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Study abroad: Courses, countries & planning
Career Hotline
career compass
Make your weakness work
Stress management rules Indian firms’ agenda
Hiring via social media on a high
cubicle trends
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Study abroad: Courses, countries & planning Whether it is hotel management at Laussane in Switzerland, fashion styling in Milan or space science at Houston, today you can choose the world — and get it too! Usha Albuquerque As another school year comes to an end, the question arises — what next? Those seeking higher education are furiously preparing for and applying to colleges for admission, and these choices are not limited to India, today’s student is prepared to go anywhere in the world. It is not so much the lure of foreign degrees that is the driving force behind this annual migration, it is also the limited seats for good college programmes in this country, falling educational standards and the desire for better career prospects in the future. So the numbers are increasing, almost 200 per cent over the past 10 years. The past decade has also witnessed new trends in the study abroad destinations — students are willing to experiment with new countries and courses. While the US, UK, Canada and Australia still get the bulk of Indian students, with changes in visa policies, costs of study, limited scholarships and restricted opportunities to work during and after degree-completion, destinations like Singapore, France, Italy, China, even Norway, Finland and Sweden are gaining a share of the pie. So, if you have a long-held dream of studying abroad, but are not sure about how to decide and prepare for it, here is some useful information. There are a number of factors to consider when deciding where and when to go abroad for study, and new destinations to explore:
However, most UG degree courses are of three to four year duration and can be expensive without funding or scholarships. The UG courses also have less value for money than PG programmes. So unless you are seeking a specialised course that is not available in India, or get admission into one of the top Ivy league schools, or if money is not an issue, it may be wiser to go abroad for PG studies.
So read through the course content carefully and be quite sure that you know what you are going to be studying, and what you can do after the study programme. Also research the competency and credibility of different countries in the subject of your interest, for example US and Canada are well known for engineering, UK and Italy for design, and Switzerland for hotel management etc.
Working abroad A few countries will allow you to stay on to find a job particularly under the present economic situation. Visa regulations have also changed in several countries in terms of granting of work permits to foreign students. Canada and Australia do permit you to stay on for an additional year or two after your studies, to find a job or to get work experience. In the US the students who stand a chance of getting a work visa are those who take up the STEM subjects — Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. So if you dream about studying abroad you may like to examine some lesser known but equally good study abroad destinations for Indian students: Singapore
A multicultural nation, Singapore has one of the most stable economies, a high standard of living, excellent infrastructure and a vibrant city life. Most of the institutions in Singapore offer internships as part of their curriculum. Many of them have tie-ups with various commercial establishments to train their students from four to six months and then absorb them. Popular courses: Business, Management, IT and engineering, hospitality and hotel management, and art and design. Costs Approx tuition fees : UG course - ~10- 25 lakh p.a; PG course - ~15 - 30 lakh p.a Living costs : ~4-8 lakh per year Top Universities:
Higher Education in France is pursued through two main options : Competitive Institutes (Grand Ecoles) and State Universities. Tuition fees are among the cheapest in the world, with annual fees averaging under $1,000 per year for domestic and international students alike, and student residences, restaurants and public transport is heavily subsidised. While English is increasingly being used as the language of instruction, especially in areas like Management, Engineering and liberal arts, it is useful to know and speak French. Campus France, the national agency for the promotion of French higher education abroad, assists students in their choice of study and institute. Popular courses: Fashion design, art, liberal arts and humanities, business and management Approximate fee Average annual tuition fee: Grandes Ecoles (private institutes) ; ~5 - 10 lakh per year Accommodation and cost of living: ~40,000- 70,000 per month Top Universities
Popular courses Engineering (particularly civil, mineral and oil exploration), business administration and finance Approximate fee Average annual tuition fee: ~6 - 12 lakh Accommodation and cost of living: ~7-8 lakh per year Top Universities
Popular courses: Engineering, mathematics, business and finance Approx cost: ~5-9 lakh per year Popular Universities
Finland has eight universities in the QS World University Rankings, and regardless of the nationality, Norwegian and Finnish Universities do not charge any tuition fees to undergraduate and PhD students, although some master’s courses do charge fees for non-EU/EEA students. For international students there are many programmes taught in English, although a knowledge of the local language is essential. Non-EU students can work for up to 20 hours per week but there are limited jobs available for students without a knowledge of Norwegian or Finnish. Popular courses In Norway: Life sciences, business and economics, architecture and design Popular courses in Finland: Engineering, computer science, IT, space sciences, environment sciences, business and management Approx cost: Semester fee - Rs 6,000 per semester Cost of living: Approximately Rs 10 -12 lakh per year Top Universities —Norway
Top Universities — Finland
Other options Countries like Russia continue to be good options offering quality education at a reasonable cost, particularly for students looking to do medicine, engineering and space sciences. China is another good destination as it is economical in terms of tuition fees, accommodation and cost of living, and employment opportunities favourable as the job market is booming in China in almost every field. Preparatory Work There are a number of significant inputs to keep in mind when taking the decision to pursue higher education abroad, and therefore preparatory work must begin at least 18 months in advance. Once you have decided on what you will study you can narrow down your country options to 1-2 destinations, each with at least 5-6 universities that offer you the subjects of your choice. While aiming at the top institutes also have fall-back options at the second level, where there may be more certainty of admission. The best university for any student may not necessarily be the top institutes, but those that offer the desired field of study as well as meet the other criteria important to you. You will also have to prepare some of the following documents, depending on where you are going and the course of study. Documents required
Undergraduate: 10th, 11th & 12th Postgraduate: First Year, Second Year, Third Year and Bachelors degree certificate
Resume
Today a foreign education is no longer just a pipe dream. With the RBI relaxing its foreign exchange rules, students can now draw upto a maximum of $30,000 per year in foreign exchange. Several banks are offering loans at reduced rates of interest for financing studies abroad. There are also several private Indian trusts and corporate bodies that offer scholarships to deserving candidates, for practically every field of study. Although the fall in the rupee seems to have shaken the aspiration of many students with the increase in expenses, it has not impacted the decision-making processes. The potential return, the learning and education for life, that foreign education gives is the biggest reason for students applying in ever increasing numbers abroad. The internet and social media has also made it easier for any student to get information, chat with other students, get onto student forums and blogs and so arrive at a well informed decision. — The writer is Director, Careers Smart Pvt Ltd.
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Construction management courses
Pervin Malhotra email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com Q.I am pursuing BTech in Civil branch. I want to be a project manager in infrastructure firms. PIease suggest courses that will help me to get a good job after completion of my course? — suresh yadav
It consumes 40-50 per cent of the National Plan outlay and contributes 20 per cent of GDP. With international players entering the market and construction work becoming more demanding, hi-tech and competitive, construction managers are now running the show on building sites, replacing supervisors. Armed with professional degrees in construction management, they oversee different aspects of a construction project from the conceptual development stage through to the final construction. They determine construction methods, do time estimates, schedule all required construction, fix labour requirements, supervise workers, designers, estimators, equipment operators, etc. In general, they keep a construction job going smoothly — and, most important, as per the schedule. Some of the better courses in Construction Management are offered at:
For Engineers and Diploma holders in civil/electrical/ mechanical engineering aspiring to take up techno-managerial roles and responsible positions in the thriving construction industry. Course: PG Diploma in Construction Mgt for Graduate Engineers (1-year with 9-month academic training & 3-month paid industry internship). Course: PG Diploma for in Construction Mgt for Diploma Holders (2-years with 18-month academic training and 6 month industry internship).
Course: PG Diploma in Building Tech / Highway & Runway Tech (24 weeks) Eligibility: BE/BTech (Civil Engg)
Course: MTech in Construction & Project Management
Course: Construction Management. Eligibility: Engineers, Architects & Technologists preferably with two years’ work experience. The course covers advanced training in Principles of Management, Construction Management Techniques, Projects Economics, Quantitative Methods, MIS & Computer Application, Contract Management, Monitoring & Control, Project Work etc.
Course: MTech (Construction Engineering and management)
Also at NICMAR Campus in Pune, Delhi & Hyderabad. Course: PG Diploma in Advanced Construction Management (2-yr) PG Diploma in Construction Project Mgt PG Diploma in Real Estate Dvpt & Management PG Diploma in Construction Safety Management PG Diploma in Building Maintenance Management PG Diploma in Construction Management (2 yrs) (corresp) Eligibility: Graduates in Engg/Arch/Quantity Surveying with 55 per cent agg and Maths till Class XII or MBA/MSc/MA with 55 per cent agg and two-years experience in construction business. MCom degree-holders and chartered accountants are also eligible.
Course: PG Diploma in Construction Project Mgt / Facilities Mgmt (24 weeks)
What is the admission process for medical students in the US?
Q.I am a medical student, currently studying in Plus II. I want to inquire about admission procedure in foreign (USA) universities for MBBS course, especially the Ivy League institutes. If you want to be a doctor, you have to first pursue a bachelor’s degree with pre-medical subjects. Here, you will be taking a lot of mandatory life science courses. Your main focus could be on “exercise science,” biology or other related fields. But you have to make it clear to the university that you are a pre-med student, and they will allot you your course options accordingly. Once you’ve completed your bachelor’s degree as a pre-med, you must take your MCAT exam. To get into a good medical school you need to have a very good GPA in your bachelor’s programme plus a decent MCAT score. There are several hundred medical schools in the US, primarily as part of some major university. Once you are accepted in a Med School, you will study Medicine for five years or more to get your MD degree. Also, pursuing a medical degree in the US costs a pretty hefty package. Only after that do you become a doctor. Now depending on what kind of doctor you want to be, you work for the next three or more years in your area of interest, 48 hours a day (yes, you read that right). Of course to acquire a super-specialisation, you’ll need to study further. Only after that will the bucks start rolling in. So don’t be surprised by the fact that on an average, “young doctors” in America are in their 30s.
How can I become a space scientist?
Q. I am a student of Class XI (non-med.) It’s my childhood aim to be an astronaut or astrophysicist or a space scientist. But it is such a field that very few people know about it. I’ve also tried to take help from my teachers but they are also unable to help me. Can you help me out? — harshit chawla
There are eight overall categories that can generally be described on their own: Astrophysics, Galactic Science, Stellar Science, non-Earth Planetary Science, Biology of Other Planets, Astronautics/Space Travel, Space Colonisation and Space Defence. However, space science should not be confused with space research and space exploration. The former relates to scientific studies carried out by using scientific equipment in space. Frequently, the term includes research in the upper atmosphere using sounding rockets and high-altitude balloons. While space exploration involves a great deal of space research, it additionally uses space technology to broaden its spectrum of research, including earth science and materials science in its ambit. Astrophysicists study the behaviour of astronomical phenomena and related physico-chemical interactions in outer space. It includes the study of cosmology, plasma, kinetics, stellar physics, convolution and non-equilibrium, radiation transfer theory, non-Euclidian geometry, mathematical modelling, galactic structure theory and relativistic astronomy. As both astronomy and astrophysics are grounded in mathematics and physics, you should pursue a bachelor’s course (BSc) in either of these subjects. While several premier institutions offer courses at the PG level, astronomy and astrophysics are only offered as one of the subjects in BSc, and that too, at very few universities. The eligibility is Class XII (science-PCM). Course: Integrated BSc/MSc programme in science that blends core science and interdisciplinary subjects (www.iisc.ernet.in) Selection: Entrance Exam Course: BTech (Avionics / Aerospace Engg / Physical Sc) Course: BSc Astronomy (www.bamu.net) Course: BSc Astronomy (www.lkouniv.ac.in) Course: BSc Astronomy (www.unom.ac.in) Course: BSc (Astrophysics) (www.unishivaji.ac.in) Course: BSc (Space Sc). (www.punjabiuniversity.ac.in) Institutes like the Inter University Centre for Astronomy & Astrophysics, Pune, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore (www.iiap.res.in), Raman Research Institute, Bangalore (www.rri.res.in) and the Nehru Planetarium, Delhi etc. regularly invite students for workshops at their planetariums. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the subject and meet the experts. You could contact them directly for further information.
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The care givers
Aruna Singh
For carrying out more accurate tests new trends are emerging in lab technology like lab automation and robotics and global biotechnology. Medical Nursing Technician Nursing technicians are required at places where a patient needs someone to carry out his/her personal care regimen. In fact, hospitalisation and medical treatment is just one side of the story, proper personal care goes a long way in curing a patient. Nursing technicians have flexible work hours and are placed in hospitals, assisted living, community based long-term care centre, nursing homes, correctional institutions, homes, healthcare centers and clinics. They help the disabled, injured and sick people convalesce by acting as a strong support for the entire team of medical practitioners and nursing staff. The role of nursing technician is not just limited to assisting and helping patients, but they may also help nurses and doctors in carrying out the diagnosis and other technical procedures on a patient. Certified medical nursing technicians also play a significant part in designing patient charts and care instructions as they are professionals in this field and are equipped with the techniques to provide proper patient care. Apart from having traits like sympathy and kindness, a nursing technician has to have a sound knowledge of medical practices, examination knowledge, room procedures, diagnosis treatments and knowledge of the working of different instruments and equipment used for medicinal purposes. Looking at the job outlook there are several options open for students after they complete a certificate course in the subject. But there is a specific eligibility criterion according to which students must complete an competency evaluation programme in their state and take a competency test. The scope is wide and options include; caregiver, companion care provider, care taker, personal care attendant, nursing assistant, personal care aide, home health aide, and personal care assistant. One can earn up to ~300 per hour as a nursing technician. Employment opportunities for nursing technicians will grow considerably as the demand for personal care needs of the elderly population is going to increase over the next few years. — The writer is Principal, Delhi Paramedical and Management Institute
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Make your weakness work
Most of us have a self-image which we piously rate as the truest form of our actual worth and ability. Mostly we are right but there are times when we may portray ourselves far below the level we actually belong to or can achieve. The down-rating is instigated by past failures, lack of zeal and criticism by our well-wishers. These are veritably the areas that need to be recognised, reflected upon and finally rectified (if-required). It is here, that we are told by interview experts to coat ourselves with delusionary and superfluous confidence, topped with well-rehearsed scripted answers. So, when faced with straight forward questions that require you to be explicit about these weak points, you resort to excuses and fall flat. Any interviewer with keen vision, strong interpersonal skills and a sound HR background will easily decode the real-self resting inside you. Even if the interviewer has liked your credentials and general profile, your fake portrayal of confidence or an involuntary display of self-doubt can lead to a rejection letter. So, there is a need to avoid such a situation and present a true and honest picture of your shortcomings or failings. Here’s how you can go about it: Recognise It may seem daunting in the beginning because all these years you have been “air brushing” the flaws. So, take a deep breath and relax. Now, grab a pen and make a list of all the reasons that you feel have held you back and have stopped you from achieving what you wished for at different times of your life. These wishes could be personal as well as professional. Once, the list is ready, try to find one common factor underlying all those reasons e.g. if your list reads as — leaving work incomplete; unpunctual; waking up late etc. then the root cause could be lack of interest. Once, you know this fact, just recall any isolated incident where this has helped you through a situation e.g your disregard towards college made you cultivate your creative side in which you excelled. It can be anything, so don’t hesitate to delineate it. If you succeed in this exercise with reasonable fairness, then you can be confident that your so-called weakness can be turned into a strength somewhere and you won’t need to hide it. Accept Always keep in mind that each one of us has a good side and a bad side. Interestingly, this good and bad is purely circumstantial can be manipulated to your advantage. So, once you know where the faultline is, give a vocal acceptance to it publically. Nothing can be improved, changed or maneuvered until it is figured out and candidly acknowledged. This is precisely why it is said that it is better to be surrounded by your critics as by pointing out your drawbacks repeatedly they bring out the best in you ultimately . Be honest Believe in your set of abilities and trust your instincts. Your own unique talents and abilities may take you higher than you ever imagined. So, even if you feel that you have low confidence levels don’t underrate it. Rather draw strength from it. Experts say realistic self-doubt is a far better state of mind than inflated and illusionary confidence. Self doubt always makes one look for a chance to prove oneself and hence such people constantly try to work on their failures. Those living in false confidence, however, are always plunged in the darkness of self-praise and make no effort to improve. So, if the interviewer asks about or points out certain failures or weak links in your resume be honest and admit those while also mentioning how you have learnt important lessons from these and how those lessons have been incorporated in your skill set and talent base. You will, thus, come across as a person who draws lessons from his failures and is a positive person. Such honesty is valued more as it is seen rarely. Thus, there is nothing like an honest answer to a question wherein you are required to enumerate your weakness in an interview. Remember the HR guys are tired of stereotype replies where candidates sugarcoat their weakness and make these sound like positive traits. The candidate is sure to lose because of implied insincerity and lack of courage to take a stand. The simple trick is: don’t. Stick to basics of honesty and be truthful. And most of all talk less but talk right.
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Stress management rules Indian firms’ agenda
According to the inaugural Asia Pacific edition of the ‘Staying@Work’ survey conducted by professional services company Towers Watson, stress is the number one lifestyle risk factor, ranking above physical inactivity and obesity. A growing recognition among employers is that the workplace experience can both contribute to and reduce employee stress and an increasing number of employers are planning lifestyle change programmes that were not as prevalent as of now. “Almost one in every three Indian employers has instituted stress or resilience management programmes in 2013 and an almost equal number plan to follow suit in 2014. With stress being ranked as #1 lifestyle risk factor in India, this number is likely to grow,” the report said. “It is noteworthy that Indian employers fared better than their Asia Pacific counterparts in managing employees’ work-related stress,” Towers Watson India Director, Benefits Anuradha Sriram said. Integrating various initiatives into a comprehensive and robust health and productivity strategy is a gradual process, but the fact that Indian companies have begun taking positive strides in this direction augurs well, Sriram added. According to Indian employees the top three reasons for stress at workplace include unclear or conflicting job expectations, inadequate staffing (lack of support, uneven workload in group) and lack of work/life balance. One of the most common solutions adopted by employers to manage employees' stress is offering flexible working hours as 50 per cent of employers resort to this solution. Other top solutions adopted by employers include organising stress management interventions like workshops, yoga, tai chi and undertaking education and awareness campaigns to help their employees manage stress. Though Indian employers are ahead of their regional peers in managing stress at workplace, only 38 per cent have identified stress management at workplace as a top priority of their health and productivity programmes, signaling a vast scope for improvement in this area. “In a challenging economic scenario, where companies are stretched to balance costs and maximise productivity, employers need to identify specific triggers that impact employee wellness, engagement and in turn productivity,” Sriram said.
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Hiring via social media on a high
“In day-to-day busy schedules, people only get social media platform to know about what is happening in the industry and their social network and they also update about their own status and change of roles. This trend began almost in 2010, and is growing by 50 per cent every year,” leading executive search firm GlobalHunt Managing Director Sunil Goel told PTI. Most of the updates, he opined, gives the recruiter an information link to reach to the right people for the specific job of for their client companies. “Mid and senior-level professionals do not want to project themselves as easily available resources but by putting up their resume in job portals or an agency makes them easily available resources, which affects their role and compensation negotiations,” he added. Sectors like IT, ITES, banking and financial have been recruiting across levels using this platform, he said. However, even FMCG, manufacturing, power and energy, retail, automobile are also using the social media for mid to senior level hiring, he added. Career adviser firm Michael Page’s India Regional Director Alf Harris said social media is obviously a much-talked about aspect of recruitment and it undoubtedly offers individuals an excellent opportunity to access opportunities and for companies to reach out to talent. “However, one must keep in mind that social media is part of the recruitment process. Once the recruitment process moves into the assessment cycle, there is limited impact from social media,” he said. The advantage of social media is the ability to reach a significant number of people quickly and easily compared to traditional recruitment process, he said.
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Angry bosses may lose subordinates’ loyalty
In a bid to examine the validity of this widely held belief, researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) showed more than 500 test subjects videos or scenarios, in words and pictures, of a leader summarising a bad business year to employees. The superiors showed either anger, sadness or no emotions. The way the test subjects saw it, the angry bosses drew their power predominantly from the threat of penalties and by emphasising their status. They obtained less power by showing their appreciation for others than did the leaders who displayed sadness or emotions. Angry superiors, thus, lost out on an interpersonal level. Consequently, the test subjects would be less loyal to the angry managers and would rather attempt to thwart them in their intentions. “A tough tone of voice equals authority — that’s just not true,” lead author professor Isabell M. Welpe from Technical University of Munich (TUM). “The position of power held by leaders who take their anger out on their staff may indeed be acknowledged. But it doesn’t earn them lasting loyalty — on the contrary, they risk being betrayed at the next opportunity,” he added. Another study showed that employees were happier with the managers who expressed gratitude to their staff. The researchers questioned more than 400 test subjects on their own working lives or asked them to evaluate a fictional discussion meeting following successful talks with a customer. The focus was on whether the managers expressed gratitude to their staff or pride in their own achievements. What the study found was that saying “thanks” brings many advantages, not only in “real” life but in working life too. The more the managers expressed their gratitude, the happier employees were, both with their boss and with their job in general. On the other hand, a leader’s pride may boost people’s general job satisfaction, but the leaders themselves fell in the team members’ estimation — for being too self-centered, the study noted. — IANS
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News Board
MOU signed
Asia-Pacific Institute of Management (AIM) signed an MOU with Wolkite University, Ethiopia (SNNPN) earlier this week to establish a joint working relationship between the two institutes. This will help in various areas of study opportunities for visiting and international students and will also lead to exchange of faculty, staff and students. This collaboration will help in joint research activities within the fields of study to be mutually agreed. Rohit Bal to mentor fashion design students JD Institute of Fashion Technology officially launched Rohit Bal as the "Mentor" for the student designers of JD Institute last week. Rohit Bal is one of India's finest designers and is acclaimed worldwide for his traditional yet contemporary aesthetics and his client list includes a host of beauties like Cindy Crawford, Uma Thurman, Pamela Anderson to name just a few. It is his unique creative vision for which the influential Time Magazine has profiled him as the "Master of Fabric and Fantasy". The ace designer will be actively involved with the academics and will work closely with students of the institute for their final collection. His monthly lectures will feature various experiences in design, market intelligence, retail and business of fashion. Apart from mentoring, the fashion expert also plans to select student designers and create a core group who will present the collections at the JD Annual Design Awards, New Delhi. JD Institute of Fashion Technology has 29 campuses spread across India and an international campus in Central London, UK. BSE Financial Olympiad As many as 108 students competed in the finale of BSE International Financial Olympiad in Mumbai recently. The event was hosted by BSE Institute Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the BSE Ltd. Over 12,000 students participated in the national-level competition which was spread over a period of six months. BSE International Financial Olympiad is an initiative to extend financial literacy to the school level through national level quiz. The first round of BSE International Financial Olympiad covered 12,000 from 536 schools across 202 cities in 24 Indian states and 108 students were selected for the finale in Mumbai. The purpose of BSE International Financial Olympiad is to create awareness about financial literacy amongst students at a young age. The winners in different categories were: Class IX: Arnav Mohatta from Lilavatibai Podar Senior Secondary School, Mumbai; Class X Rweetam Bhattacharya from Aecs Magnolia Maaruti Public School, Bangalore;Class XI Shweta Arora from Police Dav Public School, Jalandhar; Class XII Shambhavi Sinha from Sagar Public School, Bhopal.
The leading research institute in India, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, showcased its extensive collection of innovative research and product development projects at the tenth edition of IIT Open House 2014. Held on the premises of IIT Delhi last week, the exhibition provided an insight into revolutionary research work, student projects and the numerous advanced facilities available at IIT Delhi. The IIT Open House 2014 presented a live display of pioneering research projects developed by students, staff and faculty. Technical workshops by industry experts and a guided showcase of the on-campus laboratories were among the highlights of the exhibition. The tenth edition displayed over 500 projects and witnessed a total footfall of over 6,000 viewers which included industrialists, school and college students and more. IIT Open House 2014 included educative sessions such as ‘New trends in science & technology to help eradicate disease’ by Prof. B. Jayaram and ‘Experience with cloud computing and the development of Baadal’ by Prof. Sorav Bansal. The projects on display were evaluated by an internal team and was awarded in the evening.
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Scholarship Roundup
Zhejiang University, China, is offering Asian Future Leaders Scholarship to pursue two years English-taught master programme i.e. “Master in Public Administration: Asia Synergy Programme for Future Leaders”. It is a full scholarship programme established by BAI XIAN Education Foundation Limited.
Eligibility: Applicants must hold citizenship of an Asian country (other than the People’s Republic of China). Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or be graduating students and be under the age of 40. Applicants must have academic excellence, honesty and integrity, open vision, sense of responsibility and mission. Applicants must have a good command of English and can be taught in English; Non-native English speakers must provide relevant English proficiency certificate. If admitted with scholarship, applicants shall stay enrolled as a full time student at Zhejiang University. It is prohibited to take up any paid full-time or part-time employment outside of the program. Students must follow the teaching programmes arranged by the university. Details: Exempt from registration fee, tuition fee, fee for internship, and fee for basic learning materials; Free accommodation on campus; living allowance: CNY 6,000 per month; comprehensive Medical Insurance and Protection Scheme for International Students in China Selection Criteria: Applicants’ competitiveness and academic record. How to apply: Applicants shall first fill in the application form via the online application system and then submit application materials to the Admissions Office (postgraduate program) of the International College of Zhejiang University by post or in person. Deadline: May 30, 2014. Check out: http://iczu.zju.edu.cn
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Course Cruising
The Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) is offering diploma, post diploma and PG Diploma programmes for the 2014 academic session.
Postgraduate Diploma in Plastics Processing & Testing Duration: 1½ years Maximum age: 25 years* Eligibility: Three-year Degree in Science with Chemistry as one of the subjects. Post Diploma in Plastics Mould Design with CAD/CAM Duration: 1½ years Maximum age: 25 years* Eligibility: Three-year Diploma in Mechanical, Plastics Technology, Tool/Production Engineering, Mechatronics, Automobile Engineering, Tool & Die Making, DPMT/DPT (CIPET) or equivalent. Diploma in Plastics Mould Technology (DPMT) Duration: 3 years Maximum age: 20 years* Eligibility: Class X with maths, science and English. Diploma in Plastics Technology Duration: 3 years Maximum age: 20 years* Eligibility: Class X with maths, science and English. How to apply: Information Brochure and Application form can be obtained from any of CIPET Centres against payment of ~100 for general candidates and ~25 for SC/ST candidates in cash or Demand Draft drawn in favour of “CIPET” payable at Chennai. Candidates belonging to North-Eastern states can get the application forms free of cost by producing their residential proof / appropriate support documents. Deadline: June13, 2014 for the submission of the filled in application form. Check out: www.cipet.gov.in Admission Alert for TERI University Renewable Energy Engineering TERI University invites applications for MTech in Renewable Energy Engineering and Management course. This course intends to meet the human resource requirements of the rapidly expanding fields of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation. The programme addresses the technical, management, policy, regulatory and economic aspects of solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, wind, biofuels and biomass, grid integration, energy efficiency, energy conservation, energy auditing, green buildings. Students are trained to analyse the environment, energy and socio-economic implications of green energy systems. Graduates will become technical professionals competent to deal with the challenges of energy related issues of sustainable development. The programme is approved by AICTE. Duration: 2 years Seats: 25 seats Tuition Fee:
Rs 55,000 per semester Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree in any branch of engineering or MSc in physics with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 6.75 on a 10 point scale or equivalent or 60 per cent marks in aggregate Selection process: Online common entrance test and Personal Interview How to apply: Download application form from University website (www.teriuniversity.ac.in); apply online; or obtain form from campus. Deadline: April 25, 2014 Entrance Test: 24-25 May, 2014 Check out: www.teriuniversity.ac.in Fashion design courses Mod’Art India is inviting applications for admission to its bachelor’s degree/diploma in fashion design courses across its institutes in Delhi and Mumbai. A sister concern of Mod’Art Paris, one of France’s top two design schools, the institute offers exposure to European fashion aesthetics and in-depth understanding of luxury brands. The course: Students are trained for profiles such as Fashion Consultant, fashion coordinator, Fashion stylist, quality control coordinator, designer, buyer etc. Duration: Three years Seats: 25. Selection criteria: Entrance test Deadline: May 23, 2014 Check out: www.modart-india.in Virtual Interactive Learning (VIL) programmes Admissions are open for XLRI- Xavier School of Management for the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Management (PGCBM) and Postgraduate Certificate in Human Resource Management (PGCHRM) courses under the institute’s Virtual Interactive Learning (VIL) Programme with Hughes Communication. XLRI had started the Virtual Interactive Learning (VIL) earlier known as Satellite programmes in technical collaboration with Hughes Communication India Ltd (HCIL) in 2002 . The course: The 12-month consolidated VIL programme provides working professionals an opportunity of formal management education at a convenient time schedule from 114 locations of HCIL replicating the traditional "Live and Interactive" classroom environment without disrupting their profession. The course entails approximately 300 hrs of virtual classroom sessions including 5 days of compulsory campus classes for training, evaluation and certification. After successful completion of the programme students are awarded with a ‘Postgraduate Certificate’. Eligibility: Candidates need to have minimum two years of work experience on May 31, 2014 after completion of graduation (in 10+2+3 format) or equivalent. Deadline: The last date of online registration for admission to XLRI’s VIL PGCBM and PGCHRM programmes is May 26, 2014. Check out: www.xlri.ac.in/vil. Engineering courses Thapar University, Patiala, invites applications for BE in the following branches: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Engineering (Honours in Machine Learning and Data Analytics), Computer Engineering (Honours in Computer Animation and Gaming), Electrical Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Electronics (Instrumentation & Control) Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Software Engineering & Management, Mechanical Engineering (Production); and BTech in Biochemical Engineering Number of seats: BE: 1,005 ; BTech: 20 Course duration: Four years Eligibility: Plus II (non-medical) with 60 per cent marks in aggregate or equivalent CGPA or equivalent grade from a recognised university/institute. The candidate must also have a valid JEE (Main) score How to apply: Candidates can visit www.thapar.edu and fill the online application form. Once they have applied, they can either pay the application fee of ~1,500 online or through a DD in favour of ‘The Registrar, Thapar University’, payable at Patiala Deadline: May 2, 2014 Check out: www.thapar.edu
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Happiness@work
While the employer wants to utilise his staff to the fullest, the employee wants to strike a balance among work, play, family and rest. Such divergence in views makes leave-taking a tricky business.
For Amar Singh, time lost meaning in the company of his bride — 14 days went by. His detractor in court, Salavat Khan, poisoned the Emperor’s ears and sent Amar Singh a message to report immediately with a fine of seven lakh coins. Enraged, Amar Singh came to the court and killed Salavat. For disobeying the royal order and killing a courtier, the Emperor declared him a traitor. Later, Amar Singh was treacherously killed by his brother-in-law. Ram Singh, the brave nephew of Amar Singh, filled the void in the army left by his uncle’s death. The marriage of social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s brother had been fixed. When his mother’s message reached Ishwar, he applied for leave. Citing the “huge amount of work that needed to be done”, school Secretary Marshall refused. Caught between his mother’s request and his job, Ishwar spent many troubled days. On the wedding day, he told Marshall, “Give me leave or I quit.” Finally, leave was granted. At Patna, Jayaprakash Narayan stayed at Saraswati Bhawan hostel. When he found that Rakshabandhan hadn’t been declared a holiday, he decided not to attend classes on that day. “Headmaster Whitmore is an Englishman. He doesn’t know the significance of this festival,” he reasoned. The headmaster sent for him the next day and gave him five strokes of the cane. When Sanjna, the wife of sun-god Surya, sought permission to go to her father’s place, it wasn’t granted. So, she — from her shadow (Chhaya) — brought forth a woman like herself and told her to fill the gap. Without informing Surya, Sanjna spent some days in her father’s place. When she returned to her home, she found that Chhaya — in the meantime — had borne three of Surya’s children. As Surya couldn’t differentiate between the two women, he rejected Sanjna’s plea for re-admission. It was only after a long while that Surya and Sanjna were re-united. When Mahavira announced his decision to renounce the world, his parents extracted a promise from him that he would not do so till their death. When they passed away, his elder brother Nandivardhana made him stay in the palace for two more years. Boss, find a golden mean that neither the organisation suffers nor the employee. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Fortnightly quiz 462
1. Name the legendary lyricist and film director chosen for the Dada Saheb Phalke award for 2013.
2. Name the India-born poet who has won the prestigious 2014 Pulitzer Prize for his witty and philosophical collection of poems. 3. Name the world-renowned Colombian author, writer of epic novel ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’, who died recently. 4. Name the new Chief of the Naval Staff. 5. Which movies won the ‘best popular film’ and the ‘best Hindi film’ awards, respectively, at the 61st National Film Awards recently? 6. Which Indian company produces the ink used as a marking on the index finger of the left hand used in all parliamentary and Assembly polls? 7. Name the top three countries of the world in military expenditure. 8. Name the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 9. Name the most decorated swimmer of all time who is set to stage a comeback in competitive swimming soon. 10. How many teams are competing in the IPL-7 tournament? Winners of quiz 461: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Surya Pratap Singh; Class VII; Wisdom World School; Sector 8; Kurukshetra; Pin Code — 136118 Second: Suman Kumari; Class XII-D; Roll No.31 KV Sector 31-D; Pin Code —160030; Chandigarh Third: Riya Wadhwa; Class - 8thA; Ryan International School, Sector 49-B, Chandigarh; Pin Code — 160047 Answers to quiz 461: IRNSS 1B; Veeravalli Sundaram Sampath; Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); 100th; Sand sculpture; C-130-J Super Hercules; Sunil Gavaskar; Lee Chong Wei; Australia; 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
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As another school year comes to an end, the question arises — what next? Those seeking higher education are furiously preparing for and applying to colleges for admission, and these choices are not limited to India, today’s student is prepared to go anywhere in the world. It is not so much the lure of foreign degrees that is the driving force behind this annual migration, it is also the limited seats for good college programmes in this country, falling educational standards and the desire for better career prospects in the future. So the numbers are increasing, almost 200 per cent over the past 10 years.
Singapore is growing in popularity with Indian students and parents, as it is closer home, affordable, culturally more compatible, and also famed for its world-class universities. 
France
DUBAI
Hong Kong
Norway and Finland
A.The Indian construction industry is very large and critical to various sectors of our economy. It employs over 31 million people — second only to agriculture in terms of employment.
A.Unlike in India, students don’t enter medical school at the bachelor’s level in the US.
A.Space science is an umbrella term that covers all the scientific fields that are concerned with the study of the Universe (excluding the Earth and its atmosphere). Originally, all these fields were considered part of astronomy. However, in recent years the major sub-fields within astronomy, such as astrophysics, have grown so large that they’re now considered separate fields on their own. 
Lab technicians play a significant role in the healthcare sector as they are the people conduct various diagnostic tests. A lab technician is an important component of the healthcare framework — hospitals, nursing homes and other clinics — and helps the physicians to analyse and decide the course of treatment on a particular patient. A lab technician is also required to maintain lab functions, handle sophisticated lab equipment, perform various tests by collecting and classifying samples of different patients. A laboratory technician has to be a trained professional having a degree in the field. Students can go in for a three-year bachelor's degree after Plus II in science stream. Those with a vocational programme certificate are also eligible to join this course. Technicians with associate degrees work under a technician who holds a bachelor's degree. Apart from a degree it is also essential to gain practical work experience before getting into a full-time job.
We all have our own share of weaknesses and strengths. And there are very few who are actually open about their weak points. Most of us tend to be tight-lipped when it comes to speaking about our weaknesses, especially in a professional set up or in a job interview. This makes the SWOT analysis more of a farce as most of the weak points are either cloaked or sugar-coated.
Indian employers are ahead of their Asia Pacific counterparts in developing strategies to manage work-related stress as one in every three employers instituted stress management programmes last year and an almost equal number plan to do so this year, says a survey.
The social media has moved rapidly from being ‘purely social’ to a ‘business tool’ as more and more companies are now using the platform to recruit the right people for specific jobs and this trend is expected to grow by about 50 per cent this year from 2013, according to experts.
Is it important for bosses to display anger from time to time in order to assert themselves? No, says a study.
IIT Open House
The auspicious hour for Amar Singh Rathor, a commander in the Mughal army, to bring his bride home had been fixed. Emperor Shah Jahan only granted leave for seven days. “Each day of absence after that will attract a penalty of one lakh gold coins,” said Shah Jahan.