I’m in class XII (science) and set on qualifying as an astronaut. I want to work in ISRO or NASA. Should I study aeronautical or aerospace engineering or write the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam for entry into the Indian Air Force?
Nikhil Ramsaswamy, Chennai
ISRO employs only indian nationals whereas NASA usually employs US citizens. To work in ISRO (www. isro.org.in), aeronautical or aerospace engineering aren’t your only options, you can study engineering subjects of your choice. A background in the defence services is useful but not necessary to qualify as an astronaut.
A wide range of qualifications can lead to astronaut training including a bachelor’s degree in engineering, science or mathematics. Engineers, biological scientists, mathematicians as also military personnel with appropriate academic backgrounds and related work experience, can be selected to go into space. Right now, you should con-centrate on your class XII boards and prepare for the entrance exams of top-ranked engineering colleges.
I’m in the final year of my mechanical engineering programme. I wish to make a career in the merchant navy. Which institutions offer diplomas in marine/naval engineering?
Donald Crasto, Mumbai
To qualify, you need to undergo a one-year pre-sea training course in marine engineering for which the eligibility criteria includes a BE/B.Tech degree with an average of at least 50 percent and minimum English language score of 50 percent in class X or XII. You should also be physically and mentally fit, with no colour blindness, and vision of not more than plus or minus 250 and be less than 24 years of age. Pre-sea training is offered by Marine Engin-eering & Research Institute, Mumbai; Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies, Lonavla (www.samundra.com); Mari-time Engineering Training Institute, Cochin Shipyard Ltd, Cochin (www. cochinshipyard.com); Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineering Ltd, Kolkata (www.grse.nic. in); Institute of Maritime Studies, Goa (www.imsgoa.org or www.barbership.com) and Coim-batore Marine College, (www. coimbatore marinecollege.com). You could also consider writing the all-India examination for recruitment of trainee marine engineers of the Shipping Corporation of India Ltd, Mumbai (www. shipindia.com).
I’m keen on a career in medicine. After completing my class XII (science) in 2013, in case I don’t qualify for admission into an Indian medical college, should I apply to medical colleges abroad? What are their admission requirements?
Ravi Pillai, Bangalore
Medical education abroad is very expensive and there are stringent rules for recognition of foreign medical degrees in India. In addition, you have to write each country’s entrance test for admission into their medical schools.
In most countries, the number of seats reserved in medical colleges for foreign students is minuscule. For instance, for admission into a medical college in the UK, you need to write the MCAT test. Moreover the price of a five-year programme in the UK is Rs.30 lakh per year. In the US and Canada, medicine is a postgraduate qualification, acquired after completion of a bachelor’s degree in life sciences, stretching the duration of medical education to at least eight years after class XII.
I will graduate in commerce next year, after which I want to enroll for a postgraduate degree programme in finance from a British or American university. What’s the difference between a Masters in finance and MBA in finance qualification?
Deepak Chawla, New Delhi
You are eligible for admission into an MBA programme in the US/UK only if you have at least three years of work experience, whereas you can apply for a Masters degree in finance immediately after graduation. Also a Masters degree in any field is a focused specialisation whereas an MBA is a broader qualification covering all aspects of a business (marketing, finance, human resources, operations, etc) with the option to specialise in a major. In terms of employability, an MBA qualification is more valued in the job market. You could also write CAT for admission into the IIMs and other top B-schools in India.
I want to qualify as a paragliding instructor. Please advise about paragliding schools abroad which will allow me to earn while I learn. Is this a good career option?
Vijay Singh, Chandigarh
College of the Rockies, Canada is one of the few institutes worldwide which offers degree programmes in adventure sports. Courses include outdoor and business skills and experiential education conducted in Canada’s Rocky Mountains and five national parks. Adventure training certification and business skills training lead to jobs and the lifestyle you desire.
The study programme includes training in entrepreneurship, marketing, sustainability, business and adventure skills, together with skills in avalanche safety, rock climbing, mountaineering, whitewater kayaking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, canoeing and sea kayaking. You could also earn university credits towards a degree in adventure tourism and work 20 hours per week while on a students visa in Canada. The tuition fees and living expenses are about Rs.15 lakh per year. Santa Barbara in the US is another paragliding paradise. Their training hill is recog-nised as the best in the US. Training is expensive and you may have to go on a tourist visa as this is not a university and you cannot work.
Which institutes offer a degree in rural management and what are job prospects like?
Ashok Rao, Bangalore
The best postgraduate programmes in rural management are offered by the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (www.ima.ae.in). Moreover the Xavier Institute of Management (www.ximb.ac.in) offers a postgrad diploma (PGD) in management with specialisation in rural marketing and development. Tata-Dhan Academy (www.dhan.org) also offers a PGD in development management while the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (www. tiss.edu) offers an MA in development studies and social work.
Please note working in rural India is a hard grind.