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INSURANCE SECTOR
Sandeep Mathur, Accounts Executive at AAA, US
Career Hotline Job opportunities after Class XII
campus & contests
Game of impression
office mantra: mastering multi-tasking
Cruising on CSR
Happiness @ work
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INSURANCE SECTOR
No other sector is at such a curious inflexion as Insurance. It has reached a stage where it is one of the largest creators of jobs; on the other hand it is also one of the very few sectors where attrition is as high as 70 per cent. The sector presents unprecedented opportunities of growth both in terms of lucre and elevation in status.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) was constituted as an autonomous body to regulate and develop the insurance industry in 1999 and in 2000 it entered a new domain altogether from a public domain to a fiercely competitive private sector. The major government companies are Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), General Insurance Corporation (GIC) and Postal Life Insurance. Private players like Om Kotak Mahindra, Birla Sun-Life, Tata AIF Life, Reliance, HDFC Standard Life-Insurance Co., Max New York Life, Royal Sundaram, Cholamandalam, IFFCO Tokyo and Tata AIG are also there. This coupled with financial doldrums and the increase in the number of catastrophic events that inflict mass casualties and severe economic losses has ushered in a wave of unprecedented growth in the sector and also as a natural corollary a plethora of job opportunities.
Getting in
To pursue a career in the insurance industry, you will have to pass the entrance examination conducted by the Actuarial Society of India, Mumbai. Students who have passed Plus II or an equivalent exam are eligible. License is needed to work in this field and this can be achieved through a training programme. The Insurance Institute of India conducts Licentiate, Associateship Fellowship besides Certificate Course on Foundations of Casualty Actuarial Science, Diploma in Marine insurance, Fire Insurance plus other training programmes for insurance services.
Online courses
CAS Online Course 1, Risk Management and Insurance Operations by the institutes. (Prometric lists this course as CAS1 on its Web site under The Institutes). It prepares CAS candidates for a two-hour, 75-point multiple-choice examination.
Career pathways
The growth rate in Insurance sector has been more than 20 per cent in the past three years. There is a huge potential for development in Insurance sector. India is heading towards being one of the strongest economies of the world by 2020 and it would have a ripple effect on the insurance sector too. The following are some of the career options you can go in for:
Underwriters
As an insurance underwriter, you would assess insurance risks and decide whether to offer cover. It would be your job to set the terms and conditions of insurance policies, and decide how much to charge for them. You would make sure that policies were priced competitively for the customer but high enough for the insurance company to cover any potential losses arising from claims and make a profit. You would specialise in either life assurance, one of several types of general insurance or commercial insurance. Your work could include studying insurance proposals, gathering background information, such as medical histories, analysing statistics from actuaries and other sources, getting specialist risk assessments from experts, such as surveyors or doctors, assessing risk, calculating the price of premiums, preparing quotes and negotiating terms with brokers or business clients, deciding whether any special conditions should apply to policies, maintaining accurate and detailed records. You would work closely with actuaries, claims and risk managers, brokers and other insurance professionals.
Investment analyst
As an investment analyst, you would be responsible for analysing financial information relating to the companies e.g a new set of accounts, profit and loss and cash flow statements , conducting regular meetings with the management of the companies, sometimes at their premises, e.g to discuss issues arising from the accounts, keeping up to date with market developments and all that can affect the markets, e.g. movements in the economies of relevant countries, political events, monitoring the financial news using specialist media sources , producing summaries of the research for fund managers, and meeting with them regularly and maintaining liaison with the management of companies and with fund managers.
Insurance agent (Sales)
This profile occupies the maximum surface area and is the most difficult to carry out. If you are an insurance agent your primary goal would be to keep yourself updated and attend meetings, seminars and programmes to learn about new products and services, receive technical assistance in developing new accounts, calculate premiums and establish payment method, call on policyholders to deliver and explain policy, to analyse insurance programme and suggest additions or changes, or to change beneficiaries, confer with clients to obtain and provide information when claims are made on a policy, contact underwriter and submit forms to obtain binder coverage. At a higher level you can also suggest the management to customise insurance programmes to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks. Therefore, gear yourself up to carve a nice for yourself and ensure success in the Insurance sector… — The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant
Institute scape
* Actuarial Society of India, Mumbai * Amity School of Insurance and Actuarial Science, Noida *
Birla Institute of Management & Technology, New Delhi * College Of Insurance, Mumbai *
Institute of Insurance & Risk Management, Hyderabad * International Institute for Insurance and Finance, Hyderabad *
International School of Actuarial Sciences (ISAS), Hyderabad * National Insurance Academy, Pune *
The ICFAI School of Finance and Management, Hyderabad
Courses in India
* B. A (Insurance), B. A (pass) with Insurance as a subject *
PG Diploma in Certified Risk and Insurance Management * Certificate Course in Intermediaries in Specific
Insurance Subjects * Courses for Insurance Managers *
PG Diploma in Insurance and Risk Management * BSc (with Actuarial science as a subject) *
PG Diploma in Insurance Science *PG Diploma in Management of Insurance and
Financial Services * Master's programme in Insurance Business * Foundation in Financial Planning *
MSc in Actuarial Science
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Making hard sell sell
For those of you who feel that insurance is hard sell, here are excerpts from an interview with Sandeep Mathur, Accounts Executive at AAA, a leading Insurance firm in the US. Is Insurance a hard sell? Is selling Insurance in the US easier than in India? Insurance is not as much a hard sell as you think. In fact, for those of you who think that your work experiences in retail, food service or camp counseling aren't applicable to the insurance industry? Believe it or not, they are. The customer service and problem solving involved in each one of these is definitely something you will use in the insurance sector. Nope, I can't say that. Although the US population is more conscious towards the importance of insurance, yet convincing the consumer has to be done as there are many carriers and plans to choose from and with information at the consumer's fingertips, we have to stay current all the time… How can one make a start? For those of you, who think how to start, take the first step by building your network. There's a good chance you're already connected to at least one insurance professional through your car insurance, tenant or home insurance, or through your parents, so you won't have to start from scratch. Ask questions and indicate your interest in the industry - you never know who they know and can connect you to. From there, you can branch out and develop new connections by attending professional and social events in the industry and on your campus. Though it may not 'net' a job that day, it plants seeds and introduces you to people who you can follow-up with later on. How does one survive and thrive? To survive in this sector, the singular formula is to keep yourself updated with the competitor's products and services and also be familiar with the latest risk mitigation and management techniques. To survive present and future catastrophes, insurance industry professionals are going to have to manage risks knowing that past losses are no longer good predictors of future losses. And despite more uncertainty about the frequency and severity of risks, it's necessary to adapt to the new risk architecture. Because you can be paralyzed by managing extreme events … or you can build more resilient systems.
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The number game
Mathematical aptitude is scarce, and the study programme can be demanding. But master it, and you could be setting yourself up for a lifetime of healthy pay cheques Usha Albuquerque
Do you know that
* Voyager’s journey to the planets could not have been calculated without the mathematics of differential equations. *
Travel by aeroplane would not be possible without the mathematics of airflow and of control systems. *
A computer's capacity for speed and accuracy is based on mathematical theories which instruct a computer as to what is to be done. In a country that has a long and ancient mathematical tradition, that gave the world the decimal place value system, the modern way of writing numbers, and above all, the ‘zero’, and which boasts of ancient mathematical schools like those of Aryabhata and Bhaskara, there are so many students who grow up with a bewildering dislike of mathematics! The study of mathematics is a challenging yet frustrating experience for many students today, but it can also lead to a huge variety of exciting professional careers. More than that, it is also estimated that students of maths earn salaries that are on an average 25 per cent higher than others. Training in maths can open vast opportunities in engineering, finance, business, technology and basic research. Mathematical analysis and computational modeling are important for solving some of the most pressing problems of our time - new energy resources, climate change, risk management, epidemiology, to name a few. Numerical simulation, such as weather and climate forecasting, depends heavily on the use of supercomputers. Moreover, with the increasing importance of basic science and information technology, prospects for careers in the mathematical sciences are very good. So taking a degree based on maths does not mean that you have to become a mathematician. Maths is not just a subject on its own, but a set of tools or a way of thinking. Almost any area that you can think of has a need for mathematicians. After all, how can you study the oceans if you don't understand the waves? Or develop new drugs against diseases if you don't know how to test whether they work or not? Mathematics is about pattern and structure; it is about logical analysis, deduction, calculation within these patterns and structures. Mathematics teaches patience, discipline, and step-by-step problem-solving skills. The ability to use logical thought, to formulate a problem in a way which allows for computation and decision, to make deductions from assumption and to use advanced concepts, provides you with a sound background of knowledge and transferable skills that can be utilised in an unlimited number of career opportunities. This flexibility is even more important nowadays, with the considerable uncertainty as to which areas will be the best for employment in future years.
Some careers for which a study of mathematics is important:
* Computer science has a considerable mathematical component, which is becoming more important as the designers of software are required to prove that the software meets its specification. Maths is required for cryptography involved in network security and mathematical algorithms for various aspects of e-commerce. *
Cryptologists: They design and analyse schemes used to transmit secret information -the safety of credit card transactions is based on some very sophisticated mathematics. *
Actuary: They assemble and analyse statistics to calculate probabilities of death, sickness, injury, disability, unemployment, retirement, and property loss and so on for insurance purposes. There is a shortage of trained actuaries required for insurance companies, banking and finance organizations. *
A related career to that of an actuary is that of a Research Analyst. They research compensation trends and problems internally and externally; perform statistical analyses and predictive modeling on current and proposed compensation scenarios; measure performance of field sales against established goals; model and track incentive and bonus programmes and so on. *
Operations research analyst - They assist organisations in developing the most efficient, cost-effective solutions including strategy, forecasting, resource allocation and inventory control, to organisational operations and problems. *
Financial services firms as also traders, working with stocks, commodities, or with foreign exchange need a large number of maths specialists. Financial Mathematics or Quantitative Finance professionals support complex financial products, for mortgage backing, financial derivatives, and stock market analysis, and to handle statistical modelling and financial engineering. *
Statistician - They collect, analyse, and present numerical data resulting from surveys and experiments *
Analytics as a domain specialisation cuts across industry verticals and is growing fast globally. Companies like Google, IBM, Facebook and Microsoft are known to hire mathematicians and computer science scientists in their analytics divisions. *
Air traffic control analyst: They apply probability, statistics, and logistics to air traffic control operations *
Applied Mathematics: Often this means working on problems in physics, chemistry, geology, and engineering from a mathematical perspective. There are seemingly endless possibilities, ranging from being a climate analyst who models long-term changes in global weather to working as a forensic analyst who investigates data collected at crime scenes to being a population ecologist who works to prevent species from becoming endangered. *
Biomathematics -- The application of mathematics in the health sciences. * Biostatistics -- The application of statistics in the health sciences. *
Robotics - They combine mathematics with engineering, and computer science in the study and design of robots. *
Geophysical mathematician - They develop the mathematical basis for seismic imaging tools used in the exploration and production of oil and gas reservoirs. *
Design -- Using computer graphics and mathematical modeling in the design and construction of a range of products. *
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) design, operation and management of advanced Geographic Information Systems and Land Information Systems (LIS), as well as other sophisticated computer mapping and CAD based geospatial applications. *
Indian Economic Service — a central government service involved in economic planning, policy formulation and its implementation, providing economic advice and economic administration.
In addition there are careers where a study of maths can be useful in the following fields:
* Lawyer: Mathematics assists in the understanding of complicated theoretical legal concepts and for research *
Economist: Interpret and analyze the interrelationships among factors which drive the economics of a particular organization, industry, or country *
Ecologist: Study the interrelationships of organisms and their environments and the underlying mathematical dynamics *
Chartered Accountant performs a range of financial services including cost and tax audits, maintainence of financial records and tax planning strategies. *
Chartered financial analysts (CFA) utilise their skills in the core areas of corporate finance, investment management, international finance and financial services. *
Investment banker is a person who helps an organisation to utilise and increase its funds, by doing a thorough study of the market trends, risk involved in investments and the prevalent economic conditions.
Job scape
After a master's or PhD in maths there are opportunities for you outside academia as well. Government departments engaged in space research (the Indian Space Research Organisation, or ISRO), defence research (Defence Research and Development Organisation, or DRDO), aeronautical research (National Aeronautics Limited, or NAL), all employ mathematicians to solve their special problems. Moreover, most computer firms including giants such as IBM and Microsoft have research departments that hire mathematicians or theoretical computer scientists. Mathematics is an excellent foundation for almost any career. So give a second thought to maths before you decide to reject it. A study of mathematics even up to Class XII can benefit students in a host of areas including anthropology, sociology, and psychology, as well as law, business, travel and ticketing, advertising, marketing and media planning. So even if you do not choose a career in the mathematical sciences, studying as much mathematics as you can is a good way to keep a variety of career options open. Practical considerations aside, there is the pleasure of learning, applying, and creating mathematics. Real world issues pose problems that can be studied by formulating and analyzing mathematical models. Working on mathematical problems is exciting, and 'quant' thinking and solving difficult problems successfully is, for many, satisfaction enough. So if you have strong analytical ability and the solution of a problem has an excitement for you, mathematics is a good subject to choose. QED! — The writer is Director, Careers Smart, New Delhi
For those who love the subject and wish to immerse themselves in it, there is also the huge area of research in mathematics. Today there are many study programmes leading to a master's and PhD in many mathematics specialisations. *
All the IITs and universities have independent M.Sc. and Ph.D programmes. * In addition the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) offer the five-year MSc. (integrated) programme for which admission is through a joint entrance examination. *
Institutions of pure research (the TIFR, the IMSc and the HRI), the IISc and the CMI also have integrated Ph.D.
programmes. * The Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI) has an M.Sc. programme in applications of mathematics with specialisation in financial mathematics and computational applications of mathematics. *
The Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) has an M. Math. Programme at its Kolkata and Bangalore campuses.
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Career Hotline Q.I am a commerce graduate. I am now interested in going into teaching. What will I have to do to teach in a school or a college? — Unnati Kishore
To become a lecturer and teach at the college or university level, you will first have to complete your master’s course (with a minimum 55 per cent marks), clear the NET and enroll into an MPhil or PhD course to become eligible. Under the UGC regulation 2009, only those who have cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) are eligible to teach at the undergraduate level. The best route would be to go for a full-time BEd and pursue your MCom via Distance learning.
Exploring clinical research
Q. After completing MSc in biology, I’m thinking of doing a short course in Clinical Research? Is it a good idea? —
Jigyasa Vij
Big companies in the US and EU are under tremendous pressure to cut their R & D costs. So a number of biotech and pharma companies are considering outsourcing their work to India through partners or starting a green field project here. Outsourcing research to India results in a hefty 30- 50 per cent cost saving. Backed by our large English-speaking population and talent pool India is emerging as a major R&D powerhouse. Besides data management of clinical trials, the other areas that are outsourced most frequently by pharma companies include functions like stability studies and toxicity slide preparation and evaluation are also being off-shored to India, as are parts of IT, payroll, logistics, HR and F&A. The two major areas in Clinical Research where there is tremendous potential are — contract research and clinical research. Roughly 120 industry-sponsored clinical trials, 50 NIH trials and 30-40 trials are done by Indian companies currently in the country. As a result, the clinical research industry today requires a large number of CR professionals, including trained medical/dental investigators and co-investigators who are in charge of administering new formulations supported by pharmacology; graduates in pharmacy, life sciences and biotechnology who can facilitate studies by managing clinical sites, clinical trial coordinators (CTC) for procuring patients, clinical research associates (CRA) who are essentially data and site monitors and clinical data managers.
Job opportunities after Class XII
Q.Please tell me if there is a way to get a bank job straight after completing Class XII? Also tell me about other job opportunities for a Class XII pass out as I need to start earning due to some financial concerns. —
Sameer Tuteja
A.Sure. Class XII pass-outs can join SBI and SBI Associate Banks as clerical staff via the SBI Clerk Recruitment Exam. To be eligible you should be between 18 and 28 years of age, and should have passed the Class XII exam with a minimum of 60 per cent (for general category candidates) and be computer proficient. Upon clearing the exam, you will be called for an interview. The applications for the exam are made online at www.sbi.co.in. The Government of India and various state governments also recruit those who have passed Class XII as clerks, stenographers, typists, multi-tasking staff, drivers, etc. The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the Higher Secondary Level (10+2) exam for selecting candidates for positions such as Data Entry Operators/Lower Division Clerk, Stenographer (Grade ‘C’ and Grade ‘D’) and Non Technical Staff in various government departments. You can find the details Opportunities are also available in all wings of the armed forces — in the Indian Army (as soldiers, JCOs); in the Indian Navy (as sailors, artificer apprentice, cadet, commercial divers); in the Indian Air Force (as airmen in technical trades, group ‘Y’ trades & group ‘Z’ trades, as outstanding sportsmen. Opportunities are also available in the Indian Coast Guard (as naviks & yantriks, as assistant commandants) as well in all the Protective Services as constables and assistant sub-inspectors in the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, RPF, IRB and Assam Rifles. A small piece of advice: Do try and complete your graduation through distance learning alongside your work. When you do it through Open Universities, you’ll have the flexibility to complete it in 4-5 years at your convenience. It will come in very handy – both for promotions, as well as the flexibility of allowing you to study further should the opportunity or need or desire arise.
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campus & contests
Students of Toc-H Institute of Science and Technology (TIST) in Kerala have been selected for competing in the University Rover Challenge (URC) in the US to design and build the next generation of Mars rovers that will one day work alongside human explorers in the field.
Apart from the URC 2014, the five-member team from TIST at Arakkunam will also compete with students from across the world in the prestigious international aeronautical contest — CanSat — in the US. The purpose of the CanSat is to mimic the functions of an actual satellite, and thus it is an intertwining of various fields of engineering. While the CanSat competition will be held in Texas in June, the URC will be held at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in the remote barren desert of southern Utah in May 2014. The URC is the world's premier robotics competition for college students. The participating team comprising five members is named CHRONOS. The five members of the CHRONOS team are: Muhammed Juhaim Ibnu Abdul Jabbar, PV Abimanyu Nair, Jibin Jose, Anoop Nayak and Joseph Stephen. The team’s faculty advisors are Kiran George Varghese and Shajan K Thomas. TIST is among 31 university teams in the URC representing six countries: the US, India, Egypt, Poland, Canada and Bangladesh; and the team will compete with students from prestigious institutions including Yale University, Cornell University and the Warsaw University of Technology. It is for the second consecutive year that a team from TIST has been selected for the CanSat, which is being organised by the American Astronautical Society (AAS) and American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) in association with NASA, Naval Research Laboratory (USA), Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp and PRAXIS Inc. The competitions are the most prestigious platforms for the world’s brightest students from universities and colleges across the world to showcase space-related systems they have conceptualised and built. The TIST team is the first ever from Kerala to be selected for both the competitions.
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Game of impression
“Know thyself” was the prompt suggestion given by a Greek philosopher when a youngster came to him asking where and how to acquire knowledge in this world. The same advice is relevant for Civil Services aspirants preparing for the personality test. Though the personal interview carries only 275 marks out of the total of 2025 marks in this exam, the stakes are very high here as the candidates get just 20 to 25 minutes to get a decisive edge over others in this personality test. Ideally the candidates should aim for a score of around 60 to 65 per cent in this. The most important tip here is to thoroughly prepare all the points mentioned in the main exam application as the interview panel evaluates a candidate on the basis of the facts mentioned in the summary sheet.
Domicile details
The candidates should study the social, political, economic, cultural, geographical aspects of their native place and state throughly as the interview panel generally discusses this in detail. For example candidates from Punjab are normally asked a lot of questions regarding Chandigarh and any strategic preparation must cover all aspects like nomenclature, Le Corbusier’s contribution to the planning and construction of the city, open hand (La Main Ouverfe) sculpture monuments, unique places like Rock Garden, geographical features of Shivaliks, western disturbances, cricket etc. Likewise the students from other districts of Punjab should prepare on the economy, politics, history and culture, art and architecture of their respective areas. A large number of significant issues and events like Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Revolutionary Terrorism in the independence struggle period, river water dispute, role of Punjab in Indian hockey and cricket traditions, Maharaja Ranjit Singh and misls are among the important issues that the candidates must prepare comprehensively.
Subject perfect
The personality test board also pays a great deal of attention to the subjects opted by the candidates in their higher education as well as in the mains exam. It tests the contemporary trends, concerns and issues of these subjects and also the possible ways in which the knowledge of their subject can be of use in their career later on. For example a candidate who had a degree in psychology was asked a number of questions regarding emotional intelligence and how will it help a civil servant? What role nature and culture play in shaping up the personality of individuals? Who is the greatest psychologist of the world and why do you consider him so?
Edge through hobbies
The interview panel also discusses the hobbies and other interests of the candidates to identify their personality traits and attitudes. The candidates should cultivate socially useful, intellectually stimulating and environmentally beneficial hobbies as these provide multiple benefits, including the much needed psychological succour during the gruelling preparation time. An analysis of data got from successful candidates reveals a wide spectrum of hobbies like cooking, map reading, photography, cycling and psychological counselling. For example once a candidate appeared in the personal interview with map reading as his hobby and the board asked him a whole lot of questions like where is Ilberian peninsula? What is the longitude and latitude of your your town? What is international dateline? Where is Greenwhich median? What is Actual Ground Position Line? Can you identify the longest country of the world? What is the altitude of New Delhi? Why does Everest never rest in the sense it ever grows? What is the southernmost inhabited place of India?
Game plan
The interview panel is interested in conducting the interview conversation in the realm of sports and games as many aspects of a candidate’s personality are intimately connected with sports and games played by him. For example when a student who was an athlete in his school days appeared in the personality test the board asked him how a sports background will help an officer in his career. He replied that many values, principles and practices of sports are important for public administration like team spirit, rule adherence, leadership, planning, coordination, formulation and execution of strategies, presence of mind, physical exercises and fitness. failure management, stress management etc.
Honesty pays
Always remember that honesty is the best policy. Whenever you come across a difficult question readily, politely and candidly admit your ignorance. The primary objective of the personality test is not to test the wealth of knowledge that a candidate possesses, the entire endeavour is aimed at understanding and estimating the character and personality of the aspirants. The board will always want to have an interactive engagement to arrive at a conclusive evaluation, and therefore, if the candidate expresses his inability to provide an answer for anything the panel will move over to another area or issue
Emotional maturity
The interview panel is interested in understanding the levels of mental toughness and emotional maturity of a candidate and therefore applies deliberate excessive stress during the personal interview. The candidates should not be overwhelmed on such occasions. In cricket there is a saying that getting clean bowled is better than getting out through hit wicket. So the candidates need to avoid letting out tension and nervousness as it leads to a mental blackout. Right amount of confidence and positive thinking will help them handle pressure in the tumultuous sea of a stressful personal interview. The candidates must utilise the strategy of SWOT analysis to prepare for personal interview. — The writer is a political scientist from Coimbatore and provides free IAS exam interview coaching and conducts Mock Interviews in New Delhi, Chandigarh,
Chennai, Hyderabad Cochin and Bangalore.
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office mantra: mastering multi-tasking Preetinder Kaur Multitasking skills have become an important tool in the modern workplace and this skill is what differentiates between the leaders and the followers. Look around you and it will be clear that most of the leaders and those on the higher rungs of their careers have excellent multitasking skills. From a professional perspective, a person is said to have multitasking skills when he is involved in many projects at the same time, or is required to balance and manage a very hectic and demanding job. The human brain is capable of working on various activities at a single moment in time. The number of activities a particular individual can handle, however, differs from person to person. The ability to multi-task effectively is not necessarily "being busy"; it is the skill of getting things done without getting mentally exhausted. It takes mental discipline to master this art and it is from experience that you can learn to keep a smile on your face while being pulled in a lot of different directions. Look at each day as an opportunity to improve your skills, understand those around you better, and make the choice to find the good in whatever comes along. When you make the decision to look at your day as a training ground for better things in the future, it helps to see the opportunity. Here are three skills that you should hone in order to multi-task in an effective manner: 1 Constant prioritisation. Distractions, chaos and choices that you have can get in the way of accomplishing what you need to on any given day. Multi-tasking is consistently making sure that you are staying on track by making the best use of your time and energy. Always ask yourself what are your most urgent and pressing priorities today? And are you working on or towards them? The ability to figure out your priorities and follow through on them is crucial. Understand what is required for you to make your day productive and, with all your might, follow through on those tasks. Don’t allow yourself to get sidetracked. If something pressing shows up, deal with it and get back to task. The toughest part with this skill is figuring out what your priorities are; once you have that figured out, the rest is easy. 2Deal with things one-step-at-a-time. Not only does multi-tasking require you to prioritise but it also means having the ability to handle things as they come along. Take a deep breath. Don't make more out of the situation than there really is. Figure out the solution(s) versus who’s to blame. Think through your options and be decisive. Rehashing decisions, or being indecisive, are two big factors that can waste your time and get in the way of effectiveness. Trust yourself to do what is right and take whatever steps are needed to get through the situation. 3Look at each “juggling act” as an opportunity. Multi-tasking is like juggling a bunch of plates and keeping them all up in the air. Don't allow yourself to get stressed out by simply thinking about all that has to be done. Many people overwhelm themselves, to the point of a migraine, just by their thoughts. Please clarify, how does that help? — The writer is Personality Development trainer, Baddi University How it benefits organisations
* Optimal utilisation of workforce * Easy deployment of employees across varied job responsibilities *
Increased productivity and better quality of deliverables * Creation of a flexible workforce which is well aware of the organisation’s needs *
Motivation to employee engagement
How it helps employees
* Reduction in job insecurity * Greater individual productivity *
Better growth prospects * Holistic perspective regarding the organisation’s business *
Can achieve his personal goals quicker
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Cruising on CSR
With the Companies Act, 2013 making it compulsory for Indian companies to spend 2 per cent of their profits on CSR activities, there is going to be an increased demand for qualified professionals in this field. The new law mandates that corporates with a net worth of
Rs 500 crore or more, or income of Rs 1,000 crore or more or net profit of Rs 5 crore or more during any financial year should establish a CSR committee of the board consisting of three or more directors. Mandatory corporate social responsibility is likely to enhance the demand for professionals in this field by as much as 50% in the upcoming years and the industry is likely to see at least 50,000 more job opportunities in the CSR sector.
Today these activities, in India are managed by difmanagers who are inexperienced in this field and are not specialists. There is a clear requirement for professionals who appreciate the dynamics of government functioning, economy models and social conditions.
Job profile
Corporate social responsibility managers are accountable for determining and formulating the strategies that strengthen a company’s CSR aims. They carry out research, come up with thoughts, develop policies, create comprehensive plans, build relationships with partner organisations, and then apply and synchronise a range of actions and initiatives, which are intended to have a positive contact on the surroundings and local communities. A corporate social responsibility manager’s profession also tends to engage prospects of marketing and promotion. Indeed, if you come into this line of work, you will perform as an internal and external spokesperson for your company’s CSR policies and projects. CSR managers are also accountable for spreading awareness about their company’s promise social causes and generating publicity around your organization's humane endeavors. Finally, corporate social responsibility managers are also liable for enrolling, handling and training junior staff members.
Eligibility
You will require an undergraduate degree in any discipline. However, studying related subjects such as sociology, economics, international development, international studies, human rights, modern languages, marketing, PR, business studies, may boost your prospects of securing an entry-level position. A host of courses are also available at master’s level and as part of MBA courses. Specialised courses like Master of Social Work (MSW), MBA in rural development and Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Development offered by different institutes and universities are also the right choice for those wanting to make a career in CSR.
Remuneration
Starting salaries depend on qualification, skills and experience of the candidates. Entry-level corporate social responsibility officers can earn up to ~5 lakh per annum, while a mid level professionals with a few years' of experience can earn around ~15 lakh per annum. Senior corporate social responsibility managers can earn anywhere between ~40 and ~60 lakh annually. It can go upto Rs 1 crore for CEOs. CSR teams tend to be quite small, so if you work hard and have plenty of aspiration, you can risequite quickly. — With inputs from Prof. (Dr.) Sanjiv Marwah, Director of ERA Business School, New Delhi
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IT courses
Talent Edge has launched two new diploma courses — Diploma in .NET Programming and Diploma in Java Programming for students perusing technical or non-technical graduate /master’s programme. Knowledge of IT fundamentals, Operating Systems, Internet and networking fundamentals are essential pre requisites for these courses. Both the courses are of 400-hour duration.
Diploma in .NET Programming
It encompasses the entire gamut of .NET applications including Desktop applications, Web based applications. Students enrolling for this programme can become expert Applications Developers with MCPD Windows Developer, MCPD Web Developer and MCTS professionals in SQL server 2012 upon completing the requisite exams. Exit profile : NET Application Developer (Windows & Web)
Diploma in Java Programming
Course Certificate Title : Diploma in Java Programming Program is aimed at creating an expert Java Programmer with the most latest domain skills and competencies across Java SE 7 , Java web application development, JEE with EJB , Struts, Spring, Hibernate. On successful completion, students are awarded the ‘Diploma in Java Programming’ certificate. Students enrolling this program can become Oracle Certified Java Professional in Java SE7, and Java EE upon completing the requisite exams. Exit profile : Java Application Developer
Hospitality programme
Les Roches International School of Hotel Management, Bluche, one of the world’s top three hospitality schools, is launching an hospitality experience programme this summer at the Switzerland Bluche campus. The one-week course will offer students an opportunity to get first hand experience of the world of luxury hospitality. In the program, students will gain knowledge and skills in a variety of areas, including customer service, food and beverages, health and safety, rooms division, and front office procedures. The summer programme will commence from July 20 and the winter programme will run from January 11, 2015. Each introductory course costs CHF 2,300 (approx. 1,895 Euros) per student including taxes. For full programme details check out www.lesroches.edu/summer-program.
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Engineering courses
Eligibility:
ICD
The minimum qualification for admission to the 3 Year ICD Programme is Class X (Pass in English, Mathematics and Science is compulsory) from a State Education Board / CBSE / ICSE / National Open School or an equivalent examination recognised / approved by MHRD, Government of India. Those who are appearing in matriculation examination may also apply. 2-Year DIPLOMA PROGRAMME : Candidates must have secured 50% marks (45% in case of candidates belonging to reserved categories) in the qualifying examination.
B.E
The eligibility conditions of JEE(Main) -2014 will be applicable. How to apply: Online. Deadline: May 2, 2014 Check out: http://www.sliet.net.in
Design courses
LISAA School of Design, New Delhi, invites application for BSc. degree in Fashion & Textile Design (3 years); BSc. in Interior, Environmental & Product Design (4 years);BSc. in Graphic Design & Web Design (3 years) Eligibility: Any student who has passed or appearing in India in the senior Secondary School Examination, Plus II model, from any stream, is eligible for courses. Student should be highly motivated with an interest in arts and design. How to apply: For admission in Foundation Year appear for all India LISAA CAT 2014 on April 13, 2014. Forms are available on www.lisaadelhincr.com. Duration of the test is 2 hours. Selected candidates will be called for an interview. Portfolio review is optional. Deadline: April 8, 2014 Check out: www.lisaadelhincr.com and admission@lisaadelhincr.com
Management courses
WLC College India (WLCI) invites applications for admission to profesional programmes in Business Management with specialisation in Marketing, Human Resource and Finance. Eligibility: Graduation. Students appearing in the final year graduation exams in 2014 can also apply. How to apply: The application form can be downloaded from http://www.wlcibusiness.in . Deadline: April 15, 2014. Check out: www.wlcibusiness.in
Mass communication
The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), an Internationally-known centre for training and research in mass communication and an autonomous body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has invited applications for the Post Graduate Diploma Programmes at various centres of the institute. nJournalism (English) at New Delhi, Dhenkanal (Odisha), Aizawl (Mizoram), Amravati (Maharashtra), Jammu (J&K) and Kottayam (Kerala). There are 62 seats each at New Delhi and Odhisa. At all other centres there are 15 seats. Journalism (Hindi), New Delhi (62 seats) *
Radio & Television Journalism, New Delhi (46 seats) * Advertising and Public Relations, New Delhi (70 seats) *
Journalism (Odia) Dhenkanal (Odisha) (23 seats) Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree in any discipline. Those who have appeared/are appearing in final degree examinations are also eligible to apply. Applicant should have been born on or after 1.8.1989. Selection criteria: Entrance Examination to be held on May 31, 2014 at New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Patna, Lucknow, Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Chennai, Jammu, Srinagar, Kochi, Nagpur, Aizawl and Guwahati centres. How to apply: Application forms and prospectus can be obtained on payment of ~1200 for general category and ~1100 for SC/ST/OBC/PH category through a Demand Draft only, drawn on any scheduled bank payable to Registrar IIMC at New Delhi, from IIMC New Delhi or IIMC Dhenkanal (Odisha). Deadline: April 30, 2014. Check out: www.iimc.gov.in
PG diploma
An Affiliate Centre of the University of London (UoL), Indian School of Business & Finance (ISBF) invites students to apply for its 1-year Postgraduate programmes in Diploma for Graduates in Management, Diploma for Graduates in Finance, Diploma for Graduates in Economics. Eligibility: Graduate or final year student with a full-time bachelor’s degree. How to apply: Online. Download application form from www.isbf.edu.in – Postgraduate section. Check out: www.isbf.edu.in
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Recession workforce happier
Well-educated graduates who entered the workforce during economic downturns have been found to be happier with their work than those who first searched for jobs during more prosperous times. According to researchers they were happier with their jobs both early and late in their careers, even when they earned less money. Author Emile C. Bianchi wrote that people who entered the workforce in bad economies were less likely to entertain thoughts about how they might have done better, and more likely to feel grateful for their jobs, both of which mediated the relationship between economic conditions at workforce entry and job satisfaction. The new article has been published from Administrative Science Quarterly. — ANI
India Inc fails in succession planning
Succession planning is largely absent in Indian companies as about one in three firms either has no such programme in place or has one that's not effective, KPMG said. According to a KPMG survey, even after giving it increased importance, several organisations still take a myopic view of managing talent, which may hinder their competitiveness and agility. Respondents ranked an insufficient pipeline of future leaders and a lack of depth of internal candidates for critical roles as the top risks, according to the KPMG report titled, Time for a More Holistic Approach to Talent Risk. About 28 per cent of the firms said they had no succession planning in place or that their existing process was not at all effective. “Talent management is not a new avenue for
organisations. It has always been an integral part of organisations. It was somewhat startling to see that organisations adopt a narrow, limited approach to talent management,” KPMG India’s Head of People & Change Nishchae Suri said. Human resource experts say succession planning at Indian companies remains mostly poor and is more difficult as a large number of them are family-owned or family-run enterprises. There is a need to develop succession planning as a constant rather than a reactive process, they say. At professionally managed companies abroad, succession planning is done carefully, while in Indian promoter-driven companies, it is almost a given that the successor would be a family member, experts feel. Family-run businesses in India are most likely to hire a “number two” person to help their family-nominated CEO. The KPMG report said the difficulty in retaining key people and recruiting top talent remained a critical issue for most talent managers as 76 per cent of the respondents identified this area as a medium to high-risk
group. Suri said, “it is well-known that effective performance reviews can help top and poor performers alike by providing constructive feedback and aligning their goals to those of the business.” KPMG said employees in India are expected to get an average 11 per cent hike in salaries in 2014 as companies deal with challenges like attracting and retaining critical talent.
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Madanjeet Singh scholarships in Bhutan
Eligibility: Candidates must be Class XII pass with minimum of 55 per cent in English Fluent in English (both in written and speaking) Should be below 35 years of age and need to submit the birth certificate along with other relevant documents. Details: The scholarship will cover: *
Tuition fees * Economy air travel from the scholar’s place of residence within SAARC to Bhutan and back *
Monthly stipend of Nu. 12,000.00 based on existing SAARC scholarship rate to cover logistics and personal expenses *
Nominal book allowance and printings (Nu. 5000.00 per year) * In-country travel as per Royal Government of Bhutan’s rate (Nu. 150.00 per day while on travel) Number of award(s): One candidate each from eight SAARC countries (India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan and Afghanistan) will be selected for the scholarship. How to apply: Applicants should apply by post. Deadline: April 30, 2014. Check out: www.southasiafoundation.org Oxford and Cambridge Society of India The Oxford and Cambridge Society of India is offering scholarships for Indian students for undergraduate, second undergraduate, graduate study and research in any subject available at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, UK. Eligibility: All applicants must have secured admission to the University of Oxford or to the University of Cambridge. Applicants must also meet the following criterion to be eligible for the above scholarships: *
Must be a citizen of India. * Must be ordinarily resident in India *
Not more than 30 years as on 1 May 2014 Details: One OCSI scholarship worth
Rs 4 lakh tenable at either the University of Cambridge or the University of Oxford. *
One scholarship worth Rs 1 lakh tenable only at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge. *
One scholarship worth Rs 1 lakh tenable only at St. Hilda’s College, University of Oxford. Selection criteria: Scholarships are awarded on the basis of the candidate’s academic excellence, a good fit between the Scholar and the University, evidence of leadership potential and a commitment to improving the lives of others, particularly in India. How to apply: By post. Deadline: April 30, 2014. Check out: www.oxbridgeindia.com
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University of Chicago opens Delhi centre
The University of Chicago opened a new academic center in New Delhi last week. The center will promote scholarship through three broad programmes — business, economics, law, and policy; science, energy, medicine, and public health; and culture, society, religion, and arts. The center will be an intellectual destination, enabling the University of Chicago to better support research and scholarship that will benefit faculty, students and society. Located in Connaught Place, the 17,000–sq-ft center will provide space for seminars and conferences as well as faculty offices and study areas. It will host Indian and South Asian students and scholars, serve as a base for UChicago students and faculty working in India and throughout the region, and engage alumni and parents in India and South Asia.
Ahmedabad University signs pact with ACCA
Ahmedabad University has signed an MoU with ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), a leading global accountancy body to give students an opportunity to achieve a globally recognised professional qualification along with their graduation. The MoU was signed by Ilham Punjani, Business Relationship Manager, ACCA and Dr. A. H. Kalro, Provost, Ahmedabad University last week. This partnership will result in the University working closely with the accountancy body to offer the ACCA qualification, which is equivalent to a UK Master’s degree, to its students. The ACCA Qualification is based on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which is significant since India’s accounting standards will be converging with IFRS in the next two years.
Aesthetics academy launched
Dermatology solutions providing company Galderma has launched Galderma Aesthetic Academy in Mumbai. The new academy will offer training in latest and treatments in facial enhancement through dermal fillers. The academy will help keep Indian doctors abreast with the latest technology and developments in the field. “The field of cosmetic medicine is a market which is growingly rapidly and is hence becoming increasingly competitive. The academy is an attempt to ensure that Indian medical practitioners are at par the world’s best when it comes to aesthetics. They should be equipped with the knowledge and training of each and every latest treatment that is available anywhere in the world,” G Sathya Narayanan, Managing Director, Galderma India said. The Academy will also bring to India world-class specialists and key opinion leaders in the field of cosmetic dermatology to offer hands-on training to Indian practitioners and live demonstrations of new procedures that demand high degree of precision and control.
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Happiness @ work
If an uncertain future is blocking your professional life, listen to what your subconscious is telling you through your dreams. It may give you vital clues to the path ahead.
Starting from Zagreb, young Agnes reached the Loreto Convent in Calcutta. In 1944, she became the Principal of St Mary’s School. One day, on the way to Darjeeling by train, she heard a voice: Move to the slums. That is your true vocation. Her request to leave the convent was sent to the Archbishop of Calcutta, who forwarded it to the Pope. While she was waiting for the permission, Mother Mary appeared and spoke to her, “Take care of the poor. Jesus and I will be with you and your children.” In August 1948, she was allowed to work outside the convent. From Agnes, she became Mother Teresa. In the 10th century, Chavundaraya, Chief Minister of Talavanapura, was looking for an ancient statue of Jain Arihant Bahubali. It had been installed by Bharat, Bahubali’s elder brother. Snakes and creepers over the centuries had removed it from sight. As he was about to doze off to sleep, a voice told Chavundaraya: You will find Bahubali in Shravana Belagola in Karnataka. Hit the huge rock at Indragiri peak with a golden arrow and Bahubali will reveal himself to you. After the revelation, a 57-ft-high image of Bahubali was carved out of the huge rock. From inside the Cellular Jail in Andaman, freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar wrote to his brother Bal on March 9, 1915: Everyone here is absolutely free to dream what he likes. I take the fullest advantage of this concession. Every night, I break jail and go romping through dale and down and tower and town. One night, King Gushtasp in the Balkh kingdom in Persia dreamt of Zarathushtra coming through the roof on a golden throne. He was holding a ball of fire, the sacred book Avesta and a plant. When he woke up the next morning, Zarathushtra came to Gushtasp’s court, answered the questions posed to him and took up “the most honoured place in the palace”. Let your dreams take you to your destiny. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Students of Toc-H Institute of Science and Technology (TIST) in Kerala have been selected for competing in the University Rover Challenge (URC) in the US to design and build the next generation of Mars rovers that will one day work alongside human explorers in the field.
Apart from the URC 2014, the five-member team from TIST at Arakkunam will also compete with students from across the world in the prestigious international aeronautical contest — CanSat — in the US. The purpose of the CanSat is to mimic the functions of an actual satellite, and thus it is an intertwining of various fields of engineering.
“Know thyself” was the prompt suggestion given by a Greek philosopher when a youngster came to him asking where and how to acquire knowledge in this world. The same advice is relevant for Civil Services aspirants preparing for the personality test. Though the personal interview carries only 275 marks out of the total of 2025 marks in this exam, the stakes are very high here as the candidates get just 20 to 25 minutes to get a decisive edge over others in this personality test. Ideally the candidates should aim for a score of around 60 to 65 per cent in this.
Multitasking skills have become an important tool in the modern workplace and this skill is what differentiates between the leaders and the followers. Look around you and it will be clear that most of the leaders and those on the higher rungs of their careers have excellent multitasking skills. From a professional perspective, a person is said to have multitasking skills when he is involved in many projects at the same time, or is required to balance and manage a very hectic and demanding job. The human brain is capable of working on various activities at a single moment in time.
* Course for Insurance Agents
A.The basic requirements and eligibility to become a school teacher vary depending on which level/age of students you wish to teach. In order to teach at the middle school, senior and senior secondary levels you would need to have a full-time degree in education and teaching — Bachelor of Education (BEd.). While Trained Graduate Teachers (bachelor’s degree with a BEd. qualification) can teach classes 6 to 10, it is the Post Graduate Teachers (master’s degree with BEd.) who are eligible to teach classes 11 and 12. Subsequently, you need to qualify the Teacher Eligibility Test before you are placed in a school. BEd courses are offered at several prestigious universities across the country. These courses are offered at Delhi University; Banaras Hindu University, Jamia Milia Islamia, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Kurukshetra University, Punjab University, to name few.
A.Although India’s share of global trials is only 5-10 per cent, the figure is increasing steadily each year. In fact, India has emerged as the second most preferred destination (after China) for outsourcing clinical trials thanks to its large native patient pool, faster enrolment and low cost. 
Applications have been invited by Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering & Technology (SLIET), Longowal, for admission to three-year Integrated Certificate— Diploma (ICD) Programme; two-year Diploma Programme; BE courses for 2014-15 through SLIET Entrance Test.
The UNESCO Madanjeet Centre for South Asia Forestry Studies (UMCSAFS) at Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment (UWICE), Bumthang, Bhutan is offering scholarships for South Asian students. Scholarships will be awarded for three-year Sustainable Development degree programme to be undertaken at the College of Natural Resources (CNR), Royal University of Bhutan in Lobesa, Punakha, Bhutan from July 2014 to July 2017. After completing sustainable degree program in CNR, students will also need to undergo one-year independent forestry/conservation /environment research related program in UWICE (August 2017- July 2018).
To support his family, Srinivasa Ramanujan took up a clerk’s position in the Madras Port Trust in 1912. His letters to mathematicians in England were not taken seriously due to his lack of formal education. When mathematics professor GH Hardy at Trinity College, along with his colleague JE Littlewood, got him admitted to Cambridge University, there was opposition to Ramanujan’s going abroad because of his strict religious background. His mother relented when Goddess Namagiri commanded her not to stand in the way of her son’s goals. That revealed a world-class mathematician to the world.