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Study in India

Dear Sir,

I am studying in third year BTech. I am confused as to what to do next. Please suggest some options that I can consider and their scope.

Yenuganti Prasanth

Dear Yenuganti,

Never take decisions based on ‘scope’ which keeps changing periodically. Your first choice could be in the core area or branch of engineering that you are studying. Only if you are not happy with it, then you can consider other options. Also, evaluate whether you would like to be in the field of technology or move to people-related areas of management, marketing, HR etc. Your choice should be based on your abilities and what you would enjoy and be good at, not on the so-called scope.

If despite your best efforts you are unable to narrow down to long-term career goals then it is better to take up an entry-level job in a small organisation so that you get an exposure to the working world and also explore what type of work suits you best. Then you can decide whether to go for higher studies or to continue working.

Dear Sir,

My son is studying in Class 10. He wishes to pursue CA. Kindly guide us on the courses and exams he needs to take up. Are there any residential academies in Karnataka that cater to the same?

Ramesh

Dear Ramesh,

Check out whether he is good with numbers, has a sharp concentration and can sit for long hours on the computer without getting distracted. Give him an opportunity to browse through the Accountancy and Business Studies text books of I PUC, and see if he feels he will enjoy studying commerce subjects. After Class 10, let him take up these two subjects along with any two of the following: mathematics, statistics or economics for PUC in a good college.

If he likes the subjects and scores well, then you can enrol him after PUC for the Foundation course of CA (details available at icai.org). If he clears the Foundation test in first attempt, or at least comes very close to passing marks, then you can encourage him to continue with the subsequent Intermediate and Final exams. Only at that stage you need to decide whether to send him to any of the hostels that provide extensive coaching. In the meanwhile, he can enrol for a BCom and continue with his studies.

Dear Sir,

My son has completed master’s in yoga and now wants to pursue a degree (bachelor’s or master’s) in acupuncture. Kindly suggest some good colleges which offer distance education.

Sunil Kumar

Dear Sunil,

Acupuncture is a distinct alternative form of healing that uses sharp needles inserted at particular pressure points to stimulate certain nerves and relieve pain or disease. Though there are a few successful practitioners of this ancient Chinese art, there do not seem to be any recognised university courses in this subject.

Also, being a very practical and sensitive therapy, it cannot be learnt through distance education. It would be better for your son to learn hands-on by working with a therapist or a health centre that offers this service. As a yoga practitioner he can also consider learning ‘acupressure’ which does not use needles but only applied pressure of the hand on specific nerves as a healing process.