Mock tests hold the key to success

Dear Sir,

I am a BBA student and my aim is to pursue MBA in IIM Bangalore. I am a little confused as I have repeated my II PU twice and my friends feel this will work against my admission to IIM-B. Please guide me.

Jax

Dear Jax,

Admission to Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) is based on the Common Aptitude Test (CAT) which is held in November every year, and final year degree students from any stream are eligible to appear. Since last year it is also being offered on-line.

   Generally, the last date for applying is in September. You are expected to have at least 50% in your degree aggregate, and some amount of weightage is given to the marks you have scored in 10th, 12th and degree.

The exam is highly competitive as almost three lakh candidates compete for just 2,000 seats in the seven IIMs, including the one at Bangalore.

Allotment of particular IIM is based on your merit rank. Since you had to repeat II PU twice, introspect and see whether you are capable of rigorous hard work and consistent performance.

If yes, then start preparing steadfastly from now itself, and if possible, take proper coaching. Keep in mind that a good CAT score can get you admission in some of the other top B-schools in case you do not make it to IIMs.

Dear Sir,

My nephew has finished PUC in Commerce and he is not interested in higher studies. He wants to do short-term (3 to 12 months) courses in travel, tourism, etc.

Please suggest courses that will help him become an entrepreneur.

Dr Ravindranath V Badi

Dear Dr Ravindranath,

Please be aware that if he stops studies with only PUC qualification, he may not be able to go higher up the ladder in his career. With short-term courses, he can get entry-level jobs and then he may not get many promotions.

The best and globally recognised courses in the travel industry is the IATA certification (but the exam is tougher than what he would face at degree level).

Other short-term courses include ticketing, sales, tourist guide, etc. He will have to locate a suitable coaching centre nearest to him and take up the course.

Do ensure that he has an aptitude towards travel & tourism, and he is strongly people-oriented with good verbal and interpersonal skills.

If he is aspiring to become an entrepreneur, then the best option would be for him to take up work in the field that he wants to start his business in. Working with a small organisation and rotating different job responsibilities will give him exposure to all aspects of the business, and then he can decide when to take the plunge.

Dear Sir,

I have completed my BE in Electronics and Communication in 2006. I am working as a technical support engineer in IBM. I feel I can do better.

Could you advice me on some software courses which are good for getting better jobs? Since I am from the 2006 batch, what are the chances of getting a software job?

Is PHP, Sql a good software course? Please suggest.

Sandeep K                                

Dear Sandeep,

First of all, ensure that you would like to give up your four years’ experience in technical support and move into a new area like software.     While software definitely offers lucrative job openings, the competition is also equally tough, and fresh graduates in computer science engineering may be better than you in terms of technical skills.

If you are determined to get into software, try and see if you can get an entry-level job in any organisation related to software development.
 
Alternatively, consider the option of taking up an MCA (Masters in Computer Applications) either through correspondence or in an evening college.

This way, you will have a strong foundation since vocational courses may cost you a lot of money and may not ensure good jobs.

The counsellor is the Chairman of Banjara Academy. E-mail your queries on Studying in India to [e-mail].