The international rankings for universities across the world have listed Harvard, Cambridge and Oxford as the top three.

The list has been released by Times Higher Education (THE), a magazine in London that keeps a record of the education market scenario.

THE

The magazine is also responsible for producing the World University Ranking for the past 11 years using the university’s academic citations and popularity for admissions as well as the number of faculty members who hold a Ph.D. in the institution.

13 different criteria are used to categorise universities where even senior professors from 140 different countries are asked to nominate some institutions, in their area of study that they consider to have the best departments in their field.  This information collated in 15 languages, is further dissected into different disciplines, engineering, physical sciences, technology, social sciences, medicine and life sciences as well as humanities. Though the data is opinionated, the opinions are of those who have made a mark in the field of academics and are hence entitled to share their point of view.

The reputation a college/university possesses is instrumental in giving this global recognition and ranking as whenever the question of pursuing higher education comes into picture, it is the reputation that a university is marked with, which helps the person to decide his/her future career move. People in the business of education would also find it convenient to collaborate with universities that have a good market reputation. Students too decide on their choice of university through the reputation the university has made in the market. So, reputation has been the numerouno criteria for ranking universities for THE.

When a certain university ups the global ranking chart, the number of applicants and the kind of students enrolling themselves for courses in these institutes also goes up.

THE’s ranking can be called as the ultimate, definitive and one that holds much value in the global sphere since a survey of the scholars decides the status these universities share internationally.

It has been reported that this year’s rankings are a subsequent result of 10,500 responses from senior academicians and scholars who have been constantly working in the field of education for an average of 15 long years.

The ranking determines that American universities still tops the list closely followed by British schools. U.S. universities have made their mark in the list with 26 of them being a part of 50 top places while 43 of them being among the top 100.

However, some American universities such as the University of Michigan, University of Illinois as well as the University of Wisconsin-Madison and even the University of Texas which had been enjoying good positions in the global ranking since last year have dropped down owing to the funding issues in these institutions. UK on the other hand has been able to grab 12 of the 100 most renowned premier institutions in the world.

It seems that US and UK have collaborated a list of universities that have become ‘brand-names’ for education in the market with Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley constantly topping the list.

Stanford University

Germany and France have also put their stamp on the list with six of Germany’s and five of France’s institutions making it in the top 100 THE list.

Unfortunately, University of Tokyo and two Chinese universities have claimed their positions on the list among Asian countries but, India is still nowhere close to being among the top 100 in international rankings this year. This is so, despite the fact that 694 universities form the educational grid of India yielding around five million graduate students. IIT Guwahati that had made its mark in the THE list last year for top 100 universities has not found its place in the rankings this year, although things have been looking hopeful since the past few years when seventeen Indian universities climbed the ranking list of Asia top 300 of QS World University Rankings this year and in the QS ranking of the top 100 universities among Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa and India, 16 Indian institutions won the honour of being in the list with 5 of them among the top 20.

IIT Guwahati

The Indian universities have been taking initiatives to improvise upon their research methodologies, foreign alliances and introducing other skill and talent developing initiatives in their curriculum so that they can revamp their old educational methods to meet similar criteria as the internationally recognized universities and their standards.

But, due to funding problems and unawareness about newer funding options like industry partners who can offer to fund a majority of the cost as it is done in the U.S., we lack better infraastructire for carrying out research and study patterns in most of the Indian universities. Foreign contracts by many universities and colleges in India have however, apparently helped them to offer both the students and the teachers an access to foreign resources and methods of research.

A clash between the public and private universities in India during the time of admission and the out-dated methods of teaching and research in many yesteryear colleges still lags in making the education an employment-friendly field. However, gradually these old universities are too trying to match up with the new ones by adapting the more innovative methods and moving on from familiar grounds. However, much is to be achieved before India makes it to the top spots in the most elite and globally acclaimed Times Higher Education survey list.

The post Times Higher Education List Out, US Maintains Legacy, India Out Of League! appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

HRD Minister, Smriti Irani has urged and prompted the women scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) who form about 20 per cent of the entire workforce to work increasingly to work increasingly towards and favour girl education especially those living in rural areas so that they can enroll themselves for reputed educational institutions without facing much of financial and social constraints.

Nothing could have been a better move than this while commemorating the International Women’s Day at a national workshop on ‘women innovators for excellence in research and science winners’. Around 200 women scientists working in different laboratories had been a part of this workshop hosted by Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES). Eminent scientists and the Director of CFEES, Dr. Chitra Rajgopal here stressed on thoughtful efforts for equalising the opportunities for both the sexes at all areas and fields, in all sections of the society as well as the importance of innovation and the environment required for the same.

Iraani, it seems yearns to make a difference in the rural lives with her statements and also through the Udaan project that has already been launched so that the underprivileged girls can take part in entrance and competitive exams such as IIT-JEE and IIM exams.

DRDO women have now the responsibility of motivating girls, especially from the disadvantaged sections of the society to help them realize their dreams and lead others to the path of intellectual freedom. “Some of the brightest minds in DRDO can interact with girls who are trying to take flight,” she was quoted saying during the workshop.

Not only does Irani wish to witness girls from the lower strata of society joining the prestigious institutes and handling leadership positions through her Udaan initiative but also wants the intellectual women of the research institute to make their significant efforts for making the ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’ a success. This campaign has been launched to address the concerns that have been bothering women in rural India since a long time.

IITs and NITs have been dexterously working since last year when the Abhiyan was launched, to improvise upon the situation of the rural lives in India through advanced technologies specifically customized for use in villages.

Irani claimed that the ministry needed DRDO’s women’s support for their ‘Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan’ as well so that an interest is generated for science and mathematics among the rural population of the country, which had witnessed a decrease to a mere 30 per cent in the previous months.

Women scientists can truly be an inspiration for those innumerable girls who wait for miracles to happen to enable them to study at premier educational organizations along with students from other parts of the country and enjoy honourable degrees and positions.

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If you thought that the pre-board papers this year have not been following the current CBSE board pattern, well, CBSE Class 12^th board examination is set to shock you even more.

Not to scare the class 12^th students of CBSE but as a matter of fact, the board is set to change their exam pattern this year with more application-based questions rather than objective ones.

As a result, CBSE Board Exam Is Tougher.

Students discussing exams

So, earlier if you used to be happy at the idea of short-answer questions of 2-3 marks each, you have to settle your scores with lengthy answers as most subjects will now have more of long-answer questions and the ones with fewer marks and shorter answers are being lessened in numbers in the exam paper. If you are in the commerce stream and your subjects are business studies, accounts, economics and political science, you might consider this as good news: there has been a considerable reduction in the number of questions as seen in the sample papers that some students have attempted in the recent days.

While there are only five one and two mark questions each unlike the previous case of 10 questions each, the Political Science paper includes only 27 questions against 31 questions earlier and the Business Studies exam sheet is to have 25 questions instead of the 30 questions it used to have earlier. Even Mathematics paper will have less number of questions this year as against 29 questions earlier; there will be only 26 questions now. The six-marker questions that earlier had a choice will now have none and as many as they are, these lengthy questions will have to be answered in the paper.

Exam in progress

While the lengthy answer questions are something the university teachers find their affinity to, school teachers feel that the amount of counselling before Boards, as well as the continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) system that has been in practice all these years will not be effective anymore, if such abrupt changes are to mark the Central Board exam pattern. The school teachers are also concerned about the performance of the students who take time to understand concepts for this exam pattern as one’s thinking skills and abilities are put to test in such a format. The accountancy sample papers also tested students for Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) which are mostly based on application questions (50% of the paper) and not on reproducing exactly what is given in the textbook on the answer sheet. Even the Business Studies sample paper mostly comprised of such questions (70%) that need more of analysis and maybe an elaborate explanation in answers.

Even subjects like Chemistry and Economics will be having application-based questions in the Boards. In the Economics paper, there will be eight six-markers instead of six. Even one-marker and three marker questions have been deducted from 10 to eight. While school teachers have been preparing their students on such questions now, especially through the internal exams so that they can think better during the boards, the difficulty levels are on a raise now and students who find it difficult to grasp academic concepts and subjects will find it hard to crack the nut of Board exam.

Students preparing for exam

Now the CBSE Board will be testing students more on the basis of their answers to interdisciplinary and thought-provoking questions rather than direct questions studied and learnt aggressively throughout the school years. However, as some school principals insist, everything is within the course curriculum and the changes were a part of the course curriculum documents issued last year.

Consequently, scoring in the Boards will be tougher this year starting March 2. By the end, that is, April 20, 2015, students already performing well will have better insights in their subjects and others having weaker understanding and assimilating power for academics will try to add up marks in all the papers to find out how their performance has been in entirety.

Some schools that have incorporated this exam pattern in pre-boards have come up with the result that not many can score in the 90’s range in the Boards if they do not apply their thinking and evaluation powers to the best possible limits during the exam.

Apparently, the CBSE board had been planning to change their exam pattern and thus the learning methods of the students since long from one based on rote learning process to something more conceptual, analytical, experimenting and exploratory in nature.

As only a month is left for the Boards and premier colleges need high cut-off marks, the anxiety and stress levels among higher secondary students is sure to rise with these sudden alterations. However, keeping in mind the fact that this system change is only for the general good of the students especially in the long run and also for the generations to come, CBSE might just be paving the way for a better future and lesser stress to learn theoretical concepts by heart.

All the very Best!

Students in exam

The post Scoring 90 Percent In Boards A Tough Nut As CBSE Comes Up With New Pattern appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

CMAT Admit Cards For MBA Students

If you aim to pursue a management course after graduation and have already registered for the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT), last day for which was 15^th January, 2015, you can download your admit cards for the exam online from today. The admit cards can be collected from the AICTE CMAT website starting today for the exam that is proposed to be conducted between February 19 and 22. These admit cards are necessary for entrance to the exam hall, without which permission to appear for the test is not given. Check for your name and roll number, the test timings, venue and date, as also some exam-related information and your photograph along with your signature.

To download the hall ticket, as it is popularly known, you will need to visit the official website and click on the link notifying ‘download admit card’. The system would ask you for your username and password, providing which you can register for the test. Once the admit card appears, make sure to save a soft copy in your PC and also take a print out of the same. The card is available only through online download and will only be available to the eligible students, which is why providing valid e-mail IDs at the time of registration and registering oneself before the deadline is necessary.

Held twice a year, this is the second test for this academic session after the first test in September 2014, and holds much importance for people who aspire to have MBA (Masters in Business Administration)degrees or pursue PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management), especially if they intend for an admission in All India Council For Technical Education (AICTE) approved colleges such as IIT, Amity School of Engineering and Technology, Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology, G.B. Pant Polytechnic, International Polytechnic for Women, Indraprastha University and the like.

This year the CMAT exam would include general awareness, logical reasoning, and language comprehension and data interpretation along with quantitative techniques.

Students who are graduates in any subject or are in the final year of their graduation can appear for the test which comprises of 25 questions in each of the four sections mentioned above and these questions in all would carry 400 marks.

The exam duration is for three hours, where general awareness is considered to be the most scoring section of all, but wrong answers would enable deduction of marks, as every question wrongly answered would make for deduction of one mark.

The test is scheduled to be held in two different timings, one from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and the other from 2:30 p.m to 5:30 p.m.

The qualifiers would be eligible for admission to around 1500 B-Schools in India that are all AICTE approved and are specific University departments belonging to different states. The results will most probably be declared on March 25, 2015 and a print-out of the mark sheets can be taken out from March 25 to April 25. So get your admit cards ready now and have a thorough revision.

All the Best!

The post MBA Aspirants-Pull Your Socks Up As CMAT Admit Cards Are Here appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Do you feel that the primary education system leads young children to become unduly competitive and memorize vast pieces of information, marring their ability to question, experiment, show playfulness and curiosity, only to qualify for admission to premier educational institutions at later stages of life?

People you know always talk about how expensive even school education has become and children from lower income groups are withdrawn from schools early on and those who are able to complete their school education have to face issues like less teachers as compared to students in class, insufficient notes and reading materials, old and out-dated teaching methods and equipment, and lowly-qualified teachers!

Well, now you can get the ruling party to address these issues whether you are living in the villages or are a young graduate or have reached some of the peak positions at a high-level corporate house/MNC.

And not in ten years from now but starting this republic day!

Yes! You heard it right! What NDA government’s HRD Minister Smriti Irani and her Ministry had promised last year with “opinions of those living in villages being solicited” is now coming true as the Government plans to announce the beginning to a New Education Policy (NEP) on this Republic day.

The education policies have not been changed since the year 1986 and the HRD ministry along with other political bodies and autonomous organizations has prepared this framework wherein opinions and discussions would be held initiating at the very grassroot level. Now people from all corners of the country will have the right and authority to voice out their opinion on the concern areas they have encountered so far with the current education system and how they think changes can be/should be made, so that only a handful of intellectuals/experts do not have a sole say in the matter.

The government now recognizes the need to introduce more innovative, research-based and quality-oriented education policies for a diverse network of people of the country with their even more diverse needs and perspectives. NEP will start at the village level, yes but will gradually extend to the blocks and districts, eventually leading to the state level. The opinions, changes and problems discussed and brought about at the state level will have a final review at the Centre where all state governments would represent their people’s mind sets, thoughts, views and solutions regarding the current education framework and what they seek for the future.

So far, the government has come up with 32 themes where 20 are for higher education (University-based) and 12 are meant for school levels, setting overall parameters for discussion to initiate at each level. There can be alterations in the themes, if need be. The government plans to address the problems of limited reach and access to secondary and senior secondary among the minorities or girl children, and looks forward to imparting vocational education, reinforcing better learning results, improving the school examination system, focussing on better qualified teachers and increasing the knowledge of lesser qualified teachers, revamping language and communication problems and introducing innovative methods at teaching science, maths and upgrade the information technology teachings at school level, thereby attempting at a holistic education policy.

Setting better standards for school in terms of a comprehensive education and learning of a child will be done on a priority basis.

The higher education themes would include ranking institutions according to the accreditation, and will emphasize on improving the government or state universities by better skill trainings to students, offering technology-based and online resources especially for girl children and meting out solutions for gender, social, cultural bias. The public universities will now better integrate with private sector companies and industries by reforming governing methods with better and increased employment opportunities and innovative techniques in place.

Earlier the HRD Ministry launched a project called Udaan where Irani focussed on “providing free online resources to girl students of Class XI and XII to prepare for admission tests of premier engineering colleges” with special importance to providing special incentives and financial aid to 1000 disadvantaged or underprivileged girls every year, bearing in mind the low numbers in which girls enrol for reputed technical or engineering colleges.

Now will come the time when you can easily be a part of the system and change it as much as the bureaucrats, educationists, academicians and politicians to bring about a framework where maximum people including left-out girls, children living below poverty line and the minority communities can get easy access to premier education facilities and reach out to technology, resources and better fundamental exposure to take on leadership roles at quality institutes.

A very Happy Republic Day!

The post Almost 30 Years Later, Government To Initiate Participatory New Education Policy This Republic Day! appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Have you ever wondered how it would have been if you would have got to know about other people’s learning and outlook of life through a diary or a teacher?

How would it have been to learn through other’s experiences in simple one or two liners?

“If your face can surprise you in the mirror every morning, you are still having a good life.”

This is the life lesson of a 33-year old woman from New Delhi.

Yes! This is what Project Fuel is all about.

It is an initiative taken in the benefit of children who are taught all subjects from science to arts in schools but miss out on important life skills and morals that are the prerequisite to live a good, happy life.

Deepak Ramona, the mastermind behind Project Fuel is a person with immense curiosity, innovative ideas, unflinching will, artistic sense, out-of-the-box thoughts and opinions, and of course boundless creativity and potential. For him, these life lessons and skills provide you with tremendous strength and hope to pursue your dreams and solve complicated problems. They help you to be the best of yourself each day as they provide “the exact piece of advice or word of comfort or solution to the problem” that you might be looking for in life.

A gold medallist in Mass Media Studies, Deepak has not only been a visiting faculty at various colleges and schools in Mumbai, he has also been the lecturer for architecture students at Academy of Architecture as well as for the students in one of the oldest and reputed school, Dr. Graham’s home, Kalimpong, West Bengal. His journey as a life skills educator has spanned all across the country since he was merely 17.

If you think that this is only what defines Deepak, read this. Deepak has been teaching life skills and interacting with over 1500 differently-abled children where some are visually impaired or deaf/mute, others are physically challenged or autistic.

He is in a way their messiah!

The life lessons he has gathered from several different people he has met in his life are all there in the back pages of his notebooks and the diaries his father would bring from office. He believes we can learn better from other’s life mistakes, learning, thoughts, beliefs, in short, other’s inspiring stories and their life lessons which fuels his project, Project FUEL, where FUEL stands for Forward the Understanding of Every Life Lesson.   These lessons are then formulated as interactive exercises for the kids who can not only know about the life lesson but also get to feel it through these fun and interesting activities and exercises.

See how he implements the life lesson of the woman he met in Delhi (mentioned above) in the video:

Not only has he gained an experience in theatre, and learnt theatrical skills at the National School of Drama (NSD), Quasar Theatre Productions as well as No License Yet, he has also worked as an intern with prestigious media houses such as Times of India, CNN-IBN and Garhwal Post. The Founder and Artistic Director of FUEL is also an actor, poet, performer, a Lyricist, the Creative Executive Producer as well as the Script Analyst for a Mumbai-based production house, apart from conducting workshops for school, college students and NGOs. His multi-tasking capabilities and talents in different fields are not the only sources for varied experiences and wisdom to deal with life that he can apply as life lessons but the everyday knowledge that he gathers from people from different walks of life, personalities of varied dimensions belonging to different age groups also serve as important life skills and lessons for children to imbibe.

So, would you like to share your life lesson with Deepak?

You would never know when a child might find the new meaning of life through your life lesson.

The post You Might Never Have Been Taught What This Teacher Would Teach You! appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

If you have made up your mind on studying law after your schooling, the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the benchmark for you with standard eligibility criteria.

It requires the candidate to have obtained a Senior Secondary School/Intermediate (10+2) from a recognized Board with not less than 45% aggregate marks for the general category. SCs and STs would need an aggregate of 40% marks. If you have procured the necessary percentage and are below 20 years of age, (22 years for SC and ST candidates) you are eligible for the CLAT.

If you are appearing or have appeared for class 12^th board exam, or are awaiting your results, you too can apply for the test and submit proofs of your claims at the time of admission, after clearing the examination. This is the eligibility criteria for the candidates eager to pursue a B.A. LLB undergraduate programme. For LLM, candidates are required to have a LLB/B.L. degree from a recognized university and 55% aggregate marks (50% for SC and ST candidates).

Even if you have passed the exam through supplement and repeated attempts and have the proof of clearing it with 55% marks on the date of admission, you can sit for the test.

CLAT witnesses around 40,000 students a year and will see a new beginning this New Year with the tests being conducted online now. The online registration for CLAT 2015 that will be held on 10^th May (Sunday) from 3 to 5 p.m., has begun since January 1. No other submission mode except for online has been allowed for the application forms. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University (RMLNLU) will conduct the entire examination process online, be it the application form, fee submission or counselling.

This move by RMLNLU to provide for a more transparent, efficient and less troublesome exam experience to the candidates has come after hundreds of complaints on discrepancies in marks last year, following a technical glitch, that eventually led to the CLAT core committee withholding the results within 24 hours of their declaration. Gujarat National Law University had conducted this test last year and had proclaimed that the marks disparity occurred because the bar code stickers of some answer sheets did not match the stickers of the candidates.

Not only the online method, but there are other changes too that the CLAT committee has made in the test from last year.

If you are aspiring for LLM course, you will only have to answer objective questions unlike in the past when the test had half objective and half descriptive kind of questions.

16 universities will participate this year with the addition of Damodaran Sanjeevaiya National Law University, Andhra Pradesh. While 1700 seats are available for LLB course, only 350 are there for LLM.

Uttar Pradesh (UP) has the maximum number of places conducting CLAT this year while Lucknow was the only centre in the state. Now, Allahabad, Gorakhpur and Varanasi will too take part in the test.

With Kurukshetra as the CLAT centre for the first time, students from Haryana need not travel to a different state anymore.

There are CLAT facilities for north-east students as well with Shillong being one of the test centres now.

Jammu will now have two centres, both in Jammu and in Srinagar.

The test centres have now got increased to 28 cities, eight more in comparison to last year.

The online mode of testing and the additional facilities now available may increase the mark from 40,000 candidates where last year 35,000 students appeared for the test. Online methods are sure to make the test more popular, uninterrupted and secured mode of testing that it is. The Persons with Disability (PWD) candidates will be provided with need-based assistance and will be entitled to 40 extra minutes. Web-based mock tests on www.clat.ac.in can help you in having a fair idea of the format of Online Exam and can be downloaded on PCs and stand-alone computers. Previous year question papers can be downloaded from CLAT website by paying Rs. 250 online.

Even if there are some computer issues that crop up, the buffer systems and technically qualified people in the exam centre will take care of them. As the server will record each and every second of your time, the time lost in dealing with computer issues, if any, will be duly taken care of.  

However, be careful while filling up the application form online as later changes will not be permissible. If you need to make some changes and there is time before submission, you can re-submit corrected application along with the prescribed fee that is INR 4000 for UR/OBC/PWD candidates and INR 3500 for SC and ST students. A new ID will be generated for you and the previous fee will not be refunded. You must retain a hard copy of the filled-in form, fee receipt and the auto-generated ID and Password.   

The online counselling session will require you to fill up your preferences for the National Law Universities (NLU) for UG/PG course, and seats will be allotted according to the candidate’s choice and merit. You will also have to pay a counselling fee of Rs. 50,000 to the CLAT office, only to prove your seriousness towards taking admission in any of these NLUs. This is a security amount and gets adjusted with the payable fee to the University at the time of admission. Some of the 16 law universities that are participating in the test have seats available for NRIs and Foreign Nationals and horizontal reservation for female candidates.

The last date for submission of application is 31st March, 2015. So, go ahead and download your admit card from CLAT website and do not forget to carry your ID card, driving license and passport copies to the exam centre. All the best!

The post Wait! Know These Things Before You Apply For CLAT 2015 appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

You are interested in the world of Finance and excel at maths but Economics seems like a subject without much career choices to you.

Well, you would want to change your notion once you know how globalisation has changed the role of an economist from one who mainly analyses the wealth of nations to being financial planners, wealth managers, accountants, market researchers, sales personnel, finance administrators, economists and industrial analysts and the list goes on.

All this owing to an economics student’s vast knowledge of world economies and the universal application of economics as a subject in industries, banks, finance sectors and other number-related public and private agencies.

Let us explore what all you can do in your education and career after graduating in Economics:

Economics in Finance Sectors

A sought-after course in Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Economics can prove to be a glamorous career as the work sectors are numerous, viz. manufacturing, transport, banking and insurance, communication, retail and investment. Finance industries involving Chartered Accountancy, Company Secretaryship, Cost and Work Accountancy and banking fields can be of special importance to you if you enjoy numbers.

What Economics Entails – Related Courses/Jobs

With scope in pursuing higher education both at Masters’ and Ph.D. levels, and conducting research studies, students who major in economics can join Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), work up a career in business economics or management-related sectors. Classified into macro and micro-economics, economists have the chance to work at the granular level, evaluating the merger and acquisition, growth and expansion of certain categories of industries in coming years, or analyse a country’s inflation and consumption rates, unemployment scenario and its gross income, per-capita income as well as the output the country is generating via different businesses.

The love of economics and quantitative analysis can also lead you to work or teach econometrics, risk/disaster management, insurance and actuarial sciences, let alone jobs in corporate firms and research-based institutes.

If you want to experiment with your creative zest and strong communication skills are your forte, you may as well do a postgraduate diploma in advertising or go to a law school to further your knowledge and skills in legal matters, now that you are proficient in finance, accounts and statistics. Pursuing M.Phil. or Ph.D. in Development studies with Economics as your base subject can also help you in the long run, more so as liberalisation and e-commerce are taking the front seat in the country economics today. Specializing in Business and Agricultural Economics, Financial or Labour Economics and the study of different Industrial and International economics can mark your career choices for the future. Business Economics is developing rapidly as a reliable career option as analysing the behaviour of different firms in market and industries, determining costs for various products, strategizing new business policies, trade policies and issues for the foreign market and undertaking investment evaluation. Professionals in this field are much required by business associations, the likes of FICCI, CII, Assocham and PHDCCI.

Opportunities Galore for Academicians in Economics

Not only industries demand well-trained and knowledgeable economists but even the finance sectors dealing with urban and rural development, universities and educational institutes, government sectors and foreign trade agencies have a weak spot for them. Economics post-graduates can write UGC board exams such as National Entrance Test (NET), for which 55% minimum marks is required in Masters to work as lecturers in colleges and universities and other professional/educational institutions.

A Lucrative Affair

Working with organizations as management consultants for data collation and interpretation, finance economists and economic advisors will help you mint huge money. Economic consultants can get good jobs in the private sectors, particularly in consulting firms and institutes dealing with scientific research. The Indian Council of Social Science Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research and Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi are viable options for jobs.

Joining private, nationalised and foreign banks and insurance companies as economic advisors, clerks, branch managers and development officers or as insurance consultants, agents, policy makers and assistant managers respectively can fetch a handsome income for those holding a masters’ degree in Economics. The World Bank and International Labour Organization are always on the lookout for economists who are ready to face challenges by dealing with research activities and international financial institutions, while non-profit organizations such as NGOs can be beneficial for you if you are interested in social service and giving that extra edge to your career.

A Masters’ degree in Economics can lead you to earn somewhere between Rs. 4 and Rs. 6 lakhs annually. If you are good at theoretical studies and have sharp analytical skills with excellence in crunching numbers, you can do well in the field of Economics especially as your experience increases over time.

The Government Job

Aiding the government in its financial deals can not only be prestigious and lucrative, but also induces the feeling of pride in many. Joining the Indian Economic Service as Group-A officers by appearing for IES exam conducted by the UPSC board or associating yourself with the Reserve Bank of India are much sought-after options. The officers selected in the IES exam can have a fair chance to be a part of the planning commission, ministry of economic affairs, planning board, National Sample Survey and other government organizations or departments. If you are in the age group of 21-28 and are a skilled economics graduate you can very well secure a position with the RBI by appearing in the various tests conducted by the bank to recruit economists.

Other Finance and Non-Finance Industries for Economics Majors

Taxation:

If public economics concerning direct and indirect tax filing is your strength, you can work as a taxation consultant. Holding a Diploma in taxation or pursuing some certificate courses in tax consultancy suffices.

Investment in the Market:

Your knowledge of the capital market, commodity and money market can help you become an investment consultant. If you are a good economic analyst, your knowledge can also come in handy for dealing with mutual funds and making fruitful decisions related to investment.

Forest Sector/Agricultural Economics

If you have specialised in resource, agricultural or environmental economics, you have the opportunity to be employed for developing or initializing better techniques for resource utilization in agriculture and conservation of forests through scientific management. A masters’ degree with specialization in Agricultural Economics can work as agro scientists, often recruited by the Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board.

Media

A degree in Mass Communication after graduating in Economics can lead you into the field of Print or Broadcast Journalism where you can lead in the field of Business Journalism by writing for journals, newspapers and magazines or work with the TV news industry and online channels/sites.

Writing reports on economics and business events in newspapers is also an excellent opportunity for economic graduates to prove their mettle to the world and earn well alongside. 

While the world of Economics is vast and leads to ample career opportunities in various sectors, it involves much study, both during college years and after that. You may not find any particular professional roles as soon as you graduate in the subject and the working hours may be tedious and long, both in the field and at desk. India does not provide for options to economists to switch jobs or follow seasonal trends for hiring economists as of now.

However, the global recession phase has put economists much in demand. Your passion to play with numbers and awareness of current affairs and social policies can lead you to be a master in the economic world and manage the country’s wealth and budget.

Your scope in India as an economist can increase if you are specialised in a certain field of Economics and are prepared for economic analysis and macroeconomic research work. A good knowledge of how the Indian economy works and understanding of emerging economies, with the exposure of working with a renowned economist can mount your growth and further rise even in the mid of economic challenges.

The post What After A Degree In Economics: A Career In Wealth Managing And Budgeting appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

The world is changing pretty fast and so are the requirements of a fast-evolving society.

Education is considered to be the great leveller and one of the foundation-stones to build an individual’s life upon.

However, the current changes in the world are constantly questioning the relevance of education system being followed in the country since independence.

There is no doubt that schools are an indispensible part of education system.

These are the institutions which provide the base on which a child can build his dream-life and contribute positively to the society. But the increasing pressure on a child in terms of competition, scoring marks, getting admissions in higher institutions etc is taking a toll on the quality of life. It is having an adverse impact not only on the child, but also on the parents. With more and more focus on getting higher and higher percentages, the purpose of education is getting diluted. Instead of learning, the objective is to rote and score marks!

In such a scenario, what is the way out?

There are certain students who are born talented and have a skill-set, which if given importance from early years can lead to the child living up to his potential.

An example can be of musicians who start their training and riyaz as early as 3-4years of age.

By the time they are adults, they are already masters in their field and ready to share their learning with others.

This is what the government and policy-makers need to look into when they consider education. Not every child is same, so they should not be treated with same benchmarks. Basic education is definitely necessary, as it comes handy to secure a dignified job in case nothing else works.

But that should not become the primary criteria of education.

A child, who has the talent and an inclination towards a different subject than what is being taught in the school, should be given the independence to pursue that interest. If, for example, a child has interest in writing, he/she should be encouraged to develop the craft of writing instead of pressurising the child to study subject which are of no relevance. In the process, the school authorities and government should be able to develop a mechanism that such students can pursue their subject of interest while at the same time they don’t face any hurdles in getting the required degrees for their future security.

Obviously, the benchmarks might have to be changed, the guidelines will have to be tweaked, but then if a society has to prosper and grow, it can only do so on the basis of few gifted individuals who need to be cared for and guided correctly right from their childhood!

They shouldn’t be burdened with the pressures of scoring high marks in school and colleges to be accepted as successful!

Let’s hope our education minister understands the changing needs of society and takes relevant and radical steps to overhaul the education system which is on the borderline of getting obsolete.

The post How Relevant Is A Typical School And College Education In These Changing Times? appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Liquor industry has been around for centuries and growing by leaps and bounds every year.

The segment which is showing maximum growth and growth-potential is the Wine segment, not only in India, but globally. Maharashtra is soon becoming the wine producing capital of the country with huge investments planned for the future as well.

No doubt, the need for experts in the field is growing faster than the supply of that talent.

However, till now, there wasn’t any course available that could have helped students to learn the trade and gain an expertise in the industry to make a career out of it. Everyone who has been part of the industry has got on-job experience, but no formal training.

All that can soon be a thing of the past as a one year diploma course has been started by an institute in France!

For all those students who want to learn everything related to wines, vineyard management, wine making, storage, quality checks etc, to make a career out of it, this course is tailor-made. It is an MSc in Wine Management offered by the School of Wine and Spirits Business, Gropue ESC Dijon- Bourgogne, France!

The course includes two semesters and after successfully completing the programme, the students can get placements in different sectors of the wine industry as operational executives or even managerial positions depending on their performance during the course.

The students will be taught subjects as varied as administration, finance, logistics, sales, legalities related to oenology, wine tasting, and wine tourism and so on to help them gain knowledge about the wine market.

The best part about this course is that it will have a batch of only 50 students, which means every student will get focused attention. The students will have the benefit of having industrial visits, going to wine fairs of Europe to experience first-hand information with experts and industry stalwarts.

After completing the course, students can work as brand managers, sales executives, distributors, import-export managers, etc. However, to qualify for the course, candidates should hold a Bachelor’s degree in any kind of major and a good command over English language.

Also, they should have an IELTS (6.0) or equivalent  certificate score obtained no more than two years before application (TOEIC more than 750, TOEFL more than 80550) to apply for the course.

The total fee is 11480 Euros or approximately Rs. 8.75 lakh given today’s market rates.

It might sound a bit steep, but given the returns it can offer immediately after the completion of the course, it is worth it!

Those who wish to apply for the course, can contact the school via their website, http:www.swsb.eu 

The post Finally! A Course In Wine Management Can Kick Start Your Global Career! appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

The common trend that we all follow is school, college, higher studies, job and marriage.

But, what if I tell you that there is an upcoming trend of taking a breather from education for a year in many countries and Indian students are too exploring the ‘gap year’ more and more?

We all go through the time when our minds are bogged down by different career choices and professional options as we try to find out our interests, aptitudes, likes, dislikes, et al. especially after schooling, many students prefer some kind of education counselling and reading different career reviews.

But we all need some practical experience to know ourselves better and explore more possibilities.

This is when taking a ‘gap year’ makes you plan things on a whole new level. The gap year provides you the time to experience something new and do some self-introspection for setting up priorities in life and career. This break from education provides you with the opportunity to explore varied experiences such as volunteering, joining a business and some other untraveled paths.

While in India we are bound by fixed modes of study and a defined life track which sometimes keeps us from creating and finding better career opportunities, western countries such as the United States of America (USA), Canada and United Kingdom take a year off from education to know more about the world, travel, pursue their interests, work as interns or trainees in different parts of the world and support the underprivileged or volunteer for a good cause.

In fact, some European and American nations organise ‘gap year’ fairs too that help in promoting globalization and an interaction with different cultures, providing with yearly packages for educational tours and a chance to work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in different countries for certain youth-oriented programmes. The gap year is an important phase in the lives of these students to find their passion and interest and gain some life skills. As they embark on a three or four year-long course after the breather, they have a broadened outlook towards life and career and have already acquired some real life experiences.

Though it is true that the classroom knowledge is much different from the real world, and we try for colleges and courses based on our cut-off marks simply so that we can earn money eventually with a good job, instead of focussing on what we should really do on the basis of our abilities, temperament, knowledge and mind set.

We tend to stress more on a well-to-do social status, a good pay package in our jobs rather than a fulfilling, more satisfying career choice.

Activities you can pursue during your ‘Gap Year’

Learning a new skill or improving on your specific knowledge of certain things.

Gaining work experience through internships

Travelling in the country or abroad to know more about different people, cultures, traditions, etc.

You must plan the gap year well ahead, as to if you want to take a year off after school or after graduation. Also, keeping a track of your finances to plan trips or taking an online course well ahead of time can be a good idea. The crucial decision is thinking of your options for the ‘gap year’ – whether you want to learn, work, travel or do all of them with some meticulous planning.

You can also opt for a video diary or make sketches, write your ideas and take pictures of the everyday life around you. All this will help you explore your possibilities and assess your strengths better. You can also document your thoughts and reflect on the activities you want to pursue or what you have learnt from your exposure to varied experiences. These writings will help you understand the change in your behaviour, why and how it changed or how the situation around you has changed.

However, parental pressure on joining competitive fields and making viable career choices can be daunting enough for a student to consider taking a ‘gap year’. But, taking a leap of faith sometimes pays well as even employers encourage a well-planned gap year and are ready to invest in a candidate who has been able to invest himself/herself in personal growth and development.

While students in India have been taking a drop year to study for entrance examinations or other exams to get selected in a particular institute, a gap year is a fairly new concept in the country.

A gap year, all in all will help you be well-informed and be better equipped to handle work pressures later, rather than following the herd mentality and going for the 9-to-5 jobs, the usual stress for exams, time management in work, et al. as opposed to the popular belief, a ‘gap year’ can be pretty affordable and there are several organizations that willingly pay for a year off when you choose to work for them. It can be a good way to discover yourself and explore your options, especially in such competitive times and with so many fields of study and work at play.

You must be ready to explain how you have constructively used your time during this period to your interviewer. It is after all, the experience that counts especially when you can renew yourself and convert the time taken off into an extraordinary success by going the extra mile.

The post Mind The Gap: ‘Gap Year’ Is The New ‘In Thing’ In Education appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Are you planning to take a student loan for your graduation degree or have already made a list of foreign institutes?

Well, you will first need to check if you can repay off the loan once you have graduated.

India is a country where education is much valued and considered as the first step towards achieving anything big in life, be it the hopes of having your dream job, enjoying a lavish lifestyle, financial security or living the good times.

While most students in India plan for taking up education loans as early as in higher secondary classes, it is very important to know not only the eligibility criteria which can be tricky, tedious and time-consuming at times but the ways you can shed the heavy burden of loan from your shoulders even if you do not have a job right after your graduation.

Students aged between 16 and 26 are eligible for acquiring education loans.

The eligibility of a student for loan is measured by several banks through their online eligibility calculators, varying from one bank to the other.

Loans have become common in the country whenever there is a big incoming expenditure. With tuition fees for colleges soaring high every year, and private universities demanding more and more money for admissions, education loans have become a must for many students.

If you think it is simple to visit a bank and ask for education loans, you are wrong.

Though every bank has special schemes and policies related to loans, students need a co-applicant such as a parents, spouse or siblings. They might even have to nominate a third-party guarantor if the loan amount is between Rs. 4-7.5 lakh while loans above Rs. 7.5 lakh will need you to give collaterals or security.

While in 2011, the Indian Banks Association came up with recommendations that students who are on the merit list in their college can be free from collaterals yet, this is again a hassle for the students who have to not only go through parents and peer pressure for good grades, but their cut-off lists are also deciding factors for banks to set collaterals on their loans.

If you think the process of applying for loans is tedious, consider the aftermath which can be scary enough. You will have to repay off the loan within six months to one year within the completion of the course, a default in which will affect the credit history of the student and s/he might have problems gaining access to loans for future. The default in payment will also affect the credit history of the co-applicant. You will have to repay the loan with or without a job after graduation!

In the case of studying abroad, the lender will recover the loan amount from the co-applicant which in most cases, are the parents. A foreign education may also entail taking up a part-time job or getting a scholarship.  You will also need to insure your loans if you are planning to pursue international education. If there are any untoward incidents happening with the students abroad for instance personal accidents, sickness or rehabilitation for drug abuse and the education loan is not secured, the students’ family has to continue paying the education loan. Some may even have to keep their assets such as their house, apartments/flats, non-agricultural land and fixed deposits as collateral, where financial crunches can lead them to re-mortgage their houses, if the loan is not insured.  

While the education loan scenario is in a pitiful state in India, some exceptions are always there. There are some options you will need to consider before applying for loans to make the process comparatively simpler:

Banks affiliate with Universities

Many national and international universities associate themselves with banks or other financial institutions that offer education loans, only to subsidise the interest amount and increase the repayment tenure for students. Securing a proper job is essential after graduation so that they can pay the entire loan amount and these associations come in handy at such times.

Finding Out Loan Providing Institutes

When looking for loans, there are several banks and financial as well as educational institutes can come to your aid but you will need to compare rates of interests, eligibility criteria and margins of interest of one bank against some others to prevent yourself from getting deceived by banks that provide exceptionally low interest rates.

Checking if the loan amount suffices your education

With tuition fees of colleges ranging between Rs. 5- 50 lakhs, you must assess if all the costs viz. books, travel expenses, food and hostel rent or laptops (if needed) are covered in the loan amount. You must plan out your expenses well so that you do not end up asking for more loan amount as it will be a huge hassle during repayment.

Evaluate the funds you already have

You must be aware of the scholarship options in your choice of university as funding though scholarships will help reduce the loan amount and subsequently ease out the excessive burden of repayment. For this, you first have to assess all your funds before deciding on how much loan to apply for.

Deciding on the co-applicant

Though any one of the parent is the most obvious consideration while selecting on a co-applicant, some banks, however allow siblings or relatives earning income. The co-applicant’s earning capacity also needs to be catered to, as if the loan is not repaid by the student, it will be recovered from the co-applicant’s pocket.

Assessing your capacity to repay loan

While you select your course and institute, you also need to chalk down the campus placement facilities or jobs that the course might aid you in offering as well as the starting salary of the job. It is always better to pay off the loan as early as possible otherwise the interest rates vary and you end up paying all your savings for the loan that you had taken years ago. Deciding your repayment capacity before applying for the loan is a must.

Identify all your repayment options

You may choose to repay through EMIs (Equated Monthly Instalment) or intend to pay in the 6 months-1 year tenure after graduation (moratorium period). However, paying the loan is easier through EMIs than during moratorium as you can lessen the monetary burden off your shoulders faster.

Keep All Documents related to Loan Ready

Asking your lender for the documents you need to provide for loan and keeping them in place before the loan application will be helpful. Apart from the usual identity, age, address, co-applicant’s relationship and income proof, you will have to provide the admission letter with the fee structure of your college. For foreign education, your visa approval papers, GRE, SAT and/or GMAT scores are also required as additional documents.

Check if you have sufficient assets for security

Ensure that you have enough valuable assets to mortgage when applying for loan. They may help in getting a reduced rate of interest.

While Indian banks offer loan upto Rs. 15 lakhs,(according to the new government scheme on Comprehensive Education Loan) depending on the course and the college, it is debatable if these loans cover fees for tuition, examination, labs, hostel rent, library money and other expenses such as books, equipment, instruments and in some cases uniforms.People who study abroad may find it difficult to meet their daily travel expenses, caution deposit and refundable deposit, study tours or project work.

Even though students seeking loan upto Rs. 4 lakhs do not have to keep collateral, they need to nominate a guarantor, someone other than the parent, who is having a good financial status. The interest on education loans is also a difficult bet as currently the interest rates are 11.75-14.75 percent, based on the loan amount and the college. This interest rate increases every year and to make matters worse, students opting for foreign education may sometimes have to buy the insurance from a foreign local company, on insistence of the college concerned, which turn out to be way more expensive.

The student loan system in India always entails the risk of the student not getting a job immediately after completing the course, provided the tough gamble that the job market has become. In such cases, they have to rely on their parents’ income for repaying such loans.

Will the Modi government bring into effect a simpler method for applying and paying for loans and ease out the burden of both students and parents?

The post Education Loan In India: When Banks And Institutes Join Hands To Cheat Students appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

As clichéd as it may sound, there is no shortcut to success.

Exams need meticulous planning and preparation.

With exam season round the corner, much stress and pressure accompanies students as they try to plan a perfect preparation for cracking these tough competitive examinations.

The CBSE Board plans to conduct the UGC-NET this year on 28^th December. As the date for the National Entrance Test (NET) approaches, many students can be seen preparing ardently to crack the exam this time and take one more step towards attaining their career goals.

Held twice in a year (June and December), NET is a brilliant opportunity for those who want to pursue a career in academia and research. Various institutes and universities prefer to select NET- qualified candidates over the ones who have not appeared for the exam or cracked it yet, even though they might be pursuing their M.Phil. or Ph.D.

You must use what you have learnt at your past attempts to make your experiment or present attempt a success and expect more for the future.

If you are planning to appear for the exam this December, and are worried about what last-minute preparations you need to do before the day deciding your fate turns up, you may want to consider these important pointers:

Clock Your Prep

Make a proper schedule/ time-table and check your syllabus repeatedly. You need to organize a schedule for the topics as to which ones you want to cover first and which ones later. You must cover all important topics and prioritise your study areas beforehand to avoid any last-minute hassle and stress. Fix certain time periods for all the topics and allocate at least 4-5 hours in a day for your preparation during this one month before the exam.

Write it Down

Make notes that are sharp and precise so that you can sum up your answers in few points and can actually remember those points during the exam hour. You can choose to highlight or outline specific points in your books or notepad which you think are more important and requires attention.

Systematise your study

When you decided on which subject to start first, you must have given a thought into how many days you will devote to each subject. Now is the time to tally with your reference books and your syllabus if you have covered all the topics and complete the leftover areas of study. Jotting down which subjects you will study first and selecting an order in which you will study different topics really helps at this time.

Highlight Topics Already Covered

Putting a tick mark against the topics you have already covered will give you a fair idea of what is left in the syllabus. You can then procure extra content and study material for the topics still left to study. For completing the whole syllabus which might be vague in the case of English Literature students, you will need to adhere to the strict schedule and the list of subjects and topics you have to cover. For English students, going through the graduate and post-graduate syllabus of Literature should be their primary objective. You can also choose to mark sections which you think can make for long-answer questions.

Time to do some self-study

You may have taken guidance from your teachers as a class and undergone NET coaching along with your group-mates but now since only a month is left, you need time to focus on your own individual preparation for the big exam. You will need to figure out if the basics of all subjects are clear to you and making your own notes apart from the material or notes provided by the coaching institute will come handy, especially when you are writing your paper. Your revision and recalling of topics that you have covered till now will become easier with your individual notes.

Select Study

A selective study is required now and you will need to revise the crucial topics first and then focus on the less important ones. This way you will also be able to work on your weak areas and strengthen your knowledge of these concepts sooner. Smart work hand in hand with hard work will ensure better results for you. You need not study everything related to a certain topic, and while you study the more important topics in details, a basic know-how of the less important ones will suffice. 80% of the syllabus must be covered and you must know the prerequisites of all topics since it is not possible to cover each and every topic in complete detail.

Neglecting Paper I is a wrong move

If you intend to appear for Paper II and III, you will first have to clear Paper I that is more of MCQs based on an Aptitude Test. You can set a time limit for yourself while preparing and keep a check on your time management skills and speed for answering those 60 questions. You will need to prepare for Paper I keeping much time in your hand. Prepare for Paper II and III subsequently and keep 10 days in hand for revising for Paper III. If you think that Paper III requires you to write answers in word limit and may not need much practice, you are wrong. You may need to think much before answering certain questions in Paper III so the only solution is writing these answers at home as fast as you can. Your answers will also require proper introductions and keyword-usage. While brief answer questions let you use technical terminologies, you must not try and explain these terms for such questions.

Sample Papers and Mock tests

Practice will make you perfect as far as NET is concerned. Practicing previous year’s question papers and other sample questions will give you a better insight into the paper pattern and the sort of questions generally asked, if you have not appeared for the exam previously. The more you practice mock tests, the more confident you will be before the exam and the better you will be able to manage your time for each question.

Good Introductions are the Key

Prepare long answers for questions that are similar to each other, and have multiple introductions at your fingertips. Your knowledge of the subject clubbed with good introductions can come to your aid if at all such questions are asked in the exam. Make some general introductions related to different topics and questions. If at all you get questions that you have not prepared for, you can mould these introductions to your credit and write precise answers and not give a generic outline.

Revision

The last 15-20 days before exam is the most crucial period as you need to revise and recall everything you have studied till now, from the very beginning. Give both online and offline tests and even if you do not have time for solving all questions, you must know the answers to all questions. Try and solve as many MCQs and objective question as you can.

A day before the exam you should not overtax your mind by studying as that will create more confusions rather than clearing them out.

Leaving behind your doubts, apprehension and undue stress behind as you enter the examination centre will help in improving your focus on the paper and how you need to tackle it. Even if you think your first two papers or the first paper were/was not good enough, you must still sit for the third one. Also, always keep your question paper with you that will help you for your later attempts.

Some of the books recommended by UGC for NET examinations are:

UGC University Grants Commission NET for Lectureship Exam by Sajit Kumar and M. Gagan for Paper-I

Trueman’s Specific Series UGC Net Education by Gagan Manocha

Good Luck!

The post How To Score High For UGC-NET: Last-Minute Study Tips appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

After a decade-long slumber, Maharashtra Govt. has taken the much-awaited step of raising the scholarship bar for the differently-abled students.

The move has been triggered after students and teachers alike have protested and held demonstrations against the inactive and unresponsive attitude of the government.

The decade-long fight for the betterment of education facilities for specially-able students has resulted in an increase from Rs. 150 to Rs. 425 and 380 INR – 1,200 INR, based on the kind of disability.

It is certainly a relief to many associations working with such students, activists fighting for the cause and the students themselves that the government has cared to notice their plight and brought their scholarship amount at par with that of the other backward classes. (OBCs)

While earlier the education scholarship amount was something between Rs. 50 and Rs.425, now the visually impaired, the students with hearing and learning disabilities and speech difficulties who appear for the scholarship exam every year can aim to bag about 1, 200 rupees.

Though the differently-abled students have now got some attention from the government regarding their scholarship amount, many other factors need to be taken into account for improving their educational needs. Much still needs to be done in relation to the teaching aids, Braille books or interpreters and people who know sign language for the speech and hearing impaired students. There is a paucity of trained teachers who can deal with the regular problems these children face and lack of better infrastructure and environment for the convenience of children using wheelchairs or other such aids.

While the latest move by the government fosters better education for the special children, it also diverts attention to the attitude of other students and school authorities towards them, which is unfriendly and narrow-minded. The government’s allotment of 3% of government sector jobs for the differently-abled people has also not helped much and will not be a success until better infrastructure and appropriate facilities are provided to them in the workplace.  

Where, on the one hand, campaigns are being launched by private foundations for building up more awareness and training individuals with disabilities to be able to adapt to the work environment, Pratap Lubal, upper secretary, social justice and special assistance department commented on the delay in sanctioning scholarship hike saying, “The issue was pending for long with the department because we were working on the break-up of each category of students. Our aim was to do justice to all by sanctioning a respectable sum”, as reported to The Times of India.

It is although a matter of doubt as to whether the ‘respectable sum’ that is assured after all these years will suffice the educational needs of these children.

Till the time people with disabilities are subjected to numerous discriminatory methods and a social stigma is attached to them, we cannot boast of equal treatment meted out to all, especially in the education field.

The post Scholarship Hike For Special Children: #Maha Govt. Finally Wakes Up appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Wondering how you can adorn the black coat on yourself when no one in your family is a Lawyer?

The legal career has changed drastically today as law aspirants without belonging to a family of lawyers can opt for the course if they have the patience and the logical skills and can aim to make the court his/her workplace.

Even if finding loopholes in the system is your area of expertise, you may still need to know the law to confront what is wrong with the laws.

You also need to have ardent analytical skills and articulation if you want to master the legal world. Now-a-days, you have a variety of specialisations to choose from: civil or criminal law, patent laws and corporate laws.

If you want to be a legal professional or a litigator, you can go for the five years B.A. LLB course and can take up internships or work as a clerk under senior lawyers or in a private law firm to get a first-hand experience of knowing the working hours, the kind of work to be done and how lawyers are able to win their cases.

You can also choose pursuing a master’s degree if you do not want to work directly once out of the professional law course. The national entrance exam for law, Combined Law Admission Test (CLAT) can be a good way to test your legal aptitude, logical skills and general awareness. A three-year course in law can also do the deal for you, if you have graduated in some other field or are working and want to add more qualifications to your resume.

A plethora of career opportunities await you after a law degree. If you clear the examination held by Public Service Commissions, you can aim to become a judge. Your experience can work in your favour if you are aspiring to become a Solicitor General, a Public Prosecutor or a Legal Advisor. Several other options can be considered if you want to pursue a career directly related to Law such as working as a Criminal Lawyer, a Civil Litigation Lawyer working on taxation and excise laws, a Document Drafting Lawyer, Legal Analyst/Advisor/Journalist. Working for self-practice, for the government or a private company or teaching law can also be other considerable options to learn more about the profession and adapting yourself to a lawyer’s lifestyle.

However, if you find yourself on cross-roads wondering if you could have an alternative lifestyle while applying the knowledge you have gained in your law classes, you can as well apply for some unconventional career paths related to the legal field. Rerouting your career path while using the base of what you have learnt during LLB would also work best for you if you do not want to compete for similar jobs as your law graduate peers. Some of the non-traditional career routes after completing law can be:

Legal Careers and Business

While studying law, you will become familiar to careers as Paralegal Officers, Management Consultant or Project Managers. These may be some of the obvious career options you will come across as a law student.

Banking, Accounting and Finance

Your understanding of legal concepts can come in handy in the financial market and the banking world. As Chartered Accountant, Public Finance Accountant, Pension Scheme Manager, Commodities Broker, Financial Advisor/Manager, Investment Banker, Insurance Account Manager, Fund Manager or Tax Advisor/Officer, you can certainly hope to excel in your field.

Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

You can be the Press Officers in a PR firm, work for sales and promotion jobs, do media buying or marketing and planning jobs that do not require you to have a very detailed and extensive knowledge of law.

Public Sector and Politics

Civil service positions such as the Government Research Officer, Health and Safety Inspector, Public Affairs Consultant, Political Research Assistant and Trade Union Officer may lure you if you want to be involved in the political arena and help in building the foundation of society. If you think you are capable of influencing policy decisions about certain issues you strongly feel about, you can well be a Public Interest Advocate.

Academia

While you can teach law students in a professional university, you may also work as a Career Advisor/Counsellor to law students and suggest them ideas for their bright future. A law degree can always be a plus while applying for university teaching.

Media

It is always an add-on if you have a law degree and intend to work in the media industry. You can aspire to work for legal publishers and various industry publications as the Publishing Rights Manager or Editorial Assistant. You can take care of the fact that all the information provided by you in a media organization is legally correct even as you choose to be a Broadcast Journalist, Records Manager or a Production Assistant for television. You can opt to work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well. 

While there is paucity in the number of qualified lawyers in the country, talented lawyers are always welcome with India having one of the highest litigation rates. There are opportunities abroad as well with Indian law students working in UK with handsome pay packages.

Though most of the law colleges work on imparting practical knowledge to students graduating, being a witness to court proceedings can always be useful in your legal career or even if you plan to use it as a foundation to your career and not for the career itself. 

The post Order! Order! L.L.B. Is Not Only About Court Kachehri appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Chennai-based organization Vidya sagar is all set to launch a course on Human Rights for the benefit of people with disabilities, on December 10^th– World Human Rights Day.

The course will give special focus on disability rights of people who suffer from it, and will contain various international conventions and perspective of leaders from all over the world on the topic.

Apart from that  it could also include national and international practices of human rights saving, personality development techniques, research methodologies, internships at various platforms and a final evaluation test for future practices of candidates taking the course.

The course is likely to commence from 10^th of December, and the medium of instruction is English. The duration of the course is for three months. The minimum eligibility to register for the course is that the student must have passed his/her matriculation and is above 18 years of age.

“The course aims at developing more persons with and without disabilities to be self-advocates, standing up for their rights and at the same time experiencing an inclusive platform to learn and network with their counterparts. This is one among our various measures towards increasing disability equity and full human rights and fundamental freedom of people with disabilities,” said a statement released by the organization.

The last date to apply for the current term of the course is November 22^nd.

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How to choose a right MBA programme.

It can be considered a critical point in your career when you go for the higher studies application process, knowing that your destination is unknown.

With so many top level MBA programmes to choose from and in a number of countries, it is important that you understand the purpose and significance of it, in your life.

We suggest a few ways that’ll help you choose the right MBA programme for yourself.

Interest/Aptitude

The very first thing you must know before deciding to go for an MBA programme is what made you choose MBA as a career option. Was it because you were looking for a career change, or a change in your professional industry, or something else that tempted you to go for a business-profiled career option.

Be focused on which stream of the industry do you wish to pursue.

Industry Experience

To understand the industry and market dynamics, it is suggested that you have a few years of work experience. Experience helps you know what the market expects from you, and how much do you need to update your skills and enhance your qualities.

Though work experience is not a compulsion, it any day helps you know what you’re good at and capable of.

Feedback/Research

Feedback from current students and alumni is vital to choose the right course. A number of colleges famous for their MBA programmes, are not perfect in all of the streams they offer. For example, college X might offer a first class course in Operations management. However, it is not necessary that it would have the same sort of feedback for Marketing management.

So, it is always better to check with your contacts or the alumni group of the institution.  

Career goals

A degree or Diploma in MBA opens gates to many opportunities in different industries. Analyze your career goals before you sign up for a particular stream. You must have a clear and focused picture of your goals, which would also help you select a course and college for yourself. If you have more than four to five years of experience, and intend to continue in the same industry, you should opt for an executive MBA programme.

However, if you wish to change your industry, or start your own venture, you should go for a regular two-year course MBA.

Duration/type offered

If you wish to re-launch your career in your company or sector, a full time MBA is your best bet. The full time course marks a profound turning point in your career, by giving you an in-depth knowledge of the industry and helping you be a leader. The part-time MBA, on the other hand, are ideal for people who do not wish to give up their booming career in the present industry.

Also, do not forget to compare the annual fees you’ll be required to pay for a particular programme. 

With the advent of technology, candidates have been able to prepare themselves well for the entrance tests. However, it is equally important to ponder upon other essentials before you take a decision.

The post 5 Things That’ll Help You Choose The Perfect #MBA Programme For Yourself appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Of late, the country has seen a couple of changes in the educational reforms.

Only recently while conferring a speech at the Indian Economic Summit organized by Geneva-based World Economic Forum, and the Indian Industry Chamber CII, the HRD Minister Smriti Irani announced the launch of a credit-equivalent transfer system, by the end of this month, for those working professionals who had to leave their jobs midway to proceed to education.

The credit equivalent transfer system can be availed by all those working professionals who had to take up jobs while quitting their education midway.

The programme will offer subjects from standard 9^th and by next year might reach up to offering PhD programmes as well. The Central universities have been advised to practice a flawless credit system throughout the country, for the success of this programme.

The move has been taken into account considering the educational qualifications of capable candidates, who are unable to bag a good-profile job because of their academic inabilities.

Looking at the recent changes and updations in the education system, one can say that the HRD Ministry wishes to leave no stone unturned to make the education system better in India.

Initiatives like launching of a new teachers’ training programme, starting placement cells in every university, the common man’s suggestions on implementation of new education policy, etc. are good enough to be taken into account for the betterment of the education system.

“We are trying to do everything right. We are coming with new education policy next year. We are trying to course correct between school education and higher education,” said Irani. The MOOCs help the government to reach out to a big crowd of students. Also, starting this year, November,11^th will be observed as Education Day in the country.

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#SaPaInSchools – Just imagine the idea of preparing for the Maths Test and Music Test…

Subramaniam Academy Of Performing Arts came up with the idea of including music as a part of the curriculum in schools. The academy founded by the acclaimed violinist #DrLSubramaniam and Bollywood siren #KavitaKrishnamurty came up with their latest idea where they talk about the importance of music knowledge and the benefits of including the subject in schools.

Now this is what I call an overall educational development. The way we study subjects like Maths, English, History, etc. Music, Dance, Acting, are always as some sort of co-curricular activity that happens in school.

What an absolutely delightful experience would it be if our curriculum also involves learning of arts performing arts!

What if someone wants to become a cinematographer or a musician or may be an actor?

Is our #EducationSystem teaching us the knowledge we deserve to learn in schools. I say not only music; every co-curricular activity should find space in the main curriculum.

We have sports quota but arts and performing arts never find mainstream space in the educational sphere. People shift lines after graduation to pursue their interests.

The artist life had been and is still a big struggle in the country. Parents don’t realise the talents or may be they are pragmatic. They know their child who might have a specific skill would have to hunt for a living.

If the subjects are involved in the courses then may be the education sphere has a broader aspect and might have a key role to play in building India’s future.

Music, Dance, Acting, Photography, Painting, etc. isn’t really easy. These are subjects that requires years of practise and sound knowledge on these is very essential.

Hopefully with such academies paving the way we get to see schools expanding their vision of studies. Imagine the amount of talented artists India would produce then!

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I fondly remember my Geography lessons from school.

The faculty used to bring a world map and ask us to locate the famous geographic entities around the world. She would also bring other charts to explain to us, how did physical structures form naturally over the years and what role does a Geologist play in the study of geology.

Geology is the study of Earth, its processes, materials, history and its effect on humans and life in general. If you like living outdoors, and are heavily inquisitive about the formation of natural structures, then a career in geology is perfect for you. An exciting and diverse science which includes depth of Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Palaeontology, and Biology; Geology is one of the most promising career options in today’s date.

We give you a brief insight into making a career in geology.

Eligibility

To pursue a career in geology, a graduate degree is sufficient. However, it is suggested that you have a science background before you decide to take up a career in Geology. For Bachelor’s you need to have passed HSC with Science subjects i.e. Physics, Chemistry and Maths/Biology. For Master’s you can apply with any stream as your graduate degree.

Job prospects

A career in geology offers the prospect of ding much more than sitting behind a desk. Most companies that go for college placements prefer a candidate with Master’s degree, as that would highlight the field of specialization of the candidate. Apart from oil and gas fields, jobs are also offered by companies with a profile that of petroleum, forestry, ecology, mining and natural resources, environmental management project, site recommendation, surveying, renewable energy, etc.

Pay Package

A geologist’s work profile decides the amount of salary he/she withdraws. While job opportunities are great in this field, the pay package increases with experience. While a graduate can earn as much as Rs 2-3 lakhs per annum, a post graduate without experience can begin with Rs 4 lakh and can go up to Rs 20 lakhs per annum, on gaining relevant experience.

Pros and Cons

P: Lucrative job options, projects abroad

C: Initial struggle required; since geology is related to environment, you will be required to go for fieldwork most of the time.

A geologist must be physically fit to take up a job, as that is one of the most prior requirements for an onsite project. The life of a geologist is quite fulfilling, mostly because of two reasons- the commitment to nature, and getting paid for what they love doing.

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