Counselling for Career-5

Q. Our school gives informatics practices as a substitute for maths. After studying informatics practices in Class 12, will I be able to enrol for economics honours? What are the other career options available in this? -Jasneet A. Economics is the study of how society distributes its resources, such as land, labour, raw material, and machinery, to produce a variety of goods and services. Economists conduct research, by collecting and analysing data, and monitoring economic trends, so as to develop forecasts on a wide variety of issues, including energy costs, inflation, interest rates and exchange rates, which can be used by governments, organisations and companies to make informed decisions. This involves mathematical knowledge and skills. Therefore, maths is an integral part of the study of economics. You will find it difficult to do an economics programme without maths. So, if you wish to take up economics, you must study maths in Class 11 and Class 12. Otherwise, you may look at other study options after Class 12, including BBA for which maths is not essential. If you prefer informatics practices, think about a career related to computers.

Q. Which country would be suitable and inexpensive for pursuing my MBBS degree? -Sherry A. Medical education is expensive in every country, more so if you have to pay for it in foreign currency. So, it is better not to look for an MBBS programme abroad unless the institution provides good practical training, teaches in English and has experienced faculty, required infrastructure and attached hospitals with a good number of beds and you can afford to pay for the degree. The Medical Council of India (MCI) advises all aspiring Indian medical students to ascertain the status of the concerned foreign medical university / medical college from MCI and also obtain Eligibility Certificate from MCI before taking admission in any foreign medical college/university. This will enable you to verify that the qualification will be accepted for registration in India when you return. For recognitions and enlisted reference, check the MCI website www.mciindia.org, Schedule to the IMC ACI, 1956 (book) or contact MCI, New Delhi directly. Else, visit the National Board of Examinations website, www.natboard.edu.in. You can also check the World Health Organisation world directory of medical schools at www.who.int/hrh/wdms. You may also want to consider sitting for the PMT in India, now that there is to be a single admission test for all medical colleges in the country. Also, many new medical colleges are being set up including six like the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. If this option does not work out, you can explore many careers other than medicine. There are various para-medical courses at the BSc and postgraduate level which train students for careers like radiology (taking X-rays, CT scan and so on), medical technology (performing laboratory tests), and ophthalmic technologists and optometrists (concerned with evaluation and improvement of vision). These are three-year undergraduate degree programmes available at most medical institutes and have ample scope for future growth. Pharmacy is another important profession. The requirement for a four-year BPharm programme is 10+2, with physics, chemistry and maths and/or biology. There are pharmacy colleges in practically all states. There is also an increasing interest in alternative systems of medicine such as homeopathy and ayurveda, which is offered through regular degree programmes. Today non-allopathic and non-invasive systems of medicine like homeopathy and ayurveda are part of an international multi-million dollar industry embracing their practice, research and development, and supported by the World Health Organisation. After taking a BHMS degree, your career can follow a path similar to that of an allopathic doctor’s.

Q. I am pursuing a diploma in printing technology from Delhi’s Pusa Polytechnic. What are the job opportunities in printing industry for a diploma-holder? -Lalit A. Both private and public sector organisations accommodate print technologists, whether diploma or degree holders. Diploma-holders start their careers as junior engineer trainees, and then gradually move up to become supervisors, foremen, assistant managers, deputy managers, managers and so on. Depending on the area chosen, the work environment can range from a computer laboratory to the printing room. Computers have revolutionised the workflow in the printing industry. Printers have evolved from mammoth noisy devices in special print rooms to compact laser printers with wireless technology, or multifunctional devices. The largest number of jobs in printing is with printing departments of publishing houses like Hindustan Times, Indian Express, The Hindu, The Tribune, Dainik Jagran, Bhaskar Group, among others, that have very high speed web offset machinery. There are also jobs in the government sector - in postal presses, currency presses, university presses, bank-owned presses, stationery printing presses, etc. There are growing opportunities in commercial presses, publishing, the packaging industry and advertising. There are also possibilities of freelance work or launching one’s printing set-up with the use of desk-top publishing.