Careers in PR

The itinerary below, shows a typical day in the life of a PR person (may differ from professional to professional). A day that is not only full of busy schedules, important appointments but very proactive work. The PR industry is usually associated with glitz and glamour. But behind the sheen of glamour is pure hard work, thinking on your feet constantly, trouble shooting and having the responsibility of building an image.

Whether a company thinks of launching a product, or a new movie is up for release or a foreign dignitary visits India on a strategic mission, it is the PR machinery that kicks into action first.

Think of President Barack Obama and his spectacular campaign and eventual win to the White House in 2008. Apart from his charm, candour and his promises of change, Obama had a 24/7 PR machinery behind him. A team that made sure that every move and every speech reached across the globe. They even got down to emailing people across the United States to ask for donations for his campaigns in the most informal, chatty manner.

Thanks to the media explosion and globalisation in the last decade, PR is not only responsible for the image of a brand or a company but also has begun playing a role in strategic communication at board room levels. Though in India, public relations is mostly to do with media relations, as more and more Indian companies are striving towards a global presence, the need for strategic communications grows daily.

In India, the field of public relations has been growing steadily in the last decade as more and more smaller and independent PR outfits in the country are being taken up by international PR firms.

The itinerary below, shows a typical day in the life of a PR person (may differ from professional to professional). A day that is not only full of busy schedules, important appointments but very proactive work. The PR industry is usually associated with glitz and glamour. But behind the sheen of glamour is pure hard work, thinking on your feet constantly, trouble shooting and having the responsibility of building an image.

Whether a company thinks of launching a product, or a new movie is up for release or a foreign dignitary visits India on a strategic mission, it is the PR machinery that kicks into action first.

Think of President Barack Obama and his spectacular campaign and eventual win to the White House in 2008. Apart from his charm, candour and his promises of change, Obama had a 24/7 PR machinery behind him. A team that made sure that every move and every speech reached across the globe. They even got down to emailing people across the United States to ask for donations for his campaigns in the most informal, chatty manner.

Thanks to the media explosion and globalisation in the last decade, PR is not only responsible for the image of a brand or a company but also has begun playing a role in strategic communication at board room levels. Though in India, public relations is mostly to do with media relations, as more and more Indian companies are striving towards a global presence, the need for strategic communications grows daily.

In India, the field of public relations has been growing steadily in the last decade as more and more smaller and independent PR outfits in the country are being taken up by international PR firms.

Simply put, the role of a PR profesional is to make sure that the product, brand or service he represents gets adequate exposure in public through various media such as print and television (news media) and now digital media. The product must be highly visible, the target audience knows about it and understands it and there is a certain credibility to the product.

A PR person has to constantly predict, maintain and understand the attitude of the consumers and work accordingly. A tiring task, according to Rashmi Singh, a PR professional from Mumbai, is convincing journalists to feature products or clients. "Journos tend to brush us off. We must keep at it and convince them about the product," she says.

At all times, communication must be clear and credible between the public and the client. The target audience can be consumers, general public or government bodies. In a nutshell, PR makes sure that the clients are always visible in
media and among consumers.

You must have a Bachelor's degree in any discipline, and pursue a diploma or a postgraduate diploma in public relations.

You can also do short-term certificate courses. Usually institutes that offer courses in mass communication or advertising, also offer Public Relations courses. You may have to take an entrance test.

A typical Public Relations course teaches basic principles of the profession, techniques to negotiate, management skills, writing skills, planning campaigns and strategising.

Other skills include teaching survey methods, marketing techniques and consumer research. You can specialise in corporate communication, event and image management.

A bright future for PR
Industry leaders are recognising the importance of PR and professionals in the field are playing the role of strategic
thinkers rather than being just another cog in the corporate wheel. PR has indeed come a long way.



Corporate communications
All major organisations today have a corporate communications department that takes care of brand building, image management, media relations.

Crisis communication
One of the most challenging aspects. Restoring the image of a client or industry and re-instilling faith in the media, public and other regulatory agencies is not easy. Consumer product recalls are one of the biggest challenges. A case in point being the Cadbury Dairy Milk controversy when worms were discovered in the product or the very recent Toyota company's recalling of 3.8 million vehicles.

Brand management
You specialise in a brand, identify some marketing methods by which you can promote the brand and make it more appealing to your target audience. Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies usually employ brand consultants and managers.

Lobbying
A relatively nascent field, lobbying is about putting pressure in the right places and bringing about the passing of laws that favour the organisation or the government represented by the lobbyist. Typical fields are politics, education, environment and public policies.

Image management
When a prominent personality needs a makeover or wants to do some self-promotion, they sign up with an image management company. Right from image consultations to managing talent (actors, models, anchors, artistes and sports personalities) to even training in the form of grooming is done under the same roof.

Event management
These agencies usually organise festivals and events after identifying the consumer for their brand and what their needs are. Right from looking into the conceptualisation to the logistics and the all kinds of technicalities, event management is a kind of promotion in itself.

PR wings of ad agencies
Several advertising agencies in India have launched PR arms that function autonomously and deal with clients externally. These wings offer complete PR solutions such as corporate counselling, research, financial relations, editorial and creative functions, crisis communication briefings, public affairs and media relations.

Top 10 Jobs in Indian Government Sector

If you have decided to opt for a government job then it could be one of the wisest decisions that you have made.





As the corporate sector and mnc companies in India lose their pull and attraction that they commanded a few years ago based on the recession and the uncertainty in the economy the best bet for employment seeking youth are the government jobs. 6th Pay commission also deserves a lot of credit as the Government Job Salaries in India have touched a new high after the 6th PC.

These government jobs could be in the state or the central government agencies.

Here are the Top 10 Government Sector to work for in 2010:
Central Services: To work for the UPSC which is the Union Public Services Commission. This branch undertakes the recruitment for Indian government services. These include admissions to defense schools, civil services, scientists for R&D in various fields. This is an extremely prestigious job as this is the sector that conducts all the government based exams and declares the results.
State Services: Similar to the UPSC but this is for the respective state governments. The state governments have their own setup for recruiting people into their services. These include Group 1/2 officers, teachers, university professors
Civil services at the centre are considered to be most prestigious and tough to get through services. These officers are accountable at district level and are most respected. This includes the three branches which are the Indian administrative service, Indian foreign service and the Indian police service. This is the best of the lot and the cream amongst all the government jobs.
Scientists and R&D specialists
University professors
Teachers in state and central run schools
Nationalized banks such as RBI, SBI and so forth. This sector of government jobs offers one plenty of opportunities as there are several different kinds of jobs within the banks.
Telecom sector which includes BSNL.
The three defense sectors which are the army, navy and the air force
The aviation industry such as Air India and Indian Airlines and the Finance and accounting office’s run by the government

You have to go through lots of competition to achieve these jobs. But, once you are in then you have a job for life. These jobs come with several liberal perks associated with them and along with the most liberal of salaries. The sixth pay commission has made the salaries in the government sector almost on par with the private corporate sector.

Moreover, India is a growing country and there is always going to be vacancies that exist in the government sector. Once you have set foot into the government job you will be able to find out more opportunities laterally and vertically for yourself. This will certainly be the best of stepping stones for your career. You will certainly never ever regret having opted for a government job.

Any sector that you join in the government job sector you are assured of a good enough career progression and great growth opportunities.

Wildlife conservationist

When I call Divya Shrivastava Khandal for the mobile number of her husband, Dr Dharmendra Khandal, a conservation biologist and anti-poaching coordinator with the Ranthambhore National Park-based NGO Tiger Watch, she cannot conceal the note of worry in her voice. “He has left in the morning, at about six, his cellphone is unerachable, and I am told he’ll be back by 11 at night.”

“Are you worried,” I ask her. “This happens almost every alternate day. Yes there have been threats to his life from poachers, he has recently had a heat stroke, but this is part of what he does, I try not to let it worry me too much,” says Divya.

Dr Dharmendra Khandal, a PhD from Rajasthan University, who initially researched spiders before joining conservationist Fateh Singh Rathore’s Tiger Watch, has been quoted by National Geographic as being someone who has, “over the past five years successfully busted dozens of poachers, many connected to an illegal international wildlife trade that generates some $20 billion a year...His efforts even helped trigger the most significant change in Indian tiger policy in a generation.”

Khandal, however, has no interest in being a hero. “There is no point in doing herogiri in this profession. At the moment, antipoaching is my main job.” This means busting gangs of poachers with police help. Experience has also taught Khandal how to deal with these people. “We have had nasty face-offs with the poachers at times.” Once their vehicle was involved in an accident during a raid in which a very senior person of a village had to be arrested, and Khandal was attacked by the villagers. “One keeps getting threats, but I have learned that trouble can be avoided during raids if we are careful. We made mistakes earlier. We were too aggressive when we went for the arrests and people got agitated. If we are calm and sensible, keep a tight rein on our tempers, then the situation need not get ugly and the police and courts can deal with the poachers.” It helps, he says, if you keep a low profile and make a sincere effort to bring the poachers back into the mainstream or help their children get educated, learn new skills etc.

As part of an outreach programme, Tiger Watch runs a hostel for the Moygas, a traditional tribe of poachers. “Some poachers have joined our NGO and help us now,” he says.

Khandal, who stirred up a controversy after joining Tiger Watch and compiling data on the tiger population to find 18 animals missing, has virtually no time to breathe on the job. “I’m up by 5.30 most days, and do a round of the forest. We also keep an eye on about 80-90 suspicious people (poachers) and stay alert if any of them go missing. We are constantly on the lookout for informers or for new names that pop up when it comes to poaching activities. Then there are volunteers who come to work with Tiger Watch, or journalists investigating a story. We have to take them around.” Sometimes the NGO is involved in filing PILs on issues, such as building of a road or dam, which might adversely impact the park, and he has to oversee the paperwork. A man fascinated with lesser-known species, he’s doing research work on the Indian hyena too with filmmaker and conservationist Mike Pandey.

Divya, too, finds herself neck deep in Tiger Watch work – surprisingly enough for a nutritionist who worked and lived in Mumbai “all through”. She got married to Dr Khandal last year, and now runs a blog, ranthambhorediary.blogspot.com. “Post the blog many National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) directives came into action...like making NTCA personnel presence mandatory during postmortem of tigers,” she says.

Divya also looks after an alternative livelihood programme, Dhonk (a tree common to Rajasthan) for the Mogyas, a traditional poaching community in the Ranthambhore area. They and the local villagers are taught handicraft skills and given work to do. Through this work, for which her “own small savings have been used up,” Divya aims to spread goodwill among the locals and make them aware of preserving the precious forest resources.

“Anyone,” says tiger conservationist Bittu Sahgal, “can work for tigers. You could choose any profession and do a lot for wildlife. A poet could write poetry. A journalist could inform. A politician can change policy. A bureaucrat can implement policy. A judge can uphold the law. A businessperson can channel money and influence. A student can voice concern. A teacher can change minds. Saving tigers per se need not be a profession. The best habitat for the tiger is in your head and heart.”

What's it about?
A tiger conservationist is someone who works for the protection of the endangered cats, the population of which has dwindled down to about 1,411 in India (the good news of the three cubs at the Panna Reserve notwithstanding). One can work at administering the tiger’s habitat as a forest official, or as a scientist study various ways in which the animal can survive. NGOs do anti-poaching work and educate people near forest zones about saving resources

Clock Work
6 am: Leave for safari, check out the forest area and see if everything is in order.
11 am: Back at Tiger Watch offices, check out data we have been compiling for the Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary
1.30 pm: Lunch
1.30 pm: Lunch
2 pm: Work with volunteers who have come to train with the NGO
4 pm: Check information on poachers
9 pm: Back home

The Payoff
. A wildlife scientist will be paid Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 a month at the entry level in the private sector
. An IFS officer gets a salary of Rs 15,600 at entry level. The salary of the principal chief conservator of forest can be around Rs 80,000 a month
. An IIFM graduate’s salary at the startup level can be Rs 4.6 lakh per annum
. A fresher at an NGO can start off at a salary or Rs 15,000 a month

Skills
. Scientific temperament
. Good knowlege of finances as you might have to raise funds for your NGO
. Good communication skills for reaching out to hunting tribes and villagers living around the forests

How do I get there?
The Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, is an option if you wish to make a career out of wildlife protection. You can join the Forest Service (IFS), the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), the Wildlife Institute of India, or do a course with the Wildlife Conservation Society (write to volunteers@wcsindia.org). Entrance to the IIFM’s PG diploma in forest management and fellow programme in management is through the Indian Institute of Management’s CAT. Recruitment to the IFS is through the annual civil service exams conducted by the UPSC. A number of NGOs train volunteers for short courses (write to tigerwatchindia@yahoo.co.in for details)

Institutes & urls
. Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal
www.iifm.ac.in
. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun
www.wii.gov.in
. Forest research Institute, Dehradun
www.icfri.org

Pros & Cons
. You get to protect endangered species - can anything be more satisfying than that?
. You get to live and work in forests - and who doesn’t love the outdoors?

A rodent, says Bittu Sahgal, does more for tigers than man

You have been associated with Project Tiger. How did you get involved and what was your contribution to the project?
I was first introduced to Project Tiger by Kailash Sankhala, the first Director of Project Tiger way back in 1972. The project was still a year away when I met Mr. Sankhala in Bharatpur. Between him and Fateh Singh Rathore, they guided me, encouraged me, motivated me. They have been my tiger gurus.

My very first tiger sighting was in Kanha with the late Manglu Baiga (the legendary animal tracker in the Kanha Forest Reserve). We were tracking tigers on elephant back before dawn and suddenly came upon this mother with her two cubs. This was in 1974, long before the tourism tsunami. I spent a full day with those cubs, eating biscuits, dry chapatis and aloo with achar and drinking warm readymade nimbu-paani. I fell instantly in love and have been trying to protect tigers from that day on.

Does a conservationist ever have to come face to face with a tiger?
You could live miles away from tigers and still help to save, or harm tigers. The decision-makers in whose hands the fate of the tiger lies have probably never seen a tiger.

How have your Sanctuary Asia and Cub magazines helped the cause?
I started the magazines in the early 1980s to share my love and concern for wildlife with a wider audience. We are still busy doing that. While the love and concern has grown exponentially, the policy makers still seem unmoved. The tiger is dying because my generation ‘the buddha (elderly) party’ refuses to understand that the ‘bachha (chilren) party’ will never forgive us if we continue to colonise their world. If young persons want to get involved with saving India’s wildilfe, they should log on and register at www.sanctuaryasia.com.

How would you define a conservationist?
Someone who works to leave this planet at least as beautiful and functional as it was when his or her great grandparents were alive.

What do you think can be done to save our tigers?
Give tigers what they want — space and protection from human harm. That’s it. Tigers are at their evolutionary prime and can look after themselves if we step out of the way and prevent others from trashing their future. Frankly, they need humans like they need a hole in their heads. Right now humans are eating into their forest homes and turning nature’s miracles to trash. They are killing tigers for their skins, bones, eyeballs, testicles, even their eyelashes. Humans have no right to refer to animals as beasts.

Can a conservationist make decent money?
You need not pick up a gun and become a forest guard to save tigers. You should follow your dream, be whoever it is you want to be, do whatever it is you want to do... but not something that makes this planet a less happy, less safe, less beautiful place. When I was very young I took to writing and bought a camera. These were the weapons with which I have tried to protect the planet. Each young person must pick up weapons of his or her own choice.

All you need to know about Architecture

Over the ages, nameless architects have created some of the most opulent palaces, tombs and monuments of historical importance that continue to awe and inspire us. As the renowned 20th century architect Le Corbusier wrote, "You employ stone, wood and concrete, and with these materials you build houses and palaces: that is construction. Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly you touch my heart, you do me good. I am happy and I say: This is beautiful. That is architecture."

Architects employ their imagination to build monuments that are aesthetically in tune with the principles of design while also being functional and usable to those inhabiting them. With the concept of environment-friendly and green buildings fast catching up today, the focus is on building spaces that are ecologically sound. This, together with the booming real estate and construction industry, has fuelled the demand for architects.

Architecture schools in India
Some of the institutions established during British colonial rule include the Madras School of Industrial Arts (1850), Government College of Arts, Calcutta (1854) and Sir JJ College of Arts, Bombay (1857), which started a diploma programme on architectural draftmanship in 1910. Later, schools of arts and architecture were also established at Baroda, Hyderabad and Lucknow by the respective princely states. The Indian Institute of Architects was established in Mumbai in 1920.

In 1952, School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) was established in New Delhi, which later became an autonomous institution, fully financed by the Central Education Ministry. At the same time IIT Kharagpur was set up and it included a Department of Architecture and Regional Planning. However, SPA is a built-in environment design and planning apex institution (25 per cent of institutions come broadly under this model). IIT Kharagpur is an example of a design school and technology institution, a model followed at almost 75 per cent of the architectural institutions in India.

Degrees in planning or architecture are known as "BArch" or "MArch", different from "BTech" or "MTech" of the technology streams. Both are distinct and independent disciplines. The number of schools of architecture in India has grown from four in 1947, 12 in 1972, 50 in 1991 and 111 in 2004 to about 150 today. Almost 60 per cent of these are located in small towns and cities and 50 per cent have been added in the last decade.

According to the Council of Architecture (COA), BArch is offered by 135 colleges across the country. The COA regulates universities and colleges offering the course. It is to be noted though that the Council does not count institutions such as the Delhi-based SPA under its purview.

Fast facts
Best schools: SPA New Delhi, JJ School of Art and architecture, Mumbai, CEPT Ahmedabad

Degree: BArch

Duration: 5 years

Eligibility: 10+2 with mathematics/ physics /chemistry

Entrance exams: NATA, AIEEE, IIT JEE, state entrance exams


Associations: COA, IIA

be prepared to imagine, visualise, design and create.

"Architecture is a confluence of art and science. It is a very interactive course where students are encouraged to come up with ideas," says Harshvardhan, a fourth year student of JJ school of Art and Architecture. The BArch course is spread over five years with 10 semesters (one semester of four to five months approximately) and is a generous mix of both theory and studio exercises.

It stresses on subjects from the fields of art, engineering and technology to the professional practice of architecture.

Eligibility and admission
The COA conducts an aptitude test on an all-India basis called National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) for admission to the first year BArch degree at institutes and colleges of architecture under its purview. The test measures the candidates' drawing and observation skills, sense of proportion, aesthetic sensitivity and critical thinking ability, which are the building blocks to the study of the course.

The minimum eligibility to apply for the course is 10+2 or equivalent from a recognised board/ university with mathematics as a subject of examination (at least 50 per cent aggregate). A minimum of 40 per cent marks in NATA is required for admission. A merit list is then prepared on the basis of marks obtained in Class 12 and NATA (giving equal weightage to both) and admission granted to colleges across India.

Those with a science background can take the AIEEE, which is accepted by all National Institutes of Technology (NIT), deemed universities and central government universities and SPA. IIT Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee take in students through IIT-JEE. It's advisable for students to give the NATA besides state-level exams. For instance, admission at Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) is made on the basis of the Common Entrance Test (CET) and Architecture Aptitude Test conducted by the Punjab University.

JJ School of Art and Architecture, Mumbai takes in students through a Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by the Directorate of Technical Education. It is mandatory for every architectural institution imparting the five-year BArch degree course in the country to join the NATA and to admit students on the basis of a valid NATA score. Candidates, who are not admitted on the basis of valid NATA marks, will not be considered for registration as architects later on.

start working with an architectural firm or under the guidance of a well-established architect. Real estate firms such as Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, L&T, Jindals and IMAXE constructions also employ architects on their payrolls as does Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

A fresher could start as a junior architect or assistant and earn Rs 12,000 to 15,000 a month. Later one could opt for the role at various levels of design, documentation and construction, says Pritpal Singh, a Delhi-based architect. The salary might increase with experience.

Talking about the work, Bhaskar Rattan, associate architect with a firm based in Delhi says, "While 30 per cent of the job focuses on designing what the client wants, it is not about design alone." Be prepared for long hours. To convert design from paper to land needs a lot of coordination between engineers, construction workers, plumbers and contractors etc.

Further studies
While some choose to work, more than 70 per cent of students opt for Master's or further studies after completing their Bachelor's programme, says Professor Rajat Ray. They specialise in streams such as Landscape Architecture, Architectural Conservation, Urban Design, Building Engineering & Management, Environmental Planning, Housing, Transport Planning, Regional Planning, Town and Country Planning, Industrial Design etc.

The SPA and CEPT Ahmedabad are considered to be some of the best colleges for a Master's degree. Students also opt for an MBA (real estate) offered by the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University's School of Management Studies in collaboration with SPA, says Professor Satish Khanna of the SPA.

Besides these, opportunities also exist in government organisations such as Town and Country Planning Organisation, National Institute of Urban Affairs, Housing and Urban Development Corporation, National Building Construction Corporation, etc.

Do remember what German architect Walter Gropius said, "Society needs a good image of itself. That is the job of an architect."

A career in computer programming

The 1979-born Ruchir Goyal was a student of Class III then. Television footage of ISRO scientists celebrating — in front of their computers — the launch of a new satellite, left an indelible imprint on the young mind. And if you thought it was space research that fascinated him you are wrong. The computers that the scientists were gazing at caught his fancy. “I will be in the world of computers when I grow up,” was the decision he took then. As luck would have it, Goyal was introduced to computer studies at school soon enough — and he found he loved it.

Today he is an IT project manager working at CMC Ltd., an end-to-end IT solutions provider. Computer programming forms the core of his work life. “I am into solution designing, implementing and managing a software project,” says Goyal. He uses multiple programming languages, including .net and databases that include

Oracle, SQL Server, etc. And having around 10 years of work experience, Goyal earns around Rs 90,000 a month.

“Computer programming is all about developing a code, which is nothing but a sequence of logical steps written in syntax, and understood by one of the languages used by computers. This code when executed should perform an activity, which helps a function of a business work effectively,” says Goyal.

In short, a computer programmer or a coder, is someone who writes computer software. The term programmer can be used to refer to a software developer, software engineer, computer scientist or software analyst. “Job titles and descriptions vary depending on the work one is doing ,” says Sanjeev Nagpal, group leader and senior project manager, CMC Ltd. Programmers are often referred to by the language they know, such as Java programmers, or by their environment, such as mainframe or database programmers.

And they could be working in different organisations such as manufacturing companies, data processing service firms, hardware and software companies, banks, insurance companies, credit card companies, government agencies, universitities, etc. “Many computer programmers are employed by businesses as consultants,” says Nagpal.

Given the spread and importance of the IT industry worldwide and the kind of IT-related spending across the government and private sectors in India, there is a great demand for good computer programmers in the country. And the gap between the demand for and supply of able professionals is significant. “I believe there is a large gap in terms of availability of skilled programmers,” says Naveen Sanghi, northern region software integration head, CMC Ltd. “Given the current market trends, the demand is expected to increase further.”

What's it about?
Preparation and writing of detailed sets of instructions for computers is called computer programming. Computer specialists, called programmers, write most of these instructions, usually referred to as ‘programmes’. To write these programmes, these experts use programming languages, which generally consist of words, individual letters, numerals, and other symbols, as also rules for combining these elements. Preparing a programme begins with a complete description of the task that the computer has to perform. This description explains what data has to be input, what computing must be done, and what form the output should take. The language a programmer uses depends largely on the job to be done. For example, if a job involves processing business data, the programmer will use COBOL. If the job involves solving of complicated scientific problem, Fortran, a mathematically-oriented language, might be used. Commonly used languages include BASIC, Pascal, C, C++ and JAVA. New languages are constantly being developed

Clock Work
9 am: Reach office, check e-mails, plan for the day
10 am: Check the scheduled jobs running on the server. Troubleshoot for any failures
11 am: Contact system software vendors if the failures are due to system software and work out resolutions. Take steps to optimise jobs which are slow
12 noon: Analyse changes requested by the client and do impact analysis
1 pm: Break for lunch
2 pm: Meet with the team to discuss the changes/new assignments and allocate the work among the team members
3 pm: Work on the tasks assigned, which include research / development / client interactions
5 pm: Review the project activities and ensure everything is going as per plan
6 pm: Complete pending activities for the day. Fill the timesheet
7 pm: Go home

The Payoff
Entry level: Rs 2.5 lakh to 3.5 lakh a year. You can go on to earn in the range of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh a year after working for four to six years
Middle level: Rs 8 lakh to Rs 20 lakh a year
Senior level: Rs 15 lakh to Rs 50 lakh a year

Skills
. Thorough understanding of the basics of software engineering and associated areas
. Ability to think logically
. Strong communication skills
. Ability to work in teams
. Good problem-solving skills
. A programmer also needs patience, persistence and the capability to perform analytical work

How do i get there?
You have to study physics, chemistry, math at the plus-two level and sit for the various engineering entrance examinations.

Then you do your BE/BTech. Also, provided you are a science graduate, you can do MCA or MSc (computer science).

Apart from this, postgraduates and engineering graduates from streams other than computer science can do computer courses from private institutions such as NIIT, Aptech, CMC, etc to become computer programmers

Institutes & urls
. B.Tech. from IITs;
www.iit.org/
. B.E. from Delhi Technological University; www.dce.edu / Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology, New Delhi. www.nsit.ac.in
. MCA from University of Delhi;
www.du.an.in/
. MCA from University of Pune;
www.unipune.ernet.in/
. B.E. / MCA from Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs)
. NIIT;
www.niit.com/

Pros & Cons
. Computer programmers work in clean, comfortable surroundings
. The challenge the job offers is worth taking up
. The money is good
. Often you have to work for long hours to meet deadlines
. If you are working on international projects you may have to work at odd hours because of the time difference
. It’s a desk job and requires you to stare at the computer screen all day. Not good for your eyes and your fitness levels

Update your skills, constantly


A senior computer programmer talks about the evolution of and challenges in the profession

Please trace the evolution of the scope of study of computer programming in India?
Earlier computers were used almost exclusively by scientists, and the first high-level language, Fortran (Formula translation), was developed in the 1950s for scientific and engineering applications. COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language), the first language intended for commercial applications, is still widely used. BASIC (Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was developed as a teaching tool for undergraduates (1966); it subsequently became the primary language of the personal computer revolution. Dennis Ritchie of Bell Laboratories produced a language that he called C; along came its extensions, called C++, developed by Bjarne Stroustrup of Bell Laboratories. It has, perhaps, become the most widely used general-purpose language among professional programmers because of its ability to deal with the rigors of object-oriented programming. Java is an object-oriented language similar to C++ but simplified to eliminate features that are prone to programming errors. Java was developed specifically as a network-oriented language, for writing programmes that can be safely downloaded through the Internet and immediately run without fear of computer viruses. World Wide Web pages can be used using small Java programmes called applets to include a full range of multimedia functions.

As technology evolves and newer, more sophisticated tools emerge, programmers will need to update their skills in order to remain competitive. Now programming is done with either Microsoft .Net Technologies which involves VC++, Asp.net, C#, VB.net or Java / J2EE technologies involving core Java, JSPs, Servlets and frameworks like struts, hibernates, iBatis, etc. Various tools for rapid application development are also available where a user can develop /automate a process from scratch or customise existing features of the system. Some of those tools are ERP solutions from Oracle, SAP, IFS, IBM, etc

What are the challenges faced by programmers today?
With lots of programming languages and rapid application development tools in the industry, programmers are confused about which one they should choose to start with.

What have been the landmark developments in the field that have changed the world for good? How has industry benefited from those?
With latest trends like web-based and rich graphics user interface-based application requirements, the industry has come up with rapid application development tools like Visual Studios, Eclipse and ERP-based solution from Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, SAP, IFS etc. Using these tools the application development and testing timeframe has been drastically reduced and they also help in fast delivery of applications.

Who are the leading employers — in India and globally?
Leading Employers include TCS, IBM, Wipro, Infosys, HCL, Adobe, Oracle, Microsoft, CSC, Steria, Accenture, Fidelity, Fujitsu, Kronos, Perot Systems and many more.

All about being a Company Secretary

In some sense the Company Secretary is a like the priest for the company, says Professor T Joseph, a visiting professor of corporate secretaryship at Alagappa University. The CS keeps the records, sets up the contours for the deliberations of the board and ensures regulatory compliance with respect to all the decisions.

He is the eyes and ears of the board, ensuring that the company remains on the right side of the law, concludes Prof Joseph. A tough, but exceptionally rewarding profession. With more and more companies increasingly being listed on the stock exchange today, managements need to ensure greater transparency while adhering to high standards of responsibility. This becomes even more relevant in the light of the recent Satyam saga.

"A robust system of compliance management as well as following the best global practices of corporate governance is a must for a corporate entity today. This is where the company secretary steps in," says NK Jain, secretary and CEO, Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). Termed as governance professionals, company secretaries are considered competent to provide sound advice on corporate, legal, secretarial, administrative and even tax related matters within a company.

Parachute professionals
A freshly recruited CS gets direct access to the who's who including the board of directors from Day 1, while most others need to climb up the hierarchy through several years in the organisation. "Thus, company secretaries are rightly referred to as parachute professionals," says Pavan Kumar Vijay, managing director, Corporate Professionals India, a Delhi-based firm that specialises in providing complete solutions to corporate firms.

The CS, the principal officer of the company, has a thorough understanding of management and law and acts as a point of communication between the board of directors and company shareholders, reporting in a timely and accurate manner on company procedure. They need to ensure the compliance of their organisation in financial and legal practices, plus issues of corporate governance. Guiding and advising the management on legal aspects of business areas like production, sales, marketing and administration is also a part of the job.

Curiosity and an eagerness to understand, analyse and interpret complex and technical legal issues is a must. A general interest in economics, business and finance, is a plus. The work involves multitasking a lot on a daily basis, hence you must be disciplined, organised, and efficient in time management. Since new laws keep coming into effect, one needs to constantly stay updated as in any other field. An excellent command over English, both written and oral is also very important.Mix of theory and practicalsThe postal course is exclusively offered by the ICSI, a statutory body recognised by the government of India to regulate the profession. Students need to clear three levels of examinations along with 16 months of practical training, on completion of which they are enrolled as an Associate member of the Institute and designated as Associate Company Secretary (ACS)."One needs to be disciplined and efficient at time management to crack the exams," says Jyoti Sachdeva, assistant manager -- Legal and Secretarial, Cybermedia India, Gurgaon. Although laws form a major chunk of the course, they are centered on managing the affairs of a company, such as company laws, economy and labour laws.Learn on the jobAfter clearing the executive/ professional programme, students must undergo 15 months of practical training in a company or under a practising company secretary during which they are paid a stipend ranging from Rs 6,000-10,000 per month. They are sponsored by the institute for the same. "Prospective employers prefer candidates with good drafting skills and subject knowledge," says Pavan Kumar Vijay, whose company employs at least 20 trainees every year.There is also a 15-day practical training with Registrar of Companies, Stock Exchange, financial or banking institutions. Although business communication is taught as a part of the course and training is conducted by the institute, some feel that there should be additional impetus on the development of communication skills, since they are crucial for the job.

The crucial role that a CS plays in a company can be gauged by the fact that the Companies Bill 2009 equates his or her position to the level of CEO and CFO of the company, which involves a huge responsibility. "Earlier the role of the CS was to conduct board meetings, check balance sheets and to monitor all secretarial works such as filing of returns and maintenance of records," says Nitesh Kumar Jha, company secretary with Mohan Meakins, Mumbai. In companies where the legal and secretarial departments are separate, the role of a CS is more secretarial in nature, but today most of the companies club both the departments.A company secretary's job profile today would typically encompass corporate restructuring, formulating corporate policies, managing public issues, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures within and outside India, to name a few. "They also act as the confidants of the board of directors and liaison with government departments," says Ranjit Panday. They even foray into capital markets and financial services industry. The job comes with a lot of commitment to ethics since they deal with a lot of confidential information crucial to the company. "If a CS has to dispense some advice, the top management will take time out to listen, such is the credibility and reputation," adds Rajat Sharma, CS at Vatika Group, Gurgaon.Job scopeA qualified CS can either be employed by a company or can start his or her own practice. According to Section 383A, Companies Act 1956, it is mandatory for companies with a paid-up share capital of Rs 5 crore or more to appoint a CS. Any organisation whose affairs are conducted by boards, councils or other corporate structures; companies seeking listing on stock exchange; central government law services; finance, law, accounts and merchant banking divisions of nationalised banks, as well as public sector companies would employ the services of a CS. "Listed companies, though, rank higher on priority for qualified CS' looking for a job," says Ranjit Pandey, a Delhi-based practitioner.Independent practitioners require a certificate from ICSI (after having qualified as a company secretary). They can then issue compliance certificates to companies (with a paid up share capital between Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 5 crores) and undertake diligence report for banks etc. They can also be employed by small firms on a retainership for professional advice and support on issues such as licenses, registrations, loans, taxes and partnership deeds. Opportunities exist abroad as well. The ICSI has signed an MoU with Institute of Chartered secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), UK as a part of which ICSI members with more than two years of work experience are exempted from passing 14 out of 17 papers of ICSA.

Typically, the designation within an organisation is company secretary or assistant company secretary. "Depending on the internal hierarchy of the organisation, you could start with at least senior executive or assistant manager," elaborates Ravinder Saini, company secretary at Birlasoft, Delhi. With experience you can rise up to the post of executive director or vice president of a company.A fresher could start with a salary of Rs 20,000-30,000 per month. Salary packages however vary, depending on individual capabilities and the sector one is employed in, opine those in the profession. Although the regular course does not offer any specialisations as such, one can specialise in corporate governance as a part of a post membership course offered by ICSI. On the job, one can specialise in SEBI laws, cyber laws, taxation etc, adds Nitesh. The futureAccording to ICSI, close to 1.5 lakh students are enrolled with the Institute under various courses. However, since the inception of the course, the institute can only boast of a little more than 25,000 CS' till date. Vinay Khanvalkar, President of ICSI, says, "There needs to be more awareness amongst companies on recruiting these personnel given the varied skills and knowledge they bring onto the table." A change is already on the anvil. Small and medium enterprises are today looking at expanding their operations and employing the services of a CS. "The role of a CS is going to get more roots in the times to come with them being involved in formulating strategy sitting with the board," concludes NK Jain. 

Career in Indian Air Force

Career in Indian Air Force
Intermediate (10+2)

You can literally touch the sky by joining the Air Force, not to mention that you’ll be inside a supersonic jet, going at an incredible speed while doing that. Apart from the thrill and adventure, Air Force offers a fulfilling career for life to you.

The Basic Process
Candidates, short-listed for Air Force after the initial selection procedure, go through a rigorous three-year training regimen at the National Defence Academy, followed by specialised training at the Air Force Academy. Thereafter, they are commissioned as officers and posted as pilots at any of the Air Force Stations.

To be in the National Defence Academy: You can join NDA by taking the exam conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). This exam is conducted twice a year in all major cities throughout India. To know more about the application process click here.

Eligibility Criteria: To join the NDA you need to fulfil the following requirements:

Age : 16 ½ to 19 years*

Nationality: Indian

Gender: This is applicable only to men.
Educational Qualifications: You should have passed your 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics. You can, however send us your application during your 10+2; provided you meet the eligibility criteria at the time of joining the Academy.

Career cyber secrity

Career in Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity & Ethical Hacking



Cybersecurity professionals protect data and systems in networks that are connected to the internet. Cybercriminals or hackers strike in various ways by virus attacks, which may erase your entire system or someone can steal confidential information from your systems or even break into your systems and modify your files without your knowledge.

A computer hacker finds out the loopholes in a system and breaks into it, the information security professional, or an ethical hacker has a similar job. He needs to think like a hacker and find the loopholes in the system before a hacker can get to them.

An Information Security Professional may have to work on one of the following job profiles.


Job Profile



The job of a cybersecurity professional include the following.
Ethical Hacking into a company’s network to find out what security loopholes need to be fixed
Creating security policy for an organisation
24×7 remote management of security products like firewall
Security auditing, that is, compiling a report on a company’s security system to see if it matches standards
Cyber Forensics, that is, clinical investigation of computer crimes/frauds
Training


Demand Estimates



It is estimated by NASSCOM that the demand for Cybersecurity Professionals would be around 90,000 by 2010 in India, whereas world-wide this figure is estimated to touch about 2,00,000, but the industry estimates much higher demand in the local as well as overseas market. With such demands, it is estimated that there would be a shortfall of 35,000 to 45,000 Cybersecurity Professionals in India alone.


Career Path
Entry Level - IS Executive Manager (Role: to correlate broad security guidelines of the organisation with security operations.)
Middle Level - IS Manager (Role: Security program management, data security, ploicy creation/maintenance, business continuity/ disaster recovery)
Senior & Top Level - Chief IS Manager (Role: Design and development of information security policy. Regulatory compliance, information security governance)
Senior & Top Level - Security Advisors / Auditors (Role: Advisory services for information security, policy design, risk assessment, compliance to global/industry standards)
Senior & Top Level - Chief Information Officer (Role: Justifying the cost of ongoing and future investments to mitigate information risks, aligning business objectives with a concise security strategy)


Qualifications



Graduate in any discipline, but software engineers would have preference. A good knowledge of networks and understanding of hackers mind is essential. It is recommended that one does a course in Cyber Security. Such courses would help a erson learn the tricks of the trade, it does not help joining a course for a few days, but it is recommended that one joins reputed certificate programs and long term programs. Certifications like CISA (Certified Information System Auditor), CISM (Certified Information Security Management) and CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professionals) would help a person to start a career in Cybersecurity. Other vendor specific certifications like CCSP (Cisco Certified Security Professional) and MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) also help.


Expected Renumeration



A person with an years experience can expect Rs.3 Lakh per annum. Those with 5 years can get upto 8-10 Lakhs. Those with certifications like CISM, CISSP and CISA can expect annual salaries of 100,000 Rs. abroad.


What to Study

Army

Career as an Officer

The most prestigious recruitment process in Armed Forces is through NDA (National Defence Academy), NDA Entrance Examination is conducted twice every year. A candidate must be an unmarried male and have attained the age of 16 1/2 years and must not have attained the age 19 years on the 1st January or 1st of July of the year succeeding the year of examination to be eligible to write the examination.

For Army wing of National Defence Academy :- 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equivalent examination conducted by a State Education Board or a University.
For Air Force and Naval Wings of National Defence Academy and for the 10+2 (Executive Branch) Course at the Naval Academy :- 12th Class pass of the 10+2 pattern of School Education or equilvalent with Physics and Mathematics conducted by a State Education Board or a University.

Apart from these there is a minimum height requirement and other physical standards, the same would be clearly mentioned in the application forms.

The candidates are short listed on the basis of the entrance examination and then called for SSB interviews. The candidate goes through a medical test & PABT (Pilot aptitude Test , only in case of Air Force) once he has been shortlisted after the SSB.

The final selected candidates spend 3 years or six terms in National Defence Academy (NDA, Khadakwalsa) before they move to their respective training to IMA-Dehradun (Army), Airforce Academy - Hyderabad & Naval Academy - Goa. The trainees are awarded a degree from JNU on completion of their course in NDA. The candidates then spent 1 year in their respective Academies before they are commissioned as officers.