Monday 31 December 2012

EAMCET (medical) to be held irrespective of NEET outcome


Admissions to veterinary and agriculture courses are based on it. Whether NEET is made compulsory or not, science students have to take the medical stream test of EAMCET if they wish to seek admissions in veterinary and agriculture courses.

Irrespective of the Supreme Court’s final direction to the States on the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET), the State government will conduct the EAMCET next year, including the medical examination for the science students.

The medical stream test has to be conducted as admissions to veterinary and agriculture courses are based on it. So whether NEET is made compulsory or not, science students have to take the medical stream test of EAMCET if they wish to seek admissions in veterinary and agriculture courses.

Since almost all the aspirants appearing for the medical stream of EAMCET opt for veterinary and agriculture courses once the MBBS and BDS seats are finished, there is no point in worrying about NEET or EAMCET. “If NEET is made mandatory also they have to write medical stream of EAMCET for admission into other courses. So its better they concentrate on their preparation without worrying about the outcome in Supreme Court,” an official said.

The Supreme Court is likely to give its verdict in mid-January on whether States have to mandatorily opt for NEET or conduct their own tests for the next academic year. Some States, including Andhra Pradesh, have moved to Supreme Court seeking some more time to be part of NEET.

Meanwhile, the government is busy finalising the dates of all the entrance exams. APSCHE Chairman P. Jayaprakash Rao said that the dates of all entrance tests would be announced by January 10. The government has already decided to entrust the responsibility of conducting the tests to the same universities that conducted the tests this year. Even the Conveners are likely to be the same.

FEE STRUCTURE

Prof. Rao also said that the process of finalising the fee structure for all professional courses would start soon and the notification concerned would also be issued in January. College managements would have enough time to submit their proposals so that AFRC could fix the fee accordingly. “We want to stick to the AICTE schedule on the academic calendar and will ensure that classes started on August 1 after completion of admission process by July-end,” Prof. Rao said.

Some useful tips for aspirants planning to take the UPSC exam


The Civil Services Mains Examination 2012 is yet another indication of the pattern of testing to be pursued by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to select civil servants for the most populous democracy on earth.

The number of questions that test the analytical ability of candidates has increased when compared to that of last year in the general studies paper.

In General Studies Paper I, the number of questions to test analytical ability has increased to 181 marks this year when compared to 111 marks in the previous mains examination.

In General Studies Paper II too, such questions have increased to 210 when compared to 117 last year. The total marks for each of the general studies mains paper is 300.

December and January are crucial for aspirants to focus on the preparation for the next prelims, as a chunk of the candidates who have appeared for the mains will have to sit again for the prelims.

Even those successful candidates who miss this opportunity in these three months to prepare for the next prelims will have no time because of the need for preparing for the personality test.

If a candidate gets selected to the Indian Revenue Service this year and wants to improve ranking to join the Indian Administrative Service next year, the preparation before January 2013 is important to clear the next prelims, says P.S. Ravindran, director, Vajiram and Ravi Institute for IAS Examination, New Delhi.

Preparation

The civil services mains 2012 results are expected to be released earlier in February and the preparation for the personality test has to begin this week.

Candidates have to start gathering information from broadsheets such as The Hindu, Frontline, World Focus, India Year Book, Economic Survey and Yojana, says Mr.Ravindran.

Such experts also stress the need for All India Radio news analysis at 9.15 p.m., the audio recording of such analyses on the AIR website, panel discussions and expert opinion at Lok Sabha TV.

Newly added topics such as biodiversity, climate change, environment and sustainable development carry around 15 marks in the prelims.

News coverage and editorial pertaining to important developments and conferences on these topics have to be read thoroughly.

Stress should be on the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) as the potential for scoring is likely to be high in the paper.

The most important reason is that scoring more than 95 in general studies will be tough even with thorough reading of the entire syllabus. So candidates have to try and score at least 125 in CSAT for a decent score in the prelims.

What to expect

Candidates with a score of 200 out of 400 are likely to clear the prelims comfortably.

The type of questions in the general studies question paper for the mains examination 2012 stress the need for focussing more on the bio-data of the candidates and their ability to form opinions.

The candidate is expected to start gathering information on the mains application form columns for a good score in the personality test.

Candidates who get to the next stage of the civil services exam by clearing the civil services mains examination will have to undergo a personality test which is likely to be a test of such aspects.

Candidates are advised to form a group of friends who have cleared the mains and discuss the issues in social, economic, national, international, cultural and political covered in a broadsheet newspaper.

According to the notification of the UPSC, the candidate will be interviewed by a Board which will have before them a record of her/his career.

So it is better to have the photocopy of the form and commence preparation based on the details given such as hobby, hometown, subject of graduation, previous job, interests and extra-curricular activities and so on.

Candidates will be judged based on mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.

IGNOU announces last date for admission


The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) on Sunday announced January 8, 2013 as the last date to apply for late admissions to its various academic programmes.

University officials said the students would have to pay a late fee of Rs 200 along with the application form.

The IGNOU programmes offered only in the January session include Master of Science in Mathematics with Applications in Computer Science (MSCMACS), Post Graduate Diploma in Hospital and Health Management (PGDHHM) and PG Diploma in HIV Medicine (PGDHIVM), among others.

The varsity has invited applications for Masters of Computer Applications (MCA), Master of Arts in Rural Development, MA in Tourism Management, Bachelor of Computer Applications ( BCA), and Master of Business Administration in Banking and Finance, among others.

Established in 1985, IGNOU was set up to provide cost-effective education, especially to the poor.

The university educates over four million students in India and 36 other countries through 21 schools of studies and a network of 67 regional centres, around 3,000 learner support centres and 67 overseas centres.

The university offers about 490 certificate, diploma, degree and doctoral programmes.

SET to be held on February 17


After a long wait, the University of Pune (UoP) has announced the dates of the Maharashtra State Eligibility Test (SET) exam held for the posts of lecturers. It will be conducted on February 17 as per the new pattern. It was last conducted in November 2011. The next exam was expected in six months time, but the UoP has failed to do so for several reasons.

The UoP conducts the exam in Maharashtra and Goa and close to 40,000 candidates register for it each year. Every three years, the University Grants Commission (UGC) renews the approval granted to the UoP to conduct the exam in the two states. The UoP had applied for renewal of the approval in February this year. However, the approval was pending since, an official said.

Meanwhile, candidates who were preparing for the SET exam were in a dilemma. The UGC had announced the dates for the national eligibility test (NET) to be held on December 23. Students here feared there will be very little gap between the two exams. The SET exams are usually conducted in November, however, delay in the UGC approval forced the UoP to conduct it in February 2013.

As per the new pattern, the third paper will also carry objective type questions. The test will be conducted in objective mode and will consist of three papers to be held in two separate sessions.

Applications can be filled online between December 11 and 31 while the hard copy will be accepted till January 8. The admit cards will be provided to all candidates ten days before the exam, said a statement issued by the UoP.

Paper I and II consists of 100 marks each while paper III carries 150 marks.

Details of the examination are available on the website: http://setexam.unipune.ac.in

Hyderabad students to challenge new National Eligibility Test guidelines


Students are planning to challenge UGC's new National Eligibility Test (NET) guidelines for lecturer posts. University Grants Commission (UGC) recently introduced a new rule stating that only top 15% candidates in NET will be eligible for taking up teaching jobs in colleges and universities.

Till last year, any candidate who scored minimum marks was eligible for teaching posts. Students from English and Foreign Languages University (Eflu) on Sunday said they would approach court against UGC guidelines. The protesting students said that the UGC's decision was in violation of a Kerala HC order, issued on December 17, 2012. A total of 28,000 students appeared for the NET examination from Osmania University centre on Sunday.

"In its order, the Kerala HC had clearly stated that NET was only an eligibility test and not a competitive examination. The exam is only meant to test whether the candidates are qualified to teach or do research. However, by deciding to grant NET certificates to only the top 15% candidates, UGC is denying an opportunity to others," said Mohan Dharavath, student leader, Eflu. Students said that new guidelines would do more harm than good.

"Those candidates who had secured NET in the past would appear for the examination to get grants under Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). Such candidates are likely to figure in the top 15% of the merit list over and over again denying opportunity to others," said Dharavat.

The students are planning to file a PIL within a month's time. UGC conducts NET once in every six months.

Saturday 29 December 2012

21 engineering colleges to seek accreditation

All the 21 engineering colleges affiliated to the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (BAMU) have decided to get accreditation from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The decision was taken at the management council meeting on Friday.

Around 35 subjects were discussed in the meeting. "A committee has been set up to address the complaints about lack of facilities in the hostels. The committee will review and suggest the necessary steps to be taken in each hostel, "said Sanjay Shinde, public relations officer at the university.

Shinde said that the work order for the e-tender that had been floated to start the construction of minority girls hostel had been released and the work will commence soon. "Around Rs 4 crore have been sanctioned by the state government, "he said.

Considering the water shortage faced by the drought affected region, the university has decided to conduct exams of the summer semester a fortnight before the regular schedule. There will be less number of gaps between two papers and the syllabus for all the courses will be finished early by undertaking extra lectures, he added.

Shinde said the council had also decided to install Wi-Fi facilities on the university as well as Osmanabad sub centre campus.

The vice chancellor, Vijay Pandharipande will review the changes in the PhD process as suggested by the Board of Colleges and University Development (BCUD), M S Shingare.

It was also decided to forward the proposal of new engineering college planned by the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Sanstha to the state government and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). A new M.Phil course will also be conducted during vacations on credit based grading system.

Record number of candidates for JEE 2013

The Joint Engineering Entrance (JEE) - main, formerly known as the All India Engineering Entrance Examination, had registered a record 14 lakh candidates for the 2013 exams. This is the highest ever registration for the test conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). What's interesting is that while year on year increase in number of aspirants since 2008 has been in between 20,000 to 30,000, this year it increased by nearly 2.8 lakh. The exams will be conducted in April 2013.

JEE (main) is conducted for candidates aspiring for admissions to BE, BTech and architecture courses at National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), Delhi Technological University, and other centrally funded technical institutes (CFTIs). According to CBSE officials, this year has not only seen all time high, but also the increase in terms of numbers has been the highest. "Around 14 lakh aspirants have registered, which is nearly 2.8 lakh more. Last year aound 11.2 lakh candidates registered for the exam," said chairman of CBSE, Vineet Joshi.

While AIEEE and IIT-JEE were separate exams till 2012, based on direction from the ministry of human resource development and following consultation it was decided that from now on admissions to engineering and architecture courses will be based on JEE (main) and (advanced). JEE (advanced) will replace IIT-JEE and will be conducted by the IITs and only the top 1.5 candidates of JEE (main) merit list will be eligible to sit for the JEE (advanced).

According to CBSE officials, one of the reasons for the significant increase in the number of candidates could be the new scheme of things. According to the JEE Apex Board decision the merit list for admission to NITs, IIITs, DTU, Delhi and other CFTIs will be prepared by giving 40% weightage (suitably normalised) to class XII (or equivalent examination) or other qualifying examination marks and 60% to the performance in JEE (main) examination. "For the first time weightage will be given to class XII results as well while preparing the merit list, which was not the case earlier. So while earlier many students used to concentrate on coaching for the entrance exam and prepare for the class XII boards in a way that they score just minimum eligibility marks. Giving weightage to Board results must have encouraged many students who are not exposed to intensive coaching, as they too now stand a good chance to be on the merit list if they perform well in the Boards," said Joshi.

admissions and scholarships alerts Posted on 29 DEC 2012

MANAGEMENT

Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
(Postgraduate programme in public policy and management (PGPPM))

Eligibility: Graduates with a minimum of five years’ work experience are eligible. Selection will be done on the basis of CAT/GRE/GMAT score. Government candidates from the all India or civil services and engineering services with at least seven years’ experience can apply

How to apply: Visit www.iimb.ernet.in for online application form and more details

Last date to apply: January 31, 2013
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Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
(LLB (hons) in intellectual property law (three-year, full-time, residential))

Eligibility: Students with first class bachelor’s degree in engineering/ technology/medicine or equivalent are eligible to apply. Candidates with first class master’s in science, pharmacy or equivalent or first class MBA with any of the above can also apply. The entrance test is slated for May 11, 2013. Details are available at www.rgsoipl.iitkgp.ernet.in

How to apply: Online application forms are available at the institute’s website, www.iitkgp.ac.in/topfiles/law.php

Last date to apply: March 1, 2013

Scholarships to study in France

Apply now for post graduate studies in science and engineering

Several scholarships are being offered for students who wish to pursue post graduate studies in France. The scholarships are GDF SUEZ-MFA co-financed scholarship 2013-14 and Michelin-Institut Francais en Inde scholarship 2013-15.

The French ministry of foreign affairs and the GDF SUEZ Group have announced a scholarship for high-level foreign students hailing from Brazil, Chile, China and India who are currently enrolled at university in their home countries. Only candidates from these four countries and who are not more than 28 years of age in the selection year are eligible for the programme.

The study scholarships are awarded for one year of studies in France in the second year of a master’s programme (M2) at Ecole Polytechnique, Paris in the following specialisations: Master REST: Renewable Energy Science and Technology (in English), Master WAPE: Water, Air, Pollution and Energy at local and regional scales (in English)

Master COMASIC: Master Conception and Management de systèmes informatiques complexes (in French). For more details visit www.inde.campusfrance.org/en/page/gdf-suez-meeaco-financed-scholarship for more information. The deadline for submitting applications is February 15, 2013. Aspirants can also go for the Michelin-Institut Français en Inde co-financed study scholarship that will be awarded for two years of studies in France for the master’s degree programme in the areas like mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, production engineering and mecatronics. Students will get a chance to study in IFMA (Institut Français de Mécanique avancée) or ENSCCF (Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Clermont Ferrand).

Yale Young Global Scholars Programme 2013

Study and live for two weeks at Yale

Yale University is accepting applications for the Yale Young Global Scholars Programme for Outstanding High School Students. The summer programme is open to rising high school juniors and seniors from across the United States and around the world, who will live and study at Yale for two weeks in the summer of 2013.

The programme features intensive interaction with renowned Yale faculty in the fields of history, political science, law, economics, and international affairs. International applicants must submit a copy of the most recent TOEFL scores (original official report is not necessary). A minimum score of 600 on the paperbased test, 250 on the computer-based test, or 100 on the internet-based test is required. Visit http://summer.yale.edu/application/application-procedures for more details. Last date to apply is March 1, 2013.

A revision guide for XAT 2013

Emphasise on verbal and logical ability to score well

The final revisions for any exam need an informed and focused approach. Hence I have tried to very lucidly encapsulate the ‘what to expect’ for XAT 2013 aspirants.

To be held on January 6, XAT 2013 will consist of two parts. The first part will contain multiple choice questions on three sections with around 95100 questions on data interpretation and quantitative ability, analytical reasoning and decision making ability and verbal and logical ability. The duration of the test has been extended to three hours instead of two hours and 20 minutes as was earlier. A section on general awareness has also been added.

XAT places a lot of emphasis on verbal and logical ability and hence improvement in these areas is very important. Further, the newly introduced 40-minute section will include essay writing and general awareness.

There will be a general knowledge section comprising 20-30 questions. The questions in this section will pertain to topics such as business, economics and politics related to the business environment. One needs to have a grip on the current political and economic scenario of the country and the world. A daily read of business newspapers is useful.

Candidates should concentrate on areas such as present heads of major global/Indian companies, information on brands and companies, taglines of major global/Indian companies, significant books (such as, business related books and business biographies) released in 2011-2012, current business affairs (eg, important economic decisions, mergers and takeovers, etc), terminologies/abbreviations, related to the banking sector, economics and general business. Aspirants are expected to have awareness and critical ability to understand and analyse the economic, political and social environments today.

Tuesday 25 December 2012

Eleven new courses to be included in DU’S four-year programme

The four-year degree programme that was passed by the Delhi University's Academic Council on Monday will expose students to a number of courses that were not part of the structure earlier.

“We have introduced 11 foundation courses that will be compulsory for all students and will give them a broader perspective. There are courses such as governance and citizenship, language, literature and creativity, geographical and socio-economic diversity, psychology communication, life skills and culture and civilisation," said a member of the task force which had prepared the proposal.

Under the new system, the students will have five classes of the discipline subjects (major and minor) per week. This will include a class for student presentation which will contribute to internal assessment.

For the foundation courses in Hindi and English, the same pattern will be followed. For other foundation courses there will be two lecture classes and student presentation class and one tutorial per week. For the discipline courses as well, the system of tutorials will remain the same as now.

“In the fourth year, students will study courses only in their major discipline. This will include a subject-specific paper in research methodology as well,” said the task force member.

The council has also given the Vice-Chancellor the power to constitute department-wise teams who will make the syllabus that will be put forward to the course of committees.

The passed proposal has invited a lot of comments, both positive and negative.

For a lot of students who wish to pursue their masters' degree from foreign universities, it is good news. Most universities want students to have completed a four-year undergraduate degree and many are rejected because India follows a 10+2+3 pattern.

But the dissenting council members have raised points about the legality of this change.

“India's national policy for education allows a university to follow only the 10+2+3 model. There is no uniformity with other central universities. Also, the task force is an illegal body that has no statutory standing,” said Sheo Dutt, an Academic Council member.

Board declares 99% result for class XI 1 semester exam

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) on Monday declared over 99 per cent result of first semester exams of Class XI (science). In all, 1,16,940 students had appeared for the exam of which 617 students have failed while 241 candidates did not appear for all the exams.

In the A group, 74,536 students had appeared of which 74,097 students cleared the exam. The result was 99.41 per cent. In the B group, 42,361 students appeared for the exam of which 41,942 students passed. The result was 99.01 per cent.

Officials said that 763 students have scored 99 percentile and above in the A group while 438 students have scored over 99 percentile in the B group.

A record 86 students scored 100 out of 100 marks in chemistry while 81 students scored cent percent marks in maths and 23 students in physics. Students also scored cent per cent marks in languages where 12 students scored 100 out of 100 in English and one in Hindi. Not a single student scored cent per cent marks in biology.

Recently, the GSHSEB also declared 99 per cent result in the third semester exam of HSC (science). Officials said that the final result of HSC (science) will be declared after the fourth semester exam is conducted in March.

A total of 129 students with disabilities had also appeared for the exam of which 121 students cleared the exam.

GSHSEB chairman R R Varsani said that the semester system which was introduced in class XI and XII (science) last year will prove to be blessing for the students. "Appearing for semester exams has taken off a lot of burden from students. We are hopeful that the over all result in 2013 would be better than past years," said Varsani.

Monday 24 December 2012

UGC NET exam on December 30

The UGC Junior Research Fellow (JRF)/ lectureship NET examinations will be held on December 30 at nine centres in the city.

The first paper for 100 marks will be held between 9.30 am and 10.45 am and the second paper, also for 100 marks, will be between 10.45 am and 12 noon. The third paper is scheduled between 1.30 pm and 4 pm, for 150 marks.

The nine examination centres include Andhra University Arts College, AU Science College, AU College of Engineering, AU Women's Engineering College, Dr B R Ambedkar College of Law, AU Pharmacy College, AU School of Distance Education, Gayatri Vidya Parishad and Samatha College at MVP Colony.

The candidates, who registered at Andhra University examination centre (03) are requested to attend the exam with admit card and visit the varsity website www.andhrauniversity.info/ugc.html for further details.

SC relief to NET candidates

In a relief to thousands of aspirants taking the national eligibility test (NET), the UGC has withdrawn its decision to increase the cut-off marks for clearing the NET, following a Supreme Court order on Friday. The UGC had increased the eligibility score by 15% without notice.

The national educational testing bureau of the UGC conducts the NET for determining the eligibility for lectureship and for awarding junior research fellowship to ensure minimum standards for the entrants in the teaching profession and research. The NET is conducted in June and December every year.

The UGC, however, made several changes in the June 2012 exam, including increasing the cut-off marks. The candidates learnt about the changes only when the UGC announced it a day after announcing the results of the exam on September 18.

As per the initial notification, candidates belonging to the SC/ST sections needed 35, 35, and 60 marks respectively for qualifying papers 1, 2 and 3. The marks to be obtained by the OBCs were set as 35, 35, and 68 and for those belonging to the general category it was 40, 40, and 75. But, when the results were announced, candidates who would've been eligible as per the initial criteria failed to qualify.

As per the new criteria, the percentage of marks to be scored by candidates belonging to different categories has been increased by 15%.

This made several students file an affidavit with the SC against the UGC regarding change in norms. On Friday, the SC issued an order saying that the UGC's decision was invalid as it did not follow the exam policy in announcing the changes in cut-offs and that, too, in such a short period of time. An official at the University of Pune that conducts the NET exam said, "The SC decision is valid for all candidates who sat for the June 2012 examinations. The old cut-offs will be considered and new results will be announced."

Saturday 22 December 2012

Class XI results to be declared on Monday

Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) will declare the results of the first semester exams of class XI (science) on Monday.

Officials said that nearly 1.70 lakh students have appeared in the first semester exam which comprised objective-type questions. This is the highest number of students appearing in the science board exam this year.

These papers were corrected by Optical Mark Reader (OMR). The results will be sent to school principals and will be declared to students on the same day. The result is expected to be around 90 per cent since the students tend to score better in OMR papers.

Recently, the third semester results of HSC (science) students was declared, and they were in the 90 per cent region. The final fourth semester exam for the students will be held in March.

Friday 21 December 2012

ISC students worried as exams brought forward by 2 weeks

The new schedule of the ISC (Class XII) exams, advanced by a good two weeks, is giving students and parents sleepless nights. With the preliminary examination concluding only by the end of January in many schools, students will have to reschedule their study timetable.

Parents say the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations should have announced the dates well in advance.

"Last year, we had sketched out a timetable for our son. He had a month's time for study after the pre-board examination. But this year, the pre-boards get over by the end of January and board exams begin in mid-February. It's bound to be stressful," says Kiruba Sundara Raj, a parent.

"The board should have made an announcement early to prepare students. We were intimated only three or four days ago. This examination is like a stepping stone for students to get into good colleges. But now, ISCE students will be at a disadvantage compared to CBSE students,'' complains Darshan Sheth, a parent.

Though students are putting up a brave front, they are worried. "I would've preferred the regular examination schedule, beginning March. Now we'll fall short of time by at least 15 days. But since we're preparing for the pre-boards, it should not be a problem," says Ritika Sharma, a commerce student appearing for ISC 2013.

"A lot depends on the subject. The first theory paper on February 14 is environmental science, which none of our students have taken. So in our school, the examination begins on February 19, the date for the next paper," says Indrani Sudarshan, education head, Ebenezer International School.

Admission opens to IGNOU's online programme on biodiversity

The Indira Gandhi National Open University's (IGNOU's) Chair for Sustainable Development (CSD) announces admission to online Appreciation Programme on Sustainable Management of Biodiversity for the January 2013 session.

According to Prof. Swaminathan, Honorary Chair, CSD, "There is need for greater efforts in spreading biodiversity literacy. This is particularly important in the context of the emerging changes in temperature, precipitation and sea level as a result of global warming. By conserving and enhancing its natural resource base and using its resources sustainably we can improve the resource efficiency of its economy and reduce its dependence on biodiversity. This course promotes an improved quality of life, sustainable use, the protection of biodiversity and equitable economic prosperity."

The programme, says the press statement released by the university, is of one month duration and consists of four blocks. The blocks deal with the biodiversity and its importance, agro biodiversity, threats to biodiversity and sustainable use of biodiversity.

""The programme will provide an appreciation/understanding of the science underpinning biodiversity and will target the growing need for expertise in sustainable management of biodiversity in a changing climate and the need for mainstreaming these issues in the development planning and poverty reduction. It will promote awareness and capacity building for sustainable management of biodiversity for mainstreaming biodiversity into the daily lives of individuals,"" says the statement.

The eligibility for joining this course is a graduation degree in any subject. The post graduate students, researchers, scientists, engineers, medical doctors, stake holders, policy makers, administrators, and other professionals with requisite educational qualifications will be given preference.

The fee for the programme is Rs. 500. It can be completed in a minimum period of one month and a maximum period of six months. Online application form and other details are available at www.ignouonline.ac.in/save. Only 50 students will be admitted for the programme (first come first basis) and the last date is 15th January, 2012.

Chair for Sustainable Development, IGNOU, was established in the year 2007 as a University level Chair, cutting across disciplines and schools. The eminent Agricultural Scientist and Father of green revolution in India, Prof. M.S. Swaminathan is the Honorary Chair for CSD.

Last date for JEE forms extended to Dec 24

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has extended the last date for submitting the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE)-Main application form. Students aspiring for admission to IITs, NITs and other centrally-funded technical institutions can now fill online forms and submit the same till December 24. Earlier, the last date was December 15. The JEE main will be held on April 7.

The CBSE has updated this information on its website.

The CBSE administration decided to extend the date of form submission keeping in view large number of applications received from the students. To facilitate further all students who could not fill the online form due to various reasons and to accommodate more, the CBSE administration took this decision.

In view of it being the first examination for JEE-Main to be held in 2013, the last date for submitting online application form has been extended up to December 24. The CBSE has further notified that the date for filling up of application for JEE (Main)-2013 will not be extended any further.

AIEEE is now known as JEE (Main) and IIT-JEE as JEE (Advanced).

The admission to Undergraduate Engineering Programs at NITs, IIITs, other centrally-funded Technical Institutions, Institutions funded by several participating State Governments, and several other Institutions shall include the performance in the Joint Entrance Examination, JEE (Main).

It will also be an eligibility test for the JEE (Advanced), which the candidate has to take if aspiring for admission to the undergraduate programmes offered by IITs.

For admission to NITs, Centrally-Funded Technical Institutions like IIITs etc and other participating institutions, the merit/rank list shall be prepared based on 40% weightage to school Boards marks in class XII or equivalent examination and 60% weightage to JEE(Main). The weightage to school Board/Equivalent examination marks shall be considered only after normalisation.The JEE Advanced will be organised by the IITs including Kanpur, Delhi, Mumbai, Roorkee, Guhawati, Kharagpur, Khozikode on June 2.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

admissions and scholarships alerts Posted on 19 DEC 2012

MANAGEMENT

Loyola Institute of Business, Chennai
(Postgraduate diploma in management)

Eligibility: Minimum three-year bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, from a recognised university, with a consistent record of first class in Class 10, 12 and graduation. Candidates who have applied to LIBA will be short listed only on the basis of their XAT 2013/CAT 2012 scores

How to apply: Visit liba.sify.net/liba_instructions.php for more details

Last date to apply: February 2,2013
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Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida
(Postgraduate diploma in management)

Eligibility: Candidates with recognised bachelor’s degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate are eligible. Selection will be done through CAT, XAT and MAT

How to apply: Visit www.bimtech.ac.in for more details

Last date to apply: December 31,2012
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Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, Harihar
(Postgraduate diploma in management programme)

Eligibility: Graduates in any discipline with 50% aggregate are eligible. Candidates appearing for the final exams can also apply

How to apply: Visit www.kiams.ac.in/images/appl_formB14.pdf for further details and www.kiams.ac.in/pgdm.php for application forms

Last date to apply: March 15, 2013
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National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad
(Postgraduate diploma in rural development management)

Eligibility: Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university are eligible

How to apply: Visit www.nird.org.in/pgdrdm for online application form and more details

Last date to apply: January 11,2013
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National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad
(Postgraduate diploma in technology management in agriculture)

Eligibility: Postgraduates in agricultural sciences/social sciences/physical sciences/ management/engineering/law can apply. Graduates in the same subjects with two years’ work experience are also eligible to apply

How to apply: Visit www.naarm.ernet.in for more details

Last date to apply: January 31,2013
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RESEARCH

National Brain Research Centre, Gurgaon
(PhD in neuroscience)

Eligibility: Candidate should either have secured 55% marks throughout their academic career starting at Class 10 or a master’s degree in any branch of science from a university recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) or a bachelor’s degree in engineering/ technology/medicine or equivalent

How to apply: Visit www.nbrc.ac.in for more details

Last date to apply: December 31,2012
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MISCELLANEOUS

Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi 
(PhD in clinical psychology)

Eligibility: An applicant should have first class master’s degree in psychology (regular course) or an MPhil in medical and social psychology/clinical psychology from any recognised university, for three-year course and the two-year course, respectively

How to apply: Visit cipranchi.nic.in/Prospectus/Prospectus_B.pdf for details

Last date to apply: May 31, 2013
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MPhil in psychiatric social work

Eligibility: An applicant with master’s degree in sociology or social work from a recognised university with a minimum of 50% marks in the aggregate can apply

How to apply: Visit www.onlineapplication.cip.edu.in for more details

Last date to apply: February 15,2013
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SCHOLARSHIPS

JN Tata Endowment Scholarships Applications invited for Indian nationals who wish to pursue higher studies abroad

Eligibility: Applicants should be graduates of a recognised Indian university with a consistently good academic record. Students in the final year and those awaiting results can also apply. Mid-career professionals up to the age of 45, planning to go abroad for further research, specialisation or training are eligible to apply

How to apply: Visit www.dorabjitatatrust.org/ for more details

Last date to apply: March 4, 2013

GATEWAY TO A GREAT JOB- GATE 2013

Online Exam : Jan 20, 2013
Offline Exam : FEB 10, 2013

GATE scores are used not only for admission to major institutions but also for recruitment in many PSUS, says

This is a good time to be an engineering graduate. With many public sector undertakings now recruiting through the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), science and engineering graduates in the country can look forward to secure and lucrative jobs. GATE is conducted for admission to postgraduate programmes in engineering and science at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, Indian Institutes of Technology, National Institutes of Technology and other engineering colleges in the country.

The all-India examination conducted jointly by the IISc and seven IITs, including IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras and IIT Roorkee. It primarily tests the comprehensive understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and technology.

 All about GATE 2013 

GATE 2013 will be a threehour exam with 65 questions (30 one-mark questions and 35 two-mark questions) totalling up to 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. General aptitude and engineering maths with 15 marks each, however, play a vital role in maximising the score. A good performance in aptitude and maths ensures the minimum qualification marks in GATE,” says Prudhvi Reddy, course director of GATE at TIME. IIT Bombay is the organising institute for GATE 2013. One-third of the marks allotted to each question are deducted in case of a wrong answer. 

How GATE can help you

Along with a chance to pursue higher education, GATE comes with multiple benefits. With the introduction of the aptitude section from 2010, focused preparation for GATE comes handy for other PSU exams such as Coal India Limited, Steel Authority of India Limited, GAIL India Ltd etc and also campus recruitment interviews. GATE scores are considered as the merit criterion by organisations such as Powergrid, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, IndianOil Corporation Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, HECL and National Thermal Power Corporation, for recruitment to the posts of executive trainees and management trainees. “In the last five years, it has more than quadrupled from 1.8 lakh applicants in 2008 to 7.7 lakh applicants in 2012. Out of the total applicants, only 15-20% of the applicants manage to qualify in GATE. This means that it is highly competitive,” says Reddy. The GATE score is valid for two years. Since GATE is also the entrance test for MTech/ME/direct PhD courses in India, it has other advantages too.

“It gives great research and development opportunities. All GATE qualified students pursuing a masters programme at any college are eligible for a financial assistance of R8000 per month from the ministry of human resource development,” says Abhijit Chaudhury, director, GATE Forum.

CMAT will test your capacity to think

When attempting the test, you should minimise silly errors and try to solve most of the 25 questions in each section.

The next Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) will be held from February 21 to 25. There are 25 questions in each of the four sections of CMAT. Each question carries four marks for a correct answer and one mark is deducted for a wrong answer. The sections include: quantitative techniques and data interpretation; logical reasoning; language comprehension and general awareness.

The questions that appear under each of these categories are elementary in nature. Unlike other management entrance tests such as the CAT and XAT where difficult questions are asked to test a student’s capacity to think and build logic in various situations, the CMAT questions are standard and meant to test a candidates basic understanding. While attempting the test, the key approach is to minimise silly errors and try to solve most of the 25 questions in each section. So what should you be preparing for when it comes to each of the sections?

Quantitative techniques and data interpretation: The preparation should be divided under two broad streams — quantitative techniques and data interpretation. To prepare for quantitative techniques, break up your preparation into the following topics: Number systems, progressions, set theory, averages, percentages, applications of percentages — profit and loss, applications of percentages — interests, ratio and proportion , time and work, time speed and distance, geometry, mensuration, functions, inequalities and quadratic equations.

Data interpretation questions test your ability to comprehend the quantitative logic which might be embedded inside a real life data analysis situation. The quantitative logic would typically involve mathematical thinking on the basis of averages, ratio and proportions and percentages. Needless to say, calculation skills would also be crucial while solving this section. Focus on your ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide twodigit numbers as also improve your ability to calculate percentage values and your ability to compare ratios.

Logical reasoning: The question types you would need to prepare for this section include: sequences and series, blood relations, direction tests, ages, statement — assumptions, statement — conclusions, assertions, courses of action, mathematical operations, puzzles based on arrangements, team formations, rankings and quantitative reasoning, coding- decoding etc. Once you master the nuances of each of these question types, it will be easier for you to crack them.

Language comprehension: This section has a mix of questions from verbal ability and reading comprehension. Question types include: critical reasoning, fill in the blanks, analogies, odd man out, antonyms synonyms, paragraph jumbles, reading comprehension etc. One would not expect the questions to be too tough.

General awareness: General awareness is perhaps one of the decisive sections of the test. Focus on developing your business knowledge, read the business news over the past four years from across the world. General awareness questions can also come from the areas of science and technology, geography, politics and sports.

Wednesday 12 December 2012

admissions and scholarships alerts Posted on 12 DEC 2012


MEDICAL

Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai
MD in general medicine/paediatrics/ anestheseology/radio-diagnosis/dermatology etc
Eligibility: Applicants with MBBS degree and those who have completed their internship before March 3, 2013 can apply.
How to apply: Visit www.sriramachandra.edu.in/university/admission.aspx for online application forms and more details
Last date to apply: January 7, 2013


MANAGEMENT

Nirma University, Gujarat
MBA (part time)
Eligibility: Applicants with a three-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree in any discipline from a recognised university with at least 50% marks or equivalent Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) can apply
How to apply: For online application form visit institute’s website at www.imnu.ac.in
Last date to apply: December 30, 2012


Loyola Institute of Business, Chennai

Postgraduate diploma in management
Eligibility: Minimum three-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree in any discipline, from a recognised university, with a consistent record of first class in Class 10, 12 and graduation. Candidates who have applied to the institute will be short listed only on the basis of their XAT 2013 or CAT 2012 scores
How to apply: Visit liba.sify.net/liba_instructions.php for more details
Last date to apply: February 2, 2013

National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad
Postgraduate diploma in rural development management
Eligibility: Graduates in any discipline from a recognised university are eligible
How to apply: Visit www.nird.org.in/pgdrdm for online application form and more details
Last date to apply: January 11, 2013

National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad
Postgraduate diploma in technology management in agriculture
Eligibility: Postgraduates in agricultural sciences/social sciences/physical sciences/management/life sciences/engineering/law can apply. Graduates in the same subjects with two years’ work experience are also eligible
How to apply: Visit www.naarm.ernet.in for more details
Last date to apply: January 31, 2013


National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai
Postgraduate diploma in industrial safety and environmental management (PGDISEM)
Eligibility: Engineering/technology graduates in any branch with first class (relaxable by 5% in case of SC/ST/PD candidates) and with valid CAT (common admission test) score. Few seats are available for sponsored candidates. Sponsored candidates must be from reputed industrial organisations/ academic institutions. Candidates applying under the sponsorship category should also fill the sponsorship form and CAT is not required
How to apply: Visit www.nitie.edu for online application form and more details
Last date to apply: December 17, 2012


DESIGN

MIT Institute of Design, Pune
MSc Design Ethnography (in collaboration with University of Dundee)
Eligibility: Graduate in any disciplines are eligible to apply. Design aptitude test (DAT) will be conducted on March 31, 2013 at various centres across India
How to apply: Visit www.mitid.edu.in/admissions.html for more details
Last date to apply: January 31, 2013

SCHOLARSHIPS

Deakin University, Australia
The university is offering scholarships ranging from A$ 2,500 to A$ 7,000 that have been designed exclusively for the benefit of meritorious Indian students. It is also offering limited number of competitive scholarships to all international students, including Indian students, that range from A$3,000 to A$ 5,000 per annum
Eligibility: Candidates with 60% and above marks in the previous qualification are eligible to apply
How to apply: Visit deakin.edu.au/future-students/international/scholarships for more details
Last date to apply: January 10, 2013

Sheffield Hallam University (SHU), UK
SHU invites applications for the postgraduate courses and introduces two new courses for the Indian students — MSc logistics and supply chain and MSc strategic operations management
Eligibility: For MSc logistics and supply chain, candidate should be a graduate in any discipline from a recognised university. Supply chain practitioners, engineers and managers are also eligible. For MSc strategic operations management, the applicant should be a business professional, graduate in business/management discipline or IT graduate
How to apply: Online forms are available at SHU’s website www.shu.ac.uk or at the regional centre in Delhi
Last date to apply: December 14, 2012

Tips to get better at studies


Whatever the issue is, there are things that you can do to improve your results

During your school years, there are few things that are more stressful than not being able to perform well academically. Difficulties in processing and comprehending information can serve as a significant impediment to academic excellence. In today’s high-stimulation atmosphere, it is difficult to block out distractions and concentrate on the task at hand.

With the high premium that our society places on academic excellence, poor academic performance can have dire consequences for one’s sense of selfworth, motivation and social standing. As a student, understand that if you are facing problems with academics, or are weak at a specific subject, you need to put in that extra effort to be able to compensate for it, and not let it pull you down.


  1. Identify the problem: Not knowing the exact problem will only lead you to waste time shooting in the dark. Identify specific areas of difficulty and the possible reasons behind them.
  2. Divide tasks into small goals: The thought of having to study chemistry, mathematics or history can seem daunting and de-motivating. Divide your studies into smaller, more achievable sections.
  3. Minimise distractions: If you want to concentrate on your work, keep your desk clut-ter-free and put away your cell phone. Study in short spurts of 45 minutes and take short, but frequent breaks.
  4. Use multiple methods of learning: Students have different ways of processing information and different styles of learning. If you face difficulties in reading, ask someone to read the information out to you. It is also important to practise writing notes, to make the information a part of your muscle memory.
  5. Do not be too critical of yourself: If you do badly in a test or are struggling with a subject, do not be too hard on yourself. Instead, focus on the things you have accomplished and congratulate yourself.
  6. Participate in extra-curricular activities: Do not get completely bogged down in academic issues. Instead, participate in extra-curricular activities to hone your potential.

Scholarships in UK Universities

You have a chance to win a scholarship if you wish to pursue undergraduate and post graduate studies in the UK.

University of Bristol :

Five scholarships of £8,500 each for undergraduate students and five scholarships of £8,500 each for postgraduate students.
Eligibility: Submit a short personal statement of up to 350 words outlining why you should be awarded a University of Bristol International Office Scholarship.
Deadline: May 24, 2013.
Email: indiadesk@bristol.ac.uk.

University of Southampton :
Southampton Management School is offering two scholarships worth £5000 each for the full-time AMBA-accredited MBA programme starting September 2013.
Eligibility: You must have at least four years of work experience and be at least 26 years old. English language requirements are at IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any component, or equivalent.
Deadline: January 30, 2013.
Email: global@southampton.ac.uk

Friday 7 December 2012

admissions and scholarships Posted on 7 DEC 2012



Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, New Delhi Postgraduate diploma in management (finance)
Eligibility: At least a three year bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline recognised by AICTE. Students in the final year of graduation may also apply
How to apply: Visit lbsim.ac.in for application form and more details
Last date to apply: December 10, 2012

Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida Postgraduate diploma in management
Eligibility: Candidates with recognised bachelor’s degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate are eligible. Selection will be done through CAT,XAT and MAT
How to apply: Visit www.bimtech.ac.in for more details.
Last date to apply: December 31, 2012

National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad Postgraduate diploma in technology management in agriculture (PGDTMA)

Eligibility:
Postgraduates in agricultural sciences/social sciences/physical sciences/life sciences/engineering/law can apply. Graduates in agricultural/ social sciences/physical sciences/law with two years of work experience are also eligible
How to apply: Visit www.naarm.ernet.in for more details
Last date to apply: January 31, 2013

National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad Postgraduate diploma in rural development management (PGDRDM)

Eligibility:
Graduates in any discipline from a recognised university can apply. Students in the final year of graduation before August 1, 2013 may also apply. Some seats are reserved for the sponsored Indian in-service. Indian in-service candidates should possess at least two years of work experience in rural development and allied sectors, and are required to apply through their employers
How to apply: Visit www.nird.org.in for application form and more details
Last date to apply: January 11, 2013


National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore PhD in clinical psychology

Eligibility:
Applicants with two years full time MA/MSc in psychology/counseling, psychology/psychological, counseling/ clinical, psychology/applied psychology or MPhil degree in mental health and social psychology or clinical psychology can apply
How to apply: Visit www.nimhans.kar.nic.in for details
Last date to apply: December 15, 2012

National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi PhD in chemical biology, genetics & cell signaling, immunity & Infection, molecular & cellular biology, reproduction & development, structural & computational biology

Eligibility:
MSc in any branch of science or equivalent qualification as per the norms of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. At least 60% aggregate score or equivalent grade in class 12 and bachelor’s degree, and at least 55% aggregate score or equivalent grade in master’s degree is required
How to apply: Visit www.nii.res.in for application form and more details
Last date to apply: December 17, 2012

Enjoy the whole XAT 2013 experience


Make sure that you know your strengths and weaknesses, advises an XLRI alumnus.

This is not just about clearing the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT). I really urge the aspirants to think big and beyond the exam and “enjoy” the whole experience. Enjoy the preparation, cherish the joy of solving each difficult question, laugh at the silly ones, enjoy the peer pressure, enjoy the bus and metro rides to your weekend mock test destinations, enjoy the glum faces after each mock test, enjoy low percentiles and enjoy the XAT - but never let your confidence go down. Never aim low. I firmly believe that a searing want to clear the exam (come what may) puts unnecessary pressure and only increases the probability of failure. Be sincere, not serious. Therefore, I iterate - don't miss the bigger picture. If possible, go and visit your dream campus. Don't get carried away by the mock toppers or the timers and launchers at all. Make your own choices and hold the belief that you are the best. You know why— because you are the best!

Having said this, you must ensure that you are consistent with the preparations and are aware of your strengths and weaknesses in various topics. One important practice that must be mastered is to always scan the entire question paper and plan your 180 minutes. According to me, the game is not to be good enough to be able to solve all the questions. Instead, it is to be smart enough to know which ones not to attempt. Unfortunately, the competition is very fierce and not all will land in their dream schools. You need to be in your best form and the momentum of preparation has to only increase till the D-day. Only then will you be able to feel most confident about yourself and unleash your best in those fateful 180 minutes. Any hint of complacency or low or overconfidence is a sure shot recipe for disaster. Clearing XAT has to be your need, and not a want or a desire.

CSAT 2013-Civil Services Aptitude Test has become vital for cracking the UPSC


With the change in the syllabus of the UPSC preliminary examination two years back, students who wish to clear this prestigious examination are now required to take two papers on General Studies. While General Studies Paper I retains the outline and broad characteristics of the earlier General Studies paper, the novelty and game changer now is the General Studies Paper II, also known as Civil Services Aptitude Test.

Both the papers have a weightage of 200 marks each, but it is now clear that the GS Paper II is much more ‘scoreable’ than Paper I because of its elements of traditional aptitude, reasoning, comprehension and so on.

So how do you organise your preparation for the GS Paper II?

First things first
Get a hold of the types of question you need to prepare.

Exposing you to questions of all possible categories and from all possible subjects is one of the key ways to prepare for CSAT. While doing this, adopt the following steps in order to gain an advantage over your competitors:

For every question type/topic,
i) Understand the nuances of the question type/topic, as also the width and the depth of questions that can be asked on the same
ii) Develop your thought process to tackle questions within a topic
iii) Identify and eliminate any errors in your thought process
iv) Try to improve the quality of your reactions, find shorter ways to think and solve questions from the topic

For this purpose, organise your preparation into the following areas:

Basic Numeracy: This topic has to be studied under the following categories
a) Numbers: Consisting of the chapters of Number Systems and Progressions
b) Word Based Problems: Consisting of the chapters of Averages, Alligations, Percentages, Profit and Loss, Interest, Ratio and Proportion, Time and Work, Time Speed and Distance.
c) Counting based chapters: Permutations and Combinations, Probability, Set Theory

Data Interpretation: Questions on this topic typically ask you to interpret information which is presented in the form of line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, tables and/or a mixture of the above. Questions are then asked about the information provided and you would need to answer these based on the data provided.

Logical Reasoning: This is again a very important area on which to focus your preparations. Questions under logical reasoning can be classified under Puzzles, Linear Arrangements, Circular arrangements, Blood relations, Sequences and Series, Direction test, Mathematical Symbols Numerical puzzles.

Comprehension: Under comprehension you are provided with a passage of anywhere between 250 to 1,000 words, and are asked to solve questions based on the content of the passage. Typically, you would encounter two kinds of comprehension based questions:

a) English Comprehension: These questions have to be solved in English by all candidates and hence do not have a Hindi translation to them.
b) General Comprehension: The comprehension questions are also translated into Hindi. However, these questions are quite tricky and complex in nature & hence you need to focus on your ability to understand the nuances.

Interpersonal Skills & Communication skills:
Questions under this category test your ability to structure language and your verbal skills. Since, these questions are also translated into Hindi, you should only focus on such questions of verbal ability which have the potential of being translated into Hindi.

Decision Making: These test your ability to think logically as an administrator in the context of a real life situation.

Exposing yourself to questions on each of these categories would take you a long way towards cracking the General Studies Paper II of the UPSC.

The writer is one of the authors of Tata McGraw-Hill’s recently published title, General Studies Paper 2 (also know as CSAT) for Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2013.

GATE-2013 to get tougher


The increasing interest in higher education among the technical graduates in the country is a direct reflection of the growing number of aspirants for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). The aspirants have grown from a mere 1.8 lakh in 2008 to 7.7 lakh in 2012.

The GATE-2013 will see more numbers and certainly be tougher for two reasons. Due to sluggish recruitment in the IT industry more students are likely to appear while on other hand Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) are recruiting in large numbers and GATE qualification is mandatory for most of those jobs.

Moreover, nearly 90 per cent of the applicants take the test unlike the Civil Services where about 50 per cent of applicants actually appear.

The GATE-2013 to be conducted by the IIT Bombay will also see several changes. Out of 21 papers in GATE 15 papers will be conducted in online mode this year. Last year only six papers were online while the previous year only four papers were in the online mode. However, this may not be a concern as GATE aspirants are used to online test like AIEEE or BITSAT.

Another change brought in for the exam includes exemption of application fee for female candidates to attract more number of girl students. The fee will be Rs. 1,200 for general and OBC candidates and Rs. 600 for SC, ST and Physically Challenged boys.

Till last year GATE score calculation used method of average and standard deviation of marks scored by all students. In the new formula to be applicable from this year, the average and standard deviation terms do not refer to the entire population, but to specific ability levels (qualification marks and top 0.1% of students). The score will be valid for two years.

The three-hour exam with 65 questions (30 one-mark questions and 35 two-mark questions) summing up to 100 marks will have questions from core subjects, engineering maths and general aptitude. “Questions from the core engineering subjects far outweigh the other two areas with 70 per cent weightage. But, General Aptitude and engineering maths with 15 marks each, play a vital role in maximising the score,” says Prudhvi Reddy, Course Director of GATE at TIME institute.

Mr. Reddy feels good performance in aptitude and Maths ensure the minimum qualification marks. “Offline mode will have only multiple choice questions. But, online mode exams will also have numerical answer type questions accounting for 15 marks.” Questions are likely to test the applicants’ grip on basic concepts and the ability to apply them in problems. The GATE notification issued gives an overview of the areas where applicants will be tested. These can be broadly categorised in to four types - recall, comprehension, application and Analysis and Synthesis. “Most of the recall based questions will be in the one mark category. Thorough knowledge of fundamentals and extensive practice are the only two factors that can bring success here,” Mr. Reddy says. The GATE trainers advice that candidates should plan their preparation strategically. Attempting previous papers and analysing the weightage given for various topics are crucial elements.
However, aspirants will face tough competition for six papers - CSE, ECE, EEE, ME, PI and IN that account for 90 per cent of the applicants. All these will be in the offline mode on second Sunday of February 2013.

IBPS exam is the gateway to the banking career


According to a study presented to the Planning Commission, the banking sector has the potential to account for as much as 7.7 per cent of India's GDP. With the expansion plans of public sector banks, the retirement of a large number of people in the middle- level management, and the introduction of new services like Bancassurance, the banking sector in India will require an addition of more than 7.5 lakh skilled people in the next five years. This has really given a fillip to the aspirations of graduates across the country who are prioritising their career choices. Several factors like fast career growth, relative stability of employment and opportunities for higher learning focused on the specific sector, provide strong reasons for the youth to look at this sector very seriously.

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection will shortly roll out the first online examination of the banking sector conducted on a large scale — the IBPS Clerical Examination. Let’s examine the structure of this first ever online examination and examine the test areas and the types of questions.

The examination will consist of five test areas — Reasoning, English Language, Numerical Ability, General Awareness with Specific Reference to Banking, and Computer Knowledge. These test areas will carry 40 questions each, with 40 marks for each section. The total marks for this two-hour examination will be 200. Wrong answers and multiple answers will attract a penalty of 0.25 marks. To qualify in the examination, test takers must secure separate minimum marks in each test area and also reach the minimum qualifying mark overall.

Questions in Computer Knowledge will test the basic awareness of the candidate – to check whether the candidate has the working knowledge required to perform in a wired work environment. These questions will not call for proficiency in any computer languages or flowcharting techniques. 

When you examine the questions, you will realise that the level of difficulty is moderate. Yet, very clearly, the five test areas require different approaches.

Preparation for the reasoning questions requires study of the following topics: Number and Alphabet Series, Coding and Decoding, Sequences, Symbol Notations, Puzzles, Deductions, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. A good deal of practice is required to develop speed and to quickly identify the frequently appearing patterns. The more you work with the patterns of questions mentioned above, the faster will be your ability to navigate through the options, which can be deceptively close.

The Quantitative Aptitude questions test your ability to work with numbers and basic mathematical problems relating to percentages, time and work, time and distance, ratios, etc. Familiarity with school-level concepts is more than enough for mastery of this section.

The General Awareness questions test candidates on various areas like current affairs of national and international importance, achievements in sports and other fields, questions related to the fundamentals of Indian Economy, Banking Terminology. While no single book or publication or source can be identified as a one-stop-solution for preparation in this area, a regular reading habit will definitely help. Since performance in the General Awareness section is largely binary, (either you know the answer to a particular question or you don’t) you can get a substantial amount of time for other test areas if you have been reading up on current affairs.

The English section checks your comfort level with synonyms, antonyms, sentence correction, usage and grammar. One can perform well in this section by revisiting the fundamentals of grammar and usage, brushing up on vocabulary and ensuring that a regular reading habit is part of your regular preparation.

The section on computer knowledge should not pose much of a challenge to an aspirant familiar with the common terminology used in relation to computers, networks, the Internet and so on. This section is relatively more 'close-ended' compared to the General Awareness Section, in that the amount of learning required is much more focused.

Rather than width of knowledge, what is required to crack these questions is good grounding in the fundamentals of the test areas, followed by a lot of practice with model papers and full length tests.

UPSC suggests changes in Govt Civil Services exams


The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has suggested changes in the prestigious Civil Services examination to make it more relevant in the present day scenario. 

"The UPSC have submitted a proposal to the Central government, suggesting certain changes in the existing scheme of civil services (main) examination to make it more relevant with the present day, global as well as internal scenario on the basis of the report of a committee," Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V Narayanasamy told Rajya Sabha in a written reply. 

The committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Prof Arun S Nigavekar, former chairman, University Grants Commission ( UGC)

"Till now, no decision has been taken by the government on these recommendations," the minister said.

IIT coaching at click of a mouse on TechnoPrep.com


Students, aspiring to crack competitive exams like IIT-JEE, All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) and All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT), may no longer need to cough up exorbitant fees at coaching centres and attending time-consuming classes. Now they can get online guidance and coaching from experts on each subject, appear in mock tests and get sample questions sitting at home, courtesy TechnoPrep.com, an e-module developed by an Odia computer engineer.

IT professional Brahmanshu Mishra, the brain behind the web-portal said, "The idea of developing web-based coaching hit me when most of the entrance tests in the country became online. TechnoPrep offers better coaching by top IIT professors at a fraction of classroom coaching cost and students don't have to stay in a hostel in a different city to prepare for the entrance tests." Now that the Centre is all set to make Indian Science Engineering Eligibility Test (ISEET) and AIPMT exam online, TechnoPrep can be a great help for students to practise for the tests and stay ahead in the competition, he said.

TechnoPrep officials said the firm has roped in some of the best professors in subjects like physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology to create an extensive database of top-quality questions and elaborate solution to each question.

"All chapters have been divided in a timeline of weeks. Every week we send materials, synopsis and sample questions for both board and entrance examinations. Students can also get the experience of online test so that they can get rid of the examination panic," said Dharitri Dash, manager.

Thursday 6 December 2012

You can Submit NEET-UG forms Online


The online window for submission of application forms for the maiden national eligibility cum entrance test for undergraduate (NEET-UG) medical and dental courses is now open. Students can submit their forms by accessing the website - www.cbseneet.nic.in - for the single entrance test, which is to be held on May 5, 2013.

The Maharashtra government has already conveyed to the central government its commitment to be a part of the NEET-UG scheme from 2013 onwards. Consequently, the Maharashtra Health and Technology Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET), which was the combined entrance exam for admissions to the health sciences, engineering and pharmacy degree courses in the state, has been scrapped. The exam has since been renamed MT-CET for the engineering and pharmacy courses.

The state directorate of medical education and research (DMER) has posted a detailed notification related to the NEET-UG, which will be conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The Union government had published the NEET-UG 2013 exam plan for medical and dental admissions in the official gazette on February 15, while the Medical Council of India issued a notification on April 26 declaring that there will be a single national eligibility cum entrance test.

In Maharashtra, the NEET-UG will also be mandatory for admissions to the other health science degree courses such as ayurveda (BAMS), homeopathy ( BHMS), unani (BUMS), physiotheraphy (BPTh), occupational therapy (BOTh), prosthetics and orthotics (BP&O), audiology and speech, language pathology (BASLP), BSc nursing and paramedical technology (BPMT), the DMER notification states.

The DMER has cautioned all candidates aspiring for a seat in health science courses other than medical and dental, to ensure that they appear in the NEET-UG 2013 to qualify for admissions to the other courses. "The state government will not be responsible if such desirous candidates fail to apply for NEET-UG 2013," the notification states.

The NEET 2013 will be conducted in 16 cities in the state. In Pune, the DAV Public School on the DP Road, Aundh has been designated as the facilitation centre for the candidates from the city.

An admission notice issued by the CBSE states that the NEET-UG shall consist of one paper containing 180 objective type questions, ie, each question carrying four options with single correct answer, from physics, chemistry and biology (botany and zoology). The duration of the paper would be three hours.NEET-UG important dates.

Wednesday 5 December 2012

AICTE creates a table to keep admission process in check


Gujarat which is notorious for continuing its admission process for months will have to pull up its socks. All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) officials announced in a seminar here on Tuesday that academic sessions of all technical, professional classes should begin from August 1 next year.

The AICTE has handed over a time table which the state education department has been directed to strictly adhere to from next year.

Advisor-I of the AICTE, MK Hada said that as per the Supreme Court guidelines, the AICTE has made a time table for all the states to follow for admissions in engineering and other technical professional courses. As per the time table, the states will have to seek permission for new colleges before April 30.

In the past, colleges have been granted admission as late as in June and July completely jeopardizing the admission process. "By June end, the first round of admission should be completed. The second round of admission should be completed on July 10 and the third round should be finished by July 20. Academic sessions in all technical colleges should begin on August 1", said Hada.

Hada said that the states found flouting this time table will be served a notice as these guidelines have been prepared following SC directives. Locals have welcomed this change as the admission process in Gujarat is known to stretch till September, October and even November.

Officials said that any student admitted after July 30 will not be enrolled by the universities and not recognized as a student by AICTE.

Tuesday 4 December 2012

7 facilitation centres for NEET


Students appearing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test 2013 (NEET) need not worry about filling up forms as solution will be at hand. Seven facilitation centres, set up at seven schools are helping aspirants with the application procedure, which started on December 1. 

In case of any confusion, a student can just walk in to any of these centres and get help, said Sitaram Mohapatra, state nodal officer for NEET 2013. The centres will remain open till December 31. The centres are at DAV Chandrasekharpur, DPS Rourkela, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sunabeda, Kendriya Vidyalaya Balangir, DAV Jharsuguda, DAV at NTPC Talcher and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Mayurbhanj. 

As per NEET 2013, private medical and dental colleges in the state, which had separate entrance examinations from that of the government colleges, will now admit students who will clear NEET. The test will be held in Bhubaneswar, Rourkela and Koraput. 

Each of the three government-run colleges in Burla, Berhampur and Cuttack has 150 seats. Also, Hi-Tech Medical College Bhubaneswar has 100 seats, Hi-Tech Rourkela has 100 and Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital has 100 will be available for admission under NEET. Similarly, 300 seats for BDS will be available for admission. These include 20 seats at SCB Dental College, Cuttack, besides the 60 seats at Gandhi Dental College, 100 at Hi-Tech Dental College, 50 at Institute of Dental Sciences and 100 at Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences. Odisha joint entrance examination cell will do counseling for these colleges. 

Manipal University will introduce 12 new courses


 Manipal University will introduce 12 new courses in the forthcoming academic year. At present the varsity is offering 320 courses in 18 streams. 

GK Prabhu, registrar of Manipal University, said here on Monday that the university would conduct online entrance tests (OET) for all its courses, including MBBS, BTech and BPharm from April 15 to May 15, 2013. The number of test centres has been increased from 30 to 50 this year, he added. 

"There is no clarity in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical courses introduced by the Union government. As a result several deemed universities have moved court. We have also moved court against NEET and if the Supreme Court directs us to admit students through NEET, we will do that. However, we will conduct the online entrance tests as per the schedule," he added.

This year, the university has added a new feature to the entrance test. The candidates will be allowed to take a second test, if they are not satisfied with their performance in the first attempt. "The better score will be considered for the merit list," he said. 

He also said that even though there is a need for more nurses in the country, there is a decline in the demand for nursing courses. To encourage more students to take up the course, the university has introduced scholarships for nursing students. 

"Candidates who have scored above 80% in their 12th standard exam and whose parents' family income is below 12.5 lakh are eligible for the scholarship," he added. 

The university has also increased the funds set aside for scholarships from Rs 18.13 crore to Rs 25.01 crore. "There is also a 10 percentage tuition fee waiver in all course for Konkani speaking students," he said. 

A few seats in all the courses are reserved for schools and colleges of Academy of General Education. Some of the scholarships offered are Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) scholarship for qualified students, All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) scholarship, merit-cum-means scholarship.