Career Hotline
Biotech basics
Pervin Malhotra

Q I am in final year of BSc from MDU. I have passed Class XII with PCMB as my subjects. I want to enroll for MSc Biotechnology. Please tell me whether the IITs or AIIMS offer this course? Is admission to these colleges through GATE?

— Avinash Goyal

A Yes indeed they do, but not through GATE. Here are the details.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi offers M. Biotech.

Eligibility: MBBS/BDS (50%)/BVSc/BPharm/BSc in Biotech or equivalent with 60% (agg).

Selection: Entrance Exam conducted by AIIMS.

Details: www.aiims.ac.in & www.aiims.edu.

IIT-Roorkee and IT-Bombay offer MSc (Biotech).

Eligibility: BSc ( 50 per cent)

Selection: JAM.

Details: www.rurkiu.ernet.in & www.iitm.ac.in

OBC certification

Q I am a final year engineering student belonging to the OBC category. My parents and my elder brother have an OBC certificate but I don’t have an OBC certificate. Can I apply to the government sector as an OBC candidate on the basis of the OBC certificate given to my family members

— Girish B

A I am afraid that you will need to obtain your own OBC certificate should you wish to for apply for a government job. If you log onto the Union Public Service Commission website you will get the exact format of the OBC certificate required (www.upsc.gov.in/recruitment/scst.htm).

If you plan to take the Engineering Services Exam this year then you are exempted from submitting a copy of your OBC certificate with your application.

However, once the results are declared in December, 2006, you will have to submit the duly attested copies of your caste certificate. Refer to Employment News (14-20 January 2006) for further details of this exam.

Similarly, if you plan to take the Civil Services exams under the OBC category, no certification is required for the Prelims but once again, you must produce proof of caste at the time of taking the Mains. That your family members already have an OBC certificate will not be considered as evidence.

Since your parents already have an OBC certificate there is no reason why you will be denied one. I would suggest that you apply for your OBC certificate to save yourself from future problems and harassment.

I know this doesn’t apply to you, but the Supreme Court has recently cracked its whip and warned the authorities against issuing SC/ST/OBC caste certificates to fraudulent candidates.

In the face of rising incidents of misuse of the caste certificate, the apex Court has categorically stated that false SC/ST claims are a constitutional fraud.

Career in computers

Q I am in Class X and am interested in pursuing a career in computers. Will it be possible if I settle for arts or commerce stream?

— Tejender Kaur

A Yes, you can pursue a career in computers even if you opt for the arts or commerce stream as the eligibility for most BCA or BSc (IT) courses is maths in plus two.

Likewise, the qualification for MCA courses is a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline as long as you had maths in Class 12. However, a few institutions stipulate Mathematics/ Statistics as a subject at the undergraduate level and premier ones like Delhi University require two papers in maths/stats).

All said and done, a good background in mathematics at the plus two level will definitely help you in the long run. So, don’t drop it unless you find it absolutely impossible to cope with.

Of course, if you are analytical and creative and can generate new ideas, you may look at multimedia, web designing with sufficient grounding in C#, Java, e-commerce or DTP.

More on mechatronics

Q I will be giving my Class XII Boards this year. I have heard that Mechatronics is a hot field in engineering. Where is this course taught?

— Ritika Gill

A Mechatronics is a term coined by the Japanese to describe the integration of mechanical and electronic engineering. It is a multi-disciplinary approach combining precision mechanics, electronic control and systems thinking for designing products and manufacturing processes to provide a high level of precision, accuracy, efficiency and reliability. To give you an example, a mechatronically governed machine or manufacturing system can be likened to a mechanical body governed by an electronic brain.

BE in Mechatronics:

• North Gujarat University (Shree U V Patel College of Engineering, Kherva)

• Sardar Patel University (G H Patel College of Engineering & Tech, Vallabh Vidyanagar).

• Pondicherry University (Regency Institute of Technology, Yanam);

• Anna University (KS Rangasamy College of Technology, Tiruchengode (www.ksr.edu); Kongu Engg College, Erode (www.kongu.edu); Kumaraguru College of Tech, Coimbatore (www.kct.ac.in), Sri Krishna College of Engg & Tech, Coimbatore).

• SASTRA (Deemed Univ), Thanjavur (www.sce.ac.in/sastra.edu).

• The Indo-Swiss Training Centre, Sector 30 C, Chandigarh offers 4-year Advanced Diploma Courses in Mechatronics & Industrial Automation. Over 25,000 matriculates compete for the 70-odd seats every year.

Scope in social work

Q I am very keen to do a master’s programme in social work. Can you please tell me something about the MSW offered by TISS, Mumbai?

— Hardeep Singh

A Recognised on par with MBA programmes, the MSW from TISS (now a Deemed University) is considered one of the most prestigious courses in social work. For those committed to ‘serving mankind’, TISS offers an intellectually satisfying environment. The programme opens avenues in myriad fields such as family and child welfare, social welfare administration, rural and urban community development, corrective administration & criminology, psychiatric and medical social work.

This course is a fine blend of classroom inputs and field work. In fact, 25 per cent weightage is given to your performance in the field — collecting and analysing data.

You have to clear a written test, interview and GD for which prior preparation is recommended. The selection panel will put you through the grind to ascertain your level of commitment, personality traits, dedication and work ethics.

The application deadline is February 28 while the entrance test and interviews will be held in June.

The following specialisations are offered under the MSW programme:

(i) Criminology & Correctional Administration,

(ii) Family & Child Welfare,

(iii) Medical & Psychiatric Social Work,

(iv) Social Welfare Administration,

(v) Urban & Rural Community Development.

Eligibility: A Bachelor’s Degree in any stream (50% agg) (40% for SC/ST).

For further details, you could log into www.tiss.edu

Cadets and corporates

Q Are there any advantages of being an NCC Cadet in the private sector?

— Pankaj Aluwalia

A Although the NCC charter restricts its cadets to non-combatant roles, they can serve as a third line of defence — by helping in refugee management, directing traffic management, escorting convoys in rear echelons, building shelters and guarding property. During Operation Parakram, cadets from Gurdaspur escorted military convoys, conducted civil defence drills and lectures on public safety, interacting with the civil defence authorities and manned air-raid sirens, while during the Kargil conflict, cadets ferried ammunition to forward posts.

Besides providing a pool of motivated and disciplined human resource in border areas, the peace time activities include educating residents of border areas, working on social welfare and disaster management projects and acting as the ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ of the establishment.

The most coveted certificate is the NCC ‘C’ Certificate and there are special entry routes for these Cadets in the para-military and the Armed Forces. In fact, 25 per cent of the cadets currently training to be officers at the Officer’s Training Academy, the IMA and the NDA are from the NCC. And the figure is even higher for women cadets.

And now even private industries are dipping into this talent pool for recruiting members for their security services. A case in point is the Reliance Group Security Service that provides security cover for Reliance Industries Ltd. NCC graduate `C’ Certificate holders aged: 20-26 years, Height minimum 170 cm (164 cm for women) can apply for RIL’s `Young Trainee Security Officer’ programme.

To qualify you must be physically fit, well built, highly motivated with a background in sports and ECA activities to undergo rigorous one-year commando like training. Good communication and computer skills would be an added advantage.

Successful candidates will be offered a 10-year contract during which they will also be trained in Administrative Services, Hospitality, Law, Logistics, HR, IR etc. Those interested in security per se can specialise in Security Engineering, Design, Vigilance, Detection, e-Detection, e-Security, Fire and Safety, Fire Engineering, Fraud Control etc.

Trainee Security Officers will be paid a stipend of Rs 10,000 p.m. and thereafter as Security Officers they will draw Rs 2.5 lakh p.a.

Log onto www.ril.com to access the online application form. Application deadline is February 28, 2006.