ignou programmes
Bridging the distance
Flexibility and vast variety make IGNOU’s distance education programmes a good choice for students from different fields
Usha Albuquerque

If you are one of those who want to go for higher studies but cannot attend formal classes, there is an alternate route for you to achieve your academic goals. Students who are working and have missed the opportunity of attaining higher education due to family or economic constraints, those who wish to supplement their educational qualifications, or those who do not have locational access to higher education can avail of this option. The freedom to learn at will, choose the subjects of one’s choice and take examinations without the stress of severe competition make distance education programmes very attractive for young learners. The cost effectiveness of these programmes, coupled with the in-built flexibility have been crucial factors in the popularity of the concept of “classroom without walls”.

Moreover, with the help of modern communication technologies through the information super highways, thousands of learners, spread across a distance, have access to higher education.

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is among the most popular and widely accessed universities offering distance learning courses, besides being the world’s fifth largest. It offers a huge variety of courses ranging from business management, economics and all the science subjects to professional courses in teaching, law, library science, journalism, computers, biotechnology, agriculture and linguistics, and so on.

Some of the more interesting courses on offer at IGNOU include:

Making media accessible

IGNOU’s School of Journalism and New Media Studies (SOJNMS) offers a range of certificate and diploma programmes for upgrading the skills of media and media-related professionals, degree programmes for entry-level jobs, as well as doctoral programmes to enable the School undertake academic research. The Electronic Media Production Centre (EMPC), of IGNOU, built with technical and financial aid of the Government of Japan, equipped with state-of-the-art audio-video production facility, and supported by highly-skilled personnel, has been involved in the setting up of broadcasting and satellite communication facilities such as Gyan Vani (Radio), Gyan Darshan (TV) and Edusat (satellite) which has provided real-time experience to its trainees.

Post-Graduate Diploma In Journalism And Mass Communication (PGDJMC)

A one-year (max 4 years} programme provides opportunities for working media personnel to enhance their knowledge and skills for their professional development. It is suitable for graduates in any discipline with at least two-years experience in media/communication organisations in positions such as script writer, reporter, sub editor, photographer, technical Assistant, PRO etc.

Post-Graduate Diploma in Audio Programme Production (PGDAPP) - A one-year ( max 4 years) programme for graduates in any discipline who wish to make a career in radio braodcasting. With the explosion of radio, specially FM radio channels, such a training course can be extremely useful for those already engaged in the industry and without a formal qualification, as the programme aims to prepare professionals with skills to conceive, plan, and manage audio programme production.

The School of Journalism and New Media Studies also offers a Certificate course in Community Radio (CCR)

Options in health

IGNOU’s School of Health Sciences offers some interesting and useful competency-based programmes in various disciplines for medical, nursing, paramedical and allied personnel through the distance education mode. The practical training is provided through diversified approaches of a network of colleges and districts-level hospitals. It has collaborated with various national and international organisations like World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MNFW), and voluntary organizations like the Association of Rural Surgeons of India (ARSI), and Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI), for this purpose. The courses include:

PG Diploma in Geriatric Medicine (PGDGM)

A one-year (max three years duration) programme for MBBS doctors after internship. With increasing life expectancy and proportion of an elderly population fast increasing, there is a growing demand for doctors with the necessary knowledge and skills for providing comprehensive healthcare to elderly. As it becomes increasingly difficult to get into a suitable post-graduate medical programme, such a course not only enhances knowledge and training but covers a field that has few takers but a huge potential.

PG Diploma in Clinical Cardiology (PGDCC)

This two-year (max four years duration) programme for MBBS doctors is aimed at filling the wide gap between availability of cardiology expertise and the load of cardiac morbidity in rural as well as urban areas. This MCI-recognised programme is suitable for doctors wanting to train in cardiology but being constricted by the limited seats for PG training in medical colleges.

Other programmes offered by IGNOU’s School of Health Sciences include

• Post-Graduate Diploma in HIV Medicine (PGDHIVM)
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Hospital and Health Management (PGDHHM)

A one-year (max three years duration) programme for in-service nursing professionals aims at enabling nursing professionals (RN and RNRM) to develop and apply advanced nursing care knowledge and skills for providing comprehensive nursing care to critically ill patients.

Diploma in Food Safety & Quality Management

This one-year programme (max 4 years duration) is suitable for graduates from most science disciplines as well as those from other disciplnes with experience in the food processing industry.

With changing global patterns of food production, international trade, technology, public expectations for health protection and many other factors there is an increasing demand for food safety and quality management professionals in the agriculture and food sectors.

Advanced Certificate in Power Distribution Management

This is a 6-month programme (maximum 2-year duration) suitable for engineering graduates and diploma holders, or graduates with at least two-year experience in power utilities or the electricity sector. With increasing focus on development of the power sector such a course is ideal for professionals employed in, or looking to join electrical power utilities or the electricity sector to upgrade their skills, enhance systemic efficiency and deliver quality power to the satisfaction of the beneficiaries.

In addition, there is the School of Vocational Education and Training (SOVET), which has started several programmes keeping in mind the market requirements. The programmes on offer provide knowledge enhancement, skill development and help in preparing an individual for job placements in the market. These programmes include:

PG Diploma in Information Security (PGDIS)

A one-year ( max 3 years) programme for graduates from any discipline looking for a career in the IT and Information Security services. Computer has emerged now not only as the largest storehouse of information and telecommunication technologies, but also as a target for increasing cyber crime. Not surprising, therefore, that Information Systems security is one of the hottest jobs on offer in practically every sector - professional services, government, telecommunications, and banking, organisations of all kinds and sizes, including a growing number of smaller businesses, and agencies with huge IT systems need.

Diploma in BPO Finance & Accounting (DBPOFA)

A one-year ( max 3 years) programme to provide training suitable for employment in the growing BPO industry. The programme is for graduates or school leavers with English as compulsory subject and 50 per cent aggregate, offered in collaboration with Accenture.

These and 250 other programmes are being offered at IGNOU today. Enrolling in one, is also simple and easy. IGNOU follows the policy of 'walk-in admission' which means that one can apply for admission round the year. Application forms are available at all Regional Centres and Study Centres. Most programmes are open to anyone fulfilling the minimum eligibility criteria, and just a few where admission is through an entrance test.

So whatever course of study you may opt for, don't lose heart if you are unable to get into the college or institute of your choice, as you are sure to be able to find a similar course available through distance education.

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

In pursuit of excellence

The university which began by offering two academic programmes in 1987, serves over three million students in India and other countries through 21 Schools of Studies and a network of 67 regional centres, around 2,667 learner support centres and 29 overseas partner institutions.

The university offers approximately 228 certificate, diploma, degree and doctoral programmes. It has a strength of nearly 810 faculty members, 574 academic staff at the headquarters and regional centres and about 33,212 academic counsellors from conventional institutions of higher learning, professional organisations, and industry among others.

With the launch of EduSat, all the regional centres and high enrollment study centres have been provided with active two-way video-conferencing network connectivity, making it possible to transact interactive digital content. The university, therefore, offers a multimedia approach to instruction — through self-instructional materials, counselling sessions, both face-to-face and via teleconferencing mode. For courses in science, computers, nursing as well as engineering and technology, arrangements have been made to enable students undertake practical classes at select study centres.

Vocational boost

Punjab government has signed an agreement with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) seeking to create new employment opportunities for the youth by providing them vocational training.

The collaboration seeks to create new opportunities for the youth of the state by improving employability of students passing out of these vocational courses with industrial training inputs and exposure, the spokesman said.

This programme would provide “guaranteed employment” to the senior secondary pass outs of the vocational school, he said. According to the official spokesperson, the state is going to initiate exclusive vocational education programme from next month. As many as 100 schools have been identified for this and 5000 students from Class IX to XIIwill be admitted in the first phase.

NSDC will also set teacher recruitment guidelines to ensure 'best fit' candidate with high quality.

Under the programme, each school would get two trades. These trades include — health care, IT, retail, automobile, security, and beauty and wellness.

They will get vocational education for four years and after clearing senior secondary they will be able to get jobs in their respective trade or profession on the basis of certificate issued by authorities concerned. — PTI

Preparation is the key to successful negotiation
Well-prepared is well-negotiated
Jappreet Sethi

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail — this is a very old saying and fits in aptly for negotiations. Any successful negotiation is about mutually agreeing to terms, which lead to a long- lasting relationship. Negotiations are never about scoring a quick one-way victory at the expense of the other party.

Negotiation is your opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to a long-term relationship by maximising value for both parties. And do remember that you may be a great negotiator however experience, bargaining skill, or persuasion cannot compensate for the absence of preparation.

Early preparation gives you an undisputed edge in negotiations, Research and history shows that early preparation and planning remain a weak area for many of us. Interpreted differently this means that you can gain an edge in the game in case you prepare in advance. This holds true for both sales and personal negotiations.

If you were to study successful negotiators like Gandhi, Martin Luther King or Roosevelt you will find one trait to be common among all of them, they always did their homework in advance. Most of the successful negotiators spend hours discussing the approach and their arguments/ counter arguments with their trusted aides. They read about the other party, find information through their network and try to find out what makes the other party act/ react.

By preparing in advance for negotiations you will be able to work out different scenarios and will feel more comfortable to deal with them during the course of negotiations. You will be able to display calmness during the course of negotiations. Look at Chess champions like Gary Kasparov or Anand Viswanathan. What do they do during a game? , they calculate the greatest number of maneuvers possible, move by move. And by chance can you guess what do they do before the game? They study their opponent’s previous games one by one. In addition they also study their opponent’s psychology, resistance to stress, break points etc.

Most of the people I know skip this stage, as it may not be as stimulating as the actual discussions. Don’t make this mistake and repent later on.

So where should you start from once you have decided to negotiate . The first step is to get informed and study the issue on hand. You need to develop an overall view of the situation. To do this ask yourself the following questions

• What is this issue about?
• What are the problems that I can foresee?
• Who does it involve?
• Why does it involve the people who are involved – what are their interests and objectives?
• What are the motives of the people involved in the issue?
• What are the different versions of the facts on the same issue?
• What information do I have at my disposal?

smart strategy: how to use a ‘break’ in career?
A constructive break
Tapan Rayaguru

Career breaks are more common than you would think. Several professionals end up with a break in their careers intentionally or unintentionally. This is probably more common among in women professionals than men but the overall number of such professionals has definitely seen a rise. While personal reasons like a wedding, a new member in the family, relocation of one partner, health complications etc. are easier to visualize, there are several professional reasons for such a break:

• Restructuring in organisations is more common now with economic uncertainties in a global workforce environment.
• Monotony in a role or a specific industry prompting a break to 'think things over' are quite common post the 30s.
• Failed start-ups forcing folks to take a break before they can get back within the "dreadful" corporate walls again.

cubicle trends
Women face gender pay gap in IT industry

The IT industry in India faces a severe gender gap not only in terms of number of women in the payroll but also in terms of remuneration as women employees are getting far less pay than their male counterparts, says a Monster.com report.

study abroad: scholarships and bursaries
Money matters
Gauri Chhabra

Over the past few decades, the trend of studying abroad has gained momentum and more and more students are keen on exploring this option. The cost factor is one of the major hurdles for Indian students as the fee charged by most of the good institutions abroad is astronomical. But a majority of students are unaware of scholarships worth millions of dollars that different institutions offer to international students. There are a growing number of grants and scholarships offered specifically for Indian undergraduate students. Some of these are:

Tata Scholarship (US)

Scholarships are available for Indian undergraduate students at Cornell University for Architecture, Arts, Sciences, Engineering, Hotel Administration, Human Ecology and School of Industrial and Labor Relations. To be eligible, it is necessary to first be accepted onto an undergraduate course at Cornell, and then apply for need-based financial aid. Students can apply to an undergraduate college or school at Cornell as primary choice, and also have the option of applying to another one as an alternate. A formal interview is required for those applying to the School of Hotel Administration and the programme in Architecture, Art, and Planning. Students applying to the architecture programme are required to participate in an interview as part of the admission process and applicants to the Department of Art are encouraged, although not required, to have an interview.

Dr Manmohan Singh Scholarship (UK)

Named after India's former Prime Minister, these scholarships aim to help top Indian students follow in Manmohan Singh’s footsteps, by studying at Cambridge University. Available for all courses except medicine and veterinary science, the scholarships cover all undergraduate tuition and college fees, as well as a grant for living and travel expenses. Applicants must first receive an offer of a place at a Cambridge college, and scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis.

Edinburgh Napier University (UK)

Scotland's Edinburgh Napier University offers a merit-based fee reduction of £2,000 for students from the Indian subcontinent, at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Students who have been made an offer to one of the full-time bachelor's or master's programmes are contacted and informed of the scholarship amount they are eligible for.

Trinity College Dublin (Ireland)

A number of universities in Ireland also offer scholarships for Indian undergraduate students. These include the country's highest ranking institution, Trinity College Dublin, which offers scholarships for Indian students applying for UG courses in arts, humanities, social sciences, science, computer science or engineering.

Ireland’s second ranked institution, University College Dublin, also has specific scholarships for Indian undergraduates. The UCD Global Undergraduate Scholarship scheme offers five tuition fee scholarships for science programmes, and four for business, social sciences and arts. There’s also one UCD Global Excellence Undergraduate Scholarship, which offers a 50 per cent fee reduction, available in all subjects except medicine, veterinary medicine and radiography.

University of Sheffield (UK)

The University of Sheffield also offers scholarships for Indian students at undergraduate BA, BSc, BEng, as well as postgraduate level. These include some scholarships for specific subject areas, as well as three merit-based scholarships available across all subjects, worth £7,000 per year. There are five India Merit Undergraduate Scholarships, available to Indian students and these are awarded on the basis of academic merit. Students of medicine or dentistry receive the scholarship in the first two years of study in the form of a fee reduction.

Students of BA Business Management, BA/BSc Economics, Law or the BEng Mechanical Engineering courses are also offered scholarships.

University of Wollongong (Australia)

At the University of Wollongong, one successful Indian applicant each year is selected for the UOW Bradman Foundation Scholarship, which means a 50 per cent fee reduction.

HuawaiMaitree scholarships (China)

Back in Asia, the HuawaiMaitree Scholarship programme offers scholarships for Indian students both undergraduates and graduates, to study in Chinawith preference is given to those applying for courses in science and technology, social studies, culture and development. Each award covers full tuition fees as well as living expenses. There are even more scholarships for Indian students at the master's and PhD levels. And of course, there are many more scholarships for which you may be eligible.

— The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant

The Oxford and Cambridge Society of India (OCSI) Scholarships

The Oxford and Cambridge Society of India Scholarships are part-cost awards for undergraduate, second undergraduate, graduate study and research in any subject available at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, UK. The scholarships offered by OCSI are Equal Opportunity, i.e. the decisions made in awarding these scholarships are not based on race, colour, religion, disability, age, sex or ancestry. Close family members of the Executive Committee of the Oxford and Cambridge Society of India are not eligible for consideration for these scholarships.

The universities of Oxford and Cambridge have been the preferred destinations for Indian students for many years. However, in recent years, the increasing cost of education in a British university and the greater competition for the few scholarships available has meant that fewer and fewer Indian students are able to take up places at Oxford and Cambridge. The Oxford and Cambridge Society of India has been offering scholarships every year, but these are dependent on the annual generosity of a few donors.

The levels of study include:

• Second Bachelor’s degree as an Affiliated Student/Senior Status
• Bachelor’s degree programme
• One-year post-graduate courses like. MPhil, LLM, BCL, Diploma, CASM or Part III Maths, MBA, PGCE etc.
• Master's programmes of different duration including MSc, engineering, medicine
• Research leading to PhD degree

The OCSI scholarship programme is designed to catalyse support for worthwhile Indian candidates who otherwise would be unlikely to attend the two universities (Oxford/Cambridge). The Oxford & Cambridge Society of India seeks to encourage students through its scholarships, who have ideally not been exposed to the Oxbridge experience. As a result, those students who are already enrolled at these universities, or those currently in study programme abroad, would be at a disadvantage, other things being equal. While it is an eligibility requirement for the candidate to have graduated from a university in India, there is an added preference that the final years of schooling should also have been completed from India.

Options in USA

Major US universities award scholarships and aid on the basis of the applicant’s overall strength. Admissions Deans consider students’ academic preparation, extra-curricular achievement, essays, recommendations, and several other factors. At the top universities, funding prioritises students with “need” over comparable more affluent candidates. Some of the universities that offer monetary aid to desrving students are:

Princeton University: Open to all applicants requiring funding to attend/ Feb 1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Open to all applicants requiring funding to attend/ Feb. 15

Yale University: Open to all applicants requiring funding to attend/ Mar 15

Duke University: 20-25 scholarships per year (worldwide) to fund more competitive pool of international applicants/ Mar 1

Washington University in St. Louis/ merit scholarships for all international applicants/ Jan. 15

Cornell University: Indian students are eligible for the Tata Scholarships; approx. 5 each year/Feb. 1

University of California-Berkeley: International students are not eligible to receive financial aid.

University of Southern California: International students are eligible for a limited number of merit scholarships/ Dec. 15

New York University: International students are eligible for a limited number of merit scholarships/ Jan. 15

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor: International students are not eligible to receive financial aid.

in conversation
E-highway of job opportunities
Roopesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, www.advertisementindia.com

With the easy internet accessibility, e-commerce in India has started accelerating over the past few years with huge number of players entering this field. E-commerce is playing a very important role in our fast paced life in both personal and professional engagements as far as consumers’ buying behaviour is concerned. There are many known as well as lesser known players operating in the e-commerce sector in the country. Understanding the huge potential of the Indian e-commerce market, many major international players have also started their operations in the country.

With the increase in the number of e-commerce players, the demand for quality professionals is also increasing rapidly. This sector has been identified as one of the best performing sectors continuously for the past four to five years. As a result more and more jobs are being created in this exciting field.

Established in 1993, AdvertisementIndia.com is one of India's top online ad booking portals that offers unique and cutting-edge advertisement booking solutions to its clients. Over the years, it has been able to position itself as the pioneer and leader in online ad booking space in India. In an interview with Arupjyoti

Gogoi, Roopesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, www.advertisementindia.com shares his views about the trend of hiring in the e-commerce industry and discusses about other emerging issues. Excerpts:

Can you describe how a career in e-commerce is lucrative for job seekers?

Over the past 3-4 years the e-commerce sector has been recognised as one of the sunrise sectors as far as job creation is concerned. With the increasing business volume of e-commerce the demand for qualified and trained professionals is also increasing at a very fast speed as there are many e-commerce players in the market at the moment and several new small players are also entering this market. E-commerce field offers plenty of career opportunities to job seekers. Like other industries, this also needs professionals from different educational backgrounds and streams.

With exponential increase in the number of internet users in the country, one can easily imagine the growth of this industry.

What are the emerging career opportunities in this sector?

Like other sectors, e-commerce also needs professionals in different areas for different functions. It may range from functions such as IT, marketing, data analytics, back-office, online merchandising, content writing, photographers, fashion designers, corporate communications & PR, finance and accounts, tele-callers, supply chain and logistics, graphic designing etc. Professionals working in the e-commerce sector come from different backgrounds with different academic qualifications.

People from premier institutes to a Class X pass can find a job opportunity in this sector.

What are the challenges that this sector is facing at present in attracting best talent?

We can say that e-commerce in India is a new phenomenon and it has been in the limelight for the past few years only. I believe there is still a psychological barrier that hampers players in this sector from getting the best talent. The industry is changing fast and people need to get adapted to the business environment quickly.

However, if we see the hiring trends for the past two years, then we can see a positive change in the attitude of the quality talent. Talent from the top league campuses in the country have started showing interest in job offers made by e-commerce players which is quite heartening. As the industry will get maturity and attracting best talents won’t be an issue for players in this sector.

How about the salary structure in this sector?

E-commerce is a high-paced industry and undoubtedly the salary structure is also very good as compared to many other sectors. However, salaries depend on the profile of the person and experience. People can easily start their career in this sector with a monthly salary of ~12,000 or more. With experience and skills at hand, one can earn quite more than that. Salary also depends on the job portfolio. For example, those working in the IT department of an e-commerce player will get higher salaries than those in the logistics section.

How do you see the career opportunities in this sector three years down the line?

I can confidently say that career opportunities in e-commerce will increase rapidly due to the increase in the volume of business. The sector has been witnessing a healthy growth of more than 30 per cent year-on-year. The growth is going to continue since the market has not been tapped fully in the country till now.

Happiness@work
Gems of ancient wisdom
More than one way to think

At times when things are going well, it pays to stick to the routine. But at times when operations are not going right, think out of the box to get out of the rut. Even while sculptor Kokkas from Pratishthana headed a team of 7,000 craftsmen, the job at hand was way beyond conventional methods. The Rashtrakootas Queen, wife of King Krishna, had vowed not to eat till she saw the ‘kalash’ (top part) of the yet-to-be-begun Kailasanath temple in Ellora.

As the project would have taken 16 months — by Kokkas’ calculations — to end, the sculptor went to the site again. On the eighth day, he returned and declared that the ‘kalash’ was ready. The Queen saw it, was satisfied and broke her fast. Instead of making the temple from the base, Kokkas and his team had begun making the rock-cut cave-temple from the top.

While taking a cab to meet his friend at a nursing home near London, GH Hardy of Cambridge University found its registration number 1729 “rather a dull number”. When he told his sick friend about it, he replied, “It’s not all a dull number. It is the smallest number that can be expressed as the sum of two cubes in two ways.” The sick friend, mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, explained, “It is (10x10x10)+(9x9x9) and also (12x12x12)+(1x1x1).”

In the 13th century, bandits from Mewat had made traders’ travel to Delhi a losing proposition. Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Balban mobilised the army and declared war on the looters. But the Mewatis couldn’t be put down as they found shelter in the forests around the capital. Then, Balban not only ordered that the trees be cut but also personally supervised the operation. Within a year, the menace was wiped out.

After the Chauri Chaura incident in which some civilians and policemen were killed, the Indian National Congress halted the Non-Cooperation Movement in February 1922. In the Gaya session of the Congress in December that year, party president Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das moved a resolution supporting ‘council entry’. The resolution was defeated.

Das and Motilal Nehru resigned from the working committee and formed the Swarajya Party. Das toured all over India to explain the party’s programme. “We’ll take the Non-Cooperation Movement to the legislature. We will get elected and block all unjust government measures,” he said. After a landslide victory in the Bengal Legislative Council poll, Das declined to form a ministry and chose to act as the Opposition. The party won the Calcutta corporation elections, Das was elected Mayor and Subhas Chandra Bose became the Chief Executive Officer. In the 1924 Congress session in Belgaum, the party adopted the programme of the Swarajya Party.

Like God, there are many ways to reach goals.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com

Financial services sector back on hiring mode

More than half of financial services CEOs globally are planning to raise the headcount by at least 5 per cent in the coming year as recovery in the developed markets gathers pace and confidence in the sector improves, says a PwC report.

Financial services industry leaders plan to bring in people from diverse backgrounds, including people from Internet and social media companies, the report said, adding that gamers, government relations and social media specialists are on the most soughtafter list.

Financial services CEOs have hiring back on their minds with 56 per cent planning to take on extra staff in the coming year, it said.

According to the PwC report — ‘Remoulding your workforce for a new marketplace’ — the insurance industry is especially bullish with 40 per cent planning to expand their workforce by more than 5 per cent, compared to around 30 per cent among banks and asset managers.

Game designers are of interest to financial service employers, as companies are planning to improve their digital appeal and interactivity, the survey that included 338 interviews with financial services CEOs in 53 countries said.

“Financial Services organisations are re-thinking their core values and objectives, taking into consideration their customers and the larger commerce community when expanding their business model going forward,” PwC Global Financial Services HR Consulting Leader Jon Terry said.

In order to counter cyber-attacks, which is perceived as a threat to business growth, companies are planning to bring on board even ex-hackers to get ahead of these threats.

Moreover, financial services companies are planning to rope in more people from public service and NGO community as government relations is increasingly becoming as important as investor relations.

According to the report, re-engaging with society and reputation building among financial services organisations continues to be key focus areas as 70 per cent of industry leaders recognise the need to satisfy societal needs while balancing the interests of all stakeholders.

Nearly 60 per cent of financial services CEOs see the limited availability of skills as impeding growth, yet barely a quarter of respondents have initiated changes to their talent strategy and only 35 per cent believe HR is prepared to make necessary changes. — PTI

Cool Counsel
Master the art of speed reading
D.C. Sharma

Ours is a world that moves at the speed of sound. To keep up with this vast professional world of scintillating careers where literature for acquiring and refining every professional skill is available in plenty, it becomes absolutely necessary for all employees to develop speed reading skill to keep pace with the modern workplace world. Those who still work in the same old rut of leisurely reading within their professional fields are bound to lag behind their rivals.

Speed reading not only sharpens the ability to read vast amounts of information at an accelerated rate but also builds the ability to absorb and comprehend the information that one has just read. This stunning art can be hugely beneficial not only for professionals but also for students.

Usually when we read something our eyes stop at every word that we read. Some even read word by word. There are others whose eyes move back to read the previous words again and again to comprehend properly. But in speed reading eyes and brain are “trained” to read words in groups. Eyes are trained to see more than one word at a glance. Eyes of those proficient in speed reading are trained to glance at the centre of the group of words.

In order to master this skill one should start practicing speed reading for 2-3 minutes three four times a day. After some practice in this manner one will also not need to go back and re-read the passages. The time for which the eye lingers on word groups also gets reduced gradually. As one gets more practice, one starts reading lines and sentences at one and the same time. The more words you practice to read at a time the faster you would learn to read.

Speed reading also increases word power. This further improves speed reading and accelerates deep understanding of the subject in hand.

The ideal speed in reading is generally between 140 to 240 words per minute. No harm if you can cross 250 words but never forget that accuracy in speed reading could be the hallmark of your excellence.

— The writer is a Kangra based psychologist & career expert

Tips to master the art

• n Morning hours prove to be the best time for practicing this art. The mind and body is fresh and active at this time after night’s rest and if this skill is practiced at this time then you would master this art at a much faster speed.
• n Make it a habit to prioritise what to speed read first. This system would make the learning practice all the more interesting and fruitful.
• n Stop speed reading whenever you feel tense and tired.
• n Don’t try to speed read by underlining the main points by making a previous reading. This practice may prove rather harmful as the mind should be conditioned to speed read fresh material.
• n Make it a habit to practice speed reading should be made consistently on a regular basis to get good results.

scholarship roundup
Chevening scholarships for PG students

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations offer Chevening scholarships for master’s level students. This is the UK government’s global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations. The programme provides full or part funding for full-time courses at postgraduate level, normally a one-year master’s degree in any subject and at any UK university.

Eligibility: Applicants must:

• Meet the academic requirements for their chosen course(s) of study;
• Have a good standard of written and spoken English, and meet the Chevening Scholarships language requirements as well as the language requirements of their chosen course(s) of study;
• Be a citizen of a Chevening country
• Have a minimum of two years’ work experience;
• Not be employees, relatives of employees, or former employees (who left within the past two years) of Her Majesty’s Government (including British Embassies and High Commissions), a partner (sponsor), a sponsoring UK university, or a staff member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities;
• Not have previously studied in the UK under a UK Government-funded scholarship;
• Not have dual British nationality (unless you are a Citizen of a British Overseas Territory).

CAREER HOTLINE
Pervin Malhotra

For the good of society

Q. I want to do Masters in Social Work (MSW). Could you please tell me about some institutes and scope of this field?

— Parminder Soin

A. If your heart is in the right place, you can earn a living doing good to others. A profession devoted to helping people function optimally within their environment, it could involve providing direct services or therapy. It also includes working for change to improve social conditions.

An MSW will equip you to work as a professional social worker in national and international social welfare organisations.

Many corporate houses that have a full-fledged community development department also hire professionally trained social workers in the areas of medicine, education, family welfare and human rights etc and as professionals to drive their CSR activities. You can also work as a project officer, programme coordinator, development consultant, counsellor, instructor or lecturer.

You can work with a wide range of people who need support for any reason — children, adolescents or adults, including their family members and friends, and other professionals such as police, lawyers and doctors.

These could include parents and children who are struggling in the face of deprivation, disability, or abusive behaviour or young adults who are finding it hard to handle the pressures of living and competing at work, those coping with mental health problems or drug addiction, the disabled, people with HIV/AIDS, women or older people who need some support to maintain their independence.

Working with people or communities, they help their clients understand, tackle, and find solutions to the problems they face.

Depending on the segment with which you are involved, each type of work has its own unique issues and rewards. The fieldwork that forms part of the MSW course will give you a flavour of what it entails.

Social work has undergone a sea change from its jhola chaap days. It is no longer viewed as the profession of the jobless. Social work needs young highly motivated, professionals who are committed to their cause. Today the sector is comparable with the corporates in terms of tight deadlines, quality and output of work. However, despite this so called corporatisation both in terms of work and pay there are no formal hierarchies and cut throat competition that characterises the new age work culture.

Government Sector: The Government of India conducts examinations through the UPSC and State Public Service Commissions for appointing Welfare Officers at the central and state levels. The position is that of gazetted officers in family welfare, education, social welfare, tribal development programmes, etc. National bodies like the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) and National Institute of Public Co-operation & Child Development (NIPCD) and major community development projects also appoint welfare officers. These jobs are also open to PG degree-holders in related fields like sociology, psychology, economics, etc.

As a Social Welfare Officer, your functions would be primarily that of an executive. You would be involved in programme planning, funding, execution, monitoring, evaluation and auditing procedures.

Many corporate houses with a full-fledged community development department in place also hire professionally trained social workers.

Medical and psychiatric work with hospitals and drug rehabilitation or family welfare centres, child clinics, special schools and research organisations.

The industrial and corporate sector also recruits MSWs from leading institutes as labour welfare officers and personnel managers in their HR and Industrial Relations departments.

Almost all universities offer MSW courses. However, the leading ones are the Department of Social Work of Delhi University; Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai; Punjab University, Chandigarh; Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; MS University, Vadodara; Xavier Institute of Social Sciences, Ranchi.

Alternatively, you could also check out some of the master’s courses in Development Studies.

NGOs: Most social workers work in NGOs, many of which are voluntary non-profit organisations. There are over 1.2 million NGOs in India. The voluntary sector supplements the government’s work in crucial sectors such as health, education, child and women development, water, HIV/AID, drug addiction etc. As “prime movers” or “catalysts” in the development agenda NGOs actively help state governments and communities during natural disasters and calamities — the Gujarat earthquake, the tsunami disaster, the Mumbai floods, to name a few.

This sector offers diverse and of late reasonably well-paying career options as counsellors, administrators and project leaders. There are over 18,000 registered NGOs in India. Many of these flush with funds from foreign donor agencies. You could even opt for voluntary agencies, Indian or international, which support active NGOs functioning in specific areas such as health and family planning, child welfare, old age care and housing for the destitute.

Some NGOs have a touch of corporate culture and offer decent emoluments and perks to skilled professionals. Otherwise, the work environment is mostly informal and offers considerable scope for tackling a particular social problem as long as it does not clash with the organisation’s overall framework.

Sports law— the next big thing for law students

Q. I am doing BA LLB. I am not interested in litigation or civil or criminal law. I am an extrovert with varied interests — actually passionate abut sports (hockey) which I’ve had to give up because it clashes with my studies. Can you suggest some new or lesser known field of law that I could look at? I am very confused.

— Aipak Malhotra

A. You say you are confused and I say you are expremely lucky. So just fasten your seatbelt while I tell you about this exciting new area of law that will combine your professional specialisation and your interests. Sports law is set to be the next cash cow for law majors in India. With sports gaining popularity and prominence, law firms are looking at expanding their portfolio in this segment, which they feel is recession-proof.

All celebrity endorsement deals are now being prepared by law firms. Earlier, it was restricted to the two parties involved — the celebrity endorsing the brand and the corporate entity. However, now law firms are increasingly being approached to facilitate such deals as part of their advisory services.

Sports law in India is likely to emerge as a big area of practice in the next five years. And with the sector getting corporatised, there will be an increased demand for lawyers specialising in this field in the years to come. Their role will be to ensure that the contractual obligations of the athlete and that rights and liabilities are tailored to best suit the athlete.

Email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com...

COURSE CRUISING

Architecture

Noida International University invites applications for its five-years full-time Bachelor in Architecture programme for session 2014-19 and for one-year Diploma in Construction Management and Architecture.

Eligibility: Candidates applying for BArch course should have passed Plus II examination (mathematics compulsory) with minimum 60 per cent marks. Those applying for the diploma course should have secured at least 50 per cent marks in Plus II.

How to apply: Applications forms can be purchased from the university office or campus by paying ~1100 in cash or can be downloaded and sent along with a DD drawn in favour of “Noida International University” payable at New Delhi. Selection is based on entrance exams, Group Discussion and Personal Interview.

Deadline: August 15, 2014

Check out: www.niu.edu.in

Course in Journalism

The Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi has invited applications for admission to Diploma Course in Journalism in Urdu for its Delhi Campus. Interested candidates may apply for the written test under admission procedure, before August 8, 2014.

Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree in any discipline preferably with Urdu as an elective subject.

Candidates should not be born before August 1, 1984

How to apply: Application forms can be purchased in person or by post from IIMC, New Delhi. This can also be download from www.iimc.gov.in.

Deadline: August 8, 2014

Check out: www.iimc.gov.in, Email: iimcadmissions2013@gmail.com

CMAT

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)will be conducting the Common Management Aptitude Test (CMAT) in Spetember for facilitating institutions to select suitable students for admissions in Management programmes approved by AICTE. Interested candidates can apply for this test.

Eligibility: The candidates should have acquired a bachelors degree of at least three years duration, having acquired minimum 50 per cent aggregate marks.

Deadline: Registrations close on August 25, 2014

Check out:www.aicte-cmat.in

CAMPUS NOTES
Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni (Solan)

Admissions begin

The university received 4,230 applications for admission to various undergraduate courses and as many as 301 applications for the general seats of various MSc courses. The entrance examination for the same was held on July 6 and the result was notified on July 14 . The counselling for these admissions will continue till August 8. The university authorities have increased the number of seats in various courses to 507 and out of this 308 would be filled on self-financing basis. This will help generate additional revenue worth ~15 crore to the university.

Expert’s visit

Prof R R Hanchinal, Chairperson, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority, Government of India, visited the university and evinced keen interest in granting funds for the protection of biodiversity of rare species including thornless bamboo, certain floriculture crops like wild roses, chilgoza, darru, chulli and certain other plants grown in the tribal area of Kinnaur.

Professor Hanchinal also visited the Mashobra-based Regional Research Station of the university where a gene bank of temperate fruits including apple, pear, walnut, etc., had already been developed by the university.

Trainings conducted

A five-day nodal training programme on flower cultivation for the 12 Horticulture Development Officers representing eight districts of the state was conducted by the university’s Directorate of Extension Education. The training began on July 22 and Director, Extension Education, Dr NB Singh, was the chief guest on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion he said that in future modern techniques like hydroponics, aeroponics, etc would be included in such trainings.

Another training on floriculture and vegetable cultivation was also conducted for the farmers of Una. This training was sponsored by Block Development Officer, Una in which 20 farmers participated. They were given training on various aspects of cultivation and protection of vegetables and flowers by the scientists.

— Contributed by Ambika Sharma

COURSE CHAT

Digital marketing programme

Manipal Global Education(MaGE) and Google India announced the launch of a digital marketing programme for students and professionals earlier this week. The three-month programme aims at addressing the growing need for trained professionals in the digital marketing space. The programme employs a blend of classroom sessions, e-learning and hands-on learning through a live project. Students who successfully completethe programme will be awarded a joint certificate from Manipal Global Education and Google India.

Google India will provide MaGE with its contemporary training curriculum and certification standards to provide a world class training experience.

Who should attend:

• Students with a management and engineering background
• Professionals who want to develop digital marketing skills, existing digital marketing professionals, entrepreneurs or affiliate marketers who want to use digital media to improve business.

FORTNIGHTLY QUIZ 469

1. After how many years did India win a Test match at Lord’s recently?

2. With which field was South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadine Gordimer associated?

3. What is the full form of HSGPC?

4. Name the superfast train launched between New Delhi and Katra recently?

5. In how many trains is the Railways going to fit derailment detector devices?

6. Where was India’s biggest wall mural, depicting the tale of the Partition, inaugurated recently?

7. Which part of the body is affected by encephalitis?

8. Which Italian luxury liner’s wreck is set to be scrapped?

9. Where is the city of Glasgow situated?

10. What are the career-best figures of Ishant Sharma in a Test match innings?

— Tarun Sharma

Winners of quiz 468: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Shruti Mittal; Class: 8th-A; St Xavier’s High School, Model Town, Phase-2, Bathinda- Pin Code - 151001

Second: Arpit Singh Dhadwal; Class X-A; Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Sidhpur; Dharamshala; district- Kangra; Pin Code -176057

Third: Jaideep; class VI; Govt Elementary School Burjmuhar; Abohar; Dist Fazilka; Pin Code - 152116

Answers to quiz 468: Four; Mario Gotze; Lionel Messi; James Rodriguez; Manuel Neuer; Joachim Loew; 7-1; Delhi; Novak Djokovic; Joe Root and James Anderson

Cash awards of Rs 400, 300 and 200 are given to the first, second and third prize winners, respectively. These are sent at the school address.

Note: Kindly mention the pincode of your place on the letter/postcard to facilitate the delivery of the prize money.

Answers can also be sent at quiz@tribunemail.com

Name……………….…………....................................

Class....………….......….……...................................

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