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Political science
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Political science As temperature slowly rise and winter gives way to summer, another kind of heat is being generated in villages, towns and cities across the country. Until mid May the fever of politics will build up as 850 million people prepare to vote for a new government. Amartaya Sen may have called us the "argumentative India" but we are more of political Indians, who love to discuss, argue, dispute, fight over, protest about some political matter in the country - right now it is, who do you vote for? Politics may be the common topic of conversation among all kinds of people but how many think of a serious study of political science for a more informed and realistic opinion and decision. What about a career in politics with a study of political science?
Political Science is a fascinating subject as it covers the study of the constitution of a country and its different political aspects. It is a social science that involves the study of governmental systems and general principles that govern the world of politics. Political science is an excellent humanities subject best suited for students interested in learning how groups of people govern themselves, how policies are made, and how we can improve our government policies at the local, state, national, and international levels. Political science covers fields of study such political theory, public policy, international relations, political philosophy, political economy, history, public administration and a host of related fields. Political scientists use both humanistic and scientific perspectives and tools and a variety of methodological approaches to examine the process, systems, and political dynamics of all countries and regions of the world. The study of political science prepares you to pursue many different careers. Besides fields of work directly related to the subject such as politics, public administration, international relations and so on, a study of political science helps develop not only reasoning and analytical skills, but also communication skills, both oral and written. In addition the new syllabus pursued in most of the top universities also hones your skills in data analysis and computer usage. It is not surprising, therefore, that students of political science can pursue careers in a range of different areas from law and management to government services, journalism and international relations.
Getting In
You can take up Political Science in college for graduation after Plus II with any subject stream. Practically all universities offer a bachelor's and master's degree in political science. Post-graduate and doctoral courses like MPhil and PhD courses are also offered by many universities with specializations in many related fields. The political science course covers subjects like forms of democracy, concept of nationhood, powers and functions of the executive and judiciary, the evolution of the Indian constitution, political thought and theories, foreign policy, contemporary issues in international relations, public administration and public policy formulation, as also subjects like economics and sociology. Political science graduates acquire skills in writing, communications, and analysis that are critical to fields of social sciences where students learn to think independently, and understand concerns of others. A study of political science will also help you develop other valuable skills including analysing and selecting information, problem solving, thinking logically and communicating your ideas concisely
Courses to check out
In addition to the MA political Science being offered by practically every university including Unversity of Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Pune University and Mumbai University, there are some new courses that can be of interest to students looking for a career in politics, public administration or the NGO sector. The MIT School of Government in Pune www.mitsog.com mentored by T N Seshan, former Chief Election Commissioner of India, offers a master's level diploma programme in social and political leadership. The one-year residential programme based on a similar programme at the Kennedy School of Government at the Harvard University, USA, includes a study of how the government functions, what is the relationship between elected representatives and civil servants, understanding the hierarchy of processes with respect to various levels of government from Panchayats to highest national offices, etc. Another interesting programme for training politicians is being offered for free by Chanakya Institute of Public Leadership www.ciplmumbai.in under a special project in collaboration with the department of philosophy, University of Mumbai. The first half of the training includes governance and management principles of Kautilya (Chanakya), dealing with babus (IAS), corporates, spiritual leaders and the common man, especially the poor. The other six months look at field training and political entrepreneurship. Those selected for the programme are currently nominated by student wings of political parties. Some other programmes and initiatives for young people in this field include - n The Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) Fellowship www.lamp.prsindia.org which places one legislative assistant to work with one MP for a period of 11 months. The Fellowship exposes LAMP Fellows to the working of Parliament and the legislative process. This would entail providing research inputs to help them fulfill their parliamentary duties such as asking questions, raising matters of public importance, participating in debates, writing speeches, drafting private member Bills, among others. n The Youth Parliament (or The YP Foundation) www.theypfoundation.org is a support organization for young people for developing innovative ventures by young minds, facilitating leadership skills and thinking power and increasing awareness on issues of global importance amongst young people. The aim of YP foundation is of sustaining a platform that enables young people to be effective and expressive agents of change. n Young India Fellowship (YIF) www.youngindiafellowship.com a one-year residential post-graduate programme developed by Ashoka University which seeks to groom young women and men for leadership roles by opening their mind to a rich and diverse set of subjects and perspectives.
Career options
The basic undergraduate degree in political science is a useful stepping off platform for careers in private and public sector organisations, in business, law, state, government, journalism, international organizations and finance, or as diplomats or foreign policy expert. Political scientists even can opt for campaign management, polling and electoral politics, and university and college teaching. The career prospects in political science have widened enough in the voluntary organization sectors, such as NGOs. The international voluntary organisations, like UNO, have huge scopes for proficient political scientists across the world. Besides, they can join media houses as political journalists and political researchers/analysts. What's more, they can become members of Parliament or State Legislative Assemblies, or serve various political parties as party president, party member, or activist. And if you are looking for a political career and wish to follow Arvind Kejriwal's footsteps you can equip yourself with a strong understanding of political science which can prepare you for participating in university and district level organizations, electoral politics, movements on behalf of specific policies, as well as in politics itself whether with political campaigns, interest groups or associations. So if you’ve caught the election fever, political science is the course for
you. — The writer is Director, Careers Smart, New Delhi
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Career Hotline Courses to become mutual fund agent
Q. I have taken premature retirement from the Army. I am now thinking of becoming a mutual fund agent. Are there any courses which would help or books I could read on the subject?
— Subhash Singh A. Mutual Funds have become an important financial product for the investing public. Although assets of the Indian funds have jumped skywards, investors need to understand how a Mutual Fund works as well as about the increasingly diverse and complex investment options created by a large number of MFs. The MF agent or distributor assumes the role of a financial advisor and is the key channel for bringing mutual funds to a large number of investors all over the country. The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) which sets the industry standards for all funds operating in India has a certification process — the AMFI Mutual Fund Test. Upon clearing the test, you can apply for your AMFI registration number which will certify you as an AMFI Registered Mutual Fund Advisor (ARMFA). The Test can be taken by anyone (regardless of age or qualification) who wishes to test his knowledge of the complexities of how mutual funds function internally and externally. The automated multiple-choice online test requires no prior knowledge of computers. Papers are set for each candidate separately and assessed online. After you have the AMFI Basic Module, you can look at the AMFI Advisors Module. The AMFI MF Test is also offered as a separate module of the National Stock Exchange’s (NSE) Certification in Financial Markets (NCFM) along with other subjects such as derivative trading, capital markets etc. AMFI has prepared the necessary study material to help you prepare for the Test. The Workbook can be obtained from the AMFI office in Mumbai. For details log on to: www.amfiindia.com/testingprogram.html Start by registering for the online test on www.nse-india.com. There is no restriction on the number of attempts. Two good books I can recommend on the subject are The Indian Mutual Funds Handbook by Sundar Sankaran and The New Commonsense Guide to Mutual Funds by Paul Farrel (www.visionbooksindia.com).
What is the scope in Agricultural Economics?
A. Achieving food security has been the overriding goal of our agricultural policy. To achieve this goal, we need not only agricultural scientists but also agricultural economists who can apply the principles of economics to ensure greater productivity in agriculture. The growth in this sector being a result of greater liberalisation and investment, the demand for agricultural economists is on the rise. Besides land appraisal, crop grading, marketing and sales, an agricultural economist is involved with farm management, co-operative management, farm utilities, custom services, wholesale and retail marketing of agricultural products, priority setting for research, how much to invest, assessment of returns on investment i.e. all those activities that ensure that agricultural productivity grows at planned rate of growth. Job prospects in this field are promising. There are openings in cooperatives, banking and insurance sector, private firms in the agricultural sector, foreign embassies, NGOs and other donor agencies, Ministry of Agriculture, Indian Economic Service as also in the field of research and teaching. Although you can specialise in Agricultural Economics as part of your MA Economics programme, separate MSc Courses in Agri Economics are also offered at a number of universities, especially agricultural universities.
What are career prospects in
cryptography?
A. Cryptography is a tool used within computer and network security. An interdisciplinary subject drawn from several fields like mathematics and computer science, it’s concerned with information security and related issues, particularly encryption. Cryptographers make extensive use of mathematics, particularly discrete mathematics, including topics from number theory, information theory, computational complexity, statistics and combinatorics. Cryptography is also considered a branch of engineering, but an unusual one as it deals with active, intelligent and malevolent opposition. Historically, cryptography was concerned solely with language patterns and encryption which is a means of converting information from its normal, comprehensible form into an incomprehensible format, rendering it unreadable without secret knowledge. It was used primarily to ensure secrecy in important communications, such as those of spies, military leaders, and diplomats. The emphasis has shifted now. In recent decades, the field has expanded beyond secrecy to include techniques for authentication, signatures, interactive proofs, secure computation, steganography, and others. I suggest you do a Google search on the word “cryptography” (I just did, and was rewarded with loads and loads of fascinating info on the subject – some of which went totally over my head)! Email your queries to
careers@tribunemail.com
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Harness the power of sublimation
D. C. Sharma In chemistry, sublimation means the conversion of a solid into gas without passing it through liquid state. In organisational psychology sublimation is the mechanism by which we convert unproductive, mentally uncomfortable situations, and emotional states into positive results. Employees are mostly driven to find unproductive means to unleash their pent up energy created by such situations which stimulate negative emotions. But by sublimating they can convert that unproductive state into a productive behaviour simply by stopping the wheel of negativity from spinning. It is worthwhile to identify the negative states that repeatedly make us uncomfortable? And once we do that we only need to acknowledge that we carry this weakness as a stigma. The very act of acknowledging it virtually puts us on the route to some new awareness about our value and worth. That will certainly enable us to redirect that negative emotion into productive energy. There are startling examples where sublimation of energy has worked wonders. You might have seen an eveteaser turn into a saviour on realising that the path he was taking was a disastrous one. An unproductive employee changing himself into an indispensable one for the organisation . It is just a matter of being aware that sublimation has the power to boost and empower your job and career. The emotional discomfort in the absence of a helping hand colleague has deranged many a potential workers. Such employees start finding comfort in taking more and more fast foods thus turning into cases of obesity while in fact they need to sublimate their pent up energy finding its instant release through good work. Instead of finding oneself inadequate in such a situation if the employee creates the urge to visit a gym for feeling more energised to do one’s best, it would surely help sublimate one’s energy into the rightful channels. To sublimate one’s energy into doing something productive is not difficult at all. For Freud the sublimation of energy into something productive is to redirect libido as he thought that the primary drive in an individual is the sexual instinct. But for Nietzsche it is the power of the human will that is the primary drive. Actually when an employee learns how to consciously channelise the existential will into free will to achieve something worthwhile and productive, it means that he has mastered the knack of sublimating his energy. Why many of us fail to sublimate our energy for productive purpose at times? The fact is that we are constantly living under the fear of criticism. We have actually conditioned ourselves with the fear-ridden psyche. And such a sorry state of affairs has virtually blocked our way to sublimate our energy for productive and constructive purposes. The basic need for most of us is to dehypnotise ourselves of this fear psyche. Once this step is taken, much of our burden would be removed, opening the ways and means to sublimate our energy for productive purposes. The most forceful and effective method of making your power of sublimation work for you is to create mental images of success and achievement in your work and life. Here comes the vast role of imagination. Psychology confirms that what the human will and endeavour fail to do, imagination can surely do. Imagination puts our creative mechanism to work for us. And once it is put into gear, our energy gets channelised to achieve our aims and objectives. — The writer is a Kangra-based psychologist & career expert
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Career
compass: Product design If you are interested in art as well as science, then this is a perfect career choice for you Product design is an amalgamation of art, science and technology. Practically every product that you see around you or use has been created by a product designer. The key board that you tap away, the I-phone, the blackberry, the safety pin, the tooth brush, the door handle, the chair, the surgeon's scalpel, the inside and outside of a car etc. have all been created by product designers. Steve Jobs, Abdul Kalam, Michelangelo, just to name a few famous people - all belong the fraternity of product designers. In India with the liberalization and opening up of the market economies, design has a very crucial role to play. India has become one of the largest markets in the world. The Indian middle classes have now become one of the largest consumers. This has made countries all over the world look at India as a large market ready to be tapped. Multinational companies from all over world are selling their products here. The products of Indian companies are in competition with those that employ the best technologies, qualities and better aesthetics and are above all cheaper. This has made the Indian companies change their strategies from technology to design of products. To survive in the global market place economy both the industry and economy need designers who have global outlook and sensitivity to local needs and aspirations to take forward these requirements to the market place level. Who is a product designer? A product designer is a professional whose job is to create innovative products that are user friendly, functional and more importantly, that appeal to the aesthetics of a person. Hence, they need to have a broad understanding of a variety of subjects such as, types of materials, manufacturing processes, branding, marketing, lifestyle trends etc. A very important aspect of this discipline is ergonomics, or an understanding of the product <-> individual interaction within the context of its use. Furthermore, designers should constantly be aware of the requirements of the society that they live in and should be sensitive to its rhythms, influences and its spiritual and regional ethos. Product designers mostly focus on specific areas such as, consumer electronics, automobiles, interior related products, medical equipments etc. However, as their skills are transferable they can also work in many other related disciplines, such as: Industrial Design
Design education The need for professionally qualified designers has become very essential with the globalisation of the market place economies. A number of government and private multi-discipline design institutes have come up to fill in this void. The aim of these schools is to train professional designers who have a global perspective. To achieve this institutes have developed multi-disciplinary structures curriculum and environments. To be a good product designer students need to go through such programmers and institutes to become designers for the 21st century. All good multidisciplinary design schools offer degrees, graduate diploma and post graduate diplomas. The duration of the graduate product design program is of four years including one year of the foundation programme. This programme is essential to develop the attitudes, sensorial skills and aesthetic sensitivity, which is necessary for specialization. In the study of product design in addition to the study design, technology, ergonomics etc, subjects like history of design, information theory and computer aided designs etc are also a part of the studies. Getting in Currently most organisations prefer to employ product designers who have a degree or four-year graduate diploma or post graduate diploma from a multidisciplinary Institute or School of Design. Compensation Most product designers earn good starting salaries after graduation. In fact, the bandwidth of compensation earned by product designers can be huge and fairly profitable. — With inputs from Shobha Parasher, Head of the School, LISAA School of Design
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MBA — which entrance route to take?
Let’s talk about this particular situation through a hypothetical example. I would like the readers to read these scenarios and draw their own conclusions. Remember, this is not a comparison between Indian and international business schools but one of clarity of mind and focus. It is about overcoming your fears and dilemmas and making informed choices after weighing the pros and cons of each option. Candidates A and B both study at the same engineering college. Both want an MBA. Towards the completion of his course, Candidate A starts his research on the Indian business schools. He wants to complete his education and then start working. Researching on the management schools and admissions, he gets totally perplexed at the sheer number of MBA entrances like the CAT, XAT, MAT, SNAP, CMAT etc. He is thinking about which exams to prepare for; there is no way he will be able to attempt each one. Pondering over his dilemma, he settles for the CAT as this exam score is accepted by more than a 100 Indian institutes. He also attempts to give entrances for particular colleges like NMAT and IIFT. After his MBA studies at an average college, candidate A starts working, not entirely happy with his placement, especially after a premiere engineering degree. A few years later, he becomes clearer about getting into business strategy consulting and wanting to make wider networks and get practical exposure through experiential learning, he starts preparing for his GMAT aiming to get into an international programme. Candidate B was clear about getting into Operations in the manufacturing industry right from the start of his Mechanical Engineering days. He sat for placements, got an entry into his industry of choice and earnestly started working his way up. Over the span of the next two years, he worked hard, was identified as fast track employee, given additional responsibilities and also joined his company's CSR initiatives. At the end of the two years, while candidate A was just beginning his career, Candidate B was already at an Assistant Management level. Now, Candidate B was ready to start preparing for his MBA, in order to catapult his career to a higher position with greater responsibilities in the Operations area. Preferring to get his MBA from a top 20 world schools, the choice for him was between the GMAT and GRE. Realising that GMAT takers were more in number and the GMAT score was more popular with the MBA colleges; he took the exam after three months of preparation and got a stellar score. Having already built his profile over the span of his career, when he applied to colleges in the third year of his experience, he got an offer from two of his dream colleges in the US with a scholarship from one. This decision of which exam to take is very difficult to make. With limited time and immense competition, making an either/or/and choice is very daunting. Here are a few pointers to nudge you to think and make the right decision for your career:
List all your strengths, weaknesses and aspirations guys. This personal notebook will become your very own crystal ball. You can look back, consult and take inspiration from it every time the going gets a little tough. Hang in there, and you will make it. Each type of entrance test has its own parameters on which it assesses candidates, so it is impossible to differentiate between them. However, a person who has appeared for the CAT and done reasonably well in it is well equipped to give any kind of entrance test. Why only management, a student, who has actively participated in different competitions like the Olympiads at the school level will have the natural confidence and mental strength to face different competitions later, irrespective of which field he wants to be in. The most sought after entrance tests are CAT and GMAT. However, many institutes have their own admission criteria but will gladly accept a CAT or a GMAT score. More and more business schools in India are now accepting the GMAT score with relevant work experience. While most MBA aspirants have strong mathematical abilities, they face a challenge in cracking the verbal section. This is true for CAT and GMAT and the reason for the overall scores dropping. If a person dedicates 3-4 months on an average of four hours of study every day, then s/he can easily crack whatever exam they are preparing for. To improve vocabulary and general language skills, one can easily start reading on varied topics suited to their interests and start writing as well. This improves diction, language, vocabulary and expression. After giving the GMAT, one has many options available across the globe. The advantage of studying at a GMAT accepting school cannot be overemphasised- the biggest one is the huge amount of self-development involved. One needs a work experience to make it and in the process of garnering this work experience, one collates immense industry knowledge and also clarity of goals with respect to which function to pursue post MBA. — The writer is Founder & Master Coach MBA Admissions and author of
Destination MBA: Showing You How To Get There!
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Diploma in Dramatic Arts
Eligibility: Graduation in any subject from a recognised university in India & abroad. Participation in at least 6 theatre productions. Working knowledge of Hindi & English. Age limit as on 1.7.2014 Minimum 20 years Maximum 30 years. The upper age limit is reiaxable by 5 years for SC / ST candidates only. The students selected for admission will have to undergo a medical test for physical fitness at NSD, New Delhi. Their final selection is subject to clearance of the fitness test. How to apply: Application form and prospectus (in English & Hindi) can be received by post, by writing to The Academic Section, National School of Drama, Bahawalpur House, Bhagwandas Road, New Delhi-110001, along with a crossed Demand Draft/Pay Order, payable at Delhi, of Rs 225 in favour of The Director, National School of Drama, New Delhi. Request for receiving the application form by post should reach the School by 30.03.2014. Check out: www.nsd.gov.in. Deadline: April 15, 2014. Management programmes
Apeejay School of Management is inviting applications for the two-year PGDM for the session 2014-16. The specialisations under this programme are Marketing, Finance, Human Resource Management, International Business, IT and Operations. The details of the programme are as follows: Eligibility: Bachelor's or equivalent degree in any discipline with minimum 50 per cent aggregate marks from a recognised university. Candidates in their final year can also apply (provided that their aggregate up to the final year must be 50% or above). Selection process:
The institute considers CAT/MAT/CMAT/XAT/GMAT scores; however, the final selection of a candidate depends upon the overall performance including the previous academic performance, written test, group discussion and personal interview. How to apply:
Application form can be obtained personally from the Institute or procured by post. It can also be downloaded from the institute's website.
Diploma courses
National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai has invited applications for admission to PG Diploma in Industrial Engineering and PG Diploma in Manufacturing Management courses of academic year 2014-15. Eligibility: GATE qualified [2013/2014] with 60 per cent aggregate marks at graduation in Engineering/Technology in any branch for PGDIE Programme. For PGDMM students with following engineering disciplines can only apply — mechanical, production, automobile, chemical, civil, textile, electrical, electronics and other relevant branches such as industrial engineering, instrumentation and industrial electronics. GATE qualifiers get Teaching Assistantship @
Rs 8000 per month and contingency expenditure as per rules. Admission is based on Group Discussion and Personal Interview with appropriate weightage to GATE score. How to apply:
Online at www.nitie.edu. Deadline: April 10, 2014 Check out:
www.nitie.edu
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Smart strategy: how to make an effective online brand Jappreet Sethi
A personal brand is an investment
Branding lasts longer than the lifespan of a product or person. While projects that you are currently working on may shut down, your brand adds value to your credentials. In a highly competitive business environment, you need to make sure that people see what you are capable of, what you have been working on and what your achievements are. This is crucial if you are planning to launch new products or services in the future. Having a personal brand will ensure that you never have to start from scratch and that you have recall value on the online marketplace. A personal brand will ensure that people looking to learn more about you get an idea about your qualities, expertise and experience when they ask around or search the Internet for your name. If you are looking to create an impressive identity, here are some tips that will be helpful:
Set goals
If your desire is to mentor people in photography 10 years from now, people need to see the quality of your work and the appreciation that you receive for it. This is what will make them place their trust in you when you need it.
Be unique
People are always looking for fresh ideas. You are only as good as your latest work. In layman’s terms, you simply cannot ride on a single idea forever. This is the same reason why Facebook is constantly introducing new changes and updates. Come up with new ideas constantly to keep your brand spanking new. A personal brand can go a long way if you are looking to make the most out of the online platform. If you have been in the online workplace for some time now, there are chances that people have already come across your work.
Use social media
Gone are the days when you could rely on only one source of promotion; today, there are many sources to promote content and oneself. The range varies from LinkedIn, which is ideal to connect with business professionals, to Facebook which has more with-it audience, to Quora - which is all about blogs. Also, don't forget the vibrant micro-blogging site Twitter and the image-posting platforms Instagram and Pinterest. In order to effectively use these media, you need to be technologically adept. Make sure you have a grip on when and how to use these platforms. Experts suggest that it is best to use all of them to promote oneself. Make a promotion plan and use these social media platforms to reach a focused audience. Finally, take the time to publish and maintain a blog. Publishing a blog that showcases your work shows that you are passionate about whatever you are working on. You can generate healthy discussions and provide insights on your experiences. People will know that you are constantly involved in your field of expertise, and that you are accumulating knowledge from diverse experiences. If you handle this correctly, there will come a time when readers will wait for your next story and choose to ‘subscribe’ to receive your updates.
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Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana Farmers Interact with CM: Diversification through livestock is an important aspect of agricultural diversification. Farmers should come forward to enjoy benefits of state policies for the promotion of animal husbandry. These views were expressed by Chief Minister Punjab Parkash Singh Badal, at Farmers-Scientists Interaction held at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Scientist Home and Kisan Hostel at the veterinary university. Speaking on the occasion he said, “We have framed a number of schemes and policies for promoting livestock and fisheries sector. There are special advantages and benefits to promote women farmers and entrepreneurs in these schemes. Veterinary university and PAU are also contributing a lot for upliftment of peasantry through its research, Extension and Education.” Scientists win laurels
The scientists and PG students of the Department of Livestock Production Management (LPM), of the university were recognised for their scientific skills and research at National Seminar on “New Dimensional Approaches for Livestock Productivity and Profitability Enhancement under Era of Climate Change” held at Anand Agricultural University, Anand (Gujarat). A team of three scientists and four PG students from the Department of LPM, GADVASU, led by Dr. A. L. Saini, Professor-cum-Head and Vice-President of the Society, participated and won a number of awards at the seminar. Dr. Saini, received the honour to Co-Chair one most important and common technical session entitled “Climate change and its effect on livestock productivity” where many national and international Scientists deliberated their concerns and views on livestock productivity under the scenario of climate change.
Scientist nominated for international training
Dr. Vaneet Inder Kaur, Assistant Scientist (Fisheries), College of Fisheries, GADVASU, Ludhiana, has been nominated for a three- month international training programme in the field of Nutraceuticals by National Agricultural Innovation Project (ICAR). The funds to the tune of ~8,44,310 has been sanctioned by ICAR. She joined her training programme at Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Animal Production, Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Gent, Belgium. Under this training programme, she will learn techniques for developing nutraceuticals for fish by isolating bioactive molecules such as polyphenols, carotenoids, PUFA’s Poly unsaturated fatty acid etc. from different algal species and their utilisation in formulated and live fish feeds.
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Happiness @ work
Even if you are highly talented, it is unwise to shoulder the entire responsibility yourself. Delegate work for faster completion and better execution.
In the Mahabharata, the Kaurava brothers had failed in paying ‘gurudakshina’ to Dronacharya. The guru had asked the princes to capture Drupad, King of Panchal. As it was the Pandavas’ turn, Drona’s favourite disciple Arjuna planned his attack. Making Nakul and Sehdev guard his flanks and placing Bhima at the front, Arjuna attacked Drupad’s forces and was successful. In Lord Shiva’s hands was a job of a millennium — three revolving cities (Tripura) that could only be destroyed by a single arrow. As they came together only once in 1,000 years, their rulers — Asura brothers Kamaraksha, Taarakaksha and Vidyunmali — had let loose a reign of terror. As failure would have meant waiting for another millennium, Shiva decided to take no chances. He made mount Meru his bow and serpent Vasuki the string. Vishnu the arrow had Agni as the tip and Vayu as the end. Brahma formed the chariot and four gods became the horses. The job was done. Suddenly, Subedar-Major Bale Tiwari of the First Brahmans Regiment realised he was seeing a magician at work. But the magic show was far away. He called the 16-year-old lad. “Dhyan Chand, you can’t take the ball singlehandedly all the way to the opponents’ goal. You should pass the ball. Hockey is a team game,” the coach said. With Dhyan Chand as team member in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and 1932 Los Angeles Olympics and as captain for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, India won three golds. Queen Sembiyan Mahadevi, grand-aunt of King Raja Raja Chola of the 10th century, had built many temples around Thanjavur. For the temple at Konerirajapuram, she wanted a six-foot tall bronze statue of Lord Nataraj. The sculptor — even after many attempts — could not fashion an idol that high. “One more chance or you’ll be beheaded,” said the king. Realising death was staring him in the face, he looked to the heavens for help. As he was melting metal in his workshop that night, a Brahmin couple asked for water. “As you are Brahmins, I can’t offer you anything,” the sculptor said. When the guests insisted, he said, “You can drink the molten alloy.” The couple did so and disappeared. In their place appeared life-size idols of the Nataraj and Parvati. The king was exhilarated on seeing the statues. When the sculptor told him about the divine couple, the king mockingly hit the Nataraj’s foot with his sword and blood came out. Even today, there is a mark where the king hit the world’s tallest bronze statue of Nataraj. Only with a team will success gather steam. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at
svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Work
station
And that last point is what concerns us most here in this piece. The West has long had comprehensive and caring setups for the disabled. There are wheelchair accessible ramps, foot pedal drinking fountains for people who have trouble using their hands, counselling sessions - the list goes on and on. But how many of us can recall an office in India that had even a small percentage of these facilities? In fact, we usually come across situations which will make a physically fit person handicapped. There'll be staircases with no hand-railings, so that you can pitch down two floors and have your back or neck re-arranged. There'll be tiles hanging precariously from the ceilings, ready to bonk you on your noggin. There'll be electric wires snaking dangerously across walls and floors, ready to electrocute you and give you a permanent frizzy hair job. And why do you think this is? It's not that a company cannot afford to set these things right, or that it has a lack of funds. It's the mindset. When our society itself has become brutalized, then the office becomes merely a reflection of this malaise. When in the mall you can literally run over someone with a limp, or crash into her wheelchair and not even have the decency to apologize, then how are things going to be any different in the office? Well, I'll tell you how. Just as a company trains its employees how to work according to a system, it has to train them to be sensitive to differently abled people. Now, it's not that all companies are so uncaring; its just that the majority are. A culture of caring has not been created in the workplace, a culture which accords equal opportunity to all. Coming back to this gentleman in the wheelchair, the first day that he went back to his job, he found to his surprise that there was no way he could get up to his first floor office. The elevator rarely worked, so it was either hauling himself up the narrow stairs, or being carried up them by his co-workers. For a few days he was hauled up by two peons and a third followed with his wheelchair. At the top he was dumped back into the chair and he then rolled himself over to his workstation. The day was going fine for a while after that till the time came for a bathroom break.Let's just say that that whole experience was not only physically challenging, mentally straining but extremely humiliating. Especially when on the way out his wheelchair got jammed in the bathroom door hinges! The piece de resistance came when a week later one of the persons carrying him up the stairs tripped. Luckily the whole sorry party was only a few stairs up at that time, because proverbially 'they all came rolling down the hill'. The wheelchair was totaled but thankfully none of the humans had suffered anything worse than a few bumps and bruises. He got the usual outpouring of sympathy and everything, but it wasn't until he was finally able to walk that he felt like a human being again. So as they say in corporate lingo, 'what's the takeaway?' Quite simple really. Let's make our offices and workplaces more disabled friendly before we find ourselves at the receiving end sometime soon. After all, all it takes is one small slip in a hallway with a wet floor that no one has bothered to have mopped, for a hypothetical situation to become horrifyingly and frighteningly
real. — The writer is an Organizational Identity & Personnel Development Consultant
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Aircraft Maintenance Engineering courses
IIA Group of Institutions - comprising JRN Institute of Aviation Technology, Delhi, and Bharat Institute of Aeronautics, Patna - is offering scholarships for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Courses. AME courses are duly approved by Directorate General Civil Aviation, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. Details:
Eligibility: Intermediate/+2 students with at least 50% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics are eligible to take the tests to be held across various centres. The candidates scoring 70% or above would qualify for further progress. Deadline: March 31, 2014 How to apply: Forms are available on the website and at the college office. Address: JRN Institute of Aviation Technology 414/2, Rani Khera More, Mundka, Delhi- 110041, Phone: 91-11-32315460 Leiden University Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) Master and Short Courses University of Leiden, Netherlands, is offering fellowship programmes for mid-career professionals following NFP approved short courses or master's programmes Eligibility: Applicants should be mid-career professionals with at least three years' work experience. Applicants should have been unconditionally admitted to courses and programmes recognised by the NFP (short course or master's programme). Applicants are nominated by their employers. Applications without a support letter from an employer will not be considered. Duration: Minimum 2 weeks for a short course, maximum 2 years for a Master's programme. Application fee: If you are applying for an NFP scholarship for a short course or a master's programme you are not required to pay the €100 application fee. However, we must receive evidence that you are intending to apply for the NFP scholarship, in the form of a letter from your employer, endorsing your study plans and guaranteeing that while you are absent your salary will continue to be paid and your job will be held. This is the same letter that you will require for your actual NFP application Deadline: Start programme: as of January 2015 Short Course: 6 May 5, 2014 and August 5, 2014 Master's: May 6, 2014 and August 5, 2014 Check out: http://phd.leiden.edu
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Course
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The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) and Toulouse Business School have signed an agreement to set up India’s first Executive General Management Programme in Aerospace and Aviation Management as a first step towards collaborating in teaching and research. Airbus is sponsoring the two-year part-time degree programme to develop and nurture local talent in the field of aerospace.
The Aerospace MBA will be the first of its kind in India and is conducted by Toulouse Business School, whose own established and respected Aerospace MBA course has a strong business focus. Each year up to 75 students will be enrolled in the course. The partnership has been established to address the need to develop the next generation of India aviation professionals. Jacques Igalens, Toulouse Business School Dean said: “With the constantly evolving aviation landscape, the aviation industry needs world class leaders to anticipate trends and provide innovative solutions in today’s fast changing and uncertain globalised markets. This programme truly aims at answering this need.” Prof DevanathTirupati, Director in charge of IIM Bangalore said, “The students will also have the option of earning an Aerospace MBA degree from Toulouse Business School. We strongly feel that this will give the right skills and the best possible training for our next generation of aviation sector business leaders.” Airbus has been supporting India’s aviation sector and its sustainable growth for over 40 years. Today, Airbus directly and indirectly supports some 5,000 local aviation jobs making the company India’s biggest foreign based aircraft manufacturer.
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Barbie dolls can limit career choices for girls
Is your daughter in awe of Barbie doll and her exhaustive world of fashion and accessories? This could well be a dampener for her career later. Researchers have found that girls who play with Barbie dolls see fewer career options for themselves than boys.
“Playing with Barbie has an effect on girls’ ideas about their place in the world. It creates a limit on the sense of what’s possible for their future. While it is not a massive effect, it is a measurable and statistically significant effect,” cautioned Aurora M. Sherman, an associate professor in the school of psychological science at Oregon State University in the US. For parents, the most important thing is to look at the child’s toy box and make sure there is a wide variety of toys to play with, Sherman added. Sherman’s experiment was designed to examine how Barbie might influence girls’ career aspirations. Girls aged 4 to 7 were randomly assigned to play with one of three dolls — a fashion Barbie with dress and high-heeled shoes, a career Barbie with a doctor’s coat and stethoscope, or a Mrs Potato Head (a neutral, not-so-sexy doll) with accessories such as purses and shoes. After a few minutes of play, the girls were asked if they could do any of 10 occupations when they grew up. They were also asked if boys could do those jobs. Girls who played with Barbie thought they could do fewer jobs than boys could do. But girls who played with Mrs Potato Head reported nearly the same number of possible careers for themselves and for boys. There was no difference in results between girls who played with a Barbie wearing a dress and the career-focused, doctor version of the doll. Toys such as dolls or action figures can influence a child’s ideas about their future, Sherman pointed out in the study published in the journal Sex Roles.
— IANS
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Engineering grads prefer SMEs jobs
Engineering graduates in Hyderabad are open to taking up jobs in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), according to survey findings of the TMI Group. 98.4 per cent of engineering graduates surveyed are willing to work in the SME sector. The survey also reveals some interesting facts about factors guiding the job decisions of the graduates.
Around 90.8 per cent of the respondents said they believe SMEs to be good places to work. They said that in SMEs, employees had work-life balance, a friendly work-culture and faster career growth. Surprisingly, 46 per cent of respondents think that large companies are not good workplaces. Unhealthy competition, lack of job security and long working hours are the reasons why they believe so. Jobseekers value a challenging opportunity the most when deciding whether or not to accept a job. 23 per cent consider challenging responsibilities as the top reason to take up a job. 22 per cent consider brand name of the company as the top reason accept a job. Proximity to home is third on the list with 16 per cent respondents see it first in the list guiding their decision. The survey is conducted by the
TMI Group, of 328 engineering graduates based in Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
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Fortnightly quiz 460
2. Who authored the books ‘Delhi’, ‘Train to Pakistan’ and ‘A History of the Sikhs’? 3. Name the Malaysian Airlines jetliner that recently went missing in the Indian Ocean. 4. Which country has the highest number of TB cases in the world? 5. At what rate, according to a climate report, is the average temperature rising in the Tibetan plateau for the past decade? 6. At which place is a 70-storeyed temple, billed to be one of the largest shrines in India, proposed to be built? 7. In which country is the world’s solar-powered toilet set to be launched? 8. Name the coach of the Indian cricket team. 9. Which country’s players recently hit 19 sixes in a T-20 match, creating an international record? 10. In how many quarters has been hockey divided by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) from 2016 Rio Summer Olympics? —
Tarun Sharma Winners of quiz 459: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Neelam; Class 10; GHS Badwala; VPO Badwala; Bassi Pathana; district Fatehgarh Sahib; Pin Code — 147001 Second: Satyageet; Class - 10th T1; RPS Public School, village - Baliar Kalan, 6th milestone, Delhi Road, Rewari; Pin Code —123401 Third: Swati; Class X-A; Kaintal School (Sr), Sanour Road, Patiala; Pin Code — 147001 Answers to quiz 459: Nine; 543; ‘12 years of a slave’; Myanmar; Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation; Sarwan Singh; Sepp Blatter; Graeme Smith; Abdur Rehman; Sri Lanka Cash awards of Rs 400, 300 and 200 are given to the first, second and third prize winners, respectively. These are sent at the school address. Note: Kindly mention the pincode of your place on the letter/postcard to facilitate the delivery of the prize money. Answers can also be sent at
quiz@tribunemail.com Name….............................
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As temperature slowly rise and winter gives way to summer, another kind of heat is being generated in villages, towns and cities across the country. Until mid May the fever of politics will build up as 850 million people prepare to vote for a new government. Amartaya Sen may have called us the "argumentative India" but we are more of political Indians, who love to discuss, argue, dispute, fight over, protest about some political matter in the country - right now it is, who do you vote for?
Product design is an amalgamation of art, science and technology. Practically every product that you see around you or use has been created by a product designer. The key board that you tap away, the I-phone, the blackberry, the safety pin, the tooth brush, the door handle, the chair, the surgeon's scalpel, the inside and outside of a car etc. have all been created by product designers. Steve Jobs, Abdul Kalam, Michelangelo, just to name a few famous people - all belong the fraternity of product designers.
Course
cruising
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University,
Ludhiana
This certification has been made mandatory by SEBI for anyone engaged in selling mutual funds — agents as well as those employed in distribution companies and banks.
Q. Can you please tell me something about Agricultural Economics and the prospects of pursuing a career in this field?
— Raghubir Soin
Q. I am in my second year of MCA. Could you please tell me something about cryptography?
— Akash Handa 
Everyone loves a B-school tag and an MBA degree. But with a large number of tests available for getting into an MBA several students face the dilemma of which test to go in for. CAT, GMAT or GRE are among the main tests the scores of which are recognised by most of the reputed B-schools in India and abroad. But which one is a better choice, remains the key confusion.
The National School of Drama, New Delhi, invites applications for admissions to Diploma Course in Dramatic Arts (3 years) for 2014 session. All selected students will be given scholarship of
Rs 6000 per month to meet their academic and other expenses.
Personal branding is all about creating your own reputation. It targets people who judge you by your online profile and on whom you want to make the best possible impression. With a good personal brand, potential clients or employers will recognize your name, your work and your professional and personal qualities. Everyone likes to be known for something.
Goals are great for revamping your identity. Personal brands are generally built from the impressions, reactions and thoughts that people have about you. Think of your short-term and long terms goals and start thinking of them as integral parts of your personal identity.
I heard this first person account the other day that set me thinking of how insensitive we can be of people with disabilities. This gentleman had met with a horrific car accident which had confined him to the wheelchair for a few months. As if the accident wasn't horrific enough, there were two additional factors that added insult to injury - the total disregard of strangers, and the total lack of facilities at his office for a disabled person.
1. Which country recently annexed Crimea?