Mini video encyclopaedia on Kerala

Over 3,300 videos made by Kerala Tourism over the past 16 years available on the Net

An e-video catalogue of 3,300 footages is available on the Internet for a glance of the backwaters, hills, and other tourism products of Kerala. Launched by Kerala Tourism, keralatourism.org/ videocatalogue/ is a mini video encyclopaedia on Kerala and what it has to offer to travellers.

A pioneer in integrating technology in promoting the destination both in India and abroad, the product is also the first of its kind as no other destination had such an attempt.

The catalogue, which runs into 108 pages, presents more than 3,300 videos made by Kerala Tourism.

Source | The Hindu | 12 June 2015

GATEway to PSUs

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is a competitive exam that is held at the national level for admission into various post-graduate programs in top institutes. As the GATE score shows the aptitude level of students in undergraduate science and engineering subjects, it is now being actively used by Public Sector Undertakings for recruiting the right talent. Conducted by the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and the 7 centers of Indian Institutes of Technology namely, Delhi, Guwahati, Mumbai, Pune, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee, GATE is one of the toughest competitive exams of the country.

The popularity of GATE among students has increased tremendously owing to the fact that now Public Sector Undertakings are taking GATE scores into consideration while hiring. As a government job remains a viable career option for many further instigated by the stability and traditional reputation associated with it, umpteen aspirants are now appearing for GATE to make their dreams of white-collar jobs come true.

According to recent statistics, the recruitment of 2014 went pretty well. Also, last year, over 10 lakh students registered for the exam out of which, 8.89 lakh students appeared and only 16.84% i.e. 1, 49,694 were able to ace the exam. In accordance with the estimates, approximately 3000 students were recruited by 25 PSUs.

What lies ahead

As far as the year 2015 is concerned, it is estimated that 10 more PSUs will join the bandwagon of PSUs that recruit students on the basis of their GATE scores. Approx. 6000 students are expected to get hired by 34 PSUs through GATE 2015.

PSUs are always in need of employees who have detailed technical know-how, who know the nitty-gritties of engineering and have a strong understanding of its complex principals. GATE gauges the propensity of students to solve technical problems. Hence, PSUs are considering GATE score as the ideal measure to check a candidate’s general and technical aptitude. Also, screening candidates on the basis of their GATE results saves manpower costs of the company. Beyond this, GATE is a common platform to benchmark students in terms of engineering concepts and general aptitude, which makes it a fair medium to recruit candidates. Besides this, since IITs and top PSUs use GATE exam as their selection criteria for hiring, it urges other companies to follow suit.

Opportunities

Top Public Sector Undertakings like BHEL, HPCL, CONCOR, GAIL, BEL, DDA, NALCO, MECON, NHPC and MEC among many others, set their own cut offs for recruitment. Eligible and deserving students are hired. An excellent score in the competitive exam can help students grab a job in these companies. Currently 2000 to 3000 vacancies exist in some of the leading PSUs for fresh engineering graduates. After considering candidates based on their GATE scores, the selection process involves a group discussion followed by a personal interview.

The competition level of GATE has elevated extensively owing to the importance of the exam. To survive this fierce and intense competition, students need to have a strong grounding in engineering with a good GATE score, which is ultimately the passport to a secure career.

The writer is the co-founder of The Gate Academy.

Sources : The Hindu

Higher education opportunities in Ireland

Indian students have reached greener pastures, quite literally, in their pursuit for newer options for higher education. Ireland, with its picturesque villages, vibrant cities and the tag of being one of the friendliest countries in the world, has managed to convince a growing number of students in India that the grass is indeed greener on the other side.

Small country it maybe, but some aggressive marketing and promotional efforts have earned Ireland a sizeable population of Indian students in most of its well-known universities. Education in Ireland (the government organisation responsible for the development of Ireland's higher education sector in world markets) said there were over 23,000 international students enrolled in publicly funded institutions in Ireland in the academic year 2013-14.

This is said to be an increase of over 60 per cent compared with the figures in 2009-10. The highest number of international students in Ireland comes from six key places — India, China, U.S., Brazil, Malaysia and the Gulf. Indian students are heading to Irish universities mainly to study subjects such as computer science, business analytics, engineering, pharmacy, business, accounting and hospitality management.

Growing interest

“The number of Indian students studying in Ireland has risen particularly in the last five years due to an increased awareness of Ireland, its culture and the strong post study employment opportunities,” said Education in Ireland representatives.

The Indian students studying in Ireland, that The Hindu came across during a recent FAM trip to some Irish universities, seemed to agree. There were some pertinent points they put forth while explaining the reason behind their choosing Ireland over traditionally popular countries such as the U.S. and the U.K. And some of them had made their decision to go overseas pretty young.

Anchal Jain, who is in her first year of medicine at Trinity College Dublin, for instance, chose to head to Ireland as there was no entrance exam. Back home, she would have written a slew of them. Another undergraduate student, Siddharth Hitkari, studying business, economics and social studies, said the next thing on his mind is getting an MBA, and going abroad before that “made sense.” Una Condron, Senior International Recruitment Manager (Asia), University College Dublin (UCD), said that Indian parents look at three aspects while sending their children abroad to study: safety, cost and the standard of living.

Various choices

While varsities such as Dublin Business School, UCD, Dublin City University, Dublin Institute of Technology and National College of Ireland have their perks for being located in Dublin, those in other parts of Ireland, too, get their share of Indian students for different reasons. John Joe O’Farrell from the International Office of Waterford Institute of Technology, for instance, points out the lower cost of living in Waterford compared with Dublin, especially when it comes to accommodation.

Maynooth University, at the same time, touts its proximity to Dublin as one of the advantages, while still being away from the city. The wide range of courses too, such as at the National University of Galway, is a big draw for Indian students, along with the option of gaining professional experience. For instance, the University of Limerick offers a master’s programme in nursing studies wherein students can work part-time in a nursing home.

On the other hand, professors at the University College Cork point out how by being part of the European Union, students choosing to study in Ireland have the advantage of getting more opportunities to work.

The author was on a media familiarisation trip to Ireland.

Source : The Hindu

A career in civil services

Getting into the civil services is a gruelling task. The motivation to succeed must be very strong indeed; for it is not an easy task by any measure to scale the stages of getting selected for India government service. This year, 1236 persons have been selected for the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, and Central Services groups A and B, totally. They have faced a demanding selection process. The preliminary exam, the first stage, was held in August last year; filtering out most of the people who appeared, the Mains were held later and the Personal Interview, the final stage, was held in April and the result declared recently. The selection process this year has been the biggest so far, with 4.51 lakh people having appeared in the preliminary exam. There have been many firsts this time; four women candidates have bagged the top ranks, with the first ranker Ira Singhal being selected for foreign services.

Despite the process being so stringent, people try hard and try many times to enter this coveted career. What draws people into this attempt? Is it the prestige, the idealism, the power, the status it definitely brings? Perhaps a bit of all of this! Needless to say, the dreams of the new recruits are tied up with those of millions of people whose voices are never heard by us.

The effort

C. Vanmathi is one of the persons who has scaled this threshold. Born in a family with low income, her mother’s ambition was to educate her daughters up to Class XII. But Vanmathi has gone way beyond that. “My father works as a car driver, and my conviction that education has the power to uplift our status gave me the impetus to study further,” she says. Harendhira Prasad, who has secured the 93rd all-India rank (7th in Tamil Nadu), who holds a B.E. (Computer Science) and MBA, has worked in tech companies such as Wipro and Infosys.

He was engaged in preparing for the Civil Services exam while working with Infosys, and then realised that he needed to devote his full attention in order to succeed. He gave up his job and prepared full time (2013-14) and then succeeded. His motivation? “I always wanted to be different from the crowd. And with my tech background I can work towards taking technology to the people.”

Reality check

The civil services, on the one hand hold the dreams and aspirations of many, but there is another side — the less-than-ideal experiences of the officers in service. Ms P. Sivakami, former IAS officer, throws some light on this aspect. “Earlier a lot of policy decisions used to be brought about by IAS officers. Now the government decides most of the things. The inputs of civil servants in policy decisions have reduced,” she says. Civil servants are more involved in licensing, controlling, monitoring, evaluating and implementing the measures put forth by the government, she adds.

But Vanmathi is optimistic. “At the district level, to work in even implementation is good. One has to withstand the pressure,” she says. Harendhira Prasad takes a practical route. “We cannot change things in a day. I will be happy to do small things within my capacity. There are many good schemes which do not reach the people and I can create awareness among the people about these,” he says.

Her critical evaluation of the civil services aside, Ms. Sivakami has a positive word to add. “I like the service. It offers a variety and I couldn’t have learnt many things I know today without having been in the service. It does empower you and gives you a chance to learn,” she says.

The hope of the youth is reflected in her words. “You [officers] can stand up to authority if you want. You will have to face what comes. In every subject, cultivate knowledge, and how clever you are in putting across your idea will decide your success.”

Fresh ideas

There are many areas in which the hope and energy of youth will usher in changes. While Harendhira Prasad is keen on technology, Vanmathi is interested in women empowerment. “I want to make society better towards women. Now marriage is foregrounded and education of women takes a back seat. I wish to work towards changing this.”

Quoting Gandhi, she says, “There is enough for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed.”

Sources : The Hindu

மத்திய அரசின் டிஜிட்டல் வேலைவாய்ப்பகம்

இந்தியாவில் மூன்றில் இரண்டு பங்கினர் 35 வயதுக்குக் கீழான இளைஞர்கள். இவ்வளவு இளைஞர்கள் இருந்தாலும் இன்றைய தொழில்துறைக்குத் தேவையான திறன்படைத்த இளைஞர்கள் கிடைப்பது சிரமமாக உள்ளது.

இதனால் தொழில் முனைவோரும் தொழிலாளர்களும் ஒருவருக்கு ஒருவர் தொடர்பு கொள்ளும் வகையிலான ஒரு டிஜிட்டல் வேலைவாய்ப்பகத்தை மத்திய அரசின் சிறு, குறு தொழில்களுக்கான அமைச்சகம் தொடங்கியுள்ளது.

இந்த இணைய தளத்தில் வேலை தேடுபவர் தனது படிப்பு, திறன்கள் உள்ளிட்ட தன்னைப் பற்றிய விபரங்களை அளித்துத் தன்னைப் பதிவு செய்துகொள்ளலாம். அவரது தொலைபேசியிலும் மின்னஞ்சலிலும் அவருக்கான தனியான எண்ணும் பாஸ்போர்ட்டும் தரப்படும். அதேபோல தொழில் நிறுவனங்களும் பதிவு செய்துகொள்ளலாம். அவர்களுக்கும் பயனர் எண்ணும், பாஸ்போர்ட்டும் தரப்படும். தங்களுக்குத் தேவையானவர்களைத் தொடர்புகொண்டு அவர்களை நேர்காணலுக்கு அழைக்கலாம். அதில் தேர்வு பெற்றால் அவருக்கு வேலையளிக்கலாம்.

எத்தனையோ தனியார் வேலைவாய்ப்பகங்கள் இணையத்தில் இருந்தாலும் தொழில்நிறுவனங்களுக்கும் வேலைதேடுவோருக்குமான இணைப்பகமாக மத்திய அரசு இந்த டிஜிட்டல் வேலைவாய்ப்பகத்தைத் தொடங்கியுள்ளது. நீங்களும் பதிவு செய்ய www.eex.dcmsme.gov.inஎன்ற முகவரிக்குச் செல்லலாம்.

Source : The Hindu (Tamil)

தேசிய இ-கல்வி உதவித் தொகை இணையம்: பல்கலைக்கழகங்களுக்கு அறிவுறுத்தல்

தேசிய ஆன்-லைன் கல்வி உதவித் தொகை இணையத்தில் பல்கலைக்கழகங்கள் உடனடியாகத் தங்களைப் பதிவு செய்ய பல்கலைக்கழக மானியக் குழு (யுஜிசி) அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளது.
 அதோடு, மத்திய அரசின் பல்வேறு கல்வி உதவித் தொகைத் திட்டங்கள் குறித்து மாணவர்களிடையே பரவலாக விளம்பரப்படுத்துமாறும் பல்கலைக்கழகங்கள் அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன.
 இதுதொடர்பாக அனைத்து பல்கலைக்கழக துணைவேந்தர்களுக்கும் யுஜிசி அனுப்பியுள்ள சுற்றறிக்கை விவரம்:
 உயர் கல்வி பெறும் மாணவர்களுக்கு மத்திய அரசின் பல்வேறு கல்வி உதவித் தொகைகள் விரைவாகவும், நேரடியாகவும் சென்றடையும் வகையில், தேசிய இ-கல்வி உதவித் தொகை இணையத்தை (http:scholarships.gov.inlogin.go) மத்திய மனிதவள மேம்பாட்டுத் துறை உருவாக்கியிருக்கிறது.
 இந்த இணையம் மூலம் சமர்ப்பிக்கப்படும் மாணவரின் விண்ணப்பம், முதலில் அவர்கள் படிக்கும் பல்கலைக்கழகம் அல்லது கல்லூரிகள் மூலம் பரிசீலிக்கப்பட்டு பின்னர் சமர்ப்பிக்கப்பட வேண்டும்.
 எனவே, இந்த இ-கல்வி உதவித் தொகை இணையத்தில் அனைத்து பல்கலைக்கழகங்களும் உடனடியாகத் தங்களைப் பதிவு செய்துகொள்ள வேண்டும். 
 மாணவர்களின் விண்ணப்பங்கள் விரைவாக பரிசீலிக்கப்பட்டு சமர்ப்பிக்கப்பட வேண்டும்.
 மேலும், மத்திய அரசின் பல்வேறு கல்வி உதவித் திட்டங்கள் குறித்து மாணவர்களிடையே பரவலாக விளம்பரப்படுத்துவதற்கான நடவடிக்கைகளையும் பல்கலைக்கழகங்கள் எடுக்க வேண்டும் எனத் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Source : தினமணி