Treading the tech turf
How technical are DU’s new tech courses?
Usha Albuquerque

Imagine doing a BTech course from a university college and not from an engineering institute! It surely is good news and what appears to be an even better news is that the admission for such courses is based on your Class XII marks and not on the nerve-racking engineering entrance tests. These are just some of the many changes afoot at Delhi University. Under the newly introduced Four Year Undergraduate Programmes, you can not only take up the regular science, commerce and humanities subjects for graduation, but also choose from a list of technical courses in applied scientific fields.

There are now BTech equivalent courses in science to attract science students. The university has converted applied science courses like electronics, computer science, polymer science etc. into BTech courses under the FYUP.

So now science students need not go to an IIT or slog through the rigorous and competitive engineering entrance exams, they can apply for Delhi University’s four-year BTech in some specialised science courses such as food technology, computer science, electronics and instrumentation and polymer science which were, till now, offered as BSc (honours) courses.

Tech angle to humanities

The eligibility criteria in regular engineering colleges comes with the requirement of a science background in Plus II. With the DU course, however, even a humanities student can pursue a BTech degree.

Students opting for a psychology course at DU have been in for a bit of a shock as well. The course of study for BA psychology is now a technical course with the nomenclature of a BTech in Psychological Science. Until this year, DU was offering two courses in psychology — honours in psychology and honours in applied psychology — the first being more theoretical than the second, which was geared for those looking at practical applications of psychology in the work place.

All this has now changed. While admission to the psychological sciences honours course continues to be based on merit and is open to students, from arts, commerce and science streams, the content of the new course is an attempt to combine theoretical and applied psychology, alongwith practical learning exercises, internships and presentations.

The concept

Broadly, the new BTech under-graduate programmes have been designed to provide necessary theoretical background and practical experience and prepare the students to carry out application development in almost every field of their specialisation as well as in inter-disciplinary areas. For example the BTech Computer Science course includes 18 main papers on all aspects of computer science and engineering and two research and project-oriented papers to develop the research skills of the students.

They will also have to carry out a major project to apply the knowledge gained. Accordingly, the student who wishes to exit after two years, will be equipped with sufficient knowledge to get an entry ---level job in IT — like jobs of data entry operators, laboratory attendant etc.

On exit after three years, the student will be having sufficient theoretical knowledge and practical experience in computer science and will be fit for mid-level industrial jobs in IT field, like programmer, computer maintenance and system administrators. On exit after four years, a student will become a professional in IT and will become fit for all types of jobs in IT field like software developer, analyst, manager and researcher. Other BTech programmes will follow a similar path.

Increased employability

Similarly, with the inclusion of more field work, the BTech in psychological science is expected to increase job opportunities for students. The courses will have 20 papers of discipline 1, i.e. psychology; six papers of discipline 2, which can be any additional subject, in addition to 11 compulsory papers of the foundation course, five papers of the applied course (skill-based) and one paper on integrating mind, body and heart which focuses on holistic development of students. According to the university, the new syllabus and teaching methodology is aimed at creating interest and developing an understanding of basic concepts of psychology, while also enabling students to gain better job-oriented skills and improving their employability. The Application Course (AC) will include several months of field work/ internships so as to provide hands on training for developing psychological skills and their applications, through means of lectures, group discussions, experiential exercises, group projects, presentations, workshops and seminars.

Cause for concern

These sudden changes have caused a bit of consternation among students, parents and many of the teachers teaching the courses at DU. It is being felt that the changes have been brought in without planning for the required additional physical infrastructure or faculty for teaching students for four years rather than three, or even filling up the existing glaring gaps in the system.

There is also little clarity on the equivalence of the new courses with their counterparts in other institutions.

Students are asking — after a 4-year BTech Computer Science or Polymer Science will I get admission into an MTech Computer Science or M Tech Polymer science course?

Can a student who has not studied science in school, be called a computer engineer ?

Such a move has certainly helped to increase the popularity of science courses in DU, but it is difficult to ascertain the exact parity of these BTech courses. With the courses unlikely to meet the approval of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) currently required for all technical courses, parents and students are anxious to know and questions are being asked whether these will be considered on par with the regular engineering degree programmes.

Current rumblings in the press and discussion with engineering faculty members indicate that some top engineering institutes such as the IITs are also reluctant at present to wave the flag for such courses. But the university hopes that as the courses roll on the programme structure will be refined and such doubts will be dispelled.

So also for the psychology courses, which for all intents and purposes, is an extension of the BA psychology with applied courses and field work. So to questions such as — after a B Tech Psychological science can I do MA psychology — the answer is yes. Will it be a one-year or two-year course? So far other universities that follow the three-year degree will continue to have a two-year MA programme, but it is believed that Delhi University’s MA programme will now be reduced to one year.

While there has been a lot of controversy around the new programmes, there is a lot to look forward to in initiatives being offered at Delhi University, which it is hoped will bring about a new vigor in the learning systems and help students grow, think and contribute more successfully in the real world of work.

The Meta move

Another innovative academic exercise introduced at DU is the unconventional Meta College concept offered by the Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC). Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC), a flagship centre of the university was started in September 2011 with the aim of interlinking academia, society and industry.

CIC presents students with an opportunity to design their own degree course and they are free to choose papers they would like to study. During the four years they can try out a variety of courses before specialising in one of them for their future professional career.

In these courses a student is guided by a mentor and can choose from a variety of courses offered in various colleges, in all his semesters except for the first and the last. A student will also be required to take some compulsory courses in the 1st and the 8th semesters such as Mathematical Awareness, Art of Communication, Innovation Management, Social Enquiry and Legal Literacy.

Currently the CIC offers two courses: BTech in Humanities, and BTech/BS in Innovation with Mathematics and IT.

In the B.Tech Innovation with Mathematics and Information Technology course students get a chance to acquire in-depth knowledge of maths and IT along with disciplines like genetics, molecular biology, management, economics, electronics etc. BTech Humanities is divided into five streams — Journalism, Education, Historical Tourism, Art & Design, and Counseling. Each semester consists of Interactive Learning Modules and activity Modules.

The application process for BTech/BS in Innovation with Mathematics and IT is only open to students who have enrolled themselves in any of the regular courses offered by DU.

For B Tech in Humanities students who have taken admission in DU, School of Open Learning and Non-Collegiate Women’s Education Board are eligible to apply. There are 40 seats available in each course and admission is based on an entrance test (75 per cent weightage) and an interview (25 per cent weightage).

The CIC programme has already been underway for a year with interesting results. Students exposed to a variety of subjects have taken up research projects interlinking with industry, academia and the social sector enabling them to relate themselves to the real world in all spheres and look for innovative solutions for the problems. It is hoped that such courses will provide a platform for students to promote innovations, and act as an incubating body managing the growth of innovative applications that can be marketed successfully.

Course and content

There is no significant difference between the previous BSc Applied Science courses and the new BTech syllabus, DU teachers working on the new curricula say that the BTech programmes will be more rigorous with better industry interface.

In order to make these programmes comprehensive and to add value to them, the syllabus has been changed to include more technical papers. The four years have been divided into eight semesters, where students will have an option of leaving after two years (with a diploma), after three years (with a bachelor’s), or after four years (with a BTech).

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

Career Hotline
Eligibility for NET
Pervin Malhotra

Q.I have some queries related to the NET exam. Please help me in this regard. Can I take the UGC NET exam only after certain postgraduation courses or any PG degree? I am seeking to do an MBA from a college like the IIMs, SPJIMR etc but these are not listed as members of the 'Association of Indian Universities'. — vinodini pari'

A.Anyone looking at pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma in Management, should in their own interest, ascertain the equivalence of their course(s) with MBA degree from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi (www.aiuweb.org) Also, click on the following link:

www.aiuweb.org/evaluation/list%20of%20Institute%20of%20PGDM%20 with%20address%2015.12.2012.pdf

UGC is not concerned with either checking or barring students from appearing in NET.

The problem arises when you apply for PhD and for job.

Only if the AIU says the PGDBA is equiv to MBA, can you go for a PhD.

By the way, the CAT notification is out. This year the test will be conducted by IIM Indore, and the good news is that 115 more seats have been added across 13 IIMs to (Total: 3,335). And the best part is that the IIMs now give extra points to women candidates to encourage wider participation.

Not that this makes the admission process any less competitive. This year, the registration is expected to increase by 10 per cent or so over last year’s figure of 2,14,068. Incidentally, 84 non-IIMs also officially accept CAT scores.

However, the IIMs have a Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) which is equivalent to PhD. (Admission is on the basis of CAT).

How can I crack psychometric tests?

Q.Please tell us about the psychometric test in various competitive exams for engineers? What kind of preparation is needed for these? — Vivek, Mandeep, Samar

A.Psychometric testing usually falls into three categories: ability testing, aptitude testing, and personality assessment.

Ability tests such as the General Ability Test (GAT) usually comprise four tests of specific ability: numerical ability; verbal ability; non-verbal ability and spatial ability.

Aptitude tests tend to be job-related while personality tests try to identify the person’s enduring characteristics which impact interpersonal behaviour. When it comes to selecting engineering graduates in PSUs, the psychometric test, group discussion and interview are held only for those candidates who have qualified the selection test which tests your subject knowledge and executive aptitude. Increasingly GATE scores are used by PSUs for shortlisting candidates. Psychometric tests only require you to give an objective response to help the recruiter identify your personality traits that are relevant to the organisation.

You’re not expected to prepare any model answers for such tests.

What is the right route to join judicial services?

Q.I did my LLB three years ago from Faridkot, but could not practice as I got married soon after. I now wish to join the Judicial Services. Could you please tell me about the entry procedure? — Charanjeet kaur

A.While all government departments recruit officers on the basis of an all-India competitive exam conducted by the UPSC, the judiciary is unique in the sense that it doesn’t have an all-India selection process (yet).

Each state recruits law graduates with some work experience (although some waive off this requirement) to serve as Magistrates in the lower courts and as law officers or legal advisors for various state bodies including municipalities. The age limit varies and of course the usual quota of seats is reserved for SC/ST/OBC candidates.

Selection is done through a competitive written exam conducted by the respective State Subordinate Selection Board. The exam consists of several papers but again there’s no uniformity as different states follow different criteria. However, they usually have two languages in addition to the law papers.

The High Court of Punjab & Haryana conducts the exam in two stages:

Punjab Civil Service (Judicial Branch) Preliminary Exam (the last exam was conducted in June 2013).

Those who qualify in Preliminary Exam are eligible to appear for the:

Punjab Civil Service (Judicial Board) Main Written Exam.

Successful candidates are inducted as a Gazetted Officer at a pay scale on par with other government jobs.

In a country still obsessed with government jobs and the innumerable salaams that will fuel your sense of ‘power’, you’ll be entitled to sarkari perks like government accommodation, telephone etc. The job prospects are excellent as this is a well-recognised and respected field. As you move up the ladder, you will be required to take judicial decisions on high-profile cases of national significance.

Bright candidates with a good grasp of the subject also opt for joining the Sessions Court.

In view of the lakhs of cases pending justice in various courts, an apex court committee has set a target of recruiting over 18,000 judges in the next five years taking the combined strength of the judiciary to 37,000. And now for the bad news: Judicial Services exams are not always held with any discernible regularity; only as and when the vacancies arise.

However, the government is now keen to bring about uniformity in the selection process by introducing an All India Judicial Service (AIJS) on the lines of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS) etc.

(You can watch a discussion on Careers in Law with an eminent former Judge of the Haryana High Court in Career Café on Lok Sabha TV at 11 am this Friday). 

Pervin Malhotra email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com

Scholarship roundup

Netherlands Fellowship

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the budget for development cooperation is offering Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) for developing countries applicants. The fellowship is available for master’s, PhD and short courses. The Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) promotes capacity building within organisations in 50 countries by providing training and education through fellowships for professionals.

Study subject(s): Fellowship is provided any one course offered by Dutch institution(applicant should be employed in a subject area to which the study will make a relevant contribution)

Eligibility: A candidate applying for an NFP fellowship must:

• Be a professional with at least three years work experience
• Be a national of, and working and living in one of the countries on the NFP country list valid at the time of application.
• Be nominated by his or her employer, who pledges to continue paying the candidate’s salary and guarantees the candidate will be able to return to an equivalent position after the termination of the fellowship period;
• Have been unconditionally admitted to a Dutch institution for the course or programme for which the candidate applies for an NFP fellowship. This means that the candidate must have met all the academic and administrative requirements set by the Dutch institution.

Check out: www.msmt.cz/mezinarodni-vztahy/stipendia-vlady-ceske-republiky-rozvojove-zeme-1

Cool Counsel 
Nurture positivity
D.S. Cheema

Right perspective, to a large extent, is a measure of your success in any field of activity. Perspective literally means a particular way of seeing things and understanding their relative importance.

People develop a certain perspective and hence attitude over a period of time due to many factors, essentially related with personality and the operating environment of an individual.

In almost all matters, the way we look at things and allot priority, influences our lives in many ways. In fact, everything in our lives is a matter of perspective; every situation, even seemingly the worst and the best can be seen in positive and negative light. It all depends on us how we see things and what we make of our lives.

Many people wear their negative attitude on their sleeves. They are Perpetually Unhappy Persons (PUPs) and will do anything to find something wrong to be able to crib and complain even in the best possible situation.

They get so used to feeling miserable that they are uncomfortable with positive and good things of life. Many people are in the habit of cribbing and complaining about some thing or the other. They just crib, moan, groan and complain. This comes from their habit of looking at only the dark side of everything. They must crib, even when God has been kind and given them more than what they deserve.

Avoid comparisons

Most of the problems of the world stem from the fact that human beings compare themselves with each other. And while doing so rate themselves much higher and others much less than the actual position. In such a situation when you compare yourself with others, you get the feeling that you deserved more and the person you compare yourself with has been unfairly rewarded. As long as the comparison is to understand the strengths and weakness of others for initiating self-management, it is not harmful.

However, the moment it becomes an obsession to move ahead of the compared entity, it becomes a disease and starts consuming the one making comparison.

Honest self-analysis

Then there are others who are so far removed from reality that they refuse to see any behaviour-related problem with themselves even when many exist. They are happy with their self-sufficiency and ignorance of what they don’t know. They have their own rules of living and are indifferent to anything happening in the world. Between these two extremes lies the balanced perspective.

Some people with positive perspective are good at understanding what is wrong with a particular situation and whom to tell about it so that corrective action for the better can be taken, rather than just complaining. If you are looking for things to complain about, whether it is in your own life or in the outside world, you will find any number of them.

The point is, are you looking for any improvement or you want to fix the blame on someone else for anything going wrong with you or the world. If you are an ‘effective complainer’, and you want to make sure that your complain results in some improvement, then you are contributing even while complaining. If you are complaining only for the sake of complaining, then you are creating more problems and helping no one. 

How to become a perpetually positive person

Every individual should try and open an Emotional Bank Account (EBA) with some people in society. EBA essentially operates just like any other bank account. You deposit goodwill and positive emotions with someone for whom you do some good. As you keep doing good and positive things, the amount in your account keeps adding up. The more the deposits in this account, the higher the return of positive emotions and goodwill. And when you need it, you can always draw the required support from the hefty balance in your account.

One should not do good to others only for awards, how ever, if you need to withdraw something to tide over a difficulty, you should be assured that EBA will not let you down. EBA is operated exactly like the traditional bank account, you cannot withdraw more than what is available in the balance.

Everyone in the right frame of mind will like to do some good and make a positive difference in the lives of others who are within one’s area of influence, if not others. You should make a beginning even if you feel that you are late. There is never the wrong time to do anything positive and good.

Start now. Perhaps, you cannot change the world but even by changing yourself you would have made a contribution and positive difference to the world. Start with yourself by bringing about a change in how you look at the world; become a Perpetually Positive Person (PPP)

Two routes to the world of computers
Gauri Chhabra

Two roads diverged in a wood…

These immortal verses of Robert Frost resonate in our minds when we think of career options that look similar but diverge after a certain point causing a dilemma.

One such dilemma comes between choosing BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications) or B.Sc (IT). Both courses catering to the job opportunities in the information Technology sector, there are subtle differences between the two.

Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)

BCA (Bachelor of Computer Application) is a three year undergraduate programme for the students who want to carve a niche for themselves in the field of computer science. This programme consists of six semesters each with duration of six months. In the sixth semester you need to go in for an Industrial Training in an organization for four to six weeks.

As far as the content is concerned, you would be studying various areas of computer science, programming, database design, software engineering, networks and information systems. The linear path it prepares you for is pursuing a postgraduate research degree or employment in any variety of roles in organisations that require expert professionals, who can apply computer science principles to lift businesses, streamline their processes and use technology to solve their real-life problems.

BCA has a professional focus as far as content and pedagogy is concerned. The admission to most colleges is based on an entrance test, the eligibility for most is 50 per cent or above in Class XII with mathematics as a compulsory subject.

In case you take up information practices as an option in your Class XII, it would be an added advantage. You can go for an MCA or you can directly apply for an MTech, after you complete your BCA. For MTech, you will have to clear the GATE.

BSc in information technology (BSc IT)

BSc IT is a different course altogether. It is also a three-year undergraduate course having computer science as background for those who want to specialize in information system and management. The main aim is to prepare students who have good knowledge of theory of core subjects like operating system, data base, data structure.

It is an academic discipline. You need to have physics, chemistry and mathematics at the Class XII level for being eligible for this programme. At the under-graduation level, chemistry is replaced by computer science. You can pursue courses like MSc or MCA. You can even pursue an MTech, after you complete your MSc, if the MSc degree is recognised by UGC or AIU. For MTech you can appear for the GATE examination conducted by the IITs or check individual universities which conduct their own entrance exam.

Forking Career Options

BCA offers you a roadmap that again has inroads. Students involved in BCA are provided with such academic base that leads them to advanced career in computer applications. To land in a good job, you need to pursue MCA/MTech. You may take the job of a software developer. Depending upon the programming languages you are comfortable with, you can be a Java developer, dot net developer, or a PHP developer. For those who are interested in quality assurance, you can follow the route of a quality analyst. Those who are interested in interactions with clients and can think from the end user's perspective can carve a niche for themselves as BA (Business Analysts) and later on graduate to Project Managers.

BSc IT has a different focus altogether. It focuses less on programming languages and more on the mathematical and theoretical foundations of computing. The linear path after this programme is a post-graduation, i.e MCA, MSc IT or an MBA. Depending upon your choice of Postgraduation subject you can choose your career. In case you go in for MSc mathematics or physics, you can go in for research or teaching line. Or if you go in for MSc IT, you can take up software development as a career option.

Which course is better?

Dainish Hingwe, Executive Director, Technossus Software Services says, "BCA and BSc. IT, both are technical courses that can provide better job opportunities in the field of Computer application or Information technology.

If you want to make a career in software development BCA is a better option. In case you want to broad base yourself in physics and mathematics, too, then BSc IT is best. It is also good for the students who want to make a career in management, teaching or database field. Most of the BSc IT students prefer to go for Postgraduate Management Degree MBA and use IT knowledge as additional skill set in the management field".

— The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant

Some Certifications to enhance employability

Project Management Professional (PMP)

The Project Management Institute's (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) credential is recognised as the most important certification for project managers and would increase your employability. The certification demonstrates that you have not only the experience but also the education to successfully lead and direct projects. The PMP credential is for experienced project management professionals, as the qualifications and testing for this certification are rigorous, as are the required continuing education requirements. All of these factors ensure that the PMP credential is widely respected. The PMP experience and exam requirements focus on five process groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling, and Closing.

MCP

Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) is a professional certification given by Microsoft. Individual certificates are awarded during the passage of one or more tests. The MCP programme itself is designed for IT professionals and developers. These series of techniques for MC (Microsoft Certified) code contains a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), Microsoft Certified Master (MCM), Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA), Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS). You need to recertify yourself almost every three years in order to stay current.

MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solution Developer)

Information Technology is a dynamic field. In case you wish to remain current and improve enhance your employability, you can go in for Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) credential that is the highest level of certification programme offered by Microsoft. It focuses on the ability to design and build application solutions that may include integrating multiple technologies and may span multiple versions of a single technology. To meet certification requirements, a person must pass three tracks - MCSD Windows Store Apps, MCSD Web App, MCSD Application Life Cycle Management. However, in order to stay current, you need to do a recertification after every two years.

MCITP (Data Base Administrator)

The MCITP certification validates that you are capable of deploying, building, designing, optimising, and operating technologies for a particular job role. MCITP certifications builds on the technical proficiency measured in the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certifications. In order to earn the MCITP: Database Administrator you must first pass the Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist certification in SQL Server 2008. You will have knowledge of SQL Server instances and database solutions, database server security solutions, high availability databases, backup and recovery solutions, monitoring strategies, database management and maintenance strategies, and data distribution strategies.

Earning a certification will enhance your employability; however, it does not guarantee that you will walk into a higher paying job. Certification counts, but employers look at several factors, including experience.

Therefore, for whether you take the first road or the second, team it up with certifications and experience to step up to success

Hope on a cloud
Anuradha Sareen

Cloud computing is a big buzz nowadays. It is basically a practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server.

Cloud computing has become a tech that affects everyone’s daily lives. Our personal files are stored in cloud. Lots of applications that run on smart phones, tablets run via the Cloud

Companies all over the world are utilising the cloud for their business allowing users to access their technology anytime, anywhere. Many people are on go all the time and need access to certain product, information, report or presentation cloud computing is necessary. Gone are the days when the manager of a company had to carry all the information in a hard disk, USB drive. Now he/she needs to save files only on a network off of their computer, on a separate server like DropBox and will have access to the information anywhere anytime with the help of an internet connection. Cloud computing has helped the companies to reduce the cost of IT and support by providing both hardware and software applications remotely.

With every new hire or evaluation of new software the companies now don’t have to add the cost of purchasing the fastest of computes with memory space, and software with license. The network of computers that make up cloud handles them instead. All you need is a computer that is able to run cloud computing interface which is as simple as a web browser and cloud computing takes care of the rest.

Cloud computing offers the possibility of being able to seamlessly change the IT without having the hassles of an expensive set up.

A number of courses at the undergraduate level in this field are available to students in India and abroad. Master’s courses in cloud computing are also offered by many universities in the UK and Ireland. These courses equip students with the skills and knowledge to design, build and extend the internet infrastructure and to design a variety of distributed applications. Students also study different types of cloud and various cloud layers, including software-as-a service, platform as a service, infrastructure as a service.

Job opportunities

A research conducted by IDC (sponsored by Microsoft) recently stated that cloud computing will potentially generate at least 14 million new jobs across the globe within the next three years. This will lead to skill shortage as the available workforce is not even half of it. A majority of these jobs will be found in emerging markets like India, China etc.

Most of the jobs will be created as a direct result of cloud — IT developers, integration specialist and so on And there will be many jobs due to cloud creations for instance TechNet issued a report that estimated that the App Economy has already created 4,66,000 jobs in USA alone.

— The writer is Associate Country Manager at The Chopras

Course cruising

International College of Financial Planning (ICoFP), New Delhi is inviting applications for admission to MBA in Financial Planning and MBA in Financial Analysis courses. The courses are of two-year duration.

The course: Financial Planning is the key to a successful career in banking, insurance and financial services. The need for professional advise has assumed great importance and adequately trained and qualified financial planning professionals are required by financial services companies, banks etc.

The financial planning programme aims at equipping the students with requisite skills in the domain of financial planning for individuals. The MBA in Financial Analysis is a programme which enables you to work as an educated and trained professional in the world of capital markets with all the relevant theoretical and practical knowledge.

Eligibility: The candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification with minimum of 45 per cent marks.

Candidates who have appeared for their final year exams can also apply subject to furnishing a proof of graduation by September 15.

How to appliy: ICoFP Prospectus and Application Form and can be acquired by onetime payment of Rs 1000 for one programme.

On-line application can be submitted through http://www.icofp.org/html/main/icfpPGDSATPayment2.php

Admission test: Candidates are required to appear for IET conducted by the International College of Financial Planning. The candidate has to undergo a rigorous selection procedure comprising of written test, group discussion & personal interview. All candidates who have appeared for CAT/ MAT can also apply to ICoFP with their score.

Deadline: August 30, 2013

Check out: www.icofp.org

Applied psychology

Indian Institute of Psychology, Noida, (Approved by Mewar University) is inviting application for BA (Hons) in Applied Psychology.

Eligibility: Plus II in any discipline from any recognised board.

How to apply: The prospectus and applications can be obtained online from the institute website.

Deadline: September 1, 2013

Check out: www.iip.ac.in

BSc in Fashion and Apparel Design.

The JD Institute of Fashion Technology is inviting applications for BSc in Fashion and Apparel Design.

The course: An undergraduate programme that allows students from diverse backgrounds to gain basic concepts and knowledge in core subjects related to the fashion industry, textile industry and fashion communication. The course emphasises on intensive theoretical and applied training in core areas of fashion design, textile processing, visual merchandising, fashion analysis, and fashion business management. It trains students in advanced, comprehensive practical skills and techniques employed for specialised applications in apparel production management as applicable to both, export and the growing domestic sectors.

Eligibility: Applicant should secure minimum 45 per cent in Plus II from a recognised school/ institution in any discipline.

How to apply: Application forms can also be downloaded from www.jdinstitute.com

Selection procedure: Entrance test

Deadline: August 10, 2013.

Check out: www.jdinstitute.com

Time to plug talent leak
Preetinder Kaur

Employee retention is important for any business, but some do seem to continually get it wrong. Even big name, household brands — that have no trouble in attracting talent — fail to have a successful talent management strategy in place. Here are some reasons why large companies could fail to keep hold of their best people:

Not listening to the individual

In big organisations, it can be easy to treat employees as a unit rather than as individuals. HR resource can often be stretched and some employees will get very little ‘face’ time with HR staff or even their own line manager. Day-to-day business can tick along under the guise that all employees are blissfully happy — when actually there are frustrations bubbling underneath. Making time for one-on-one feedback with employees and listening to/acting on individuals’ suggestions and concerns is very important for employee satisfaction.

Freedom from red tape

Bureaucracy in large corporations can be a common reason for employees looking to move on. Most executive level employees will understand the reasoning behind supposed ‘red tape’ but they may feel disgruntled if they’ve had no say in particular decisions, processes or rules. It’s important to get the ‘buy-in’ of your top talent before establishing important protocols.

No motivation for talent

Big companies have many moving parts — by definition. Therefore, they usually don’t have people going around to their best and brightest asking them if they’re enjoying their current projects or if they want to work on something new that they’re really interested in which would help the company. HR people are usually too busy keeping up with other things to get into this. The bosses are also usually tapped out on time and this becomes a “nice to have” rather than a “must have” conversation.

However, unless you see it as a “must have”, say adios to some of your best people. Top talent isn’t driven by money and power, but by the opportunity to be a part of something huge, that will change the world, and for which they are really passionate. Big companies usually never spend the time to figure this out with those people.

Failure to spot conflict

Conflict can sometimes go unnoticed and unaddressed in large corporations, simply because nobody realises it’s occurring. This could be conflict between colleagues, or an unsuccessful and unproductive relationship between a line manager and a team member.

Conflict or an unsavoury atmosphere soon begins to chip morale and motivation. A regular ‘health-check’ of the workforce is a good way to keep an eye out for any problem hotspots and deal with them promptly. Facilitating anonymous feedback/satisfaction surveys from all staff could be a helpful temperature check.

No growth opportunities

Large firms can often mistakenly assume that a strong salary and benefits package is enough to engage their best talent. Of course, monetary reward is important, but it’s not the only type of reward sought. Most employees will want to know if there’s genuine opportunity for career progression and ongoing development in their role. Failure to provide a clear career path with the company can soon lead to disengagement.

Poor communication

This sounds like an obvious point, but it’s so easily neglected. Employees want to feel excited and passionate about the business they work for and need to see a clear vision on the horizon. If an organisation fails to promote the brand internally and fails to successfully communicate the goals of the business as a whole, employees can soon lack direction and drive. If there’s a lack of vision, people may look for inspiration in a different place.

No discussion

Here’s a secret for most bosses: most employees don’t know what they’ll be doing in five years. In our experience, less than 5 per cent of people could tell you if you asked. However, everyone wants to have a discussion about their future.

Most bosses never engage with their employees about where they want to go in their careers — even the top talent. This represents a huge opportunity for you and your organisation if you do bring it up.

Ineffective leadership

There needs to be a robust leadership in place at almost every level. A lack of strong, consistent management is the most obvious reason for an employee exodus. As outlined above, encouraging open, honest feedback is a good way to highlight any pockets of dissatisfaction within the company as a whole, which may point towards poor management in a certain area. Organisations must ensure that their employees are equipped with good leadership, inclusivity and communication skills that may involve additional, ongoing training.

work station
Take it easy
Khushwant S. Gill

There’s a company in Connecticut, USA, called Yarde Metals which has dedicated ‘nap rooms’ at all it’s locations where employees go to take short naps and refresh themselves. This is not a new experimental policy, but has been in effect for 17 years now. The results are obviously positive, as the company is thriving and growing. In fact, more and more companies are following this ‘nap’ trend now, even big-names like Google.

So that’s some good news for some of us closet slackers: taking it easy at work is good for us and our companies! There’s no need to feel guilty anymore.

Taking office breaks, zoning out, meal and tea breaks and mini siestas (with eyes open, till you get an official nap room) are all great for your overall efficiency.

The modern office paradigm focuses on hard-driving, non-stop efficiency from 9 to 5. Productivity is of utmost importance and an employee has to ceaselessly deliver the goods. That’s all well and good, but the reality of the situation is that humans, like machines, need down-time too. Researchers have found that people can work at an elevated level of efficiency for a maximum of up to two hours before they need some rest. This R&R can come in the form of physical rest, social interaction, a snack break, a walk, some silent “own-time” — anything that breaks the monotony of repetitive tasks. A NASA study has even found that short naps are as beneficial for many memory-related tasks as is a full night’s sleep.

Repetitive tasks, the bane of a workstation-computer oriented lifestyle, cause the major problems. For one thing, they force the body to make repetitive actions, like typing, which in turn places tremendous stress on a few muscles and tendons. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, neck and back pain, vision problems and headaches are the result.

That's the physical part. Psychologically, constant work leads to that big 'S' word - stress. The brain needs change and novelty to relax and refresh itself, otherwise it starts to break down. Whichever way you look at it, you have to punctuate your workday with short breaks if you want to operate at the highest efficiency levels.

So, hear yee all managers, HR personnel and work-efficiency experts. Encourage your employees to hang out near the water cooler, go for short walks, take a tea break and not have their meals at their desks. The output of a person should matter and not the fact that she or he likes to kick back and solve the Sudoku puzzle at 11:30am everyday, or goes for a 10-minute walk around the building at 3pm.

Humans are not ants. We’re not programmed for constant labour. Our finest human qualities stem from creativity, and to nurture this, employer flexibility at the workplace is essential. But the key question here is how flexible can an employer be in an Indian setting.

Cultures vary and some work better than others in specific settings — especially where self-policing is concerned. It would really not do to have half the office chainsaw-snoring in the nap room at 3pm everyday.

As in all fields of human endeavor, balance remains the key. The problem arises when that five-minute chat in the canteen turns into a half an hour gossip session, or a quick flip through a magazine becomes a cover- to-cover scouring. Sri Sri Ravishankar puts it succinctly: “Activity and rest are two vital aspects of life. To find a balance in them is a skill in itself. Wisdom is knowing when to have rest, when to have activity, and how much of each to have. Finding them in each other —activity in rest and rest in activity — is the ultimate freedom.”

— The writer is an organisational identity and personnel development consultant

bookshelf

If I don’t crack this job how will I repay my education loan?

Which companies should I apply for?

If I join an IT company now, will I be able to shift to banking after two years?

It is questions like these that Rakesh Godhwani sets out to answer and breaks myths that students have regarding their careers.

In Seek. The book provides insights into the various fields and industries — consulting, IT, media, oil and gas — by delving into stories of successful IIM Bengalore alumni like Arun Balakrishnan, Malvika Harita, and Apurva Purohit who have made a dent in their respective professions and fields. The author offers smart, practical advice on following your passion and finding your dream job.

Customers today have so much choice that it’s no longer enough to simply provide a service. If you want to stay in business, you have to operate with such consistency, integrity and creativity that people not only keep coming back for more, but recommend you to everyone they know.

Lee Cockerell spent a decade making customers’ dreams come true as Executive Vice-President of Operations at Walt Disney World Resort. Disney redefined what a business can do for its customers, and with Lee’s unparalleled know-how you can do the same.

Through 39 tried-and-tested, easy-to-follow rules — which apply to any company, large or small — you can secure the most revenue-boosting asset you could wish for: a reputation for brilliant service.

Happiness @ work
A balanced boss works best
Gems of ancient wisdom

As team leaders have to coordinate many things — human resources, deadlines, finances, equipment etc — flexibility is a vital trait that bosses should have.

A good boss is someone who can adapt easily to the situation and work it to the team or company’s advantage.

When ruler Bhattiya of Magadha thought it was time to choose his successor, he called his four sons. To ascertain whether they could find solutions within the given resources, Bhattiya asked them to eat a dessert packed inside a cane basket and drink water from a sealed earthen pot — without opening the seals.

All sons but one failed. The youngest son, Bimbisara, shook the basket hard and the dessert leaked out of the gaps. He wrapped a cloth around the pot and waited for it to soak some water from inside the pot. With this, he quenched his thirst.

To check their poise, Bhattiya let hungry dogs on them while they were having food. The three elder sons fled, but Bimbisara kept sitting, offered some food to the dogs and calmly shared his meal with the canines. At the age of 15, Bimbisara ascended the throne after his father’s death.

On seeing that the Chandravat Rajputs of the neighbouring kingdom were harassing her subjects, Ahilyabai Holkar, ruler of Malwa, gave the Rajputs 31 towns in exchange for peace. But when they threatened her again after some time, she personally led her forces and, despite having a smaller army, defeated the Rajputs.

As King Chandra Gupta I of Magadha in the fourth century wanted his successor to have the right amount of aggression, sound knowledge of ethics and an interest in cultural pursuits, he watched their activities in school. Then, he chose Samudra Gupta, one of his younger sons, as his heir. His military genius earned Samudra Gupta the epithet “Indian Napolean” and his interest in the arts contributed to making the Gupta period the Golden Age of India.

After being baptised by ascetic John the Baptist in the Jordan river, Jesus went to the desert to fast and pray. Seeing him hungry, the devil, in order to tempt Jesus, said, “Turn these stones into bread.” To put his faith in God to the test, he said, “Jump from the temple top and let God save you.” To lure Jesus with material wealth, the devil said, “Fall at my feet and I will give you great kingdoms.” Jesus refused all three times and returned to Galilee to preach after 40 days of fasting and praying.

Just as an unarmed Krishna — using his gray matter — led the Pandavas to victory at Kurukshetra, only a balanced leader can keep the firm on the middle path of prosperity.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan
The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com