|
|
|
|
|
|
Going places with geography
New course: earthquake engineering
Career Hotline
Scholarship roundup
News
board
Career compass: landscape architect
First
person
Entrance exam calendar
In conversation
Happiness @
work
Three Es of employee engagement
When hello goes a long way
|
|
Going places with geography
Of late it has changed its shape and scope from being a science of earth, to a study of maps, to an encyclopedia of climatic conditions, to information systems like Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) enveloping many other disciplines in its folds.
Educational threshold
Geography forms an integral part of school curriculum that moves in a linear manner from primary to secondary curriculum. At the college level, it lies at the intersection of Humanities and Science depending on whether you choose a BA or a BSc degree. While going for the former, you can couple it with economics, political science and sociology to prepare the ground for specialisation in Human Geography while the latter gravitates towards Physical Geography and quantitative techniques. For Honors degrees in BA and BSc, economics, history and mathematics can be offered. You will be required to study Principles of Geomorphology, Climatology, Oceanology, Human Geography, Cartography, quantitative and surveying techniques, Remote Sensing and GIS. Students can move up the academic ladder by going in for a master's programme (MA/MSc) and opting for a specialisation. You may make your choice of the institution depending upon the specialisation you wish to opt for. The common denominator is the emphasis on urban planning, environmental management, disaster management, GIS, remote sensing etc.
Career pathways
Geography offers a wide range of career pathways that cut across sectors like transportation, environmental sciences, airline route and shipping route planning, civil services, cartography satellite technology, meteorology departments, education, and disaster management. Besides, you can avail job opportunities in government departments like planning and developmental commissions, forestry, environmental, travel agencies, manufacturing firms, text book and map publishers, and media agencies. Here are some career options if you choose geography:
GIS specialist
Today, Google Maps, satellite navigation systems or GPS enabled cabs have become the talk of the town. They draw their source from Geographical Information System that brings about a confluence between geography and information system. It deals with the tools and technology used to acquire, analyse and visualise our planet and its resources from space — like the geographic location of earth’s boundaries, oceans, natural features, man-made structures, etc. You would be employed by Central and state governments. Central government agencies are under the Department of Space — National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA Hyderabad), Indian Space Research Organisation, (ISRO Bangalore), Advanced Data Processing Research Institute Hyderabad and Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad, Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) and Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR). The private players who hire are Google, TCS, Reliance Industries etc.
Geo morphologist
Geomorphology is the study of how the land formations on the Earth’s surface change, as well as what causes the change. As a Geomorphologist, you would be required to study the events of the past to determine what shaped a particular portion of the Earth into its current features, predict future events, such as hazardous volcanic eruptions or massive earthquakes by researching in the lab or in the field. Research can be performed in all landscape types and on all scales, from the whole planet to small portions of it, like volcanic islands. You can team it up with your management skills and become a project leader which requires budgetary development, staff oversight, proposal writing and project planning. This may also require supervisory management of other researchers, such as checking work and evaluating gathered information.
Climatologist
Remember, the persons who read the weather forecast after every news hour on television that you have been watching since decades. These are climatologists. Your knowledge of meteorology would help you get a job with National Weather Service, news media, and the like. Being an explorer is being a geographer. To understand the climate, you need to understand how the earth looks like. It allows us to understand our planet and connect with it in ways we were not able to do so earlier.
Disaster Management specialist
Disasters are unstoppable natural and anthropogenic impacts which can be mitigated by suitable management options. As a specialist in the field, you may be required to deal with the situation before, during and after the disasters. The Ministry of Home Affairs is the nodal agency which monitors and manages the disasters. Other departments like agriculture, chemical, civil aviation, railways, road transport, environment and forest, health and atomic energy are responsible for their respective
areas. You will be responsible for quick rehabilitation of the disaster affected people, understand their psychological conditions and help in their post disaster settlement.
Surveyor
A surveyor is the person who is involved in measuring the surface of land, distance between two places through mathematical calculations. As a surveyor, your job would involve lots of field work and is majorly recruited by state and central survey departments, construction companies and so on.
Retail Consultancy
With Organised Retail becoming the latest mantra today, you can help retailers expand, resize their stores, relocate their stores and planning their centers and maximise their rental returns.
Town Planner
As a town planner, you would help to shape the way towns and cities develop. This involves balancing the competing demands placed on land by housing, business, transport and leisure, and making sure plans meet the economic and social needs of the community. Your work would cover different aspects of planning and development including planning for housing to create affordable, energy efficient homes, managing transport growth and encouraging public transport schemes, redesigning street layouts to improve public safety, and reduce traffic and crime, developing parks, woodland and waterways in a sustainable way, conserving old buildings, archaeological sites and areas of interest, enforcing planning controls, for instance on building work that has started without permission, hearing concerns about planning proposals from local people and businesses. So, pick geography as a discipline and go places… anywhere and
everywhere.
Cartographer
If maps, charts and globes interest you, you may choose to work as a cartographer who is involved with the scientific, technological and artistic aspects of developing and producing maps. Your role may vary from the technical role of the development, maintenance and manipulation of cartographic databases to the promotion of effective and efficient visualisation of geospatial information, to the design of bespoke maps, to analyzing and evaluating mapping information in a variety of areas, including publishing, government, surveying and conservation. The mode of presentation is mostly diagrams, charts and spreadsheets, as well as form of conventional maps. Geographical information systems (GIS) and digital-mapping techniques now dominate the role.
Institute watch
Institutions and the specialisations they are
known for:
— The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant
|
|
New course: earthquake engineering Preetinder Kaur
Earthquake engineering is the systematic study of earthquakes. These engineers plan, design, construct and manage earthquake-resistant structures and facilities. Earthquake engineering is a relatively new entrant in the branches of engineering being offered by institutes. As 54 per cent of our country’s area is earthquake prone, the role of earthquake engineers is vital in building quake resistant
structures.
Government of India has constituted National Information Center on Earthquake Engineering (NICEE) for assessing and monitoring earthquakes. Earthquake Engineering is an interdisciplinary study area and a young science. It involves study of civil engineering, geophysics, soil sciences, mathematics, statistics, weather sciences and many other allied study disciplines, including computer sciences and Internet technologies. The Earthquake Engineering is a multidisciplinary field comprising Earthquake scientists as well as technicians and professionals, specialising in Computers, Physics Electronics, Telecommunications and Civil and Structural Engineering. Besides these recent opportunities for these engineers in the process of microzoning, where government agencies will collaborate with a large number of private agencies for providing information about various components, there is a vast scope for professionals in petroleum exploration as well. Debashish Sengupta, Head, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, elaborates, “The need of the hour is a judicious blend of the existing seismological studies in order to prepare a digital database of the Indian sub-continent, mapping the active fault zones. The central/state-level disaster management policies should be framed suitably with inputs from the geoscientists/seismologists. Since earthquakes cannot be predicted with precision, the only recourse is framing of suitable methodology for limiting the damage.” Getting in
In India, programmes in Earthquake Engineering are offered at postgraduate level leading to the award of Master of Engineering (ME) / Master of Technology (MTech.). Qualification in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is required to join ME / MTech. programme. Admission to PhD. is offered on the basis of score in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) or CSIR — National Eligibility Test (NET). The course combines the fields of geography and physics. Geophysics as a field is in high demand in several areas like oil explorations and ground water. Since it is a very much a scientific field, anyone who desires to become a seismologist has
to have the basic background in science ( PCM ) right from Class XI onwards. Admission is given as per merit test of candidates ( written test followed by interview). Later, all those having a degree in Geology, Geophysics, Physics or Applied Science can opt for a specialisation in earthquake engineering. Graduates will be able to determine the vulnerability of ordinary and special structures to seismic actions; apply both current seismic codes and novel unconventional methodologies of seismic design, repair and assessment; and assess the adequacy, economic viability and life saving effectiveness of pre-event risk mitigation and post-event risk management solutions. Complementary courses are based on ‘near surface geophysics’ and quaternary dating methods with applications to paleoseismology which is the science of looking at geological sediments and rocks for signs of ancient earthquakes.
Where one can work
Of course, research opportunities are always available in the government organistions/agencies, industry or universities. However, there are ample opportunities if one decides to go in or research, both in the government as well as the private sector. There are central governments institutions like National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Weather Forecasting Department, Geological Survey of India (GSI) advertise for the post of Earthquake Scientist, Geologist, Scientific Assistant etc. Overseas Organization / Agencies where an Earthquake Engineer Can Start their Career :
Where to study
— The writer is Personality Developemnt Trainer, Baddi University
|
|
‘Doctorate’ in nursing
Pervin Malhotra
A. It’s wonderful that you have a clear career plan in your mind at this early stage. The areas of specialisation at the MSc level include Medical Surgical Nursing, Community Health Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, Public Health Nursing, Mental Home Health Nursing, Maternity & Child Health Nursing, Paediatric Nursing, Orthopedic Nursing, Home Health Nursing, Industrial Nursing, Military Nursing etc A PhD will make you a ‘Doctor’ in Nursing and arm you with a theoretical, methodological and analytical approach to conduct research and apply your trans-disciplinary knowledge to any of these areas of nursing and healthcare. The topics at this stage could be vast and varied e.g. Cardiovascular Risk Reduction, Biologic Basis of Nursing Therapeutics, Health Promotion, Chronic Disease Management, Symptom Management, Behavioral Aspects of Pain and Stress, Substance Abuse, Lactation and Breastfeeding, Health Disparities, Family Caregiver Stress, Forensic Nursing, Patient Health Care Decision Making, End of Life Care, to give you a few examples. It will prepare you to assume a leadership role in nursing and in the broader arena of healthcare. PhD will also lead to professorship in nursing colleges. What’s the scope in Coast Guard for women?
A. The youngest branch of the Indian Armed Forces (36 years old) the Indian Coast Guard guards and protects our long coastline (7,615 km) and 2.2 million sq km of exclusive economic zone (EEZ) comprising some 1200 islands and 11 major and 164 minor/intermediate ports, not to mention over 500 Indian merchant ships sailing around the world and multi-billion worth of offshore installations and oil assets. As our trade and economic interaction with the world increases, so does the importance of our coastline and maritime assets. Its presence at sea ensures safety to seafarers in our waters. From checking piracy and assisting the Customs authorities in preventing smuggling, poaching, maritime fraud and terrorist activities (i.e. LTTE along the S. Tamil Nadu coast), collecting scientific data, protecting our marine environment by fighting oil spills, helping fishermen in distress and even rescuing whales, the Coast Guard has its hands full although some of its responsibilities are shared by the Indian Navy. The CG’s exemplary role in saving lives and providing relief to Tsunami ravaged people in India, Sri Lanka and Maldives is just a case in point. Women are recruited as Assistant Commandants (General Duty), Assistant Commandants (Pilot/Navigator) and Assistant Commandants (Technical Branch).
Eligibility
For Assistant Commandant (General Duty): Degree with Math & Physics in Cl 12. Age: 21-25 years. Physical Std: Height 157 cm, Weight 45 Kg. Eye sight 6/6 & 6/9 without glasses. For Assistant Commandant (Helicopter & Fixed-wing Pilot / Navigator): Plus II with current Commercial Pilot License. Age: 19-27 years. Physical Std: Height Min 162 cm Max 198 cm, Leg Length Min 99 cm, Weight 91 kg (Max), Eye sight 6/6 without glasses.
Theatre arts courses
A. In what may be termed as a major departure from run-of-the-mill academic courses, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is all set to offer Theatre Studies as an optional subject in Plus II. Do check if it’s available in your school. Regardless, you can opt for courses in Theatre / Performing Arts at the bachelor’s level at several universities, including the School of Drama & Fine Arts at the University of Calicut which offers a BTA. For all details re: eligibility and selection etc, please log onto: www.universityofcalicut.info/news/SCHOOLOFDRAMACourses1.pdf And while we’re at it, here are some of the others:
Course: BA in Performing Arts, English & Psychol
Course: BPA
Course: BPA
Course: BPA
Course: BPA (4-yr)
(www.uniraj.ac.in)
(www.suniv.ac.in)
(www.unishivaji.ac.in)
(www.mkcl.ws/pupg) Email your queries to
careers@tribunemail.com
|
|
Kingston University offer
Kingston University, London has announce scholarships for Indian students under the GREAT scholarship campaign in collaboration with the British Council. The university offers awards totalling £200,000 every year, with each international scholarship worth £3,500. These are open to prospective full-time undergraduate or postgraduate (taught masters) students in any subject area at Kingston University. Scholarships are available for the academic sessions beginning in September as well as January (for courses with a relevant start date). Eligibility: The candidate must
Number of awards: 10 Details: Each scholarship is worth £3,000 How to apply: Online Check out: www.kingston.ac.uk/internationalscholarships Deadline: May 31, 2014. Bond University in Australia
Bond University offers international scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students in Australia. These scholarships are available to international students who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability. Eligibility: Available for international students only
Number: 20. Details: International scholarships will cover 25 to 50 per cent of tuition fees of any undergraduate or postgraduate degree How to apply: All international students who have made an application to study at Bond University will be considered for an International Student Scholarship. Deadline: May 30, 2014 (for September 2014). Check out:
www.bond.edu.au Sydney Achievers International Scholarships University of Sydney is offering Sydney Achievers International Scholarships for new international students commencing at the University in 2014. The scholarships are available for pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degree level at the university. Eligibility: For undergraduate: Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification or an international senior secondary qualification accepted by the University with outstanding results, as deemed by the University of
Sydney.
For postgraduate: Applicants must have completed the equivalent of an Australian Bachelor degree qualification with outstanding results based on the Australian grading system, as deemed by the University of
Sydney. Students who have already commenced/completed postgraduate studies, or students transferring with credit exemptions and/or advanced standing, are not eligible. Number: 100 Details: For undergraduate: AUD$10,000 each per annum, available for the CRICOS registered duration of a recipient’s programme of study For postgraduate: AUD$10,000 each per annum available for the CRICOS registered duration of a recipient’s programme of study. How to apply: An Application for Admission to the University of Sydney in 2014 will constitute an application for a scholarship. Deadline: June 30, 2014 for Semester II. Check out: sydney.edu.au
|
|
|
Young innovator award
Team from Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, won the Knimbus Young Innovator award, a prestigious title for students willing to pursue research in the field of science and technology. The winning idea was around fuel reduction by the use of hydrogen technology in internal combustion engines. The five finalists were selected by a panel after a shortlisting on the basis of public voting on the knowledge platform Knimbus. com. The top five ideas were presented at IIT Delhi and deliberated upon by a jury formed by Dr. Dhruv Nath, Professor & Chairman, Information Management at MDI (Gurgaon), Rahul Chandra, MD at Helion Venture Partners, Dr. Anil Wali- MD at FITT- IIT Delhi and Mr. Amit Garg, Business Head-Internet & Mobile, Firefly e Ventures. The winning idea received a scholarship amount of ~25,000. The award, instituted in January 2014, for promoting an interest in research and development among students, received over 900 entries from 600 colleges across India. Alumni conference at ISB
The Indian School of Business (ISB) will be hosting a conference on strengthening the alumni relations in educational institutions —‘ARC India 2014’ at its Mohali campus on March 29. The conference is being organised by FuturEd and is supported by Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Indian School of Business (ISB). The aim of the Conference is to bridge the existing knowledge gap in the Indian institutions regarding Alumni Relations Management. It will also help the institutions to define a strategy and calendar for Alumni connection and engagement. By bringing together global experts in the area of alumni relations, the conference will provide a platform for sharing the best practices in the Alumni Relations spaces from all across the globe. Interested education Institutions can register for the conference at: www.alumnirelationsconference.in or email at register@alumnirelationsconference.in
Focusing on emotional intelligence
Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University, UK, recently organised a seminar to focus on the importance of developing students' “emotional intelligence”. Over 40 business leaders and students interested in MBA courses of the university attended the event held at the India Habitat Centre in Delhi, which also included a personal and professional development session by the MBA course leader. The Sheffield Hallam business and management courses have been designed to incorporate "emotional intelligence". Speaking at the event, Kate Morse, Head of International Business, Sheffield Business School, said, “We want to address the urgent need in business and industry to develop a generation of managers and directors with the skills to both lead and communicate effectively”. Dr Martyn Newman, MD and Founder of RocheMartin, a leading psychologist and author of “Emotional Capitalists - The New Leaders” presented key strategies for accelerating leadership performance and building emotional intelligence and how this has shown significant return on investment. He said: “The world of work is changing and the value of emotional intelligence is extremely important, especially for those in managerial positions. Emotional intelligence skills can be developed to achieve excellence in leadership and improve working relationships throughout organisations and businesses. Improving the way we communicate within the workplace undoubtedly has a positive effect on our ability to sustain, lead and grow a successful
business.”
|
|
Career compass: landscape architect
Landscape architecture involves analysis, planning, design, management, preservation and rehabilitation of land. Landscape architects work towards blending functionality and aesthetics with nature. Landscape design involves much more than placing trees, shrubs and other plants on the property. It is a discipline that works on the principle that the best use of spaces must compliment the natural surroundings and at the same time, preserve its beauty. It must also factor in the existing traditions and cultures so that the end result is both beautiful and sustainably conscious. A landscape architect is a sensitive designer who will carefully study various aspects of the region including the groundwater, soil and land use and imagine the whole space as a landscape. This is done in coordination with engineers, architects, city officials, zonal experts, real estate agents and horticulturists.
The work Landscape architects brings together scientific, architectural, engineering and aesthetic skills to plan and design housing complexes, parks, highways, commercial centers, shopping malls and plazas, recreation facilities, biological gardens and nature conservation areas. It is also essential for Landscape Architects to have sufficient knowledge of disciplines such as horticulture, geology, soil science, as well as ground and weather conditions. Technological consideration of materials is also required for deciding their durability for usage. The design and planning of any site has to be done, keeping in mind the nature and purpose of the project, and funds available. At this stage, the clients have to be consulted, financial specifications and estimates have to be approved, and Construction and Landscaping firms are appointed to carry on the work according to these specifications. Landscape architects generally supervise and oversee the work on behalf of the clients. The work done by Landscape Architects is carried out in several stages: Planning a project: Landscape architects have to carry out a thorough research on the specifications of a project — be it a housing project, an educational institution, recreation facility, an industrial outfit or any urban project. Everything requires planning and designing. So, the work begins from the scratch, with a study of the site, its slopes and elevations, natural environmental, soil and existing utilities, direction of sunlight and other factors, and so on. Co-ordination: Co-ordination is another vital aspect of the work of landscape architects. They have to co-ordinate their work with not just engineers and architects, but also with urban development and city municipal officials, zonal experts, real estate agents and horticulturists. Evaluation & Design: After undertaking a thorough evaluation of the project, designing comes in. The landscape architect has to work out several drawings giving details of the layout, the new topography, and the materials and method of construction of terraces, walkways, steps and other landscape amenities. Today, most landscape architects are using computer aided design systems to assist them in preparing their design, which could be in the form of a video simulation. This works as an effective tool to help clients envision the Architect's ideas.
Getting in To become a landscape architect, you have to do a two-year post-graduate degree course Master’s in Landscape Architecture/Planning/ Design after graduation in Architecture, Civil Engineering or Town Planning. You can also take up Landscape architecture as a specialisation in the Bachelor of Architecture course, at some institutes. Most architecture colleges offer Master’s and specialisation programmes. The academic programme aims at imparting proficiency in landscape assessment and design techniques, employing ecological principles while keeping in view socio-economic and cultural considerations. The programme covers a variety of courses, such as Plant Systematics and Processes, Plants and Design, Landscape Engineering, Ecosystem Analysis and Field Ecology. Most landscape architecture courses feature a combination of lectures and field studies. Some institutions encourage internship programmes where students can gain hands-on experience working on a project outdoors. As the job of a landscape architect is not a typical office job, and involves a lot of site work, besides an aptitude and interest for design and architecture, you should also have an interest in and sensitivity for the natural environment. A certain amount of business acumen goes a long way, since the work involves management and co-ordination with clients and with other professionals too. There are many architecture colleges in India offering MArch in landscape architecture. These include School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi; Centre for Environmental Planning Technology (CEPT) School of Architecture, Ahmedabad; College of Architecture, Pune etc. Courses in landscape design and landscape management are also availbale in some colleges abroad.
Job prospects In the past, landscape architects were known as designers of gardens and parks. Today landscape architects have expanded the field to include planning, design and management of several aspects of the environment. They work at various levels that range from designing small gardens and parks to large scale city and regional planning. There are opportunities for landscape architects in areas such as the development and preservation of open spaces, recreational areas, infrastructure, wildlife refuges and zoos, hotels and resorts, real estate development and housing complexes etc. They also contribute towards the restoration of disturbed natural places such as forests, stream corridors, and wetlands. Landscape architects are also trained to appreciate and contribute towards the preservation of historical sites and cultural landscapes. They can also consider conducting research in cities for future city planning and redevelopment purposes.
The road ahead Today’s construction boom is catering to the expectations of a rising middle class that is increasingly conscious and demanding of aesthetically appealing surroundings, beautification of playgrounds, gardens, waterfronts, green spaces, shopping centers, public houses, hospitals, etc. Besides, there have been several leading international architectural firms that have set up shop in India in the last decade. All this has led to creation of avenues for those interested in making a career not only for urban and regional planners but for landscape architects as well.
Where you can work
After graduation students have a number of choices of employment. The scope in the private sector is diverse and one can end up designing a high-end resort complex in India or abroad, an education campus or even a small community playground. In large firms, landscape architects might have a specific role to play in a project while in a smaller firm, a landscape architect might play different roles to see a project through to the end. The projects can range from housing, recreation and educational to industrial and urban construction. Many landscape architects take up Landscape Development that involves offering a range of landscape management services like horticulture, floriculture and landscape. They then handle landscape design, consultancy, as well as turnkey and maintenance jobs for leading developers, five-star hotels, resorts, public spaces, corporate houses, offices to industrial buildings, farmhouses etc. A landscape architect can work as:
One can join a company as landscape architect and earn a starting salary of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per month. With experience, one can branch out on your own or look for bigger projects where you can apply your acquired skills and experience. Though the starting salary may not be as high as in other professions, it will increase as your credibility and experience in the profession rises. Institute watch
Master Of Architecture (Sustainable) Amity School of Architecture, Noida— Bachelor of Architecture-Landscape Architecture, Master of Architecture-Landscape Planning. — The writer is Director Careers Smart, New Delhi
|
|
Practical focus
What are the growth prospects in the hospitality industry? The potential growth prospects of any individual depend primarily on two factors:
The first element varies from individual to individual. With regards to opportunities for growth, it is safe to say that with the Hospitality sector poised for exponential growth in the coming years, there will continue to be a demand for high performing individuals.
How has the course content of hospitality courses evolved over the past five years? There is an increased focus now on practical training. Hands on practical learning experience in hotels and guidance and mentorship from professional hoteliers is a major change that several reputed institutes have now included in their curriculum. With a large number of institutes offering hospitality courses, how can a student select the right course and institute? The decision on which programme/institute to choose must necessarily follow a two-step process:
Since the answer for the first element is unique for each student, it naturally follows that there cannot be a one check list fits all selection criteria whilst choosing the appropriate course/institute. Your institute offers STEP programme to students. What are its key features? The key elements of the STEP programme and the areas where it differs from other hotel management courses are:
|
|
Diploma in Gerontology
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has invited applications for Diploma in Gerontology for academic year 2014-15. Eligibility: All candidates must be of 25 years or more at the time of applying for the Diploma Programmes of the Centre for Lifelong Learning. Class XII pass with minimum two years of work experience or graduate in any discipline. Priority would be given to those who are working in social work organizations. How to apply: http://download.tiss.edu/admissions2014/ Short_Term_Programmes_2014-2015/ Application_Form_CLL_Gerontology_2014-15.pdf Deadline: April 4, 2014 Engineering
courses
Mahindra École Centrale (MEC) College of Engineering, announces admissions to its inaugural batch for the Integrated Dual Degree Programme at
Hyderabad. The college has been established through a three-way collaboration involving Mahindra Group, École Centrale Paris, a 200-year-old leading French University dedicated to engineering education and the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University
Hyderabad. The batch is set to commence in August 2014. Seats:180. There would be 60 seats each in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science & Engineering and 30 seats each in Mechanical and Civil Engineering streams. Duration: Five-year Integrated Dual Degree Programme
(IDP) of Mahindra École Centrale leading to B.Tech. and M.Tech. degrees of Jawaharlal Technological University Hyderabad
(JNTUH). Selection is based on JEE Mains results and a subsequent counselling. How to apply: Application Form would be available from March 24. Application Form and instructions can be downloaded from the website www.mahindra ecole centrale.edu.in OR obtained from the ADMISSIONS OFFICE at Survey No: 62/1A,
Bahadurpally, Jeedimetla, Hyderabad Check out: www.mahindra ecole centrale.edu.in
|
|
Entrance exam calendar
National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA)
Date: From March 14, 2014. Two phases — Phase I from 14.3.2014 to 25.5.2014 and Phase-II from 1.6.2014 to 31.8.2014 on working days.
Conducted by: The Council of Architecture, to facilitate institutions, students and public at large for admission to First year of 5 year B.Arch Degree Course Selection criteria: Applicants should score 40% in NATA (at least 80/200) to qualify. Website: www.nata.in Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Main offline exam Date: April 6, 2014 Online examination (Computer Based Examination) For Paper 1 (B. E./B. Tech): 9.4.2014, 11.4.2014, 12.4.2014 and 19.4.2014 in two shifts, with the first shift between 0930-1230 hours (IST) and 2nd shift (if required) from 1400-1700
hours(IST) Website: jeemain.nic.in/jeemainapp/Welcome.aspx All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance Test
(AIPMT) Date: May 4, 2014 For more details, visit http://aipmt.nic.in/aipmt/welcome.aspx The All India Law Entrance Test
(AILET) Date: May 4, 2014 Conducted by: National Law University, Delhi for admission to the B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Tiruchirappalli and
Patna. Selection criteria: The candidate should secure minimum of 40% (30% for SC and ST candidates) of the total marks in the All India Law Entrance Test to become eligible for the admission. Deadline: April 7, 2014. Website: http://www.nludelhi.ac.in/ The All India Pre Veterinary Test
(AIPVT) Date: May 10, 2014 Conducted by: The Veterinary Council of India (VCI) for admission to the 15% of the total seats in Government Veterinary College in India (except Jammu & Kashmir), to the 1st year B.V.Sc. & A.H course
Hospitality Joint Entrance Examination
(JEE) For admission to the full time regular three year (Six Semester) B.Sc Degree Programme in Hospitality and Hotel Administration Date: April 26, 2014 Conducted by: The National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology and the Indira Gandhi National Open University. How to apply: Online application can be submitted at
https://applyadmission.net/nchmjee2014/ Applicants should send the print out of the filled online JEE 2014 Application Form to ‘JEE Cell, National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology, A-34, Institutional Area, Sector-62, NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh-201309’, to reach latest by April 7, 2014. Check out:
http://www.nchmct.org
|
|
In conversation Emotional Capitalists are those extraordinary leaders who recognise that to build a successful business today they must go beyond a focus on traditional financial assets, such as physical capital (the bricks and mortar, if you like), and intellectual capital to a new focus on emotional capital. Emotional capital is the value of the energy, motivation and commitment held by everyone connected with the business. How can emotional capitalists bring about a change in the competitive work culture? Emotions are involved with everything a company does and emotions determine whether or not people will work well with you, buy from you, hire you, or enter into business with you. Importantly, emotional capital eventually shows up in financial performance. Deep changes in technology, demographics, the workplace and the economy have had profound impact on how businesses evaluate and create value. In the ‘age of participation’ employees, customers and suppliers have higher expectations of business, their values have changed and they care about different things than before. Employees want to work for more than just a pay cheque; they want their work to matter. Customers expect to buy from organisations they like and who are like them. In other words, the brand is more than a name or a logo; it creates trust and recognition and is a promise and an emotional contract with each employee and customer. Feelings matter more than any of us ever suspected. They shape our behaviour, our relationships, our most important decisions and even our economy. Organisations who focus on creating cultures of engagement, collaboration and innovation outperform on every financial metric. The questions for each business may be different, but the answer is the same — develop emotional intelligence, build emotional capital. How can EI be made a key leadership quality? Fundamentally leadership is a relationship. To influence human behaviour leaders can either manipulate or inspire. The skills a leader needs to inspire outstanding performance in others and to manage their own response to the pressure of their roles, as well as protect the value of their personal brand credibility, are firmly ground in their emotional and social competencies. Can EI be developed at any stage in one’s life? If yes then how? Although some aspects of emotional intelligence are innate, the evidence is overwhelming that anyone who is genuinely motivated can develop his or her emotional intelligence and boost their emotional capital. According to more than six decades of research in psychology there are at least seven so called ‘common factors’ that contribute to the ‘how’ of creating positive behaviour change. They involve strategies such as:
What is the importance of emotional intelligence in the academic as well as work environments? Academics and executives often share different values. To the academic the ability to be able to define and measure all forms of intelligent behaviour must be underpinned by a solid scientific premise. Recent advances in neuroscience have established that cognitive experience and emotional experience depend on many shared neurological pathways. This provides a much-needed scientific framework for understanding how emotional experience works to inform decision-making and
behaviour. For people in business the focus is often more experiential — does this improve performance? The value of having a robust scientific base to emotional intelligence is that it moves the discussion in the organisation from a conversation about ‘nice to have’ ‘soft skills’ to a more robust examination
of ‘must have’ emotional core competencies. Do you think adequate importance is being given to this aspect in B-school curriculum in India? As I talk to business leaders everywhere they complain that B-schools are not producing thoughtful, creative, self-confident graduates with the right skills to adapt to the modern world of work. I’m proud to be associated with Sheffield Business School who have recently launched an MBA programme built around the emotional capital model. Each student is evaluated using the ECR from the outset of the studies and coached in emotional intelligence skills throughout the programme and measured again before graduation. These students will not only graduate with outstanding business acumen but also the ability to communicate clearly and collaborate with others. The ability to manage themselves well and take initiative. They will have a capacity for emotional resilience and know how to adapt to change and generate new ideas. These are the skills that represent tangible competitive advantage in the current world of work. — As told to Geetu Vaid
|
||
|
Happiness @
work
Angry at Goddess Sati’s self-immolation, Shiva's man Friday Veerabhadra ravaged Daksh’s yagya. As he looked capable of destroying the universe, the gods appealed to Lord Vishnu. To pacify Veerabhadra, Vishnu embarked on an offering of 1,000 lotuses. On nearing the end, he realised he was one lotus short. As stopping was not advisable, he plucked one of his eyes and completed the ritual. Touched, Veerabhadra stopped the carnage, restored Vishnu’s eye and bestowed him with the Sudarshan Chakra. The place — near the Pampa river in Hampi — where Veerabhadra gave Vishnu the infallible weapon is called Chakratirtha. Seeing a sculptor busy carving the huge Nandi idol at the Brihadeeswara temple in Thanjavur, King Raja Raja Chola went and stood behind him silently. When the artisan called his assistant to prepare a ‘paan’, the king did the needful as the boy was nowhere in sight. When the sculptor asked for a spittoon, the king even provided that “as he didn’t want to lose the privilege of seeing a master craftsman at work”. It was the hockey final at the Berlin Olympics between defending champions India and hosts Germany. On finding themselves 5-0 down, the hosts decided to attack. So when Indian captain Dhyan Chand reached the German goalpost the next time, goalkeeper Tito Warnholtz hit him on the face. Bleeding profusely and with a tooth knocked out, Dhyan had to be rushed away for medical attention. After coming back on the field, he — instead of playing rough —began toying with the opponents. On seeing it, Hitler abruptly left the stadium. India won 8-1. Having failed in his first year arts examination, the newly married Srinivasa Ramanujan was on the lookout for a job. He not only needed money for his bread but also for the 2,000 sheets of paper every month that he did his mathematical calculations on. To prevent the paucity of paper from expressing his genius, he began using scraps of paper lying on the streets. Sometimes, he used red ink to write over the blue markings on the paper. To not hinder Ved Vyas’ dictation of the Mahabharata, Lord Ganesh broke one of his tusks and used it as a quill. Don’t stop and be sorry for the interruption. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at
svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
|
||
|
Three Es of employee engagement
Employees who are well-driven do not just drag themselves to work daily. They bring with them, a new sense of enrichment, put in their best foot forward at all times and engage themselves in meaningful ways. Companies are putting a structure in place that helps create an environment which plays a vital role in motivating the performance levels of the entire workforce. Today’s rapidly changing workforce needs to be engaged by the 3E approach — education, exposure and experience.
Critical ingredients for successful execution of the 3 E approach include — working extensively on building succession plans, optimising talent utilisation and building coaching skills to foster superior development. Companies need to have programmes that will encourage employees to think in a more improvising manner and put classroom knowledge and expertise into practice. What employees have learnt in theory comes to life in the practical stages thereby exposing them to the occurrence of a variety of hurdles. It is here that they utilise their theoretical intellect to navigate through such problems. This entire cycle ultimately enriches an employee with the much needed quality of experience which later becomes a crucial part of their development ladder. Employees should be constantly driven to explore, acquire knowledge and achieve excellence in their respective fields. For an organisation to enable such a platform of engagement can reap numerous benefits namely — value addition to organisational processes by internal movements across departments, engaging an employee into a different division in the company enabling to bring fresh perspective and boost innovation within the team. Some of the ready references for instilling this kind of engagement could be:
Finally, an engaged workforce will not only improve the company’s bottom-line with its superior performance but serve for longer tenures and become loyal brand ambassadors of it. The key to engagement lies in the art of building a relationship with a committed workforce where every individual can emotionally connect with what the organisation stands for and its vision for success. — The writer is Country Partner- VP HR & CSR, Schneider Electric India
|
||
|
When hello goes a long way
How long do you have to make a good first impression? About half a second, a new research has revealed. Scientists have discovered that humans make judgements on someone’s trustworthiness within the first 500 milliseconds of hearing their voice.
Psychologists from universities of Glasgow, Scotland, and Princeton, US, have shown that a simple “Hello” is enough to allow most people to draw conclusions about personality type. What’s more is that people are able to make these judgements without seeing the person to whom they are speaking. A study played recordings of people saying hello and asked test subjects to rank them according to 10 pre-defined personality traits, including trustworthiness, dominance, attractiveness and warmth. The study found that most of the recorded voices elicited the same response from participants and that these opinions were formed rapidly, after hearing the voices for only 300-500msecs. This suggests that the tone of voice you use when saying ‘hello’ directly and immediately informs the first impression of the person to whom you are speaking. The most important traits identified were trustworthiness and dominance. The study found that males who raised their tone and women who alternated the pitch of their voices are seen as more trustworthy. Dominance is partly indicated by lowering the pitch, but more so by changes in ‘formant dispersion’, which are adjustments of your voice caused by the structure of your throat. The fact that the human mind is capable of coming to these conclusions so quickly and irrespective of visual cues implies that this is an ability that may have evolved in our recent history when decisions on who to trust and approach were crucial to our species’ survival. Dr Phil McAleer, from the Voice Neurocognition Laboratory, University of Glasgow, who led the study, said: “It is amazing that from such short bursts of speech you can get such a definite impression of a person. And more so that, irrespective of whether it is accurate, your impression is the same as what the other listeners get. “It is perhaps also consistent that we are most attuned to recognising signs of trustworthiness and dominance, two traits that would have been central to our survival as we evolved.” This research promises to help in the drive to improve the efficiency of voice-operated systems and learning aids, and to shed new light on the automatic judgments we make about strangers we don't meet face to face - from conductors making announcements on trains to business people making 'cold calls'.
|
||
|
For all of you, who are at the threshold of making a career choice and are checking out careers of the decade, think of a discipline that occupies enormous surface area, a subject that would open doors to several career options for you. If you are interested in knowing what’s where, why it’s there, and why it matters, make Geography your choice.
Of late it has changed its shape and scope from being a science of earth, to a study of maps, to an encyclopedia of climatic conditions, to information systems like Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) enveloping many other disciplines in its folds.
Earthquake engineering is the systematic study of earthquakes. These engineers plan, design, construct and manage earthquake-resistant structures and facilities. Earthquake engineering is a relatively new entrant in the branches of engineering being offered by institutes. As 54 per cent of our country’s area is earthquake prone, the role of earthquake engineers is vital in building quake resistant
structures.
Earthquake engineers can easily find work opportunities with R&D organisations involved in earthquake researches. They can work with government and private agencies engaged in construction of buildings, railways, highways, ports, bridges, and space stations. NGOs working for earthquakes and environment related issues also seek services of earthquake engineers. The building codes for high rise buildings and major infrastructural facilities require inputs from earthquake engineers and civil engineers in earthquake prone areas globally.
Course
cruising
For all of you, who are at the threshold of making a career choice and are checking out careers of the decade, think of a discipline that occupies enormous surface area, a subject that would open doors to several career options for you. If you are interested in knowing what’s where, why it’s there, and why it matters, make Geography your choice.
Q. I'm a student of Class XII (science stream) and I’m interested in doing BSc Nursing and MSc Nursing. I am very much interested in research in this field and would like to go in for a PhD. Kindly tell me the prospects of doing PhD.
— Preet Khalsa
Q. I am a Class XII student. I have taken science stream with Computer Science as one of my subjects. As I am keen on a career in the Indian Coast Guard, can you please tell me about the jobs offered for women?
— Jayanti Doval
Q. I am in Plus I in medical (PCB) stream, but I want to switch over to humanities stream in Plus II as I want to pursue BTA (Bachelor of Theatre Arts) from the University of Calicut. But I don’t know how to get into this university for this course. Please tell me about the eligibility for this course and the fee structure of the University.
— Prashant
Landscape architecture is an important stream of architecture concerned with both the built and the natural environment. Landscape architecture is a specialisation that has immense opportunity and growth prospects as a career in India as well as abroad. It has evolved into a completely new discipline and is today recognised as an important career option.
School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi — Master of Landscape Architecture, Master of Architecture- Architectural Conservation.
Hence, should an individual be delivering his side of the bargain in terms of diligence, hard work, a great attitude to service and possess the potential to lead teams, (s)he will definitely be rewarded with career growth.
An increasing number of employers are now focusing not only on the intellectual ability, IQ and academic qualifications, but also on the level of emotional intelligence in a candidate. Emotional competence to deal with tricky workplace situations is a much soughtafter quality in workplaces in the current context. Those with a higher level of emotional intelligence can recognise their own emotional state as well as that of the others and can interact with people in a more efficient manner making them good ‘leader’ material. “Emotional intelligence is your ability to recognise and understand your own emotional experience and the emotional experience of others, and your ability to use this knowledge to manage your behaviour and relationships to solve problems and achieve productive outcomes”, says Dr Martyn Newman, MD and Founder of RocheMartin, a leading psychologist and author of “Emotional Capitalists —The New Leaders” . According to him the emotional intelligence skills can be developed to achieve excellence in leadership and improve working relationships throughout organisations and businesses. “ This improves the way we communicate within the workplace undoubtedly has a positive effect on our ability to sustain, lead and grow a successful business.” he explains. In an interview he explains the concept of emotional capitalists mentioned in his book and how it can benefit businesses. Excerpts:
As it takes a big effort to build momentum for a new project, interrupting the flow could be counterproductive. In 1910, patriot Vinayak Savarkar was sentenced to 50-year imprisonment in the Andamans. Despite knowing that escape from the islands was impossible, he did not want the zeal to wane. So he began scratching lessons in democracy on the prison walls for his mates. “Outside, you fought for freedom. Inside, prepare for the responsibilities that you will have to shoulder after getting freedom,” he said.