HINDUSTAN TIMES, N EW D E L H I
WE DNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 0, 2019
Managementskillsarekeytobewell-adjustedindividuals
FOCUS Schools need to foster a growth mindset, and explicitly teach
self- management skills in order to create a productive community
Anuradha Rai
n letters@hindustantimes.com
Every society needs to foster its
youth as they are the torch bear-
ers for the next generation. How-
ever, if we reflect on what is hap-
pening in today’s fast paced and
competitive world, we find that
our youngsters are an extremely
stressed lot. What is causing this
stress and how do we prepare
our students so that they are able
to confidently negotiate and lead
fulfilling lives?
An informal survey revealed
some very useful insights into an
adolescent’s world. Compari-
sons with friends, how well pre-
pared they are, parental expecta-
tions, peer pressure, need for
approval, Pressure of social
media with a need to stay con-
nected and not be left behind,
lack of sleep are some issues that
came up.
Is there some way that we can
rethink our upbringing and par-
enting? Do schools have a role to
CreaTing a pLan By
BreaKing The enTire
syLLaBus inTo
sMaLLer ChunKs To Be
reVised daiLy
How to fund your higher education in different ways?
Gaurav Gupta
n letters@hindustantimes.com
Everyone wants the best educa-
tion in order to meet their life-
goals and secure their dream job.
However, higher education is
becoming increasingly expen-
sive. This applies even more so if
you wish to study abroad or are
out of your hometown, as there
are a number of additional costs,
including the basics such as
housing and food. Some can
afford this easily and others at a
bit of a stretch, but for many stu-
dents, it can be out of reach with-
out some financial aid. A good
amount of research can go a long
way to help you out in such a sit-
uation, in a sector where the
costs are continuously escalat-
ing. Here are five options to look
into:
SCHOLARSHIPS
There are a number of scholar-
ships offered by either the col-
leges you are applying to, gov-
ernment scholarships or schol-
arships from various
educational institutions. One
can refer to resources from the
Ministry of Human Resource
Development, Department of
Higher Education which helps
students with the scholarship
processes of various universities
and countries.
Mechatronics will rule the roost in 2019 Get some work
Rohit Sethi
n letters@hindustantimes.com
Gone are the days when Indian
students either opted for engi-
neeringormedicalafterthecom-
pletion of their high school.
Today’s generation is not shying
away from taking the road less
travelled. Unlike yesteryears,
theynowhaveapoolofoptionsto
choose from depending upon
their personalinterests and skill
sets. This trend has also caught
on with individuals studying
overseas.
The2018OpenDoorsReporton
International Educational
ExchangerevealsthatIndianand
other international students in
the US are turning to off-beat
courses.
While traditional STEM (Sci-
ence, Technology, Engineering
andMath)coursescontinuetobe
their top preferences, some spe-
cializedcoursessuchasRobotics,
Automation and Mechatronics
arealsowitnessinganincreasing
demand. As we draw closer to
2019, let’s look at some courses
that will gain popularity in the
forthcoming year.
ROBOTICS
Thanks to the rapid progress of
AI(artificialintelligence),robots
are no longer considered dumb-
machinesthatareonlycapableof
doing simple, repetitive tasks.
With the arrival of humanoids
like Sophia and SoftBank’s Pep-
per,robotshavemadehugeleaps
inrecentyears.Simultaneously,
the career options for students
who specialize in robotics has
expanded. From doing research
work to designing industrial
robots, they can get the opportu-
nitytoworkinavarietyofindus-
tries. Therefore, the number of
students opting for courses
play? Can we prepare our young-
sters so that the whole Test tak-
ing experience becomes a stress-
free experience? Let us look at
the role of each stake-holders.
ROLE OF SCHOOL AND
THE TEACHERS
Even though the traditional
schools based on the assembly
line industrial model have
served us well through the nine-
teenth and early twentieth cen-
turies, it is no longer relevant
today. The changed demands of
the times where employers are
looking for well-rounded indi-
viduals, there is dire need to
transform the school system.
By establishing a set of wide
consistencies, schools need to
create a productive learning
community. Schools need to fos-
ter a growth mindset, and explic-
itly teach self- management
skills. Rather than focus on the
teaching content, the focus has to
be on the process and on teach-
ing how to learn.
In order for our students to
become good at test taking, we
need to adequately equip them
with study skills right from the
early stage. To illustrate, a long
answer requires global under-
standing whereas an objective
type test requires attention to
detail. Therefore, training stu-
There are several websites
that have curated lists of schol-
arships which you can browse
through and compare as well.
Scholarships can be partial or
full, and are awarded on the
basis of merit (essays, interests,
activities, final marks), need
(financial hardship, parents’
annual income), or a combina-
tion of both. Most scholarships
cover only tuition and fees bar-
ring a few which also account for
other payments such as living
expenses, accommodation and
travel. The key is to research
extensively, based on the course
and universities you want to
enrol in and make a list of schol-
arships that can be availed for
these courses and universities.
EDUCATION LOAN
Education loans have come in as
a big enabler for aspiring and
deserving students. Govern-
ment of India has categorised
educations loans as priority sec-
tor loans in a bid to encourage
more banks to provide credit to
students for higher education.
According to a report by credit
bureau CRIF Highmark, banks
disbursed education loans worth
Rs. 82,600 crore in the last fiscal
year, FY18, which was 9.25 per-
cent more than the in FY17. The
average amount disbursed per
applicant climbed to Rs. 9.6 lakh
n A degree in Infection control prepares one to work in labsgeTTy iMages
related to robotics is likely to go
up in 2019.
AUTOMATION
With the 4th industry revolution
uponus,automationhasalready
startedmakingprofoundimpacts
onthebusinessworld.Beitman-
ufacturing, automotiveor retail,
nearlyeverysectorisnowinvest-
ing heavily on automating tasks
that are tedious, repetitive and
dangerous. As traditional job
roles are evolving, the demand
for automation experts is grow-
ingbytheday.Thisexplainswhy
a large number of international
students are now inclining
towards automation courses.
Otherthanautomationengineer-
ing, certification courses in
industrial automation are also
expected to take off next year.
MECHATRONICS
Mechatronics is a fairly new
branch of engineering that has
caught the attention of students
lately. As described on Stanford
University’s online portal, it is at
the intersection of mechanical
engineering,electronicengineer-
dents to recognize the strategies
as per the text is important.
In addition to that, teaching
students to locate, organize and
retain information should be an
integral part of the curriculum.
Teaching students the tech-
niques of mindfulness, helping
build self- esteem, identify signs
of early anxiety and reaching out
to such students are other ways
in which the teachers can help.
Apart from that, aligning
instructional objectives with test
objectives, creating a rubric for
assessing sample responses, pro-
viding students with a blue print
of marking scheme, giving test
practice and ensuring a stress
free positive environment will go
a long way in supporting stu-
dents.
Apart from that, data col-
lected on student’s performance,
school discipline and guidance
department can be used to adjust
instruction to students who need
assistance. Similarly, strategies
like differentiating instruction
can be designed to plug the gaps
once they are identified through
the evidence provided by the
data.
WHAT STUDENTS
SHOULD DO
While preparing for exams, one
needs to balance and manage
n Most scholarships cover only tuition fees
in 2018 from Rs. 6.8 lakh in 2017.
Education loans are a feasible
choice for funding ones higher
education as they come at lower
interest rates, have longer loan
tenures, enjoy tax exemptions
andhaveawaiting(moratorium)
period before EMI repayment
begins. However, an education
loan of a loan amount exceeding
Rs 4 lakh, requires a guarantor
and a loan above Rs 7.5 lakh
requires a collateral as security.
Further, the loan may be availa-
ble only for admissions to recog-
nised and reputed institutions.
These factors limit the available
choices for many aspiring stu-
dents.
The other option is to take a
personal loan for funding educa-
ing and software engineering.
Broadlyspeaking,mechatronics
engineeringfocusesontechnolo-
gies involved in building intelli-
gentelectro-mechanicalsystems.
After completion oftheircourse,
graduates can look for work
opportunities in various areas
includingautomationandrobot-
ics, AI and expert systems, sens-
ing and control systems, com-
puter integrated manufacturing
systems,andtransportationand
vehicular systems. Since it’s a
specialized field, only a few uni-
versities currently offer this
course in undergraduate and
post-graduate levels.
DISABILITY PRO-
GRAMMES
According to a World Bank
report,1billionpeopleacrossthe
world live some form of disabil-
ity.Atatime,whenpeopleofdisa-
bilitiesmakeforthe15percentof
the global population, the
demand for disability support
workersisonarapidriseinmany
countries.InAustralia,forexam-
ple, the Healthcare
andSocialAssistancesectoris
expanding
your horizons
n Teaching students the techniques of mindfulness and helping build self- esteem must be taught early on
time well. Creating a plan by
breaking the entire syllabus into
smaller chunks that need to be
accomplished on a daily basis
and following up on the sched-
ule, creating lists, taking and
making notes, prioritizing, hav-
ing a fixed bed time and getting
enough rest, limiting distrac-
tions by setting self -imposed
limits, rewarding yourself and
most importantly having a
proper place to study are some
suggestions to help one study.
In addition to that ensuring
BLooMBerg neWs
tional expenses either by the par-
ents or by earning candidates.
The benefit of a personal loan is
that it doesn’t require a guaran-
tor or any collateral security.
However, the EMI repayment
begins immediately so one needs
to plan accordingly. There are
several online resources which
can guide you about which loan
to take and how to go about it.
EMPLOYER SPONSOR-
SHIP
Employer sponsored higher edu-
cation several large multina-
tional and Indian companies run
special programs for high per-
forming and talented employees
by offering them paid sabbati-
cals for higher studies. The
speculated to grow by 16.1% by
2025, creating as many as 250,500
new jobs. Students with a degree
in disability programmes can
find a wide range of jobs. Be it a
speech therapist or a full-time
caregiver,theoptionsareplenty.
Students can also decide to work
forgovernmentbodiesaftergrad-
uation. Most medical schools in
popular study destinations offer
specialized courses in disability
care.
INFECTION CONTROL
Another course that is tipped to
gain popularity in 2019 is infec-
tioncontrol.Thisspecializedfield
of study prepares students to
work in an array of settings such
ashospitals,healthcarefacilities,
government departments, pri-
vate labs among others. While
only a handful of universities
offerregularcoursesininfection
control,studentscangoforcertif-
icate courses or part-time pro-
grammes. In most countries,
however, they need to get a
license before they start their
professional life.
Besides these courses, stu-
dents are also getting lured by
other interdisciplinary pro-
grammes like geophysics,
marineengineering,gamedesign
and development, says the 2018
Open Doors Report on Interna-
tional Educational Exchange.
WhenitcomestoIndians,thesce-
nario is not much different.
Although the majority of them
stillprefertochooseasafecareer
path, popularity for unconven-
tional courses are slowly grow-
ing. And, with just a few days left
for the New Year, it’s expected
thatthisshiftintheirdemeanour
will become more prominent in
near future.
The author is director, ESS Global-
Study Abroad Consultant
meaningful encoding of material
to be learned through organizing
and elaborating information so
that meaningful connections are
made helps. Over learning and
usage of memory devices like
mnemonics, acronyms, acros-
tics and rehearsal are tech-
niques that can be used when
connections cannot be easily
made. Using the SQ3R strategy-
Survey and Summarize, Ques-
tion, Read, Recite and Review is
a widely recommended strategy.
Understanding what is
employees are allowed to go on
sabbatical for higher studies and
many times these are paid sab-
baticals. A system like this helps
companies in enhancing the
skills sets of their employees and
get higher productivity once
these employees are back in the
system. This is a convenient
option as your financial needs
are taken care of, and you have a
guaranteed job after you com-
plete your studies as well. While
some companies pay upfront for
your education, others reim-
burse you for the expenses. One
will have to plan and research
well, in order to reap the benefits
of this setup.
FUNDING FROM PRIVATE
TRUSTS
Private trusts run by large cor-
porate have a number of grants
and scholarships available for
the meritorious students and
students in need of financial sup-
port. Several organisations have
their own programs to assist
applicants with their education
expenses. These include the K.C.
Mahindra Education Trust and
Mariwala Trust which apply
across disciplines, and the J.N.
Tata Endowment which offers
loans for higher studies abroad
only. These come in handy if
other loans and scholarships
don’t work out, and there is a lot
experience before MBA
Career CounseLLing
USHA ALBUQUERQUE
i am enroled in an undergraduate
course of political science and
philosophy from the university of
delhi.Can i take up an MBa and
get a corporate job?
Political science and philosophy
are social science subjects that
may not necessarily lead directly
to a business management
career, but help you develop
skills that can be useful for a
number of different career pur-
suits including management. A
study of political science helps
develop not only reasoning and
analytical skills, but also com-
munication skills, both oral and
written. The study of philosophy
helps broaden your intellectual
horizons and develop analytic
and writings skills. These skills
can be of value even in a field
such as business management
including specializations like
marketing, personnel manage-
ment, advertising, public rela-
tions, international business,
banking and finance. Though
business and philosophy seem at
first glance to be poles apart,
many successful people in busi-
ness and industry including
some stockbrokers, venture cap-
italists, and marketing special-
ists started out as philosophy/
political science graduates.
It may be advisable to take up
some work experience after
graduation, before applying for
an MBA.
Experience in a professional
work environment can give you
expected in the test and what
kind of questions will be asked
and how to study and address
each type of question is very
important. For this, taking a few
sample tests before each exam
will definitely help.
While taking an exam one
point to remember is to manage
time well. As far as being able to
complete a paper in time is con-
cerned, typically questions have
word limits so one must try to
stick to those. In case you get
stuck on a question do not waste
of information online about what
they cover. One can apply based
on their requirement.
WORK AND SAVE
An effective option for those with
lack of finances is to work for a
year or two and save up enough
to fund their own education. For
those who can’t or are not willing
to wait to pursue their higher
studies, working part-time is an
option. There are a number of
freelance opportunities today,
which are a convenient way to
make some money on the side if
you approach these smartly.
This way you can pay your fees
while pursuing your studies
simultaneously.
Education is what determines
a big part of how quickly you can
settle into a life which is secure
and comfortable. However, it is
essential to plan your finances as
you embark on higher studies
including scholarships one can
try for in addition to various edu-
cation loan options that are
available from banks and
NBFCs. Adequate research
helps to get access to funds a
smoother process, and can
ensure you pick a funding option
that is best suited to your
requirements and capabilities.
The author is co-founder and CEO,
MyLoanCare.in
opportunities to develop practi-
cal knowledge and skills. Such
experience not only improves
your chances of getting into a
good MBA programme but also
enables you understand the
practical aspects of your choice
of career.
Once you have identified the
broad environment you can see
yourself working in, you should
be able to choose your study
course more easily.
The columnist is director of Career
Smarts and the author of The Penguin
India Book of Careers Vol 1 and 2
hindustantimes
www.facebook.com/htedu
geTTy iMages/isToCKphoTo
time go on to other question and
come back to it later.
If feeling anxious, taking a few
deep breaths and using positive
affirmations makes one feel bet-
ter. Also, some of us need to have
a scribe either because of a phys-
ical constraint or because of a
limitation which would affect
our test performance adversely
and not reflect our actual abili-
ties. Each one of us is unique and
just accepting this and making
use of all available resources is a
sensible choice.
EDUCATION
ADMISSIONS
MEDICAL
ADMISSIONS
MBBS MD/MS/MDS/BDS
Govt./Pvt Colleges NEET/ AIIMS/
UG/ PG Expert Tutorial/Guidance.
Medical Admission-India/Abroad
Call: 7678436598 / 9650686983
MINIMUM FEES CMS (Allopathy
BAMS BUMS BHMS MBBS BNYS
DNYS BEMS MD BA MA Ph.D BPT
ANM GNM DMLT D.Pharma CMO/Co
uncil Reg. Agent w'com. 7042111699
21
PARENTS’ ROLE
Parents have a very important
role in helping build self- esteem
and self -approval. Most parents
see their children as extensions.
This places an added pressure on
the children. Some parents are
too involved monitoring each
and every activity while others
are totally hands off.
We need moderation and bal-
ance. Parents need to realize that
each child is unique with his or
her own strengths. Celebrating
this uniqueness, supporting the
child in realizing his / her
dreams, Spending quality time,
not comparing with other chil-
dren or siblings, respecting indi-
vidual point of views and per-
spectives, being open and trans-
parent and being good role
models, having realistic expecta-
tions, sharing your own stories
especially the ones with strug-
gles or setbacks, ensuring sup-
portive study spaces, inculcating
healthy lifestyle be it study
skills, sleep, nutrition, problem
solving, goal setting, prioritizing
or time management are some
other ways in which parents can
play a supportive role.
CONCLUSION
Education is more than school-
ing. It is the biggest gift one can
give to our future generation. Let
us all introspect on how we can
fulfill this role.
The author is Principal, Ambience
School Gurgaon
EMPLOYMENT
ACADEMIC
URGENTLY REQD. EXP & Trained
,TGT,(All Subjects) PGT( Arts and
Commerce All Subjects, PET) Contact
/ Mail- resume, photo & documents at
Sona Modern Public School, A-
3/4,Devli Road, Khanpur.Cont:011-
29960469/9625070538 mail id
smps_khanpur@yahoo.co.in
GENERAL MULTIPLE
VACANCIES
HOTEL/RESTAURANT
PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED BY PRESSREADER
PressReader.com +1 604 278 4604
ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY
COPYRIGHT AND PROTECTED BY APPLICABLE LAW