Plenty on offer for nursing grads

Pervin Malhotra

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Q.I am in Class XI (science stream) and I want to become a nurse. What is the scope for nurses in India?

— Veenu Maheshwari

A.Nursing is a rewarding career that offers a bright and satisfying future to those with a penchant for helping and serving people.

There’s wide range of options for professional nurses not only when it comes to clinical bedside care, but also in teaching and administrative positions.

India is facing an acute shortage of trained nursing staff due to the mass exodus of qualified nurses to the US, Europe, New Zealand lured by better pay packets and fast-track visas.

In fact, the US is headed for a deficit of 8 lakh nurses by 2020. As a consequence, the current salary of $75,000 is expected to cross $100,000 p.a.

The health ministry estimates that India will require 30 lakh nurses by 2017 — thanks in part to an exponentially increasing population in the over 50 age group.

The best way to enter this profession is by obtaining a degree in nursing from a reputed medical college or university-affiliated college.

You can go for further specialisation at the postgraduate level in a wide choice of areas such as paediatrics, geriatrics, coronary care, cardiology, ophthalmology, oncology, psychiatry, dietetics, orthopaedics, etc. Another option would be to move into hospital management or healthcare administration by pursuing a specialised PG course in the subject from a reputed institution.

Apart from working in hospitals and nursing homes, there are openings in health clubs, spas, hostels and hospice services, besides home-based patient care services and teaching.

Nurses can also work in CHEB (Central Bureau of Health Education), TNAI (Trained Nurses Association of India) as secretaries and secretary general, in colleges, schools (school health services), etc.

Besides these, nurses can also work for the Red Cross Society.

Scope for private investigators

Q.I’m doing BA at present. I’m not very good in studies and neither am I interested in studying further. I love reading spy fiction, and watching investigative programmes on TV. Instead of doing a routine MBA or CA like everyone else, I want to do something different, glamorous and exciting like becoming a detective. What is the scope in this field? — Rasika Verma

A.The very mention of private investigators and detectives conjures up images of intrigue, mystery, and deception; of devious villains and diabolic plans; of clever, not to forget, dashing sleuths saving the day with their dare-devilry and razor sharp wit.

An ever-popular genre with fiction writers, detective novels and crime thrillers have given us many a memorable character — Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Remington Steel and closer home, the carrot-chomping Karamchand.

But the reality of this line of work is far removed from the glamour and thrills associated with larger-than-life characters. Depending on the firm you work with, and the area you specialise in, your work could involve:

• Tracing missing persons, witnesses, debtors, assets (cash & property), documents;
• Performing background checks on individuals, businesses;
• Video & photographic surveillance for matrimonial or insurance fraud;
• Gathering evidence for criminal or civil trials;
• Protecting clients and property from theft, robbery, personal harm or danger;
• Determining if any criminal activity had occurred,
• Road traffic and industrial accident investigations.
• Niche services e.g. personal protection, or background verification.

In the course of your work, you may be required to provide inside information on:

Domestic problems: Divorce, child custody, unnatural deaths, pre-nuptial verification.

Property disputes: Matters relating to ownership of property and wills.

Industrial espionage: Employee verification, theft, pilferage, & embezzlement, passing on industrial secrets and know-how to rivals.

Corporate intelligence: scanning organisations for trademark and copyright infringement, piracy, verification of loan applicants, and prospective employees.

Investigative journalism: For print and electronic media

However, none of this is easy. Most of your work will require meticulous and painstaking research and shadowing — at times for days or even months none of which is particularly glamorous or exciting.

However, if the cons don’t deter you, sure go ahead and speak to a few good firms in your city to get started.

Where can I study development communication?

Q. What’s the scope of developmental communication in India and which are the colleges where I can do this? What are the requirements for taking up this subject? — Karan Malhan

A.Simply put, development communication is communication targeted at bringing about social change.

It covers a very broad ambit and is equally applicable to the more traditional fields (agriculture, health and hygiene, nutrition, education, etc) as to newer areas such as citizen empowerment, gender rights, governance, urban and rural development, environment, etc.

Development communication studies equip you to apply the theories of development, media and communication, combined with an understanding of the prevailing social-economic, cultural and political scenario to design effective social campaigns… not to be confused with “social media” campaigns.

A course in development communication will equip you to become a skilled planner, manager, designer or implementer in the development sector.

You may find opportunities in government departments as well as in the non-governmental sector – International aid agencies, NGOs, advertising agencies, advocacy groups, etc.

Courses in development communication are offered at several institutes and universities. The typical eligibility requirement for admission is a bachelor’s degree (in any area). Selection is on the basis of a written exam and an interview. Some of the prominent courses are offered at:

• IIMC, Delhi — PG Diploma in Development Journalism
• MCRC (Jamia), Delhi — MA in Development Communication.
• Doon University, School of Communication, Dehradun – MA Communication (Social & Development).
• University of Delhi — MSc Development Communication.
• Gujarat University, Centre for Development Communication, Ahmedabad.

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