Career Hotline
Crack crime
Pervin Malhotra

Q I am interested in becoming a CBI officer. Can you please tell me about the eligibility criteria and the selection procedure? Please advice.

— Gurmeet Singh

A The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is a central investigating agency under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. It undertakes investigation of important cases that have inter-state and international ramifications relating to offences i.e. misappropriation of public funds, cheating, forgery, corruption etc. The CBI has field branches all over India, mainly in state capitals. The investigation is undertaken by the DSP.

Recruitment of Deputy Superintendents of Police in the CBI (Group B) is done through the Civil services Examination conducted by the UPSC.

Certain physical standards are prescribed for officers in this service. On selection, candidates undergo a foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy and are sent to the CBI Training Academy at Ghaziabad for further inputs.

A DSP can rise up to the level of Joint Director in the CBI.

At the lower rung, personnel of the rank of constables are recruited by the bureau through notifications in leading national dailies. Eligibility is matriculation.

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) recruits personnel of the rank of Sub-Inspectors. The basic qualification for taking the selection test (written exam and interview) is graduation plus certain standard physical requirements. The age requirement is 20-25 years. Sub-Inspectors can rise up the ladder to become Inspectors, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Superintendent of Police (SP), etc. However, a substantial number of posts at the middle and higher levels are filled through ‘deputation’ (temporary 5-10 year posting) of IPS (Indian Police Service) officers from various states who have a thorough experience in investigation.

Since the nature of scams and crime has gone increasingly "hi-tech", excellent working knowledge of IT and the intricacies of corporate finance and related matters has become essential.

Q I am going to appear for my Class XII exams and want to pursue hotel management from a good institute. Can you please recommend some institutes offering this course and also the job prospects in this field?

— Sukhdeep Singh

A A course in hotel management opens up job opportunities not only in the hotel industry but also outside it. Some of the other options being related jobs in the railways, airlines, hospitals, motels, banks and other sunrise service industries like call centers and insurance where customer interface is at a premium.

You can also find employment in the defence services and as an instructor at the various schools of Hotel Management that have opened up in the country.

There are also avenues for self-employment for those trained in hoteliering. If you have the requisite qualities - business acumen, initiative and drive, ability to roll-up your sleeves and work hard, you could set up your own hotel, restaurant, bar, resort, canteen, mobile van, kiosk or outdoor catering service after having worked for a few years. Good professional chefs are paid handsomely.

There is also a demand for trained and experienced hotel professionals all over the world, particularly in the developing countries of Asia, West Asia and Africa. If you can adjust to new environments and get along with people, this may be a good option.

Some of the reputed ones are the 24 institutes accredited to the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology (M/o Tourism & Culture, GoI). Incidentally, NCHMCT notification, for admission to first year of 3-year BSc in Hospitality & Hotel Administration, has been published in all leading dailies, including the Employment News (14 - 20 January 2006).

Eligibility is 10+2 with English. Age Limit: 22 years (on July 1, 2006)

Admission to the 2715 seats is through an all-India entrance exam which will be held on May 13, 2006.

The application deadline is March 6, 2006. For further details log on to: www.nchmct.org

Besides these, there are several excellent courses both at the degree and diploma levels offered in collaboration with some of the leading hotel chains in the country like the Indian Hotels (Taj Group) at Aurangabad, Welcome Group at Manipal or the Welcome Group Management Institute at Gurgaon, etc.

Technology support

Q I will be completing my B.Tech shortly. Can you please tell me something about Tech Support and its scope in India?

— Deepak Khurana

A Technical support, which plays a very crucial role in technology companies, has now metamorphosed into a veritable high-end job, particularly in the outsourced mode. Today, tech support engineers are recognised and respected worldwide for their skills.

The entire tech support process is geared towards building a relationship while providing a solution. But solving the problem is only half the job; explaining the solution to the customer is the bigger challenge. The work is often compounded by time-critical service demands and the ever expanding gamut of applications.

Since the work involves interacting with customers all the time, a host of soft skills, primarily linked with interpersonal communication are needed. Although an even temperament will help you interact with customers of varying dispositions, articulation and knowledge. A flair for crisis management and negotiation is a valuable asset for a tech support professional. And so is lateral and analytical thinking and a creative approach to problem solving.

In terms of tech knowledge, the skill-sets called for range from MS and Unix technologies to knowledge of different operating systems, Internet technologies and in-depth knowledge of at least one database technology, ODBC technologies plus extensive and detailed product domain-specific knowledge and familiarity with related domains - in short, the entire nine yards in systems architecture, algorithms and applications. Alternatively, MCSE/ MCSD/CCNA certifications also figure in many ads. Of course, the tech support organisation you join will put you through its own intensive training programme to familiarise you with their specific product range.

Globally, the tech industry is increasingly looking at outsourcing a major part of its high-end support function. With its large pool of tech-savvy IT professionals, India has a unique advantage of cornering a major chunk of business in this BPO sector.

As a fresh IT engineer, tech support would be a good starting point.

Regardless of whether you work on a voice-based or web-based process, good communication (spoken/written) skills are mandatory.

Q I got a pretty decent CAT score but I have very average academic scores. What are my chances of clearing the GD/PI stage of selection for the IIMs?

— Lekh Verma

A Congrats on being one of the 6180 to get a call from the IIMs! The fact that there is no minimum cut-off marks specified for the CAT implies that unlike other institutes, the IIMs don’t use just academics as a filter. Besides, each IIM assigns its own weightage to sectional scores, work experience and academic excellence. But overall, if you are good enough to crack the CAT, you are good. The problem arises when you face the interview panel where you would be competing against other people who have done equally well, and have better marks backing them. However, if you can defend yourself in the grilling and prove that your basics are solid, nobody can stop you. And it certainly helps if you have scored really well in the written. So, give the crucial second round your best shot. Good luck!

Count on banking technology

Q I am a commerce graduate. Can you tell me something about M.Tech banking? Where is it taught? What are the qualifications required to do M.Tech Banking?

— P. Kaur

A The Institute of Development & Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), Hyderabad, in collaboration with the University of Hyderabad offers M.Tech in Banking Technology as well as a postgraduate programme in Banking Technology Management to train manpower for the rapidly computerising banking industry.

B. The courses cover banking tech & security, network & components, application software, info security, IS Audit, digital certification, IT planning & Project Mgt, e-commerce payment systems, IT laws and cyber crime.

Eligibility is BE / BTech with GATE score (85 per cent plus). You must have strong fundamentals in Math & Computers. Selection is through tough written exam, group discussion and interview. For PGPBTM, eligibility is BE / BTech / BSc (Engg) or MS / MSc / MCA. You should be below 30 years.

The graduates are picked up by the RBI as Gr B/Scale II Officers, and as managers and Sr Exec Officers at CCIL, EXIM and other leading financial institutions.

Another course that may interest you is the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Services and Software Testing which is offered by Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), Chennai in collaboration with Maveric Systems, a software verification and validation company. Eligibility: BE/BTech in IT with strong programming skills.

Selection: Written Test, GD & interview.

This work-cum-training programme will equip you for working as testing professional in the financial services industry and with solution providers.

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