Careers 360 Nov09

contents
careers and
courses
Clinical Research 30
This nascent industry offers myriad
job opportunities, and is worth about
rupees 100 crores today
Teaching in Schools 68
The education sector in India is
expanding in leaps and bounds.
Explore whether mentoring young
Rajesh Thakur/Outlookgroup
minds is your calling
Information Management 74
An MTech course where science, manage-
42
ment and tech collide, to prepare you for
the information needs of tomorrow
cover STORY
FEATURES
B-school Ranking Analysis 14
Jobs with a
difference! +
Careers360 gets to the bottom of what’s Expert advice,
wrong with B-school surveys. And ranks Featured
them, too
Now you can earn AND serve professionals
Pizza Papad with the NIDians 65
Can the legendary National Institute of
Design live up to students’ expectations?
advisory
Quantitative Aptitude 24
Strategies to help you fine-tune your
analytical skills and ace competitive exams
Regional MBA Tests 28 36

CAT is not the only option. These
entrance exam scores also make you
eligible for a good management college guru gyan
Verbal Ability and Reasoning 40 Narendra Jadav
Last-minute preparation tips to crack Member, Planning Commission
Reading Comprehension, Grammar, “China produces five
and more in CAT 2009
times more research. We
Rights Alert: Deemed University 73 complacently feel at par,
It’s NOT a university. That’s why you since we have a large
must look before you leap into a new course English speaking set”
2 careers 360 november 2009

careers360
November 2009 l Volume I l Issue 8
Publisher
Maheshwer Peri
Editor
Environment Studies 44 B Mahesh Sarma
Saving Mother Earth, now a full-time job Executive Editor
Merril Diniz
Disaster Management 45 Special Correspondents
Trained professionals needed, Urmila Rao
to save the day Sumita Vaid Dixit
Shalini Gupta
Working for the Elderly 46 Design

Caring for Sr. citizens may be your calling Art Director
Anshul Sharma
Community, Social Development 48

Sr Visualiser
Rajesh Chawla
India is the rural manager’s oyster Jr Visualiser
Thomas Mampilly
Health and Allied Sectors 50 Aroon Purie Research
Rural India needs good health care “There’s no point producing Dr. Nimesh Chandra
professionals Bharti M Borah
graduates who are in reality Shiphony Pavithran
Child Welfare 53 unemployable” Business Office

The perks of helping underprivileged kids AB-12, 1st Floor, S.J. Enclave,
20 New Delhi — 110 029
Tel: 46002914
Women’s Studies 54 Ad sales
Help empower the women of today North
Topper Speak 27 advt.north@pathfinder360.co.in
Conservation 56 Professor Amitabh Joshi tells us why a West

advt.west@pathfinder360.co.in
Protecting history, art and cultural heritage scientist never grows up! Bangalore
advt.blr@pathfinder360.co.in
Microfinance 57 Teachers’ Talk 35 Chennai
Helping the poor can yield rich dividends Dr. Thulasiraj discusses jobs in eye care advt.chn@pathfinder360.co.in
Hyderabad
advt.hyd@pathfinder360.co.in
Common Functions Oration 76 East
Across Sectors 60 The Bill Gates Commencement Speech advt.east@pathfinder360.co.in
Funding raising, advocacy, PR and more
Campus Review 78 Head Office
AB-12, 2nd Floor, S.J. Enclave,
Institute of Public Enterprise New Delhi — 110 029
Tel: 40591800-807
Scholarship Review 80
regulars Chevening Programme
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e-mail:
sales@pathfinder360.co.in
Delhi : Tel: 26100723
Letters 4 Ask Us 82 Mumbai : Tel: 67382222
Careers360 tackles your career Kolkata : Tel: 40085012
In the News 8 conundrums
Chennai : Tel: 28582251/52
Bangalore : Tel: 25582806/07
Hyderabad : Tel: 23375776
Motivation 26 Ready Reckoner 84 Printed and published by
Maheshwer Peri on behalf of
Pathfinder Publishing Private
Limited. Editor: B Mahesh Sarma
Printed at: International
EXTRA 87
Print-O-Pac Limited, C 4 — C 11,
Phase II, Noida and published
112 from AB-12, S.J. Enclave,
New Delhi — 110 029
competition360
September 2009
Distributed by Outlook Publishing
Up Close Data Speak 93 (India) Pvt. Ltd., AB-10, Safdurjung
Verbal Ability solved + Quicktake on Enclave, New Delhi — 110029
Somdev
Devvarman Nobel Prize, ParliamentaryGlobal
Committees
Warming 94 Cover Design
Anshul Sharma
International 96
CDSE
Model Paper
360 november 2009 Politics 96
3 careers
Letters
Do continue the campaign! sponsorship is marginal. Our I am very disappointed with Education has become a
We as Indians are proud to government should lean on the kind of placement pat- money spinning business.
be part of it. This campaign the side of dreams and aspi- tern we have in India. During We don’t need foreigners to
will build a better future for rations of bright students, the selection process, some teach us. Indian institutes
the citizens of our country. who are deprived of mon- students are racially dis- are far better in imparting
Divya Parekh etary benefits. Kindly guide criminated for their colour, right knowledge.
them. caste, sex etc. Abbas Kapadia
Higher education in our Rajiv Kumar Deepika
country has some glaring World is moving ahead but
gaps. There are institutes Education in agriculture is Faculties are the heart of the we are still in the Stone Age!
which ask heavy donations not up to the mark. Please institute. Set a norm for their We need major reforms in
to fill seats. If our institutes form a committee, which recruitment! Stick to it! the education system.
cannot afford to start and works on the uplift of educa- Niladri Bihari Nayak A Pratap kumar
sustain on their own, then tion in this sector. The com-
certainly they should not be mittee can comprise acade-
given approvals to start their micians, farmers of repute,
operations.
Atin Mhatre
retired agricultural scien-
tists and NGOs engaged in Vinod Mehta on his life and times
rural development.
I want to do MBA but fee is Dr. A. M. Oza
S
A careers360
increasing like never before. CAMPAIGN crutinise and regulate the
How can a middle class I am yearning for practi- authenticity of informa-
person dare to dream to get
admission in IIMs?
cal learning. The approach
on learning needs a radical
MY tion provided on brochures,
prospectus and advertise-
Dhruv Rawat change. Being a student of CAREER! ments of all the institutes.
MY LIFE!
electronics (final year), I am Education has become
Ragging, eve-teasing is challenged in fixing a radio. the latest business with no
swelling in most institutes. Akhil accountability towards the
It becomes difficult for join us future of the students. There
women students to move I completed my MBA (MS), should be a provision of a
Tell the HRD minister
freely. Government should from University of Lucknow, your problems. be helpline number, for stu-
increase security for women during 2007-2009 with first heard. Speak up. Fight to dents to complain against
ensure you get the
in all the institutes, so that class marks. But due to lack education that’s malpractices by several
they can study peacefully of placement cell in the cam- promised institutes, where innocent
and confidently. pus, the students suffered Fight for our future students are literally duped
Rakesh Mehta a lot in the end. Recently through false promises.
questions have also arisen Tarun Sharma
Bring institutions that are over the recognition of the
nation builders not money University by the AICTE.
spinners! Indian education The government should take
is too theoretical. Can we strict action on such univer- The government should help Mushrooming of B-schools
have a concept of ‘freedom sities and institutions. set up counselling depart- without any infrastructure
of education’? Class 10th Priyanka Pande ments (both in schools and and proper faculty should
and 12th board exams have colleges). It will help stu- be put to an end. The fancy
turned beast of burden for The so-called distance learn- dents make an informed ads promoted by these fake
many students. ing concept has always been decision as to what career institutes have ruined the
Raymond a mystery. I wonder how path they choose. This will future of innumerable stu-
people operating from 500 help talented students to dents. Hope Department of
Institutes function as per sq. feet flats, actually call excel in fields in which they Education will take care of
their whims and fancies. themselves colleges attached shine, and in turn will help this menace.
Teachers fail to deliver to universities and keep dis- India as a whole. Aminul Haque
their best in teaching. There tributing degrees without Akash Jacob
should be a general norm for any proper examination and We are ready to pay. But let
all educational institutes. charging exorbitant fees. Faculty efficiency is a seri- the money be utilised for
There is no proper financial Ranjit ous issue. We should have getting proper faculties and
back up for the parents who regulatory actions on their not people who hardly know
belong to the lower class. The Education is not for sale. recruitment and ability. their own subjects.
promotion of scholarship or Jagdish Saurabh Chatterjee Pallavi Majumder
4 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

I want to bring to your notice to it strictly. They are earn- Have a single governing is a big scandal. If you are
that it came as a shock to me ing handsome amounts, bet- body to rank universities. If interested then I can talk in
that no banks give education ter than their salaries. the universities do not meet detail about how the medical
loan on acting courses. They Hitesh Raje Vij basic minimum criteria they entrances are working in the
are not recognised under should shut shop immedi- country and how the univer-
education loan. I had a tough Please provide counselling ately. Syllabus should be sities are also involved in the
time, arranging money for for parents, who push kids to renewed every year. whole process.
my son’s course. become conventional engi- Chirag Seema Sood
Seema B. Sughand neers, doctors, lawyers etc.
They should be convinced of Let us all ensure that this I am not a student but as an
Education... LET IT BE the fact that there are cours- forum speaks and not get education advocacy activist
REAL es beyond that. reduced to the status of a you have my support.
Yasir Yousuf Rahul A. Adi networking place. Sanjay Patro
Aruna Iyer
I went to Poland on study
I would request you to put a Visa last year. The college I
to look at a bad situation check on the growing num- joined proved to be bogus.
as a learning experience ber of unauthorised institu- They advertised MBA from
and now, I am much more tions, which show lucrative LUBS. Later, I realized there
postive. educational offers without was no association with
Sulagna Mukherjee giving quality education. LUBS. It was all fraud. Soon
Prashant Yadav after, I left that college. I
I feel that education in tried to get help from the
India is too much about The quality of Indian educa- Indian Embassy there but to
I found the interview with learning things by heart, tion has degraded to a great no avail.
Mr Mehta really inspiring rather than learning with extent. Today, the promotion Nishant Sharma
because in a way he was an understanding, so you are of education is a business,
underdog when he joined not job-ready when you not a service anymore. I want the minister to stop
a magazine that was on the graduate from an insti- Divya Prakash going back and forth on the
brink of shutting down. I tute. This pressure leads issues of reforms. It would
feel he took a real risk, and to students lacking in Can we take action for the be nice if he stops mak-
in the end it paid off too. I both social skills as well students who belong to the ing public announcements
was going through a really as application. We must below poverty line. The gov- about reforms. He must
bad phase in my job, and adopt a more practical ernment should take nec- immediately implement the
feeling very negative about and experiential style of essary steps to help them malpractices act and the
things. But his wise words education. pursue good quality higher refund of fees act.
and story encouraged me Mary Thomas education. Anil Kishore
Prakash Pandey
Students should not be mis- lookout for

Mr. Sibal, please remove res- Education must give the guided by such false claims. our next issue
ervation policy from educa- right base and help a child Government should take
tion system . grow up with inquisitiveness actions against such insti- extra 24 pages competition special
Meraj Shaikh and reasoning. tutes. careers360

June 2009 Rs 40
Interview
Kapil Sibal
Dr. Deepali Shubhav Sharma

Mr Sibal, we are against res- ORDINARY
ervation policy in education Indian education should We really need an overhaul
and jobs on the basis of caste. be cheaper like in the west- of the education system. HEROS
There are many brilliant stu- ern countries, where edu- They must also be brought
dents, who are still in search cation is mostly free and under control. Best courses Career reviews
of good quality education. in some cases the charges Greeta Patodia Most popular
careers
Features
B-School
Kuldeep are minimal. Commencement
address
Rankings in
detail
Sumeet Lakra I am a parent struggling to
Please stop school teachers get my child clear his medi-
FIRST PERSON campus review Upclose Course review
kapil sibal Jadawapur V Anand Environmental
University Sciences
from taking private tuitions. Mr. Sibal, please monitor cal entrance examination.
Also Sports as a career n Dressing up for an interview n Gazing the Stars for profit
They harass students, who the total fee structure of all This year has been an eye issue on stands on
oppose joining the classes. universities. opener for me. I have real- 1st December 2009
Please enforce laws related Jatin Kashyap ized that education in India

Letters
Managing I would like more specific
promotions inside: competition360 bank PO ‘09 sOlved PaPers and mOre
information on soft skills in
careers 360 IntervIew
your magazine. I have good
The best option to get a pro- domain knowledge in my
vinod mehta
October 2009 Rs 40 www.careers360.com
motion when you deserve special issue field (IT), but it seems that
it and still don’t get it is to one also needs to be present-
change job; there is always able, know how to dress, what
demand for good profession- to wear etc. Please give tips
ALL THAT YOU
als in the market. MUST KNOW on interviews, résumés, con-
Anonymous
CraCking
versation tips, interacting
Careers/Courses
ShIppIng InduStry
economIcS
Sat/ap/act
Feature
with seniors at a party etc.
Late work hours, overburden- healthcare muSIc JockeyIng
Amit Bansal
ing, companies are exploiting ceo sPeak
sanjay Modi
Monster india
teachers’ talk
Prof. uday
salunkhe
uP close
sanjay leela
bhansali
caMPus review
iMt
ghaziabad
employees in terms of work. While growing up, I felt

Also Managing ProMotions n Making the Most out of your college n MoMbusho, jaPan
Oct cover-Final.indd 1 9/25/09 5:41:25 PM
Now, you are given under- very confused about what I

performer rating if you work, Well done, scope for more wanted to do in life. I really
9 to 6. It is expected that wish we had an option like
you work 9 to 9. Who is con- The foreign education story is a good piece of research. Careers360. I think this gen-
cerned about your personal For the 10-12 countries, that you identified, you have put eration is lucky to have a ded-
life? If you want a good rating in most of the information in a very user-friendly man- icated source of information
and promotion, start working ner. I even thought that with this as a base material, one to understand and learn from.
late night, work on Saturday. could easily zero in on a good course without the aid of I advise them to think about
At the end either you will any counsellor. One thing, which stuck me is the number their career from a long-
have some broken personal of students’ data you have published. You are the only term perspective, and also
relationships, no personal one, who looked at individual number of students who ask themselves what is it that
life, lose touch with your chil- go to different countries. Newspapers normally confuse they really want to achieve in
dren, parents, friends. between total number of foreign students with the num- life. Money isn’t everything.
Rohit Agarwal ber of new admissions. It shows that your research team Working with good people,
is doing good work. But please ensure that it is exhaus- learning from those with
The toughest part is when tive too, which I find is lacking in some places. experience, understanding
your boss is insecure and is everything about your field,
scared that you will emerge Subha, Chennai these are important aspects
smarter than him or her. I r freshers should consider.
Lette e
had some bad experiences in of th h Shereen B
this area, and would like a mont
story on how to manage an My daughter wants to join
insecure boss. Yeah, and what about the instrumentation neces- NIFT, eventhough she is pur-
Jini College of Nanoscale Science sary to do meaningful nano- suing a bachelor’s degree in
and Engineering at Albany, technology research. commerce. She has always
Nanotechnology one of the best in the world, Jeff Stazlick been a bit creative, and does
especially the infrastructure, lots of drawings and crafts at
Over time, I have found that stipend of 20k, a 2 to 1 ratio of home. I want her to do Mas-
the research in your issues faculty and students, etc? Studying Aboard ter’s in commerce, but she is
though exhaustive is always Sachin not listening. I just want her
incomplete. You must know The only word I can find now to be happy. I read your arti-
that IIT Roorkee is the only I am a scientist of Indian ori- to appreciate your coverage cle on fashion on your web
IIT in the country that offers gin working at a university in is ‘Excellent” as you have site. But please note I would
an MTech in Nanotechnology the UK, and I’m surprised by given maximum information like more on the same.
(with effect from 2008) based all this silly talk of “careers in within the 26 pages on over- N Tyagi, Noida
on the GATE score. The rest nanotechnology”. Most uni- seas education.
offer PhDs. Certainly Amity versities, including the IITs Dr Paul Chellakumar, I like the interviews with the
University cannot be pub- and IISc, don’t have the basic Campus Abroad editors in your magazine.
lished at the expense of IIT I want to read more on these.
Roorkee. This amounts to You should include some
providing incomplete infor- international write-ups, also
mation to students, which Share your opinion, insights, bouquets and please, incorporate far more
certainly is not your goal. brickbats at feedback@pathfinder360.co.in global content.
Anonymous Srinivasan

careers NEWS CAMPUS NEWS NEW COURSES EVENTS
India lags in scientific research PGDM 2010: IMT

Ghaziabad
The institute announces admissions
for the 3-year PGDM programmes
2010. One can opt to specialise in
Human Resources, International
Business, Finance or Information
Technology. Candidate must
have appeared for the Common
Admission Test (CAT) to be
conducted by IIMs from November
28-December 7, 2009. The
application forms will be issued
till November 27. The deadline
for submission of application is
December 07, 2009.
Madhu Kapparath/Outlookgroup
Improve your English

language skills
Pearson Test of English Academic
(PTE Academic), a new computer-
based test of English language
proficiency is being launched in
B
India. Marjorie Scardino, Chief
razil, India, Russsia, South Africa and China (BRICS), endowed with vast Executive Officer, Pearson plc,
resources and potential, are aiming to become leading economic powers. Achiev- shares, “This innovative computer-
ing this goal depends on their ability to tap and grow knowledge resources through based test is designed to give
research and related skill development of existent workforce. Thompson Reuters, looked schools and employers a lot more
at their research output, in terms of quality, quantity, reach and effectiveness. While the to go on, a lot more quickly when
inaugural report examined Brazil; India will now be put under the scanner. they’re trying to decide whether
a candidate is ready to learn in
According to the report, India is lagging behind other key countries and some BRICS
English or work in English.” She
partners, thus needing a government effort to invest in education and research such as hopes that employers and students
improving facilities, creating institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science Educa- gain equally. The fee for India is
tion and Research to achieve higher standards in scientific research and education. With set at US$160. A variety of test
a large educated population, the number of degree holders has increased from 2.4% (20.5 preparation material, and sample
million) in 1991 to 4.5 % (48.7 million) in 2005. This would provide the manpower base papers are available at www.
for reserach activities. Publications have also grown in the last decade- 1998 saw 16,500 pearsonpte.com/resources.
papers, which rose to 30,000 in 2007, improving India’s ability to contribute to science.
ADMiSSIONS
Indo-French dual degree in The AIEEE may be going
Nuclear Science online, soon NMAT 2010: NMIMS admission
test goes online
Delhi University will offer this programme Three directors from the National Insti-
in association with French institutes. “The tute of Technology (NIT) at Allahabad, Delhi School of Economics:
Admissions open for MIB, MHROD
collaboration with seven French institutes Calicut and Agartala, have set up a commit-
for this dual degree programme is the first tee to evaluate the All India Engineering PHD programmes at Guru Gobind
Singh Indraprastha University
ever tie-up of this kind in our history, espe- Entrance Exam (AIEEE). They will look at
cially in sensitive domains like nuclear taking the exam online, and review the cur- 16-month MBA, 11-month Master’s
(management) at Asian Institute
energy,” Professor RK Shivpuri, Head, rent structure and the weightage to be given of Management
Department of Physics, Delhi University, to Class 12 exam results. The committee
TERI University – Two-year full-
said. Students will receive their Master’s proposes to submit its report by January time MBA programmes (Business
in nuclear energy after spending their third 2010. Vacant seats across NITs, in spite of Sustainability and Infrastructure)
and fourth semesters in Paris, through this counselling rounds , is also being looked International PG diplomas -
programme. In addition, students will into. The first meeting of the NITs Council, Institute of Insurance and Risk
receive full support of organisations work- under the Chairmanship of the Union Min- Management (IIRM)
ing in the field of civil nuclear energy such ister for Human Resource Development,
as EDF and Areva, and will also get the Kapil Sibal, requested all 20 NITs to pro- get details at
opportunity to intern with these organisa- vide a vision statement open for discussion www.careers360.com
tions. at the next meeting of the NIT Council.

Companies want to hire at junior, mid level Apollo Group to open

medical college
T
According to Prathap C. Reddy,
eam Lease Services Employment Out- Chairman, Apollo Group, the
look Report for the October to Decem- hospital wants to open a new
ber 2009 quarter, states that employment medical college. Reddy shared
that Apollo was already in talks
outlook is flat, but the business sentiments
with three reputed international
have started to pick up. As per the report, universities for a tie-up, but
health care has been the least affected sec- refused to divulge the name of
tor in the recent downturn and the recruit- the varsities. “We want to go in for
ment activity is taking place. However, super speciality hospitals only, not
sectors such a retail, media, FMCG, infra- multispeciality, because we don’t
want to compete with the existing
structure, manufacturing and engineering primary and secondary health care
are still lagging behind. There is an increase centres. We want to complement
in the intention to hire at all managerial them with the tertiary speciality,”
levels except at the senior level. The sur- Reddy stated.
vey also states that there is likely to be a
steady increase in hiring across functions
except for production, human resources Soft skills for profession-
and customer service. “During the past als in the finance sector
three months as well as the last one year, Besides domain knowledge,
Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore, had which prepares its students for a
the highest attrition rates compared to career in the Banking, Securities
,Finance and Insurance sector,
other cities,” says Surabhi Mathur-Gandhi,
Centum Learning, a Bharati
General Manager, Team lease services. associate, in collaboration with
Annamalai University and IGNOU,
has introduced a personality
Tenth anniversary for TERI Now prepare for BITSAT 2010, development module in its
degree and diploma programmes.
University online According to Sanjeev Duggal, CEO
and Executive Director, Centum
The Energy and Resources Institute Resonance, a coaching organisation for Learning Limited, the methods
(TERI) University celebrated its tenth IIT-JEE, has launched the BITSAT (Birla adopted to teach the programmes
anniversary on October 24, 2009, renew- Institute of Technology and Science would also equip students to join
ing its commitment to advanced learning in Admission Test) 2010 online test series. the corporate world and not merely
get a degree.
areas of energy, environment and sustain- Priyavrat Pal Singh, Manager (Academics)
able development. TERI University has at Resonance stated that the obejective is
partially met the need of producing leaders to provide the students enough practise
in various disciplines through the years and sessions so as to help them in their attempt
Job Alerts
its major strength lies in the parent body to get admission to any of the three colleges
TERI with its accumulated knowledge, and of BITS situated in Goa, Hyderabad and
Science and technology fellow-
expertise. Students from DU, Jamia and Pilani. Even those not enrolled at Reso- ships at JNCASR, Bangalore
IP University participated in the celebra- nance can take the test series, which have
NDA & NAE (I) 2010 examinations:
tions. Dr. RK Pachauri, Chancellor TERI a set of 16 online tests with questions per- Army, navy and air force wings
University and Director-General TERI, taining to the entire syllabus. Visit www.
Department of Biotechnology:
addressed the gathering. resonance.ac.in for more details. Khorana Program for Scholars
undertaking research at University
of Wisconsin, Madison
Nalanda revival gets ASEAN approval Oriental Bank of Commerce
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is enthusiastic about India’s plans announces 916 PO positions
to revive the Nalanda University in Bihar, a ‘great ancient centre of learning.’ The heads Atomic energy regulatory board
of the ASEAN member states in a press release said, they were deeply impressed with the requires scientific/technical
sanctity and significance of the great ancient centre of learning in Nalanda that attracted officers
many scholars from South, South-East and East Asia. Historically, Nalanda University IDBI Bank needs 1900 executives
was ‘a great centre of intellectual activity in Buddhist philosophy, mathematics, medicine and managers
and other disciplines.’ There are high hopes that revival of the university would provide
students a space to acquire liberal and human education and give them the means needed get details at
for pure intellectual, spiritual, psychological pursuits and thus achieve qualities of toler- www.careers360.com
ance and accommodation.

Indian Institute of
Remote Sensing: PG
courses
IIRS announces multi-disciplinary
courses like MTech, MSc and other
diploma and certificate courses.
Preference will be given to the
candidates who have a valid GATE
score. Fellowship support is also
available. The last date of receipt
of application for PG Diploma &
Certificate in Remote Sensing (RS)
& Geographical Information System
(GIS) is November 27. For details,
log on to www.iirs-nrsc.gov.in.
Applications invited for

NDA, NAE exams
Here’s the opportunity for those
who want to join the armed forces
Rankings: Harvard University is No. 1 as officers. The Union Public Service
Commission will be conducting the
National Defence Academy (NDA)
T aking broad measures that intend to capture employability and international appeal
apart from the more crucial factors such as teaching and research, the Times Higher
Education – QS World University Rankings 2009, is out. Harvard University, USA, has
and Naval Academy Examination
(I) on April 18, 2010. The National
Defence Academy 125th Course
and Naval Academy 45th (Executive
once again topped the chart followed by University of Cambridge, UK and Yale University,
Branch) courses will commence
USA. Sixteen institutions from Asia now figure in the 2009 rankings vis-à-vis 14 in 2008. from December 30, 2010.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur at 237, IIT Madras at 284, University Last date for application is
of Delhi at 291 and IIT Kharagpur at 335 figure, among the top 350 institutions in these November 23, 2009.
rankings. While USA (32) and UK (18) account for fifty percent of World’s best universi-
ties, Australia with eight universities, has two more institutions than Japan this year.
IGNOU/Papua New
Guinea connection
50 percent seats for NRIs and Jack Welch’s new avataar as Indira Gandhi National Open
University (IGNOU) signed a
PIOs at this medical school a teacher memorandum of understanding
(MOU) with Papua New Guinea
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Per- Former CEO of General Electric, Jack University of Technology to
sons of Indian Origin (PIOs), get half the Welch will now begin a new innings as provide educational and training
seats at a special university in Bangalore, to teacher. The Jack Welch Management programmes. This increases
educate their children beginning next year. Institute at Chancellor University Class- IGNOU’s presence in 34 countries,
with 53 partner institutions
The Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, es is offering MBA and Master of Man-
abroad. Dr. Silima Nanda, Director,
Vyalar Ravi announced that the Manipal agement programmes online and at the International Division, informed that
Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), school’s Cleveland campus, both catering programmes at the PNG UNITECH
under supervision of his ministry would set to different audiences. The faculty would are likely to commence from July
up this university, a first of its kind, to pro- receive inputs from Welch along with 2010.
vide international quality higher education. online video updates from him about the
MAHE is funding the entire project on its current business issues. The programmes Watch out for !
own. According to Sam Pitroda, who heads would approximately cost $20,000 as each
the National Knowledge Commission, credit is valued at $600.
Vanier CGS Scholarships, Canada
India needs at least 1,133 more universi-
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
ties. The existent 367 Indian universities, announces full-time graduate studies
according to Pitroda cater to a mere seven Guruvar Awards ‘ and research at an eligible Canadian
university at the doctoral level in the
percent of the 18-24 age group which has Established by the Varkey Gems
social sciences or humanities, the natu-
to improve substantially. A large emigrant Foundation, Gurvar Awards aims to hon- ral sciences or engineering, or a health-
population from states like Kerala, Punjab, our the teaching community. According related field. The Fellowship covers tui-
Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, to officials there are multiple awards and tion and maintenance. The details of the
scholarship programme is available at
may pave the way for more NRI-PIO uni- the last date for nominations has been www.vanier.gc.ca. The applications are to
versities in the future. extended to November 15, 2009. be submitted before November 6, 2009.

Fletcher School comes calling Wanted: Passionate

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c ard
t
or rankin
g
Rep l
oo
-ch
bs
B-School
Ranking Analysis
As a magazine, which believes in social responsibility, we thought of
identifying what is wrong, before trying to do something about it
by Mahesh Sarma surveys conducted by Zee Business He studies in a school, and he needs
and Mail Today. If quotes attributed to know how one compares to another.
A
s the admission season begins, to Samir Ahluwalia, Editor, Zee Busi- Or else the cluster must be small enough
ranking of institutions follow, ness are to be believed, parameters like to fit the decision-making set of a stu-
with B-schools being ranked academic papers, books in the library dent, which is not more than 10 schools
the most. While some of the etc. are debatable and hence not worthy at best.
rankings are distinctly misleading, one of consideration, but factors like Global On paper, the best among the lot in
would find it very difficult to question Placements, International Internships terms of methodology is the Business-
the integrity of players like India Today, or Global Faculty must be critical ele- world ranking, though it could do with
Outlook, Businessworld etc. If it is so, as ments. When you compare the results substantial improvement in its method-
the table alongside shows, why is it that with the parameters they claim to con- ology and parameters (see page 16/17
the ranking of most B-schools swings sider, you could draw your own conclu- for a more detailed analysis).
like a pendulum from one extreme to sions on the integrity of their survey. However, it is not fair to blame the
the other? The elite ISB too, suffers The same applies to the Mail Today media completely. The absolute lack
the swing, getting a lowly 13 in Business survey that grants 40% weight to per- of transparency on the part of the
Today 2009 to an ok 4 in Business India ception and 60% to information pro- B-schools when it comes to sharing cru-
2009. The variability in the ranking goes vided by institutes. It conveniently cial data does make it impossible to
up substantially as one moves down- ignored leading institutes like FMS, develop a sensible methodology. Some
wards in the listing. Careers360 goes citing late submission of data. If the schools almost behave as if placements
behind the numbers, and this is what objective is to give readers the right are a national secret, and revealing the
we found. advice, it fails miserably. It may as usage of placement consultants is akin
well have termed it an advertorial. No to selling a nuclear plan! But the answer
Perception may be a culprit wonder, institutes in the habit of lying, lies not in taking shortcuts. That would
An old hand at opinion surveys, BT came on top in quite a few categories. mean GIGO. (Garbage in Garbage out).
conclusively proves what is wrong with But it may be difficult to lay all the What is the way out? We are work-
business school rankings. While we are blame on perception, since results of ing with a team of experts to identify a
not advocates of consistency, the kind surveys like that of Pagalguy, a known way out; we will come back to you with
of variability this ranking displays is to MBA website, are very close to objective more details in the next issue. But as
be seen to be believed. It has the largest rankings. a magazine sworn to standing up for
number of odd men out when we ana- the student, we would be interested in
lysed the Top 20. What objective rankings say knowing what you think. Write in to us
Another classic example of percep- The situation is slightly better when it at editor@pathfinder360.co.in.
tion playing havoc is the recent Outlook comes to objective rankings. But even
survey, which has jumped on to the per- here, Business India, a longtime player (We analysed the top players in the rank-
ception-based ranking bandwagon from in the game, gets away by creating large ing business. Mail Today/Zee Business
this year. NITIE lost 17 places, Amrita enough clusters, so that very few schools feature in the tables only as an indicator
(which was in the top bunch last year) have reason to complain (its A+ cluster, of what is wrong. If any of the publica-
lost about 45 places, just to identify a in 2009 has 67 schools). But such a tions mentioned in the story, identifies
few prominent losers. ranking is of not much use to the stu- factual inaccuracies, they are most wel-
And less said the better, about the dent, since he does not study in a cluster. come to write in to us.)

Rankings Business India Business Today Businessworld Outlook
Agency if any N/A N/A N/A Neil Neil Neil Synv Synv Synv MDRA GfK C-fore
2009 2008 2007 2009 2008 2007 2009 2007 2005 2009 2008 2007
IIM Ahmedabad 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 — 1 1 1
IIM Kolkata 3 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 — 3 — 3
IIM Lucknow 6 6 5 6 5 5 4 7 — 5 3 4
Public B-schools
IIM Bangalore 2 2 2 2 2 2 — — — 2 — 2
IIM Kozhikode 18 17 15 12 13 — — — 8 — 12
IIM Indore 17 18 — 12 8 6 6 10 — 7 4 9
NITIE Mumbai 14 13 12 — — — 5 8 4 22 5 8
FMS Delhi 11 11 11 11 9 12 7 6 — 10 6 —
IIFT New Delhi 13 16 17 17 14 16 12 11 3 14 9 13
JBIMS Mumbai 10 12 15 5 7 6 9 — — 11 14 —
SJ SOM IIT Mumbai — — — — — — 14 18 — 20 12 16
IMT Ghaziabad 9 9 10 — — — 18 13 8 15 10 11
MDI Gurgaon 7 8 7 — 16 18 11 — 1 9 11 6
XLRI Jamshedpur 5 5 6 7 5 8 3 3 2 4 2 5
ICFAI B Scool Hyderabad 12 7 8 9 9 9 — — — 17 — 14
NMIMS Mumbai 16 15 13 18 — — 10 12 — 16 15 10
Private B-schools
SPJIMR Mumbai 8 10 9 14 11 11 8 9 5 6 7 7
XIM Bhubaneswar 20 16 — 17 — 13 14 6 19 8 15
IMI New Delhi 15 14 14 — — — 15 17 11 13 17
Wellinger Mumbai — — 19 15 — — 21 21 19 21 16 —
ISB Hyderabad 4 3 4 13 — — — — — — — —
SIBM Pune 19 — — 4 4 4 — — — 13 17 —
KJ Somaiya Mumbai — — — 20 — — 16 19 — — 19 —
TAPMI Manipal — — — — — — — — 13 — — 18
Alliance BA Bangalore — — — — — — 20 15 — — 20 —
LIBA Chennai — — — 9 — — — 20 35 — — —
SCMHRD Pune — — 18 — — — 17 16 — — — 19
One rank wonders: BT has 8 entries in three years, whereas BI has 3, BW 3 and Outlook 4

Report Card B-SCHOOL RANKING ANALYSIS
Comparative analysis of methodology

BUSINESS INDIA BUSINESS TODAY
Parameters Criterion What is sticking/ Criterion What is sticking/

Standing out Standing out
Entry requirements All B-schools that respond either Captures maximum 30 schools selected No announced criterion for the
through their websites number of institutions from a list of 60 based selection of top 60 schools in the
or through filled-up on a survey consideration set. Selection bias
questionnaire is a distinct possibility
Total No of institutes 1700 60
No of institutes surveyed 190 Looks like fatigue is 30
setting in on the part of
participating B-schools
Non-participating institutes 4 These were still ranked N.A
Agency Own website AC-Neilson

Total Marks 1000 N.A
Criterion for evaluation Infrastructure, Has 50 marks for Infrastructure
background, intellectual background. What is it
interface (175) and how does one
measure it? It is impossible to comment
on any of the criteria,
Criterion for evaluation Curriculum, faculty, Here we have the category Admissions, Teaching because none of these
academics (430) Academic Programmes methodology factors have any assigned
( 150). What this measures weight in the survey
is left to the imagination
Criterion for evaluation Faculty Interestingly, to provide a
sense of fair play, BT too
gives a long laundry list of
Criterion for evaluation Alumni, placements, Why should student quality Placements, quality of sub-parameters for each
students (315) and placements be placement criterion
put together?
But without adequate

information on the relative
weights of individual
Criterion for evaluation Finances (20), MDP (60) Will somebody please explain Reputation, presence of parameters, the scoring
the rationale of putting specialised units process and the process of
these two parameters conversion of scores into
together and calling the rank, it remains just
it growth? that, a laundry list
Validation process Has a vague statement about N.A

cross-verification. No data
available
Relative weights for survey N.A None assigned
parameters
Sample size N.A MBA aspirants 134, MBA Better mix of sample, but
students 132, Executives 109, lesser in absolute
Functional heads 111 numbers
Quicktake This year’s ranking is slightly better in terms of number of schools For a perception survey, the sample size appears too small. But
individually ranked ( From 30 to 50). Lack of clarity on parameters the biggest error appears to be the admission of the surveyor that
and non-availability of individual scores makes this ranking too prominent omissions by the respondents while forming the
vague. Large size of the clusters is also a no-no consideration set is identified and brought to the attention of
the respondent. This is almost akin to prompting.
L RANKIN
OO
H
G
B-SC
B+ B
RD
RE
PORT C
A

adopted by various B-school rankings
BUSINESSWORLD Mail Today/zee business OUTLOOK
Criterion What is sticking/ Criterion What is sticking/ Criterion What is sticking/

Standing out Standing out Standing out
Only AICTE approved Misses out on both good MT: National Capital No clear basis for Only 2-year programmes Misses out on one-year
2-year programmes non-AICTE approved Region schools ZB: selection provided from institutes, which are programmes, as well as
schools, as well as 1-year All India five years old at least and institutes that opened
programmes graduated three batches after 2004
200 While Mail Today claims 100
to have surveyed 30
94 B-schools no information 89
is available with respect to
Zee Business
N.A 7 Who are these institutions
and why did they not
participate?
Synovate MDRA
970 1000
Infrastructure (130) Location and recreation Infrastructure (174) How does one measure
get 40 points each. So by a parameter like
these criteria Nirma and support staff?
IIMA gets equal marks
Learning experience This is a comprehensive Selection process (187) No points for the process.
(270) listing, one of the best in Just the type of exam gets
class evaluation 105 points
Faculty
International exposure Why does this criterion Academic Excellence (227) Neatly laid out
(90) get 10% weightage? Placement Record
Salary Packages Other than mentioning
Placement (280) Only ranking to look at some of these parameters, Placements (182) No. of recruiters visiting
lateral placements. Also Global Exposure stands out. But ranking
elaboration appears
scoring appears very Industry Interface irrelevant to both of them on that basis?
mechanical or at least
not very different in many Infrastructure
cases. Course Content
ROI (200) A great initiative, but Personality Development Nearly 100 points goes to
to add up international and Industrial Exposure dificult to define criteria
and domestic salaries (231) like opportunity to try new
together and average ideas, involvement (for
them out, is not the whom?) in framing the
best way to go vision and participation
(by whom) in institution-
building activities
No information on MT: Acknowledges 60% Validation appears to be Field visits by researchers But then all they did was to
validation provided weightage to information an alien concept to 89 institutes that par- interview 5-6 people
provided by the institutes ticipated in the survey
N.A N.A Recruiters’ perception
(108 in 10 cities)
( 50% weight)
Recruiters 357, Faculty N.A Recruiters (108). Students
and students 350+ and and Faculty (539)
Aspirants 118
Both in terms of detailing, as well as the honesty to MT: It is smart piece of writing that attempts to gain Conversion of perceptive ranking into specific scores,
separate perception from objective score, this one credibility by dropping names of good schools like gives an impression of being an objective ranking. Par-
scores very high. Kudos for bringing out the percep- FMS, IIFT etc. but goes on to promote what suits them tially because until last year it was so. Outlook should
tion-based ranking on the website so that the reader ZB: A complete list of rankings but no explanation have informed the reader that they are changing their
does not get confused. The only place this ranking of the ranking survey mode, up front, and given an appropriate reason.
falters, is the lack of information on validation. The methodology is more robust, but the conversion
process of ranking scores to marks is not very clearly
mentioned in the survey.
L RANKIN L RANKIN
OO OO
H
H
G
A-
B-SC
B-SC
junk B+
RD
RD
RE RE
PORT C PORT C
A

Report Card B-SCHOOL RANKING ANALYSIS
Where do the surveys go wrong?

Parameters that are being messed up due to lack of either access or understanding
Ranking of schools rather coordinators, these are some of the jobs present an impression that, since it is
than programmes: A student we found in the placement records of independent, they can conveniently
goes for a programme. The general some institutions, offering a package of wash off their hands. People identify
PGDM at MDI attracts a very differ- 3-5 lakhs per annum. Do they count just with the magazine, not the agency. The
ent audience vis-a-vis PGDM (IM) because these jobs are based abroad? parameters, differential weights, scoring
or PGDM (HR). No ranking captures and final reportage, each must have the
this, barring probably the ones done by Salary structure: Another gim- imprint of the magazine. Ultimately the
coaching institutes like T.I.M.E. mick is declare a 12 lakh package, where ownership lies with the magazine.
in 5 is the salary and 7 is the incentive.
Quality of students: Any The ratings must highlight this. Parameter Definition: Infra-
institution can pay the required fee and structure and placements are the only
get the CAT score for shortlisting can- Output rating: A B-school has two parameters that all surveys have
didates. So granting marks for it means three kinds of outputs: research, cor- in common. The rest that goes into the
very little. The cut-off percentile counts porate training, and placements. They value-addition process of a B-school,
here, the relative percentile within the must be rated independently, but slot- is often structured in a rather erratic
broad clusters counts much more. The ted together in one broad parameter. manner. For instance, slotting quality
process, level of transparency, number of students, which is an input alongwith
of lists that schools put out, number of placements which is distinctly an
seats and refund policy are much more output, reflects a certain level of
crucial. intellectual laziness.
Quality of Faculty: The The foreign col-

number of PhDs is a good indica- laboration deal:
tor for the robustness of teach- Any institution can take its
ing, but for a student, number students for a one-week junket
of faculty with hardcore industry to a foreign college, if they have
experience scores any day. Most the money. That college would
surveys let the institutes get away also happily oblige for a few pen-
with a bland category called ‘fac- nies. If we count this as collabo-
ulty with industry and training ration, then we have only our-
experience’. selves to blame. Another culprit
is the number of MOUs. It is
Infrastructure Fixa- just another number, unless fully
tion: An AC classroom, or a operationalised.
swimming pool, is great, but its absence
does not hurt. But the absence of a resi- Let’s not even venture into a social value Data on defaulters: Every year
dential facility does hurt. So, relative debate here. BusinessWeek publishes a list of institu-
weights must be used to determine what tions, which did not participate. Barring
adds value, which is not visible. Validation of Data: Until a time probably an apologetic note about the
when regulatory agencies make it man- holy trinity not participating but still
Placements: The average salary datory for institutions to publish data being ranked, One is yet to see a list
must never be the average of domestic in the public domain, and hold them which says these are the defaulters.
and international. For example: BW slips accountable for any lapses, it becomes
when it calculates the all crucial ROI. imperative that submissions by institu- surveyors’ Quality: B-schools
It adds everything together. Domestic tions be validated, by the magazine or are not soaps or hair oil. But many
and international salaries are absolutely party conducting the survey. research agencies treat it as such. Look
incomparable, unless normalised. at the rookies they send out as survey-
Outside Agency Fixation: ors! If they are not able to differentiate
International Place- Magazines have a tendency to hide between number volumes and titles in
ments: Sales executives, counter behind the fact that an independent the library, to give an example, the qual-
salesman workshop managers, ad sales agency did the survey. They almost ity of data they bring in is suspect.

Aroon Purie
India’s youth
Educated but
unemployable!
Editor-in-Chief of India Today, Aroon Purie, drifted from one job to another, before he
founded the India Today Group. In a chat with Urmila Rao, he expresses his views on govern-
ment regulations in the education sector, apathy towards vocational studies and the mismatch
between industry needs and the education imparted to India’s employable youth
Q: You studied at the prestigious Doon Q: An economics graduate and also a CA,
School. What was your experience there? why didn’t you opt for a career in finance?
A: At Doon School, there were quality teach- A: I didn’t study, thinking that I wanted to be
ers, very passionate about whatever they a CA. I was one of those kids who really didn’t
taught. They created an interest in the stu- know what to do. My father said ‘you will get
dents. I didn’t realise it at that time but did into a good job if you are professionally quali-
later on, how well I was taught, how well I was fied’. From economics, accountancy seemed to
introduced to English literature, geography, be a good option, so I went for it. I worked for
chemistry and other subjects. The students a little while and was bored to death. My CA
there were from every walk of life; rich kids, training did hold me in good stead for many
children of bureaucrats, engineers and armed things. It gave me an opportunity to organise
forces, among others. It was a very egalitarian my mind, look at figures and not get intimi-
kind of community and everyone was treated dated by them. It helped me to be able to probe
equally. This created a great bond between the into things as an auditor, to get the right answer
students. Besides, the school gave an all round and not to take anything for granted. But in the
education; physical activity, community serv- end, I wasn’t enjoying the work.
ice, sports, and studies were all integrated into
our lives. That is what I don’t see today. There Q: You did not even join your father’s
is so much pressure for percentages. business?
A: My father was actually from the film busi-
Q: How was college life? ness, and had set up a printing plant in collabo-
A: At the London School of Economics, I ration. I started working in the printing plant as
realised that I was surrounded by people who a production planner. And I soon realised that
were ten times brighter than I was and the only this printing plant will not make any money if
way I could keep up with them was through we didn’t have our own work. And that’s how we
hard work. So, I worked hard and played hard got into publishing children’s books. My vision
too. I think the biggest experience was to have at that time was to create children’s books
these people as my friends. It was a really great for Indian children with Indian themes. But
experience. in those days paper was very highly priced in
Ideally, public education should be so good, that people

shouldn’t have the need for private education

Photographs: Rajesh Thakur/Outlook Group
Aroon Purie
India, so commercially, books were not Q: Do you think the role of state
viable. So, our next venture was maga- governments is enough in higher
zines. And then the magazines became education?
much bigger than the press. A: It’s a complete failure on both the
sides, states and the centre. I think both
Q: Why a news magazine? have to work together. They must set
A: There was no grand vision. We stum- up quality institutions. I think we have
bled from one thing to another. Actually gone sometimes too much for quantity,
it was a niche magazine, a comprehen- and not quality. There is no point in pro-
sive news digest, meant for Indians liv- ducing people who are in reality unem-
ing abroad. But it failed as we couldn’t ployable. Then there is a whole layer
get hold of the Indians, who were all of vocational training, which in India,
too spread out. So then we decided to exists in very sparse manner. It is not
put it into the local market and it got degrading to be in vocational education.
a good response. Actually India Today And parents must realise that it is okay
grew from a failure in the sense that it to be in vocational training and every-
went from one project to another before body is not capable of benefiting from an
it took final shape. educational institution. No point being a
graduate and becoming a bus conductor.
Q: What do you admire in the youth A focus on vocational training will help
of today? There is no point being a both the economy and society.
A: I see a great energy, a great desire to
succeed and get ahead. And get ahead graduate if you end up Q: How much faith should stu-
very quickly. They want success right being a bus conductor. dents have in the B-school rankings
away. Today kids create a company or brought out by various publications,
a product and they think about selling A focus on vocational every now and then?
all over the world. So, there is a great training will help the A: It depends on who is doing the rank-
degree of enterprise and energy which ing and how it is done. In our case, in
the environment has brought about. economy and society India Today and Business Today, the
Today children are born in affluence. rankings are done by outside agen-
So now they look towards the future; cies. We only publish the research. So
enjoying life, spending money, looking It is a complete failure on it is done in a very fairly independent,
for very quick returns. They are willing autonomous way and there is no axe to
to try so many things and the opportuni- both the sides, states and grind one institution or the other. The
ties are also there. Earlier there were so centre. I think both fact is that there is no other information
many restrictions from the government;
today the world is open for them. have to work together available, and the surveys can be a good
guide. Students should match a lot of
to set up quality surveys and see the common outcome
Q: As you pointed out, kids want to and then verify the information.
become rich too fast. Don’t you find institutions
that a bit disconcerting? Q: Some colleges don’t hesitate in
A: It’s not a bad thing to go after money giving misleading information. What
but I think sometimes kids get carried to set up institutions with certain stand- is the way out of this?
away. They are not able to take a longer ards laid down by the government, and A: There has to be some kind of gov-
view. They are willing to shift to another they should be allowed to charge what- ernment supervision to see that what-
company for a little more money, which ever the market is willing to pay. At the ever has been promised is delivered.
in the long-term is not good for their moment, people make money under the Maybe the HRD ministry can look at
future career. But that is also a way to table; there is capitation fee and all sorts this in terms of the kind of advertise-
learn; soon they will find out that it is of unhealthy practices are on because ments being given out. There should be
harder to take jumps only for money. the sector is completely restricted. Ide- some kind of monitoring, either by the
However, mobility is always good. Peo- ally, public education should be so good, government or by self-regulatory bod-
ple move, change, new challenge comes that people should not have the need for ies to censure such practices. I feel that
in. As long as society is full of that kind of private education. But since this is not nobody can hide these things for too
mobility, it is good for everybody. happening, the government should try long. Sooner or later institutions come
and focus on public education and let to be known as fraud and people will
Q: Are you happy with our state of private education flourish under some stop going there. The only question is
higher education ? standards and regulations that have how long does it take and who continues
A: Not at all. People should be allowed been laid down. to suffer because of it.

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Cracking COMPETITIVE EXAMS
Master Quant Aptitude

Developing your analytical skills will not only help you improve your entrance test
scores, but enhance your career prospects in the long run
by Ashish Kumar
T
ypically, the B-school admis-
sion process comprises a written
test comprising questions from
school-level mathematics, logi-
cal reasoning, general awareness and
general language, followed by a per-
sonal interview. All these tests assess
the candidates on their employability
skills. One of them is Analytical Skill,
which includes Quantitative Aptitude
and Logical Reasoning. These demon-
strate your ability to apply analytical
and logical thinking while gathering and
analysing information, designing and
testing solutions to problems, and for-
mulating plans.
Illustration : Gouri Nanda

Need for analytical aptitude
Employees have to demonstrate the
ability to recognise patterns in com-
plex sets of data and develop practical
models. Applications of analytical skills
come into play at various levels in the questions are poised as problems and desired output or result. It may require
functioning of an organisation. There- one needs to demonstrate competence finding some missing data in a sequence
fore, every recruiter who wants the best to solve those questions. These ques- or table or some application of day-to-
would like to ensure that the candidates tions are not textbook questions, which day observations to solve a question.
have adequate level of analytical apti- normally test understanding of some Some students feel that there are some
tude (general intelligence or IQ). formulae or theorem. They are real-life tricks to crack aptitude questions. A few
Almost every competitive exam for situations where application of math- students crib that they are not very good
recruitment includes sections on Quan- ematical knowledge is required to find in maths or they do not have maths after
titative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. the solution. For example, in festival class 10th and they find these sections
In Bank PO and Bank Clerk exams, seasons, there are many discount offers very difficult. The truth is that Analytical
these sections have about 66 percent and schemes to attract buyers. These Aptitude is skill which can be developed
weightage. In SSC exams, the weight- are perfect situations to demonstrate only by regular practice and through
age for these sections is about 50 per- quantitative skills to identify the most simulations and this is not such a dif-
cent. CDS and NDA exams also have a profitable scheme. This also offers an ficult task.
separate paper on maths and numerical opportunity for test-makers to create
ability. In MBA entrance exams (CAT/ some quant questions. Solving aptitude problems
XAT/MAT & GMAT), major portions of One should make it very clear that these
questions are from them. Applying common sense skill sets cannot be grown overnight. It
Logical Reasoning is application of requires around 2-3 months to devel-
Problem-solving skills common sense in a structured manner op adequate competency. Secondly,
Quantitative Aptitude is not mathemat- in problem solving. Logical Reasoning irrespective of one’s educational back-
ics in the true sense. But it is prob- questions may involve arrangement of ground, anyone can master these sec-
lem-solving skills where mathematical data or analysis of some pattern to find tions, provided one honestly practises

and Logical Reasoning
them regularly over a period of time. Number crunching reasoning. Solve around 15-20 ques-
One very important thing is the In the beginning, one should start with tions daily for 15-20 days. Analyse the
approach to handling aptitude prob- number crunching. It means a lot of changes in figures, their rotations, and
lems. Since analytical aptitude is abil- addition, subtraction, multiplication, changes in pattern. You can also solve
ity to solve real-life practical problems, division, squaring, cubing etc. without 15-20 questions from series completion,
there is no formulae or short cuts which using paper and pencil, i.e. lot of mental coding-decoding, analogies, etc.
are applicable, neither are these based calculations. You need to be fast as all
on topics or chapters. Therefore, the these tests are timed tests where you Sectional tests
understanding of a problem in totality are required to solve 40-50 questions In the third step, start taking sectional
is important. Once you understand the tests. Your target should be to solve one
problem, you can easily find the solution Quick Take complete chapter consisting of 40 ques-
by First Principle. It is a method to solve tions in 30 minutes. Take these tests
any problem by its definitions. Most of Number crunching. Device quick methods for very sincerely, they are very important.
the students have learned this in class addition, multiplication etc. Take sectional tests for both sections,
11th – 12th maths (calculus). Therefore, Reinforce your concepts in school-level maths quantitative as well as Logical Reason-
one should try to analyse the questions Analyse different types of questions ing. You can also build your concept in
rather than just solve them. Prepare Logical Reasoning along with non-verbal other areas of logic like syllogism, criti-
reasoning
cal reasoning etc. You should follow this
Take sectional tests regularly
The right approach step for about 15 days.
The second important thing is the After individual sections, start full-length prac-
tice tests
nature of aptitude questions. Each of
Improve your accuracy level to at least 90
Practice tests
the aptitude questions is a mix of three percent If you have sufficient practice in individ-
or four simpler questions from differ- ual sections and topics of quantitative
ent chapters or topics. Nobody faces and Logical Reasoning, start taking full-
textbook problems in life. Here, Rene in 40-45 minutes. You are required to length practice tests. You should also
Descartes’ Cartesian Theory of Knowl- device some quick methods for addition, start analysing previous years’ exams
edge is relevant to quote. He says that a multiplication, etc. You should also mug papers. You should go for 15-20 full-
complex problem is nothing but a mix- up tables upto 30, square upto 30, and length practice tests. After every test,
ture of four-five simpler problems. To cubes upto 15. There are many books analyse your performance and find out
solve this complex problem, one should available in market, which will guide you your weaker areas and work on them for
break them into their constituent sim- on this. You should devote about 15 days improvement.
pler problems, solve these simpler prob- (3-4 hours per day) for this. There are a few words of caution.
lems and then synthesize their solutions Always follow standard books from
to find the answer of the complex prob- School-level mathematics good, reputed publishing houses for the
lem. This should be the right approach The second step should be developing preparation and for practice tests. Do
in handling aptitude questions. and reinforcing your concept in school- some researches before buying study
level mathematics. Start with percent- material and magazines.
Action plan for beginners age, ratio-proportion, averages, profit-
Most of the candidates who prepare for loss and such basic topics and analyse Assuring success
these exams are already familiar with different types of questions. Try to Since more than 50 percent questions
the topics of Quantitative Aptitude and solve each question using 3-4 different are from quant and Logical Reason-
Logical Reasoning. They might have approaches. After that, you can take the ing in most of the competitive exams,
done a lot of practice and developed topics like time-speed-distance, geom- these sections are very important. These
some comfort level in these areas. Some etry, number system, etc. Do as much examinations have negative marking
of them may be finding some trouble in variety of questions, as much as possible. and are time-bound exams, so, your
mastering these sections. Remember, For this section, you can devote 20- 30 accuracy needs to be very high. Solve
learning is a continuous process which days (3-4 hours per day). about 70 percent questions from these
follows the cycle--Learn-Unlearn- sections with more than 90 percent
Relearn. They need to unlearn few Non-verbal reasoning accuracy. So bear in mind, accuracy is
things to relearn them again. But there’s You should start preparation of Logical the key to achieving your goal. Ensure
no need to worry. Here are some quick Reasoning along with quantitative part. your success with intelligent hard work,
tips to master them. Here, you should start with non-verbal true commitment and perseverance.

Talk Point MOTIVATION
Want to be a winner? Just do it!

H
ere’s a simple question to get you
started. There are three monkeys
sitting on a tree, above a pond. One
of the monkeys decides to jump into
the pond. How many monkeys are left on the
tree? Two? Wrong.
The right answer is three. You see, the mon-
key only made the decision to jump into the
pond. He didn’t actually jump! If you think
about it, we are all like that. We take deci-
sions. We make resolutions. But somehow, we
don’t follow through with action. And intent
Prakash Iyer
without action is quite useless, really. Getting
CEO-Cards, Future Group,
and executive coach started — taking that first step — is often the
master key to success. As someone once said,
you don’t have to be great to get started. But exciting journey to the top begins with a small step
you sure have to get started to become great!
Do you find yourself struggling to take action monetary commitments are a strong impetus
on your plans and intentions? Well, here’s a for action. The fear of losing money or wast-
five-point programme to help you move from ing it, can spur you into action. We follow up
intent to action. on our commitments, if only to ensure our
●● Make a beginning…right away. What- money is well-spent. Plan to lose weight?
ever be your goal, take the first step — however Pay up for that three-month weight loss pro-
small — right away. Until you take that first gramme! Don’t wait.
step, your mind does not believe you. You Surround yourself with people who share
need to signal to yourself that you are serious, your objective, who are co-passengers on your
that you mean business. Commit to taking journey to success.
action, immediately. Today. Now. Bestselling management author Tom Peters
●● Break up the grand plan into smaller tells the story of a man who approached JP
tasks. Remember, a journey of a thousand Morgan with an envelope, and said, “Sir, in my
miles begins with a single step. Sometimes hand I hold a guaranteed formula for success,
the task ahead looks so enormous that we feel which I will gladly sell you for $25,000.”
overwhelmed — and we don’t do anything “Sir,” JP Morgan replied, “I do not know
about it. Break that up into smaller sub-tasks, what is in the envelope. However, if you show
and suddenly you’ll find something that’s doa- me, and I like it, I give you my word as a gen-
ble. Remember that old adage ‘something is tleman that I will pay you what you ask.” The
better than nothing’? It’s still true. man agreed to the terms, and handed over the
●● Think of the pleasure, not the pain. Vis- envelope. JP Morgan opened it, and pulled
ualise success. If you want to do an MBA at a out a single sheet of paper. He gave it one
premier school and plan to devote three hours look — a mere glance — then handed it back to
a day to studying, don’t think about missing the gentleman. And paid him the agreed-upon
the football game on television, or about not sum of $25,000! On that sheet of paper, were
Surround your- being able to go out for that Saturday night two things:
bash. Think instead of the job that you could ●● Every morning, write down a list of the
self with people get post your MBA, the rewards that it would things that need to be done that day.
who share your bring, the dreams that would get realised. ●● Do them.
●● Create a support group. Surround your- JP Morgan benefited from this advice, and
objective, who are self with people who share your objective, you can too. Knowing what to do is often easy.
who are co-passengers on your journey to We all have our list of things to do. Our plans
co-passengers in success. The excitement of being in it together and our resolutions. Doing it — that’s the
your journey to will help you fight the inertia, and get you tough bit. But that’s the hallmark of successful
going with the rest of the gang. people. The Nike guys are right. Want to be a
success ●● Pay up…in advance. For most of us, winner? Just do it!

Topper Speak Prof. Amitabh Joshi
W “A
hen he was a kid, he was fas- a million’ was statistically true, we, a
cinated by the army, but soon nation of over one billion people would
realised that he disliked being be having more than one million genius-
scientist
bossed around. Then, young Amitabh es. But here is where our education sys-
decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps tem comes into play. It authoritatively
and become a teacher, and the idea emphasizes on consuming knowledge
never
stuck. “Teaching is more rewarding than and regurgitating it during exams for
doing research, sometimes I think I have the first 17 years and then suddenly one
a romantic vision of it,” says Amitabh is expected to be a producer from a con-
grows up”
Joshi, an Associate Professor of Evo- sumer. Having said that, India produces
lutionary and Organismal Biology at some of the best scientists in the world,
the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for not “because” of the system but
Advanced Science and Research, “despite” it.
Bangalore, and winner of this
year’s prestigious Shanti Swarup How would you define
Bhatnagar Award (see Box) for scientific temper?
evolutionary biology. Every kid is a scientist, because
He has been studying the evo- they ask a lot of questions, they
lution of life-history, biological are inquisitive about anything
clocks, and population ecology in and everything under the sun.
organisms through his work on But over a period of time as we
the common fruit fly (drosophila go through our educational sys-
melanogaster). His labs do inter- tem we somehow lose that spark,
esting work in these domains. our inquisitivity dies and we start
He believes that a succinct defi- accepting things the way they are.
nition of evolution in biology I think, someone who is a scien-
would be “that it is an interac- tist to the core never grows up, he
tion between genetics and ecol- still keeps on asking questions.
ogy mediated through the process
of development”. In an interview What would be your advice
with Shalini Gupta he talks about to budding scientists?
life beyond science, what inspires If you enjoy the thrill of puzzle
him and makes him tick. solving and discovery, then there’s
nothing like science. Get into a
Who is your inspiration? field that you find interesting, not
I grew up in a gurukul kind of because people say it’s the next
atmosphere at home with my big thing. Students today tend to
father being a professor of sta- get practical and plan their career
tistics. He was a dedicated and to the last detail. When I decided
sincere academician who influ- to pursue my PhD in evolution-
enced me a lot. Then while doing prof. joshi believes that a true scientist should ary biology, many warned me that
my graduation at Delhi University in be like an inquisitive child, questioning everything it is not a“hot” subject, but I persisted
the 80s, it was the legendary Prof. CR just because I believed in it.
Babu - a teacher par excellence, a dedi- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes Better to be paid for doing something
cated scientist and a wonderful human that you enjoy rather than getting paid
being, who encouraged me to go abroad ■■ Annual award constituted by the Council of and then thinking how you can enjoy
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
for my PhD. Ronald Fisher is my intel- yourself. This is the value I believe in
Aim: To recognise outstanding Indian work
lectual hero. He is considered the father ■■
and I have been enjoying it for the past
in science and technology
of modern statistics, who almost single 22 years. So if you enjoy doing some-
Named after the founder director of CSIR
handedly created quantitative genetics thing, don’t worry if you will get paid
■■
Indian citizens, researching in any field of

(traits governed by a large no. of genes), ■■
science and technology, below 45 years
or what its scope is, just focus on doing
and was instrumental in setting up of the good work. Scope is not a function of
■■ Contributions made primarily in India
Indian Statistical Institute. during the 5 years preceding Prize year the field you are in, it’s a function of you.
■■ The Prize comprises a citation, a plaque and
Also remember that science is a collec-
What is your view on India’s a cash award of Rs. 500,000 tive endeavour. Like Newton said, “If
scientific talent? ■■ In additio,n recipients also get Rs. 15,000 I have been able to see further than
There is no dearth of scientific talent per month up to the age of 65 other men, it is because I was standing
in India. If the saying ‘Genius is one in on their shoulders.”

Cracking REGIONAL MBA ENTRANCE TESTS
CAT is not your

only option
Your local university may offer a good management
programme. Tips to help you ace the entrance test
by Saurabh Shrivastava management institutes affiliated to local

universities, which conduct their own
W
hile the media tends to entrance tests.
hype the Common Admis-
sion Test (CAT), statistics Easier questions
indicate that the number of Another major attraction is that regional
students taking regional MBA entrance tests feature relatively easier questions.
tests is increasing. For instance, And- Problems appearing in these question
hra Pradesh’s Integrated Common papers are of a relatively lower level
Entrance Test (ICET) is taken by over of difficulty, as compared to CAT and
two lakh students, a number that com- other national level MBA entrance
pares with the number taking CAT. tests. Many students have an inherent
Regional MBA entrance tests are gain- fear of CAT and other national-level have problems on visual reasoning,
ing immense popularity for a variety MBA entrance tests, and feel comfort- where as others feature questions based
of reasons. The primary one being the able with the level of problems in these on management cases/situations.
absence of adequate number of seats in regional tests. However, the low level of
the Tier-1 institutions. difficulty also means that top institutes, Test eligibility
which accept regional test scores, have You must be a graduate in the streams
Going Local high scoring requirements. recognised by the respective test author-
The largest chunk taking these tests ities. The passing score varies from test
comprises those students who don’t Salient features of regional tests to test. Students appearing for their final
wish to leave their hometowns or states, ●● Most regional tests have no negative year exam can also appear for these tests,
due to personal or family constraints. marking. within a cut-off date, as informed by the
But they still need to look at good higher ●● In most of cases, there are no sec- body conducting the test. For eligibility
education options. Such students can tional cut-offs. and domicile requirement details, visit
opt to do their MBA, locally, as most of ●● Some tests such as the Maharashtra the website of the body conducting the
the states in the country have various Common Entrance Test (MAH-CET) test or the test brochures.
Institute count Minimum eligibility score

State Test Seats Institutes Marks in graduation (in percentage)
Madhya Pradesh MPMET 1,840 36 Test Region Open Reserved
Andhra Pradesh ICET 13,050 421 MPMET Madhya Pradesh 50 40

ICET Andhra Pradesh Pass
Gujarat GCET 2,900 53
GCET Gujarat 50 45
Rajasthan RMAT 4,910 76
RMAT Rajasthan 50 45
Tamil Nadu TanCET 6,205 101
TanCET Tamil Nadu Pass
Maharashtra CET 14,000 207
CET Maharashtra 45 40
Karnataka PGCET 9,965 134 PGCET Karnataka 50 45
Karnataka (Mgmt Quota KMAT 3,600 99 KMAT Karnataka (Mgmt Quota & 50 NA
& Private colleges) Private colleges)

higher scores are a must for regional MBA tests
as the level of difficulty is comparitively less
required for the test duration.

Many students who take CAT also take
regional tests, which make them eligible
for management institutes of national
repute. For instance, MAH-CET is the
entrance test for Jamnalal Bajaj Insti-
tute of Management Studies (JBIMS),
Mumbai, and is taken by students across
the country. Hence the competition is at
par with that of CAT. Secondly, as there
is no negative marking in this test, the
cut-offs are really high. So the strategy
must be to attempt all questions with
maximum possible accuracy, and intel-
ligent guessing/elimination of choices,
is desirable.
A common pitfall when a test has an
unconventional testing area such as
business situations or visual reasoning is
that students end up skipping these sec-
tions. But with a little effort, these can be
converted into major scoring sections.
Need for speed

Rajesh Thakur/Outlook Group
Since the cut-offs are high, the level
Institute count on visual reasoning, questions based on of difficulty medium-to-easy, you must
The number of institutes and seats under business situations, general awareness attempt all the questions, and time-
each of these tests keeps on changing etc. management is key. For instance, if you
every year, hence the given table is only have to solve 200 questions in 150 min-
indicative. Get the latest numbers from Preparation strategy utes, no matter how easy they may seem,
the respective websites/brochures. As most of these tests are easy, the stress can make them appear really diffi-
scores are very high. Questions are often cult. Time management and stress man-
Test pattern straight forward and not too application- agement become two crucial skills.
It varies across regional tests, with ver- based (as in CAT). Hence, you must be
bal, quantitative and reasoning form- familiar with concepts, followed by a lot Saurabh Shrivastava works with IMS
ing the core. Some also have questions of practice to attain the attention level Learning Resources Ltd.
Overview of regional admission tests

Test Region Duration (in Total no. of Areas tested/number of Questions
minutes) Questions
MPMET Madhya Pradesh 165 200 English (90), Numerical Ability (50), Data Interpretation(20), Data Sufficiency (20),
Business Judgment (20)
ICET Andhra Pradesh 150 200 Analytical Ability (75), Mathematical Ability (75), Communication Ability (50)
GCET Gujarat 120 150 English Language Skill (40), Quant (50), Logical Reasoning (30), GK (30)
RMAT Rajasthan 150 200 Reasoning & Aptitude(40), Data Interpretation (40), Mathematical Ability (40), Eng-
lish Language proficiency (40), General Awareness(40)
TanCET Tamil Nadu 120 100 Analysis of Business Situation (20), Reading Comprehension (20), PS (20), Data
Sufficiency (20), English Usage (20)
CET Maharashtra 150 200 Quantitative ability(15), Visual reasoning (30), Logical and Analytical reasoning (50),
Reading Comprehension (15), Data Interpretation (25), Data Sufficiency (10), Verbal
reasoning and ability (55)
PGCET Karnataka 120 100 English Proficiency(25), GK (25), Logical Reasoning (25), Quant (25)
KMAT Karnataka (Mgmt Quota 120 160 Language Comprehension (40), Mathematical Skills (40), Basic Aptitude (40<),
& Private colleges) Logical Reasoning (40)

Career Review Clinical Research
Developing
the drugs of
tomorrow
This sector is emerging as an attractive option for sci-
ence graduates, doctors, management/ IT profession-
als, technical writers and paramedics
by Shalini Gupta “Clinical research thus refers to the

process, which is basically the evaluation
I
ndia’s pharmaceutical and biotech- of how effective or useful a new drug,
nology industry is booming. Drug vaccine, diagnostic test, new device or
companies such as Biocon have surgical technique, can be in humans,”
made the world stand up and take says Dr. S.C Sehgal, who is the head
notice of this sector. And according to of the clinical research department at
the recent FICCI-Ernst & Young report, Sharda University.
the Indian pharmaceutical market will Clinical trials usually involve a sizable
experience a compounded annual expenditure that is taken care of by the
growth rate of 12.3 percent, and triple sponsor, usually a governmental organi-
its worth to 20 billion dollars by 2015, sation, pharmaceutical or biotechnology
thus catapulting India into the world’s company. Often a clinical trial is man-
top 10 markets. aged by an outsourced partner such as
No wonder MNCs such as Pfizer, a contract research organisation (CRO)
Roche, Novartis and Sanofi, to name a that has a gamut of professionally quali-
few, have already established a base in fied task force to handle the trial. the industry specialists with a science or
India, having gauged the huge potential medical specialization, learnt on the job.
that the country offers. This in turn has India, a commercially viable But the situation has changed in the past
fuelled the growth of clinical research, a clinical trial destination five years with every country drafting
nascent industry estimated to be worth A few years back, clinical research cours- its own guidelines and laws for clinical
close to 100 plus crores today but with es were completely unheard of. Most of trials. Dr Josemund Menezes, Clinical
a huge potential, which in turn offers Project Leader and Medical Advisor
myriad job opportunities. with a multinational pharma and vac-
Clinical research cines company in Mumbai says, “The
What is clinical research? number of trials approved by the Drugs
When a drug is found to be effective is a nascent industry Controller General of India is on the rise,
under laboratory conditions, it cannot be estimated to be worth with India becoming a one-stop destina-
directly launched in the market. It is first tion for many disease indications, and
tested on animals, then human beings close to 100 plus crores both MNC and Indian companies eager
(healthy volunteers/patients) through today. Its huge poten- to conduct multinational multi-centric
a series of trials to find out whether it is trials here. India offers cost advantage,
safe to be administered. The sample size
tial offers myriad job as well as quicker completion of trials.”
of volunteers is increased till adequate opportunities India’s vast population no doubt offers a
information has been gathered. larger pool of volunteers.

APURVA SHAH
Co-Group Managing
Director and co-founder,
Veeda CR
V eeda CR, an Ahmedabad-based CRO,

won this year’s Frost and Sullivan Award
for the best clinical research company.
Apurva Shah talks about what it takes to
be a part of this industry.
Q. How does your company hire clinical

research professionals?
A. Earlier, we would go through regular
channels like academic institutions, phar-
maceutical colleges and placement agen-
cies. But in the last two years, because of
our reputation in the clinical research fra-
ternity, people approach us directly. Most
of our employees recommend Veeda as a
workplace to their friends.
Q. What is your view on the quality of

professionals trained by universities and
institutes in clinical research?
A. From our experience we can say that
most of the time, freshers from training
institutes are not exposed to the nitty-
gritty of a real-time clinical research envi-
ronment. We realised that they must be
exposed to different facets of the business
and client expectations, and must imbibe
the spirit of good clinical practices, which
is why we at Veeda have our own intensive
training programme to train our people
as per the international industry require-
ments. We also send groups of our people
clinical research evaluates how effective a drug, vaccine or technique can be, in humans from India to our units in the West for on-
the-job training for up to six months.
Although initially, sponsors and CROs postgraduate level to life science grad-
were driven to offshore locations due uates (biochemistry, pharmacology, Q. What should a student keep in mind
to their cost advantage, the focus has toxicology, biotechnology, microbiol- before thinking of a career in the field?
now shifted, opines Apurva Shah, Co- ogy or zoology), doctors (MBBS, BVSc, A. You must be passionate about science
Group Managing Director, Veeda CR, an BDS, BAMS, BHMS) bachelors in and believe in being a partner in the discov-
Ahmedabad-based CRO. “Earlier only Physiotherapy, pharmacists (BPharm, ery and development of drugs to preserve
preliminary work was being outsourced MPharm) and nursing graduates, since and improve the quality of human life.
to India but because of our depth in they are in a better position to under-
scientific knowledge and experience in stand the nuances of the course. Q. Tips on choosing a company...
drug development we have moved up the A. Turn the interview process around. Inter-
value chain and are now adding value to The course view the company to understand its growth
drug development by providing scien- One can opt for a full-time two-year path. Look for excellent work environment,
tific inputs and innovative drug designs,” MSc in clinical research, offered by a good team to work with, one that could
he said. many prominent universities after give you a rich research experience. A good
graduation. You can also go for diploma salary package would be yours in the years
Who is eligible? and certificate courses for further spe- to come. But if you start pursuing a salary
This subject is usually offered at a cialisation such as advanced courses in then you will soon realise it’s a mirage!

What you can earn

Dr Josemund industry is very stiff, and students must
Menezes possess decent soft skills and compu-
ter knowledge, to get an edge during
Clinical Project Leader
and Medical Advisor, the initial rounds of the interview. Very
pharma and vaccines few institutes offer guaranteed place-
MNC, Mumbai ments, and those who do, come at a
price. Therefore preparing well for your
I n some pharmaceutical companies,

CROs and SMOs, fresh pass-outs are
recruited only as trainees or on a con-
job interview, and building up a good
résumé, is a must.
Once the experience kicks in, so does
tract basis. On an average, freshers draw the remuneration. A CRA with over two
Rs.10,000 to 15,000 (or more), depend- years of experience can be promoted
ing on their qualification, capability, the to the CRA II level. The roles in career
role outlined, performance at the job development can include Senior CRA,
interview and negotiations with HR. Lead CRA and Team Leader (over a span
Based on their performance, they may of three to five years of active site moni-
be inducted into managerial positions. toring). Overall, the entry level salaries in
If the mid-year and annual reviews are this industry depend on whether the stu-
positive, a fresher can move to new roles dent is a fresher or has past experience
like Clinical Research Associate (CRA) in a hospital or any other industry such
but many companies currently do not as management, academics, nursing, to
offer CRA positions to freshers, owing to name a few. Initially, those who come
their lack of industry experience. from the latter group, tend to be offered
The competition to gain entry into the better packages.
pharmacovigilance (safety) or advanced you want to study becomes all the more Job opportunities
courses in clinical data management and important. Dr. Vijay Moza, chairman Many allied sectors offer opportunities
statistics. These courses usually cover of CREMA, a Mumbai-based institute after completing a course in clinical
the entire gamut of drug development which offers clinical research courses, research and the numbers are on the
from pre-clinical to post-marketing recommends a good faculty, and a cur- rise. “The employment of manpower is
activity, trial design, and life cycle of a riculum that delivers. The placements the highest in the R&D at biopharma-
trial, the regulations involved, ethics, is also a very important criterion. ceutical companies, which are always
good clinical practices (GCP) and an Industry interaction is very important, on the lookout for new drug candidates,”
understanding of the various services stresses Dr. Ashok Kolaskar, former says Guljit Chaudhary, Managing Direc-
offered under clinical trials. Vice Chancellor of Pune University tor of Bioinnovat Research services.
Typically, the selection procedure and professor of Bioinformatics. “We Biopharma includes companies such
for most courses is a qualifying writ- are looking at creating individuals with as Eli Lilly, GSK and Ranbaxy. CROs, as
ten examination followed by a personal skill sets. Hence we brought in experts the name suggests, offer a wide range of
interview, to gauge level of interest and with hands-on experience in the indus- “outsourced” pharmaceutical research
aptitude. However, the courses are not try,” he says, talking of the course cur- services to pharmaceutical industries
standardised, a concern that is voiced rently being managed at Goa Univer- and hence are the next big employers of
by some. Dr. Anant Bhan, a Pune- sity in collaboration with Bioinnovat clinical research professionals.
based independent researcher with a Research Services, a Delhi-based know- These include SIRO, Clinpharm,
specialisation in bioethics and public ledge resource company. Veeda CR, Clinigene as well as MNCs
health feels that we need to have a good “Students should see to it that they such as Quintiles and Kendle. You can
regulatory framework in place. Though get practical exposure, go to the sites also work in government laboratories
the mechanism is in place for the drug (usually a hospital or a research organi- or non-profit organizations, working
approval process. zation) where the trial is conducted. In towards development of new vaccines,
other words, industrial training is very drugs, etc. Trial management organisa-
Choosing an institute important,” says Pooja Puri, who passed tions are yet another option. These offer
With several institutes offering clinical out from a prominent clinical research a range of services to CROs, pharma and
research courses, zeroing in on where institute this year. biotech companies and even sites.

“Clinical research
requires hard work and
focus. There are
no shortcuts to
success. Ethics are
crucial as you are con-
tributing towards the
life or death of a
patient”
Dr. Saurendra Das
Country Head, Excel Life Sciences
india’s drug development expertise has helped it move up the value chain in clinical research outsourcing SAS programmer: This involves
creating analysis datasets, tables, fig-
Job profiles they can also take up the role of Manag- ures, listings and ensuring accuracy of
A fresh graduate from a clinical research er - Clinical Research at a hospital trial project or study-level output. A degree
course can join as a Clinical Project centre to coordinate five to ten trials for in statistics would be helpful for the
Assistant/in-house CRA (clinical the entire hospital. position as SAS programmer.
research associate) in a pharma compa- Clinical Data Manager: This Regulatory department
ny or CRO/Site Management Organi- role mostly involves looking after the personnel: This involves compiling
sation. A CRA typically ensures com- data gathered at the investigator site, in different documents that are sent to the
pliance with the clinical trial protocol, this case, report form. It may not require drugs controller’s office for approval. It
checks clinical site activities, makes on- interaction with patients or doctors, and involves liaising with regulatory author-
site visits, reviews Case Report Forms involves data entry and data validation ities with respect to approval applica-
(CRFs) and communicates with clinical the way the client (CRO, pharma, bio- tions and other types of license/permit
research investigators. A CRA does not tech company) requires it. He or she requests, handling in-house regulatory
work on the site, itself, but monitors a mostly collaborates with various depart- documentation and playing an advisory
clinical trial. ments on the design, documentation, role to provide country-specific regula-
Clinical Research Coordi- testing and implementation of clinical tions for clients outside India.
nators: Coordinators carry out trials data studies and develops systems for Pharmacovigilance dept.
at hospital sites using good clinical prac- organising data to analyse, identify, and in pharma companies: This
tice (GCP), under the supervision of a report trends. involves monitoring, researching,
Principal investigator (PI), along with Protocol Development: A assessing and evaluating information
CRAs. Their duties include recruiting, set of protocols for conducting trials are from health care providers and patients
studying the site, enrolling participants set up after discussing it with the spon- on the adverse effects of medications,
for trial, follow-ups, maintaining and sors. It is more knowledge-driven and biological products etc. Several central
dispensing drugs, performing experi- requires an understanding of medical research labs for laboratory sampling
ments, testing accuracy and creating terms. MBBS graduates can look at pro- and diagnostics have Clinical Trial Sup-
the reports etc. As they gain experience, tocol writing and safety management. plies Management teams that provide

Indian institutes and courses in the sector

Institute Course Duration Web site
PG in Clinical Research and Clinical Data Management 6 months
Goa university Advanced Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Data Management with hands 8 months www.clinicalresearchgoa.org
on training on ORACLE Clinical, ORACLE TMS & SAS Software
PG Diploma in Advanced Clinical Research 1 year
MSc Clinical Research 1 year and
ICRI 2 years www.icriindia.com
PG Diplomas in Clinical Research, Clinical Trial Management, —
Pharmacovigilance, regulatory affairs and others (part-time)
Bioinformatics Centre, PG Certificate Course in Clinical Research and Clinical Data 6 months www.clinicpune.org/
University of Pune Management (CRCDM) (weekend
course)
Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi MSc in Clinical Research 2 years www.jamiahamdard.edu
Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Trials Management (PGDCTM) 1 year

Sharda University www.sharda.ac.in
MSc Clinical Research 2 years
Chettinad University MSc Clinical Research and Experimental Medicine 2 years www.chettinaduniversity.com
Bilcare Research Academy PG Diploma in Clinical Research 10 months www.bilcareacademy.com
Advanced PG Diploma in Clinical Research Management 1 year full-

(APGDCRM) time
CREMA www.cremaindia.org
PG Diploma in Clinical Research & Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Data Man- 1 year
agement, Pharmacovigilance, Drug Development (Only for MBBS doctors) part-time
PG Diploma in Clinical Trials Management 1 year
Cliniminds www.cliniminds.com
Integrated PG Diploma in Clinical Research & Pharmacovigilance 6 months
storage and shipment of drugs at desired Class XII. “Passion is what will make
temperature. you grow in this field. It gives me a
Technical writer: This pro- great high and an even greater sense of
fessional is responsible for writing and responsibility to know that I am contrib-
editing standard operating procedures, uting in a small way to the approval of a
clinical study protocols, laboratory pro- drug that could offer better treatment to
cedure manuals, and other related docu- future generations,” he says.
ments in the field. A degree in clinical research is impor-
Most MNCs conduct internal training tant but employers look for something
programmes to help their employees more. “We want people who are passion-
match international industry require- ate about clinical research and have the
ments. As part of the two to three-month Indian Contract Research Firms same Veeda DNA i.e. honesty, integrity,
training, employees are oriented in excellence and innovation,” said Shah.
standard operating procedures, the vari- Neeman medical International Clinical research is a part of the serv-
ous departments within the organisa- http://www.neeman-medical.com ice industry, wherein an individual
tion, as well as educated in the practical Vimta Labs has to deal with patients (with little or
aspects of clinical research. http://www.vimta.com no technical knowledge) and doctors.
Suven Life Sciences Ltd. It requires patience to accommodate
What it takes to get a foothold http://www.suven.com both points of view and be flexible.
Saurabh Sharma, a chemistry graduate Dr. Lalpathlabs “You need to have the right attitude,”
from Delhi University has an MSc-cum- http://www.lalpathlabs.com says Dr Saurendra Das, Country Head
MBA in clinical research, and started Lambda and Director of Operations, Excel Life
out as a trainee clinical research coor- http://www.lambda-cro.com Sciences.
dinator at a clinical trial management SRL Ranbaxy And, as Gracy Milan, Program Officer,
organisation based in Noida. Today, he http://www.srlranbaxy.com IAVI in Delhi says, follow good clinical
works as an Assistant Business Develop- Wellquest practices stringently, but do show some
ment Manager after he was promoted. http://www.nicholphpiramal.com empathy towards volunteers. After all
And he did not even study biology in you are dealing with life.

Teachers’ Talk jobs in eye care
“India needs 75,000 ophthalmic

technicians”
W
hile we have enough ophthalmolo- already learnt. This necessitates the develop-
gists (estimated at about 15,000 ment of the cadre of ophthalmic technicians,
and a training capacity that gradu- as a separate career track.
ates 1,000 new ophthalmologists Currently there are such people working
a year), the situation pertaining to all other in eye hospitals or eye clinics, under an
cadres of eye care personnel is extremely ophthalmologist. They are all trained on the
bleak. I would like to focus especially on those job. As a result they possess varying levels of
who work in a hospital under the supervision skills and knowledge, and their utilisation is
of an ophthalmologist. In a way, they enhance also varied.
the overall efficiency of the system and the This very situation existed in the US, some
quality of eye care provided. They are referred decades back. To address this enormous prob- R D Thulasiraj
to as ‘Ophthalmic Technicians’. lem, various eye care associations in the US Executive Director,
For an ideal performance, an ophthalmolo- came together, to promote an independent Lions Aravind Institute of
gist needs five ophthalmic technicians. Thus, body. The organisation known as the Joint Community Ophthalmology
India would need anywhere between 75,000 Commission for Allied Health Personnel in Aravind Eye Care System,
Madurai
to 100,000 such personnel. Today, very few Opthalmology (JACAPO), took on the role of
structured training programmes exist in the defining a common curriculum and conduct-
country. Even less have any sort of accredita- ing examinations to certify qualifying candi-
tion and there is no national accrediting body dates in the US.
for this entire workforce. While neighbouring countries such as
In general medicine nurses carry out rou- Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and even a tiny
tine diagnostic and clinical tasks. So doctors country like Bhutan, have accredited training
can focus on more important aspects. Such programmes for this cadre, for some reasons
nurses with general training are not useful this has not happened in India despite several
in an eye care setting since most techniques attempts over the last two decades.
employed, such as refraction, measuring But recently, various organisations involved
intraocular pressure, assessing the field of in eye care came together, and asserted the
vision or performing ultrasound biometry are urgent need to have a common curriculum
not taught to them. Also, most nursing skills and certification process, so that this cadre of
are not relevant in an eye care setting. personnel -- who in many ways are the back-
Moreover, when there is a shortage of nurses
in India, it doesn’t make sense to take well-
bone of eye care -- can evolve into a formal,
well-trained and effective workforce.
Today, very
trained nurses and train them in completely Several eye hospitals that are currently few structured
new skill sets, while discarding what they have engaged in such training have formed a net-
work. This network, which is in the process of training pro-
taking form, will initially focus on establishing
the standards and guidance for accreditation,
grammes exist in
agree upon a common curriculum and lay the country. Even
down the assessment and certification proc-
ess for the students undergoing the training. less have any sort
The network will also produce and dissemi-
nate teaching materials so that standard of
of accreditation
training is enhanced. and there is
This initiative would contribute towards
developing a new cadre of formally certified no national
eye care personnel. This would also open up
career opportunities for them in a big way. accrediting body
And it would be further strengthened when for this entire
opthalmic technicians are the backbone of eye care the government comes forward and recog-
and can evolve into an effective workforce nises the training. workforce

Guru Gyan narendra jadhav
What’s wrong with

Indian education?
Photographs: Arijit Sen
With a dynamic leadership and a reform agenda, Narendra Jadhav, the erstwhile Vice Chancellor of Pune University, ushered
in radical changes at the institution during his three-year stint, which ended in June 2009. Growing up in a shanty neighbour-
hood, his ambition was to become a gangster, which later changed to peon for want of a steady income. Jadhav turned childhood
adversities into opportunities, and the road to self-discovery made an illustrious economist out of him. A teacher by passion, he
was appointed as a member of the Planning Commission in June, with education as work portfolio. He shares with Urmila Rao,
his accomplishments at Pune University and his action plan for the education sector, in his new role.
Q: After three years of an extraor- well as literacy programmes. In addi- Q: The radical changes you made at
dinary stint at Pune University, now tion, I have employment and capacity Pune University in three years?
you are now in charge of education creation, sports and youth affairs, art and A: I closed down my MBA programme
planning in the Planning Commis- culture. This is the job of giving a human and replaced it with MBA++. Of the two
sion. What areas are you looking at? face to reforms. More specifically, higher years of this programme, the first year
A: My work portfolio comprises pri- education is what I would be involved in; followed the standard MBA programme.
mary education, secondary, and higher however, the work is not confined to just For the second year, I made two lists,
education. I would also be looking at that. I would like to implement all simi- functional and sectoral and tied up with
technical and vocational education as lar successful experiments, here. emerging industries in Pune. It became

mandatory for second year students to speak English, we are at par. Q: It seems our policies are not
take one subject from the functional and In order to achieve social connectivity, designed keeping students’ interest
sectoral list, each. Thirty combinations I started a few programmes, centered in mind?
are made available to students. Besides, on students and their connectivity with A: Reform is not an event. It is a proc-
Pune University also introduced a spe- society. One was an education guaran- ess. When we take a mid-course criti-
cial PhD programme exclusively for tee scheme, where every student must cal evaluation of schemes, we will drop,
senior citizens. When I announced this, be given a job for at least three hours a modify and add some schemes. The
within a month we received more than day at Rs. 20 per hour on demand. In modalities are being worked out. You
5,000 applications. My first student was Samarth Bharat Abhiyan programme, can’t close everything down and start
91 years old! students were required to work in vil- everything else new. You have to seam-
lages, in the areas of primary education, lessly integrate and implement the
Q: Universities don’t focus on peri- environment, plantation and sanita- schemes. I don’t agree that policies are
odic revision of the course content. tion. not framed keeping students in mind.
What is your take on that? What I did at Pune University was in
A: Syllabus revision is a very nebulous students’ interest.
area. Colleges tinker with the syllabus
in the name of revision but for me that is Q: Should institutes that claim exag-
making a mockery of the syllabus. Revi-
sion means a complete overhaul of the
“China produces five gerated job placement figures be
brought to book?
course involving the relevant industry. times more research A: State and central universities don’t
For instance, revising chemistry sylla-
bus means taking in people who are at
than us. We com- make such claims. Some of the deemed
universities and unrecognised ones do.
the cutting edge of research in the indus- placently feel at It is a serious legal issue and a crime.
try. That is real revision.
par since a large In terms of fixing the responsibility,
people are equally responsible if they
Q: The shortage of quality faculty is number of are not verifying what adverts say and
another challenge in our education
system. Your comments...
students speak end up with a wrong university. And in
a democratic set-up, you can’t control
A: Around 50% of the teachers don’t have English” everything. In democracy you can’t stop
the foggiest idea of the recent advances in people from giving adverts. People have
their subject. Besides, there is a complete to do their own verification as well.
disconnect between society and higher There are tricksters coming to your
education. They are not growing in tan- doorstep saying that they will double
dem, in a mutually reinforcing manner. your gold possessions. Is the govern-
The best symptom of this malady is that ment responsible for that? Transpar-
students passing out from the best IT ency is a must. But it is also the respon-
or finance colleges need 8-10 months sibility of every parent and every student
of training before becoming useful for to verify the claim.
the company. Virtual classrooms can be
set up for teachers’ training. For each Q: What bothers you most in the cur-
subject, a global expert could be roped rent education system?
in to have an interactive session with A: In the Indian university system, com-
the teachers. This would indeed be a munication skills are not taught. Stu-
quantum leap. dents from rural areas don’t know what
kind of dress to wear to an interview,
Q: What reforms can colleges/uni- how to enter, when to sit down. They
versities adopt to provide students a don’t know that you need to look into the
certain level of quality education? Q: Do you favour self-regulation of eyes of the interviewer while speaking.
A: Higher education can be seen in three academic institutions? These basic aspects have to be taught.
aspects: in teaching-learning environ- A: I am entirely in favour of autono- A student coming from Delhi
ment, in research and in social connec- my but it has to go hand in hand with or Mumbai is able to face the inter-
tivity. Until the early ’80s, the research accountability and accountability with view not necessarily because he is
in Indian universities was broadly com- transparency. This is a package deal. intelligent but because he has great-
parable to the research coming out of We are right now undergoing a major er finesse and greater exposure.
the Chinese universities. Today, they are overhaul in the higher education system. A rural fellow may not have great expres-
producing five times more research than The modalities are not spelt out. We are sion to show in a 10-minute interview,
us. But we have a complacent feeling looking at a complete change in regula- but if you give him enough time, you will
that since a large number of students tory reform which is long overdue. discover his depth.

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Cracking CAT/Verbal Ability & Reasoning
Last-minute preparation tips

These focused strategies could help you up your verbal score. Practise daily and
gather momentum as the D-day approaches
by Sangeetha Sashidharan
C
ommon Admission Test 2009
is approaching fast! This year it
will be conducted from Novem-
ber 28 (Saturday) to December
7 (Monday). With less than a month to
go, it is now time for a reality check on
your preparation level. Have you been
reading and working on your grammar,
vocabulary and sentence structure?
Will you be able to find an assumption
hidden in the author’s idea? How do you
know what is implied in the passage?
Can you logically complete a paragraph
in the given time?
Do you know the difference between
words that sound similar? And do they
make sense in a sentence? Also, now that
CAT is a computer-based test (CBT),
will you get less or more time to answer
questions? How do you address these
problems? Here are some suggestions to
help you up your verbal score.
Reading Comprehension (RC) How to prepare Why?

Last year, 20 of 40 Qs were based on RC. Read editorials daily Exposes you to various writing styles
Before that, it was 12 of 25 and in 2006
Summarise in your own words…as if you are Helps you answer the following:
it was a whopping 15 of 25 Qs. This pat- explaining it to your kid brother! - What is the main idea?
tern indicates that you cannot afford to - Why has the author mentioned xyz?
skip RC questions.
It also helps you structure questions
Remember, RC is like data interpreta-
tion. And it is the only section, where the Make a mental note of what you think of the Helps you answer the following:
author you are currently reading - What according to the author…
answers are right in front of you. So, you - The tone of the passage
must learn how to find them. Practise - This text has been most likely extracted from…
these strategies daily. Take note of unfamiliar words and phrases, and Helps you answer the following:
look them up later - The term xyz in the first paragraph means…
During the test - The word xyz can best be replaced by…
Here are some quick tips to help you Also helps to improve your word usage score
absorb information, faster and more
precisely.
●● Make sure you read the RC, as you This way, you may be able to answer ●● Why has the author written this pas-
would, say, a magazine article. all questions without reading the passage?
●● You should also try to mentally sum- sage again. ●● How has the author structured his/
marise what the author wants to say in When you are through with reading, her thoughts?
each paragraph. you must be in a position to answer the ●● How can you convey in two sentenc-
●● Make it a point to link the ideas in following Qs without referring to the es, the core idea and impact of each
each section to those in the previous passage: paragraph?
paragraphs. ●● What is the author trying to convey? ●● What is the mood of the author?

Vocabulary and word usage How to prepare Why?
For the past two years, word usage ques-
Underline five words in a newspaper and look CAT lays more emphasis on whether you know how to
tions were based on words that sounds them up, daily use a word
similar, context appropriateness, awk-
Form sentences once you’re confident of their You rarely find direct antonym or synonym questions
ward usage and incorrect phrases. usage
Remember, these are tricky questions
Go through a list of words that sounds similar Look at the last few years’ papers
and the options are bound to con- (with meanings and usage)
fuse you unless you know all words.
The bad news is that there is no easy Eg: Dissemble and disassemble
way around these questions except in Compete with a friend. Quiz each other on It is one of the best ways to learn a word list
the fill-in-the-blanks section where you words from word lists, newspapers and CAT Qs
can work with the logic of the sentence. Read up on phrasal verbs and idiomatic usage Unless you know a phrase, it’s difficult to answer these
Questions based on idioms and phrases Qs. The idiom or phrase by itself may make no sense.
Eg: Catch forty winks (meaning taking a short nap)
are likely to appear.
How to prepare Why? Grammar

Usually, grammar questions in CAT are
Practise from a grammar exercise book You may only cover what you’re unsure of
presented in these formats: Choose the
While practising, explain why the other options You learn to identify common errors and increase your incorrect sentence, choose that part of
are wrong rather than justify why one is right ability to spot errors, in the options
the sentence, which is incorrect or the
Familiarise yourself with a list of common Since sentence structure is based on a set of rules, so GMAT style sentence correction where
errors such as subject-verb agreement, modi- are the errors. There’s a readily available list of com-
fiers, parallel structure and pronoun errors mon sentence errors, making it easy to cover them a part of the sentence is underlined and
before CAT 2009 you have to choose the right option.
They could include word usage as well.
Reasoning How to prepare Why?

For sometime now, students have been expect-
Tackle each question format separately Reasoning questions are based on inductive
ing GMAT—style Critical Reasoning questions. and deductive reasoning
However, as a rule, the CAT never falls for pre-
dictions. Jumbled sentences have always been a Practising them separately will help you
score better
favourite. Fact and Inference Judgment questions
popped up in a difficult avatar, a few years ago. Read up on the following: argument This will help you answer logical reason-
errors, cause-effect relationship, faulty ing Qs
Syllogisms, once popular, are pretty easy to solve analogy, strength of evidence
and you will be lucky if they appear in CAT 2009.
Practise from CAT question papers and Once you are familiar with the question for-
The section ‘Complete the idea or paragraph’ tests similar tests mats, then like most students, you will find
your ability to understand the flow of logic. Heed these reasoning questions, easy
tips to improve your reasoning score.
The new format able when you understand how the RC (Sangeetha Sashidharan is an independ-
Log on to the CAT web site (www.catiim. passages appear. As the format of CAT ent education consultant, with 12 years
in), and take a tutorial for the computer- has changed you should practise reading of experience in the field of training for
based test format. During the test, you can passages on a computer screen. Now, various entrance examinations such
mark questions that you wish to answer a test your reading speed vis-à-vis a hard- as CAT, GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS
little later. You will be more comfort- copy test. Good luck! and SAT.)
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Cover Story social sector
Environment Disaster Working Community and Health Care

and Energy Management for the Elderly Society Development and Wellbeing
Industrial waste, Societal crisis, Hospice and palliative care Society development, Public health
toxic elements intervention empowerment
Geriatrics Mental health and related
Clean environment, Natural calamities Rural and urban development, issues
Family counselling
preserving nature planning
Emergency management Camp coordination
Old age homes
Energy conservation Shelter providing, street
Relief and rehabilitation Improving hospital and nursing
Special education needs denizens
Forests, related centres
development Adult literacy
Accidents and trauma
Refugees and resettlement,
Drug abuse /de-addiction units
slum development
Population, poverty and related
issues
Hygiene and sanitation
Work that is
more than just
a career
Development is suddenly glamourous. Read on to find out what
has changed and what hasn’t, plus a rundown on corporate jobs
aiding this phenomenon

Child Welfare, Women Welfare Conservation Microfinance, Allied and
Schooling and Empowerment and Heritage Asset Building Supporting Sectors
Adoption and fostering Women’s empowerment Art and culture Investments United Nations, World Bank
identified issues and policies
Child welfare and Rights Maternity and related issues Monuments Relationship Building
Advocacy
Education Early marriage, dowry Tribes and indigenous people Project Assessment
Teaching, research and policy
Sexual and drug abuse Sexual exploitation Traditional knowledge Default Resolution
Public relations and media
Counselling, including Domestic violence Capacity Building
addressing dilemmas Expertise, consultancy
Loan Management
Special education needs Fund raising guidance and
counselling
Day care
F
or Lalitha A.S. Nayak, her work is never a by thousands of one-man armies, who work on
job, it is a part of her lifestyle. Working on shoe string budgets under extreme duress, it also
women’s issues for the last 30 years, Lalitha has space for young graduates with professional
is also very clear that it is finally someone qualifications. Dileep Ranjekar, CEO, Azim Premji
else’s suffering that she attempts to mitigate, a view Foundation acknowledges, “ The work in the social
strongly endorsed by Leena Dewan who works with sector is no less intense than working in a highly-
street children. Welcome to the new world of the driven, result-oriented corporate organisation.”
development sector. From sanitation to eco-living, from preserv-
A loaded term, this ‘development’! If the men- ing Kargattam (a Tamil art form) to fund rais-
tion of the word, still conjures up the image of a ing, this sector has jobs for everyone. The sec-
stern looking jholawala, always frustrated about tor attracts two kinds of people. Some like Mor,
anything and everything, and living on peanuts, have given up high flying corporate careers
you are both right and wrong, but more wrong than with an avowed motive to make a difference, a
right. This sector is currently populated by some view brilliantly articulated also by Bill Gates
of the best minds. So much so that Nachiket Mor, (read more on Page 76). But as Ranjeker asserts, the
the Prince-in-Waiting at the ICICI Group, who sector also needs committed professionals who see
was tipped to be the next CEO, chucked it all, and it as a viable career option and are in it to make a liv-
in his own words, wants to bring the power of the ing, as they satiate their conscience. As Meenakshi
market to benefit people. Today, Mor heads the Madhvani, Founder, Spatial Access Solutions says,
ICICI Foundation, and is busy bringing manage- both have their own place and relevance.
ment philosophies to bear on issues as diverse as The sector is vast, and the problems they encoun-
rural electrification to water distribution. “These ter are mindboggling. So, we have put together a
people are rural managers,” concurs Fr. PT Joseph, dossier of 10 such domains where you could earn a
Director, XIMB. decent living even while making a difference.
The sector is witnessing a substantial change, at Go just do it! Others would benefit much more
least, in pockets. While at its core, it is still driven because of what you do.

Environment and Energy
WORKING FOR A CLEAN,

GREEN WORLD
The private and public sector, and NGOs offer ample job
opportunities in this internationally relevant sector
Urmila Rao Be eligible: A Master’s degree requires
I
a BSc or equivalent degree in natural
f issues like global warming, defor- sciences, chemistry, environmental
estation and fuel wastage make your science, agriculture, geography, envi-
blood boil, why not consider a career ronmental economics or engineering.
in the field of environmental studies? Work experience is preferred by some
Not only will you do your bit for Mother institutes when you opt for an MSc in
Earth but chart out a career in an area environmental science.
that you are passionate about, also. Job prospects: There are job oppor-
Know your domain: Environmental tunities in private and public sector
sciences initially dealt with scientific companies, as well as in NGOs. “They
issues such as water pollution, toxicity, exist across industries,” says Dr. Rajiv
mineral properties etc. But as industri- Seth, Registrar, TERI University, which
alisation began to impact human life by offers postgraduate programmes. “Our
way of climate change, instant floods students have been placed at ACC,
and desertification, the discipline began Coca Cola, Ernst and Young and Suzlon
to embrace economic and social issues among others,” he says. A qualified stu-
as well. So two pathways are possible dent can have a career in areas such as
in this sector. One is to specialise in research and development, engineering,
the science of environment and attempt business management, education and
to identify solutions to problems. The training, environmental activism and
other is to look at the issue holistically tourism, among others. One can also Wind energy is one of cleanest sources of energy
and work for changes in a wider eco- become an ecologist, who studies and and a viable option for a country like India
nomic or social realm. In both cases, a understands the environment, or else a
certain understanding of both sides is soil and water conservationist working
necessary, though the level of expertise on crop rotation, reforestation among Organisations
might vary depending on the choice of other areas, on recycling, fish and wild
Applied Environmental Research
one’s area of specialisation. life or as an environmental scientist. An Foundation
Integrated Research and Action
SELECT COURSES IN ENVIRONMENT for Development (IRADe)
Institute Course Eligibility Course fee (Rs) The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
National Institute of PGD in Industrial Safety First Class Engineering 2.27 lakhs Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
Industrial Engineering, & Environmental Graduates, CAT, GD/PI (including hostel
Mumbai Management (1-year) accommodation)
Indian Institute of Social MPSM (Environment Engineering/Science 1,41 lakhs
Welfare & Business Management), Calcutta Graduates added qualification in architecture or
Management, Kolkata University (2-year) urban planning can also open up a fruit-
Bharathidasan MBA in Environmental Science/Commerce 35,000 (excluding ful career in these two areas, especially
University Management (2-year) graduates hostel charges) when the trend these days leans towards
The Energy and MSc in Environmental Bachelor in Engineer- 1.60 lakhs for ‘green’ buildings.
Resources Institute Studies (2-year) ing/Science/Geography two years Where to study: The Indian Institute
(TERI), New Delhi and Economics
of Social Welfare & Business Manage-
TERI, New Delhi Msc in Natural Resource same as above same as above ment, Kolkata, offers courses in environ-
Management (2-year)
ment management, energy management
TERI, New Delhi MSc in Water Resource same as above same as above and transportation and logistics man-
Management (2-year)
agement, TERI University conducts a

disaster management
THINK CRITICALLY,
Manpreet Singh, 26
Senior Consultant (Climate Change
ACT CREATIVELY
and Sustainability), Ernst & Young
T his science graduate

first became environ-
mentally-conscious, during
his graduation days. This
awareness evolved into a
keen interest in making
As more tsunamis rock the world, Mother Earth needs
the earth a better, cleaner trained professionals to save the day
place. After graduating
from the Sri Venkateswara
College in Delhi, Manpreet enrolled for an MSc
in Environmental Studies programme at the Urmila Rao needs a bachelor’s degree in any dis-
D
TERI University in Delhi. cipline, and correspondence certificate
“This is an interdisciplinary course, which is isaster management is a strat- courses need Class 12. Working profes-
conducted in four semesters. The last semes-
ter is the dissertation,” he says. The course egy to avoid, reduce, manage and sionals are eligible for short and long-
curriculum comprises topics such as air, water overcome any type of catastroph- term courses. An MBA requires at least
pollution, environmental law, biodiversity con- ic event that threatens human lives. It is a year of work experience.
servation and sustainability, among others.
Manpreet passed out in the year 2005 and
done by identifying potential disasters, Job prospects: There are employment
interned at Synergy Global, an offshoot of man-made or natural, and by creating opportunities in government and non-
Suzlon Limited. As an officer of Clean Devel- contingency plans and procedures to be government organisations, as well as
opment Mechanics (CMD), Manpreet worked
on renewable energy. After a one-year stint,
initiated when and if disaster erupts. consultancy companies. You can also
he moved on to join global consultancy firm, Know your domain: A Master’s course consider a career in research, training
Ernst & Young, as a senior consultant in climate in disaster management offers a mix of and teaching. For instance, you could
change and sustainability.
“There’s immense scope for a career in envi-
thematic and issue-based courses that work in institutions such as Delhi Disas-
ronment, as there is a lot of research being con- deal with aspects such as relationships ter Management Authority, State Insti-
ducted in this emerging area,” he says. “Every between environment, livelihood and tute of Disaster Management, Urban
industry now has a department that deals with
environmental compliances, policies and other
disasters. They also include the skills Disaster Risk Reduction Research Cen-
environment related matters,” he adds. essential for intervention in disasters, as tre, JTCDM, SVARAJ in Doddabal-
With respect to what it takes to make a well as their prevention. The programme lapur, Kerala and international NGOs
career, Manpreet feels that one should be inter- builds up a multi-disciplinary knowl-
ested in this area. “Skill sets can be developed,
accordingly. And having a science background, edge base. Students develop expertise in
helps,” he advises. areas such as logistics and supply chain Organisations
management, public health, information
Coastal Area Disaster
and communication and peace, which Mitigation Efforts (CADME)
Master’s programme in four disciplines, are useful in the long run.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
the National Institute of Industrial Be eligible: The Master’s programme
Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai offers Adventist Development and Relief Agency
(ADRA)
a PG Diploma in Industrial Safety & WHEN DISASTER strikes technology and prepared-
Environmental Management. ness both come in handy
Entry level salaries: Graduates could Jitender Gupta/Outlook Group
earn anywhere between Rs. 8,000-

12000 at domestic NGOs such as Toxic
Links, approxiately Rs. 15,000- 25,000
at an international organisation like
WaterAid, and up to Rs. 75,000, if you
are lucky enough to work for an inter-
national funding organisation such as
CIDA or IDRC. The entry level salaries
in private companies are usually better.
“The average salary is Rs 9.60 lakhs
per annum,” says Professor Ashok K
Pundir, Associate Dean (Placement) at
the NITIE, Mumbai, Typically, post-
graduates from NITIE would move into
mitigation jobs in the environmental
sector, where the objective is to reduce
and manage environmental pollution.

Select courses in Disaster Management working for the elderly
The Wise
Institute Course Eligibility Course fee (Rs)
Jamsetji Tata Centre for MA/M.Sc in Disaster Bachelor’s degree in 2.33 lakhs (including
Disaster Management, Management any discipline hostel fees)
TISS, Mumbai
Guru Gobind Singh MBA in Disaster Graduates, students 1.6 lakhs
Indraprastha University Management with Master’s degree
(GGSIPU) and work experience
are preferred
like the Red Cross. Large industrial course. Guru Gobind Singh Indrapras-
establishments also maintain disaster tha University, Delhi offers an MBA in
management cells. Disaster Management. Training is also
Where to study: “The National Insti- imparted by The Disaster Management
tute of Disaster Management (NIDM) Institute, Madhya Pradesh, All India
provides short-term courses rang- Disaster Management Institute and
ing from one to five days. These pro- Gujarat Institute of Disaster Manage-
grammes are mainly meant for government, among others
ment officials at mid and senior levels,” Entry level salaries: They range from
says Colonel Prabod Pathak of NIDM. Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 1 lakh depending on
“We have web-based e-learning courses the sector and job profile. Delhi Disaster
of four and six weeks, in collaboration Management Authority, a public sector
with The World Bank, Washington,” enterprise, for instance, offers a junior
he adds. The Jamsetji Tata Centre for executive assistant a consolidated salary
Disaster Management offers a Master’s of Rs. 20,000.
Caring for senior citizens

Professor Janki Andharia
PhD, Jamsetji Tata Centre for Disaster Management, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai may be your calling
I n the last 10 years, disas-

ters have affected approxi-
ment, assessment of losses/needs, psycho-social
intervention, training and capacity-building, Bharti M Borah
B
mately 3 billion people, killing demonstration of participatory processes, advo-
750,000. Data collected by cacy, policy formulation, mobilisation of human edtime stories, stolen memories,
the Centre for Research on resources, popularising appropriate technology,
the Epidemiology of Disaster NGO coordination, publications and documenta- forbidden treats and the occa-
(CRED), Belgium, indicated tion, and peace initiatives in the context of com- sional toys, the thrill of a doting
that the casualty rate and munal tensions. grandparent is something most of us
losses incurred due to disas- In our analysis, disaster response in India has
ters, has increased phenomenally. So also the rise been constrained by several factors ranging from have experienced. But as jobs become
in the number of disasters, thus demanding quali- weak government policies to fragmented disas- geographically mobile, living with
fied professionals to tackle them. ter management strategies. Having contributed grandparents has become a luxury, and
Organisations and agencies involved in disaster systematically to disaster response in India, our
management find it necessary to recruit profes- experience suggested the need to develop quali- devoid of family support, old age could
sionals with specific skills and knowledge. Further, fied, skilled and committed professionals in the be very painful. The population of citi-
scholars and researchers across the world are field of disaster management -- people who could zens above the age of 60 is expected
increasingly involved in conceptual work, evalu- think critically and also act creatively.
ation studies and in the prediction of disasters. The course is multidisciplinary and is meant to reach 137 million by 2021. and pro-
Technologies are being evolved or reassessed for for mid-career professionals who are keen on viding them with a life of comfort is a
their implications for disasters and their effective acquiring advanced and systematic knowledge of huge challenge. For those with a little
management. But disaster management is yet dealing with disasters. People from diverse back-
to be recognised as a specialised field by Indian grounds are encouraged to apply – relief workers, empathy and loads of skills, geriatrics
universities, although it seems to be emerging engineers, people from armed forces, social sci- or the study and care of aging persons,
globally as a full-fledged academic discipline. entists, medical and para-medical professionals, is a tremendous opportunity to do good
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), has environmentalists and so on. Besides possessing
a tradition of responding to a disasters in India, an ability to rough it out in difficult circumstances
work and be blessed for it.
and TISS’ interventions date back to 1947, when the course requires intellectual acumen, an abil- Know your domain: The scope in this
the institute sent a student-faculty team to Kuruk- ity to engage in reflective dialogue, a commitment area is large as it permeates various sec-
shetra (in Haryana) to work with Pakistani refu- to hard work, sensitivity to people, especially the
gees. Since then, the institute has responded to poor and the vulnerable and good command over
tors such as health, legal services and
floods, riots, cyclones, earthquakes and industrial English language. training, to name a few. Also, one needs
disasters, including the tsunamis of December The interest in pursuing Disaster Management to have an overall understanding of vari-
2004, Mumbai floods of July 2005, the Kashmir seems to be increasing. Even in TISS for the year
earthquake of 2006 and the Mumbai terror attack 2009-2010, for a total of 32 seats 600 candidates
ous areas that influence the quality of
of 2008. appeared for the written tests conducted at the all life for senior citizens.
Core intervention areas include relief manage- India level. Typically, you need to develop spe-
cific skills according to the area of your

and experienced
Dr Prashant Shinde
Swasthya Darpan, Ahmednagar
A doctor by profession,
Shinde works with sen-
ior citizens in the Mahar-
Outlook Group
ashtra hinterland. And he
Organisations refuses to refer to them as
‘aged’ or ‘old’. Instead he
HelpAge India prefers the Marathi word
‘jesht’, which translates to
Alzheimer’s society of India (ARDSI) ‘elder.’ Urged by his wife,
International Network for prevention of also a doctor by profession, Shinde has been
eleder abuse (INPEA) actively visiting rural parts of Maharashtra to
work closely with the ‘jesht’ population.
Anugraha India He completed a six-month course on geriat-
ric care from Symbiosis Nursing College and
Family Health International International Longitivity Centre (ILC) in Pune,
CARE Foundation last year, to strengthen his understanding of
the elderly.
Having spent many years in the field, he
launched Swasthya Darpan, a magazine, to
address issues relating to senior citizens.
has actively been providing opportuni- According to Shinde, the government does
ties in this field all over India, taking care not allot funds to this set of citizens, and he
dreams about creating spaces where the eld-
of all expenditure of selected candidates erly can meet, talk and play a game of carrom.
and offering a stipend on completion of As a principle, he is against the concept of old
the course. But the number of students age homes, and aspires to set up recreation
centres all over Maharashtra. He also wants to
who take up such programmes is still educate villagers about the specific needs of
senior citizens need a helping hand, especially very less. “Students still don’t see it as a senior citizens.
in health care and in protecting their rights viable career option, “ says Dr Haripriya,
Resident Diriector, MIDSR.
choice, and you will face some challeng- Entry level salaries: Since 1993,
es on the job. Patience is an important the Alzheimer’s and Related Disor- Career Avenues in
virtue, and don’t take statements made ders Society of India (ARDSI), has Geriatrics
by your clients, personally. been managing the School of Geriat- Health care – Physicians, pharmacists, psy-
Be eligible: You must have a Master’s ric Care in Kochi. Course Coordinator chiatrists, psychologists, social workers and
therapists
degree to specialise in geriatrics (refer Babu Varghese shares that the need for
to listing for more options). trained professionals is increasing. You Mental health – Geropsychiatrists, nurses,
Job prospects: You could work at a can earn anything between Rs. 4,000 social workers, mental health therapists, other
specialists
home for senior citizens. An NGO such to Rs. 25,000, per month depending
as HelpageIndia, which works towards on whether you work for a national or Leisure and recreation – Recreation special-
protecting the rights of India’s elderly, is international NGO. ists and exercise therapists
another avenue. The opportunities are The city and state you work in, also Education – Educators in local schools, col-
growing especially in the health sector, influence your package. A metro offers leges and universities need to be trained on
even for those who may not have a medi- more job opportunities, though a large handling the aged and acquire skills to interact
with this group.
cal or nursing background. population of senior citizens do live
Where to study: The courses available in rural areas. Usually, administration Research and communication – Related
are still small in number. The National skills are essential. And above all keep to biological, psychological and sociological
aspects of ageing, research needs to be com-
Institute of Social Development (NISD) that smile in place, when it matters. municated to wide audience through media.
COURSES IN CARING FOR THE ELDERLY Policy and programme planning – Specialists
in policy development, policy analysis, pro-
Course Institute Eligibility Course fee (Rs) gramme development and evaluation work at
Diploma in Gerontology, TISS Graduate in any 19,365 agencies at the local and state government.
Centre for Lifelong Learning discipline
Administration – Manager, administrator,
Certificate in Care of Elderly ARDSI, Kochi 10+/CAT NISD sponsors supervisor, programme specialist, programme
director, analyst, evaluator, public relations and
Post Graduate Diploma in Indira Gandhi National MBBS Doctors 15,200 media experts, and specialists.
Geriatric Medicine Open University
Course in Geriatric care Symbiosis Nursing college Graduate/CAT NISD sponsors Legal services – Specialised knowledge of
the elderly and related areas of laws and legal
Certificate course in Geriatric National Institute of Social Graduate/CAT No fees services.
Care (6 months) Defense (NISD)

Community and Society Development
bringing
wealth to the
marginalised
This is the sector where it really began. So if all-round
learning is your concern, CSD is the place to get started
Nimesh Chandra anyone pursuing a degree/diploma
V
course in social work is exposed to all
illage upliftment, poverty eradi- the above mentioned areas, there are
cation, slum redevelopment, specialised courses, both long and short-
anything to do with raising the term to get a focused understanding of
economic and social profile of the poor the particular area and even branch out is the minimum requirement, for spe-
comes under this catch all phrase. In later as a specialist (see table). Most cialised Master’s and Diploma courses,
some sense Gandhi with his Gram of the courses are full-time, lasting for preference is given to working profes-
Swarajaya, was the first community one or two years, with part-time options sionals in the related discipline, gener-
development manager in the country. available for those already working in the ally with two years of experience.
One could easily argue that, this is the field. The good training courses ensure Job prospects: One has the option of
sector where it all began. “This is pre- that academic theory and practice skills selecting organisations that are state
cisely where people trained in different are effectively integrated. Apart from owned statutory entities; NGOs, private
aspects of social work can make a huge training in the core subject area, gener- players in the voluntary sector; agen-
difference in India,” says Vinod Koshti, ally the courses in this domain will also cies both national and international that
a postgraduate from Delhi School of include modules on human growth and also deal in funding; or they can work
Social Work who has been engaged in development, disability, assessments, independently. There are significant dif-
the developmental sector in Delhi for communication skills, law and partner- ferences in the structure and function-
over a decade now. ship working. ing of the organisations, for instance
Know your discipline: Although Be eligible: While a graduate degree a voluntary organisation would usually
Select courses in Community & Social Development

Programme Institute Eligibility Course fee (Rs)
PGD in Social Development and Maharaja Sayaji Rao University, Graduate in any discipline 8,650
Organisation Management - 1 year Vadodara
MA (Social Work) - Urban & Rural Indore School of Social Work, Indore Graduate in any discipline 40,000
Community Development - 2 years with 45% marks
MA/MSc - Population Studies International Institute for Population Bachelor’s degree; preference to —
(intake 20) - 2 years Sciences, Mumbai those having UG in Maths/Statistics,
Economics,
PGD in Governance and Management Karve Institute of Social Service, Pune Graduate in any discipline; preference 10,000
of NGOs (intake 30)- 1 year to working professionals
MA/MSc in Habitat Policy & Practice School of Habitat Studies, Tata Bachelor’s degree, with inclination 1,25,000 including hostel facility
(intake 15) – 2 years Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai towards habitat-related issues
Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Man- Xavier Institute of Management, Graduate in any discipline 5,36,000 including hostel facility
agement – 2 years Bhubaneswar
Post Graduate Programme in Public Indian Institute of Management, Primarily for officers of All India/Cen- Sponsorship for Government
Policy & Management – 2 years Bangalore tral Services; open to graduates from Department of Personnel & Training
PSUs, financial institutions/NGOs (DoPT) candidates; 9,75,000
with at least 7 years of experience for non-DoPT participants

Ruchika Bahl
Global Director,
Law For All initiative by Ashoka
W hen Indian social

activist Arvind Kejriwal
was selected as an Ashoka
Fellow to bring down the
level of corruption in the
government, Ruchika put
him in touch with social
entrepreneurs from across
the Ashoka network, and
worked on how they all in turn could take the
Right to Information (RTI) movement forward.
Arvind’s campaign took the shape of the Right
to Information Act (RTIA), now a national law.
This is what Ruchika does at Ashoka. She gets
social entrepreneurs who want to impact social
change to meet other likeminded change mak-
ers from across the world through collabora-
tions and partnerships. As she facilitates these
interactions she also gathers support within
Ashoka for funding opportunities so that these
novel ideas can finally make a difference.
Outlook Group
Of late she’s been involved with the legal
aspects of social entrepreneurship. “When you
are in the business of creating a change, the
knowledge of law becomes important,” says
Ruchika, who is also a lawyer. She convinces
Empowering women along with developmental lawyers to give pro bono services (free of cost)
concerns is equally important Community and Society to social entrepreneurs.
Ruchika is one of the few people who, from the
Development start, were clear that they wanted to work in the
follow a clearly defined role to advocate social development sector. As a schoolgirl she
Committed Communities
on behalf of particular group and the Development Trust
taught children in a slum in south Delhi. “The
Arya Samaj culture of ‘daan’ at home made
nucleus of operations would be around me sensitive to the needs of people.” There-
Integrated Development Society
promoting the welfare and rights of fore, when the time came to choose between
that group. According to Professor M N Centre for Rural Systems and Development commerce and psychology at Lady Shri Ram
(CRUSADE) College (LSR), she opted for the latter. “I am so
Parmar, Head of Department of Social glad I chose psychology because course helped
Work at the MS University of Baroda, Centre for Operations Research and
me engage with the social sector in a more pro-
Training (CORT)
“The job opportunities in the develop- fessional manner.”
She recalls her first day at TISS she joined
ment sector are growing and NGOs in Institute of Social Research & Development
after her graduation. She was taken, along with
particular are recruiting people who Asian Institute for Sustainable other students to Dharavi, a slum in Mumbai.
are engaged in direct service delivery.” Development (AISD) “I was wading through excreta floating in the
The firms in the corporate sector have Prerna Social Development & monsoon downpour. And I asked myself, was I
prepared for this kind of work?” She took a week
a social responsibility function where Welfare Society
off to review her decision. But she returned, and
opportunities are aplenty. since then, there’s been no looking back. She
Where to study: Most Indian univer- went on to study Gender and Social policy at
the London School of Economics and Political
sities have a department of social work Entry level salaries: While the start- Science, as a British Chevening Scholar.
that offer degrees, diplomas and certifi- ing salary varies from place to place, the During her 13 years of development experi-
cate courses. There are specialised insti- nature of work and type of organisation ence, Ruchika has worked on issues ranging
from human rights, women and law and rural
tutions such as Entrepreneurship Devel- one tends to join, one is likely to get finance with citizen sector groups and interna-
opment Institute of India at Ahmeda- anywhere between Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 4 tional agencies like The World Bank and GTZ.
bad or XLRI at Jamshedpur that offer lakh per annum in an NGO. The fund- Her work has taken her to several parts of the
world. Very recently she attended the 2009
courses in Social Entrepreneurship. ing agencies and research organisations International Summer School on Pluralism and
One can pursue a Master’s programme most of which are international, pay Development in Indonesia.
in development studies at Centre for in the range of Rs. 3-6 lakhs annually, “The social development sector has fully
allowed me to realise my potential. Ruchika
Economic & Social Studies, Hyderabad while the big corporate entities in the says salaries in the social sector may not be
or opt for an MBA in rural development private sector offer a tad higher salary. as high as those offered in the private sector,
from G.B. Pant Social Science Institute Remember, development is a conten- but then a fat pay package is not what drives
Ruchika; making a difference does. But more
at Allahabad. Most of these institutes tious term, and especially in villages than anything she finds getting change makers
facilitate campus placements and make where feudal tendencies do play a role. to work together and agree on something the
sure that support mechanisms such as So it is important to be patient, have most challenging part of her work!

appropriate training and assessment are a long-term perspective and not rush Sumita Vaid Dixit
in place. things through

Health care
it’s not about

Sana Contractor, 26,
Research Officer, Centre for Enquiry
into Health and Allied themes (CEHAT)
patients alone A t times it’s a nine-to-

five job. Other times it
involves being in the field,
interviewing people and
meeting up with govern-
Medical expenses are a major cause of debt in rural ment officials. “But it’s a job
that fulfils my intellectual,
India. You can make a difference creative and social needs,”
says Sana, who started her
career as a dentist but gave up practice to work
in the public health sector. Both her parents are
doctors and it was a given that she too would
become one.
“At the age of 17, one doesn’t ponder much
over career choices as you are preparing for
the boards, chasing deadlines. There’s just no
time to reflect,” she explains. But it was while
studying dentistry, that she developed an inter-
est in public health. “In medicine we are taught
a treatment-approach rather than a preventive
approach and I believe in the latter.” While prac-
tising at small community clinics, performing
all kinds of dental procedures, she began vol-
unteering at CEHAT, where she was exposed to
health issues related to violence.
This was a new area of work and she was curi-
ous to know how domestic violence or abuse
impacted health. “It’s almost terrifying that
emotional abuse can express itself in more
silent ways than a bruise or a broken arm,” she
observes. Often this kind of abuse results in
mental disorders. This area of research excited
Sana, and so she joined CEHAT full-time as
a research associate and later on went on to
Madhu Kappaarth/Outlook Group
complete a Master’s in Public Health from

Johns Hopkins University, USA.
“Having a noble intention alone is not good
enough to make a contribution in social work;
you require professional skills, as well.” But her
parents were surprised and sceptical about her
decision, as dentistry was considered as more
‘professional’ than social work. Sana rues this
impression that social workers are people who
do good for free.
High technology has a space in healing, but what still matters is the personal touch “But much has changed in the past 10 years.
Today, the social sector is largely professional.
It offers lucrative jobs and pay packages that
can go up to Rs 70,000, depending on where
Nimesh Chandra related issues, administration of hos- you work,” she says. To really make a difference,
F
pitals and nursing centres, drug abuse/ while you need passion and skills, you also need
a reasonable income. “After all, who’s going to
or a nation with super power de-addiction, accidents and trauma, and pay the rent?”
ambitions, India fares abysmally medical laboratories services. According Sana advises social work aspirants to apply
low in almost all indicators per- to Dr. A Dyalchand, Director, Institute to the right organisations; since the social sec-
tor is largely under-regulated, it is important to
taining to health care. Next to marriages, of Health Management, Pune, “Under do a background check before applying.
health care expenses are the primary the National Rural Health Mission, the
cause for debt in rural India. And thanks Government has adopted a policy to by Sumita Vaid Dixit
to technological innovations, this is also appoint district managers with a man-
one sector wherein results could be agement degree or professionals with
achieved within a short span of time. So a Master’s in health science or social mixture of theoretical and practical
if you are a socially conscious individual work degree.” assignments. Students gain the much-
interested in making a difference double There are both regular and special- needed experience, a prerequisite for
quick, this is the sector to be in. ised courses that are offered to make employment to some organisations,
Know your discipline: Work in the a niche in this field (See Table). While even as they pursue their programme.
health sector is varied but may be it is extremely difficult to list exclusive A lot of emphasis is now being given to
grouped roughly into the following cat- courses in this domain, one can see courses that are intense, highly special-
egories: public health, mental health and that the syllabus is usually a judicious ised and of a shorter duration.

Courses and Institutions: an indicative list in health and allied sectors

Indian Institute of Social Welfare Master’s in Public Systems Manage- Graduate in any branch of Medical Science/ 2,60,000
and Business Management, ment (specialization in Health Care & Pharmacy/Biological Science/Social
Kolkata Hospital Management) - 2 years Science & Nutrition
Indira Gandhi National Diploma in HIV and Family Completed 10+2 (higher secondary) 2,000
Open University Education; 1-year
Indore School of Social MA in Social Works (specialisation in Graduate in any discipline with 45% marks 40,000
Work, Indore Medical & Psychiatric Social Work)
Institute of Health Management Post Graduate Diploma in Hospital Graduates in any discipline with a 3,95,000
Research, Jaipur and Health Management minimum of 50%
Symbiosis Institute of BSc – Medical Technology – 3 years 12th Pass; working professionals get 45,000 for first year
Health Sciences admission to 2nd year subject to approval
Tata Institute of Social Master of Public Health – 2 years Master’s in any discipline/Bachelor’s in 37,640 for two semesters
Sciences, Mumbai medicine/ Bachelor’s other than medicine
with 2 years experience in the health sector
Tata Institute of Social MA in Disability Studies and Graduates in any discipline. Preference to 36,940 for two semesters
Sciences, Mumbai Action - 2 years those with at least two years experience in
the field of disability or social welfare
Centre of Social Medicine and MPhil Community Health Master’s degree in social sciences 1,000
Community Health, Jawaharlal (Pre-PhD) – 2 years
Nehru University, New Delhi
Faculty of Management Studies, MBA (Part-Time) Health Care Graduation in any discipline with 45% 11,000 per year
University of Delhi Administration - 3 years and at least 3 years experience as an
executive/administrator
Job prospects: Developments in the that drive their work. They should be
health and allied sectors during the last able to communicate with a wide range
decade have provided enormous oppor- Health Care of people - an essential skill, if any inter-
tunities for students to choose a career of Indian Network For People Living With HIV/ vention is to be successful. More than
their interest in this sector. One can opt AIDS half of the social workers’ time is spent
for a suitable course to work as doctor, Aasra out in the community, visiting affected
nursing personnel, qualified scientific, Latika Roy Foundation people and their care providers, assess-
technical or therapeutic staff – including ing new referrals and developing care
CBR Forum
clinical psychologist or say a biomedical plans to meet their needs.
researcher. One may also think about Health Education and Social Research Where to Study: Apart from universi-
Organisation
alternative therapies, like Ayurveda ties, institutions such as the National
which has its own niche in India. There Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Institute of Mental Health and Neuro
Themes
are allied health professionals, including Sciences, Bangalore; College of Social
occupational therapists and radiogra- CHETNA Work, Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai;
phers. Learning disabilities is an inte- Welingkar Institute of Management,
gral part of the health sector. Here one Mumbai, Ranchi Institute of Neuro-
deals with a variety of conditions such as courses in medicine and nursing you Psychiatry & Allied Sciences and Apol-
autism, cerebral palsy and Down’s syn- need to be good in subjects like biology, lo Institute of Hospital Administration,
drome or generally speaking, conditions chemistry, mathematics and English at Hyderabad offer highly specialised
of physical disability, or mental health or the higher secondary school level and courses that can prepare oneself as an
behavioural problems that cause impair- develop reasoning and logical thinking expert and help contribute to the better-
ment or delay in intellectual progress. skills, for entrance examinations. For ment of life for several people.
Professor Anand Goud, a faculty at specialised courses at the postgraduate Entry level salaries: The salary struc-
the Indore School of Social Work says, level one needs to have a Bachelor’s ture for someone in the medical labo-
“There is a dearth of skilled personnel degree with a certain minimum level of ratory services would range between
to fill in the gap between the doctors and pass percentage. The essential qualities Rs. 1.5 to 3 lakhs per annum. It would
patients in India. For instance a medical or attributes that employers look for in be a little less for a community health
psychiatrist-cum-social worker will be professionals of this sector are resilience, worker in the rural areas. An expert
equipped to counsel and deal with the empathy, emotional intelligence and in disability studies or a clinical psy-
patients, emotionally.” warmth. Social workers require a sound chologist would earn anywhere between
Be Eligible: For general undergraduate knowledge of the legislation and policies Rs. 2.5 lakh to 6 lakhs , annually.

child welfare
tHE PRICE OF A SMILE

Primary education has
been a major focus in this
area. But there’s a lot more
to accomplish
Bharti M Borah
C
hildren - the word immediately
brings a smile to everyone’s face.
But the conditions in which you
will find children when you decide to
enter this domain, may not bring any
smiles. Despite the legal ban on child
labour, children are employed as domes-
tic help in homes, on the streets, in res-
taurants, and some are even initiated
into sex work. Child labour is just one
problem in the vast area of children’s
welfare. Malnutrition, health, literacy,
development are the others.
The smiles you can bring to a child’s
face are priceless. So, if you can stand
the grime and dirt, that priceless feeling
is yours.
Know your domain: This area suffers

both from lack of preventive as well as
proactive measures. While issues like
malnutrition, health and infant mortali-
ty have larger linkages to social and eco-
nomic realities, issues like abuse, forced
labour and literacy are more systemic
and addressable. And professional inter-
vention is required in both the places. As unwanted gems: if not aborted, they end up being abandoned
Bill Gates succinctly puts it (refer Page
76), “Humanity’s greatest advances are Courses in Child Welfare
not in its discoveries – but in how those Course Institute Eligibility Course fee (Rs)
discoveries are applied to reduce ineq-
PG diploma in Child Rights Law National Law school Graduate 11,100
uity.” Government initiatives such as the
eradication of polio through free vac- Intensive practical training Institute of Child and Graduate Approx.
programmes of Pychological Adolescent Mental Health 15,000
cination camps throughout India, are a assessment, counselling and other and Behavioural Sciences
step in the right direction. But the field psychological therapies in children (ICAMBS), SNEHI
needs efficient and dedicated profes- and adolescents
sionals to really make a difference. Sev- PG Diploma in Maternal and Indira Gandhi National MBBS 14,000
eral NGOs are dedicated to providing Child Health Open University
shelter, health, education and training, PG Diploma in Health Sciences Annamalai University MBBS 34,200
to street/slum children. in Adolescent Health and
Education (1 year)
Be eligible: Most courses require you
to be a graduate. Some require an MBBS PG Diploma in Child Psychology Osmania University Graduate/ 8,000-10,000
(9 months) entrance exam
degree. You can also pursue courses

common feature in the lives of slum/

Leena dewan
Child Welfare/Schooling street children, and providing counsel- Volunteer at SNEHI (organisation for
ling to address these issues, is another psychosocial support, mental health care)
CCF-India
area of work. Active involvement is a
CARE India Trust
Child In Need Institute (CINI)
must, to protect children against various
forms of abuse and child labour.
I t is a course that changed
her life. Leena was blissful-
ly going about her exports
Childline India Foundation Where to study: You could pursue business, when she heard
courses such as the Postgraduate Diplo- about and joined a course
CRY - Child Rights and You offered by SNEHI, on pro-
ma in Child Rights Law at the National viding support to children.
Astha Law School of India, Bangalore for a As part of the course, she
fee of Rs. 11,100. Classes commence in had to spend two weeks at
Bal Bhawan and Child Welfare Centre.
November . However, you could still try She says, those two weeks “did something to
in Child Guidance and Counselling or applying with a late fee. her”. She quit the business and started working
Early Childhood Care as well, which Beena Chintalapuri, a professor full-time with children. “The work has various
challenges but satisfaction is inevitable when
needs 10+2 or graduation. at Osmania University’s psychology you participate fully and feel for the cause.
Job prospects: So far, education has department, informed that a nine-month When the children laugh, you feel so motivated.”
been the primary focus in child wel- PG diploma in child psychology for Rs. Her days are full, and emotionally and mentally
disturbed children get the maximum attention
fare, with organisations such as Pratham 8,000-10,000, is specifically open only from her. But she is very clear about not having
working actively in 28 states. You could to women. As part of the course, you will very high expectations.
also be involved in various aspects of participate in outreach programmes, She warns; never meddle with the children’s
realities by making surreal promises. Stay
adoption and foster care by working at which involve working in the field. Most grounded and deal with one issue at a time. It
orphanages such as Mother Teresa’s students who opt for this course, then is also very important to stay connected and
homes. pursue a Master’s in psychology. engaged, but always maintain a certain level
of detachment. It helps in dealing with the high
One could also work at an NGO in Entry level salaries: They range from rates of failures of initiatives and intervention
various capacities such as counselling, Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 25,000. International in this sector. She concludes, children are very
rehabilitation and crisis intervention. NGOs and fund raising organisations, resilient. One just has to help them find way.
For instance, sexual/drug abuse is a usually offer a better pay.
Violence against women is a reality even in

women welfare urban India, despite legal protection
Empower the
oppressed
Areas such as micro entrepreneurship and skill
development are sweeping this domain
Bharti M Borah as promoting micro entrepreneurship.
H
Both have a faster turnaround time and
earing a mother’s tale of her are for people who are impatient for
daughter being burnt alive results and take heart in the fact that
for dowry, will leave very few this (patience!) is a trait, whose time
unmoved. But resilience is one qual- has come!
ity that will come in handy when you Know your domain: A basic awareness
decide to work in this area. As Lalitha of the history of the women’s movement
Nayak asserts, after a lifetime of working and feminism, is a must. Caste, class
closely with sex workers, her goal is to and patriarchy, along with understand-
prevent the second generation from fol- ing colonialism and nationalism, puts
lowing suit. If you can think long-term, women and development in context.
and be content snatching minor and This area also comprises aspects such
major victories along the way, this sector as early marriage, dowry, domestic vio-
is the place for you. Skill development lence, exploitation, widowhood and
is an exciting area to work in as well maternity and related issues.

courses in women’s welfare
The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Interdisciplinary Course in Women’s Graduate 300 (for students), 500 (others)
Baroda Studies (6 weeks)
Tarabai Shinde Women’s Studies Certificate Course in Women’s Studies Graduate/entrance exam 500 (for students) 1,000 (others)
Center, Dr. B.A. Marathwada Univer- (1year PT)
sity, Aurangabad
University of Pune Post Graduate Interdisciplinary Cer- Graduate Approx 4,000
tificate Course in Gender, Culture and
Development Studies (1 year FT)
University of Mysore PGD Women’s Studies (1 year) Graduate/entrance exam 3,300 (general)
TISS, Mumbai MA in Women’s Studies (2 years) Graduate Approx 58,000
Early marriage, maternity, dowry as the work is not easy. Be prepared to

and widowhood broadly need you to handle challenges, stick to the cause no Women Welfare
understand the institution of mar- matter what each day brings your way.
Action for Women and Rural Development
riage. For instance, an unmarried Put in your best, gain the trust of the
woman might find it difficult to work group of women you are working with. SEWA
in sexuality-related areas, as the influ- Be eligible: Graduation is the usual National Council of Women in India
enced parties may not feel very com- requirement. Some courses also have an Kali for Women
fortable sharing their lives with her. entrance test and interview. Certificate,
Saheli
It is advisable to dress up depending on diploma and degree programmes have
the group in which you work initially, different requirements. It’s a good idea CHETNA
until you gain their confidence. to look at the curriculum before you Affus Woman Welfare Association (AWWA)
Most people working in this area decide. Voice of Women
learn hands-on, lessons that you usu- Job prospects: At the National Com-
Calmani Memorial Sansthan
ally gain only after experience in the mission for Women, your work would
field. And you will possibly make involve crisis intervention and follow- National Resource Centre for Women
(NRCW)
mistakes during the initial process. ups, in a range of cases, right from dowry
Most courses require practical training, to domestic violence. On the other hand,
at the the Ministry of Women and Child
Development, you could be involved
Lalitha s.a. nayak
in policy making as well as improving In-Charge, Joint Women’s Programme
health-related problems at the grass-
roots level. Simply put, the work varies,
based on the profile of the institution. L alitha has spent the last
20 years working with
women and children at
Typically, people choose to work with GB Road, Delhi’s red-light
an NGO, based on the issue they handle. area. “The women are not
However, some NGOs such as Jagori, here by choice, but at least
they have a roof over their
tackle multiple issues. heads,” asserts Lalitha.
Where to study: The Maharaja Saya- Her work involves looking
jirao University of Baroda offers some- out for their interests, right from interven-
ing due to ill-treatment, encouraging safe sex
thing unique, a six-week interdiscipli- practices and preventing the next generation
nary course in women studies, which from getting into the trade. In addition, the Joint
offers an overview of the field. You must Women’s Programme has dedicated a separate
space where the children receive informal edu-
be a graduate to apply. The course fee is cation and medical care.
Rs. 300 for students/NGO workers and She emphasises the importance of sensitiv-
Rs. 500 for others. The fee is dependent ity and patience because there are no instant
results. Last but not the least, the time and
on the duration as well the kind of pro- effort that you put in, has meaning only if you
gram that is on offer. A two-year Master’s don’t treat your work as a job. To her it is also
in Women’s Studies from TISS would important to keep a certain level of detach-
cost you approximately Rs. 58,000, but ment from the immediate problems. Lalitha
sums it up by saying that the objective is to
this course has a higher value. prevent second generation prostitution, and to
Entry level salaries: Indian NGOs the current generation, give them dignity that
would offer Rs. 5,000 approximately, they deserve.
The strength of an activist in this field is the
and international NGOs would offer up ability to make a positive change.
to Rs. 25,000, per month.

conservation Know your domain: In general, there
Protecting
tends to be a lack of awareness on con-
serving historical artefacts and cultural
heritage. Disciplines like art history,
history
museology, archeology and conserva-
tion, can be studied and pursued, pro-
fessionally. Museology encompasses
the role and functions of a museum,
There are several vacant posts but very few qualified its philosophy and multiform character,
professionals in museology and conservation whereas conservation is the science of
conserving, persevering and restoring
art forms. “We study ancient, medieval
and contemporary art, architecture,
miniature paintings and artists,” says
Ruchi Sharma, 24, a student of MA
(History of Art).
Be eligible: You must have a back-
ground in social sciences, liberal arts
or fine arts for a Master’s in Art. For
conservation, a science background or
a graduate degree in art, architecture or
archaeology is preferred. Sumitra Sun-
der, a BFA student from Bangalore, cur-
rently pursuing Museology had to drop
the idea of conservation because of her
arts background. Museology candidates

need a BA, BSc or BFA background.
Job prospects: You can work as a cura-
tor in museums, art galleries, or as a
researcher. You can also intern at NGOs
such as India Foundation for the Arts
(INTACH). “We placed our students at
taj mahal, the pride of India also needs periodic conservation initiatives to keep it fit
Urmila Rao Select courses in Conservation
F
Course Institute Eligibility Course fee (Rs)
or a nation whose recorded his-
tory dates back to 3000 BC and MA in History of Art, Conser- National Museum A background in social 12,000
vation and Museology and Institute, University of sciences, liberal arts or approx
beyond, we are callous about pre- PhD in Art, Conservation History of Art, Conserva- fine arts for Museology
serving it for posterity. If messages like and Museology tion and Museology, Delhi and Art History, Science
‘Rahul loves Priya’ scribbled on the walls or archaeology back-
ground for conservation
of Shajehan’s personal hamam, irk you
no end, or the sudden identification of BA and MA in Indian History The Maharaja Sayajirao Bachelor course in _
Culture and Archaeology University of Baroda History/Archaeology
a palm script, that might have passed
through the hands of Raja Thodarmal MA and PhD in Museology The Maharaja Sayajirao Bachelor’s degree Iin _
University of Baroda arts or science. For Ph.D
gives you goose bumps, conservation is master’s in museology
an area you should consider specialis- or conservauion
ing in. From restoring ancient havelies Master’s in Archaeology and Delhi Institute of Bachelor’s degree
to recreating historical events, from Heritage Management Heritage Management
researching on new forms of preserva- and Research
tion to communicating the importance Master’s in Conservation, Delhi Institute of BA History, Archaeology 20,000
of heritage to school children, the job Preservation and Heritage Heritage Management
Management and Research
profiles are as diverse as the domain.
But they could demand tremendous MPhil in Archival Science Gujarat Vidyapith, Master in Arts _
Ahmedabad
patience and long hours of backbreaking
work. After all most domes are arched MA in Art and aesthetics Jawaharlal Nehru Any degree 374 per semester
University, New Delhi
and the entrances to many monuments,
really small. PGD in Museology Osmania University Any degree _

microfinance
Banking for
Conservation
INTACH
the poor
Charles Wallace Trust
EU network of cultural centres
International Council of
Monuments and Sites
Designing smart finance products for the
underprivileged, could yield rich career dividends
the Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai,
LD Museum, Ahmedabad, Palace Muse- Outlook Group
um, Jaipur, among a few others,” says Dr.
N R Shah who heads the Department of
Museology, Faculty of Fine Arts at The
Sayajirao University of Baroda. There
are several vacant posts but a lack of
trained professionals. Sunder’s interest
in curatorship may take her abroad for
advanced studies in the display of art
objects. She says, “Museums in the UK
and US are organised, very differently.”
Shashikanta Sharma from Manipur,
a second-year student of art history at
the National Museum Institute, Delhi,
opines that most museums in the North
East are tended to by lay people who
aren’t professionally qualified for the
job. His classmate Nitin Kumar Saini
adds, “The Government is not doing
much to provide enough job opportuni-
ties in this sector.”
Where to study: The Maharaja Saya- financial independence leads to positive spin-offs in multiple social processes
jirao University of Baroda offers a
Diploma, Bachelor’s and Master’s pro-
gramme on archaeology, museology and Urmila Rao Focus on lending for revenue generat-
W
fine arts. The National Museum Insti- ing activities only and use community
tute (NMI), Delhi, Delhi Institute of ith over 41% of India’s adult building as a tool to bring about empow-
Heritage Research and Management, population lacking access to erment as well as to ensure prompt loan
Deccan College, Pune, CAVA College banking, credit would mostly servicing.
Mysore, Aligarh Muslim University, come from the local moneylender or the As the returns became attractive, pro-
Aligarh are some well-established insti- village elder, and at outrageous inter- fessional players also got in to the game,
tutions for graduate and post graduate est rates. But thanks to the pioneer- and the field is getting increasingly
courses. NIMU offers PhD courses. ing work done by Mohammed Yunus competitive. At most business schools,
Entry level salaries: An assistant cura- and Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, the the economics and finance curriculum
tor’s salary is approximately Rs. 20,000 dispossessed became a viable business include a section on microfinance. It
and increases with promotion as dep- proposition. It also simultaneously was while pursuing an MBA in rural
uty curator and then as director. Entry made tremendous changes to their live- management in 2007, Pooja Bharech,
level salaries are anywhere between Rs. lihood. And micro credit as an idea, took 24, also opted for a three-month elective
5,500-8,000 per month. “An art restorer off. So, if money interests you but you course in microfinance. NGO Drishtee
can start with Rs. 10,000-20,000,” says want to stretch it to its limits for the recruited Bharech as an assistant man-
Nasir, a student at NMI. He, however, right reasons, microfinance is the place ager through campus placements, and
rues the lack of opportunities in the to be in. It is actually banking with a a year later she has been promoted to
sector. But as a nation’s wealth increases difference. Controller, Rural Finance.
in size and strength, art and culture will Know your domain: The idea at its But an interesting aspect of microfi-
become the means to maintain exclusiv- core is simple; build a good financial nance is that equal emphasis is placed
ity, and that may be when one would see corpus and lend it judiciously to a large on the social value that every rupee lent
opportunities taking wings. and diverse population in small tranche. generates, as well as the economic value

Arun Vats, 26 Manjusha Raulkar

IFMR Trust development sector are vast. “I remember, Vice-president, Human Resources,
during my induction in IFMR college with an SKS Microfinance
A run gives financial securi-

ty to poor people such as
Rajni, a local vegetable vendor
NGO, its directors, two ladies, had said that peo-
ple were under the impression that jholawallahs
work in the social sector.” Pointing to himself, he
Q: Many institutes now
offer course in microfi-
who makes a meagre profit says, “Like any other executive professional, I am nance. What is the impor-
of Rs 30-40 a day. He works being paid well for my work and while on work, I tance of such courses?
with the Kshetriya Gramin travel in air planes and taxis, stay in good accom- A: With increasing interest
Financial Services (KGFS), an modation.” As we speak, Arun orders his lunch: in financial inclusion, a lot
outfit that offers investment, a chicken biryani. “In no way my lifestyle is less of professional courses
insurance products or loans than a person working in the private sector”! The have made microfinance
to buy cattle or open up small shops to poor rural only difference is Arun also gets to serve people as part of the regular cur-
customers who can invest small sums for the in need. riculum. At most B-schools, economics, finance
rainy day. “My job is to design financial products He, too, like the others, had thought of becom- curriculum includes a section on microfinance.
for rural people,” he explains. ing a doctor but now when he goes back to his Microfinance courses provide the sector with
The services offered by KGFS save poor peo- village in Champaran district in Bihar he tells manpower that understands the business of
ple from exploitation at the hands of local mon- young people that there’s much more to life than microfinance, resulting in better productivity
eylenders. “It also gives them a chance at real becoming a doctor or an engineer. Arun had lost and less training period.
empowerment,” says Arun who has played a key two years preparing for medical entrance exams.
role in bringing money market mutual fund prod- “Now when I think of it I feel like a fool!” Q: Is it a lucrative career option?
uct to remote rural customers. When he cleared his CAT, he opted for Institute A: As marketers increasingly shift their focus to
Through this product, client’s money is invested for Financial Management and Research (IFMR). rural markets, there will be a need for manpow-
in the ICICI Prudential Liquid plan – the minimum “Although, I had little idea about microfinance, the er that understands the dynamics of this mar-
investment is Rs 1 – but he or she can withdraw fact that it could substantially improve the lives ketplace. Opportunities in the coming days are
money at any point. KGFS gets its money back of poor people got me excited.” Arun did his spe- likely to increase. It provides lucrative career
from the market a day later. This gives custom- cialisation in Finance but feels that it is willingness option to the field staff/loan officer, who are
ers a better alternative and thus, in an emergency which is important and not specialised degrees. matriculate, between the age group of 18-28
they needn’t rush to a moneylender.” He’s just finished his field work in a small village years, not computer literate and not English
Arun cites the example of Rajni to show how in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu and is already thinking savvy. Fresh management graduates who join
such services are making people in need self- of the next product he can design for these villag- as area managers receive salaries averaging
reliant. Rajni has availed of a loan from KGFS at 16 ers. “The smiles on the faces of people from these Rs. 7.5 lakh per year
per cent declining rate to invest in her vegetable remote areas keep me going.”
business, while earlier she used to borrow from Q: What are the growth opportunities for a
the local moneylender at exorbitant interests. by Sumita Vaid Dixit professional in this sector?
Arun says career opportunities in the social A: Promotions and growth opportunities being
good, the field assistants move into desk jobs at
the branch office in approximately two to three
it generates. Thus the curriculum invari- years. They are then exposed to other roles at
the branch like accounting and administration.
ably would provide substantial inputs on Micro Finance With enough experience, they can become unit
team building, social problems, issues of heads and go up to assistant branch manag-
Bandhan
exclusion, gender dimensions of devel- ers. For area managers who join with an MBA
Sharefin Microfinance degree, the job profile will become more and
opment etc. more exciting as the need for manpower that
Be eligible: The requirements vary SKF Microfin understands the dynamics of the market grows
from programme to programme (refer Aaviskaar Goodwell
over the years.
to listing).
Spandana
Job prospects: “You can seek out
opportunities with venture capital firms, IFMR Trust term courses. In April 2008, Sa-Dhan,
corporate social responsibility divisions Adikhar an association of community develop-
of banks and private companies,” says Asmithamicrofin
ment finance institutions, in collabora-
K Sukumaran, Head-Training, Indian tion with the IIBF launched a diploma
School of Microfinance for Women, course for working professionals and
Ahmedabad. Entry level jobs can be graduates. According to Mathew Titus,
found in microfinance institutes, in vari- Amulya Krishna Champatiray, Coordi- Executive Director, Sa-Dhan, “The sec-
ous banks and research institutions. nator-Courses and Workshops, CFM- tor is growing and reaching out to more
Where to study: “It is the short-dura- IFMR. Sa-Dhan in collaboration with clients. So, we have launched a distance
tion courses that are more in demand,” Indian Institute of Banking and Finance learning course which includes both soft
says K Sukumaran. The Centre for (IIBF) offers a Diploma in Microfi- and technical skills.”
Microfinance at IFMR, Chennai, con- nance, a distance learning programme. Entry level salaries: The salary of a
ducts an internship programme for two The Institute of Finance, Banking and professional varies from organisation to
-and-a-half months to three months for Insurance (IFBI), established by NIIT organisation. According to Titus, a fresh
undergraduates and graduate students. in association with ICICI Bank has two executive can earn nearly Rs. 20,000 in
“Interns absorbed into the programme to three-day programmes for working cities. For MBAs with a specialisation in
can choose to work on either an exist- professionals. microfinance from any prominent insti-
ing projects or developing a new project A few private colleges have also ven- tutes, the salary structure may start at
for a period of eight to 12 weeks,” says tured into the sector by offering long- Rs. 6.5 lakhs per year.

allied sectors
jobs that
enable change
These functions play a pivotal role in converting good
intentions into viable, effective action
Nimesh Chandra Teaching and Research: Your role is
T
a function of your expertise and experi-
he social sector used to abhor over- ence gained in primary, secondary and
heads more out of necessity; most tertiary education. As both creators and
organisations were perennially short disseminators of knowledge, the con-
of cash! But as professionalism and long-term tribution of the teaching and research
funding creeps in, a whole lot of allied pro- community helps in getting the right
fessionals are entering the sector to ensure orientation and critical review of the
that efficiency increases not by default, but activities that run across domain.
by design. Proposal Writing: This is a much
Advocacy: This sector has been pick- sought after skill in many social sec- THE UN still represents all that is possible when
ing up momentum, recently. From plan- tor organisations. Unless they are state nations come together for a common cause
ning campaigns to promoting causes, funded, it is the series of projects funded
this job has a tremendous role to play by various agencies, which ensures that
Sudeshna Mukherjee, 28
in the social sector. Some organisations many of these organisations survive and Corporate Fundraising Officer,
like Greenpeace or PETA spend a sub- serve. And grant-making organisations Oxfam India
stantial amount of time and resources demand crisp proposals that identify
exclusively on this domain. Advocacy
organisations champion a particular
the stakeholders, introduce innovations
in theory and practice, and cater to the
S udeshna initially aspired
to be an engineer. ‘I
come from a progressive
cause. The National Centre for Advo- needs of the funding body. Reconcil- but conventional Bengali
family where you either
cacy Studies in Pune is an Indian equiv- ing conflicting demands is the biggest become a doctor or an
alent in this sector. Jobs would demand challenge for a proposal writer. Though engineer.”
very good communication skills and the many of the skills are transferable across During her final year, one
of her friends showed her
ability to work under pressure. the sector, a fundamental understanding the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)
Public Relations: A recent entrant in of what the domain is all about is crucial brochure. And she was on! Sudeshna’s parents
to the sector, PR firms are the big cous- to write a great proposal, and hence were not very encouraging about her decision
to study social work; however, she insisted her
ins of advocacy. Though an anathema, some ground experience is essential. parents attend the graduation ceremony. “They
in the early days, communicating the Fund Raising: A crucial responsibil- were relieved to see that students were being
work an NGO does appropriately is as ity in development projects is to raise placed with international NGOs including the
United Nations and even Fortune 500 compa-
important as the work itself, in the cur- funds. While the skills for this role are nies of the country.”
rent era. In fact, one of the doyens of equated with the skills of a business Her first job was with GiveIndia where she
Indian advertising Meenakshi Madhva- was in charge of evaluating proposals for grants
disbursements. As this profile allowed her use
ni, has set up Spacial Access Advertising both analytical and managerial skills she decid-
Communications, to exclusively provide Allied Organisations ed to do a further specialisation in this field and
communication advice to social sector did a Master’s certificate course in Resource
Spacial Access Mobilisation and Management from S. P. Jain
organisations. Institute, Mumbai.
Policy: While some argue it is cru- Observer Reserach Foundation
Now she’s working with Oxfam India, based
cial to intervene at the level of policy, PricewaterhouseCoopers out of New Delhi and looks after acquisition and
retention of corporate donors, consulting them
many believe it would be a waste. But Embassies & ID organisations on strategies and engaging them for both short
for ensuring long-term change in the and long-term support through cause-related
Development Alternatives
positive direction policy making would marketing, direct project funding, disaster
relief support, special events.
remain crucial. An understanding of Rural Marketing Firms
In her free time, she represents the Show-
inter-relationships of issues and ability IBM Centre for Government case of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration
to balance different interest groups are PRIA
(www.sofii.org) as its ambassador in India.
crucial to survive and flourish in this
by Sumita Vaid Dixit
competitive sector.

development manager or a marketing An overview of important institutions you must know
professional, the dexterity in effectively
Institutes offering Social Work courses Organisations
handling issues of funds comes with
experience. Apart from good negotiating Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli Action Aid
skills and subject expertise, a methodi- Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi
cal approach is what government and Christ University, Bangalore Amnesty International
international agencies such as DFID
College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai Azim Premji Foundation, Bangalore
or IDRC look for, in those interested in
Dr. BR Ambedkar University, Agra Centre for Economic & Social Studies, Hyderabad
such jobs.
Administration: One of the least glam- Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad Centre for Policy Research, Delhi
ourous areas of any organisation, more Indira Gandhi National Open University SAARC Disaster Management Centre, New Delhi
so in the social sector, it is nevertheless Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi
one of the most important functions,
Jiwaji University, Gwalior Centre for Women’s Development Studies, Delhi
and is crucial for overall efficiency. An
administrator marshals resources in Karve Institute of Social Service, Pune Child In Need Institute, Kolkata
such a way that all other professionals in Kurukshetra University , Kurukshetra Department for International Development (DFID)
the organisation can deliver with utmost Loyola College of Social Sciences, Gujarat Institute of Development Research,
economy and efficiency. Kerala Ahmedabad
Professional Consultancy: Synony- M. Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
mous with for-profit organisations, they Wardha
are primarily functional experts who Madras School of Social Work Social Audit Network
could provide an outsiders’ perspec-
The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda Institute for Social & Economic Change, Bangalore
tive. As the size, structure and depth
of initiatives in the development sec- Osmania University, Hyderabad Institute for Studies in Industrial Development,
Delhi
tor become more complex, the need for
outside experts does come into play. IT Punjab University, Chandigarh Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi
and marketing are the two fields where Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai International Centre for Research on Women,
NGOs seek assistance. New Delhi
UN and International Agencies: Udaipur School of Social Work, Udaipur Jamsetji Tata Center for Disaster Management,
These don’t fit the general description Mumbai
of allied sectors. But these organisations University of Delhi National Disaster Management Authority,
operate across all sectors and invariably New Delhi
set the agenda for change. Their politics University of Lucknow National Institute of Social Defence
and convictions are debatable, but here University of Mumbai NRL for Conservation of Cultural Property,
that is not the focus. But entry is dif- Lucknow
ficult, you must either have a tertiary Visva Bharati, Santiniketan Oxfam India
degree from a leading institution or long
Indian Institute of Education, Pune Rehabilitation Council of India
years of progressively responsible work
at the grassroots level. Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta Red Cross Society
conclusion
J obs in the social sector are an interest-

ing phenomenon. They are always available,
but their quality and returns vary substantially.
like community development demand empathy and
commitment. Though an MSW helps ease your
entry it is not a must either. What comes across in
Some unscrupulous elements would exploit their our interaction with a host of executives is that the
staff ruthlessly in the name of serving the poor. sector still has a long way to go, in terms of profes-
Some jobs are at times exceptionally dangerous, sionalism and pay packets. But, thankfully both are
especially if you take on established interests. Some on an upward spiral.
other jobs, say, in a grant-making organisation, offer So if there is fire in the belly, and you have the abil-
a cushy, hectic but interesting life. Qualification for ity to take a few shocks in your stride, then go ahead
entry varies, too. Some like geriatrics or counselling and take the plunge. As Vinod Khosti concludes, it
demand specific professional qualifications. Others is a different life for sure; tough, but worth it.

“Prepare for a specialised role”

Nandita Datta universe is your world. Five, you need to be
much more sensitive to people around you –
T
he Azim Premji Foundation aims to be it people from a different socio-economic
improve the quality of elementary edu- status, or differently-abled. In a corporate
cation in government schools across the set-up you can get away with a community or
country. It has 200 professionals associated gender joke, but in the development sector
with it, currently, in addition to several hun- you’ll be chewed. You will need to make an
dred paid volunteers working in the field. attitudinal change, here.
Q. What is the one myth you would like to Q. So the problem of talent continues…
bust about careers in the social sector? A. Absolutely. The development sector is
Dileep Ranjekar A. We encounter a stream of people who craving for quality talent, even though as com-
CEO want to contribute or give back to society on a pared to a corporate job our work is far more
Azim Premji Foundation voluntary basis. Unfortunately, voluntaryism rewarding in every way (apart from monetary
(a non-profit organisation) doesn’t fit into our scheme of things - ours is gains). Trouble is that salaries in the corpo-
very long-drawn, long-term and intense work. rate sector are a function of talent availability
We are a professional organisation in the field and demand, it bears no co-relation to what
of education - just like a company in software people actually contribute. It’s very largely
or manufacturing. The only difference is that driven by the market value of the person. That
we do not have a commercial interest. equation gets broken when a person decides
to join this sector and that’s a shift not many
Q. But surely there are differences, people are able to or willing to make.
because the flow of talent isn’t the same.
A. In the development sector, it’s very dif- Q. Is the sector more professional now?
ficult to measure performance – it’s not easy A. It’s changing. We work with numerous
establishing a one-to-one co-relation between NGOs in the education field and I can see they
input and output. This is because issues are far have evolved over the last few years. They are
more holistic. They involve several stakehold- now much more focused on the issues in hand
ers who come with very different paradigms – it’s no longer just about scrimping, scroung-
and objectives in mind. In the corporate sec- ing and somehow getting the work done. They
tor, on the other hand, there’s complete unity are also adopting technology to work smarter,
of objectives and that is, making more money. faster – something that was unthinkable some
And because performance is easy to measure, years ago. We, at the Azim Premji Foundation,
commensurate rewards are easy to design. are a little different compared to many others
in the sector. This is because some individu-
Q. So what does it take to build a career? als associated with the organisation are from
A. One, a willingness to appreciate the fact the corporate world. For example, we have
In a corporate that it’s a very intense, frustrating and high been able to put in place a set of metrics (that
resilience work, because you’re dealing with revolves around the process of achieving an
set-up, you can issues over which you have very little or no outcome rather than the outcome itself ) to
get away with control. Two, you need to understand that measure and track performance, both at the
whatever you contribute will always be minis- individual level and the organisation level.
community or cule compared to the scale of the issue. You
may have a great idea but unless you can Q. What is your advice to students ?
gender joke. But design and build a multiplier, it’s not going to A. This is the sector of the future – there
here you will be make a tangible difference. Three, you have to are going to be many new opportunities. If
compromise on existing expectations regard- you’re planning to get in, be prepared for a
chewed. You will ing compensation and benefits because the long-drawn association. And invest in prepar-
development sector does not have a highly ing yourself thoroughly for a specialised role
need to make an competitive salary structure. Four, you need – there’s no room for generalised work. We
an attitudinal to have empathy for the whole eco-system. need people who can come up with ideas for
You cannot be myopic and think only of your change and then ensure that they are imple-
change, here organisation, employees or targets. The whole mented with a multiplier effect.

Rural agents of change

Urmila Rao in 1995. After having successfully run the
rural management programme, XIMB felt
T
he Xavier Institute of Management that it was the right time to bring about large-
(XIMB), Bhubaneswar played a pio- scale capacity building through management
neering role in emphasising the need to development programmes in the develop-
apply management science to the rural sec- mental sector.
tor, by introducing its two-year Postgraduate
Diploma in Rural Management (PGPRM) Q: Which sectors/functions are open for
students of the rural management pro-
Q: What is the biggest reservation, of programme?
spective students willing to enrol in social A: They are not confined to the social sec-
development programmes? tor, but also work in sectors such as rural Father PT Joseph
A: Being placed in an organisation that has banking, rural marketing divisions of FMCG Director
the same values and philosophy as them- companies such as ITC and Unilever (HLL). XIMB, Bhubaneswar
selves, as well as the opportunity to work at There are various job functions, which they
the grassroots level and not be only confined undertake in areas of agri-business, micro-
to project formulations, implementation and finance, social entrepreneurship and liveli-
monitoring at the corporate level. hood support systems. They also help support
industrial activities through social research,
Q: Do you see students more interested in resettlement and rehabilitation support as
management programmes than rural man- well as improving public awareness through
agement programmes? If yes, why? grass root sensitisation programmes and per-
A: The general trend is usually for students to ception changing programmes.
be focused more on management programmes
than rural management programmes prima- Q: What effort is required by the govern-
rily due to better benefits and career growth ment/private sector to make this domain
opportunities in the corporate sector as attractive enough?
opposed to the social sector. A: The government needs to bring about pol-
icy changes that provide scope for rural man-
Q: One reason could be the low salary agers to head social development projects.
scale in the social sector. Do you see the With a large number of functional projects
salary levels increasing in coming years? being managed by non-rural managers, there
A: Yes, salary levels would increase in this is an absence of grassroots sensitivity, and
sector in the future, yet, not at par with the lack of proper skills to develop and sustain
rise in corporate salaries. But one aspect social interventions. The private sector also
worth mentioning is that the salaries in the needs to encourage educational institutions
social sector are immune to recession and the by sponsoring the infrastructural and logistic
economic slowdown. Therefore, the risk in support for such programmes under the CSR Salaries will rise
salaries and jobs is far less in the social sector interventions so that the cost of education for
than in the corporate sector. such programmes is reduced and the employ-
in the future,
able youth feels encouraged to undertake but not at par
Q: What prompted XIMB to start a pro- such courses at affordable costs.
gramme in rural management? with corporate
A: XIMB started working in the social sector Q: How is the sector impacted by “profes-
through its social wing known as the Cent- sionalism” (or the lack of it! )?
salaries. However,
er for Development Research and Training A: About 10 years back, it was quite disor- salaries in this
(CENDERET) since 1988. CENDERET has ganised and scattered, but due to consistent
acted as a strong change agent bringing about focus on monitoring, evaluation and stringent sector are
socio-economic interventions in the social norms by donor/funding agencies, the profes-
sector in Orissa. In order to leverage the sionalism level has grown. The role of profes- immune to
rich work done by XIMB and help develop sionally trained rural managers has also to a the economic
quality rural managers, the Institute decided certain extent helped in improving the profes-
to start the rural management programme sionalism levels in this sector. slowdown

Feature National institute of design
Pizza papad
with the NIDians
The legendary institute faces a unique challenge,
that of living up to students’ expectations
by Sumita Vaid Dixit
photos: Ramesh Dave
Day One
T
he entrance to the National
Institute of Design (NID) looks
rather staid for a design institute.
I had expected a more radical
welcome from this red-brick structure;
it’s only fair to expect a little eccentricity
from an institute that produces some of
the country’s finest designers.
But I wasn’t very disappointed as min-
utes later I stumbled upon a black ‘thing’
suspended rather low from the ceiling,
almost getting in the way of passers-by.
On getting closer, I saw that it was a
cluster of strings with bird-like shapes
pasted on them. I just walked around
it like the other students. What a queer
black thing, I thought.
Samir More, the media relations officer
and my guide, took me to the director’s
office. Pradyumna Vyas had just come
back from NID’s research and develop-
ment campus in Bangalore. In his large,
neat, white office we got talking about
how the design sector picked up in India
after the 1990s when international com-
panies began setting up shop.
This year 900 students are enrolled at
NID. But India needs 10,000 designers
every year, said Vyas. “A good design ful-
fils a need whilst also looking good,” he
emphasises. When Vyas suggested that
we visit Design Street, a showcase of
NID students’ achievements, I got excit-
ed. The name suggested possibilities,
but alas, it turned out to be just a dusty
street that displayed the innovations of
NID students in tall, glass boxes. As
I looked on at the windows with works of

2 3
1
4
6 5
1 Gandhinagar campus students

discuss the Renault project
2 BAT installation by an NID student
3 students play ‘chungi’
4 Entrance to NID Paldi campus
5 Envisioning at the campus lounge
6 nidus retails student works

at Paldi

Feature National institute of design
“We encourage students

to make socially
responsible
designs, not ones
based on whims”
pradyumna vyas
Director, NID
bamboo, glass and ceramic, Vyas told me

that the NID was committed to reviving “The real victory is when
lost art forms, such as bamboo work.
Pointing towards one window, he told
your design, a per-
me that those were futuristic car designs. sonal expression, is
“Neha Chauhan, an NID graduate, has endorsed by the consumer”
designed the interiors of Mahindra
Xylo,” he said with pride; another feath- Hannelore Dekeva,
er in NID’s cap. The mention of Xylo undergraduate student
reminded More that he had arranged for specialising in bamboo art
me to meet some students at the Gandhi-
nagar campus, the following day. These (LAD) room. The team was armed with
students were working on a project with charts, laptops and notebooks. Gauri
carmaker Renault, Vyas told me, as I Pandey, from the team, told me they
continued to look at those silent works were designing spaces for the year 2030.
in the boxes on Design Street. Some- They showed me a few futuristic designs
thing was amiss. of bikes, cars, tents and community
At night, I got talking to a group of buildings that resembled bubbles.
undergraduate students in the hostel We decided to continue our discussions
mess. While discussing about design, over Pizza Papad, a papad with pizza brave of them to have adopted this dull-
Hannelore Dekeva from Darjeeling sud- toppings – the invention of Kishore, campus as their home.
denly tugged at her T-shirt and said, “I designer and chef-cum-waiter at the On the way back to the Paldi campus,
never wore such stuff before. I am so canteen. At the khopcha (NIDspeak for I thought I had seen two faces of NID in
critical of design now!” Later she told canteen), the LAD team talked about the two days I had spent here. One was
me the black ‘thing’ was called the Bat the initial infrastructural problems it the institute’s progressive approach to
Installation; it was the creation of an faced on this campus. It used to be deso- design – integrating design with man-
NID student. late, with few recreational activities. agement practices, fostering an open
Before we parted, Hannelore said “Do But now, there’s a gymnasium, and a environment for students to speak their
pass through it, once.” basketball court is being constructed minds, of nurturing great ideas, which
upon the students’ request. One stu- I saw in the National Design Busi-
Day Two dent also raised the issue of incompe- ness Incubator. There, I met people
The Gandhinagar campus looks unim- tent faculty but then she added, “When like Abeek Bose of Robots Alive and
aginative and grey, as all structures are you bring up these issues, NID deals MIT graduate Kranthi Kiran of Dhama
the colour of concrete. On this half- with it. Here the student is respected.” I Apparel Innovations, who are both doing
built campus, where iron rods still stick was impressed by their candour for they exceptional work.
out of the buildings, I met the Renault openly discussed these issues with me. No doubt, the institute has invested in
team in the Lifestyle Accessory Design But as I was leaving, I felt it was truly the latest design software and the

1
2
3
1 Heritage campus in Paldi at dusk
2 faculty assessing student work
3 timeout for inspiration
4 student designing an automobile
machines, which I saw at the workshops window. The street could definitely be sitting at the reception counter in vests
where students were making objects out more exciting; the display windows, while their uniforms rested on hangers
of steel, wood, glass and clay. The interactive and modern. Why hadn’t the or the Paldi canteen where rubbish was
ancient, ceiling-high handloom in the institute thought of this? I also felt the strewn outside a half-empty bin.
textile workshop was an awe-inspiring institute needed to promote itself and It was almost five o’ clock when we
sight; a library called the Knowledge its students much more. BusinessWeek returned to Paldi. I thanked More for
Management Centre, where shoes are lists NID amongst the top 25 European his hospitality – on the way back he had
not allowed in because of the dust, is & Asian programmes in the world, but even treated me to pakoras made by the
revered by the students. And of course only a handful of foreign students have inmates of Sabarmati jail.
the bright and colourful NIDUS, a shop come to NID in the past 49 years! But before I packed and left, I walked
that sells creations by NIDians. The pieces of the NID puzzle were through the bat installation, feeling the
On the other hand, on Design Street, beginning to fit. It’s a great institute that’s soft fabric that was shaped into bats.
I saw NID’s callous approach to the falling short of the students’ expecta- There, I did it! Then it struck why Han-
achievements of its students. Had Vyas tions because somewhere along the way nelore had asked me to walk through
not explained the works of the students, I NID has started taking its reputation it. The bat installation represented
wouldn’t have understood a thing. There and its students for granted. a student’s moment of breaking free.
were neither descriptions of the works The two sides of NID also offered me I suppose that’s what students look for
nor names of the creators in the display a few amusing sights, like the guards when they come to NID.

Career Review TEACHING
india needs Fast Facts

Best Schools: Central Institute of Education,
Jamia Millia Islamia, Sophia Polytechnic,
University of Calcutta, University of Madras,
passionate,
Lady Irwin College, SNDT Women’s University,
Banaras Hindu University, Bhavnagar
University Qualifications: Depends on
schooling level (pre-primary, primary, middle,
high school/senior secondary)
Qualified by Bharti M Borah
EDUCATORS U
sha Kiran, a government school
teacher at Baba Ramdev Sar-
vodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, New
Delhi received the Best Teach-
er Award at the state level last year. Her
students find her very approachable;
she’s not afraid to address issues such as
If you want to influence and mentor young minds, peer pressure or family situations, often
teaching may be your calling. Explore the education ignored by others but which can easily
hamper effective study habits. “You can
sector, which is growing in leaps and bounds change your destiny by making the most

Teachers’ training institutes in India
College/University Location
Avila College of Education Edacochin, Ernakulam
Beselios Marthoma Mathews College of Teacher Education Kottarakkara, Kollam
College of Teacher Education Kozhikode, Kozhikode
CSI College of Education Parassala, Trivandrum
Dr. Palpu Memorial SNDP Yogam College Kodungallur, Thrissur Dist
Tagore Government College of Education Andaman & Nicobar
Andhra University Visakhapatanam
Arunachal University Doimukh, Dist Papumpara
Assam University Silchar
Barpeta Bachelor of Training College Barpeta
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University Muzaffarpur
Dr Zakir Hussain Teacher Training College Laheria Sarai, Dist Darbhanga
Patna University Patna
Government College of Education Chandigarh
Goa University Goa
Central Insitute of Education New Delhi
Photographs: Rajesh Thakur/Outlook Group
Institute of Advanced Studies in Education New Delhi

Lady Irwin College New Delhi
Bhavnagar University Bhavnagar
your stuff; you also need to prepare dif- Typically, starting salaries at the gov-
ferent ways of getting it across and mak- ernment level are higher than in pub-
ing it interesting,” she shares. lic schools. Private schools may offer
Often, people choose to become teach- salaries as high as Rs. 40,000 per month
ers without any insight into the chal- based on experience and qualifications.
the hallmark of a good teacher is qualities like lenges involved and the aptitude needed Pre-primary: This level comprises
patience, enthusiasm and perseverance for the job. The two top qualities seem play school, nursery and kindergarten,
to be: patience and enthusiasm. Also, and children between two-and-a-half
of an education; it gives you choices and striking the right balance between the to three years of age. You need to be a
options in life, and a sense of control two, always. Additionally, you should graduate, along with a nursery training
over your future,” Kiran constantly tells have a desire for learning, you must be certificate, diploma or degree. Schools
her students. fair, possess good organisational skills usually prefer teachers trained under
The Central Institute of Education and be observant. the Montessori or kindergarten pattern.
(CIE) in University of Delhi, North Cam- And beware: children ask a lot of ques- The salary varies, depending on the type
pus has always found a large number of tions in the classroom, and sometimes of school. Pooja Kalra left a corporate
takers for its BEd programmes, except you may not know the answers! Besides, career to teach at Step By Step, a play
when there was a decline in 2000. But interactivity also makes learning more school in New Delhi. The pros: she has
according to Bharati Baveja, Head of fun, and engaging. fun in the classroom and also gets more
Department of CIE, it’s picking up time to spend with her own children.
again. So, what does it take to be a good Choose your level of teaching Primary: This level comprises Class
teacher? And what are the rewards? Formal training is a must in this field, 1 to 5, and children from 5 to 9 years of
We explore the teaching profession in and your qualification will decide the age. Usually, you teach all subjects, and
today’s times. level of teaching. And it’s important to you must be a graduate or postgradu-
choose the latter, wisely. For instance, ate, with a diploma or degree in teach-
Do you possess these qualities? if you do not have patience with young ing/education. You would belong to the
Berit Jorgensen, a teacher for the past 10 children, then pre-primary and prima- Primary Teacher scale (PRT) and be
years in Norway, sums up her profession ry education is probably not the best paid roughly Rs. 17,000 per month, at
rather well. “A teacher is a like a potato, choice for you. After completion, you public schools. Jorgensen, who recently
which is fried, boiled, baked, stewed etc. can work in a government, public or went back to school to pursue a Mas-
A multi-tasker, it’s not enough to know private school. ter’s in Multicultural and International

Shipra Ghosh
Special needs teacher,
Step By Step, New Delhi
Shipra instantly strikes
you as bright and chirpy,
and these qualities seem
infectious. When I entered
her classroom, my com-
panion received a spontaneous hug from a
child. Glancing around, I noticed that all the
kids were busy, and it looked like a fun day
at school.
With over ten years of experience as a special
needs teacher, Ghosh asserts that children
with special needs are just like other children,
the difference being in the manner in which
they communicate. To demonstrate this, she
took my hands in hers, asked me to close
my eyes and demonstrated how the visually
impaired communicate three simple words, “I
love you.” Her insight into the world of special
needs finds expression, equally, for hearing
impaired and autistic children.
Many parents thank Ghosh, for the differ-
ence she has made in the lives of their children
and it’s not surprising. Ghosh’s strategy as a
teacher is to give each student personalised
attention, once she understands their specific
needs. “If it’s not working then something is
wrong. I change my strategy till it starts work-
ing,” she observes.
Education at Oslo University College, Alternative schools in India

says that teaching at this level is “excit-
School Location State Website
ing, demanding, exhausting, not appre-
ciated, and is not for everyone. If you like Aaverbhav Hyderabad Andhra Krishnamurti-and-education.org/
Pradesh aaverbhav.htm
it, it can be great.”
Middle: This level comprises class 6 Rishi Valley Rishi Valley Andhra Rishivalley.org/school/overview.htm
Education Center Pradesh
to 8. From this level onwards, teachers
Mirambika New Delhi Delhi Mirambika.org/mirambika/
become responsible for a specific sub-
ject. A BEd degree is a typical require- The Heritage School Gurgaon Haryana Theheritageschool.com/gurgaon_new
ment and being a graduate, you will be The Shri Ram School Gurgaon Haryana Shriconnect.net/portal/
placed in the Trained Graduate Teach- Center For Learning Bangalore Karnataka Cfi.in
ers scale earning a salary of Rs. 21,000
Geniekids Life School Bangalore Karnataka Geniekids.com
per month at a public school.
High school/Senior Sec- Sri Atmananda Malakkara Kerala Kpmapproach.org
Memorial School
ondary: High school comprises class
9 to 10 and senior secondary refers to The Gurukul Thiruvanan- Kerala Gurukulkerela.org
thapuram
class 11 to 12. At this level, teachers usu-
ally need to have a Master’s degree, and Adharshila Learning Sakad Madhya Adharshilask.tripod.com/adharshila.html
Centre Pradesh
a BEd, which places you in the Trained
Bal-Anand Mumbai Maharashtra Kfionline.org/schools/balanand.asp
Post Graduate Teachers (PGT) scale,
thus earning an average salary of Rs. Sahyadri School Pune Maharashtra sahyadrischool.org
23,000 per month at a public school. Digantar School Jaipur Rajasthan
Some subjects such as computer sci- Shikshantar Udaipur Rajasthan Swaraj.org/shikshantar
ence do not require a BEd, due to lack
Anugriha Arasavangkadu Tamil Nadu Ashanet.org/conferences/Ini/anugriha.htm
of trained teachers. Anu Bhatia, who
teaches class 11 and 12 students, finds Auroville Auroville Tamil Nadu Ashanet.org/conferences/Ini/auroville.htm
it challenging as major generational Lakshmi Ashram Kausani Uttaranchal Andolan.prayaga.org/2006/05/27/lakshmi-
and attitudinal change exists in this age ashram-a-unique-school-for-girls-in-kumaon
group, making it an ongoing process to Rajghat Education Varanasi Uttar Kfionline.org/schools/rajghat.asp
earn the respect of your students. Center Pradesh

G Gautama
Director, Chennai Education Centre, J Krishnamurti or Sri Aurobindo. The
The School-Chennai, Krishnamurti Rishi Valley School is considered to be
Foundation, India one of the best alternative schools in
Teaching in schools in the 21st cen- India. One space to find training is in
tury is meant only for the bravest of
the brave! Schools with a low student- Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Delhi for a BEd,
teacher ratio, and therefore those that giving you the opportunity to also teach
are able to pay greater attention to students, may run the at Mirambika Free Progress School,
risk of being thought of as “easy” schools. So the challenge
of creating and sustaining a “humane” atmosphere, falls
based in the vicinity.
squarely on teachers. Only when the teachers are clear
about their role is it possible to create a friendly, purposeful Choosing the right institute
atmosphere. And this role is being radically redefined.
Almost all universities in India offer a
The educator will not only have to create a learning envi-
ronment for the young, but also work for the emergence of
Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in edu-
lifelong learners. He/she will have to model the characteris- cation, as well as diploma courses in
tics of a lifelong learner, and not just be a specialist teacher. teaching at primary level. Some well
Humane schools are usually quite small and have a cul- known institutes: Central Institute of
ture of teacher participation in the running of schools. This Education, Jamia Millia Islamia, SNDT
places the additional requirement of being part of a ‘think-
ing’, ‘sensing’ team. Learning the art of working together Women’s University, Sophia Polytech-
with other bright colleagues, innovating individually and nic, University of Calcutta and Univer-
collectively is another exciting area. sity of Chennai.
Thus in a humane, so-called alternative school, extraor- Lady Irwin College and MS University
dinary opportunities await someone who wishes to learn
the art of being a teacher. However, this generally requires in Baroda offer child development as
being open to learning and doing many different roles, a subject in its Home Science course.
often simultaneously. School salaries are going up dramati- Many employed teachers opt for corre-
cally and promise to go up even further in the future. But if
you are brave, daring and in search of understanding and spondence courses in order to upgrade
growth, as a human being, there are few better options. their qualifications. The National
Council for Educational Research and
Training (NCERT), New Delhi offers an
integrated four-year BA-BEd/BSc-BEd
Additional perks A special vocation programme at its regional centres in
Besides a salary, teachers receive sev- You can also train to teach children with Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Mysore
eral benefits such as accommodation special needs, and this requires a differ- and Shillong.
at nominal rates in residential schools, ent attitude, aptitude and qualification. Make sure you choose an institute with
subsidised fees for their children, a pen- This is because though it can be reward- clear linkages between the Department
sion and gratuity. They also get regular ing, it can also be emotionally, physi- of Education, NCERT and State Coun-
paid vacations when schools are closed. cally and psychologically draining. It’s cil of Educational Research and Train-
Some schools conduct workshops and a part of the territory. You could opt for ing (SCERT) along with other educa-
training during vacations, to help their a certificate course or diploma course, tional institutions of central and Delhi
teachers upgrade their skills. after class 12 or graduation. You could Administration. SCERT takes care of
Salaries may have remained modest as also specialise in a specific area such as pre-service and in-service training at
compared to other professions but the hyperactivity or learning difficulties. A elementary, secondary and advanced
scenario is changing. The private edu- BEd is not essential. You can opt for a levels to equip teachers in this profes-
cation market in India was estimated PG Diploma in Special Education from sion. Educational research and training
to be worth $40 billion in 2008, and is Action for Ability, Development and of teachers is given a lot of importance
expected to increase to $68 billion by Inclusion, formerly known as Spastic now, and teacher learning materials are
the year 2012, opening further opportu- Society, in Delhi. being constantly updated.
nities in the profession. You can join a special school or opt
for integrated schools that have a spe- Education in India
Subject specialists cial needs division. Many children with The Indian school education system is
From middle school upwards, you could special needs attend integrated schools, largely governed by various bodies:
become a subject specialist in areas like also referred to as ‘mainstreaming’ or ●● State government boards
maths, science, social science, econom- ‘inclusive education.’ ●● Central Board of Secondary Educa-
ics, computer science etc. The Central tion (CBSE)
Advisory Board of Education (CABE) Alternative schools ●● Council for the Indian School Cer-
prescribes the manner in which sub- Also referred to as ‘progressive’ or tificate Examinations (CISCE)
jects are taught in the classroom, and ‘humane’ schools, this kind of school- ●● National Institute of Open Schooling
is responsible for updating the teaching provides children and teachers (NIOS)
ing methodology to keep pace with the with a unique experience, usually ●● International schools are affiliated
growing demands of the system. based on a philosophy, such as that of to the International Baccalaureate

Top international institutions

Institutes Country Website Courses
Harvard University US Gse.harvard.edu/ Doctor of Education Leadership
(Ed LD)
Stanford University US Stanford.edu/ Master’s in International
Comparative Education
University of Cambridge UK Cam.ac.uk/ Master’s in Arts Culture and
Education
University of Oxford US Ox.ac.uk/ MSc in Applied Linguistics and
“A teacher is a like a Second Language Acquisition
potato, which is fried, Yale University US Yale.edu/ Master’s in Urban Education Studies
boiled, baked and Columbia University US Columbia.edu/ Master’s in Gifted Education

University of British Columbia US Ubc.ca/ Master’s and PhD in Cross-Faculty
stewed. It’s multi- Inquiry in Education
tasking, but interesting” McGill University Canada Mcgill.ca/ BEd in Physical and Health Education
Cornell University US Cornell.edu/ Master’s in Learning, Teaching and
Berit jorgensen, Educator, Norway Social Policy
The University of Melbourne Australia Unimelb.edu.au/ MEd in Student Wellbeing
Programme and/or the Cambridge University of Michigan US Umich.edu/ PhD in Educational Studies:
Cross Specialization Option
International examinations
●● Islamic Madrasa school boards are University of Tokyo Japan U-tokyo.ac.jp/ Master’s in Lifelong Educational
index_e.html Planning
controlled by the local state govern-
ment, autonomous or affiliated to the University of Pennsylvania US Upenn.edu/ MSEd and PhD in Education,
campus/ Culture and Society
Darul Ulom Deoband
●● Autonomous/alternative schools
The Central Board of Education has Teaching level Qualification seven out of 100 children that enrol in
steadily increased its school count from Pre-Primary Basic Early Child Care and
class one finish high school. Efforts on
309 schools in 1962 to 8,979 schools in Education (ECCE), Full-time training teachers and programmes being
March 2007 (includes 141 schools in 21 Diploma in ECCE, 1-year offered at the national level do not seem
autonomous course
countries). Regional offices have also to be reflecting in the number of stu-
been set up for better functioning. Primary, middle, Graduation + BEd dents finishing their schooling. Qualified
secondary
The NCERT is responsible for creat- teachers need to enter the field, a viable
ing CBSE books, dealing with school Senior Postgraduation in subject, profession to make an overall difference
Secondary some schools need BEd
education-related curriculum. Teachers in the field of education.
are also invited to create specific chap- Special schools Degree/diploma in special When planning your career, choose
education
ters for different classes. the right school level, type of school
and subjects, carefully. And remember,
Rural education in focus for all’ movement, was launched. a student never forgets a good teacher
As early as the 1950s, rural education Based in Rajasthan, the Vidya Bhawan because his or her influence can change
was brought under Community Devel- Society and Digantar have built up a a pupil’s life, forever.
opment Blocks that controlled educa- reputation for being education resource
tion in up to 100 villages. Block Devel- organisations working extensively in
opment Officers would cover an area of terms of elementary education peda- Previous Career Reviews
150 square miles, covering a population gogy, curriculum and material develop-
of almost 70,000. The central government. Their aim is to improve the qual- Launch your career on the high seas –
Merchant Navy
ment, as part of the tenth Five Year Plan ity of mainstream elementary education
Obscure theories that determine national
(2002-2007) from the total education through proper training, capacity build- destinies – Economics
budget of Rs. 438,250 million allocated ing and reform initiatives undertaken at
“I am not a mind reader, I’m a psycholo-
65.6% (Rs. 287,500 million) on elemen- the level of government and non-gov- gist” – Psychology
tary education and 9.9% (Rs. 43,250 ernmental institutions, providing rural Raising the bar and being on the right side
million) on secondary education. areas with better education. of the law – Legal Studies
The District Primary Education Pro- Do you have designs on pret or haute cou-
gramme was initiated in 1994, through Where should I be? ture? – Fashion
which 160,000 schools including 84,000 Elementary education finds a large
alternative schools were opened and population of teachers in India. How- www.careers360.com
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the ‘education ever, dropout rates indicate that only

Rights Alert deemed universities
Look before you leap into a new course

‘Deemed University’ isn’t
technically a university,
but a special status
granted to institutes
by Team Careers360
T
his year, the Ministry of Human
Resource Development ordered
a freeze on Deemed Univer-
sity (DU) grant approvals. A
committee is in place to review previ-
ously granted approvals. In this light,
Careers360 advises students to be alert
when selecting courses offered by a DU.
University vs Deemed University: The

UGC has withdrawn its notification per-
mitting ‘Deemed Universities’ to refer to
themselves as ‘universities’. This means

that unlike a university, which has full
liberty to launch new courses, a DU has
to seek a UGC sanction before adding
new courses, departments or centres. In
other words, a DU status is conditional,
and is a recognition.
The DU status is usually granted to an All regulatory approvals are still with both domestic and foreign institu-
institution that is doing a high standard essential: Unlike a university, which tions. These programmes are valid and
of work in a specialised field, compara- does not need the approval of regulatory recognised in India, only if they have
ble to that in a university system. As an bodies like AICTE, a DU need not seek prior approval from the UGC.
idea, the status is offered to institutions, approval, but is subject to verification by
doing pioneering work in select fields of bodies like AICTE. So, if it is a profes- Fees refund: Since DUs are approved
education. It is normally accorded for a sional programme, see if the approvals by the Government of India, the ruling
period of five years, and a review can be are in place. regarding refund of fees apply to them
ordered any time. Joint Degrees: Many DUs offer attrac- as well. After scrutiny, a DU cannot
tive joint programmes in association retain your original marksheets, caste
Only select departments are certificate, degree certificates and trans-
approved: DU status is granted to only fer/migration certificate. In case you
select departments or campuses of a DEEMED UNIV DECODED decide to withdraw your candidature,
particular institution. Before taking the institute has to refund the entire fee
It is not really a university
admission, visit the UGC website and ■■
after deducting a sum of not more than
check whether the campus or depart- ■■ DU is a special status granted to a Rs. 1,000, as administrative charges.
programme/department of an institute
ment is approved by the UGC.
■■ Check if your course has all necessary Distance education: All DUs are tech-
approvals
A DU cannot affiliate itself to any nically eligible to offer programmes
college or institution: It could have ■■ If you withdraw your candidature, DU cannot through distance education mode, too.
retain the original documents
multiple campuses, provided these cam- But they can only do so after obtaining
puses are owned by the same trust or ■■ The institute must return all fees, deducting the approval of the DEC-UGC-AICTE
organisation that owns the DU and are not more than Rs. 1,000, as admin charges joint committee. So, please look for the
previously approved by UGC. approval letter before you opt for one.

Course Review INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
India’s answer to the ‘i-school’

This MTech course combines tech, science and management, to prepare students for the
Fast Facts
Course: 2-year full-time MTech, Eligibility:
BE/BTech/BArch, MBBS, Master’s degree
Selection: Written exam (or CAT/ MAT/GATE
score) + Interview, Institutes; ISiM, Mysore,
K J Somaiya, Pune and host of international
schools Fees: Less than 1.5 lakh rupees
By Nandita Datta
T
he ‘ischool’ phenomenon some
say began with the Mooore’s
Law. As processing speed dou-
bled almost every two years, the
range, depth and diversity of informa-
tion that could be processed grew at
a much faster clip. With concomitant
improvements in communication, stor-
age, transmission and retrieval technol-
ogies, we are now swimming in a deluge
of information. A 2007 study by IDC see www.ischools.org). The movement isim adopts an inter-disciplinary approach to the
concluded that the worldwide produc- attempts to give a voice to the idea of study of information management
tion of information in 2006 exceeded Information Management.
161 exabytes, increasing at a compound science and management (see Box for
annual growth rate of 57%. What does the discipline teach? the list of courses) -- it deals with every
While only a small fraction of this I-schools seek to offer an inter-discipli- aspect of information, from organising it
information is accessible online (<2% nary approach to the study of informa- to making it accessible and useful.
by some estimates), it presents major tion management. Instead of relying on The programme is normally spread
challenges (and opportunities) in infor- technology alone to address the problem over four semesters, though shorter
mation management, access, and pres- of mountains of data piling up every- courses are also on offer. The pro-
ervation and usage. Dr. Shalini Urs, the where, it involves various disciplines gramme is centred on three areas,
founder of the Mysore-based Interna- such as economics, sociology, library namely technology, information and
tional School of Information Manage- science, linguistics, law, psychology, etc. management. Hence it begins with
ment (ISiM), discovered this when she The coursework involves technology, courses such as database management,
tried to recruit students for a research programming skills, enterprise archi-
project on information retrieval. “Nei- tecture, and moves on to offer modules
ther a computer science student nor Useful websites on structured learning on management
an information science student could www.ischools.org concepts, organisational structure and
achieve what we wanted — getting them The website for the assocation of ischools. A optional papers on business functions.
good place to learn what is new
to collaborate and work together was an The integrative element is provided
www.aisnet.org
uphill task,” recalls Urs. A premier association of academics, this is a by courses on information life cycle,
Long before that, in 1988, Dean Tony site for cutting edge news knowledge architecture, organisational
Carbo of University of Pittsburgh and her www.arma.org learning, digital transformation etc.
colleagues felt the same, and launched a A premier organisation for data management Invariably, the programme would also
professionals
group to enhance teaching and research involve a structured industrial project or
www.isaca.org
in all aspects of information. And the Here is a one-stop shop for information security dissertation. This enables the student to
information school (i-school) move- professionals apply the concepts learned in the class-
ment was born (for more information room, to a particular problem .

revolution?
Select institutions offering programmes in Information Management
Course Institution Website
INTERNATIONAL
information needs of tomorrow MS degree in information

management and technology
School of Information Studies,
Syracuse University
http://ischool.syr.edu
Master of Information Systems School of Information Systems & www.heinz.cmu.edu

Management Management, Carnegie Mellon
Heinz College
Master of Information U C Berkeley School of Information www.ischool.berkeley.edu
Management and Systems
MSc Information Management Manchester Metropolitan University www.hlss.mmu.ac.uk
Master of Information Curtin University of Technology, www.curtin.edu.au/
Management Australia
Master of Information University of Strathclyde www.strath.ac.uk
Management
MSc in Digital Information Information Management school, www.londonmet.ac.uk
Management London Metropolitan University
NATIONAL
Post Graduate Diploma in Xavier Institute of Social Service www.xiss.ac.in/PGDIM.
Information Management (XISS), Ranchi html
Master’s in Information K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management http://simsr.somaiya.edu
Management (MIM) Part-time Studies & Research
Post Graduate Diploma in Symbiosis Institute of Management http://sims.siu.edu.in/
Information System (Part-time) Studies
under than Rs. 2 lakh, Urs says, ISiM is role of designing and building a data
able to attract some of the biggest names warehouse to a not-so-technical posi-
Nilotpal Baruah/Outlook Group
in the world of i-schools. tion of an information analyst whose
job is to processes and interpret infor-
Indian scenario Selection methodology mation. Technical communications is
In India, information management is The selection process for foreign uni- another option — the job entails con-
still in its nascent stage. While four versities would involve sitting for GRE, veying technical information in simple
schools offer some form of information while Indian schools would want you speak, which could be in the form of
management programmes, it is only to take a written exam and an inter- user manuals, reference cards, busi-
ISiM which qualifies to be termed as an view. ISiM for example, conducts an ness reports, etc. For example at ISiM
Indian i-school. Academically affiliated entrance exam, simultaneously across recruiters included UNiSYS, Thomson
to Mysore University, it functions as an many cities in the country, which tests Reuters, Rediff, SAP Labs and Infor-
autonomous body, making its own deci- a candidate’s verbal ability and reason- matics (India) among others. “With the
sions about admissions, course structure ing, quantitative skills, analytical/logi- Googles of the world trying to organise
and even the operational model. cal reasoning and data interpretation the world’s information, here is a course
capabilities. Students with CAT, MAT that would be India’s answer to the need
ISiM - an overview or GATE scores are exempt from this for an army of talent to actualise it.
ISiM’s operational model is unique. Urs entrance test.
calls it the “inverse of distance educa-
tion”. In a distance education set-up, the Eligibility Previous Course Reviews
school and faculty are in one place but Internationally, a four-year undergradu- Health care administration
students are scattered. In ISiM’s case, ate degree is mandatory. And normally a MSc Environmental Science
the school and students are at one place sizable section of the cohort would be Computer Science: where 1s and 0s
(i.e. Mysore) but the faculty is distribut- from an engineering background. The determine everything
ed. ISiM’s faculty is largely drawn from MTech programme offered by ISiM Actuarial Science: Where demand always
the industry and reputed educational also follows this trend, with over half exceeds supply
institutes in India and abroad. The for- the students being from the engineering Nanotechnology
eign faculty typically spends three to background.
four weeks in Mysore to complete the www.careers360.com
coursework, after which they are acces- Placement options
sible to students on e-mail or Skype. For They could range from a highly technical

Oration bill gates
Bill Gates’ advice to Harvard

University graduates
The barrier to change is not too little caring; it is too much complexity
microsoft founder at the Commencement Address

at Harvard University on June 7
You graduates are coming of age in an amaz-

ing time. As you leave Harvard, you have tech-
nology that members of my class never had.
You have awareness of global inequity, which
we did not have. And with that awareness, you
likely also have an informed conscience that
will torment you if you abandon these people
whose lives you could change with very little
effort. You have more than we had; you must
start sooner, and carry on longer.
The barrier to change is not too little caring;
it is too much complexity. Cutting through
complexity to find a solution runs through
four predictable stages: determine a goal, find
the highest-leverage approach, discover the
ideal technology for that approach, and in
the meantime, make the smartest application
of the technology that you already have —
whether it’s something sophisticated, like a
drug, or something simpler, like a bednet.
Reuters
To turn caring into action, we need to see a
I
’m a bad influence. That’s why I was invit- problem, see a solution, and see the impact.
ed to speak at your graduation. If I had But if you want to inspire people to par-
spoken at your orientation, fewer of you ticipate, you have to show more than num-
might be here today. Harvard was just a bers; you have to convey the human impact
phenomenal experience for me. One of my of the work – so people can feel what sav-
biggest memories of Harvard came in January ing a life means to the families affected.
1975, when I made a call from Currier House Don’t let complexity stop you. Be activists.
to a company in Albuquerque that had begun Take on the big inequities. It will be one of the
making the world’s first personal computers. great experiences of your lives.
I offered to sell them software. From that Knowing what you know, how could you
moment, I worked day and night on this little not?
extra credit project that marked the end of And I hope you will come back here to
my college education and the beginning of a Harvard 30 years from now and reflect on
“Humanity’s greatest remarkable journey with Microsoft. what you have done with your talent and your
advances are not in I learned a lot here at Harvard about new energy. I hope you will judge yourselves not
ideas in economics and politics. But humani- on your professional accomplishments alone,
its discoveries – but ty’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries but also on how well you have addressed the
– but in how those discoveries are applied to world’s deepest inequities … on how well you
in how those discov- reduce inequity. Whether through democracy, treated people a world away who have nothing
eries are applied to strong public education, quality health care, in common with you but their humanity.
or broad economic opportunity – reducing
reduce inequity” inequity is the highest human achievement. (Excerpts from the Commencement Address)

Campus Review Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad
B-school with
a difference
Known for management training and research, IPE has
now launched full-time management programmes
Fast Facts
Established: 1964 Courses: PGDM, PGDM-RM, PGDM-BIF, PGDM-IB, PGDM-BT, MBA-PE, PhD
Students: nearly 600 Core Faculty: 43 Fees: Rs. 5.5 lakhs for any diploma course Placement:
100% as claimed Publications: Six Journals including the Journal of Institute of Public
Enterprise Key Achievements: Dewang Mehta and Impact Marketing Award Annual Student
Events: Samathis, Sanskriti, Nurturing camps, Distinguished lecture series, NEN week
P. Anil Kumar
By Nimesh Chandra executives, 8,000 government person- initiated in 1981-82, imparts managerial
nel including 3,000 IAS officers, though skills to practicing executives, in both
A
midst the greenery in Osma- majority of the participants hail from the central and state governments. They
nia University, stands IPE, an Andra Pradesh. These MDPs exam- are selected by qualifying in the ICET
autonomous, non-profit edu- ined issues such as global competition, (regional MBA entrance test for Andhra
cational institution that has restructuring of PSEs, progressive trade Pradesh) and a personal interview.
made a mark in the area of research and unionism and preparing boards for the For the 2008-10 batch 44 students
consultancy, for both public and private 21st century, to name a few. have enrolled in the course. The total
enterprises. The research outcomes at The Post Graduate Diploma in Busi- number of students who have passed out
IPE have been instrumental in contrib- ness Management, launched in 1995, is is over 700. PhD programme initiated in
uting towards public policymaking in IPE’s flagship programme. The selection 1976 has so far awarded 53 doctorates.
diverse fields ranging from restructur- is through the Common Admission Test In 2008, courses in Marketing & Retail
ing, privatisation/disinvestment, infra- (CAT). Scores in XAT, MAT, ATMA Management and Banking, Insurance &
structure to corporate governance, pay or GMAT, also make you eligible for Financial Services were launched. The
revision and public systems. A pioneer all programmes. Shortlisted candidates objective is to produce capable global
in management development pro- must appear for a group discussion and business leaders, says Dr S K Mathur,
grammes (MDPs) and sector specific interview at IPE, Hyderabad and other Head (Institutional Development).
MBAs (it launched India’s only MBA major cities in India. Gautami, a first-year student of
focusing on public enterprises in The first long-term management pro- PGDM-Biotechnology shares why she
1981), IPE is now striving for a place in gramme, the MBA-Public Enterprises, joined IPE. “This course gives a unique
the bevy of institutions offering MBA
programmes. Programmes and seats at a glance
Name of the Programme Inception Duration Student Intake
Academic background PhD 1976 4-5 years Varies
IPE started MDPs for working profes-
MBA (Public Enterprise) 1981 3 years PT* Varies
sionals in the 1970s and they have the
PG Diploma in Business Management 1995 2 years 120
distinct ability to define problems of
PG Diploma in Marketing and Retail Management 2008 2 years 60
public and private enterprises using sur-
PG Diploma in Banking, Insurance and Financial Services 2008 2 years 60
vey and case-research methods. It also
excels in training programmes for state- PG Diploma in Management–International Business 2009 2 years 60
level public enterprises. PG Diploma in Management–Biotechnology 2009 2 years 40
The institute has conducted more than Executive PG Diploma in Management 2010 15 months -
2,000 programmes (both open and cus- All postgraduate diploma programmes are approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). * Part time. The MBA (PE)
course is affiliated to Osmania University, while the PhD programme is in collaboration with nine universities - Osmania, JNTU, University
tomised) so far and have trained 20,000 of Hyderabad, Utkal, Andhra, Kakatiya, Sri Venkateswara, SK University and University of Mysore.

initiated the concept of stakeholders,
wherein faculty members as subject
experts interact with industry person-
nel, to understand the key requirements,
including potential job openings.
Emphasis is on making students more
Prof. r k mishra ‘employable’. “Mock interviews, group
Director, IPE discussions and personal grooming over
weekends, through the mentorship pro-
I think gramme has helped me gain confidence,
realise my strengths and weaknesses,”
the ministry shares Sushma Goud who is joinng TCS.
handling edu- Prof. Sai Kumar, Coordinator-PGDM
course adds, “Students in the third
cation is in the semester, are segregated into groups
right frame of of 5-6, and a faculty member mentors
mind. There them, to increase their employability.”
should be one The road ahead

regulatory As an institution engaged in capacity
building for public sector enterprises,
body IPE has always focused on research,
publication, training and development
activities. The first full-time programme
ipe stresses on employability of students through its mentorship programme in management education came almost
three decades after the establishment
combo of management and life sciences, Financial assistance of IPE. However, the last two years saw
equipping me better for higher studies or If you want to pursue full-time research, the launch of four more long-term pro-
to take up a job immediately,” she says. you could apply for an IPE National grammes in quick succession. Unless rad-
Doctoral Fellowship (Rs. 18-20,000 per ical improvement in infrastructure and
Infrastructure and resources month, HRA of Rs. 3,000 per month good faculty accompany such a growth,
The IPE campus is WI-FI enabled, and and annual contingency of Rs. 15,000), the institution runs the risk of losing
other facilities are being built up gradu- which is a tad higher than other UGC/ out on commendable expertise gained
ally, to keep pace with the increased CSIR fellowships. The Indian Council in training, development and research
intake of students. of Social Science Research also allo- over four decades, though financial
The lack of a residential campus how cates institutional doctoral fellowships considerations do favour the launch of
ever, is a serious lacune. “One reason for to researchers at IPE. long-term programmes, that account for
IPE’s low ranking amongst B-Schools Another attraction for students from nearly two-thirds of the institute’s total
(even among government B-Schools, it low income backgrounds is the merit- income. Prof. R K Mishra says, IPE will
is ranked low, IPE was not in the Top10 cum-means scholarships with a corpus continue to be among the best if it strikes
category) is because we do not have a fund of one crore rupees, says V Anji a fine balance between short-term train-
residential campus,” observes S Satish Raju, Associate Professor and Coordi- ing and full-time courses. A difficult task
Kumar, who teaches operations and nator (Student Affairs). indeed, considering the kind of growth
quantitative methods. “With a residen- IPE has embarked upon.
tial facility in the vicinity, already avail- Campus placements
able for girl students, and a residential Last year, the figure was close to 100%.
complex in the pipeline, things would be The maximum salary drawn was Rs. 6.67 Previous Campus Reviews
better,” he adds quickly. lakhs per annum and the annual median IMT, Ghaziabad
The digitally equipped library ena- salary offered was Rs. 4.24 lakhs. Major Amrita University
bles online circulation and collection recruiters comprised SBI, Tata Consul-
Jadavpur University
of books, and has access to most online tancy Services (TCS), SBI Life Corpo-
IIIT, Bangalore
databases. Alok Bajaj, a second year ration, IOC Limited, Emergency Man-
PGDM student quips, “I wish we could agement and Research Institute, State TERI University, New Delhi
spend more time on campus, to make use Bank of Hyderabad, APITCO Limited, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata
of the library.” Students also have access and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited.
to the annual reports of over 800 public According to Dr. J M Reddy, Associate www.careers360.com
sector enterprises as well as government Professor and Placement Coordinator,
reports and parliamentary debates. the placement committee at IPE has

Scholarship chevening
Calling all
leaders
If you want to be an agent of change, make a difference,
Chevening may be the right platform for you
Fast Facts
For: Working professionals, executives Applications invited from: Early December (will be
open for approx two months) How to apply: Log on to the web site, apply online Selection
process: Shortlisted candidates will be called for interviews in mid-March Web site: http://
www.britishcouncil.org/india-scholarships-chevening-gurukul.htm
by Shalini Gupta scholarship in over 130 countries. Last

year close to 70 scholarships were
A
mrita Bahri, former president offered to Indian students. However,
of Delhi University is a social this year (2009-10) saw the numbers Ankur and Amrita, it also gives mid-
activist pursuing her Master’s come down to 50, with a record 2,000 career executives a chance to rediscov-
degree in law at London School applications received! er and rebuild their leadership skills
of Economics. She aspires to make a Chevening offers two kinds of fellow- through the Chevening Gurukul Schol-
positive impact in Indian politics after ships, joint fellowships ( see box below) arships awarded every year for a three-
the completion of her course. with other agencies, which are open for month professional training programme
Ankur Garg, 22, a BTech in environ- candidates from all over the world and at The London School of Economics
mental engineering from the Delhi Col- special fellowships focused on particu- and Political Science (LSE).
lege of Engineering had always dreamt lar countries. Generally the local British Shaffi Mather who was selected for
of influencing environmental policy. Council is the coordinating agency for the same in 2003, went on to found Dial
Garg who is now pursuing an MPhil in the programme. 1298 in 2004, a nationwide network of
technology policy at the University of Life Support Ambulance Service acces-
Cambridge is clearly on the right path Instilling leadership skills sible to anyone, anytime and anywhere, a
towards achieving his goal — to work Not only does Chevening harness the year after he completed his course. “The
towards better deployment of uncon- potential within youngsters such as programme gave me an opportunity to
ventional and renewable energy tech- look at things from a new perspective.
nologies in developing countries, within It was a transformation point to move
the UN framework. The common thread
GLOBAL scholarships from a corporate career into something
that binds Amrita and Ankur and helps completely unexplored: social entrepre-
them to pursue their dream studies is ■■ Chevening/BG/Cambridge Scholarship neurship,” he shares.
the UK’s Chevening scholarship. ■■ Chevening Shell Centenary Scholarship Mather who now works as an inde-
■■ Chevening Clore Scholarships (for potential pendent lawyer says that being at the
leaders in the cultural sector i.e. theatre
Making a difference etc.)
forefront of such a pathbreaking initia-
Launched in 1987 in India, four years tive made him realise how socially-rele-
■■ Chevening Hansard Research Internship
after they were introduced in the UK, (Politics) vant problems can be addressed through
Chevening is currently the second larg- ■■ Chevening UNEP – WCMC Scholarship (to
the private sector.
est running scholarship programme resolve biodiversity-related challenges)
in the UK. Under the scheme funded ■■ Chevening/Rio Tinto/Dundee Scholarships Only 20 scholarships, now
by the Foreign and Commonwealth (Master’s of Law, Mineral Law & Policy) Starting 2010-2011, only 20 scholar-
Office, 2,000 students are offered the ships will be offered under the Gurukul

Dan Chugg,
Director Press and
Communications,
British High
Commission
“We shall no longer run

the open scholarship, but
are increasing the
number of Gurukul
scholarships to almost
20. This had become
more popular among mid-
career level executives”
britishcouncil.org/india for any further

announcements.
What the scholarship covers

●● Tuition fees
●● Living expenses for the duration of
the course (three months)
Chevening scholarship has built a reputation for harnessing potential and breeding future leaders ●● A return trip from India to the UK
●● UK student visa
scheme, as compared to last year when organisations such as ILO, NATO and
core scholarships were also being award- EU and also a thesis that is to be submit- A few words of wisdom
ed for year-long postgraduate studies in ted at the completion of the programme. One should spend a little more time
the UK in the areas of economic govern- “It gives one a perspective on different in the chosen field/profession before
ance, finance and public administration, issues facing the world, be it climate applying for the Gurukul scholarship,
sustainable development and science change, the economic crisis etc. and and also plan for the thesis that you
and innovation. These scholarships have helps one see the bigger picture,” shares need to do as part of the three-month
been discontinued. Amitava Bhattacharya, Gurukul scholar programme.
2008 and founder of Banglanatak.com,
Chevening Gurukul Scholarships a theatre-based communication initia- Please note: The Chevening scholarships
The Gurukul scholarships are hugely tive that has a network in 23 states in are undergoing a restructure, following the
popular amongst working executives India. It helps empower backward and discontinuation of the open scholarships.
owing to the short time frame of three marginal sections of people with knowl- Information provided is to the best of our
months which is a good refreshing break edge, skills and resources to help them knowledge and is subject to further change.
from work, at the same time not forego- lead better lives. Log on to www.britishcouncil.org/india, to
ing it completely, says Gurukul scholar keep a tab on future announcements.
Arundhati Ghosh (2005) who is now Who is eligible
the Deputy Director, Indian Foundation The programme is meant for working
for the Arts, Bangalore. The scholarship professionals, generally mid-career Previous Scholarships
was her window of inspiration, she says. executives with four to five years of work
Mombusho Scholarships, Japan
“Studying at LSE, which in itself is a experience, who have demonstrated
social, cultural and political hub, and leadership abilities in their respective Fulbright fellowships for studies in the US
connecting with the best of minds, helps fields, have good written and verbal Eng- Australian Endeavour Scholarships
rekindle new ideas and changes your lish skills and are computer-savvy. DAAD fellowship to study in Germany
perspective on the world,” she shares.
How to apply
The curriculum for Gurukul Application forms will be available start-
www.careers360.com
Classes are followed by field visits to ing early December. Please check www.

Ask Us Career choice
Students quiz us on the BBA, medical,

electrical engineering, R&D, and more
Organisation, which are the three big agencies
that do substantial R&D work in the coun-
try. The selection process is tough, but the
rewards are quite good.
The second option, if you are interested in
working in the the private sector, is to apply
to and pursue an MS at a good US university,
and then look forward to a career in research.
Q. My son wants to do civil service exam.

How to prepare for it? Give all details.
Suyog Vilaschanda Baser
A. We assume that your son has fulfilled the
required eligibility conditions. The civil serv-
ices exam process begins in December 2009
when the advertisement for prelims comes
up. He will have to apply after satisfying the
eligibility conditions. Ideally he must begin
preparation now. The preliminary examina-
Whatever you pursue, do it
with commitment
Q. I am studying BTech (CSE) final year. tion has two segments: GK and an optional
Now, I’m learning SAP course on week- paper. Both are objective in nature, and are
ends. Is my choice correct? What are the elimination exams. So, he must try and score
job opportunities in SAP after BTech. maximum marks.
Ravi Coaching is not essential, but discipline and
A. ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning is long hours of work are very crucial. The main
still an interesting area of specialisation and exam has nine papers in all, and we explored
SAP is one of the best firms offering that pack- the preparation strategy in the August 2009
age. But remember, while selecting SAP, you issue of Careers360. Good luck to your son!
would invariably specialise on a particular
module. So while selecting a module, keep in Q. I am an MBBS aspirant. This is my sec-
mind your long-term interests. ond attempt. What are the options besides
Keep in mind that now-a-days firms also MBBS? Any career options in biology?
look for some functional experience in the Anonymous
module you are specialising in. So don’t be A. MBBS, definitely has it charms, but to
disheartened if the course does not aid you spend more than two years just seeking
directly in getting a job. It will definitely be admission is not very advisable. If you do not
useful in the long run. In the mean time, keep get admission in this attempt, then move on
your eyes and ears open for any job opportu- to other equally exciting fields. Pursue phar-
nity that comes your way. macy, and get into drug discovery, do biology
and pursue biotechnology or biochemistry.
Q. I am currently doing electrical engi- The range of options available in this sector is
neering. I would like to work in the R&D good. You could also look at medical technol-
area. Tell me how I can enter that area. ogy field, an upcoming area. But whatever you
Coaching is not M Manikandan pursue, do it with commitment.
essential for the civil A. Research and Development is a very excit-
services exam. But ing domain, and is catching up in India. The Q. Tell me about job prospects after a
best way to enter the field is to sit for the com- postgraduate diploma in human rights
discipline and long petitive examinations conducted by either from IIHR, New Delhi in distance mode.
hours of work are Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Kumar
very crucial Space or Defence Research and Development A. Human rights is a growing domain. But

normally good jobs in the sector would go to Q. What is the future for MTech Environ-
individuals who specialise in human rights ment (engineering)?
and international law, after a basic law degree. Shruti
IIHR, is a private body, whose diploma is not Environment will be a major area of concern
recognised by relevant bodies like AICTE, in the near future. With new international
though the institute’s website does claim to treaties coming into force, India will have to
have obtained equivalence certificates from get its environment act right. Job prospects
some universities. would be in the environment wings of pri-
Other than generic information regarding vate firms, state boards, IP firms, consulting
the potential prospects no mention is there organisations, International Development
about assured placements from the institute. organisations focusing on environment etc.
So, we are not sure how much value it would Start working with NGOs like Toxic Links
have in getting you a job in the sector. right now, so that you are equipped to handle
assignments when they come your way.
Q. What are the good institutes for BBA
undergraduate course (all over India)? Q. I am a first year PGDBM student from
Anonymous a college in Mumbai. Not sure whether I
A. BBA is a very different undergraduate want to specialise in finance or marketing.
degree. While the curriculum and even the Please suggest some short-term courses
specialisations remain very common to MBA, for both, which will add value to my pro-
its postgraduate counter part, the degree is file, are not too expensive, and which can
not sufficient to get you a job immediately. be completed in one year.
Some colleges like the College of Business Anonymous
Studies at Delhi University offer a very good A. The specialisations you are considering
programme with placements. In general, demand very different skill sets. So, first of all
even after a BBA, you might still have to you need to decide whether you want to be in
pursue an MBA before you can enter the marketing or finance. Straddling both disci-
job market. plines may appear to be a good hedging strat-
egy, but it is not. Please decide on one domain,
Q. Is there any course after graduation and then do a few courses on the other to add
in computer science and engineering (BE value. You should think of short-term courses
Comp science & engineering) to pursue a only after you are in the job market.
career in aerospace/aeronautics sector?
Careers360,
Vikraant Q. I am a final year BE electrical student. receives hundreds
A. We are not aware of universities in India, What jobs can I get right now? of questions every
which offer you such shift possibilities. Top Amit T month. Some select
class schools such as MIT, Stanford, and A. Electrical engineering is an evergreen
CalTech, offer you such multidisciplinary field. Firms like BHEL, Siemens etc. recruit
answers are pub-
courses. Good schools at Michigan, Illinois, engineers from this field. But recruitment lished here. All que-
Arizona, Maryland, Washington, California is a function of the college you are in and ries are answered
(Davis), Missouri (Rolla) and Purdue, might your performance in the entrance exams con- on our web site. Visit
also offer the possibility of pursuing an MS ducted by these organisations. So, learn to
(aerospace) with computing as a specialisa- do puzzles, verbal reasoning and analytical
www.careers360.
tion. Check individual universities whether reasoning. Be aware of general happenings in com and post your
such a possibilities exist. your sector and the country. queries today

Course Alerts scholarship listing jobs
Ready Reckoner
A compilation of actionable information, segmented and presented on a thematic
basis and sorted out according to their deadlines
Admissions Deadline Information
Common Entrance Examination for Design: M Design at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, 3/11/09 www.idc.iitb.ac.in
IIT Kanpur & IISc, Bangalore
PhD programme at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 3/11/09 www.iiserpune.ac.in/
Certificate Course in Footwear Design & Product Development (one year) 7/11/09 www.cftiagra.org.in
MCA (Distance Education Mode) at Thapar University, Patiala 9/11/09 www.thapar.edu
course alerts
Post Graduate Programmes in Management at MDI Gurgaon 20/11/09 www.mdi.ac.in

International Diploma in Guidance & Counselling at NCERT, New Delhi 20/11/09 www.ncert.nic.in
Diploma, MPhil and PhD programmes at National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro 23/11/09 www.nimhans.kar.nic.in
Sciences, Bangalore
Symbiosis National Aptitude Test for Post Graduate admissions 24/11/09 www.snaptest.org
Post Graduate Diploma in Management at Fore School of Management, New Delhi 25/11/09 www.fsm.ac.in
MBA/MBA-IB/MBA-HR/MBA-Biotechnology at UBS, Punjab University, Chandigarh 26/11/09 http://ubs.puchd.ac.in/
Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy & Management at Indian Institute 30/11/09 www.iimb.ernet.in/pgppm
of Management, Bangalore
Post Graduate Diploma Programmes in Management at Institute of 8/12/09 www.ipeindia.org
Public Enterprise, Hyderabad
Name of Scholarship Deadline Information

scholarships
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships 3/11/09 www.vanier.gc.ca/prog-desc-eng.shtml

Merit Scholarship to SC/ST/OBC Minority students (2009-10), 16/11/09 www.scstwelfare.delhigovt.nic.in
Government of NCT of Delhi
DAAD Working Internship in Science & Engineering (WISE) 30/11/09 www.daaddelhi.org
Department of Biotechnology - Khorana Program for Scholars undertaking 30/11/09 www.biochem.wisc.edu
research at University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships 10/12/09 http://education.nic.in/unesconew/
KezioObuchi2009.pdf
Government Jobs Deadline Information

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited: 204 artisans with vocational training 6/11/09 http://artrect.bhelrpt.co.in
Atomic Energy Recruitment Board: Scientific Officers/Technical Officers 9/11/09 www.aerb.gov.in
in grades E and D (22)
Oriental Bank of Commerce: 916 posts in Clerical Cadre all over India 10/11/09 www.obcindia.co.in
Intelligence Bureau (Ministry of Home Affairs): Security Assistants 10/11/09 Employment News (10-16 October 2009,
jobs
(Executive) — 650 posts all over India page 4-5)

UN Jobs Deadline Information
Programme Monitoring, World Health Organization (WHO), New Delhi 03/11/09 http://unjobs.org/
vacancies/1255522955813
Manager (Training & Capacity Building) UNDP, Steel Project, New Delhi 05/11/09 www.undp.org.in
Programme Officer, Division of Environmental Policy Implementation, Nairobi 07/11/09 https://jobs.un.org/Galaxy/
Regional Adviser, Vaccine Preventable Diseases, SEARO, 11/11/09 http://unjobs.org/
World Health Organization, New Delhi vacancies/1255355379829

mdp
Watch out for Management Development Programmes (MDPs) in November 2009
Institution Name of programme Dates Mainly for whom Fees in Rs.
NMIMS, Mumbai Customer Relationship Management 02 Executives in business development/marketing 3,000
IIM, Kozhikode Organizational Behavior-Enhancing employee 02 - 04 Junior and middle level managers who might be 15,000
performance & humanistic orientation heading a group or work unit
IMI, New Delhi Corporate Restructuring, Acquisitions & Mergers: 07 - 08 Those involved in strategic management/corporate 18,400
A Strategic Approach restructuring/finance
MDI, Gurgaon Business intelligence-data warehousing & mining 07 - 09 Those involved in systems operations 27,500
XLRI, Jamshedpur Talent Management & Employee Engagement 07 - 09 Executives making a difference to talent management 21,000
IIM, Ahmedabad Mergers & Acquisitions and Restructuring 07 - 11 Senior executives responsible for growth strategies 75,000
XIM, Bhubaneswar Counselling Skills Training using NLP Techniques 07 - 11 Middle and Senior Managers 20,000
IIM, Calcutta Marketing of Services 08 - 11 Middle executives/analyst in marketing/operations 35,000
ASCI, Hyderabad Using data for program monitoring & evaluation 14 - 16 Programme managers from government and NGOs 17,500
IIM, Indore Hospital Management 14 - 18 Executives in hospital/health institution administration 30,000
IIM, Bangalore Doing Business in India 14 - 24 MBA/Executive MBA students, willing to gain deeper $6,500
awareness of the business opportunities in India
ISB, Hyderabad Role of a CFO - Integrating Strategy and Finance 16 - 20 CFOs and senior finance heads of business firms 125,000
IIFT, New Delhi Logistics Management for International 17 - 18 Manager/officials involved in international trade issues 8,500
Business Development
IPE, Hyderabad Preparing Boards for 21st Century 17 - 18 CEOs/directors/GMs/government officials involved in 30,000
overseeing performance of corporate sector
NITIE, Mumbai Cost Management in Manufacturing Firms 28 - 30 Persons with relevant experience in industry 12,000
careers360 needs advisors/counsellors

India’s leading career magazine, for its new its advisory/counselling division, is looking to recruit
advisors /counsellors/experts in the following domains
BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT

MEDICAL AND ANCILLARY COURSES
ENGINEERING AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES
OTHER PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMES
FOREIGN EDUCATION
About you what we look for

You could be an experienced professor or a young academic willing to In addition to understanding the discipline in depth, you must be able
change the system or an expert who has practical experience in the to go behind the obvious and identify a good institution or programme
discipline and an advisory bent. amongst the multitude of options that are available to students.
You should preferably have access to other leading professors /experts in Previous experience in assessing the quality of institutions is valuable
the domain, both domestic and internationally. but not essential. A passion to guide students, is a must.
Write to us with a detailed CV

E-mail: ceo@pathfinder360.co.in
Postal address: ab 12, 2nd floor, Safdurjung Enclave, New Delhi-110029

Up Close SOMDEV DEVVARMAN
“My profession is my passion”

This 24-year-old broke the Davis Cup jinx for India, and now he’s raring to go!
Q. What was your most endearing Q. Should one take up a profession Q. How do you cope with failure?
moment in school? for passion or pay? A. You just learn from it. You won’t win
A. I think there were many. But what I A. I took up a profession that is my pas- every match you play, so just take it in
really liked most was the fact that while sion, and hopefully which will pay me your stride and move on.
also being a good student, I had a lot of well, too. It’s a very individual choice.
time to be part of different clubs and But it works out well for me. Q. What do you fear most?
associations within the student body, as A. I’m afraid of a lot of things. I was
well as a good social life. I really enjoyed Q. Which teacher do you remember afraid of the dark while growing up. I
the balance I had between tennis and the the most, and why? still prefer not to watch any kind of scary
other parts of my life as a student. A. While my teachers at school were movie! I also dread the day when (or if!)
very supportive, my best memories have I will run into my favourite actress. I am
Q. What were your career plans in been with my various tennis coaches as sure I will be completely dumbfounded
college? they are the ones with whom I spent the and I think I will be incapable of having
A. They were always to be a profession- maximum time. a normal conversation.
al tennis player. That’s why I made the
move to college tennis, and University Q. What does the current wave of
of Virginia in Charlottesville provided “You need a very strong success feel like?
me with the perfect opportunity to hone
heart and will to A. To my mind I have to do a lot more
my skills. to feel I am successful. What I have
pursue your passion, achieved so far is good, but I still have a
Q. How did you spend your first especially if it’s in an very long way to go.
salary?
A. I gave it to my mother and she invest- alternative field.” Q. And the day before a match?
ed it back into my tennis. A. I just go through my regular routine.
Practise, rest, hydrate myself, and play
my guitar.
Q. What has been the most fascinat-

ing and despairing moment so far in
your professional life?
A. Well, it was definitely something
special for me to win a Davis Cup
tie for the country and help us move
into the world group after so long
was definitely a great feeling. As
far as disappointments go, I was
heartbroken after our undefeated
team in college lost in the semis of
the national championships. But I
knew we let it all out on the court and
we had nothing to regret in the end.
Q. Which is better? Living for fun or

living with a purpose?
A. I believe that we should all live with
a purpose, for sure. But I am a bigger
believer that the purpose that we are
living for should be a fun process. So, liv-
ing a fun-filled life with a purpose would
be ideal.

RNI NO. DELENG/2009/27635 DL-SW-01/4139/09-11

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contents

minds is your calling

Regional MBA Tests 28 36

2 careers 360 november 2009

Working for the Elderly 46 Design

Community, Social Development  48

Child Welfare 53 unemployable” Business Office

Conservation 56 Professor Amitabh Joshi tells us why a West

4 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Students should not be mis- lookout for

Meraj Shaikh and reasoning. tutes. careers360

Dr. Deepali Shubhav Sharma

5 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

employees in terms of work. While growing up, I felt

Oct cover-Final.indd 1 9/25/09 5:41:25 PM

Now, you are given under- very confused about what I

6 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

India lags in scientific research PGDM 2010: IMT

Improve your English

8 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Companies want to hire at junior, mid level Apollo Group to open

9 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Applications invited for

10 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Fletcher School comes calling Wanted: Passionate

Careers360 is on a mission — to inform

professional school to jump onto the management bandwagon. As Professor Stephen W.

12 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

14 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

15 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Comparative analysis of methodology

Parameters Criterion What is sticking/ Criterion What is sticking/

Agency Own website AC-Neilson

But without adequate

Validation process Has a vague statement about N.A

16 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Criterion What is sticking/ Criterion What is sticking/ Criterion What is sticking/

17 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Where do the surveys go wrong?

Quality of Faculty: The The foreign col-

18 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Ideally, public education should be so good, that people

20 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

22 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Careers360 is a bible for

Master Quant Aptitude

Illustration : Gouri Nanda

24 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

25 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Want to be a winner? Just do it!

26 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

Indian citizens, researching in any field of

27 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

CAT is not your

by Saurabh Shrivastava management institutes affiliated to local

Institute count Minimum eligibility score

Andhra Pradesh ICET 13,050 421 MPMET Madhya Pradesh 50 40

28 careers 360 NOVEMber 2009

required for the test duration.

Regional MBA Tests 28 36

Working for the Elderly 46 Design

Community, Social Development 48

Child Welfare 53 unemployable” Business Office

Conservation 56 Professor Amitabh Joshi tells us why a West