Im in class XI (science) and keen on a career in the defence services. Should I apply for admission into the National Defence Academy (NDA) or prepare for entry into the Indian Police Service (IPS)?Suresh Kelkar, Pune
Unmarried males between 15-18 years of age can write the NDA/Naval Academy entrance exam cond-ucted by the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) twice a year, in the months of April and September. The exam is notified approximately six months before the test date. The minimum educational qualification to write the NDA exam is Plus Two or equivalent in any stream (arts/science/commerce) for admission into the army or air force wings. For admission into the Naval Academy, applicants should have completed Plus Two with physics and mathematics as subjects. If you decide to pursue a bachelors degree, you can write the Combined Defence Services Examination after graduation. The same applies for the UPSC Civil Services examination, success in which could lead to a career in the IPS. You could also write the competitive exam for recruitment into the Central paramilitary forces such as the BSF, CISF etc.
Im a class XI (science) student interested in signing up for a cosmetology study programme. Please advise.
Swati Agarwal, Mumbai
Nagpur University offers a B.tech in cosmetic technology. You can also opt for a B.Sc in medical laboratory technology or dental hygiene. My advice is to keep track of admission notifications in daily newspapers.
Currently Im working as a software engineer in a reputed IT firm. I would like to switch over to a career in finance. However I dont want to do an MBA in finance, so what are my other options?
Rajesh Raghavan, Bangalore
You can switch to the finance industry as a technical specialist on the strength of your IT background since there is strong use of IT in financial services. You could also enrol in the M.Tech programme in IT with specialisation in banking technology and information security offered by University of Hyderabad (www.uohyd. ernet.in) in collaboration with the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology, Hyderabad. Another option is to pursue a Masters programme in finance/financial engin-eering abroad.
With a diploma in mechanical engineering can I pursue an MBA programme abroad?
Siddharth Chawla, New Delhi
To be admitted into an MBA programme abroad, you must have at least two years work experience. Given that you are a diploma holder, you will first have to apply for a bachelors degree abroad as most UK and US universities accept only students with minimum 15 years of education for Masters programmes. Alternatively, you can complete a bachelors degree progr-amme in India, acquire work experience and then apply for admission into an MBA programme abroad.
Im a class XI arts student interested in a career in museology. Which universities offer programmes in the subject?
Nalini Mehta, Ahmedabad
After completing class XII, sign up for a bachelors programme in the arts, preferably fine arts. Subsequently you can enrol in an MA degree programme in museology and follow it up with a doctorate in the subject. You could also opt for a postgraduate/advanced diploma in museology. Those interested in working as museum curators can opt for a Masters degree with focus on administration and management, while those aspiring to become museum directors may want to add courses in finance and management to their resume. Study programmes in museology are offered by the National Museum Institute, New Delhi; Univ-ersity of Calcutta; Baroda University; Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata and the University of Washington, USA.
Career opportunities for qualified museologists are excellent. Most universities and education institutions have their own museums. Moreover, there are more than 700 museums countrywide ranging from those run by Central and state governments, district administrations and religious and other trusts offering a wide range of employ-ment opportunities. Remuneration for qualified museologists varies between Rs.40,000-70,000 per month.
After completing my B.Com degree I want to sign up for an MBA (finance) programme. Is it advisable to enrol for a three-year law degree and then an MBA as I am told that knowledge of law is a valued add-on to ones management degree?
Srinivas Rao, Chennai
Although a law degree will add value to your resume, you dont need to do LLB to do well in the financial world. Rest assured that whatever legal provisions you need to know as a finance management graduate will be included in your curriculum and youll be required to keep track of laws relating to finance on an ongoing basis.
Im keen on a career in the Indian Forest Services (IFS) after completing my M.Sc in animal physiology next year. What other options do I have if I dont crack the IFS entrance exam?
Rahul Fonseca, Panjim
There are numerous career opportunities for postgraduates in animal physiology. You can teach or conduct research in medicine, veteri-nary and allied fields or follow up with a Ph D in wildlife sciences, animal sciences, biophysics, neurobiology, cell biology, physiology, biomedical sciences and zoology. Alternately, you can find employment in pharmaceutical and biotech companies, agricultural organis-ations, artificial insemination service agencies, animal feed companies, stud farms and research laboratories operated by private and government institutions.
Im an officer with a public sector bank and would like to do an MBA through correspondence. Please advise.
Swati Shah, Ahmedabad
The best option for you is the distance MBA programme offered by IGNOU (www.ignou.ac.in) or AIMA (www.aima-ind.org). IGNOU also offers an MBA (banking and finance) through IIBF (www.iibf.org.in).
