Educircle: India's Education and Career Guide

Career as an Electronic Engineer

2009-08-31T17:33:00.000+05:30

Introduction:
In Electronic Engineering students learn how radio, TV, computers function. It is a combination of electricity, electronics and software development. India is experiencing a telecom boom and a lot of job opportunities are up for grabs in this sector. Indian telecom industry is opening up operations in Africa. So one might get opportunities there in the future.
Skills required to be an electronic engineer:
One needs to learn about different work cultures, as one needs to interact with people from different backgrounds i.e. both nationally and internationally.
One should not restrict himself to any particular field. One should expose himself to various work processes.
One needs to be upgraded about the market trends and quite bold in his approach.
One should develop the skills of planning and executing well.
Career Path:
Firstly 12th (HSC) pass in Science field is a must
Later Master’s or PHD which are relevant to today’s industry.
MBA programme is considered an important factor for better job prospects for most electronic engineers today.
Institutes/Colleges:
Usha Mittal Institute of Technology (only for girls) SNDT, Juhu, Mumbai, www.umit.ac.in
Sardar Patel college of Engineering, Andheri, Mumbai, www.spce.ac.in
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Powai, Mumbai www.iitb.ac.in/
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Juhu, Versova, Mumbai www.rgitm.org
Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Bandra (W), Mumbai www.tsec.edu
Don Bosco Institute of Technology, Kurla, Mumbai www.dbit.in/
Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Matunga, Mumbai, www.vjti.ac.in

Career in Interior Designing

2009-08-16T15:26:00.000+05:30

Introduction:
As the name suggests, Interior Designing is all about designing the house i.e. elements inside the house, such as walls, furniture, windows, etc. Interior Designers work on various types of projects including office areas, residential areas, industrial areas, retail areas, entertainment sections like malls, hotels, cafes etc. Interior Designers need to work with a team of contractors and workers in order to execute the project. Designers need to be very patient and competitive to cope with the demand of the market. Designers need to work as per the client’s needs. Customer satisfaction is of utmost importance in this field. They need to work as per the client’s budget and design comfortable spaces, which have both practical as well as aesthetic appeal. Interior Designers may be attached to a company or may be self-employed.
Basic qualities required to be an Interior Designer:
· Drawing and Designing skills are a must. Candidates interested in this profession also need to have technical knowledge.
· Candidates need to be updated with the latest technology and market conditions. They should be resourceful, and be aware of from where to get select pieces of furniture as well as stuff required for designing his/her project, in order to customize their designs.
· Candidates must possess good communicational and interpersonal skills in order to get projects.
Eligibility:
One needs to be HSC (10+2). Certificates of elementary and intermediate drawing exams may also help
Career Options: Firstly designers start their career as freshers,
Later project managers,
Then a Designer, depending on the scope and quality of work.
Remuneration:
· Initially as a fresher start off is Rs.3, 000/ to Rs.6, 000/pm
· Later as a project manager it goes up to Rs.30000/ to Rs.50000/
· A Designer may get any amount as per the quality of work, and the budget of the customer.
Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
1. National Institute of Design- Ahmedabad offers Graduate Diploma in Furniture and Interior Design- http://www.nid.edu
2. LS Raheja School of Architecture- Mumbai offers Government Diploma in Interior Design and Decoration- http://www.Israheja.com
3. Rachana Sansad School of Applied Art and Craft- Mumbai offers Government Diploma in Interior Design.
4. Raffles Design International- Mumbai offers Bachelor of Interior Design. http://www.rafflesdesign.com
5. Shrishti school of Art Design and Technology- Bangalore offers Professional Diploma in Furniture and Interior Design. http://shrishti.ac.in

Career as a Human Resource (HR) Manager

2009-08-16T15:25:00.000+05:30

What is Human Resource (HR)?
A Human Resource (HR) Manager plays a mediator between the management and employees and also ensures that the company meets its objectives. An HR manager has to handle all issues and aspects relating to the human resources of the company i.e. training, salary, increments, staff amenities, performance updates, employee policy, recruiting, team building, employees health and safety. An HR manager should create a positive work environment in which people get motivated and are ultimately in a happy work place. An HR manager’s role varies as per the organization. Education and experience both are equally important to survive in this profession. There are various opportunities and scope in this profession, as companies are expanding and multinationals are entering the economy. Demand and requirement both are expected to grow exponentially for HR managers.
Eligibility:
· A Bachelor’s degree in Human resource administration and management followed by a,
· Master’s in Human Resource, for better scope and good future prospects.
· An internship in HR department during summer break will help you out in gaining experience and knowledge.
Skills required as a HR manager:
· One should possess excellent written and communication skills
· One should possess leadership qualities
· One should be able to understand human relations and create a positive work environment. Plan well and work strategically.
Remuneration:
· As a fresher it could vary from Rs.10000/ to Rs.20000/
· As a manager one may get in the range of 1lakh and above
Institutes/Colleges:
· Bangalore Management Academy, http://www.bmaindia.com
· KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai. http://simsr.somaiya.edu
· SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai. http://nmims.edu
· Chetana’s Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai. http://www.cimr.in/
· XLRI School of Business and Human Resources, Jamshedpur. http://www.xlri.ac.in

MCOM in Indirect Taxes

2009-08-02T18:33:00.001+05:30

IGNOU launches Mcom in Indirect Taxes:
Introduction:
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has signed up with National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics (NACEN) to launch MCom in Indirect Taxes. 50% of country’s revenue comes from Indirect taxes. It is important that the economic front be adequately protected by proper education. The contents of the Mcom in Indirect taxes will be provided by the NACEN and IGNOU.
For further details log on to: http://www.ignou.ac.in/
News: Hindustan Times

Norms by the Maharashtra Government

2009-08-02T18:31:00.001+05:30

New norms decided by the Maharashtra government:
1. The state education department in a few months will introduce clauses in the no objection certificate (NOC), required for any non-SSC board school to function in the state, that will make it mandatory for these schools to follow certain rules.
2. The rules include teaching Marathi in primary classes and adhering to the fee structure prescribed by the state regulatory authority.
3. Any school that does not toe the line will not get a No Objection Certificate from the government.
4. The state has not issued the NOC’s to new non-SSC schools so the rules will apply to any new non-SSC schools. For the existing 700 non-SSC schools the state will make it mandatory for them to renew their NOC this year.

Online Admission Procedure: Great help to Students

2009-08-02T18:29:00.000+05:30

The Online admission procedure for the SSC and HSC introduced by the government will be of great help to students as well as colleges. Admission was a very lengthy process as we all know. Most people have computers at home so this process will save time and energy. Although the process only seems to be lengthy, but the money that is wasted in taking forms from all the colleges can also be saved. For studying in foreign countries like USA, UK, an online admission procedure was already commonly used. Entrance exams like GRE and TOEFL have online exams. Not only the forms, but the exams and payment for foreign exams are done online. In India too the online admissions will benefit the students, colleges in every aspect.
Procedure of the online admission Test:
· Firstly the student has to give a mock test, mentioning their name, centre no. and other details.
· Secondly your details will be identified and a log-in identity and password will be given to the student.
· Thirdly, the student has to log in the ID; the verified information given by the student will appear with the option of various streams. The student has to pick the desired option and then submit the form with the codes of colleges at the designated centre. Then the board will verify the information and give the student a list of colleges for which he/she eligible. The student can choose among these.
· The student will be provided with an online admission information booklet that will guide them along with mark sheet from the school.
Advantage of Online Admission to Colleges:
· Colleges will also be benefited as machine monitoring will help them work faster.
· The machine will help to update the records instead of manual intervention.
· Managing the students’ crowd will be much simpler and easier and quicker.

NEWS: Times of India

Boards Debate

2009-08-02T18:24:00.001+05:30

A detail study of different boards
Introduction: Nowadays school education offers aplenty. In short, education system in India has undergone a sea change for the Indian student as well as parents. There are a no. of educational boards. One may opt as per their individual requirement. A short comparison of different boards has been made along with their positive and negative features. The different educational boards offered are:
1. The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (SSC)
2. The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE)
3. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
4. International General Certificate of Secondary Education IGCSE)
5. International Baccalaureate (IB)

1. The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (SSC):
SSC is the most common and simple curriculum offered nationwide. Although, efforts are being made by the government to update the level of this board.

Advantages:
· The major advantage is that this board is quite simpler, and relatively cheap.
· The board teaches the local language- Marathi.

Disadvantages:
· The teaching methodology is rote-learning oriented. The teachers in SSC schools follow a typical theory based method of teaching.
· There is less of practical exposure as compared to ICSE, IB and IGCSE.

2. The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE)
ICSE is a Delhi based private, non-governmental board of school education in the country.

Advantages:
· The ICSE has a wider outlook as compared to SSC and CBSE and the board is recognised across India.
· The project work and the field trips give a student practical exposure, which makes concepts easier to understand and study.
· All ICSE across the country follow the same syllabus and is a great advantage to students who have a shift base.
· Then Board also offers students the option to choose their subjects. The student may opt for subjects of his choice from class nine.

Disadvantages:
· The school requires students to work for so many projects that most of the times parents end up finishing the projects for kids.
· Parents buy readymade stuff to complete the project work, thus in turn reflects the child’s learning.
· A lot of high studies and portion forces the parents and the children to join coaching classes for various subjects.

3. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
CBSE board prepares the syllabus up to the class 12th level for affiliated schools.

Advantages:
· CBSE board prepares the students for professional courses and prepares the child for competitive exams in future.
· The board also offers the students time and space for extra curricular activities.
· Just like the ICSE, CBSE offers almost the same advantages.

Disadvantages:
· CBSE syllabus is extremely vast. Students are forced to join coaching classes.
· The level of English taught in these schools is not that high as that offered by the ICSE.

4. International General Certificate of Secondary Education IGCSE)
IGCSE is the globally recognised qualification at the class 10th level

Advantages:
· The curriculum is application based. There is no room for rote learning.
· Students are encouraged to take up various extra-curricular activities for their all round development.
· Students are motivated to understand concepts on their own and apply it to the questions in the exam.
· In this board there is no need to solve last year’s papers, and there is no need to join any coaching classes.

Disadvantages:
· The no. of projects are strenuous for the child. Unnecessary projects like classical dancing etc which are not useful.
· The children are marked on non-academic work like; music, art, dances.

5. International Baccalaureate (IB)
The IB board is a non-profit based organization in Geneva. It is a internationally recognised school system.

Advantages:
· The IB board focuses on understanding concepts than just mugging up.
· The IB board encourages students to work in groups rather than involving parents.
· Students are made to learn on the internet and interact with each other in an unrestricted atmosphere. IB Board makes learning enjoyable.

Disadvantages:
· The board gives less importance to national and local languages and focuses more on international education.

NEWS: BOMBAY TIMES

What is TOEFL test?

2009-07-05T20:50:00.001+05:30

What is TOEFL test?
The Test of English as a foreign language ( TOEFL) test is the most widely accepted English-language test in the world. No matter where you want to study, the TOEFL test can help you get there.
Advantages of TOEFL test:
· The TOEFL test gives you more choices about where you want to study.
· TOEFL is accepted by more institutions than any other English-language test in the world — including the top colleges and universities.
· The TOEFL test gives you more convenience and flexibility and is fair and accurate.
· The entire test is taken in one day, which saves you travel time and costs. And, there are more than 4,000 test centres to choose from.
· You can retake the test in just 7 days, if you want to improve your scores.
· The TOEFL test gives you the skills you need to communicate in real-life, academic situations.
· In the classroom and on campus, you will be able to communicate your ideas effectively.
· Listen to lectures, read textbooks and online research, write academic papers and e-mails, and speak with other students and professors.
· All test takers have a similar test-taking experience, which eliminates the inconsistency of interviews that could negatively impact your scores.
· Scores are objective and unbiased. Tests are scored anonymously by ETS-certified experts.
How to register for the TOEFL test?
1. Find the test centres, dates, fees, and disability accommodations
2. See a list of 6,000+ institutions in 110 countries, including almost every university in the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, that rely on TOEFL scores for admissions, scholarship and graduation decisions.
3. One can take the internet-based test (iBT) or the paper-based test (PBT), depending on which format is offered at your test centre.

Point to remember:
· On the teat day one must bring valid identification (ID) or you will not be admitted to the test centre.

Educational Testing Service (ETS) launches TOEFL TV
1. Students can now watch useful videos on a channel available on YouTube- started by Educational Testing Service (ETS), which administrates TOEFL and other tests.
2. The videos will give tips to improve English language skills.
3. The channel will help students who wish to take admissions in any of the 6000 colleges and universities in over 130 countries which accept TOEFL scores.
4. Registered YouTube users can add videos to TOEFL TV by adding them to a group, where they will be reviewed and approved by ETS before posting.
For further details log on to TOEFL TV (www.youtube.com/ TOEFLtv

Career as a Doctor

2009-06-28T14:11:00.001+05:30

Post Graduation in Medicine
Introduction: Thousands of years ago surgical instruments were made of stone and surgeries were done without anaesthesia, leading to acute agony for the patient. But now in modern times there are advanced and stainless steel instruments and techniques which has made easier for the doctors as well as patients. Surgery has many branches i.e. vascular surgery, endocrine surgery, Neuro surgery, plastic surgery, cardio thoracic surgery, gastro-intestinal surgery, laparoscopic surgery. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to become a surgeon.
Advantages:
· High Remuneration
· Goodwill
· Growth prospect
· Immense satisfaction when you save a life

Disadvantages:
· Stress
· Lack of facilities in social area
· Long hours of work may disturb health

Admission procedure: There are various criteria to be fulfilled to become a surgeon. Following are listed below:
1. Biology in plus- two. After HSC appear for medical entrance exams. Those who pass, study for an MBBS degree. After MBBS…..
2. Appear for the PG entrance exam
3. Appear for MS in surgery
4. Training as a senior resident
5. Super specialisation in MCh
6. Six years of training makes you a surgeon. At the end of the training one can opt for government job or settle for private practice.
Remuneration: MBBS and Post graduation in general surgery is the basic criteria to practice surgery in India. Approx monthly salary is:
1. Internship: Rs.2000/
2. As a PG trainee: Rs.20000/
3. Post degree training: Rs.40000/
4. Consultant: Rs.60000/ approx and lastly sky is the limit.

Colleges/Institutes:
1. Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, (SGPGI), Lucknow. http://www.sgpgi.ac.in/
2. King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEM), Mumbai. http://kem.edu/
3. Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi. http://mamc.ac.in/
4. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). http://www.aiims.edu/
5. Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. http://pgimer.nic.in/

Mumbai’s ICSE and CBSE students’ admission on rocks

2009-06-28T14:06:00.000+05:30

· The state government has decided to introduce 90% reservation for SSC students, as 30 to 50% of non-SSC boards i.e. CBSE, IB, ICSE, IGCSE- make it to Mumbai’s top junior colleges every year.
· This year the non-SSC students may find it extremely difficult to get into the city’s top junior colleges, despite of the high score.
· Schools and students fear that this decision will leave many non-SSC students without admissions, and 90% quota is unfair to other boards.
Source: Times of India

Marathi expected to be made compusory in Maharastra schools

2009-06-28T14:03:00.001+05:30

· The state education department in a few months is expected to introduce clauses in the no objection certificate (NOC), required for any non-SSC board school to function in the state, that will make it mandatory for these schools to follow certain rules.
· The rules include teaching Marathi in primary classes and adhering to the fee structure prescribed by the state regulatory authority.
· Any school that does not toe the line will not get a No Objection Certificate from the government.
· The state has not issued the NOC’s to new non-SSC schools so the rules will apply to any new non-SSC schools. For the existing 700 non-SSC schools the state will make it mandatory for them to renew their NOC this year.

Source: Times of India

Summer Workshops - Have fun this summer

2009-05-02T20:44:00.000+05:30

Do you want to learn something new this vacation? Except for those academic courses…here are some part time activities in which you may get yourself involved, if interested.

Some activities, which you may try out this summer, are:
1. Tarot reading
2. Horse riding
3. Paragliding
4. Rock climbing

Tarot reading: Tarot reading is a very short 6-day course, for all those interested to learn and get into the future. Tarot reading is an interesting art.
· Eligibility: above 18years
· Course fee: Rs.4500/
· Address: Andheri (W), Mumbai
· Contact: 9987279417

Horse riding: Amateur riders club has organised a camp, which has 2 divisions.
One division will teach basic riding to beginners, and the other division camp will impart a little more advanced techniques to those who have some basic knowledge about horse riding. One may also become a member of this club. The course is for just 10 days.
· Eligibility: open to all
· Course fee: Rs.4412 /
· Address: The Amateurs Riders Club, Mahalaxmi race course, Mumbai
· Contact: 9833626677

Paragliding: Paragliding is a extremely short 3 day programme with no prior experience required. There will be total 3 to 5 flights. Nirvana adventures conduct these courses in Kamshet, which is 3hours from Mumbai.
· Eligibility: Above 16 years and healthy all over without any heart or back problems
· Course fee: Rs.9600 /
· Address: Nirvana Adventures, Santacruz (w), Mumbai
· Contact: info@flynirvana.com
· Ph: 022- 26493110 / 26053724

Rock climbing: Rock climbing will be great fun at Arun Samant’s climbing wall in Goregaon. One is the basic course for beginners and the other is at the advanced level.
· Eligibility: Above 9 years
· Course fee: Rs.800/
· Address: Nandadeep High School, Goregaon (E), Mumbai
· Contact: arunsamantclimbingwall@gmail.com Ph: 09820428077

Career in Podiatry

2009-05-02T20:42:00.001+05:30

One of the latest and hottest career options in the health care field today is Podiatry.
Anyone looking for a new fascinating career and thinks will be able to diagnose foot problems; a Chiropodist or a Podiatrist is the best career for today. There is an excellent graduate employment rate in India; the demand is growing as people now face greater foot problems. The profession allows for flexible working hours and one can choose as per his choice either to opt for part time or full time employment.

Who needs a Podiatrist?
· Dancers who spent long hours rehearsing and performing, thereby causing injury to their feet
· Children with problems while walking
· People needing minor surgery, like nail surgery or laser treatment
· Sportsmen and women who suffer from injuries to their legs and feet
· Diabetics who have problem with circulation and changing sensation levels in the feet.

Job of a Podiatrist
The main job of a Podiatrist is to assess, diagnose and treat abnormalities and any kind of disease in the foot.

Eligibility: Anyone from science stream, nurses, and doctors to any health care professionals interested in foot care can join the profession.

Duration: For a background specialisation in diabetics only a six-month course is necessary. Otherwise a three or a four-year Diploma Graduate course in Podiatry is compulsory.

Colleges/Institutions: Podiatry is a special field. Even today many Indian universities are yet to adopt this course in the curriculum. Few hospitals actually practice Podiatry. In India there are a few podiatrists who practice this profession. Awareness has yet to spread in the country, and since it’s a new field people need to know how important the profession is.

Career in Sports Engineering

2009-02-10T20:55:00.002+05:30

Introduction: If one is a sports person by heart, then certainly this might be the right career. With the rising no. of Indians winning gold medal at Olympics, Sports is certainly the next big thing in India. Sport is the field of Engineering that involves the design, development and testing of sports instruments. This course will definitely make a good career option for Indian Engineers. There is more demand of this course abroad. Indian Universities Olympics sports are the next big things in India. This course is different and interesting and has a great scope in the future.
Career Prospects: The field is quite vast within small and medium size companies as well as large companies like Adidas, Nike, Umbro, and many more. Not only mechanical engineer but also civil, computer, or biomedical engineers scan also make good career in sports engineering.

Job Prospects: A sports Engineer has to be very clear in his concepts. As he is the one who seeks and finds technical answers so as to improve the efficiency of a sportsperson. How does a lawn tennis player increase the speed of his service? This is an e.g. question which a sports engineer has to answer. Big companies like Adidas
hires sports engineers who work on shoes technology to improve the quality. Other sports equipment like ball, bat, badminton racket, bicycle, body movements of players etc are all related factors, which are taken care of by the sports engineer.
Institutes/Colleges: Sports engineering courses are mainly conducted abroad, In India only Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women’s University, Mumbai, offers Diploma in Sports Science and Nutrition, 1-year course
Contact: For further details log on to sndt.digitaluniversity.ac

Numismatics as a Career

2009-02-10T20:52:00.002+05:30

Introduction: If your hobby is to collect old and new coins, also rare and modern, then one may earn big bucks or rather make good money or earn millions of rupees if one uses his brains sharply and invest smartly. For e.g. a rare one rupee coin of mintage 1960 went under the hammer for 2,20,000/. Another Rs.10/ coin from British era with queen Victoria’s image was auctioned for Rs.1, 60,000/. One has to always be in touch with the market to find out what is moving and what is not and accordingly decide on what to but and sell. In short the whole game is of demand and supply. With the rising demand for coins in the market, the prices are bound to increase with time. Coin collectors and museums also hire numismatics to catalogue and present their coin collections correctly so that they get a higher price. If one is a student of archaeology, this too equips him to find a foothold in this profession.
Career Scope: There are various options for professionals in the field of numismatics or in the field of study of currency.
· One could be a coin investor,
· Various agents are available in the market; they deal with coins and are updated
· Numismatics offers services to coin investors, museums, auction houses etc.
· There is a great demand for numismatics to detect fakes circulating in the market.
· Photographing a coin is also considered a specialised profession who specialises in clicking coins. Coin photography is taught as a separate subject as part of the syllabus.
Eligibility: Graduation from any stream
Duration: 2year part-time course
Diploma/Degree: MA in Numismatics and Archaeology
Institute/College: Dinesh Mody Institute of Numismatics and Archaeology, University Kalina campus, Santacruz (E), Mumbai, Ph: 9821194585. This is the only institute in Mumbai, which is offering a course in Numismatics.

Career Prospects of a Noble Profession - A Teacher

2009-02-10T20:45:00.003+05:30

Career Details:
This is one job, which is not concerned of fashion or demand. But today, teaching is not restricted to a textbook-style method. With technology gaining importance, it becomes necessary for a teacher to link her teaching to current events or provide that kind of information that the student doesn’t know already or is hard to find elsewhere. The teaching field is so vast, having areas of specialization; different skills and type of training are required for different levels. If someone is keen to make difference in a young one’s life, loves to impart information and has that kind of influence on a person, then one might consider teaching as a vocation. As per the government rules a school/college teacher cannot give service to coaching classes as well.S
Qualities of a teacher:
· A teacher not only has to be a friend but also a hard taskmaster when required. Teaching profession requires immense patience and perseverance. One needs to be able to communicate well to be able to develop interest.
· A teacher herself has to be educative, to educate.
· A teacher must have the basic qualities to ensure that the kids are comfortable with her. A teacher must understand, be loving, caring, patient, soft, presentable, and intelligent. In short a teacher plays a great impact on the children’s life. A teacher is a role model for the kids.
Future Prospects: In India a Teacher is always worried regarding her salary, as the cost of living will rise but their pay will not. In abroad Indian teachers are always considered for this profession. Many professors in the top institutes in UK are USA are Indians. Not only the pay but a teacher also gets the respect, which she deserves. An Indian teacher will start at $15000/ approx with a potential to grow as much as $25000/
Basic Qualifications:
1. For Pre-Primary: A basic Early Child Care and Education (ECCE), Full-time Diploma in ECCE, 1year autonomous course
2. For Primary and Secondary level: After Graduation one has to complete B Ed study. After post graduation they are called postgraduate trained teachers (PGTs)
3. For a postgraduate teacher: One needs a postgraduate degree in a particular subject or a doctoral degree is preferred.
4. Special School teachers: Degrees and Diploma in special education is to be done for teaching students with various disabilities.

PG Courses in the Banking Industry

2009-02-05T20:50:00.002+05:30

All Post Graduate (PG) courses offered by the Banking Industry

Introduction: The banking sector now offers a variety of PG courses in personal and business lending, bank management, mortgage lending etc. Careers range from investment banking to management, and treasury, which are available to individuals as their interest. Various institutes around the world offer programmes in banking and finance. The banking sector has today emerged as one of the most challenging sectors in the country. Mainly the eligibility criterion is Graduation for the master’s level in India.

Institutes/Colleges:
1. Bangalore Management Academy, Bangalore
2. BLB Institute of Financial Market, Delhi
3. ICFAI University, Agartala
4. Indian Institute of Finance, New Delhi
5. Institute of Finance Banking and Insurance, New Delhi
6. National Institute of Bank Management, Pune
7. Narsee Monjee Institute of Bank Management, Mumbai

Master’s in Banking and Finance programme comparison :
Educircle team has prepared a comparison of various colleges offering: Master’s in banking and finance course in India. This should serve as a guide to candidates who wish to pursue their career in banking and finance.
Click on the image below to read the comparison table:

NDTV Broadcast Training Programme

2009-02-05T20:46:00.002+05:30

NDTV Launches Broadcast Training Programme

· The students will be trained with those who have made the news for 20 years.
· The eligibility criteria is Graduate and below 27 years of age
· The 1st batch will start by (March 09’) and 2nd batch by (July 09’)
· For more details log on to www.ndtvmi.com, ph: 01166176306

Master’s of Science in Dietetics and Food Service Management

2009-02-03T15:18:00.002+05:30

Introduction: This course is for all those interested in dietetics, food and nutrition, and health. This course has been developed with a view to address the needs of training forces and developing manpower like (dieticians, nutrition counsellors, food service managers, etc) for emerging employment sectors in hospitals, community dietetics, health clinics and food service management. Those who are already in the service industry can use this course to upgrade their knowledge for professional competencies. Professionals who want to set up their own clinics can also opt for this course.
Duration: The course can be completed in minimum of 3years and maximum of 5 years, along with a minimum six week internship in the second year to gain hands on training.
Fees: Rs.9100/ (1st year), Rs.9000/ (2nd year)
Diploma/Name of the course: Master’s of Science in Food and Service Management – MSC (DFSM)
Institute/College: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), (New Delhi) and 31 centres that IGNOU has throught India
Contact: For further details log onto www.ignou.ac.in

PG in Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO)

2009-02-03T15:14:00.002+05:30

Eligibility: Law Graduates and Final year students
Duration: 1 year
Diploma/ Course name: Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Process Outsourcing (PGDLPO)
Fees: Rs. 15000/
Location: Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore
Institutes/Colleges: The Indira Gandhi National Open University – School Of Law launches PGD in LPO
Contact: For further information log on to www.ignouonline.ac.in/pgdlpo

Certificate course in Archaeology

2009-01-30T22:29:00.004+05:30

What is Archaeology?
Archaeology is the branch of anthropology that studies prehistoric people and their cultures. Archaeology often focuses upon the life and culture of ancient peoples. Archaeologist is a person who studies about the remains from a past human culture: art, tools, games, skeletons, buildings, trash, anything left behind. In short "Archaeology is our voyage to the past, where we discover who we were and therefore who we are." Camille Paglia
Introduction: Archaeology is not just digging for ancient treasures, but there is much more in this field to study and gain knowledge about our history. There is a great demand for students of archaeological background. Even in the tourism industry such people tailor various trips and act as guides for the various tourists visiting various sites especially historical sites. Normal guides just give information from guidebooks and are unable to answer any query of the tourist, whereas a student with an archaeology background is better equipped to handle tourist queries and provide in-depth knowledge to the tourists. A course in archaeology also equips one with the basics of ancient Indian languages like Pali, Modi, and Prakriti etc. Those who learn ancient languages are also in great demand to translate old government files and make it relevant in today’s age. There is a demand in museums also where one can impart historical knowledge before visitors as a guide.
Remuneration:
· The Archaeological survey of India employs qualified archaeologists as assistant archaeologists. As per the 5th pay commission, at entry level one could earn a sum of Rs.15000/.
· In the tourism industry a trainee at entry level could earn Rs.12000/
Institutes/Colleges:
Mumbai University’s extra-mural department offers a certificate course in Archaeology http://www.extramural.org/

Competence in Software Technology Examination (CST)

2009-01-30T22:10:00.004+05:30

What is CST?
CST is a nationwide examination conducted annually for graduates in any field by C- DAC, Mumbai, an R&D Institution of Government of India, and Department of Information Technology, Ministry of communication and Information Technology.
Eligibility:
A degree in any subject or engineering Diploma, Final year degree students can also appear for CST exams held every year
Levels of Examination:
E (Entry Level)
I (Intermediate Level)
D (Diploma Level)
G (Graduate Level)
Examination Centres:
Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Coibatore, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Pune, Thane, Thiruvananthapuram
Admissions through CST:
· Full time Post Graduate Diploma in Software Technology at C- DAC centres (FPGDST)
· PGPM at International School of Technology Management, Bangalore
· MCA at Goa University
· MCA at NMIMS University, Mumbai
· MCA at Alliance Business Academy, Bangalore
· BCIDS at Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai
· M.Sc (IT) at Smt. Parvathibai Chowgule College, Goa
Contact: For further details log on to http://cst.cdacmumbai.in/

Post Graduation in Disability Management

2009-01-30T22:01:00.003+05:30

PG Diploma in Disability Management For Medical Practitioners (PGDDM-MP)
Eligibility: MBBS or equivalent qualification in Ayurveda, Unani, Sidha, and Homeopathy medicine. Preference is given to those who have 2 years experience in the areas.
Duration: Minimum 1 year, and Maximum 3 years
Fees: Rs.12000/
Institutes/Colleges: Indira Gandhi National Open University IGNOU), New Delhi offers The PG Diploma in Disability Management
Contact: www.ignou.ac.in

Career in Dramatics

2009-01-29T21:06:00.003+05:30

Introduction: A course in Dramatics offers much wider scope than an acting course. If one wishes to be in limelight, enjoys performing live shows, acting is his passion, life to him means to be under the arc lights, this is the perfect career option. It may not fetch much money, but guarantees a place under the arc lights. Dramatics covers all aspects of the stage like lights, make-up, direction, production, set design, costumes, script writing etc. There are certificate as well as post graduation courses in Dramatics. At present there is great demand for fresh talent.
Career Options: There are various career options available in this field, a few of them are:
1. Stand-up Artists
2. Narrator
3. Stage Presenter
4. Announcer
5. Make-up Artist
6. Dubbing Artist
7. Script Writer
8. Costume Designer
Remuneration: Approx it ranges from Rs.200/ to Rs.1000/ per show or per play. The amount also increases depending upon the brand value, play’s success and one’s talent.
Institutes/Colleges:
1. Mumbai university’s Institute of Extra-Mural studies, Kalina, offers Certificate course in Dramatics. Fees: Rs.4, 000/ http://www.extramural.org/
2. Madhumati Academy of Acting, Dance, Vile Parle, Mumbai, and Ph: 02226204647
3. Ashok Kumar’s Academy of Dramatics Arts, Chembur Mumbai
4. Anupam Kher, Prithvi Theatre, Alyque Padamsee, Rajat kapoor, also offers courses in Dramatics.

Changes to be done by the CBSE Board

2009-01-28T22:31:00.003+05:30

Introduction: The CBSE board invited suggestions from students on its website and received a massive response. The board to which 9000 schools are affiliated, are making changes to get students playa vital role in decision making. The board put up a link ‘Interact with the chairman’ 4months back, on its website and got 5000 responses. The students have come up with many suggestions and the board is planning to implement on it. These are a few suggestions from parents and children about which the board is thinking to act upon; few of them are listed below:
· The board is thinking of allowing the use of calculators during accounting exams.
· The CBSE board will soon begin counselling parents about exams, syllabus, and the children.
· Another female student has suggested making the life skills programme more gender specific.
· Another suggestion was to introduce practicals for subjects other than science.
Conclusion: Based on the queries a list of FAQ’s have been prepared and sent to schools, so that they can talk to students about it.

SSC Board to enquire into good results of Schools

2009-01-28T22:29:00.001+05:30

· The school fails the weak students of STD 9th, so that the school has cent percent results in the SSC board exams.
· The students who have been detained in STD 9th, then often choose to give private SSC board exams, so that they are able to save their detained year.
· The students who opt to give their exams privately, out of them 70% pass. That shows that there was no need to detain them.
· The Mumbai regional board will question the school concerned if their SSC results are outstanding. The field level education officers have been instructed to inspect schools in order to gauge how many students the school has failed in class 9th.

Courses offered in Gorgeous Skin Academy

2009-01-28T22:22:00.003+05:30

Get trained under internationally renowned medical cosmetologists and Dermo-Surgeon- Dr. Purnima Mhatre

Course for Doctors:
Duration: A 4month course (36 sessions)
Fees: Rs. 30,000 for 1st 25seats only
Certificate/ Diploma: Diploma in Skin Aesthetics, includes practical as well as theoretical training in Advance Medical Cosmetology
Course for Non-Doctors:
Duration: A 2month course (24 sessions)
Fees: Rs. 12,000/ for 1st 25seats only
Certificate/ Diploma: Certificate course in Skin Therapy, includes practical as well as theoretical training in advanced skin care.
Contact Details:
For further details log onto www.getgorgeous.co.in, www.drpurnimaskinclinic.com
Ph: 022650055809, 02265051020

Changes to be done on suggestions, by the CBSE Board

2009-01-28T22:18:00.002+05:30

Introduction: The CBSE board invited suggestions from students on its website and received a massive response. The board to which 9000 schools are affiliated, are making changes to get students playa vital role in decision making. The board put up a link ‘Interact with the chairman’ 4months back, on its website and got 5000 responses. The students have come up with many suggestions and the board is planning to implement on it. These are a few suggestions from parents and children about which the board is thinking to act upon; few of them are listed below:
· The board is thinking of allowing the use of calculators during accounting exams.
· The CBSE board will soon begin counselling parents about exams, syllabus, and the children.
· Another female student has suggested making the life skills programme more gender specific.
· Another suggestion was to introduce practicals for subjects other than science.

Conclusion: Based on the queries a list of FAQ’s have been prepared and sent to schools, so that they can talk to students about it.

Career as a Clay Animator

2009-01-23T23:00:00.002+05:30

What is Clay Animation?
Clay animation is a technique of stop motion animation, wherein one has to click photographs of the object in a sequential manner and then play them. Clay animation is different from computer animation as a handcrafted product is from a machine-made one. A clay animator has to create models out of malleable substances like plasticine or any other oil based clay. Later a picture of a model is clicked, position is changed, then another picture is clicked, it continues in this manner. When these images are plated back-to-back, illusion of movement is created. Clay animation runs about 10 to 12 frames per second, than the usual 24 frames per second used in films.

Skills required being a Clay Animator:
· One needs to be creative and artistic.
· One needs to have mathematical and logical skills
· One needs to be very patient, and ready to work under pressure and in the prescribed budget.

Future prospects and Scope:
In India Clay Animation is still not popular. There are only a few studios specialising in this art. As compared to Indian animation sector clay animation contributes only 5% of the Rs.1200crore. Then to, clay animation is becoming a lucrative career option. Clay animation can be used in various feature films, web applications, TV serials commercials, e-learning projects.

Remuneration:
It all depends upon one’s experience and quality of work given. Approx it may range from Rs.30000/ to Rs.50000/

Institutes/Colleges in India:
National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad and the Industrial Design Centre of IIT Mumbai has the facilities needed for stop motion, but there is no specific course in clay animation in India. One may learn through Internet or workshops of clay animation.

Institutes/Colleges Abroad:
1. Royal college of Art, UK
2. Sheridan college of Art and Design, Canada
3. California institutes of arts
4. Vancouver Film School

Career in Pharmacy

2009-01-23T22:51:00.004+05:30

Introduction:
The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry has gained reputation for producing high-quality drug and low-cost generic drugs. The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry has made it easy for the world to deal with illnesses caused by changing lifestyles. India has created a mastery over pharma engineering technology, wherein has created a prominent position in the world. The concept of Pharmaceutical retail chains in recent years has created numerous employment opportunities in the sector. The demand for the skilled workforce empowering this sector is increasing at a very fast rate. Opportunities are available for BPharm students, but MPharm students are preferred and given a 1st chance. There are various employment opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector; some of them are listed below:
1. Manufacturing
2. Sales and Marketing
3. Research and Development
4. Quality control
5. CRAM (Customer Research and Manufacturing)
6. Registered Pharmacist

Remuneration:
One’s remuneration depends upon the
· Qualification
· The Institute
· The hiring company
· Experience and
· Quality of work

Institutes/Colleges:
· Mumbai Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (www.udct.org)
· Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (www.bits-pilani.ac.in)
· SNDT Women’s University, CU shah college of Pharmacy, Mumbai (http:/sndtdigital university.ac)
· NMIMS university, Mumbai (www.nmims.edu)
· Met Institute of Pharmacy, Mumbai (www.met.edu)
· National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research,(NIPER) (www.niper.gov.in)

Career in Pharmaceutical Industry

2009-01-23T22:43:00.003+05:30

Introduction: The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry has gained reputation for producing high-quality drug and low-cost generic drugs. The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry has made it easy for the world to deal with illnesses caused by changing lifestyles. India has created a mastery over pharma engineering technology, wherein has created a prominent position in the world. The concept of Pharmaceutical retail chains in recent years has created numerous employment opportunities in the sector. The demand for the skilled workforce empowering this sector is increasing at a very fast rate. Opportunities are available for BPharm students, but MPharm students are preferred and given a 1st chance. There are various employment opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector; some of them are listed below:
1. Manufacturing
2. Sales and Marketing
3. Research and Development
4. Quality control
5. CRAM (Customer Research and Manufacturing)
6. Registered Pharmacist
Remuneration:
One’s remuneration depends upon the
· Qualification
· The Institute
· The hiring company
· Experience and
· Quality of work
Institutes/Colleges:
· Mumbai Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (http://www.udct.org/)
· Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (http://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/)
· SNDT Women’s University, CU shah college of Pharmacy, Mumbai (http:/sndtdigital university.ac)
· NMIMS university, Mumbai (http://www.nmims.edu/)
· Met Institute of Pharmacy, Mumbai (http://www.met.edu/)
· National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research,(NIPER) (http://www.niper.gov.in/)

Career in Information Technology (IT)

2009-01-22T12:12:00.003+05:30

Introduction: The current scenario in IT software in India is growing at a fast rate as far as careers are concerned. To get into this field one has to have love for computers and, secondly he must be a keen learner, be ready to explore new and latest technology. The IT industry is categorised into 2 main sectors: Hardware and Software.
The areas covered in Hardware are:
· Manufacturing,
· Maintenance,
· Research, and Development.
The areas covered in Software are:
· Software Development
· Programming
· Application programmes
· Data entry
Future Scope: There is a great future expected in the IT sector, as there is potential for 2.2million jobs because of the major growth spurt in 2008. Statistics show that India’s total exports in 2008 have been from the IT field. The industry has experienced a total increase by 25% in production and 41% in exports over the last 5 years.
Remuneration: The start up salary would be Rs. 20,000/ to Rs. 60,000/ pm depending on one’s hard work, experience, dedication and passion for work.
Flip and Flops: On the flip side the pay in the IT sector is much high than the other industries. The flop side is that one has to choose the right kind of job, otherwise it becomes monotonous.
Institutes/ Colleges: A no. of colleges under Mumbai university offers courses in Engineering, Btech. BSC (IT)
1. IIT-B offers n no. Of courses in various areas of English, Mathematics, Physics. Fees: Rs. 1,40,000/
2. NIIT offers Diploma courses in programming languages including Java and C++ Fees: Rs.25, 000/ In NIIT there are also certification courses in Java, Oracle, and Microsoft. Fees ranges between Rs. 3.2 lakh to Rs. 7 lakh, as per the certification.
3. Aptech offers courses in Dot Net, Fees: Rs. 13000/ J2E: Rs.7000/

Health and Fitness as a Career

2009-01-22T12:09:00.002+05:30

Career Growth:
The health and Fitness industry is a $14.1 billion industry and the nutrition and weight loss industry is a $44 billion dollar industry. There are a plenty of options to choose, once one completes the undergraduate course. Fitness consultants are in high demand not only in gyms but also in spas, health clubs, tourists resorts, housing societies, and large companies as well. One may specialise in aerobics, weight lifting, karate, yoga, kickboxing, and spinning and be a specialist trainer. After gaining experience one can also run their own centre. This sector presents great scope for entrants. A career in health and fitness one has to be a fitness freak, must have the passion for fitness training, enjoy coaching people, come up with new techniques, be innovative, and be dam sure about the exercise regime. Initial pay is not that great, but gradually it will improve. Professionals in health and fitness are in great demand abroad. As the awareness will increase, demand will also increase simultaneously.
Qualities of an Instructor:
· The basic qualities an instructor must have are:
· Trainers themselves must be fit and healthy
· Good communication and interpersonal skills are vital in this sector, as the job demands constant interaction with clients.
· Trainers should be aware of the changes to be caused by diet and nutrition, stress, lifestyles in order to prescribe exercise regimens.
· Trainers must be patient and have the tact to deal with youngsters and senior citizens during the course of work.
Courses offered:
Qualifications may vary as per the training institute and desired training
1. BFY Sports and Fitness, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Fees: Rs.38000/
2. Gold’s Gym, Mumbai, Ph: 66126300
3. Talwarkars fitness Academy, #months course, Fees: Rs.13500/
4. Yoga, teacher training course, fees:Rs18,000/, Ph: 471273093
5. Aerobics, Reebok instructor, Fees: Rs.18000/

‘Right To Education Bill’ - A Brief Summary

2009-01-12T21:29:00.001+05:30

1. The long pending piece of legislation of right to education bill has reached the Rajya Sabha in 2008, and there are huge chances of approval by the parliament in coming months.
2. The bill aims at reserving 25% seats in private schools up to class 8th for students from financially weak backgrounds. Some doubts have been raised about the future of these students after class 8th, education will be free till that level in private schools once the bill is approved.
3. The bill also stipulates that no child anywhere in the country will be failed from class 1st to class 8th. Schools can do away with final exams till class 8th and assess students on a regular basis.
4. Coaching classes is the next pointer in the list, as these private classes have developed into a virtual parallel education, into the mainstream. The High Court has ordered setting up of a committee to regulate coaching classes. If the committee finishes its job this year, it would mean an end to these coaching classes.
5. The government has even proposed setting up a committee of ICSE, CBSE, and SSC board to review the system afresh.
6. A committee is appointed by the government to formulate the policy of decongest city roads that all children travel by school bus. Rest can walk or use public transport, but will not be allowed to use private vehicles.

Ethical Hacking as a Career

2009-01-12T21:26:00.001+05:30

What is Hacking?
Hacking is the act of attacking a system to steal valuable data or bring down the system. Hackers can usually erase their tracks in 20 minutes.

Details about Hacking:
· Predicting and then preventing a hacking attack is a difficult task.
· Hackers are constantly updated with newer techniques, and they can swoop down from any location and hide their identity.

How to prevent it?
· Rent a well and ethical Hacker
· There are 2 types of hackers, White-hat hackers and black-hat hackers.
· The white-hat hackers are professional hackers who use their skills to earn a living.

Career Prospects:
· According to NASSCOM there will be need for 1,88,000 cyber security professionals in the near future.
· Almost all companies and individuals having websites of their own will prefer professionals who would keep their website safe and secure. Thus demand of these white-hat hackers is growing, as the risk of crime fraud, stolen passwords, has become the biggest danger and major cause of concern.

Career in Real Estate:

2009-01-03T21:57:00.000+05:30

What is Real Estate?
Initially real estate was considered the worst hit sectors. But now it is gaining importance. There are various developments in real estate like, design, marketing, sales and customer relations management etc. In all these above sections trained people are required. Land development is one of the most significant specialities in the real estate industry. On barren land developers build government buildings, industrial buildings, commercial offices, hotels, malls, etc. Property managers maintain property to produce the highest possible financial returns. The real estate counsellors give advice about property.

Career Scope:
Various jobs are available in services like, landscaping, electrical installations and plumbing. The real sector industry is the second biggest employers after the agriculture industry. Construction and housing is growing so the future in this field is expected to be quite bright. Graduates from IIM’s and other top colleges are given preference. Job opportunities are available in commercial banks, insurance companies, saving associations, consulting firms, real estate developers, and industrial brokerage offices. There are no specific colleges conducting the real estate course. Graduates from various colleges are selected, such as Architects, engineers, MBAs advertising etc.

Career Path:
In real estate, employers from various fields are required, such as architects, engineers, finance, legal. Professionals from any field can work in real estate firms. Growth may vary according to the department.

Remuneration:
The pay scale differs as per the projects taken up. Initially the pay package is, approx Rs. 300000/. The earnings may go up to crores, as per the project handled.

Colleges/Institutions:
1. SM School of Management Technology (New Delhi) offers MBA in real estate management, www.smschool.ac.in
2. National Institute of Construction Management and Research (Mumbai) offers Graduate programme in real estate development and management, www.nicmar.ac.in
3. University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (Gurgaon) offers MBA in infrastructure management, www.upes.ac.in
4. Indira Gandhi National Open University i.e. IGNOU (New Delhi) offers Advanced Diploma in Construction Management, www.ignou.ac.in
5. Akruti Institute of Real Estate Management and Research (Mumbai) offers Post Graduate in Real Estate Management, www.akrutiknowledge.edu.in

Diamond Grading Course

2008-12-28T14:12:00.000+05:30

This course is mainly for students planning to take up career in jewellery designing.
The students are taught the four C’s of diamond grading, i.e. cut, colour, clarity, and carat. Workshops are every month.

Duration: One-month course

Fees: Rs. 5000/ for 10 sessions (including script writing)

Contact: Sapna sawant, Union park, pali hill, Khar (west), Mumbai Ph: 9820119421

Basic course in Photography

2008-12-28T14:11:00.000+05:30

If you are an aspiring photojournalist, or doing your BMM, this photography course will be of great use to you. This basic course will give you an insight into photography and even help you out to choose various other courses
Eligibility: S.S.C. pass
Fees: Rs. 4000/
Duration: There are weekday and weekend batches.
Contact: National Institute of Photography, Dadar, Mumbai. Ph: 9820109479 www.focusnip.com

Share Trading Crash Course

2008-12-28T14:10:00.000+05:30

Share Trading Crash Course:
Share Trading course would be a perfect opportunity for students deeply interested in share market. Students get a basic knowledge about the share market. Topics included in the crash course are:
· Role of a share trader,
· Share trading Management,
· Share Market documentation and procedures
· Fundamental and Technical Analysis
· Day trading/ Intra Trading Concept
· Mutual Funds and Book Keeping etc

Course date: Dec 21

Fees: Rs. 3000/

Eligibility: Open to all

Duration: Five Sundays for 2 hours each (10 am to 12 pm)

Contact: Navi Mumbai, Ph: 9322904111

Nail Art Workshop

2008-12-28T14:09:00.000+05:30

This is a short workshop for all those interested in nail art. In this workshop you are taught about different nail art techniques using different materials.
Duration: One day (two sessions)
Eligibility: 16-60 years of age
Fees: Rs. 500/ (including materials)
Contact: Shere-punjab, Andheri, Mumbai. Ph: 9821727500

Post Graduate Programme in Toy and Game Design

2008-12-28T14:08:00.001+05:30

Introduction: Toy and Game Design is emerging as a lucrative career. This course trains students to work in areas like,
· Mass manufactured toys
· Play equipment
· Tabletop games, and
· Digital games
The course mainly focuses on aspects like, animation and graphic design, human psychology and interaction, and sociology. Modules focus on specifics like,
· Play theory,
· Cognitive ergonomics,
· Colour and composition,
· Material/Media technology,
· Study of forms,
· Aesthetics, and design management.

Duration: Two and a half years course

Institute/College: This is one of the most innovative and exciting course, offered by National Institute of Design, (NID), Gujarat. National Institute of Design is the only institute in the country offering a postgraduate programme in toy and game design.

Post Graduation in Disaster Management

2008-12-28T14:06:00.000+05:30

Introduction: Disaster Management involves the building up of capabilities to handle different kinds of emergencies. The disaster management course is gaining importance due to the recent terror attacks in Mumbai, blasts in Assam and floods in Bihar. Education in Disaster management is an attempt to understand the implications of disasters, their management and control. The course is also useful for NGO’s social workers, volunteers providing support and rehabilitation measures during disasters, home guard personnel, and primary health centres etc. The International Red Cross and some UN organisations, NGO’s such as OXFAM, CARE, Action Aid International as well as private emergency response services like those of EMRI and tops line also trained professionals for working on humanitarian missions to handle major calamities and emergencies. An IT professional can apply his knowledge in various software designed for disaster management while an engineer can work on building designs for various disasters.

Current Affairs: Four million people die out of emergencies every year, like traffic accidents, cardiac emergencies, pregnancy complications and many more. These could be prevented through such services. Thus such training institutes have been started to provide training to various categories of people and also support the establishment of State Training Institutes in Disaster Management.

Advantages: This course is action oriented, cross cutting in terms of specialisation, and very satisfying in terms of career choice.

Disadvantages: Career in Disaster management is very demanding, no timing of working hours, each challenges are different from the other. One also has to be emotionally very strong in this field.

Remuneration: Pay structures vary from Rs. 5000/ pm to Rs. 15000-Rs. 50000/ for experienced professionals depending on the employer.

Institutes/Colleges:
· The Department of Business Administration of Bhavnagar University offers PG diploma programme in disaster management
· Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in New Delhi offers PG diploma in Disaster Preparedness and Rehabilitation, www.ipu.ac.in
· Tata Institute of Social Sciences offers 2 year MA/MSC course in Disaster Management,Emergency Management and Research Institute offers a PG programme in emergency care and paramedic training, www.emri.in

One stop website planned for students to get all college details

2008-11-26T18:26:00.001+05:30

Students will now get critical college details in one place.

1. HRD ministry asks colleges to disclose all details about themselves to help students.
2. Students trying to decide which colleges to apply will no have more information at their disposal.
3. Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) says it may like to make it mandatory for universities to display on their website, “critical details” about their affiliated colleges.
4. Technical and professional higher educational institutes are required to display, on their websites, certain critical information on enrolment, examination performance, physical facilities, human resources etc under mandatory disclosure norms.
5. It is an attempt to help students to make informed decisions about institutes and courses.
6. Mumbai University also recently asked its affiliated colleges to provide the information in the form of the minimum disclosure norms suggested by the ministry.
7. Colleges have to furnish all details, including year of affiliation and recognition, year of last accreditation and rating and whether it is a government-aided or unaided institute.
8. Colleges will have to give the name of each course (whether undergraduate, diploma or postgraduate, regular or self-financed), the annual fees and the selection procedure.
9. Colleges will also have to give details on the number of seats available, enrolment details, and the number of students who took the exam and passed and the total number who obtained a first division.
10. University says when the information is available at one place, students will be able to judge institutes for themselves, based on the strengths that a particular college emphasis.

Career in Hair styling - more details

2008-11-26T18:23:00.000+05:30

Career Details:
If you love people and would love to sort out hair issues this might be of interest to you. In an age dominated by the look-good factor this profession, which has already crossed the gender barrier, is only on the brink of the boom. Barbers and cosmetologists are also hairdressers and hairstylists; provide hair care services to enhance the look of consumers. Hair stylists offer beauty services such as shampooing, cutting, colouring, and styling hair. In addition cosmetologists may be trained to give manicures, pedicures, scalp and facial treatments, provide make-up analysis, clean and style wigs and hairpieces. To be a hair stylist one needs to be in sync with global trends, innovate yourself every time, update your techniques, build on your client loyalty, be willing to learn and have an instinct to know what will suit who. If one is interested in creatively playing around hair, this is the profession to stay in. The moolah is big and if one has the passion, it’s a lot of fun too

Career Growth: The Indian hair dressing industry is growing at close to 40% annually. As a hair stylist one can choose to work in salons, films, TV, fashion shows, photographic work for magazines, event managers and advertising along with teaching it too. Generally hair stylists start off in bigger beauty establishments. This profession is now open to both men and women. If one is good at his job, he might be fully booked. It might not be a fabulous start, but growth opportunities are plenty.

Remuneration: At the start of the career as a hair stylist the pay would not be too good at first. One shouldn’t expect more than Rs.10, 000/ at start. Later salary depends upon the quality of work done. This is one of those careers in which one can earn a lot but only in the long run. Hairstylists earn big buck abroad. An average hair cut in USA and UK is Rs.2000/ onwards and tips are huge too.

Advantages:
1. The biggest advantage of this course is that one can be one’s own boss.
2. One has the freedom to let his imagination run wild.
3. One of the best parts of the job is that, one is constantly meeting new and exciting people everyday.

Disadvantages:
1. The competition is cut throat and will get worse.
2. One needs to have a lot of patience with customers and try to exceed their expectations.
3. It takes only one bad hair cut to make a client of five years opt for the next salon
across the road.

Some well-known courses offered by Salons are:
1. Juice Hair Academy in Mumbai (Khar) conducts a kick-start course.
Duration: Four months full time course, five days a week, including internship of two months.
Seats: Seven to eight students
Fees: Rs.120, 000/
Contact: 26428751, 26669518

2. Raih Hair reinvented, Nepean Sea Road, Contact: 23635599

3.Yasmeen Irani (of Nalini and Yasmin)
Duration: Salon Training for 3 months, also offered full time refreshing course, for those who are looking for a refresher course.
Fees: Rs.1, 00,000/

4. Nalini has been training people in hair styling since four decades. Her classes are conducted in Bandra.
Duration: Four and a half months, full time course.
Fees: Rs.1, 65,000/
Contact: 9819409230

5. Schnell Hans has three salons-cum-schools at Mahim, Colaba, and Nepean Sea road.
Contact: 02222832499

CFA not to hold exams in India this year

2008-11-16T18:36:00.000+05:30

· Around 6,000 candidates from India, who are appearing for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams this year, will have to spend their own money to go abroad and appear for the exams since the US-based institute has decided not to hold the exams in India this year. The exams are scheduled for December 7 and only Level-I students will be appearing for it.

· The test centres will not be open in India for the December 2008 CFA exam even if permitted to do so by the Delhi High Court.
The CFA institute is embroiled in a legal battle with the technical education regulating body — All India Council for Technical Education. The CFA institute had filed a writ petition before the Delhi High Court in May 2007 — challenging the All India Council for Technical Education’s (AICTE’s) decision prohibiting the CFA programme in India. The case will now come up for hearing in December 2008.

Cygnus launches industry-academic collaboration programme

2008-11-14T20:19:00.001+05:30

Introduction:
Cygnus Business Consulting and Research has launched Cygnus Industry Academic Collaboration (CIAC) programme with leading business schools in India. As a part of this programme, Cygnus conducts hands-on career-oriented workshops (COW) for MBA students at the business school in key functional areas like
1. Business strategy,
2. Marketing strategy,
3. Sales management, and
4. Equity valuation,
5. Leveraging the skills and experience gained by Cygnus , while doing business consulting and research projects in India and abroad.
During the last one year, Cygnus has conducted a number of such programmes in areas of business strategy, and equity valuation for the MBA students in ICFAI business schools in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata and Mumbai, Recently Cygnus conducted a similar workshop for the PGDM students of Siva Sivani Institute of Management, Hyderabad. These programmes have helped the students to secure quality placements in areas like business consulting, equity research, business research, corporate finance and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO).

Objective: The objective of this programme is to make the MBA students industry-ready, by imparting the skills needed by the industry.

Details of the programme:
· Students will undergo career-oriented workshops (COW) for periods ranging from two to four weeks, wherein they are trained by Cygnus Senior Managers, on how to apply the knowledge, they gathered while studying MBA, in practice.
· Every student will be required to do hands-on projects in specific functional areas under the guidance of Cygnus Managers.

Fees:
Under the CIAC, fee structure is Rs.10,000/, every student will be required to do hands-on projects in specific functional areas under the guidance of Cygnus managers. Besides, they will be trained on business research tools like information search and business analysis as well as essential soft skills like business communication and presentation, he added.

Career prospects in Aerospace Engineering

2008-11-09T21:36:00.000+05:30

Overview about:
Aerospace Engineering encompasses aeronautics and space science. The increasing efforts and resources being invested in it ensures that employment potential is increasing at an exponential rate. The course offers good knowledge of the legal system and psychosocial concepts involved in addressing crime and rehabilitating victims. NGOs that work in the areas of abuse, trafficking, prisoner welfare and human rights needs criminologists and their academic and practical know-how along with advance skills. The ability and willingness to engage constantly with government system is one of the primary requisites for a successful career in this field.

Future expectancy of global job Opportunities:
Today, in India most jobs are in the field of management and analysis. In the last couple of years, three or four major airlines companies have entered the Indian market. Hence, there is a huge job prospect in the field of civil aviation, especially the maintenance section. The airline industry is always looking for new aircrafts that are bigger, better, economical and environment friendly. The increasing efforts and resources being invested in space research in India and other countries ensures that employment is increasing at an exponential rate.

Eligibility:
Graduation in any stream of engineering.
· Out of civil, mechanical, electrical, computer electronics, chemical and other branches, mechanical engineering is the best choice if one wants to take up AE at MA masters level.
· For brighter career prospects, a PHD is a must.

Basic skills required:
· To pursue a course in Criminology, a student needs to have logical and analytical thinking capabilities.
· Good demand over English language is fundamental.

Careers in Aeronautical Engineering (AE):
Aerospace engineers can work in areas like:
· Designing
· Development and Maintenance in the field of aviation
· Space exploration and defence agencies etc.

Who’s hiring?
Most of the jobs available are with airlines like
1. Air India
2. Indian Airlines
3. Helicopter corporation of India
4. Flying clubs
5. Private Airlines
6. Government owned air service

Job prospects:
· AE offers job prospects in India an as well as abroad.
· Infact, many companies recruit directly from campus.
· Salaries in government or public sectors are around Rs.8, 000/ to Rs.10, 000pm, while I
· Private sectors it is decided by the management and usually ranges between Rs.8000 to Rs.15000/pm
· Engineering graduates with management degrees get a starting salary of Rs.10,000/ to Rs.40000/pm plus perks.
· A job with NASA can fetch a starting salary of US$ 100,000 to US$ 150,000/ for a beginner with the right credentials.

Institutes conducting course:
· IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), Mumbai, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Chennai,
· National Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, Dehradun
· Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh
· IISc (Indian Institute of Sciences), Bangalore

Post Graduation Diploma in Energy Management (PGDEM)

2008-11-09T21:34:00.000+05:30

Introduction to Energy Management:
This program was developed keeping in mind the requirements of energy and power sector. It's a 15-month Executive Diploma in Energy Management for working executives in power utilities, in collaboration with Ministry of Power, Government of India.

Objectives of the course:
· To discuss the salient features of various functional areas of management
· To facilitate awareness, understanding and implementation of key provisions of various enactments relating to power sector
· To select, train, and develop the best talent available in power sector units so that one can meet the challenge of developing and managing our power sector in India.

Duration: 15 months course

Eligibility:
· The Eligibility for the course is Graduation in any discipline recognised by AIU/AICTE
· Minimum 5 years of post qualification executive work experience in the power sector
· Age not more than 45 years.

Admission procedure:
· Multiple-choice type screening test
· Candidates qualifying in the test will have to appear for interview

Fees for the Course:
The fee for the course is approx Rs.4,16,000/

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
· Management Development Institute (MDI)

Contact Details: For further details log on to http://www.mdi.ac.in/

Medical Council Of India (Mci) Blocked All PG Courses In Bombay Hospital.

2008-11-09T21:33:00.000+05:30

· The Medical Council of India (MCI) recently asked the hospital to stop offering all Post Graduate Courses, the main reason being the age of its teaching faculty. The MCI has derecognized all Post Graduate Degree Courses taught at Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Science, Marine Lines, for the first time and has asked the institute not to conduct any admissions in 2009-2010.

· The Bombay Hospital might have the best pool of doctors in the country but the MCI thinks they are too old to teach.

· The MCI has also objected that none of the heads of departments have recognized degrees.

· The MCI’s contention is that most heads of departments at the Bombay Hospital are above 65 years of age. Another reason stated for the derecognition is lack of “infrastructure and facilities”

· MCI has turned down the Bombay Hospital attempts for recognition on some grounds or the other. The courses were being conducted only with the state’s approval.

Masters in Development Studies: Career in Development Studies

2008-10-11T21:28:00.002+05:30

Introduction:
Development Studies is a multidisciplinary branch of social science, formerly associated with the problems and solutions of developing nations. Social issues are complex. Therefore the domain of development studies has to be interdisciplinary, as well as unconventional. Development Studies have captured the curiosity of students, who want to be a part of the solution to emerging social and economic problems related to development. Development Studies includes a list of distinct social science fields, some of which are:
· Demography
· Geography
· Sociology
· Philosophy and Ethics
· Political history
· Politics
· International relations
· Women’s studies
· Ecology
· Pedagogy and many more

Eligibility:
· A student can pursue this course after completing Master’s degree
· Students from all streams can pursue development studies

Future Scope:
Considering the large number of social sciences that fall under development studies job opportunities also abound- both in India and Abroad. For a student with a degree in development studies, the industry offers several job opportunities, whether it is academic arena or government institutions, UN organisations, Social services, funding agencies, or in the Media.

Career Path:
1. Strategist,
2. Planner,
3. Theorist,
4. Teacher,
5. Programme Officer,
6. Consultant, It is best to work at a grass root level before becoming a full time consultant.

Remuneration:
The starting salary in this field depends upon the area of study, but overall, a student can earn quite well. The starting salary of a student with a degree in this subject could be around Rs.25000/

Institutes/Colleges:
1. Centre of Development Studies, Trivandrum http://cds.edu/
2. Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai http://www.mids.ac.in/
3. Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata http://www.idsk.org/
4. Society of Development Studies, New Delhi http://www.sdsindia.org/
5. Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai http://www.tiss.edu/

A Short Course in Mountaineering

2008-10-11T21:26:00.004+05:30

Introduction:

Anyone who loves the outdoors will want to grapple with the Himalayas some day. India has some of the best mountaineering course in the world.
The institute offers state of the art equipment, from boots and gloves to pick-axes. It’s run by the Indian Army, and the rigorous training ensures the trainees benefit immensely in terms of training and fitness. All the trainers have at least 10 peak ascents under their belt, as well as three Everesters. The Institute has been producing world-class mountaineers since 1965. Anyone interested in Mountaineering may do this short course as a hobby.

Duration: 28day course

Fees: Rs.5000/ for the basic course that includes training in rock climbing and negotiating various terrains.

Institute conducting the course:
Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, (Uttarkashi)

Contact details: Visit http://www.nmindia.org/

Personalised Training in Scuba Diving

2008-10-11T21:26:00.003+05:30

Introduction:

It’s the ultimate adventure at sea. Enter the womb of the oceans, a mesmerising and colourful world quivering with life. It’s a small basic course for all those who love adventure and would enjoy Scuba Diving.

Institutes conducting the training:
Planet Scuba India, Bangalore
It’s the country’s first inland training centre. One will get swimming pool lessons and a certificate. It also offers personalised scuba training in Lakshadweep, Goa, and the Andamans.

Fees: Rs.20,000/

Contact Details: Visit http://www.planetscubaindia.com/

Certificate Course in Ayurvedic Panchakarma

2008-10-11T21:23:00.001+05:30

Introduction:
Ayurveda is not only one of the oldest, but is also one of the most popular systems of healing. It’s being accepted across the world and this age-old system of healing can be a lucrative career option. Life, according to Ayurveda, is a combination of the senses, mind, body and soul. This system believes that human beings and nature should be in perfect harmony and that diseases occur when there is as an imbalance between the body's three humors: vata (nerve energy), pitta (catabolic fire energy) and kapha (anabolic nutritive energy). Restoration of this fundamental balance with the help of natural products is the main goal of this medicinal branch.

Eligibility:
Candidates must have cleared SSC and must be between 18 to 40 years of age

Duration:
6 months full time course

Career Path:
· Dieticians,
· Teacher and
· Panchakarma practitioner.

Admission procedure:
Strictly on personal interview with medical experts

Fees: Rs.3000/

Institute:
Madhavbaug Institute of Medical Education, Mumbai, Thane
Visit www.madhavbaug.org

Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics- Career in Applied Linguistics

2008-10-11T21:21:00.000+05:30

Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics can be pursued by candidates interested in a career in linguistics.

Eligibility:
Women graduates with minimum 50% from any stream

Duration:
2 Years

Focus:
1. Mass Communication
2. Education
3. Translation
4. Lexicography
5. Stylistics

Fees:
Rs.6,500/pa

Institutes/Colleges:
Department of Applied Linguistics, SNDTW University, Mumbai
Visit http://sndt.digitaluniversity.ac

Post Graduate Diploma in Special Education- Career as a Teacher

2008-10-11T21:20:00.001+05:30

Introduction:
· Special Education is education in multiple disabilities i.e. (physical and neurological)
· This course equips trainee teachers with appropriate knowledge and skills to teach children with any disabilities in both special as well as inclusive schools.
· Mainly the course focuses on spastic children.
· The society reaches out to children and young adults with multiple disability. It adopts a holistic approach to the child development. It consists of a special education centre, catering to education, therapy and recreation

Eligibility:
Graduates in any subject from a recognised university with minimum 50% marks

Duration:
15 months full time course

Career Path:
· Trainee teacher,
· Assistant teacher,
· Main teacher,
· Co-ordinator,
· Head of the sections,
· Principal

Recognised/Affiliated:
The course is affiliated to the university of Mumbai and is recognised by the Rehabilitation Council of India

Institutes/Colleges:
Spastics society of India, Mumbai (http://www.nrcissi.org/)

Wipro Academy Of Software Excellence (WASE) - Industry Academy Partnership

2008-10-09T12:57:00.001+05:30

Wipro Academy Of Software Excellence (WASE) - Promises Freshers to get more than a career at Wipro - An Introduction:

Wipro Technologies, in line with its innovative culture, started a pioneering initiative in the field of higher education through WASE - Wipro Academy of Software Excellence. By giving students the right kind of training, this program enables the students to prepare some of the best B.Sc, BCA, and BCM graduates to face the challenges of the dynamic Information Technology world.

Main features of the course:

Apart from equipping the students with necessary platform skills, behavioural skills and providing live project exposure, this program provides an opportunity to pursue an 8-semester (four years) off-campus collaborative MS Program with Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani (Rajasthan, India).

Eligibility:

· The WASE program is open only for fresh science (B.Sc.) graduates who have opted for Computer Science/Electronics, Physics, and Mathematics as subjects and BCA/BCM graduates.

· The students with at least 60% aggregate and with Mathematics as a subject in their +2/PUC are eligible to apply for this four-year program.

Admission Procedure:

The selection process comprises of Aptitude Test & Personal Interview

Duration:

4 years (8 semesters)

Placement / Career Path:

100% placement at Wipro

Contact Details: http://careers.wipro.com

Vestas Graduate Programme – (Industry-Academy Partnership)

2008-10-09T12:55:00.000+05:30

Introduction:

As the world’s leading supplier of wind power solutions, Vestas wind turbines reduce CO2 emissions by millions of tonnes every year. This Graduate Programme is a great entry to a challenging job at Vestas with global career prospects. You get to make a difference by using and developing your professional, theoretical and personal skills. The Graduate Programme is a great entry to an exciting, global career at Vestas. One gets the opportunity to work eight months at three different Vestas locations such as the US, China, India, Singapore, Australia, Spain, Poland, Germany, UK and Denmark. A great job can changes one’s life. By joining Vestas Graduate Programme one can kick-start their career and contribute to a sustainable tomorrow!

Duration: Two-year Graduate International Programme

Main features of the course:

· The two years are divided into eight-month modules which one will spend working in three different business units such as the US, China, India, Singapore, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, the UK and Denmark.

· As a Graduate one will work in one of Vestas’ three career tracks; Specialist, Project Management and Management During each of the three modules, one will take part in challenging projects working with different managers and colleagues from around the world.

· During the 4 global training camps, students will develop personal competences and strengthen your future career profile

Eligibility:

· One needs a master’s degree in Business or Engineering.

· The specific path of study the student has taken must match the position for which he/she is applying.

Placement / Career Path:

The global recruitment process for the Graduate Programme consists of two rounds.

1. The first round will be an assessment seminar. The seminar will consist of:

· Presentation skills

· Casework

· Tests

2. Second round is a personal interview. The interview will be conducted as a normal job interview.

How to Apply

· The Graduate Programme starts-up twice a year in March and September.

· Recruitment for the Graduate Team starting 1 March 2009 in the following countries:

Asia, Denmark, Europe, US

· One can only apply for a position in a country, where one holds a valid work or residence permit (not applicable for Europeans inside Europe).

· In order to be assessed for a Graduate position, one needs to send their motivated application relevant to the position, CV/resume and latest university papers showing the grades. All documents must be in English. Applications are received through the recruitment system.

Contact details: For further details click here.

Educational programmes for Career in Insurance Industry

2008-10-08T22:09:00.000+05:30

Institute of Insurance and Risk Management (IIRM)
· IIRM is a specialist Institution established by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) and the State Government of Andhra Pradesh
· They offer study programs to give breadth and depth of opportunity in the specialized fields of Insurance and Risk Management.
· Students are trained to be professionals who act and lead in their areas and who will make a difference in the world of insurance and risk management.
· IIRM is an affiliated Institute of CII, London.

IIRM offers International Post Graduate Diploma Courses:
1. The International Post Graduate Diploma in Life Insurance (IPGDLI)
2. The International Post Graduate Diploma in General Insurance (IPGDGI)
3. The International Post Graduate Diploma in Risk Management (IPGDRM)

A candidate can choose only one out of the above three courses

Eligibility:
· Graduates of any discipline including Engineers from any recognised University (with a minimum of 50% marks) or any professional qualification.
· Those having PG Qualification with 50% or more marks will be considered even if such candidates secure less then 50% in graduation.
· Candidates appearing for the final year examinations can also apply for provisional admission.

Duration: Full Time course- 1 year

Accreditation:
· All the above courses are accredited by Chartered Insurance Institute, London and
· Insurance Institute of India (III) Mumbai.

Course fees:
The fees of the course is Rs.2,00,000/

Admission procedure: Personal Interview

Contact Details: http://www.iirmworld.org.in

MBA (Organic Agriculture) – Career in Organic Agriculture

2008-10-08T22:06:00.001+05:30

Amity University now offers a course in Organic Agriculture designed to confer an MBA diploma on successful candidates.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is Graduation in Agriculture, Biotech, food and life sciences & allied areas (min 50%)

Duration: 2 yrs

Cost of the course:
· 1st year Rs.85,000/
· 2nd year Rs.1,27,500/

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
Amity University of Organic Agriculture http://www.amity.edu/

Placements: 100% placements guarantee

Approved/Recognised:
· Amity Universities are fully Government Recognised:
· Recognised by University Grants Commission (UGC)
· Approval by AICTE

Common Proficiency Test (CPT) for Chartered Accountancy goes online

2008-10-08T22:03:00.000+05:30

· Institute of chartered Accountancy of India (ICAI’s) entrance test goes online for the first time, in 11 cities this December.
· ICAI plans to hold it online on 7th December.
· The centres are, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Nagpur.
· Online Registration will take place from October 6th to 26th or when all seats for the online CPT are filled.
· According to ICAI students can choose only one option- either the online test, or the paper-based one scheduled for December 14th

Culinary Craft (Beyond Cooking) - Career Prospects in Culinary Craft

2008-10-05T15:29:00.002+05:30

The food industry offers career opportunities beyond cooking. If one is passionate about food, but don’t fancy spending innumerable hours in the kitchen various options are available. Careers related to food may not have been a student’s first option, but due to a combination of factors like young working population with evolved tastes, wealth of international exposure, Food and Beverage (F&B) industry in India is cooking up a storm. The F&B retail industry in India is estimated to be worth US$ 6million and has been growing at a rate of 35% pa for the last 2years.

Different opportunities beyond cooking:
A career in this industry is not just confined to cooking. Offshoots like
1. Food critiquing and writing,
2. Food styling,
3. Catering,
4. Food tasting and
5. Food photography are gaining in popularity

1. Food writer/ Critic:
Writing about food is a rewarding option for those with a combine passion for writing and learning. Food writing like all other writing aims to stimulate the senses of the reader, and involves more than just sharing a recipe.

Skills Required:
A food writer needs to constantly refine his skills and re-educate himself. One has to study everyday to keep up with the trends and be updated on food facts. It takes knowledge, hard work, consistent research, perseverance, an open mind, unwavering passion, in order to grow as a food writer. The career is ideal for those, who learn from observation.

Basic qualifications:
There is no formal training course to be certified as a food writer.

Career Prospects:
There are many opportunities for aspiring food writers.
· One could either join a publication as a full time journalist and specialise in food features or
· Freelance for publication
· One could even experiment oneself with blogging

Remuneration:
Food writing is a gratifying experience, but there is limited scope in terms of money unless you have a full time job with a publication.
· If you are an employee of a publication, as a full time journalist your salary will be approx as much as a MBA graduate would earn.
· As a freelancer, it depends on how much work you can do. Salary may be between Rs.1000/ for an assignment to five figure salary pm.

2. Food Photography:
Food photography involves bringing the magic of food alive. It isn’t easy to make wholesome food look appealing in a two-dimension photography. Photographs have very little time to shoot, because the food essentially looks good for just a few moments.

Basic qualifications:
Food is bit like micro landscape; one needs a strong sense of colour and composition and good photography skills. To be a good food photographer, knowledge about food, a good aesthetic sense, and patience and perseverance are must haves. One needs to have excellent aesthetic sense, as food has to be shot with props like crockery, table linen, and cutlery, among other things. There are no courses that offer a specialisation in food photography in India. A course in basic photography applies to food photography. After picking up the basics of photography and studio lighting, one can gain a better understanding of the subject. Personal initiative and practice will help in the long run.

Career Prospects:
A photographer’s clients could comprise hotels, restaurants, magazines, an advertising agencies. Competition isn’t very fierce. There is a shortage of good food photographers in Indian cities. One may approach lifestyle magazines, hotels, and ad agencies to showcase your work and earn assignments. The requirement for good visuals is definitely on the rise. There is a growing interest in exotic food. The future can only open more possibilities.

Remuneration:
· Food photographers are rarely hired as employees. The profession involves little investment on one’s part, as you need to own a professional camera and the right equipment.
· Payment for a day’s shoot is usually Rs.5000/ upwards.
· One may expect Rs.5000/ to rs.8000/ a day, to about Rs.50000/ to Rs.60000/ a day. But it depends upon your position in the market.

3. Food Styling:
A food stylist works hand in glove with the food photographer, preparing, placing, arranging and garnishing the food. Food styling is like make-up for food to make it look more appealing. A food stylist with over 10years of experience working as a chef and a food researcher and writer.

Basic qualifications:
Stylists check for thumbprints, lint and stray elements. It is the job of the stylist to cook, pick or select just the right thing for a photograph. Sound knowledge of international cuisines is a must. The ideal way to pursue a career in this field is to study Hotel Management, and use your knowledge about food and your aesthetic sense to make a mark in this niche area.

Career Prospects:
The media industry is booming, and lifestyle related domains like food will definitely grow in proportion. With new restaurants opening their doors, and businesses pumping more money into advertising efforts, there is no dearth of work for skilled photographers and stylists. The demand continues to rise.

Remuneration:
The job may demand little investment in terms of having a collection of classy crockery, cutlery and background material. Food stylists can expect a couple of thousand rupees for a day’s work. Once you’ve established your name in the food industry you can put your own price tag to your talent.

Conclusion:
A career in the food industry is not only gastronomically pleasing, but can also be economically rewarding and personally satisfying option, whether one opts to pursue Writing, Teaching, Styling or Catering.

Following institutes are included in our latest comparison Offering Hotel Management Course:
1) Oberoi centre of Learning and Development
1) Indian Institute of Hotel Management (Taj Group)
2) Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration
3) FHRAI Institute of Hospitality Management
4) Chef College
5) Monarch College
6) IASE University (Distance Learning)
7) Rizvi college of Hotel Management
8) Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hospitality Management
9) Global Institute of Management studies (GIMS)
10) Kohinoor College of Hospitality Management

Hotel Management College Comparison
Click here to read India’s first head-to-head comparison of Institutions offering Hotel Management course

Classical Dance Course – Career in Classical Dance

2008-10-05T15:24:00.002+05:30

Introduction to Classical Dance:
Classical Dance provides a holistic education in arts amidst a serene and inspiring natural environment cultivating a spirit of reverence. The faculty comprises of many experts who have studied here and cherish the ideals of these institutions. The institutions focus on:
Bharatanatyam,
Carnatic vocal and instrumental music,
The visual arts,
Traditional crafts and
Textile design,
Textual heritage,
Aesthetics,
History and philosophy.
Within a short span these institutions have been acknowledged as one of the premier institutions all over India for classical dance with renowned teachers on its staff. This course, in fact, has opened up excellent job opportunities due to its systematic and academic approach. With the Universities all over the country opening their own faculties of Fine Arts, these students stand excellent opportunities in the academic sphere as dance professors. The practical side of teaching is still being done in a traditional method; the theory is taken care of by academically trained dancers and professors. The university curriculum has added newer theoretical dimensions to the traditional practical training. The students are systematically taught the shastric sanction and basis of extant dance practice – an aspect which is of utmost importance if the purity of dance practice is to be maintained and comprehended, but which is today absent from the traditional method of training. At the post-graduate level, the students take comparative theory papers on aesthetics, world theatrical traditions etc. and gain teaching experience. They also take up topics for research / investigation. Most importantly the students are systematically taught to choreograph items on traditional framework.

Objectives of the course:
1. The chief aim of the course is to propagate the magnificent tradition of Indian Classical Dance in its pristine purity and to conduct research.
2. To create an institution for systematic training (of an International standard) in dance and to therefore create a high standard in dance, dance presentation and dance education in India.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is S.S.C. passed.

Duration:
The duration for the course is 2years.

Course Contents:
The comprehensive syllabus includes:
· Art & history of choreography
· Aesthetics-Indian & western
· Natya Shastra
· Mime & movement,
· Stage design & lighting
· Music design
· Costume design
· Classical & Contemporary Technique, Indian martial arts, Folk dance orientation,
· Allied arts in context
· Pedagogy
· Arts management
· Also students will have the opportunity to meet & interact with choreographers/
Companies, theatre, arts & media personalities.
· Fieldwork & internships with prominent artists

Styles:
· Bharata Natyam
· Mohini Attam
· Kath kali

Diploma/Certificate:
The course is Master of Fine Arts (Dance) M.F.A. (Dance) 2 years course after B.F.A.

Recognition (University Board):
The Classical dance course is recognised by the Universities (faculty of fine arts) of the respected cities conducting the course.

Career path:
The course has opened up excellent job opportunities due to its systematic and academic approach. With the Universities all over the country opening their own faculties of Fine Arts, these students stand excellent opportunities in the academic sphere as dance professors.

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
1. Natya Institute of Kathak & Choreography (N.I.K.C.)- http://www.natyamaya.in/
(Affiliated to the Bangalore University)
2. Nalanda Nritya kala Mahavidhyalaya -http://www.nalandadanceeducation.com/
(Affiliated to the Mumbai University)
3. Kalashetra Foundation- http://www.kalakshetra.in/
(Affiliated to the Madras University)
4. JG college of performing Arts
(Affiliated to Gujarat University)

Career prospects as Fund Manager or as Analyst:

2008-10-05T15:20:00.001+05:30

Introduction:

Once the private players kick off their operations from September, the total headcount of analysts at all levels will be around 500. Depending on the government’s policies and growth rate of the industry, the demand for professionals is likely to rise at around 25-30 per cent annually. Currently, investment avenues for pension funds are restricted to central and state government securities, special deposit schemes, bonds of public sector undertakings and public sector financial institutions, and certificates of deposit with banks. Experts think that the plan to have multiple fund managers for the scheme will help generate higher returns and bring about greater professionalism. This is a very specialised domain and only the best and the brightest operate here.

Overview about Job prospects:
This is an exciting opportunity up for grabs in the financial services sector. The recent decision of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to open fund management to three private sector fund managers—HSBC AMC (Asset Management Company), ICICI Prudential and Reliance Capital—has promised to deliver more jobs for fund managers and research analysts. Fund managers are in demand typically; pension funds invest long-term contractual savings in various financial instruments. As directed by EPFO, fund managers will not be able to invest in stocks. However, there is a proposal to allow fund managers to invest in equity
instruments as an option, thus, reducing the burden on the exchequer. The number of equity and debt researchers required by fund houses will largely depend on the government guidelines on the investment patterns. Until now, the state-run State Bank of India has solely managed EPFs, but the government now wants to foster competition and ensure higher returns for its 43 million subscribers. “Initially, the EPFO will ask the fund managers to manage the incremental deposits only.

Career Path: Research Analyst, Fund Manager, and Chief Investment Officer

Who’s hiring: Reliance Capital, ICICI Prudential, HSBC and SBI

Who’re they hiring?
1. Chartered Accountants (CAs),
2. Chartered Financial Analysts (CFAs), and
3. MBAs, preferably in Finance

At what levels:
· Junior Research Analyst,
· Research Analyst (over three years of work experience),
· Senior Research Analyst (5-6 years of work experience),
· Fund Managers (over 10 years work experience), and
· Chief Investment Officer (15 or more years of work experience)

Basic skills required:
· Graduation
· MBA (Finance) or Chartered Accountancy degree or Certified Financial Analyst

Remuneration:
Research Analysts can expect to start their career with a remuneration of about Rs.3-6 lakh per annum.

Animation Institutes not churning out industry ready professionals

2008-10-05T15:14:00.001+05:30

EduCircle recently came across an eye-opening article on state of the animation training industry. We caution all prospective candidates to verify the quality of course and placements before joining any institute.

The article runs as follows:
“Four years ago, there were 640 animation studios across the country. This number is now down to around 300, with UTV Toons being the latest to do so. Sources claim that Reliance ADAG-owned Big Animation recently laid-off a sizeable number of its pre-production artists.

In sharp contrast, animation-training institutes are thriving while their students are not always able to get jobs. In Pune alone, the number of training institutes is now 26 from a mere 10 two years ago. These institutes train almost 4,000 students in courses ranging from three to 20 months. The fees range from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh, depending on the duration of the course.

This translates into an annual turnover of Rs 100 crore for the training business. Most of the institutes have tie-ups with some overseas partners whose credentials cannot always be checked out. And most of these training institutes dangle the lollipop of guaranteed huge initial salaries, seemingly worthwhile for students to pay the fees.

The animation training industry is now sunrise sector as investors from sectors as diverse as real estate and jewellery have jumped into the industry. India’s education sector is seen as a $500-million opportunity. While the industry needs people with artistic skills, industry insiders say that training institutes focus solely on supplying people who know just tools.

As Rahul Bakshi, founder of the Pune-based studio, Phoebus, which produced the recently released animated movie Dashavatar, said, “The training courses at these institutes add little value to the students, which is very disappointing. Many students from these institutes have applied to us but they failed even our basic test.”

Sesha Prasad, digital production manager, Rhythm & Hues — a studio which has worked on films like Narnia, Superman Returns, Garfield 2, etc — said, “Some institutes are doing good work, but the predominant issue for us is that students get taught just the tools. Institutes merely focus on teaching software, which is a short-term solution for many people. Internationally, people train at art schools and joins such institutes to pick up additional skills in software. What is needed is an artistic foundation, which is the fundamental, before they get into learning these tools. Many studios use their own proprietary tools. So the institutes should focus on fundamentals and not the tools.”

The long-term courses of these institutes at least teach some basics, while short-term courses add no value to the student, remarked Sudish Rambhotla, chairman, Colorchips New Media, a Hyderabad-based animation production-company.

“Some institutions give good education while some are trying to make a quick buck. The long-term courses at least teach some basics, while short-term courses add no value.” Mr Rambhotla added that at the time of recruitment, his company looks only for people who have inborn artistic skills.

“We prefer fine arts students since they are productive with just six months of training. A student from an animation institute would need two to two-and-a-half-year of training. However, most of the studios, including ours, have employed excellent artists who have not even completed school education,” he commented.”

- Source Economic Times

Crisil Certified Analyst Programme (CCAP) – Career as a Analyst

2008-10-05T15:01:00.002+05:30

Introduction:
CRISIL Certified Analyst Programme (CCAP) is conducted by CRISIL (a Standard & Poor company) to bridge the gap of industry requirement and college education. It is one of the best alternatives to traditional finance programmes, which lead to a career in security research. The minimum eligibility is graduation in any stream, with guaranteed placement at CRISIL and above all the course fees is nil (Crisil only charges a one time application fees of Rs.1,000/-).

CRISIL Certified Analyst Programme is a two-year intensive entry-level programme. It combines coursework, job assignments and interactive seminars that equip the learner with exceptional financial and business skills. The programme is aimed at developing world-class financial professionals for Analyst positions in CRISIL.

Main features of the course:
The CCAP structure has been arrived at after a thorough research of the existing curriculum of MBA, CA, CFA and ICWA programmes apart from the Indian and global business needs. It encompasses equipping interns with the capabilities enumerated above, in addition to providing hands-on, on-the-job training. This ensures that each CCAP intern is highly capable of succeeding within CRISIL as well as elsewhere in the industry.

Eligibility:
The minimum requirement for admission to the Programme is:
. A bachelor's degree with at least 50 percent marks or the equivalent Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Candidates appearing for the final bachelor's degree/equivalent examination may also apply.
. The candidate must have appeared for CAT or XAT. In case the candidate has not appeared / applied for any of these exams, they will be required to appear for the CRISIL Aptitude Test that is usually held in March.
. The candidate should not be more than 27 years of age.

Batch Size: 75 students

Programme Location: Mumbai

Programme Structure:
The two-year programme comprises four semesters, with two semesters in each year. During the first month of the programme, the student will attend classes full time (Monday to Friday) to complete the fundamental courses in finance as part of the induction process. Once the induction process is completed, the classes will be held twice a week (9 AM to 6 PM on Fridays and Saturdays). On other week days (Monday to Thursday), the students will work in assigned business units of CRISIL as part of the Internship.

The programme will cover 24 subjects in finance, in addition to courses in communication, language and personality development. The programme uses a continuous evaluation process to assess the learning outcomes of the various courses.

Fees:
CRISIL does not charge any course fees for the programme apart from the application fees of Rs.1,000/-.

Placement / Career Path:
On successful completion of the programme, candidates are guaranteed placement within CRISIL on the levels of management trainees.

For further details and enquiry log on to http://www.crisil.com/ccap/index.html

Masters in Arts/Science Disaster Management: Career in Disaster Management

2008-09-17T22:16:00.002+05:30

Introduction to Disaster Management:
The recent Ahmedabad and Delhi blasts re-underlined the urgent need for disaster management in our country. The Disaster Management is emerging globally as a full-fledged academic discipline. People from diverse backgrounds including relief workers, engineers, social scientists, or medical professionals have worked in disaster management. This has facilitated the growth of disaster management as a substantive field. However, as a field of practice, it demands specialisation to meet with the dynamic challenges posed by disasters. The course teaches you about relief as a long-term process and building the strength of people who have been affected. The course teaches to address people and their vulnerabilities with respect to their root cause. This course is aimed at mid-career professionals who are already a part of an NGO or work in government centres as well as fresher who wish to seek a holistic understanding of disaster management.

Objectives of the course:
The Master's programme is designed:
· To include thematic and issue-based courses related to aspects such as the relationship between environment, livelihood and disasters, institutional building and governance, inequalities and social exclusion, local knowledge systems and disaster management.
· The course will also endeavour to cultivate appropriate values, a strong multidisciplinary knowledge base and skills essential for intervention in disasters and their prevention.
· Students will develop expertise in select areas such as logistics and supply chain management, public health, information and communication, peace, conflict and human security and so on.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is Graduation

Duration:
One year full time course (four semesters)

No. Of seats: 30 seats

Certificate/Diploma:
M.A./M.SC. In Disaster Management

Admission Procedure:
Group Discussion, Personal Interview

Career Options:
As an emerging field, the need for qualified personnel within disaster management is high. Students who graduate with this degree will find opportunities in the development sector with government and non-government organisations, with consultancy firms, or could go on to pursuing research, training and teaching careers.

Institutes/ Colleges:
The college/Institutions conducting Disaster Management course is Tata Institute of Social Sciences. For further Information log on to:
http://www.tiss.edu

MBA (Forestry Management) - Career in Forestry Management

2008-09-16T22:18:00.002+05:30

MBA (Forestry Management) or Post Graduation Diploma in Forestry Management (PGDFM):
Introduction to Forestry Management:
The Indian Institute of Forest Management IIFM) is a sectoral management Institute, which constantly endeavours to evolve knowledge useful for the managers in the area of Forest, Environment and Natural Resources Management and allied sectors. It disseminates such knowledge in ways that promote its application by individuals and organizations.

Objectives of the course:
· To provide training in management and related subjects for persons from the Indian Forest Service, Forest Departments, Forest Development Corporation and Forest related industries with a view to equip them to practice the art and profession of management of forestry development.
· To inculcate an appreciation in those selected for training, that conservation is of overriding importance in the management of living natural resources and that the primary role of forests is the vital ecological and environmental purpose they serve.
· To select and prepare outstanding and talented young persons for careers leading to management responsibility in forestry and the forest-related system.
· To meet the need of Indian forestry and forest-related industry and commerce in respect of up to-date information on forestry management through research, consulting and publication.

Duration: Two-year full time course

Eligibility:
The Eligibility for the course is Graduation with minimum 50% marks.

Fees for the Course:
The fees for the course is approx Rs.3,00,000/

Career Options:
The key organizations that recruited students are:
These organizations represent a wide range of sectors ranging from the forestry & environment to the rural & micro-finance as well as the private and the public sector.
· Olam International
· HDFC Bank
· ICICI Bank
· Aditya Birla Group
· IMRB International
· IFMR
· SKS Micro finance
· Indian Oil Corporation Ltd
· Development Credit Bank
· IMS Learning Resources
· FINO Ltd

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
The institute conducting Forestry Management course is:
Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM)

Recognition/Approved:
· An autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India.
· Approved by AICTE and AIU

Placement Guarantee: 100% Placement assistance

Remuneration: The average salary is approx. rs.7.2lakhs pa

Admission procedure:
IIFM will only use Cat score for short-listing the candidates. IIMs have no role to play either in the selection process or in the conduct of the programme.
Fill up the application form
Lastly GD and Interviews to short-list the candidates.
Contact Details: For further details log on to http://www.iifm.ac.in

Career prospects as Retail Visualiser

2008-09-11T21:45:00.001+05:30

Overview about Retail Industry:

The retail success story in India has spurred demand for merchandisers. “Retailers are now discovering new and lucrative markets in Tier II & Tier III cities. All retail chains, large format stores and large brands are already on the lookout for retail merchandisers to back up their expansion plans.

Future expectations of job opportunities:
A recent study by Institute of Apparel Management put the size of the world Retail market at a possible $60-75 billion (Rs.2, 40,000/-3,00,000crore) by 2011-12.

Qualifications:
1. Mainly for the retail course, eligibility is graduation (in any stream). This is the eligibility in almost all colleges.
2. Only a few colleges prefer 10+2 (HSC, Matriculation), while a few prefer 2years of work experience.

Career ladder:
1. Fashion Merchandiser
2. Buyer in Retail Outlets
3. Frontline Supervisor
4. Frontline manager

At what post are they hiring: Mostly at the beginner and middle levels. In some cases, at the level of general manager and vice president

Remuneration: Rs.2.5-3 lakh p.a. at the beginner level, Rs.4.5-5 lakh pa for middle level professionals, depending on qualification and experience

Who’s hiring: Thomas Cook, Cox & Kings, Kuoni Travel, Club Mahindra, Raj Travels, and Mercury Travels. Online players including makemytrip.com, yatra.com, travel.indiatimes.com, cleartrip.com, ezeego1.com

Who're they hiring? Any graduate (with or without MBA in Retail Management) with excellent communication skills; 3-8 years experience in retail

Institutes conducting Retail management course:
1. Welingkar
2. KJ Somaiya
3. Chetana
4. Sasmira Retail and many more

For further details about Retail Management course click here to read India’s first head-to-head comparison of Institutions offering Post Graduation in Retail Management.

To read about careers in Retail, click here.

As part of the job, merchandisers are responsible for ensuring that products appear in the right store at the right time and in the right quantities. This involves working with the buying teams to accurately forecast trends, plan stock levels among others.
This has created a tremendous demand for trained professionals.
Hence, all retail chains, large format stores and large brands are already on the lookout for retail merchandisers to back up their expansion plans,

A recent study by Institute of Apparel Management put the size of the world retail market at a possible $60-75 billion (Rs 2,40,000-3,00,000 crore) by 2011-12.

Career prospects for Airport Integrator

2008-09-11T21:44:00.001+05:30

Overview about Job prospects: With mega airport projects coming up across the country through the public private partnership model, (Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi) and greener field airports planned, airport integrators are in demand by the infrastructure turnkey companies who have acquired the rights to these airports. International airports and the smaller ones coming up across the country would need airport integrators. Airport integrators are required to laicise with software product development companies to bring down turn around time for activities like landing, boarding among others. A small and big airport projects mushrooming across the country would have one thing in common—an Airport Integrator

Career Path: An Airport Integrator

Who’s hiring: Infrastructure turnkey companies like L&T, GMR, Emaar

Who’re they hiring: MBAs and Postgraduates who have worked with international airports for five-to-seven years.

At what levels: Senior levels

Basic skills required: CEO-level post requires the skills of planning and decision-making. Bigger players are looking for integrators with experience abroad.

Remuneration: Close to Rs.1crore or more per annum for somebody who has worked as an Airport Integrator in any of the top five airports globally.

Career prospects in Agri-Business

2008-09-11T21:37:00.001+05:30

Overview about Agri-Business:
A number of retail players are getting into packaged food, fresh produce, and dairy products. They are making a beeline for various agricultural universities and specialised educational institutions to hire fresh graduates. Graduates with technical knowledge on Agri-sourcing are the most preferred ones as retailers look to streamline the procurement of produce, ensure quality and have an efficient back-end.
The new recruits bring with them knowledge of the segments; retailers are training them to understand and integrate the backend with the front-end of retailing. Additionally, understanding price movements of commodities and the vagaries of the business are of utmost importance to them. It is not that retailers are just picking up fresh graduates from universities and putting them straight into jobs. They are also training them to understand the functioning of local Agri bodies, consolidators and farmer communities, thus, helping them align their classroom learning with the technical know-how retailers have acquired from running operations. Over the last three years, job opportunities for people with an agricultural background have multiplied in this sector. Apart from knowing how to source commodities, the professionals are required to have a good understanding of category management. Given their technical background, they play an important role in ensuring an efficient back-end.

Who’s hiring: Some active recruiters are
· Reliance Fresh
· Subhiksha
· Wal-Mart
· Spencer’s
· Food Bazaar and
· Spinach.

Who’re they hiring: MBAs (Agri Business), Graduates and Postgraduates in Agriculture. Graduates in Science and related subjects and B.Techs in Agriculture Engineering are also in demand.

At what levels: At all levels. Junior, middle (with six or more years of experience), and senior level (10 or more years of work experience). There’s greater demand for entry level/senior executives.

Remuneration:
· Rs.4-6 lakh p.a. at junior levels;
· Rs.8-10 lakh p.a. at middle levels; and
· Rs.30-50 lakh p.a. plus perks and other benefits at senior levels.

For further details about Agri-Business course click here

B- Schools latest offering exclusively for women: Entrepreneurship Course

2008-09-11T21:34:00.001+05:30

A brief view of the course:

There are women who have the potential to grow their own business, but lack the means and skills. The initiative has been launched to create managerial capabilities, support and empower women entrepreneurs. Women are usually better managers, as they understand reality, respond well to challenges and the general tendency of women entrepreneurs is to employ more women. Women entrepreneurs are taught how they can manage important positions along with their family responsibilities. Things do not end at graduation or marriage for women today, as they want to seek further education, better career opportunities and want to make a mark. Entrepreneurship and business is no longer a man's domain." The course integrates business management with entrepreneurship. This helps in successful management of small and medium scale enterprises and family-owned businesses. It also infuses managers in the corporate sector the entrepreneurial spirit. Women prefer to learn and patiently build their business step by step instead of facing a lot of failures. Also, women tend to come with a variety of innovative businesses. Self-employed women in the rural sector have a major impact on society. Training and educating a woman will make her independent, ensuring that her children will be educated and healthy.

B-schools in the country have initiated programmes intended to churn out women entrepreneurs.

Eligibility:
The programme targets middle-income women with at least twelve years of formal schooling, between 20-50 years of age, comfortable in English and having some knowledge of the business that interests them will be an advantage

Admission Procedure:
Written test, personal interview, selection process

Colleges/Institutions:
Some institutions conducting this course are listed below:
1. Indian Institute of Bangalore (IIM-B), http://www.iimb.ernet.in/
2. Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad http://www.isb.edu/
3. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai, http://www.nmims.edu/

Duration:
1. IIM-B: Six-week programme, including two weeks of business plan presentation,
2. NMIMS: Three-month special management programme called ‘Enterprise Training for Women (ETW)

Fees:
IIM-B: The programme fee is Rs.17,000/ for non-residential students and Rs.25,000/ for residential students."

Working from Home - Starting a career from home

2008-09-11T12:39:00.003+05:30

Introduction:
One should choose a home-based business that allows flexibility and convenience. And apart from the fact that you can be your own boss, it can also be rewarding in terms of money and pride. Stay-at-home careers have been the preferred way to earn a living for those who like to set their own hours and be their own boss, mothers of young children, anyone who thinks commuting is a waste of time and those who like to avoid office politics. There are plenty of opportunities to earn from home and while some might involve a little travel, it might not be a daily affair. Even if you earn little initially, the quality of life should make up for the loss of income. Take a look at the following options for home-birds:
· Online tutoring or internet jobs
· Freelance writer
· Share brokers/online traders
· Designers
· Cartoonist
· Boutique owner
· Placement agency
· Wrap it
· Event planning

Online tutoring - There are part time (four hours) and full time (nine hours) jobs for qualified Teacher with computer and communication skills. The subjects in demand these days are Maths, English, Physics, Statistics, Chemistry, and Biology. One can earn from Rs.8000/ to Rs.30,000/pm

Freelance writer - For a freelance writer one needs good writing skills, and this career is also for people who cannot afford to work in a nine to five job? Many industries require god writers like, the PR industry, journalism etc. In this one can use their writing skills and can earn from Rs.8,000/to Rs.50,000/

Share brokers/online traders - Earn a lot of money by share trading, just clear the NCFM (CAPITAL MARKET) exam and you can start trading. You can rake in Rs10,000/ to 1,00,000 per-month depending upon the commission of the clients.

Designers – One needs to have creative skills and creative aptitude, to become a designer. Designers are required in different fields like cloth designing, crockery designing, interior designing etc. You can also design different bags, home accessories and work from your home. One can earn approximately Rs8000/ to 20,000/ per-month depending upon the clients.

Baby care/crèche - If you love kids and love spending time with them then you can open your baby day care crèche. There are many working mothers for whom such an arrangement is a good source of income. While sitting at home and spending time with kids, you can earn Rs.5,000/ to Rs.20,000 pm

Cartoonist - Animators and cartoonists are basically illustrators, who draw pictures and cartoons to amuse, educate and persuade people. If you are a good cartoonist you can earn Rs.20,000/ to 70,000 a month.
Boutique owner - If you are a fashion designer but can't leave your house, consider opening your own boutique and earn Rs.10,000 to 50,000 pm

Placement agency - If you network, you can earn up to Rs1lakh per-assignment. Many booming spectres in the economy, particularly IT, ITes, insurance, retail and banking, have manpower scarcity. If you tie up with institutes to organise their campus placement (such as www.campusconnect.com) or get databases of people looking for jobs and help organisations find the right people, you can make a fat packet.

Resale - Buy cheap, mark up the prices, and make a profit. Depending on what you decide to sell (and your neighbourhood), you can make anything upwards of Rs.10,000 a month. And the buying need not be a problem; frequent auctions, garage sales and sales by embassies or large companies can get you almost anything for half the value.

Wrap it - Offer a gift-wrapping service, either in association with a neighbourhood retailer or on your own. You can earn Rs.8,000 to 30,000 a month, depending on the demand and your offering.

Event planning - It is a good business idea especially if you manage everything. All the extras such as invitations, banners and balloons can be prepared at home. Networking with the business community can help you get a lot of work. You could make up to Rs1lakh for every event.

This list is indicative and many other jobs can also be done out of home. Decide what you can do, how much time you can spare, and then go for it. You'll never miss the nine to five grind.

Masters in Biotechnology - College Comparison

2008-09-09T22:27:00.001+05:30

Educircle team has prepared a comparison of various colleges offering Masters in Biotechnology course in India. This should serve as a guide to candidates who wish to pursue their career in Biotechnology.
Click on the image below to read the comparison table:

Masters (Tech) in Biotechnology – Career in Biotechnology

2008-09-09T22:25:00.000+05:30

Introduction to Biotechnology:
Biotechnology is the interdisciplinary frontier between biology, engineering, medicine, and plant science. Biotechnology is the use of advances in molecular biology for application in human and animal health, agriculture, environment and specially biochemical manufacturing. Biotechnology is the collection of tools, and is about, problem solving, where experts from different disciplines collaborate to find a solution to an identified problem, such as pest control, nutritional enhancement, an improved drug, a vaccine or any antibody. Biotechnology is not a single subject, but is really an integrated approach using a conglomerate of several disciplines such as botany, zoology, microbiology, biochemistry and chemistry, molecular biology, genetics, plant breeding, pharmacology, medicine, information and computer science and others. A career in Biotechnology is not just a job. It is participation in then development of new products and processes that could improve the quality of human life as much as any other discovery. Biotechnology is the ‘Biological Revolution’

Objectives of the course:
· Ability to understand the interface of Biology and Engineering;
· Ability to design experiments involving live organisms, perform and control such experiments and interpret results obtained;
· Ability to identify, formulate and solve biotechnology related problems in healthcare, agriculture, environment and energy sectors;
· Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, chemistry, biology and engineering in an engineering problem-solving framework;
· Ability to assess new biomaterials and bio-processing techniques for improving efficiency or reducing pollution;
· Ability to use IT tools effectively in biotechnology processes for information processing, storage, transfer, retrieval and display and in the use of virtual reality environment for education and research;
· Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
· Ability to work harmoniously in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams;
· Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
· Appreciation of the need for and ability to engage in life-long learning;
· Ability to transfer laboratory results for large scale commercial production; and
· Understanding of IPR and its implications on protecting local innovations as well as the competitiveness of Indian biotechnological products

Eligibility:
1. Students who have passed /appeared for the 10+2 level examination with science subjects, conducted by Maharashtra State Board of Higher Secondary Education (H.S.C.) or various equivalent Boards in other states of India, CBSE or other equivalent Central boards are eligible for applying for admission to this course.
2. The minimum percentages of marks at the 10+2 level examination are:
o 60% for open category students and 55% for the students belonging to reserved category (having domicile in Maharashtra state)

Diploma/Degree:
M- Tech in Biotechnology

Duration:
M- Tech in Biotechnology is 2years full time course.

Course Contents:
The course contents are listed below:
· Basics and Developmental Biology
· Biophysics and Biological Chemistry
· Biomathematics and Bio statistics
· Concepts of Molecular Biology
· Biological and Chemical Techniques
· Biotechnology: Applications and Advances
· Microbiology and Bioprocess Technology
· Immunology
· Enzyme Technology
· Environmental Biotechnology
· Bio informatics and Plant molecular Biology
· Molecular Biology
· Recombinant DNA Technology
· Plant Tissue Culture
· Animal Tissue Culture
· Molecular Modelling and Drug Design
· Industrial Biotechnology
· Advanced Analytical Techniques
· Molecular Genetics and Advances in Genetic Engineering
· Frontier Technology in Bioscience

Remuneration:
Biotechnology engineering graduates may expect a salary package of Rs.3,00,000/ pa

Career Options:
Job opportunities are in the research and development departments of pharmaceutical and fermentation companies as well as within
· Horticulture
· Food science
· Commerce
· Healthcare technology and
· Teaching

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
The institutes/colleges conducting Biotechnology courses are listed below:
· Padmashree Dr.D.Y.Patil University's (http://dypatil.in/)
· Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (http://www.jiit.ac.in/)
· Thadomal Shahani Engineering college (http://www.tsec.edu/)
· SRM University (http://www.srmuniv.ac.in/)
· Institute of Bio informatics & Biotechnology (http://www.unipune.ernet.in/)
· Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (http://www.iitr.ac.in/)
· VIT University, Vellore (http://www.vit.ac.in/)

Admission procedure:In most the colleges/institutions admissions are through entrance tests.

Career prospects in Banking

2008-08-24T22:11:00.000+05:30

Career prospects in Banking:
The public banks are expected to grow at 10-15% and private banks at a slightly higher rate. In 2009 foreign banks in India will expand rapidly as branch licensing will be liberalised by the RBI in keeping with the WTO commitments. Projected recruitment this year is 30000, by next year is 55000 and by 2010 is 75000.

Qualifications:
Public Banks- 10+2(HSC) 60% or graduates can apply for the post of clerk.
To become a probationary officer, 60% at the graduate level is mandatory
Private Banks- 50% to 60% for the post of junior officer/executive and 60% for the post of probationary officer in graduate level exam.
CAs and MBAs are directly recruited at Deputy Manager or Manager level.

Remuneration:
Public Banks per month: Rs.6,000/(clerical) to Rs.30,000/(managerial) and annual increments at predetermined rates.
Private Banks per month: Rs.7,000/(clerical) to Rs.45,000/(managerial) and 10% to 60% of the salary is given as performance bonus.

Career ladder:
75% of new recruiters will be clerks or junior officers/executives, or probationary officers, or assistant managers.

Institutes conducting Banking course:
The institutes are listed below:
1. The Indian Institute of Banking and Finance
2. The Institute of Finance Banking and Insurance
3. ICICI Bank tie-ups with 50 Indian colleges/institutes for certificate course
4. The National Institute of Bank Management

Hair Styling Course – Career in Hair Styling

2008-08-24T22:08:00.001+05:30

Introduction to Hair Styling:
About Streax (Head Turner)- Hair Styling Academy and Studio
Streax (Head Turner) unisex salon offers all Hair Styling and other beauty services like hair colouring, hair cutting, rebonding, hair treatments etc. This Hair Styling Course is launched by Streax (Head Turner)

Eligibility:
There is no eligibility for this course. One may do this course as per one’s interests in the field.

Duration:
Streax Studio offers one-day courses on different types of Hair Styling.

Course Contents:
Streax (Head Turner) provides enthusiasts with various hair styling courses of international standard like:
· Hair cutting,
· Advance hair cutting,
· Basic colouring,
· Advance colouring,
· One-day course on grooming.

Courses Available:
· Hair cutting studio- Hair Cutting
· Advance Hair Cutting- Barbering
· Basic Hair Colouring
· Advance Hair Colouring
· Crash course in hair and colour
· Fun colours fast track programme
· One day look and learn in cuts and colours
· One day course in chemical treatments, like rebonding, perming, and smoothening
· One day look and learn make-up seminar
· Bridal make-up and party make-up

Career Options:
· Hair Stylist

Contact details:
For appointments and Course Admissions call Ms Jaya- 9819477036/ 02226374422, Mumbai.

MBA (Sales) - Eureka Forbes launches Career in Sales as E4

2008-08-24T22:06:00.001+05:30

Eureka Forbes launches Career in Sales as E4:
· E4 is Eureka Forbes initiative, which will help to re engineer the sales domain.
· Salesman and Hawkers not allowed is a notice that denounces sales as a career. E4 development and coaching presents a challenge to undo this scenario and re brand it.
· E4 is in association with educational institutes all over India.

Advantages of the course:
· The Career in sales is promising and will trail upwards if one has an excellent base in selling.
· A sales person is not just a front seller who sells things, he’s a link between the product and the customer.

Basic Skills required:
· A sales person needs to be physically active.
· He must possess strong analytical skills; team building strategy and tenacity are essential.

Sales v/s Marketing:
· The two terms sales and marketing are considered to mean the same thing. Sales are a subset of marketing.
· Sales involves personal interaction with customers, and a need to reach out to them with the product; whereas marketing is more about market research, advertising etc
· Sales person needs to understand the consumer psyche, without it no business will survive.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is Graduation in any discipline

Duration:
The duration for the course is 2 year full time course, will have 160 days of classroom combined with industry experience at Eureka.

Diploma/Certificate:
The course is the Sales Business Administration (SBA) programme is an MBA in sales.

Placement Assistance:
· Assured placement for students securing 60% and above.
· 5 deserving students to be allotted scholarships.

Admission procedure:
Walk in interview and counselling sessions with partner institutes.

Remuneration:
For a sales executive in Retail, pharmaceutical, or any other sector, remuneration will begin on a scale of Rs.3 to 5lakhs.

Institutes tied up with E4:
IES Management College and Research Centre, Bandra
Institute of Management Training and Research (IMTR), Aurangabad
Pacific Institute of Management, Udaipur
Dr DY Patil Institute of Management Studies, Navi Mumbai
Institute if Corporate Management, Jaipur

Contact details:
For further details log on to www.E4india.com

Career prospects in Travel and Tourism

2008-08-21T23:04:00.001+05:30

Overview about Travel and Tourism:
Travel Management refers to all activities involved in planning and organising a tourism trip. It has two major aspects-tour operations (accommodation, sightseeing) and travel services (reservations, bookings, transportations car rentals). Tourism is round the clock business. Employment is seasonal to an extent, as requirement for tourism professionals increases during the holidays and decreases when schools are on.

Future expectations of job opportunities:
By 2010 Tourism will generate an additional 25 million jobs. At least one in every 15 working people in India will have a job in the Tourism sector. It will probably be the next big boom for India. International tourism visits are expected to double from 800 million in 2008 to1.6 billion by 2020. Tourism has the capacity to bring in foreign exchange without exporting, country’s wealth.

Basic skills required:
· Enthusiasm and the ability to interact with different people are prerequisites for success in this sector.
· Professionals must also have knowledge of history, art, culture, architecture, landscapes and terrains.
· Passion for travel, curiosity about local customs, traditions and the flexibility to adapt to varied situations and climate is a must.

Qualifications:
Minimum requirement for entry is Graduation

Career ladder:
Qualified professionals can work as:
· Tourism Department Officers
· Travel Agents and Tour Operators
· Tour facilitators
· Interoperates
· Transport service Providers
· Publishers of travel Brochures, tourism packs and cd’s
· E travel service providers etc
Within the industry the areas one can work in are:
· Eco tourism
· Historical tourism
· Cultural tourism
· Wildlife tourism
· Pilgrimage tourism
· Heritage tourism
· Health tourism

Institutes conducting Travel and Tourism course:
· Kuoni Academy of Travel
· NMIMS University
· SNDT Women's University
· Sophia Polytechnic
· Garware Institute of Career Education and Development
· Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel
· Annamalai University (Tamilnadu)
· International Air Transport Association (IATA)

For further details about Travel and Tourism course click here to read India’s first head-to-head comparison of Institutions offering the Travel and Tourism course.

Career prospects in Printing and Packaging

2008-08-19T22:40:00.003+05:30

Overview about Printing and Packaging course:
50 years ago, people who did not have any other meaningful job saw packaging as a job. There is a great demand for a packaging professional in just about every industry. Indian packaging sector is growing at a rate of 12% pa. The need to harness specialised skilled packaging professionals is enormous. India has immense potential in terms of talent. A trained individual will not only have knowledge, but can also be instrumental in formulating new innovations, contributing to the industry as a whole. The Institutes are striving its best in this direction since its inception through various activities covering Applied Research, Training and Education, Information Services, Testing, Quality Control facilities, Package Development, Feasibility projects, Graphic design, Data centre, Technical and Techno Commercial publications in the field of packaging. Packaging, today, is recognized as a need for industrial growth and economic development of the country. An integrated component of any system, packaging also plays a vital role in the product distribution and marketing. Packaging encompasses every conceivable product, material and science. It provides an opportunity to learn and innovate continuously. It is more interesting and challenging as the human race does not want what was yesterday, cannot accept what is today for tomorrow and what is needed for the morrow is one's ability to perceive. That probably is the niche-, which arouses the curiosity and acts as a catalyst to innovations-materials, forms, processes, technologies and systems.

Future expectations of global job opportunities:
With companies increasing their marketing budgets considerably and Consumer being their primary focus, the emphasis on good packaging is increasing. The Indian economy has grown exponentially, more than 8.5% growth a year since 2003 and is expected to continue. Today’s consumer is not willing to buy what he bought yesterday, the package of the product; one of the first means of communication from the manufacturer to the consumer, has become a vital marketing tool.

Objectives of Printing and Packaging course:
1. To make India a Focal Point for Contemporary Developments in Art, Science, Technology and Engineering in the Field of Packaging.
2. To stimulate consciousness of good packaging;
3. To undertake and promote study, Research and Development in packaging and package design
4. To recommend standards for packages, packaging materials, processes and equipment;
5. To test, evaluate and certify packages, packaging systems, packaging materials, equipment and processes;
6. To provide consultancy services on packaging problems;
7. To study packaging for export commodity wise and country wise and suggest measures to authorities concerned for effecting improvements.
8. To analyse the implication of a sound policy on packaging on domestic production, domestic consumption and domestic prices;
9. To study methods and procedures of incentives appropriate for development of packaging;
10. To analyse the institutional framework most conducive to the promotion of packaging;
11. To study the packaging requirements with special reference to transport by road, water, rail and air;
12. To study the impact of packaging on marketing;
13. To undertake advertising, publicity and exhibition to promote packaging consciousness
14. To provide and disseminate information relating to packaging;
15. To prepare, print and publish any paper or periodicals or reports;

Advantages:
In the age where brands constantly change, these low penetrated industries are estimated to grow significantly in the future. A career in the industry has limitless opportunities. The industry offers a range of careers to choose from considering the variety of packaging today and climbing the career ladder.

Basic skills required:
An individual aspiring to be a packaging professional must be a go- getter and believe in taking calculated risks. He must not only be a quick learner, but must also possess the ability to ‘Think Big’. Receptiveness to technology is of utmost importance.

Eligibility:
There are various diploma and degree courses available for an undergraduate, graduate or even for a professional in the industry to better his skills.
There may be CET examination for undergraduates and personal interview, depending on the institutes/course.

Career ladder:
Three growing packaging sectors:
· Flexibles
· Folding board cartons
· Labels
Three most pursued jobs:
· Packaging experts
· Graphic designers
· Converters

Remuneration:
Freshers are paid with a salary between Rs.2.5 to Rs.3 lacs p.a.

Institutes conducting course:
. Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP)-(Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad) http://www.iip-in.com/
. The SIES School of Packaging-(Mumbai) http://www.siespackaging.in/

Croma Electronics Megastore launches Retail Management Course

2008-08-18T23:27:00.001+05:30

Croma The Electronics Megastore – part of the prestigious Tata group launches a Post Graduate professional Program in Retail Management, under the academic guidance of S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, the leading premier Institute. The course accelerates one’s career with a training that meets the needs & parameters of the corporate world in Retail. The course gives theoretical knowledge and training in the industry endorsed technical and vocational skills. The course offers unique opportunity to develop functional skills through the application of management principles in simulated business situations.

Objectives of the Course:
The main objective of the Program is to provide:
1. Instant Employment,
2. Organized Retail exposure,
3. An Opportunity to demonstrate &
4. Groom ones Knowledge, Skills, Attitude & Personal Qualities.
5. This program will empower you to become an asset to any global organization.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is:
· Graduation in any discipline, the candidate should provide CAT/XAT/GMAT/MAT/BET scores
· Should have high energy levels
· Participation in sports, cultural activities or social work will be appreciated

Duration:
The duration for the retail course is 11 months

Fees:
The fees for the course is Rs.1,25,000/

Diploma/Certificate:
The course is Post Graduate professional Program in Retail Management

Placement Assistance:
Students will be absorbed by CROMA, on need based & merit based. Rest of the students will be given 100% placement assistance by the Institute.

Career path:
· Front office,
· Store manager,
· Area sales manager,
· Territory manager etc

Admission procedure:
Without any listed entrance test scores, students will be permitted to take the BCIDS Entrance Test (BET), which is an online test (CAT pattern) at the time of interview.

Contact details:
For further details log on to http://www.bcids.com

MBA (Clinical Research) – Career in Clinical Research

2008-08-16T21:28:00.002+05:30

Introduction to Clinical Research:
Clinical Research is a systematic study for new drugs in human subjects to generate data for discovering or verifying the clinical, pharmalogical or adverse effects with the objective of determining safety of a new drug. The institutions are dedicated to specific areas of fundamental and applied research that include basic and applied sciences, computer science and engineering, biomedical science and engineering, pharmaceutical science and engineering, agriculture and environment sciences, process development and manufacturing science and clinical research. The institutions also aims to foster collaborative research with various national and international research institutes, as well as life sciences companies across the globe, besides offering enriching experience through highly qualified faculty, the programs are designed to be at par with some of the world's best educational institutions, placing students on the fast track to a promising career in biotechnology.

Objectives of the course:
· To provide a favourable educational environment that encourages free exchange of thoughts, new ideas, awareness of responsibility and accountability in professional life.
· To nurture quality professionals in order to meet the growing demand of skilled manpower for the Pharma, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Biomedical industry needs for conducting clinical trials scientifically and ethically.
· To inculcate cardinal principles of respect, beneficence and justice towards subjects among the next generation of Clinical Research professionals, so that they not only honour, but also take the concept of GCP (Good Clinical Practices) to higher levels.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is Graduate or Postgraduate in Life Sciences/ Microbiology/ Biotechnology/ Pharmacy/ medicine/ Nursing/ Physiotherapy/ Dentistry and Veterinary Sciences

Course Contents:
1. Foundations of Clinical Research
2. Drug Development
3. Protocol Development
4. Pharma co vigilance
5. Data Management
6. Medical Writing
7. Finance
8. Budgeting
9. Project management +Thesis
The Course list/Subject list is the matter of study Program and the subject to changed by the Institute.

Cost of Course:
The cost of the course ranges from Rs.50,000/ to Rs.3,00,000/ approx depending on the institutes.

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:

MBA (Family Managed Business) programme comparison
1. Centre for Advancement in Health Sciences (CAHS) / Pharmaceutical Experts Association (PEA) Mumbai
2. Reliance School of Life Sciences (RSLS) New Mumbai
3. RNIS College of clinical Research & Allied Sciences, Delhi
4. Institute of Clinical Research India (ICRI)
5. CREMA-Clinical Research

Educircle team has prepared a comparison of various colleges offering: MBA in Clinical Research course in India. This should serve as a guide to candidates who wish to pursue their career in Clinical Research.

Click on the image below to read the comparison table:

Career prospects in Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO)

2008-08-13T22:54:00.001+05:30

The KPO sector is growing at the rate of 50 to 60% per annum, and within it, the LPO sector is growing at 100%. There are over 100 KPO in India with approx 1lakh employees. In the coming years, this sector is expected to be as big as the BPO sector and create opportunities for over 5lakh professionals. The KPO sector has opportunities for professionals like doctors, lawyers, MBAs, accountants, scientists, and so on.

Overview about Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO):
The success in outsourcing business process operations to India has encouraged many firms to start outsourcing their high-end knowledge work as well. Cost savings, operational efficiencies, access to a highly talented workforce and improved quality are all underlying expectations in off shoring high-end processes to India. This talent is soon being discovered and tapped by leading businesses across the globe resulting in the outsourcing of high-end processes to low-wage destinations. Hence Knowledge Process Outsourcing involves off shoring of knowledge intensive business processes that require specialized domain expertise. Challenges with the Indian IT and ITES service providers, it is not surprising that India has been ranked the most preferred KPO outsourcing destination owing to the country's large talent pool, quality IT training, friendly government policies and low labour costs. India is well equipped to meet this emerging sector's challenges and all set to be the global KPO hub.

Future expectancy of global job Opportunities:
The Indian KPO sector is expected to employ more than 2,50,000 KPO professionals by 2010, compared with the current figure of 25,000 employees. A report by E value serve predicts that India will capture more than 70 percent of the KPO outsourcing sector by 2010. Apart from India, countries such as Russia, China, the Czech Republic, Ireland, and Israel are also expected to join the KPO industry.

Challenges in the KPO Sector:
Some of the challenges involved in KPO are listed below:
1. Higher quality standards,
2. Investment in KPO infrastructure,
3. Lack of talent pool,
4. Requirement of higher level of control,
5. Confidentiality and
6. Enhanced risk management.

Comparison of Opportunity in BPO and KPO markets:
Low-end outsourcing services have an expected Cumulative Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26% by 2010. In contrast, the global market is poised for an expected CAGR of 46% by 2010. The following figure demonstrates the expected growth in the BPO and KPO markets over the next seven years.

Basic skills required:
The work in a KPO unlike that in a BPO is judgement based and requires analytical skills. For instance,
· A person with a medical background would evaluate patent applications
· A MBA would prepare business and financial reports.

Career ladder and Remuneration:
A professional with basic qualifications starts at Rs3lakhs and makes up to Rs20lakhs, per annum

Qualifications:
Qualifications like MBA, Diploma in finance, LLB, CA, MBBS are in demand.

Institutes conducting KPO course:
Professionals with domain knowledge but lacking communication and managerial skills and the know how of working in a KPO model are given in house training by corporates after they are hired.

BPO courses - Career in BPO or Call Centre Industry

2008-08-12T22:57:00.003+05:30

Introduction to BPO/ Call Centre career programme:
Students don't want to miss out on the job opportunities offered by the call centre industry. They feel brushing up their communication skills will definitely pay rich dividends. The courses mainly focus on communication skills. In fact, most of the Mumbai-based institutes conduct aptitude tests and/or interviews. Batches are formed of students of same calibre. Voice modulation stresses on the different accents in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Objectives of the course:
· To equip students, professionals and other aspirants with relevant skills to achieve their potential by developing world class programs, delivery mechanisms and consistent focus on the processes.
· To be the most preferred provider of training and development services for business, soft skills and placement.
· To Create lasting relationships with our business partners by ensuring alignment of objectives and business practises.
· Focus is on preparing the participants for industries like BPO, Retail, and Financial Services

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is 10 + 2

Fees : The fees ranges from Rs.10,000/ to Rs.25,000/ approx

Course Contents:
The curriculum consists of
· Industry overview
· Voice modulation
· Handling inbound and outbound calls
· Customer service
· Telephone etiquette
· Call planning and
· Probing skills and extemporaneous abilities.
Career Options:
Opportunities in industries like BPO, Retail and Financial Services.

Institutes/ College/ Academy
Educircle team has prepared a comparison of various colleges offering BPO / Call Centre jobs training in India. This should serve as a guide to candidates who wish to pursue their career in BPO / Call Centre industry.

Following institutes/colleges are included in our latest comparison:
1. Orion CALLTECH
2. Hero mindmine
3. K10 Technology

Click on the image below to view a detailed comparison

MBA (Agriculture Business) – Career in Agricultural management

2008-08-12T22:41:00.002+05:30

Introduction to MBA in Agricultural Business Management:
Indian agriculture faces numerous challenges with rapidly changing business environment, pace of technological change, globalisation, competitive environment and changing role of government. These challenges will place unparalleled demands on the capabilities of tomorrow’s managers. Post Graduate Programme in Agribusiness Management (PGP-ABM) to prepare managers, business leaders and entrepreneurs in food and agribusiness sector to respond to the challenges faced by the sector. The institutes commits and expertise in agribusiness sector dates back from its inception when the institutes have accepted managerial issues related to under managed and socially important sectors – particularly food and agriculture - as part of its thrust area. The programme caters to the needs of enterprises serving these sectors, both domestic and international.

Objectives of the course:
· To provide learning facilities to men and women of exceptional
· calibre for pursuing careers in management or becoming teachers and researchers in different management fields.
· To promote knowledge through research, both applied and conceptual, relevant to management, and to disseminate such knowledge through publications.
· To participate in and contribute to the formulation of public policy, which would provide answers to questions of social importance.
· To enhance the decision-making skills and the administrative competence of practising managers and assist organizations to solve their managerial problems by providing them with consulting services based on actual requirements.
· To collaborate with other institutions in India and abroad with a
view to further professionalise management education and assisting in institution
building, in a meaningful manner

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is Graduation in Agriculture, Biotech, food and life sciences & allied areas (min 50%)

Career Options:
The career options are providing Services to Agriculture such as:
· Export and import,
· Rural banking,
· Financing agricultural projects,
· Insurance,
· Logistics,
· Water management,
· Research and development, and
· Rural energy.

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
Indian institute of Management Ahmedabad - (IIMA)
Amity University of Organic Agriculture

MBA in Agricultural Business Management - College Comparison:
Educircle team has prepared a comparison of various colleges offering MBA in Agricultural Business in India. This should serve as a guide to candidates who wish to pursue their career in Agricultural Management.

Following institutes/colleges are included in our latest comparison:
Indian institute of Management Ahmedabad - (IIMA)
Amity University (Masters of Business Administration)

Click on the image below to view the detailed comparison:

Career prospects in Fashion Design Industry

2008-08-12T22:36:00.003+05:30

Overview about Fashion Design Industry:
The Indian Fashion Design industry is likely to touch Rs.750/crore by 2012 from the current level of Rs.270/crore. This increase is due to:
· Indian companies investing big sums into the industry.
· Consumers increasing demand towards designer wear.
· Exposure to western media and ready availability of designer wear in shopping malls.
· Costume Designers known as Stylists in bollywood are mere atom in ever-evolving body of the Indian fashion industry.

Basic skills required:
For a Fashion Designer:
· A degree in fashion is helpful. It will help to learn about trend forecasts, how the fashion business works and the history of fashion
· In-depth knowledge of fabrics, embroidery, tailoring and color palettes will help immensely in any fashion profession.
For a Stylist:
· Time management skills are required to accommodate the schedules of tailors, photographers, actors, etc
· Technical knowledge of lighting, camera work, production and budgeting is essential while styling for TV, films, and magazine shoots.

Advantages of Fashion designing career:
· One gets to interact and work with glamorous personalities
· One has immense scope to travel abroad for ramp shows or work with international fashion houses
· A formal degree is not required. A knack for design and love for aesthetics is all one needs.

Disadvantages of Fashion designing career:
· High-stress jobs because of unforeseen demands and deadlines
· While styling for big stars and films your time is not yours, so there is no concept of social life or a Sunday
· It’s a challenging job, as you have to be able to communicate your own ideas

Career ladder:
Fashion Designer:
Level 1: Newcomer
Fashion co-ordinator with a export/fashion house. Your job is to do testing, designing, and sourcing
Level 2:
Work in a big fashion house for a year or two or strike out on your own
Rs.20,000/onwards pm

Stylist:
Level 1: Assisting a senior stylist in films, ads, or photo shoots
Rs.7,000/ to Rs.15,000/pm
Level 2: Styling for TV shows, music channels, magazines, etc
Rs.10,000/ to Rs,15,000/pm
Level 3: Freelance as stylist for TV serials, films, magazines, for advertisements
Rs.20,000/to Rs.50,000/pm
Level 4: Senior costume designer
Rs.3,00,000/ per film

Institutes conducting Fashion Designing course:
The institutes are listed below:
1. Amity Institute of Fashion technology (Noida)
2. Apeejay Institute of Design (Mehrauli)
3. National institute of Fashion Design (NIFD), Chandigarh
4. National Institute of Fashion technology (NIFT)
5. Pearl Academy of Fashion, Delhi, Chennai
6. National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad
7. MOD'ART International Institute of Arts and fashion of Paris, Mumbai
8. JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai
9. North India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT), Mohali
10. Sasmira fashion Institute, Mumbai
11. BD Somani Institute of Art and Fashion Technology, Mumbai
12. SNDT's Premlila Vithaldas Polytechnic, Mumbai
13. Sophia Polytechnic, Mumbai
14. CEPZ Instituteof Fashion Technology, Mumbai

Click here further details on the course and here for college comparison

MBA (Family Managed Business) programme – Career in Family Business

2008-08-11T21:47:00.003+05:30

Introduction to Family Business Management:
Family Businesses make numerous and critical contributions to the economy both in terms of money income and such intangibles as time, flexibility, control and personal expertise. Family businesses add the realities of family life to traditional business ethos, expanding the range of issues, personalities, needs and potential solutions for each decision. Knowing something about family types, communication patterns, managerial styles and the amount of support members can expect from their families, may be as important to entrepreneurs as knowing how to reach a market or managing cash flows. The Family Managed Business (FMB) programme has a custom designed architecture reflecting the central theme of preparing the participant for leadership of his/her family business. The architecture adopted focuses on the objectives and pedagogy for fulfilling the theme.

Objectives of the course:
1. To further understand, growth and development of responsible family-owned business.
2. Celebrate the importance of family enterprises in our economy and our society.
3. To prepare next generation family business leaders for their unique leadership roles.
4. To increase the survival rate of mature family-owned businesses by focusing on opportunities inherent in these enterprises

Eligibility:
The FMB Programme is open to graduate family members.

Career Options:
Candidates completing this course can join their own family business or start their own business

Cost of Course:
The cost of the course ranges from Rs.1,00,000/ to Rs.5,00,000/
Institutes/ Colleges:
1. SP Jain Institute of management and Research
2. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
MBA (Family Managed Business) programme comparison
Educircle team has prepared a comparison of various colleges offering : MBA (Family Managed Business) course in India. This should serve as a guide to candidates who wish to pursue their career in Family Business.
Following institutes are included in our latest comparison:
1. SP Jain Institute of management and Research
2. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies

Click on the image below to read the comparison table:

MBA (Petroleum Technology) – Career in Petroleum and Energy Management

2008-08-11T21:41:00.001+05:30

Introduction to MBA - Petroleum Technology:
India is the 5th largest consumer of energy, and is expected to rise by 40% in the next 10 years. Energy is the veritable lifeblood of the global economy. 'Department of Management Studies' is designed as a career-oriented program aimed at the Petroleum & Energy sector. This program is designed to facilitate students in understanding, developing, integrating and applying knowledge of both core and specialised areas of management and their concepts and practices in the domain of the Petroleum & Energy Sector.

Objectives of the course:
1. To impart extensive training in the various areas of specialisation through electives, thereby providing a wide array of career opportunities in the sector.
2. To spawn a cadre of human resource who will acquire the necessary skills and competencies to manage the key positions in various segments of the petroleum sector covering the entire energy spectrum.

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
This special course is conducted by Rajiv Gandhi Institute fo Petroleum and Technology (RGIPT)

Eligibility:
The candidates having the following degrees and fulfilling other conditions listed below are eligible to apply for the MBA Program
Bachelor’s degree in any branch of: Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Pharmacy/B.Sc. Agriculture Engineering (Minimum of 4 Years duration after 10+2. Mathematics must be one of the subjects in 10 + 2. The Bachelor's degree must have AICTE recognition.
Masters degree in any branch of Physical/Chemical/Mathematical Sciences like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics, Electronic Science, Environmental Science, Applied Geological Sciences, Operational Research, Computational/Information Science, Agriculture or Master’s Degree in Commerce/Economics/Psychology.
Qualified in JMET 2008 or CAT (NOV 2007) or GMAT (After June 2007).

Duration:
The MBA programme is 2 years full time

Fees :
· The tuition fee of Rs.12,500/ per trimester has been fixed for the students of the MBA program.
· In addition, the students have to pay other fees like insurance, alumni fees, Gymkhana fees, etc. which is likely to be Rs.6,000/ per trimester. SC/ST students are exempted from paying tuition fees but are required to pay the other fees.
· Foreign and Non-resident Indians are required to pay tuition fees and other fees amounting to US$ 4,000 per trimester.

Diploma/Certificate:
MBA in Petroleum and Energy Management
Recognition (University Board):

Contact details: For further details log on to http://rgipt.in/

Career prospects in film making

2008-08-11T21:36:00.002+05:30

Overview about Films:
· India produces about 900 films per year, of which 200 are made in Bollywood.
· Out of 200 movies only a fifth are hits.
· From 2007 the hit-flop ratios has improved by 10% due to increased avenues of income such as more multiplexes, music downloads, in-movie product advertising.
· Bollywood’s annual revenue is forecast to increase by 16% every year over the next 5 years.
· In short the film and television industry is not only huge but also growing constantly. Entertainment is an integral part of people’s lives. With the involvement of the corporate sector the amount of investment in the entertainment industry is rapidly growing.

Future expectancy of global job Opportunities:
1. Job opportunities are expected to grow by 15 to 20% annually over the next 5 years.
2. Mumbai film industry employs 3lakh people, of which half our youngsters.
3. Bollywood has been corporatised, with integrated studios such as, UTV, Eros Multimedia, Realiance Adlabs, Astvinayak Films, Studio 18 abd YRS, Percept offering complete services right from film production to exhibition.
4. Social values have also changed. Earlier, those who worked in films were looked down upon; Parents are now pushing their children to become stars.

The Best of Global Cinema:
· Change in Bollywood: Bollywood has become much more professional. Everyone undergoes some professional training before taking the plunge.
· Technology: Special effects has brought about a sea-change in the quality o films. Digital technology too brought the cost of film making down.
· Role of Multiplexes: With the advent of multiplexes, a wide variety of films have seen the light of day. There is an audience for every kind of film. Film awareness has also shot up, with film festivals and cable channels introducing viewers to the best of world cinema.
· Mumbai as hub of film industry: Mumbai is the place where people all over the country and the world converge. It’s the place where all action is happening.

Challenges in the Film industry:
Piracy: The Hindi film industry loses nearly Rs.1000 crore annually to piracy. Piracy has been the biggest challenge for the otherwise thriving bollywood.
Online piracy: The film industry is grappling with yet another form of piracy (online) that is rapidly eating into the industry’s profits.

Basic skills required:
1. Technical know-how is a must. One must know how to operate the software.
2. Since it’s a creative job one needs to think out of the box.
3. One is expected to have knowledge in music and photography.
4. Patience and calmness is the key one must possess. People around will lose their cool, but it is important to be calm.
5. The most important thing is to grasp over the narrative.
6. One should be able to cope with solitude. One needs to sit alone for 8 to 10 hours, sort the best shots out and string them together into a narrative.

Advantages of film making career:
· You can earn lacks a month if one is good at his job.
· One can even edit at the site where the shooting is going on
· There is a sense of power in weeding unnecessary bits out of the film and showcasing the best efforts of the cast and crew. It is the editor who finally gives shape to a film.

Disadvantages of film making career:
· Tensions at the workplace can run high especially with deadlines approaching.
· One needs to have patience while dealing with the director.
· Long hours at the studio, fighting loneliness and going through taxing schedules are tough.
· Your eyes are affected by sitting for long hours in front of the computer.

Career ladder:
Editing:
Level 1- Newcomer
Documentaries pay less. The money is in feature films.
Money: Rs.3000/ to Rs.10,000/ pm
Level 2- after a year or two
You can either work with a big studio or strike out on your own.
Directing:
Level 1- Newcomer
A lot of assistant directors are quite young and they come as early as in their late teens.
Money: Rs.6000/ to Rs.7000 pm
Level 2: 3-4 projects old
There could be a meteoric rise if you have talent, or if you have graduated to 2nd or 3rd assistants to directors such as Vidhu Vinod Chopra or Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Money: Up to Rs.1, 00,000/
Level 3: Director
The sky is the limit if you can deliver a hit.
Cinematography:
Money varies with talent, experience and the scale of the project. The pay package is for feature films.
Level 1: Lighting assistant
Money: Rs.500/-1000/ per day or a shift of 8 hours.
Level 2: In charge of lighting/focus-puller
Money: Rs.5000/-Rs.7500/ per day or for a shift of 8 hours
Level 3: Director of photography
Money: Between Rs.2-3 Lacks and Rs.1 crore feature films, again depending on the scale of the project.

Institutes conducting Film Making course:
1. Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata
2. Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune
3. Whistling Woods International, Mumbai

For further details about film mcourse click here to read India’s first head-to-head comparison of Institutions offering the Film Making course click here.

Astronomy course – Career in Astrophysics

2008-08-09T23:27:00.002+05:30

Introduction to Astrophysics:
Astrophysics is an allied field of astronomy and concerns itself with the physics of the universe. The science deals with physical properties such as density, temperature, chemical composition and luminosity of stars, planets, galaxies and the interstellar medium of their interaction.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is BSc in physics or mathematics after 10+2/BE in electrical or electronics or electrical communications.

Aptitude:
· Good background in Astronomy and physics, mathematics and chemistry.
· Excellent skills in computers and art also required.

Career Options:
There are several institutions where astronomers are employed.
With a Bachelor’s degree one can get an entry-level research position in, for e.g.
1. An aerospace company
2. Satellite manufacturer
3. National laboratory or at a
4. Museum or
5. Science centre

Remuneration:
· Junior researcher: Rs.12000/ pm
· Senior researcher: Rs.14000/pm
· Post Doctoral fellow: Rs.18000/pm
· Hostel accommodation, House rent, Medical and Travel allowances are other benefits available to researchers.

Courses:
· In Astronomy, there are various courses available at the Master’s level and at the PhD level. Undergraduate courses are not available in any university in India.
· One can join 1year Joint Astronomy Programme or can also complete their PhD at any Institutes after completion of this course.
· Students are inducted into PhD programmes under a 2year junior fellowship and are later offered a senior research fellowship.

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
The Institutes/colleges offering this course are listed below:
1. Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) (http://www.iiap.res.in)/
2. Inter-University centre for Astronomy (IUCCA), Pune (http://www.iucaa.ernet.in/)
3. Raman Research Institute, Bangalore (http://www.rri.res.in/)
4. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai (http://www.tifr.res.in/)
5. Osmania University, Hyderabad (http://www.osmania.ac.in/)
6. Radio Astronomy Centre, Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu

Certified Financial Planner (CFP) course – Career in Financial Planning

2008-08-09T14:15:00.000+05:30

Introduction to Financial Planning
Financial Planning is a process of providing advice and assistance to clients to determine whether and how clients can meet their personal financial needs and life’s goal through proper management of financial resources.
It is a six-step process as given below:
Step 1: Establishing and defining the client planner relationship
Step 2: Gathering client data and goals
Step 3: Analyzing and evaluating the financial status of the clients
Step 4: Developing and presenting Financial Planning recommendations and/or alternatives
Step 5: Implementing the Financial Planning recommendations
Step 6: Monitoring the Financial Planning recommendations

Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Certification
FPSB India is the principal licensing body that certifies the CFPCM / AFP Education program in India. Anyone who wishes to undergo the CFPCM/AFP Program, will have to first get registered with one of the FPSB India approved Education Providers. This model establishes the delivery structure of one of the 4 Es viz., Education, Examination, Experience and Ethics. Education is an integral component of the CFPCM Certification program and any one aspiring to become CFPCM / AFP has to register himself with any of the FPSB India’s approved Education Providers (visit http://www.fpsb.co.in for details of education providers in your vicinity). However, certain candidates having specified qualifications and work experience have an option of applying through Challenge Status wherein they can challenge the CFPCM Certification Education Programme subject to conditions.
A unique feature of the course is that it can be pursued in both formats, classroom study as well as distance learning.

Eligibility
There are two options for CFP certification eligibility:
. for 10+2 pass, the candidate needs to have a minimum work experience of 6 years in the financial sector,
. for Graduates, the candidate needs to have a minimum work experience of 3 years in the financial sector.

Career Options
Candidate with any background can strive for CFPCM designation, it is one of the most prestigious qualifications within the Financial Planning Industry can only be obtain in India with FPSB India. This program is specially designed for working professionals as well as for prospective Finance Professional. Financial Planner can establish their own financial planning practice either by themselves or together with other planners. Successful candidates can also work for:

• Banks
• Financial Planning Organization
• Life Insurance Companies
• Accounting or Law Firms
• Stocks & Securities Brokers
• Asset Management Companies
• Credit Counselling Organizations
• Large Companies to look after Employee Benefits

Remuneration
Practising CFP can earn agency commission from various financial services companies whom they represent. They can also earn fees from their clients for such financial planning. CFP working for companies can expect a starting salary upwards of Rs.15000/-.

Cost of Course
This could vary across education providers and can range between Rs.50,000/- to as high as Rs.75,000/-.

Course Contents
Module I Introduction to Financial Planning
Module II Risk Management and Insurance Planning
Module III Retirement Planning and Employee Benefit
Module IV Investment Planning
Module V Tax and Estate Planning Module VI Advanced Financial Planning

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy

Nodal body conferring the CFP certification is Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB). Candidates can visit http://www.fpsb.co.in for more information.

MBA (Rural Management) Course – Career in Rural Management

2008-08-05T23:08:00.001+05:30

Introduction to Rural Management:
Given the complex environment in which rural organisations work, there is a far greater need for professional management in these organisations. The institute’s attempts to prepare young talented managers through a well-structured two-year Post-Graduate Programme in Rural Management to undertake challenging responsibilities in the rural co-operatives and the development organisations. This Programme prepares young talented managers to undertake challenging responsibilities in the Rural Co-operatives and the development organizations. It is a two-year residential programme leading to a Post-Graduate Diploma in Rural Management (PGDRM) which is recognized as equivalent to Master’s Degree by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and is approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The participants of this programme are highly valued in local, national and international co-operatives, NGOs, development organizations, and funding agencies. All participants are suitably placed in different organizations through Campus Placement programme. The Institute seeks to ensure that its graduates are offered competitive remuneration.

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
The MBA (Rural Management) course is predominantly conducted in Institute of Rural Management.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is Graduates on any discipline with minimum 50% marks.

Duration:
The course is of 2 years Post Graduate programme in Rural Management.

Diploma/Certificate:
The course is 30th Postgraduate in Rural Management

Recognition (University Board):
Rural Management course is approved by - All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)

Admission procedure:
A Written Test, and Personal Interview.

Career path:
The job offers are in areas such as
1. Planning and information systems,
2. Production management,
3. Marketing,
4. Finance,
5. Accounts,
6. Human Resource Development,
7. Rural Development, and
8. Natural Resources Management.

Placement assistance:
All participants are suitably placed in different organizations through Campus Placement programme.

Contact details:For further details log on to http://www.irma.ac.in/

Human Rights Course – Career in Human Rights

2008-08-05T23:06:00.000+05:30

Introduction to Human Rights:
The need for human rights education has been emphasized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international documents and treaties. Provisions from these instruments state that human rights education consists of efforts to build a universal culture of human rights through the imparting of knowledge and skills and the moulding of attitudes.

Such education should be directed towards:-
. Strengthening respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;
. Fully developing the human personality and its sense of dignity;
. Promoting understanding, tolerance, gender equality and friendship among all nations, indigenous peoples and racial, national, ethnic, religious and linguistic groups;
. Enabling everyone to participate effectively in a free society;
. Furthering United Nations activities for maintaining peace.

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
Human Rights course is conducted in (Distance Learning):
Indian Institute of Human Rights (IIHR)- New Delhi

Objectives of the course:
1. To help reduce human rights violations and contribute to building free, peaceful societies.
2. To teach, the "common language of humanity" to people everywhere.
3. To apply vocabulary and meaning through education.
4. To promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, without regard to race, sex, language or religion, have ranged from standard-setting to monitoring, from facilitating international dialogue and cooperation to providing technical assistance, and from commissioning technical studies to deploying large-scale peace keeping missions; the universal stands, international mechanisms, and an ethical and legal foundation of rights and responsibilities of nations and peoples.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is Graduation in any discipline.

Duration:
The duration for the Human rights course is 2 years. It is conducted via correspondence for distance learning.

Fees:
The fees for the course is:
First Year Fee (for Indian Students) Rs.4825.00/

Second Year Fee (for Indian Students) Rs.4800.00/

Diploma/Certificate:
The course is Post Graduate Programme in Human Rights. (PGPHR)

Recognition (University Board):
PGPHR of Indian Institute of Human Rights is recognised by the following universities at par with their Master's Degree.
1. Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
2. Kuvempu University, Shimoga, Karnataka
3. Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
4. Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, Karnataka
5. Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka
6. Patna University, Patna, Bihar
7. Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh
8. Awadhesh Pratap Singh University, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh
9. Birsa Agriculture University Ranchi, Jharkhand
10. Andhra University, Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
11. Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
12. Chanakya Law University, Patna
13. The Global Open University, Nag land

Career path:
Participants completing the Two Years Post Graduate Programme in Human Rights may find suitable openings in the following fields:
1. International Organisations including United Nations and its specialised bodies like UNHCR, UNESCO, UNHCHR, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, ILO, UNIFEM, UNDCP etc.
2. International Bodies like US Aid, Amnesty International, Red Cross, CRY, CARE, Lutheran World Service, YMCA, YWCA, Ford Foundation, IDRC, JICA, NORAD, DANIDA, WFP, Action Aid, Oxfam etc.
3. Legal aid and other Human Rights Centres under the control of Central and State Governments. Statutory Bodies like National and State Commissions on Women, Children, Human Rights, Labour, Welfare, Minorities, SC & ST
4. Military, Paramilitary and Police Departments.
5. Panchayati Raj Institutions.
6. Schools, Colleges and Universities including Research Bodies and Centres of Excellence.
7. District Rural Development Agencies and District Urban Development Agencies
8. Human Rights Consultancy Organisations run by Lawyers and Legal Experts.
9. Child Abuse, Women Reformation Centres, Prisons, Homes for the Homeless etc.
10. Social Service Organisations like Old Age Homes and Age Care Centres, NGOs working in the fields of Disabled and Handicapped, Orphans, Destitute, Mentally Retarded.

Contact details:For further details log on to http://www.rightsedu.net/

Film Making, Television and Media Arts Course - College Comparison

2008-08-02T23:28:00.002+05:30

Educircle team has prepared a comparison of various colleges offering Film Making, Television and Media Arts course in India. This should serve as a guide to candidates who wish to pursue their career in Film Making, Television and Media Arts.

Following institutes/colleges are included in our latest comparison:
1. Whistling Woods International Institute of Film Television and Media Arts
2. Film and Television Institute of India

Click on the image below to view the comparison table:

Film, Television and Media Course – Career in Film Making, Television and Media Industry

2008-08-02T23:23:00.002+05:30

Introduction to Film Making, Television and Media Arts:
Cinema and Television are creatures of technology. They combine many forms and require the participation of team of individuals with high technological skills. In film making and television production, well trained individuals have a much better chance of creating their own equity and succeeding in a highly competitive world. The institutes such courses offer state-of-the-art training facilities, an internationally developed and structured curriculum, affiliations with highly respected global media corporations and a faculty that combines the best in Indian and international professional experience.

Objectives of the course:
1. To train students in top-of-the-line digital and analogue systems using the latest, state-of-the-art equipment.
2. To give the best available infrastructure and environment to prepare students for the ever-changing technological development sweeping the industry.
3. To also have the unique opportunity to experience technologies and systems long before other students and professionals do.

Eligibility:
The eligibility for the course is 10 + 2

Fees : The fees ranges from Rs.1,00,000/- to Rs.7,00,000/- for the entire course

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
. Whistling Woods International Institute of Film Television and Media Arts
. Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)

Course Contents:
The full-time two-year program includes 84 weeks of comprehensive training and hands-on project experience in almost all specialized streams of filmmaking, viz.:
. Acting
. Direction
. Cinematography
. Editing
. Screenwriting
. Business of Film & Television
. Sound Recording, Design & Music Production
. Art & Technique of Animation.

Career Options:
Candidates can find employment with
. Film Studios
. Production Companies
. Advertising Agencies
. Government Department, or
. Start their own venture as producer, director, editors, cameramen, soundmen, lighting crews, assistants and so on.

MBA (International Business) - College Comparison

2008-07-29T23:00:00.001+05:30

Educircle team has prepared a comparison of various colleges offering MBA (International Business) course in India. This should serve as a guide to candidates who wish to pursue their career in foreign trade.

Following institutes/colleges are included in our latest comparison:

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
1. IIFT (Indian Institute Of Foreign Trade
2. IIFTR (International Institute of Foreign Trade and Research)
3. (Gift) Gitam Institute of International Business
4. Manipal Institute of Management

Click on the image below to read the comparison table:

MBA (International Business) – Career in Foreign Trade

2008-07-29T22:59:00.000+05:30

Introduction to MBA (International Business):
Globalisation of Indian businesses, increase in India’s share in foreign trade and increase in number of multinational companies (MNC) are all pointers to a huge latent demand for specialised professionals in international business. Various developments in the international marketing on the one hand and the consequential impact of the same on India’s domestic market on the other, call for a professional approach and sensitivity to international business environment. An MBA (International Business) is a foundational course for developing a competent cadre of business executives to meet the country’s growing requirements for training personnel in the field of international business management.

Objectives of the course:
. To enable its graduates to become effective managers anywhere in today's globally competitive environment.
. To equip them with the skills necessary to operate effectively in a multicultural environment and to adapt quickly to changing social, political, legal and economic conditions.
. To vest them with special skills to work in international trade and business.
. To prepare them as entrepreneurial managers for creating and managing enterprises in international business.

Eligibility:
. No age limit
. Recognised Bachelor's Degree of minimum 3 years' duration in any discipline
. Candidates appearing for a qualifying examination can also apply subject to submission of proof of requisite qualification by pre-specified date

Fees for the Course:
The fees for the course ranges from Rs.46,000/ to Rs.2,50,000/

Career Options:
For M.F.T. (FT, PT and Integrated degrees) M.F.T. degree holder can look to vast arena of job opportunity in
1. Export Houses,
2. Consultancy Organizations and
3. Industries and many more

Institutes/ Colleges/ Academy:
The institutes/colleges conducting Foreign Trade courses are listed below:
1. IIFT (Indian Institute Of Foreign Trade)
2. IIFTR (International Institute of Foreign Trade and Research)
3. (Gift) Gitam Institute of International Business
4. Manipal Institute of Management

Course Contents:
The course contents are listed below:
1. Economics & Trade Policy business
2. ITO & Logistics International Trade Operations
3. Marketing
4. General Management & Strategy
5. Finance (including International Finance) Management Accounting
6. QM, OR & SCM Business Statistics
7. E-Business & Technology Management
8. Languages (Qualifying Courses) French
9. Inter Disciplinary Courses

Admission procedure:
The admission test is a multiple choice objective type written test (in English). Duration of the test is two hours. It normally consists of 200 questions covering:
· English Comprehension
· General knowledge and awareness
· Logical reasoning
· Quantitative analysis

Cost Accountancy course– Career as a Cost Accountant

2008-07-26T18:33:00.001+05:30

Introduction to Cost Accountancy:
Cost Accountants are trained to be expects in evaluating costs of products and services and using it in analysing business opportunities, quoting for various tenders, management information system, etc. The study involves detailed used of financial, statistical and accounting concepts. Cost Accountancy offers a gateway for a career in financial services. A unique aspect of the course is that it is a distance education course and can be done from any part of the country.

Name of the Institute conducting PGDBO course:
Institute Of Cost & Works Accountants Of India

Fees:
Fees for the complete course (including course material) is approximately Rs.20000/-

Eligibility:
(a) 17 years of age and Passed Senior Secondary Examination under 10+2 scheme of a recognized Board (need to apply for the foundation course)
(b) Candidates that have graduated from any recognised university can apply directly to Intermediate Course

Duration of the Course:
At least 2 years for student passing examinations in first attempt.
Admission procedure (directly into Intermediate Course):
(a) Every person applying for registration as a student is to pay a student registration fee of Rs. 500/-.
(b) For registration, students are required to submit the prescribed Form I and the identity card duly filled in and signed.
(c) Registration Fees can be paid by Demand Draft drawn or any scheduled bank favoring"The Institute of Cost and works Accountants of India; payable at Kolkata. Payment by cash or by any other mode is not acceptable.
The application form for Registration is to be submitted to the respective Regional Council except De Novo registration cases

Career Path:
. Cost Accountant can work for a company as a finance professional, or
. Start Independent Professional Practice.

Independent Professional Practice:
Cost Accountants can practice in the following areas:
. In mandatory Cost Audit under Section 233 (B) of the Companies Act, 1956.
. Certification under Export & Import Policy.
. Excise Audit under Section 14A of the Central Excise Act and Special Audit of Certification Of manufacturing account as per Customs Act.
. Consultancy Assignments.

For further details and enquiry log on to http://www.myicwai.com/

CA Course – Career as a Chartered Accountant

2008-07-26T17:36:00.003+05:30

Introduction to Chartered Accountancy
Chartered Accountancy offers one of the broadest gateway for a career in financial services. Almost all fields of financial services recognise this qualification and hence CA are eligible to work in banks, stock broking companies, insurance companies, finance department of corporates, investment departments of companies and mutual funds, etc. An important characteristic of the course is that it is a distance education course.
Chartered Accountancy is a challenging profession that offers practice or job opportunities in the areas of accounting, auditing, corporate finance, project evaluation, company and other business laws, taxation and corporate governance. The multi-faceted knowledge a chartered accountant enjoys through unique academic programme blended with practical training is exactly what the modern business needs.

Institute conducting CA course:
Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) conducts the CA course. The Institute has its headquarters at New Delhi. In addition, it has five Regional Councils located in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Kanpur and New Delhi and 117 Branches spread all over the country. The Institute has also 18 Chapters outside India located in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Botswana, Doha, Dubai, Indonesia, Jeddah, Kuwait, London, Melbourne, Nairobi, Nigeria, Port Moresby, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sydney, Toronto and Zambia.

Eligibility:
Class 10 pass or Class 10+2 pass are both eligible as per the following procedure:-
. Enrol with the Institute for Common Proficiency Test after passing Class 10 examination conducted by an examining body constituted by law in India or an examination recognized by the Central Government as equivalent thereto.
. Appear CPT examination after appearing in the Senior Secondary Examination (10+2 examination) conducted by an examining body constituted by law in India or an examination recognised by the Central Government as equivalent thereto and after completion of specified period from the date of registration for CPT with the Board of Studies. This specified period for CPT examination is 60 days. The Common Proficiency Test are conducted twice in a year i.e., in June and December.

Fees:
Fees for the entire course (including course material) is approximately Rs.20000/-

Road Map to becoming a Chartered Accountant:
. Join PCC, articled training and register for 100 Hours Information Technology Training (ITT) after passing CPT and 10+2 examination.
. Undergo 100 Hours ITT on completion of three months of articled training (100 Hours ITT is a 20/25 days programme @ five/ four hours per day; the training will be treated as part of the practical training).
. Appear in Professional Competence Examination (PCE), if
- Worked for not less than fifteen months as an articled assistant or equivalent period as an audit assistant or partly as an articled assistant and partly as an audit assistant, three months prior to the first day of the month in which examination is held or completed 18 months of articled training as on 1st May/ 1st November, as the case may be; and
- Completed 100 Hours ITT.
(Eight months of audit training is treated as equivalent to six months of articled training. Any fractional period of audit training less than eight months is not counted for this purpose)
. Join CA Final course:
- After passing PCE register for Final course with the Board of Studies;
- Collect Study Materials of the Final Course and prepare for Final Examination;
- May undergo General Management and Communication Skills Course during last 12 months of articled training while undergoing Final course; and
- Complete articled training of 3½ years.

. Appear in final examination on completion of the practical training on or before the last day of the month preceding the month in which the examination is held.
. Pass Final examination and complete GMCS Course.
. Enrol for membership.

Duration of the Course:
At least 3½ years for student passing examinations in first attempt.

Career Path:
· CA can work for a company as a finance professional, or
· Start Independent Professional Practice.

Salary expectations:
Currently the average salary a CA can expect at the beginning of career is about Rs.6 lacs. The salary for a fresh CA ranges from Rs.3.5 to Rs.9 lacs per annum.

For further details and enquiry log on to http://www.icai.org/

Post Graduate Diploma in Insurance and Relationship Management (PGDIRM) – Career in Insurance Industry

2008-07-25T23:12:00.000+05:30

Introduction to PGDIRM:
In today's scenario where there is a huge expansion of middle class with lot of disposable income; the financial asset protection needs have also increased. Hence developing and delivering appropriate products and services has become the need of the day. Five years after the opening of the insurance sector to private players, foreign insurance majors are making a beeline for the Indian insurance market. That is because India is turning into one of the top markets in Asia. The opening of the Indian Insurance industry in 2000 marked a new era for the Indian Insurance sector. A proliferation of new entrants, many in the form of joint ventures with foreign insurers, changed the competitive landscape substantially. The new entrants brought with them innovative product designs and creative distribution strategies, which led to rapid growth in premium income over the past few years. The need of the hour is to evolve a program, which blends knowledge, skill and application so that students, who undergo this program, become Insurance professionals and are industry ready on day one.

Job Guarantee:
A unique feature of the course is that the Institute promises to give appointment letters of ICICI Prudential at the time of admission itself. Thus, the screening for the job is done at the time of admission itself.

Name of the Institute conducting PGDIRM course:
Institute of Finance, Banking, and Insurance (IFBI), an affiliate of NIIT

Objectives of the course:
Appreciate the need for professional services in the insurance sector
Appreciate market linkages
Explain various insurance products
Explain the insurance process
Demonstrate communication skills
Appreciate the need for grooming and inculcate the habit
Demonstrate selling skills
Demonstrate relationship management skills

Eligibility:
· Fresh graduates or
· Graduates with less than two years of field experience in banking or financial services or
· Aspirants for a career in insurance with less than two years of experience who are graduates

Duration of the Course:
Program available in Full Time and Part Time mode - Full Time Mode has 3 months Class Work and 3 month internship - Part Time Mode has 6 months Class Work and 3 month internship

PGDIRM - Key features of the program:
The key attributes of today's new age insurance professionals is that they have to possess:
· High customer service orientation,
· Effective communication,
· Positive attitude,
· Team spirit,
· Flair for sales and marketing and
· The art of building relationships, and should also be driven by a genuine desire to render professional support to customers.
· Three months supervised internship
· Up to date and modern curriculum and courseware created by industry experts Multiple learning mechanisms - class-work, projects, case studies, book reviews Experienced faculty
· Learning Management System

Admission procedure for PGDIRB course of IFBI:
1. You can apply online or visit any of the IFBI centres
2. Appear for Online Admission test - ICET
3. Appear for Interview
4. Documentation check
5. If selected, complete admission formalities

Career Path:
Successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Insurance and Relationship Management (PGDIRM) from the Institute of Finance, Banking and Insurance (IFBI), which is a NIIT venture with equity participation by ICICI bank would provide an edge to the students to get lucrative employment in the growing banking sector in India as a modern banker.

Course Contents:
1. Fundamentals of Finance (with IT Embedded)
2. Professional Skills
3. Overview of Insurance
4. Principles and practices of General / Life Insurance
5. Selling Skills & Techniques
6. Sales planning and administration
7. Relationship and team management
8. Application Projects

For further details and enquiry log on to
http://www.ifbi.com/ (Institute of finance, banking, and insurance)

Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning and Relationship Management (PGDFPRM) – Career in Financial Planning

2008-07-25T23:09:00.002+05:30

Introduction to PGDFPRM:
The financial planning process for individuals gets redefined in the emerging scenario. The new age Financial Planner of today needs to possess knowledge of the basic foundation blocks of financial services sector. Use of technology would enable the new age Financial Planner to be more productive on the job. The modern day new age Financial Planner needs to understand his/her customer with respect to their financial position, their risk appetite and their future financial needs to be able to recommend suitable investments. The key attributes that today's new age Financial Planner has to possess include high customer service orientation,
· Effective communication,
· Positive attitude,
· Team spirit,
· Flair for sales and marketing and the
· Art of building relationships,
· And the new age Financial Planner should be driven by a genuine desire to render professional support to investors.

Job Guarantee:
A unique feature of the course is that the Institute promises to give appointment letters of ICICI Securities at the time of admission itself. Thus, the screening for the job is done at the time of admission itself.

Name of the Institute conducting PGDFPRM course:
Institute of Finance, Banking, and Insurance (IFBI), an affiliate of NIIT

Objectives of the course:
· Appreciate the need for professional financial planning and advisory services
· Appreciate market linkages
· Explain various financial products
· Explain the financial planning process
· Apply quantitative tools for investing
· Construct a portfolio - Devise scenarios considering the risk return trade off
· Demonstrate ability to implement the proposal
· Demonstrate communication skills
· Appreciate the need for grooming and inculcate the habit
· Demonstrate selling skills
· Demonstrate relationship management skills

Eligibility:
1. Fresh graduates or
2. Graduates with less than two years of field experience in banking or financial services or
Duration of the Course:
The duration of the course is in Full Time and Part Time mode: - Full Time Mode has 3 months Class Work and 3 month internship - Part Time Mode has 6 months Class Work and 3 month internship

PGDBO - Key features of the program
· Three months supervised internship
· Up to date and modern curriculum and courseware created by industry experts
· Multiple learning mechanisms - class-work, projects, case studies, book reviews
· Experienced faculty
· Learning Management System

Admission procedure for PGDFPRM course of IFBI:
· You can apply online or visit any of the IFBI centres
· Appear for Online Admission test - ICET
· Appear for Interview
· Documentation check
· If selected, complete admission formalities

Career Path:
Successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning and Relationship Management (PGDPRM) from the Institute of Finance, Banking and Insurance, which is a NIIT venture with equity participation by ICICI bank would provide an edge to the students to get lucrative employment in the growing banking sector in India.

Course Contents:
· Fundamentals of Finance (with IT Embedded)
· Professional Skills
· Financial product and Services
· Principles of Financial Planning
· Selling Skills & Techniques
· Sales planning and administration
· Relationship and team management
· Application Projects

For further details and enquiry log on to
http://www.ifbi.com/ (Institute of finance, banking, and insurance)