Your counsellor repliesAfter completing my Plus Two (science) this year I would like to read for a degree programme in physiotherapy. Please advise.Nalini Shah, AhmedabadPhysiotherapists employ a regimen of exercises, electrotherapy, manipulation and massage to heal the injured, disabled, sick and convalescent of all ages. They prescribe and interpret tests and measurements for building muscle strength, motor development and respiratory and circulatory efficiency. Physiotherapy is offered as a four-year bachelor‚s degree programme followed by a six-month internship. To qualify for admission you have to write an entrance test after class XII. Physiotherapists find employment opportunities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, rehabilitation and sports coaching centres and in homes (when patients need it). There is also a huge demand for physiotherapists abroad.I‚m in third year B.Sc (computer science) and have completed a diploma programme in graphic design. I‚m interested in studying communication and graphic design further. Which reputed design schools offer this course in India? Do design schools abroad offer financial aid?Uday Kamath, MangaloreAdvertising, packaging, television, catalogue illustration, animation film-making and video programming, graphic design or graphic animation film design are basic disciplines within the ambit of communication design. You could try for admission into the four-year graduate diploma programme in design offered by the Ahmedabad-based National Institute of Design. Admission is on the basis of performance in an entrance test followed by a workshop and personal interview. For details visit www.nid.edu. On the basis of your educational qualifications, you are not eligible to apply for admission into NID‚s postgraduate diploma programme in graphic and animation film design. But you can apply to read for the film and video communication or software and user design courses. You could also try for admission into local art and design colleges or polytechnics which will put you through an aptitude test and/ or intermediate grade drawing exams. Admission criteria for entry into design schools abroad, include submission of a portfolio of your work. Expectations of financial aid should not form the basis of your plans for training abroad.I‚m a second year B.Com student and would like to enroll in a chartered accountancy course.Nalini Gupta, MumbaiYou can pursue a chartered accountancy study programme after completing Plus Two by registering for the Professional Education-I or you can complete your graduation and start off with Professional Education-II (PE-II) course. A student must register at least ten months before the examinations of these two programmes. After passing the Profess-ional Education-II exam, candidates are eligible to be inducted as articled clerks in accountancy firms for practical training and for admission into the final study programme ‚ a three-year course. Prior to commencement of practical training, a student has to attend and successfully complete at least 250 hours of computer training with hands-on experience. For more information write to The Western India Regional Council Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Anveshak, 27, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400 005.How can I become a qualified commercial pilot? I‚m currently doing my B.Sc.Ajay Singh, New DelhiIf you have completed your plus two with physics and maths, you are eligible for training as a pilot. Initially, you must train to acquire a private pilot licence (PPL). Apart from 60 hours of flying training, you will need to pass the written examination conducted by the director general of civil aviation (DGCA) in aviation-related subjects to get your PPL. Thereafter, you are eligible for commercial pilot licence (CPL) training enabling you to work for commercial airlines.I‚m keen on qualifying as an electronics and telecommunications engineer bypassing the IIT route. Which univer-sities/ institutions have a standard/ level equivalent to the IITs? Do they have a common engineering entrance exam? Also please give me information on SAT and TOEFL.Dilip Sen, KolkataThe regional engineering colleges/ National Institutes of Technology also offer high-quality engineering education. You‚ll have to clear the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) to become eligible for admission into RECs/ NITs. Visit www.aieee.nic.in for details. If you do well in the AIEEE, you could also apply for admission into other excellent engineering colleges. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) respected by American universities includes the three hour SAT 1 Reasoning Test, which measures verbal and mathematical skills. SAT 1 scores are used for deciding admission into US (undergraduate) colleges. The SAT II Subject Tests (one hour duration) measure your knowledge of a specific subject and your ability to apply that knowledge. Many colleges require or recommend one or more subject tests for admission. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are used to evaluate the English language proficiency of students. Visit www.ipem.org to order free information bulletins for TOEFL and SAT exams.I‚ll be writing my class XII (arts) exam this year. I would like to pursue a career in psychology and specialise in HRD. Please advise.Shalini D‚Souza, PanjimAfter Plus Two you should pursue a graduate degree with psychology honours and follow it with a Masters in psychology. Psychology postgraduates can easily find employment in HRD departments of various organisations. Alternatively, you could complete your graduation in any subject and pursue an MBA with specialisation in HRD. I‚ll be appearing for my final year BA exam this year. Please give me information on broadcast journalism.Geeta Kerkar, MumbaiHere‚s a list of some reputable institutes offering this study course. The Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110 067 (www.iimc.ac.in); Asian College of Journalism, Kasturi Centre, 7, Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002 (www.asianmedia.org); School of Broadcasting and Communication, 108, Building No. 4, Kamdhenu Centre, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri (W), Mumbai 400 053 (www.sbc.ac.in); and Pioneer Media School, New Delhi (www.pioneer.mediaschool.com). All of them offer broadcast journalism and allied study programmes. Admission is after completion of a written exam which will assess your English writing skills and general knowledge followed by an interview/ group discussion. Print journalists have been very successful in the television industry. So pursuing a journalism course is also useful.