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CAREER HOTLINE Q We are planning to send our sons to the US for further studies. Can you give us a rough idea of the costs? — Karan Kapoor, Ludhiana A So far, average costs work out to $ 20,000 (Rs 10 lakh) pa, including living costs (the figure varies between $13,000- $40,000 depending on the course, institution and location). Law courses for instance, cost at least Rs 21 lakh pa. Only a handful of awards add up to more than $5000. Full Fellowship support is rare. Moreover, soaring tuition costs at public colleges and university in the US along with dramatic drop in some states' (14) spending on higher education is creating the worst fiscal news in at least a decade for families of college-bound students. Sixteen states have increased tuition fees by over 10 per cent for public four-year colleges. The State University of New York proposed a 41 per cent hike in undergraduate tuition last Fall. An informal survey of institutions in 50 states reported mid-year hikes ranging from 4.6 per cent at the University of Connecticut to 13 per cent at Virginia Tech. Community colleges are relatively cheaper.
Statistical service Q I am an economics graduate. Can I appear for the Indian Statistical Services (ISS) exam? If so, please give me some details. — A.J. Ahuluwalia, Chandigarh A You'll have to wait a bit. You are not yet eligible for the ISS examination. This is a competitive exam conducted by the UPSC for the recruitment of Grade IV officers of the Indian Statistical Service. Postgraduates in Statistics, Applied/Mathematical Statistics between 21-30 yrs of age (relaxable for SC/ST/OBC) can take the entrance exam. The two-part exam consists of General English and General Studies papers (100 marks each), and three papers in Statistics (200 marks each). Part II is viva voce which carries a maximum of 200 marks. This is intended to supplement the written exam for testing your general and specialised knowledge and abilities. You are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in your academic study but also in current events both within and outside your state and country. You must be familiar with modern currents of thought and developments. If selected, you will be put on a two-year probation, which is basically a period of training and taking departmental exams. The detailed syllabus and examination plan is advertised in the Employment News from time to time. You can also log on to the official UPSC website: www.upsc.gov.in. LL.B entrance Q I am interested in doing LL.B from Delhi University, Could you please tell me about the entrance exam conducted by the university. What is the cut-off and is the course very tough? — Ankit Jain A Delhi University offers one of the finest law courses in the country. Eligibility for admission to the LL.B programme is a bachelor's/master's degree with minimum 50 per cent aggregate (pass marks for SC/ST). The entrance test comprises objective-type questions on analytical reasoning, general awareness and legal aptitude, besides general knowledge of law, current events of national and international importance with special reference to law, general sciences, Indian history, geography, Indian polity and economy. For starters, pick up a copy of Universal's Law Entrance Guide. It will give you enough practice. It would also help to read your newspaper everyday and glance through your science, history, geography, civics and economics school books. Be prepared to answer questions like: l Which of the following is not connected with Article 226 of the Indian Constitution? a) Mandamus b) Locus standi c) Haebus Corpus d) Prohibition. l Who is the law adviser to the Central Govt? a) advocate Gen. b) attorney Gen. c) Solicitor Gen d) Chief Justice. The cut-offs hover around 345 (first list) to around 343 in the second list. The usual reservations and quotas apply. As far as 'toughness' of the course is concerned, here are some figures: Of the 1,500 students who take their final-year exams, not even half manage to pass. Those scoring a first division are fewer still. The rest either fail to clear some of the semester papers or fail altogether. The pass percentage has never exceeded 40-50 per cent (despite 100 per cent internal evaluation). This also holds true for the semester exams. Another alarming statistic: Only 10 per cent of those who join the law faculty actually end up becoming lawyers. The case rests. Per se, the course is not tough. But the poor pass percentage is due to students treating it casually and using it as a stepping stone for the IAS or CS. The courses are offered at three centres:
Although evening courses have been banned by the BCI, the case is still pending in the Supreme Court as some colleges have taken a stay, so it's not clear whether this course will continue beyond this year. The notification appears in March and the entrance exam is typically held in the last week of May. For further information, contact the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007. The lists of courses are not exhaustive — Pervin Malhotra Please send in your query, preferably on a postcard, along with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to: Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers@tribunemail.com
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Q After my matriculation, I want to take up commerce. Will it be possible for me to become an Air Force officer? Can you please tell me about the eligibility requirements and the selection procedure?