I’m a final year BA student interested in a professional acting career. Which institutions offer training programmes and what are their eligibility requirements? — Sarla Patil, Mumbai
The Film & Television Institute of India, Pune offers a two-year postgraduate diploma in acting. Graduate students are eligible to write the FTII entrance examination followed by a personal interview. The National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi also offers a three-year full-time diploma programme in dramatic arts for graduates. Admission into NSD is based on a preliminary test/ audition followed by a final workshop.
Alternatively, you could sign up for short-term courses. The Center for Research in Art of Film and Television (CRAFT), Rohini, Delhi offers a full-time six-month course in acting and fashion/product modeling. Veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares, Mumbai also offers an intensive three-month full-time course.
I’m a third year B.Com student and wish to qualify as an actuary or a valuer/surveyor for the insurance industry. Which institutions offer these study programmes? — Shalini Mehta, Mumbai
Actuaries are trained in finance, risk management analysis and product design. Their services are critical in insurance, pensions, investment and more recently in project management, banking and healthcare. Therefore, career prospects are bright for graduates/postgraduates, especially individuals with specialisation in mathematics and statistics. The public sector Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) is the country’s premier employer of actuaries. It offers an actuarial apprentice scheme to encourage students keen on qualifying as actuaries. You can also enroll in the Institute of Actuaries of India by writing the ACET (Actuarial Common Entrance Test). For detailed information on actuary jobs and related courses, visit www.actuariesindia.org.
What are the job prospects for aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs)? Is there a joint entrance test for admission? — Rohit Desai, Mumbai
Aircraft maintenance engineers ensure the safety and security of aircraft. Duly certified AMEs conduct extensive checks and follow prescribed processes to ensure that commercial and military aircraft are fit to fly. With the civil aviation industry enjoying boom conditions, there are plenty of job opportunities in flying clubs/academies, private, national and international airlines, private aviation corporations and the engineering divisions of civil aviation corporations.
Aspirants who have completed Plus Two with physics and maths and a minimum average of 50 percent, are eligible to write the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Common Entrance Test (AME-CET) for admission into the few engineering colleges which usually offer four-year aircraft maintenance engineering degree programmes.
I’m interested in a career in archaeology and heritage management after graduating in history. Which institutes offer these study programmes, and what are the career prospects? — Nalini Patel, Mumbai
Mumbai University offers a bachelor’s degree in heritage management but that’s not advisable because you will already be a history graduate. Therefore, you could pursue a Masters degree in history, or a two-year Masters in archaeology and heritage management, or sign up for the two-year conservation, preservation and heritage management programme offered by the Delhi Institute of Heritage Research and Management. Graduates in any of the humanities or sciences are eligible for admission. While there are numerous job options for qualified heritage experts, there are no assured placements. You could also look for other work options in research, writing, activism or publishing.
I am interested in a career in astronomy. Please suggest names of institutions offering study programmes in this subject. — Sudhir Chawla, New Delhi
For a career in astronomy, the starting point is clearing Plus Two with physics, chemistry and maths. If you want to pursue a career in astronomy, astrophysics is an appropriate specialisation subject.
Institutions offering undergraduate courses in astrophysics include the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore; Punjabi University, Patiala; Osmania University, Hyderabad, and Birla Planetarium, Kolkata (postgraduate diploma). For doctoral studies, you should contact Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore; Raman Research Institute, Bangalore; Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune and Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital.
I am interested in a career in automobile engineering. What are my job prospects in India and abroad? — Guarav Seth, Hyderabad
Prospects in the field are good if you have the right academic profile and training, particularly abroad where the quality of training, internships and academic qualifications are of critical importance. BE/B.Tech in automobile engineering is a four-year degree programme in India that also involves the study of courses related to aerospace and marine engineering. If money is no problem, you should enroll in an automotive engineering degree (BE) programme at the University of Sunderland, UK.