Why Companies Ignore Masters in Engineering Institutes

 Engineering students across the spectrum are finding it difficult to place students with masters degrees with companies preferring 'less qualified' graduates who come cheaper and are "easier to mould."

The difficulty in placing senior students extends to tier-II institutions, and not just the premier Indian Institutes of Technology. "Companies wonder what additional value they bring to the table other than a little more maturity. It is unfortunate but today, those with more experience matter; not those with qualifications," says P Thiruvengadam, senior director, Delloitte India.

The consulting firm has roped in a few hundred B Tech engineers but none with a masters degree. "The problem to an extent lies with how Indian companies are structured. They simply don't need too many people with masters degrees . That's what is reflected during Placement ," says Amitabh Jhingan, partner, Transaction Advisory Services and National Sector Leader - Education, Ernst & Young India.

MTechs prefer roles in research, product development and the like, of which companies don't have too many, he explains. "BTechs and BEs are preferred not just because they are engineers , but because they bring strong analytical skills to the table," says Jhingan. Among the 300-odd engineers that KEC International, an RPG Group company, hires every year, there is one MTech/ME for every 10 BTechs.

"Our hiring is essentially needbased . So while we hire BTechs in various roles including project planning, coordination , supply chain and the like, we typically hire MTechs or MEs for specialised roles in design R&D," says Yugesh Gautam, executive director - HR, KEC International.

Institutes, on their part, say companies prefer BTechs and dual-degree graduates (five year graduate and post-graduate programme) for these reasons: Lower demand for research and development in core companies, perceived notions that Engineering graduates will be cheaper than their over-qualified counterparts , and the younger lot is easier to mould.

The placement team of Bangalore-based RV College of Engineering says like last year, this year too, nearly 40% of masters degree students will have to look for out-of-campus placements .

And while almost 80% of 720 BTech students of NIT Warangal have been placed, just 150 of the 500 from the masters programme have made it.

"It is more of a struggle to place students from streams such as space engineering and quality engineering and management ," says Saitab Sinha, deputy training and placement officer, BIT Mesra. "With fewer students pursuing these programmes, many recruiters choose not to come to campus for the sake of 8-10 students," he says.

Manipal Institute of Technology faces a similar problem. PG students of computer science or electronics get good opportunities but there is a dearth of demand for those in civil engineering, environmental engineering and the like. "In some branches, placements are as low as 40% while for others, it's 90%-plus ," says Kumara Shama, associate director - Industrial Liaison, Placement & Practice School, Manipal Institute of Technology.

The possibility of campus placements for dual-degree students is higher than those who have done a pure masters course, says S Sadagopan , director at International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Bangalore. IIIT has started a dual-degree programme like the IITs where students earn graduate and post-graduate degrees after five years.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/17606836.cms

Enjoy Life!

What you can do for Mom, Dad

Here’s how you can show your parents how much you really care for them
As kids enter their teens, the amount of time they spend at home reduces as does their communication with parents. Family dynamics change and it appears that friends become more important than family. This, of course, isn’t really the case. There are a lot of stereotypes that surround the teenage years, but here are some simple things you can do to show your parents how much you really care for them.

1. Honest, do not hide things: Your parents love you unconditionally. Communicate honestly with them and don’t hide things. Don’t be afraid of your parents reprimanding you. If something is bothering you, share it with them; your parents are likely to understand and help you better than most others ever will.

2. Time out to spend with them: As young children, you’ve probably spent a lot of time with your parents but as children grow into teenage years, they have too little time to spend with their parents. Talk to your parents about your day and theirs; go out for meals and movies together.

3. Responsibility at home: You are as much a member of the household as your parents are, and you share equal responsibility. Keep your room clean; help yourself to whatever you need rather than asking others for it; help take care of younger siblings.

4. Responsible with finances: Your parents work very hard to be able to make sure you have the best of everything. Instead of complaining about what you don’t have, respect and appreciate what your parents do for you and refrain from making wasteful expenditures.

5. Fun moments at home: Don’t avoid home or lock yourself in your room the moment you get home. Staying home can be fun too. Engage in activities that can be enjoyable for the entire family-be it watching television, playing a game or simply sharing some laughs.

6. Not stereotype parents: There is no such thing as a generation gap. What it is, instead, is a communication gap. Don’t have pre-conceived notions about your parents simply because ‘that’s the way parents are.’ Spend some quality time with them, they may surprise you.

7. Not get stubborn with your demands: If you really want something, talk to your parents about it — have a mature discussion with them. Your parents don’t like saying ‘no’ to you, but if they do, they’re bound to have some very good reasons for it. Hear them out and respect their decision.

8. Give them space: This may come as a surprise to you but your parents’ lives don’t completely revolve around you. Give them some space and give them some time alone to themselves. They need the peace and quiet every once in a while.

9. Share some workload: Your parents not only have a lot of work to do but are probably coping with a great deal of stress as well. Share some of the workload and lighten their burden. Run some errands, do some household chores. Even small gestures on your part go a long way in easing your parents’ stress levels.

10. Be respectful: It’s great to be honest with your parents and it’s great to be on friendly terms with them, but that doesn’t mean you can scream and shout at or talk back to them. Your parents deserve to be treated with respect.

Ht Education 2nd  May 12

Health Blunders You Must Avoid to Stay Fit

Today is World Health Day, and if you are aiming for a healthy life, pledge not to make these health blunders.
1. Avoiding checkups 
One may think that medical tests are mandatory only for middle-aged or old people. But it’s people between the age group of 18-25 who are more prone to diseases of the heart, liver and lungs, “Youngsters should get regular health checkups done. Lipid profile for cholesterol, sugar fasting for fluctuating sugar levels also the vitamin B12 and D3 tests are very important. An annual eye checkup too is mandatory due to high stress levels faced by today’s generation.
2. Not getting enough sleep 
It’s necessary to get enough sleep to recharge our system, “A good 7-8 hours of sleep is essential. Lack of sleep can lead to increased levels of stress, restlessness, fatigue, loss of appetite and also weight gain, as one tends to indulge in binging at odd hours.
3. Thriving on Junk Food
” Junk food is empty calories. “Burgers, fries, pizzas are great for taste, but are devoid of carbohydrates. It’s essential to include fruits, vegetables and lean meat like fish and chicken in your diet. Also, avoid junk food at night as your metabolism is low at night. If one wants to indulge, then daytime is a better time.
4. Going on Crash Diets
” It’s a myth that if one stops eating they will lose weight. “Many people stop consuming visible fat like oil, ghee, butter, etc. Five to six spoons of fat consumption is essential every day. Omega 3 and fatty acids are essential for the brain, else one tends to feel tired and suffer from lack of concentration. Staying Hungry can give you dull skin and a weak immune system.
5. Pairing meals with aerated drinks 
It’s best to avoid aerated drinks and artificial juices along with meals as they are high on sugar and contain empty calories. “These drinks wash away the benefits of all the iron and vitamins that we gain from our food.
6. Not exercising daily
It’s not only important to exercise daily but to exercise in a right manner. “Half an hour of exercise daily is the mantra to good health. It’s not necessary to hit a gym. One can go for a 20 minute jog or brisk walk.
7. Guzzling alcohol
Partying hard often means drinking lots of alcohol for youngsters, which lead to serious ailments. Once you cross the safe limit (14 hard drinks a week for men and 7 hard drinks for women), you are prone to fatty liver (100% people get it), which leads to liver inflammation, and even liver failure.” 
8. Not kicking the butt
Smoking is one of the greatest causes of premature deaths. “The number of chain smokers, specially young women, is increasing at an alarming rate, resulting in dangerous health disorders”. Bad lungs, chronic cough, asthma, stomach ulcer, and even lung cancer are common consequences of smoking.
9. Ignoring burnout Symptoms
Unrelenting stress can result in a burnout — a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. You could feel worn out, detached, and defeated. “A large number of young people are suffering from burnout, and are not even aware of it. It’s important to watch out for the symptoms, and seek professional help.


Source - HT City, 7th April 2012

Useful Tips for Parents and Children Before the Board Exams

For Students

1.       Now there is hardly any time left for board exams. It is not good to read any new topic or concept now as it may confuse you.

2.       The topics you have read till now and you have full confidence on those, try to revise them with 100% concentration.

3.       Many students prepare for different entrance tests along with 12^th studies. It is advisable to leave that preparation for a while and concentrate on boards. You get objective type of questions in entrance exams where you don’t need to answer all the questions in detail but in boards you get numbers at every step, so set your attitude accordingly.

4.       Never use calculator for practice as you will not be allowed to use in exam.

5.       Take small breaks of 15 min every after 2 hours of studying. Just make sure that those 2 hours shall be in complete silence.

For Parents

1.       Parents should be children’s friend and should leave them free. Advise them, but don’t force anything on him/her. Spend some quality time with them. Be with them. Take a week off to spend time. Sometime both parents go to work and the child is alone at home. He/she might get negative thoughts or tension in loneliness which can lead to depression.

2.       Are you aware that how his /her preparation for board is going? If not, sit with them but be careful that your children should not feel you controlling their studies. Make them feel that you are just trying to help them in the preparation.

3.       If they study till late in night, you should be awake with them. You can be in your room but your child should have a feeling that somebody is there with him/her, he is not alone. If this doesn’t happen and parents sleep and children studying alone will make them feel alone. Then they call they friends who make them more fearful. Please make sure while you are awake that your child doesn’t call their friends. Either you should solve that or make them talk to their teacher because teacher has the ability to solve the problem not the friends.

4.       Every child has his/her own style to revise the syllabus. Some children revise it by writing and some by loudly speaking. Whatever pattern they follow let them follow that. During this time of exam don’t try to modify that.

5.       Your home environment also plays an important role in their studies. Please make sure that you both should not fight and involve in any argument during this time. They need a peaceful  and positive environment to study

If you feel that your child is behaving negative, not able to concentrate in studies, then you should seek counselling to get right guidance.

You can contact for any counselling and more information on how to make your child stress free during exams at +91 98113 11354 or harsharora@improvelife.in .

Board Exams- A Nightmare for Takers

With Board exams round the corner students must be studying hard for good marks. Studying for long hours at a stretch without giving proper rest to the body is not only harmful to the body but to the mind as well.

Unfortunately these long hours are not only harmful to your eyes and back but in long run have other serious complications as well. You should make sure to study in proper light and have minimum effect on eyes when using computer screen. Your body posture plays an important role, while studying and using computer, to reduce effect on your eyes and back.”Never lie down and read “as this puts extra pressure on your back and your eyes get affected as well. One can always use a study table for the same.

You also have to make sure that your sleep is something which should not be compromised upon. A good sleep and proper rest is something which helps in keeping your mind fresh which in turn helps you to store things effectively.

Some Quick Tips that might help you sail through smoothly:

1.       Take a 5 mins breather every hour

2.       Wash your eyes on regular intervals

3.       Close your eyes and blink frequently while studying.

4.       Liquid consumptions should be increased in various different forms like                coconut water, juices and most important plain water.

5.       Instead of eating 3 heavy meals it is advisable to eat light every 02 hours.

6.       Take good 08 hours sleep

7.       Do some meditation or yoga to increase your concentration.

8.       Have lot of green and raw vegetables and fruits rich in protein.

9.       Keep your diet light.

 Study in proper light preferably white light.


Need Counselling to reduce your exam pressure and to choose a career aligned with your hobbies and passion, Call +91 98113 11354 or mail at harsharora@improvelife.in. Know more about me by visiting www.improvelife.in

How Harsh Arora helps youngsters choose their career

I love talking, meeting new people and dropping pearls of wisdom. So I decided to make a career out of it. My previous stints in various capacities with ICICI Prudential, Wipro, Spectramind, Hutch and American Express made me realise that I wanted to be involved in training and counselling. In order to follow my passion, I quit my executive job at AmEx and donned the entrepreneur's hat in 2009, all my anxieties about chucking a secured job be damned. 

The problem was that I neither boasted relevant experience, nor a client base and a brand. Whatever HR-related experience I had was limited to stints at Hutch and AmEx. Undaunted, over the next few months, I got in touch with leading training companies who were loaded with projects and willing to give a newbie like me a chance. 

I stated a partnership concern called Improve Life and immersed myself in freelance training. Over the next year, as my experience grew, so did people's trust in me. In January 2010, I finally cut the umbilical cord and took the next big step, I registered Improve Life as a private limited company. There's been no looking back, and I've been offering career, personal and relationship counselling ever since. 

Helping Hand 

I strongly believe that you never face problems in life, only situations. If these situations are not handled with the right attitude and skill, they magnify into problems. My role is to help people in getting rid of the situations, helping them in finding different avenues of solutions so the situation does not spiral out of control. 

So you'll find me giving lectures and conducting workshops in schools and colleges as well as corporate offices. However, the counselling and training sector in India is still at a nascent stage; only recently have people started slowly opening up and sharing their personal and relationship issues. 

Juggling Roles 

My current project involves career counselling in 50 schools in Delhi-NCR. But I have not limited myself to the metros alone. In fact, I mainly concentrate on the Tier II and Tier III cities, because although the spark is quite obvious in students there, they lack the correct exposure. For close to three years now, I have been travelling to schools and colleges in remote towns of Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat to help students figure out their careers. 

When I meet children from these parts of the country, I realise how a small interaction can help them shape their career decisions. They have passion and the requisite knowledge but are unable to leverage that in the right direction. This is where I come in. I point students towards the vital piece of the jigsaw, which sets them on the right course. 


I also work with companies to provide training on work-related issues. For instance, Hindalco had hired me to train its workers at its plant in Renusagar, around 200 km from Varanasi. The workers were being promoted, and my job was to make them understand the nuances of their new roles. The initial response was one of scepticism, given my age, but I was able to win them over. By the end of the workshop, some of them even approached me for advice on issues concerning their children's education. 

I also mentor budding entrepreneurs as part of my Entrepreneur Development Programme. In today's world, no matter what kind of hobby or passion you have, it can be converted into a business. And I can help. Currently, I am mentoring seven people with ideas ranging from a home decor business to a concept cafe. While some need a lot of hand-holding, others come to me just for guidance on how best to go about starting their businesses. 

Building a Brand 

Apart from an online presence, I have never done any aggressive marketing; I have always bagged clients through word of mouth. I believe this is the most powerful form of advertising, and it does not cost anything. If you contribute positively to somebody's life, they will spread the word. 

My clients are my biggest brand ambassadors. I am also particular about not diluting the Improve Life brand, and that's precisely why I'm not focussing on expansion. I believe that as brand grows, it loses its personal connect. The Harsh Arora brand is more important to me. 

I'm not in it only for the money, either. I derive satisfaction out of meeting new people everyday. It feels good to hear them out, solve their issues and show them the right path towards a more successful and contended life. Money is just a byproduct. Till the time my work gives me satisfaction, it is worth doing. 


This article was published in The Economic Times, a leading National Business Daily on 23rd Oct' 2011. The direct link of the article is:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/jobs/how-harsh-arora-helps-youngsters-choose-their-career/articleshow/10454772.cms?curpg=1

Combine Careers to Reach Your Potential

When it comes to careers, most of us are pre-programmed to follow one career and prepare for it. Most times, this is based on opportunity and finances and not so much on ability and aptitude. However, increasingly there are options available that account for combinations of different aptitudes within people thus giving them the choice to combine what would at first appear to be two different career streams.

Options such as those which combine an aptitude in management with a passion for retail. Or an aptitude for all things technical and an innate ability to plan finances. Such combinations not only enrich professional lives but also provide a practical back-up in case of career problems. Linked career combinations help you to pursue similar fields with a little different perspective and to keep your motivation levels high during changed situations.

Management courses can have various combinations; retail management, entrepreneur development program, Six Sigma Certification, project management, psychology to add more value to the core management program of Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, International Business etc. Computer Programming, BCA, MCSE etc can have combinations with web and graphic designing, Mass Communication, 3D and Animation etc. Similarly, literature students can opt for foreign languages, creative writing and copy writing combinations to have an added advantage in their chosen career. Law students can opt for Cyber Law, Intellectual Property Law and corporate law as value adds. However, it is important to make sure one is working on one’s core area of competence before looking at adding value to it through a combination.

There are numerous occupations that attract or are compatible, with two or three combinations according to your personality patterns.

1. If your personality allows some combinations in an unusual way, keep in mind: You are not abnormal; we all have differing gifts. Value your uniqueness.
2. Choosing an excellent career is likely to be more challenging, but there are many career options for which you are uniquely qualified. And, once you are in a career, you will likely find opportunities to do tasks which better fit you.
3. You may need to look for ways outside of your core work area to satisfy the other side of your personality.
4. Professional career counsellors are well qualified to help. You may want to seek the help of one.

These combinations will help you fulfill your creative urge and will equip you in something you like doing, not something which your parents wanted you to do.

Apart from fulfilling the creative urge, these combinations also help in acquiring knowledge, specialisation and control in the specific domain. After assessing your strength and choosing the combination, stretch yourself to achieve the desired goal. Nothing comes easy in life, but the effort to try and do what you want to do is always worth it.