The Counsellor - 26

THE COUNSELLOR

New composition 

I am doing BSc (honours) in chemistry. I have heard a lot about Cheminformatics. Can you elaborte on the career prospects in this field in India? Can you also inform about the institutes offering this course? 

Kiran Khatri

 

When information technology (IT) fuses with a branch of science, a new branch of science is born. Hence, the fusion of IT with biology and biotechnology is bioinformatics, the fusion of IT with Geology is Geoinformatics. And we now have a new branch fusing IT and chemistry called 'Cheminformatics'. 

   In the process of chemical research, a number of new compounds are synthesised continuously and a whole lot of information and data is generated. This continuously expanding chemical information is referred to as 'chemical information explosion'. Cheminformatics plays a great role in the management or in other words collection, storage, retrieval and application of this vast chemical information in a systematic manner using sophisticated computational methods and 3D modelling. 

   Cheminformatics finds wide application in drug discovery which is a very complex research process of formulating a chemical drug that produces biological effects. Further, the drug has to be tested for its effect on living beings. The biological response generated in a biological sample has to be carefully studied and documented. 

   This entire procedure is very time consuming, but with the help of cheminformatics these steps have been rendered very simple. 

   Cheminformatics is a rapidly developing branch of chemistry. In the coming days those who have specialised in Cheminformatics will be required globally. Chemical, agrochemical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies are in great need of researchers with extensive knowledge of chemistry and computer science. 

   As the subject is relatively nascent in India, I know of only a couple of institutes offering courses in this branch: 

   Institute of Cheminformatics Studies, Noida, www.cheminformaticscentre.org/chem/ . 

   Course: One year industry programme in cheminformatics through distance learning. 

   Jamia Hamdard, Deemed University, New Delhi, department of chemistry 

   Course: Postgraduate diploma in cheminformatics through open and distance learning.

 

Career in finance 

I have been working as an insurance agent for some years. I want to become a mutual fund agent as well. Is there any course that I can pursue help or books I can read on the subject? 

Rohit Mehra

 

With the capital market riding on the back of a booming Indian economy, mutual funds have emerged as an important financial intermediary for the investing public. Although assets of the 30-odd Indian funds have jumped skywards, investors need to understand how a mutual fund (MF) works. They also need to know about increasingly diverse and complex investment options created by a large number of MFs. 

   The agent or distributor assumes the role of a financial advisor and is the key channel for bringing mutual funds to a large number of investors all over the country. The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) which sets the industry standards for all funds operating in India has a certification process - the AMFI Mutual Fund Test. 

   This certification has been made mandatory by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for anyone engaged in selling mutual funds - agents as well as those employed in distribution companies and banks. 

   Upon clearing the test, you can apply for your AMFI registration number which will certify you as an AMFI Registered Mutual Fund Advisor (ARMFA). 

   The test can be taken by anyone (regardless of age or qualification) who wishes to test his knowledge of the complexities of how mutual funds function internally and externally. 

   The automated multiple-choice online test requires no prior knowledge of computers. Papers are set for each candidate separately and assessed online. After you have the AMFI basic module, you can look at the AMFI advisors module. 

   The AMFI MF test is also offered as a separate module of the National Stock Exchange’s (NSE) Certification in Financial Markets (NCFM) along with other subjects such as derivative trading, capital markets etc. 

   AMFI has prepared the necessary study material to help you prepare for the test. The Workbook can be obtained from the AMFI office in Mumbai. For details log on to: 

www.amfiindia.com/testingprogram.html  

   You could also contact your nearest NSE Centre (there are seven of them) to register for the online test for a fee of Rs 500. There is no restriction on the number of attempts Log on to www.nse-india.com  for details. 

   Two good books I can recommend on the subject are The Indian Mutual Funds Handbook by Sundar Sankaran and The New Commonsense Guide to Mutual Funds by Paul Farrel - both published by Vision Books.

Which way 

I will be completing my class XII with science stream this year. Everyone around me is planning to enter information technology (IT) field. But my family members say that IT will be badly hit with the economic downturn in the US. Since I don't even know what exactly software professionals do, I am getting very confused. 

   Roop Singh

 

True, if the US economy sneezes, India's IT sector is bound to catch a cold because Indian IT companies earn more than 60% of their revenues from the US. 

   However, these (recession) are cyclical things that shouldn't worry you much. The Indian IT sector which has been witnessing 30-40% growth every year over the last four years will continue to shine regardless. In fact the big issue vexing IT companies is the availability of quality talent. India requires a 2.3 million-strong workforce by 2010 and fears a potential shortfall of nearly 0.5 million qualified professionals. Software engineering will continue to be one of the fastest growing occupations for the 

next decade at least. In fact, employment of computer software engineers is and is projected to grow "much faster than average". 

   There are two types of computer software engineers: computer applications software engineers and computer systems software engineers. Computer software engineers are employed in a wide variety of industries since every business requires unique computer software and systems, but approximately 30% of computer software engineers work in computer systems design and related services. 

   Other industries for computer software engineers include software publishers, government agencies, computer manufacturers and electronic equipment manufacturers. Computer software engineers are employed in almost every industry due to the proliferation of Internet, e-mail, and other communications systems, which is expanding electronics to engineering firms that are traditionally associated with unrelated disciplines. Engineering firms specialising in building bridges and power plants, for example, hire computer software engineers to design and develop new geographic data systems and automated drafting systems. Computer software engineers are truly needed in every field and industry. This need has led to a great number of job openings for these professionals. 

   To be eligible for one of the thousands of computer software engineer positions, applicants must have a Bachelor's degree, preferably in computer science or software engineering. For more complex jobs, a postgraduate degree in computer information systems or computer applications and advanced certifications are required.

 

Looking ahead 

I am doing BSc Nursing. Due to health reasons (acute rheumatoid arthritis), I will not be able to work in a hospital or clinic. I have heard that there are some options for medical professionals in the BPO Sector. Is this true? I am in a great fix. 

Subhiksha Chaudhary

 

Increasingly, outsourcing firms in India are now hiring medical professionals – doctors and nurses – as they look for new areas of business to supplement shrinking incomes from sectors that have traditionally opted for outsourcing like finance and banking. Four other outsourcing firms Wipro BPO, TCS, Cognizant and HCL are hiring doctors nurses and paramedics. About 15-18 people come on board every month. The pay obviously depends on experience and quality of work done, but it is common for these BPOs to offer the doctors double of what they have been 

making. The average salary could start from Rs 45,000 and go up to Rs 3 lakh per-month. Those with pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, nursing, homeopathy, degrees are in demand. So don't worry. Remember, the definition of a toughie: Someone who gets going when the going gets tough.

 

 

Sunil Sharma

   Moderator

Dil Se Desi Group

&

www.dilsedesi.org

Career in Finance

 

Lucrative careers in the field of finance

THE gap between the demand and supply of high-end skills in the area of finance is not only an actually-felt gap, it is also growing over time. Indian School of Business & Finance (ISBF) based in Delhi, is making an attempt to create an attractive opportunity for graduates by providing them training for exciting and lucrative career in the field of investment banking and financial markets. On offer at ISBF is a one-year diploma for graduates in finance awarded by the University of London in association with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). 

   The University of London diploma in finance consists of four modules covering investment management,valuation and securities analysis, corporate finance and elements of econometrics. The course, designed by LSE, is taught by experienced faculty at ISBF. The academics who teach and assess students at the LSE campus and other colleges of the University of London not only develop the study material for these different modules in the course taught at ISBF but also set the examination papers and evaluate the scripts in London. As these courses are offered globally, the standards of the course are necessarily high and globally acceptable. 

   In order to ensure that students doing this diploma for graduates awarded by the University of London, have a strong foundation. ISBF is also offering a comprehensive curriculum in finance and awarding a one-year full time post graduate diploma inclusive of the University of London "graduate diploma". The course structure for the ISBF postgraduate diploma also includes economics for financial markets, quantitative methods for finance, introduction to financial accounting and international finance. This makes the course broadbased and comprehensive even for graduates with science & mathematics background apart from graduates with commerce and economics.The participants will have to apply their knowledge to real-life problems in the form of a project report prepared under the supervision and guidance of their academic and industry mentors. 

   The ISBF programme provides an edge over the traditional finance-related MBA (PGDBM) programmes of various B-schools, which largely concentrate on accounting and banking aspects,but lack the analytical rigour required in the area of financial research. 

   ISBF post graduate diploma holders will be highly sought after by international investments banks across a wide range of areas in corporate finance, equity research, fund management, and management consultancy. They would also have a unique opportunity to pursue a one-year MSc degree in Finance from LSE or any other leading university around the world. 

   Besides the diploma in finance, ISBF has an established Centre For Financial Planning. The centre offers a one-year full-time postgraduate diploma in wealth management incorporating a globally recognised certification. The current batch of postgraduate diploma in wealth management, have been successfully placed in respected financial sector organisations like HSBC Bank, HDFC Mutual Fund, Deutsche Bank, Kotak Bank, MF Global, JM Financial and many others in their wealth management/client advisory division. The director of ISBF Jitin Chadha says, "We have had an unprecedented response from the industry, our batch of 30 students were placed within a month, most of the students had two to three job offers from various banks and other financial institutions." 

   The bouquet of educational courses on Business and Finance offered at the ISBF also includes highly prestigious undergraduate courses in economics, banking & finance management as well as economics & management from the University of London in association with LSE.These courses have already carved out a niche for the discerning who look for courses full of content as well as utility in real life.These degrees are recognised now as equivalent to honours degrees of the University of Delhi. 

   To find out more about ISBF visit www.isbf.edu.in

 

 

 

Sunil Sharma

    Moderator

Dil Se Desi Group