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Plastic engineering
Career Hotline
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Healthy hiring trends on campuses
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career compass: digital marketing
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Clearing pitch for objective interviewing
Uninor best working place
B-school grads in demand
PSUs lure management students
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Fantastic plastic
Gauri Chhabra Our day starts with the buzz of the alarm clock, swish of the toothbrush, click of a camera — the common thread among all these is plastic. We are all surrounded by plastics in some way or the other. Owing to its morphological genesis to the word ‘Plastikos’, which means ‘something that can be moulded in any shape of size’, today plastic has become a necessity to fulfil our daily needs and requirements. Besides, it is also a part of various industries like building and construction, aviation and space technology, and automobiles. Plastics and rubber, together with adhesives, resin and fiber, form a group of materials with special properties, called polymers. Polymers play a major role in shaping the look and feel of modern world. Their application ranges from medical equipment to the construction of an aircraft. These are used extensively in all products a majority of household and electrical goods, and automobile components contain plastics and rubber parts, and to package these products. If you wish to enter a branch of engineering that increases the surface area of the industries that you can enter, then Plastic Engineering is the ideal option for you. What is plastic engineering? Plastic engineering is a branch of engineering that deals with the design, analysis, and modification of plastic materials for aiding the manufacture of plastic products. Research, innovation, and launch of new products also form a part of the job of a plastic engineer. With plastic becoming ubiquitous, there arises the need for managing plastic and developing eco - friendly plastic that does not add to pollution. This is precisely where the polymer engineer fits in. As a polymer engineer, you must have an understanding of the properties of polymer materials as well as the processing methods used to shape these into different products. The duties of a polymer engineer include supervising the production process of plastics and other polymers. You might be required to use the principles of plant design, process design, thermodynamics, and transport phenomena to develop new products. Polymer engineering covers aspects of petrochemical industry, polymerisation, structure and characterisation of polymers, properties of polymers, compounding and processing of polymers and description of major polymers, their structure, property relations and applications. Many of the engineers currently working in the industry and trying to solve these problems have a background in either chemical or polymer engineering. Getting in Admission into an engineering course involves the same steps as for the other branches of engineering. It is a four-year BTech course in plastic engineering which students can opt for after clearing Plus II in non-medical stream and clearing the JEE (Mains) exam. The national level JEE (Advanced) is also conducted for admissions in the NITs in India. The course covers properties and applications of the range of plastics and rubber materials used in the manufacture of goods, and also the engineering aspects of designing products and processing materials into shaped products. The subjects that you would be studying, include petrochemical industry, polymerisation, structure and characterisation of polymers, properties of polymers, compounding and processing of polymers, Apart from the engineering courses, students have a wide spectrum of short-term and long-term technical and diploma courses also to choose from. These include:
Duration: 1½ -year Eligibility: Three-year degree in science with chemistry
Duration: 1½ -year
Eligibility: Class X Duration: Three years
Eligibility: Class X Duration: 4/3 years For all other postgraduate diploma, post diploma and diploma courses, selection is based on academic and the performance in the joint entrance examination. Short-term courses are also available for product design with CAD/CAM, EDP programmes, Plastics Processing and Quality Technics, Machine Operator training for CNC Machine of Tool Room & Processing. Skill set Creativity and out-of-the-box thinking is the hall mark of this career. Besides, you should possess a combination of analytical, communication and teamwork skills. You also need to have the perseverance and persistence to follow something till you arrive at the root cause analysis. Institute scape The leading institutes in India that offer courses in plastic engineering are: Central Institute of Plastic Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Chennai and Lucknow; Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi; Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Anna University, Chennai; LD College of Engineering, Ahmedabad; North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon; Indian Plastic Institute (IPI), Mumbai; Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Kanpur; Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad; Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, Nagpur; Birla Institute of Technology Mesra, Ranchi; Nirma Institute of Technology, Ahmedabad; Delhi College of Engineering, New Delhi; University College of Science & Technology, Calcutta University, Kolkata; and SSE College of Engineering & Technology, Akola, Maharashtra. Where to work The role of plastics is so multifarious and diverse that it offers a broad spectrum of career options in industries ranging from packaging, sports, medicine, perfumes and preservatives, plastics, fuels, to toys, automobiles and aircrafts. Plastics are also used in the manufacture of prosthetic devices and surgical equipment. In all these areas you would require to have a detailed practical knowledge about plastics and their application. Another off-shoot of this field is waste management. It has emerged as a distinct field of work where trained professionals are much in demand. Polymer engineers are involved in research and development, processing, quality control, technical support and sales, design and manufacture of moulds, training, management and related activities. You can also undergo campus selection for jobs in major tyre companies, fuel refineries, polymer manufacturing and processing industries and research institutions. Both public and private sectors offer job opportunities to polymer professionals. Jobs are also available in polymer manufacturing industries as production engineers or technologists, quality control inspectors, polymer specialists. If you team your skills and degree with an MBA , then you can foray into marketing and market research. Giving details of the job prospects in this field, Ishwer Singh Chief Manager (Project), CIPET, Amritsar, says, “We have a large number of companies visiting our campus for hiring freshers. These include Ferromatik MILACRON, India, TI Automotive, Sintex, Futura, Thomson, Satyam, Sumi Moterson, WIPRO, Infosys, Lucas-TVS Limited, Finolex, Nilkamal, LMT, TATA, ENGEL, BAJAJ, Panasonic, Reliance, BASF, Haldia Petrochemicals LTD, and Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd.” The road ahead The future of plastic engineering is very bright and promising. It spreads to textiles and clothing, agriculture, packaging, infrastructure, healthcare, furniture, automobiles, information, irrigation technology, power, electronics and telecommunications, irrigation, drinking water, infrastructure, construction and a host of other articles of daily and specialised usage amidst other emerging areas. The writer is a Ludhiana based career consultant
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Moulding future
The Central Instituteof Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) centre at Amritsar is one of its kind in the region. It was established in 1989 by Government of India for providing Training & Technical services to plastics and allied industries in the northern region. The institute has facilities for mould/die design and development, plastics processing, testing and quality control of plastics material and products. Some of the main courses and services provided by this centre include: Long-term training courses
Short-term courses
These courses are regularly running for various engineering students, undergraduate and graduate students and for entrepreneurs also. The students of different engineering & polytechnic colleges take advantage of this centre for their industrial training and project work. The centre is equipped with more than 100 workstations to run the advanced technical software related to the CAM/CAM and other computer languages. Candidates get certificates after the successful completion of the course. In addition to that the centre also runs Vocational Training Programme (VTP) under SDI scheme and apprenticeship for ITI students. Technical services The centre has developed adequate expertise in fabrication of precision moulds, dies and development of standard mould bases. Equipped with CNC machines, assignments on intricate are also undertaken as per the requirements of customers. Job orders on moulding of plastics products are also undertaken here. Testing & quality control Plastics Testing Centre (PTC) of CIPET Amritsar is well equipped with sophisticated equipment for conducting raw material and product testing. Testing centre has been recognised by BIS & NABL to undertake testing and quality assurance assignment as per national and International Standards. CIPET Amritsar is identified as a nodal agency for pre-delivery and site inspection by Department of Rural Development &Panchayat, Government of Punjab for Testing and Quality assurance of HDPE/PVC pipes. Also, water supply and sewage authority, Municipal corporation, Amritsar has entrusted the assignments for testing sewage supply for new layouts in Amritsar. Consultancy and advisory services
— With inputs from Ashok Sethi
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Can I opt for a distance learning law course?
Pervin Malhotra email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com
A. No university offers a full-fledged three-year LLB through correspondence. However, the following law courses can be done through correspondence:
Unfortunately, due to statutory requirements, these courses are not recognised by the Bar Council of India and you won’t be able to practice in a court of law after doing these courses. However, your knowledge of law will certainly prove useful in your field as in many others.
I want to change career
Q. I am working for a TV channel as a senior executive. Although I have four-and-a-half year’s experience in sales and marketing, I am now getting bored and want to change my career. How can I use my core skills in another career? Will I get the same salary? —
u.r. gupta
A. It’s never too late to change careers. Often such a change gives one an all-round professional grooming. Professionals from sales and marketing can move either to customer service/relationship management or HR. In HR again there are many choices. For one, you could look at becoming a staffing specialist (in great demand today due to the acute talent crunch and the need for companies to build their brand for attracting talent). You could even opt for becoming a corporate Trainer — specialising in building skills and capabilities of the staff. All these careers are basically focused on utilising your core sales competency i.e. your ability to relate to different types of people, and your ability to influence and lead change. And, you needn’t take salary drop as you switch lanes either.
Is starting own venture a wise choice?
Q. I’ve always dreamt of setting up my own manufacturing unit but I am not sure whether I’m cut out to be an entrepreneur. I am presently working in an infrastructure project after doing BE (Mech) but as the youngest in a family of professionals, I have led a somewhat protected life. With no business blood in my veins. Will I succeed? — ritesh dogra
A. To answer the last part of your question first, one doesn’t necessarily need a family background in business to strike out on one’s own. However, parental behaviour towards children does play a significant role in making or marring entrepreneurial talent. Sometimes an over-protective environment can make kids highly dependent, cautious and risk-averse. Undoubtedly, entrepreneurship is the bedrock of industrialisation. More so in a country like ours where unemployment is so rampant, and on such a staggering scale! But, you’re absolutely right. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. Willingness to take risks, being proactive, a high degree of perseverance — even in the face of repeated hurdles, a sense of perspective and an over-arching vision are some of the essential qualities you need to strike out on your own. I have also found successful entrepreneurs to be highly creative, and innovative and ready to roll-up their sleeves and plunge wholeheartedly into the task at hand, without bothering about protocol. Even if you think you possess most of these qualities, it would be wise to gain some more practical and relevant work experience, before you decide to establish your own unit. Sound business sense, planning and marketing savvy and good people skills are as important as technical know-how and financial backup. The latter is not such a bottleneck today. If you have a sound idea that can be scaled up and a good team that can deliver, angel investors and VC funding are now relatively easy to attract. In short, you need the ability to: Think hard…!
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ISB students win laurels
Students from the Indian School of Business (ISB), Mohali, walked away with top honours for contributions to business education, the MBA programme and community at large at the 30th Anniversary of the global Graduate Business Conference (GBC) held at the ISB recently. Over 90 graduate student-body presidents, student leaders and alumni from the top 50 Business Schools in the world met at ISB, Hyderabad, to share best practices on student government, global views on responsible leadership and global citizenship and to learn in dialogue from each other and from global business, government and industry leaders. Ashvini Jakhar, President of the Graduate Student Body at the Mohali Campus of Indian School of Business (ISB) was presented with the GBF 2013 Student Leadership Award. His vision and leadership ensured the inaugural class at the new ISB campus in Mohali could experience their MBA with a similar high standard of excellence in management education, career service and student life as experienced at Hyderabad campus. Ashvini co-created with ISB faculty, administration, staff, alumni and students a common vision and sustainable long-term initiatives for a “one school-two campuses” model. Harita Vinnakota, another student at the ISB and Director of Operations and Sustainability Council (Student Club at the ISB) and her team were awarded the GBF grant for their innovative and impactful ‘Sahayak Workshops’ initiative. The initiative and associated projects created awareness of energy consumption and delivered initial savings of around $130,000 to the school.
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Healthy hiring trends on campuses
The Manav Rachna International University, India’s premier private university, has claimed to have achieved a 100 per cent record in campus placements this year for the 2009 –2013 batch of students of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
The highest pay offered was Rs 7 lakh per annum. The salary packages offered by some of India’s top companies at the campus placement ranged from Rs 1.8 lakh to Rs 5.2 lakh per annum. More than 36 companies, including Maruti Suzuki, TCS, HCL, Dell, Infogain, L&T Infotech, Capital IQ, Krishna Maruti, Ceasefire, Senior India Pvt Ltd, Sagacious Research, TNS Telecom Solutions, Accenture, Luminous, Freight, IRTE, Ceasefire, IBM, and Unitech Machines visited the campus for recruitment. A total of 367 students from all departments of the Faculty of Engineering & Technology appeared for the placement process. From the Computer Science stream alone, a total of 81 students were placed. Around 86 per cent of students from the mechanical stream have been successfully placed in various leading companies. The Galgotias College of Engineering and Technology (GCET), too, claimed to set a record of sorts with 90 per cent of its students getting offer letters from different companies. The total number of placements by May first week had hit a high of 715. The highlight of the placement season is that 47 new companies entered the campus to net the talent for their enterprises. Galgotias College of Engineering placement was 100 per cent in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. More than 150 companies like Accenture, Wipro Technologies, Infosys, Microsoft, Intelligrap, Headstrong, Dell International, Capgemini, Impetus, MAQ Software, Precision Automation and Robotics India Ltd, Thoughtworks Technologies, Sobha Developers, L&T and Samsung have visited the campus. DBesides engineering graduates, management students have also been in demand among different companies. Vanguard Business School, Bangalore, claims to have registered full placement for the first batch (2013) of its flagship PGPM course. A total of 35 students from a batch of 2013 opted to be placed through the institute’s campus placements process. A total of 26 companies representing as many as 16 sectors participated in the process. There were offers at the highest salary level of Rs 5.90 lakh p.a. The average salary crossed Rs 4.22 lakh p.a. The largest intake was from FMCG, Analytics, Retail, Personal Care, ITES, Logistics, BFCI and Education. A total of 40 offers were made.
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Polonsky Foundation grants
Eligibility: Candidates may be new or current students and must be citizens of countries not in the EU. Successful candidates should show need of financial assistance, academic merit and the promise of being good College citizens (i.e. active in the arts, sport, student governance, etc). Number of award(s): Three Duration: One year. Detail: The grants provide approximately £5,000. How to apply: New candidates should first make an application to the University of Oxford through the Graduate Admissions website and MUST enter 'Lincoln College' as their college of preference. . Deadline: June 1, 2013. Check out: www.lincoln.ox.ac.uk/funding-and-awards-for-graduates#Polonsky Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships Applications are invited for Fulbright-Nehru doctoral research fellowships for Indians for academic year 2014-2015. These fellowships are for pre-doctoral level research offered to scholars who are registered for a PhD at an Indian institution at least one year prior to the date of application. Study subject(s): Agricultural Sciences; Economics; Education; Energy, Sustainable Development and Climate Change; Environment; International Relations; Management and Leadership Development; Media and Communications with focus on Public Service Broadcasting; Public Administration; Public Health; Science and Technology; Study of India with focus on contemporary issues; and Study of the United States. For Study of India or the Study of the United States (American Studies) the areas could include: language and literature, history, government, economics, society and culture, religion, and film studies. Eligibility: The applicant should:
Details: The fellowships provide a monthly stipend, Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government guidelines, round-trip economy class air travel, applicable allowances and modest affiliation fees, if any. Selected scholars will have opportunities to audit non-degree courses, conduct research and gain practical work experience in suitable settings in the U.S. No allowances are provided for dependents. The grant is not sufficient to support family members. Duration: These fellowships are for six to nine months. How to apply: Unless otherwise specified, you are required to submit your completed application as an e-mail attachment. Those employed should forward the signed copy of your application (including enclosures, if any) through the appropriate administrative authority, to the USIEF office within their region. Applications must reach USIEF by the specified due date or the following business day if the due date falls on a weekend/holiday. All entries in the application form must be computer-generated and not hand-written. Deadline: July 1, 2013 Check out: www.usief.org.in/Fellowships/Fulbright-Nehru-Doctoral-Research-Fellowships.aspx University of Queensland The School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences at the University of Queensland invites its outstanding Indian students to apply for a postgraduate coursework scholarship to cover 50 per cent of tuition fees in the Master of Biotechnology, Master of Molecular Biology or Master of Bioinformatics programmes. Eligibility: The applicant should be a citizen of India; Should have achieved a GPA (or overseas equivalent) of 80 per cent over 7 semesters of undergraduate studies or 75 per cent over 8 semesters of undergraduate studies at a higher education institution in India; and Number of award(s): Two Duration: Full-time duration of the programme Details: Approximately AUD$ 14,800 per year, based on an indicative annual fee of AUD$ 29,600. Indicative annual fees are calculated on the basis of two full-time semesters only. Students' actual annual fees may vary in accordance with their choices of majors and electives and whether they study in Summer Semester. Selection criteria: The successful applicant will be selected on academic achievement as well as the quality of their 500-word expression of interest How to apply: Download an application form and send electronically. Deadline: October 31, 2013 for a Semester 1 (February) commencement. Check out: www.scmb.uq.edu.au/ scholarships
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Host of opportunities for UG courses
Zubin Malhotra
Funding choices Broadly, three types of scholarships are available at the undergraduate level. The first are those offered by universities or colleges themselves to students who have secured admission —known as “entrance scholarships”. These scholarships are (usually) merit-based and are awarded to students who have consistent and outstanding academic records. These scholarships are subject to the student maintaining a specified academic performance during the course. At the larger universities, there would be several awards/scholarships that one can apply for. Check the websites of the universities/colleges you have already applied to find out more. Several Canadian universities offer scholarships to meritorious international students with high academic grades under the International President’s Entrance Scholarship programme. The value of the scholarships ranges between 2000 – 10,000 Canadian Dollars. These scholarships do not require a separate application as they are automatically awarded based on your application. The second type of scholarships are referred to as “in-course awards”. Even if you don’t get a scholarship at the start of the programme, based on your performance a student also becomes eligible for several awards/scholarships administered by the university (e.g making it to the dean’s list) or specific departments. The competition for such awards and scholarships is quite stiff and these are usually open to all the students of the university, and not just the international ones. The third type of scholarships are “external scholarships” i.e., university-neutral scholarships that are offered by trusts, foundations, charitable bodies, government-partnerships, etc. While these may be tenable at different universities, often such awards or scholarships are open to students from certain courses or streams. These are very few at the undergraduate level. By and large these are open to all international students, with a few specifically meant for Indian students looking to study in Canada. Co-op Degrees The co-op or co-operative education programme combines in-class learning with periods of actual (paid) work experience or “placement”. The total working period can be up to two years, thus making your degree last five years. While on placement you gain valuable practical experience in your chosen field, develop professional workplace skills, earn academic credits that count towards your degree, and you get to build contacts and network with potential employers that can lead to employment upon graduation. It also helps you identify your preferred working style and type of job and/or industry. Co-op programmes are offered at several leading Canadian universities and are usually available for students across faculties and departments. At most Canadian universities co-op programmes are structured so that work terms alternate with study terms thereby enabling students to explore new career avenues as your academic interests grow. This helps a student to identify his area of specialisation within the main course. Employers often prefer students from a co-op programme as the student has more comprehensive skills to contribute to the company. On the flip side, co-op programmes take longer to complete and are often more stressful for the student as they have to maintain their academic grades to continue in the co-op programme and may often have to juggle work and study requirements. The co-op programme can also involve some additional costs — an administrative/processing fee levied by the university and additional costs towards housing, food and travel. These costs though are usually more than made up for by the remuneration that students receive during the work terms and can even go some way towards paying school-related costs. All said and done, the benefits far outweigh the negatives, and are especially useful for those looking to work at least for a few years in Canada upon completion of their undergraduate programme. — The writer is career coach, Career Guidance India (CARING) Scholarships to look out for Here is a quick list of “external scholarships”:
— 10 full-time undergraduate students studying at a Canadian University or College. First and final year students are not eligible. www.stlhe.ca/awards/3m-national-student-fellowships
— Available to International students starting a four-year undergraduate programme at Sheridan College, Ontario. www.sheridancollege.ca/International%20Centre/Current%20Students/Scholarships-
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career compass: digital marketing Usha Albuquerque
The growth of Internet technology has changed the way we now do business, educate ourselves and do our regular shopping. The world is closer today than ever before and just as we can now access goods and services from anywhere in the globe, marketers from everywhere can reach us too. Last week we learnt about online education and teaching and the many ways we can gain knowledge, pick up a skill or a certification through the internet. Today we talk about digital marketing and the many career possibilities it offers. The work
Each of these roles requires unique skill sets; while some are more technical others focus more on marketing. The SEO (search engine optimisation) professional has to know how to optimise the website for better organic ranking in various search engines for key words consumers may be querying. An email-marketing specialist should have an insight to consumer behaviour and analytics, and marketing spends and returns and also be aware of relevant laws governing email-marketing communication. Internet marketing involves development and management of content-based social networks and blog sites. Knowledge of social networks, blogs and content-based marketing enable email marketers to design content, update pages, so as to create an attractive web experience for customers. Getting in As digital marketing covers some aspects of science, statistics, artistic visualisation and e-commerce, a student of any field can take up this career. While those with degrees in technology and/ or marketing do have an upper-hand, what is more important is a strong knowledge of the internet and a strong presence in it. Moreover a basic knowledge of various web related software is extremely helpful. This is an ideal career for those with a strong understanding of the Internet technology and good marketing skills. An understanding of Internet consumer behaviour, web analytics, consumer engagement with different digital channels, applicable rules and regulations governing each digital channels and for protecting consumers, are very important for a digital marketer. In addition, those entering this field also require good marketing and communication skills. You must be able to think of what the clients and the target audience want. No website will attract visitors unless it is marketed well. Those with a degree in marketing, management or advertising and branding can get a certification in digital marketing to take their career forward. A knowledge of web-designing can also be an added advantage. There are several certification, diploma and postgraduate courses on digital marketing from several institutes, organisations and universities. Many management institutes and some computer institutes like NIIT offer such courses. Institutes such as Pearl Academy of Fashion also offer a course in digital e-commerce. Student must make sure that they cover search engine marketing, search engine optimisation and e-mail marketing. Remuneration As this is a new career with a huge potential, starting salaries are promsing and a fresher can expect between ~15,000-30,000 rupees per month. Management graduates and experienced professionals can command a lot more. Digital marketing is fast gaining momentum thanks to increasing internet expansion across the world. The country’s Internet population is predicted to reach 25 per cent of the population, and e-commerce industry to reach ~100 crore in revenues by 2015. The growth of online education, shopping and other activities translates into more growth for digital marketing. In fact digital marketing is slated to grow faster and is considered more efficient than traditional forms of marketing — as the customer is just a click away. If there is a great offer, consumers can instantly click on the advertisement, land on the website and complete the transaction. Not surprising that more and more companies and organisations are using digital marketing, which is fast becoming one of the most promising career choices of today. So if you are an internet freak — here’s your chance to make your passtime into a rewarding career! The field Digital marketing is the use of the Internet for advertisement, publicity and marketing. The digital media, particularly the Internet, which brings email and the web to practically every individual is now playing an increasingly important role in business and marketing campaigns. The industry has already grown over $1 billion worldwide in the last three years and is expected to continue its upward trend. No marketing budget, plan or strategy is now considered complete unless it includes a digital component. With more than 700 million mobile phone connections and the increased use of social networking sites, and a growing Internet audience, marketers are now exploring opportunities to connect to them through digital media like the Internet, search engines, email, social, mobile, video etc.
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Picasso-centennial programme
Eligibility: Plus II for Bsc course and graduation for the MSc course. How to apply: The candidates can visit Corporate Centre at Delhi and apply for qualifying exam Deadline: May18 for BSc and May 25 for MSc courses. Check out: www.picasso.co.in Diploma in culinary arts Madhuban Academy of Hospitality Administration and Research (MAHAR), Dehradun, is inviting applications for admission to three-year advanced diploma course in Food & Beverages Service & Food & Preparation Culinary Arts for the academic session 2013-16 . Eligibility: Plus II from a recognised board or its equivalent qualification. There will be an entrance test and final selection will be done through interviews of the shortlisted candidates. How to apply: Entrance Test forms are available at all major book stores in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. The forms can be downloaded from the website www.maharedu.com. Entrance exam: The entrance examination has been scheduled for May 25 & 26. Selection procedure: Applicants who qualify the entrance test will be called for an interview for the final selection. Deadline: May 20, 2013. Check out: ww.maharedu.com. PG programme in financial markets The National Institute of Financial Management, Faridabad (an autonomous institute of Ministry of Finance) and the National Stock Exchange of India jointly offer a one-year PG Programme Financial Markets (PGP-FM). This full-time course is a residential programme aimed at providing the best of learning environment and develop strong networking with future managers and leaders in the industry. Eligibility: All participants must have completed graduation or a degree equivalent with at least 50 per cent in aggregate from an Indian university/institutions recognised by the Association of Indian Universities. Professional Qualifications like CA, CS, CWA, CFA, MBA, etc. will have an added advantage. Candidates in the final year of graduation may apply.
How to apply: The candidates who have valid CAT/MAT/XAT/CMAT score are not required to appear for NIFM-NSE Online Test. They can send application in prescribed form which can be downloaded from the NSE/NIFM website. The completed application along with resume, proof of educational qualifications, work experience (if any),copy of your CAT/MAT/XAT/CMAT score card and a Demand Draft of ~900 drawn in favour of National Institute of Financial Management; payable at New Delhi or Faridabad, be sent to National th Stock Exchange of India Ltd., 4 Floor, Jeevan Vihar Building, Parliament Street, New Delhi-110 001. The envelop should be superscribed by “Application for PGP-FM”. Alternatively, one can submit the application by paying Rs 900 in cash at National Stock Exchange of India Ltd.; New Delhi. Deadline: May 30, 2013 Check out: www.nifm.ac.in BSc Applied Social Sciences in criminology and psychological studies University of Southampton’s School of Social Sciences is inviting applications for its BSc Applied Social Sciences (Criminology and Psychological Studies) programme. Applied social science is the study of society and culture and the way in which people and social groups behave and impact the world around us. The criminology pathway enables students to explore the development of the discipline, its range of perspectives and their applications to specific areas of crime and criminal justice, including comparisons with the experiences of other countries. The course: The key objective of the programme is to ensure that the students are able to use both qualitative and quantitative research techniques appropriately and effectively. The core of the programme allows for flexible study around a variety of disciplines, in the context of a clearly interdisciplinary approach. This three-year programme will enable students to acquire new knowledge and discover new ways of thinking about society and culture. Students undertake three years, following a set of core modules in applied social science together with criminology and psychological studies modules. Year one provides a foundation in the social sciences and serves as an introduction to years two and three. The programme commences in September. Eligibility: Applicants with a strong academic background and a clear commitment to subject will be considered for an offer based on the quality of their UCAS application. IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is also required. Fee: £12,420 Deadline: June 30 Check out: www.southampton.ac.uk/sociology/undergraduate/ courses/lc3v_bsc_applied_social_sciences_ criminology_and_psychological_studies.page?#modules Media course TV Today Media Institute is inviting applications for its PG programme in boadcast journalism for the academic session 2013-2014. The course will prepare students to learn and sharpen their skills in the areas of news reporting, writing, anchoring and production. Duration: One year Eligibility: A graduate degree in any discipline. Age should not exceed more than 30 years. Proficiency in Hindi and English language. Selection process: The institute follows a two-tier selection process. Candidates have to appear in an entrance test followed by personal interview. Entrance test: June 16, 2013 How to apply: Candidates can fill up the admission forms available in Noida office of the institute. Deadline: June 1, 2013
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smart strategy: dining etiquette Swati Rai
No surprises then that companies are investing more and more on their human resource development in terms of soft skills such as dining protocol. Devita Saraf, CEO, Vu Technologies shares, “As a CEO, I have to be mindful of the dining etiquette as it makes a lasting impression. However, it is important to keep your guard up and not make personal banter even if you are sharing a meal with a business associate or employee. I had once cancelled a major business deal because the other CEO was very rude to the waiter and this only amplified his petty character. I was fortunate to get training on dining etiquette at business school at the University of Southern California when I was a student. I would recommend any young associate to sign up for a class and learn the basics.” Follow the following handy dining etiquette thumb rules to never be caught off guard and always make the right impression: Culture curry Business success, in today’s inter-dependent and culturally diverse global village does depend on successfully maneuvering cultural differences. A clear comprehension of different cultures’ protocol and values can make or break a done deal. For any globe trotter travelling business class, it is imperative to negotiate the troughs and ridges of culture-specific dining etiquette. Not doing so may result in sullying the organisational reputation and also cause personal affront to the client. This may include seating arrangements or stipulations, nature of the menu, gender-specific roles, if any, and nature of utensils and cutlery. For instance in Germany it is good etiquette to remain standing until shown where to sit and not to begin eating until the host signals to do so. Whereas in Japan, the guest of honour sits at the centre of the table farthest from the door and begins eating first and the dining etiquette in Turkey meals is a social affair. Conversations are animated and lively. To maximise the potentialities of your business trip, before embarking upon it, it is wise to ascertain some facts about the dining etiquette of the country that you plan to visit for business purpose. Menu — Read between the lines There is a need for business associates travelling abroad to acquaint themselves with the courses that are served abroad along with the 500 plus terminology on the menu, to be able to make an informed choice so that one doesn’t fumble with or feel embarrassed. Warrick explains, “In my experience of teaching dining etiquette for years now, taking the metro crowd as a sample, I think Indians fare at a humble three in their knowledge of nuanced dining etiquette. Most of the vegetarian amongst us end up ordering potatoes and salad only. Not knowing the correct terminology for other vegetarian dishes like Florentine etc., adds to their trouble. No wonder then that there has been a 20-fold rise in the course on dining etiquette being subscribed to now from earlier.” “Resist the temptation to pass a judgment on food. If you are a vegetarian, and your friend or business associate has ordered a steak, refrain from turning up your nose or delving into the benefits of being vegetarian,” adds Saraf. Social etiquette The purpose of any business do is the conversation that takes place while sipping and eating. Negotiating complex cutlery and crockery is a part of the larger issue of appropriate dining etiquette. How to talk and most importantly what and how much to talk are important issues at the table too. Controversial topics involving politics, religion or gender are a strict no no at such times. Light hearted banter and frivolous chit chat is not the right conversational topic for business lunches and galas. Appropriate knowledge of offering a toast and accepting one is also a must have. Refusing alcohol with a firm but polite no is better than behaving in an unprofessional manner later. — The writer is an English language skills trainer
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Clearing pitch for objective interviewing
So it is no surprise that selections made by interviewers go wrong many times. This brings one to the question of why selections go wrong? There are basically three mistakes that are normally made while selecting candidates through interviews. First, they hire someone for what they know by interviewing, but later they shunt him/her out for what he/she turns out to be. Second, the companies backfire i. e. they hire quickly and shunt out slowly. The third mistake is that the companies select candidates on the basis of their previous experience, which according to studies, is no solid criteria for hiring competent candidates. Interviewing is like reading a candidate like a book. But it does not mean that an interviewer ought to be a mind reader. When the questions being asked are loaded, the answers surely reveal the behavioural traits of a candidate. There are no rights and wrongs for behavioural traits. These are just natural preferences which vary from person to person. They have nothing to do with one’s intelligence, education, knowledge, experience and personality. But they surely reveal how a candidate instinctively does a piece of work assigned to him/her. A successful interviewer’s first step is to read what drives the candidate to do his work. Is it ego, or some other ideal? Does he decide promptly or slowly? Does he like to work in a group or alone? How does he react with others, would indicate how would he adjust with his colleagues. The one who loves confrontation is better suited to be in police or defence services, but if he loves to accommodate he is suitable for working among colleagues in an office. The great American inventor, Thomas Alva Edison, had a unique but successful method of selecting people to work with him. After the initial question session if he found some candidate to be exceptionally bright, he would take him out for a dinner. After taking the first bite Edison would say, “I think the food needs more salt.” If the candidate added salt without even tasting the food, Edison would reject him. But if he tasted the food first and then added salt, he would get the job. Through this simple exercise Edison would judge whether the candidate had a mind of his own and was capable of taking independent decisions. Hiring a wrong person for the job can be a very costly affiar for an organisation even if such a person is paid very less amount. Owner of a San Diego-based company, would screen all the candidates and interview only two/three candidates whom he would take for dinner one by one. To know which one of them was quick to sort the important from the superfluous he would ask questions pertaining to the food being served to them. Ed Ryan, who is among the most remarkable names as far as successful interviews for hiring employees are concerned, provides an uncanny accuracy for making selections. Thousands of prestigious companies pay his Marketing Personnel Research (MPR) Inc., simply to help them screen the right candidates out of whom they could select the best in interviews that follow. Ryan has identified 25 behavioural traits to select the right person for the right work station. However, he had simplified these 25 traits clubbing them under four categories only as Motivation (what drives a person); Think (how does he gather information); Act (how he does his job); and Interact (whether he is confrontational or accommodating). Should the interviewer know everything about the job for which he is going to select a candidate? Certainly not! Ryan says, “here is the interesting part. When we examined top 10 sales people in the country, we found that 9 of them shared the same traits. And it is the same in every job.” Until now only a top performer could spot another top performer in the same category. Now with the readymade foolproof series of questions designed to measure a candidates behavioural traits, the business of interviewing has become anyone’s cup of tea. — The writer is a psychologist and a career expert
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Uninor best working place
International NGO Social Accountability (SAI) has conferred Indian telecom operator Uninor SA8000 certification for complying workplace standards based on International Labour Organisation and UN conventions.
“The SA8000 is the world’s first auditable social certification standard for decent workplaces. After an eight-month long process, that included an audit of Uninor’s compliance to labour laws, ability of its employees to form unions...Uninor has been certified to have the highest standards of work ethics in its organisation,” Uninor said in a statement. Companies seeking to comply with SA8000 have to adopt policies and procedures that protect human rights of workers which includes compliance to global standards on no child labour, forced and compulsory labour, health, safety, right to collective bargaining, no discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours and remunerations, etc.— PTI
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B-school grads in demand
A companion student exit survey, the 2013 Global Management Education Graduate Survey, shows that like last year, six in 10 business school graduates already had job offers in February or March. “Whether employers are aiming for more productivity or growth, the world’s graduate business schools are providing the talent for them. B-school graduates are finding that their education is providing a clear and valued competitive edge in the job market,” says Dave Wilson, president and CEO of GMAC, the worldwide association of business schools that administers the GMAT exam. The 2013 Corporate Recruiters Survey of more than 900 employers around the world found that 75 per cent of employers plan to hire MBAs, up from 71 per cent that hired MBAs in 2012. The proportion of employers planning to hire other types of business school graduates is up from last year for master in management, master of accounting, master of finance, as well as other specialised business master’s. Sectors in which more employers worldwide plan to hire MBAs this year than in 2012 include: energy/utilities (86 per cent); healthcare (89 per cent); and consulting (79 per cent). “These results positively answer many of the primary questions MBA candidates ask about the opportunities an MBA degree may present to them, by not only confirming the value of the MBA degree in today’s dynamic job market, but also clearly illustrating the industries in which it might currently best be leveraged. The results also serve as a valuable tool to MBA career services professionals assisting MBAs with critical career decision making,” said Mark Peterson, president of the MBA Career Services Council. The 2013 Global Management Education Graduate Survey of 5,331 graduating students attending 159 universities in 33 countries found that 60 per cent of those seeking jobs had at least one offer in February or March, comparable to the 62 per cent of class of 2012. Likelihood of landing a job offer varied substantially by many factors, including graduates’ preferred work location and whether they studied in their home country or not. Both surveys show a healthier job market for business school graduates from five years ago, when just 50 percent of corporate recruiters planned to hire MBAs and 43 percent of class of 2009 graduates surveyed had early job offers. “Job market success depends on a variety of factors, yet despite varying economic conditions, business school opens doors for its graduates to new job opportunities. Moreover, the b-school class experience is a microcosm for the challenges that graduates will face each day at work,” adds Wilson. — TNS
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PSUs lure management students
Sense of career stability is winning over faster growth prospects in private sector as more and more B-school graduates are prefering jobs in public sector undertakings (PSUs) and central government, says a survey by industry body Assocham.
A majority of students (about 88 per cent) are getting into PSUs and central government jobs, said a pan-India survey conducted by the Assocham in February and March this year. The survey, ‘PSUs or Central Government job seekers’, was conducted in cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Indore, Patna, Pune, Chandigarh and Dehradun. Aspirants from Delhi ranked first with job preference for PSUs and central government, followed by Mumbai, Ahemdabad, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai. A majority of students, who gave their views on the subject, revealed that their first choice would be to join organisations like ONGC, IOC, NTPC, HPCL, BPCL, SAIL, banks and firms in manufacturing sector that provide good growth prospects with maximum stability. The study revealed that a majority of students felt that in PSUs and central government agencies give assignments that are exciting and provide challenges. — PTI
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Happiness @ work
During his battle with Sher Shah near Chaunsa, Mughal Emperor Humayun army was routed and he was grievously injured. Made to run, Humayun plunged into the nearby stream. But unfortunately, his horse drowned. Seeing this, Nizam, a water-carrier, offered him his blown-up leather bag to use as a float and escape. To repay the debt, Humayun made Nizam sit on his throne for a day. On receiving the news that his father, Haidar Ali, had died and that a conspiracy had been hatched to deprive him the office of Dalwai, Tipu Sultan decided to become an ascetic. Minister Purnaiya assured Tipu, “Only a handful of men are against you. Millions are with you. We need your help in fighting the British.” Tipu acceded to his request, pardoned the conspirators and, at Chittoor, was declared Haidar’s successor. When Swami Ramanand got to know that little Kabir staunchly believed that the name of Rama was enough for spiritual success, he decided to make him his disciple. As Kabir had Muslim foster-parents, Hindus objected to Ramanand’s move. The seer said, “I teach those who want to be taught. Knowledge is not restricted by societal distinctions.” Scientist Jagadis Chandra Bose’s lectures had become very popular. At Mymensingh, the crowd was more than what the hall could accommodate. So the organisers thought of imposing an expensive ticket to reduce the numbers. But JC Bose said, “I will lecture twice — today in English and tomorrow in Bengali.” On meeting a man dying of thirst, Mughal Commander Amar Singh Rathor gave him all the water he had. The man, Narsha Baz Pathan, promised friendship and vowed to repay the kindness with his life. Later, Rathor rebelled against Emperor Shah Jahan and was killed treacherously by his own brother-in-law Arjan Singh. On Shah Jahan’s refusal to release the body for the last rites, Narsha Baz Pathan too rebelled against the Emperor and made the supreme sacrifice for his friend. After battles with Amar Singh’s younger brother Bhullu Singh, nephew Ram Singh and Narsha’s son Nabi Rasool, Shah Jahan admitted defeat, released the body and sought forgiveness from Amar Singh’s wife. Freedom fighter Surjya Sen was expelled — without a transfer certificate — from Chittagong College for “cheating” in the examination. Normally, this would have meant the end of his education, but as he wanted to continue it, he approached the Principal of Krishnath College in Behrampore and told him the whole story. The Principal said, “I am impressed with your honesty. Our college needs more students like you.” There is more to life than eating and sleeping. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Fortnightly quiz 439
2. Name the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). 3. Which state is represented by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha? 4. Who recently became the first Pakistani woman to scale Mount Everest? 5. Which six hill forts in Rajasthan, built between the 13th and 19th centuries, have been chosen for the coveted World Heritage Site status? 6. What is the full form of SASE? 7. Which cyclone recently hit parts of Bangladesh? 8. What was the score of New Zealand against England in the second innings at the Lord's Test recently? 9. With which sport is Fernando Alonso associated? 10. Name the Manchester United's longest-serving and most-decorated football manager who retired after 26 years recently. —Tarun Sharma Winners of quiz 438: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Muskaan; Class-IX Orchid; Convent of Jesus and Mary, Chelsea, Navbahar, Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), Pin Code - 171002 Second: Rahul Kaushik; Class VII; MASD Public School; Nizampur Road, Narnaul (Haryana); Pin Code - 123001 Third: Manassvi Sharma; Class VIth 'A'; Dayanand Public School; Shimla (Himachal Pradesh); Pin Code - 171 003 Answers to quiz 438: 100; King Willem-Alexander; 'Mars One'; Mumbai; hamshad Begum; Galapagos; Lahore; PV Sindhu; Rafael Nadal; Chris Gayle 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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Our day starts with the buzz of the alarm clock, swish of the toothbrush, click of a camera — the common thread among all these is plastic. We are all surrounded by plastics in some way or the other. Owing to its morphological genesis to the word ‘Plastikos’, which means ‘something that can be moulded in any shape of size’, today plastic has become a necessity to fulfil our daily needs and requirements.
CIPET, Amritsar
Canada offers great quality education, often at a lower cost as compared to USA and the UK. The country offers flexible work-study options and at the end of the programme provides ample opportunities to work and gain professional experience.
Q. I am pursuing CA. As per the new rules I can’t enrol in any other regular course. 
Polonsky Foundation is funding grants for international students at Lincoln College, University of Oxford in UK. Applicants must hold a place, or an offer of a place, at Lincoln College before applying. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by July 1st of the year of application. Grants will be awarded to successful students on the basis of financial assistance, academic merit..
have a high level of academic/professional achievement;
demonstrate proficiency in English language to undertake the proposed project/programme and adjust to life in the US. The applicant may be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL);
be present in India at the time of submitting the application and interview, if required.
have done adequate research in the relevant field, especially in the identification of resources in India and the US. They should be registered for their PhDs at an Indian institution at least one year prior to the date of application and should enclose a certificate from their Ph.D. supervisor commenting on their research work and the usefulness of the fellowship, and indicating the Ph.D. registration date;
should enclose a 'writing sample' which could be a copy of an article or paper published/presented or extracts from the MPhil. thesis.
Canada offers great quality education, often at a lower cost as compared to USA and the UK. The country offers flexible work-study options and at the end of the programme provides ample opportunities to work and gain professional experience. On top of that it offers a great quality of life, it is a very safe country and has relatively easy work-permit visa rules if you wish to stay on after completing your course. For these reasons, Canada is increasingly becoming the preferred choice for students (and parents!).
3M National Student Fellowship
Student Guard International Entrance Scholarship for Undergraduate Students
In an age when everything is available at the click of a mouse, why should marketing and shopping be any different? Want to find out about a new model of a mobile or a car, a company or an individual, or learn about schemes under which you can buy a product and even have it delivered at your doorstop — just check the internet.
A career in this field covers the basics of traditional marketing and marketing in a new Internet environment. Digital marketers understand the needs of customers, their use of websites and search engines and develop and optimise online marketing initiatives to drive customer acquisition. This involves specialised fields like search engine optimisation (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), website designing, internet marketing consulting, e-commerce solutions, online marketing, email marketing and digital marketing copywriting. 
Picasso Animation College, New Delhi, invites applications for three-year BSc with specialisation in Digital Film Making and Visual Effects and two-year MSc in multimedia courses for the 2013 session. The institue has technical collaboration with Centennial College, Canada. technical relationship with Centennial College
In the current corporate culture where when one is either a guest or a host to an overseas or domestic client, dining etiquette has come to gain an increasing significance. Pria Warrick President, Pria Warrick Finishing School, Delhi says, “Almost 99 per cent of business deals are struck over a business lunch or dinner table. Therefore, appropriate dining etiquette has gained even more importance in corporate up skiling.”
If you don’t get a job even after facing many interviews, it may not necessarily mean that you are not fit for a good job. The interviews you had faced were certainly not the final assessment of your abilities. The way your interviewer reacted to you plays a very important part in you getting the offer letter. Research has shown that the two interviewers with similar qualifications, background and experience come up with different ratings for the same candidate, and these rating may vary very significantly. It has been proved that while one interviewer had rated a candidate at No. 1, the other one had rated the same candidate at No. 25.
The job market continues to improve for graduate business school degree holders, as more employers plan to hire MBAs and specialised business master’s talent than last year, according to the 2013 Corporate Recruiters Survey. The survey was conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council and the European Foundation for Management Development and the MBA Career Services Council.
In a world where vice abounds, virtue — at most times — finds itself on thin ice. So, whenever you can, lend goodness a helping hand.
1. Which party, led by Nawaz Sharif, emerged as the single largest entity in Pakistan's recent landmark general elections?
