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Im an agriculture postgraduate currently working in a bank. I want to do an MBA with specialisation in agriculture or finance. Please suggest business schools in Karnataka offering these subjects.Nikhil Rao, Bangalore The Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, one of the countrys most prominent business schools, offers an MBA in finance. Among the other reputed B-schools in Karnataka are TAPMI, Manipal (www.tapmi.org), Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Bangalore (www.xime.org); and Welin-gkars Bangalore (www.welingkar.org). You could also consider Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bangalore (www.iipmb.edu.in) for a programme in agribusiness management. Im an MBA and have been working in the corporate sector for the past few years. I would like to pursue a Ph D through distance education. Please advise. Suchitra Banerjee, Kolkata A distance learning ph d programme in business administration is offered by the All India Management Association, Centre for Management Education in collaboration with Aligarh Muslim University. Admission is through a Research Management Aptitude Test (R-MAT), details of which are available on www.aima.ind.org. IGNOU (www.ignou.ac.in) also offers a Ph D programme in business through correspondence. Moreover you could consider reading for an M.Phil in biz management offered by several universities, including the Periyar University of Distance Education (www.periyaruniversity. ac.in); Bharathiar University (www.b-u.ac.in); University Centre for Distance Learning, Chaudhary Devi Lal University (www.cdlu.edu.in) and Alagappa University (www.alagappauniversity. ac.in). Im a B.Com graduate working in an insurance company. Im interested in furthering my career prospects, and want to write the Common Admission Test (CAT). Should I quit my job to give 100 percent to CAT? What other options do I have apart from an MBA? Leena Vaz, Mumbai Theres no reason to quit your job to prepare for CAT. In fact, your work experience will be a great asset for admission into a B-school. If you dont do well in CAT, you should consider training to become an actuary through the Institute of Actuaries of India (www.actuariesindia.org) or pursue the certificate course of the Insurance Institute of India (www.insurance instituteofindia.com) to improve your prospects in the insurance industry. Ill be completing Plus Two (commerce) next year and want to enrol in a BBA programme. What other study options are available to me? Sachin Karmarkar, Pune After class XII, you could enrol in a general B.Com degree programme or specialised B.Com programmes such as BAF (finance and accounts) and BBI (banking and insurance) offered by some universities. You could also consider pursuing a B.Com degree together with cost accountancy/chartered accountancy/company secretarys courses. However, you also have the option of signing up for BBA/BMS/equivalent or a five-year integrated law degree, hotel/hospitality management/administration degree, enroling in fine arts/design/allied degree programmes (if you have artistic aptitude), or bachelor of physical education (if you have sports-related interests and achievements). If these dont interest you, you could enrol in a mass media degree course or BCA/ bachelor of financial and investment analysis (Delhi University). A BBA degree is a better foundation for a career in business management, but dont expect it to yield benefits like…