Category: 2020

One sector that disrupted the world economy is Railways. Over the years, it has become  so competent that it has transformed the way we move. We have not only graduated from steam engines to diesel engines to electric trains but are also looking at futuristic technologies like the Hyperloop, a futuristic train concept that could travel at more than 1000 km/h with renewable energies. More than a year ago, SpaceX (Elon Musk’s company) launched a competition in which the team Hyperloop UPV, won the prizes for “Top Design Concept” and “Best Propulsion Subsystem. The Hyperloop creates a loop of career options in rail engineering from operations to product design to mechanics of railway.

Back home, in India with general elections just a year away, the railways has set monthly targets for the completion of its major projects with an aim to finish work in time for the country to go to polls in 2019. In a letter sent to all 16 zones, Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani set such targets for zonal railways for timely commissioning of new lines, gauge conversion and doubling projects announced in the budget this year.Needless to say, the timely commissioning of these projects calls for meticulous planning in respect of preparatory works and also the need for qualified engineers who can translate the dream projects into reality.

Who are Railway Engineers?

The railway engineers look after the works like bridge construction, permanent way development, Signal and interlocking, Fittings and fastenings, etc. They are the ones who maintain and develop the efficient engineering systems and solutions in an integrated manner. 

As a railway engineer, you’ll have a wide range of jobs, which will include building new engines and carriages,fitting out new carriages with upholstery, lighting, control panels and communication systems,inspecting bodywork, roofs and under-carriages for wear and tear or damage,repairing or replacing parts,making new parts,carrying out regular maintenance checks on systems such as brakes and couplings,taking apart and testing mechanical, electrical and pneumatic systems besides writing reports and updating maintenance records.

What is Railway Engineering?

Railway Engineering is a multi-pronged discipline, dealing with the design, construction, production and operation of all types of a railway system. It encompasses a wide range of engineering disciplines, including Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Production Engineering. It covers many other sub-disciplines of engineering and management. There is an urgent need for having a specialized group of Railway Engineers capable of dealing with the unique problems associated with railways. 

Institute scape:

 Sir Padampat Singhania University Udaipur, Rajasthan has pioneered to introduce a 4-year B.Tech degree programme in Rail Transportation Engineering interweaving the relevant contents of Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering & Computer Science & Engineering. A graduate from this discipline will have career opportunities in Indian Railways & its associates as well as in large number of ancillary industries, both private & public sector. The knowledge gained from this programme will also provide enough confidence to start-up entrepreneurial ventures

Programme Objectives

• To impart knowledge in relevant fields so that the students are acquainted with all aspects of rail transportation.
• To complement the theoretical knowledge through laboratory practices as well as industrial exposures in India & abroad.
• To apprise students about the laws & regulations governing railway professionals & to make them aware about their ethical & societal responsibilities.
• To introduce the component of research so that the students having proper attitude can pursue research as a career.

Eligibility

• Pass in 10+2 Science from a recognised board (Preferably above 60%)

Across the globe:

Sheffield Hallam University, UK offering 3 year B.Sc in Railway Engineering( Hons)

University of Birmingham, UK offering 3 year B.Sc in Electrical and Railway Engineering

University of Illinois, Railway Engineering M.Eng

Manchester Metropolitan University, offering M.Sc in Rail Engineering

Career Pathways:

There are various jobs after Railway engineering. Some of  them are:

Senior Section Engineer

Sr. section engineer is the post under railways who looks after the permanent way development, signaling system, wagon wheel etc. the exam is conducted by the railway recruitment boards of various regions. 

Train light Engineer

This is a separate and challenging department under the engineering head of the railways, which deals with the train light development and maintenance.

Truss Engineer

For the development of the stations and for the building of various superstructures around the bridges, truss engineers are employed to the site. This job offers you the heavy but smart working conditions. 

Surveyor

Railway engineering works are totally based on the surveys conducted by the surveyors. Thus surveyors in the railways are assigned the tedious tasks and hence are highly paid with other railway facilities.

Junior Engineer

Junior engineer is the common post inside the railways in various heads like Water treatment plant, Permanent way, Signals, and interlocking, etc.

Quality Control:

You can beef up your degree with artificial Intelligence and get into a Quality Control role. While Indian Railways is already using this technique to detect flaws or problems in the signalling system, the national transporter will now reportedly use artificial intelligence (AI) to control air circulation, signages, supervision and maintenance work in the 10.28 km-long tunnel in Imphal, the capital of  Manipur. The Artificial Intelligence  system will control air circulation and alert the passenger in case of fire. AI will help the Indian Railways in taking care of management and maintenance. It will also help run trains safely through the tunnel.  The AI will track circuits, monitor signals, axle counters and their sub-systems of interlocking.  Besides that power supply systems, timers collect the data on a predetermined interval and send them to a central location. AI technology would help you collect and analyse data on tunnels. To predict future tunnel deterioration patterns and corresponding maintenance needs,  the results of this data can then be evaluated. 

Virtual Ticketing 

Ticketing has been amongst the most innovative areas within rail and metro, perhaps most visible in smart-card systems overtaking paper tickets in a growing number of the world’s transport networks. The next development could well be Virtual Agents, essentially an at station computer offering a combination of ticket office, vending machine and call centre. A passenger using the Virtual Agent is able to talk a ‘real person’ in ‘real time’ offering a similar experience to being a the ticket window except over a video link. The ticket agent you speak to would be likely at a central ticket office hub.For rail companies this would enable a central pool of staff to be deployed across the network and be able to be focussed at certain peak times. It would also potentially offer the opportunity to offer ticket advice in different languages and even link staff from quiet stations into helping at busier stations at peak times. For passengers it offers a human contact but also the immediacy and speed of a ticket machine. 

The Road Ahead:

With passenger numbers generally increasing and demands and expectations changing, the need for a railway engineer increases and offers a lot of potential. Ensuring that large numbers of travellers can move freely and efficiently to, through and from a station is essential to maintaining the operational effectiveness of the transport system as a whole.

Station developments now consider ergonomic and human factors, in particular looking in a scientific way at people and their needs, and then providing analytical evidence based on psychological, behavioural and physical factors to improve experiences. For example, in the development of stations experts can be used to analyse passenger movement and behaviour and then plan the station layout to encourage them to do the things you need them to do, for example travelling one the correct side of the escalator or arriving at gate lines with their tickets ready. Other areas of growth in this sector including the development of new technologies and smart ticketing and also the place for retail and catering opportunities within the station.

With the advent of new technologies and the developments that are taking place all over the world, there is a dire necessity of having  more institutions in India, fully devoted to this particular discipline of Railway Engineering, so that well qualified, competent manpower is available to take up the challenges including speed, vibration, track renewal, maintenance, signaling, structural analysis and design, coupled with efficient and effective management of the railway system in its totality. 

Once you step in the right institution, your career would be on the right track.

Futuristic STEM 

Today, Education hinges very heavily on courses in STEM, an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This is due to the fact that it churns out critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and next-generation innovators. Taking into consideration that India is one of the countries that produces the highest number of scientists and engineers, the growth of STEM has picked up significantly over the last few years. Governments across the globe are taking several initiatives to take education a step ahead. Take ATL( Atal Tinkering Labs) by NITI Aayog for example. NITI Aayog is the premier think tank of the Government of India whose primary goal is to increase the level of efficiency in progressing sectors like Education and Health.

Therefore, in case you have a  scientific bent of mind, you should be exploring courses and programs that fuel your scientific temper apart from being offbeat.

Science Curriculum and skill set:

Science curriculum demands an understanding of subjects like Maths, Technology, and Physics. In Maths, you need to deep dive into Calculus and Algebra. In case you wish to make a career in Science, an understanding of basics is essential. Algebra is everywhere, so instead of rushing through calculus without taking the time to really get comfortable with algebra, concentrate on problems that require symbolic manipulation. Also, the second discipline that will hold you in good stead is Statistics. Knowing something about probability and statistics is absolutely invaluable for understanding modern science, and finds applications in other fields, as well.

While you might think you love science based on your experience in classes, classwork is a pale imitation of actual science. In classes, you are only asked to attack problems that can actually be solved in a reasonable amount of time– your homework sets might take hours to write out, but they won’t contain problems that can’t be solved with the techniques you’ve discussed in class.

What would make you employable is your ability to push beyond the curriculum. Your ability to solve problems, innovate, explore and experience what your curriculum would hitherto have not prepared you for.

B.Sc at bay?

If you are deeply interested in pursuing a career in academics or research, B.Sc (Hons) in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Zoology or Botany will help you do just that. Do not keep it at bay feeling that B.Tech is more professional and hands on. You can further your prospects by doing a masters degree and then moving on to research and working as a junior research fellow in any reputed research institute. You can also pursue a career as a lecturer in any university or get jobs in the chemical industry, the pharmaceutical industry, or in government organizations like ONGC.

Forking Pathways:

Pharmacy:

Pharmacists, today play a significant role in the healthcare industry. Their contribution goes beyond a pharmacy as they take up more challenging roles such as research and drug discovery. To be a Pharmacist, you need to be a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm), which is a four-year undergraduate degree course. To get admission into the Pharmacy course, students have to complete their 10+2 education & apply for national level or state level The national level entrance exam is the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test(GPAT). After the completion of this degree, you can practice as a Pharmacist and can work in a range of industries related to the prescription, manufacture & provision of medicines. 

Where to study:

• NIPER (National Institute of Pharmaceutical education & research), Mohali.
• Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research
• University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chandigarh
• Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar
• LPU, Jalandhar

BioInformatics:

Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to get the information that’s stored in certain types of biological data. Bioinformatics provides central, globally accessible databases that enable scientists to submit, search and analyze information. It offers analysis software for data studies and comparisons and provides tools for modeling, visualizing, exploring and interpreting data. If you are a 10+2 in the science discipline, you can pursue bioinformatics at bachelor’ s(B.Tech or B.Sc).

Job prospects are in all sectors of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and biomedical sciences, in research institutions, hospital, and industry. Some of the specific career areas that fall within the scope of bioinformatics include Sequence assembly, Database design, and maintenance, Sequence analysis, Proteomics (the study of protein, particularly their structures and functions), Pharmacogenomics, Pharmacology, Clinical pharmacologist, Informatics developer, Computational chemist, Bio-analytics and Analytics. 

Institute scape:

• Punjab University Chandigarh
• DAV College, Chandigarh
• Amity University, Noida

Bio-Technology:

Biotechnology Engineering is a part of engineering that involves the technology and biological science for development in the field of medical, agriculture, security and bio-research.

For doing Biotechnology Engineering, you need to have mathematics, chemistry, biology in XII. For admission to B.Tech/B.E. courses, you have to apply for JEE Main is the national level entrance exam. Admission into IITs & NITs is done through JEE Advanced which is the second stage of JEE Main.

Vetinerary Sciences:

Veterinary medicine is a branch of science that deals in prevention, diagnosis, and prevention of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Vetinerary Sciences is a fast growing field for students who have passed XII with Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. You have to qualify the NEET exam to get admission in Veterinary courses.

Veterinary Courses:

• Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry (B.V.Sc & AH) – 5 years
• BV. Sc. in Animal Genetics and Breeding
• BV. Sc. in Animal Production & Management
• BV. Sc. in Veterinary Surgery & Radiology
• BV. Sc. in Veterinary Medicine, Public Health & Hygiene

Institute Scape:

• Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana.
• Indian Veterinary Research Institute, UP

Agricultural Sciences:

B.Sc in agriculture is an undergraduate course in agricultural studies and processes. The minimum eligibility for this course requires passing class 12th/ Higher Secondary Examination in Biology, Maths, and Chemistry. Admission to various Agricultural Universities in India is based on All India Entrance Exams conducted by ICAR. Other state-level agricultural universities conduct their own entrance exams for admission to various courses.

• B.Sc in Agriculture.
• B.Sc in Genetic Plant Breeding.
• B.Sc in Agriculture Economics and Farm Management. 
• B.Sc in Animal Husbandry.
• B.Sc in Forestry. 
• B.Sc Soil and water management. 
• B.Sc in Horticulture. 
• B.Sc Agriculture and Food Business.

Institute Scape:

• Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.
• Chandigarh University, Chandigarh.
• Chitkara University, Chandigarh.

Tips for choosing the right college:

Small scale examination: 

You may look to college rankings to help make a decision, but don’t forget that academic prestige can be examined on a smaller scale. A school that excels in biology, for example, may have a less regarded history department. Do some research or reach out directly to faculty members in your prospective department. Give extra consideration to a college whose faculty members are still actively engaged with employers in a given field, as this can open doors to internships, research opportunities, and jobs. 

Placement Record:

Life is not just fun and games. At the end of the day, most of us would want to become employable and financially independent, and good placements can give a kick start to one’s career. So do your research, and figure out in which colleges the companies of your interest come for placement and whether they offer profiles which suit you. You never know, maybe your dream company doesn’t even go to the college whose cut off you missed by 0.25%.When you look at placement data, do not just look at the data that shows you the highest placement, look for overall strike ratio. At times, the placement data may be window dressed to showcase only the highest packages. 

Small College Bias:

Other things being equal, when it comes to a choice between an elite college and a small one, gravitate towards The faculty and staff are not without influence, though, so it’s very important to make sure that you’re comfortable with them, too.So, if you know roughly what you want to study, make sure to visit that specific department, or a few departments in the right general area, and get a sense of that environment as well. Are the faculty willing to talk to you, as a prospective student, and make you feel welcome? More importantly, are they making the students who are already enrolled feel comfortable? If you visit a department and see students hanging around working together or working with faculty, that’s a great sign. If you go there on a weekday afternoon and the place is a ghost town, that suggests that students aren’t comfortable being there, which should make you concerned about whether you’re going to be comfortable being there.And make sure the resources that a prospective college or university provides will be available to you. Having world-class research labs is a great thing, but if they’re entirely controlled by grad students and post-docs, they’ll make very little difference to your experience as an undergraduate.

Summing up:

We are now at a stage where the number of STEM jobs is growing at a fast pace and currently outstripping the number of STEM graduates. According to the National Science Foundation, it is predicted that 80% of the jobs created in the next decade will require some form of math and science skills. Despite having the top quality talent, the exam-focused education model of the past has limited these students when it comes to innovation, problem-solving and creativity. 

This is where YOU, as a STEM player, can fill the gap.

Back then… If I had REIT’s, I could  afford to sleep …in peace. (S!P)

REIT’s aka Real Estate Investment Trusts are the most coveted assets Singapore investors have been attracted to owing to their high yields ( as much as 6.5 % per annum) outsmarting and outperforming their other cousins viz FD’s, shares and bonds.

Now, these days, I have invested in REIT’s, and please do not preach, coz I am losing sleep.

May they rest in peace(RIP)

Let us take a look at current  S REIT report card.

In the year-to-date, the SGX S-REIT Index, comprising all REITs listed in Singapore, has declined close to 6.3% on average. This is offset by its 6.5% per annum yield that the REITs pay out on average.

A similar decline was witnessed in all three REIT ETFs listed in Singapore – the Lion-Phillip S-REIT ETF (declining 6.8% in year-to-date 2018); Nikko AM-Straits Trading Asia Ex Japan REIT ETF (declining 6.3% in year-to-date 2018); and the Phillip SGX APAC Dividend Leaders REIT ETF (declining 5.5% in year-to-date 2018).

Does it mean that experienced investors should ditch them for more enticing options? Does it head towards the epitaph of  Singapore REIT’s? As an experienced investor, should you look beyond S REIT’s?  Is there a wayout or wayup? 

Will the market buck  the trend? Would they rise like a Phoenix?

Many investors are thinking of going the global route. Before you decide to join the bandwagon, think it over. We live in volatile times, times of political instability, Governments get married and then divorced in no time. Taxation rules vary. Will you be able to keep a tab?

So, what should you do? 

There is an epigrammatic response to that. Cliched as it may sound, 

Ignore the report card. S REIT’s are here to stay.

# REIT’s – Invest and rest.

While it pertains to life in general and investment in particular, while investing, always ditch instant gratification for delayed gratification. Do not let their short term performance break your heart.  REIT’s are for the future. Especially for REIT’s ,passive investing with an eye on the bullish market for long term is the key. The real estate may be the tortoise in the game these days, but the future is quite starry. The economy is on the path to growth with a demand for more office spaces, hiked rents and higher occupancy rates. When it gains momentum, you as an experienced investor may want to ride on the strong operating fundamentals. Under Singapore REIT market, REIT’s have to give back 90% of their taxable income to shareholders as annual dividends, you would ride the crest at that point in time. 

Now, if you think that economies grow at different rates and there is an advantage in investing in an international REIT, let me tell you, when the economy grows as a whole, we cannot decouple ourselves. 

# REIT’s – Look backward and step forward

When it comes to REIT’s, use your hindsight and foresight both. Look at historical data. Compare the dividend yields with returns from other fixed income securities like corporate bonds etc. REIT’s have always performed well during similar economic conditions, better than their counterparts. Singapore-REITs  have provided an annualised total return of 8.4 per cent over the past five years, nearly double the 4.4 per cent return of the benchmark Straits Times Index (STI).

# Cherry pick the best performing REIT’s

The overall REIT equity returns  might not be something to boast about, a closer look shows that some of them have outperformed the others. 

Healthcare is one. Retail is another. 

Cherry pick these.

According to Lee Brenan, principal,Cuningham Group ” A silver tsunami” is coming. The growing numbers  of aging seniors is going to change the face of housing and health care. The ripple effect is going to be on Singapore too. The statistic shows a projection of the aging population in Singapore from 2015 to 2035. In 2035, the percentage of the population of Singapore above the age of 65 is forecasted to be at 31.74 percent. And this population would not like to grow old just looking at other people. They would like to live in the same houses they live in and also expect care outside of a hospital setting. This calls for a boom in real estate at a very different level. A confluence of ambulatory services on  a retail strip.  This would also accelerate the demand for senior living, assisted living and communities that encompass movie theatre, residential complex and wellness and prevention centres. 

If you are an avid investor, you can ride this Tsunami wave and cherry pick your REIT’s. 

A pinch of salt though. 

Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Add an international REIT to diversify your portfolio.

# Diversify by going global.

Real estate is a comparatively local business. While it may be in doldrums in one country, it may be galloping in the other. Also, it can hedge against inflation. Real estate would always build value over time in spite of secular currency depreciation. Observe and understand the dynamics.

Minimise the risk by shopping across the globe. Since global REIT’s  not only have a low correlation with the rest of your portfolio but also with your current real estate ownership, they are the best bet in case you wish to diversify your portfolio.Owing to their ease of use and global acceptance, they are a compelling opportunity for you to get more return for every unit of risk you take. When you are riding red on some REIT’s, there would always be some green color on your portfolio making you sleep in peace.

Learning Curve:

The ‘will they won’t they’ wave that the Singapore REIT’s seem to ride on these days would end in favour of ‘they will’. 

The moot point is, like all other investments, you have to manage them well.

A Basic Guide To Investing In STI ETF 2018

Someone said, first you work for money and after a certain point, make money work for you.

I confess.

I understand what it means but do not quite understand ‘how’ it is done..

Do you?

Cliched as it may sound, how do you make it happen? Let’s say, you saved close to $5000 five years ago and felt that someday you would sit on a pile of cash. 

Well, fast forward 2018. Your money is virtually the same.  The gain has been close to nothing. Whatever you saved was eroded and corroded by inflation.

What is it that factors in inflation and makes you ride on its cusp? There is a slew of wonder wizard apps talking about a rich array of financial instruments  to choose from and robo advisors talk talking it all.

It is the good old STI ETF.

What is STI ETF

Potent and passive

STI ETF is potent, passive form of investment that holds promise…

Like their cousins, stocks and unit funds, STI ETF’s are securities specially created by fund managers to track the performance of a specific market index. Now, there are different types of markets you can choose to track. In Singapore, the most common market is the Straits Times Index (STI). 

The STI is a blue chip index of 30 of Singapore’s best and biggest companies listed on Singapore Stock exchange. 

The money smart blog describes STI ETF as such. With a history dating back to 1966, the STI tracks the performance of the top 30 companies listed on the Singapore Exchange. The 30 STI stocks represent five different sectors and 19 different industries, chosen to best depict Singapore’s diverse economy. The STI is represented by some of the largest businesses incorporated in Singapore, such as DBS, UOB, Singtel, Keppel Corporation and CapitaLand Limited. Of course, the tides change every year and some companies may be removed from the list while others are included.

If you are planning to work and also make your money work for you and are not ready to see saw the financial horizon, one of the cheapest and robust ways to do so is to invest into a mix of STI ETFs.

STI ETF gives you a twin delight

It is an index fund that trades on a stock exchange.

How do you invest?

From food to funds

If you are  a beginner and feel that you would be a novice, hold on. It’s not all that difficult. While investing, keep in mind- diversification is key. Tap into the wisdom of crowds. Let me give you an example.

A few days ago, I had gone to Italy. While going to  a restaurant, we found that even after reading the ingredients, it was difficult to make out what would a particular dish contain. Some food were good to the palate, some were harsh. The best solution was to order a full three or five course meal. The nasty foods could be offset by the good food. 

What applies to food also applies to funds.  

Simply put, it means rather than cherry picking a few companies, invest in all of them to earn an average return- a loss in one may be offset by the profit in the other. You feel that you are blindly investing but you are not.For a company to qualify to be among the 30 blue chip companies, it has to be really good in terms of revenues and profits. In case the company you invested in today does not do well tomorrow, an automatic rebalancing would be done in a way that companies that lie at the fringes would be knocked out of the list. Thus, there is a self weeding out function and you need not worry even if you are a novice in the game.

STI ETF’ s  

From toe hold to foothold

For beginners who want to toe test before putting they put their  foot in the water, ETF’s are the best option. Unperturbed and unshaken by any clouds that may loom at the financial horizon, ETF’s romp romp and trot ahead. The resilience of ETF’s defies market logic as it offers a bi- pronged pathway- investment at macro level and investment for long term. 

First, when you invest in an ETF, you are investing at  a macro level, in the country’s economy, since you are investing in the major blue chip companies of Singapore. The market predictors say that 2018/ 19 sets Singapore on the road to recovery. According to  a report by DBS Ltd, https://www.dbs.com/aics/templatedata/article/generic/data/en/GR/122017/171212_insights_singapore_in_201819_better_times.xml, there is potential in the year ahead for the index to challenge its previous high and the recovery is set to be sustainable into 2018/19 as a global synchronised recovery gains further momentum. Better earnings growth should also be seen across all sectors to support further upside in the index as the economic recovery becomes more broad-based.

Second, if you are a beginner and cannot make sense of the bulls and bears of the market, STI ETF’s are again a good option as they give you the chance to invest – long term. STI ETF’s are not for people in the’ get rich quicker’ game.They are attractive as investments because of their low costs and the ability to buy and sell them on the stock market, making them the most popular type of exchange-traded product. You do not need to pay an initial fee upfront nor do you pay an annual management fee.

So, let us sum it up this way.

If you wish to protect yourself from selection risks, and invest effortlessly without much review or revision, STI ETF should sit comfortably nestled in your core portfolio. 

I again confess.

STI ETF’s are a complex ball game. 

But, who said investment was easy?

Follow us for future deep dive into the world of saving and investing.

In Spite of the mushrooming of Engineering colleges, Engineering still happens to be one of the most coveted career options today. This is due to two reasons- one it paves the pathway to dynamism in career and secondly, due to the fact that Engineering graduates have more access   to Public sector undertakings which are less affected by economic crests and troughs.

If you are looking for a career in which you can couple prestige and lucre, besides being immunised to a certain extent to the economic swirls, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited,HAL is a great opportunity for you.

Opportunities for Engineers in HAL

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL, is a public sector enterprise that designs, manufactures and maintains aircrafts for the Indian Air force and Indian Navy. HAL has been successful in numerous R & D programs developed for both Defence and Civil Aviation sectors. :Headquartered in Bangalore, HAL has 19 Production Units and 10 Research & Design Centres in 8 locations in India. It offers a broad spectrum of jobs for Engineering graduates that involve Design, Development, Manufacture, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade of Aircraft, Helicopters, Aero-engines, Industrial & Marine Gas Turbines, Accessories, Avionics & Systems to  Structural components for Satellites & Launch Vehicles.

With India’s thrust on Make in India’, HAL offers a plethora of options for Engineering graduates from Electrical or Computer Science or Aeronautical Engineering or Metallurgy or Mechanical Engineering. You can also join as a pilot and also as a trainee in case you have followed the diploma route.

A)Management/Design Trainees

For those graduates who want to pursue their career in the challenging aviation industry, HAL hires Graduate Engineers for the posts of Management Trainee /Design Trainee. These posts are generally available for multiple research, production, and design centers in India, and the recruitment is done on the basis of the score obtained in GATE. Management trainee is actually an intermediary post in the organizational structure of HAL and you can be in technical, Material Management, HR or Finance field.Management Trainees are in the fields of Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering and Design Trainees  normally find themselves in the fields of Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. 

If you are in theGeneral/OBC (non-creamy layer), you must have an average of a minimum of 65% marks. For SC/ST/PWD categories, the eligibility score is 55%. For the final year students, Gen/OBC (non-creamy layer) category must have a minimum of 65% marks.SC/ST/PWD categories must have a minimum of 55% marks

 Age Limit:

The upper limit for general category students is 28 years. However,age relaxation is given to OBC (Non Creamy Layer) candidates: 31 years, SC/ST 33 years and for PWD, it is 38 years.

B)Senior Test Pilots:

Educational Qualification 

For a Senior Test Pilot, you need to be a  qualified test pilot or a  Qualified  Flying  Instructor / Pilot Attack Instructor in IAF / Indian Navy or Coast Guard. Prior experience as  an Instructor at any Flight Training Establishment and a  Qualified DSSC  or  TSOC  or  equivalent course would give you an edge over the others. You would also need to be proficient in handling tools for document creation and archival besides having good communication skills.

For a Senior Flight Test Engineer, you need to be a qualified flight test engineer with prior experience in Developmental Flight Testing and in AFTC / Tetra School /AFTPS etc. Here too, besides good communication skills, you need to be proficient in creating and archiving documents. 

The age limit is 45 yrs. Relaxation  in  age  limit  in  respect  of  Ex-servicemen  and  Serving  Officers  from  the  Armed Forces is extended as per rules.For  candidates  who  had  ordinarily  been  domiciled  in  the State  of  Jammu  &  Kashmir during the period of 01.01.1980 to 31.12.1989, upper age limit is relaxable by 5 years. However, the upper age limit with all relaxations shall not exceed 55 years.  

Selection and Placement: Eligible  candidates  will  be  required  to  attend  an  interview  at Bangalore  to  assess  their  suitability.  

C) Diploma Technicians:

Educational Qualifications:

To apply for HAL Diploma Technician, you must have a regular Diploma in Engineering in Mechanical / Electrical / Electronic disciplines from a recognised Institution / State Board of Technical Education under the 10+3 system. Your aggregate marks of all semesters for Gen/EWS/OBC should be 60% & above and for SC/ST, it can be  50% & above. 

The age limit is 28 years. The upper age limit is relaxable to the candidates, subject to submission of requisite certificates:- a) SC/ST: Upper age limit is relaxable by 5 years for SC/ST candidates in respect of vacancies reserved for them; b) OBC-NCL: Upper age limit is relaxable by 3 years for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates in respect of vacancies reserved for them. The OBC candidates who belong to Creamy Layer should indicate their category as ‘General’ only. c) PwDs: Upper age limit is relaxable by 10 years for persons with Disabilities (PwDs) which will be over and above the relaxation admissible for candidates belonging to SC/OBC i.e. (15 years for persons belonging to Scheduled Castes and 13 years for persons belonging to Other Backward Classes, in respect of the posts reserved for them). Relaxation of age limit is applicable for PwDs irrespective of the fact whether the post is reserved or not, provided the post is identified suitable for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). 

Selection:

The selection will be done through Written Test. Candidates will be shortlisted for Written Test, based on the marks secured in the Qualifying Examination i.e. Diploma in Engineering.The Written Test will be of 2 ½ hours duration. The test will be in three parts, consisting of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). Part-I will consist of 20 questions on General Awareness, Part-II will consist of 40 questions on English & Reasoning. Part-III will consist of 100 questions on the concerned Trade. Each question carries one mark each and there is no negative marking.

Almost a decade ago, educationists the world over realized that studying technology and science in silos does not provide solutions to all problems. Many a time Humanities and Social sciences provide alternative modes of cognition. That’s when education became more comprehensive and multidisciplinary. Today, institutes like the IITs offer many multidisciplinary courses and also courses in Social Sciences and Humanities that a commerce or humanities student can take up.

Some of the programs offered by IIT’s are as under:

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Economics and M.Sc Economics

• Bachelor of Science [BS] Programme in Economics programme, offered at IIT Bombay, aims to create a unique brand of students who will be equipped with the temper of ethically strong society while achieving technological applications and breakthroughs.he eligibility criterion for admission is IIT-JEE. You will also  become more efficient analysts/ decision-making professionals in the area of business & public policy and development administration. Industrial houses, banks and government/semi-government agencies and organizations are increasingly demanding graduates with these kinds of skills and capabilities.T

• Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Kharagpur offers five year integrated program at the undergraduate level.(i.e., five yr. integrated M Sc in Economics). Students get admission through JEE (Advance). Over the years, this programme has become very popular and students are well placed.

• The Economics discipline at IIT Roorkee admits a limited set of students in the M.Sc. program in Economics.

Graduate Programs in Social Sciences:

School of Humanities and Social Sciences, a multidisciplinary establishment of  IIT Indore, offers programs in Economics, English Literature, Philosophy and Psychological Science. The primary focus of the school is research and all the disciplines have Graduate programs up and running. The areas of interest run a wide gamut ranging from issues pertaining to food security and climate change to error intrusion in human machine interface and from narratology and story design to the idea of resistance and change as epistemic event. 

The Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Palakkad  focuses on interdisciplinary dialogues in humanities and social sciences.The Department carries out research and teaching in emerging fields of enquiries in behavioural and social sciences and offers a range of undergraduate courses to the students of technology studies from the disciplines of Philosophy, Economics, History, International Relations, Sociology and Foreign Languages. The undergraduate courses offered by the Department focus on informing the students of the social, ethical, economic, environmental, cultural and humanitarian concerns in their development as socially conscious global citizens. The wide range of courses offered by the Department are designed to appreciate and engage with the social and economic context to the engineering problems, and to frame questions and formulate solutions.

Post Graduate Programs in Social Sciences and Humanities

• M.A Development Studies

IIT Madras offers a unique five year integrated programme  leads to Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in two major streams – Development Studies and English Studies. With this programme, IIT Madras,reflects the multi-disciplinary nature of the fundamental concepts in humanities and social sciences. Such a curriculum aims to produce masters in Humanities and Social Sciences to cater to the growing demands of academia, government, public and private sector enterprises, NGOs, and other organisations. Analyzing and addressing these issues therefore requires knowledge and skills from across the social sciences, which is what the inter-disciplinary area of Development Studies seeks to do. It covers such topics as economic development, the role of the state and markets, globalization, inequality, poverty, gender relations, environment, conflict, new social movements, politics and institutions, urban studies, area studies and international relations, to name a few. Courses include those in economics, urbanization, gender studies and science and technology studies as well as advanced topics in political philosophy and social theory. Students in this stream will be expected to acquire and develop quantitative skills in introductory calculus and statistics in the course of the programme. Graduates have career opportunities in government, academia, research organizations and industry.

• M.A English Studies

The M.A English at IIT Madras has been designed for students with sensitivity for literary and linguistic analyses. It provides an understanding of literatures in English from around the world with special emphasis on current debates in literary theory, lesser-known literatures and the importance of an interdisciplinary approach. It aims to introduce students to language, literary and cultural studies, with an emphasis on critical reading skills that would stand a student in good stead whatever he/she may eventually do in life. Starting with introductory courses in the basics of language and literature, the stream covers the masters of English literary tradition, as well as major writers from other traditions – Asian, African, Latin American and Continental. Courses in linguistics and the structure and function of natural languages as a system of cognition and communication are parts of this stream. Students are exposed to other streams such as Economics, Sociology, History, and Philosophy so that they can have a range of career options from academics and editing to journalism and language training.

• Master of Human Resource Management (MHRM)

IIT Kharagpur offers a program at postgraduate level (i.e., Master of Human Resource Management (MHRM). It is designed to cater the need of modern industrial society. This programme offers the students specialized knowledge and skills required to meet the challenges of the corporate world. The core strength of the programme lies in developing skills which are relevant to the current trend in the area of Human Resource Management. It is indeed a testimony that our alumni are placed at top management positions in leading organizations across all the sectors

M.Phil, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences

M.Phil with a specialization in Planning and Development, offered by IIT Bombay,  is a 4 semester interdisciplinary course. The programme, with its theoretical-practical thrust, provides the students with a holistic understanding of socio-economic realities and the impact of technology. It also acquaints them with the various stages and levels of expertise involved in the formulation and implementation of development policies that can bring about desirable, stable and sustainable development. The programme includes both coursework and field work and requires the completion of a thesis. It is expected that students emerging from this programme will be capable of steering the national, state and regional planning and developmental processes. 

PH.D Programs:

• IIT Delhi offers a PhD program in seven academic disciplines (Economics, Literature, Linguistics, Philosophy, Policy, Psychology, and Sociology). The PhD program consists of both full time and part time students. The HUSS department at IITD has over the years become a highly attractive place for pursuing doctoral studies as it provides outstanding academic training, both in teaching and research, to students.

• School of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT, Indore offers teaching and research in Economics, English, History, Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy, The doctoral program integrates social understanding and technological advantage while responding to the needs of global society. This provides them a platform to develop expertise and appreciate diversity while gaining deeper insights into their areas of interest. Research scholars who are pursuing their doctoral degree enjoy working with people having diverse backgrounds and gain deeper insight into specific areas of their specialization through uniquely designed innovation- focused training. 

• IIT Madras 
• IIT Palakkad has also started research programme leading to MS/PhD degrees in all engineering disciplines and Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Humanities Sciences.
• With the exception of Fine Arts, IIT Kanpur provides Doctoral programmes are available in all other discipline of the department like Economics, English and Linguistics,Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology.
• Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,IIT Roorkee, offers teaching and research programs in the areas of English,  Economics, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Fine Arts and related inter & cross disciplinary subjects.

Short Term Courses:

IIT Kanpur and IIT Indore offer a range of short term courses in Economics, English and Linguistics, Fine Arts, Philosophy, Psychology and sociology. Research and consultancy projects are also taken up for government and non – governmental organization. 

To sum up, IIT’s and Social Sciences are not an oxymoron. You may pick up any course of your choice and be an IITian without having studied Science and Technology.

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of all? These famous lines from the fairy tale ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ highlights the vanity- the feeling of ‘I’   in all of us. ‘Fair’ does not only imply physical beauty but also a vain feeling of being superior to people around us. We all have it within us – to a greater or lesser degree and every day we fill our minds with it- till it gives us a bloated existence.

At times, the vanity takes another form. It becomes a self – dialogue. People get stuck in their heads all the time – some of us more than others. Although it’s lovely to ponder life and be inquisitive about yourself, the problem is that the majority of our thoughts are not so upbeat. When we are always talking to ourselves we are in a whirl wind of negative thoughts –  to what bills are due, why your partner was a jerk last night, why a coworker took credit for your work today, why you reacted in a particular way to a family member, and so on. When your mind is wandering in any direction from what you’re doing, you’re a lot less likely to be feeling happy. The underlying factor in all these thoughts is the feeling of “I was right”.  

Here are tried and true methods to help get you out of your head:

Practice ‘detached attachment’:

Even the best search strategy, i.e., introspection alone, would be terribly limited. The danger of introspecting too much is that it can easily turn into full-blown rumination and become a vicious cycle of self-examination and worry that goes nowhere.  Too much of attachment with your own self and own ideas would make you egoistic and self- centered. When people examine themselves from too close they often end up ruminating or oversimplifying. Rumination is like that middle-of-the-night thinking — when the rest of the world is hidden by darkness and the mind descends into a spiral of endless reaction to itself. You have repetitive thoughts, but you don’t take action. Depressed ruminators end up making themselves more depressed. 

View incidents of your lives and your careers with a detached attachment and an objective mind. It’s critical that we create a narrative, rather than a cycle of overly-detailed self-inquiry. You should think of yourself like a storyteller, trying to fit events into a general framework, rather than pouring over each little piece of information. Introspection is a closed system. Patterns of growth only emerge by opening yourself to input from others.  

Be mindfulness of your thoughts:

If you still can’t seem to hop outside your head, try a few minutes of mindfulness whenever you notice yourself getting stuck there. It really is an effective way to introspect productively. If you find yourself spinning a thought around in your head, try to stop and investigate it. Notice what it feels like, what sparked it if you can, and how your body feels in response to it. Often, just observing it curiously can make it much less scary.

 The most important thing to remember is that thoughts don’t have to be believed – they come and go into our heads like clouds, often very randomly. So if you can just acknowledge a thought non-judgmentally and then let it go, you’ll be in good shape. The letting-go part is, of course, the hard one, but with practice, it can happen. And then your thoughts lose their power over you.

Connect to strangers:

Have you ever noticed when you talk to complete strangers – the persons who you meet in trains and buses while travelling, you feel light. This is because you are not in the compete mode with them. There is no baggage of relationships, no worry of professional equations and strangely no strong desire to prove yourself.  At times the sheer struggle to be liked by others, to be successful in your careers sucks the very blood out of you. You become so vain that you are always weighing yourself against something – either with your colleagues or your own past performances.

Building connections with others – even if you don’t actually know them – is another good way to step outside your head. So try overstepping the bounds just a little – not so much as to freak the other person out, but enough to show them that you’re up for feeling a little more connected. Or talk to the guy next to you on the bus. It will certainly get you out of your head, not to mention brighten your day, and his.

Try to Pry:

While it may not be scientifically “proven,” you’ve surely witnessed it in action many times: When someone asks you a question that’s a little too personal, you may have noticed that after the initial surprise, it actually feels good to answer it, because it opens the conversation up to another level. The truth is that most of us actually want to be more open and connected with one another, but just don’t know how to go about it – it’s so ingrained in us not to offend anyone and not to over-share, that we end up being too conservative.

So, offending as it may sound, pry into others’ lives- show interest- you will see that the other person isn’t offended–if anything, he seems intrigued and flattered by your interest.

Help others:

How can helping others help? Well, it can make you shift the focus from yourself to others. I would say that helping others is actually a selfish deed because it’s such a good way of helping yourself. It forces you get out of your own schtick and focus on something outside yourself. If you’re a parent, you know that focusing on another person even if they’re a tiny, demanding one) does a similar thing. But when you actually set out to spend your time on another person or cause, you’ll find that it’s a very good way to move the focus away from you. 

Try asking someone who looks down if they need to talk. It’ll certainly make them feel better, just to be asked that question. And you’ll be the better for it, too.

Take out the ‘I’ with the inner ‘eye’:

There’s almost no mental practice that has more research behind it than meditation. Among its more striking benefits, meditation seems to deactivate the ‘me centers’ of the brain, the areas that are active when we’re having thoughts related to the self-referential thoughts. In fact, the medial prefrontal cortex is an area that’s on when we’re having these thoughts, and meditation quiets this area of the brain. In fact, experienced meditators’ brains were also shown to co-activate areas involved in self-monitoring, suggesting that their brains may always be on the “lookout” for me-centered thoughts, ready to bring them back to the present moment just as fast.

So give it a try: Start with sitting, and focusing on your breath for five minutes. If your mind wanders, just observe that wandering, with a sense of curiosity, and pull it back to your focus. That part – the pulling the mind back, again and again is really the heart of the practice. 

So, next time you look into the mirror- try to see someone else besides you… take out the ‘I’ with your inner ‘eye’…

Gauri

IT CAREERS- MORE  LATITUDE THAN LONGITUDE

‘The traditional IT careers are long dead, long live IT’- This adage which was once used for system of Monarchy In England very well fits the IT sector. The IT Engineering jobs that fulcrum around programming languages like VB.NET, C# etc have given way to careers in niche areas like Artificial Intelligences, Big Data, and Business Intelligence. This is due to popularity of platforms like IBM Watson that is already complementing human decision-making in fields such as cancer diagnostics through artificial intelligence.

The numbers say it all:

As per National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) report, it has been predicted that the IT industry will generate $350 billion revenue by 2025, but because of automation, the total number of jobs generated will be 50% less than predicted. At the same time, new type of jobs will be created: While today, the IT-sector has routine-jobs, the sector will see a 56% increase in high-skilled jobs that require analytical and problem solving skills bringing about a dynamic shift in the next five to seven years creating a higher demand for up skilled engineers in niche areas.

The report also mentions that top level management at IT companies in India feel that by 2020, “skills held by 50-70% of their current staff would not be relevant to their business.” Therefore, if you are thinking of pursuing a degree in Computer Science Engineering or are already in career in the IT sector,  you need to pause and ponder about the career options that offer more latitude.

Following are some areas in which you can jumpstart your career:

BIG DATA:

A grasp of languages like Java/C/C++ is no more the only pathway to success in the IT sector. To get into big data, you may need to master languages like Scala and Hive that are less mainstream. 

Below are the forking career paths in this field:

Business Intelligence(BI):

In this category, you would be playing the role of a Business Analyst. From developing software to planning the projects, BI spans across a broad array of job roles which require diverse skills including proficiency in relational database management, SQL, basic programming, analytical abilities, etc. However merely having the theoretical knowledge will not work, which is why it is very important to have a hands-on experience in related technologies. Hence if you are looking for a BI job then it is better to have a certification that is going to give you a privilege over other candidates. This would be related to the analysis and presentation of data in the form  of reports and dashboards etc. The role often requires interaction with (or querying of) databases, both relational and nonrelational, as well as with Big Data frameworks. The related tools that would help you are Power BI ( Microsoft)

Artificial Intelligence(AI):

AI (or AGI) is a field that is based on machine learning, natural language processing and pattern recognition. At its core, AI is built upon a knowledge of advanced mathematics, physics and chemistry combined in various ways to create a means to detect, assess and act on information. There are opportunities at all levels. Sensors for data capture can range widely in form; web spiders and API software apply in some areas while CCDs and laser scanners are needed in others. 

Basic computer technology and math backgrounds form the backbone of most artificial intelligence programs. Entry level positions require at least a bachelor’s degree  while positions entailing supervision, leadership or administrative roles frequently require master’s or doctoral degrees.

Machine learning research: 

Machine learning is the practical face of AI. It’s about identifying sources of data, then creating systems that analyze that data and make decisions based upon it.

Machine Learning researchers are those crafting and using the predictive and correlative tools used to leverage data. Machine learning algorithms allow for the application of statistical analysis at high speeds, and those who wield these algorithms are not content with letting the data speak for itself in its current form. Interrogation of the data is the modus operandi of the machine learning aficionado, but with enough of a statistical understanding to know when one has pushed far enough, and when the answers provided are not to be trusted.

You would need to have a knowledge of Statistics, Algebra & calculus and Programming skills like Python, C++, or some other general-purpose language. Besides, you also need to have an understanding of the inner workings of an arsenal of machine learning algorithms.

Data Scientist:

The data management professional and data engineer were concerned with the infrastructure which houses the data. The business analytics professional is concerned with pulling facts from the data as it exists. While the machine learning researcher is concerned with advancing and employing the tools available to leverage data for predictive and correlative capabilities, the data scientist is concerned primarily with the data, and the stories it can tell, regardless of what technologies or tools are needed to carry out that task.

You may use any of the technologies knowing how to get a Hadoop ecosystem up and running; how to execute queries against the data stored within; how to extract data and house in a non-relational database; how to take that non-relational data and extract it to a flat file; how to wrangle that data in R or Python; how to engineer features after some initial exploratory descriptive analysis; how to select an appropriate machine learning algorithm to perform some predictive analytics on the data; how to statistically analyze the results of said predictive task; how to visualize the results for easy consumption by non-technical folks. Key technologies and skills to focus on are Statistics, and Programming languages like  Python, R, SQL and also data visualization.

Cyber Security Testing:

The demonetization and the cashless economy initiative by the Modi Government has led to a spurt of jobs in the Cyber Security testing. For instance, in the launch of the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), many people at a New Delhi company slogged it out, spending sleepless nights to ensure that the app was safe and that the security loopholes were plugged before it went live. There is no one true path to working in cyber security. People come at it from all angles – math, computer science, even history or philosophy. 

As an ideal cyber security candidate, you need to have a mixture of technical and soft skills. On the technical side, you should be grounded in IT fundamentals: e.g. networking, systems administration, database management, web applications, etc. and also versed in day-to-day operations: e.g. physical security, networks, server equipment, enterprise storage, users, applications, etc.

QUALITY ASSURANCE- from manual to automation:

The QA processes have become more automated. IT-Giant Infosys has already made an announcement of reducing jobs through automation. Now the question is- Would it decimate middle class manual testing jobs? Well, yes and no. While it may rob the engineers of their jobs involving manual testing that involves rote procedures and manual inputs, it also paves  the way for next generation Intelligent Process Automation technology to drive greater savings and efficiency.

For those of you who wish to upgrade their skills from manual to automation testing, you should choose either Selenium or QTP. QTP is a paid tool while Selenium is an open source tool. QTP supports the VB Scripts while Selenium supports all the major programming languages like Java, C#, Ruby, Perl, PHP etc.

What are employers looking for?

Harjot Singh, CTO, Tec Mutants, an emerging software development company in Ludhiana says,” The IT field offers more latitude than longitude. A Computer Science degree with focus on programming language is not enough anymore. What is required is the knowledge of basic programming like C# but also an upskilling of latitudinal platforms like AI, Big Data and Automation. Today, while hiring, we look for candidates not only with a Computer Science degree but also, with a degree in Maths or Statistics”.

So, step up and tune in to the changing face of Information Technology to move along with the tides of Technology.

Come March, the students and parents all over the country witness a flurry of  activity associated with peaked stress levels when they have to take two major decisions of their lives- which colleges to apply ? And which ones to finally attend. The process and the pressure on students has intensified considerably over the past decade or so owing to the soaring cut offs and the bee line for admissions to some of the top notch universities of the country. In order to play safe, students fill the forms of as many as 20 -25 colleges every year. The result- an inflation in the number of application leading to chaos at all levels. On the other hand, there is a set of students who would go starry eyed for their dream college so much so that they would not fill the forms of any other college. This has another seesaw result- if you do not get through your dream college, you waste a year. 

So, what is the best number? How do you zero in on a college. How do you trade off a college for a subject? These and many other questions need to be answered. Let’s discuss some of them.

Getting admission in a good college is a milestone for most young people. While the national Capital offers many options with five major universities — Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Ambedkar University and Indraprastha University — most school pass-outs aim for Delhi University (DU).There are more than 4,000 four-year institutions that prospective college students can apply to but deciding on the number of colleges to pursue can take time, research and a little soul-searching.

We’ll take a look at some of the common factors that you need to keep in mind while filling up the admission forms that would hopefully give you a nice competitive advantage.

Number of applications:

Applicants should carefully weigh the number of schools where they’ll submit applications to maximize their chances of being a strong candidate, and to avoid the drawbacks that can come with applying to too many or too few colleges. While there may not be a specific number applicants should aim for, there is a specific range. Prospective students should have between four and eight colleges on their list. Ideally, you would  want to have at least two safety colleges. So you’ve got three target colleges, and two reach colleges  to go with those two safeties.

Safety colleges are institutions that are almost certain to admit applicants, target colleges are likely to take applicants and reach colleges are colleges and universities that will be a competitive stretch for applicants. Prospective students can usually determine which category a school falls into based on the average test scores and GPA for its incoming students.

Applying takes effort and submitting applications to a large number of colleges may ruin the quality of the prospective student’s applications.

Cost:

“At least” is the operative term when ballparking college application costs. You should also think about money when deciding on where to apply. When narrowing a college, prospective students should also think about which colleges will really prepare them for success.One of the most important things is thinking about this concept of fit and finding an institution where the student is really excited about the community that he, she or they are going to be surrounded by when they actually enter the institution. They should also keep in mind what’s their ideal campus size, if they’ll like an urban or suburban environment and the student body. Applicants should put their best foot forward to leverage their chance at an acceptance letter from a college that embodies what they value most in an institution.

It’s always about the quality of your applications and the quality of the match with the schools you apply to.

Proximity:

As students, you may feel cramped in home environment after a rigorous preparation for exams so much so that you feel that college should be as far from home as possible. This is another name for independence- the kids feel. In this effort to flee from home, you would tend to choose a college very far from home. Always remember- if you choose that all the things that came as a given at home or closer home- you will have to fight for everything- from small chores to coming home in every vacation- it would be a long struggle. I have seen many students taking admissions in a frenzy and then filling up the migration forms after they have tasted the first semester. Proximity to home town is a very significant factor to be considered while applying to a college. Still,many students go to college in their home state. No huge surprise here, but it’s a nice reminder to keep the bulk of your digital media dollars close to home.

Comfort:

Given that education is mostly self-determined, the final choice among comparable colleges is to some degree an aesthetic one. That is, you want to choose the place where you will feel most comfortable, and most able to make use of the resources provided to you. And that means that things like the physical environment of the college are important to consider when making a decision. After all, you’re not just choosing where you’ll attend the occasional classes, you’re picking a place to live for the next several years. For instance, if you have lived all your life in the comfort of the countryside, you would feel lost if you get admission in the colleges in metro cities. The comfort with the physical environment matters a lot. So, if at all possible, make sure you visit the campuses of the places you’re choosing between. If one of them stands out as feeling like home, that’s a good sign. More importantly, though, if you find you can’t imagine yourself living in a particular climate or set of first-year dorms, cross that college off your list immediately.

Academic Excellence and Reputation:

Although students see academics as important, they’re not looking at ranking lists to judge them, says that faculty in particular play an important role in college decisions. At the right stage in the process, key faculty can be really influential in a student’s choice of college and their major once they get there.  Of course, it’s pretty common that on most college visits students have the opportunity to meet key faculty. But, if you can connect students and faculty earlier through digital, you may be able to get an early advantage. 

Marketing:

Marketing still matters of course, but it’s changing. Institutions’ websites are the most heavily-accessed online resources. We all know mobile is a priority, but a key takeaway is the lack of interest in university apps. While 97% of students have viewed college sites on their phones, nearly ¾ of students said they had no interest in downloading a university’s app. If your college’s site isn’t yet responsive, we’d recommend this be the priority.  However, this effort at an institutional level could be pretty monumental in its own right.  Changing a college website is a little like turning a cruise ship. It’s not going to be quick. If that’s the case, it may be worthwhile to explore a microsite aimed specifically at prospective students. That can give you a quick, effective destination that you can use for other digital campaigns.

Summing up:

Therefore, before you finally fill the application form, pause and ponder – make the right trade off.

In this privatized and liberalized world, every business wants to expand itself in the International market because opportunities are huge everywhere. In this age of cut throat competition where companies face intense competition in home country, they look for expanding their market to ensure sustainability and profitability. Multinational Corporations or MNCs rule the international business, trade and commerce and every other company is trying to adopt the money-making techniques as used by MNCs. To make your presence felt internationally, you would not only need out of box business strategies but right kind of people who understand international business and its various aspects. Graduates who specialize in International Business are key resource for those companies to plan, execute and get results from international operations of business. 

But students are also confused whether to go in for an MBA in International Business or MA in International Relations. Let us try and understand the difference between the two.

Difference between International Business and International Relations

International Business comprises all commercial transactions that take place between two or more regions, countries and nations beyond their political boundaries. It refers to all those business activities which involve cross border transactions of goods, services, resources between two or more nations whereas a Masters in  International Relations prepares students to be active and engaged participants in an interconnected world. An international relations degree provides you with the knowledge required to mediate agreements between countries, whether as a representative of the United Nations or the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank. The role of an international relations professional is crucial within these international institutions and within the diplomacy they facilitate between states, nations, and beyond. It is an academic discipline, which focuses on the study of a nation’s policy with respect to the competitive world. And on how to take and retain power in the globalized world, while maintaining international peace. The field helps you acquire a systematic approach and the ability to analyze political circumstances in the global context. 

Difference in Course Curriculum:

In the course curriculum of the MBA in International Business, you would be taught about the; procedure and documentation involved in export and import, methods of approaching customers in foreign countries, currency conversation & fluctuation, raising capital from international market and distribution market.In the first year, the students know about the basic knowledge of general management with international business. In the second year the students can go for choosing the specialization in the area of finance, marketing, supply chain management with the emphasis of international business.

On the other hand, MA in International Relations is a standard masters programme that is a dynamic mix of political science, economics, foreign policy, anthropology and sociology. Students pursuing this course are also encouraged to take up an additional foreign language.

MBA in International Business:  

Getting in

MBA in International Business is a postgraduate programme which equips the students with the sufficient knowledge and training for basic knowledge of International Business. It is a degree designed to develop the resources and capability of managers in the global economy.Like any other MBA course, admission in MBA in IB is done through National Level Management Entrance Tests like CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, SNAP, IIFT etc. On basis of score obtained, you apply to different B schools offering MBA in International Business, a short listing of basis of minimum acceptable cut off is declared and short listed students are asked to attend the Group Discussion process for final selection.

Institute Scape:

• Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP), Bangalore, offering MBA International Business
• Amity University, Noida offering MBA International Business
• Punjab University, Chandigarh offering MBA International Business
• UEI Global, Chandigarh offering MBA International Business
• Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi offering MBA International Business
• University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun offering MBA International Business

Career Scape

Management Analyst

Management analysts, also known as management consultants, work to improve profit margins, worker efficiency and the structure of business and organizations. Specializing in international business allows you to head overseas and advise companies on how to improve. These workers are hired by big and small companies alike to help improve a company’s infrastructure.

Administrative Service Manager

Administrative service managers can provide international companies assistance with efficient operation and services. These workers often oversee the centralized operation of multiple areas within the company like mailing, scheduling, distribution and data processing. An administrative service manager can improve his or her company with strategies that include examining energy saving techniques or transportation costs.

Sales manager

A sales manager is responsible for coordinating a sales team and has to make sure the company reaches the sales target. Through effective planning and budgeting, the sales manager builds a strategic and effective sales plan and he/she is also responsible for promoting the products or services provided by the company.

International trader

International traders are also known as commodities and securities traders and deal with advising corporate clients on various matters related to trade and investment opportunities. An international trade specialist makes a clear overview of clients’ financial abilities and suggests investments that would benefit them. Additionally, the trade specialist can also provide consultancy in terms of securing capital, real estate and international business strategies.

International traders may be employed by investment firms, banks, government or work as freelance consultants.

Finance controller

A finance controller manages everything that deals with financial reporting of a company, and this includes accounts, transactions, payroll, preparation of taxes. Finance controllers collaborate and communicate with all departments of a company and need to have a holistic understanding of the entire business.

Business development manager

A business development manager combines strategic analysis with marketing and sales techniques to help a company grow and increase its revenues. Business development managers usually focus on establishing new partnerships and increasing sales from existing accounts.

Masters in International Relations

Getting in

If you want to go in for Masters in International Relations, you must have completed your B.A degree under any recognized university in Arts. The marks of admission for this course may vary from university to university. In various colleges and universities, they conduct entrance exams plus interview for the admission of the student. 

Institute Scape:

• Christ University, Bangalore offering MA in International Relations
• Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi offering MA in Political Science (Major in International Relations)
• Delhi University, New Delhi offering MA in Political Science (Major in International Relations)
• Jadavpur University, Kolkata offering MA in Political Science and International Relations
• RIMT University, Punjab offering MA in International Relations
• Central University of Gujarat, offering MA Political Science and International Relations

Career in International Relations 

Indian Foreign Service

Considered a prestigious service to be part of, the Indian Foreign Service is one of the best possible options for you wishing to pursue a career in international relations. 

World agencies and international NGOs

A large number of not-for profits work across the world on a wide variety of issues. It is important for them to understand the countries they are working in to be able to devise effective interventions. With qualifications and experience in international relations to be able to effectively understand local government policies, prevailing political/economic conditions.

Multinational business houses and world bodies

The trade world is literally without borders as more and more companies/business houses are setting up shop in countries across continents. Similarly, changes in policies/political conditions/economic climate or even natural calamities affect businesses all over the world and not just in countries where they take place. Organizations like the World Bank, business houses operating in multiple continents and even governments of countries recruit professionals with expertise in international relations/law/trade etc to be able to analyze and interpret events accurately and plan/re-plan their strategies accordingly.

Journalism

As mentioned repeatedly through this entire article, globalization has impacted all sectors and journalism is no exception. Reporting, be it politics, economics or any other subject, has never been simple but has grown all the more complex today. Consider the recent incident of an Indian diplomat being “ill-treated” in the United States has become a critical issue. Reporting on such an issue requires a nuanced understanding of diplomatic relations between nations, history of Indo-US relations to begin with. You can either pursue a course in journalism and through experience and exposure develop expertise in international relations or do a course in international relations/trade/law etc and get into journalism.

Teaching

Since institutes offering courses in international relations are few, there is likely to be a good demand for faculty for courses of this nature. While one can become eligible for teaching at Universities and colleges by doing masters in the subject and clearing NET, it may be wise to spend some time working in either of the organizations/sectors  and then move to teaching so that you are able to bring valuable practical experience to the classroom.

Which Degree Is Right for You?

The MBA in International Business and the Master of International Relations programs are both designed to prepare professionals for leadership roles. The key difference lies in the focus of the degrees. While an MBA does include some discussion of international issues, particularly in terms of providing context for national developments, the degree typically tends to be domestic in focus. An MBA graduate having the degree in international business can work for either private or government sector organizations. The nature of work requires to work under global assignments and move starting with one nation then onto the next as the organization administration obliges you to do.An MBA, in IB, graduate can also opt to work for Indian or foreign MNCs in the International Business department/division, import and export departments of companies, global logistics companies like shipping or airlines, global tourism sector, international consultancy firms and international courier companies.

It can also be useful to think about future career goals before choosing one program over the other. That is, students choose an MBA program if they wish to work primarily with national issues in local, state or central organizations. The Master of International Relations degree, as you might expect, shifts this focus to the wider world. International relations students analyze domestic policy decisions, but they tend to do so with the greater aim of understanding how international events are affected by the decisions.

Therefore, look at your future career plans before you take the final plunge.