JAIPUR | MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2012

Academy
EDUCATION & BEYOND

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Nalanda University Act to be ammended
New Delhi: The Planning Commission has
constituted a Committee to suggest Amendments in the Nalanda University Act, 2010. Prof. N.R.Madhava Menon, Former Vice-Chancellor, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata will be the Chairman of the 10 member committee. The other committee members include Prof. Pankaj Chandra, Director, IIM Bangalore, Dr. Gopa Sabharwal, Vice Chancellor, Nalanda University, Prof. G. Mohan Gopal, Director Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies, New Delhi, Prof. K. Rajiv Saxena, Vice President, South Asia University, Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath, Principal, LSR, New Delhi, Dr.Jitendra Nath Mishra, Joint Secretary, MEA. The committee will also have representatives of Department of Legislative Affairs & Department of Expenditure as their members.The Committee would examine the Nalanda University Act, 2010 particularly provisions relating to academic, administrative and financial autonomy and suggest amendments to provide for full autonomy in matters relating to making appointments, determining salaries and emoluments and auditing.

Prepare to work anywhere,

, any place anytime
ing more energised and motivated thanks to flexible working, perhaps indicating why they are able to become more productive and generate more revenue. Flexible working, by improving worker morale and health, is therefore also taking on the important role of talent retention tool, providing businesses with a valuable way of rewarding and attracting resources. Madhusudan Thakur, regional VP, South Asia, Regus, explains, "Technology and network improvements as well as worker demands for a better work/life balance have driven flexible working to become the norm rather than the exception. As to be expected, different sectors are embracing flexible work at varying paces, however what is clear is that no matter what industry you are in, the great majority of people see benefits in flexible work." According to him, business people are also working on the move more than they used to. As workforce expectations and demands change parttime arrangements are therefore becoming more common not only for freelancers, working mums and the working elderly, but also generation Y employees going straight into multijob employment. From the basics of using computers and the internet to storing information and project work online, being systematic about taking backups on pen drives and external hard drives, even being careful about sharing passwords, these are all key steps towards achieving that goal. Above all, students who insist that

SURVEY SAYS

With flexi-working schedules gaining acceptance, students aspiring for careers in fields like IT, media and marketing need to start gearing up for the challenges that await them. DNA Academy explores this trend

83% of media and marketing companies surveyed declared that they work more on the move than they used to. 86% of consultancy and services respondents said that workers in their company feel healthier thanks to flexible working. 100% of media and marketing respondents expect a surge in the number of people that go part-time at some point in their career path.

he end goal or ultimate objective of doing any career-linked course is to set a strong foundation for future growth. However, it is also important to gain insights into the workplace environment that lies ahead and start adapting to meet its unique requirements. Certain fields are evolving faster than others with the greater use of

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technology and multiple office locations. Obviously, this also means that students aspiring for careers in such fields need to prepare themselves for the specific demands that these careers will entail. According to a new Regus study, 84% of information and communications technology (ICT) companies reported that their productivity has increased as

a result of flexible working practices, and 82% link increasing revenues directly to flexi-working. The research surveyed over 16,000 senior business managers around the world and revealed how different sectors and industry types are reaping the benefits of flexible and mobile work. In consultancy and services sectors, 86% of respondents also reported feel-

they can only study at a particular place, at a specific time of the day or night and that too if there is pin-drop silence, should make efforts to adapt. They should sincerely try doing their studies at different places and even occasionally with some amount of noise or disturbance like a television serial going on in the background. After all, flexi-working means being able to do your job anywhere and at any time, so it is important to gear up for that from now itself while studying. Over a few years, students will be able to develop the mindset of focusing on important assignments regardless of where they are, what time of the day or night it is and whether they are in a serene ambience or a pub surrounded by people loudly cheering IPL matches. That adaptability will truly help them drive career growth once they have concluded the academic course.

Higher education for poor students

New Delhi: The Central Government is
implementing a Means-cum-Merit Scholarship to meritorious students. The University Grants Commission (UGC) similarly is also providing scholarships and fellowships to SC, ST, Minorities and other meritorious candidates. The Central Government has launched a new Central Scheme to provide full interest subsidy during the period of moratorium on educational loans for students belonging to economically weaker sections (with parental family income from all sources up to Rs. 4.5 lakh annually) from Scheduled Banks under the Educational Loan Scheme of the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) for pursuing courses of studies in professional/technical streams from recognized institutions in India. The scheme is effective from the academic year 20092010 and it is based solely on income criteria and not social background. The details of the Scheme are available on this Ministry's website. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) implements the scheme on "Tuition Fee Waiver scheme for Women. Economically Backward and Physically Handicapped Meritorious Students" under which, tuition fee waiver is provided to women, economically backward and physically handicapped meritorious students pursuing degree/diploma level technical education. IANS

DU relaxes eligibility criteria for OBC aspirants

London: The Delhi University's other
backward class (OBC) category aspirants have some reasons to cheer this academic session. The Varsity has decided to slash the eligibility criteria across all courses for candidates applying under OBC category. However, the eligibility criteria for SC/ST candidates will stay at 33%. The convener of the Common Journalism Entrance test (CJET) admission committee, Tarjeet Sabharwal said that for all those OBC candidates who are opting for the journalism course will get a relaxation in the eligibility criteria. While the eligibility criteria for general category candidates will be 60%, the criteria for OBC candidates will be 54% and those for SC/ST students will be 33% which is the basic passing marks for Class 12 exam. Colleges also claimed that this is being done to give a fillip to OBC admissions, since several seats across numerous courses remained vacant last year. Sabharwal further added that it is being done across the university in order to boost the student's intake for the reserved category. A lower eligibility criterion will however motivate many such candidates many such students to actively come and apply for admissions. Last year there had been a flat 10% reduction in the OBC criteria. SK Garg, Chairperson, DU's highpowered committee said that this year it is going to be 10% less of the general category criteria, which means that if the cut-off for a general category is 60%, for OBC students it will be 10% of 60%, that is 60 minus 6, which is 54%.

n today's world of GPS and satellite images, there is a lot of scope in the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Neha Muslonkar, 23, who has made her career in this field, says this is the perfect choice for those interested in geography. "The use of GIS technology is used far and wide in the fields of mining, defence, environmental science and urban planning. Interpreting and understanding this kind of information is not as easy as it looks. The job profile of a GIS professional is to make use of this geographical information easy for professionals like scientists, environmentalists, builders, and even the common public, if the need arises,'' she said. Currently, working as a GIS professional in a leading firm, Muslonkar completed her bachelors of Arts in Geography from Sathaye College, Vile Parle. Unwilling to go for a conventional teaching profession, Muslonkar went for a one-year postgraduate diploma in remote sensing technology and geo information sys-

Get 'techie' with The mantra of success: Patience GEOGRAPHY H

The job profile of a GIS professional is to translate the complex geographical information for professionals like scientists, builders, environmentalists and the common public
tem offered by the Mumbai University. Muslonkar says that there is more scope if one has a science background like BTech, BSc with computer science or a Masters in Arts with geography. For Arts students majoring in geography, a postgraduate diploma is optional as they have already learnt about it at the degree level. But for students coming to this field from the science industry, it is a must. "The diploma gives a more practical understanding of GIS. It prepares you for industry expectations and understanding of what exactly goes on in an GIS firm,'' she said. Masters in Geo Informatics is offered by Pune University, ISSRO in Dehra Dun. e was in class V when he realised his true calling: Acting. However, the road to his destination was fraught with struggles. After completing his graduation from a local college in 1994, the Bikaner boy shifted base to Jaipur and worked with Akashwani, dabbled in regional television and theatre before finally moving to the City of Dreams in 2000. Six years of struggle and many commercials later, Jaineeraj Purohit finally landed his first break in TV series "Pari Hoon Main", "Mile Jab Hum Tum" and "Laagi Tujhse Lagan", instantly making him a household name. Today, Jaineeraj is a well-known actor who has a number of projects in his kitty, including an Akshay Kumar movie "Oh My God". Shailaza Singh talks success with the humble actor.

tant director. Running away is easy; it is difficult to learn something. I worked hard and finally earned some praise. By the end of the shoot, the director realised that my forte was acting. Today, he makes sure that I have a role in every serial that he handles.

What motivates you to propel forward even when nothing seems to be working out? I have a lot of patience which is due to my unflinching faith in Khatushyamji (local deity of Rajasthan). I believe that no hard work can ever go waste and someday or the other, tides will turn and your perseverance will be rewarded. During my days of struggle, I auditioned for millions of roles and got rejected. But ultimately my patience, faith, hard work and self belief helped me to get where I am. What are your tips for achieving one's goals? I go by the mantra that NOTHING is impossible. When you want something with all your heart and need it as badly as the wind in your lungs you will definitely get it, sooner or later. However, you also need to understand your own capabilities/limitations. Ask yourself if you really deserve what you are aiming for. Don't imitate others just because they are successful; you have no idea what kind of hardwork and sacrifice has gone into achieving the success they enjoy now.

What does success mean to you? You've achieved success when people start recognising your name and you don't need an introduction. Your name becomes your power card. Right now, people know me by my face, which is also good, but I want them to know me by my name. What is the secret of your achievements? (The actor shot down the use of word 'success', saying he hasn't achieved it yet). A number of factors have

helped me to get where I am. My parents, who have always encouraged me, God's grace, my belief in myself and of course, a lot of struggle, which always precedes success in any field.
How does failure affect you? How do you deal with failure? Failure challenges me to succeed. Actually, the word

'failure' does not exist in my dictionary. I always try to understand my shortcomings and then overcome them. Initially, when I was new in showbiz, I was hired as an assistant director in a regional serial, which was shot in Jaipur. I soon realised that I wasn't cut for the job. The directors and producers used to shout at me, which made me more determined to succeed as an assis-

Express yourself to victory

Jitendra Nigam talks about communication and its relevance in today's world

t's a known fact that everyone wants success. All work painstakingly towards it and develop related technical skills required for their jobs too. However most of us take one important ingredient of success for granted: communication. "What is there to learn in communication?", we say with that stereotypic 'know it all' attitude. "I have been doing this since I was a baby". However, we tend to forget that we live in an era where the art of communication has trans-

formed into a science. It's rather a lethal combination of all that is required to impress and influence people. Business communication has evolved into a fine art. It needs to be learnt, practiced and developed constantly to keep it sharp enough to maintain an edge over others and be spotted in a crowd. I have seen many extremely talented young and old

executives stagger at the echelon of corporate ladder, only because of their arrogance about their knowledge. All of them, I guess suffered with, as I call it communication deficiency syndrome or CDS. This disease causes a disability in communicating efficiently. Prolonged illness leads to the proverbial 'Achilles' heel'. Many academically brilliant

managers have an Achilles' heel; their communication strategies. They are brilliant as individuals in their own field of specialisation but miss out when it comes to managing a team. They remain as knowledge workers but fail to become leaders, movers of people they command. One must understand that what worked for them as a child will not work in adulthood.They need to forge new skills, techniques to generate purposeful and tactful communication. Communication is as easy as it is difficult, depending on how you understand it. If you can master this art, the glory and success that you crave, will all be yours!
The author is a professor in Taxila Business School