Thursday 26 July 2007

Advertising

One can perceive advertising as the communication link between the seller and the buyer. An advertising agency is the organisation that designs and provides this communication through various media – television, radio, newspapers, magazines, internet, billboards, posters, mailers, point of purchase-material, sales promotion events, etc.

There is perhaps, no other business that so greatly influences our daily lives. Out choices regarding the type of cars we drive, the accessories we use, or the clothes we wear, are largely influenced by advertising. As a career, Advertising offers a unique blend of opportunities. In this industry, rewards directly commensurate with the initiative you take, the effort you put in, and the results you achieve. If you are ambitious and hard working, you can quickly move up the ladder.

Of all the forms of communication, Advertising is one of the most exciting ones. If you want your product to be noticed and sold briskly, or you want to project a particular image for your organisation and product or if you want to pass on a particular message, like national unity, brotherhood, or donate blood, etc., you should take help of a good advertising agency for gaining great results.

Advertising helps to boost up economic growth. It helps to create demand and promote the marketing system. Advertising, therefore, plays a significant role in today’s highly competitive world. Whether it is a product, brand, personality or any organisation, each of them requires some form of advertising to communicate and reach to the target audience.

Mostly, advertising agencies work on behalf of those who want to advertise their products. An advertising agency understands its client’s motives as what it wants to communicate, which develops campaigns and brings it to the target audience. In some cases, large organisations have in-house advertising departments to handle such works.

Today, new areas are like event management, image management, Internet marketing, etc., emerging within Advertising. Events are marketed in event management. A particular profile of an individual or an organisation is projected in image management, whereas, in Internet marketing, one is catering to a select group of audience rather than a mass audience. So, one needs to be more careful in this aspect of marketing one’s product.

Aptitude

The main areas of operation are client servicing, media planning, creative and research in advertising. The front face of the agency, client servicing, represents the agency to the client and the client within the agency. Only after the account executive and account planner receive a detailed brief from the client, they chalk out a strategy based on the brand’s positioning, its UPS (Unique Selling Proposition) and its communication objective.

Accounts Planning : This is a senior-level position in the Servicing Department. It involves the overall strategic plan including the budget, selection of the right media and zeroing in on the communication message after interacting with the client and internally with the creative team, the media planning department and the market research agency. The various elements of the communication package are put together into a logical whole in the context of the brand and its desired positioning in the market.

Media Planning : The people who do Media Planning are known as Media Planners. They help ad agencies choose the best medium to reach the customer they want. They plan, schedule, book and purchase space in the print media (newspapers, magazines), or outdoors (billboards, kiosks and bus panels) and time (TV & radio, Internet).

The Creative Department : The Creative Department’s work is to harness the right words, the most appropriate and arresting visuals that will grab the attention and prompt a sale.

The creative team in an agency can be further divided into two sections: Copy and Creative.

Copy Department : The copywriter does the task of putting across the message in words – headline, followed by the body copy in the case of a press ad, a dialogue or jingle for a radio spot, or a detailed story board in the case of a TV commercial.


A good copywriter must be able to think logically and originally each time, to co-relate masses of data and research in language that is clear and convincing. Besides, writing the right words, you need infinite patience to craft them into a subtly compelling sales pitch, until you get it just right. And above all, you need to be highly creative and versatile in your thought. Copywriting is not creativity just for creativity's sake.
Most copywriters start their career as copy trainees after taking a copy test administered by the agency and proceed to write their way to the advertising hall of fame.
Art Department: The Art Department takes care of the overall "look and feel" of the campaign starting with a rough sketch, which accommodates the various components i.e., headline, visual, picture, text, logo, etc., in a balanced format within the given space. The selection of the size and type of the font (lettering), the photographic treatment and the overall treatment of the TV commercial is the purview of the visualisers and art directors who head the Art Department.
A bachelor of fine arts or Degree in Applied Art or Graphic Design with knowledge of computer graphics/multimedia is mandatory to be a part of the Art Department.
Market Research : The Research Department tries to measure the effectiveness of the advertisement i.e., to what extent the ad is going to leave a mark on the people's mind. It is the research only that provides the media planner and creates a scientific and measurable basis to sharp-focus their strategy. The professionals here are from a variety of disciplines, but they share a common comfort level with mathematical or statistical modelling, sampling techniques and psychographics.
Visualisers: The visualisers work on the visual concept of the advertisement and decide how the ad shall eventually look at the end. They do the overall layout of message including graphics, sketching, etc. The visualisers must be artistic. A degree/diploma in commercial arts or fine arts as well as the knowledge of designing software like Photoshop, Pagemaker, Corel DRAW, etc., are the required qualifications for being a visualiser.
Photographers: Photographers working in ad agencies should have an idea about angles and lighting effects. Good technical ability and knowledge of cameras and lenses is essential.
PROSPECTS
The scope of career opportunities in Advertising are vast as it includes openings in private advertising agencies; advertising department in private or public sector companies; advertising sections of newspapers, journals, magazines; commercial section of radio or television; market research organisations, etc. One can also do freelancing.
This field offers a range of lucrative, interesting careers. The job in this field is categorised into two - executive and creative. The executive side includes client servicing, market research and media research where as, creative side consists, of copywriters, sceiptwriters, visualisers, photographers and typographers.
The executive department understands the client's needs, finds new business and retains existing business, selects the appropriate media, analyses timing and placement of advertisements and negotiates the financial aspects of the deal. Creative department creates the advertisement copy. It verbalises and visualises the specific need of the client.
As ad films are also a part of film making career, options of film are related to this field. So, bright career avenues are available in the field of Advertising. With the help of media, advertising in the modern days has become very prominent and also embarks its necessity in one's daily life.
Eligibility
To get into the field of advertising and media planning you will have to do a course in Advertising and then specialise in media planning. It's very important to choose the institute judiciously, by enquiring about its infrastructural facilities, faculty, placement record and salaries offered to freshers from the institute. A course in economics, mathematics or statics is often helpful. This helps the professional to delve into demographic and psychographic reports and in analysing data. The contemporary media planner has to work with electronic media models. So, the relevant knowledge is an absolute must. Now-a-days candidates with a strong background in mathematics and statistics are in a favourable position simply because there are more numbers to deal with in the job. The best way to get into the field after a course is to get some on the job training. All the good institutions offer internship as part of the curriculum. Internship programmes are the two months duration. Studying at institutes like MIC (Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad) could cost upto Rs. 1 lakh per year. But at government and some other private institutions, the fees are much lower.
Remuneration
Salary is generally not a constraint for the suitable candidate in this industry. In big companies, salaries could be above Rs. 10,000 per month for a beginner. This will, of course, depend on the individuals' merit, qualifications, experience as well as the company's performance. Some of the gaints in advertising and media planning that most students dream of working with are McCann, Perfect 10, Rubecon, Montage, TBWA India and Contract among others.
WHERE TO STUDY
  • Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, JNU, New Campus, New Delhi-110067. Website: http://www.iimc.nic.in/

  • Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA)

Shela, Ahmedabad-380007, Gujarat. Website: http://www.mica-india.net/

  • Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies

V.L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai-400056, Maharashtra,

Website: http://www.nmims.edu/

  • National Institute of Advertising

Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi-110021, Website: http://www.nia.org/

  • National Institute of Design (NID)

Paldi, Ahmedabad-380007, Gujarat. Website: http://www.nid.edu/

  • Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art

Dr. D.N.Road, Mumbai-400001, Maharashtra

  • Xavier's Institute of Communications

St. Xavier's College 5, Mahapalike Marg, Mumbai-400001, Maharashtra.

Website : www.xaviercomm.org

  • Symbiosis Institute of Business Management

Senapati Bapat Road, Pune-411 004, Maharashtra

  • Mumbai University

Siddharth College of ARts and Science, Anand Bhavan, Dadabhai Naoroji Road,

Mumbai-400001, Maharashtra

  • Jamia Milia Islamia

Jamia Nagar, New Delhi-110025

  • The New Delhi YMCA Centre of Mass Media

Education Centre Building, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi-110001

  • National Institute of Advertising (NIA) 1

Mohammad Pur, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi-110066

Tuesday 24 July 2007

FITNESS TRAINER COURSE

“A healthy body is a guest-chamber for the soul,” says the great thinker Francis Bacon. Today’s generation is becoming more conscious of the notion underlying this time-tested statement. People are becoming more aware of the tactics to stay fit and healthy. With millions of people eager to get in shape and stay fit, Fitness Training is one of the fastest growing careers in the health and fitness industry today. Gone are the days when only the professional athletes used to have personal fitness trainers. In the recent days, with the growing consciousness and social tagship, people from all walks of life – from celebrities to masses and senior citizens to youngsters – are keen to achieve guidance from personal trainers who can help them to learn how to exercise, lose weight, maintain all round fitness and adopt a healthier life style. The demand of professionals like aerobics instructors, yoga instructors and personal and corporate trainers is catapulting upwards. If you have a penchant for contributing your mite to the stream of efforts being made to keep the society healthy and fit, you should not give a second thought to choosing Fitness Trainer as your career destination.

It is wisely said, “A healthy mind resides in a healthy body.” Being fit has never been so popular or as necessary as it is today. Till a couple of years ago, working out in the gymnasium or going for fitness training was considered the job of sportsmen or amateurs. But nowadays, more and more people are adopting the fitness culture. People are on the lookout for professionally qualified fitness instructors who can help them deliver the right and healthy physical life. As the fitness culture is a growing rapidly, the industry is burgeoning and set to expand more.

Unofficial estimates show that a present the fitness industry is worth Rs. 2,000 Crore. This is due to the “fitness fad” that has caught up with people who have either recognised the value of a healthy lifestyle or want to look slimmer and better. The need for professionally qualified fitness trainers has been growing day by day. The fitness freaks should make their entrance into this sector in order to avoid unscrupulous and fake trainers lapping up the numerous opportunities thrown up by the industry while it is still in its nascent stage.

Aptitude

You should be a believer in the maxim that healthy individuals make a healthy world. Hence, one should be ready to work for realising that concept. You should be experimental enough to try out various kinds of fitness regimes apart from having specialised in one or two of them. As a fitness trainer, you have to train people in different aspects of physical fitness. One has to help the obese and sedentary get into shape. You have to instruct or coach groups or individuals in various exercise routines. You also have to monitor their progress through methods such as BMI (Body-Mass Index) and cardiovascular levels. If required, you will also give them basic advice on health and nutrition.

Your professional training and experience will also equip you to design specific programmes for different people where you have to keep various aspects in mind including age, lifestyle and health parameters. An elderly man or a woman won’t have an exerting routine as compared to an athlete or a football player.

To get employment as a fitness trainer is not vary tough. Fitness trainer has the provision to get an opportunity to work in gyms, big hotels, health clubs, fitness centres, spas, tourist resorts and even cruiseliners. After gaining some experience, one can choose to run one’s own fitness centre. Nowadays, big MNCs are giving exphasis on physical fitness of their employees. They are offering their employees the facilities of a well-equipped gym within the organisation where a fitness trainer will assist them to stay in good shape.

Here are some of the different kinds of work one has to do as being a part of the fitness industry :

You are required to have a keen concern for people who have been afflicted with lifestyle-related diseases and should be able to understand the individual problems of every client. Needless to say, one should be strong enough and fit oneself with and be able to work out rigorously since the job calls for training together with clients.

Fitness trainers must be able to assess their clients’ fitness levels, athletic ability, the amount of time they have, and various other factors which can help to decide the perfect fitness routine for the client. The routine should help the client to improve their exercise techniques. A Fitness Trainer should also keep the records of his clients’ exercise sessions to analyse their progress in fitness aspect.

Personal trainers work with clients on a one-on-one basis with celebrities and others who like privacy while they work out – either at a gym or at the client’s home. The workout is specially tailored to suit the client’s specific health and fitness requirements. Sports instructors organise, instruct, train and lead athletes specialising in indoor and outdoor sports or self-defence training such as judo and karate. Using their expertise in sports, the sports instructors evaluate the fitness level of the athlete and the athlete’s opponents to devise a competitive game strategy.

Courses

Master’s degree in Physical Education (M.P.Ed.) is offered by good institutes like Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Delhi. This institute also provides B. Sc. Degree and Bachelor of Physical Education degree. Besides, other institutes provide courses like exercise, physiology and aerobics. A comprehensive list as to where you can get a course in physical training is provided herewith.

A number of other governmental universities and private institutes also provide degree/certificates in physical training where physical education courses include anatomy, physiology, physical education, kinesiology, aerobics, swimming, weight training and exercise prescription.

After getting done with a course in physical training, the candidate has to keep a few things in mind in order to be successful.

A successful consultant or trainer must take into consideration, the health aspirations of every individual client and plan a suitable fitness regime for him/her with his/her age, medical history and nature of work in consideration. Secondly, you should keep yourself abreast with the latest developments in fitness tools like gym equipments, etc. Last but not the least, you should maintain professional ethics of keeping physical and emotional distance from your client because the nature of the work brings the trainer and the trainee into close physical and emotional contact. These norms are required to be observed in order to be successful in the long run.

Prospects

Graduates and postgraduates find employment in government schools and colleges. They can join health clinics or gyms. They can also join five star or seven star hotels which have their own fitness trainers in their gyms. They can also start their own health clinics/gyms or act as consultants to several national and state-level sports teams.

As mentioned earlier, fitness training programme in India a whopping Rs. 2,000 Crore industry, is also taking big leaps in the private sector. Moreover, be it at home or at the fitness centre, having a qualified trainer has become the ‘in-thing’.

Employment in the fitness industry is expected to grow faster as people now spend more time and money on staying in shape. However, those who want to get into the filed have to face considerable competition, simply because this field attracts so many aspirants. For many people, exercise is a favourite pastime and this is one of the ideal careers, since this profession can help to earn money. Certified trainers with good customer-relations skills will have the best chances.

In fact, fitness trainers may do everything from leading callisthenics at a nursing home to designing a weight-loss programme for a middle-aged client to working with clients who have special health issues, such as a bad back or sore knees. They can also help world-class athletes prepare for the Iron Man Competition.

Eligibility

The basic requirement to be a fitness trainer has to be 10+2 as to have good knowledge of human anatomy, diet, nutrition and other health and fitness related matters. Understandably, the first essential for this profession is an athletic body and loads of energy.

You also need to be innovative enough to vary the exercise routine to avoid monotony and boredom. Make sure you introduce an element of “fun”, taking care to devise an upper and lower body workout that exercises all muscle groups uniformly.

Remuneration

A postgraduate degree can easily fetch you Rs. 6,000 per month. If you join a fitness club or a reputed gym as a trainer, you can be paid anything above Rs. 10,000. However, five-star hotels and seven-star hotels are known as the good pay masters. Reputed soccer clubs and national level sports teams, like the Indian Cricket team, pay very good salaries to trainers. Once you have acquired a reputation, you could also be conducting one of the numerous fitness programmes or health shows on popular TV channels. Besides boosting your popularity, it will also augment your clientele. If you start up a range of fitness clubs like Vandana Luthra’s VLCC, well, you can be the entrepreneur of a multi-crore industry!

WHERE TO STUDY

* Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal
Amravati-444605, Maharashtra (affiliated to Amravati University)
Website : http://www.sgbau.ac.in/
* Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education & Sports Sciences (IGIPESS)
(affiliated to University of Delhi), B-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi-110018
* Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education
Shaktinagar, Mela Road, Gwalior-474002, Madhya Pradesh
* The Sports Authority of India, Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports
Old Moti Bagh, Patiala-147001, Punjab
* The Sports Authority of India, NS Eastern Centre
Salt Lake City, Sector-III, Kolkata-700091, West Bengal
* The Sports Authority of India, NS South Centre
University Campus, Bangalore-56005, Karnataka
* Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy
61-65, Institutional Area, Janak Puri, New Delhi-110058
Website: http://www.ccryn.org/

BEAUTY THERAPY COURSE

Beauty is one of the most precious gifts bestowed by the Almighty upon human beings. It is said that Cleopatra used to bathe in rose petals steeped in milk to make her skin softer. However, like an imposing but desolate palace with cracks and cobwebs all over it, beauty may also lost its quintessential appeal unless it’s looked after and maintained with utmost care. Beauty Therapists with their great aesthetic sense and sleight of hands perform that job with neat perfection and finesse. Today, beautycare is a global multi-billion dollar industry that employs millions of people—from scientists and production engineers right up to your neighbourhood pedicurist and mehndiwalla. If you have an eye for beauty, enjoy interacting with people and delight in transforming a plain Jane into a stunning sophisticate, beautycare is a field you could excel in. Although tastes and trends keep changing, the basic job of beautycare professionals remains the same: to help people look their best!

It’s always pleasing to eyes to get a glimpse of a beautiful face. But a career that helps people to enhance their appearance, thereby, giving them confidence to lead their lives with more vigour and vitality, is of Beautician/Cosmetologist. If at the end of the day, you feel gratified at the sight of a face you have brightened, or a look you have accentuated, then this is the profession for you. Beauty Therapy or Cosmetology has emerged as a major occupational avenue with tremendous commercial potential as today, people are becoming more and more fitness freak health and beauty conscious. This is all due to the fashion industry, which has been facing limelight in a much progressive way. Spurred by new scientific developments, techniques, products and media hype, the Indian beauty industry has truly come of age, generating mega revenues.

Aptitude

As a beautician, one has a whole range of specialisations to choose from: beauty therapy, hair styling, make-up, massage, facials, manicure, pedicure, electrolysis, herbal beautycare, etc. There are other closely related jobs like those of a beauty lab assistant, health club instructor, cosmetic sales person, consultant, yoga and naturecure practitioner, etc.

Apart from being trained to provide manicures, pedicures (care of feet, toes and nails) and scalp and facial treatments, cosmetologists even draw make-up and diet charts to suit individual requirements. Hairstylists, besides trimming, colouring, setting and straightening hair, also educate their clients about the latest hair styles and hair treatment techniques. Further, one might also study reflexology (the art of foot massage by providing impact on pressure points), or work as aesthetician whose work consists primarily of body-treatments, extensive massages, facials, etc., to cleanse and beautify skin. Another favourite option is to excel as a manicurist who treats and accentuates the health of nails, offer nail extensions and pedicures. Hairdressing includes hair cutting and styling as well as treatment for the hair and scalp. Hairdressers use various techniques to make hair look healthy and attractive and are required to know about the care and application of various hair styling gels, hair-colours, hair-pieces, wigs and other hair-accessories. They advise clients on suitable hair styles based on one’s personality and need, as well as care and maintenance of hair.

The area that has gained importance with the growth of television industry is the expertise of make-up and hair-styling artistes for the film and television industry and in modelling and advertising.

To succeed in this field, a prospective student must have a keen consciousness and thorough understanding of current trends in fashion, art and technical design. One must also show ability to easily relate to clients and exhibit ready comprehension of their interests and demands. In face, many beauty schools have incorporated communication, sales and work practices in their syllabi.

The job requires you to be on your feet all the day. The beauty parlours operate most extensively during the weekends. Besides, festivals and marriage seasons invite long hours of concentrated effort. The job also entails prolonged exposure to particularly strong chemical in a beauty clinic which may prove hazardous to health. People with sensitive skin or breathing complications would do well to keep away from the toxic chemicals.

Recent trends in the beauty business show increased numbers of specialisations in bridal make-up and the art of mehndi (Picked up really fast abroad, specially the US).

Various cosmetic companies like Amway, Aviance, Avon, Oriflame, etc.,conduct short orientation courses to familiarise women their product line and sales techniques. Attractive commission on sale can fetch you a healthy extra income – without being tied down to a nine-to-five office routine.

Prospects

Most cosmetologists seek employment in beauty salons, beauty parlours in hotels or resorts, entertainment industry (television and films) and expanding network of studios and modelling agencies. Many start their own beauty clinics after gathering a few years of experience. One may opt for skin care consultancy or work as a sales consultant ina cosmetic firm. While, other work options include the job of a fashion consultant or columnist in various newspapers and magazines. Fitness and exercise is an upcoming area of work, that covers everything from health clubs, gyms, yoga and aerobics. Those with expertise and prerequisite qualifications can start their own enterepreneurial ventures. They can open their own beauty parlours or salons or even fitness centres. To be in beauty business, one should have a good sense of aesthetics and creativity, and a liking for people of all ages. Simply speaking, you must have a friendly manner, an attractive well-groomed appearance, cool dry hands, good health, the ability to stay on your feet for long periods and a sense of hygiene and cleanliness.

The growing interest in feeling fit and looking good has created a growth in opportunities for aestheticians. Since the vast proportions of qualified therapists are women, there is a rapid increase in job opportunities, and it is possible to reach supervisory or management level within two or three years of qualifying. Mobility is an important factor in obtaining employment, largely because the geographical location of salons or health resorts is often crucial to their success.

In these constantly changing times of style and fashion, more and more people are resorting to discover the style most suited to their personality and physical characteristics. With work environment getting increasingly competitive and professional, the need to appear well groomed and attractive has assumed greater importance, not just for women but for men as well. Moreover, the complexities of modern living leaves little time for personal grooming causing more people to turn to professionals for treatments that enhance and maintain their looks. This has resulted in a burgeoning market for beauty products and beauty treatments turning beauty care or cosmetology into a hundred crore industry.

Eligibility

To get a Bachelor Degree in Cosmetic Technology, one needs to be 10+2. Courses undertaken to pursue careers as manicurist (care of hands and fingernails), electrologist and aesthetician are usually of much shorter duration. However, one is required to undertake apprenticeship, which might last for about two to three years. Formal training in beauty therapy, hair-dressing, make-up and salon management makes one eligible for seniority in the industry. Classroom study, practical demonstrations and experiments are considered vital in any cosmetology programme.

Personal qualities include a pleasing and well-groomed personality, gentleness, dexterity, an eye for fashion, readiness to work with your hands, loads of stamina and a strong back (you may have to stand for long hours at a stretch), conversational ease and the knack of making your clients feel special and comfortable. You must create a soothing and relaxing atmosphere while maintaining high standards of efficiency, cleanliness and hygiene – nothing can be more off-putting to a client than a hurried, slap-dash or sloppy job. You should also make it a point that you don’t suffer from an allergic or asthmatic condition (the fumes, dyes and chemicals you’ll inhale and handle could trigger off an attack).

Remuneration

A beautician’s earnings are determined by a number of factors, the most important being the quality of services rendered and the location of the salon.

A beginner can hope to get a minimum salary of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 7000 a month, while, for the people with sound experience, sky is only the limit. A make-up professional in an advertising campaign may easily demand and get something between Rs. 2,000-3,000 for a day’s work while earnings skyrocket if the work is undertaken as a part of modelling assignment. Basically, work experience and reputation go a long way in determining the level of service-price.

On the whole, one needs to understand that the beauty business is very lucrative industry today. Targetting to make a career in this industry can keep one up-dated with the go of the day. However, the most important point is to realise that there is dignity in every career you choose in which you can excel.

WHERE TO STUDY

* Women’s Polytechnic
Maharani Bagh, New Delhi-110065
* South Delhi Polytechnic for Women
South Extension-1, Newdelhi-110049
* Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University
Rabindranath Tagore Marg, Narpur-440001, Maharashtra
Website: http://www.nagpuruniversity.org/
* National & Regional Vocational Training Institutes for Women
(Ministry of Labour, Government of India)
Centres at : Delhi, Noida, Allahabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Vadodara, Hissar, Indore, Thiruvananthapuram, Tura
* Pearl Academy of Fashion
A-21/13, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase II, New Delhi-11028
Website: http://www.pearlacademy.com/
* YWCA
Women’s Training Institute, Bangla Saheb Lane, New Delhi
Website: http://www.worldywca.org/
* Shahnaz Hussain’s Woman’s World
International Institute of Beauty, M-106, Greater Kailash-1, New Delhi-110048.
* Akbar Peerbhoy
Girl’s Polytechnic Fort, Mumbai-400001, Maharashtra

Monday 23 July 2007

Live from Inside Out

Values held by an individual, in life, are the cornerstone of his mental make-up. It is only by living by one's values that one fulfils oneself. Values get reflected in the work and performance, of an individual as well in his life style. One can rise in life by applying and living the values. It is your values, which hold you back or give a push to your success in life. Values create a vision. Living and working by one's value is sometimes difficult, but it is more rewarding than any other temporary achievement. Everything in life needs managements. More than any other management, time management is most important. If you can manage your time properly, you can have time for everything you want to do. It requires adjustment, but this is the only way you can fulfil your ambition in life. The exploision in knowledge and information, in the present times, is truly mind-boggling. For success, each one of us has to keep pace with the latest developments. Knowledge is not something static. It has to be replenished and renewed periodically, to keep pace with the changing times. If it is not renewed or updated, it becomes a product which has outlivedits life. Our economy, ourlife, our jobs and professions are knowledge-driven. Always give enough time to yourself to regroup and plan your ideas before you put them into action. Take time to renew yourself. If you look around, you will notice plenty of opportunities. Succeeding is a matter of encashing on the opportunities, which keep on knocking at your door for attention.
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Develop the art of getting your due from others. Attitude is as imporant as skills. Sometimes positive attitude can compensate for any skill. Upfront of your attitude should always be right and it should have the approval of both your head and heart. Set your goal and path after careful deliberation. Having done so, you should go all out to achieve it. Only keeping yourself on your pre-defined path will lead you to success. Never have a closed mind or preconceived opinions about any approach, method or persons. Always keep on building your intellectual capital. You should always be demanding from yourself, to stay ahead. High standards set by you can never be enough. They have to be revised once you have achieved one set of goals. Guard yourself against obsolence. The new discoveries, inventions and technology can easily make the present-day approach obselete quickly. We have to keep on changing and find ways of using the new approaches as well technology. Our success depends on how we proceed to use it. Some time ago, everybody believed television to be only for entertainment. Now it is taken as a vehicle for social and attitudinal changes. Internet and E-mail were foreign words a few years ago. A fax machine was a rarity and and it was only the teleprinter,which was regarded as the latest technology in transmitting the written word. Mobile or cellular phones were considered as something reserved only for the gods. It depends on each one of us to put to best use the labour, discoveries and inventions, not only for the betterment of society but also for our own progress and moving ahead in life.
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Learn from Others
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We always learn from our own and other's experiences as well as mistakes. One way to have fun on one's job is to separate a problem from other activities. Then concentrate on the problem to find out its solution. Attempting a solution itself leads to a number of activities. The final outcome of all such activities is the vanquishing the problem. All initiatives start and end with the person attempting to solve any problems or difficulties. It is for us to clarify our doubts about any problems by either checking up with our friends or colleagues or experts or internet, available to us. We should learn to personalise our knowledge to keep ourselves on the top. We should cultivate dreams that outlive us. We should cultivate dreams that outlive us. We should take up challenges with a firm belief ourselves. God has gifted each one of us, with inner courage, resources, power and energised us to achieve excellence in our chosen fields. It is upto each one of us to be our best friends or the worst enemy. It is again upto each one of us to either indulge in or cut out the blame game. It is easy to find alibis or a blameworthy object, to explain away or account for our own failures. It can be in the form of a person or an event or a place for failures. The responsibility is ours. It is up to each one of us to build self-confidence in ourselves. Our effort should be to charter our life towards consistent and positive improvement, to new goals. Be on the fast track and make it a habit to have an exhilarating journey through life. There is always a link between your learning, kjnowledge and skills and your livelihood. No two situations are similar. Still the other people's experience can sometimes point out to the right direction, instead of our learning through our own mistakes.
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Success in life is all about attitudes, we cultivate, show and display in our lives. What you get in life, is in direct proportion to your attitude. It is strange but tre that it is each one of us who contribute in making our attitude what it is. There is nothing wrong in being ambitious as long as one puts one's heart and soul to achieve clear objectives and goals. Never be impatient and over-demanding when looking for immediate results. You have to learn to be fair and ethical, both for the people you work and work with. Potentials can be used to the maximum if we develop our way of self-confidence and tackle any problem that comes our way intelligently. Punctuality in the performance of your work should not be periodical and sporadic. It is some-thing which should become a habit and a convenience with you. If you can keep your house spic and span, remember to keep your office or work place so.
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There are no rewards for unemployable people. Do not be the under the illusion that the world owes you a living. It should be the first charge on your time to solve the problems and not seek or give justifications as to why things have not been done well. Find time to take on new responsibilities, so that you become and also get the reputation of a trouble-shooter. Intellectual obsolescene has no rewards anywhere in the world. If you do not change and improve with the times, you will not only remain under employed or unemployed, but you may become unemployable. You should remove stones and obstacles of inefficiency from the path of your work and organisation. Never thrive on excuses when things go wrong or try to win points when the performance is on downhill path. Do not expect your organisation to take care of your expectations unles you first take care of it. Do not turn the definition of punctuality topsy-turvy, by coming late and going away on time. It relfects callousness, inefficiency and sloth. Decide where you want to reach - and you would. Cash on the opportunities that come your way. The Choice is entirely upto each one of us.

Nature of this age

Dharma (righteousness) sustains the entire creation and the scriptures state that there is delension progressively in Dharma through the four ages (Yuga). Thus in the present Kali Yuga only a quarter remains but there is a silver lining in the dark cloud. Because of the nature of Kali practising the tenets of Dharma has become much more fruitful for the merit of a virtuous act is greater in this age. But, the nature of Kali is such that it will cause impediments to those who adhere to Dharma and hence a spiritual seeker must be always on guard last he succumb to the ills of the age.
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The Bhagavata Purana describes the nature of this age metaphorically through a chance meeting of Kind Pareekshit with a cow and bull being tormented by a man on the bank of river Saraswati. The bull was white in colour and stood trembling on one leg with fear while the miserable cow bereft of her calf was being kicked by the man and was in teras. A noble king that he was in the line of the Pandavas and fortunate to have been saved by Lord Krishna even before he was born, Pareekshit immediately sprang to the poor creature's defence by threatening the man, said Sri B. Sundar Kumar in his discourse.
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After Lord Krishna left the world Kali Yuga had set in and the Pandavas had also ascended to heaven after installing Pareekshit on the throne. It was in his kingdom during his rule that he witnessed this cruelty and considering that it was the paramount duty of a monarch to protect his subjects he intervened to punish the perpetrator.
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Pareekshit surmised that the bull was indeed Dharma and said, "In the Krta Yuga you had fourfeet in the form of austerity, purity, compassion and truthfulness. Three of them have since been destroyed by the progeny of unrighteousness: pride, attachment and hauteur. Now you have only one foot left in the shape of truthfulness on which you are supporting yourself. Yonderunrighteousness in the shape of Kali seeks to rob you of the same, strengthened by falsehood. And the cow is no other than the good mother Earth..," Pareekshit then subdued Kali but as he pleaded allowed him to stay in five places where vices dwelt.

Perception of God

The differene between lay people and saints is in their perception of God. It is possible to visualise the Supreme Being in three ways: as the Absolute, immanent within, and as manifest in all creation. While the majority relegate the Almighty to His divine abode (which is beyond their reach), saints tstay at tuned to Him all the time and see Him everywhere. This fact was observed by the disciples and devotees of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa when his body was suffering from cancer. In spite of the pain he would remain in spititual communion and stated that he saw the Supreme everywhere distancing himself totally from his bodily affliction.
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In his discourse, Swami Gautamananda said it was possible to develop the mystical insight to envision God if a spiritual seeker changed his outlook by looking upon the Almighty during ritualistic worship as dear to himself instead of distancing Him. Moreover, love of God should permeate all his actions just as engagement in human relationships. When one of his devotees deseeched Sri Ramakrishna to ask the Divine Mother to let him stay on in this world, he replied that She knew when his work was over here. He cautioned them that they should not remain complacent that their Guru would look after their spiritual growth and that they should also make the necessary effort to realise God.
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He then related the famous Upanishadic analogy of two birds sitting on different branches of the same tree. While one of them ate the fruits, the other looked on. This is an illustration to drive home the truth that the bonded soul (Jivatma) engages in the world and thereby reaps Karma, which is responsible for rebirth but the Lord who is also present in every being remains a spectator. Man suffers because he fails to remember that God is always with him. Sri Ramakrishna wondered like many savants before him as to how many would have really understood his teachings. One can appreciate this by considering how many would have understood Einstein when he explained his theory. Only few who have the required knowledge of the fundamentals of physics can understand Einstein's work. So also are the teachings of great masters.

Friday 20 July 2007

Mountbatten Plan

By March, 1947, the situation in India had taken a turn for the worst. British authority had almost evaporated. The interim government was virtually defunct because the pro-Indian and pro-Pakistan members of the Executive Council could not cooperate in the matter of governance of the country even as a short-term measure. The observance of Direct Action Day on June 29, 1946 by the Muslim League had started a trail of blood in the country. Hindu-Muslim riots took the form of open group fights between the two communities, particularly in Pubjab. In other areas, the Hindus and the Sikhs were always at the receiving end. The European officers in the service of the undivided Government of india felt demoralised and became apathetic. The British Government recalled Lord Wavell, and sent Lord Mountbatten, a celebrated Admiral of the World War II fame and a close relative of the Kind of England as the Viceroy with the mandate to arrange the transfer of power to Indian hands. Lord Mountbatten arrived in India in March 1947 and immediately started consultations with the Congress and Muslim League leaders. With a couple of months, he came to the conclusion that any compromise between the Congress and the Muslim League leaders on the basis of United India was impossible. He, therefore, sought the agreement of both the parties on the proposal of partition of the country. He soon found that there was a certain measure of agreement between the two parties on the question of partition. Having made up his mind on partition, in May 1947, he went to England to hold consultations with the British Government. On his return to India, he announced his plan on June 3, 1947 to partition India into two dominions-- India and Pakistan. The scheme announced by him on that day is popularly known as the Mountbatten Plan after his name which had the approval of both the contenders--the Congress leadership and the Muslim League led by Mr. Jinnah.

(1) The Congress accepted the principle of self-determination for those parts of India which did not want to remain within the Indian Union, subject to the condition that a similar right was given to those parts of the breakaway provinces which desired to remain in the Indian Union. In practical terms it meant partition of Pubjab and Bengal, while Sind, North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) and Baluchistan had a right to make their own choice. In the Punjab and Bengal, the representatives of the Muslim and non-Muslim-majority Districts of their respective legislative assemblies were given the right to decide separately whether they wanted to join India or Pakistan. In the case of NWFP and the Muslim majority District of Sylhet in Assam, this was left to be decided by a referendum by an adult suffrage.

(2) Independent Boundary Commission was appointed to decide the boundaries of the divided provinces of Bengal and Punjab. It comprised two judges each from each of the two dominions and was headed by Sir Cyrill Radcliffe, an English lawyer.

(3) Assets and liabilities of undivided India were also to be divided between the two dominions.

(4) The two States were to be given the dominion status to start with. They were given the right to withdraw from the British Commonwealth at their will.

(5) The earlier decision to transfer power in June 1948 was changed. It was now decided to effect the transfer of power at once. Accordingly the date was fixed as Aug. 15, 1947.

Partition of the Country

On June 3, 1947, while recommending the proposal of partition to the people affected, Jawaharlal Nehru said : “ For generations, we have dreamt and struggled for a free, independent and undivided India. The proposal to allow certain parts to secede from the Indian union is painful for any of us to contemplate. Nevertheless, I am convinced that our present decision is the right one. From this it appears that the Congress had to accept the partition as a necessary evil.

Historians have expressed different opinions regarding the consequences of the partition. Prof. Percival Spear says that it was inevitable and proved advantageous to India in the long-run. He said that “if there had been no partition of India, the Hindu-Muslim riots would have continued unabated. In that event, industrial development of India could not have been built”.

Many other scholars have supported this view. Dr. Lal Bahadul feels that the history of the Congress makes it clear that in the absence of partition, the Muslims would have enjoyed more privileges than were their legitimate due. The Unity of the country could be safeguarded only when instead of appeasing the Muslims, a policy of equal treatment to all could be pursued. The Congress could not pursue such a policy in partnership with the Muslim League. He said : “ It was choosing between two evils – Muslim domination over the country or vivisection of Mother India and in accepting the latter position, perhaps a lesser evil was chosen.”

But many others are of the view that it created more problems for India, particularly concerning defence and foreign affairs. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in his book, “India Wins Freedom” has tried to attribute the partition to the excessively cordial relations which had developed between the Nehru and the Mountbatten families. Summing up, it is felt that even if partition could have been averted in 1947, it would have taken place later under different conditions. Communal aspirations of both – the Hindus and the Muslims – could not find a self expression in a United India, with a divided legislature and a divided leadership.


Passage of the Indian Independence Act

After the Mountbatten Plan had been accepted by all concerned, the British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act, in July 1947.

Provisions of the Act : (1) Under this Act, two independent Dominions were created with effect from Aug. 15, 1947. Complete control was transferred to Indian (and Pakistani) hands from that date.

(2) Indian Dominion got Bombay, Madras, UP, CP, Bihar, Eastern Punjab, West Bengal, (Minus the Muslim majority area of Sylhet), Delhi, Ajmer, Merwara and Coorg. Pakistan got the remaining territories of undivided British India. To demarcate the boundary between the two dominions in the provinces of Punjab and Bengal, the boundary line drawn by him is known as Radcliffe Line.

(3) The power in each of the two dominions was transferred to their respective Constituent Assemblies, which became fully sovereign bodies on Aug. 15, 1947.

(4) From Aug. 15, 1947, the Governor-General of each of the Dominions was to be appointed on the advice of the respective Dominion Cabinet. The Congress thus appointed Lord Mountbatten the first Governor-General of India, while the Muslim League appointed Mohd. Ali Jinnah as the first Governor General of Pakistan.

(5) Until the framing of the Constitutions of the two dominions, the Government of India Act of 1935 was to regulate the governance with suitable modifications. The Governors in the provinces became purely constitutional heads of the provinces. The Governors were also to be nominated by the Cabinet of the Dominion concerned.

(6) The provisions of the statute of Westminster were made applicable to both the Dominions. The office of the Secretary of State for India and the India office were abolished.

(7) During the transitional period, the respective Constituent Assemblises became the Dominion Parliaments.

(8) British paramountcy over Indian native states lapsed. The states were given the freedom to join either of the two dominions or even to remain independent.

With the coming into force of the Indian Independence Act, India and Pakistan emerged as independent nations.
The independence of India from the iron rule of the British government was one of the greatest events in modern history. Independence of India opened the floodgates of independence of countries in the continents of Asia and Africa and within a few years, almost all the colonies of the Western powers in these continents became independent, sometimes even without asking for it. In a way independence of India marked the end of the era of colonialism and imperialism in the world. It was for the first time in history that such a huge territory with such a big population had achieved independence, though the reasons for such an occurrence are traced to the destruction of British Military and economic power during the World War II. However, the wily English made a virtue of necessity and abdicated the power gracefully. The other circumstances which made the independence of the country at that particular point of history possible are the following:
(1) Work Done by the INC : The work done by the Congress in bringing about a political awakening among the Indian masses played a significant role in the transfer of power. In the last phase, World War II, Quit India Movement, INA trial, Naval Mutiny and the general discontent intensified the spirit of nationalism. After the end of the War, the cry on every body's tongue was, "Now or Never".

(2) The Sword Wielding Hand of Britain had Become Paralysed : As already stated, war had weakened British government so much that it could no more wield any effective power abroad.

(3) Progressive Movements : Second World War had awakened the whole of Asia. The Asian people everywhere rose against the western colonial powers. Progressive Movements started in most of the Asian countries. Among all the under-developed countries in the region, India was the most developed one and, therefore, was the first to become independent.

(4) Loyalty of the Indian Army Became Suspect : In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the British had conquered India bit by bit with the Indian soldiers, who were paid out the Indian revenues and remained loyal to the British government because of the salt they ate. Now people realised that they were being exploited and that the salt that they ate was not the English salt but the Indian salt, which came from the Indian tax-payers. The stories of the adventures of the INA and the revolt of the Indian Naval Ratings at various places made the loyalty of the Indian troops suspect in the eyes of the British rulers. They now realised that they could no more rely on the blind loyalty of the Indian soldiers, particularly when it came to controlling the Indian masses by use of force. They, therefore, thought it fit to leave gracefully before they were kicked out.

(5) Rise of Labour Party to Power in England : After the war, Labour Party, led by Clement Atlee came to power in England. The absolute majority which Labour enjoyed in England, brought Indian independence nearer. Even Churchill now did not seriously oppose the Labour action in accelerating the pace of transfer of power to Indian hands. Perhaps he had also realised that the time of the British power was up.

(6) Keeping India in Bondage had ceased to be Profitable : During War time, India had made remarkable progress in industrialisation and modernisation. Therefore, after the end of the war, India ceased to be very profitable market for the British goods. The English therefore soon realised that it would be more profitable to have a friendly independent India rather than have a hostile slave India. This prompted the British statesmen to speed up the process of Independence of the country.

(7) Compromise on Pakistan : In the past, progress of institutional reforms had always been hampered by the differences between the Congress and the Muslim League leaders. This time, both the parties suddenly came to agree on parting ways once and for all. Now English had no excuse to stay on in the sub-continent. No Indian leader liked the idea of partition, but they found that it was inevitable. They, therefore, accepted it as a lesser evil. Jinnah also realised that there was a limit to which he could dictate terms. He, therefore, reluctantly agreed to have mutilated, moth eaten and truncated Pakistan. But for this compromise over Pakistan between the Congress and the Muslim League, the process of independence would certainly have been somewhat delayed.

Advent of Independence :

Finally the crucial day arrived. On Aug. 14, 1947, Pakistani leaders and Lord Mountbatten flew to Karachi and inaugurated the separate Independent state of Pakistan on the other side of the Padcliffe Line, and installed Mohd. Ali Jinnah as its Governor-General. Liaqat Ali Khan became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. At midnight on August 15, a special session of the Constituent Assembly was held in New Delhi where Jawaharlal Nehru, delivered his famous speech and India had its tryst with destiny. In the morning the Tricolour was hoisted on the Red Fort to proclaim to the world that India was a free nation, no more subservient to any foreign power. But it was a blood-stained freedom. Lakhs of people were killed on both sides of the Radcliffe Line and crores of people had to leave their hearths and homes to seek a shelter in their newly independent and divided homelands, because they had become foreigners in their own homes and were left with only two alternatives "to face inhuman man-slaughter or to flee".

Wednesday 18 July 2007

Career Options/Guidance

Q. I have done my B.Sc with Botany Honours. I want to appear in the Indian Forest Services (IFS) Examination. Please guide me.
Ans: Indian Forest Services (IFS) Examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission every year generally in the month of July. Only those with a Bachelor's degree with atleast one of the following subjects viz., Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics and Zoology or Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture, Forestry or Engineering or equivalent in the age group of21-30 years on the 1st July of the year of examination are eligible.
Q. I am a student of B.Sc. (IInd Year) with Physics Honours. I want to know about National DEfence Academy Examination. Please guide me.
Ans: National Defence Academy (NDS) Entrance Examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice a year, generally in the months of April and October of admission to the courses commencing in the following January and July respectively for the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA. A candidate must be an unmarried male and have attained the age of 16 ½ years and must not have attained the age of 19 years on the Jan. 1 or July 1 of the year succeeding the years of examination. For Army Wing of the NDA, a candidate must have passed 12 Class of the 10+2 pattern of school education. For Airforce and Naval Wings, a candidate must have passed 12th Class with Physics and mathematics.

KNOW THE FACTS-12

1. Q. What is Bovine Epidemic?

Ans: Bovine Epidemic is a disease that spreads among the buffalo and the cow population at a given time. The MadCow Syndrome which spread in Britain in 1999, was an instance of bovine epidemic, as a result of which beef and veal imported from non-european countries was banned in stores there. Recently, the German Government announced that it would slaughter an estimated 4,00,000 heads of cattle in an attempt to curb the mad-cow disease. This would cost some £ 120 million to the exchequer.

2. Q. What are Probiotics ?

Ans: Probiotics simply means "for life". A probiotic is the term to denote a naturally occurring group of organisms. These cultures of micro-organisms or biological products are able to multiply in the pet's intestinal tract to create a balanced microflora. This prevents undesirable organisms (pathogens) to colonies in the intestine.
The intestinal tract contains receptor sites. When probiotics enters the digestive system, they will occupy these receptor sites, restricting the attachment of destructive bacteria. Probiotics keep the gut at a desirable pH thus allowing for the growth of "good" bacteria. Also these "friendly bacteria" produce a natural antibiotic like substance called Bactericine which helps to eliminate unwanted coliforms. The end result is healthy, viable intestinal lining that can maintain optimal nutrient absorption capabilities.
3. Q. What are Super Bugs ?
Ans: In Super Bugs the non-indigenous microbes to a contaminated site are added to enhance the actual degradation of the contaminant. But by latest research, it has been seen that it is not true. It has been observed that money may be better spent determining the degradation potential for the existing microbial community, looking for cometobolic enzyme potential, and then stimulating those mocroorganisms. Many studies have been performed that demonstrate commercial 'super bugs' typically are not the ones doing the degrading at a site.
4. Q. What is the concept of Fatherland?
Ans: It is the same as that of Motherland. We call India our Motherland because it is deep-rooted in our culture and ethos. However, the Nazis started calling Germany their Fatherland in the 1930s with the rist of Adolf Hitler. The term Fatherland is also used in many other European nations for their native land.
5. Q. What is meant by Terminator Seed Technologies?
Ans: The Terminator Gene Techniques suggest that the technology creates transgenic plants in which expression of certain traits is introduced either by the application of an external stimulus through hybridisation or by the direct introduction of an enzyme. Transgenic plants are transformed into Terminators by introducing into their genomea series of functionally inter-related DNA sequences or genes.
'Terminator' technology, a biotechnological innovation patented in the United States, could deal a fatal blow to millions of resource-poor farmers in developing countries as it portends great dange to food security world wide. The patent titled "Control of Plant Gene Expression" is meant to alter seeds genetically so that crops raised using them do not yield seeds that germinate.
6. Q. What is Hibernation ?
Ans: Hibernation generally refers to animals which spend the winter in a state like deep sleep. Any person or process that reaches an almost stagnation point for a long period of time is said to be in hibernation.
7. Q. What is Homeopathy and who founded it ?
Ans: Homeopathy is a system of medicine that was introduced by a German Physician Hahnemann in 1796. It is based on the belief that "like cures like", and that the action of drugs are potentiated by dilution.
8. Q. What is Fabianism?
Ans: Fabianism is another kind of socialism. It believes in establishment of socialism through evolutionary methods. It aims at the promotion of the general welfare of society through peacefuland democratic method. It justifies socialism from economic, moral and personal grounds. It believes in the improvement of the conditions of the labourers of society. It also advocates the abolition of private property in land and transfer of industrial capital to the community so fare as possible. On the whole, Fabianism advocated the elimination of social injustice. Progress is, therefore, very slow here. Fabianism first originated in Great Britain towards the last part of the 19th century. A group of intellectuals like G.B. Shaw, graham Walls, Annie Besant, sidney and Beatrice Webb, formed the Fabian Society in Great Britain.
9. Q. What is Euthanasia ?
Ans: Euthanasia means mercy-killing. It is the process of bringing about of gentle and painless death for a person suffering from a painful and incurable disease or extreme old age. On Nov. 28, 2000, the Netherlands became the first country to allow mercy-killings after Parliament passed a Bill legalising euthanasia. Elsewhere in the world, only the US State of Oregon allow a form of Euthanasia.
10. Q. What is Cloud-Sedding?
Ans. Cloud-sedding is a process in which silver iodide is sprayed on the monsoon clouds. The chemical acts as condensation material and effects precepitation of clouds or in otherwords in formation of water drops and subsequently effects rainfall. The process is considered environmentally safe and is practised in a number of countries to enhance crop productivity.
11. Q. What is alienation ?
Ans: Alienation means unfriendly or hostile. However, in legal system it means power of disposing of or transferring an interest in property to another person.
12. Q. What is Acid Rain ?
Ans: Acid Rain is a form of pollution in which the rain water contains greater than normal acidity. Oxides of sulphur and nitrogen generated by burning of fossil fuels in power plants, pulp and paper mills, mining, smelting operations and other industrial processes are constantly released into atmosphere. Tall chimneys released the oxides high in the atmosphere and before they can drop to the ground, they have enough time to combine with atmospheric moisture and underthe action of sunlight to become acid. Precipitation of such particles is acid rain.

Mental Ability-4

(C.S.P.E. 2000)

1. A rectangular water tank measures 15 m x 6 m at top and is 10 m deep. It is full of Water. If water is drawn out lowering the level by 1 metre, how much water has been drawn out?
a) 90,000 litres, b) 45,000 litres, c) 4,500 litres, d) 900 litres

2. An accurate clock shows 8 o'clock in the morning. Through how many degrees will the hour hand rotate when the clock shows 2 o'clock in the afternoon?
a) 150º b) 144º c) 168º d) 180º

3. The monthly income of Komal and Asha are in the ratio of 4:3. Their monthly expenses are in the ration of 3:2. However, both save Rs. 600 per month. What is their total monthly income?
a) Rs. 8,400/-, b) Rs. 5,600/-, c) 4,200/-, d) 2,800/-

4. If X= -2, then X3(cube) -X2(square)-X-1 is equal to, a) 1, b)-3, c) -11, d) -15

5.



Answers:-

1. (a): 1 letre = 100 cu.cm., Water drawn out=15x6x1=90 sq.m.
2. (d)
3. (c): Let the total monthly income of Komal and Asha respectively be 4k and 3k. Suppose their expenses are 3l and 2l respectively. Therefore 4k-3l=600 and 3k-2l=600, implies k=600 and l=600, implies Total income of komal and Asha = 7k= 4200.
4. (c)

Tips for the Inverviews

Bearing : Walk erect and with confidence. Look into the eyes of the Chairman and Members when you talk to them. Smile and be pleasant. Be enthusiastic and interested. You must be lively, keen and cheerful. Let your optimism and energy radiate.
Conduct : Politeness pays. Be sympathetic and attentive. Observe meticulously the code of manners and etiquette. Never be rude or offensive. Do not neglect to pay compliments.
Speech : Talk slowly, deliberately and audibly. You should neither shout nor mumble. Pronounce your words clearly and crisply. Never be dull or monotonous with your words. Avoid the use of such phrases like, 'you see', 'i say', 'ofcourse', 'i mean', etc.,
Dress: Choose your dress with care. It must be befitting the occasion.
Personal Hygiene: Be neat, tidy and clean. Se that you are well groomed.
Self-Control: Do not become emotional or get nervous. Be confident and patient. Check necessary movements. The Board may deliberately try to provoke you and see how easily you could be upset. Never lost your temper.
Do not Bluff : State only what you know to be correct. Do not hazard guesses unless you are asked to do so. Shooting lions andboasting will land you in trouble. Do not try to be too clever. Remember, the Board has years of experience and has seen many candidates.
Own-up your mistakes : If the Boards pointsout that you had made a mistake and you realist it to be fact, then be couragous and own it up. Never try to cover it up. The Board will respect you for your honesty.
Initiative: Use your initiative but watch the reactions of the Board. Also be conscious of your limitations. Do not ever-shoot. Do not draw conclusions. Be discreet when you talk about your own accomplishments. These shouldbe conveyed subtly and tactfully.
Criticism and Arguments : Do not criticise. Never try to find faults. As far as possible, stress the good point of others. It is better to be silent than to criticise. Do not get involved in unproductive arguments. You have not gone to the interview to win a verbal battle but to have an enjoyable conversation. See how you can agree rather than disagree. As a last resort you may agree to disagree.
Listen and Observe : Keep your eyes and ears open. Study their reactions. You will know when to stop talking and when to listen. As a rule, do not interrupt. If the other person wishes to talk, let him do so. In fact, encourage him to talk. Be an attentive and enthusiastic listener.
Practice : Practice, practice and practice. You must have as much practice as possible. Enlish the goodwill and cooperation of your friends, colleagues, elders and family members and have practice session with them. The more practice you have, the better it is. It will guarantee your SUCCESS.

Monday 9 July 2007

Acupuncture

Ancient Chinese Health Practice
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique. In acupuncture needles are used to manipulate a person's life force for the purpose of re-establishing balance. Evidence of the use of accupuncture goes back at least 4,000 years. It is said that acupuncture was introduced to the Chinese by Huang-ti, the yellow Emperor. He lived some time around the 28th Century B.C. According to pupular belief, he brought the knowledge of things like bows and arrows, writing, the calendar and a medical text called Nei Jing which is still in use today. This book introduces the idea of life force and its importance to a person's mental and physical health.
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The basic belief behind acupuncture is that illness is caused by the failure of a person's life force to move properly along internal "power lines" called meridians. Of them there are mainly 14 in the human body. Very fine needles (sometimes in combination with electrical stimulus or with heat produced by burning specifit herbs) are inserted at some points along these meridians to release blockages and restore balance.
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A very important concept of acupuncture is the concept of natural balance. According to this concept, life spreads out itself in the alternating rhythm. Day gives way to night, night to day; a time of light and activity is followed by darkness and rest. Flowers open and close, the moon waxes and wanes, the tides come in and go out; people wake and sleep, breathe in, breathe out. Their proper relationship is health the opposite is disease.
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Traditionally, there are 365 acupuncture points on the body. Most of the points have a specific energetic function. Some points are at the meeting of meridian pathways. Some other points are junctions on an internal pathway of the meredian. Some points tend to move life force towards the interior of the body. Other points bring energy to the surface.
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The choice of acupuncture points varies from patient to patient and from treatment to treatment. It relies on very careful diagnosis. Diagnosis requires the observation of the body through looking, touching, smelling and listening. One of the primary diagnostic methods is pulse taking. It takes fifteen years to master this delicate art.
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Today, acupuncture enjoys great pupularity in China and many parts of the world. Acupuncture, the ancient medical art offers a well-tested health practice. It is inexpensive, safe and effective against many types of physical and mental illness. __ (Velayudhan Features)

Word Power-1 to 30

Choose the correct meaning for the word given in bold letters:

1. blacken : a) discredit, b) debar, c) force, d) condemn
2. chunk : a) chapel, b) lump or piece, c) courageous, d) joyless
3. Dauntless : a) atrocious, b) obsolete, c) courageous, d) joyless
4. haven : a) ruin, b) screen, c) perception, d) shelter
5. mediate : a) survey, b) settle a dispute, c) propose, d) ramble
6. Patch : a) plot or field, b) distress, c) stamina, d) permit
7. rally : a) call together, b) roam, c) push firmly, d) scour
8. scant : a) bad, b) insufficient, c) improper, d) tasteless
9. thicken : a) warm up, b) menance, c) make thick, d) pulsate
10. unmatched : a) unequivocal, b) absolute, c) complete, d) unequalled
11. Ancillary:a) Analogical; b) Subordinate; c) Bold; d) Conventional.
12. Annihilate: a) Interesting; b) Downward;, c) Destroy Completely; d) Lubricate
13. Antagonistic : a) Hostile; b) Pluralistic; c) Mockery; d) Otherwise
14. Animadvert : a) Needy; b) Hospitality; c) Make remarks; d) Notation.
15. Alien : a) Difficult; b)Precious; c) Differing in nature or character; d) Unnatural.
16. Allude : a) Mention; b) Separation; c) Dazzling; d) Convey.
17. Allusion: a) Chivalry; b) Choosy; c) Indirect reference; d) Unburden.
18. Amenable: a) Decline; b) Responsive; c) Defective; d) Infuse.
19. Antique: a) Convention; b) Delicacy;, c) Interlink; d) Existing since old times.
20. Aplomb: a) Diffidence; b) Self-Confidence; c)Selfish; d) Entrant.
21. Appertain: a) Give up; b) Offence; c) Be appropriate; d) Entertain.
22. Asperity: a) Roughness or Harshness; b) Productivity; c) Gradient; d) Shoddy.
23. Amenity: a) Authority; b) Deity; c) Lonely; d) Pleasantness.
24. Amiable : a) Prosperous; b) Observant; c) Lunatic; d) Kind-hearted
25. Abase: a) Chronic disease; b) Faithful; c) Humiliate or degrade one self; d) Uncouth
26. Abdicate : a) Give up a high office or authority; b) Organise; c) Disapprove; d) Misapply.
27. Abundant : a) Cancel; b) Plentiful; c) Apperance; d) Refusal.
28. Actuate : a) Discharge; b) Cause to act; c) Cordage; d) Copy
29. Adjure : a) Jointly; b) Pressurise; c) Educate; d) Ask somebody earnestly or solemnly.
30. Aghast : a) Precise; b) Filled with fear or surprise; c) Consist; d) Console.


Answers:

1) a, 2) b, 3) c, 4) d, 5) b, 6) a, 7) a, 8) b, 9) c, 10) d
11. b) Ancillary means subordinate. The transport corps is ancillary to the infantry in Army.
12. c) Annihilate means destroy completely. Radio communication has annihilated space.
13. a) Antagonistic means hostile. Israel's attitude towards Palestine is antagonistic.
14. c) Animadvert means making remarks. One should always avoid animadverting on others.
15. c) Alien means differing in nature or character. These principles are alien to our religion.
16. a) Allude means mention. In your remarks you allude to certain sinister developments.
17. c) Allusion means indirect reference. His speeches are full of classical allusions which few people understand.
18. b) Amenable means responsive. Do you find the new medical batch amenable?
19. d) Antique means existing from old times. The students of the Aligarh University put on sherwani as antique.
20. b) Aplomb means self-confidence. One should always read good books to develop aplomb.
21. c) Appertain means be appropriate. A good examinee must appertain during the last hour of the examination.
22. c) Asperity means roughness or harshness. There was a touch of asperity in his speech.
23. d) Amenity means pleasantness. We find Amenity in the climate of Bangalore.
24. d) Amiable means kind-hearted. I have always found him a most amiable fellow.
25. c) Abase means humiliate or degrade oneself. One should not abase oneself for petty gains.
26. a) Abdicate means giving up a high office or authority. Kind Edward VIII abdicated the throne of England in 1936.
27. b) Abundant means plentiful. Now we have got abundant proof of his guilt.
28. b) Actuate means cause to act. A great statesman is actuated by love of his country, not by love of power.
29. d) Adjure means ask somebody earnestly or solemnly. I adjure you to tell the truth before the committee.
30. b) Aghast means filled with fear or surprise. He stood aghast at the terrible sight.

General Knowledge-12

1. What is meant by the term "Midnight Sun"?
a) Twlilght b) Very bright moon c) Rising Sun d) Sun Shining in the polar circles

2. Now-a-days Soyabean is cultivated on a large scale in many places because,
a) It is rich in Vitamins b) It can be used a staple food c) It is a source of high quality protein d) It is cheap and easier to cook.

3. Who was called the "Flying Sikh"?
a) Malwinder Singh b) Milkha Singh c) Makhan Singh d) Ajmer Singh

4. Which of the following does not share a border with india?
a) Pakistan b) Bangladesh c) Myanmar (Burma) d) Afghanistan

5. 'Glaucoma' is a disease related to which of the following organs of the human body?
a) Heart b) Ears c) Eyes d) Lungs

6. Which one of the following is the industry in which the largest number of women are employed in india? a) Jute b)Tea c) Coal d) Textile

7. Which one of the following thinkers did not influence Mahatma Gandhi?
a) Leo Tolstoy b) Henry Thoreau c) Gopal Krishna Gokhale d) Leon Trostsky

8. Sanjukta Panigrahi is an exponent of which of the following?
a) Painting b) Acting c) Dance d) Music

9. Which of the Bills can become law inspite of disapproval of the Rajya Sabha?
a) Bill relating to social reforms, b) Constitution amendment bill c) Bills relating to concurrent subjects d) Finance Bills

10. Homer was the greatest poet of the language name:
a) Latin b) Spanish c) Greek d) Turkish

11. The first medicinal patent was made in 1698 for Epsom Salt.

12. In Mohini Bhasmasura, the 1913 Dada Saheb Phalke film, women appeared before the camera for the first time on the screen in india.

13.

Answers:__

1) d, 2) c, 3) b, 4) d, 5) c, 6) b, 7) d, 8) c, 9) d, 10) c

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