IN THIS ISSUE

COLLEGE FEATURES:

Lady Shri Ram College,Delhi

St. Stephen`s College,Delhi

Medicine as a Career

Chartered Accountant as a Career

Learning to Listen : 7 Simple Ways

CELL UPDATE :

LADY SHRI RAM COLLEGE (LSR):

Founded by Sir Shri Ram in the memory of his late wife Lady Shri Ram on 31st July, 1956, the College soon outstripped its modest beginnings in the old Delhi area of Daryaganj. Indeed, its fast paced growth is evidenced by the fact that in just two years from its foundation, in 1958 the College relocated to its present verdant, spacious and well appointed location in Lajpat Nagar in South Delhi.

What lies behind the continuing success of Lady Shri Ram College, a triumph partially visible through the growth of its student body strength from 300 to 1800? The answers are many and varied. The core strengths that distinguish LSR from other institutions, even other Women's Colleges, is its ability to change and grow, to adapt itself to new and changed socio-economic paradigms.

Bachelor Courses:

1. B. A. (Hons.) Economics
2. B. A. (Hons.) English
3. B. A. (Hons.) Hindi
4. B. A. (Hons.) History
5. B. A. (Hons.) Mathematics
6. B. A. (Hons.) Philosophy
7. B. A. (Hons.) Political Science
8. B. A. (Hons.) Psychology
9. B. A. (Hons.) Sanskrit
10. B. A. (Hons.) Sociology
11. B. A. (Hons.) Statistics
12. B. Com (Hons.)
13. B. A. Integrated (Pass Course)
14. Bachelor of Elementary Education

Post Graduate Courses Offered by the College:

For admission to M.A. previous and for admission to all post-graduate courses at this college applicants must check the minimum qualification/requirements with the University/College Office/Department concerned. Applicants are required to get enrolled at the University before seeking admission at LSR. Applicants must in addition register themselves with the Dean of the Faculty concerned at the University.
Only the following post-graduate courses are offered by the College:
Commerce, English, Hindi, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sanskrit and Statistic

Eligibility Condition:

A candidate must have passed one of the following :

• The Senior School Certificate Examination (Class 12) of the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi, or an examination recognized as equivalent.
• The Intermediate Examination of an Indian University or an Examination recognized as equivalent. Students should have passed in four subjects including English. Besides if a candidate has an aggregate of 40% and above in 4 subjects (not necessarily including English) and has passed Prabhakara examination, she is eligible for admission to Hindi (Hons.), and if she has passed Shastri examination, is eligible for Sanskrit (Hons.).
• The Indian School Certificate Examination (12 years) of the Council of Indian Schools Examination, New Delhi. Students should have passed in 4 written subjects including English. The aggregate requirement will be determined on the basis of English and three best elective subjects out of four.
• Pre-University Examination (2 years after 10 years of schooling) of an Indian University recognized by the University of Delhi.
• The General Certificate of Education Examination of U.K. Students should have passed with at least five subjects at the Ordinary level and at least in two subjects at the Advanced level. These two Advanced level courses may either be chosen from among the five Ordinary level subjects or from outside this group as prescribed by the University of Delhi.

Requirement for admission:


The aggregate requirement for the admission will be on the basis of English and three best Elective subjects out of the four.

• Only those candidates who have studied English up to class 12 will be considered for admission to B.A. (Pass)/ B.A. (Hons.) / B.Sc. (Hons.) Statistics Courses excepting Sanskrit (Hons.) and Hindi (Hons.)
• For admission to B.A. (Hons.) Sanskrit, students should have done English up to Class 10. The aggregate requirement will be determined in their case, on the basis of one language (not necessarily English ) and three best electives. Those who have done Sanskrit at least till class 10 are eligible for admission to Sanskrit (Hons.).
• For admission to B.A. (Hons.) Economics and B.Com. (Hons.), one of the subjects in the qualifying examination must be Mathematics.

Apart from these general criteria, the different departments have evolved their own criteria. Please consult the 'Guidelines for Evaluation of Merit" prepared by the college on their website: www.lsrcollege.org

A ge:If you are applying for B.A. Pass / B.A.(Hons.) / B.Com.(Hons.) / B.Sc.(Hons.) Statistics, you must be at least seventeen years old on or before the 1 st of October in the year in which you apply. A relaxation in the requirement of age of up to one year will be made subject to the approval of the Vice-Chancellor. For further details contact Mr. S C Mittal (Administrative Office).

GapYear:Students who have had a gap year in their education must bring in the original any documents such as admission slips or certificates of courses attended in the gap period to be eligible for admission to the undergraduate course for which they apply.

ST. STEPHEN’S COLLEGE:

St. Stephen’s College is a religious foundation drawing inspiration from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It aims at helping its members realize spiritual and moral as well as intellectual and aesthetic values.
Founded on 1 February 1881, St. Stephen's is the oldest college in Delhi. It was first affiliated to Calcutta University, and later to Punjab University. Finally with the establishment of Delhi University in 1922, it became one of its three original constituent colleges. College began with just five student and three teachers in a small house in Katra Khushal Rai, near Kinari Bazar in Chandni Chowk. From 1891 to 1941 it was housed in the building now hosted by Delhi College of Engineering, near St. James Church inside Kashmere Gate. In 1941 it shifted to its present site in the university Enclave. The present buildings of  College, with the exception of a few later additions, were designed by the distinguished architect WalterGeorge.
College was established by a Christian mission from Westcott House, Cambridge. The Rev. Samuel Scott Allnutt was its Founder and first Principal. The anniversary of his death is observed as Founder's Day on 7 December every year.

College has an all-India and all-denomination membership; it has students and teachers from all communities and from all parts of India. There are also some teachers and students from abroad. There is provision for nearly 300 gentlemen and 54 ladies to reside in College.
College provides ample facilities for development of an integrated personality. It has a fine library containing more than ninety thousand books. The College playing fields for out-door games are situated outside the Old City Wall between Kashmere Gate & Mori Gate while there are facilities for playing tennis, basketball and soccer on the  College Campus. The Francis Monk Gymnasium, the Junior Common Room and the Ladies Common Room provide facilities for gymnastics, badminton, squash, table tennis and other indoor games.
College has a Chapel, which is open to all members of College for worship and meditation. Instruction from the life & teachings of Jesus Christ is given to first year Christian students.
Student Societies and Clubs play a vital role in the total life of the College. For each subject there is a Society which sponsors extra-curricular lectures and discussion and, in general, tries to stimulate interest in the subject. There are many other academic and cultural societies and clubs covering a wide range of activities, such as debating, dramatics, mountaineering, film and music appreciation, social service, photography, electronics and astronomy.
College awards each year a number of prizes to students for high achievement in academic & extra-curricular activities. Scholarships and other financial aid are given to deserving students on the basis of need-cum-merit.

Requirements for Admission :

1. Applicants must satisfy the eligibility conditions laid down by the University.
2. Admission is granted on the basis of the candidate's academic record & performance at the interview keeping in mind his/her all-round competence, capacity to benefit from being in College as well as potential to contribute to the life of the College.
3. The decision of the College regarding admission will be final.

B.A./B.Sc. Class:

• Academic qualifications : applicants must have passed the Senior School Certificate (10+2 scheme) or an equivalent examination.
• Age : They must be seventeen years on or before October 1, 2005.
• Special Requirements :
• B.A. Honours Economics, B. Sc. Honours and B. Sc. Programme - Mathematics till Class XII is compulsory ;
• Applicants for BA/B.Sc. Honours in Mathematics must include their marks in Mathematics in their BFS ; 
• Candidates with Business Mathematics are not eligible for Honours in Mathematics
• BFS (aggregate marks in best four subjects) must include one language ;
• Vocational Subjects and the following subjects are NOT to be included in BFS – Fine Arts, Graphics, Painting, Music, Dance, Physical Edu., Home Science and Engineering Drawing;
• For B.A. Honours English : preference will be given to students who have studied Elective English or English Literature.
• Those candidates who cannot enclose the final results of the qualifying examination by the last date, may send "predicted grades".
• Class-10 marks should include any five subjects at the Class-10 Board examination.
• The College does not admit students to the II and III year classes.
• Migration from other colleges is not permitted.
• Once a student is admitted to a program, change to another is not permitted.

Courses Offered:

B.A. Hons. (Bachelor of Arts):
A main subject and subsidiary subjects according to the following schedule :

B.Sc. Hons.

 Note : Hindi and Urdu are the only Modern Indian Languages taught in College. In special cases a student may be permitted to read Philosophy or Sanskrit or Persian in lieu of a Modern Indian Language.

For admission to the First Year of the undergraduate courses, it has been decided to give a weightage of 10% to the marks obtained in Class-10. This is in response to the on-going discussion in academic circles about the inadvisability of total dependence on Class-12 marks for admission to colleges. While the ideal situation is that this admission be based on a continuous cumulative assessment over a period of time, however as such an assessment is not presently available therefore one viable alternative is to include a small component of marks obtained in Class-10. This will provide an element of continuous assessment as also balance out in some measure the inequity and stress of sole dependence on one examination. It will also provide some space to the only broad-based general examination that a student passes in his/her academic career and thereby give a more comprehensive picture of the candidate. The inclusion of a component of Class-10 marks is not entirely new to our process of admission because earlier too these marks were taken into consideration while evaluating a candidate during the interview. The difference now is that a separate component of 10% has been earmarked for class-10 marks.

Thus there will be a 10% component for the Class-10 marks, 75% component for the Class-12 marks and 15 % component for the interview.

The short-list for the interview will continue to be made on the basis of Class-12 marks. The College interviews 4 to 5 candidates per seat and this ratio determines the ‘cut-offs’. Therefore if a course has, say, fifty seats, College will call two hundred and fifty candidates for interview. This number can go up after factoring in those candidates who will not turn up for the interview. Most candidates apply for a large number of courses and after they get admission in the course of their first choice do not come for subsequent interviews. This number of possible drop-outs is estimated on the statistics of the last five years of the number of candidates called for interview and the number who did not come. These two hundred and fifty (plus) candidates are listed on the basis of their marks in the plus two class. That is, the first two hundred and fifty candidates are listed for interview by order of their marks in Class-12.  The marks of the last candidate in this list becomes the ‘cut-off’.

Broadly speaking, an interview has the following components:

 Through the above process the idea is to get an estimation of the educational attainments of a candidate. The Class-12 marks only provide the literacy levels of a candidate but make no comment on their educational accomplishments.  It is vital to have a combination of the two to get a comprehensive appreciation of a candidate’s over-all achievement and potential.

Payment of Fees

The first installment of fees is approximately as given below, and is required to be paid within two days after the admission list is put up.

Fees are payable in three installments in a year: in July, October and January.

Approximate fees for the entire academic year (subject to fluctuation of food costs) :

Fees should be paid in cash or by demand draft made payable to Principal, St. Stephen's College, Delhi.

Resident students are required to pay the fees before the commencement of each Term and non-resident students within one week after commencement. A student whose fees are not paid in time is liable to have his/her name removed from the rolls of the college.

Bills for resident students will be sent by post to their parents / guardians. Non- resident students must collect their bills personally from the college office.

MEDICINE AS A CAREER:

Medicine is among the most sought after careers today. The power to heal has traditionally placed the medical field several rungs above any other profession. Today, too, enormous strides made in medical research for alleviating pain and curing diseases pose great challenges to young men and women who opt for this profession.

A doctor’s profession involves a lot of hard work and at the same time it brings along with it the satisfaction of having cured patients and of having alleviated pain and suffering. Doctors all over the world are treated with great respect and the scope and prospect in the medical field are exceedingly bright.

The field of medicine is vast and specializations in medicine are increasing by the day. While a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree prepares a candidate for practice, it is not sufficient for providing specialist treatment to patients. A further three-year Doctor of Medicine/Master of Surgery (MD/MS) course in any area of specialization is therefore essential. Thereafter, the specialist can also go in for further super specializations within the specialist areas.

While medicine, in general, encompasses both traditional Tibetan and modern allopathic medicine, here we will look at careers in allopathic medicine:

Main Areas of Work in General Medicine & Dentistry:

The broad areas of work in medicine are the following.

Physician

They diagnoses and treat ailments and disorders of the human body. On the basis of the symptoms and tests conducted, the physician prescribes medicines to patients.

Surgeon

The surgeon diagnoses and treat injuries, diseases and disorders of the human body by prescribing medicines or, where necessary, by means of surgical operations. Surgery can be orthopaedic, plastic, neuro, thoracic, etc

Community Health

Public or community health medicine is concerned with the promotion of the health of a whole community rather than of specific individuals. It is primarily about preventive medicine and there is no direct clinical contact with patients. Most health doctors are employed in regional or district health authorities. Their work includes the overall administration, planning and development of personal health and community care.

Research and Training:

Research in new form of treatments and new drugs and their effects is done in hospitals, research establishments and drug firms. Doctors mostly combine clinical and scientific work, but there are also research appointments, often including some teaching, for those who are interested in the scientific development of medicine rather than patient contact.

With medical knowledge having increased in leaps and bounds, it has become necessary for those who practise medicine to specialize in a particular aspect of medicine, so as to keep pace with important developments. The major areas of specializations include the following.

• General physicians: Doctors possessing an MBBS degree, with no; particular specialization, can work as general physicians. The work involves acute disease management, which includes diagnosing, treating the patient or referring the patients’ ailments for specialist treatment, prescribing preventive medicines, helping patient to understand how to prevent, look for and deal with their problems and counselling patients. These practitioners usually work in the capacity of family doctors for patients of all age groups. However, an MD degree in general medicine provides a specialized training in the area of medicine.
• General Surgery: A specialization in general surgery requires a three-year specializes course after MBBS. General surgeons are taught surgery for all organs of the human body. They can also opt for specialization in different fields of surgery including orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery and other such fields.
• Paediatrics: This branch of medicine deals mainly with children, from newborns to adolescents. Paediatricians diagnose and conduct treatment of the diseases peculiar to children. They study the nature of the growth and development of children to measure and assess against the established form of growth for children.
• Cardiology: Cardiology deals with ailments and diseases of the heart. Cardiologists diagnose and conduct treatment of diseases and disorders of the heart. Heart specialists also perform specialized work, including by-pass surgeries, angiographies, angioplasties and other forms of surgery for the heart.
• Obstetrics and gynaecology: Obstetricians and gynaecologists conduct the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders in females in the reproductive age group. While gynaecology deals with the problems of diseases and disorders of the female reproductive organs, obstetrician handles pregnancies and childbirth. However, most practitioners of this field handle both areas. Obstetricians and gynaecologists also conduct specialized surgical operations, including ceasarian operations, laproscopies and hysteroscopies. They also deal with cases of ovarian cancers and cancers of the other reproductive organs.
• Neurology: Neurologists specialize in diseases and disorders related to the human brain. They handle the treatment of problems related to the nervous system and other problems in the human body, arising from disorders in the brain.
• Dermatology: Dermatologists deal with the diagnosis and treatment of problems and diseases of the skin and related problems.
• Ophthalmology: Ophthalmologists are eye specialists who diagnose and conduct treatment for the diseases of the human eye and its related parts. They can also check the eyesight and prescribe corrective lenses, but nowadays, most often, it is an optometrist (a paramedic with the diploma in optometry) who handles these aspects of the eye care. Ophthalmologists concentrate on conducting special surgeries, including laser surgeries of eye, operations for the removal of cataract, treatment of glaucoma and other such diseases and infections of the eye.
• Orthopaedics: Orthopaedic surgeons deal with the disorders and defects of the skeletal structure and the bones of the human body. They diagnose and treat fractures of all kinds and disorders of the skeletal frame. They also suggest therapies and exercises for patients, which are then conducted by physiotherapists. Orthopaedic surgeons also operate on major fractures and injuries of the human bones.
• Ear, Nose and Throat specialists: ENT specialists deal with the diseases and disorders of the ear, nose and throat. These three organs are physiologically interconnected and so one specialist can handle nasal problems as well as throat and ear ailments. ENT specialists also conduct hearing tests and prescribe hearing aids.
• Psychiatry: This is an area of specialization that diagnoses and treats mental disorders by means of counselling or therapy and medication.

Specialized MD courses are also available in other medical disciplines including community medicine, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, forensic medicine, communicable diseases, venereology, preventive and social medicine, anesthesiology, anatomy, plastic surgery, radio diagnosis and hospital administration. Some of the newer specializations include the research-oriented reproductive technology, dealing with in-vitro fertilization; andrology, which treats male infertility; embryology; cosmetology; and so on

• Dentistry:

A Bachelor Dental Surgery (BDS) degree is the minimum qualification required to be a practicing dentist. Dentistry provides surgical, medical and other forms of medical treatment for oral and dental disorders and diseases. A dentist’s job is to help patients maintain healthy mouths and teeth. This requires an examination of the mouth and teeth when there is a problem, and the preparation and execution of plans for the treatment and restoration of teeth. So, a dentist’s main work involves the treatment of diseased mouths and gums; extraction of teeth that cannot be saved, or might spread an infection; providing fillings for the treatment of cavities; surgery of the mouth and jaw and replacement of extracted teeth through surgery or other processes; cleaning of the patient’s mouth and teeth; corrective work to align or straighten teeth; fixing dentures or false teeth; and preventive work and routine checkups.

Dentistry has many specializations. These include the following.

• Orthodontics: Deals with straightening and aligning teeth and jaws.
• Periodontics: Specializes in the care of gums and the diseases that might afflict them.
• Operative dentistry: For root canal jobs, fillings and cosmetic surgery.
• Prosthodontics: Involves the making of artificial teeth.
• Oral surgery: Concerned specifically with operations on the mouth and jaw.
• Oral pathologist: Provides the diagnosis for diseases that affect the mouth.
• Implant dentistry: Which involves replacing missing teeth by fitting artificial roots.

The Work:

Doctors and dental surgeons are responsible for the overall health and well-being of their patients and for looking after their physical ailments when stricken by disease of disorder. Their work involves examining patients, discerning their problems and providing them with medicinal treatment as well as the confidence and support required to overcome their ailments.

The work and major tasks performed by medical practitioners are common to specialists in all disciplines.

Examination: this involves not just a physical checkup of the patient but also recording the patient’s previous medical history.

Diagnosis: this involves determining the exact cause of the patient’s illness, by conducting a through examination of the patient. This often requires coordination and working with the help of investigations carried out by paramedics including pathologists, laboratory technicians and X-ray technologists.

Treatment: this involves prescribing the right medication or other remedial measures including surgery and therapy for curing the patients. This also involves inspiring confidence among the patients, to flight the illness/disease.

Entry:

Those who wish to practice as medical physicians or surgeons must have completed the MBBS training from a recognized medical college, and must possess a licence to practise as a doctor from the state medical council.

After the completion of MD/MS, doctors can choose to go in for superspecialization in different fields of medicine and surgery. These include neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, genitourinary surgery, plastic surgery, paediatric surgery, gastroenterology, endocrinology, and clinical haematology.

In these areas of higher specialization, the period of training is two years, after obtaining the MD/MS degree. A MCh. Degree is a superspecialization offered in the fields of neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery and paediatric surgery.

Moreover, doctors with postgraduate specializations are eligible for a Ph.D. in any subject. For the Ph.D. degree, the duration is two years for those who possess MD, MRCP or MS/FRCS degrees and three years for those who possess a MSc. Degree in medicine.

A bachelor’s degree in dental science is the minimum qualification essential to be certified as a dental practitioner. Particularly in private practice, a dentist usually begins as an assistant or associate, with a view to becoming a partner at a later date. This is primarily an opportunity to learn how a practice is run.

Training:

Selection:

There are highly competitive entrance examinations for admission to the medical college for MBBS/BDS including the following.

1. The All-India Entrance Examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) which admits students on an all-India basis to medical and dental colleges run by the central government, and for 15 per cent of the total seats in all states, except in Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
2. The State Medical College Exams for domiciled candidates of each state. Most states consider those who have been residing in the state continuously for between five and ten years, or whose parents are permanent residents of the state, as domicile citizens.
3. Open payment seats are available in certain private medical colleges in Karnataka, Andra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. In these states most private colleges offer 50 per cent seats as free seats for merit and fees range from Rs 2000-8000 for free seats, to Rs 1,10,000-1,15,000 for paying seats, while non-resident Indians and foreigners pay US$ 50,000 or more.

The notification for the entrance exam appears in November/December and the exams are held in May every year.

Eligibility:

Candidates who have cleared the 10+2 examination, with physics, chemistry and biology and a minimum of 50 per cent marks are eligible for the MBBS and BDS courses.

After obtaining the MBBS degree, candidates are eligible for taking the entrance examinations for admission to the specialized MD/MS courses. They should also have completed a one-year house-job prior to their admission to a postgraduate degree/ diploma course.

A BDS is the minimum qualification required to do a master’s in dental surgery (MDS).

Duration:

The MBBS course is of five-and-a-half year duration, which includes four-and-a-half years of classroom study and practicals followed by one year of internship.

The specialized MD/MS courses are generally of three years duration, whereas the diploma courses are of two years duration. The minimum duration for the diploma course is twelve months after full registration with the State Medical Council.

The BDS degree is obtained after four years of training, followed by one year of rotating internship. An MDS requires two years of additional training.

Institutions:

Prominent among the all-India medical colleges are the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi; Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune; Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh; Beneras Hindu University Institute of Medical Sciences, Varanasi; Christian Medical College, Vellore; Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry; Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, Maharashtra; and the Christian Medical College, Ludhiana.

Prestigious dental colleges include Nair Dental College, Mumbia; Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi; AIIMS, New Delhi; Government Dental College, Bangalore; King George’s Medical College, Lucknow; and Kasturba Medical College, Manipal.

Academic Program:

The academic programme for MBBS includes subjects like anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, forensic medicine, general medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, ENT, gynaecology and obstetrics, paediatrics, orthopaedics and preventive and social medicine.

The entire course of the MBBS programme is divided into three phases of eighteen months each. This is followed by compulsory rotating internship for a year’s duration in a government hospital.

The first eighteen months of the MBBS course are spent on the study of pre-clinical subjects, after which the student has to clear the first examination in anatomy, including subjects like embryology, physiology and biochemistry. The second examination at the end of eighteen months includes subjects like pharmacology, pathology, bacteriology and forensic medicine.

The three years after passing the pre-clinical subjects are devoted to clinical work in hospital wards and departments, along with training in the para-clinical subjects of medicine, including paediatrics, surgery including ear, nose and throat, ophthalmology, midwifery, gynaecology and social and preventive medicine. The students have to appear in oral, written, clinical and practical tests and only those who are able to successfully obtain at least 50 per cent marks in each part are deemed to have passed the examination.

The MBBS degree is granted to students only after successful completion of the medical syllabus, along with one year of rotating internship. After obtaining the MBBS degree, the candidates are required to register themselves with the State Medical Council, in order to become qualified physicians.

The syllabus for the MD/MS course varies, depending on the area of specialization chosen. Apart from theoretical and practical training, at the postgraduate level, the students have to submit a thesis on a chosen topic. This is not so in the postgraduate diploma courses.

The BDS course includes, in the first year, such subjects as basic anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, followed by pharmacology and microbiology in the second year. Specialization in dentistry and hands-on practice is provided during the two final semesters.

Personal Qualities:

• Good physical health.
• Energy and stamina for working long, irregular hours.
• Drive to work hard.
• Above average intelligence.
• A strong sense of responsibility, with an urge to serve and heal the sick.
• Self-confidence.
• Keen and minute powers of observation.
• Good judgment.
• Decision-making ability.
• Patience.
• An amiable and sympathetic temperament.
• Objective approach; tolerance for human feelings.
• Genuine interest in the welfare of patients.
• Cheerful and friendly temperament.

In addition, those who take up surgery must possess high concentration, manual and finger dexterity and stamina, and the ability to stand on their feet continuously for several hours while dealing with the life and death.

Job Prospects:

After completing MBBS, doctors can either start practicing as general physicians or study further for postgraduation. General practitioners can join government or private hospitals as resident doctors or medical officers, or even private practice. With the existing trends most MBBS doctors opt for postgraduation, which offers a variety of specializations, and good career growth prospects. Moreover, postgraduate medical students get a stipend too, which starts from the internship period.

Doctors and dentists seek employment in government hospitals and dispensaries, primary health centres and clinics. Today there are hospitals and dispensaries spread all over the country, and every village block has access to at least a primary health centre.

Recruitment for these jobs is handled by UPSC, which conducts the Combined Medical Services examination once a year for recruitment of doctors for the railways, central health services, ordinance factory health services and the municipal corporation of Delhi.

State governments recruit medical professionals through the State Staff Selection Commissions.

The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), which has hospitals and dispensaries all over the country to provide medical aid to industrial workers, they fill their vacancies through advertisements and employment exchanges.

Employment is also available for doctors in private nursing homes and polyclinics. General practitioners, specialists and dentists can also set up their own private clinics, independently or in partnership with specialists in other fields of medicine, provided they have adequate medicines and instructions.

Research institutions, councils and clinical laboratories run by the central and state governments also provide employment to doctors. Moreover, medical colleges and training institutions employ various doctors for purposes of teaching and research.

The industrial sectors also require many doctors. Similarly, municipalities, cantonment boards, charitable institutions, missions and other local bodies also employ doctors on a large scale. Doctors with MD/MS degrees can get posted in district hospitals, community health centres and employees’ state insurance scheme hospitals.

Medical services of the Army, Navy and Air Force, under the Ministry of Defence, offer excellent employment opportunities to doctors, dentists and other paramedical personnel. Doctors in the armed forces are taken on as Commissioned Officers, with a high status, associated with gazetted Group ‘A’ posts. Preference, however, is given to students passing out of the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, for employment in the Army Medical Corps.

Moreover, as a larger number of doctors prefer to establish their practice in urban areas, the rural areas have ample scope for registered general practitioners to set up their own clinics.

Note: Tibetan Doctors and Dentists can work in our own community hospitals like Delek Hospital and its branch hospitals, TCV School Hospital, Tibetan Homes School Dispensary and every Tibetan settlement has an access to primary health center besides looking for openings outside our own community. There is acute shortage of Doctors in our own community, so job is assured for a graduate in Medicine & Dentistry.

Remuneration:

The medical profession can prove to be quite lucrative, especially for private practitioners. They can have jobs with high emoluments and, at the same time, maintain a bustling private practice and does consultancy work. Their earnings are in direct proportion to the time invested in the practice. Private sector hospitals, nursing homes and colleges also offer lucrative openings, especially since lately there have been massive investments in the private sectors. Moreover, India is now well equipped to offer cost-effective health care of international standards.

In government hospitals, freshly trained doctors and dentists start with a scale of

Rs.8000 to Rs.13,500 per month, while in private practice, the earnings for the doctor or dentist could range from Rs.6000 to Rs.25,000 per month or even more, depending on the success of the practice. Specialist postgraduate degree holders can expect to start Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000 per month.

(Source: The Essential Guide to Careers in India by Usha Albuquerque)

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY AS A CAREER:

Accountants deal with financial management and control. A career in accountancy encompasses virtually all fields of commercial activity whether in the manufacturing industry, retail marketing, banking, exports, consultancy or even government service.

Moreover, the role of the accountant in the prevailing computer-driven liberalizations era had given rise to a host of new streams of specializations from cost and works accountancy and financial analysis to taxation, management accounting and equity research. The most prestigious of careers in accountancy, however, is that of a chartered accountant (CA).

A Chartered Accountant is a person who is accepted as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (CAI) after having passed the final examination for the chartered accountancy course conducted by the institute. Besides, under the Companies Act, only Chartered Accountants in professional practice is entitled to be appointed auditors of companies in India.

MAIN AREAS OF WORK

A Chartered Accountant is responsible for the financial health of the company and performs a variety of roles from that of the auditor of accounts to a tax consultant. Often this includes the roles of a lawyer, solicitor and even a financial investigator. Chartered Accountants may keep themselves involved in intricate accounting procedures, apply technological innovations to accounting practices, work in financial management, as well as in general management of financial and other organizations or as entrepreneurs.

A Chartered Accountant therefore has a multifaceted role to play, involving the following.

Accountancy

This includes maintenance of financial records and compilation of daily, monthly and yearly accounts, the preparation of financial statements from the simplest receipts and payments to complex and detailed accounts, and the maintenance of books of accounts as required by the Companies Act.

Chartered Accountants prepare accounts and decide on accounting policies and such as determining how to present, classify or calculate financial data.

Auditing

The purpose of auditing is to satisfy the users of financial statements that the accounts presented to them are drawn up on correct accounting principles. Chartered Accountants perform financial, cost and tax audits and some aspects of secretarial audits.

Cost Accountancy

Chartered Accountants are trained in maintaining cost auditing records, compiling cost information, installing cost controls, monitoring expenditure and forecasting further needs.

Taxation

A Chartered Accountant with experience in accounts has an advantage when it comes to preparing returns for tax purposes, representing assesses before the income tax authorities and rendering general advice on taxes to clients. This incorporates tax-planning strategies for the client, its compliance and procedural work including submission of all documents and payments. Chartered Accountants practicing in the field of taxation usually deal with direct taxes that are those which are collected directly by the government, like income tax and wealth tax. However, they do provide advice on indirect taxes, which are borne by the public through increased prices and surcharges like sales tax and excise duty. With rates of taxes continuously undergoing revision, up-to-date tax information is an important input for financial management.

Investigation

Chartered Accountants are experts at examining specific aspects of businesses in order to ascertain the financial position of the business for the information of interested parties on new issues of share capital, the purchase, sale or financing of a business and for reconstruction and amalgamation. Their services are also sought for undertaking investigation.

Financial Consulting

Accounting is an information-related service, and the area of consulting is most talked about and coveted not only among senior CAs but also among the bright and ambitious starters in the profession. The various areas of consulting include providing financial services and advice to businesses to help them improve their efficiency and profitability, prepare project reports on new businesses and offer advice on business strategy, and provide services to individuals in taxation matters and in managing their money more effectively.

Systems Design and Information Consultancy

Cyber accountancy is yet not a widely explored field. Currently, computer engineers and systems analysts are at the heart of this discipline. Chartered Accountants with computer skills will be in great demand with information technology firms, or as in-house specialists.

Other Functions

A Chartered Accountant is often appointed executor under a will or trust in order to carry out the administration of the estate or settlements. Appointments of this nature require the Chartered Accountant to work in cooperation with solicitors and lawyers.

Chartered Accountants can also perform functions under special positions, directorships of companies, arbitration for settling of disputes, work related to insolvency and bankruptcy, to name a few.

The Work:

The work of Chartered Accountants can be divided into two areas:

Professional Practice

This entails work in a firm of Chartered Accountants (partnership concerns) or in a consultancy. This would involve a broad knowledge of the many areas of work that chartered accountancy covers, even while specializing in a particular area. Usually several Chartered Accountants get together and pool their resources to offer clients a range of services as described earlier.

Industry

Chartered Accountants may be employed by a company, a public sector undertaking, or even an international organization. Instead of providing professional accounting advice to the clients, they work within the framework of their employers’ business. Even though the business activity may include areas as diverse as exports, oil, hotels, engineering, industries, etc. and each very different in terms of size, level of technology, and profitability, the essential criteria which affect accounting are similar. So is the basic logic of the profit and loss account and the balance sheet. Chartered Accountants in a company can handle and are concerned with internal audits, taxation, wage and salary structure and financial record-keeping. This is essentially documentation work, which includes the daily routine of maintaining books of accounts.

Chartered Accountants can also be involved in management accountancy. This is the money strategy department, which decides what to do with the money or the lack of it. This means assessing the relative importance, value and cost of all aspects of a business for optimum business control. In some companies, this work is done by MBAs with experience in each of the departments in a financial, commercial or industrial undertaking.

Entry:

To become a Chartered Accountant, one needs to pass the final exam and be registered as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Eligibility:

A person who desires to become a member of the ICAI must:

1. Enroll with the ICAI as a student and undergo practical training as an articled clerk for a period of three years of as an audit clerk for a period of four years under a practising CA;
2. Clear the intermediate and final examination of the ICAI; and
3. Register as a member of the ICAI.

However, in order to be eligible to appear in the intermediate and final exams of the ICAI, the aspirant must have successfully completed and passed the foundation course. Registration to the one-year foundation course is open to those who have completed 10+2. The foundation course can also be taken up simultaneously with graduate or postgraduate studies. However, commerce graduates with 55 per cent marks, non-commerce graduates without maths with 55 per cent marks, and non-commerce graduates with maths and an aggregate of 60 per cent marks are exempted from the foundation exam and permitted to register as articled clerks for practical training.

Duration:

The professional course of a Chartered Accountant lasts three years and is a blend of theoretical education and practical training so that students acquire knowledge as well as professional skills. The Chartered Accountant course is conducted by the ICAI, which has its headquarters at New Delhi. It has five regional offices at Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Kanpur and New Delhi with eighty-one branch offices across the country.

Training:

The training programme is conducted through postal tuitions. Answering test papers forms an integral part of the postal tuition scheme. These tests have to be cleared before each exam can be taken. Besides these, students are also required to enroll in the Sunday test scheme and answer test papers at various centres under the supervision of the institute.

The foundation course provides basic conceptual knowledge in subjects directly relevant to the profession. On completion of twelve months of study conducted orally or through the postal tuition scheme, students can sit for the foundation examination. This is held every year in May and November at various centres, and students have the option of writing the exam n Hindi too.

After passing the foundation exam, students can register as article clerks with a practising CA, and undergo practical and theoretical training.

Practical training comprises working under a CA as an articled clerk or an audit clerk, according to choice, the difference between the two lying primarily in the execution of an agreement of training, called the Deed of Articles, in the case of articled clerks. Articled clerks and audit clerks are both entitled to a stipend during the training.

The ability to develop solutions to practical problems is acquired by CA students in the course of practical training. Practical training also helps students develop professional competence and related skills as also to acquire certain ethical values and norms expected of professional accountants. Students can appear for the intermediate exam after a minimum of twelve months of training and a maximum of ten years of the commencement of their practical training.

After the intermediate exam, a student is permitted to serve a part of the practical training in a financial, commercial or industrial undertaking approved by the institute. This industrial training enables an articled/audit clerk to gain experience in operating systems of financial control, in internal audit and auditing procedures, in merchandized accounting and other fields. The period of industrial training may range between nine to twelve months during the last of the three years of the prescribed period of practical training.

A candidate who has cleared the intermediate exam can take the final exam within the last six months of the period of practical training, provided there is a time interval of one final exam between clearing the intermediate and making the first attempt at the final exam. In case the candidate is taking the final exam after completing the practical training, there is no need for the time interval. After successful completion of the final exam, the aspiring CA can apply for membership of the ICAI.

There are two classes of members: Associates and Fellows. Every person whose name is entered in the Register of Members is deemed an associate member of the institute. A member who has been an associate and has been in continuous practice for a period of not less than five years and possesses the experience prescribed by the council for this purpose is entitled to apply for fellowship. A member has the right to use the letters FCA, or ACA, signifying Fellow and Associate respectively.

Personal Qualities:

• Academic ability.
• Numeracy.
• Business sense.
• Liking for computer-based work and deskwork.
• Methodical approach.
• The prolonged training period demands a lot of hard work, determination, motivation and endurance.

Job Prospects:

Those who join this profession start work as articled or audit clerks. A beginner is called an articled clerk. After the first year of training, there is minimal supervision, and gradually the candidate takes to handling more complicated work. During this period, the articled clerk will also need to continue studies for the CA exam. This training period is for three years.

After completion of class XII plus two years of training in a firm, a candidate can undertake industrial training for six to twelve months.

On completion of articles and industrial training, an articled clerk can join a CA in the profession and work until the final exam is completed. This means a job and a salary while training, which is not the case in most other professions.

Two to five years after qualifying in the final exams, depending upon an individual’s abilities, the CA can become a partner. Most professional firms make an experienced CA a partner in due course. But since this may take several years, a qualified CA can also open a firm or form partnerships with other CAs.

To enter professional practice, a CA would need to obtain a certificate of practice from the ICAI. This is valid for one year and has to be renewed every year.

After completion of articleship and industrial training, a CA can take up a job as a trainee in industry, in commercial organizations, banks, insurance companies, and in private and government officers. Some organizations induct trainees on probation for six months to two years and train them directly on the job in departments and offices.

CAs can also set up their own industrial/business ventures. They can provide consultancy in the preparation of project reports, corporate financial planning, feasibility studies, energy or environmental audit, etc.

CAs who combine their training with an MBA in finance management can also look for enhanced career options in areas like merchant banking, equity finance, portfolio management, treasury management and project finance.

Remuneration:

CAs is highly paid professionals. Large multinationals pay very well and provide good perks like medical benefits, loaned housing, etc. Large Indian companies also offer good salaries and perks, but foreign banks offer among the highest salaries and perks. The following is an average listing of monthly earnings.

Fresh CAs in industry: Rs 6000-8000

Accounts managers: Rs 6000-8000

Financial controllers: Rs 6750-22,500

Financial directors: Rs 15,000-40,000

Partners: Rs 15,000-75,000

Learning to Listen : 7 simple ways

Communication is a two way process and is key to developing strong interpersonal relationships and team building. To effectively deal with others which include your superiors, subordinates, friends, customers and even you own family members, you should master the art of effective communication. There are basically four types of communication- reading, writing, speaking and listening. Most of us spend lot of time in a day as far as first three modes of communication are concerned but hardly pay adequate attention to listening. A good speaker may be a poor communicator if he or she doesn’t listen actively.

Let us have a look at what a poor listener does while communicating with others. Check out if you also have the tendency to ignore the listening aspects of communication:

• Shows no interest in the communication, unless it’s about himself.
• Doesn’t ask too many questions or elicit further information on the matter being discussed for a simple reason that he hasn’t listened to you properly.
• Does too much nodding in a bid to show that he is paying attention. The body language shows opposite signs.
• Finishes off the sentences for you.
• Does not maintain a steady eye contact with you.
• Would always turn the discussion to his own point of view.
• Listens only with an intention to reply. As soon as you finish he is ready with his own argument.

To be an effective listener you must not only focus on what’s being said but how it’s being said. The content and feelings, both are equally important as at times the people whom you are communicating with may not be able to convey through words clearly what they want to tell. So the body language and tone are as important as the pure content. Listening is a skill and all of us can learn to be active listeners.

Here are 7 simple way to master the art of active listening:

• Maintain a good eye contact with the communicator. Continuous eye contact may be intimidating whereas too little eye contact may put the speaker off. So maintain a steady (intermittent) eye contact.
• First seek to understand what’s being communicated without any preconceived notions. Don’t jump to conclusions. Let the speaker finish.
• Learn to interrupt or say no when the speaker is going to say something you aren’t interested in or have inadequate time for that.
• Show appropriate body language. Encourage the speaker with suitable nods and gestures as when required.
• Learn to listen properly, leaving aside instant interpretations and your judgments because these things may inhibit your ability to understand the message. Listen everything with a clear mind.
• Show courtesy to the communicator by being attentive. Do not play with objects around you like paper pins, stapler, pencil, pen, paper-weight etc. It’s not only irritating for the speaker, it distracts his attention.
• Make quick mental notes to record in your mind clearly what’s being communicated. With the permission of the speaker or depending upon the nature of occasion make brief written notes.

Our education system lays out too much stress on reading, writing and speaking – listening skills are never taught. Nevertheless one can easily learn the art of active listening through experience and become a powerful communicator.

(Source: Competition Affairs, 2004)

Job Interview Tips:

Whether you are preparing for the MBA entrance exam or Fulbright Scholarship or hunting for a job – the Personal Interview is one hurdle that you will have to face. An interview is your opportunity to stand out from the crowd and show the interviewer that you are the right candidate. The interviewer’s objective is to decide whether or not to select you by evaluating your history, educational background, your strengths and accomplishments, as well as your level of motivation, attitude and personality.

Preparation is the key to a successful interview. Thorough preparation gives you an edge over others and your chances of success increases manifold. Bear the following in mind:

Preparation:

• Learn about the organization.
• Have a specific job or jobs in mind.
• Review your qualifications for the job.
• Prepare answers to broad questions about yourself.
• Review your resume.
• Practice an interview with a friend or relative.
• Arrive before the scheduled time of your interview.

Personal appearance:

• Be well groomed.

• Dress appropriately.
• Do not chew gum or smoke.

The Interview:

• Relax and answer each question concisely.
• Respond promptly.
• Use good manners.
• Use proper English - avoid slang.
• Use honorific Tibetan.
• Be cooperative and enthusiastic.
• Ask questions about the position and the organization.
• Thank the interviewer when you leave and, as a follow-up, in writing.

Test (if employer gives one):

• Listen closely to instructions.
• Read each question carefully.
• Write legibly and clearly.
• Budget your time wisely and don't dwell on one question.

Guidance & Counseling Cell Update: January to August

New Staff:

Mr. Jamyang Wangyal joined the Guidance & Counseling Cell from 1 st May, 2005 as a Counselor in the post of Under-Secretary. He has obtained his Master Degree in Psychology from the University of Dharwad and Diploma in Guidance & Counseling from Regional College of Education, Mysore. We welcome you to the Department and wish you successful years ahead.

Individual Counseling:

Counseled 338 students of class XII from Central School for Tibetans, Tibetan Children’s Village, Sambhota Tibetan School, Tibetan Homes Foundation & some parents/relatives of students one on one and also through phone during the month of April to June. Some of the important concerns discussed were admission dates, choice of colleges, how to fill up application forms, how to obtain college prospectus/information brochure, how to apply for Berea College USA & the admission requirements; how to register for TOEFL test; different career options after class XII regarding Humanities, Science & Commerce; How to apply for the DOE Scholarships & Reserve Seats; Entrance Test Preparation etc

(Graph showing students/relatives counseled at DOE office & on phone from April to June, 2005)

Counseling by email:

Counseled about 500 students from schools of CST Mussoorie, CST Bylakuppe, CST Kalimpong, CST Darjeeling, Namgyal Higher Secondary School, Kathmandu, CST Mungod, CST Dalhousie, TCV Dharamsala & TCV Gopalpur etc on academic concerns, college admission, choice of college/streams, DOE Reserve Seats etc.

School Visits by the Counselors:

Mrs. D. Wangmo paid a day’s visit to Upper TCV and TCV Gopalpur in February, 2005 on the invitation of Mr. Tashi Rabten, the Scholarship Incharge, TCV to give a Talk on different Careers after +2 Science & +2 Humanities & the various Scholarships offered by the Department of Education.

Mr. Jamyang Wangyal visited STS Chauntara, STS Bhuntar, CST Shimla & CST Manali in July and counseled the students above class VI in these schools. He has also met with the teachers and parents of the children and had discussed concerns & issues regarding their students at length.

In the month of August, Mr. Jamyang Wangyal visited schools in and around Mussoorie namely CST Mussoorie, Tibetan Nehru Memorial Foundation Clementown, CST Herbertpur, STS Dickyiling & CST Poanta Sahib and counseled the students of these schools. He has also met with the staff of some of these schools and had long deliberations on the concerns of their students.

Career News (mDun-Lam):

We have printed two issues of Career Newsletter (mDun – Lam) of one thousand (1000) copies each and had distributed it to 52 Schools including Secondary, Senior Secondary, Middle Schools and few primary schools; SOS Youth Hostel in Delhi & Bangalore; SOS TCV Vocational Center at Selakui; 22 Representatives of Settlements, College of Higher Buddhist Studies, Sarah and Norbulingka Institute etc.

Student Proforma of Class X & XII:

Printed 1500 copies of Student Proforma of class X & XII which will be dispatched in September to the schools and the Teacher Counselor will sent the forms duly filled in by the class X & XII students of their schools to the Counselor at the head office, Dharamsala

Professional Growth:

Counselor, Mrs. Donkar Wangmo attended the three days Workshop on Gender Sensitizationin February, 2005 organized by the Department of Finance at Srongtsen Library in Dehra Dun.

Counselor, Mr. Jamyang Wangyal attended a week’s Workshop on Working with Traumatic Children in Schools organized by the Department of Health in June, 2005 at Gangkyi Mess, Dharamsala.