They usually get placed among the top-notch decision makers of an organisation. This definitely calls for clear vision and insight which builds up after sound experience. The strategic risk managers are custodians of the entire business unit as they deal with policy-making, internal regulations, designing strategy to enhance customer retention, studying economic cycles and suggest pricing models, allocate budgets etc. Thus, they are involved in the strategic discussions covering all departments. Getting in
The vocation is getting wider recognition with each passing day as an increasing number of firms are taking these professionals to study, measure and combat risks their organisations are facing. To be successful in this, one has to get familiar with various tools and concepts ruling this field. These may include benchmarking, Kovel rule, Lehman wave etc. Generally risk managers also equip themselves with financial certifications to enhance their profiles. Basic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in commerce or management is a must have to begin with. The specialisation calls for specific MBA programmes offered by institutions both in India and abroad. They are generally MBA in Risk Management purely or a combination of MBA in Insurance and Risk Management. The newly introduced programmes include MBA in Strategic Risk Management and Enterprise Risk Management. These have to be further topped up with proper certifications in the candidate's area of interest. As employers more and more companies are looking for individuals who have prior knowledge of law, regulations, policy, trading and strategy-making. A few certifications floating in the market are: Financial risk manager Professional risk manager Business ethics manager Chartered enterprise risk analyst Certified risk manager Certification in risk management assurance Certification in risk and information systems control
Careerscape
Risk management is an extremely rewarding career as it offers great job-satisfaction. One is always playing an important part in making key decisions in an organisation. At the same time it is very demanding as one has to be on one's toes to steer the organisation through difficult situations which a risk manager is expected to foresee and tackle. Risk Managers have to clearly understand the industrial scenarios, formulate strategies, test, communicate and finally align it with the organisation's core principles. They are regularly confronted with tough challenges which call for quick and accurate solutions. Thus, a career in this line ensures lifelong learning and is perfect for the ones who run on ambitious DNA.
Institute watch
India houses a host of institutions that have taken a lead in exploring the potential of this fast-evolving field and have come up with a wide range of courses. A quick look reveals the following names:
National
Institute of Insurance and Risk Management, Goa Goa Institute of management, Hyderabad George College, Kolkata International School of Business and Media, Pune Central Institute of Management and Technology, Lucknow
International
Edinburgh Business School, Scotland University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia University of Texas, Austin
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More tricky than tough
Ramesh Batlish For students aspiring to enter a prestigious engineering college, this is inarguably the most crucial time of the year. JEE (Mains) aspirants are now entering the final lap of their preparations. JEE is a tough nut to crack given the sheer magnitude of competition that it entails, and the students know this. This year, a record 14 lakh students have enrolled for appearing in the exam. The registration not only touched the highest ever figure till date, it also saw a jump of nearly 2.8 lakh enrolments as against last year when 11.2 lakh had registered. The exam is scheduled for April 7, when the offline test will be conducted, and students will appear for the online version from April 8 to April 25. Competition may be cut-throat but the students who ultimately make it to the selected category are the ones whose concepts are clear and who have put in two years of organised and dedicated preparation. Equally important for an aspirant is appropriate study material. The students need to approach every set of problems differently and with a separate methodology. Regular practice makes a student confident to tackle the problems. Speed and Accuracy is the key to success. According to general analysis, about 25 per cent questions in the examination paper are easy, 50 per cent are average and 25 per cent difficult. Last year, the JEE (Mains) Mathematics and Physics sections were definitely difficult as compared to JEE (Mains) 2011. Chemistry was relatively simple. By now most of the students must have finished with conceptual studies. In the last lap they need to focus more on practice and numerical problem solving. How to go about solving a problem Try conventional methods first. If these don’t work, try to understand the problem again and find clues that can lead you to solution. Go through the concepts related to the problem once again and see how these can be applied to the problem at hand. Try to relate the problem to real-life situations. It will help you to analyse it better. n Consult the solution, only when you have exhausted your limits. See, what you had missed earlier. Practice similar problems. Doing 100 quality and concepts based questions is more important than doing 1000 questions, which have not been selected carefully. Devise your own shortcuts and ways to tackle particular kind of problems.
The Last Lap In the last 10 days, aspirants must revise all formulas and the important points rather than studying new topics. One must study all three subjects daily. Here is a step-by-step guideline for what aspirants must do in the last two weeks: Make a note of important points. Make a Time-table for the coming 12 days to revise your syllabus. Time table must be developed in such a way that you give maximum time to your strengths. Say, if you are strong in physics, for example in electrostatics then revise electrostatics, giving enough time to it so that you are sure and confident of every concept of it. If you are not thorough in modern physics, then only revise whatever topics you have studied. Don't study anything new in the last week. Cover your syllabus within the next 7 days. Now you have to revise your syllabus once. Take a few Mock Tests to check your Speed and Accuracy. Identify the gaps/problem areas i.e. where you are wasting your maximum time. Try to analyse where you are making mistakes, which section you are doing best. Whatever mistakes you make in first paper try to remove in the second. In this way you will be better prepared for the main exam. What most students do is that they revise whole of the syllabus but do not attempt a mock test and thus end up making mistakes in the main exam. The most important requirement for cracking JEE is clarity of concepts and regular practice in problem solving. The examination is not difficult, but tricky, and hence its questions should be tackled with different tactics and perspective. Both speed and strike rate matter. You need to be quick and accurate to achieve high scores. High speed with less accuracy can actually ruin your results. While preparation counts, selecting your questions wisely and not panicking while attempting the paper is also very important. If you solve easy and average questions correctly, you can easily get through. You may attempt difficult ones to make merit.
Expert tip Always attempt theoretical questions first and then those questions which require calculation. It’s human nature that if you attempt a few confident questions in the beginning then you will feel loaded with positive energy, which increases your efficiency and speed for the rest of the paper. It is advisable to avoid numerical questions in the first 10 or 15 minutes of the exam. — The writer is an expert at FIITJEE
Special Tip It has been observed that those who crack JEE (Mains) are the ones who do well in Chemistry. A week before the exam, give four hours to brush up your concepts of organic, three hours to inorganic and one hour for physical. Try to attempt chemistry in the first hour as it has some easy questions and if you can solve them in the first hour, you will feel confident and your efficiency will increase. Chemistry is the most scoring of all subjects. Just read the concepts of thermodynamics and chemical equilibrium. Some questions from these parts are just conceptual. So clear your concepts and you can cover 40 per cent of the questions from these two topics itself.
Before the D-Day Don’t study anything. You need to stay calm, confident and trust yourself. Tell yourself that you are excited about JEE (Mains) and that you can crack it easily. Relax or indulge in meditation to soothe your nerves. Don’t ask your friends how much they have studied.
You do not need unnecessary pressure on the penultimate day. Have a sound sleep for at least 6-7 hours before going for the exam.
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Promising destination
Natasha Chopra With the trend of studying abroad becoming popular among Indian students many new providers have now entered the education recruitment space and are challenging many of the traditionally popular countries such as USA, UK and Australia. Over the past five years a number of new education destinations such as UAE, Malaysia, and Hong Kong have become popular among Indian students. However, a big surprise in this new list for many is China. The Chinese government is planning to make this country the largest education hub in Asia. Currently, China has an estimated 2,70,000 international students. There are approximately 8,000 Indian students currently pursuing different courses in China and as many as 60 per cent of these are from Andhra Pradesh. The Chinese economic force is such that many other economies are fairly dependent on their purchasing power as well as their manufacturing capability to sustain price points in their own economies. Students recognise this economic force, population base, its impact and the fact that doing business with China is most likely to happen sometime during their career. Many International companies have set up operations in China and need Chinese-speaking professionals from their home countries. Popular courses
Indian students have traditionally been going to China to study medicine. Indian students completing their MBBS degree from any foreign university need to clear the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam FMGE on their return to India. Currently the Ministry of Education in China has approved 50 universities to enroll foreign students. These include the Liaoning Medical University, Peking Union Medical College, Peking University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Students need to study for a six-year undergraduate degree to qualify as MBBS. However, medical courses are not the only reason to go to China. There are now as many as seven Chinese universities featured in the QS Worldwide Top 200 ranking. This is a confirmation of the quality of the academic standards of both teaching and research in a wide variety of programmes in medical sciences, engineering and business. There has also been a huge push for e-learning, and this has been widely implemented for education to overcome challenges of physical attendance.
Language hurdle
Although, courses at universities are being offered in English, it is a good idea to use this opportunity to learn the language for a better cultural understanding.
Job prospects
While the Chinese government does not encourage work options after course completion, many programmes do have Graduate Internship Schemes and are, thus, of great value for graduates seeking jobs. — The writer is the managing Director of "The Chopras", an educational consultancy
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smart strategy: the abc of business
english! Swati Rai English language is a dominant means of present day communication at workplace. Hospitality, Public Relations, Business Process Management are some sectors where it is used more often than in others. Coupled with this is the growing demand of writing assignments that are outsourced to India. Speaking and writing correct English is a skill that needs to be mastered in today’s increasingly shrinking global work atmosphere. Fixing a meeting, locking a deal, discussing an agenda or product branding requires more than a working knowledge of English. Though approximating our accent and writing method to that of the native speakers of English should be the ultimate goal, yet it should not become our limitation. India thrives in multi-lingual differences, therefore a blanket ban on accent and writing style variations is impossible and implausible. Yet there are many ways of assuring that the English language communication at work steers clear of confusion, faulty usage, pronunciation goof ups and errors of the register! Functional English
Among the many functions a language performs at the workplace, making queries, requests and demands is the primary focus. Spoken or written, master clear English language communication by ensuring that requests are always in the question form. Remember the mere addition of ‘please’ does not make for a polite request. Requests phrased as, ‘Could you tell me if the boss is free to talk now?’ or ‘I was wondering if I could use your Printer?’ will have more chances of their getting honoured. An official written query via e-mail must have crisp sentences and three paragraphs of two-three lines each to catch the reader’s eye.
Mind you P’s and Q’s?
Meeting someone for the first time is almost a professional hazard in most companies. Avoidable expressions and vocabulary in such a scenario is ‘myself’ when introducing oneself and ‘yourself’ when asking the listener’s name! The overkill of the progressive is also a strict no-no. A good thing to say would be the use of ‘work for’ rather than ‘working in’. Avoid the use of the first name with the Mr, Ms, and Mrs; instead, use the surname with the above. When initiating a discussion say ‘Let’s discuss it’ and not ‘Discuss about it’! Certainly don’t slip into Hinglish and add one’s own trademark amplifiers and auxiliaries to give emotion to the statement.
Wrong usage
Some jarring syntax construction with faulty word order or incorrect vocabulary can obstruct if not break down all communication channels for the future. Inianisms such as the term ‘co-brother’, ‘cousin sister or brother’; faulty usage such as ‘good name’, ‘explained him/her’, ‘told that’, ‘cope up with’ , ‘revert back’, ‘pre-pone’, ‘repeat again’, will not be entertained by many companies that are global players.
To be or not to be?
Keep a check on the use of archaisms that are especially found in Indian English. ‘I humbly beg to state’ or ‘respectfully submit’ are best avoided. The fault lies in the fact that most of us speak as we write which is not always the correct practice. Use of idioms and proverbs Overkill of idioms and proverbs may sound pedantic and out of place in most business communication. Slang is most suited for informal occasions and certainly not when negotiating one’s salary or finalising a project! Keep your eyes and ears open to faulty use of the language and avoid making the same mistakes yourself. At a time when Non-Standard accents and vocabulary are getting increasing acceptance, especially with the young courtesy the mass media; it is important to remember that blind application of concepts of Standard English and Received Pronunciation as parameters of correctness are seen as exclusivist. In spoken English there is now a movement towards Neutral accent understood globally. If you must have exacting standard of language use, then it is also pertinent to remember that Standard English is most apt for formal situations. In writing, it is used in texts such as essays, business letters, notices, reports, and memos. In spoken form, it is used in formal communications as negotiations, public utterances, and news broadcasts. For English language communication in India, we might just have to first unlearn a few things to learn the correct way of communicating in English! — The writer is an English language trainer
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High premium jobs
Professionals in the Venture Capital, Semiconductors and Management Consulting industries command the highest premium in the competitive market for management talent as per data released by HeadHonchos.com, a job search and career portal.
Professionals in these industries earn compensation that is 30-60 per cent higher, on average, than those who work in other industries, reinforcing the dominance of knowledge industries in the economy. These trends are based on an analysis of data for close to half a million middle management and senior professionals with 6-35 years of experience working across 70+ industries. Commenting on these findings, Uday Sodhi, CEO, HeadHonchos.com said, “The trends are a reflection of the growth of knowledge industries like IT, semiconductors, finance and business services in the economy. In addition, in industries such as Oil and Gas or Power where talent is hard to come by, the shortage of specialised talent is driving up compensation packages. There is a soaring premium for exceptional talent and companies are prepared to pay. Professionals meeting the troika of RSQ (Risk, Scarcity and Qualification) are being rewarded the most.” While traditional sectors such as FMCG, consumer durables/semi durables offer stable prospects, there seems to be a trade-off in terms of compensation. service industries such as hospitals/healthcare, advertising/PR/market research, tourism and hospitality as well as traditional manufacturing and engineering industries, while offering a steady outlook, rank lower in terms of the compensation hierarchy. Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru rankings reflect each city’s unique business landscape. While the Venture Capital industry is the top-ranked industry nationally and in each of these three cities despite being a relatively niche industry, the rankings that follow are insightful. Mumbai rewards Infrastructure and Management Consulting, while in Delhi professionals in the Semiconductor and Power industries, and in Bengaluru those in the Semiconductor and the Internet/ E-Commerce industries are most valued. Even within industries there is a clear hierarchy in terms of compensation. For example, under the umbrella of the IT industry, there are clear differentials between those in specialised, talent-scarce areas like Semiconductors and in less specialised areas like Quality Assurance. Similiar trends are seen in the BFSI industry with Private Equity and Investment Banking professionals receiving higher payouts in contrast to those employed in Retail Banking. Sodhi adds, “The challenges in talent acquisition are increasing day by day and are driving changes in compensation patterns. The focus on specialisation is here to stay and corporates are committed to finding the right talent and rewarding it appropriately. For organisations, it is more of a quality game than a numbers game right now.” Where India's most valued professionals work Venture Capital/Private Equity T/Technology - VLSI/ASIC/ EDA/Semiconductor Management Consulting Infrastructure Oil/Gas/Petrochemicals/ Refinery Investment Banking Power/Energy Internet/Ecommerce IT/Technology - Mobile/VAS Applications Telecom/Mobile Operator/ISP
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Talent crunch hurts employers
Talent crunch is causing a drag on employers across the world and the situation is worse in emerging market economies, including India, where over half of the employers have positions for which they are not able to find qualified candidates, says a survey by CareerBuilder. According to the survey by the job portal, a significant number of employers in the 10 largest world economies said extended job vacancies have resulted in lower revenues and productivity and the inability to grow their businesses. “The inability to fill high- skill jobs can have an adverse ripple effect, hindering the creation of lower-skilled positions, company performance and economic expansion,” CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson said. Employers in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) were the most likely to report challenges in recruiting high-skill labour with more than half of employers stating they currently have positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates, the report said. This is despite the fact that the BRIC nations are also hiring at a more accelerated rate, containing the highest percentages of employers planning to add full-time, permanent staff in 2013. According to the survey, 74 per cent of companies in China have open positions that they cannot fill, followed by Brazil at 63 per cent, Russia (57 per cent), India (53 per cent), Germany (31 per cent), Japan (29 per cent), the US (28 per cent), France (26 per cent), the UK (23 per cent) and Italy (16 per cent). “Major world economies are feeling the effects of this in technology, healthcare, production and other key areas. “The study underlines how critical it is for the government, private sector and educational institutions to work together to prepare and re-skill workers for opportunities that can help move the needle on employment and economic growth,” he added. Meanwhile, there is also a negative impact of positions that stay open too long. A large percentage of employers in the top 10 economies stated their companies have experienced negative implications from extended job vacancies, citing less effective business performance, lower quality work, lower morale and higher employee turnover. In terms of professional fields, information technology and engineering- dominated the areas where employers said they are having the most difficulty recruiting skilled talent. “There were notable challenges in recruiting for high-end sales positions in the US and Europe, and recruiting for Research and Development jobs in India, China and Japan,” the report said. — PTI
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Best employer award
Ajuba Solutions, a provider of healthcare revenue cycle management services, has won ‘Fun at Work’ and ‘Best employer’ award at the BPO Excellence Awards 2013 held in Mumbai recently.
The BPO Excellence Awards are aimed at identifying and rewarding professionals and organisations for their outstanding achievements in the field of Business Process Outsourcing. The company was also ranked as one of the top companies for ‘fun at work’ by the World HRD Congress. The awards were organised by Asian Federation of Business, endorsed by Stars of the Industry Group in association with World HRD Congress and CMO Asia. The company strives to provide the best environment with a calendar packed with high power engagement measures for its employees. The organisation tries to consistently innovate to bring about a unique dimension to the monthly activities. The activities are aimed at a holistic development of employees.
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Career Hotline
How does one get the job of a surveyor with the Indian Register of Shipping?
Q.Please tell me something about technical surveying jobs and how does one get the job of a surveyor with the Indian Register of Shipping? —
Yash Khatri
He ensures compliance with the mandatory requirements for maintaining the vessel, rig, or marine structure. Meets associated statutory and special service requirements related to Loadline, Cargo Gear, Tonnage, Safety of Life at Sea, etc. This is a great career move for Third and Second Assistant engineers to transition to the shoreside. Typical requirements include: a degree in Marine Engineering or Naval Architecture Two to five years of sailing experience on license (Second Engineer or above). Experience in Engineering, Survey and/or drilling system manufacture capacity in the marine and/or offshore industry. Although you may perform some work in an office environment, be prepared to travel to and from the survey site and manufacturing plant and go aboard various marine vessels, offshore platforms, or structures. You’ll of course, be expected to read engineering plans and have a basic understanding of shipbuilding practices and vessel operations. offshore facilities systems and machinery. The Indian Register of Shipping, an elite, internationally recognised, independent ship classification society, advertises vacancies every three months. Around 50-60 first class graduates in naval architecture and different branches of engineering, are recruited every year. They’re provided training, which could extend up to four years. Only after completing five years, are they authorised to undertake surveys under the supervision of senior surveyors. Details:
www.irclass.org
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I want to appear for SCRA exam Q. I passed Plus II last year and now wish to appear for the Special Class Railway Apprentices Examination conducted by the UPSC. Can you please tell me about the eligibility criteria and the admission procedure? — Jitendra Thapar A.The UPSC conducts the SCRA (Special Class Railway Apprenticeship) Exam to recruit junior officers in the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers. To be eligible you should have passed Plus II (PCM). The age requirement is 17-21 years which is relaxed for reserved and some other specified categories. The exam, which can be taken only in English, comprises two parts: Part I: Written exam (three papers of 200 marks each) adding up to a total of 600 marks.) Paper I: General Ability Test (English, GK & Psychological Test) Paper II: Physical Sciences (Physics & Chemistry) Paper-III: Mathematics. The questions are approximately of Plus II level, but there’s a penalty (negative marking) for wrong answers in the Objective Type Question Papers. Part II: This test is only for those who have qualified Part I. It comprises a Personality Test to assess your overall academic and extra-curricular performance, leadership and communication skills (1-hour, 200 marks). Upon selection, you will be sent for four years of apprenticeship at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineers, Jamalpur. For details, log on to www.upsc.gov.in As the number of candidates recruited each year is not very large, the competition is intense. Upon selection, you’ll be paid a stipend starting at Rs 9,100 per month as a probationer Rs 9100 per month during the first and second year and Rs 9,400 per month in the third year and in the first six months of fourth year and Rs 9,700 for the last six months of the fourth year. Once you’ve successfully completed your training, you’ll be appointed as an Assistant Mechanical Engineer.
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Is it a good idea to get into bioniformatics:?
Q. Can you please tell me if it is a good idea to get into ? I am presently doing my graduation in biotechnology but do not wish to go into higher studies like PhD etc. The work involved in the specific career areas are drug design utilising 3D structure modeling and computational chemistry (Cheminformatics). Post graduates joining a private sector pharma company can expect a salary in the range of Rs 20,000 per month. Those employed in government research labs get additional government allowances and benefits. Incidentally, there’s also a great demand for bioinformaticians western countries.
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The University of Southampton, UK, is offering scholarships worth £7,500 to Indian students on its BSc (Hons) Psychology programme commencing from September 2013. Students will receive a scholarship of £2,500 on successful completion of the first semester, and the same thereafter each year of the course, subject to satisfactory progress, making a total scholarship of up to £7,500 over the three years. Eligibility: Applicants are required to have minimum 70 per cent in Class X mathematics (CBSE and ICSE Boards only). State Boards may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants are also required to have an overall 85 per cent in Class XII (CBSE, ISC and Metro State Boards only). No specific subjects are required. English language requirements are at IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any component although the university will consider candidates with 70 per cent or above in English (CBSE and ISC only). How to apply: Applications are through UCAS. Deadline: May 31, 2013. Check out:
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/psychology/ University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow’s Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology is offering an international scholarship for applicants from outside the UK/EU for its postgraduate course. Eligibility: Available to international candidates from the Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology that have an outstanding academic record. Value: £2,000 How to apply: Applicants should apply for the programme using the standard application format. In addition they should email the programme administratorJohanna Green indicating their wish to be considered for the International Scholarship. Deadline: July 31, 2013 Check out:
http://www.gla.ac.uk/scholarships/international/postgraduatetaught/ Science scholarships The Faculty of Science, University of Strathclyde, UK, has introduced an international scholarship scheme. This is open to students applying to both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Eligibility: The applicant must be an international student from outside the EU The student must be self-funded i.e. not sponsored by government, employer or educational institution The student must have accepted a conditional offer for a full- time undergraduate degree or a one-year full-time Postgraduate Master’s course (excluding MSc Clinical Pharmacy) in the Faculty of Science. The student must be able to demonstrate academic excellence based on previous study The student must provide evidence of a desire to study at the University of Strathclyde. Details: Each scholarship has a value of up to £3,000 to be used towards the cost of tuition fees. Successful undergraduate students will receive this for each year of their degree, subject to satisfactory progress. How to apply: Applicants should download and complete the International Scholarship Application Form and email the completed form to science-enquiries@strath.ac.uk Deadline: May 31, 2013. For further information: christine.matthewson@strath.ac.uk PhD scholarships The University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School is offering up to six fully funded PhD studentships (fees and bursary) for entry in 2013. Applications are sought from exceptionally well-qualified individuals in Accounting and Finance, Business and Management and Economics. The studentship is open to home/EU and International applicants. Eligibility: Only full-time applicants are eligible. Existing PhD students will not be considered. Potential applicants should have a minimum of a 2.1 undergraduate degree and have/expect to achieve a master’s degree with excellent grades in a relevant subject from a UK university or comparable qualifications from another recognised university. Students whose first language is not English must have an IELTS score of 7.0, with no sub-test less than 6.5 Duration: Three years Details: An annual bursary (£13,943(tbc)) Payment of full fees at the UK/EU/International rate Support for conference attendance and additional research expenses (£750 per year). How to apply: The scholarship will be judged on your formal application for PhD studies in Glasgow. Only complete applications will be considered. The PhD application is only complete once you have uploaded: Your Research Proposal (MUST not exceed a maximum of five pages) Two references (written in English, signed and printed on official headed paper) Degree certificates and academic transcripts in English English language certificate for students whose first language is not English. Deadline: April 17, 2013 For mangement students Sheffield University Management School at University of Sheffield, UK, is inviting applications for its full-time MBA programme and is offering scholarships each worth £5,000 for those wishing to start the programme in September 2013. The one-year programme is designed to prepare students for leadership roles both within organisations and as entrepreneurs or consultants. Eligibility: An undergraduate degree or an equivalent qualification along with three to five years’ postgraduate work experience. English language requirements are IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.0 in any component. For TOEFL, the minimum requirement is 260 in the computer-based test with an essay rating of 5. Deadline: May 31,2013 Check out: www.sheffield.ac.uk/mba/scholarships Women managers MIB School of Management of Trieste, Italy offers scholarship in MBA programme to international women applicants for MBA in International Business. Eligibility: Female candidates must meet the following requirements: Academic degree (or equivalent qualification) in any discipline. Good working knowledge of English (TOEFL/IELTS/PTE certificate is recommended). Minimum 3 years of work experience. Details: The scholarship will cover 50 per cent of the tuition fees. How to apply: The documentation must be sent by post. To be considered for the scholarship, the application form for the programme must be completed on-line at www.mib.edu. Deadline: August 30, 2013. Check out: www.mib.edu.
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Course cruising
Physical Education courses
The Lakshmibai National University of Physical Education,
Gwalior, has invited applications for admission to the MPEd (Sports Psychology and MPEd (Sports Biomechanics) courses for the academic year 2013-14. Eligibility: Minimum 55 per cent marks in the BPEd Degree / BPEd four years integrated degree. How to apply: Candidates willing to obtain prospectus by post may write to Registrar, LNUPE with a DD of Rs 900
(Rs. 800 in cash if personally collected from office). Candidates appearing in the admission test should bring a DD of
Rs. 200 as testing fee. Deadline: June 15, 2013 Check out: http://lnipe.nic.in/public_html/Admission%20Schedule%202013-14.pdf MANAGEMENT MBA
Apeejay Stya University invites application for MBA (Marketing, Finance, HR) for the year 2013. This programme will be offered in the School of Management Sciences at the university campus,
Sohna, Delhi-NCR Eligibility: Graduation in any discipline with 50% marks with CAT / MAT /
XAT/ GMAT / CMAT How to apply: The prospectus and application form can be downloaded from:
http://university.apeejay.edu or can be obtained from the Apeejay Stya University Campus and ASU City office. Also, the students can mail to
admissions@asu.apeejay.edu for further details. Check out: www.apeejay.edu Executive
programme NIIT Imperia in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta
(IIMC), invites applications for the six-month – Executive Programme in Corporate Regulations. The programme has been designed to offer in-depth understanding of regulatory and legal framework in business transactions to professionals working in this space. The course: The programme has been designed for working professionals with minimum one year of experience who require knowledge of Business Laws and Regulations. Professionals working in the areas of joint ventures (JVs), mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and in MNCs which require knowledge of international regulations, can opt for this
programme. Eligibility: The applicant should be: Graduate (10+2+3) in any discipline with minimum 50% marks Having minimum 1 year of work experience post the completion of graduation Selection procedure: Eligible applicants will be selected on the basis of their performance in the Programme Aptitude Test (PAT) to be conducted by NIIT Imperia, together with the assessment of background and motivation based on the application form submitted. How to apply: Visit www.niitimperia.com to fill the application form online. Deadline: April 26, 2013 Check out:
imperia@niit.com
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Young Tax Professional of the Year award
Interested students can apply for the ‘Young Tax Professional of the Year’ competition held by Ernst & Young. This award allows successful students to compete by demonstrating their tax technical and professional skills to a panel of expert judges. This award offers students an opportunity to learn and share experiences with people from a diverse range of backgrounds. Award participants will have access to invaluable global leadership training and one-on-one technical coaching, as well as the opportunity to network with leading figures from global organisations. The programme spans almost 250 universities in more than 30 countries. The competition is split into two stages, local and international. The judges will be looking for evidence of creative and analytical strengths, as well as practical skills. Taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark (during the 67th International Fiscal Association Congress in August, 2013), and successful country finalists will have the chance to work closely with a diverse range of professionals. Students can check out www.ey.com/ytpy for more information.
Job assessment on FB
Talent assessment company Wheebox.com has developed Facebook Assessment and Job Connect App to exploit the vast potential of Facebook to get jobs. Through this job seekers from any educational background can connect to Wheebox.Com using their facebook account and take a 20 minutes career assessment in their respective choice of industry and thereby connecting instantly for telephonic interview scoring above 60 per cent in the test. The company plans to assess 2,00,000 candidates using its Facebook App in India in the next 12 months. The students from B. Tech, B.E, MBA, MCA and Graduate and Diploma courses can take the test and the students will be assessed on Industry Skills, Cognitive Abilities, and English Reading Skills. The test will provide a wide spectrum to the students and complete analysis of their skills status i.e. where do they stand against the employer’s expectations. The test will generate a robust and validated analytical report, which will state the core strengths and improvement areas of the students. All students who score more than 60 per cent can either connect on a toll free number or can provide contact number to be connected for instant interview process. Candidates will be able to know their status and also will be able to join all interviews where their scores are shared with clients.
Students design FI car
After passing rigorous inspection by Society for Automotive Engineering (SAE) technical team and Maruti Suzuki officials, this racing car entered a National Competition — for the title SUPRA SAE INDIA 2012 Formula-1 Type Race Car. Held at Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida, this national level Formula-1 Racing championship saw 148 institutions from across the country participate. Only 65 were selected to manufacture F-1 Car within a budget of Rs 10, 00,000 each and LPU’s IR-12 was listed among top 30 cars. This project was headed by Manish Kumar as Team Caption for Chessis and Designing. Some of the other students of LPU involved in this project include Rohit Rawat, Umesh Kumar, Vinay Dwivedi, Vishvendra Chaudhary, Victor Debnath and Rahul Ranjan.
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Gems of ancient wisdom For colourful times, don’t play with fire Holi, the festival of colours, is celebrated to commemorate the death of Holika. Demon King Hiranyakashyap’s sister Holika had a fire-proof dupatta that could protect only one person. When she sat on the pyre with her nephew Prahlad — to kill him, the wind-god blew the dupatta from her to him. With Lord Vishnu’s grace, the boy came out unscathed.
Ravana underestimated the might of Rama’s messenger Hanuman and refused to restore Sita to Rama. As a result, his golden kingdom of Lanka was reduced to ashes by Hanuman. Duryodhana’s plan to get the Pandavas killed in the wax palace at Varanavata was foiled due to the clue given by Kuru Prime Minister Vidura to Pandava prince Yudhisthira. Not only did the five brothers and their mother Kunti escape, but architect Purochana also died in the blaze. In the 16th century, King Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagara faced a tough fort in Kondavidu. So he had bamboo scaffolds erected around it. As soon as the scaffolds rose as high as the fort, Raya shot a blazing arrow at the grain stock in the fort setting the heap ablaze. In the ensuing confusion, Raya’s forces took the fort with ease. Similarly, when Chhatrapati Shivaji’s Commander Dadaji Raghunath Nedkar couldn’t lay his hands on Belavadi fort in Belgaum district, he sent a soldier to set the hay in the stable inside the fort afire. The Desai of Belavadi Isha Prabhu, his wife Mallamma and their soldiers fought bravely, but the Desai died and his wife was captured. On hearing about their bravery, Shivaji restored the fort to Queen Mallamma. The Mughal might stood blocking the Ahmednagar fort. As the army under Regent Chand Bibi’s command refused to budge, the Mughals decided to lay five mines leading to the fort walls. The only option left was to open the mines and remove the gunpowder. As the exercise could have been fatal, Chand Bibi sent volunteers to do the needful. One mine exploded but the rest were neutralised. As both sides were running out of supplies, they sued for peace. Assamese Commander Lachit Barphukan wanted to free Itakhuli fort, near Guwahati, from Mughal Fauzdar Syed Firoz Khan’s control. But this was easier said than done as the Mughals cannons were killing Assamese soldiers by the hundreds. So Lachit sent two sets of spies inside the fort. One team distracted the Mughal soldiers away from the cannons and the other poured water into their muzzles. The next day, Lachit took the fort. Have a safe Holi! — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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1. To which country does the new Pope of the Vatican belong?
2. How many years were completed by Pakistan’s parliament (National Assembly) before being dissolved recently?
3. Who has served as the longest serving head of the Congress party in India? 4. Which country recently became the first one in the world to successfully test-fire an underwater supersonic cruise missile? 5. Who is the head of Pakistan’s Tehrek-i- Insaf party? 6. When is World Sparrow Day observed every year to raise awareness about the decline of house sparrow population and its impact on the environment? 7. What is the capital of Falkland Islands? 8. Which two countries have handed out a washout to Australia in a cricket Test series? 9. Name the only opening batsman to post a double century on Test debut. 10. Who recently became the fastest centurion in Test cricket by scoring a ton in 85 balls in his maiden appearance? — Tarun Sharma Winners of quiz 434: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Aditi Kalia; Class VII; Saraswati Vihar Senior Secondary School Mavi Kalan, Delhi Road; Saharanpur (UP); Pin Code - 247001 Second: Komalpreet Kaur; Class IX –B; Guru Teg Bahadur Public School, Khankot, Amritsar; Pin Code - 143501 Third:
Vasu Menon; Class IV Red; Radha Vatika Senior Secondary School; Khanna; Pin Code - 141401 Answers to quiz 434:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni; Mumbai; Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams; Jomo Kenyatta; Venezuela; Curiosity; Sahir Ludhianvi; CV Raman; Mushfiqur Rehman; Second Cash awards of Rs 400, 300 and 200 are given to the first, second and third prize winners, respectively. These are sent at the school address. Note: Kindly mention the pincode of your place on the letter/postcard to facilitate the delivery of the prize money. Answers can also be sent at
quiz@tribunemail.com
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Jawaharlal Nehru had said, “To be secure on land, we must be Supreme at Sea”. This reminds one of the seafarers who protect us day in and day out and secure our maritime interests — the Men in White, the navy personnel.
Besides having the honour of serving one’s country, career in the Indian Navy also gives one an opportunity court adventure. Besides giving an opportunity to youngsters to display leadership skills, this career bestows one with a tremendous amount of responsibility.
study abroad: china
English language is a dominant means of present day communication at workplace. Hospitality, Public Relations, Business Process Management are some sectors where it is used more often than in others. Coupled with this is the growing demand of writing assignments that are outsourced to India.
Speaking and writing correct English is a skill that needs to be mastered in today’s increasingly shrinking global work atmosphere.
Fixing a meeting, locking a deal, discussing an agenda or product branding requires more than a working knowledge of English.
The Indian Navy operates three commands, each under the control of a Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief in the rank of Vice Admiral. The three Commands are: 
Senior professionals working in the sectors of Infrastructure, Oil and Gas/Petrochemicals, Power/Energy and Investment Banking also emerged in the top ranks in terms of compensation packages, followed by those who are working in industries like Internet/E-Commerce, IT/Technology-Mobile/VAS Applications and Telecom/Mobile Operator/ISP/ Telecom Vendors. While risk-taking capacity remains a key factor in determining rewards, compensation in industries like semiconductors is driven by the demand for super-specialised talent. 
A.The Surveyor reports and examines vessels and other marine structures during and after construction. 
A.Prospects in bioinformatics have been steadily increasing with the increasing use of IT in molecular biology. Career opportunities include sequence assembly sequence analysis, database design and maintenance, proteomics, pharmacogenomics, pharmacology (including clinical pharmacol), informatics development, computational chemistry, bioanalytics and analytics.
Opportunities for psychology students
Duration: One year
Eligibility Test: 18th to 19th June 2013
“Illuminati Racers”, a group engineering students from Lovely Professional University (Punjab) have designed and developed “Formula-1 Racing Car IR-12”. This is the second in the chain of innovative cars designed and developed by the LPU students besides India’s first mobile operated Driverless Car. 
Neglecting fire safety at the workplace can have disastrous consequences as was seen in the 1995 Dabwali school function tragedy or the 1997 Uphaar cinema inferno in Delhi.
