Studying in real time

Studying in real time

 

MANY SCHOOLS ARE TRYING TO MOVE BEYOND BOOKISH’ KNOWLEDGE TO INCLUDE MORE REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES IN THE CLASSROOM. THE NEW TREND

 

   Priyanka wonders why she is taught sets and matrices in mathematics and how it would ever benefit her in the future. Similarly, Sanchit fails to understand why he needs to study, in detail, the working of circuits in physics when he has no plans of becoming an electrician. "These days students tend to look for logic behind everything. As a result, they don't readily accept things that they believe have no meaning for them," points out Sangeeta Luthra, TGT in biology, DPS-Gurgaon. 

 

   And it isn't just the students, as now even teachers feel that the curriculum is 'bookish' and needs to be overhauled to incorporate more real-life examples that students can easily relate to. Also, education should aim to help students solve 'real-life problems' instead of merely securing good marks. According to Abhinav Dhar, senior vice-president, Educomp Solutions Ltd: "Schools take pride in publicising their high results and that is very unfortunate as, in a way, we are encouraging a system which is 'marks-oriented' and subsequently encourages rote learning. We need, instead, to focus on the quality of teaching so that students grasp concepts for life. The emphasis should be on fundamentals and teaching should be such that it encourages thinking." 

 

   Commenting on the present curriculum being followed in schools, he adds: "We continue to teach outdated curriculum and that is a core issue that needs to be addressed. Also, the selection of topics that are taught is also a matter of serious concern." Similarly, Sujatha Ramadorai, member, National Knowledge Commission, states: "Textbooks, today, are urban-centric but teaching methodologies and ideas are not. Therefore, it depends on a teacher as to how s/he deals with a subject and makes it interesting for students adding their own experiences, real life examples, research and using low cost teaching learning materials (TLMs) among others." 

 

   She adds: "Teachers play an important role in conveying the reality behind abstracts. Subjects like mathematics rely heavily on cumulative knowledge and early years are critical. Therefore, students need inspired teachers who instil a sense of confidence in them and they also feel equally motivated to study." 

 

   However, teachers argue that they have no motivation and their profession is still unrecognised as compared to other conventional ones. Monika Chopra, a PGT in chemistry, N C Jindal School, Punjabi Bagh, opines: "Motivation is lacking in this profession and that hardly leaves any place for innovation. The profession has been severely undermined in recent years and it is important that teachers are given due recognition for their contribution to society." 

 

   Chopra uses various low cost TLMs to develop the interest of her students in chemistry classes. She elaborates: "To explain the concept of weight, for instance, we use three polybags containing stones, apples and melons. In the process, students learn why one bag is heavier than the other. Similarly, foil and iron fillings are used to teach some other concepts." 

 

   However, as far as the development of teachers is concerned, she adds: "Teachers should be provided with avenues to discuss new pedagogical developments but, instead, they are made to work within such restraints that there is no scope for experimentation or innovation. This academic autonomy is lacking."

 

 

 

 

Sunil Sharma

   Moderator

Dil Se Desi Group

&

www.dilsedesi.org

Reading to learn

Reading to learn

 

INDIA is on the path to becoming a knowledge society. But, does this hold true for all of India or is it just something urban India prides itself on? 

 

 

  "There are still remote areas in the country where children have no access to any reading material. And education is not confined to textbooks, a child needs to be exposed to a variety of reading material including newspapers, magazines, books, comics, posters, and so on. Only then can we spark their imagination and improve their vocabulary," says Deepa Sankar, education economist, World Bank. 

 

   Echoing similar sentiments, Sunisha Ahuja, programme director (Asia Region), Room to Read, adds: "To become a knowledge economy, we must first create the knowledge. Despite recent economic growth, India still faces lack of basic resources especially in the field of education." However, there are a few individuals and organisations that have taken up the challenge to tackle illiteracy through 'reading programmes.' They include Room to Read, Pratham and Jamghat. 

 

   Room to Read is a non-profit charitable organisation founded by former Microsoft employee John Wood based in San Francisco. It is dedicated to building education infrastructure in developing countries to end the cycle of poverty. The organisation has operations in many South and Southeast Asian countries, including India, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Sri Lanka. It has recently expanded to Africa as well, having set up operations in South Africa and Zambia. 

 

   Room to Read India chapter was established in 2003, with the aim to provide children a friendly environment that encourages reading. Especially in areas where illiteracy rates remain high and few educational resources exist. "We work with rural and urban slum communities in five key states — New Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. The aim is to improve the educational infrastructure. And while most of our libraries are in government schools and non-profitrun alternative education centres that serve the most disadvantaged populations, nearly 15% are located in community centres," says Ahuja. 

 

   The majority of children's literature available today caters to an urban audience, which is why kids from rural areas and slums do not identify with the reading material. Therefore, Room to Read has also started publishing its own material to help bridge this gap. "It is a shame that urban kids who have access to such a variety of reading material spend most of their time on the Playstation or watching TV. On the other hand, when these underprivileged children get their hands on the books, their enthusiasm and excitement is worth seeing. That is, perhaps, our biggest reward," adds Ahuja. 

 

   Another such initiative by Pratham, Read India, aims to inculcate the 3R's among children across the country — reading, (w)riting and (a)rithmetic. It focuses on the introduction of 'learning to read' (and arithmetic) activities in schools. This includes simple interventions like incorporating a reading period aimed at improving fluency in reading to teaching the use of alphabets. 

 

   "Read India is a focussed campaign and we have received excellent feedback. We have been using various teaching-learning materials besides reading cards and, as a result, many students who struggled earlier have now learnt to read. In fact, we are now moving from learning to read to reading to learn," elaborates Madhav Chavan, founderdirector, Pratham. 

 

   Pratham's newspaper Bachpan, which introduces interesting reading material to primary school classes, is also being used as part of the Read India campaign. This eightpage tabloid is distributed twice a month to 10,000 government primary schools in Bihar. "What is most interesting about the paper is that it is layered according to the different learning levels of students," says Chavan. 

 

   Swagata Pillai, project head, Bachpan, adds: "Our aim is to strengthen reading skills and build a reading habit among primary school children. Despite high enrolment levels in most states, a substantial proportion of school-going children in primary grades cannot read simple text fluently. So, this is like a supplement to textbooks." 

 

   Jamghat, an initiative of I-India, is what nearly 4,00,000 homeless children in the Capital call home. This 'home' provides for their essential needs such as food, shelter, clothing, schooling and vocational education. The model aspires to indoctrinate selfdiscipline, group coordination, and a family-like atmosphere among the children. The prime objective is their eventual rehabilitation. 

 

   Among other things, the children are also encouraged to inculcate the habit of reading. Says Amit Sinha, its founder-director: "From texts to story books, Jamghat provides children with a lot of reading material. For two hours everyday, these children are made to read stories from different storybooks, which may also include lessons on hygiene and cleanliness. As a result, such habits are introduced in their daily lives.'' 

 

   Thanks to these initiatives, reading has opened up a new world of knowledge for these young and inquisitive minds. And hopefully, when India realises its dream of becoming a knowledge society, it would hold true for all parts of the country and the entire population.

 

 

 

 

Sunil Sharma

   Moderator

Dil Se Desi Group

&

www.dilsedesi.org

Study Destinations Abroad

NEW VISTAS

 

 

THE INDIAN STUDENT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY ADVENTUROUS IN HIS CHOICE OF STUDY DESTINATIONS. A SNAPSHOT OF A FEW EMERGING DESTINATIONS THAT ARE GAINING FAVOUR WITH UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

SINGAPORE 

The strength of Singapore’s education system lies in its curriculum, where technical excellence, innovation and entrepreneurship command a premium. The academic choices cover an exhaustive range of programmes at the undergraduate level, ranging from art, design and fashion, to biotechnology, engineering, and nanotechnology. 

   The three local universities are National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and Singapore Management University (SMU). 

   

COSTS AND FUNDING 

The approximate tuition fee for most courses is S$10,000 per annum, while the estimated expenses for accommodation and food vary from S$750 to S$2500 per month or up to S$15,000 per academic year. 

   Students of all nationalities are eligible to receive a tuition grant of 50% to 75% of the total tuition fee, and are bound, under its terms, to work for a Singapore-registered company for three years upon completion of their degrees. 

   Merit-based scholarships are made available by some educational institutions, the Singapore government, and other local and international sources, especially for ASEAN citizens. These are based entirely on academic excellence, leadership, and co-curricular track records, and are very competitive. 

   

APPLICATION PROCESS 

Applications begin a year ahead of the start of your course. Admission is based on one’s academic performance in the last four years. TOEFL or IELTS is mandatory, and some undergraduate programmes require SAT. Complete the online application form and send it to the university with attested class X and XII board examination mark sheets, two reference letters from teachers, and your statement of purpose (SOP). 

   

 

POST-STUDY OPTIONS 

Qualifications from universities in Singapore are recognised around the world for their quality and content. Students can go on to pursue Masters’ or research programmes at top universities in any part of the world. Students may also apply for jobs in Singapore and South Asia, and other countries, provided the employer is willing to sponsor their work permit. 

CANADA 

Canada is a popular option with Indian students on account of its welcoming immigration policies, high-quality education, growing economy, low crime rates and high standards of living. Canadian institutes have high academic standards, excellent professional faculty and superior infrastructure. 

   

MACRO-VIEW 

A Canadian degree, diploma or certificate is well regarded in business, government and academic circles around the globe. Universities range from large urban campuses like the University of Toronto, York, Guelph, McGill and Waterloo to smaller campuses such as Alberta, Queens and Victoria. 

   

OPTIONS, OPTIONS 

Vocational colleges offer applied programmes with a strong emphasis on skillbased learning. They offer diverse programmes — commercial art, graphic design, and animation, illustration, interior design, fashion design, retail management, music technology, theatrical production, Montessori teachers’ training, tourism, hospitality, culinary sciences, nutrition and media management with specialisation in advertising, broadcasting, filmmaking and television arts. These courses offer good job prospects as most employers feel college graduates have more ‘usable’ skills. 

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL? 

The Co-op programme: Work-Study integrated curriculum. 

Many academic programmes offer opportunities to gain valuable work experience as an integrated part of the programme, earning credits towards the degree. The Co-op programme allows students to work every alternate semester after completing the first two years of study. Students are often paid a stipend for this. 

Moreover, the Ontario Education Department has tied up with some institutes in Maharashtra and Goa to offer student and faculty exchange programmes, affording a piece of Canadian education at extremely low costs. 

COST 

The average annual cost in Canada for tuition and room and board is around CAD$ 35,000 (at Rs 42 = CAD$ 1). Some tuition fees are as low as $5000 per year but the institute may be located in an isolated area with few employment options. Many merit-based scholarships are available and some universities offer funding for international students too. 

HOW TO APPLY? 

Applications have to be made a year in advance. Application forms can be filled online or downloaded from college websites. You need to appear for the TOEFL or IELTS. Attested transcripts and marksheets from your school, college and university along with two recommendation letters from teachers are essential. A well-written Statement of Purpose and other financial documents complete the formalities. 

NET KNOWLEDGE 

> www.aucc.ca : Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada > www.macleans.ca  

GERMANY 

Germany has long been synonymous with superb quality and great skill in the field of engineering. It is becoming popular with aspiring engineers, as there are no study fees and many programmes are now taught in English. However, fluency in German is mandatory in order to complete the degree and to apply for jobs and internships. Living expenses can amount to about DM 1300 per month. In addition to the living expenses, there can be some other miscellaneous expenses to the extent of DM 1000 per semester. Many industries sponsor the education of a bright student, provided he signs a bond to work with them after completing the degree. 

   Students may pursue a Bachelor’s degree at premier universities with at least two terms (six months) working as interns within their chosen industry. Practical work, with exposure to worldclass industries is the most attractive feature for Indian students. 

   

APPLICATION PROCESS 

Admission to programmes in Germany is granted on the basis of superior academic performance. For some postgraduate management courses, a GMAT is required, and some engineering programmes require a GRE score. You will need to check the requirements of the university you are applying to. The TOEFL is a standard test required for programmes that have English as a medium of instruction. 

   Application forms can be requested from the international offices of universities, filled and sent back to the university, along with authenticated copies of academic records and certificates. You may also have to include authenticated copies of certificates confirming your knowledge of German. 

   Students applying to an undergraduate course in Germany, have to undertake a one-year bridge programme. This is to compensate for 13 years of school education in Germany, compared to 12 years in India. To be eligible for this bridging course, Indian students are required to have an excellent academic record up to the senior secondary level (10 + 2), and must have knowledge of the German language (Max Mueller Bhavan’s G III Level). 

   After completion of the bridge programme, Indian students must pass an assessment test in order to acquire admission to a German institution for the equivalent of the bachelor’s degree. Students who have who have successfully completed two years of undergraduate studies in India or cleared the IIT Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) are exempt from the assessment test. However, they have to prove their proficiency in the German language.

 

 

 

Sunil Sharma

   Moderator

Dil Se Desi Group

&

www.dilsedesi.org

CAT Exams - Last 4 Months Preparation

The CAT comes Calling

 

THE LAST FOUR-MONTH PHASE OF PREPARATION FOR THE CAT EXAM

How man y questions do you plan to do in each area of Quants before you go for the CAT? 

How man y passages on reading comprehension do you intend to solve before you take the CAT? 

How man y questions on areas like reasoning, data interpretation etc do you intend to solve prior to taking the CAT? 

   An oft repeated query of CAT aspirants is: "How much time do I need to prepare for the CAT?"A suitable analogy to this query would be the question: "How much time would it take to reach New Delhi railway station?" 

   The answer is dependant on three things: 

   a) What is your starting point? 

   b) At what speed would you be travelling? 

   and most importantly 

   c) Would you be taking the straight line approach to the destination or would you be taking a circuitous route? 

   Experience and past records show that unlike university exams, where there is more clarity about minimum and maximum preparation time, the CAT is an exam which subscribes to neither. One sees students clear the CAT in as less as three to four weeks and then there are students at the other end of the spectrum, who do not clear it even after three or four years. 

ISSUE 1: When planning your preparation, be task-oriented and not time-oriented 

In simpler terms, focus on defining the quantum of work rather than defining the time schedules for the work. Your focus should be on what work you need to do, rather than focusing on the time dimension of your preparation. 

   So instead of trying to explore questions like: "How much time should I devote to which subject on a daily basis?," think of how much work you would need to do on a particular subject in order to shift your ability level from your starting level to the desired level. 

   For instance, if your current ability in the subject of quantitative aptitude is in the below 50 percentile level and you aspire to move your percentile to the range of 95 percentile plus — you would broadly need to do anywhere between 4000 to 6000 questions during your preparations. (Depending on how much you can learn from every question). 

   Thus, how much time it would take on a per day basis then is immaterial. All that matters is whether you have completed your work or not. 

   Similarly, you should try to define the outline of work based on the following parameters: 

   

• How many questions do you plan to do in each area of Quants before you go for the CAT? 

   

• How many passages on reading comprehension do you intend to solve before you take the CAT? 

   

• How many questions on areas like reasoning, data interpretation etc do you intend to solve prior to taking the CAT? 

   

• How many tests do you intend to solve prior to taking the CAT? 

   Once you have drawn outlines for each area, you can easily work out how much work you need to finish by the end of the current week. 

ISSUE 2: Do not try to balance your preparations on a daily basis, but balance your work on a weekly basis 

Attempts to balance work in areas such as English, verbal ability, reading comprehension, quants and data interpretation and reasoning on a daily basis, would only lead to frustration. Instead, you need to ensure that you maintain equal emphasis on each area of preparation on a weekly basis. In other words, on a weekly basis you could plan days on which you are only doing Quants and other days where you might only be doing reading comprehension. 

ISSUE 3: Learn to enjoy your work and do not look at it as a burden 

Aristotle had once remarked: "Find a job you love and you will never have to work a single day of your life." 

   Preparations for aptitude exams especially the CAT, if taken up through the right intelligence development approach, could turn out to be the most entertaining study process you have ever gone through. In fact, the enjoyment of the preparation process is one of the common features observed among successful students. 

   So,take a reality check on how much you are enjoying quants, data interpretation, language and vocabulary preparation. In case you have started to look at any of this as a burden, there is something seriously wrong in the way you are approaching the exam. Try to change the way you perceive the work you are trying to do. CAT preparation, and all its components, is extremely enjoyable if you approach it in conjunction to improving your thought process, basic intelligences and your exposure. 

ISSUE 4: A paradox: Make CAT the most important thing in your life at the same time reduce the importance of CAT in your life 

Paradoxical as the above statement may seem, there is a perfectly logical explanation.While you are preparing for the exam, you would be required to make sacrifices and adjustments to your life in such a way that you will have to be mentally prepared to leave everything else in the process of CAT preparation.Thus, while preparing you should be working as if there is nothing more crucial in your life than the CAT. 

   At the same time, by design, you should try to reduce how important the result of the CAT is for your life. Hence, you should have a back up plan for a situation wherein you would be failing in the CAT. Having this plan ready ironically would help you take the pressure of performance off your shoulders resulting in your best chance of belling the CAT. 

 

Sunil Sharma

   Moderator

Dil Se Desi Group

&

www.dilsedesi.org

The Counsellor - 22

Prime worries 

I have appeared for Civil Services preliminary examinations for the first time. I'm sure I will be able to clear the preliminary test. I am worried about the preparation for main examinations as I am working. 

   Seeta Sharma

 

The Civil Services Exams fundamentally differ from the university-type exams. Ideally you should start preparing for the main exams even while preparing for preliminary test or at least study the syllabus, browse through a few topics which are common to both exams and start making notes. In any case you must begin studying for the main exams soon after you finish your preliminary exam. At the maximum, give yourself a week's break only. One may ask — "Why should I start preparing, when the results have not been declared" or "What if I don't make it and the whole exercise goes waste?" Convincing arguments and, in fact, most get cracking only in August, once the preliminary results are out. But don't forget you would have wasted a month and a half — a time you could have easily prepared for one optional subject. Also, if you make it through the preliminary exam, this time will have been well utilised. 

   Keep abreast with new developments in the country and abroad by regularly scanning national, financial and international dailies and magazines. 

   At the end of the day remember preparing for this exam requires a planned effort and time. 

Career ensured 

What is the actual demand for actuaries in India? How many actuaries are there presently? Please tell me the procedure to become an actuary. 

   Kumud Purohit

 

The demand for actuaries in India is expected to exceed supply for the next five years. Insurance firms face competition from other industries to retain actuarial talent. In fact, the shortage of actuaries is a major problem. 

   India currently has 18 life and nonlife insurance firms each and one reinsurance firm.These insurance firms, which need actuaries to help develop products, assess profits, conduct valuation and reinsurance based on historic statistics, have barely half the number of specialists they need. 

   There are 225 actuaries in India at present against a requirement of at least 400. Many of them are close to retirement. Demand for the specialised talent will only grow as more and more Indians opt for insurance. 

   The Institute of Actuaries in India has 6,500 members and is growing by 30% every year. The Institute expects to add at least 1,000 actuaries in the next 10 years. Many Indian firms are using services of actuaries of their foreign partners. According to a Reuters report, there are 43,000 actuaries, globally. In addition to the inherent shortage of actuaries, insurance firms also face competition from other industries and countries in attracting and retaining the specialised talent. 

   Many Indian actuaries move to other countries, especially Middle-East and Africa, where the demand is high. Actuarial talent can also be used in other areas such as banking and environmental science where different actuarial models can be applied.Many big companies,abroad, have their own actuaries to develop their own health insurance and pension products. A number of firms have an actuary as chief risk officer who works to either minimize or transfer risks. 

   To qualify as an actuary, you must be a fellow member of the Actuarial Society of India (ASI), Mumbai. This involves clearing a series of exams conducted by the ASI. Details are available at the website: www.actuariesindia.org. An MSc in mathematics/statistics would be an ideal qualification to enroll for the course. 

Auto drive 

 

I am passionate about cars and want to become an automotive designer. Please tell me about this field and suggest some institutes offering courses in automobile design. 

   Shiv Chandan

 

The driving factor in automobile designing is an insatiable passion for design. The second fastest growing car market in Asia, India's automobile industry is moving in top gear. It is also emerging as the most preferred sourcing base, knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) destination and R&D hub for global auto majors like Hyundai, Fiat, Ford, GM, Suzuki, Toyota, Nissan Volvo and several others. 

We have already begun exporting our cars. For example, Indica is a big hit and so will be Nano from the Tata stable. Our two-wheelers have been enthusiastically received in many European countries. Low cost multiutility vehicles could be our forte. 

Experts are very optimistic about the future prospects of this field since car volumes in India are on an upsurge and the industry is set for a major boom. 

After completing your course in automobile engineering or even mechanical engineering you can work as part of the team, working with a design services provider, to offer both industrial and transportation design solutions or later in the automotive department coat hangars, bottle holders etc. There is also a need for visual merchandisers to design automobile showrooms. Exclusive branded dealer outlets want to stand out among other shops to project a specific image. To successfully conceptualise your dream machine, you must get some hands-on training using manual methods of designing. Performance modification has emerged as a popular segment. An automobile broadly comprises of the engine, chassis, gearbox, differential and suspension. Each of these and their components come in many different specifications and designs. Someone who has done a course in automobile engineering can only figure out the various permutations and combinations ideally suited for a particular kind of vehicle. 

Diploma-level courses are ideal for those who wish to go into servicing and maintenance or wish to work on the shop floor of an automobile plant Diploma courses are also helpful for those who want to work as a supervisor in bus depots or work in maintenance, overhauling, production, servicing at service 

as a specialist in automobiles, design and engineering services. Car designers also work with original equipment manufacturers like Maruti,Tata motors etc. 

However,when compared to Japan, Europe or US, India is still relatively new to the concept of automobile design. Therefore, you need to be finely attuned to market demand in terms of comfort, safety, and even cultural sensitivities and preferences. To stand out in automobile design you can't simply rely on computer aided design. You also need good sketching skills and understanding of 3D shapes and models. There is enormous need for automobile stylists as well. Today every aspect of the automobile is designed. The emphasis is on futuristic concepts, your understanding of different aspects of styling, of dimension and proportion. 

The industry also needs component designers — people who can design rear view mirrors, outlets of OES. 

While there are a number of colleges including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) that offer courses in automobile engineering, there are very few fullfledged courses in automobile design — particularly at the bachelor's level. 

For further guidance,you could also contact the Automotive Research Association of India, Pune, www.araiindia.com. Engineering colleges usually have active student chapters of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The website of the US-based SAE — www.sae.org — including its Indian chapter in Chennai should be useful in your search. You could also contact faculty advisors of the various Indian collegiate chapters at Delhi College of Engineering (DCE), IIT-Delhi, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (NSIT), Jamia Millia Islamia and Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunil Sharma

   Moderator

Dil Se Desi Group

&

www.dilsedesi.org