Australian universities provide a wide range of scholarships
I recently graduated from St. Bede’s College, Shimla with a BCom degree after studying commerce with maths in class XII. I wish to join the armed forces through OTA. However, at the same time, in order to ensure that I do not waste my time, I have enrolled myself in a Master’s in English programme at IGNOU as well as in a PG diploma programme in mass media and journalism in YWCA. If I am unable to make a career in the armed forces, what alternative career path should I opt for? I have already attempted the CDS exams twice and have attempted the AFCAT once in the past one year. Please suggest how I can succeed in the CDS/AFCAT exam.
I can understand your zeal for joining the armed forces, and as someone with good qualifications and a sociable temperament, it could be a good option. However, as the intake of female candidates each year is very low, fulfilling your dream may sometimes be difficult despite your best efforts and preparations. Every tough task needs strategy, goal selection and positive attitude. Some aspirants work hard, but not in a smart and judicious manner, digging ditches for themselves. Identify the areas where you may have stumbled in the last two attempts and try to create a smoother path for the next attempt.
However, do not waste too many years on this endeavour – it is possible that the options in an alternative career may be a better fit for you. If you are good at English language and possess strong communication skills, there is a wide variety of options for you.
These include: social media marketing (using digital media to market products through online advertising and search engine optimization for companies); digital copywriting (creative writing for blog posts, e-books, web promotional ideas and banner advertisements); public relations (working with the media on press releases, newsletters and other promotional work); as well as fields like advertising, fashion communication, event management, hospitality management and many other options which you can explore.
I recently graduated from the University of Delhi with a degree in English literature. For further studies, I received an offer for admission from a university in Melbourne for a Master’s in human resource management. I wanted to know more about any scholarships I could consider to fund my education.
Australian universities provide a wide range of scholarships to meritorious international students which help them to fund their studies. Scholarships are granted on the basis of student’s academic performance and cover tuition fees and sometimes may also cover living expenses and travel. The scholarship/ financial assistance may be merit-based, need-based, studentspecific or course-specific grants.
The actual amount of scholarship depends on the profile of the student and the course being undertaken, ranging from AUD $ 2000 up to 100% tuition fee waiver. Doctoral degrees are usually fully funded. Some of the Australian universities offering scholarships include Deakin University (India Scholarship for Post Graduate students), Monash University, Griffith University, The University of Queensland (International Scholarships for Postgraduate Coursework - India), MIT University (Global Leaders Scholarship for PG Indian Business Students), Macquarie University (PG Scholarships for students from selected Indian institutions). In addition, there are also general Australian government scholarships such as the International PG Research Scholarship Award, the Indo-Australia S&T Visiting Fellowship Programme, the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund and others offered to applicants from all over the world. Check individual university’s website for details of scholarships awarded to Indian / international students. However, a note of caution, scholarships for study in Australian universities are few and far between. Most students take a loan, if required, as it is assumed that a good job after such as study programme will enable you to compensate for this.
I recently graduated with a BTech in electronics (ECE) from Amity University. I would like to acquire some additional skills and knowledge (shortterm training) through a programme like a PG diploma in PLC/SCADA/DCS engineering or Android/Java/ .Net/PHP or Information System Security. Should I pursue a career in electronics or IT or should I consider other alternatives as I aspire to pursue entrepreneurship in the future.
There is immense scope in the area of electronics and communications, as specialists of high caliber are employed by multinational corporations operating in India, such as Siemens, Motorola, Intel, Texas Instruments, Accenture, Wipro, Samsung, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, TCS, as well as in government organizations like MTNL, BSNL, Civil Aviation, NPL, AIR, Posts and Telegraph Department, Railways, Bharat Electronics Limited and DRDO, and many others. Electronics is a vast and growing field so if you like technical creation, and feel excited about working on design and product development –then continuing in the field of electronics is a good option. Further, the field of internet technologies is gaining importance with opportunities in networking and database administration, VLSI/ Embedded systems, internet technologies , cyber security, mobile application development and design. Thus, learning short-term training for specific computer/ IT skills can significantly improve your job prospects. Alternatively, you could also consider a two-year MTech programme. Some of the major specializations in electronics which are currently in vogue include MTech. in automotive electronics, communication engineering, nanotechnology, sensor system technology, network and internet engineering, VLSI design, microelectronics and embedded systems.
Entrepreneurial work in electronics is both interesting and courageous as it requires huge money, good ideas and entrepreneurship and business skills to build up your own venture. You can also look for startups or other lesser known companies in Core areas to build skill sets and experience for starting a similar venture. Another option is an MBA with IT as your specialization which would be useful if you are aspiring for managerial roles in the IT field.