Careers 360 Jan2010

contents

2 January 2010360Careers

careers and coursesradiography 22a complete guide to what a career in radiography has on offer - colleges and prospects

software Testing 28Detecting bugs in all kinds of software is an exciting and lucrative career too

“It would be advisable to study your inherent traits and qualities and look for

jobs that necessitate these qualities in abundance”

ceo speake Balaji, ceo

MA FOI MAnAgeMent cOnsultAnts

jobs in hospitality sectorFrom banks to retail demand is growing

cover sTorY

46

Front office 50Lot more to it than just smiles

Food Production 52It is not just about great food. It also means washing utensils. a lowdown

Food and Beverage service 55an in demand service in diverse domains

Housekeeping 60The backbone of the way a hotel functions smoothly

Wellness 62an emerging niche sector in hospitality

14

Gireesh G.V./Outlook Group


PublisherMaheshwer Peri

EditorB Mahesh sarma

Executive EditorMerril Diniz

Special Correspondentsurmila rao sumita Vaid Dixitshalini Gupta

DesignArt Directoranshul sharma

Sr Visualiserrajesh Chawla

Jr VisualiserThomas Mampilly

ResearchDr. nimesh ChandraBharti M Borah shiphony Pavithran

Business OfficeaB-12, 1st Floor, s.J. enclave,new Delhi — 110 029Tel: 46002914

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Distributed by Outlook Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd., aB-10, safdurjung enclave, new Delhi — 110029

Cover DesignAnshul SharmaCover Picture

Vivan Mehra /Outlook GroupLocation : The Oberoi, new Delhi

January 2010 l Volume I l Issue 10

careers360

COMPETITION360

CDSE Model Paper Solved

Economic IndicatorsNumbers are misleading!

120 select questions in GK

September 2009

Comp360-Cov.indd 1 8/25/09 4:47:12 PM

81EXTRA

Solved papers: FMSCountdown to CWG 2010

Up Closeruskin Bond

112

REgUlARSletters 4

Starters 6

Motivation 32Perseverance is the only way to success

Oration 36The azim Premji commencement address

Teachers’ Talk 38Prof K L Ganesh: B-school rankings are ‘yummy crap’

Campus Review 68Coimbatore Institute of Technology

Topper Speak 73nLsIu students become the first from India to win the international space law moot court competition

Scholarship 74Felix: shaping your perspectives

Ask Us 76Careers360 tackles your queries

Ready Reckoner 78

ADViSORy

Foreign Admissions 16What next after your college application

10 Questions 20a headhunter’s guide on what not to ask in a job interview

group Discussions 34an expert guides you on the Do’s and Dont’s

FEATURESDecision making for a good career 40an exclusive GfK-Mode - Careers360 survey unravels the plight of students and parents while working on the most important decision of their life

Wigan & leigh or WlCi? 70everything that students need to know before getting into WLC, India

Ajit BAlAkriShnAnFounder, Chairman and

CEO of rediff.com “Education is

egalitarian, but in india, it isn’t fair”

66

B-SCHOOl RAnKingSTowards a viable methodology 18


Letters

Dreaming in the lantern lightIt was not only inspirational but eye opener also in the sense that when a person from a remote village in Bihar can achieve so much despite having limited or no means then one can imagine the heights a person can achieve having all means to do so, and in totality imagine the growth our country can do when all Indians can think on com-mon objectives/goals. I really salute your spirit, determina-tion and passion, which will inspire many Indians.

Vivek

Unlike you, I come from a fairly financially sound fam-ily, got all I wanted but have not managed to achieve even half of what you have. You are absolutely right, when you said that you become a fighter when you have lesser means. I wish you all the luck in all your future endeavours and hope that all your dreams can come true. Keep up the good work!

Grit and chemistry in her DNAPragya’s story has touched my heart. It proves that diffi-culties are there but the chal-lenge is how you to tackle them. Her life shows “where there is will there is a way”. I would like to tell you all that don’t run away from difficul-ties and confront it with all courage and honesty.

Seetharam Natesh

Pragya, you have taught us to welcome difficulty and problems in life, face it with honesty. God bless you.

Mayank Rairkar

Sketching in the coal minesAmit, your story reminded me of my own struggle. I am also

Coaching rural India for IITsMr. Anand Kumar’s work is commendable. My only wish is that after passing out from the IITs, all these students give their knowledge back to the society. I hope more peo-ple selflessly join hands for such service like Kumar. Let’s all make individual initiatives and change is inevitable.

Radha

Salute to such a great guru. I was pleasantly surprised to know that such idols still exist today. Our policy-makers and political system should take serious note. It is imperative that teachers of such a stat-ure should be paid well and respected for their work.

Ashwini Kumar Lenka

In this commercialised world, such humane tenden-cies are really hard to find. I wholeheartedly salute this teacher! I only wish similar sentiments of this great guru are shared by the benefici-ary students after they pass out of the IITs and motivate them to do some thing for the poor budding students else-where without the thought of cast or creed.

T. Engineer

from a very small town. Being a Hindi-medium student, I was always afraid to ask questions in English, and there was a time when I used to eat one-time meal continuously for six months. But today, I have achieved more than what I wished.

Asutam

You are one motivator to the thousands of souls that are hungry to achieve their dreams. What sets you apart is that you don’t wait for the opportunity but create one for yourself.

Yogesh

Tilling land and dreamsToday, agrarian society in India is ravaged by farmer suicides. There is an urgent need to fight this crisis. I feel Suresh’s background, coming from the grassroots, can do justice to improve the con-dition of Indian agriculture, the backbone of the economy.

Hope after IIT, you may work towards the

development of this sector. Ghanshyam Rathi

I seriously wish our reser-vation system would produce more Sureshs. It could defi-nitely accelerate our growth with equity.

Chaitanya Voolapalli

You cover story was no doubt very inspiring. But I do feel that those who need the inspiration most, namely

India’s youth who have no access to good schools or higher education, especially those in the rural hinter-land, may never get a chance to read these wonderful stories. It would help them very much if they had to

access to such information. Soumya Iyer, Chennai

Soumya wins a brand new Parker pen.

Careers360 responds: We are committed to this issue and will be addressing it in the near future.

Reach out to our rural

youth

“India’s rich fund temples, not educational institutions”I would not like to general-ise too much with regard to elite/non-elite and Ameri-can/Indian Universities. You get all kinds everywhere. However, Western education does seem to have orientation to research, creativity and

originality. This is hardly to be found in Indian schools where education is seen solely as a means to further one’s career.

Neeraj Tyagi

Contrary to Mr. Tarun’s perception, I believe there are several temples and religious institutions that run schools

Letter of the month


There are two important points mentioned in this interview. 1. Education sys-tem will change only when teachers have the passion to teach. 2. The government should set up chain of free schools across the country, with free board and lodging facilities, so that poor chil-dren get the best of educa-tion and can compete with the rest of the society.

Jabali

Are you a ready-to-eat graduate?Our education system, the way it is imparted is solely focused on basic knowl-edge. It is not job-oriented; that’s why we feel the need to opt for higher education like MBA. Most of us can’t afford IIMs or other Tier1 institutes and that doesn’t help us when we go for job interviews. Part-time educa-tion has been losing its value and there is almost no value for correspondence courses, even though the knowledge levels are mostly the same as for full-time courses. Peo-ple opt for part-time/corre-spondence for reasons other than their level of grasping and understanding being low. HRs across industries must

and indirectly help primary education. For instance, ISKON (International Soci-ety for Krishna Conscious-ness), a Bangalore-based Radha Krishna temple trust, provide mid-day meal to over one lakh primary school students in Bangalore. Shri Sathya Sai Baba’s institu-tion at Puttaparthi in And-hra Pradesh runs schools and colleges providing totally free education up to graduation level. His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Sriman-narayana Ramanuja Jeeyar

commenced construction of a Vedic school near Hyderabad international airport, which will provide totally free edu-cation up to graduation for 6,000 students.

P KumarPlenty of organisations in

India are working towards the education system, Azim Premji Foundation is doing great work. So is a smaller organisation called OSAAT run by a group of young peo-ple in US and Bangalore, there are many more. The fundamental question is: why

is the government allocating less than 3 percent of GDP towards education? Accord-ing to UNESCO, India has the lowest public expenditure on higher education per student in the world. Is this because the politicians do not want educated people, lest they start voting intelligently?

Amit Kumar

Good, affordable educa-tion is the need of the hour. Why not use it to build good schools and colleges?

Mr Walker

understand that these cours-es make candidates equally competent. In fact, doing a part-time or correspondence course along with a job adds to the working knowledge and these candidates may be practically more competent than full-timers.

Vishnu

“I am proud to win gold for India”No doubt Indian students are bright. But still we lack action-oriented intelligence. We get carried away by book-ish knowledge and memo-rising theory. Our students should be trained on how to solve the problems of daily life, rather than just showing very high IQ.

Bihari Babu

Congratulations!! It clearly shows that there is no dearth of talent in India and our pri-mary education standard is at par with developed coun-tries. Unfortunately, we are not able to retain these bud-ding talents in India. After

their education in India, they go and settle abroad.

N. Sabhahit

Wither World Class Uni-versities? A case for JNUIt was shocking to read the article. Singapore is such a small country but is the proud holder of the National Uni-versity of Singapore (NUS). Even Japan and Korea are way ahead in spite of their geographic size. Maybe the higher educational system in India should collectively try to make a mark and try to be placed under the term World Class Universities (WCU) in the near future.

Pankaj Verma

Computer is now the key to your MBAThe CAT fiasco is a clear reflection of adding problems in the lives of already trou-bled students. Apart from the money issue, what about the psychological impact of fail-ure? Future of many students will now be left to the mercy of cyber space! Why tamper

with what has been working? It’s time to go back to the old-fashioned way without jeopardising more lives.

Arjun Sinha

Negotiating your first salaryIn today’s day and age there is no negotiation. You just keep giving in and there is no escape. Hope the youth of India remember who they are and which direction they want their career graph to move. Fear of losing one’s job kills the motivation to con-tribute and take initiatives at the workplace.

Parul Tayal

Leaders are readers. Are you?I was a reader that got lost in the rat race of work with-out ever becoming a leader. Thank you for reminding me to go back to reading. I went and bought a new book after reading the article. I hope I can start by reading one new book every month, on the road of self investment.

Anirudh

Being reminded of books was an eye opener. With a google search giving us all the answers, it’s time we revived the culture of studying in the library. Educational system in India should get students away from the Internet and to a library instead. There is hope still for the children in our country.

Nisha Kailey

The future looks right for Indian CFAsI got a lot of clarity after read-ing the detailed CFA Program story and hope to clear all the levels before the number rises. Curiously, which sec-tor holds hope for future stu-dents to make it big?

Nishtha Vashishth

Share your opinion, insights, bouquets and brickbats at [email protected]

6 January 2010360careers

careers neWs caMPus neWs neW cOurses eVenTs

Student ProfilePeople in accelerated MBA programmes, by the numbers

Median Age: 29

Gender: 73% are male

U S citizens: 25%

Median years of experience: 6Median years of management experience: 2Median pre-MBA salary: $55,000

Median post-MBA base salary: $90,000

Percentage who said they got a promotion post-MBA: 78%

Percentage who said they were in the same industry both pre-and post-MBA: 95%


The Wall Street Journal conducted a survey on accelerated MBA programmes. The survey was focused on questions

designed to measure the impact that schools have in shaping and building strong careers and who can operate in a global environment. Data was collected through a separate student

survey (53 questions) and an alumni survey (48 questions). 1361 students and 735 alumni responded to the questionaire with a response rate of 40 and 25 percent respectively. It was administered electronically and all respondents were given private passwords. See table below for the results in a nutshell.

Some of the world’s best accelerated programmes

Worlds’ 15 best accelerated Mba prograMMesSchool/location rank Student

rankAlumni

rankStudents per class

Program length/ total programme

cost*

Skill enhancement

leadership enhancement

Alumni impact

IE Business School/Madrid 1 2 1 398 13/69,500 Top Top Top

IMD/Lausanne, Switzerland 2 1 2 90 11/73,417 Middle Top Top

Cranfield School of Management/ Bedford, England

3 6 3 40 11/44,800 Top Top Top

Northwestern University (Kellogg)/ Evanston, IL

4 4 7 80 12/65432 Middle Top Middle

Babson College (Olin)/ Babson Park, Mass.

5 3 11 87 12/54,058 Bottom Top Middle

ESADE/Barcelona 6 7 4 40 12/61750 Middle Top Bottom

INSEAD/Fontainebleau, France 7 10 6 481 10/67,426 Middle Middle Top

IAE/Buenos Aires 8 8 10 40 11/26,000 Top Top Middle

Miami (OH) Univ. (Farmer)/Oxford, Ohio 9 9 9 27 14/50,000 Top Middle Top

Emory University (Goizueta)/Atlanta 10 5 16 47 12/63,600 Top Middle Bottom

Cornell University/Ithaca, N.Y. 11 13 5 41 12/74,850 Top Middle Top

Copenhagen Business School/ Copenhagen

12 15 12 47 11.5/50,000 Bottom Middle Middle

University of St. Gallen/ St. Gallen, Switzerland

13 12 15 41 12/55,538 Bottom Middle Middle

Durham Business School/ Durham, England

14 14 13 46 12/30,537 Top Middle Bottom

Univ. of Oxford (Said)/Oxford, England 15 16 14 233 12/49,356 Middle Bottom Middle

* US $ Sources: WSJ survey of alumni and students at accelerated MBA programmes; WSJ research

Source : WSJ survey of alumni and student at accelerated M.B.A. Programmes



IIST – ISAT 2010Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) invites applications to its BTech programme. Options available include programmes in Avionics, Physical Sciences and Aerospace Engineering. The exam will be held on April 16, 2010. Visit www.iist.ac.in/IIST/ISAT2010 or www.isac.gov.in/iist/ for more details.

ISB offers PG for senior executives

ISB, Hyderabad launched its PGPMAX incorporating accumulated knowledge from Kellogg and Wharton. This part-time course, is offered over 15 months to senior executives with minimum 10 years experience, grooming them into business leaders of the future.

MDI GurgaonAdmissions have opened at MDI, for their management and energy management courses. Apply before January 29, 2010.

SRM, ChennaiThe SRM University, Chennai invites applications for its various postgraduate programmes in pharmaceutics, health management, human anatomy and medical biochemistry. Deadline to apply is January 15, 2010.

NoTIfICATIoNS

www.careers360.com

For details on the above and more, visit

Going by the number of students who appeared for GMAT in 2009, it con-

tinues to remain the preferred choice for MBA aspirants. The Graduate Manage-ment Admission Council, responsible for administering the test says that the number of candidates for GMAT exams administered worldwide in 2009 would be more than 267,000. Last year the number was 264,700. The test is admin-istered in more countries now. Numbers show, between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009, 51 percent of those who took the test were non-US citizens. China and India play a large role in the increased level with China growing by 35 percent while India has grown by 7 percent.

Developing markets root for GMAT

Certification for banking professionals Training, education and learning solutions provider NIS Sparta will soon offer the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF) accredited training for certificate course for Business Correspondents (BCs) and Business Facilitators (BFs). The cours-es would provide candidates with an over-all understanding of banking operations, and course content will comprise basics of banking operations and procedure, role of BCs and BFs, financial advising, coun-selling and knowledge of various forms and documents required in banks. The duration of training is five days. Hundred percent course fee would be reimbursed by NABARD in 256 districts and 75 percent in remaining districts on obtaining certifi-cation by IIBF.

Having changed the way the entrance examinations to IIM’s is administered, by making CAT online, The Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has plans to revamp placements of students. The institute is making a pioneering move from day-based placements to a ‘cohort-based’ system. Based on ‘similarity of roles,’ companies across sectors would be grouped together and each group would recruit on a par-ticular weekend, according to Saral Mukherjee, chairman of placements at IIM-A. It is envisioned that though the new process will be longer, it would help students and firms in better decision making.

Placement process to change at IIM-A

ToEfL scholarships for Indian studentsEducational Testing Service has developed the TOEFL Scholarship Programme to recognise students with excellent academic background as part of ETS’ global mission to advance quality and equity in education. Indian students, with an overall percent-age of 60 and above can apply. Proficiency in the English language would be reflected in TOEFL scores. Three $10,000 scholar-ships would be granted each for the US, the UK and Canada. Four $ 5,000 scholar-ships would be offered for any university in the world listed in the TOEFL directo-ry. The scholarship would be awarded to help students cover the course fee for postgraduation study. Applicants must complete an online scholarship applica-tion at www.ets.org/toefl/ PGDM admissions open at Institute �

for Financial Management and Research

BITSAT-2010: Online test for �admission to degree programmes at BITS campuses

IIT Kharagpur: LLB (Hons) in �Intellectual Property Law

National Institute of Fashion �Technology: Admissions 2010

School of Petroleum Management: �MBA focuses on Oil & Gas sector

careers NeWs caMPUs NeWs NeW cOUrses eVeNTs

Financial times, the UK, has come up with the latest European Business school rank-ings 2009. Compiled from the four other rankings published by FT, the rankings

take into account the number of programmes for each school and the quality of these programmes as assessed by FT in its earlier rankings. 20 criteria from the MBA rank-ing and 16 each from executive education, custom programmes, EMBA and Master’s in management were used to arrive at the end result.

Latest European Business school rankings

Finanical Times besT european b-schoolsRank 2009

Business School Country* Full-time MBA 2009

Executive MBA 2009

Master’s in Management

2009**

Open programmes- Executive Education

2009

Custom pro-grammes- Executive

Education 2009

1 HEC Paris France 11 1*** 1 6 1

2 London Business School UK 1 3† 4 11

3 Insead France/Singapore 2 4 7 3

4 IMD Switzerland 5 6 1 2

5 IE Business School Spain 3 5 2 12

6 Iese Business School Spain 4 7 3 4

7 Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University

Netherlands 9 13† 9 18

8 EM Lyon Business School France 32‡ 28 5 16 16

8 Esade Business School Spain 7 8 9 5

10 Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School

Belgium 20 24 19 14 19

11 Essec Business School France/Singapore 8*** 4 5 8

12 ESCP Europe France/UK/Germany/ Spain/Italy

12 2 13

13 City University: Cass UK 17 8 14

13 Cranfield School of Management UK 13 15 11 7

15 Stockholm School of Economics Sweden/Russia/Latvia 21 11 20 10

16 Imperial College Business School UK 16 14 31

17 University of Strathclyde Business School

UK 17 29 25

18 Helsinki School of Economics Finland/S. Korea/

Singapore

22 29 19 21

19 Grenoble Graduate School of Business

France 25 6 24

19 London School of Economics and Political Science

UK 1*** 3

19 University of Oxford: Saïd UK 8 10 13

22 University College Dublin: Smurfit Ireland 30 26 35

22 Warwick Business School UK 14 16 22

24 SDA Bocconi Italy 15 8 9

25 Durham Business School UK 22 31 40

Footnotes*:Thesedataareforinformationonly.**:TheCemsprogrammewasrankednumberoneintheMaster’sinManagement2009rankings,butithasnotbeenincludedintheEuropeanBusinessSchools2009rankingasitisaprogrammeandnotaschool.***:Schoolparticipatedinthisrankingonthebasisofajointprogrammeonly.Underlyingscorebasedonproportionoftotalscore.†:Schoolparticipatedwithmorethanoneprogrammeinthisranking.Underlyingscorebasedoncombinedscores.‡:Schoolwasnotincludedinthepublished2009rankingforthissurvey††:Schoolwasnotincludedinthepublished2009rankingforthissurvey.

JN Tata Scholarships - 2010

Applications are invited for JN Tata Endowment Scholarships for higher studies abroad. There are no limitations in eligibility based on age, field of study, programme, duration or selected study. Forms available now till Feb 15, 2010. Last date to submit completed applications is March 1, 2010.

Watch out For !

Source:TheFinancialTimesLtd2009.“FT”and“FinancialTimes”aretrademarksofTheFinancialTimesLtd.

10 JaNUary 2010360careers

IIFT wins Al Gore awardIIFT Kolkata’s entry ‘Nirvana powers’ won the first prize at the 3rd Al Gore sustainable technology venture competition. SPJMIR’s entry ‘Abhyudaya’ was the runner-up. The competition had received many entries of business plans.

UK University starts its Indian initiativeUniversity of Greenwich, UK, a popular destination for Indian students has signed up an MoU with IMT, Ghaziabad and Apeejay Satya group promoting exchange of students and faculty from each institution towards teaching and research initiatives. The initiative is also being discussed with MNIT, Jaipur and FICCI for future possibilities.

State service Exam, MPThe Madhya Pradesh PSC, invites application for the prelims of the state administrative service for 352 avaliable posts. Apply before January 31, 2010.

careers NeWs caMPUs NeWs NeW cOUrses eVeNTs

New course announcements,university/institute news,

conferences, summer schools,job announcements

www.careers360.comLog on to our website

FOR REGULAR UPDATES ON

Australian State regulator of Educa-tion has closed shop of two private colleges in Australia for failure in

meeting basic education standards. Clo-sure of Australian Institute of Career Education and Australian International College of Commerce on December 8 affects the future of over 100 students. Mostly from India and China, a total of 129 students studying commercial cook-ery face a dark future, some would have completed their courses in less than two weeks. “Students who are displaced as a result of college closures must, by law, be found alternative colleges or have their course fees refunded,” stated a report. The number of closures of colleges since July, 09 is 11 till date, affecting more than 3,000 international and domestic stu-dents. The Victoria State government expects further closures in the coming year in its efforts to “tidy up the sector.”

Now, an MD in emergency medicineThis specialised branch will be introduced for the first time in India, during the 2010 academic session. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has tied up with the University of South Florida to create an online exam. Doctors would need to clear the exam in order to get accredited first, in order to teach at the PG level for emergency care. “Emergency medicine is yet to receive its due as a distinct entity in India, unlike in the US and the UK, where it is an integral part of the acute trauma care procedure,” expressed Dr. MC Misra, AIIMS Trauma Centre chief. In addition to AIIMS, Christian Medical College, Vellore and Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati have applied to be allowed to open separate departments in emergency medicine.

Hope for 3,500 in ICICI Banking professionals can look forward to a new recruitment drive by none other than ICICI Bank in the coming months. Reports suggest that 3,500 employees will be hired by Q1 of 2010. The new recruit-ments are a direct solution to address the attrition that has taken place in the last nine months. ICICI has also applied for approval to open 500 new branches as well, resulting in more job opportunities in the sector.

Accenture hiring 8,000 Accenture, known for its global technol-ogy services capability, and having 180,000 employees around the world (42,000 are based in India) is set to add 8,000 people in India alone by the end of 2010, to take its total headcount to 50,000.

Oz colleges go Down Under

The Institute of Clinical Research (India), ICRI, invites applications for its two-year full-time MBA in Healthcare Management, which offers a specialisation in Medical Tourism/ Hospital Operations Management in the final year. The course is offered in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Dehradun and Bangalore. Eligibility to apply is gradua-tion in any discipline from a recognised university. Selection of candidates would be based on an entrance exam and interview.

Health care management at ICRI

JOb ALERTS

Allahabad Bank: Probationary �Officers (880) and Agriculture Field Officers (110)

Mohanlal Sukhadia University, �Udaipur, Rajasthan – over 100 vacancies for Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors in various subjects

National Fertilizers Ltd: Mgt. Trainees �(137) - in Engineering, Management

www.careers360.comGet details at

12 JaNUary 2010360careers


CEO Speak e balaJi

E Balaji, currently CEO, Ma Foi Management Consultants, has spent 15 years with the HR consultancy firm and manages a team of over 1,200 professionals across 60 locations. In an interview with Urmila Rao, he offers tips to job-seekers on a wide range of areas from smart salary negotiation to making an impression in an interview to attaining good appraisal review and being a star performer...

Customise your résumé and career

SALARY TALK Accepting a company’s first offer sans negotiation may not be the best strategy

Q: What do employers look for when interviewing a candidate?A: Work ethics, honesty, loyalty, confi-dence and problem-solving ability are some of the traits looked for in a pro-spective hire. The key 4 Es here are exposure, experience, expertise and excellence. A student from a reputed col-lege, without work experience, would be considered as having an exposure to certain concepts and will be expected to demonstrate those in his application.

Experienced people would be expect-ed to perform with limited or no super-vision. An expert is a person considered to have good conceptual understanding of a wide range of subjects relevant to a domain, and who can guide others in the organisation. Finally, excellence is when a person’s expertise is known beyond the boundary of an organisation and hence respected by the industry. Employers look for someone who is a good fit not just in terms of technical skills but also the social culture of the organisation.

Q: Your job interview tips...A: I recommend focusing on the thre Ps: Presentation, Preparation, Positioning. When presenting, your attitude, appear-ance and résumé presentation carries far more weightage than you would imagine in an interview. Hence dress profession-ally and be punctual for your interview; it shows professionalism. Your résumé is an opportunity to sell the brand ‘YOU’.

Customise your résumé so as to high-light your skills to fit the kind of job you are applying for.

Research thoroughly about the indus-try, company and job you are applying for. Ask relevant questions (usually at the end of the interview). And prepare by taking mock interviews.

Formulate your responses using the STAR format [Situation, Task, Action, and Result] of answering questions; this method relies on your prior experiences to predict future behaviour. As regards positioning, all interviewers have a pre-conditioned mindset of the ‘best fit’ can-didate. Hence positioning yourself in the minds of the interviewer that you are the best fit, is the key. Are you a person with unique competencies or superior skills for which specific companies are willing to pay a premium? And finally watch out for the big P – Pressure!

Q: What factors contribute to a good appraisal of a professional?A: Today, performance review systems are focused on career development and enhancement based on open and detailed discussions with one’s superi-ors. Many organisations are now moving towards a 360 degree feedback system wherein a performance review is sought from all sources that an employee has an interface with, which includes peers, team-mates and reporting sen-iors. For an effective appraisal you must


be open to communication with peers and reporting seniors, and have a clear understanding of key performance indi-cators.

Q: What are the dos and don’ts of sal-ary negotiation?A: Salary negotiations are the most sensitive yet important conversations of your career. Once the company has decided to hire you they will look at the least expensive Cost-to-Company to get you on board. Accepting whatever the companies offer may make you appear weak and not worth your mettle. Yet being over-aggressive and pushy at the negotiation table may leave a bad taste in the mouth, especially knowing that you have to work with these people on a daily basis from here on.

Being well-prepared on what would be a good compensation for your experi-ence and expertise, goes a long way in

the negotiation. Often the compensation could be coupled with equity or other perks. Study these well to see if they match what you want. Don’t accept a salary lower than what you are worth in anticipation of future hikes. Under-standing how much you need the com-pany and vice-versa, will also give you an idea of your stance in the negotiation. Knowing when to stop negotiating can be tricky. It’s not a case of who wins. If you refuse to bow down they will begin to think that you are a wrong choice. When you know it’s time, accept your offer with grace, and thank the manage-ment for its time. When turning down an offer, thank management for the nego-tiation; it’s professional and refined.

Q: Which sectors have potential for a promising career in the near future?A: Green jobs throw open several career options that are both meaning-ful and promise growth. Green-collar jobs are accessible to people from varied

educational backgrounds and profes-sions, engineers, bio-technologists, environmentalists, auditors, account-ants, scientists, economists, media pro-fessionals and the like. Telecom was one of those highly resilient sectors, which weren’t too affected by the recession. Infrastructure projects – roads, bridges, and railways are gaining momentum - and were one of the first few to experi-ence a revival. Animation and gaming is an interesting and new avenue. Even private banking players are recruiting actively especially in wealth manage-ment, microfinance and insurance. The automobile industry is also revving up!

Q: How can a professional identify the best job profile for himself ?A: Several personality profiling tests available in the market help guide a can-didate in identifying the right career path. Apart from this it would be advis-able to study your inherent traits and qualities and look for jobs that neces-sitate these qualities in abundance.

Q: Is it true that freshers who take up jobs in an economic downturn situ-ation end up being in a disadvanta-geous positions?A: More than a year back, there were unrealistic expectations on pay pack-ages and growth rates. Freshers got unbelievable salary packages. Experi-enced candidates sometimes got 200% hikes in a single year! There’s a definite correction happening in the job market. The new, more normal economy will be seasoned with reduction in salary and benefits. Today, many are happy to keep their jobs and retain current salaries, even when presented with higher sala-ries. However, finding good talent has become tougher. Hence freshers have a greater chance of finding the right job.

Q: What can professionals do to insu-late themselves from a downturn?A: Constantly updating oneself techni-cally, skill upgradation and active par-ticipation in learning and development programmes offered within the organi-sations is recommended. Finally ensur-ing a sound connect with the market, through professional networking sites such as LinkedIn will add some fillip to your job retention strategy.

“Customise your résumé in such a way that you highlight

your skills to fit the kind of job you are applying for”

Cracking Foreign education


From application to arrivalthe road ahead if you have applied for admission to a program in fall 2010

by Mrinalini Batra

The majority of students would have met the January 1 deadline for admission. What are you expected

to do now? The best way to move forth is to concentrate on your upcoming Class 12 examinations. You may think that you fit the profile for admission but it is entirely possible that your dream col-lege is seeking a student of that profile this year too but not from India . So keep your options open.

IMPORTANT: Study for the Board examinations as a good result would guarantee admission.

The following calendar may be use-ful in keeping track of your admissions process and avoiding surprises.

JanuaryCheck your e-mail regularly to ensure that you are not missing any communi-cation from the schools. Some schools interview the applicants and make sure you have not missed the invitation.Some colleges may require your grades from class 12 internal examination as part of your application folder. If you have done really well, make sure you send a copy to the school. However, if your perform-ance does not reflect you in the best pos-sible light, find out which schools want the report and only send it to them.

If you have been admitted to a school in the Early Decision process, check with the school if you are required to pay a deposit to keep your place. And remem-ber to withdraw from other schools.

FebruaryContact your colleges and confirm that all necessary application materials have been received. If you have decided to apply for financial aid, make sure that you have filed the financial aid papers. FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) deadlines and other finan-cial aid application due dates for your

college may be different from the federal deadlines and you may be required to complete additional forms.

If you are keen to take the AP (Advanced Placement) in May, register for the same as the deadline is March 1. Through AP’s college-level courses and exams, you can earn college credit thereby saving yourself time and money in the long-term.

MarchKeep your focus on excelling in the exams as some admissions offers could be contingent on your final grades. Admission results will start trickling in the last week of the month though some colleges may start sending feelers by the start of this month.

AprilMost admissions decisions and finan-cial aid award letters arrive this month. Read everything you receive carefully, as some of it may require action on your part. Make a final decision, and mail the enrolment form and deposit check to the school you select before May 1 (the enrolment deadline for most schools). Notify each of the schools to which

you were accepted that you will not be attending in writing so that your spot can be freed up for another student.

On the waiting list? Contact the admis-sions office and let them know of your continued interest in the college and update them on your Board result and other activities post the application.

MayTake the AP Exams and make sure that the grades are sent to your college.

Start the preparation for applying for a student visa. Just because you have been admitted to a school is no reason to assume that you would be granted a visa by the consulate officer. US law treats all student visa applicants as potential immigrants and you have to prove it oth-erwise during the interview process.

Now the visa is also done, you are all set. You will need to get some medical clearances before you leave. Get your paperwork in order. Send the final exam transcript to your college. Shop for items you will need in college. Sign up for the orientation. Bon voyage!

(The author is a New Delhi-based foreign education consultant)

Columbia still remains an attractive option for students due to its liberal intellectual space

b - s c h o o l su rv e y 2 0 1 0


Feature

Towards a meThodolo gy To rank B-schools

B. Mahesh Sarma and Nimesh Chandra

Not withstanding their pub-lic disparaging of rankings B-schools still root for them, only their preferred ranker

changes, year-to-year. But what needs to be ranked is always debated. Some like Prof. Ganesh, (See Page 38), plead for an altogether academic methodology to rate B-schools. A few others swear by the perception rankings conducted in the lines of FT/ Businessweek etc.

While it is impossible to arrive at ideal methodology, scores of discussions with academicians did provide us a broad directional clarity. We have so far held discussions with over 100 academics spread over the east, south and north geographies, where as west is still pend-ing. The following base points emerge.

Academic productivity: Barring the top 10-15 schools, faculty’s academic productivity, in globally benchmarked journals is virtually non-existent. Unless

incoming data proves otherwise, aca-demic productivity is a more a discrimi-nating factor for top or at best some of the Tier 1 schools, which probably would account for not more than 20-25.

Placement: This is an important indi-cator but the reportage is very suspect. The mean and median salaries hide more than what they reveal. What is required is a quartile-based average salaries, so that the distribution of the cohort in terms of their earning potential could be identified.

The academic process: This must be given maximum weightage, since this is the actual site of value addition. And most academics agree, it is also the most difficult to capture espe-cially with quantitative indicators. But we did get some broad direc-tions, in terms of structure, delivery and evaluation.

Alumni survey: Organised alumni sur-veys, with the alumni database being supplied by the B-school itself appears

academic process must be given maximum weightage, assert faculty of b-schools, but

students

Number of Students

Cut off percentile for the entrance tests

% students with in 25% above the cut off

Fresh Graduates/with +2 years’ experience

No. of applications received

Students spending a semester abroad/inward

Faculty

Number of Faculty (Core/Visiting/Guest/Adjunct)

PhD versus non-PhD/ No. of Foreign PhDs

Faculty with more than 10 years’ full-time business experience

Funded Research Centres/Chair professorships

International Faculty on board for a term

Core faculty who spend a term aboard

Director’s background and years of experience

No. of Faculty development programmes

No. of faculty who attended other FDPS

alumni

Key alumni details

Infrastructure

Residential campus/% of faculty in campus

Online resources/annual investment

List of books purchased in the last two years

Additions to infrastructure (last two years)

Proposed additions in the next two years

Connectivity

other details

Year of establishment/ownership

Expansion to other cities and overseas location

other Programmes

Executive MBA/PGDM/Diplomas

INPUTSStudent-faculty ratio

Full programme strucutre

Curriculum with detailed course structure

Session plan for each course

Reading lists, if any

Course-wise evaluation methodology/ Marking process

No. of industry-oriented projects per course/per year, last year

Courses entirely run by visiting/ adjunct faculty

Courses entirely run by core faculty

Courses that have been revamped in the last two academic years

Courses dropped this year

New courses launched in last two years

No. of courses offered in abridged version

Tentative faculty load

No. of courses handled by international faculty

Students who have spent a semester aborad

PROCESS


Placement details

No. of companies that visited campus

Interviews at the company location

Through placement consultants

No. of pre-placement offers with details

Average salary

Minimum/maximum salary

Sector-wise placements

Domestic/international salaries separately

Summer placement

Stipendary

Non-stipendary

Paid consulting

No. of faculty involved

Public sector projects

Private sector projects

Revenues from consulting

OUTPUTPublications

Cited researchers’ data

Publication index from citations within India

International peer reviewed journals

Domestic peer reviewed journals

No. of faculties who published at least one paper

Books published (excluding edited volumes)

MDPs/Training

No. of company-specific MDPS (Customised)

No. of open MDPS/Revenue

PhD Output

No. of enrolled/total PhDs/in last year

In-house Journal

Origin/periodicity/back volumes

If peer reviewed, reviewer list

List of contributors in the last year

TOwarDS a MeThODOlO gy TO rank B-SchOOlS

to find lot of favour with the schools. The input quality: This emerged as

the most contentious issue. With diver-sity of entrance examinations like CAT,

MAT, SAT and state-level entrances, it is almost impos-sible to assess and assign a value for the input quality. What emerges from the dis-cussion is that only a cluster-based ranking would work here, with similar cohorts getting similar rating.

Infrastructure: While colleges do agree the mere

presence of a resource does not mean it is used, the usage statistics are not maintained. But they all agree that is the way to go, with some correlation to academic pro-ductivity.

Ranking: In the debate between clus-ters-based ranking versus individual ranks, opinion is evenly divided. Both the sides argue vehemently marshalling enough evidence, but a majority agree that students go by a rank, rather than a cluster.

Non-participation: Some colleges do not participate, especially the govern-ment ones. But unless they are ranked, the list might get skewed. One sugges-tion was to rank them based on publi-cally available data, but keep them at the end of a cluster. So that undeserv-ing colleges, which participate do not get pushed up to better ranking, while deserving colleges get penalised for not being fully open.

Ideas for methodologyBased on the above premises, we have arrived at the following methodology. We followed the ‘INPUT- PROCESS-OUTPUT” model. Logically a B-School has students, faculty, and resources as inputs, the programme ( design, deliv-ery, evaluation) is its process, and out-put is the qualified student. Output also includes publications, consulting, indus-trial projects, faculty advising boards etc. We would ideally like to identify and differentiate schools at each stage of the process as well as collectively as a school. We also appreciate the fact that especially in process, the softer aspects that actually make a difference is impos-sible to capture. But at least we would make a beginning in that direction this year. Since institutions have multiple campuses and programmes, we thought we will rank campuses, but within that look at programmes seperately. The cluster versus individual ranking is still debated upon.

The data sets we aspire to capture is published above. The final consideration set and relative weights are still under debate. Comments and suggestions are most welcome. Write to us at [email protected].

directors/Faculty interacting with career360 team on ranking.

agree it is difficult to capture. a lowdown on the principles, governing Careers360 ranking


Advisory Job IntervIews

10 questions that won’t get you the joba headhunter’s advice to freshers attending the first interviews of their careers

As an executive recruiter with twenty-two years of experience, interviewing freshers to deter-mine if they are suitable for my

client’s organisation is literally a part of my daily routine.

Typically, a prospective employer will ask if you have any queries. Here’s a rundown of those that usually don’t go down too well with the client, often due to which candidates are not selected.

1. “Can you tell me something about your company?”The employer is instantly put off! An aspiring candidate is supposed to visit the company website and understand its business model, products, services, his-tory etc. Please read the section ‘About Us’ where companies provide their histo-ry, products, the geographies they serve etc. Also visit the ‘Press’ section of the company, where you have information

about latest product releases, what cus-tomers say about their products and any awards they have won, recently.

2. “Will you do a reference check?”Most companies use the services of a third party agency to conduct a ‘refer-ence check‘. The moment you pop this question, a red flag is hoisted, as the interviewer may think you have some-thing to hide.

Illus

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ion

: Gou

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anda


3. What is your leave policy?Don’t ask this question. It looks like you like to relax. While most companies talk of work-life balance, few practise them.

4. Do you work on Saturdays?Avoid this question, as the employer gets a suspicion about your intentions to work hard.

5. When will I get my next incre-ment? This question makes you appear ‘greedy’. Avoid it at this stage of the interview process. The employer thinks that you are looking at money all the time and hence will change jobs if offered a mar-ginally higher salary.

6. “Do you have any other jobs avail-able in your company?”You may be offered a job, which you think is below your aspirations. If you feel that the job is below your ability then say so directly at the interview.

You could say, “I did this job three years ago. Last two years I have been leading a team. May I know the career progression for this position?”

7. “How soon can I transfer to anoth-er role?”You may have been offered a sales role and you may be interested in a mar-keting/brand management role. Asking this question has no meaning as you are literally saying to the employer “I don’t like this job”. Remember, most employ-ers will keep you for a reasonable time in the offered role and depending upon your performance transfer you to a dif-ferent role.

8. “Can you tell me about the best way (bus or train) to reach the office from my residence?”Don’t ask this question! You can easily find out the answer talking to people in

the neighbourhood and at the bus or train station.

9. “Are there opportunities for pro-motion?”Please don’t raise this question during the interview. Once you join the com-pany and prove yourself, then you can raise this issue with your boss. In today’s job market, your priority should be to first get the job. It’s better to look for promotion after that.

10. “When do I start?”Since you are not sure that you have been offered, don’t ask this question. The employer gets the feeling that you are overconfident and brash, and may not suit them. A better way for job seek-ers to show their interest is to be direct. They should tell the interviewer they are very interested in being considered further for the position and offer to pro-vide whatever additional information the company might need.

Kris Lakshmikanth is the Founder CEO and Managing Director of Headhunters India Pvt Ltd, and an alumni of IIMC.

Caste, religion and politics.You never know the sensitivity of the person interviewing you. Hence, you should not raise this in any interview.

Hiring and firing policy of companies.The employer may get the impression that you are not sure of yourself, and hence this query about the firing policy.

Avoid these topics

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radiography


Course Review

Best Schools: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical College Hospital Qualification: 10+2 for certificate/diploma/graduation in science, postgraduation study requires previous study in chosen specialization Our Advice: First decide on diagnostic or therapeutic radiography, then explore sub-specialisations

Fast FaCts

X-ray to MRI:Defining diagnostic accuracy

by Bharti M Borah

“Do you have any metal on your person?” A typi-cal question asked in the reception area just before

a patient is taken in for an MRI scan. Remembering to ask this question is imperative; it ensures the patient’s safe-ty. If forgotten, the magnetic nature of the equipment could result in a life or death situation.

Thus the personnel in the radiology department must function in a system-atic manner. Radiologists and doctors diagnose by interpreting images such as X-rays, which have been created by the radiographer, using high-end equip-ment. Thus a radiographer has an impor-tant role to play in saving lives.

What is radiography?This field took birth in 1895 when X-rays were discovered, the process evolved through the years to be used for diag-nostic purposes. To provide the right treatment for a disease or ailment, it’s necessary to make the correct diagnosis.

But it’s not always possible to diagnose a disease based on symptoms alone. Here radiography comes to the rescue.

Radiography is used to diagnose the problem by focusing on the internal parts of the anatomy using X-rays, some-times referred to as ‘X-ray photography’. This field has had a huge impact on the medical field as well as in industrial applications.

Technician-nursesThis field is a highly technical one and the processes vary, depending on which part of the anatomy or tissue is being imaged. Radiographers are trained to

use the equipment and adapt to new technology and procedures. Some important procedures include fluoros-copy, ultrasound or sonography, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and CT scan (See Box).

Dr. T.H.S. Bedi, Consultant Radiologist at New Delhi’s B.L. Kapoor Memorial Hospital, shared that radiographers are support staff or ‘technician nurse’ and that the contribution of radiographers is an important part of the parcel of effec-tive treatment. “It’s a good job; you have fixed hours, a nice environment and you will be handling equipment worth crores,” he says. The demand for trained radiographers is constantly growing.

Diagnostic and therapeutic branchesA diagnostic radiographer is required to explain procedures to the patients, help prepare them for the tests, operate and

These ‘technician-nurses’ play a very important role in the medical process. What to study and how to grow is this field...

Radiographers are in demand, both in India and

abroad. Health care services and facilities are forever growing,

especially in our country


maintain equipment and records. Their assistance is required by physicians in performing procedures such as myelo-grams (examinations to detect injuries, cysts or tumours in the spinal cord) and also by surgeons in the operating room, usually with portable X-ray or fluoro-scopic machines.

Therapeutic radiography, also referred to as radiotherapy is used in treatment and diagnosis of diseases such as cancer, tumours and ulcers. Here radiation is used in controlled conditions as an exact amount of radiation would help shrink the tumour size. Their work is closely associated with doctors, nurses, physicists and others from oncology teams in treating patients with cancer. A radiotherapy radiographer’s role in caring for a cancer patient has a broad range, from the initial referral stage, giving pre-treatment information, plan-ning process, treatment and follow-up, post-treatment.

Courses and eligibilityVinod Anand Sarma, radiographer at a government hospital in Kanyakumari district had pursued his degree from Gandhigram Rural Institute. “This field comes under the umbrella of paramedi-cal studies. Typically, aspirants must have a strong inclination towards sci-ence subjects like biology, physiology and anatomy,” says Sarma.

Clinical exposure, hands-on experi-ence with patients and equipment in the hospital setup, is a must during your course, which includes certificate and diploma programmes, graduate and postgraduate degrees. i. Graduate level: You can pursue a course at the graduate level such as BSc in Radiography or BSc (Hons) in Medical Technology in Radiography. You mast have completed 10+2, with

mathematics, physics and chemistry. The All India Institute of Medical Sci-ences offers BSc (Hons) degrees in Ophthalmic Techniques and Medical Technology. A degree course would offer you better chances for growth than a certificate or diploma course.

ii. Certificate/diploma courses: Some institutes conduct diploma courses in diagnostic radiography and radio-therapy. The duration of course varies between three months and two years, depending on the institute and pro-gramme of choice. The Apollo Institute of Hospital Management and Allied Sci-ences (AIMAS) offers diploma courses in Medical Records Technology, Inten-sive Care Technology and Operation Theatre in collaboration with Alagappa University. You must have completed Class 12 in science, to be eligible.

iii. Postgraduate level: Usually, people in this field complete a degree but it is not uncommon to pursue further educa-tion such as a Master’s degree and PhD. You must have a degree in radiogra-phy to be eligible. Subject requirements would vary depending on the specialisa-tions and institute of choice. Post Grad-uate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh offers an MSc in Medical Technology in Radiology (also other branches such as pathology, microbiology, pharmacology

latest equipment and qualified radiographers play a big role in accurate diagnosis

imaging technology used by diagnostic radiographer

>>ZOOM: 2.3. SCKROPAD, SHAID:6985475.65>>

1 X-Ray Look through tissues to examine bones,

cavities and foreign objects

2 Fluoroscopy Imaging the digestive system, providing

real-time image

3 ComputedTomography Provide cross-sectional views (slices) of

the body

4 MagneticResonanceImaging Build a 2-D or 3-D map of different tissue

types within the body

5 Ultrasound Check circulation, largely used in obster-

ics and gynaecology

6 Angiography Used to investigate blood vessels

radiography


Course Review

as per the government norms; usually you can expect Rs. 25,000 + other allow-ances. Research is also a crucial aspect, big industries and companies require the expertise of radiographers to con-duct their work. The salaries would vary depending on the company, your area of expertise and work experience.

How you can grow “Radiographers are in demand, both in India and globally. Health care services and facilities are forever growing, espe-cially in our country,” stressed Sarma. A large number of radiographers are required in private nursing homes, hos-pitals, diagnostic centres and, of course, the ever growing super specialty hospi-tals such as Apollo, Max and Sitaram Bhartia in metro cities.

The broad areas that a radiographer’s world comprises are medicine, research and teaching. In addition, the fields of nuclear medicine and photography can also be explored, these avenues are open to X-ray technicians and radiographers. The work spaces that radiographers occupy include diagnostic imaging department, intensive care unit, operat-ing theatre and as a team with doctors and other hospital staff.

Radiographers can undertake most investigations but generally specialise

and physiology). You need to participate in continuous education programmes throughout your career to survive in this field.

Radiography jargonIn the UK, professionals in the field of radiography are called diagnostic radi-ographers. In the US, you will common-ly hear the term radiologic technologist. In India, you are referred to in accord-ance to the equipment you handle, a CT technician or MRI technician are examples for degree holders. In addi-tion, technicians have assistants such as those who have done a certificate or diploma in the field.

Money talkTypically, the radiology department is the busiest department in the hospital, after emergency and OPD. Freshers with a degree can expect to earn between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15,000, in a good hospi-tal. It would be less if it’s a smaller setup. But a good radiographer can expect Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 60,000 within a year of two of practice. You need to prove your expertise throughout to keep rising in the profession.

If you have completed a certificate course/diploma, you could start as an assistant or aide to the radiographer/ radiologist, at a lower salary ranging from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 6,000, largely depending on the setup you join.

A postgraduate would obviously earn in the higher bracket, Rs. 20,000 plus can be expected with no work experi-ence. With work experience, the salary would obviously be higher.

Many opt to get into research and teaching. Almost all medical colleges in India offer some certificate/diploma/degree related to the field of radiogra-phy. Lecturers are required and are paid

Studying in IndiaInstitute Location Website

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi www.aiims.edu/

Apollo Institute of Hosptial Management and Allied Sciences Chennai www.aherf.org/

Christian Medical College Vellore www.cmch-vellore.edu/

Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital Darbhanga www.aherf.org/

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical College Hospital Bangalore www.bramc.org/

Dr. M.V. Shetty Institute of Health Science Mangalore www.drmvst.org/

Agartala Government Medical College Agartala http://agmc.gov.in/

Gandhi Medical College Hyderabad www.gandhimedicalcol-legehyderabad.org/

Gauhati Medical College Kamrup gmchassam.gov.in/

Madras Medical College Chennai www.mmc.tn.gov.in/

Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh http://pgimer.nic.in/

National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences Bangalore www.nimhans.kar.nic.in/

A radiographer must be very observant, accu-

rate and have a sharp memory, as the doctor’s diagnosis is based on the information provided by

the radiographer

JOB OPPORTUNITIES Hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centres, all need radiographers


Dentistry��

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Information�Management��

Shipping��

Health�care��

Economics��

Animation�Industry��

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Nanotechnology��

Legal�Studies��

B.Pharm��

More Course Reviews

www.careers360.com

Studying in the UK and AustraliaInstitution Course Degree

Kingston University Medical Imaging/Oncology Practice/Breast Evaluation

Certificate/Diploma/Masters

Cardiff University Radiography/Radiotherapy Diploma/Master’s/MPhil/PhD

Bangor University Computed Tomography Diploma/Master’s

London South Bank University Medical Radiography Diploma

City University Medical Radiography MPhil/PhD

Anglia Ruskin University Radiography/Diagnostic Radiography MSc/MPhil/PhD

University of South Australia Medical Radiation/Sonography Master’s

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University

Medical Radiation (Medical Imaging) Master’s

University of Queensland Magnetic Resonance Technology Certificate/Diploma/Master’s

Curtin University of Technology Medical Imaging Science Masters/MPhil

Imaging technology used by diagnostic radiographers

1 Projection radiography Creating images through exposure of object

to X-rays or other forms of electromagnetic radiation and capturing the resultant rem-nant beam or ‘shadow’ as latent image. Bone and some organs like lungs

2 Dental radiography The process involves a small radiation dose with high penetration in order to view teeth, which are dense in nature. Tooth and gums

3 Mammography Involves X-ray examination of breasts and other soft tissues. Soft tissues

4 Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry Bone densitometry or DEXA is used for osteoporosis tests. Bones, calculated as T-score

in one particular area. Thus, creating a niche space to prove their worth and expertise, and also personal career growth plan.

Diagnostic radiography is a continu-ally changing profession, and long-term career prospects include management, research, clinical work and teaching. With fixed working hours, it’s a great job for all, irrespective of gender.

Tele-radiology,�a�new�concept“Tele-radiology is not an uncommon

feature today,” Dr. Bedi says. This con-cept comprises a radiographer sharing images with health care professionals who are not present physically to view the images that have been created. They could be in the same city or anywhere across the world. A certain knowledge base and understanding of medicine is required, and a radiographer possesses these requisites. As this aspect of the field becomes more common and in demand in the future, the role of radiog-raphers will gain more significance.

Radiation�mattersExposure to radiation is a given, but the amount of radiation is closely moni-tored. There are machines that measure the radiation levels present in enclosed areas. Along with patient’s safety, the health of radiographers based on their exposure levels is closely watched. “Most private hospitals are very particular

about the frequency of check-ups of their staff that are at risk of over expo-sure to radiation,” says a radiographic technician.

Qualities�to�succeedSarma sums up, “Team work and patience are a must in this service-ori-ented field. Often your patient may be in very poor health, but you must be able to stay sensitive yet detached from the situation, in order to do your job, right. You must also be able to relate to people of every age group.” For instance, an elderly person or someone with a heart

condition would need extra care during a CT scan. They could feel claustropho-bic during the procedure. Be sensitive to the fears of the patient, and help boost their willpower and confidence.

Getting�the�technical�edgeKeeping abreast of new technology and processes is also vital. You must be adaptable, and upgrade your skills, constantly. And you must also be very observant, have a sharp memory and be very accurate, as the diagnosis will be based on the information provided by you. Remember, as a radiographer, you will be part of that process that helps to save human lives!


radiographyFeature

most “glamourous” and there are very few specialists around. The salaries are usually good. At private firms, freshers earn between Rs. 20,000-25,000.”

His first campus interview was with a Seimen’s general manager for CT in Kochi. Questions ranged from personal to technical. But there were only two vacancies, and his classmates made it. Next, he met the applications manager from GE. “The one hour interview was purely technical,” says Raghurajan. Despite being sure of his technical skills, he did not hear from the company.

And then a call came from GE, Kolk-ata. “I had never been out of Kerala,” he

by Meera Menon

Raghurajan Maraparambil had finally arrived when he landed at London’s Heathrow airport. But

the journey from Kodalur, Kerala to the UK was tough. When he was young, his mother worked in the fields or construc-tion sites. His father was a construction worker and farm hand. “Feeding us was not enough. We also had to be educated (three boys, three girls). I remember the entire family separating and bundling paddy to be planted in the field,” recalls a misty-eyed Raghurajan.

Education, the only weapon“I was an average student, but I got a scholarship of about Rs. 1,000 for being among the 10 best SC/ST students in Std. IX. I would get the money only after being in Class 10 for six months,” he says. “Education is perhaps the only weapon that can help children win the war against poverty,” he maintains.

“English was the toughest! But my brother made me read English news-papers, daily,” he shares. The effort paid off when he opted for PCB in Class XI, at an English-medium school. Clearing medical entrance exam was tough, so he opted for a professional diploma in radi-ological technology course at Thrissur Medical College. “I was among the 35 SC/ST students selected, but after two years, only five got through.” The course made him realise that his technical skills were at a par with the best in class. “I was lucky to find some good teachers”.

Next, Raghurajan pursued a diploma in advanced medical imaging technol-ogy at the Sree Chitra Thirunal Insti-tute of Medical Sciences and Technol-ogy. He was ranked third in the national entrance and second at the end of the course. The institute not only helped him shed his inhibitions, it also prepared him well for the future.

Clinical application specialist“For a radiographer, this profile is the

says. His future boss gave him a detailed job description and cited examples of all those recruits who had gone on to greater posts despite language barriers.

“I joined in 2006. I knew no Bengali, had very little knowledge of Hindi, the languages I needed to interact with peo-ple on a daily basis,” he shares.

Cracking tough interviewsThe job exposed him to various types of medical equipment, involved making presentations and demonstrations for clients, teaching technicians how to han-dle equipment and attending training and installations abroad. He travelled to Bhutan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indo-nesia, where he met doctors and techni-cians. He even got to meet Dr. Scott W Atlas, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, professor of radiology and chief of neuroradiology at the Stanford University Medical Center.

“Some of my seniors worked as radi-ographers in the UK. So, I got my quali-fications registered there and was now eligible to work in the UK,” he says.

The interview for his UK job was a three-step telephonic interview. “It was not too easy as it took me some time to get used to the accent!” he says. Round 1 with a UK consultancy firm was work-related. Round 2 with the company managers was purely technical. Round 3 was with the HR department.

There’s one glitch: it’s not a permanent job. “Leaving a great-paying permanent job was a tough choice. But the possibili-ties are immense,” he shares. “An IELTS clearance is mandatory. Thankfully, my first try at IELTS with only five days’ preparation, got me through. I now work as an MRI senior radiographer with a firm in Colchester,” beams Raghurajan.

There’s no travel but he gets to apply the skills he learnt, takes decisions independently and faces no interfer-ence. Working with doctors from several countries, including from Africa and the Middle East, has helped Raghurajan see things from a different perspective.

A radiographer’s London dreamsa daily wage earner’s son from Kerala gets a well-paid white collar job in the uK

Raghurajan Maraparambil hails from Kodalur,

Kerala and now works as an MRI senior

radiographer with a firm in Colchester, UK


Career Review software testing

Hard fact: Testing is an interesting job!

Detecting bugs in mobile phones to IT software for a living can prove to be an exciting and lucrative career option!

Top myTh: A career in testing is meant only for engineering graduates

by Pradeep Soundararajan

In 2005, I worked for a company, a leader in the mobile phone and communication space. They hired me just as they launched a very styl-

ish-looking, expensive, flip phone model (the kind people like to flash around quite a bit!).

While testing for a software update on the flip phone, I discovered that when a missed call is given to a number that’s switched off and again when it is switched on, the flip phone started

vibrating and continues to vibrate till the battery runs out! The ‘switch off’ button (or for that matter any other button) on the phone fails to work in such an event. The only way to cut off power cycle is to pull out the battery and put it back!

Can you imagine how the neurons in my brain vibrated when I discovered this bug? I was excited, and typically, all test-ers who detect a bug are excited!

Birth of the software testerSoftware testing happened even before someone was designated that way;

curious programmers tested their code but weren’t specialised to do it. Gerald M Weinberg is known to have started the first test team in IBM that built spe-cialised testers in the 1950s. The growth of this breed was slow, but consistent till 1980.

Since then hundreds and thousands of software test teams have sprouted across companies that produce soft-ware. The business value of software testing as per Gartner Research of 2008 crosses more than 14 billion US dollars. Of this, a chunk of the testing business


is outsourced and India acts as hub for such testing work. If you add businesses that thrive around software testing, you can add another billion dollars to it!

What testers doThey provide quality-related informa-tion to the company management to help them take better-informed deci-sions about their products. Being a soft-ware tester is sometimes like being able to handle a situation such as the Chakra-vyuha, a war strategy, first cited in the epic Mahabharatha. Chakravyuha was a strategy to encircle the enemy in 360 degrees, making it nearly impossible for the enemy to escape. Imagine being at the batting crease when 6 runs is needed of one ball to win an important match. That’s the modern Chakravyuha. Let’s break down the job further:

Understand●● the specification or requirements of the software and ques-tion them. A defect found at the require-ment level is much cheaper to fix than once you have finished developing the product. So testers interact with busi-ness analysts and review the specifica-tions of the software.

They●● contribute to design of the prod-uct by testing the design and reporting the problems with it and later reviewing the fixes.

Most●● people think that a programme is the same as a software. It’s not! A tester must be able to work on software ranging from that of a mobile phone to that of a Merc!

Dealing●● with testing: There are more than a hundred types of test techniques, tens of approaches to test, thousands of test tools, dozens and dozens of tech-nologies and domains and millions of possible tests.

The challenge here is: what approach-es do we apply? What techniques do we apply? How do we know that it is a right approach and technique, what tools can help us, what if there are 100 tools that do the same thing, what suits our con-text, how do we know we have tested enough, how much time do we have to test, how many of those millions of possible tests can we do and how do we know if we made the right sampling from those millions of possible tests?!

The choices are many and the quality

of work depends on the wisdom of our choices. Hence, good testing is a con-text-driven activity.

Top testing mythsIn the IT boom from 2003 onwards, several IT companies hired in hoards. Those who could not evolve into good testers quit their jobs or moved to a dif-ferent role, and this phenomenon led to several myths about the profession.

Myth 1: It’s a boring job!Every profession has some level of bor-ing stuff and I admit that software test-ing is no exception. An example of what is boring in software testing is : executing test cases. But the good news is people

There are several people looking for informa-tion from software testers: Senior Manage-ment, Business Analysts, Designers, Architects, Developers, Customers, Support Staff, End users, IT Admin. Besides domain knowledge, soft skills include:

Communication skills – writing, reading and ●■

speaking

People management skills●■

Body language●■

Issue-handling skills to solve problems and ●■

to avoid traps

Multi-tasking●■

Note-taking●■

Your credibility with all people shall depend on the above mentioned skills, your technical skills and your thinking skills.

Dealing with people

customer thinks. I think it’s a field open to the finest thinkers.

Myth 3: I can be a great tester without knowing programming. Though knowledge of programming is not a mandatory skill, in the long run one realises it does help . Moreover, it is also an easily learnable skill. Some peo-ple need 100 hours and others need 200. There are many jobs that don’t demand testers to know programming but you could be a better tester if you knew how to write and read code. I have personally found lots of problems in the software I was testing because I read the code and understood the problem in it.

Myth 4: Software tester salaries not as good as developers’. Before 2004, software testers were paid less as compared to developers, but from 2005 onwards most parts of the industry started treating developers and testers on par. Today in 2009, I know testers who are paid more salary than develop-ers. But by saying that I don’t mean that testing has overtaken development in terms of money.

The skilled and the vocal shall always be paid a lot in this industry. Be it a test-er, or a developer or a network admin-istrator or a support executive. If you want to be an average Joe, no problem, you will still be paid on par with all other average Joes of the industry.

Myth 5: Anyone can be a tester.The question I have to people who say that is:

Anyone can play cricket but the ques-●●

tion is; who plays well?Anyone can write books but the ques-●●

tion is; who writes well?Anyone can test but the question is; ●●

who tests well?

Myth 6: Software testing doesn’t have a career growthVisit the Naukri or Monster website and search for openings related to software testing. You’d discover roles and desig-nations such as the following (See Box)plus the proposed salary packages of that order.

In addition to these, you may want to choose to be an independent consultant or a freelance consultant. The money

have devised methodologies, approaches and techniques to get away from execut-ing test cases and those ideas are gaining huge popularity. Some of the prominent ones are Rapid Software Testing and Exploratory Testing.

Myth 2: For engineering grads, only!Interestingly, one of the finest testers Jon Bach (James Bach’s brother) has a journalism degree! In India, organi-sations such as Infosys, Wipro, CTS and TCS, recruit BSc, BCom, and other graduates to test software. Many product companies have also provided opportunities for people in support to move to testing since being in support is a wonderful way to know how the

software testing


Career Review

Software testing jobs and earning potential Role Salary (per month in Rupees)

Trainee Software Tester 4000 – 15,000

Associate/Junior Software Tester/Junior Trainer 16,000 – 30,000

Senior Software Tester/Senior Trainer 30,000 – 50,000

Test Leader/Training Manager 50,000 – 70,000

Test Manager/Test Architect/Consultant 70,000 – 1,50,000

Senior Test Manager/Senior Test Architect 1,50,000 – 2,00,000

Vice President/Head of Testing/Director > 2,50,000

you earn as a freelance consultant depends on your reputation and cred-ibility. Bigger the reputation, up goes the moolah!

How to find a jobCampus recruitment: Many compa-nies pick recruits for the position of developers, testers, support and net-working. If you are about to be picked from one such campus recruitment you might want to specifically state your request and choice to be a tester. After one joins an organisation straight out of college through campus recruitment, they usually provide an intensive train-ing on testing and other technologies before being put into a project.

Off campus recruitment: Off-cam-pus recruitment happens either directly by a walk-in or through a model called active sourcing. In active sourcing, lead-ing testing institutes are hired to train and deploy entry-level and mid-level testers based on requests.

Selecting an instituteTypically, institutes offer a diploma or certificate programme in software testing, which ranges from one to six months. They cost anywhere between, Rs. 10,000 to 40,000 and some insti-tutes have an installment scheme. You must be a graduate to be eligible. Typi-cally those with a BBA, BSc, BCom, BE, MTech or MBA, apply.

Smart tipsAsk for hands-on testing training ●●

or complete practical testing training. Don’t go to training institutes that mere-ly run a few hundred slides and certify you as a tester. It’s like someone teach-ing you how to drive a car by running a

Scenario 2: In product organisations, there are onsite opportunities as well. Products developed in India for the rest of the world need to be tested at several locations. For instance, in 2004, I was a part of a team that was testing mobile phones that were supposed to work in 3G environments.

In 2004 India didn’t have a 3G net-work (sadly, barring MTNL and BSNL not in 2009, too) and some of our team members had to fly to Paris for Inter Operability Tests and United States for 3G network tests and others had to travel to Japan and Korea for other kinds of tests.

Message for tomorrow’s testers I was invited by a large services compa-ny to address an audience of 100+ fresh graduates, who were hired on campus and were put into testing division. I am using the word ‘put’ because most of the graduates there appeared to be misguid-ed about the prospects in testing.

Post the talk, several graduates said to me, “Why did none of your seniors from this company talk to us about how

Pure Training :●■ NCR region & Mumbai

Stag Software:●■ Bangalore & Chennai

Edista Testing Institute:●■ Bangalore

Seed Infotech●■ : Pune

SQTL:●■ Pune

Course offered: A certificate or diploma programme of one to six months’ duration.

Training institutes

Independent software testing organisations ●■

that was founded in India include RelQ (Now, EDS - Mphasis), Applabs, Pure Testing, STC Thirdeye and Maverick.

Companies with third party testing services ●■

include Wipro, Infosys, Mindtree, Cognizant, TCS, Satyam, HCL, Mahindra Tech, Thinksoft and hundreds more!

Product companies include McAfee, ●■

Microsoft, Google, Symantec, Samsung, LG, Huawei, nVidia, and thousands of more organisations and start-ups.

Companies that hire testers in India

thousand slides of how to do it!Also, make sure that campus place-●●

ment assistance is included.

Onsite opportunitiesScenario 1: Many companies in North America, Europe, and the United King-dom and other parts of the world who outsource their testing work also need onsite staff for better coordination between developers and testers and hence prefer to have anywhere rang-ing from half to entire test team on site. There are lots of testers who are onsite, working in several locations in the world.


much fun and what a challenge it is to test software and the way they have been growing in it?”

My response to them was, “Your sen-iors didn’t. Now that you have asked this question, will you spend time for your juniors, guiding them properly?” I heard a “Yes, Sir” in unison, similar to the ones seen in military.

As I travelled back home, I felt that the generation that is going to reshape the world and reshape the way software is built and tested is today’s generation that is passing out from colleges and universities. I am glad that through this article, I could reach out to a few and hope they don’t do mistakes like the ones of my generation are doing. I wish, I was of your batch!

Pradeep is an independent test consultant who tests, coaches, consults, speaks and

writes on software testing, careers and prob-lem solving. Visit Pradeep’s blog by logging

on to http://testertested.blogspot.com

One of the most skilled testers and a renowned coach, he travels the

world helping testers learn to test better. Michael has visited India seven times and taught Rapid Software Testing to India’s leading software development houses. An exclusive interview with Pradeep Soundararajan.

Q: What skills are essential for greater career growth as a tester? A: Testers need the ability to think criti-cally about several things, about the product that you’re testing, also about your own thinking and testing. The other skills are the ones associated with analy-sis, science, general systems, program-ming, computer hardware and software, business, and communication; these are all important. But you don’t have to be great at everything, and testing benefits from whatever you bring to the table. Rapid learning is important, and that depends on practice, not just reading or talk. I think, as testers, we should learn more about social sciences--anthropolo-gy, sociology, economics field sciences--than what we have done traditionally.

Q: What problems do most organisa-tions that hire testers face?A: We write new software to solve a new problem, and that means creating a new design. For that, the testing task is to question and evaluate the design. That’s not a rote process, but an open-ended, investigative search for new information. It’s not about getting the right answers; it’s more about asking questions that will identify and defend the design’s value, both to the customer and to the producer of the software. This requires skills like analytical thinking, critical thinking, sci-entific thinking, systems thinking, tech-nical knowledge, business knowledge, writing and speaking precisely.

Many organisations have trouble find-ing skilled testers, so they try to do test-ing with limited skill. They divide testing into units of activity that they call “test cases”--highly focused checks of some function or another. These checks are typically designed by one person and executed by others in a highly linear proc-ess. One consequence is that learning

Software tester, Consultant

& Coach, Co-author of

Rapid Software Testing

MichAel Boltonexpert Speak

associated with either design or execu-tion tends to remain isolated in the per-son who performs the activity. Another consequence is that the feedback loop between design and execution is unnec-essarily long. Unskilled testing is of lim-ited value, yet it can be quite expensive.

Skilled testing doesn’t have to be expen-sive, and it reveals important information. In skilled testing--largely an exploratory activity--learning about design and exe-cution reinforce one another, because they’re being done by the same person. That’s an organic process, rather than a linear one, and the feedback loop is very fast — it can happen in an instant.

Q: What have you observed about indi-an testers? Any recent good news in indian software testing?A: The good news: on each visit, I met many testers who are taking respon-sibility for their own training and skills development. I’ve been invited to give presentations and teach testing, and often those requests come from the test-ers themselves, rather than from their organisations and their managers. The Weekend Testers movement (log on to www.weekendtesters.com) is something that I’m very, very excited about.

Q: Your advice for wannabe testers... A: Test! Practice. Start anywhere you like, with something interesting or fun or useful to the community, or something that you might like to learn about. Use personal contacts, and use the Web to help you make them. People who are gen-uinely interested in their work will want to help you if you express a similar interest. Watch, do, learn, teach, and repeat the cycle. Grab a copy of Lessons Learned in Software Testing, or Perfect Software and Other Illusions About Testing, or Secrets of a Buccaneer Scholar. Connect what you’re learning to stuff you already know, and reinforce the cycle by logging on to www.developsense.com.

Job opportunities Work with testing firms, third party testing services and product companies


Motivation Prakash Iyer

don’t necessarily behave like the farmer. When the birds get the seeds -- when we

find someone else take undue advantage of our efforts or when something is amiss, we get distracted. We shift focus to the birds, and get busy chasing them away, rather than focus on our real task: sowing seeds. Farmers become bird-chasers!

It’s good to remember that in life, some seeds will fall on rocky land, or amidst weeds. And at times such as these, it is tempting to blame our fate. Don’t bother. That’s the way it is. Such is life. Our task is to continue to sow. To persevere. If you do that, success is sure to come.

Sometimes, a non-seasonal flood wipes out an entire crop. Farmers are devastated. All their efforts come to naught. What do they do? Do they give up and say they will not sow any more seeds? No, they don’t. They realise that to have any chance of reaping a harvest next year, they need to sow seeds. One more time. And never mind the flood.

But in our lives, we are not quite like that. One failure and we look at doing something else. If we don’t get the results, we stop trying. Good lesson to remember: Trying does not guarantee success. But not trying certainly ensures failure.

As a new year begins, here’s wishing you the perseverance of the farmer. Keep trying. Keep sowing. You are bound to reap a wonderful harvest. In 2010. And beyond.

Prakash IyerCEO-Cards, Future Group, and executive coach

As I waited at the doctor’s clinic last week, a framed cartoon on the wall caught my attention. It illustrated a

patient telling his doctor, angrily: “Don’t talk to me about improving my diet. I ate a carrot last week, and nothing happened!”

And that set me thinking. We are all like that patient, really. In an era of instant noodles and T20 cricket, we are all hungry for quick results. And when that’s not forthcoming, we get bored. We give up. We change tracks. For true success in life, it’s important to remember that we need to develop the habit of persever-ance. Consistent behaviour has its rewards. Always.

You can’t stop working hard, just because you didn’t get promoted last year. You can’t stop studying, just because it didn’t help your grades in the last exam. Look around, and you will see several people who had great ideas, and tremendous ability -- but somehow lost their way, because they did not stay the course. They stopped trying. They gave up, even before success had a chance to show up! Perseverance pays.

In the Bible there’s a story about a farmer and his seeds. The farmer is ambitious, and he has excellent seeds. Now here’s what happens when the farmer goes out to sow the seeds. As he scatters the seeds, at first some birds come and get them. What does the farmer do then? He doesn’t go chasing the birds. He just continues to sow seeds.

Some of the seeds fall on rocky land. They sprout into tiny saplings. But at the first strong wind, they bend over and die. The farmer would be justified in blaming his luck. “Why me? Why do I always get rocky land?” But the farmer would have none of that. He just continues regardless.

Some seeds find themselves trapped between weeds. As they try and grow, the weeds stran-gle them, and shut them out. Again, most farmers would probably complain about the unfairness of it all. This farmer doesn’t. He just continues to sow the seeds.

And of course, finally, some of those seeds fall on fertile soil, and the farmer is rewarded with an excellent crop. What happened to that farmer happens to all of us in our lives, all the time. We are like him -- ambitious -- and like him, we all have excellent seeds: we have the raw material needed to reap a fortune. But we

Persevere. And success WILL come

If we don’t get the results, we stop trying. Good les-son to remember: Trying does not guarantee suc-cess. But not try-ing certainly ensures failure

in life short cuts do not exist, as farming exemplifies

Out

look

Gro

up

GHAZIABAD CAMPUS KANPUR CAMPUS

LUCKNOW CAMPUS MEERUT CAMPUS

Institute of Productivity & Management, India

Minimum 50% in Graduation in any stream from a recognised University / Institute.A valid MAT Score of Dec 09 or Feb 10 or May 10.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE PROGRAMMES

• Equivalent to MBA

• Programmes are residential and approved by AICTE,Govt. of India

• Rated “Excellent” B-School Survey (Business India,Nov. 2009)

• Placed in “A3” Category Best B-School Survey (AIMA, Indian Management, Oct. 2009)

• Ranked 61 at all India level B-School Survey (GHRD, Competition Success Review, Nov. 2009)

• Focus on Academic - Industry interaction

• Emphasis on Personal Development Plan & Career Management

• Advantage of distinct faculty, library, IT and placement

• Equal Opportunity for women, residents of rural / hill areasPGDM

PGDM

-Inte

rnat

iona

l Bus

ines

s

group discussions


Cracking

Going beyond “I don’t agree with you”!

Bringing in new perspectives to the discussion, is a must. don’t get sucked into the practice of merely trying to prove others wrong

Once the written tests from B-schools such as CAT, MAT, XAT etc, are done with, it’s time to turn your attention to

the next phase of the selection process – the Group Discussion (popularly called the GD). In several years of my associa-tion as a facilitator, moderator and judge for GDs, I have seen some perfectly good and capable students falter at this stage. While we can choose to blame the environment or even question the very validity of this tool, the fact remains that GDs are part of your life for the next few years at least and you need to be good at them to get into the institutes and organisations of your choice.

Let’s make an attempt to demystify the

a period of 10-20 minutes. You will be assessed on your performance, both as an individual and a team contributor. From an individual contributor’s point of view, you have to excel in both content (the points you make during the GD), and form (the manner in which you present your views).

Team spirit As an effective team player you would have a ‘connect’ with and acceptabil-ity by the other members of the group, you will listen to and understand others’ points of view, contribute to the discus-sion with your own points and conduct yourself with grace in a group situation. Attributes like knowledge, analytical

English improvement tipsLISTEN to people who speak well■■

READ and turn this into a lifelong habit■■

SPEAK English whenever you get a chance■■

WRITE articles, essays or even just e-mails ■■

GD from two perspectives: one, what do institutes look for in GDs, and two, how do you prepare yourself to improve your performance in GDs. We will also bust some myths that this animal has picked up over the years.

A typical GD comprises eight to 12 participants engaging in a discussion on an assigned topic or case study for

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ability, assertiveness (but not aggres-sion), clarity of thought and expression and decision-making ability play critical roles in enabling a superior perform-ance in a GD.

So how does one prepare for GDs – can one prepare at all? The answer is a thundering ‘Yes’. I would divide this task into three components – improving your comfort level in English; improving your levels of awareness of the environment around you; understanding and working on your behaviour in a group situation.

Mastering the languageEnglish will remain the medium of transaction throughout your working life – so a level of comfort in English is critical not just for success in GD but also for career success. Address the four components of the ‘practice’ of English – listen, read, speak and write.

Listen to people who speak well - the ●●

objective is to get used to the ‘sound’ of good English.

Reading is, sadly, a vanishing pursuit ●●

in our country – nothing can substitute the learning that reading affords. Devel-op a culture of reading - this will further strengthen your relationship with the ‘sound’ of good English.

The only way to get better at speaking ●●

in English is to speak more of it – espe-cially in groups and formal situations. Make sure you speak ‘correct’ English even in informal gatherings. Remember, practice of correct English is habit form-ing (and so, unfortunately, is the practice of bad English).

This habit should also extend to any ●●

writing that you may do – an article, an essay or an e-mail. If you follow this four-fold path, slowly but surely your familiarity with and hence confidence in English will improve.

Content is kingThe quality of your content will depend on knowledge levels, an attitude of enquiry and debate and the ability to think on your feet. Be a well-informed person – read newspapers and maga-zines and understand the dynamics of the industry, the society and the polity. Support your assertions with valid argu-ments and data wherever possible.

Most topics don’t have easy answers– you should attempt to bring in new

performance. Your work at improving your English should pay off here – ena-bling you to use the right words.

Listening, a must Behaviour in a group spans concepts like giving space to others, listening to them, learning not to interrupt abruptly, treating peers with respect, appreciating opposing points of view - at the same time remaining competitive. Learn to listen attentively, and learn to live with differences – the whole beauty of a dis-cussion is that people think differently and there are no clear rights and wrongs. How does – ‘I have another perspective on this’ sound instead of the usual ‘you are wrong?’

So how do you know if you performed well in a GD? The best measure is the quality of response you get from the rest of the group – did the other mem-bers listen to you when you spoke – did your inputs give a new direction to the discussion – did some of your peers address you while speaking and look for your support? If the answer to some of these questions is ‘Yes’, you did a good job. This also explains the real reason behind the universal crib – “I contrib-uted good points but no one listened to me.” If the points were really good and presented well, people would have defi-nitely listened. So, as is the case in most things in life, you yourself are in charge of your destiny.

Work on your English, increase your levels of knowledge and awareness, assess and improve your group behav-iour. You will start looking forward to participating in GDs.

Charanpreet Singh is Associate Dean, Praxis Business School (Kolkata)

and Director, Formal Education at IMS Learning Resources

Do it yourself kit How do you know if you performed well in a GD? Look at the quality of response you got from the others:

Did the others in the group listen to you? ●■

Did your inputs give direction to the ●■

discussion?

Did your peers address you while speaking, ●■

and look to you for support?

perspectives to the discussion and not get sucked into this practice of just sup-porting or countering the topic or simply trying to prove others wrong. I call them passengers – people who go through GDs with a combination of ‘I agree with you’ and ‘I don’t agree with you.’ Good to know whom you agree with – but is that all you have to say?

Presentation, equally importantForm comprises structure, word selec-tion and delivery – learn to structure your inputs in a manner that makes it easy for others to understand you. Talk slowly, but like a bullet rather than a paragraph. Indians tend to talk too fast; we are also verbose. No wonder then that an audience, clearly keen to make its own mark, passes our comments by. Also, use ‘soft’ words when you are countering someone’s point of view – a polite suggestion is much more effective than a rude rejoinder.

Use phrases like ‘we could’ rather than ‘we should’ – for example, ‘we could look at some other aspects of the topic’ is a suggestion – it would get you a ready audience; ‘we should look at some other aspects of the topic’ is prescriptive and the natural reaction will be – who are you to tell us what we should do? Words like ‘concern’ go down much better with the group than words like ‘problem.’ ‘I feel we are digressing’ has a whole dif-ferent flavour than ‘I feel you are digress-ing’ – the first is an admission, the sec-ond an accusation. These small things make a huge difference to your accept-ability within the group and hence your

“I would divide this task into three components – improving your comfort level in English, improv-ing your levels of aware-ness of the environment around you and under-standing and working on your behaviour in a

group situation”


Oration azim PremJi

The funny thing about life is that you realize the value of something only when it begins to leave you. As my hair turned from black, to salt and pepper and finally salt without the pepper, I have begun to realise the

enthusiasm and excitement of youth. At the same time, I have begun to truly appreciate some of the lessons I have learnt along the way. As you embark on your careers, I would like to share them with you. I am hoping that you will find them as useful as I have.

The world you are entering is in many ways very different now from what it was when I began my career. It was the late sixties and India still depended on other countries for something as basic as food. We aroused sympathy, not admiration whenever we went overseas. Recently, someone told me, that when visitors came to India then, they came to see what they could do for India. Now, they come to see what India can do for them. As a hopeful Indian, I look at our country as one which is rich in ethnic and cultural diversity and one that has an effective, secular democracy which will help us build an enduring society.

Lesson 1: Take chargeThis was the first thought that came to me, when over four decades ago, I stepped into Wipro factory at Amalner. I was 21 and had spent the last few years in Stanford University Engineering School at California. Many people advised me to take up a nice, cushy job rather than face the challenges of running a hydrogenated oil business. Looking back, I am glad I decided to take charge instead. Essentially, leadership begins from within. It is a small voice that tells you where to go when you feel lost. If you believe in that voice, you believe in yourself. When it comes to choosing your careers, you have to take charge of your own destiny.

Lesson 2: Earn your happinessThe second lesson I have learnt is that a rupee earned is of far more value than five found. In fact, what is gifted or inherited follows the old rule of come easy, go easy. I guess we only know the value of what we have if we have struggled to earn it.

Lesson 3: Nothing succeeds like failureThe third lesson I have learnt is no one bats a hundred every time. Life has many challenges. You win some and lose some. You must enjoy winning. But do not let it go to the head. The moment it does, you are already on your way to failure. And if

Take charge of your own career destiny

you do encounter failure along the way, treat it as an equally natural phenomenon. The important thing is, when you lose, do not lose the lesson.

Lesson 4: Nothing fails like successThe fourth lesson I have learnt is the importance of humil-ity. There is a thin line of difference between confidence and arrogance. Confident people are always open to learn. A recent survey of executives in Europe showed that the single most important quality needed for leadership success was

Essentially, leadership begins from within. It is

a small voice that tells you

where to go when you are lost

inspiring excerpts from the address by azim Premji, founder, Wipro at iiT Delhi’s convocation ceremony


that no matter how well we do something there has to be a bet-ter way! Excellence is not a destination but a journey. Creativ-ity and innovation sometimes need inspiration from other disciplines. It is probably not a chance that Einstein’s interest in music was as much as his interest in Physics. Bertrand Rus-sell was as much a mathematician as a philosopher. Excellence and creativity go hand in hand.

Lesson 6: Respond, not reactThere is a world of difference between the two and in terms of success and failure. The difference is that the mind comes in between responding and reacting. When we respond, we evaluate with a calm mind and do whatever is most appropri-ate. We are in control of our actions. When we react, we are

still doing what the other person wants us to do.

Lesson 7: Remain physically activeIt is easy to take health for granted when you are young. I have found that exercise not only improves the quality of time but also reduces the time you need for sleep. The truth is that stress will only increase in a global world. You must have your own mechanism to deal with it.

Lesson 8: Never compromise on your core valuesMahatma Gandhiji often said that you must open the windows of your mind, but you must not be swept off your feet by the breeze. One must define what you

stand for. This is not difficult. But values lie, not in the words used to describe them, as much as in the simple acts. And that is the hard part. Like someone said, “I could not hear what you said because what you did was coming out far too loud”.

Lesson 9: Play to winPlaying to win brings out the best in us and in our teams. It brings out the desire to stretch, to achieve that which seems beyond our grasp. However, it is not about winning at any cost. It is not about winning every time. It is not about winning at the expense of others. It is about innovating all the time. It is a continuous endeavour to do better than last time.

Lesson 10: Give back to societyAll of us have a collective social responsibility towards doing our bit to address them. Of all the challenges, the key to me is education. We have a paradoxical situation, where on the one hand we have jobs chasing scarce talent and on the other, rampant unemployment and poverty. The only way to bridge these two ends of the pole is by providing quality education that is accessible by all.

Take charge of your own career destiny

the willingness to learn from any situation. Arrogance on the other hand stops learning. It comes with a feeling that one knows all that needs to be known and has done all that needs to be done.

Lesson 5: There has to be a better wayPartly as a corollary to what I have just said, we must remember

Azim Premji at iiT Delhi’s convocation ceremony on August 12 , 2006

You must define what you stand for. But values lie not in the words used to describe them but in the simple acts

Inspiring excerpts from the address by azim Premji, founder, Wipro at IIT Delhi’s convocation ceremony

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Teachers’ Talk KL Ganesh

quality and output. For example IIT, Madras graduates a little over one research scholar per faculty member per academic year; this is much larger in comparison to what many of our B-schools are doing now. Why is this not considered?

Students’ performanceStudents’ performance both during the pro-gramme, in terms of live projects, research outputs, business plans developed, entrepre-neurial projects, as well as their performance at the enterprise levels after they graduate is also not in the consideration set for evaluating the performance of a B-school.

Alumni performanceA large proportion of our MBA alumni have earned company-wide “best employee” awards, honours or even promotions, some-times even within the first year of their work! In short, our recruiters are indirectly inform-ing us that the human resources we provide them are “top class”. There has to be a mecha-nism to capture the value add a school imparts to its students, which is again woefully inad-equately captured.

I would submit that rankings especially of top colleges must be done with slightly more care so that our people can justifiably and proudly believe that India is home to a few of the world’s best academicians and institu-tions, and people will learn to take rankings in the “right context” and recognise well all the attendant noise and distortions.

My plea is that the press and media in India can be of great help to all the fine institutions that populate the country if the good work

done by the dedicated and unassuming faculty,

research scholars and students is presented in a well-deserved, positive light and

accompanied by warm encouragement. We can then begin estab-lishing India steadily as one of the world’s best destinations for higher education, an effort that we can ill-afford not to make.

Many of the rankings of B-schools pro-grammes in India just stop at examin-ing and presenting only the periph-

eral criteria that are way beyond the core function of an institution, which is academ-ics. Most importantly, they ignore “structure and scale”, “syncretistic”, and “age”, three basic principles among others that ought to be adopted while making any comparison. Of course, public perception is significantly influenced by the “yummy crap” that charac-terises rankings.

Academic outputIn mid-October 2009, the International Journal of Production Economics published a survey of academic work done globally in the area of Operations Management over the last 50 years. This intellectual survey (not a shoddy market survey commissioned by the impetuous, undertaken by the incompetent, and used by the ignorant) was conducted by two academician-authors (globally acknowl-edged experts in the field) independent of any agency. The Operations Management faculty in all IITs were rated among the best in the world. These kinds of qualitative content of research output, vetted by independent agen-cies are just not the parameter for any of the rankings.

Curriculum designThe nature and diversity of the courses offered must ideally be one of the core fac-tors for evaluating a B-school. As an illustra-tion, DoMS, IIT Chennai offers courses like Systems Thinking and Applications, Project Management, Total Quality Management. Is anybody looking at these factors at all?

Doctoral programmesBarring a cursory allocation of some points for the avail-ability or otherwise of a doctoral pro-gramme, no rank-ing ever looks at the

Professor KL GaneshIIT Chennai

B-school rankings are “yummy crap”!

Most of the rank-ings of B-schools programmes in India just stop at examining and presenting only the peripheral criteria that are way beyond the core function of an institution, which is academics

NEWS CHANNELS give tough competition to magazines in the ranking space


FEATURE CHOOsInG THe rIGHT Career

How students make or break their careersadvice for students (and parents) on the most important decision of their lives

Delhi. He has been dabbling in theatre for the last four years and writes beauti-ful poetry.

Year 2005: Gautam Pandit in Delhi recalls, “I saw this B-school ad which had ‘impressive placement figures.’ It talked about world-class education, infrastructure and heavily publicised its foreign academic collaborations. My

by Urmila Rao

Year 1980: Ravi Sinha from Ranchi recalls, “I was very pas-sionate about theatre but my father coaxed me to go for com-

merce stream so that I could get a steady job in banking.” Today, Ravi, 47, works as a manager at a prominent IT firm in

parents and I were pretty convinced and I took admission.” Today, the 24-year old regrets his decision, and feels that the exorbitant fees he paid in no way jus-tifies the education or the professional qualification he received. Working in a retail company, he draws a salary of just Rs. 18,000 per month, in contrast to his friends who made the right choices.


How students make or break their careers

Background: There is a hypothesis that students and parents today have access to lim-ited information regarding career choice and are largely guided by perception created by various marketing activities organised mostly by private players in the education sector.

Objective: The basic objective of this study was to understand the reality and an attempt to validate some of these hypotheses.

Who/what influences decision regarding ■■

education and career options

Claims by the institute – met or not■■

Research methodologyGfK Mode and ■■ Careers360 conducted face-to- face interviews in metro and non-metro cities with students and their parents (taking the fathers as a target group assuming that in majority of the cases, since there is a financial decision involved, the father would be actively involved in the process ).

Purposive sampling ensuring a good geographic ■■

spread within a city.

Sample size (in numbers)Overall Sample: 915

North: 237 (Delhi and Saharanpur)

West: 233 (Mumbai and Solapur)

East: 208 (Kolkata and Malda)

South: 237 (Chennai and Mangalore)

Key findings38 percent of the respondents admitted ■■

too little information was available about courses in higher education. Respondents in the West (57 percent ) felt it more, followed by North. However, in the East the picture is slightly better because students generally tend to stay with a few popular courses and the options are less.

In the absence of adequate information, the ■■

reliance on ads and publicity has increased. Over 40 percent of the respondents rely on publicity by the institutions. This phenomenon is more visible in the metros.

Institute ratings in magazines are a useful ■■

source. 73 percent feel that it is very useful. The usage is more visible in the West.

Interestingly, 51 percent of the respondents ■■

agreed that facts and figures given in the advertisements by the institutes seemed to be an over-claim. There exists a clear indication of a doubt on the reliability of facts presented by the institutes in the minds of people. The West (62 percent) is the highest among the centers

Respondents stated from their experience ■■

that many of the claims as published by the institutions seemed to be false. This is highest for international placements (17 percent) and international affiliations (15 percent), followed by assurance of a high paying job (12 percent).

TOUGH CHOiCes AHeAD To be or not to be a doctor, an engineer or a chef ?

Then and nowWhat is common between Ravi and Gau-tam? They are both bright and intelli-gent. And they were both keen on pursu-ing their respective career interests. For Ravi, his career dreams stood butchered at the altar of his parents’ wishes. On the other hand, Gautam’s decision was influenced by aggressive advertising by

an institution. Be it the ‘70s, ‘80s or even today, parents play an active role in their children’s higher academic interests. And advertising is increasingly mak-ing its presence felt now. Delhi-based research firm GfK Mode undertook a survey to evaluate the major factors that govern the decision-making process in higher education in India including the the role of parents, teachers, advertise-ments, rankings, peer advisory etc.

What the survey indicates: According to the survey, in 88 percent cases, students are influenced by their parents when it comes to deciding on education after class 12. This is fol-lowed by their teachers’ advice in 79 percent cases. The survey also indicates

that the influence of parent’s advice is relatively higher in the metros than in non-metros.

Interestingly, Ravi does not ‘blame’ his parents, but confessed to being very angry at the time. “They did what was best for me,” he admits. His story isn’t different from that of the average Indian family where a steady stream of income is more important than traits such as creativity, enterprise or dynamism.

The lure of advertisingSeemingly, there has been a shift in parents’ stance but is that helping the kids towards a sensible academic choice? And what about the surfeit of advertisements that inundate a young mind day in and day out?

About the survey

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very well,” says his distressed mother, who has a Master’s degree in political science. However, she and Saransh’s father JK Gupta, a charted accountant and chief manager with Allahabad Bank and based out of Ludhiana, refrain from

dissuading Saransh. An exasperated Saransh is aware of

this. “I was aimless all this while,” he puts forth his point. But just weeks back he met a visiting career counsellor at his school, DPS Ghaziabad, who helped him zero in on this option. “After much delib-eration I felt this was the field for me. I will do what I want to do,” he speaks in a soft but determined voice.

The power struggleSo, why do parents resist and why do children remain so adamant? “It is a power struggle,” Sudhanshu Mishra, a consultant psychologist points out. “Par-ents, especially fathers, see themselves playing the role of a protector, provider and procreator, and any instance that threatens to de-stabilise this unit, tends to unnerve them,” he elaborates. “It’s still a man’s world,” he adds. This clash of ideologies is not due to the generation gap story but a hierarchal power play, Mishra observes.

Behind the glamour Shirin Siddiqui did not face much opposition from her parents when she

“After much deliberation

I felt that hotel management was the right field for me”

SArAnSh, 17, Class 12 student at DPs,

GhaziabadProfessor Ramesh Venkateswaran Director, SDM Institute for Management Development (SDM-IMD), Mysore

Exaggerated claims in the ads are obvi-ously an area of concern. Students are

willing to be swayed by those who shout the loudest and the most often. The point of advertising is to create awareness and per-suade, but the buyer has to be careful. With the mushrooming of private B-schools, it is all the more critical that students zero in on a B-school with due diligence. Freebies and fancy claims about placements are tempting, but students have to learn to move away from using placement figures as a decisive statement on the worth of a

Business school. Even when such figures are reasonably

accurate, there is no indicator of the long-term worth of the B-school’s certification. And they need not always reflect the quality of the learning experience that a candidate has undergone. From the student’s point of view, making a choice can be difficult, and going with “high visibility” is an easy approach, but a dangerous one to take. B-schools that may be spending a lot of money on advertising may or may not be able to spend money on delivering quality to the students when they finally reach the campus.

Students should make an effort to talk to seniors on selected campuses, evaluate B-schools on the basis of their faculty and the quality of the learning infrastructure and pedagogy, and then make a choice. If the programme is residential, the quality of living and learning for a two-year period also becomes critical. While listening to elders is important, with the informa-tion overload confronting parents today, students cannot afford to just pass on the buck to them. They themselves must make the effort to ensure that the hard-earned money will always go towards obtaining lasting value.

The survey indicates that in the absence of adequate information (from credible sources) the reliance on ads and publicity has increased. Over 40 percent respondents rely on publicity by institu-tions. This is more visible in the metros, the survey highlights (See Box).

Parents vs studentsSaransh Gupta, 17, is a class 12 student who finds himself in a similar situation as Ravi. However, even though what he wants and his mother wants is different, his parents are not as imposing as Ravi’s. “We will support him in whatever field he wants to go,” says his mother. But certain concerns are voiced regularly.

Saransh’s interest in hotel manage-ment doesn’t go down well with his mother who does not want her son to become a ‘waiter’. The family feels this may not match its social status. Also, his mother feels that financial investment isn’t worth a career where his son has to wait on tables.

Voice of determination“His elders sisters and their spouses are in good designations and earning

TOP

5 How to get started

1 Use ads only as a starting point to begin your search.

2 Don’t have blind faith in the claims made by ads. An educational institution’s ad aims to promote its product just as a retail company would promote its hair oil or a chocolate brand. “Education is no longer a charitable dealing but a saleable commodity,” observes Shyama Chona.

3 If you are not clear of your career goals then seek guidance from an academic counsellor, in addition to speaking to parents, teachers and seniors.

4 Start your research at least a year in advance and keep updating your infor-mation as you go along.

5 Involve your parents in your research.


decided to join a mass communication institute in Delhi. What made her zero in on this particular institute? “An ad in Amar Ujala,” says the resident of Modi-nagar, a city located 90 km from central Delhi. The half page ad, which caught her attention declared three things: 100 percent placement, media personalities as faculty and anchoring/radio jockey-ing, as part of the programme.

“I always aspired to be a news report-er,” says the 19-year old. Two years into the course and with one year to go, Shi-rin is disappointed. The fee per semester is Rs. 23,000, and the quality of educa-tion offered is poor.

Reality check “So far we had visits from only two non-prime time anchors, after which there have been no ‘personality’ visits,” appris-es Shirin. “We have to struggle to obtain study material even during exams. We are only allowed photocopies, the cost of which we have to bear. And classes are not held regularly. Hence, students hardly come to college,” she rues, feeling shortchanged.

“From a student’s perspective making

a choice can be difficult, and going with ‘high visibility’ is an easy but danger-ous approach to take,” says Professor Ramesh Venkateswaran, Director SDM-IMD, a B-school based in Mysore.

The admission facadeA regular exposure to adverts impact people, so does the advert size says Sudhanshu. “Psychologically, a larger-size ad communicates a sense of stabil-ity,” he says. The glitzy ad compelled Shirin’s mother to make a visit to the campus before Shirin enrolled. And she was impressed by the smart talk of the academic heads.

Bone of contentionSaransh’s mother tries her best to con-vince him to obtain good marks in Class 12 so that if the hotel management option does not work out he can enrol in a B-school.

“Good marks in class 12 are crucial,” she emphasises, yet another time. He somehow believes that class 12 marks doesn’t hold much significance in hotel management, she says plaintively. A stu-dent who achieved 72 per cent in class

10, and has slipped in his grades in class 11, her worry is understandable. Ideally, she wants Saransh to do an MBA.

However, according to Saransh, he is not studious and is hence, not cut out for management studies. “But I have the required attributes for a career in hotel management. I am patient. I have the ability to solve people’s queries and I can also relate to people on an emotional level,” he adds.

Knowledge is powerSome students are very clear about their career goals from the start. Upsana Goyal, a final year BA student of SSD Girls Degree College, Roorkee wants to be an art teacher. Drawing is one of her subjects and she wants to pursue Master’s degree in it. She enjoys full support of her parents.” I have never been confused as to which line to take,” she says.

Some students play it smart and do their share of research before buying the claims made by ads. “Students seem to be pretty well informed these days,” says Shyama Chona, former principal of DPS, RK Puram in Delhi.

Sudhanshu MishraSenior consultant psychologist

Sudhanshu was earlier associated with Delhi Police Public School, and St. Stephens College and shares his insight on why parents and students disagree and what is an amicable solution to settle it.

There will always be a conflict of interest between parents and

children. It is a struggle for power which arises out of the inherent desire of parents to guide their children. The parents nudge their kids to find a career in medicine, engineering or civil services as it gives them a sense of achievement. It is also to show the society that the family has grown in status from the previous generation.

One can see pride in parents when they say ‘my son or my daughter is doing an MBA’. Which institution they are doing it from is immaterial, but the money involved in it, the projection of the future salary and the family reputation attached with it, all of these details are discussed by parents with swollen pride.

When parents give academic free-dom to the child, he or she feels liber-ated. Some feel responsible. The tricky part is that a child may base his deci-sion solely on monetary gains. It is true to some extent that the prospect of a corporate lifestyle, the swanky cars, large homes, a fancy wardrobe and shopping at the best malls, indirectly influences a student’s career selection.

My suggestion to students: consider areas relevant to your aptitude. Start your research early, to avoid last-minute panic, and keep your parents in loop. Remember, you have the right to ask as many questions as you like (and there is a need to!), before taking admission in any institution.

Raman Pruthi



Making the twain meetShirin, the elder of the two siblings, did not face any stiff resistance from her parents. But in hindsight, she feels she should have done more research before deciding to join the institute. That is why, leaving the choice entirely to a teenager may not be a sensible approach. But where should a parent draw the line between guiding and imposing their will on the children?

Tips for parents“If parents are deciding the graduation stream, or a college or a course for their children, then they must be updated with the latest developments,” says Sudhanshu. “Otherwise let the exercise of collecting information be mutually done. For instance, parents could cut out newspaper clippings, check the accredi-tation status, read education surveys or visit the campus,” he advises. An amica-ble solution to end the parent-student stalemate is negotiation in the right manner. And the compromise happens unconsciously in most cases, he says. In a typical case, a father would let his son or daughter take up a three-month course in photography if he or she con-sents to take up the science stream, he cites an example.

TOP

5 Reality check

1 �An�aptitude�test�in�Class�10�and�12�can-not�determine�the�future�course�of�your�entire�life.

2 It’s�a�fallacy�that�each�one�of�us�is�perfect�only�for�one�career�and�we�get�only�one�chance�to�make�that�perfect�decision.

3 Everyone’s�personal�values,�goals,�strengths�and�weaknesses�are�different.�What�are�yours?�Identify�them�and�excel�in�your�area�of�strength.

4 Economies�change�and�so�do�people,�therefore�engage�in�periodic�re-evalua-tion�of�your�career�position�to�have�an�upper�hand�at�workplace.

5 As�you�grow�older�your�knowledge�horizon�will�expand�and�grow�deeper.��Re-prioritize�your�career�options,�if�you�feel�the�need.

A�recipient�of�the�Padma�Bhushan�and�Padma�Shree�awards,�Shyama�Chona�emphasises�

the�need�for�educating�parents�and�also�honing�a�child’s�strengths�early�on.�According�to�her,�ads�should�only�be�a�tool�for�information-gath-ering,�a�point�from�where�students�can�start�further�research.�Chona�now�manages�her�time�between�Tamana,�a�school�for�“differently-ab�led”�children�and�Nai�Disha,�an�organisation�for�rehabilitation�of�mentally�challenged�women.�

Q: Why do parents impose their will on children?A:�Parents�always�have�very�high�ambition�and�an�honest�desire�that�their�kids�do�well.�We�are�a�developing�economy�and�so�even�if�you�are�a�bad�engineer,�you�will�still�earn�better�than�someone�who�has�done�for�instance,�an�MA�in�social�sciences.�Yet�they�sometimes�forget�that�they�are�giving�more�importance�to�the�career�instead�of�being�concerned�if�their�child�has�the�wherewithal�to�follow�their�dreams.�Ideally�kids�should�go�through�some�aptitude�tests�to�real-ise�their�potential.�The�capacity�building�also�has�to�be�done�at�a�very�early�age.

Q: How early?A:�If�parents�have�in�mind�that�my�child�must�become�an�engineer�then�they�should�start�pol-ishing�his/her�analytical�skills�and�logical�rea-soning�from�the�beginning.�But�by�just��saying�you�have�to�be�a�doctor�or�an�engineer�because�it�is�well-paying,�is�not�done.�For�parents,�an�early�choice�relieves�them�of�their�anxiety�because�once�the�kid�is�in�medical�or�engineer-ing�college,�then�they�become�free�from�the�pressures�of�decision�making.�Whereas,�if�you�are�going�for�a�BA�or�an�MA,�they�are�still�sus-pended�and�anxious�about�the�future.��

Q: What is the fallout if parents pressurise their kids in following a certain career?A:�Parents�should�realise�that�it�is�the�individual�versus�the�career.�There�have�been�many�deaths�taking�place�because�children�feel�they�are�displeasing�or�disappointing�their�parents�but�the�parents�don’t�seem�to�consider�if�the�child�has�the�capability�to�follow�their�dreams.�Therefore�educating�parents�is�also�important.

Shyama Chonaformer�principal,�DPS,�R�K�Puram,�New�Delhi�and�Founder�of�Tamana�School

Material gainsMoney seems to be the deciding factor for most students. “I will take a posting abroad where I will earn good salary, live there for a few years, save some money, come back and probably open a chain of hotels here,” says Saransh. For Shirin, glamour and the money associated with anchoring and reporting, was a draw

factor. Youngsters focusing too much on money bothers career counsellors. “The aim should be to take a job that matches one’s core abilities,” the experts advise.

Saransh and Shirin may both eventu-ally find their feet. But they could save a whole lot of anxiety by taking the right steps for a smooth sailing career, by making informed decisions.

pArenT WATcH“The ad looked promising, but in reality we struggle to obtain study material,

classes are irregular” SHirin, 19,

Mass Communication student, Delhi

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Have you have ever tried on shoes that are not your own? Doesn’t feel too comfortable, isn’t it? Careers are a little like that. When they don’t fit your per-

sonality, it feels like being a round peg in a square hole. But when they are, you feel comfortable and successful.

Research suggests that many students take the easy way out and either depend heavily on their parents and teachers to make their academic decision, or get swayed by attrac-tive, persuasive, paid-for advertising by educational institu-tions. So what is wrong with that? Nothing, if you want to live your parent’s life 20 years, hence. Or if the money from advertisements were to come into your pockets!

Why involve parents The great thing about parents is that they have had diverse expe-riences plus they may have hope-fully learned from their mistakes. In addition, the exposure they have to different careers is some-times far greater than yours. All that can be a huge asset because at 20 you have a person at age 50 on your side.

Parents also have the additional benefit of knowing you intimately. But while parents put some excel-lent resources like knowledge and wisdom on the table, sometimes they curtail choice and self-deter-mination by lack of willingness to take a chance on unique abilities and skill set of the student.

Thinking aheadThe other problem of relying solely on parents for advice is that their knowledge base may be restricted to their expo-sure. If they don’t know any environmentalists - they might believe environment-based careers to be a non-starter. The question to be answered is, “Will environment be a hot issue when I am in the job market?” When economies are so dynamic, career options cannot be far behind. Ask

yourself: “Do I want a career for the past or the future?” Read newspapers and magazines to build your database about future trends. If gas emissions and carbon footprints are being discussed the world over, don’t wait for the jobs to be advertised. Do an environment course, now.

What advertisers claimLet’s look at another big career influence - advertisements. About 45 percent go by advertisements and publicity around an institution to make up their mind. But remem-ber that they are designed to influence the purchasing behaviour of the consumer, in this case the student’s family.

By definition it is a paid medium whether it comes as an adverto-rial or an advertisement.

As such it needs to be viewed as a marketing device with all its hyperboles. The ranking statistics that the adverts quote can some-times also be “fixed”. Just like the clichéd glass that can be half full or half empty, ranking can be used to prove any point.

Advertisements can be a useful means of gathering information about diverse courses. But just as eating a dozen low calorie cookies will not make you slim, adverts need not deliver a 100 percent of what you are looking for.

Knowledge is powerGood research is key to successful planning. The excellent range of courses in government universities should not be ignored just because they don’t advertise. But is career planning only about where to do a certain course? Is there not a more vital question to be answered? That is, how best should you integrate your strengths, special skills and inter-ests with the growing needs of the economy?

One of the major ingredients in the decision-making is your own self, your abilities, capabilities, interests, aptitude and passion. These are the things that make you unique.

Want a career for the past or future?anticipate future trends before you make your career choices

SHIVANI MANCHANDACareer Consultant & Director, Career Track, Mumbai

decision making needs good research, not just ads


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friendly attitude will stand you in good stead, says Prerna Kapur, a first year HM student

Cover Story hospitality


Hospitality sector is the in thing, with even banks, corporates, retail and large BPOs hiring hotel management graduates in large numbers...

by Sumita Vaid Dixit

If you love to look after people, bring a smile to their faces, cook them a nice dish, and give them an experience to remember, then the

hospitality industry is the place for you. Every year, there’s a need for 2.03 lakh

professionals in the industry, says the Ministry of Tourism but only 18,000 hospitality graduates pass out, annu-ally. Clearly there’s a dearth of skilled professionals in this sector. With the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and several international hotel chains such as Carlson, Starwood, Accor and Mar-riott coming to India, both opportunity and exposure in hospitality is going to be staggering.

The hospitality sector is essentially divided into four broad functions: Food Production, where food is designed and created, Food & Beverage Serv-ice (F&B), where the guest’s needs are looked after in a restaurant or in an office cafeteria, Front Office, that wel-comes a guest and tries to make the stay as hassle-free as possible and Accom-modation Management, where the staff sees that you feel at home in your room. In fact, the wellness industry that includes spa and fitness, is becoming a popular service in hospitality.

Front Office, in demandFood Production, where chefs work in smoky, steamy rooms was once a big attraction for many young people want-ing to join the industry. But now young people prefer Front Office jobs and F&B service to Food Production. “Fifty-five percent of our students went for Front

intensive points out Mr Sharma of IHM. Sameer Sharma, a hotel manage-ment (HM) graduate, agrees. “There are heavy crates to be picked, sacks of onions and potatoes to be carted, and working hours could stretch to 12 to 16 hours a day.” On the other hand, Front Office has regulated working hours and industries such as telecom and banking, pay well.

Where’s the money?Although chefs and general managers are paid in lakhs, a fresh HM graduate may have to start with a leaner package. NS Bhuie, Director, Studies, National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology, admits that the pay is average. Fresh HM graduates, as management trainees get a stipend between Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 15,000, which goes up to Rs. 26,000 after the comple-tion of the training at a hotel, which is usually two years. In comparison, indus-tries like BPOs pay a fatter take home to fresh graduates, says a recruiter.

“Forty percent of students who do hotel management join other service industries,” says Sudhir Andrews, dean, Ecole Hôtelière Lavasa, a hospitality management institute in Pune. Hotels are already feeling the pinch he says. But a senior manager at one of the top Delhi hotels says that salaries have gone up by more than 60 per cent in the past few years.

Long working hoursHospitality is a round-the-clock func-tion; it’s a 24x7, 365 days-a-year job. In fact, when the whole nation is off on August 15, the hospitality industry is

Office jobs,” says DD Sharma, Head of Department, Institute of Hotel Manage-ment (IHM), Delhi. This tilt towards Front Office and F&B is because of the ample opportunities that are present in the service sector.

Soft skills acquired by Front Office executives such as communication and managerial skills also double up as skills required in customer relations, business development, human resource function, sales and marketing. In fact, banks, hos-pitals, telecom and BPOs are recruiting hotel management graduates in large numbers, says Anita Sharma, Senior Faculty and Placement Coordinator, IHM, Catering & Nutrition, New Delhi. Over the years, hospitality has extended beyond hotels and restaurants and has become integral to the service sector.

There’s also the incentive of better salaries and a less strenuous working schedule. Food Production is labour-

Hotel & Restaurant management■■

Airline Catering and Cabin Services■■

Club management■■

Cruise Ship Hotel Management■■

Hospital administration and catering■■

Hotel and Tourism Associations■■

Forest Lodges■■

Guest Houses■■

Institutional Management (supervising ■■

canteens in college, schools, in factories, company guest houses)

Catering departments of railways, banks, ■■

armed forces, shipping companies

Hotel and catering institutes■■

Telecom, Banking, Insurance, BPOs in ■■

Customer Relations function

Self-employment■■

Where are the jobs?

It’s not a job It’s a lIfestyle


buzzing, says Ashima Sukhani, public relation executive of ITC Hotels. And as room service and coffee shop kitchens are open 24 hours, working hours go up to 18 hours. But KS Srinivasan, Vice-President, HR, Taj, Mumbai, doesn’t see working long hours as a drawback at all. “Just look at the experience you get after working in this industry for two years. You get scrubbed and polished and after two years you shine!”

Manager or waiter?While hotel management institutes pre-pare students for a managerial role, the industry wants to hire them as waiters. Both sides have their arguments.

Jay Rathore, General Manager, The Oberoi, New Delhi, says that while he picks graduates, they start at the staff level. “People expect to do managerial or supervisory jobs right away, but I ask them ‘are they prepared to manage 25 people?’ With no experience how can you lead 25 people, how can those 25 people look up to you for career and advice?” While the industry needs peo-ple with managerial qualities, it’s only after a few years that young graduates can step into that role. “People have to walk in with the right attitude.”

Can do, will do! No job is big or small. Period. You must have a positive outlook, always, says Anurag, a butler with ITC. “You have to anticipate the needs of your guests and how else can you do that if you do not love your work?,” asks Srinivasan. Both faculty and recruiters rue that young people want to jump up the ladder. “You cannot fast-track in this line of work.

The only way to do it is by working hard and being very good in your work; that comes with years of hard work,” says Srinivasan.

The work pressure is high and there are occasions when you may be shouted at by a senior. “Either you look at it as a punishment or an opportunity to learn,” says Anuj Burman, an HM stu-dent aspiring to be a chef. The same peo-ple who shout at you are the ones who reward you as well, says Prerna Kapur, first year HM student. “This is no ordi-nary industry. You have to be motivated, passionate and energetic and it has to come from the heart,” says Rathore.

Opportunities galoreThere are jobs available on land, at sea and in the air. You could work at hotels, organisations such as MindTree, Maruti Suzuki, in hospitals, the retail industry, defence establishments, banks and even the insurance sector. Within the hotel industry, there are options of joining HR or sales and marketing. In fact, hos-pitality is an indispensable function in every sector, points out a CEO of a large firm. “When I go for business meetings to companies like Infosys, right from transport to putting me up in their guest house to looking after my lunch and dinner is taken care off by its hospitality department.”

Also, there’s a demand for outsourcing managers as most corporates and hospi-tals outsource their support services and need a person with management skills and a good understanding of the hospi-tality industry to manage Food Produc-tion, F&B, Front Office and Housekeep-ing. “These make for support services in a hospital and it comprises 30 percent of the total staff strength of a hospital,” says Dr. K Prabhakar, Senior Vice-President, Corporate, HR, Apollo Hospitals, Chen-nai. In fact, hospitality graduates are in great demand abroad, especially in the Middle East and the UK where Indian food is very popular.

Behind the glitzOnce in the industry, you could be shak-ing hands with Rahul Gandhi or taking pictures with Sachin Tendulkar and Kat-rina Kaif, but don’t forget there’s work to be done too, says Rathore. Many come here thinking that it’s a glamorous job. But it’s not always so, says Kunal Pahwa, Manager, Bukhara, ITC. Yet students seem keen on hospitality. According to the IHM faculty, every year more than 60,000 students appear for the entrance exam. And the numbers are going up. Of course, the hospitality industry has its own charms, says Rathore of Oberoi. “No other industry offers such refined working environment and dignity. Hos-pitality is not a job, it’s a lifestyle.”

So, in addition to an overview of how and where to study, we offer you a spread of the five major areas of hospitality; Front Office, F&B Service, Housekeep-ing, Food Production and wellness. Bon Appétit!

Atul

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“HM graduates should be open to waiting on tables

before becoming managers”

“Service-intensive organisations like Infosys, Citibank, Fortis Hospitals

recruit HM graduates in large numbers”


Jay ratHOre General Manager, the oberoi, new Delhi

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New concepts in hospitality Time Share■■

Convention hotels■■

Outsourcing managers ■■

Spa and Wellness■■

Health Tourism ■■

Event management ■■

Tips to stay ahead Go to the library ■■

Learn a foreign language ■■

Read up food and beverage magazines■■

You Tube, popular website, has great ■■

reference material on hospitality

Admission InfoThe admission to the programme is done through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). Candidates can get admission in 21 Central Institutes of Hotel Manage-ment, eight State Government Insti-tutes of Hotel Management, 12 Private Institutes of Hotel Management affili-ated with the National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology and five Food Craft Institutes located in different parts of the country. There are approximately 6,000 seats combined in all these institutes for admission to BSc Hospitality and Hotel Administration programme. In all, there are 41 institutes in the country that are affiliated with the National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology.

Eligibility criteria Pass in 10+2 or equivalent examina-■●

tion with English as a subject. Those

who are appearing for class 12 exams in 2010 can also apply. Also a candidate should not be more ■●

than 22 years of age (25 years for SC/ST) as on July, 1, 2010. Selection for PG programmes is ■●

merit based.

Tentative dates Date of Entrance Examination: May ■●

2nd week, 2010 Availability of Application Forms: ■●

February 3rd week, 2010 Last Date for receipt of completed ■●

application forms: April 2nd week, 2010 Declaration of Results: June 1st ■●

week, 2010Please note that the dates are only tenta-tive and are not final.

Exam patternThe paper will be of 3 hours’ duration

Dearth of traineD professionals in indiaToday, hospitality education is a cov-

eted career and the National Coun-cil receives four times more applications than its fixed intake. India has nearly 150 institutes in the approved category, both in the government and private sec-tor. And there are 25 craft-level insti-tutes, which impart short courses. Hospitality institutes produce 14,000 graduates, of which 4,000 are diploma and certificate hold-ers. So, 18,000 trained profession-als are produced every year, 22 percent at the skills level and 78 per cent at graduate level. A sur-vey by the Ministry of Tourism indicates that there is a demand for 2.03 lakh trained hospitality

a snapshot of entrance exams and trends

how to enterHospitality sector

Know more of hospitality

consisting of multiple choice questions divided in the following sections:

Numerical Ability and Scientific ■●

Aptitude -30 questions Reasoning and Logical Deduction ■●

-30 questionsGK & Current Affairs -30 questions■●

English Language - 80 questions■●

Aptitude for Service Sector - 30 ■●

questionsThere will be negative marking up

to ½ marks for all the sections except Aptitude for Service Sector.

while hospitality education has been broadbased to include hospitality voca-tional courses at ITIs, polytechnics, at 10+2 stage of CBSE and introduction of specific tailor-made skill testing and certification programmes.

Further, the Certified Hospital-ity Trainer Programme aims to provide employment to meritorious students at IHMs from within its system and honouring them with the best of wages the industry has to offer. By the end of

the 11th five-year plan, the target is to have 49 Institutes of Hotel Management and 31 Food Craft Institutes, plus a tourism manage-ment centre in the south.

But there’s a need to standardise the quality of hospitality education. And, students must be cautious of some of the hospitality institutions in the private sector before seeking admissions in them.

professionals every year of which 66 per-cent is at skill level, and 34 per cent at managerial level.

The Tourism Ministry has developed a master plan to increase intake in exist-ing institutes. More craft and skill-level programmes have been introduced,

“Hospitality is being introduced in 10+2 CBSE curriculum”

N.S. BHuIE Director of studies, national

Council for hotel Management and Catering technology


Select IndIan collegeS offerIng programmeS In HoSpItalItyInstitute Location Programme Website

Institute of Hotel Management Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chandigarh, chennai

BSc Hospitality and Hotel Administration Program (3 years) http://nchmct.org/

Institute of Hotel Management (Taj Group)

Aurangabad BA (Hons) Hotel Management (4 years) www.ihma.ac.in

Barkatullah University Bhopal PG Diploma in Tourism & Hotel Management(1 year) www.bubhopal.nic.in

Institute of Hotel Management Bangalore MSc in Hospitality Administration ( 2 years) www.ihmbangalore.com

Christ College Bangalore Bachelor of Hotel Management (4 years) www.christuniversity.in

Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management

Chandigarh Diploma in Hotel Operation, Catering & Applied Nutrition (3 years) www.ihmchandigarh.org

Institute of Hotel Management Chennai BSc in Hospitality and Hotel Administration (3 years) www.ihmchennai.org

FHRAI Institute of Hotel Management

Greater Noida BSc (Hons) International Hospitality Administration (4 years) www.fhraiinstitute.com

Institute of Hotel Management Hyderabad BSc/Msc in Hospitality & Hotel Administration (3 years) www.ihmhyd.org

Institute of Hotel Management Kolkata BSc in Hospitality and Hotel Administration www.ihmkolkata.org

Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University

Kota PG Diploma in Tourism & Hotel Management (1 year) (Distance Education)

www.vmou.ac.in

Welcome Group (GSHA) Manipal Diploma/Msc/Bachelor of Hotel Management (3/2/4 years) www.manipal.edu

Rizvi College of Management Mumbai BA in International Hospitality Administration (4 years) www.rizvi.edu.in

Institute of Hotel Management Mumbai BSc in Hospitality and Hotel Administration (3 years) www.ihmctan.edu

Institute of Hotel Management, George Brown College

Mumbai International Chef Diploma (close to 3 years) www.ihmctan.edu

Institute of Hotel Management New Delhi BSc in Hospitality & Hotel Administration (3 years) www.ihmpusa.net

Merit Swiss Asian School of Hotel Management

Ooty BSc in Hotel Management (3 years) www.meritworldwide.com

University of Pune Pune Bachelor of Hotel Management & Catering Technology (4 years) www.unipune.ac.in

Select InternatIonal InStItuteS offerIng programmeS In HoSpItalItyInstitute Location Programme Website

Sierra Nevada College Nevada, USA Bachelor in Ski Business and Resort Management (a 4-year degree programme focused on mountain resort industry)

www.sierranevada.edu

The Institute of Culinary Education

New York, USA Diploma programmes in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Culinary Management (programmes with 300-650 hour duration offering in-class training & externship)

www.iceculinary.com

Cornell University School of Hotel Administration

New York, USA Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration (4-year programme) www.hotelschool.cornell.edu

The Tourism Academy @ Sentosa

Sentosa Island, Singapore

Diploma in Hospitality & Tourism Business (2-year programmes including 15 weeks of internship).

www.tourismacademy.edu.sg

École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL)

Switzerland Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management (4-year-programme)

www.ehl.edu

César Ritz Switzerland Higher Diploma in Hotel & Restaurant Management (2-year programme for high school graduates looking to build a career in hotel and restaurant management)

www.ritz.edu

Glion Institute of Higher Education

Switzerland Diploma in Hotel & Restaurant Administration (a 1.5-year programme in the basics of food, beverage, hotel operations and administration)

www.glion.edu

IMI University Centre Switzerland Bachelor of Arts (Hons)( 3-year programme) www.imi-luzern.com

School of International Hotel & Tourism Management

Switzerland Higher Diploma in International Hotel and Tourism Management ( 2.5-year programme followed by a half-year Bachelor Degree, awarded by University of Ulster, UK)

www.htmi.ch

Le Cordon Bleu Paris, Japan, Lebanon, London, New Jersey, Mexico, Spain, Bankok, The Netherlands, Sydney, Canada, Peru, and Korea

Certificate and Diploma programs in Culinary Arts (Basic programmes in French cuisine)

www.cordonbleu.edu



Hospitality educationaround the world

From gaming and casino management to culinary arts, there’s an eclectic choice of courses on the menu

by Merril Diniz

American chef, the late Julia Child moved to Paris in 1948, a restless homemaker, look-ing for a purpose in life. On

a whim she joined Le Cordon Bleu, a household name in the world of culi-nary education, and eventually went on to launch a cookery show on TV and pen a book, which made French cooking accessible to the world.

Would Ms Child’s culinary talent have unraveled in any other destina-tion in the world? We will never know. Choosing a country, which boasts qual-ity hotels, restaurants and spas, will give you an opportunity to intern with the best places. “Singapore is an inter-esting choice of location, because it is focusing on tourism,” observes Shivani Manchanda, a career counselor for the last 18 years and Director, CareerTrack. For instance, The Tourism Academy @ Sentosa immerses the students in the resort experience through its two-year full-time diploma programme.

Education traditionCountries like Switzerland are tradi-tionally renowned for their topnotch hospitality programmes. With approxi-mately 5,600 hotels and more than 35 million guests every year, it this has ensured quality schools, here. The Swiss Hotel Schools Association (ASEH), a major body, ensures high standards of professionalism in the hotel schools, Shivani points out. “The Swiss have a long tradition of innovation and skill-based training and this has resulted in the alumni reaching successful positions internationally,” she adds.

Internship-model schools, is another traditions, which allows a student to work and learn, alongside. For instance, the Cornell University campus houses

the The Statler Hotel & JW Willard Mariott Executive Education Center. Hence, it’s like a “laboratory for stu-dents on campus which offers state-of-the-art equipment and a real-life hotel to practice their skills,” says Shivani.

Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland also has a very strong internship model.

The costOn an average, a graduate programme will cost between eight to 15 lakhs per year, including tuition and boarding. Is it worth it? “If you want to make a specialised career of it, it’s worth con-sidering for all the innovative practices and professional competency-based courses,” shares Binita Kohli, owner of

Paceweddings.com, Delhi. Kohli, with a Bachelor’s and Master’s from Switzer-land, specialised in wedding planning and event management from an Ameri-can institute. ”Now, if you need to mort-gage your house to afford this amount, it’s a good idea to do an undergraduate programme right here in India, and then work here for some time before you pro-ceed to do a post-graduation abroad,” advises Shavani.

Hospitality specialistThere are several specialization courses to be done as hospitality has diverse

function areas. For instance, the School of International Hotel & Tourism Man-agement, Switzerland offers electives such as casino management, bar man-agement and cruise line management. “The Sierra Nevada College, USA, offers a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Ski Business and Resort Management, a very niche area,” says Shivani.

Chefs may aspire to become profes-sional chocolatiers, specialise in a cui-sine or master culinary areas such as patisserie. Some institutions that offer such courses include Le Cordon Bleu in France (which has campuses across the globe), Institute of Culinary Education, New York and the Texas Culinary Acad-emy. Specialising will help you elevate your knowledge and skills in your area of interest, to a whole new level of excel-lence and expertise

Internships, placements, extra perksWhen choosing a programme, especially at the graduate level, explore if the insti-tute offers internships. For instance, the Les Roches, International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland requires students to do three internships in the second, fourth and sixth semesters of the eight-semester programme, and students intern with world-class hotels such as the The Ritz-Carlton, Four Sea-sons and Shangri-La.

Some institutes offer a job-hunting module, which includes résumé writing, interviewing skills and marketing your-self to the industry. For instance, EHL runs an online job platform for alumni with a searchable database of current jobs in the industry, says Shivani.

The IMI University Centre, Switzer-land, besides offering an online alumni database and careers fairs, also helps with campus recruitments. Also, check for institutional visits to hotels, resorts and learning new languages. Sniff out those perks!

A word of caution“Many hospitality management institu-tions are managed by private providers and not much benchmarking exists in it yet,” observes Shivani. So, it’s a good idea to check with well-established profes-sionals and alumni, and get their opinion before joining a school.

“Choosing a country, which boasts quality

hotels, restaurants and spas, will give you an opportunity to intern with the best places”



Front oFFiceAt your serviceFront Office is not just about having a pleasant demeanour, it takes a lot more to make the customer happy...

by Shalini Gupta

In spite of being a science student, Raja Panchal was never interested in engineering. He wanted to do something different, and the hospi-

tality industry attracted his attention, specifically the glamour associated with the fluently-speaking, immaculately-dressed men and women at the Front Office. Today, a third year student at the Institute of Hotel management, Delhi, he is all set to make his dream come true. If like him, you too aspire to be a part of the only department in a hotel that has a direct contact with its guests, be pre-pared for some very hard work!

Getting down to the basicsAll hotels, be it a five star hotel, stand-alone or budget, have a line-up of staff at the Front Office. “From the time a guest walks in, till his or her depar-ture, the front office department has to work meticulously at each stage of operations. Usually the staff work in shifts ranging from 10-14 hours a day,” says Babar Khanyari, Front Office Manager, The Imperial, Delhi. A Front Office manager heads the department and supervises a few duty managers to whom assistant managers report. Assistant managers in turn supervise the various departments.

The concierge department head-ed by a head concierge takes care of transporting guests to and from the hotel to local attractions as well as assisting them with recom-mendations for restaurants, shop-ping and sightseeing. Bell boys assist guests with their luggage and several of them might report to a bell captain who in turn reports to

the head concierge. On their arrival at the hotel, guests are greeted by welcome assistants. Reception executives take care of the check-in formalities such as filling up the registration card and updating the details in the system. They also ensure a smooth check-out. Several guest service associates might report to a reception executive.

The reservations department looks after guest booking and room tariffs. There is a separate department that takes care of the likes and dislikes of the guests and receiving feedback on the service to ensure a personalised stay. This is called the guest relations depart-ment, which is headed by a guest relation executive (GRE). Several guest relation associates report to the GRE. Typically, Front Office personnel comprise 10-15 percent of the hotel staff, says Profes-sor DD Sharma, Head of Department, Front Office and Accommodation Man-agement, IHM, Delhi.

Rising up the ranksNishant Negi started off as a manage-ment trainee at Jaypee Palace, Agra, after completing his hotel management course from IHM Lucknow in 1998. Today he heads the front office opera-tions at ITC Sheraton, Delhi and has 11 years of experience in the industry.

Beginning as management trainees, the fresh HM graduates complete one to two years in the domain. They then join as guest service associates/guest rela-tion associates at the front desk, assist-ing the guest relation executive or the reception. They could also be directly recruited as assistant managers, depend-ing on different training programmes at hotel chains. A duty manager supervises the assistant manager and reports to the Front Office Manager (who oversees the entire front office operations).

Climbing up the ladder requires a lot of hard work and experience and one has to work up the way through a hier-archy. Growth opportunities are higher

since the Front Office staff often build a rapport with the customers as opposed to F&B, opines Anil Srivastava, HR Manager at the ITC Sheraton, Delhi. Trainees can earn as much as Rs. 9,000 to Rs. 11,000. “One does need to slog it out in the first few years but if you work with the motto that you are here because of the guest and focus on serving them better, there

“Aspire to wow a customer”

Salary structure Executive - ■■

Rs.12,000-14,000

Assistant Manager- ■■

Rs. 16,000-22,000

Duty manager- ■■

Rs. 24,000-37,000

Assistant Front Office ■■

Manager- Rs. 28,000-50,000

Front Office Manager- ■■

Rs. 60,000 and above

NiShANt NeGi, Front office manager,

itC sheraton, Delhi


is no looking back,” adds Ajoy Balkrish-na, General Manager, Grand Sarovar Premiere, Mumbai, who has around 20 years of experience in the industry.

Beyond hospitalityAlok Narain, an HM graduate, who is now a Vice President, Employee devel-opment, Quatrro (a BPO) was heading HR at The Oberoi. As Narain’s profile shows, Front Office personnel, thus are in demand not only in the hospitality industry, but also allied industries such as BPOs, banking, the retail sector, cor-porates, says Alok Shivpuri, Principal, IHM Delhi. “BPOs prefer Front Office staff or hospitality personnel for serv-ice-oriented processes, such as client processing and customer service deliv-ery,” elaborates Sunil Goel, Director, GlobalHunt, an executive search firm. Employers across the sector feel confi-dent to hire them for their managerial and interpersonal skill.

Attitude winsA cheerful countenance, an eagerness to help and assist, presence of mind to

handle difficult situations as and when they arise and an enthusiasm to learn, are some of the key attributes needed for you to carve a niche. Soft skills are very, very important. After all, you have to make the guest feel special and cared for, be it celebrating a birthday after landing just a few hours back or even

volunteering to pick up their luggage. An innate attitude to bring a smile on someone’s face is very crucial. As Nis-hant puts it, “Aspire to wow a customer.” Hotels might also have in-house trainers to orient employees on various soft skills such as telephone etiquette and groom-ing standards, informs C. Swaminathan, Director HR at The Imperial, Delhi.

Dignity of labourOne thing that the profession teaches you is that no job is inferior. And this is what Raja Panchal learned during his six-month-long industrial training during which a student has to work in all departments (F&B, Front Office and housekeeping). He would accompany his housekeeping manager to check if all rooms were spick and span at the end of each day. One day they found a tiny speck in the lavatory of one of the rooms. While Raja was hesitant to clean it, his senior went ahead and did the needful. “I was inspired by this lesson of a life-time — never look down upon any work but do it to the best of your abilities,” says Raja.

Imagesbazaar

“Multitasking is the order of the day in a

budget hotel”

first impression front office is the first contact

point for the guest

PrABhAt PAniCeO & Director, roots Corporation Ltd.

that runs Ginger, Tata group-owned no frills hotel

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Housekeeping Meet the keepersConsidered to be a back office function, housekeeping is the backbone of the smooth functioning of a hotel and is increasingly being sought after

by Shalini Gupta

When Garima Nagpal decid-ed to pursue a course in hotel management 25 years back, she joined

IHM, Delhi, only to find four girls (including her) in a batch of 80 students. But she was determined. A Front Office aspirant, the bespectacled Garima, was selected for accommodation manage-ment (also known as Housekeeping) during campus placement, much to her chagrin. Little did she know that it was the beginning of something she would

do lifelong. Just three months into her training, she felt was in the right place. Today, an Executive Housekeeper with The Imperial Delhi, she is credited with starting the house keeping operations at most of the prestigious hotels in India, thanks to a twist of fate.

The daily grind Ever wondered who is responsible for that elaborate flower arrangement or those chic curtains or that spotless win-dow or even that painting you couldn’t help but admire in the lobby of a hotel? Well, it is the Housekeeping staff. It is

their duty to create a clean, comfortable and appealing environment in the hotel. As Nagpal puts it, “We create a home away from home, with a touch of luxury, keeping comfort in mind.” The staff is expected to maintain standards of excel-lence in sanitation, comfort and aesthet-ics at the hotel, including rooms, public areas, corridors, patio and lawns.

They also need to follow standard operating procedures (SOP’s) for clean-ing and maintain an inventory of furni-ture, linen etc. For example, each hotel might have its own SOP on how to make a bed, which has to be strictly followed

deft touches Good housekeeping makes the guests feel at home



by its staff. A room attendant (the small-est unit of the staff ) might have to work on up to 20 SOPs in a day. However, Housekeeping is not just about reli-giously following SOP’s. “Every day, it is up to us to do the same thing differently, so as to make every guest feel special and cared for,” says Amandeep Kaur, Assistant Manager, Housekeeping, at ITC Sheraton, New Delhi.

The hierarchyStudents with a degree in hotel manage-ment typically join as supervisors who are responsible for organising, assigning and coordinating the work of the room attendants. After a few years they might be promoted as Assist-ant Managers, several of whom are supervised by Deputy Manag-ers. Supervisors who perform well are promoted to executives to be trained under Assistant Managers. Finally, every hotel has an execu-tive housekeeper who oversees the entire operations.

If the hotel is a huge group, there might be a corporate housekeeper

High on growthHousekeeping is one the fastest growing in the service sector. Growth is per-formance-based and chances of a new trainee heading the department in a few years is much higher a compared to oth-ers. Garima was the youngest Executive Housekeeper at the age of 28, working at the Oberoi, Delhi back in the early 80s. Amandeep Kaur is working as an Assistant Manager with ITC Sheraton Delhi, with seven years of experience behind her. “The smartest ladies in the hotel industry are in Housekeeping,” she says. For long a female bastion, men are also opting for Housekeeping. Although growth is fast, pay at the entry level is not as lucrative. A room attendant might start from around Rs. 10,000 per month, while a supervisor might get up to Rs. 16,000 per month. The pay only rises as one rises up the ranks and may vary from luxury hotels to budget hotels to hospi-tals and company guest houses.

Challenging, yet satisfyingThe biggest high is that of a job well done, an unparalleled sense of satis-faction and achievement when a guest appreciates your work, or leaves a note behind saying he would to like to visit again. It might require you to do things that might seem to ridiculous to an out-sider, like searching for a guest’s lost comb, but there’s nothing that is more gratifying than a satisfied customer at the end of the day, opines Amandeep. As for the challenges, Balbir Singh, puts it best. “When the occupancy in a hotel or an office guest house goes up, it becomes a challenge to manage guests, and if we have very few guests, then the challenge for Housekeeping is how to generate more footfalls.”

Rupali Chauhan is a bright third year student at IHM, Delhi, who is one of the few shortlisted by The Oberoi hotels for their upcoming management training programme. She was as clueless as a young Garima when she set her foot in the campus. But now, after three years into her programme, going by her soaring confidence and positive attitude, the story might be altogether different a few years later. Clearly, Housekeeping is for the go-getters.

Ram

an P

ruth

i

“Almost 55 percent of our graduating students

opt for Front Office and housekeeping”

SkillsAn eye for detail■■

Creative bent of mind■■

Be people friendly ■■

Be open to the smallest ■■

tasks

as well, overseeing several executive housekeepers across different loca-tions. At the managerial level, one also needs to handle and groom contrac-tual staff such as cleaners and other manual labourers, look at induction of new employees, motivate and counsel staff and supervise their discipline and conduct while ensuring proper commu-nication amongst them. Meetings are conducted early morning to brief the staff on their duties for the day and also to resolve any outstanding issues.

What you need to make the cutFirst and foremost, start from scratch. Most of the youngsters today aspire to be executive housekeepers, but they need to understand and be adept at the nitty-gritty of the job first. “If you know how to scrub a tub, you would make a better manager, as you will not only respect your subordinates, but also know what to expect from them,” says Garima. People-friendliness is also important, since the endeavour is to make every guest feel special. You need to be able to feel the pulse of your guests and gauge what they would need intuitively, says Amandeep. For example, when a Ger-man guest at the hotel mentioned how he loved the feather pillows at home, she immediately got them arranged, much to his surprise.

An eye for detailYou need to go that extra mile and not just stick to what is expected of you. And for that you have to have a passion for the work. Acute observation skills help, adds Balbir Singh, Executive Housekeeper at the Best Western The Pride, Pune. A knack for creativity is a plus, be it decid-ing the flower arrangement, the decor of the lounge area, or the upholstery.

“If you know how to scrub a tub, you would

make better manager”

DD SHArmA, HoD, Front Office and Accommodation

Management, IHM, Delhi

GArImA NAGpAlexecutive Housekeeper,

The Imperial, Delhi



Food production, as the name suggests, is about making food, and has three sections: Bak-ery, which is making bread

and cakes; even chocolates and confec-tionary items like candies. Speciality Kitchen, where cuisines such as Thai, Mughlai, Japanese, South Indian are made. Cold section, were salads and delicatessen (cold meat cuts) are served. Choose from these three based on your interest and aptitude.

Passion, passion, passion is what you need to be a chef, says Manisha Bhasin, Senior Executive Chef, ITC. “That alone will tide you by both good and the not-so-good times.” Going up from junior

Sous Chef to Senior Chef takes 14 to 15 years provided you are good. Yes, it’s competitive and will give you grey hair, but if you are good and focused then you could be a celebrity at a young age too says Bhasin. So, if being a chef is your be all and end all, then a professional degree will stand you in good stead.

Education plays a critical role in this profession. A diploma is essential, but a degree course is better. Because with a BSc in hospitality course you can bypass the Commie stages and join as kitchen management trainee (KMT) and start cooking, thus saving three or four years of the grind. Food Production gradu-ates are absorbed as KMTs and trainfor almost two years before becoming Chef de Partie, the stage after Commie 1.

Not just cookingChefs make food but it’s a myth that they only make food. They do much more. They are thinking, ideating, creating and managing people. “We are managers as well as cooks!” says Bhasin. In fact, she is a green belt in Six Sigma; it’s a course that helps in running an error-free oper-ation, she says. Cooking is one part of the work. Right from cutlery placement, to table layout to maximising business, the chef’s got to do it all. Of course, prod-uct development is an important part of a chef’s life. “We have to keep making the food exciting at all times, which is a challenge.”

Bhasin says that one also has to see the profitability part of the business. “We sit with menu designers; decide the placing

Food Production Mixing food and busi ness This is where great food is created and star chefs are born. You may also have to wash utensils!

buffet layout at threesixty, a fine-dining restaurant at

the oberoi, New Delhi



of the food items, there’s a lot of science and thought that goes behind this.” In fact, chefs sit with restaurant managers, look at the monthly business reports and then together decide on how to improve the business. “So you have to come up with innovative promotional concepts such as Sunday brunch,” says Bhasin, who set up West View at the ITC Mau-rya Sheraton. Strange as it may sound, a chef has to have a good business sense, as well. “We multitask and not many are aware of it!”

Put your best dish forward!Of course, there’s glamour to the job, but that comes much later, when you have toiled in the heat, the grime, and the fumes for 10 hours every day. Chefs

Food Production Mixing food and busi ness This is where great food is created and star chefs are born. You may also have to wash utensils!

BakeryBesides making bread and cakes, one can also specialise in cold desserts. There are more than 200 items to learn in a bakery course says Anita Bola, assistant lecturer, Institute of Hotel Management, New Delhi. So here’s what you require for the job: a creative mind, a great sense of colour, an eye for aesthetics, and dollops of patience.

“You would be baking 100 cakes day in and day out, and this should not make you tired or bored. If that happens then it will show in the food,” warns Bola. But if you are bored and you want to switch to another department, or have developed an interest in say Italian food, there are options of cross-departmental training in hotels and restaurants.

Sweat it outBaking a cake in the classroom is very different from baking it in the hotel kitchens. “You have to perform under pressure,” says Pradeep Diwedi, an HM student. And every hotel has its ‘house style’ when it comes to presentation and layout. So there you learn buffet layout, cake presenta-tion and pre-plated dessert.

rewards are goodThere’s a lot of hard work, there are long working hours, but if you are dauntless, and steadily climb up the ladder, then as an executive Sous Chef or as the top most person, pastry chef, you could be earning in lakhs, says Bola.

Plenty of optionsBakery offers ample career opportunities. You could join the hospitality industry, conduct hobby classes, teach in institutes or open up your own bakery and mint money. There is 100 percent profit in bakery, says Bola as the total cost of making a cake isn’t more than Rs. 100 and a patty costs Rs. 3. “So the margins are huge.”

Pay scale If you are a diploma holder, then it could start from Rs. 7,000 and go up to Rs. 8000.

If a degree-holder is selected for kitchen training at recruitment time the starting pay could range from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 15,000

After the training, the salary goes up to Rs. 25,000

Climb up the ladderCommie 3Commie 2Commie 1Chef de partieKitchen executiveExecutive Sous ChefPastry Chef

are like actors on stage, creating an act that if clients like, will get applauded! So remember, says Bhasin, that when you are not cooking for your guest, you are still being watched. “You are being watched by your colleagues, your junior staff.” Therefore, at all times put your best foot forward, or rather your best dish forward!

Experience says that when you have learnt to smile and apologise to an irra-tional client you are ready to be a chef. So keep that ego in a pickle jar back

Narendra Bisht/Outlook Group

“When the going gets tough in the kitchen peel potatoes, it is

therapeutic!”

Food ProductionThree departments that employ KMTs

Bakery■■

Speciality Kitchen■■

Cold section where salads and ■■

delicatessen are served

Climb up the ladderAfter you are absorbed as kitchen ■■

management trainee you start as:

Chef de Partie ■■

Sous Chef■■

Senior Chef de partie/Assistant Sous Chef■■

Executive Chef■■

Pay Scale: Diploma holder as a Commie could get ■■

anywhere between Rs. 6,000-Rs. 7,000

Degree-holders, after kitchen management ■■

training, start at Rs. 26,000 and as a chef, you earn in lakhs

ManiSha BhaSinsenior executive Chef, ITC



Solomon’s interest in food started at an early age as each member of his large joint family had to give a hand in the kitchen. And he believes in the simplicity of food. “I stay away from molecular and processed food.” Among other things, Solomon says that young people should be prepared to enter the industry with their eyes open!

Q. So tell us chef, what ingredients go into making a good chef ?A. An understanding of the nuances of food, how to buy meat and vegetables, how to cut meat and vegetables, good communication skills… Well, there is a lot that goes into making of a chef and much of it comes with experience. Working as a chef is all about creativ-ity, fun and discipline.

Q. So would you rather take some-one fresh to work with you, or some-one with professional training?A. If you are raw then cracking the industry can be a little tough. It’s important to have some kind of prior training. In fact, I would say to those keen on a career in food production that they should check out the facili-ties before enrolling in colleges. Look at the kitchen; see if the kitchens are well-equipped. Meet the faculty. Find out if the faculty have had industry experience. Because that’s how teach-ers can prepare students for the rig-ours of the industry!

I would also say, find out how many practical classes are held in a week and for how long. In my view, there should be at least four practical classes in a week and each class should be of four to five hours of duration. But, of course, cooking is one part of becom-ing a chef.

Q. What are the other parts to a chef ?A. You have to be familiar with the commercial side of the profession, be involved in product positioning, pric-ing, do cost analysis, but above all be a

“If you want to bea chef, be a trendsetter”

home. “In this industry, you should be prepared and ready to do anything. There are many who are reluctant to wash utensils, but I tell them to wash their utensils to wash away their ego,” says Bhasin. And when the going gets tough, when you are about to burst like a pressure cooker, then “peel potatoes, it is therapeutic!” Bhasin guarantees.

When the ego’s out of the way, it’s only you and the food that you are mak-ing and that’s what adds the magic to the dish. People come to restaurants or hotels for good food. If the service or the ambience isn’t as good, people might keep coming, but if the food is not good, then it’s time to shut shop, says Bhasin. In the end, it’s all about good food.

If you are hard working, love your work and can make food even on tired legs, welcome to the kitchen! Bhasin says that while one should have a basic sense of taste, it’s only over a period of time that one develops a sense of taste

Tips ‘n’ trendsBack to the basics

Asian food is hot, especially Japanese.

In Indian food, community and regional cuisines such as Chettinad is in.

Silvatta spices: People want that home-made taste in their foods so learn to grind ginger, garlic, spices on the grind stone. Forget about machines.

Open kitchenAlthough the concept of open kitchens is as old as roadside dhabas, both big and mid-sized restaurants are all for it. People like to see their food being cooked right under their noses. But isn’t it a bit unnerving for young chefs? Bhasin says open kitchen is an acid test for young chefs.

Make your own foodNow customers can also cook their meal in five-star ambiences with a little guidance from the chef. So, on a lighter note, if the pasta gets burnt, the customer cannot blame the chef, Bhasin laughs. There’s a lot of innovation in food preperation now as the customer is a part of the whole cooking experience.

Growing demand for institutional foodSchool canteens, large companies, hospitals, defence establishments

Food processing unitSeveral job opportunities are here for cooks, chefs and food preparation professionals

Career options: Food science, food nutrition, menu merchandise, menu engineering, pack-aged foods, food photography, education, cuisine styling, hospitals, catering, canteen, food journalism and of course running your own restaurant one day.

good manager. But nothing will work without passion.

Q. So, passion is the key ingredi-ent…A. If you are keen on a chef’s career, then passion is what you need. It’s not a desk job where you sit all day.

Q. But it’s also a profession where you come across people who can act difficult…A. There’s nothing called a difficult customer. Every person is a wonderful opportunity to be served and looked after. Remember you are dealing with people, not vending machines. After all, you have to create opportunities to increase footfall. You don’t become a great chef in a day. It takes perse-verance and passion! Of course, for that you need nerves of steel and you should know how to cook good food. And remember, above all, you have to be a trend-setter to make a mark for yourself in this competitive field.

AnAndA SOlOMOnexecutive chef, taj president and

Corporate Chef of taj’s upper upscale hotels


Food & Beverage ServiceSWhat’s on the menu

The managerial skills of F&B services are in demand, even in bank-ing and IT, today


F&B is a managerial profile, which comprises managing a restaurant or the bar in a hotel, or a stand-alone restaurant.

This division is all about looking after guests and their needs. “We look after clients like guests who visit out homes,” says Kunal Pahwa, Restaurant Manager, Bukhara, ITC Maurya. So even before a guest raises a hand or looks around for a waiter, an F&B person is already at the table with water or juice. “It’s about anticipating the guest’s requirement,” says KS Srinivasan, Vice-President, HR, Taj, Mumbai. At the same time, one has to ensure that the guests have the space to do what they want, and one does not stand over their heads. It’s a bit tricky, but with experience one develops a knack for it. “The services industry is not rocket science; it about understand-ing simple human needs. You decide your approach by who sits at the table,” Pahwa adds.

Is the customer always right?All kinds of people frequent restaurants and chances are there will be unpleas-ant experiences. On occasions, you may happen to overhear unpleasant things a client is saying about you. “Even then we wear a smile and serve the customer to the best we can,” says Anurag, a butler with ITC. In this business, the customer is always right. “Always,” he adds!

Work like an entrepreneurWhile such experiences are part of the job, an F&B manager also gets the chance to run the restaurant like an

entrepreneur. You are completely responsible for your restaurant, says Pahwa who was involved in the pre-opening of ITC Grand Central hotel in Mumbai. “From the colour of the cush-ion to what goes on the menu, you are in-charge of everything.” Hence, F&B managers are expected to think of novel ways to generate more revenue.

Besides looking after the needs of customers, a restaurant manager also

manages the staff. “You may have to manage people older than you who report to you. You also have to earn the respect of your clients as well as your staff.”

Opportunities abroadMany, after working for two or three years in the Indian hospitality industry, go abroad as opportunities are lucrative. “One of my friends is working in Burj Dubai (the world’s tallest tower) as an F&B manager in one the top restaurants there and he is earning well,” says Pahwa. Indian hospitality professionals are in demand in countries such as Dubai, the US and Australia because of their high level of education and experience in the industry. Ashish Kesharwani, Chief Learning Officer, at education consul-tancy UEI Global says, “Approximately 20 percent hotel management graduates go to foreign countries.”

Rajesh Thakur/Outlook Group

Kunal PahWarestaurant Manager, Bukhara,

ITC Maurya, new Delhi

“The F&B services industry is not rocket

science, it’s about understanding simple

human needs. You decide your approach by

who sits at the table”



Long hours, greater rewards In F&B one has to work for 11 or 12 hours a day. So a young recruit should be prepared for the grind. But look at the brighter side, says Pahwa. At the age of 25 or 27 you may already be a restaurant manager, supervising 20-30 people. Although, the pay isn’t that good compared to other service sectors, perks such as medical and house rent allow-ances and a good work environment are good incentives to continue to be part of the industry. “The Welcome Group has made it so wonderful for me here that I haven’t made my CV, yet!”

Where to go to make drinksBartending institutes offering certificate ■■

courses and training:

Stir Academy of Bartending, Mumbai■■

The Institute of Bar Operations and ■■

Management (IBOM), affiliated to the World Bartending Teaching Organisation, Canada

Cocktail and Dreams, a school of bar and ■■

beverage management in Delhi

Tulleeho Bartending Academy, Bangalore ■■

Tips ‘n’ trendsF&B graduates usually choose from these departments:

Room service■■

Bar■■

Speciality Restaurant■■

Night club■■

Discotheque■■

Coffee shop■■

Banquets ■■

After the management training you start as:

Assistant manager (In some places, at a ■■

supervisory level as station head waiter)

Assistant F&B Manager■■

F&B Manager/Director, F&B■■

General Manager ■■

…And the way to the topRoom service manager■■

Banquet manager■■

Food & Beverages Manager■■

Executive Food and Beverages manager■■

Resident Manager■■

General Manager■■

Vice-president■■

COO, or CEO■■

While a manager looks after the guests’ needs, bartenders make the drinks and sommeliers choose the wine list

A bartender has very specific skills as the job involves making and serving beverages to guests. Typ-

ically, there are two job portfolios. One is that of mixing beverages, that is mak-ing and serving drinks, cocktails and mocktails. Thus bartenders are also referred to as mixologists. The other, is flaring; what Tom Cruise does lots of in Hollywood film Cocktail. This act of juggling and swivelling bottles may look easy, but it needs much train-ing and practice. Private tutors as well as institutes offer training in flaring. “Flaring is about showmanship!” says KM Kamalaksh, (known as Kama in the industry), a beverage consultant.

Flaring is optional for a bartender, but of course, a bartender has to be excellent at making drinks. It’s an art says Jay Rathore, General Manager, The Oberoi, Delhi. To be a mixologist, you simply have to be passionate, have a positive attitude and should like to socialise. This job requires high energy levels as it’s a 12-18 hour job and it usu-ally starts at night. Bartending is taught as part of the F&B course at hotel man-agement schools.

A bartender is also responsible for menu design, product development, bar management, training people and planning events. A small piece of advice from Kama for aspiring bartenders: don’t talk politics and religion at the bar. And remember, little wastage as every drop costs money! At a restaurant or a hotel, a bartender’s package starts from Rs. 25,000. With experience one could become a beverage consultant and earn in lakhs.

Sommelier If bartenders are artists then somme-liers are poets. A sommelier is a wine advisor or a wine master who is an expert on the wine industry and under-stands pairing of wine with all food courses. To be a sommelier one has to have a palate as it is all about tast-ing wines and deciding the wine menu keeping. Also, a sommelier should have a good pronunciation as many wines are French.

But the reality is that there aren’t many certified sommeliers in India. Indians are just beginning to get exposed to wine culture and thus one may not always find wine masters in all the good restaurants. Because somme-liers are yet to find their rightful place in the industry, they aren’t paid well. So anywhere between Rs. 15,000-Rs. 20,000 is the take-home. It isn’t easy becoming a sommelier. Smoking, hav-ing greasy and spicy food are a no-no and if you become a celebrity somme-liers like Magandeep Singh you may have to get your tongue insured!

Beverages and Wines

Recommending wine requires expertise that combines taste and experience


The latest addition to the sector is full of some wonderful opportunities...

by Shalini Gupta

Nothing captures the changing face of the hospitality more vividly than the arrival of a completely

new segment -- ‘wellness’. In an increas-ingly complex economy, the modern day traveller is mixing business with pleas-ure. This coupled with stress in profes-sional life and rising concerns about quality of life has led to the hospitality sector embracing spas and wellness cen-tres as an integral component.

Distinct trends in wellnessWhile large hotel chains do have well- developed spas as an in-house facility, with the seasoned traveller demanding authenticity, small boutique facilities whose name to fame is their local con-tent are also on the rise. The meteoric growth of Ayurvedic wellness centres in the Kerala coastline is a classic example of this trend.

Besides, the past few years have seen the emergence of resort spas, day spas, salon spas, destination spas, club spas, medical spas, cruise ship spas, mineral spring spas and airport spas that employ professionals. Although still in its infan-cy, the sector offers lucrative career opportunities to aspiring students and has a huge potential. A recently released report by E&Y for FICCI estimates the spa and wellness industry in India at Rs. 11,000 crores with a growth rate of 25-35 percent in the next few years.

What the job entails From pure massage centres to com-plete therapeutic clinic attached spas, the segment has diverse job opportuni-ties. In the spa operations, one can start as a trainee therapist. Therapists need to be familiar with the basic physiol-ogy and anatomy of the human body. They also need to have knowledge about the various types of massage and spa

therapies as well as about the specific health conditions that can be rectified or healed through massage. They could specialize in a specific area as per their interest and become Ayurvedic thera-pists, International Therapists, Mul-tiskilled (Ayurvedic and International) therapists, Holistic therapists or Beauty therapists.

Study and reward There are a lot of institutes offer-ing courses in spa therapies in India. However, The Ananda Spa Institute in Hyderabad is the one such institute to provide a range of accredited diplo-mas. The prominent ones are ASI Spa Diploma that covers all the aspects of the spa skills, ASI Holistic Diploma in spa therapies like Swedish massage,

reflexology, etc. The duration ranges from three to five months. Colin Gary Hall, Corporate Head of Spa Opera-tions, IHHR, says, “A genuine interest in wellness and health is important for any professional pursuing a spa career and he or she would need to upgrade this on an ongoing basis.”

Opportunities galoreBeing a highly skilled career, spa pro-fessionals’ salaries are determined by their experience and qualification. One of the most important attributes of a spa professional would be to handle tricky situations politely. Across the industry, in India, entry level salaries as train-ee therapist could start from around 1.2 lakh rupees per annum, besides on site benefits and accommodation, adds Colin. “One could earn as much as a lakh per month, if he/she has the skill and the experience and is good at the job,” adds Kamayani Kanwar, promoter of Asian Roots, a Delhi-based day spa.

wellness is ina new growth trajectory

Skills Needed

Soothing experience Wellness industry is an emerging sector in hospitality

Customer service-orientation■■

Good interpersonal and communication skills■■

Compassion for people and sensitivity■■

Teamwork■■

Attention to detail■■


aJit Balakrishnan

In school, Ajit Balakrishnan wanted to be a football player until one day his father showed him an old, poor man squatting outside a thatched hut. His father said this

man was once a football player. From that day on, Balakrishnan stopped playing football and embraced his books. As it turned out, he was ‘insufferably’ good in stud-ies. But he neither wanted to become a doctor nor an engineer, and getting into man-

agement studies was sheer accident. But he had an exciting time at IIM Calcutta.

“They taught us subjects like sociology and psychology and I was thrilled!”Now, he’s chairman of the board of governors of the Indian Institute of Management,

Calcutta (IIM-C). In a chat with Sumita Vaid Dixit of Careers360, founder and CEO of rediff.com, Ajit Balakrishnan talks about football, the power of

education to transform lives and patience.

Q. Until the age of 15, you lived in Kannur (Kerala), how were those years spent?A. Playing football! I come from a historic town. My town has the oldest mosque; it was built in the 8th century, much before Mahmud Gazni’s inva-sions. Vasco Da Gama landed there first. But yes, one day, I would like to create a football team and go win a big match. I am hoping that one day we do what we did with cricket in 1983.

Q. But you never considered becom-ing a doctor like your father…A. I found it boring. My father was a doctor; my grandparents were doc-tors. So I had seen that life. But two or three generations prior to my parents, we were poor peasants. Education had changed the course of our lives. So you see the only known way to progress in life is education.

Q. Is access to good education truly merit-based?

A. Not completely. One of the things that really bug me is the IIM and IIT selection system that I am so intimately a part of now. The students that get to us now have been through some or the other tutorial college. They have paid a lakh of rupees on tuition before they made it to the IIMs or the IITs. So this virtually eliminates students who do not live in the cities, and those who cannot afford to spend a lakh on tuition.

Tests ensure that meritorious students can get in. The absence of it makes the system vulnerable to influence and

corruption.Our entrance exam is meant to be mer-

itocratic. We at the IIM are saying that this is our gate to heaven and we will test you dispassionately. For the past 40 or 50 years, we have administrated this to the best. Now, 95 per cent of those who get into our institutes are from tutorial colleges.

Q. Did you prepare very hard for the IIMs?A. No! I stumbled upon the IIMs. One day an uncle said you should go and take the test. As it happened, the test was in Thiruvananthapuram three months later, and it coincided with a major foot-ball match! I gave the test and a few months later I got the interview call letter. My father was a little befuddled, well, he was a doctor! But my parents were liberated so they simply left it on me to decide.

Q. It’s said that it is the students that

“Tests ensure meritorious students get in, the absence of it

makes the system vulnerable to influence

and corruption”

“The only known way To progress is

educaTion”


make the IIMs ... A. No institute is world-class without excellent students. That is the bare necessity!

Q. But compared with the Harvard Business School or Kellogg, don’t the IIMs fall short?A. We keep debating this internally. There are two measures for this. One is the quality of students. The second, publishing output of the faculty.

Let me put this in perspective for you. Only a few of the many hundred Ameri-can business schools produce most of the research output in America and per-haps the world! These include, Harvard Business School, Stanford, Kellogg and perhaps Columbia University and Uni-versity of California, Berkeley.

So you have to ask why is it that only these few are producing the bulk of the research, what about the other hundreds of American business schools?

The IIMs had done tonnes of work on

outsourcing when it was just becom-ing fashionable, but the Americans dismissed it as the empirical data was Indian specific. So for a while, the view held was that research that comes out from India is cute, nice but may not have a global relevance. That view has changed. Now, Indian research has a global appeal. In fact, the research done by the IIMs is certainly ahead of many of the American institutes except perhaps for those four.

Research is expensive. The annual budget for IIM Calcutta was Rs. 5 lakh, we raised it to Rs 2 crore.

Q. Are business-school rankings credible?A. Well, they certainly are holding up the flagging fortunes of magazines! (Laughs)

But yes, they are of value to parents and prospective management students. In my view, as long as a student gets into an IIM, whether it’s Ahmedabad or

Calcutta, it doesn’t matter. Even with the IITs, students tend to pick those that are closer home. So by that logic do you see any difference among the various IITs? It’s all perception-based.

Q. But a few of the new IITs don’t even have proper infrastructure…A. The country is not built in a day. These things take time. At the time of independence, our literacy rate was 12 per cent; now the literacy rate is up to 70 per cent. So we have made great progress. Each state has a different edu-cation problem and it should be dealt with differently.

But if this country can produce a mil-lion people like Nirmala, then the coun-try’s education problem could be solved. If only there was a known way! Nirmala is a government schoolteacher from my place who took her class to an old-age home to help them understand the prob-lems of society. The system will change and evolve, we have to be patient.

“Research done by the IIMs is certainly ahead of many of the American Business Schools”

Campus Review Coimbatore institute of teChnology


by B Mahesh Sarma

The decade after independence, especially in Tamil Nadu, saw public-private partnership of a different kind wherein pri-

vate philanthropists set up colleges and helped run them under state con-trol. Over time, some of these colleges emerged as very competitive sites of academic production and matched steps with the better endowed state-run colleges. The Coimbatore Institute of Technology (CIT) was one such institution. Set up by an academic, P.R. Ramakrishnan, who was also its found-er principal, it borrowed its structure and systems from MIT, from where its founder was educated. So, within a few years after its inception it began award-ing BTech degree in chemical engineer-ing. What began in 1956 as an under-graduate engineering school has evolved in to a multi-disciplinary educational institution, all the while retaining its key focus as a tech school.

What is on offer?The institute is primarily a technology school, with seven undergraduate and eight postgraduate programmes in dif-ferent fields of engineering and tech-nology. It also has a vibrant sciences

department which offers programmes in applied sciences, and full-fledged research programmes. Computing is a domain which straddles both sciences and engineering and the school offers both an MSc as well as BTech in com-puting and software, in addition to a regular MCA programme. Unlike most other engineering colleges, CIT also has a well-developed PhD programme. Dr. Chelladurai, the current principal, claims the institute nearly generates 18- 20 PhDs every year, which is a compara-ble number (See Box).

Campus: Unitary Campus at Coimbatore Programmes: BE/ME/PhD/Part-Time BE/BSc/Msc/MCA and a few MPhil programmes Fees: As stipulated by the Tamil Nadu government Fellowships: Very few in number Career opportunities: Diverse sectors, with IT and core being the predominant sectoral recruiters

Fast FaCts

“CIt has evolved in to a multi-disciplinary

educational institu-tion, while retaining

its key focus as a tech school”

a no frills engineering education is what you could aspire for here. What sets it apart is the peer group

Infrastructure and resourcesBeing over five decades old and an aided institution, the campus has well-endowed infrastructure. Occupying more than 20 acres of prime land in the heart of the city, the institute has a very old-world charm. The imposing main building with its neo-colonial verandahs and broad staircases, is a throw back to the British era, and at times unwel-coming. Most other buildings are purely functional and efficient. Mr. K. Ramach-andran, a product of 1972, reminiscenc-es, “Next to Guindy College, CIT was the choice school at that time. Bunking classes was unthinkable”.

Academics and beyondAs an aided institution, CIT depends on either the Trust or the other projects to add to the infrastructure facilities, especially in the engineering labs. Cou-pled with a bright research faculty, who were recruited in the initial years, this has led to a vibrant research culture at CIT. But such research is unfortunately restricted to a few departments. For example, the civil engineering depart-ment has substantial research facilities and its Structural Testing Lab, the Head of the Department claims, is one of the best in the southern part of the country. The embedded systems division, with its

technology schoolin textiles hub


Old-wOrld charm oozes out of the cIT main building that houses some vibrant departments

V. M

uthu

ram

an

Select courses offered at Coimbatore Institute of TechnologyDepartments UG PG Specialisation Research

Chemical Engineering BTech MTech Chemical Engineering PhD

Civil Engineering BE ME Structural Engineering/ Environmental Engineering

PhD

Computer Science BE

Electrical and Electronics Engineering

BE ME Applied Electronics/ Embedded systems

PhD

Electronics and Communication Engineering

BE

Information Technology BTech

Mechanical Engineering BE ME Advanced Manufacturing technology PhD

Computer Technology & Applications

BSc MSc/MCA

Software Engineering/Computing Technology

IMT Gaziabad �

IIIT Bangalore �

IPE Hyderabad �

VIT Vellore �

TERI University, New Delhi �

Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata �

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The competition for management quota seats is also as intense.

CollaborationsForeign collaboration is the new domain of focus for CIT. Dr. Prasad, Corre-spondent, CIT says, “This is one area, where the institute was not very proac-tive. But now, as India globalisies, CIT too is aggressively scouting for world-class academic partners so that we impart cutting edge education, which is global. The trust is committing time and resources to get it going.” Concurs Dr. Chelladurai, “We recently concluded two comprehensive MoUs with Texas Tech University and Okalahoma Uni-versity, Stillwater and faculty members would move to both the universities on

contingent of 12 PhD scholars appears to be doing exciting work. But the chal-lenge probably is to spread the research culture across other departments and make it individually independent.

Getting on boardEntry into CIT is through the qualifying marks in Physics, Chemistry and Math-ematics at 10+2 level in TN State board. Cut off percentages are quite high with open seats getting filled up by students with 99.5 percent marks. So the peer group is of a very high calibre. As Suresh, a third year electronics engineering stu-dent says, “The pressure to perform here comes from your peers. When you study with such high capacity individuals, one has to be on one’s toes constantly.”

a mutual exchange programme from Fall 2010. Student exchanges and joint research projects are also planned.”

Where does it all lead to?With nearly 50 batches of engineering graduates out in the market, the school has an enviable alumni network span-ning across core and applied sectors of the economy. Says Dr. K. Subhrama-nian, Professor of Civil Engineering as well as the Placement Head, “It has been a tough year during the last season, but situation is much better this academic year. We hope to place majority stu-dents this year even before the closure of this term.” Another trend visible is the healthy disdain for IT companies. Most of the students with whom I interacted expressed interest in core sector jobs, and Indian Oil appears to be the pre-ferred employer in the campus.

No horizontal expansion?A common grouse against CIT is that the institute, despite achieving autono-mous status in 1987, never aggressively expanded itself. The period from 1987 to 2000 saw the launch of only a few programmes in the computing and IT sector and nothing else.Recently in 2005 it launched three new mas-ters’ programmes. Quiz Dr. Prasad on the same, pat comes the reply, “We are not a business”. But unless good schools expand systematically, and provide opportunities to students, its place would be occupied by those that make education a business. Will CIT expand horizontally or will it rest on it’s laurels?

Advisory WLC CoLLege IndIa


higher education in the UK, Wigan and Leigh College, UK (WLC, UK) set up a company called Wigan and Leigh Col-lege (India), joining hands with Indian partners. WLC College India then went about offering its franchise for £36,000. The aggressive hunt for sub-franchising by WLC College India had even become a matter of concern for British Council of India, which expressed its concern on the quality control that arose out of the college’s plans of franchisee network build-up. (http://www.timeshigheredu-cation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=94288&sectioncode=26). But according to the promoter Mr. Vinay Pasricha,

Is it a vocational or professional course? Is it a certificate or diploma? Is WLC College India

wlc college in

working with Traxon India - a campus placement - for five years, she opened her own enterprise. “I was satisfied with the industry exposure,” she says.

According to TIMES HIGHER EDU-CATION, the premier publication on

“Right now WLCI is not offering any Edexcel

qualification” Vikas MirMira

regional Marketing Manager, edexcel

by Urmila rao

it all started in 1996, when Wigan and Leigh made a promising begin-ning with its first campus in Delhi. It was a pioneering start of the study

model ‘earn while you learn’. This model enables students to attend classes for half-a-day and spend the rest training in a related industry, gathering hands-on experience. Says a former student Pooja Sharma, founder of Connect2Consult, a software consultancy firm, “I interned with Kotak Securities and later with HSBC Bank where I was getting a sti-pend of approximately Rs. 7, 000.” After

the relationship between WLC, uK and WLCI? Is the Pgd you get valid? Confused? Careers

everything you need t


Complaint

order

the relationship between WLC, UK and WLC College India was a partnership and not franchisor/franchisee. ‘The col-lege was an Indian entity from the start,” he says.

Till 2004, WLCI also used to run three of Edexcel’s qualifications, in business, fashion and Art & Design. Edexcel is the UK’s awarding body that provides internationally recognized academic and vocational qualifications. “Edex-cel used to award BTEC certificates to WLCI students till the time WLCI ran our qualifications,” says Vikas Mirmira, regional marketing manager, Edexcel. “Right now WLCI is not offering any

Edexcel qualification,” he adds. Edexcel allows its qualifications to be offered only after accrediting an institution after a check on its available resources and facilities.

The first move to delink from WLC, UK was made by the owners in India in 2006. In February 2006, Wigan and Leigh (India) registered itself as WLC College (Application number 1420350/ Class 41). They also went on to list four names similar to Wigan & Leigh, UK.

• WLC College India with Label (Application No. 1420352)

• WLC Wigan & Leigh College India with Label (Application No. 1420353)

• WLC College India with Label (Application No. 1420354)

• WLC Wigan & Leigh College India with Label (Application No.1420355)

• WLC Education Foundation (Appli-cation No. 1420351)

All these applications were dated 10/2/2006. It is another matter that the Government of India allows such mis-leading names to be registered, know-ing fully well the harm it can cause to students.

According to Mr. TPS Arora, COO, from 2007 onwards they began advertis-ing themselves as WLC College, India and the decision to move from Wigan & Leigh College India to WLC Col-lege, India was taken to build an Indian brand. Mr. Pasricha claims, “We are using acronym WLC after taking per-mission from Wigan and Leigh College, UK.” However, no attempt has been made to communicate to the students that WLCI no longer has the same rela-tionship with WLC, UK and that these two are different entities. Added to this is the deceptively similar names used by WLC College India. For example their entrance test, which used to be Wigan Aptitude Test is now WLC Admission Test (WAT) .

And now, no programmes of WLC College India are audited or accredited by any external agency like Edexcel. Mr. Arora claims their courses are inter-nally audited by WLC, UK (which also implies that they are not audited by Edexcel or QAA, making these quali-fications invalid in UK). The students

The campus of WLc college, India in National capital Region

What we understand 1. WLC India is not Wigan & Leigh College, UK.

2. The Post Graduate Diploma awarded by WLC, UK to WLC, India students is an unac-credited certificate.

3. WLC India no longer offer courses accredit-ed by Edexcel, whose qualifications are of a certain globally-accepted quality standard.

4. The syllabus and course content that WLCI follows is not that of WLC, UK.

5. The diplomas offered by WLC, India are not accredited by AICTE, UGC or any other national body.

Campuses: 27

Offices: 17

Full-time faculty: 98

Visiting faculty: 240

Courses- Six domains/various levels

Quick Facts

Karishma, the whistle-blower

In January 2006, Pune-based Karishma Kanuga, took admission in mass media course in WLCI, Pune campus. But 41 days passed by without a single class or lecture to a batch of three students. Miffed, Kanu-ga’s father filed a complaint against WLCI with the Pune District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum in January 2008. “The course was not AICTE approved and was therefore illegal,” says Vasudeo Vensimal Kanuga, father of Karishma Kanuga. “My daughter lost one academic year,” he adds. Since there was ‘deficiency in service’ (as the court said in favour of the case), Kanu-ga got full refund of the fees (Rs. 1.28 lakh) along with 9 percent interest in addition to Rs. 50,000 as compensation for losing an academic year. It took a year-and-a-half for the verdict to arrive.

Source: Data provided by WLC College, India

Wigan & Leigh College? What is360 attempts to demystify....

dia:o know?

Advisory WLC CoLLege IndIa


The role of WLC, UK does not appear to be above board,

seeking to profiteer out of the des-perate need by Indian students for any international diploma. From October onwards Careers360 made many telephone calls and sent e-mails to every available offi-cial functionary of the institution. After many promises to respond later, as we go to press, WLC, UK has not come on record on any issue, instead a few e-mails were diverted to WLC India.

According to Mr. Arora, the stu-dents of WLC, India can obtain a Post Graduate Diploma Cer-tificate from Wigan and Leigh UK. This certificate is termed as ‘equivalence’ certificate. In order to obtain the ‘equivalence’ cer-tificate from WLC, UK, students of WLCI are required to pay an equivalence fee of £450 (Advanced level courses) and £300 (Profes-sional Level) directly to Wigan and Leigh College, UK. What does the equivalence stand for? Does the equivalence certificate hold any significance in UK employment market? WLC, UK again doesn’t answer.

Wigan and Leigh CoLLege, UK – Profiteering oUt of indian

stUdents

only get an equivalence certificate from WLC, UK for which they pay. But by its own admission, WLC College India has modified its syllabus to suit Indian market. The compromise on the quality of pedagogy and delivery mechanism, if any, which might result out of this dilution of relationship is a subjective issue best left for WLC Col-lege India to respond and work upon, for its own future.

outcomesTraineeship: This is the core of the programme, wherein the students work in a company after the classes are over by 11 a.m. A cross section of students informs us, it is basically frontline jobs, and predominantly in sales. The jobs are demanding and some of them get paid on an incentive basis. When coupled with industry-oriented course materials, it makes students job-ready than most management courses do. But as seen in Karishma Kanuga’s case, this does not seem to happen all the time (See Box).

Placements: Considering that the posi-tioning of WLC College India is that of a finishing school, in comparison with many others it does quite well. It is able to place more than one-third of the total students, at reasonable salary levels. While this might be a reasonable

achievement considering the quality of student intake, one wonders whether the student is aware of the difficulties, in getting placed when he or she enrols (See Box Traineeship & Placement Data).

Further education: WLC College India offers its own certification, which only has the value that an industry recruiter bestows upon it. As far as our under-standing goes, the PGD award one gets from WLC, UK, unless it is accredited by Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) would not be considered for immigration pur-pose in the UK or any other country. We have tried getting validation for this fact from every government body oversee-ing the education quality in the UK like the Skills Funding Agency, Ofqual, Ofsted, QAA but after several follow- ups with each of these agencies, we failed to get any satisfactory answer. Instead, we were directed to WLC, UK, which chose to keep silent on all the questions we raised.

our adviceWhat WLC College India might offer students is an easier access to entry level jobs, and some academic inputs. The traineeships definitely groom students and make them job-ready, besides the access. However, if you are into higher studies or are seeking a qualification that is legal, WLC India is not for you.

Source: Data provided by WLC College India


abhimanyu GeorGe Jain, raeesa VakilTopper Speak

Abhimanyu and Raee-sa are both speak-ers par excellence,

albeit with a difference. They are the first-ever Indian team to have won the Manfred Lachs Interna-tional Space Law Moot Court Competition held in Daejeon, Republic of Korea in October 2009. The final was judged by three sitting judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), The Hague, who praised the duo for their extensive research and “encyclopedic knowl-edge of international law”.

These fourth-year students at the National Law School of India Univer-sity (NLSIU), Bangalore (along with Shwetank Ginodia, a first-year stu-dent who participated as a researcher) defeated 16 other Indian teams to win the India round organised by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Next, they won the Asia-Pacific Region-al Round (attended by nine other teams) in Sydney, in April 2009, to then secure a win at the finals in Daejeon.

The team won the Lee Love Award for Best Team and the Manfred Lachs tro-phy. Raeesa, adjudged the Best Speaker, won the Sterns and Tennen Award for Best Oralist in the final. Abhimanyu received the highest speaker score (99) in the Asia Pacific Regional Round. Shalini Gupta caught up with Abhimanyu and Raeesa.

Q. Abhimanyu, what do you think made your team stand apart from the rest?A: It was the depth of our research, which made our team stand out. No other team had gone deep into the argu-ments as we did, so much so that we even remembered citations by heart. At one point in the competition, a judge misun-derstood me, and it was after I cited not only the author, but the page number to support my argument, that he agreed.

“The depth of our research helped us win”law students from nlsiu, bangalore clinch an international moot court competition

Q. Your most memorable moment?A: When our speaking scores for the Asia-Pacific Regional Round were announced and both me and Raeesa got the highest scores ever in the history of the moot (99 and 95 respectively). The previous high score awarded to any speaker at the Asia Pacific Regional Round was 86. Even the World Finals were very memorable, chiefly because

of the experience of argu-ing before sitting judges of the ICJ and the world’s most eminent space lawyers. At every stage, we were com-plimented extensively for the depth of our research and our knowledge of public international law.

Raeesa chips in: We met a number of noted academ-ics as well as the judges of the world finals (who are sitting judges at the Inter-national Court of Justice in The Hague) after the final rounds, for dinner. It was

exhilarating!

Q. Did your Alma Mater help you?A: Our Vice chancellor was extreme-ly helpful with the funding. Professor Hegde gave us access to a lot of books. Dr. Bhatt coached us for the competition and Professor Satish helped us with our oral arguments. Our seniors also advised and helped us.

Q. Raeesa, what are the attributes of a good communicator?A: You need to relate to your audience. For instance, the same legal concept will have to be communicated differently to a lawyer, or to a lay audience so as to make them understand it better. You need to gauge when you’ve caught their interest or when you are boring them. Speak slowly and clearly. It’s a good idea to keep your sentences short and uncomplicated since most people have a limited attention span. Another very important skill is the ability to break down complex ideas and arguments into simple structures.

Q. Abhimanyu, what are your future plans?A: I’m very interested in internation-al law and international relations and would like to study and even teach it after I pass out of NLSIU.

What is a moot court contest?

Typically, they require participants to simu-late the process of a legal trial before an actual bench of judges. Participants are pro-vided with a fact situation beforehand, and required to frame arguments for either side.

The Lachs Moot Based on space law (area of law that ■■

encompasses national/international law governing activities in outer space), it is set in the context of a dispute being heard before the ICJ.

Has three regional rounds – Asia-Pacific, ■■

European and North American. The winners meet at the World Finals, which is judged, traditionally, by three sitting judges of the ICJ.

The first Indian participation in this ■■

moot court competition was in 2004, when an NLSIU team reached the world semi-finals. No Indian team has won the regional round since then.

Website: www.spacemoot.org■■

RAEESA AND ABHIMANYU at the Moot Court semi-final in Sydney

felix


Scholarship Review

For: Students and academics Field of study: Master’s and research-based studies (MA, LLM, MPhil, PhD/DPhil) in various streams Offered at: University of Oxford, University of Reading, School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) How to apply: Download application forms from respective university websites Last date: University of Oxford – January 8, 2010 for medical sciences and philosophy; all other subjects - January 22, 2010 University of Reading – February 19, 2010, SOAS - January 29, 2010 Website: www.felixscholarship.org

FaSt Fact

Shaping youR peRSpectiveSfelix scholarship exposes students and researchers to the intellectual culture of top universities in the uK

by Shiphony Pavithran

“I was looking for a course that could provide an international perspective on conflict resolu-tion and development,” recalls

2008 Felix alumnus Priyashree Andley, who completed her MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development, from SOAS (School of African and Oriental studies, University of London).

Prior to this, Priyashree had an enrich-ing experience, interacting with refu-gees at the border villages while working as a research officer for the Delhi-based Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Wanting to explore more in her area of interest she turned to Felix scholars-ship, which allowed her to specialize in the role of local and international actors (NGOs, corporate and states) in ‘war zones’ in Asia and Africa that have high levels of poverty.

The UK is an apt destination, which can give a global edge to your career prospects. The country has some of the world’s most recognized universities.

Study at partner universitiesFelix scholarships is for those who want to pursue Master’s and research in a variety of subjects, incuding humanities,

science and development studies. Felix Scholarship 2010, offers six scholarships each at University of Oxford, Univer-sity of Reading and SOAS, for Master’s courses (MSc, MA AgrSc, MA, LLM, etc), MPhil and doctoral programmes (PhD/DPhil). The best part about edu-cation in the UK is that it can save your time, as some of the Master’s courses can be completed in just one year.

Each of the universities offers a wide array of courses. Here institutes use vari-ety of teaching and assessment methods to encourage independence and mastery over the subject. Felix gives freedom to opt for a course of one’s own choice in the desired university, something which sets this apart from the other scholar-ship programmes.

The scholarship is sponsored by an anonymous donor and was initiated in 1991. India is the principal beneficiary of

the scholarship, with the country scor-ing over the other countries. The objec-tive of the scheme is to expose students to academic study, cultures, experiences and friendships, which will enable them to develop their skills and vision, and contribute back to their country of ori-gin in a big way.

Are you eligible?An applicant must graduate with a first class Bachelor’s degree from a recog-nised Indian university. It intends to provide unique educational opportunity abroad on the basis of academic merit and financial need.

How to applyThe applicants can directly approach ●●

the desired universities to avail of scholarships for the course they wish to study.

The applicants must apply to only ●●

one of the three universities.You may also need to nominate ref-●●

erees who can vouch for your academic ability and your ability to sustain your interest in the programme.

There’s been a change in the applica-tion procedure. Except for Oxford, can-didates have to fill out a separate form to apply for Felix scholarship.

“The panel is looking for answers, which offer a perspective rather than

bookish, theory-based explanations”


International Fellowship Programme �

Chevening Scholarship, UK �

Mombusho Scholarships, Japan �

Charles Wallace India Trust �

DAAD fellowship to study in Germany �

Swedish Institute Fellowhips �

Erasmus Mundus Fellowship Programme �

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Shweta PanditFelix Alumnus, MPhil in

International Development,University of Oxford

OxFOrD SChOlAr

Shweta is a researcher with UNESCO’s Literacy Initiative for Empowerment

project that aims to promote health and lit-eracy amongst neo-literate learners through the medium of community radio.

Felix scholarship gave me the opportunity to experience the intellectual culture of a world class academic institution and inter-act with scholars from different countries and educational backgrounds. For my MPhil thesis, I chose to study the transnational human rights advocacy network for a civic movement based in Harare, Zimbabwe, called the Women Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA). For this, I had the privilege of being super-vised by the renowned British historian, Prof. Emeritus Terence Osborne Ranger.

With support from the Felix scholarship, I was able to conduct fieldwork in London amongst International Non-Governmental Organisations such as Amnesty Internation-al, WOZA activists and Zimbabwean human rights defenders in the UK.

I was also able to take advantage of the rich extra-curricular life at Oxford, joining the student wing of Amnesty International as a human rights defender and their Liai-son Officer in 2007-08, facilitating several Amnesty campaigns within the student community at Oxford.

My education in India at JNU had imparted me with a sociological imagination and a high degree of sensitivity towards complex processes of socio-economic and political change within India. Oxford expanded this vision by exposing me to such processes within various other parts of the world, such as Africa and Latin America.

cultural diversity of students from across the globe makes learning a lively experience in the uK

What next after applyingIf you meet the admission requirement, then you receive an ‘offer letter’ from the university that you have applied to. The shortlisted candidates are then invited for interview in India, usually between April and June .

Facing the panelA personal interview to assess your per-sonality, understanding of your academ-ic history including chosen field of study, financial need and suitability for the scholarship, is the final step. “I was asked questions such as ‘what do you know about conflict management?’ They are looking for a perspective rather than bookish, theory-based explanations,” advises Priyashree.

The interviewer also ensures that the candidate has a good command of both spoken and written English.

Full funding!This scholarship is a huge relief for those looking for full funding, as it covers all expenses, right from academic fee, international fare, living costs inclusive of clothing and entertainment, books, communication (phone bills, broad-band), stationary, special course equip-ment, local transport etc.

“In addition to my academic fee, I used to get 630 pounds every month for per-sonal expenses. Felix is an extremely generous scholarship, and supported me to such an extent that I did not call up my parents for a single penny,” shares Surabhi, another Felix alumnus who pursued an MSc in Development Stud-ies from SOAS.

On campus“The method of teaching at SOAS encouraged me to think about issues (related to conflict and development) from a different perspective. I developed my own views and a deeper understand-ing of the complexity of development and peace-building. The course was intellectually stimulating in many ways,” says Priyashree.

Her sentiment is echoed by Surabhi Sarkar, “I got an opportunity to live with students from diverse cultural back-grounds. In the classrooms, name any country and you will have students from there. The engagement with the inter-national students widened my horizon and also stimulated me to think in an open-minded fashion.”

career choice


Ask Us

Q. How should one go about in developing soft skills? Do they play an important role in getting a job?

RajA. Yes, soft skills such as communication, teamwork, negotiations and leadership are very crucial in getting a job. Some skills like communication, comprehension and busi-ness etiquette can be practised and acquired. Some others like teamwork must be inculcat-ed in oneself over a period of time. You need to begin by making a list of skills that you lack by discussing your weak areas with your close friends, co-workers etc.

Awareness is the first step in building up your soft skills forte. Begin by interacting more, taking up projects and also getting involved in some voluntary work. But, also realize that if you are generally good and fair to people and do your work with passion, most of your wor-ries on soft skills will be automatically taken care off. Log on to Careers360.com for more soft skill tips.

Q. My sister is pursuing a BA in Hindi and Sanskrit, but she wants a career change. What are the options available for her? We live in a small city.

Mudit MishraA. If she appears for an MA (translation), she will be exploring a viable career option.

There are openings in various arms of the government, but the number of opportuni-ties is limited. Another option is to opt for journalism and mass communication studies, especially in Hindi media. It is a vibrant field and has huge potential.

Regular options like competitive examina-tions are also available. But, before you begin to advise her, make a realistic assessment of what she wants to do with her life and what her potential is. Will she be willing to move to a bigger city or a metro? Answering some of these questions would provide your sister with a fair picture of what she wants to do and her capabilities.

Q. I work for an MNC as an application programmer, since the past two years. I’m interested in the service sector and have found the rural management course from IRMA, interesting. Could I know more about it, and the scope for RM graduates?

Deepti YanamA. A rural management programme imparts specific management skills for managing a rural enterprise or co-operative, and gradu-ates are regularly picked up by co-operatives, financial institutions, civil society groups (NGOs), and development and aid agencies (government and private). They are a much sought after lot even in the corporate sector in areas such as agri-marketing, rural procure-ments and retail.

Your prior work experience, though not directly related to rural management should hold you in good stead both during and after the programme. In addition to IRMA, you could also look at courses offered in agri-busi-ness or rural management at IIM-Ahmeda-bad, XIM or TISS, Mumbai. An interesting fact for you: for the graduating class of 2009, every student at IRMA had a confirmed offer by Day 2 of placements. At IIM Ahmedabad, it took nine days to complete placements!

Q. I have completed my MTech in Phar-maceutical Chemistry. What should I do next?

Sayantan RayA. Pharma being a sunrise sector, our

Queries on networking, soft skills, rural management and more, answered here

Soft skills like communication, comprehension and business etiquette can be practised and acquired. Others like teamwork must be inculcated over a period of time

Informal meetIngs are a good place to test your soft skills

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suggestion is that you proceed further and pursue a PhD in the same discipline. Unless you have very compelling reasons, there is no point in shifting disciplines at this point. A word of advice: by the time one begins to pur-sue a Master’s degree, one should be reason-ably clear about career paths in their domain. For more information on careers in biotech-nology log onto Careers360.com, and read our interview with Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairman and Managing Director, Biocon, who outlines the various options available in this field.

Q. I have completed my PG in Library Science with 55% marks. I want to pursue a PhD in this subject from Canada, New Zealand or the UK. Can you suggest some universities that offer this option?

Rupesh KumarA. We did a detailed story on selecting good universities in all these countries in our Octo-ber 2009 issue. Log on to Careers360.com, type ‘studying abroad’ in the search field, and get access to all the information you need.

Q. I am in the final year of BCA, I am really interested in networking and trou-bleshooting. How should I explore these interests?

SudharshanA. Along with BCA, it’s advisable to get an MCA degree. An MCA from a reputed insti-tution would offer you a range of job titles: Application Programmer, Computer Con-sultant, Computer Security Analyst, Systems Analyst, Systems Design Specialist and Sys-tems Development Manager!

Knowledge of hardware is the foundation for a career in Networking. Typically, you would start out as a Network Administrator – responsible for analysing, installing and con-figuring an organisation’s network (hardware and software) even from a remote location. With sufficient experience and additional

certifications, you could move up to becoming a Network Programmer or even a Network or Information Systems Manager. For better prospects, you must pursue corporate certi-fications like Cisco’s CCNA or MS certified Network engineer.

Q. I am a second year BCom student, working in a medical store. Due to this work experience, I have a good knowledge of medicines. What are the opportunities for me in the health care sector or is it better to do a commerce-related course? I want to find a job soon, please also sug-gest some courses.

A ReaderA. In the health care sector, look at marketing jobs in pharma companies or in companies that manufacture nutritional supplements, energy drinks and related products. If you are interested in studying further, you could go for postgraduate courses in pharma market-ing/management or even in hospital/public health management or law (medico-legal and related litigation is a growing avenue). These offer very good job opportunities.

Q. I am an FEA (Finite Element Analysis) student. I want to do my PG from the US in IT. Will the IT sector improve by 2012 in US and India? My budget to pursue a PG is Rs.15 Lakh, is this sufficient?

Anirruddha WajeA. USA has one of the best higher education systems in the world. Institutions like the Carnegie Mellon, Stanford and MIT have the best computing departments in the world. IT is an efficiency enabler, so it would always be in demand. Do not worry too much about cyclical demand-supply fluctuations.

As far as the budget is concerned, Mas-ter’s programmes invariably come with some amount of stipend or scholarship support. Ideally, you should look for programmes that offer financial respite.

Careers360, receives hundreds of questions every

month. Some select answers are pub-

lished here. Relevant queries are also

answered on our web site. Visit www.

careers360.com and post your

query today

A compilation of actionable information, segmented and presented on a thematic basis and sorted out according to their deadlines

Ready Reckonerc

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lert

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Admissions Deadline Further information

University of Delhi: Faculty of Medical Sciences - Admission to PG Medical Degree and diploma courses through PGMET

07/01/10 www.du.ac.in

CDAC-Noida: PG Diploma in Advance Software Design & Development/Embedded Systems & VLSI Design/ Wireless Technology

08/01/10 www.cdacnoida.in

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT): Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programmes in Design, Management and Technology

09/01/10 www.nift.ac.in

West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination for admission to UG programmes in engineering and technology, medicine, dentistry and pharmacy

12/01/10 www.wbjeeb.in

Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar: Diploma & Certificat courses in Cyber Network, Information Security

15/01/10 www.gfsu.edu.in

Panjab University Chandigarh: Entrance Test for admission to MD/MS Courses at Govt. Medical College & Hospital

15/01/10 www.puchd.ac.in

Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), Chennai: Admissions to PG Diploma in Management

18/01/10 www.liba.edu

Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad: Admission Notice for MBA (IT), MS (Cyber Law & Information Security)

21/01/10 www.iiita.ac.in

Institute for Financial Management and Research, Chennai: Admission to Post Graduate Diploma in Management

31/01/10 www.ifmr.ac.in

Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram: BTech in Aerospace, Avionics and Physical Sciences

31/01/10 www.iist.ac.in

scho

lars

hips

Name of Scholarship Deadline Further information

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research: Visiting Students Research Programme - 2010 08/01/10 www.tifr.res.in/~vsrp

Doctoral Programme, Fellow Programme in Management at IIM Indore 20/01/10 www.iimidr.ac.in

Lady Tata Memorial Trust: Young Researcher Award - 2010 (areas of Life Sciences and Biotechnology related to human diseases)

1/2/10 www.dorabjitatatrust.org

The J.N.Tata Endowment for the higher education of Indians: Scholarships-2010-11 1/3/10 www.dorabjitatatrust.org

job

s

Government Jobs Deadline Further information

Allahabad Bank: Probationary Officers (880) and Agriculture Field Officers (110) 05/01/10 www.allahabadbank.in

Indian Oil Corporation, Begusarai: Jr. Engineer Assistant (Production) - Trainee (21) 05/01/10 http://www.iocl.com

National Fertilizers Limited, Noida: Mgt. Trainees (137) - in both Engg and Mgt 11/01/10 www.nationalfertilizers.com

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) - Consultants 11/01/10 http://ndma.gov.in/ndma/hr/consultant.pdf

Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) - 18 posts for Conservation Assistants 15/01/10 http://www.asi.nic.in

Nainital - Almora Kshetriya Gramin Bank: Officers (4) and Clerk-cum cashier/office assistant (40)

19/01/10 Employment News (19th Dec)

Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) - 60 various posts 29/01/10 http://tnpsc.gov.in/recruitment.htm

LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health (LGBRIMH), Tezpur, Assam – Faculty for various positions

29/01/10 www.lgbrimh.org/Advertisement.html

78 jAnuAry 2010360cAreers

jobs courses scholArship

Institution Name of programme Dates Mainly for whom Fees in Rs.

IIM Bangalore Competitive Marketing Strategy 01-03 Marketing managers in strategic decision making 45,000

ISB Hyderabad Global Operations and Supply Chain Excellence 01-04 Business, Supply Chain Heads, Operations Heads 75,000

XLRI Jamshedpur Beyond coping: Thriving under stress in the workplace

01-04 Accomplished middle level and above managers from private and public sector organizations

28,000

ASCI Hyderabad Team Building and Conflict Management 01-05 Senior/middle level executives of public/private sector organizations & government departments

30,000

IIM Ahmedabad Managing Contract Farming 01-05 Procurement managers of food/agro-processing units; professionals in contract farming/commodities etc

65,000

IIM Indore Computerized OR Models 01-05 Managers of all levels of both public and private sectors who are involved in various managerial decision making

30,000

MDI Gurgaon Effective Management of Sales Force & Distribution Channels

01-05 Sales and Marketing professionals in a decision making role

40,000

ISB Hyderabad Strategic Retail Management 03-06 Senior managers responsible for retail operations 75,000

XIM Bhubaneswar Building Self Efficacy 08-09 Functionaries, social workers and para-professionals 8,000

IIM Bangalore General Management Program for Film, TV Entertainment Professionals

08-10 Beginning producers, film production managers who intend to bring completed films/TV serials to market

45,000

NITIE Mumbai Developments in Equity Research: Theory and Practice

08-10 Persons with relevant experience and responsible position in Industry

12,000

XLRI Jamshedpur Rewarding Human Resources Design & Execution 08-10 Middle/sr. HR managers involved in designing effective systems for measuring/rewarding performance

21,000

IIM Lucknow Distribution and Retail Strategies for Rural Markets

11-13 All managers/executives in sales & distribution function currently/intend to handling rural markets

30,000

IPE Hyderabad Understanding Business 11-13 Middle level/functional executives from different areas 8,000

EDI Ahmedabad Business Research Methodology & Data Analysis 15/2-26/3

Small business facilitators/entrepreneurs/consultants/academicians/middle & senior level executives of SMEs

ITEC Fellowship

CFTRI Mysore Biotechnological approches to improve microbial performance for commercial applications

22-26 Knowledge of the subject under focus, preferably a basic degree

6,742

IPE Hyderabad Enterprise Network Storage & Disaster Recovery 22-26 Storage professionals/network administrators/system managers/scientists/IT managers

14,000

NITIE Mumbai Physical Working Environment: Optimizing Performance

22-26 Persons with relevant experience and responsible position in Industry

20,000

IRMA Anand Strengthening Local Governance 24-26 Those engaged in local governance for a coherent understanding for qualitatively improved engagements

15,000

IIM Kozhikode Business Intelligence 25-27 Middle level executives/management professionals/ business analysts

15,000

Watch out for Management Development Programmes (MDPs) in February 2010

79 january 2010360careers

un jOBs Psu MDP

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Up Close ruskin bond

He penned his first novel at the age of 19, and won the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial

prize for his novel Room on the Roof next year in 1957. Best known as a children’s author, Bond has several novels, short stories, poetry collections and children’s books to his credit, some of which have been made into films such as Junoon directed by Shyam Benegal (A Flight of Pigeons) and The Blue Umbrella by Vishal Bharadwaj. Amrita Bose chats with the author about his school days, writing and his love for India.

Q. Where did you go to school and what was it like?A. I attended Bishop Cotton School, Shimla as a boarder for eight years. I had mixed feelings about boarding school. I thought I’d much rather be in a day school. Prep school was great fun. We were always up to mischief. I did fairly well in studies and games. But senior school was not that fun because we were told to take life seriously, thanks to our looming career decisions ahead.

Q. When did you start writing?A. I was always writing the odd story or two in school, and realised that I wanted to be a writer when I was in school. I was quite a bookworm from my early school days, and was in fact made in-charge of the school library.

Q. Did you study regularly? Or were you a last-minute study type? A. I was never interested in exams. I used to hate them and never studied for them. I was good in humanities subjects like literature and history, which really did not require much effort from me. But I was a complete flop as far as sci-ence and maths were concerned. I have a lifelong allergy for exams.

Q. How was college? Where did you study and what did you graduate in?A. I never attended college and edu-cated myself in second hand bookshops. After school, my mother packed me off to England for a better life. In 4-5 months I started missing India badly and desper-ately wanted to return. I had no money and had to take up a job immediately. I kept a series of jobs, as a clerk in a travel agency and a photography store.

Meanwhile I was writing my first novel, out of my yearning for India.

Q. How did you get it published? A. It took me a whole year to find a publisher after a couple of rejections. Finally, the famous literary editor and author Diana Athill read my manuscript and suggested that I redraft my novel. I was paid a princely sum of 50 pounds as advance. This was enough for me to travel back to India. Fortunately, Room on the Roof was well-received and I won the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial prize for it. I started freelancing after I came back to India. There were only a few book publishers in those days but there were several newspapers and mag-azines during the 1950s that gave me regular work. The pay was just enough to get by.

Q. Is writing a lucrative profession today as compared to the time you started out?A. Yes, writing as a profession is much more lucrative today. Especially when you have some published works to your credit. Royalties help out writers a lot. Just freelancing in itself may not be that easy. As far as books go, today Indian writing is doing very well. More and more Indian and foreign publishers are showing interest in publishing works by Indian writers. There is a huge market for books today. In spite of what people say, that reading as a habit has gone, I see much more of it today thanks to the education system and the widespread reading and writing in English as a result of it. Looking back to my school days, in a class of 35 boys, only two or three were interested in reading. Reading was strictly a minority habit then even though we had no distractions of the Internet and television.

Q. Should you work in a field you are passionate about or to pay the bills?A. You should always choose a career that is close to your heart. If you do some-thing you don’t like doing you won’t be happy doing it. Also, you should think about what you really want to do at a young age. Don’t be disappointed if things don’t go well in the beginning. Through-out my life I also had many ups and downs. Take a decision and keep at it.

“I have a lIfelongallergy

for exams”

“More and more Indian and foreign

publishers are showing an interest in publishing works by

Indian writers

ruskin bond never at-tended college and edu-cated himself in second

hand bookshops

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up

Careers 360 Jan2010

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