Here are the advantages and motivations behind using this platform of a college fest to make a difference.

Social networking

College fests are not just about showcasing talent; students are undertaking socially responsible roles for public and personal benefit

The conventional definition of a college fest has changed, from being just about music, drama and fun, to an event with a purpose.
Socially inclined festivals, give students an opportunity to give back to the community. As students want to be a more active part of society, fests have moved from being a showcase of talent to engines that bring about social consciousness.
This year, most city colleges have added social awareness initiatives to their cultural revelry. Vaibhav Chaudhary, overall coordinator of IIT-Bombay’s cultural festival Mood Indigo, says, “Students have a more developed understanding of the society and its problems these days. We really want to use this as a platform to create an impact. If we start at the college level, we can contribute in a larger way when we’re out in the real world.”

Here are the advantages and motivations behind using this platform of a college fest to make a difference.

1. BEING THE CHANGE
According to Aditya Narayan, joint general secretary, Siesons, SIES College Nerul, the college fest is a common stage, one which unites the students and fosters team spirit. “When a fest takes up a social cause, we have a large workforce of dedicated students who work sincerely to bring about a change.”
Some colleges work independently, while others partner with NGOs to execute these initiatives. “Bringing in an NGO or a formal organisation into the picture gives students access to many resources. This helps make the cause more effective, and have greater impact,” says Chaudhari.

2. CHARACTER BUILDING
Social initiatives also help shape the students’ personalities, in many ways. Students organise these fests themselves, from scratch, and are exposed to various stages of planning, which add to their skills portfolios.

Marie Fernandes, principal of St Andrews College, Bandra, says, “When students organise a college fest, they learn about planning, communication skills, financials and event management. But when a fest gets associated with a social initiative, students learn how to fulfil their responsibilities towards fellow humans. They take keen interest in acknowledging the problems around them and strive to bring solutions. This ensures holistic development.” She adds that this helps instil confidence, dedication and sensitivity in students.

3. BETTER PROSPECTS
Employers are often impressed with gradate
applications if they have been socially responsible, and have been active members of organisation committees.
“Companies look for students who are all-rounders. Having good scores is important, but a student who pulls off a balance between academics and extracurriculars will be preferred,” says N Vaidyanathan, regional general manager, circulation, The Hindu, “A student’s active involvement in social initiatives gives an impression that he or she has the capacity to contribute to the society and is well aware of responsibilities.”

4. MEDIA MANAGEMENT
When a college takes up an initiative, not only does the cause get highlighted in the media, so does the festival. This, in turn, raises the brand value of the fest, which helps in attracting sponsors for the next year.
Students, however, feel that media attention is an added bonus. “Media attention should be seen as an advantage and not the motivation behind taking up a social initiative. Students should take up initiatives solely for the need to make a difference,” says

‘Identify the assumption’ type questions in the critical reasoning section require you to apply logical negation skills to guess the right answer

Give it your best guess

‘Identify the assumption’ type questions in the critical reasoning section require you to apply logical negation skills to guess the right answer

Over the past few weeks, we have analysed the question types you can expect in the critical reasoning (CR) section of the GMAT. Today, let’s look at ‘identify the assumption’ type questions— which, along with strengthen and weaken the argument, form the three most important question types in CR.
 
Identify the Assumption
These questions are typically worded as follows:
“The argument in the passage depends on which of the following assumptions?”
“The conclusion above is based on which of the following assumptions?”
“Which of the following is an assumption made in drawing the conclusion in the argument?”
“The argument above assumes that …”
“The conclusion of the argument cannot be true unless which of the following is true?”

Defined within the framework of this exam, an assumption is that component that has to be true for the argument to be valid. In our day-today life, we make a lot of assumptions. When you call a colleague and ask her to send the BTX file by email, you assume the colleague knows what BTX means and that she knows your email address.

Consider a simple example of an assumption in this argument: Ram walked into the class and he was drenched with water. It must be raining.

Which of these two choices should be the assumption of the argument? A. Rain is the only reason as to why a person gets drenched with water. B. Rain is just one of the reasons as to why a person gets drenched with water.
Option B is a tempting choice. After all, don’t we all know that rain is only one of the reasons as to why a person gets completely drenched. Somebody could have thrown a bucket of water at Ram, or the poor fellow could have walked below a ladder.

However, the issue is that this form of reasoning is completely dependent on our own general knowledge of the way the world works, without any significance to the argument itself!

Important lesson: CR is not a test of your GK. Look at the conclusion in the argument. The conclusion was: It must be raining. The conclusion is not saying: It COULD be raining. If the conclusion was: It MUST be raining, then the underlying assumption is the one mentioned in choice A. In order for the argument to be true, the author is assuming that rain is the only reason as to why a person gets, or this person has got drenched. Hence, the answer is A.

There is a way to tackle these questions. The correct answer will pass the negate-and-attack test. Here’s how you can conduct this test:
Step 1: Logically negate the answer choice.

Step 2: If the logical negation of a certain answer choice attacks the argument and weakens it, then that is indeed the correct answer.

Let’s go back to our example. Sitting in the exam hall, let’s assume that you thought that the answer was B, which is incorrect. Let’s see if this methodology helps realise this.

The first step would be to logically negate the answer choice. The answer choice is: Rain is just one of the reasons as to why a person completely gets drenched in water. The logical negation of this choice is: Rain is the ONLY reason as to why a person completely gets drenched. This seems to be completely in agreement with the conclusion that: It must be raining. The methodology says that the logical negation of the correct answer will attack the argument and weaken it. Since the logical negation of B neither attacks the argument nor weakens it, we can safely conclude that B is NOT the correct answer.

This methodology might sound tedious at first, but with practice, it is a foolproof way to handle problems based on assumptions.

On the other hand, let us check whether this methodology helps in narrowing down A as the correct answer. The first step would be to logically negate the answer choice A. The logical negation of: Rain is the only reason as to why a person gets completely drenched with water, is: Rain is just one of the reasons as to why a person gets drenched in water. This logical negation of answer choice A is completely in opposition to the conclusion: It must be raining. The logical negation might have been in agreement with a conclusion that said: It COULD be raining. Since the logical negation of answer choice A attacks the argument and weakens it, we can conclude that A is the correct answer.

Article courtesy: Naveenan Ramachandran, director, Taurus Education (naveenan@4gmat.com)

Three week entrepreneurial workshop in New York, after which they are guaranteed a two-year job placement in India.

Edu-preneurship opportunity

What:
Venture for India (VFI), a non-profit organisation, has launched an entrepreneurship programme with Columbia Business School. Through this students can attend a three week entrepreneurial workshop in New York, after which they are guaranteed a two-year job placement in India.

Eligibility:
Graduates from top colleges and universities across India, who have completed a bachelor’s degree with at least 75%. The students have to fit the Columbia University selection criteria, which include a thorough screening process and personal interview.

Duration:
After the three-week workshop at Columbia Business School, students spend two years in companies that have high growth potential in India.

Employment opportunities:
Venture for India is looking for early to mid size companies with high potential for growth. The companies are initially approached through their partners like Mumbai Angels, Columbia Alumni Association, etc. For example, Mumbai Angels have committed to recruit a number of fellows through their portfolio companies. On their board, they have a team of 100+ entrepreneurs who are running early to mid size companies, which would look to hire the fellows. VIF is also in the process of tying up with TIE, VC Circle, etc.

EXPERT SPEAK

“We provide the education, placement, mentorship and connect students who want to become entrepreneurs to angel investors/ venture capitalists so they can get funding for their own venture. Students can also attend workshops with our local partners like Mumbai Angels and A P Guru to interact, learn and voice their opinions on venture creation in India.” ANUJ BAGRI, director, Venture for India

Money matters:
The non-profit programme is supported by foundations and individuals, and is completely subsidised. Students will only have to bear personal costs for the trip to New York (flight tickets, visa and personal expenses). Tuition, company placement and monthly programming costs are sponsored by VFI.

Registration:
Register online on www.ventureforindia.org. You have to submit documents like essays, transcripts and recommendation letters.

Dates and deadlines:
Apply online from between November 1 and February 28, 2013. The programme starts on May 13, 2013.

Note:
Seating is limited with only 15 students for the first two years, which will be expanded to 50 students from the third year onwards.

I wish to pursue pharmacy abroad

I am in Class 12 and I have a few queries regarding my further studies: 1. I wish to pursue pharmacy abroad. Are there any good colleges where I can make my career? My Class 10 and Class 11 marks were not that good, but can I get admission on basis of my Class 12 score or NEET? 2. What tests will I need to give to study abroad? 3. If I study in India itself, should I take up a part-time job? Will this look good on my CV? 4. I have completed two levels in Spanish and one in French. Should I continue further? —Latika Sen 

Dear Latika, If you want to study pharmacy, look for ranked colleges abroad, which offer pharmacy programmes. As far as I know, only Australia, India, Ireland, and Hong Kong offer bachelor’s degrees in pharmacy studies (ie BPharm).
You need to take the SAT for undergraduate studies and the GRE for postgraduate studies in the US. You should check with the specific programme you are applying to about the testing requirements.
If you enjoy studying French and Spanish, then continue. Knowing more languages can always open doors. For example you could practice pharmacy in Paris!

I want to apply to a film school abroad after Class 12

I want to apply to a film school abroad after Class 12. Although I have no experience yet, filmmaking is my passion. Should I get an academic degree first or directly get into a college like NYFA, University of Southern California, Chapman etc? Am I eligible? I scored 77% in Class 10. Also, is there scope to for girls in this field?
—Diksha Saini Dear Diksha, 

Yes!! There is scope for girls. Why not?
You should thoroughly research the programmes and schools you mentioned and figure out what experience you will need and whether you will need to submit a portfolio of work for admissions. If you must, then you’ll have to spend time building a portfolio to submit. You can do this on your own or join a class or institute of filmmaking that will enable you to do your own projects if you cannot do them at school.
You will need to apply in December/January of your Class 12 year. All the courses you mentioned are academic and offer four-year degrees (BFA or BA). You will need to take the SAT to apply, though some art schools are SAT optional (at SCAD, for example, SAT testing may not be required for international students).

If you are applying for undergraduate studies in the UK (except Oxford or Cambridge or medical, dental or veterinary courses) your UCAS application and required ‘Personal Statement’ is due on January 15

Personalise your personal statement

Study abroad applicants should already be well into the drafting stages of their college essays by now. If you are applying for undergraduate studies in the UK (except Oxford or Cambridge or medical, dental or veterinary courses) your UCAS application and required ‘Personal Statement’ is due on January 15 (check www.ucas.com to find out the specific deadlines and requirements for your course). For the US, regular decision deadline on January 1, 2013, you have about two months to finish your required essays.

Once you know the deadlines, you need to understand how to write the essay. For UK applicants the topic is fairly straightforward and you typically only need to write one personal statement in a maximum of 4000 characters. The UCAS website gives some helpful tips on what to include in the personal statement: (www.ucas.com/students/applying/howtoapply/personalstatement/). In general, the UCAS personal statement should discuss why you have chosen a particular course, your skills and achievements, hobbies and interests, any relevant work experience, why you want to study in the UK and any future plans you have after college.

The US application essays are much more complex. To apply to any of the 400+ colleges that use the Common Application, you will need to write a 500word essay on any one of six topics and a short essay of 1000 characters on an extracurricular activity or work experience (see www.commonapp.org for details). In addition, you must write any number of specific ‘supplemental’ essays for the college where you are applying. However many colleges like UC Berkeley and MIT, Georgia Tech, do not use the Common Application but have their own set of essay questions. There is no easy way to summarise this process except to say that if you are applying to the US, expect to write a lot of essays.

But what should you write about? Unlike UCAS, the US college essays topics are directed to get you to relate a specific experience through which the reader can learn something about your character or your approach to life. When asked, admissions officers claim that the essay is the part of the application where they really get to understand the student, beyond numbers and scores. An applicant who simply repeats achievements that are listed in the application forms has missed the opportunity to bring their application to life. For example, if you started a garbage recycling initiative in your neighbourhood, write about how you motivated people and organised their participation. This will demonstrate leadership, passion and commitment; something you cannot express elsewhere in your application.

In a recent Business Insider interview, a former Dartmouth admissions officer said, “Most essays are not very memorable. I think people should be willing to take a larger risk with essays.” Remember that admissions officers are reading hundreds of essays. If your topic is common or the writing is boring, you will be overlooked. Write catchy, engaging prose that gets your reader’s attention and then take them on a journey to get to know you through one specific incident. Remember that the essay is not a chance to showcase all of your accomplishments—it is a chance to show that you can learn from a small experience, connect it to your past experiences and let it guide you in your future.

ESSAY IT RIGHT

Create a list of your ideas before writing the real thing.
Ask people you trust for their feedback.
Check university websites that usually tell you the criteria and qualities that they want students to demonstrate.

Don't feel that you need to use elaborate language. If you try too hard to impress with long words that you are not confident using, the focus of your writing may be lost.
Don't lie or exaggerate as you may get caught out at the interview if asked to elaborate on an interesting achievement.
Don't leave it to the last minute—your statement will seem rushed and important information could be left out. Source: www.ucas.com/students/applying/howtoapply/personalstatement 

All you need to know about GATE

Here’s the low-down on the paper pattern and why it helps to take this test

The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, the organising institute for the Graduate Aptitute Test in Engineering 2013, recently introduced some changes in the implementation, scores, exam fee for the exam. This exam, conducted jointly by seven IITs and the Indian Institute of Science, primarily checks the students’ comprehensive understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and technology.

 
Fifteen of the 21 papers will now be online. Out of 21 papers in GATE, 15 will be conducted online this year. Students should not consider this a hurdle, as most of them have attempted other online entrance exams. They will have access to the actual GATE interface with sample questions several weeks before the actual exam.

The six papers that interest nearly 90% of the total applicants—computer science, electronics and communication engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, production and industrial engineering and instrumentation engineering —are still conducted offline on the second Sunday of February, as usual.

This year, female candidates are exempt from paying the application fee.

Until now, the formula used for score calculation took the average and standard deviation of all student scores into account. From this year, the average and standard deviation won’t refer to the entire population, but to specific ability levels (qualification marks and top 0.1% of students).

The number of GATE applicants have quadrupled from 1.8 lakh applicants in 2008 to 7.7 lakh in 2012. This growth is primarily due to the multiple benefits GATE offers in addition to the opportunity to pursue higher education. With the introduction of the aptitude section from 2010, focused preparation for the test comes handy in other exams of public sector undertakings such as CIL, SAIL and GAIL, as well as in campus recruitment interviews. Test scores are considered as a merit criterion by organisations such as Powergrid, BHEL, IOCL and NTPC, for recruitment of executive and management trainees. Also, the scores are accepted by premier institutions like Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for selecting students with a penchant for research.

The three-hour test has 65 questions (30 of one mark and 35 of two marks) carrying a total of 100 marks with questions from core subjects, engineering maths and general aptitude. Questions from the core engineering subjects far outweigh the other two areas with 70% weightage. But general aptitude and engineering maths, with 15 marks each, play a vital role in maximising the score. A good performance in aptitude and maths ensures the minimum quailification marks in GATE. Offline papers have only multiple choice type questions. But online papers will have numerical answer type questions, in addition to multiple choice questions, which account for 15 marks. In these questions the answer will be a specific number instead of an answer choice.

Unlike the civil services exam in which only 50% of applicants finally appear on D-day, nearly 90% take the GATE. This gives a glimpse into the competition for it.

Students should prepare strategically, by attempting previous papers and analysing the weightages for various topics.

JEE: Prepare, plan and act Here’s how to chart your course to success

JEE: Prepare, plan and act

Here’s how to chart your course to success

The new IIT-Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is about six months away, and it’s time to gear up. Since the board exams carry significant weightage as well, you will need to juggle your time between preparing for both aspects of the exam. You can start with joining a test series programme, for better preparation. These tests not only check your level of preparation for the JEE but also make you aware of your command over a subject, strong and weak areas and your writing speed. Here are a few tips that can help you make a mark:
Prepare a chapter-wise and topicwise revision schedule to manage your time well.

  Time management
Divide six months judiciously between the three subjects
Prepare a chapter-wise and topic-wise revision schedule
Create short notes, list all formulae and important points to remember. This will help in quick revision
Correct methodology

The correct approach is to stick to one source and not refer to a multitude of books/study material available in the market. For example, an engineering student must prepare all topics covering physics, chemistry and mathematics from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) syllabus of Class 11 and Class 12 for JEE (main). However, for architecture, you have to additionally prepare for the aptitude test and drawing test.

Month-wise planning
November-February: Utilise this time for JEE preparation, by focusing on each chapter separately.

March: Keep this month mainly for the board exams, except for certain days when you can solve papers for IIT-JEE.

April: As the JEE (main) is scheduled for April 07, 2013, you can only revise formulae and take mock tests.

May: Those who clear the JEE (main) are advised to take trusted JEE (advanced) mock tests.

All subjects—physics, chemistry and mathematics—are equally important, so devote at least two-three hours to each subject every day. It’s the quality of time spent on self-study that matters, not quantity.

Take a minimum of 20 mock tests (based on the new pattern) from a reputable source and solve at least last five years’ IIT-JEE papers.

Important topics
The syllabi of Class 11 and 12 contribute about 45% and 55% of IIT-JEE question papers, respectively. While preparing, concentrate on the following:

Mathematics: Quadratic equations and expressions, complex numbers, probability, vectors, matrices in algebra; circle, parabola, hyperbola in coordinate geometry; functions, limits, continuity and differentiability, application of derivatives, definite integral in calculus.
Physics: Mechanics, fluids, heat and thermodynamics, waves and sound, capacitors and electrostatics, magnetics, electromagnetic induction, optics and modern physics.
Chemistry: Coordination chemistry and chemical bonding in inorganic chemistry, electrochemistry, chemical and ionic equilibrium, mole concept in physical chemistry and organic chemistry.
As they say, practice makes perfect. Practise as much as you can for the JEE. Generally, keep the following in mind while preparing:

• Always start from the basics Don’t refer to solutions till you get the right answer
• Avoid leaving the question midway because you must know what level their concepts are clear until
• Always take a conceptual approach and understand the question properly. Never cram.
• Spare some time to relax
• Study regularly
• Sleep for at least six hours a day, to freshen your mind
• Never lose your selfconfidence
• Keep in touch with intelligent students of your class or coaching centre to get that extra edge
• Make it a point to appear in competitive exams like Olympiads, KVPY, SAT, advanced placements etc to improve your aptitude and analytical ability
• Prepare as per the prescribed syllabi of the exam. Don’t over-stress yourself

Whenever you complete a chapter or topic, go through that topic again from NCERT books as this will prepare you for the boards as well Problem-solving should be more qualitative than quantitative
With the right attitude, even an average student can clear it successfully

With no fixed paper pattern and question types, the IIFT entrance exam does not guarantee admission to many. Use these tips

TOUGH IT OUT

With no fixed paper pattern and question types, the IIFT entrance exam does not guarantee admission to many. Use these tips to get your foot in the door

To be held on November 25 this year, the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) entrance exam is considered one of the toughest management tests because it is all about change and surprise. Every year, a new element, like an altered paper pattern or a differential marking system, is added. Whether or not the paper has sectional cut-offs remains a big question and adds to the uncertainty.

Out of almost 58,000 applicants, only 300 make it to the exalted institute, after two phases of the entrance process—written test and essay writing, group discussion and interview.
However, if you are keen to be among these 300, do not let the stats scare you and instead focus on the following details about the paper, and power through.

IIFT 2011 PATTERN:

Last year, the exam was divided into six sections — general awareness, reading comprehension (RC), verbal ability (VA), quantitative ability, data interpretation (DI) and analytical and logical reasoning (LR). In all, there were 120 questions worth 100 marks. Each section had questions with a blend of variety and difficulty level.

GENERAL AWARENESS:

The questions in this section are normally about foreign issues, books, authors, history, geography, Hollywood, media, economics, current affairs, companies, famous people, etc. Last year, there was a tricky question that involved matching of three parameters. The options are intelligently decided and you can get distracted from the actual answer. Having said that, if you have been following newspapers religiously, you will not find it tough to answer most of the questions.

SAMPLE QUESTION:

Q. Match the correct name of the film with its lead actor and director 

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE:

Questions in this section are normally based on percentages, logarithms, progression, linear equations, inequalities, geometry, time and work, time and distance. The quant section is usually considered difficult except in the last year, when aspirants found it easy and scoring. Most of the questions are standard, with few demanding extensive calculation. They are usually lengthy but simple. If you have done sufficient practice using good quality reference material, you will be able to solve most of the questions.
SAMPLE QUESTION:
Q. An old lady engaged a domestic help on the condition that she would pay him R90 and a gift after service of one year. He served only 9 months and received the gift and R65. Find the value of the gift.

(1) R90
(2) R12
(c) R15
(d) None of these

VERBAL ABILITY:

The vocabulary section normally contains a diverse set of questions based on word usage, synonyms, antonyms, confusing words and finding the correct spelling. For students with good vocabulary, this section will pose less trouble.

SAMPLE QUESTION:

Q. Match the words in column 1 with their appropriate meaning in column 2.
 

CHECK POINTS

IDEALLY,
you should attempt a majority of the questions from your strong areas to boost the overall score and try at least seven to eight questions from other sections so that you are safe in case of any sectional cut-offs.
WITH NO CLARITY ON SECTIONAL CUT-OFFS,
you need to quickly decide your sectional time allocation.

MORE TIME
should be devoted to quant, data interpretation and reading comprehension sections, ideally, while quickly solving other sections.
THE CATCH
is not to get stuck on lengthy questions. If you realise early enough that such questions should be dumped in favour of others, you can expect to crack the paper and get a call letter from IIFT for the second phase.

IIFT AT A GLANCE

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) offers a two year full-time management degree in international business (IB). The course focuses on international perspectives of various subjects like international marketing, international finance, international strategy and international brand management.

The IIFT exam score is accepted by the institute that has campuses in Delhi and Kolkata as well as by Gitam Institute of Foreign Trade, Visakhapatnam and the Institute of Finance and International Management (IFIM), Bangalore.

 

STUDENT SPEAK

The general knowledge section has to be prepared well in advance otherwise you will lose marks in this very important section.
ROHIT GUPTA,
1st year student at IIFT 

The difficulty level of questions is generally higher than that of the CAT. You need to strategise ahead of the exam to be able to score well in all six sections.
MITUL JAIN,
1st year student at IIFT

 

ANALYTICAL AND LOGICAL REASONING:

This section has diverse questions, including those on decision-making, coding, alphabetical and numerical series and statement-assumptions. Managing accuracy in this section is not a challenge and hence this section can act as a score booster.
SAMPLE QUESTION:

Q. In a certain code language ‘HORSE’ is written as 71417184, then the word ‘MONKEY’ is coded as
(1) 11141216425 (3) 12151411325 (2) 12141310424 (4) 12151210424

DATA INTERPRETATION:

Traditionally the DI section questions have demanded tedious calculations, which forced students to calculate up to the third decimal and were thus time consuming. The key is that the answer options were given in two decimals but are rounded off from the third decimal. The ideal strategy is to manage a decent number of attempts in one set, to make the sectional cut-offs.

READING COMPREHENSION:

The passages in the IIFT exam are lengthy and are accompanied by relatively few questions per passage. Topics ranged from economy, trade, behavioural aspects, and finance to opinions of authors. Fast reading and quick grasping of data is what you need to develop, to attempt such passages in the given time.

 

Free book vouchers worth Rs.1,000 for the two most well-argued opinions.

THE HT EDUCATION BOOK CLUB IS BACK THIS DIWALI!

After a series of compelling, intelligent and very chaotic sessions over the summer holidays, prepare to bring your wittiest best back this Diwali, as the HT Education Book Club resumes. This time, we’re picking your brain with a psychological story—to deconstruct with the book’s author himself. No pressure! Em and The Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto is about a family of four in Mahim, with a mentally disturbed mother, Em, who repeatedly tries to kill herself. Em is an interesting protagonist, punctuated fervently with sharp retorts, wildly oscillating mood swings and a manic personality that leaves her family, her readers and, often, herself, confused.

This novel is part memoir, based on the author’s mother and growing up years. Pinto, an awardwinning writer, is also a journalist and a college professor, and he will helm this session, be open to critique, and give you the rare opportunity to ask questions that go beyond rhetorical book discussions, so you can fetch concrete answers from the author himself.

When: November 10

Where: Crossword, Juhu Book: Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry -Pinto

What’s in it for you? Free book vouchers worth R1,000 for the two most well-argued opinions. 

 

  Email: Your name, age and contact number to panna.saroopa@hindustantimes.com with ‘Book club’ as the subject.

A project of this magnitude will require passion for creating national intellectual wealth through continuous development of the people at a cost that will be supported by the society.

Invest in intellect

In this column, we invite experts to describe what they think is the most pressing issue in higher education in India

PROBLEM: A skewed economic eco-system, with not enough focus on the growth of intellectual capital.
ABUNDANT NATURAL RESOURCES INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL POLICES SOUND ECONOMIC 

It is important to develop a focussed plan to balance intellectual capital in the country’s growth tripod. As an industry professional who consciously moved into academics several years ago, I would like to give a different perspective to the higher education conundrum in this country.

For any country to progress, the eco system must have three basic ingredients: (1) Intellectual capital (2) Abundant natural resources (3) An economy founded on sound economic principles and policies of supply and demand. As a country, India has been in a transient mode on these parameters, right from 1949. These parameters are like the legs of a tripod for a nation.

Our planners have been focusing on the economy, since 1949, with the belief that natural resources will keep growing and the intellectual capital will take care of itself to suit the growing demands of progress. This has resulted in a skewed situation for the key inputs required for growth.

This is the main reason that we have slipped in our higher educational system. What we need now is to focus on this leg of the economy and bring it on par with the other two factors, to come to a state of acceptance and stability.

This is a project by itself and no amount of operational tinkering will make this stable and acceptable.
Bringing in foreign universities or introducing esoteric subjects in unprepared academic institutions will not find solutions to the challenges faced by the economy.

SOLUTIONS: The involvement of all the stake-holders, including the government, students, society, academicians and industrialists, and altering the higher education landscape through a six-stage process.
This means that we need to define the three fundamental elements of this project: scope, time and cost.
A project of this nature requires enormous support in terms of resources. So, by bringing the private sector into education is not the only solution to face this challenge. In reality, by bringing the private sector, you bring in the element of short-term gains that are next to impossible in a project of this magnitude and scale. This is the reason that even though we have several private universities and autonomous institutions the quality of the output is not of an acceptable standard.

A project of this magnitude will require passion for creating national intellectual wealth through continuous development of the people at a cost that will be supported by the society. 

1. Create a national contributory corpus for funding higher education initiatives: We cannot depend on only the government for funding; this should be managed by an independent body of academicians and planners for judicious funding of national academic initiatives of national importance.

2. Define long-term
goals: What is needed by the IT industry cannot be the reason for creating universities. These are short term off shoots of a progressive growth that is happening across the economy. One needs to look at the long term and create technological universities that leapfrog the horizons for a better future.

3. Micro-plan: In the absence of a focused plan the project will pulled in all direction and the real intent and directions would get completely watered down. This is in fact happening today with several opposition groups in different directions.

4. Create an eco system of passionate stake holders: This will comprise academicians, international universities, research institutions, industrial houses, students, faculty and others who matter in education.

5. Integrate: Create a plan that will look at seamless integration of education, right from the kindergarten stage to the terminal degrees like PhD in different disciplines and prioritise them, based on our plan for the next 20 years. Select only a limited number of disciplines for the first phase for implementation. This would be based on the need for employability and also the population demography.

6. Implement this plan with professional monitoring and control with due accountability. For this to happen create a team of hard core implementers who can roll up their sleeves and implement the project based on the defined project charter.

We can create several IITs, and IIMs, but the key ingredient of future of domain focus will not happen We will only create multiple teaching locations for today’s needs with varying quality and inadequate opportunities for gainful employment for the end product. To balance the intellectual capital for the growth tripod, we need a better plan.

MEET THE EXPERT

Professor Krishna Moorthy is a member of the Academic Advisory Group of Project Management Institute India and dean of the Institute of Project Management established by Larsen &Toubro. A PhD scholar at the University of Twente, Enchede, The Netherlands, his research area includes digital age models for product development, risk in projects and bidding models for projects. He is a project management evangelist with various published articles in the field.

The current batch of Class 12 state board students that will take the science and mathematics board exams based on the CBSE curriculum

A NEW BOARD GAME 

The current batch of Class 12 state board students that will take the science and mathematics board exams based on the CBSE curriculum for the first time next March, is facing a more difficult and extensive syllabus. Teachers share preparation tips

lass 12 students and teachers are struggling to complete a tougher, more comprehensive syllabus in time for the upcoming board exams in March. This batch will be the first to give the board exams as per the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) syllabus in select subjects. The changed curriculum for physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics was introduced with last year’s Class 11 batch, currently in Class 12.

 

In maths, focus on vectors, integration, derivatives and their applications. In chemistry, focus on organic chemistry. Use books like Uttam Paper Solutions or the Reliable series TEACHER’S TEACHERS’ TIPS The chemistry syllabus has undergone significant alteration, so spend more time on this subject. Prepare for topics based on their weightage listed in NCERT books. Write down chemical reactions and bonds instead of just reading them. Complete the syllabus by November and then focus on entrance exam preparation. 

 In physics, study the Doppler effect of light and angle of banking. Master at least three-fourth of the syllabus. Understand the basics and apply the concepts to score well in the boards and in entrance exams. These students, mostly from SSC and ICSE board backgrounds, will compete with students who have studied the CBSE curriculum right from school level, for entry to degree colleges. To illustrate, a total of 9,996 students from CBSE schools appeared for the CBSE board exam in Maharashtra in 2012, versus 13.26 lakh students who gave the state’s HSC exam earlier this year.
Battling larger class sizes than CBSE schools, and with a considerable number of students unfamiliar with this exhaustive programme, city colleges are not sure that they have enough time to complete the syllabus.

“The chemistry syllabus has increased fourfold, and it is impossible for us to teach the entire course in six months, before the prelims in January,” says Jyoti Thakur, chemistry professor and vice principal of junior college, Jai Hind College.

While some students and teachers think the new syllabus, devised by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), is difficult for those from non-CBSE schools, others believe that it simplifies the engineering and medical college entrance process that follows the boards.

DOUBTS

1. One paper instead of two

Instead of two papers per subject on different days, now there will be only one paper. For example in physics, paper 1 included non-electrical topics and paper 2 had electrical, optical and modern physics. Now, students will have one paper of 70 marks, testing both sections. Serene Thomas, physics teacher at Holy Family School, Andheri says, “Students have to deal with questions from 20 chapters in one exam, instead of two exams with 10 chapters each. This has increased their burden.”

2. Ambiguity in pattern
Many teachers are still in the dark about the paper pattern, because according to Vikram Karandikar, physics teacher at Ruia College says, the CBSE has not yet released sample papers.

3. No reprieve from tuitions
The move by the HRD ministry was touted to decrease dependence on coaching classes, but Class 12 students still attend private classes in droves because colleges are unable to complete the syllabus, according to R Parthasarthy, director, Kalrashukla.

SILVER LINING
The syllabus focuses on applicationbased questions, and it coincides with the entrance exam syllabus. “Students won’t have to learn extra for the entrance tests now. They just have to understand the basics and apply them differently to both the exams,” says Parthasarthy.

WHAT HAS CHANGED?

Last year, the Union Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry scrapped individual state-board syllabi for junior college science subjects, which now have a CBSE syllabus, which overlaps with entrance exam curricula. Some of the changes include:

NOW

Syllabus is devised completely by government- approved NCERT
One paper per subject of 70 marks to be completed in three hours
Practicals account for 30 marks Each subject will have a viva-voce of five to nine marks.
Weightage given to board exam marks:
For entrance to IITs 50%

For NITs and IIITs 40 %

BEFORE

Syllabus was devised by individual state boards
Two papers of 40 marks each to be completed in two hours
Practicals account for 20 marks
No viva-voce
No clear weightage to board marks

TEACHER SPEAK

Joanna B Leons, chemistry teacher at St Andrew’s College, Bandra 

“In physics, some topics like thermocouples have been taken off while others like friction have been added. While it is not difficult to complete the chapters, students are worried about appearing for the syllabus at one go.”

Serene Thomas, physics teacher at Holy Family School, Andheri 

“A few chapters have been clubbed together but the overall depth of the paper has increased. Some topics that were part of degree college syllabus are now included in Class 12. We have included the board exam pattern in the mid-terms exams, and we are curious to know how the students fare.”

PARENT SPEAK

Vidya Maskar, mother of a class 12 student of St Andrew’s College, Bandra

“Not only has the study load increased, there is no clarity on the kinds of questions that will be asked. My son rushes between college and coaching classes everyday, and comes back home exhausted every night. He is not getting enough time to revise what is being taught and his health has also been affected.”

YOUR VOICE

Khushali Gandhi, Class 12, Gokhali Bai College, Vile Parle (W)
“The new board syllabus is useful because it covers a considerable portion of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) syllabus, the proposed medical entrance exam. However, most of us still go to coaching classes to prepare for both boards as well as entrance exams because we get individual attention there.”

Lavina Isai, Class 12, St Andrew’s College, Bandra

“We are facing a lot of difficulty in preparing for the boards because of the increased syllabus. Chemistry is the major cause of concern as chemistry 2, which has organic chemistry is very tough and teachers are not able to teach everything in the limited lectures we have.”

Rishikesh Pawar, Class 12, St Xavier’s College, Dhobi Talao
“Though the syllabus has increased, our teachers say the exam itself will be easy because this is the first year after the pattern change. I am not worried about the mid-term exams that are on at the moment because most of the syllabus has been completed at my coaching class.”

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A laboratory is not a familiar concept in management institutes. But Kaustubh Dhargalkar, an engineer, has set up one at Welingkar

Bringing innovation to the classroom

A laboratory is not a familiar concept in management institutes. But Kaustubh Dhargalkar, an engineer, has set up one at Welingkar

When Kaustubh Dhargalkar decided that he wanted to do something really big, he started by selling off his 15-year-old company which manufactured automation and production enhancement machines. “Influencing people from the families of some 60-70 factory workers did not give me any satisfaction. I wanted to do something bigger,” says 45-year-old Dhargalkar, who holds a BTech in electrical engineering. “Although I hadn’t decided what I was going to do after selling my company, I was clear about taking a year’s break to study yoga scientifically.” After selling his company seven years ago, Dhargalkar, spent a year visiting places across India where yoga is taught. As a corporate professional, Dhargalkar used to visit management institutes to give guest lectures and was (and remains) a member of the admissions panels of several institutes. Around six years ago, he was interviewing students at Welingkar Institute of Management for their newly launched course, Business Design and Innovations. The course immediately grabbed his attention. “I had done it and I knew I could guide others. I had an answer to my aspiration of doing something on a much bigger level, and I took the opportunity,” says Dhargalkar. Dhargalkar started teaching twice a week, but found that it wasn’t enough. That was when he introduced a new concept at Welingkar Institute – the innovation lab. Generally, a laboratory is not a familiar concept in management institutes. But coming from an engineering background, Dhargalkar understood the relationship between innovation and labs. The lab is now a think tank from where several start-ups have been nurtured. “These are two important things for any business to flourish. Understanding what consumers are uncomfortable with and what their aspirations are is integral,” he says. The innovation lab holds several competitions to encourage entrepreneurship. Six years into teaching, now Dhargalkar is excited about creating curriculum that, in his own words, will “ignite curiosities and innovative mind-sets.” He is also a guiding member at the National Entrepreneurship Network, where different start-ups from across nation are guided. He is also associated with IIM Ahmedabad’s Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship. Dhargalkar says, “Education gives me a broader platform to reach out to cutting edge talent which is refreshed every year. This does not happen in a regular job.” Elaborating on the industry-academia gap, Dhargalkar says, “Industry needs to associate itself with academics. This association was lacking in India, but the picture has just begun to change. However, there is a lot more that can be explored. Most importantly, institutes need to probe alumni with a strong connect.” Dhargalkar also points out that entrance exams for management courses need to undergo certain amendments. Agreeing that students from an engineering background have an edge when it comes to clearing these exams, he says, “Some ideas should be implemented to encourage candidates from a humanities background to enter the management field as well, for they will bring in creativity into the field.”

2 Mumbai boys Margesh Wavhal and Patrick D’Souza city boys among CMAT toppers

2 city boys among CMAT toppers

Mumbai grabbed two of the top five spots in the common management admission test (CMAT), the results of which were declared on Wednesday. But it has fared poorly overall as compared to other cities. Only one girl from Mumbai figured in the top 10 list. Delhi’s Anirudha Batra top-scored with 330 marks out of 400 and Ratul Banerjee from Chennai was second with 324 marks. Mumbai boys Margesh Wavhal and Patrick D’Souza were ranked third and fourth. The girl topper was Prabhdeep Kaur Saluja of Raipur, who was placed ninth with 308 marks. The CMAT exam, which is conducted twice a year by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), determines admissions to management courses across the country. The second session will be held in January. State-wise, students from Karnataka, Haryana and Chandigarh performed the best. Maharashtra was ranked 12th overall. About 32% of the candidates who registered for the exam were girls. A total of 9,000 students from Mumbai took the exam, but they did not fare as well as their compatriots from other cities. The national average score was 113.2. Mysore students did the best (score 160), followed by Chennai and Gurgaon. Mumbai, with a score of 140, was 11th in order of performance. “This is the first test of this year. So, it is possible that many candidates from Maharashtra and Mumbai took it lightly,” said SS Mantha, chairman, AICTE.

iYogi, a company providing tech support to resolve day-to-day challenges faced by global customers,

iYogi to foray into India by March

iYogi, a company providing tech support to resolve day-to-day challenges faced by global customers, has come a long way in its six years of operations. After having tasted huge success with its platform iMantra, the company is looking at a turnover of $100 million in the current fiscal. Vishal Dhar, president-marketing, iYogi, says the company is also looking at Europe and Asia to launch its services shortly. In an interview with Beryl Menezes, he shares an inside story.

What is the idea behind the iYogi service? iYogi was started in 2007 as a consumer services brand to match the likes of Infosys and Wipro. The web portal basically provides tech support to the technically challenged and is based on a subscription model costing $169. Customers have a choice of subscribing to two packs — the home pack, which provides tech help to sync multiple devices used by all members of the household, or the individual pack, which provides support for a single PC and devices linked to that PC. What kind of response has iYogi received? What started out with revenues of $2 million in 2008 is growing at a rate of 300% year on year. For fiscal 2013, we are looking at crossing the $100 million mark. This is from a total tech support market of $40 billion worldwide. Also, while the US continues to be our primary market, we now operate in 10 countries worldwide. We now receive 20,000 in-bound service requests daily. We have also upgraded from supporting just 32 software applications when we started to support 320 software applications today. Support for the same is provided by 1,400 technicians in the US and our outsourcing partners like IBM, Genpact and Infinite, among others. Any plans of an India launch soon? Yes, we are planning to launch in India in the first quarter of 2013. We already have 5,000 tech support staff from India, who operate out of our centres in Gurgaon and Noida. We will be adding to this number with our India launch. What scope do you see for the Indian market? We are expecting 7-10% of our revenues to come from our India business. The channel to reach customers has become far more defined now. Internet and PC penetration is growing, and according to a recent survey we conducted, more than 64% of household bills are spent on communication, and each household has more than 11 devices. In six months, things will change in terms of a more developed device ecosystem, especially in terms of Android popularity and more user-friendly subscriber content. Our launch in India will start with services for small medium enterprises (SME) followed by a consumer launch later in the year. We expect to add at least 1,000 SME customers in India in our first year of operations. What about expansion plans elsewhere? We recently launched services in 6 GCC countries. Going forward, we are also looking to commence operations in Spain, France and Germany in Europe and Singapore and China – besides India in Asia. The China search numbers are growing faster than in the US, so we see a big potential there. Thus, we are expecting more growth from these new markets this year as compared to the US. In all these countries, we will provide local language support. What is your current global customer base and by how much are you expecting it to grow in 2012-13? With on-site services recently launched in the United States and new lines of business like digital home and consumer electronics like home theatre services added to our repertoire recently, coupled with launches in new geographies, including India and Europe expected shortly, we expect our user numbers to be close to 3 million by the close of 2012-13. So what is your outlook? We have three main plans. First, we are looking at multiple geographic expansion. Second, we aim to focus on small businesses, where we are seeing major scope in the form of rapid technology uptake like cloud, etc. And finally, we aim to innovate to capitalise on the mobility trend, which can be seen from rapidly changing consumer behaviour patterns.

Top talent is hard to find The biggest challenge for HR managers is talent acquisition, says our survey

Top talent is hard to find

The biggest challenge for HR managers is talent acquisition, says our survey

Are organisations equipped to deal with the challenges that the current global economic situation is throwing out? According to an online survey by HT-Shine.com and AbsolutData, the biggest challenges for HR managers today are talent acquisition and employee engagement. In this survey, 350 HR professionals (manager-level and above) and 1200 other employees were contacted. Leadership and development lags behind these factors, as does determining compensation and benefits. Perhaps this reflects the inverted prism in which HR operates today.
The pull factor: It’s hard for companies to retain employees for long. Over 60% survey respondents indicated they would move on after a year Almost 80% of the HR managers believe that in the present global crisis, employee engagement and retention has become tougher. This is corroborated by over 60% employees, who are not planning to stay on in their current jobs for more than a year.
More than half of the HR managers agree that talent acquisition has become tougher and hiring at senior and middle levels has either been reduced or
delayed. With acquisition becoming difficult, diversity seemed to be the solution to the problem. However, only 15% of HR managers agreed that diversity helped them access a wider talent pool. Diversity was viewed more as a means to foster a better work environment and enhance productivity, by more than two-thirds of HR managers. Only about half the HR managers said that their organisation had a formal diversity policy in place.

More than half of the HR managers said that their target reviews are gett ing revised more frequently but only a quarter of employees were aware of the changes introduced.
Companies are revising remuneration packages with variable pay becoming a larger component, say almost half the HR managers. Again, only a quarter of employees are aware of these changes. This points to a significant gap between intent and perception for HR today.
This gap is also apparent in employee engagement measures introduced by the HR. While over two thirds of the HR managers believe their organisation offers an open line of communication with employees, only a third of employees actually agree.
Other variables of employee engagement where there is a significant gap of over 20% between HR perception and employee outlook include skill building, training, having a clear outline of performance benchmarks and, surprisingly, even fun events organised by companies.
This data shows that HR managers need to increase their efforts towards bridging the gap between perception and reality and emerge as an anchor to manage change in the present dynamic business environment.

World's Most Interesting 5 Jobs

Many of you are interested in getting into professions which you love to do, which are very light hearted professions without any sought of pressure to handle it. In the world, apart from the popular tech and other normal jobs, there are various other interesting jobs which you can opt as a profession. If you like to work in a profession which allows you to express your personality by doing something you love, here are the top most interesting jobs which are fun to work for as reported by Dona DeZube on Monster website.

1. Personal Trainer:

Personal trainers are basically fitness professionals who are involved in exercise prescription and giving proper instructions to their clients. It is the duty of the personal trainers to measure their client’s strengths and weaknesses with fitness review. This profession is not just restricted to a particular venue as these professionals can conduct training facilities at their own home, client’s home, health clubs and many of the fitness centers. This can be an interesting job as many people now a days are becoming more health conscious and because of that there is an immense demand for personal trainers across the world.

2. Be a professional singer:

Indians are very crazy about songs be it in any language they just like to enjoy the voice of the singer and the music behind it. So, if you are interested in singing, do not delay any more just go for it and take up a course in fine arts that includes music as well at any university near your place and get a valid certificate to try out your luck in the music industry. The present directors are also very much interested in introducing new voices to the public every day.

3. Sports Reporters:

Are you interested in various sports and like to enjoy them? Then, why don’t you try out as a sports reporter if you are aware of all the rules of the specific games? Yes, being a sports reporter is one of the happiest jobs in the world and it is one among various types of reporting and it is considered as one of the best reporting practices of all the other reporting. Even though you are skilled about various sports a degree in Journalism is a must to be any kind of reporters including sports reporters. You have a very good opportunity to enjoy every moment of the sports while you are reporting it.

4. Flight Attendants:

Do you like to fly in air every time? And are you interested in serving people by taking care of their needs while travelling? Then the best job for you is to try out as a flight steward or an air hostess for different airlines.As a flight attendant your primary job is to take care about the needs and safety of the passengers travelling. There is a great demand of air hostesses in India and at the same time there are few terms and conditions that has to be followed to enroll for any airlines. So, be aware of those terms and conditions before going for it.

5. Professional Golfers:

Even though this sport is an expensive sport, there are many people across the world who would like to be a professional golfer. The point to be noted here is majority of professional golfers make their living by teaching the game, by running golf clubs and courses and also by dealing in golf equipments.

Top 10 Degrees for Making Good Money

In order to have a grand lifestyle today, you need to have lots of money which you can only earn by having the right college degree. However, you must know that not all degree can fetch you a great job - where you can make big bucks. So, if you want to know which are the degrees that can fetch you more money? Then, you must certainly check out the listed below degrees for making money, as reported by  Joe Aguilar on WorldWideLearn.


10. Degree in Architecture: Though you can find very less options for a degree in architecture, once you are into this profession it can enable you to earn more in a worldwide perspective. You must know that architects are required to design buildings and other structures keeping in mind that the buildings should be functional, safe, and inexpensive and must suit the necessities of the people who use them. This profession can prove to be an advantage for people who are artistic and have drawing ability.

9. A degree in Fashion designing: If you are quite a creative person, who is quite interested in fas hion and style, then you can surely take up fashion designing as your career as it is sure to fetch you good pay. Moreover, if you can prove your caliber successfully in this field of work, you are sure to become a renowned figure in the fashion industry and get opportunity to work with prominent celebrities and models. However, you need to have a degree in fashion designing to work in this field.

8. Degree in Art direction: Apart from earning decent incomes, art directors can expect fast job gro wth in the forthcoming years. Art directors are responsible for creating and designing concepts and review material that is to appear in periodicals, newspapers, and other printed or digital media. A bachelor’s degree especially in art and many years of experience is required in this field of work.

7. Computer programming degree: The multinational companies today always require professionals who a re good coders, apart from that they pay quite well to professionals who have a good knowledge in  Java, C++, ASP.Net, VB.net, X ML, PHP and C#. So, you can opt to earn a bachelor’s or a master’s in Computer programming.

6. Civil engineering degree: Civil engineering jobs can also enable you to make good money, for that only you need to complete four year B- tech or BE in civil engineering from a reputed engineering college.  Civil engineers are always in demand because of the construction work that is happening everywhere in the country and world.  Civil engineers are required to plan, design, and supervise construction and maintenance of building structures.

5. Law degree: Lawyers play quite an important role in our society as they are required to maintain the public sanity. Therefore lawyers are always in demand and they get good pay for the legal cases, they are required to handle. So, if you aspire to become a lawyer you need to have a Bachelors degree in law (L.L.B) duly recognized by Bar Council of India.

4. Chartered Accountancy degree: If you are interested in finance and accounts then you can surely o pt to become a chartered accountant that can earn you a good lifestyle, status and a high pay. Chartered accountants are responsible for carefully monitoring of each and every financial transaction with additional importance on how these transactions affect the general setting of a firm. Besides that Chartered Accountants also provide financial reports and could also provide financial management services. In- order to become a chartered accountant, you need to have a commerce background which can enable you to get through the tough competitive exam and obtain knowledge to become a chartered accountant.

3. Medical degree:  Earning a medical degree can also give you great career opportunities to ad vance and earn good pay. But you must know that earning a medical degree is not that easy as you must have high degree of patience, dedication and discipline to become a doctor. In order to become a doctor you must get into a medical school to earn a five year MBBS degree after that you can go on adding more higher medical degrees like MD( Doctor of Medicine), MRCP ( Member of Royal College of Physicians) etc to your profile .

2. Software Engineering degree: The job of a software engineer is quite lucrative; besides that soft ware engineering profession is quite a highly in demand profession today. In- order to earn a software engineering degree you must qualify to study in an engineering college, where you can acquire technical knowledge to work in this field. Apart from that you must know that there are quite chances of advancement in this field of work.

1. Masters in Business Administration degree: With the rising competition in today’s job marke t, where every professional aspires to remain ahead of the other, earning a Masters in Business Administration degree can prove to be an icing on cake for you. However, you should keep in mind to obtain it from the right college as an MBA degree from any college will not prove to be beneficial for you. You should try getting an MBA degree from Prestigious colleges in the country like IIM’s, XLRI, Faculty of Management Studies BHU, Narsee Monjee, Institute of Management Studies, Shailesh J Mehta School of Management, IIT Bombay etc. Earning a degree from these renowned colleges is sure to fetch you a top position in a great company, with high pay.

10 Largest Employers in the World

While searching for your dream job, have you ever thought who are the biggest employers in the world are? For years, Indian railway was considered to be the second largest employer in the world after Chinese army. But, in the newest study done by the BBC points out that considering the number of employees working, Indian railway comes in the eighth position. The study was done by compiling the list of world’s largest public, private, and government employers by its number of workforce.

10. Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn): 

The multinational electronics manufacturing company, Hon Ha Precision Industry is ranked in the 10^th place of the BBC’s ‘Biggest employers list’. This Taiwanese electronics producer is well known by its trading name Foxconn. Foxconn occupies around 1.2 million employees, as per the report. Foxconn is also said to be the greatest exporter in China.

9. Indian Armed Forces:

Indian Armed Forces which comprises Army, Navy and Air Force comes at ninth position in the list. Even though 1.3 million employed in its various forces, Indian army employs the most comparing to its other wings. In terms of the human resources, it is one of the largest military forces. India’s Paramilitary forces and many other inter-service institutions also help India.

8. Indian Railways:

World’s fourth largest railway network, Indian railways was always listed among top 5 biggest employers of the world, but according to BBC’s recent research, Indian railways comes in the eighth position. It has already employed 1.4 millions and the report says Indian railways are going to employ another one lakh people. Though, railways were introduced to India in 1853, its forty-two rail systems were brought together only in 1951 when it was taken into the public sector.

7. State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC): 

With 1.5 million employees, the State Grid Corporation of China ranked in the 7^th position. Beijing headquartered SGCC is the largest electric utility company in China and even in the world. SGCC is transmitting and distributing power in China with its five subsidiaries. ‘2010 Fortune Global 500 list of the world’s largest companies by revenue’ ranked SGCC in the eighth position and in 2011 list, its rank was lifted up by one position.

6. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC):

With its 1.6 million staff, China National Petroleum Corporation headquartered at Beijing, ranks sixth on the list. One of the world’s major oilfield service providers, CNPC is reportedly China’s largest oil and gas producer and supplier. And it is an internationally reputed contractor in engineering construction. As of June 2010, in terms of market capitalization, its subsidiary PetroChina places in the second position in the world.

5. UK National Health Service (NHS):

The National Health Service ranks fifth on the list. Over 1.7 million people working under NHS, where 84 percent is reported to be worked in patient care and managerial positions are filled by just 3 percent of the workforce. Three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the UK come under the banner, ‘National Health Care Service’. While the workforce spread across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, NHS is said to employ one of every 23 workers in England.

4. McDonalds:

With 1.9 million employees, world’s largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurant, McDonald’s Corporation serves around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries. It is headquartered at Oak Brook, Illinois, U.S. Though 80 percent of the McDonald’s restaurants are franchises, it is also operated by either an affiliate or the corporation itself. Almost 1.5 million of the staffs are employed by other companies. McDonald’s runs over 31,000 restaurants, globally.

3. Wal-Mart:

World’s 18th largest public corporation, Wal-Mart (which is branded as Walmart) ranked in the third position. About 2.1 million people (counting the 200,000 people who work for Asda supermarket chain in UK) are employed in Walmart, the retail giant. This American multiantion is reported as the biggest private employer in the world and the largest retailer in the world. Walmart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S.

2. Peoples Liberation Army, China (PLA):

In terms of the number of employees, Peoples Liberation Army places tops next to U.S. Department of Defense in the ‘world’s biggest employers’ list. It unified China’s land, sea, strategic missile and air force military organizations together. Today, Peoples Liberation Army has over 2.3 million employees. PLA is the largest military organization in the world and it has the biggest standing army in the world.

1. US Department of Defense (USDOD): 

Employs nearly one percent of the U.S. population, U.S. Department of Defense tops the list of biggest employers in the world with a 3.2 million people. U.S. Department of Defense headquartered at the Pentagon, Arlington Co., Virginia. Executive Department of U.S. government, USDOD is to organize and direct all agencies and functions of the government which are mainly related to the national security and the U.S. armed forces.