Q.
I love to help people, so I thought of opting for social work as a career. Do I have bright future in this field? — Bali Singh
A.
Social work today has come far from the days when it used to be the prerogative of a few visionaries who believed they could make a difference to the way people lived, but didn’t have adequate resources. It looks like you have almost made a choice. But remember that to become a successful social worker, you need to have genuine compassion for the underprivileged, a very real urge to help others make better lives for themselves and the capacity to work hard, and under far-from-perfect working conditions. With the emergence of a number of non-government organisations (NGOs), this sector has become much more organised than before. With institutes like the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Delhi School of Social Work offering job-oriented degrees in social work, it looks like this career choice, once considered unusual, is becoming not so unusual, after all. The social work programme is open to graduates. Applicants with a sociology, social work, or psychology background get preference. Admission is through a written test and interview. The test assesses mental ability and general awareness, while the interview is aimed at identifying candidates with a genuine interest in social work. Anthropologists, sociologists and psychologists are also suitable for some of the work social workers do. Most universities offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in social work. Social workers specialise in: Criminology and correctional work: Jobs in prisons, and government departments. Medical and psychiatric social work: Clinics, hospitals, sanatoria, child guidance clinics, counselling centres, mental hospitals, medical colleges and community public health centres and so on. Community development work: This involves field work with community groups, government and voluntary agencies in areas related to women and child welfare, education and literacy, poverty alleviation programmes, rural development, child care and family services and work in family planning and AIDS programmes, awareness campaigns of the government etc. With a degree in social work, you can also join the labour and industrial relations and personnel departments in the industrial and corporate sectors. International organisations such as the United Nations sponsor projects to facilitate developing countries in their social welfare and other development programmes. So, you have many areas to work in after taking an MSW qualification but the choice will rest upon your interest and commitment.
Q.
I am a non-linear video editor with four years’ experience. I want to apply to a good TV channel, but don’t have any media qualification. I am a commerce graduate with a PG diploma in computer applications. Any part-time or distance-learning media courses? — Naresh
A.
The growing popularity of online video clips and the expansion of television and films to a variety of media, including websites, has resulted in increased video editing activities and job opportunities in video editing throughout the country. While work experience is a big advantage, to get a good job in video editing, it may be useful to complete video editing courses such as a diploma in video editing, certificate in non-linear editing, or a diploma in post production, which includes editing. While all the top film and TV institutes offer mass communication and film and TV courses, which include video editing, it may be best for you to take up a short certificate or diploma course that gives you the specific qualification you require. Most of these courses are full-time or part-time programmes. Since editing is practical and application-oriented, it may not be possible to do this through distance learning. Some of the institutes offering video editing courses include Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute, Kolkata; Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai; Asian Academy of Film & Television at Noida; Fortune Institute of Communication and Television, New Delhi; Sri Aurobindo Society, New Delhi; and International School of Media and Entertainment Studies, Noida. The courses are of varied durations, ranging from three months to one year and the fees range from Rs 6,000 to Rs 60,000. Check their sites for more. Some computer institutes offer certificate courses in video editing, too. Your four years of experience would also be valuable to any employer.
Q.
I am a final-year student of statistics (Hons). I wish to do my Master’s in the same discipline. Which institutes and universities offer this course? Which courses of the Delhi School of Economics am I eligible for? — Divya Sharma
A.
Statistics at the Master’s degree is offered both in the arts and science streams. Practically every university offers both the BA/BSc as well as MA/MSc programmes in statistics. Admission to these programmes is mostly through an entrance test. Kolkata-headquartered Indian Statistical Institute (www.isical.ac.in), with branches in Delhi and Bangalore, also offers the MStats programme. To be eligible for DSE’s MA programme in economics, you require at least 60 per cent marks in your BStats. For more details check www.econdse.org.
I love to help people, so I thought of opting for social work as a career. Do I have bright future in this field? — Bali Singh
A.
Social work today has come far from the days when it used to be the prerogative of a few visionaries who believed they could make a difference to the way people lived, but didn’t have adequate resources. It looks like you have almost made a choice. But remember that to become a successful social worker, you need to have genuine compassion for the underprivileged, a very real urge to help others make better lives for themselves and the capacity to work hard, and under far-from-perfect working conditions. With the emergence of a number of non-government organisations (NGOs), this sector has become much more organised than before. With institutes like the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Delhi School of Social Work offering job-oriented degrees in social work, it looks like this career choice, once considered unusual, is becoming not so unusual, after all. The social work programme is open to graduates. Applicants with a sociology, social work, or psychology background get preference. Admission is through a written test and interview. The test assesses mental ability and general awareness, while the interview is aimed at identifying candidates with a genuine interest in social work. Anthropologists, sociologists and psychologists are also suitable for some of the work social workers do. Most universities offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in social work. Social workers specialise in: Criminology and correctional work: Jobs in prisons, and government departments. Medical and psychiatric social work: Clinics, hospitals, sanatoria, child guidance clinics, counselling centres, mental hospitals, medical colleges and community public health centres and so on. Community development work: This involves field work with community groups, government and voluntary agencies in areas related to women and child welfare, education and literacy, poverty alleviation programmes, rural development, child care and family services and work in family planning and AIDS programmes, awareness campaigns of the government etc. With a degree in social work, you can also join the labour and industrial relations and personnel departments in the industrial and corporate sectors. International organisations such as the United Nations sponsor projects to facilitate developing countries in their social welfare and other development programmes. So, you have many areas to work in after taking an MSW qualification but the choice will rest upon your interest and commitment.
Q.
I am a non-linear video editor with four years’ experience. I want to apply to a good TV channel, but don’t have any media qualification. I am a commerce graduate with a PG diploma in computer applications. Any part-time or distance-learning media courses? — Naresh
A.
The growing popularity of online video clips and the expansion of television and films to a variety of media, including websites, has resulted in increased video editing activities and job opportunities in video editing throughout the country. While work experience is a big advantage, to get a good job in video editing, it may be useful to complete video editing courses such as a diploma in video editing, certificate in non-linear editing, or a diploma in post production, which includes editing. While all the top film and TV institutes offer mass communication and film and TV courses, which include video editing, it may be best for you to take up a short certificate or diploma course that gives you the specific qualification you require. Most of these courses are full-time or part-time programmes. Since editing is practical and application-oriented, it may not be possible to do this through distance learning. Some of the institutes offering video editing courses include Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute, Kolkata; Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai; Asian Academy of Film & Television at Noida; Fortune Institute of Communication and Television, New Delhi; Sri Aurobindo Society, New Delhi; and International School of Media and Entertainment Studies, Noida. The courses are of varied durations, ranging from three months to one year and the fees range from Rs 6,000 to Rs 60,000. Check their sites for more. Some computer institutes offer certificate courses in video editing, too. Your four years of experience would also be valuable to any employer.
Q.
I am a final-year student of statistics (Hons). I wish to do my Master’s in the same discipline. Which institutes and universities offer this course? Which courses of the Delhi School of Economics am I eligible for? — Divya Sharma
A.
Statistics at the Master’s degree is offered both in the arts and science streams. Practically every university offers both the BA/BSc as well as MA/MSc programmes in statistics. Admission to these programmes is mostly through an entrance test. Kolkata-headquartered Indian Statistical Institute (www.isical.ac.in), with branches in Delhi and Bangalore, also offers the MStats programme. To be eligible for DSE’s MA programme in economics, you require at least 60 per cent marks in your BStats. For more details check www.econdse.org.
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