Study in Japan

Q.Can you please give me some details about studying in Japan, the likely costs and career prospects?— Aniket Verma

A. Perhaps the best way to learn about education in Japan would be to contact the Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI), an association of Indians who went to study in Japan on a prestigious scholarship.

Folks at MOSAI can be contacted through their website, www.mosai.org.in, which also has a hyperlink to a comprehensive website on studying in Japan: www.studyinjapan.org.my/04_study/04_study00.html . You’ll get answers to many of your questions there.

As against 1 lakh Indian students enrolled in the US, only 500-odd are studying in Japan currently.

Some of the popular courses are those in Social Sciences, Art, and Japanese language. And most courses are in Japanese. Despite Japanese engineering colleges featuring among the top 50 in the world, language can be a huge barrier for Indian students not opting for education or research in Japan. So do make sure you get a fix on the Japanese language before you go. Start early, because it takes a while to master.

Despite being a developed country, in the league of the US and UK, Japan is not really a very expensive destination for higher studies. Compare Tokyo University: $10,000 Vs. MIT: $40,000. Which means your total annual expenditure, including tuition and living expenses, should be in range of Rs6-7 lakh. There are lots of private and government scholarships for international students And with partial scholarship, it may even go down to Rs4-5 lakh.

The Japanese Lang Prof Test is conducted twice a year. Although not mandatory, it’s useful for getting scholarships. Several institutes provide tuition-waivers and accommodation facilities for international students. You can work 28 hours a week while pursuing certain academic programmes and full-time during vacation.

And with the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s recent visit to India, Japan is keen to attract Indian students in addition to signing MoUs with premier Indian institutions like the IITs for academic collaboration.

The University of Tokyo has been tasked to co-ordinate the Study in Japan Project (India) to provide information about Japanese higher education to Indian students, teachers & parents.

Relevant information about Japanese government scholarships is available on: www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/Education/japanese_government_scholarships.html

Check out vocational courses

Q.Our helper’s son will be completing Class X this year. He says he wants to get into the construction industry. What are the job opportunities available in this field? And what kind of training can he go for that’s not too expensive? While we would like to support him, we have no idea about this sector. — Laila Khan

A. In the construction industry, 10th pass students will find entry level opportunities as skilled worker / tradesman to civil supervisor, storekeeper (for 12th pass onward) to lab technician, land surveyor site accountant ( for graduates).

These courses are usually of three months duration, while some are of six months. CIDC offers training in over 47 different trades, but not all the courses are available all the time. The availability depends on the demand for the course at that point of time & the placement demand. these courses are offered at CIDC’s own centres. Log onto their website for more details: www.cidc.in . CIDC’s placement cell that regularly conducts placement meets and helps support placement of trainees who have undergone the training courses. A number of leading construction companies recruit CIDC students regularly.

Most jobs are located at construction sites and generally construction companies provide food and accommodation at site. Some companies however provide subsidized food for which the employee has to bear a part of the cost

Registration of candidates is a continuous process and they will be informed of the starting date at the time of registration. The vocational courses are normally residential type incorporating theoretical and practical training. Diligent and hardworking trainees have excellent growth avenues and salaries can cross Rs 30,000- in 5 to 6 years. CIDC associates with several Government- sponsored programmes. So if at the time of registration, such a programme is in operation, then the training is practically free.

Besides CIDC, you can also log onto the NSIDC (National Skill Development Corporation) website (www.nsdcindia.org) or call them on their call centre (088000-55555) to identify relevant programmes.

Apart from these, some leading players in the construction sector such as DLF Foundation offer free training in this sector as part of their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative.

I want to pursue fashion designing and music both

Q.I am interested in becoming a fashion designer and a musician. Can I pursue both careers simultaneously? Please advise.

— Heena Mehta

A. Although both careers demand a high degree of creativity and aesthetics, fashion design and music are entirely different fields. Ultimately, you’ll have to choose between them as there’s little synergy between the two. Each has its own intricacies and ‘grammar’ that calls for a high degree of patience, practice and dedication to achieve any measurable level of success. However, if you still wish to have your cake and eat it too, you can opt for a career in fashion design or fashion styling and settle for music as a hobby on the side, or vice versa. Believe me, unless you’re exceptionally talented, you may find it very tough to do equal justice and devote adequate time and energy to both simultaneously.

That said, as a multi-dimensional person, you don’t have to confine your interests or limit them to your bread-and-butter profession. By all means dabble in whatever catches your fancy. Who knows given sufficient talent and interest, your hobby may well develop into a rewarding full-fledged career in the future! As an after-thought, given your ear for music, you could play a key role in choreographing the selection of music for live fashion shows.