CAREER QUERIES HOTLINE
I want to be a marine biologist. Please guide.

ADMISSION DEADLINE

Follow scientific methods, please!
Monica Sharma
"Follow scientific methods of teaching, please". This is what a group of 13 academicians from Wandsworth Borough in London had to say about the style of teaching in Indian schools after carrying out a detailed survey.

CAREER QUERIES HOTLINE

Q. I am a science graduate and want to be a marine biologist. Please tell me which universities offer this course.

A. If you have a background biological science, you can pursue a career in marine biology. Some of the institutes that you can look at are:

* Andhra University (MSc Marine Biotech)

* Annamalai University (MSc Marine Biology)

* Cochin University of Science & Technology (MSc Marine Biology)

* Goa University (MSc Marine Biotech)

* Karnataka University (MSc Marine Biology)

* Pondicherry University (MSc Marine Biology)

BSC (H) MATHS

Q. I have completed BSc (H) Maths and am now doing a private course in web designing and developing. Will it be sufficient to fetch me a good job?

A While the prospects of web-related jobs have dwindled due to the recession and spate of dotcom closures, your landing a "good" job will depend on your being at the right place with the right qualifications at the right time.

With millions spent on business website development, web developers can work either on the staff or as consultants. As Internet programming technology continually makes it possible for sites to do more, proficient web developers (not merely web designers) can still expect to find decent jobs.

While it’s not very clear from your query as to the nature and depth of the course you are pursuing, but given that its a private one, do use all your contacts and initiatives to find a good first job.

I presume you are familiar with C, C++, and have moved beyond HTML to master DHTML, XML, Visual Studio, .Net, Java and better still, the new entrant on the block: C# and .NET.

With a year of working on a website, its your creative talent and familiarity with web programming languages that will determine your future prospects rather than the institute from where you may have done the course.

Moreover, BSc (Maths) should have honed your aptitude for logical, abstract and conceptual thinking.

I see no reason why you shouldn’t land a job - with some effort and research. Try to find one where you can widen your exposure and learning will widen rather than one that is very narrowly focussed on designing websites.

You could also consider going in for a Java certification after you have mastered the fundas. Vendor certification is a benchmark that employers value.

A. If you are not hundred percent sure about making a career in the hotel industry, it may be better to first complete your graduation as it will help you in many ways later on. After that, you could either take up a PG diploma in Hotel Management offered by several institutes or join a GMT (Graduate Management Trainee Programme) offered by some of the leading hotel chains.

Incidentally, from the July 2002 session, all the diploma courses offered by the 24 institutes falling under National Council of Hotel Management & Catering Technology have been upgraded to degree level in arrangement with IGNOU. The good news is that even ex-diploma holders can upgrade their credentials by securing the additional credit points. For details, see www.nchmt.org. Also, if you feel the need to study further i.e., MBA, MCA or any other PG degree in India or abroad, or decide to shift to another industry, you will need a bachelor’s degree under your belt. I come across a fair number of hotel management students who quit the hotel industry for various reasons and decide to pursue a postgraduate programme instead. With a degree, you could also switch over to the allied service industries or the defence services, as they recruit graduates from any discipline.

In case you still go in for a diploma, it may be a good idea to enrol for a Bachelor’s degree through correspondence alongside.

Yes, some institutes do offer a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management, but that would make sense only if you opt for it right after school.

For further details and a comprehensive list of recognised courses, you may like to refer to CARING’s Guide to Careers in Hotel Management (Published by Vision Books, New Delhi).

A. In India, there are three types of schools that prepare a student for a career in the Army. These are: the Military Schools, the Sainik Schools and the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradun.

Admission for both the Military as well as Sainik Schools is through an open exam after Class V (as well as class X in Sainik Schools).

Both follow the CBSE syllabus and charge a nominal fee as in the case of any government school.

Although these schools prepare the boys physically, mentally As well as academically for entry into the National Defence Academy, students have to take the NDA Exam to seek an entry into the Indian Army.

In the admission process, preference is given to those candidates whose family members have served in the Army.

The prospectus, application form and old question papers can be obtained from Principal of the nearest Sainik School. In your case the nearer ones would be Kunjpura (Haryana), Sujanpur (HP) & Kapurthala (Punjab).

RIMC, which has a relatively higher fee structure, has a more rigorous selection procedure. Only boys who are in or have cleared Class VII between 11½ -13 years are eligible. The prospectus contains question papers (English, Math & GK) of the previous 4 entrance exams (which are held bi-anually). For more info, log on to: www.rimc.org.

The next Entrance Exam for RIMC is scheduled for 2 & 3 June 2002.

A. Being relatively new and highly specialised, this sector cannot boast of many trained, experienced and multi-skilled professionals. The demand, therefore is naturally, much higher than the supply.

In fact, within telecom, it is the cellular industry that offers great employment prospects for the young and the willing.

A growing sector with a sound training base and a host of incentives, Telecom is a sector to watch!

This is also one sector, which is open to experimentation as far as recruiting people from different backgrounds is concerned.

For the lower-end jobs in customer care and sales, graduates and freshers have a good potential.

There is also a great demand for electrical and telecom engineers.

But, the shortage is more pronounced at higher levels, where it is difficult to find trained and skilled professionals. In the telecom sector, growth outside the government has just begun. So the private sector is recruiting defence personnel who have considerable knowledge of telecommunications.

Other boom areas within the cellular sector are Operational Information Systems (OIS) and Networking. This is again a highly specialised area that requires people trained in ERP.

At the entry point, graduates fresh out of institutes stand a good chance. In the Marketing and Sales departments, an MBA is considered a pre-requisite.

Within finance, there is a special area of credit verification, where again, persons with the right mindset are considered.

In the area of Business Process Management, however, there is no room for freshers. Engineer-MBAs with relevant work-experience are required for Total Quality Management, another indispensable area of the mobile sector. Ample opportunities are also available in the public sector as a large number of Graduate Engineers are recruited as Junior Telecom Officers every year through a competitive exam.

A. The housing and construction sector which has been identified as a major thrust area is set to flourish in the coming years. After agriculture it is the second largest economic sector in India.

You can look at the following courses:

* IIT, Chennai. Course: Masters in Building Tech & Construction Mgt. Eligibility: GATE scores.

* IIT, Delhi. Course: Masters in Building Science & Construction Management (Collab with Larsen & Toubro). Eligibility: Above 97 percentile for appearing in the Interview.

* School of Planning & Architecture, Delhi. Course: Master of Building Engineering & Management. Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Building, Architectural Engineering, Architectural Building Science and GATE/NET scores.

* IGNOU offers a BTech programme in Project Management, Quantity Surveying & Contracting (can be completed module by module).

Some of the other courses in construction management are offered by:

* National Institute of Construction Management & Research, TVB Premises, Sector D, Pocket 2, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110 070. Website:www.nicmar.org. It offers several courses through distance education and also at NICMAR Campus in Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad and Kathmandu.

A) Regular: PG Diploma in Advanced Construction Management (2-yr)/Construction Project Management/Real Estate Development & Management/Construction Safety Management/Building Maintenance Management

B) Distance: PG Diploma in Construction Management (2-yr); Graduate Diploma in Project Management (1-yr)/ Housing Management; Certificate in Construction Contract Management/ Construction Equipment Management/Quality Management in Construction /Safety Management in Construction/Site Personnel Management/Building Maintenance Management/Construction Business Management.

Eligibility: Graduates in Engineering/Architecture/Quantity Surveying with 55% agg and Maths till XII or MBA/MSc/MA with 55% agg and 2 years experience in the construction business. MCom degree-holders and chartered accountants are also eligible.

* Delhi Productivity Council, IE/10, Jhandewalan Extension, New Delhi 110055.

Course: Construction Management. Eligibility: Engineers, Architects & Technologists preferably with 2 years work experience. The course covers advanced training in Principles of Management, Construction Management Techniques, Projects Economics, Quantitative Methods, MIS & Computer Application, Contract Management, Monitoring & Control, Project Work etc.

* Annamalai University, Directorate of Distance Education, Annamalainagar 608002 offers a Diploma in Construction Management through correspondence.

To help retain talent in the civil engineering stream, CIDC has also initiated a student sponsorship programme at the IITs. As per this scheme, selected civil engineering students at the IITs would receive corporate sponsorship to complete their programme, following which they would be absorbed by the sponsoring company.

ADMISSION DEADLINE

Institute of Hotel Management, Rauza Bagh, Aurangabad,

431001 (Mah)

Ph: (0240) 381104/381113

A) BA/BA (Hons) Hotel Mgt (3-yr)

B) Dip in Culinary Arts & Kitchen Admin (3-yr)

C) BBA (affl to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada Univ)

Elig: For A & B: 10+2 or equiv. Age: 22 yrs.

Appln F: Send Rs 500/- by crossed DD favouring "Institute of Hotel Management" payable at Aurangabad-Maharashtra to the Registrar at the above add by 20 Apr.

IIT — Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076. Nov 02 ‘01

Website: www.iitb.ac.in/admissions

May 3 MDes (Visual Communication/Indsl Design)

MPhil (Planning & Devep)

Apr 19 MSc (Applied Geol/

Chem/Phys)

MSc (Applied Stats & Informatics/Maths)

MSc (Biotech)

M.Tech (Aerospace Engg/Biomed Engg/Chem Engg/civil Engg) Comp Sc & Engg/Corrosion Sc & Engg/Geoexploration, Energy Systems Engg/Elect Engg/Environ Sc & Engg/Indsl Engg & OR, Mech Engg/Metallergical Engg & Materials Sc/Reliability Engg/IT)

May 3 PhD (FT/PT)

(In all Sc & Engg disciplines mentioned above & Eco/Eng/Philo/Psychol/Social/ IT/Mgt)

Appln F: Send DD for Rs 300/- by DD favouring "Registrar, IIT, Bombay" with a stamped (Rs. 15/), self-add cloth-lined envelope (27 cm x 12 cm) superscribed "Appln for________________Prog" to the Deputy Registrar (Academic_ at the above add by 12 Apr for Mtech & MSc & 26 Apr for MDes, MPhil & PhD or download from website.

Details: Employment News (30 Mar-5 Apr)

May 10 Kurukshetra University, National Institute of Law, Kurukshetra 136119 (Har)

Website: http:kuk.ernet.in

5-year Integrated BA LLB (Hons)

Elig: 10+2 (50%). Age: 20 yrs (on 1 Jul).

Selectn: all India Entrance Test (May 26) at Gurgaon, Kurukshetra & Panchkula.

Appln F: Send Rs 550/- by crossed DD favouring "Registrar, Kurukshetra University" to the Manager, Printing & Publications, KU, Kurukshetra 136119 or download from website.

Apr 22 All India Management Association-Centre for Manage-ment Services (AIMA-CMS), Management House, 14 Institutional Area, Lodhi Rd, New Delhi 110003

Ph: 4617354/7355/8107/8127

Website: www.aima-ind.org

Management Aptitude Test (MAT)

(For admission to management programmes of participating institutes)

Elig: Bachelor’s degree

Test: 5 May.

Appln F: Send Rs 550/- by DD favouring "AIMA-CMS" payable at New Delhi with 2 self-add slips/adhesive stickers by 17 Apr. At specified AIMA Nodal Centres (incld SCF-30, Sec 15C, Ch ‘grh/Select branches of IOB: Rs 500/- (cash).

Details: Employment News (30 Mar-3 Apr).

May 4 University of Delhi, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Vivek Vihar, Delhi 110095

Website: cbsdu.org

Bachelor of Business Studies (3-yr)

Bachelor of Financial & Investment Analysis (3-yr)

Elig: 10+2 (60%) in 4 papers (from the following Maths/Phys/

Chem/Biol/ Accountancy/Business Studies/Eco/Psycho/Hist/Pol Sc/Soc Sc/Geog/Sociol & Comp Sc) incldg Eng (Eng & Maths for BFIA). Age: 17 yrs (before 1 Oct ‘02).

Selectn: Written test (2 June) at 5 centres incldg Ch ‘grh, Delhi & Kolkata followed by GD & Interview.

Appln F: Send For one course: Rs 460/- and For both courses: Rs 660/- by crossed DD issued by SBI favouring "Principal, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Delhi" drawn on SBI along with stamped (Rs 40/-), self-add envelope (23 cm x 30 cm) and a photocopy of both sides of the DD, to the above add. Write your full name, category, postal add, phone no, course(s) applied for, and choice of exam centre on reverse of the DD.

Apr 19 National Board for Higher Mathematics, D/o Atomic Energy, 2nd Fl, OYC Bldg, CSM Marg, Mumbai 400001

Research Awards for PhD in Mathematics

Elig: Master’s degree (Maths/Stats/Phys). Age: Below 25 yrs (on 1 Jan).

Appln F: Send in prescribed format to Dr DC Khandekar, Secretary at the above add.

Details: Employment News (9-15 Mar).

Apr 19 Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Sector-12, Chandigarh 160012

Website: http://pgimer.nic.in

1) 1st yr Jr Residents (For MD/MS)

(Anaesth; Biochem; Community Med/Dermatol, Ven & Leprology/ENT/Med/ Obst & Gyna/Opthalmol/Ortho Surg/Pediatrics/Psychiatry/Radiodiagnosis/ Radiotherapy/Surg/Transfusion Med/Microbiol/Pathol/Pharmacol)

2) MDS (Pedodontia & Preventive Dentistry/Orthodontics)

3) 1st Yr Jr Residents (House Job) — Oral Health Sc

4) DM/MHCh

(Cardiol/Clinical Pharmacol/Gastroenterology/Nephrol/Neurol/Pulmonary & Critical, Care Med/Cardiovasc & Th Surg; Neurosurg/Paediatric Surg/Plastic Surg).

5) PhD

(Anatomy/Biochem/Biophyd/Community Med/Dermatol; Exp Med & Biotech/ Forensic Med/Histopathol/Haematol/Immunopathol/Med Microbiol/Neurol/Nephsol/Orthosurgery/Obst & Gyanecol/Parasitol/ Pharmacol/Paediatric Surg/Pediatrics/Psychiatry/Clinical Psychol/Pulmonary & Critical Care Med/Radiodiagnosis/Urol/Virol)

6) MSc Med Tech (Pathol)

7) MSc Med Tech (Microbiol)

8) MSc Med Tech (Pharmacol & Physiol)

9) MSc Med Tech (Radiol)

10) MSc Speech & Hearing

11) MSc Med Tech Biochem

12) Post MD Cert in Cytopathol

13) MSc (Biochem)

14) MSc (Med Biotech)

15) MSc (Pharmacol)

Elig: (1-11): MBBS/BDS/MD/MS, (1st attempt). For DM/MHCh; (6-11): Sponsored candidates only.

Appln F: Send Rs 500/- by DD favouring "Director, PGI, Chandigarh" payable at SBI Medical Institute Branch (Code No 1524) C ‘grh along with stamped (Rs 25/-), self-add envelope (24 cm x 15 cm) by 15 Apr. At counter: Rs 500/- (cash). Separate forms for each course.

Details: Employment News (30 Mar-5 Apr).

Follow scientific methods, please!
Monica Sharma

"Follow scientific methods of teaching, please". This is what a group of 13 academicians from Wandsworth Borough in London had to say about the style of teaching in Indian schools after carrying out a detailed survey.

"In India, the emphasis is on teaching through textbooks," group leader Neil Harvey asserted. "There is little or no interaction between the teachers and students".

Comparing the approach adopted by schools in India with their own teaching methods, he claimed: "The education system in London is more child-centered. The emphasis is on practical involvement. No wonder the students are taught with the help of models, visual aids and clues. This is something lacking in the education system here".

This is not all. Indian schools lay too much emphasis on educating the student, ignoring the overall development of a child. "The teachers do not even take the student’s calibre and capabilities into consideration while delivering lectures. In London, the activities are planned and organised for students according to their calibre," maintained Susan Beryl, a primary school teacher.

For rectifying the system, they suggest introduction of specific courses aimed at enhancing the practical skills of students. "Children should be made to exercise their brains also. Each subject should be taught with the help of visual clues. The stress should be on practical orientation, along with textbooks".

Another primary school teacher, Amanada de Leon, says: "In countries where English is taught as a second language, native teachers should be employed for teaching the language in schools. For the purpose, the teachers should depend upon the resources available, including games. Moreover, day-to-day conversation should be carried out in English".

But does that mean there is nothing good about the Indian education system? "No, not at all", they assert. "Moral values are given utmost important in the Indian education system and at home". Giving details, they say: "Parents and even grandparents inculcate a sense of ethics and values in the young minds at home before these are reinforced by teachers at school".

"Otherwise too, students here have more respect for their teachers and the work ethos is highly impressive. "The presentation of books and handwriting is par excellence in Indian schools. The children, too, are keen to learn new things. They value their education and realise its importance at an early stage, unlike most of the students in London".