CAREER HOTLINE
Prospects in Pharmacy

Q I am studying in Class XII (PCM). I want to study B. Pharmacy. Please tell me institutes offering this course.

—Akshit Sabherwal, Model Town, Kapurthala

A Pharmacy education is regulated in India by two bodies: AICTE and PCI (Pharmacy Council of India).

In the near future, PCI (Kotla Rd, ITO, New Delhi) proposes to replace D.Pharma with B.Pharma for practicing pharmacy as a profession. Before taking admission, make sure the course is approved by AICTE/PCI.

Admission to D.Pharma is either on the basis of merit or entrance exams conducted by state-level technical education boards. On completing the course, you must undergo practical training of 3 months in a recognized hospital, pharmacy or dispensary. A mere diploma will only qualify you for the job of a pharmacy technician or dispensing pharmacist in hospitals.

Eligibility for admission to B.Pharm, is Physics and Chemistry as compulsory with any of the following optional subjects: Mathematics, Biotechnology, Computer Science, Biology.

• B.Pharma is offered at over 180 colleges all over the country:

• University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014.

• Government Medical College (Baba Farid University of Health Sciences), Patiala 147001.

• Central Polytechnic, Sector-26, Chandigarh.

• GHG Khalsa College of Pharmacy, Gurusar Sardhar, Distt Ludhiana (Punj School Technical & Education Board).

• GGN Khalsa College of Pharmacy, Ludhiana PTU, Jalandhar .

Become an expert in export management

Q I am an arts graduate from Kurukshetra University, and I am working in an export unit. Please suggest some institutes from where I could do a postgraduate Diploma in Export-Import Management through distance learning?

—Rajesh Saini, Kurukshetra

A You can take your pick from the following correspondence courses:

• Institute of Management Technology, Raj Nagar, Hapur Road, P. Box 137, Ghaziabad 201001.

• Indian Institute of Export Management, PB 7531, 1953, 9th Cross, 4th Main, New Thippasandra, Bangalore 560075.

• Fore School of Management, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi.

• National Institute of Shipping & International Trade, 6-21-4, East Point Colony, Visakhapatnam 530023.

Fitness facts

Q I would be very grateful if you could tell me something about the physical fitness tests for recruitment of jawans in the Army and how the grading is done.

— Amardeep Chauhan

A The physical fitness tests for recruitment of jawans includes mainly four events: 1-Mile Run, pull-ups, balance, and 9-Ft ditch (100 marks each).

The marking system is as follows:

1-Mile Run: 5.40 min. or less: 60; 5.41 - 5.50 min: 48; 5.51 - 6 00 min: 36; 6.01 - 6.10 min: 24.

Pull-ups: 10 and more: 40; 9: 32; 8: 28; 7: 21; 6: 16

Balance & 9-Ft Ditch: These are qualifying tests for which no marks are awarded. The minimum physical standards (height, weight, chest) differ for candidates from different regions.

The HO Recruiting Zones and Training Centres conduct recruitment every two months through the Application System. The screening is conducted by a Board of Officers comprising (BRO/RO and two independent members from the local Formation/Unit.

The screening and enrolment process consists of:

(a) Checking of documents

(b) Physical measurements

(c) Physical fitness test

(d) Medical examination

(e) Written examination

(f) Preparation of merit list

(g) Enrolment and despatch of selected candidates (in order of merit) to the Centres.

Be careful, don't be misled by touts. Remember, if you wish to join the Army all you need to do is to fill in the application form, which is available free of cost at the Branch Recruiting Offices (BRO) and HQ Recruiting Zones.

Remember to enclose a certified copy of your educational qualifications and two copies of your recent passport size photograph in a stamped, self-addressed envelope and mail it to the Application Cell, HQ Recruiting Zone of your state.

Children of servicemen, ex-servicemen and war widows can report directly to the Recruiting Office, Branch Recruiting Office and Training Centres on the day of screening along with the necessary documents (in original) even without filling in a formal application. They will, however, be recruited if they fulfil the mandatory requirements. Just visit your nearest Branch Recruiting Office (BRO) HQ Recruiting Zones and find out dates of recruitment rallies. These are also published in all local newspapers.

Career path: On recruitment as an NCO, you will be put through intensive training. Starting out as a Sepoy, you will be promoted to the rank of Lance Nayak (1 stripe), followed by Nayak (2 stripes) followed by Havildar (3 stripes), which is the highest position in the troops. This will take about 14 years.

Then as a JCO (Junior Commissioned Officer), you will move on from the post of Naib Subedar, to that of Subedar, finally reaching the senior-most rank of Subedar Major after about 30 years of service.

Bachelor’s in biotech

Q I have done my plus two in the medical stream. I want to pursue my graduation in biotech. Please tell me the names of institutes that are offering undergraduate courses in biotech in Delhi.

— Ankit Kumar

A Delhi University (www.du.ac.in) Course: BE (Biotech) (at NSIT, DCE)

While DU is yet to introduce BSc (Biotech), it offers some other related courses like B.Sc Microbiology and B.Sc Biochemistry besides the regular biological science courses (botany, zoology etc).

• Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University Kashmere Gate, New Delhi (http://ggsipu.nic.in) Course: B.Tech Biotech (4 Yrs) /Integr Mtech (Biotech)

• IIT Delhi. Hauz Khas New Delhi (www.iitb.ernet.in) B.Tech (Biotech)/Integr 5-½-yr MTech

• Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi (www.jmi.nic.in) offers BSc (Voc Biotech). It also offers B.Sc (Bioscience) under its D/o Natural Sciences, which covers physics, chemistry, biology and maths.

• Amity University NOIDA (www.amity.edu) Course: B.Tech (Biotech), B.Sc Biotech

Selection to all courses is on the basis of entrance tests. In case you don't get to study biotech at the bachelor's level, you can always opt for a master's in the subject.

— 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