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The changing face of teaching
in conversation
Promise of a bright future
smart strategy: how to make virtual teaming work
Manufacturing sector prepares for hiring uptrend
Career sweetener
cubicle trends
Career Hotline
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The changing face of teaching
Guru Govind dono khade, kaake lagoon paye
Balihari guru aapne, jin Govind diyo dikhaye This immortal verse by Kabir highlights the importance of the Guru or the teacher who is given precedence over God. Centuries later, the teacher still holds a high pedestal, even though the role and methodology adopted by him has been transformed. It has evolved from the guru-shishya period to the time the teacher was responsible for transferring information to passive learners to the modern era wherein the teacher meets the ‘kids where they are’ . There has been as paradigm shift in teaching and knowledge is being actively constructed, discovered, transformed, and extended by students. This has also created several career offshoots for those interested in this profession. This Teachers’ Day, let us rediscover some new emerging options for all those who feel that they have an instinct to teach in them.
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CORPORATE TRAINER
Qualification A certified corporate trainer is a human resources specialist and college graduate with a degree in human resources, such as BA in Human Resource Management or an MBA with specialisation in Human Resource development. You can also take up a degree in Liberal Arts with majors in human resources and also study business administration, behavioural sciences, principles of management, organisational structure and industrial psychology. As corporate trainers often teach new software, computer courses and information systems courses are also highly recommended. Certified corporate trainers can also take English courses to improve their writing skills or a foreign language course to enable conversation with the diverse workplace population. Career graph The average salary for a corporate trainer is Rs 3-6 lakh per year. Experience strongly influences income for this job. Aspiring corporate trainers with a broad liberal arts background can learn how to develop curriculum, teach skills to individuals and groups and evaluate the training results.
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ONLINE INSTRUCTOR
With the world becoming a global village and technology making bridges companies and students are gravitating towards distance education and online courses. This calls for the need for online tutors. Online tutors teach a variety of subjects, including maths, science, and English, as well as test preparations for CAT, PSAT, SAT, GRE, GMAT etc for students from around the world who range in age from elementary school to college. Qualification While less formal arrangements may require only demonstrated experience in the subject area, teaching as part of a formal curriculum will likely require a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, a PhD, or a BEd. Common coursework in a bachelor’s programme or one or two-year, master’s programme that will help you prepare for a career as an e-teacher includes e-learning for educators, technology and instruction, assessments for e-learning, pedagogy, theories of learning and psychology of education. You must be comfortable and up-to-date with technology and trends in education. Understanding how to communicate online and how to use internet-based tools in an education environment is critical to succeeding as an e-teacher. Career graph As an online tutor you will be paid per class and the remuneration can range from Rs 2000 – 5000 depending upon the level of the class and the subject taught. You can be a K -12 teacher, college instructor and can dovetail your normal teaching career into creating a virtual classroom. Besides, you can be involved in different fields like continuing education or in-service education of professionals, nonprofit organisations, business, government organisations, or academic healthcare education. In case you are working for a company, you can also develop expertise with its Learning Management System, and own the deployment of online learning content. Later, you can graduate to the position of a Curriculum Consultant, Professional Development Coordinator, and Distance Education Leader.
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INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN SPECIALIST/ CURRICULUM DESIGNER
Qualification Positions in curriculum design often require specialised education and a dash of experience. Teaching is often a jumping-off point for prospective curriculum designers, so you can begin with bachelor’s or a master’s degree in Instructional Design, or related subject. However, teaching experience may be most relevant for individuals wanting to work in K-12 education. Positions at private companies that provide curriculum materials for specialised areas may value extensive subject matter knowledge, technology skills and technical writing skills more than teaching experience. More specifically, curriculum designers generally manage the curriculum review process, evaluating how well an organisation’s curriculum aligns with programme outcomes, learning methods, and assessments. More often than not, curriculum designers specialise in a specific subject matter. Career graph The salary you draw may depend on whether you are working for schools and school boards or in the corporate sector. You may also go on to develop curriculum for colleges and universities. If you are in the corporate sector, you may graduate from developing interesting and effective corporate training programs to supervising the individuals who maintain and distribute these essential learning materials. In order to make the curriculum design process work smoothly, curriculum designers often meet with educational decision-makers, committees, and advisory groups to determine the specialised needs of a certain group of individuals and recommending the types of learning materials to be purchased.
4.
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
In case you have good communication skills and have the ability to convince an audience, you can tangentially get into Management and become a Communications Specialist and use your mastery of oral and written communication to relay critical information or to create or maintain a certain type of company image or standard. You would be working in the offices of professional organisations, advertising or PR firms, educational administrations or government agencies. Requirement You need a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration, communications or related field and an experience marketing products and establishing brand recognition. Besides, you should have excellent written and verbal communications skills and the ability to write communications tailored to specific audiences like technical personnel vs. business leaders, using strong editing, language, spelling, and grammar skills. Career graph The pay package you would carry home would vary somewhere between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 8 lakh per annum. Your ability to work collaboratively across functional teams, projects teams, and with partner units coupled with experience in communicating across organisational levels, including executives would take you to the C suite where the strategic level management would consult you for various communications.
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Agents of change in hinterlands
Teacher’s Day not only brings focus on the dedication of teachers but also of the endeavours that provide a platform to teachers so that the goal of ‘education for all’ becomes achievable. For as many as 1,627 teachers who are a part of the Satya Bharati School programme of the Bharati foundation educating underprivileged children in the rural belts of the country is a mission to not only impart classroom lessons but also to bring about social change and improve the quality of life of the children and their families. The flagship programme of the foundation has a strong network of 254 schools that provide free-of-cost education to over 39,000 students. The schools that include primary, elementary and senior secondary level institutions are spread over six states. There are around 95 such institutions in Punjab alone. “Ensuring a holistic educational opportunity and all-round personality development of students is the main aim of this endeavour and teachers are the key players in the success of this endeavour”, said Vijay Chadda, CEO, Bharti Foundation during a recent visit to some of the schools in Punjab. In an interaction he shares how teachers are playing an important role in this mission that is bringing change in the rural belts of the state. Excerpts: What are the main challenges that educators involved in rural education programme face ?
What are the practices that teachers are motivated to provide in Satya Bharati Schools being run by your foundation? As the students are mainly first generation learners belonging to disadvantaged communities, it is imperative that teachers are trained to handle challenges with sensitivity and patience. The teachers’ training programme for SBS teachers focuses on effective methodologies and encompasses all spheres of teaching from pedagogy to life skills to help develop the students into life-long learners. The students are also prepared for leadership roles within the community and to engage with parents in a meaningful manner. The teachers are trained to organise various sessions like Maths Week, English Language Teaching programmes to acquaint children with the easiest way of learning maths and English concepts. How are the educators selected for these schools? Teachers at the SBS are mostly recruited from the local community, which not only inculcates in them a sense of ownership for the school but also makes them accountable. The ‘Teacher Engagement Model’ is designed to enhance a teacher’s experience and understanding of the objective of the programme. It encompasses induction, training, building connect and reward and recognition in their various life cycle stages as a teacher. Teaching is losing its sheen as there are not many growth opportunities in this career. What opportunities you are offering to keep teachers cmotivated in your schools? SBS teachers are provided many learning and growth opportunities within the system. A multi-pronged approach is adopted to equip teachers with pedagogy knowledge, skills and attitude for them to be successful teachers. A comprehensive training-cum- coaching model helps teachers enhance their skills, to enable each child to acquire conceptual knowledge through experiential learning methodology. The teachers are encouraged to be evangelists of quality education, inspire others, remain committed to teaching and be role models for society and country at large within or outside of the school. What positive social transformation has been brought by these teachers? Community Development Campaigns are an integral part of the SBS curriculum. As the main focus is on the girl child, the teachers at the time of training are sensitised towards encouraging, empowering and supporting girls to ensure their continued education. Over the years, teachers along with students have addressed issues like empowerment of girls, respect for widows, child marriage etc. Our teachers are role models for children as well as the community and are competent enough to stand for what is right. — As told to Geetu Vaid
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Promise of a bright future
MBA or bust — That is the credo by which many students live today. Every year thousands of hopefuls spend enormous amounts of time, money and many anxious nights trying to get into a good management school.
But MBA is not the only path to career growth and success. With the Indian economy opening up in so many sectors there are huge opportunities for those who think out of the box and build professional skills in some of the new and emerging areas of enterprise. Here are five such options:
Tea tasting and marketing
A graduate in any discipline from a recognised university proficient in written and oral communication in English are eligible for this programme. There will be consideration in eligibility norms for candidates sponsored by planters, plantation associations, brokerages, tea manufacturers, tea buyers, beverage sector and blenders. The programme is classified into three streams based on the background of the participants. These include, fresher to tea industry, experience in tea manufacturing, and experience in tea tasting. The Institute also offers a PG programme in Agri-business and plantation management for building managerial positions in the plantation and associated agri-business sector.
Perfumery and cosmetics management
Post Graduate Diploma in Perfumery and Cosmetics Management Course offered by the V.G Vaze College of Arts, Science and Commerce, University of Mumbai, aims at developing technical and managerial professionals for the fast growing cosmetics, perfumery and allied industries in India and abroad. The diploma course is the first of its kind in India and has been introduced in India in partnership with the globally reputed French Group Institute Superior International of Perfumes, Cosmetics and Aromatic Alimentaire (ISIPCA), backed by the Chamber of Commerce and University of Versailles. With globalisation and expansion of television and advertising, beauty and glamour is no longer confined to the catwalk. Today even small towns boast of beauty parlours, and market research studies indicate that intensive face care, the use of creams and lotions and the visits to the beauty parlours has evolved into a regular routine for most young men and women, turning beauty care into one of the faster growing industries. The Indian flavours and fragrance market is also worth more than Rs 1,000 crore and is expected to grow at a rate of 10-15 per cent annually. The Post Graduate Diploma in Perfumery and Cosmetics Management Course provides technical know-how in perfumery, and practical training in the formulation of various personal care and cosmetics products. The course includes understanding and recognition of various raw materials and their properties, which are essential for the formulation of some basic perfumes as well as with various ingredients that go into the formulation of various cosmetic products. A special emphasis is also being given to traditional herbal cosmetics since they are the fastest growing market segments in the world and the science behind understanding the psychophysiology of the sensory appeal. The two-year programme also aims at the managerial aspect of the perfumery and cosmetic industry and includes training in Operations Management, Human Resource Management, Cost Accounting and Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship & Strategic Development of Enterprise thus developing professionals not only for the huge perfume and cosmetics markets, but for entrepreneurship as well. At least two months of industrial exposure (on the job training etc) is included in the programme. The minimum qualification for eligibility is graduation with chemistry as one of the major/ subsidiary subjects, or BPharm or BTech. Students without a science background can be considered provided they have acquired acknowledged professional experience of at least two years in the specific perfumery/cosmetics industry. An entrance/aptitude test (written or viva) will be conducted if needed.
Aviation operations
The BBA Aviation Operations offered by the University of Petroleum Studies www.upes.in aims to create skilled professionals for the aviation sector and allied fields of travel and tourism. Airports today are major commercial and traffic hubs, buzzing with activity as the volume and complexity of air traffic increases, putting pressure on all services, whether runway space, air traffic and technical services, or even passenger handling, cargo, airline services and the many customer services now being provided at airports. With the phenomenal growth of the international and domestic airports in India, there is a huge demand for professionals to manage and handle these sundry airport services to ensure efficiency and productivity. The BBA in Aviation Operations trains managers for the aviation sector in customer service, passenger reservations, airline sales and marketing, revenue management, flight /data analysis and so on. The programme also includes a built-in IATA/UFTAA foundation course within the main curriculum, thus increasing the application relevance of the program with respect to addressing the business requirements of the aviation sector and equipping students for jobs at airports, with airlines, travel companies, and marketing and travel management. This is a thre-year BBA programme suitable for students from any subject stream with a minimum of 50 per cent at Class X & XII.
Packaging
The two-year full-time Post Graduate Diploma in Packaging (PGDP) is open to graduates in science, technology, engineering and allied fields. Although any fresh graduate can also opt for this course, science graduates are preferred. There are also certificate courses in packaging for graduates in any discipline. The institute also conducts a two-year distance education programme in packaging technology for graduates with a minimum of two years of working experience in packaging or related field. As packaging covers almost all sectors of industrial production, packaging specialists are absorbed through campus placements in the package design & development departments or purchase, production or packaging departments by user industries. They can also look forward to opportunities in the marketing dept. of packaging material manufacturers.
Logistics & shipping
A Post Graduate / Advance Diploma in Logistics and Shipping is offered by Indian Institute of Logistics, Chennai www.iilschennai.com. In today’s globalised world where commodities and materials criss-cross countries and continents a large aspect of logistics means handling transportation by air, ships and information technology, in addition to road and rail and involving ship brokering, port operations, freight forwarding, containerisation, warehousing, customs procedures and so on. The PG course is open to all graduates while the Advance Diploma requires a pass in Class XII from any recognised school board. The duration of the course in 15 months which include three months industry internship. These are just five of the several other new and exciting career options available to those willing to look beyond the tried and tested. So if you are ready to expand your horizons – explore these avenues. Who knows what lies in store for you! — The writer is Director Careers Smart Pvt Ltd., New Delhi
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smart strategy: how to make virtual teaming work Jappreet Sethi Similar to a conventional team, a virtual team consists of a group of people who interact to complete inter-dependent tasks and work towards a common goal. However, instead of meeting in the same office, the team members work in different places, often at home, and in different time zones, They may never meet their co-workers face-to-face. Are virtual teams real? Virtual reality as a term donates something that is so lifelike as to feel real but it is not real. The same stigma of remoteness and incompleteness has encapsulated virtual teaming and work for many years. The advent of the 21st century and digitisation has proved beyond doubt that virtual work is not a close approximation of work, but a viable alternative to getting the work done. New-age leaders and organisations now think of virtual work as distributed work, not a compromised situation. HR researchers have identified six major challenges of virtual teams: distance, time, technology, culture, trust, and leadership. Although the technology that supports virtual teams gets most of the attention, small activities can make a big difference to teams productivity. So what are the ingredients of a superb virtual team? Getting the basics right Shared understanding is more than a common goal recognised by all the members of the team. It involves a comprehensive understanding of the team’s capacities and objectives, including knowledge of the expertise members possess and how they plan to interact in order to accomplish the team’s overall strategic goal. Holding team discussions early on in the team formation to determine communication infrastructure, protocols, and process flow has great benefits. Team tasks must be appropriately apportioned in order to provide as much task independence as possible; allowing team members to know when team interactions need to occur; Team tasks must take into consideration the distribution of resources, such as knowledge and data; and match the locus of control (that is, the authority and responsibility) with those resources. Build a winning culture Culture is a by-product of shared stories, norms, shared rituals, repeated interactions, and shared experiences. Provide opportunities to create a shared history together beyond the team development process — both face-to-face and electronically. Make up for the lack of face-to-face interaction Without face-to-face meetings, facial expressions and body language are lost, making communications between team members difficult to interpret and understand. This is especially likely when cultural differences exist among members of the team. Some experts believe that building solid relationships within teams, often through team empowerment, can act as a substitute for face-to-face interaction Water cooler talks are those peppy casual conversations that spontaneously occur in the office, they disappear in the virtual environment. This is the kind of talking that is often a critical success factor for team synergy, and it must be encouraged virtually. Simple mechanisms might include intranet team home pages, instant messaging, open and ongoing chat rooms, electronic bulletin boards, and virtual and face-to-face team meetings. Define clear and effective channels of communication Once team members appear comfortable with each other, organisations should establish a forum in which they can discuss the responsibilities of the project team as a whole, what role they see themselves taking in the team based on their expertise, and how this fits into the bigger picture, including the other team members’ roles. Define team tasks in such a way that it ensures that team members share essential information and knowledge. Establish issue resolution mechanisms Team members should be free to revisit decisions as and when needed, to ensure a feeling of continued fairness. A discussion of how questions or problems that are beyond the scope of the team’s expertise will be handled should be agreed upon at the senior management level. With a clear channel to resolve these issues, the team is less likely to become stagnant. Celebrate success often When a team member receives a special award, find ways to feature them in a video clip or e-mail press release. Develop a strong culture of posting fun and exciting news to a team bulletin board or team Web page. Celebrate accomplishments together as a team, even when members are dispersed. Make work fun, do a virtual jig, send e-cards, do an online graffiti depicting your work. The new-age virtual world, enabled by technology, has opened doors that were once possible only in science fiction movies. Organisations today are using these new opportunities to build competitive advantage over other companies in their industries by forming project teams, made up of experts from around the country and globe, in order to accomplish their strategic goals. The era of virtual teams has dawned and is here to stay, so lets make the best use of it. Build trust among the team members Virtual team members depend on one another to fulfill a common goal. As such, they need to be connected on both a task and interpersonal level .The effectiveness of virtual collaboration is contingent not on technology but on relationships based on trust, which the technology supports. Trust in virtual teams, while built slowly, can be developed from positive, ongoing experiences among members of the team; from members believing in the individual expertise of one another; and, perhaps most importantly it stems from the sense of accountability, that is, from seeing that others follow through on what they agree to do. This means that a key to virtual team success is members’ keeping their commitments to each other and therefore making only commitments they can and will keep. — The writer is an HR & Strategy consultant and authors www.humanresourcesblog.in
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Manufacturing sector prepares for hiring uptrend
India’s manufacturing industry is expected to witness a significant uptick in hiring activities in coming years amid improving business sentiment and the government’s focus on this sector, HR experts believe. Recent surveys suggest that export orders are growing considerably, while rising domestic demand is expected to further boost the growth rates for the manufacturing sector.
As part of India’s national manufacturing policy (NMP), the country is seeking to boost the sector’s growth and ramp up its share in the country's GDP to 25 per cent from the current 15-16 per cent over the next decade. The target is to create 100 million jobs by 2022. Talking about the steps required to meet this target of creating 100 million jobs can be achieved, leading industrial manufacturing major Aequs’ Chairman and CEO Aravind Melligeri said: “As for most of the policies, successful implementation will depend on enabling legislation.” While the Union Budget 2014-15 had many encouraging signals for manufacturing and business sentiment has improved, there was less than expected progress on tax and labour law reforms, particularly with regard to SEZs, he said. “In light of this, we are optimistic but guarded about the future,” Melligeri added. “At an entry level, there seems to be good supply of talent from the different technical institutions. This way, I feel we are ready to face the growing demands of the business. But there is a worrying void for good quality Managers who can be developed into Leaders,” German conglomerate Freudenberg’s Regional Corporate Center (India) HR Head Srinivas Ghanagam said. In the coming months, the companies are likely to focus on hiring people and on training them as a measure to specialise them and build their foundation for the next financial year when the industrial landscape will become competitive than ever before, HR managers believe. While the talent crunch is definitely a key consideration in manufacturing sector, it cannot be held as an excuse to deter India from robust manufacturing. Companies are creating in-house learning capabilities, which focus not only on the current requirements but also on creating a talent pool for the industry. Moreover, there has also been a shift of focus from non-manufacturing to manufacturing study module, given the growth of rich opportunities in the growing industry. “Hiring will happen across grades right from the shop-floor machine operator to administrative department to front- office as it’ll be a holistic capacitative expansion of plants and not just increasing capability,” Melligeri said. — PTI
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Defensive approach
5 signs that show you are extremely defensive
Humans have survived through the time and one of the biggest factors that influenced this survival is the hunch to be defensive. However, times have changed and in the modern interconnected knowledge driven world, minds are more like parachutes; they work better when they’re open as compared to pre-historic times where they were primarily “danger sensors”. Defensiveness is an understandable attempt by our psychology to protect us. However, the truth remains that it is not very effective in the modern world unless you are still living in the jungles of Amazon. Take a look at these common tell-tale signs of defensiveness. Does it ring a bell?
Blaming others for your own problem
Blaming others is also a defense mechanism, which allows people to preserve their own sense of worth, while severely, frustrating the other party. Blaming others is generally a clear indicator that you lack the ability to accept and cope with different situations that occur. It is a lot easier to blame others for your shortcomings than to take responsibility for them. It’s easier to blame than admitting that you’re not the best in class, it’s easier to blame than it is to improve. You need to have nerves of steel and courage to take responsibility for your own actions, to stop hiding behind the ‘victim’ mentality that keeps you safe from the reality that the reason your life sucks is because of you and not someone else.
When was the last time you claimed that external forces beyond your control forced you to act in a certain way. Rather than taking control and doing something, you reason out your inaction. It is largely seen that we tend to make excuses when we believe we’re wrong but don’t want to admit it to others
Being very resistant to change
Are you one of those denizens who don’t like change because they don’t like being changed? When change comes into view, fear and resistance to change are the natural accompaniments. This triggers psychological defense mechanisms and then you are just finding the loopholes in the espoused theory. Are you defensive because at some level you know for sure that, what is being said is at least partly true? Are you afraid to listen to the truth, because you will have to act on it?
You keep on repeating yourself
With a firm belief that you are right, you keep on repeating your point of view louder and louder rather than trying to understand the other party’s point of view. You strongly believe that the difference of opinion is there, because the other party has failed to listen to your point of view and once it runs through their auditory canal they would tow your line.
You say yes but mean a no
Do you find yourself in the pattern of “ looking London and talking Tokyo, These are the conversation dominated by “yes-buts,” with you stating a token agreement -“yes”, followed by a different idea -“but”. This ping-pong match of contrasting ideas could continue indefinitely without yielding any results. In the end the other party will get highly frustrated, as yes-butting rapidly erodes common ground by drawing attention away from points of agreement (the yeses) to the points where you seem to disagree (the buts).
How to avoid getting defensive
If you find yourself falling into the trap of defensiveness after someone has said something potent to drive your frenzy, it will be apt to try the “Three Strike” approach recommended by Mark Goulston, a renowned business psychiatrist & executive consultant. Strike 1: Think of the first thing you want to say or do and don’t do that. Instead, take a deep breath. That is because the first thing you want to do is defend yourself against what you perceive as an attack, slight, or offense. Strike 2: Think of the second thing you want to say or do and don’t do that, either. Take a second breath. That is because the second thing you want to do after being attacked is to retaliate. That is only going to escalate matters. Strike 3: Think of the third thing you want to say or do and then bingo, do it. That is because once you get past defending yourself and retaliating, you have a better chance of seeking a solution. And remember any display of defensiveness in your tone and body language will be met with equal reciprocation from the other party in majority of the cases. The better option is to nip it in the bud, and look for ways to be more solution-oriented. With an open approach you will find yourself on the path of enhanced cooperation and collaboration. Career Tips from www.careersweetener.com .
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Green offices make workers happy
Want to be happy and productive at work? Keep a plant next to your computer. “Green” offices with plants make staff happier and more productive than “lean” designs stripped of greenery, new research shows. It found that enriching a “lean” office with plants could increase productivity by 15 per cent. “Investing in landscaping the office with plants will pay off through an increase in office workers’ quality of life and productivity,” said Marlon Nieuwenhuis from Cardiff University’s school of psychology. Researchers examined the impact of “lean” and “green” offices on staff’s perceptions of air quality, concentration and workplace satisfaction. They monitored productivity levels over the next months in two large commercial offices in Britain and The Netherlands. The findings showed plants in the office significantly increased workplace satisfaction, self-reported levels of concentration and perceived air quality. A green office increases employees’ work engagement by making them more physically, cognitively and emotionally involved in their work, added co-author Dr Craig Knight from the University of Exeter. — IANS
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Prudence and practicality
The most interesting parts of the book are the practical tips and case studies to support the text which make the text more enjoyable and gripping. There are some loose ends where the author gets carried away, but overall the book presents a strong case for a complete makeover if you are looking for ways to acquire smart habits which will instill the courage to deal with most challenging circumstances with ease. — Seerat Toor Grewal
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Career Hotline Q. I am doing MA in economics. Please give me detailed information about the Indian Economic Service, including the exam pattern, its prospects, schedule, coaching etc. — Madhu Rajpal A.The Indian Economic Service (IES) plays a key role in providing economic inputs and advice to various ministries and departments of the Government of India in formulating, implementing and evaluating policies and programmes. In addition to helping individual ministries and departments prepare and monitor their budgets, it also helps ensure that the policies pursued are consistent with the government’s overall economic policy and direction. The notifications for the IES exam conducted by the UPSC, usually appears in November while the exam is conducted in May. The two-part IES exam consists of: Written exam and Interview. Each paper (essay-type) is of 3-hours duration. Those who clear the written exam are called for the interview stage which carries 200 marks. Like other competitive exams, the IES exam requires planned preparation, determination, hard work and the will to succeed. The medium of the exam is English (only), and the marks obtained in General English are counted in the final merit of the written exam. Moreover, there’s no Preliminary exam. Also, the competition is distinct from the Civil Services Exam: The competition is somewhat restricted, as only post graduates in Economics/Applied Economics/ Business Economics/Econometric are eligible. For further details, log on to the UPSC website: www.upsc.gov.in. Previous years’ question papers are available on the Internet. You’ll have to check out the private coaching institutes in your vicinity, including some of those that coach for the Civils. The written exam (1000 marks) Paper-I General English 100 marks Paper-II General Studies 100 marks Paper-III Economics-I 200 marks Paper-IV Economics-II 200 marks Paper-V Economics-III 200 marks Paper-VI Indian Economics 200 marks
Political analyst’s job
Q. I have been keenly watching political analysts discussing and debating Indo-Pak affairs on our news channels. I would love to do that kind of work. How can I become such an analyst?
— Umesh Vasishth
A. A political analyst is someone who keenly observes the contemporary political situation, both nationally and internationally, and makes his observations on them. Political analysts support policymakers by evaluating the goals and motivations of foreign governments. They examine their culture, values, society and ideologies; their resources and capabilities; their political and decision making processes; the strengths and weaknesses of their strategies for achieving their goals; and the implications of all of the above for the country’s interests. Of course, we also see a lot of them in the media as well. You just have to flip through the edit pages of our national dailies or flip news channels on TV to see these worthies — holding forth 24/7! A political analyst often has a degree in political science, and may be associated with a research institution. However, most analysts get an opportunity to express their views on a regular basis only after years of experience in writing on the subject – unless you are contributing to your own blog (and there are plenty such on the Net, some of which make for fascinating reading). Typically, most of the analysts you see on TV are either senior/retired bureaucrats, ex-Generals, defence analysts, politicians or veteran journalists. Besides an ability to express one’s views clearly and objectively, the most important requirement for anyone wanting to be a political analyst is a keen interest in politics and sufficient knowledge about historical trends. And in this age of specialisation it would help to specialise in a particular region — China, Middle East, South Asia etc.
Understanding chromotherapy
Q.What is chromotherapy? How can one pursue study of this field of medicine? — jasleen kaur
A.Derived from ‘chromo’, Greek for ‘colour’, chromotherapy is one of the alternative systems of medicine that uses the seven colours of the spectrum (violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red, abbreviated as VIBGYOR) to treat diseases. According to this system, the cause of any disease or disorder can be traced to the lack or excess of any colour in the human system, each colour associated with specific human qualities. Chromotherapy is best used to supplement other natural therapies such as a nutritional diet, adequate rest and relaxation, exercise, yoga, naturopathy, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, etc. Chromotherapy is taught as one of the subjects in the 5½-year Bachelor of Naturopathy & Yogic Sciences (BNYS) course. You can even opt for a diploma programme. Although career options are similar to those in any branch of alternative medicine i.e. private practice, working in hospitals and teaching. But these are relatively few because this ancient form of therapy is not broadly known.
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Scholarship roundup
Bill Gates Scholarship at University of Cambridge
Eligibility: The candidate should be: *
A citizen of any country outside the UK. * Applying to pursue one of the following full-time residential courses of study at the University of Cambridge: PhD (three year research-only degree); MSc or MLitt (two year research-only degree); or a one year postgraduate course (e.g. MPhil, LLM, MASt, Diploma, MBA etc.) *
OR already a student at Cambridge and want to apply for a new postgraduate course. For example, if you are studying for an MPhil you can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to do a PhD. However, if you have already started a course, you cannot apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to fund the rest of it. *
OR already a Gates Cambridge Scholar and want to apply for a second Scholarship. You must apply by the second, international deadline and go through the same process of departmental ranking, shortlisting and interviewing as all other candidates. Details: A Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge. *
a maintenance allowance for a single student (£13, 300 for 12 months at the 2012-13 rates) *
one economy single airfare at both the beginning and end of the course The Trust also considers applications for several types of additional funding on a discretionary basis. Duration: Scholarships award amounts depending on the length of the chosen degree course or study project, 12 to 24 months. Initially, scholarships are for a given academic year and have performed well according to the duration of the study programme extended on request. Selection criteria: *
Outstanding intellectual ability * Leadership potential * A commitment to improving the lives of others *
A good fit between the applicant’s qualifications and aspirations and the postgraduate programme at Cambridge for which they are applying. How to apply: The mode of applying is electronically or by post. Deadline: *
Round 2 (all other eligible candidates) - December 3, 2014 Check out: www.gatescambridge.org Chevening India scholarships The British Council is accepting applications for a number of Chevening programmes in India. The programmes provide an invaluable opportunity to Indian professionals to establish their own networks of contacts in the UK who would be of direct value to their work and career development in India. Some of the Chevening programmes in India are: Chevening Master’s Programmes Up to 30 fully funded One-Year Master Scholarships in any UK post-graduate course and university. Chevening/HSBC Scholarship: 3 scholarships for India - Finance or environmental related courses preferred There are also a number of partnership awards linked to specific UK universities, the following are available to applicants from India: Chevening/Durham Scholarship: Any course other than MBA available at Durham Chevening/Bangor Scholarship: Any course other than MBA available at Durham Chevening/Cambridge Scholarship: Any degree offered at Cambridge Brunel University: Any course offered at Brunel Schumacher College: Any course offered at Schumacher with Sept/Oct start date Surrey Business School – Only MBA courses are accepted for this award University of Birmingham- Any course offered at Birmingham University of Southampton - Any degree offered at Southampton Last date to apply for all master’s programmes: November 15, 2014 Chevening India Fellowship Programmes The Chevening TCS Cyber Security course is available for six professionals working in the field of cyber security and public policy at the Defence Academy at Cranfield University. Last date to apply: September 14, 2014 The Chevening Rolls Royce Science and Innovation programme at the Said Business School at the University of Oxford is targeted at 12 professionals working in the field of science and related public administration. Last date to apply: October 5, 2014 The Chevening India Journalism programme is available for 14 media professionals to study a specifically designed programme Good Governance in a Changing World: Media, Politics and Society at the University of Westminster. Last date to apply: September 27, 2014 Chevening/Clore Scholarship: this is specifically targeted towards the arts and cultural world. The deadline for applications is November 15. Check out: www.chevening.org/india
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Campus notes
National seminar on genetics
A multi-pronged approach involving joint studies and research by geneticists, bio-scientists and medical professionals is required to combat human genetic diseases. This viewpoint emerged at a national seminar on Molecular Pathology of Human Genetic Diseases organised by the Department of Genetics at MDU recently. Eminent scientist and Professor, JNU School of Life Sciences, New Delhi, Dr
R.N.K. Bamezai, maintained that the global genomic and metabolic perspective would prove beneficial in establishing genotype-phenotype relationship, and in diagnosis of human genetic
diseases. MDU Vice-Chancellor H.S. Chahal inaugurated the seminar. Head, Department of Genetics, Prof Meenakshi
Vashisht, delivered the welcome address. Prof Rima Dada from Department of Anatomy,
AIIMS, observed that sedentary lifestyle, increased stress, smoking and drug abuse were causative factors for infertility. She called for studies on genetic predisposition of infertility. Prof Renu
Saxena, Head, Department of Hematology at AIIMS, focused on diseases like
thalassemia, hemophilia and blood cancer. Dr. Sridhar Sivasabbu, senior scientist, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, delivered a lecture on ‘Personalised and Precision Medicine in Humans’. Girl students felicitated Education is the key to empowerment in society and the cause of promoting education among girls should be accorded the top priority in society. This was stated by the vice-president of Haryana State Child Welfare Society, Asha
Hooda, at a ceremony organised to felicitate the outstanding girl students on the MDU campus recently. This award ceremony was organised from the cash reward accompanying the Best MLA award received by Rohtak MLA Bharat Bhushan
Batra. As many as 20 girl students were awarded cash prizes for excellence in academics, sports and cultural activities. Faculty member awarded Dr Dureja has to his credit 92 research publications in national/international journals and seven book chapters/monographs in standard books. Notably, Dr Dureja has also been awarded gold medal and best Ph.D thesis award by
MDU. Arts exhibition An exhibition based on the art works of noted artiste Late Ram Mehar Singh Malik was organised by the Department of Visual Arts recently. Vice-Chancellor
H.S. Chahal, other faculty members and students appreciated the creative works. Malik was a faculty member at the Department of Visual Arts at
MDU. Head, Department of Visual Arts Prof Sushma Singh; Head, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Prof Harish Kumar; Director, Youth Welfare Jagbir
Rathee; Director, PR Sunit Mukherjee, and other art lovers were present. — Contributed by Sunit Dhawan Delhi
colleges top list of most trusted institutes Hindu College and IIT-Delhi have been termed the top two most trusted educational institutes in Indiaas per TRA’s (Trust Research Advisory) recent research conducted with 7710 respondents across 40 cities. Hansraj College, Delhi was the 5th most trusted in India. There are six Delhi institutes among India’s top 10. N.
Chandramouli, CEO, TRA said while launching the report, “Delhi has been a hub of education for several decades and attracts students from all over the globe. It is no wonder that many of these institutions continue to make a mark as being among the most trusted. In the India’s 1000 Most Trusted, Delhi significantly contributed to 89 institutions.” — TNS
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Fire safety course
Eligibility: Interested candidates should have completed their Class X and Plus II from a recognised board. How to apply: Prospectus and application form can be Obtained on Payment of Rs 300 in cash or demand draft in favour of “Delhi College of Fire and Safety Engineering” payable at Delhi. The application form can be downloaded from
www.dcfse.com Deadline: September 10, 2014 Website: www.dcfse.com
Multi-media design course
Raffles Millennium International
(RMI) invites applications for admission to bachelor’s degree in MultiMedia Design course from RCDC (Raffles College of Design & Commerce, Australia). The programme will be for the fundamental broad-based skills in graphic design, skills of transforming 2D into 3D via creating interfaces and integrating programming abilities. Duration: 2+1 years (full-time). Eligibility: The applicants should have cleared Class XII from any recognised board with 70 per cent in English and 65 per cent in aggregated. Class XII students appearing or waiting may also apply for provisional admission. For
IGCSE, A level within minimum 3 subjects, English compulsory as one. The RMI Entrance Exam will take place before each intake, followed by a personal interview. How to apply: The application form is available at an RMI institute. Interested candidates can send their request at
rmidelhi@educompraffles.com mentioning subject as “Application Form” and their details with contact number. Once completed, it should be submitted along with required documents mentioned in the application form and
Cheque/ Demand Draft of Rs 2500 in favour of “Educomp Raffles Higher Education Ltd”, or by Cash. Deadline: September 10, 2014 Check out: www.raffles-millennium-delhi.com
Editing course
Whistling Woods International is offering a short-term course in editing at its Mumbai campus. The course will give students an opportunity to learn editing on Final Cut Pro X 1.2, Basic Sound Editing, Cutting an Audio –Visual & Creating a Master Edit from expert faculty like Vivian Pimenta who has worked with Avid and Sony in the past, Vivian is a Apple Certified Trainer in Final Cut Pro. When: Sept. 10 – Oct. 8. (Mon, Wed 5.30pm – 7.30pm & Sat – 9 am – 1pm). Eligibility: Class XII pass with working knowledge of Mac Operating systems Deadline for registration: September 5, 2014 Fees: ~30,068 including refundable deposit of ~4,000 Email :
Shortcourseunit@whistlingwoods.net
Dual degree
Law school of Sharda University is inviting applications for admission to its newly launched six-year integrated double degree B.Tech LLB course. Students of this course will excellent opportunities both in legal practices and the corporate sector preferably in science and technology based
organisations Eligibility: nCandidates should have 50 per cent marks in Plus II from a recognised board in
India. nThe candidates should clear Sharda University Admission Test (online only). Deadline: September 10, 2014 Fee: ~1,36,000 per annum Check out: www.sharda.ac.in
Entrance test for design courses
The Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) which is the qualifying examination for admission to the Master of Design
(M.Des.) programmes at IISc Bangalore, IITs at Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad and
Kanpur, and PhD programmes in Design at some Institutes will be held from 10 am to 1 pm on February 7, 2014 (Saturday) at
Bangalore, Bhopal, Calicut, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad,
Kanpur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram. The test assesses candidates’ aptitude for design involving visual perception ability, drawing skills, logical reasoning, creativity and communication skills. Qualifying in CEED alone does not guarantee admission to any of the programmes as different institutes may conduct further tests and/or interviews for the final selection/admission in addition to the weightage given to the CEED score. Eligibility: Check eligibility conditions for different level courses from the websites of the institutes. How to apply: Application for CEED can be submitted only online, at the official website,
www.gate.iitb.ac.in/ceed2015. Application Fee is Rs 2,000 for male (General and
OBC) candidates, Rs 1,000 for male (SC/ST/PwD) candidates and Rs 1,000 for all female candidates. Application fee has to be paid through ‘State Bank of India Collect Facility’ or through Internet banking, Credit card or Debit card. Details are given at
www.gate.iitb.ac.in/ceed2015 and also in Appendix A of the Brochure that can be downloaded from the CEED website. The instructions and other information regarding filling the online application form are available at the website,
www.gate.iitb.ac.in/ceed2015. Deadline: www.gate.iitb.ac.in/ceed2015
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Seminar on architectural education
A seminar on “Architectural Education” was organised by Indo Global College of Architecture, Abhipur near Chandigarh recently. Prakash Deshmukh, President of the Indian Institute of Architects was the Chief Guest on the occasion. In his welcome address S.S. Sekhon, Director of Indo Global College of Architecture said," In a globalised world architects are expected to play a pivotal role not only as merely building designers but also as creators of beautiful, holistic and sustainable living systems". Noted architect Rajiv Mishra motivated the students to use design as a tool for transforming lives. Prof. Alok Ranjan who is known Academician of India gave a presentation "Architectural Education-for today and tomorrow". He impressed upon the students to broaden their vision for long term planning to cope with the changing needs of a country. Surinder Bahga, Principal Architect of Chandigarh based Saakaar Foundation and Councilor of Municipal Corporation Chandigarh, inspired the students with his presentation "Inspirational Architecture" and said that knowledge of History of Architecture was of paramount importance and students can learn a lot from historic and monumental buildings, vernacular architecture and other different.
GMAC ‘On Campus Test Centre’
Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the owner and administrator of the GMAT exam worldwide recently launched a new initiative ‘On Campus Test Centre’ to provide a platform to undergraduate aspirants. The first on-campus test centre got operational at VIT University, Vellore last week. As a part of this initiative, GMAC is working towards simplifying the access for undergraduate students by allowing them to take the GMAT exam within the university campus itself. With easy access and round-the-year availability, the ‘On Campus Test Centre’ will allow students to take the GMAT exam basis their preparation and schedule. The GMAT exam will now be more easily accessible to students studying at universities that are located in slightly remote regions away from the major cities and metros. This will benefit everyone as it will encourage more undergraduate students to appear for the GMAT exam which is now a widely accepted assessment amongst the leading programmes at schools abroad as well as within India.
NIIT-IFBI launch ‘earn and learn’ programme
NIIT Institute of Finance, Banking & Insurance Training Ltd. (IFBI) has launched a 6-month Certificate Programme in Insurance — an exclusive career programme designed for SBI General Insurance, a joint venture between State Bank of India and Insurance Australia Group (IAG). It is IFBI’S first-ever earn and learn programme where each student will get an opportunity to work under experienced mentors and understand the business dynamics, while pursuing the certification course. Skilled professionals, graduates, and students who have successfully completed Grade XII in regular mode and are in the 21-40 years age group can apply for this programme. Candidates, successfully completing the programme by meeting the performance criteria set by SBI General Insurance during the six-month training period at IFBI, will be absorbed by SBI General Insurance. This programme will offer students the opportunity to work and understand the business dynamics via a 2-days classroom + 4-days on-the-job training (OJT) with SBI General Insurance. The students will be assigned to a branch and an experienced mentor from SBI General, who will provide the required on-the-job training. This OJT will also enable students to earn during the 6-months learning program period, as per terms and conditions as specified by SBI General.
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This immortal verse by Kabir highlights the importance of the Guru or the teacher who is given precedence over God. Centuries later, the teacher still holds a high pedestal, even though the role and methodology adopted by him has been transformed.
It has evolved from the guru-shishya period to the time the teacher was responsible for transferring information to passive learners to the modern era wherein the teacher meets the ‘kids where they are’ .
Teacher’s Day not only brings focus on the dedication of teachers but also of the endeavours that provide a platform to teachers so that the goal of ‘education for all’ becomes achievable. For as many as 1,627 teachers who are a part of the Satya Bharati School programme of the Bharati foundation educating underprivileged children in the rural belts of the country is a mission to not only impart classroom lessons but also to bring about social change and improve the quality of life of the children and their families.
When teaching steps out of the classroom and enters the board room, it becomes Corporate Training. Today, companies have a separate learning and development arm that takes care of the career growth and skill enhancement of the employees both from a tactical standpoint and a strategic perspective. It can also involve information on how to deliver a sales pitch, interact with customers and the inner workings of the company. It can also be based on a new method or technology being introduced into the company or simply a supportive technique or policy update to make the workplace run more smoothly. As a corporate trainer, you may be involved in Need Analysis, Planning, Scheduling, Training and following up with training of professionals. 
As an Instructional Design Specialist, you would be responsible for the design, development and implementation of instructional materials that achieve learning and performance improvement objectives. You will develop educational programmes and instructional materials for schools, organisations and companies. You can also assist the teachers, principals or other customers in the implementation of the curriculum and assess how well it is working after a period of use. Curriculum designers often work all year round, as opposed to teachers who may work only during the school year.
With technology changing the face of education system, teachers have to be more proactive as well as innovative in disseminating the lessons as well as skills required for succeeding in the modern world. But unlike schools in the metros or in bigger towns teachers in rural India face problems like irregularity of students attending the school, teachers’ attendance, use of English language, classroom practice and time management for school tasks. Teachers from rural India have to devise novel teaching techniques to bring out the best in children.
The Professional Certificate Programme on Tea Tasting and Marketing (PCP) offered by the Indian Institute of Plantation Management Bangalore www.iipmb.edu trains professional tea tasters with managerial capabilities. The programme will be offered by IIPM in collaboration with Tea Board of India, Ministry of Commerce & Government of India and tea sector. The programme is recognised by the Tea Board of India and Tea industry, for the professional practice of tea tasting and tea making. The programme covers the modern principles of the tea business management, market information and techniques and practices of tea-tasting skill. TTM offers excellent career opportunities, nationally and globally, in reputed tea companies, brokerages, tea buyers and blenders, the beverage industry as well as on tea gardens. 
The Post Graduate Diploma in Packaging offered by the Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai with centres in Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, is designed to train managers in the sophisticated field of packaging technology. Packaging is an integral part of marketing any product adding to the glamour and sale ability of the product. An increasing demand for quality packaging and stress on international standards in packaging has resulted in a boom in the industry. There is also a huge variety of packaging material today ranging from the traditional wood, paper, tinplate and glass, to all kinds of paper boards, plastic and flexible packaging based on technical and commercial trends. Due to greater awareness of environment-friendly packaging, bio-degradable materials are also coming up in a big way. 
Logistics is an activity that involves managing goods, information and other resources, from their origin to supply, in order to fulfill the requirements of the customers. Logistics companies handle the delivery of materials both raw and finished products whether from offices to households, or in bulk from factories to customers across continents. Logistics, therefore, ensures that the right item in the right quantity at the right time reaches the right place for the right price in the right condition and to the right customer and involves a combination of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material-handling and packaging.
Making excuses at the drop of the pin?
In every life situation and setting smartness pays. Art Markman being a cognitive scientist has brought out his case of making people realise that smartness is not a congenital trait but can be acquired by conscious effort and regular training. The author presents strong case to support all his techniques which can come in handy in both professional and personal fronts. The author argues that there are many things that one can achieve when one acts and plays smartly as it can apparently improve the thinking, memory, communication and action. It can generate an immense amount of confidence to overcome many things which one just fears for lack of ability to think around the it. The book forms a perfect blend of basic science and dynamic knowledge which is derived from both experience and formal learning. 
Eligible candidates can apply for Bill Gates scholarship funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. The foundation awards 90 scholarships annually. The Gates Cambridge Scholarships are one of the most prestigious international scholarships in the world. The programme was established in 2000 by a donation of US$210m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge; this is the largest ever single donation to a UK university.
Dr Harish
Dureja, Associate Professor at Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MDU, has been conferred with the ‘Young Pharmacy Teacher of the Year Award’ for the year 2014. This award was conferred on Dr Dureja at the First Annual conference of the Haryana state branch of the Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India at Kurukshetra recently.
Delhi College of Fire and Safety Engineering invites applications for different courses, including Fire Fighting (six-month certificate course), Health and Safety Environment (18-month) and Fire Technology & Industrial Safety Management (one-year).