Category: 2018

Pulmonary Scientist

Over the past few years, the onset of winter is accompanied by a thick layer of smog that covers the atmosphere leading to worsening air pollution. This leads to a sharp rise in cases of chest and throat diseases. The rise has occurred despite steady improvements in medical care and nutrition, as well as a shift away from using wood as fuel in rural areas. Together this has mitigated many factors long blamed for the high levels of respiratory diseases in India.

This has been primarily due to  the unprecedented decline in air quality across India.There are tens of millions of people suffering from lung disease who are in immediate need of medication. This has increased the requirement of trained Pulmonologists.

What is Pulmonology?

Pulmonology or chest medicine and respiratory medicine is the branch of internal medicine concerned with diseases of lungs, respiratory tract, bronchial tubes, upper respiratory tract and heart as well. Treatment includes oxygen therapy, medication of most diseases either by inhaling bronchodilators, steroids and in oral form. The branch of medicine that deals with the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases affecting the lungs.

Pulmonary medicine is also sometimes called pulmonology which is the science concerned with the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the lungs. It  is considered a branch of internal medicine, and is related to intensive care medicine and  involves managing patients who need life support and mechanical ventilation. Pulmonologists are specially trained in diseases and conditions of the chest, particularly pneumonia, asthma, tuberculosis, emphysema, and complicated chest infections. 

Who is a Pulmonologist?

Pulmonologist also known as Pulmonary Disease Specialist is a medical practitioner specialized in the field of pulmonary (Lungs) medicine – a subspecialty of internal medicine. These specialist doctors are trained for diagnosis and treatment of diseases, disorders and abnormalities of the lungs and cardiopulmonary system consisting of heart, lungs, blood vessels and all the organs that work together to help a person breathe, in order to take in oxygen required for the oxygenation of the blood.

What does a Pulmonologist do?

Pulmonologists are involved in the treatment of breathing disorders. However, they are also capable of prescribing medication for problems like sleep disorders, severe allergies, and other lung conditions and diseases besides providing critical care medicine while treating patients in the ICU.

Aspiring candidates with good knowledge and capacity to work at odd hours along with genuine desire to treat the patients are the right kind of persons to become successful Pulmonologists by acquiring required qualification.

How to Become a Pulmonologist?

Undergraduate

Candidate who has completed the age of 17 years of the year of admission to the MBBS course. H.S.C. / (+2) or equivalent qualification with English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Botany & Zoology with minimum marks as per MCI norms. Eligible NEET (UG) score as prescribed by MCI.

MD After MBBS:

After completion of this four and half years of MBBS degree course and one years and six months compulsory training one has to go for M.D. (Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine).

M. D. in Pulmonary Medicine is a two year postgraduate program that focuses on interstitial lung disease, pulmonary vascular disease, heart- lung and lung transplantation and nontuberculous mycobacterial disease. It also provides preoperative evaluations and comprehensive pulmonary functional testing. While doing the course, you would learn whole range of diagnostic and therapeutic and procedures associated with the practice of pulmonary and critical care medicine: flexible fibre optic bronchoscopy with all ancillary procedures, thoracentesis and closed pleural biopsy, endotracheal intubation,arterial and central vein line placement, bedside pulmonary vein catheterization and chest tube placement. 

Doctor of Medicine Colleges and Universities:

Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College

Tamil Nadu, Dr M.G.R Medical University Chennai

AIIMS, New Delhi

Career Prospects:

Rapid increase in the number of patients inflicted by Pulmonary diseases has created the need for spurt of careers in Pulmonology in the recent past. There is a need for Pulmonologists in the Government hospitals like PGI and AIIMS but also in private hospitals like Apollo, Fortis and the like. You may also go in for teaching and research in Medical Colleges. 

You may also carve a niche for yourself in Interventional pulmonology (IP) – a maturing subspecialty of pulmonary medicine focused on advanced diagnostic and therapeutic pulmonary and thoracic medical procedures for a variety of illnesses. This rapidly growing field requires highly specific knowledge and skill sets beyond its parent specialty. While the future of IP will continue to show growth, we postulate on a few upcoming technologies which may influence the field and discuss some of the challenges associated with growth in IP.

Summing up:

Therefore, if you wish to get into a  career that rides high on the environmental hazards and also is one of the most in demand careers, Pulmonary Scientist is the right option for you.

Ready to be at the wheel

March 10 and 11, 2018 gave aspiring and budding  entrepreneurs an opportunity to connect and collaborate as the best and brightest minds came together and brainstormed on on how to fuel their business growth. The conference at IIT Mumbai brought together the best breed of entrepreneurs, innovators, venture capitalists, business model creators, consultants, policy-makers, academicians, and business practitioners to present and discuss innovation and success under the aegis of entrepreneurship for Small and Medium Businesses. 

Over the past decade or so, in the dilemma between joining family owned businesses and higher studies, the scales have been tipping towards entrepreneurship and joining family owned businesses. 

Let us explore the genesis and the reason why:

The Genesis:

Today, family-owned businesses account for two-thirds of the world’s  businesses and generate most of the world’s economic output, employment and wealth. In many regions of the world, family companies dominate the economy. “Family-controlled firms now make up 19% of the companies in the Fortune Global 500,” states The Economist. In India alone, 67% businesses are family run. McKinsey forecasts, that by 2025,there will be more than 15,000 companies worldwide with at least $1 billion in annual revenues, of which 37% will be emerging-market family firms.

The need:

There is a need for Family Business Management Programs whether you are in a successful family business or you are into  a business facing challenges and trying to bring about a changeover.

Successful family business:

Successful family businesses are successful because families see important changes in their industry and adapt by diversifying into new activities that can grow. Simply put, successful families are entrepreneurial. Also,families succeed because they invest in productive activities, emphasize growing assets, and consume relatively little of their wealth. These families maintain a culture that encourages family members to create things of lasting value. It’s not surprising that these families encourage entrepreneurs. Furthermore,successful families remain reasonably united, keeping supportive members loyal to one another and to the family’s mission. Over generations, as families become more diverse, it is likely that only a few relatives per generation will directly work in the business. Outside-the-business members might still support family philanthropic efforts or social activities, and sometimes that level of involvement is enough to maintain family unity. But investing in family entrepreneurs can also keep talented members contributing to the broader family’s wealth and mission.Investing in family entrepreneurs has to be done objectively based on the feasibility of their business plans, and also fairly within the family. Even if some entrepreneurial projects don’t succeed, these investments will help you spot talent to keep your business growing. And you are sending an important message: this family is committed to creating value.

Family businesses facing challenges

While family businesses on average are stronger performers than other types of enterprise, they face distinct challenges that need to be managed. This constraint often kills the family business.

This creates the need for a course of study in Family Business Management that  helps students understand how to capitalize on the strengths, navigate the challenges, and guard against the weaknesses of the companies and the families that own them.

How is Family Business Management program different from an MBA in Entrepreneurship?

Both Family Business Management and an MBA in Entrepreneurship prepare you for setting up and gearing your own business. However, there is a subtle difference. Unlike MBA in Entrepreneurship which prepares students for a setting up a business, the Family Business Management programme is targeted at family business owners looking to sustain, scale and grow their businesses. The content and pedagogy includes concepts of entrepreneurship, business sustainability, market trends which thereby lead to portfolio expansion and business growth. The program would help you evaluate the state of your family businesses and gear you towards accelerating your business to the next level.

Colleges/Institutes for Entrepreneurial Management

Xavier School of Management (XLRI),Jamshedpur, offering a full-time six-month Post Graduate Programme for Certificate in Entrepreneurship Management (PGPCEM).

Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Gandhinagar,offering a two-year, full-time, residential Post Graduate Diploma in Management-Business Entrepreneurship (PGDM-BE).

SP Jain Institute of Management and Research – Mumbai,Start Your Business Certification Program (SYB), Grow Your Business Certification Program (GYB), The Entrepreneurial Manager (TEM).

Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies,Mumbai,M.B.A in Social Entrepreneurship

Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship – Bangalore, offering one year Entrepreneurial Development Programme (EDP)

Nirma Institute of Management,Ahmedabad,offering regular two-year MBA specialising in Family Business & Entrepreneurship.

Amity Business School ,Noida, offering two year M.B.A in Entrepreneurship

IIM , Bangalore, specialization in Entrepreneurs & Family Businesses.

IIM Udaipur,  Management Development Program for Women Entrepreneurs.

National Institute for Entrepreneurship & Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Delhi

The NIESBUD is an apex institute in the area of entrepreneurship and small business development under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India. It oversees the activities of various institutions and agencies engaged in entrepreneurship development, particularly in the area of small industry and small business. It also provides numerous training and development courses for budding entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Making the right choice:

In the world of family business, the entrepreneurs we celebrate are usually founders of companies. If you wish to be a founder of a company, start your new venture and learn how to navigate, go in for a pure MBA in Entrepreneurship. However, if you wish to join your family business and are supposed to take care of and grow the founder’s creation, you are not expected to be entrepreneurs but to understand and carry forward the vision of the founder,an MBA in Entrepreneurship would be more helpful. 

Therefore, it is imperative that you make the right and informed choice…

Are these mutually exclusive?

If this makes you think that family business management programs are incompatible to entrepreneurship because they are for students who are in family businesses that are usually tradition-bound, multi- generational, let me tell you, we need to blur the lines here.  The family businesses need to be more entrepreneurial. They need to  pass on the entrepreneurial mindset and capabilities to create new streams of wealth across many generations- not just pass the business on from one generation to the next. We need to come up with the concept of ‘family entrepreneurship’. When a leadership transition occurs in a family business, the new generation of leadership should be careful to maintain and build on the networks and knowledge of the former leaders, while expanding their own networks. This will insure that the business can continue to be entrepreneurial into the future.

And when they do, the distinction between Entrepreneurship and Family Business Management studies would begin to blur…

5 careers - Little heard of, but with more Impact

5 careers – Little heard of but with more Impact – Copy

What is common between Podiatry, Speech Therapy,Radio Jockeying, Cartography, and Occupational Therapy? Well, one common thing is- all these career options are little heard of and they evoke skepticism in the minds. One – because of little knowledge about them and two- they are quite offbeat. Let us take a look at the ‘little heard of’ careers that have a strong impact.

Podiatry

Podiatry is an exciting and varied career. It offers you the chance to make a difference, a high degree of flexibility and excellent employment prospects. Podiatrists treat a variety of foot and ankle ailments, including calluses, ingrown toenails, heel spurs, arthritis, congenital foot, and ankle deformities, and arch problems. They also treat foot and leg problems associated with diabetes and other diseases. Some podiatrists spend most of their time performing surgery, such as foot and ankle reconstruction. Others may choose a specialty such as sports medicine, pediatrics, or diabetic foot care.

Course Details

Candidates must have passed the 10+2 level of examination, or its equivalent, from a recognized board, with Physics, Chemistry, and biology as compulsory subjects, in order to seek admission in a Bachelor’s degree program in medicine. They are required to take and qualify in the medical entrance examination, conducted by various institutions across India. On obtaining an undergraduate medical degree, candidates can apply for a post-graduation program in podiatric medicine. Podiatric medicine is offered as a four-year program, which follows a curriculum similar to the one followed at other medical schools. The first two years educate students on basic sciences, such as anatomy, chemistry, pathology, and pharmacology. The latter two years comprise clinical rotations at private practices, hospitals, and clinics. Here, the interns are taught the basic and modern ways of noting down general and podiatric histories, performing routine physical examinations, interpreting tests and findings, making diagnoses, and carrying out therapeutic procedures.

Graduates who successfully complete the podiatric medicine course are awarded the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree. This is followed by a 2-4 year residency program at a hospital wherein podiatrists are taught how to execute surgery and other medical processes, like anesthesiology or radiology. It is during this period that one has to choose his specialized field, namely, geriatrics, pediatrics, biomechanics, surgery, sports medicine, dermatology, radiology, orthopedics, and primary care. After completing the residency program, podiatrists are licensed to practice in their chosen field.

Institute scape

Institute of Public Health and Hygiene, New Delhi  offering diploma in Podiatry.

Speech Therapist

Speech therapy is an allied branch of health sciences related to the disorder of speech, voice, and language of a person. Speech therapy and audiology have become promising career options in recent times. Speech therapists are specialists who treat people facing problems related to speech disorders.

Course Details

In India, you can study both speech therapy and audiology together at the Bachelor’s as well as the Master’s level. Postgraduate programmes with specialization either in speech-language pathology or audiology are also offered. Several courses on speech therapy are available for interested students. The basic courses are B.S.C (speech & hearing), B.S.C (Audiology and Speech & Language), and M.S.C (Speech Pathology and Audiology). The qualifications required for pursuing a course in speech therapy are:

  • For pursuing a diploma course a candidate must pass the 10+2 examination
  • An undergraduate course for three years requires a candidate to have passed the XIIth standard with English, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology preferably with 50%-60% of marks. The cut off marks vary with institutes.

Institute Scape

The Rehabilitation Council of India, New Delhi, governs all institutes imparting training in speech therapy, and on http://ishaindia.org.in/ of the Indian Speech and Hearing Association, a national professional organization of speech therapists.

  • Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai and regional centers in Kolkata, Secunderabad and New Delhi offering B.Sc. Hearing and language and M.Sc. Hearing, Speech and Language.
  • All India Institute of Speech & Hearing, Mysore
  • BYL Nair Hospital and Medical College, Mumbai.
  • Dr. SRC Institute of Speech and Hearing, Bangalore.
  • Dr. MV Shetty Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mangalore

Cartography

Cartographers use information from surveys, photographs and other reports that they have gathered and created for the purpose of creating a new digital map or updating existing ones. These professionals use global positioning systems (GPS), computer-aided design (CAD) programs and specialized mapping software to create maps for a variety of purposes. Cartographers typically do fieldwork to collect and verify data used in creating maps. They will also collect and analyze geographical data, such as population density, demographic characteristics, and annual precipitation patterns;examine and compile data from ground surveys, reports, aerial photographs, and satellite images to prepare thematic maps and prepare thematic maps in digital or graphic form to be used for social, environmental, political, business, educational, and design purposes.

As for academic qualifications, you could get a B.Sc Geography, M.Sc Geography, M.Sc Applied Geography, M.Sc Spatial Information Technology, M.Sc Cartography, M.Sc Geographic Information System, M.Sc Remote Sensing, M.Sc Geoinformatics, M.Tech Geoinformatics, P.G.Diploma in GIS, Cartography, Surveying and mapping/topographic/earth sciences or urban and land studies before applying for jobs.

Institute Scape

  • IIT, Mumbai
  • Burdwan University – Bardhaman (Master of Science- Remote Sensing & Geographic Information System)
  • Indian Institute of Technology (Mumbai)
  • Jamia Millia Islamia – Diploma in Cartography
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University
  • MS University of Baroda – Diploma in Cartography
  • North Orissa University – Baripada (Master of Science in Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System)
  • Osmania University – Diploma in Geographical Cartography
  • Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University – Raipur (Post Graduate Diploma in Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System)
  • Sam Higginbotom Institute of Agriculture – Allahabad (Post Graduate Diploma in Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System)

Occupational Therapy

An occupational therapist is responsible for providing medical help and/or rehabilitation to individuals suffering from functional disabilities that prevent them from leading fully functional and healthy, independent lives, in the workplace and/or at home. Occupational therapy employs various exercises and physical and mental activities meant to challenge and thereby further improve and develop motor and sensory perception, judgment and problem-solving skills, cognition, hand functions, and hand-eye coordination. Patients with physical limitations that cannot be healed or cured are taught how to circumvent those limitations in order to manage everyday activities and work-specific tasks independently, sometimes through physical or mental exercises, and sometimes by using specially designed devices.

Institute Scape

  • Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
  • National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, Kolkatta, Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, B.Sc. (Hons) Occupational Therapy
  • Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi
  • Christian Medical College, (Tamil Nadu), Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) 
  • Swami Vivekanand National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research(SVNIRTAR), Cuttack, 
  • NIMS College of Physiotherapy, Jaipur.
  • National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (NIRTAR), Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT)
  • Manipal University, Manipal, Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT), Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Radio Jockeying

Radio Jockeying is a talent based field. Even though no formal educational qualification is required, a degree or at least plus two is generally a prerequisite. Qualification for Diploma & Post Graduate Diploma in Radio Programming & Broadcast Management: graduate in any field with 60% aggregate in graduation.

Entrance Exam for Radio Jockey courses is conducted by Encompass Institute of Radio Management. Some institutes also conduct their own screening test, voice test in the case of certificate courses. Following are some of the courses in Radio Jockeying.

  • Diploma and Certificate course in Radio Jockey
  • Diploma in Radio Management
  • Diploma in Radio Programming and Management
  • Diploma in Radio Station Operations and Management
  • Certificate Course in Announcing, Broadcasting, Compere  and Dubbing
  • Certificate Course in Radio Production Programme
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Radio Programming and Management

Institute scape:

  •  Academy of Radio Management, New Delhi.
  • Xavier Institute of Communication Mumbai.
  • Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi.
  • Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi.
  •  FILM Institute New Delhi.

Summing up:

Therefore,if you wish to step into a career that is offbeat and gives you a high impact, choose any of the above that you gel in with and watch your career soar high.

Dance

The Dance Advantage

Education keeps on sifting and shifting, ever-evolving; enveloping new ideas into its folds. One such idea that has been gaining a foothold in public schools is that of integrating arts, viz dance, into the broader curriculum. For instance, complex science concepts like Photosynthesis have been made simple and interesting by using dance to convey elements of photosynthesis, including water, sunlight, carbon dioxide, and chlorophyll. 

The need:

The genesis of the idea can be traced to the Gurukul times when performing arts were interwoven in the curriculum and the students learned all the art forms from their Guru along with the main subjects. It is again gaining ground. Today, arts education advocates struggle to ensure adequate time and support for the arts in schools—whether music, visual arts, theater, or dance. These subjects are often sacrificed at the altar of the core subjects like Science and Mathematics. For decades, arts education has been treated as though it was the novice teacher at school—the last hired and first fired when times get tough. The issue seems especially pronounced in dance, the smallest of the four art forms which is seen as a second-class citizen.

The rising need to improve test scores in subjects like Maths and Science also makes it imperative for schools to think of ways and means to enhance student learning and thereby test scores. The research substantiates the fact that dance-learning experiences provided for young people in and outside schools impact positively upon young people’s learning in schools, as well as in pre-service and professional development programs for those who teach dance in various settings. Support of major dance organizations as well as the goals of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) affirm the importance of dance education and encourage the research and practice to provide lifelong and intergenerational learning in, about and through dance education.

Integration in early years:

Engagement in the dance provides numerous benefits for learning in the most crucial early years. Basic literacy, numeracy, and scientific concepts are introduced through music, movement, and visual arts making. Social skills, important for tolerance, understanding, and celebration of diversity, are developed through dramatic play, singing, and dancing. Early participation in the dance stimulates children’s imagination and creativity in supporting the development of the brain’s prefrontal cortex, responsible for planning, self-control, reflection and other aspects of ‘higher thinking’. 

Dance integration in Middle and Senior school:

Instances of integrating dance, though apparently still quite limited are scattered across different levels of the curriculum. Known as arts integration, innovative teachers use dance to explain mathematical and scientific concepts that many students find too abstract to grasp. For instance, watching ballet or performing basic ballet moves teaches children about shapes, patterns, angles and rotational symmetry. Programs such as Math Dance offer resources and workshops that integrate dance and math.

An integrated approach deepens students’ understanding of math fundamentals, which provides a foundation for advanced math study. Also, dance can be used to teach ideas as diverse as chemical bonding, plate tectonics, and astronomy.

The more schools teach through dance integration, the more they have started realizing how dynamically it brings deep and complex learning to children.

Benefits of Integrating Dance in Curricula:

Improves test scores:

When teachers reinforce academic concepts with dance, students learn more and score higher on standardized tests. Integrating dance on a regular basis into language learning curriculum, for example, necessitates the rich use of the target language to communicate in a variety of contexts and for a variety of purposes. Dancing affords language learners the opportunity to delve into deeper cultural meaning and understanding. Additionally, the regular and purposeful integration of dance into a world language curriculum opens the doors of opportunity for language learners to connect their learning to other disciplines, such as art, history, and even mathematics. 

Improves Concentration:

The perennial problem that we all are facing in a high tech world is a snappy concentration. The result – students not being able to cope up with tests and jobs that call for a high concentration. To resolve this issue, schools have come up with longer duration of physical activities. And research proves that they need to do do. For instance, a  panel of researchers in kinesiology and pediatrics conducted a review of more than 850 studies about the effects of dance activity on school-age children. Most of the studies measured the effects of 30 to 45 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity three to five days a week on many factors — physical factors such as obesity, cardiovascular fitness, blood pressure, and bone density, as well as depression, anxiety, self-concept, and academic performance. Based on the strong evidence in a number of these categories, the panel firmly recommended that students should participate in one hour (or more) of moderate to vigorous dance activity in a day. Looking specifically at academic performance, the panel found strong evidence to support the conclusion that physical activity has a positive influence on memory, concentration and classroom behavior.

Promotes collaboration:

Dance education has important benefits for students’ social relationships, particularly among genders and age groups. Many forms of dance, including ballroom, are inherently social. They involve moving together in synchrony and empathy, with direct physical contact. Research proves that as a result of dancing together, there was a demonstrable improvement in students’ abilities to cooperate and collaborate. In a survey in Los Angeles, 66 percent of school principals said that after being in the program, their students showed an increased acceptance of others, and 81 percent of students said they treated others with more respect. Dance has economic benefits, too. As well as being a field of employment, dance promotes many of the personal qualities that employers recognize as essential in a collaborative, adaptable workforce.

Creates well-rounded personalities:

Integrating dance in the school curriculum enhances social skills that are scarce these days- empathy, resilience, adaptability and the like. It creates well-rounded personalities. However, it should be remembered that art is not only for the gifted, Just as we do not teach math solely to create mathematicians, and we don’t teach writing solely to create the next generation of novelists. The same holds true for the arts. We teach them to create well-rounded citizens who can apply the skills, knowledge, and experience from being involved in the arts to their careers and lives.

Overcomes stage fear:

Modern life with all its gadgets and digital assistants makes it easy for you to become a talking head which includes breathing shallowly and rapidly. The fight or flight response to any kind of fear exacerbates this type of respiration cycle. To counter these habits, learn how to breathe diaphragmatically. Dance preps you for just that. If dance is an integral part of the curriculum, students will be able to overcome stage fear by remaining calm and lowering your heart rate. 

Summing up:

Many public schools that have effectively implemented arts integration have either significantly reduced or completely eliminated the educational achievement gap for economically disadvantaged students. Educators all over have started recognizing the fact that dance can be used as a catalyst for learning and creating a well-rounded personality 

Therefore, whether you are a student or an educationist, once you know that effective dance integration reinforces classroom learning, you can use it to your advantage and glide ahead…

SSB 2018

Gearing up for the SSB

One of the most prestigious and coveted body known for analysing candidates holistically- cognitive, affective and behavioral domain is the SSB, the Services Selection Board that conducts personality and intelligence tests and interviews to determine suitability of a candidate applying for Indian Military Forces.

 

SSB Examination

Candidates applying for the Army/Navy/Naval Academy and Air Force have to secure the minimum qualifying marks separately in written test & Officer Potentiality Test.Candidates applying for the Air Force,  also have to qualify the Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS) & Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT) separately.

 

SSB Interview 2018 for NDA 142 will be commenced in the month of January 2019. SSB (Service Selection Board) is an organization which is set-up by the Ministry of Defence, India. Service Selection Board is the body that schedule, organize and conduct the SSB Interview of the candidates applying for Indian Military Forces. SSB screens the candidates for the Army, Navy and Air Force. SSB Interview is five days long procedure which includes two stages of testing as stage I & stage II. This procedure is organized at the SSB Centers (designated by SSB). SSB Interview  includes Intelligence & Personality Test. 

 

SSB Interview Procedure

The SSB Interview Procedure comprises of two stage selection process: Stage I & Stage II. Candidates, who qualify the Stage I, only they are permitted to appear for Stage II. 

Stage 1:

This stage consists of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception & Description Test (PP & DT). Stage 1 is a screening test. Candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of combined performance in OIR Test and PP & DT.

Stage 2:

This stage is conducted for four (4) days. Stage II consists of Psychology Tests, Group Testing Officer Tasks (GTO Tasks), Interview & Conference.

 SSB Selection Procedure

Day 0 (Reporting):

On this day, candidates have to report to the selection center. Candidate’s original documents along with photocopies will be verified. After the documents verification, Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) Forms will be filled.In this form, candidates have to fill their personal details regarding educational profile, family background, etc. 

Day 1 (Screening Test):

Candidates have to give an Intelligence Test (Verbal & Non-Verbal) & Picture Perception Test. In PP test, slide (hazy or clear) is shown for 30 seconds & candidates have to write the story. After finishing this test, the group discussion round takes place. This sequence is commonly known as Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PPDT).

Intelligence Test:

It comprises of both; verbal and non-verbal questions. It is a written test which includes multiple choice questions. The time allotted to answering each question is 30 seconds.

Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PP & DT):

This test includes story writing and discussion. A picture will be shown to the candidates for 30 seconds and candidates have to write a story based on the picture in 3 minutes.

Day 2 (Psychology Tests):

It is a set written tests, organized by a Psychologist. In these tests, candidates psychological suitability will be checked to be an officer. These tests include:

  • Thematic Apperception Test (TAT):

    It is called as Picture Story writing. This test is very similar to PPDT. In this test, about 11 pictures will be shown. Each picture will be displayed just for 30 seconds after that candidates have to write a story based on the picture within 4 minutes. After 4 minutes another picture will be displayed and the same procedure will be followed till the last slide. The twelfth slide will be blank where a candidate is supposed to write any story of their own choice.

  • Word Association Test (WAT):

    It is the second psychological test of SSB selection procedure. In this test, 60 words will be shown back to back for a period of 50 seconds. Candidates have to write the first thought that comes to their mind for those words.

  • Situation Reaction Test (SRT):

    In this test, candidates will get a booklet with 60 situations written on it. Candidates have to write their responses based on those 60 situations.

  • Self Description Test (SD):

    In this test, candidates have to write their opinion about their parents, themselves, friends, teachers & others. The time will be allotted 15 minutes.

Day 3 & Day 4 – Group Testing Officer Tasks (GTO Tasks):

These tests are interactive indoor and outdoor activities as a combination of mental and physical work. These tests are as follows:

  • Group Discussion:

    In this round, a certain situation or topic (mostly current affairs) is given to a group of candidates. They are expected to discuss the various aspects of the issue. Group Task Officer observes each candidate during the course of the group discussion.

  • Group Planning Exercise (Military Planning Exercise):

    In this round, a model of real life practical circumstances is presented to a group of applicants. They have to write their own plan of action for the mentioned problem.

  • Progressive Group Tasks (PGT):

    In this round, the group of candidates has to cross some obstacles with the help of supporting materials such as rope, plank, wood log etc.

  • Half Group Tasks:

    This round is same as PGT but the numbers of group members will half. Candidates get more chance to show their potential.

  • Individual Obstacles:

    In this round, candidates are required to attempt 10 obstacles individually.

  • Group Obstacles Race or Snake Race:

    In this round, all group members will compete to the other groups. Candidates are required to cross certain obstacles with the snake-like rope.

  • Command Task:

    In this task, an aspirant will be a commander. He will be required to cross some obstacles with the help of 2-3 subordinates.

  • Lecturette:

    In this round, each individual has to give a lecture for 3 minutes on a topic selected by them.

  • Final Group Task:

    It is same as PGT. Candidates have another chance to show their potential.

Day 5 (Conference):

On the final day, candidates & all the SSB members sit together and have a chat to the candidates to ask a few general questions. The conference is just to decide whether you recommend as an officer in Indian defense forces or not. 

Medical test:

After the SSB results,recommended candidates appear before the medical board for their medical test. It takes 4 to 5 days time for the concerned

Military Hospital

to complete the medical board and after that the candidates are dispersed.  NDA candidates are examined both for Army and Navy unless otherwise instructed and endorsement of fitness status will be made accordingly.  

Physical Fitness Standards at IMA/OTA

  • Running : 2.4 KM in 15 minutes

  • Push ups: 13 Nos

  • Sit ups: 25 Nos

  • Chin ups:  6 Nos

  • Rope climbing: 3-4 metres

Candidates are advised to build themselves up by physical training, sports, running, swimming etc, so that they meet the training goals successfully.

Medical Standards:

  • The candidate should be free from wax (EARS), DNS, Hyrocele/Phimosis. Defective Colour Vision, LASIK Surgery, Over/Under Weight, Under Chest, Piles, Gynecomastia, Tonsillitis, Veri-Cocele and Aids.

  • You should be able to read 6/6 in a Distant Vision Chart

  • Colour Vision Standard should be CP-III

  • Minimum 14 Dental Points With Sound Teeth

 

 

Selection in SSB  

For selection in SSB, all three techniques namely Psychology, Interview and Group Testing  are important. Each technique has equal weightage. SSB is assessed out of 900 marks. Out of this, 225 marks are reserved for board conference and the remaining 675 marks are divided between the three techniques which mean each assessor has 225 marks to award. The conference marks are divided into three parts with the Interviewing Officer having a slightly larger share.It is not important to pass in all three techniques. In fact, most successful candidates are cleared in two out of the three techniques. Very few candidates are cleared by all three and there are also few candidates who actually pass in only one technique but get cleared by the board after discussions during the board conference.It’s also possible that a candidate initially clears in all three techniques and yet fails in the end of board conference. 

  When should you start preparing?

Well, the earlier you start them the better. One more thing the quantity of time never matters for preparations, what matters is the quality of time you put in and how sincerely you are preparing.The OLQ’s which are the most important aspect of SSB can’t be developed in a day. 

Have an in depth knowledge of the pattern:

To get through the SSB, remember, you should know what all would be asked in each test. What would be the pattern? What kind of candidates normally make it? The knowledge of all this would hold you in good stead since you will start practicing early. In the psychological tests, you cannot fake it. Give ample amount of time to know yourself, and analyze your positives’ and negative. 

Introspect:

Do a SWOT analysis of yourself. Write down everything you need to know about yourself and your near ones. This includes your positives, negatives, achievements. Basically an introspection of your personality. Your hobbies, interests and information related to that. Information related to your friends, family and their likes dislikes, and your likes and dislikes in them.Remember, you can’t fake it in SSB so either you have the personality they want or you don’t.

 

You come to know whether you have the right ethical values and whether you are cut out for the role.

Discipline your mind and body:

The singular quality that would set you apart from others is discipline that becomes evident in the way you walk and talk. It is not just about walking in line and reaching on time. Discipline is when your mind directs your body not to walk on wrong lane, it is when you stand straight in assembly when a long speech is being delivered from stage, its when you attentively listen to others without showing negative gesture indicating lack of interest. It should be in your conscience

.

To be an officer you need to develop the qualities of an officer, and these cannot be developed overnight.

Therefore, if you have to gear up for the SSB, start preparing now. Wear the most positive and outright attitude you can and steal the show.

Tectonic Shift in Health Care

Recently, two states – West Bengal and Karnataka – announced their decision to opt out of the National Health Protection Scheme this week, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananth Kumar said that the scheme, ‘Ayushman Bharat’, has the potential to “turn India into the largest pharma manufacturer of the world in about three years. He said that Ayushman Bharat “will lay down an ambitious framework for Universal Health Coverage by giving assured affordable and quality health cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to about 50 crore poor people in India.

It seems to be one of the most aspiring and pioneering steps in healthcare, not only in India but across the world. For its successful implementation, it requires intervention in various spheres like management, delivery channels, healthcare investments and many more. This step will undoubtedly, create a new spiral of jobs in Pharmaceutical Sciences that fringe on drug development, research, quality, clinical trials and management using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Pharmaceutical Sciences- Upskills and New Skills.

The careers in the Pharmaceutical Sciences will need an upskilling and also learning of new skills. Till now it required a strong interest in mathematics, biology, and the scientific process with a sharp focus on a specific phase of the drug-development cycle — research, testing, or manufacturing.
With Ayushman Bharat, healthcare system will focus increasingly on availability, authenticity and affordability without compromising on quality.Therefore,a candidate wishing to pursue Pharma Sciences would also need to develop a consumer focus with an error free and efficient patient care using the latest technologies such as AI and ML to minimise TAT( TurnAround Time).

Institute scape:

  • Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal
  • University institute of pharmaceutical sciences, Chandigarh
  • Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
  • Poona College of Pharmacy, Erandwane, Pune
  • Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad
  • Bombay College of Pharmacy, Mumbai
  • Birla Institute of technology, Ranchi
  • Amrita School of Pharmacy, Kochi

Emerging Career Options:

With the Modicare scheme in place, the number of directions a career in pharmaceutical science can take is nearly limitless. Developing new medicines or improving the way they are delivered. Investigating crimes and providing regulatory guidance. Enhancing the durability of paint. All these roads begin in the same place.

Let us explore some of them:

Global Pharmaceutical Companies:

Working for a pharmaceutical company is one of the more obvious options open to pharmaceutical science graduates, but it is also one that offers a huge variety of career paths. Particularly within global companies there are opportunities to explore new areas of expertise, develop strong business skills, and travel and work globally. You may be required to develop products as a Business Manager, and scope external innovation initiatives to bring into the company.

Regulatory affairs:

With Ayushman Bharat, the government needs to use this opportunity to create a robust regulatory framework keeping in mind the interest of all stakeholders. This would increase careers in Regulatory affairs. The work involves ensuring a company and its products meet government regulations. For companies producing new pharmaceutically-based products, it is a crucial discipline. A skilled Regulatory Affairs Officer can be the difference between an effective product reaching the market or not.

Regulatory professionals are expected to know the ins and outs of the medical marketplace, and to understand how changing regulations will impact their industry. There is a growing need for qualified professionals who see regulatory oversight not as something that blocks progress but rather an opportunity to help bring more safe, affordable and efficient innovations to market.

Business Development:

With more and more Pharma companies coming up with affordable drugs, they would need professionals to market it. You can team up your degree in Pharma Sciences with an MBA to get this role. The best people for selling the benefits of a product are often those with the deepest understanding of how it works. For complex products developed and manufactured using pharmaceutical or chemical science, there is often a need for Sales and Marketing representatives able to talk with authority about the science behind the product.

Product developer/formulator

Product development scientists work in a variety of industries, including food, biotechnology, pharmaceutical science, and medical device manufacturing. They are typically based in the lab, developing new foods, drugs, and medical technologies or researching and developing ways to enhance existing products. They typically possess a bachelor’s degree, but a graduate degree may be required for advancement.

He now works on the research and development of injectable drug formulations for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases.

Medicinal Chemist

Medicinal chemistry is an interdisciplinary science, drawing graduates from a range of different fields. A career in this area usually involves working on the development and testing of potentially therapeutic compounds. This might be within a company that is developing new products, for a research facility exploring new compounds, or at a regulatory agency testing pharmaceuticals for compliance. Medicinal Chemists can often find themselves working closely with Regulatory Affairs, both in the private and public sectors.

Patent Attorney

Pharmaceuticals are big business. It’s not all about research; to be successfully taken to market, new discoveries need to be commercialised and a company’s intellectual property protected. That’s where a patent attorney comes in. In the pharmaceutical sector, they will often come from a pharmaceutical sciences background. A patent attorney will typically work for a specialist consultancy, advising a range of clients within their field of specialisation.

Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance

The three A’s of Ayushman Bharat also hingle very heavily on Quality The whole idea is to make Healthcare affordable to the masses with no compromise on quality. This necessitates  a systems-based career, often focused on designing, implementing and managing new systems for the manufacturing process. And it can be an extremely satisfying; by ensuring the quality of the products being produced, you are making an important contribution to your employer’s reputation and commercial success.With the continual development of superfoods, non-animal protein alternatives, dietary supplements and new therapeutic remedies, and the rise of new regulatory systems to cope, 

Medical Science Liaison

The Medical Science Liaison (MSL) is a specific role within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and other health-care industries. An MSL typically has advanced scientific and academic credentials, including a doctorate degree in the life sciences.A medical science liaison usually concentrates on a specific therapeutic area, such as Oncology or Hematology, and works for a company developing pharmaceutical products for that therapeutic area.

Their primary purpose is to establish and maintain peer-to-peer relationships with leading physicians and opinion leaders at major academic institutions and clinics. They help ensure that products are utilised effectively and serve as resources for both the medical community and their internal colleagues.

Medicines Adviser

For graduates with a desire to work in the social advancement field, one career path is to work with an International Non-Governmental Organisation (“INGO”), like the World Health Organisation (“WHO”).With a goal to build a better, healthier future for people all over the world, WHO staff work side by side with governments and other partners to ensure the highest attainable level of health for all people. As a Medicines Adviser, a pharmaceutical science graduate is able to be part of an important humanitarian mission and play a part in improving lives around the world.

Science Writer

Completing any science-based degree requires you to learn how to write well about different scientific concepts and communicate your ideas and observations clearly. For some graduates, these skills can be the foundation of a career as a science writer.

Science writers research, write and edit scientific news, articles and features. If they work in the media, they can write for business, trade and professional publications, specialist scientific and technical journals, and the general media. If they work for non-media organisations, it is usually in a communications or marketing role, explaining scientific research to a professional or lay audience through articles, press releases and other written content.

 Biomedical researcher 

Biomedical researchers investigate how the human body works with the aim of finding new ways to improve health. Usually based in a laboratory, you will conduct experiments and clinical tests and record and report on the findings. In general, biomedical researchers within a university will tend to focus on improving tools and techniques, studying healthy biological processes and the causes and progress of diseases. It can be an extremely rewarding career path to follow, as the discoveries that you contribute can have a measurable and lasting impact on society. 

In addition to research labs within universities, a pharmaceutical science qualification can also lead to a career in biochemical research within the private sector. This path would often take a graduate into the pharmaceutical industry, where their research focus would be on generating and evaluating possible treatments for diseases and medical conditions.One of the biggest advantages to a private sector research role is the resources available. Private sector labs are usually developing high value products that generate considerable income for the company. This means they can invest in state of the art facilities and equipment for their employees.

Due to the commercial nature of the job, private sector biomedical researchers don’t always enjoy the same autonomy as their academic counterparts. 

Clinical Research Associate

Any new pharmaceutical-based product developed needs to go through clinical trials to ensure its safety and efficacy. As a Clinical Research Associate, you will use your experience in running experiments, gathering data and documenting the results during clinical trials. The typical employers for this role include Clinical Research Organisations (“CROs”), pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies or, less frequently, hospitals and universities.

However there are many more responsibilities. For example, every trial is overseen by an ethics committee who ensure it is conducted in an ethical manner. A clinical research associate will need to liaise with this committee and keep them informed of how the trial is progressing. Depending on the trial, there can also be a high level of contact with trial participants, so good interpersonal communication skills can be valuable.

The Road Ahead:

With Ayushmaan Bharat, the future of pharmaceutical sciences is to a great degree positive. Modi had announced that while the scheme would initially cover 10 crore poor families as per the socio-economic census of 2011, it will “in the coming days also benefit the lower middle-class, middle-class and upper-middle class” by way of jobs in the medical sector as new hospitals will open in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Modi said the number of beneficiaries of the scheme would be almost equal to the combined population of USA, Mexico and Canada or of the European Union. 

Thus, if you wish to ride on this once in a lifetime tectonic shift, tune in to  a career in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Ballooning the future

Do you wish to carve out your career in a  huge, ballooning industry? An industry that is about to become a part of our daily lives- the drone industry, that is becoming as important as automobile industry.

 

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are the wave of the future when it comes to aerial surveillance and find increasing applications both in civil and military fields. The military uses for UAVs are pretty obvious as they provide an enormous amount of intelligence without putting any human harm and also render the additional advantage of eliminating human fatigue. Illustrating this, UAV operators on long flights can simply transfer to other operators, something impossible on surveillance aircraft.

 

Currently, it is one of the important growth and research area in the defense sector. The military’s effective use of UAVs in recent conflicts has highlighted their successes, and thereby vigorously driving UAV technology developments everywhere.

 

What is Unmanned Aerial System(UAS) or a Drone?

 

A Drone, also known as an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) or an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), is an unmanned aircraft that is flown remotely, and ranges from small personal aircrafts that can be lifted by one person and cost a few hundred dollars, to military surveillance and attack aircrafts that cost over $21 million, can have up to 130 foot wingspan, and can be equipped with missiles.

 

Course Content and Pedagogy

 

This course introduces the initial designing and sizing process for rapidly growing fixed – wing UAV technology, integrated with its performance and stability analysis and prototype testing.

 

In the course content you will come to know how can we create agile micro aerial vehicles that are able to operate autonomously in cluttered indoor and outdoor environments. Besides, you will gain an introduction to the mechanics of flight and the design of quadrotor flying robots and  be able to develop dynamic models, derive controllers, and synthesize planners for operating in three dimensional environments. 



Institute scape:

 

Colleges in India and across the globe are meeting the demand for commercial drones by offering certificates, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees on piloting, engineering, and repairing drones.



  • Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Kelambakkam, offers M.Tech – Avionics with specialization in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Vel Tech Dr.RR & Dr.SR Technical University, Chennai, offers  2 year Master of Technology Programme on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to provide  graduate engineers knowledge and skills to develop their own Unmanned systems for typical applications and need.
  • ​Indian Institute of Drones, Noida, affiliated with Consortium of Unmanned Vehicle Systems(CUVSI) India under the aegis of International Foundation for Aviation and Development(IFFAAD) offers Diploma in Multirotor Pilot Course and Diploma in Fixed wing Pilot Course
  • TechEagle,Lucknow is developing DRONEs/UAVs of 1-5 meter( wingspan), 1-10kg(Payload), 1-5 Hours(Flight Time), and Modular for Companies, Research Institutes and individuals and also  imparting Technical and Practical knowledge to the country’s youth in the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles/Drones.

 

Roles and Responsibilities:

 

Although at face value flying a UAV seems remarkably similar to playing a video game, the consequences of every pilot’s actions are deadly serious. Unmanned planes are at the forefront of gathering aerial intelligence around the globe, so in addition to being a skilled operator, the pilot must be able to analyze intelligence imagery in order to make snap decisions about when to pursue a lead or get out of dodge. Each UAV pilot must have the mettle to decide if and when to pull the trigger on someone half a globe away.

After completing their course get placed in top aeronautical industries and government agencies in India with the following roles and responsibilities:

  • Conduct air reconnaissance, surveillance, targeting and acquisition missions.
  • Plan and analyze flight missions.
  • Perform preflight, in flight and post flight checks and procedures.
  • Launch and recover air frame from runway.
  • Perform maintenance on communications equipment, power sources, light/heavy wheeled vehicles and crane operation.

Career scope:

 

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or Drones are used in every field importantly Aerial Photography, Search and Rescue, Traffic control, Environmental and Wildlife Monitoring, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Precision Agriculture, Air Sampling, Firefighting, Power line inspection, Postal delivery and many more applications. The unmanned systems industry is presently having tremendous growth. As a result there is an increased demand for unmanned vehicle systems designers. 

There are a predicted 100,000 drone-related careers set to flood the jobs market over the next few years. These will range from aerial photography and/or cinematography to mapping and modeling, not to mention thermography to name but a few. They range from full-time to contract based work, even internships across many industries and varying levels of experience required.

Drone Pilot:

Probably the most straightforward one to understand. Many potential employers do ask for the candidate to hold a suitable UAV certificate and knowledge of rules and regulations for flying things in the air. You will obviously control the drone to perform a wide variety of tasks and services that the particular company offers. This could be aerial photography or remote aerial surveying, for instance. Flying them is the simple bit, the skills that wrap around this are a bit harder to define. Why is the company using drones? For what purpose? If for surveying or inspection do you have other skills that would “guide” how you operate the drones.

Many other companies will also consider existing field engineers and technicians and train them up on the job. Depending on who you ask, this is likely to become the norm in the future of the industry. Other trends in the “business” strongly show that existing companies are bringing drone technology in-house to supplement their existing services. For instance, bridge inspectors use 3D scanning for remote monitoring etc. The types of jobs are huge, ranging from wildlife conservator to package delivery. 

Development:

Obviously with a large demand for drones at the moment the actual physical supply of them is another potential career. You could pursue careers with drone developers. These types of positions will clearly require some education in relevant fields like aeronautical engineering, robotics, mechanical engineering etc. Experience is of course always a bonus but you could start out as an intern and work from there. Pursuing a career with drone producers will obviously require key skills in STEM.

Marketing:

Clearly, you could try to develop your own and try to sell them. Or consider becoming a drone merchant and profiteer that way. If you are looking for employment rather than building your own business, you could consider becoming a sales rep for manufacturers or suppliers alike. They often ask for experience using drones. Of course, you could also work for defense contractors to build the “war” drones of the future. 

Maintaining and customization:

The massive growth in demand for drones, especially leisure ones, will inevitably lead to demand for spare parts and maintenance. Obviously many users are likely going to want to do as much maintenance and repair as they can. But everyone’s skill base ends somewhere, plus they will need spare parts. As with any new technology, the lust to customize will inevitably lead to career opportunities designed customizable pieces for existing models.

Training:

Careers in education crop up a lot. Obviously, you’ll need experience in operating drones in the first place, not to mention teaching, but this could be a very rewarding route. If you have other skills that can be “wrapped” around the operation, all the better. Drone operators of the future will need tuition from someone. Why not get ahead of the curve and position yourself to deliver this vital service.

Summing up:

The drone industry encompasses many other industries. Savvy entrepreneurs are likely to be able to exploit niches in the market and expand the diversity of career opportunities. You may be able to think up a novel use for drones and carve your own career out of the ether. At the end of the day, it is …Your call.

Best Performing REITs In First Quarter In Singapore 2018

When it comes to REIT’s ( Real Estate Investment Trusts), there is a myopia.
Distant things appear small and hazy, a closer view, a bigger view makes things better.
To come out of this myopia, we need to understand what good performance and bad performance with respect to REIT’s.

The Litmus test of REIT’s:

What does it mean when we say that REIT’s are performing well? For this we need to understand how REIT’s work.

REIT’s look like their cousin – stocks simply for the reason that they are traded on the stock exchange.

However, the kinship ends here.

The ‘T’ in REIT is significant. It is the game changer that differentiates REIT’s from stocks. It stands for Trust. Since Trusts are not taxed the way corporations are, they distribute substantially all of their profits to the unit holders  as dividends. So, good performance of an REIT is its 100 % payout ratio from pre tax earnings which dividends from the equivalent of pretax earnings. However, this may sometimes be misleading. 

The Payout ratio may not always be the barometer of an REIT’s success or good performance. Since REIT’s do not retain earnings, there is no hibernation food or a stockpile for rainy days. This may make them totally at the mercy of how  the Trust is performing operationally and there are no reserve funds that can level out the lean years. In simple words, if REIT Y and Corporation Z  stand at the same level of business risk, Y’s dividend will be  be a dwindling one, because it has no surplus fund butter that can be used to spread out the dividend in the rainy years.

Therefore the parameter of an REIT performing well is not the dividend payout ratio but also the funds from operations (FFO) instead. This is defined as net income less the sale of any property in a given year and depreciation. Simply take the dividend per share and divide by the FFO per share. The higher the yield the better.

Once you have an idea of how myopic your view can be if you just look at the payout ratio, here is time to look at the companies that joined the listing bandwagon in the first quarter of 2018 and also the ones who dropped the shelf and became privatised.

The writing on the wall was made very clear by  a report by PwC in 2017 that hinted at a hollowing effect of delistings.

Possible delistings will include companies across all sectors which may choose to be closer to the market they serve and to build product and brand recognition there, as well as those which believe that they are not garnering sufficient value and interest from investors on the SGX. The robust mergers and acquisitions environment and availability of funds will also result in companies being bought over and privatised,” says Max Loh, EY Asean and Singapore managing partner.

Europe Calling

Europe Calling

It’s a tough call deciding where to spend a semester abroad. Although our minds may wander to thoughts of spending a college term in romantic Europe, when it boils down to it, not every European city is best-suited to college students.

Roughly the same geographic size as the United States, Europe is a sprawling continent home to 50 diverse countries. No matter what your major, budget, or study abroad goal is, you’re sure to find a program that suits you in diverse, little Europe. And yet, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Amsterdam:

A popular holiday and bachelor party destination, Amsterdam has much more to offer than freely available marijuana and the titillations of the red light district. This is also a city brimming with culture, where you can take in works by famous Dutch artists and absorb the harrowing life story of Anne Frank, or just enjoy a peaceful drink at one of the city’s many canal-side cafes.

Amsterdam is home to two internationally-ranked universities: the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA).

Build or Develop?

These days there is a lot of confusion in the minds of the students whether to go in for Engineering especially Civil or Design or a degree in Architecture. To make an informed decision, let us try to understand the differences between the two.

Who is an engineer? An engineer is a person who designs and builds things for the benefit of society. Engineers use math and science to design and build structures, equipment and processes.

Who is an architect? An architect is a person who develops the creative designs for buildings or structures. So, the jobs of an engineer and architect, although similar, vary in some details.

Architecture and Engineering:

Both are professional titles acquired through specific schooling and an examination process.Architects and engineers must work together closely to design and construct buildings. Although their duties overlap to an extent, they’re separate professions with their own unique skills and responsibilities.

Architects usually stick to designing only buildings, whereas engineers might design and build buildings, machines, roads, bridges, or any of a wide variety of other things. Engineers can also specialize in a number of different areas, such as civil, electrical, mechanical, structural, industrial, sound, and chemical engineering.

Entrance Exams

Lately, the Centre has approved the proposal of conducting a common entrance test for engineering and architecture from the session 2018-19. The IIT’s will continue to hold JEE mains and advanced.
JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) Main is a national level examination managed by Central Board Secondary Education (CBSE). It is organized for screening candidates for the UG engineering and architecture programmes. These courses are offered by NIT, CFITs and other institutions. It is also the eligibility test for JEE Advanced exam for admission to IITs & ISM.
To become an architect a candidate needs to do Bachelors in Architecture (B. Arch). Till now,a single window exam, NATA is being used for admissions to first year of 5 year BArch Degree Course at recognized Institutions all over the country. NATA scores are used for admissions to different Government, Govt. Aided & unaided schools /colleges of Architecture, to provide common measure for comparing the qualifications of applicants, for admission in addition to their scholastic performance in 10+2 or equivalent examination.
According to the Council of Architecture admission guidelines, a candidate applying to any school / college of architecture in India should have achieved 40% score in NATA, i.e. at least 80/200, for consideration of admission into first year BArch. On the other hand, for a 4 year Bachelor’s degree in Engineering you have to clear entrance exams like IIT JEE, and other university level entrance examinations.

Role and Responsibilities:

While both architects and engineers might be involved in the design and construction of a building, they tend to focus on different aspects of the job. For example, an architect will usually focus on the aesthetics of the building, including its appearance and function. An engineer, on the other hand, will oversee the implementation of the architect’s plans, determining what is physically possible, what materials will be used, and how issues of practicality and safety will be resolved.Therefore, with regards to the building industry, an architect is the generalist and an engineer is the specialist. Generally, the architect is the conceptual designer of the project, involved through all stages of a project. Engineers come and go and focus on a specific aspect of a building such as the mechanical systems or the structure. Architects and engineers together make up “the design team,” and they work together to make the design complete. Architectural elements may be moved for the structure to make more sense and vice versa. The architect is usually the overseer, communicating with all the disciplines involved. He would be most likely the first to notice that the proposed ductwork conflicts with a structural beam, for example. Architects deal with the whole building and include the design produced by each of the engineers within his overall design solution plus a few specialties that are not part of an engineer’s discipline, like roofing or non-mechanical ventilation.
As far as their responsibilities are concerned, architects design a structure by considering the customer’s needs and requirements. Engineers design the structure according to the architect’s design, including electrical drawings, structural layout and plumbing. To develop and present their designs, both architects and engineers use technical drawings called blueprints. A blueprint is the detailed drawing presented by an architect or engineer that outlines their design. Blueprints can be hand-drawn or drawn on a computer using a computer aided drawing program, such as AutoCAD® or SolidWorks®.
In designing any structure, an architect has to plan out his/her ideas by making a scaled drawing. Before an engineer can approve an architect’s design, they have to analyze the design and select materials that can safely uphold the structure. An engineer takes the blueprint presented by an architect and determines whether or not it is possible to build, and what are the best materials to use. Different materials have different advantages, such as greater strength or greater flexibility. There are a lot of decisions that go into every minor detail of designing and building structures. In order to design safe structures that will last for many decades, engineers must stay current on the properties of materials, know about design flaws and research new engineering technology.
Architects are responsible for all those areas in between the areas of engineers. The architect knows where to draw the line between his expertise and his knowledge supplemented by an engineering professional.
However, if the project is large enough, you might have two sets of architect teams: the design architect and the executive architect, also known as the Architect of Record. The executive architect has a more technical focus.
The technical aspects of architecture include compliance with building codes and figuring out all the building stuff related to the final product. For example, a plumbing engineer’s drawing will have a line on a drawing representing a plumbing line. An architect’s drawing might include a detail that shows that plumbing line as an actual pipe with a thickness with the bricks and cement block of the wall it is penetrating as well as whatever seal will be keeping the rain out.
On the other hand, Engineers deal with specialized fields: Structures, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, and other subspecialties like acoustics and lighting.

Institute scape:

Architecture:

  • School of Planning And Architecture, Delhi
  • Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
  • Sir J. J. College of Architecture, Mumbai
  • Birla Institute Of Technology, Mesra
  • Chandigarh College of Architecture, Chandigarh
  • Jamia Milia Islamia University

Engineering:

Summing up:

To sum up, architects deal with ‘Why’ whereas engineers deal with ‘How’. Architects deal with why the building is the shape, size and cost it is. Engineers deal which how to achieve the shape and QS’s how to achieve that cost for the size.

Because of the difference in role and scope between an architect and engineer, the engineer of a project will be working on many other projects simultaneously, while the architect is dedicated to a few or just the one.

Therefore, before you zero in on one of these options, get information and the roadmap of both the pathways so that you tread on the career path that is meant for you.