Sunday, August 30, 2009

Medical Curricular reforms

Changing needs of the society, advances in scientific knowledge, and innovations in the educational field necessitate constant changes in medical school curricula. Dedicated efforts of effective change agents can bring about successful curricular change. Those who direct curricular change initiatives at medical schools need to consider the factors that promote or inhibit the change process. A series of reports published in Academic Medicine under the banner - “A Snapshot of Medical Students’ Education at the Beginning of the 21st Century: Reports from 130 Schools” - outlines the current thinking, the curricular reforms that have been initiated, and the
future direction that medical education is likely to take in 130 of the 141 accredited medical schools in the US and Canada. Importantly, these changes have occurred without a major influx of money or additional resources and have been due to a dedicated group of faculty and administrators responsive to societal needs. The innovations pertain to curriculum management and governance structure; establishment and role of offices of education; budgetary support for educational programs; creating a culture that A few of the curricular change initiatives deserve detailed mention here. Several US medical schools introduced early community-based training models for longitudinal clinical experiences. The outcomes of these curricular changes indicated that community experiences contribute positively to students’ education, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The students value early clinical experiences and make important achievements in clinical skills and knowledge development. However, logistical challenges exist in conducting these courses. Development and administration of the medical school curriculum by an interdepartmental faculty committee,comprising members from clinical as well as basic science departments, rather than individual departments may help achieve integration between departments. This would enable the participation of clinicians in basic science instruction of medical students. The existing basic science departmental administrative structure may continue, but the curriculum need no longer be the responsibility of the individual basic science departments. Several medical schools have also attempted innovations in the teaching of basic sciences to integrate basic and clinical science content and to promote active student learning.5 Introduction of problem-based learning (PBL) has been one of the most dramatic changes. Medical Education in India remains steeped in the traditional paradigm with a few efforts by several “forward-looking” schools seeking alternatives. Many stakeholders, including students, graduates, faculty,medical educators and members of the community, have criticized traditional Medical Education. Particularly problematic has been: compartmentalization among departments; lack of integration of course material among departments; absence of inter-departmental coordination leading to poor coordination between the material taught in basic science courses and clinical sciences; and ongoing adherence to traditional didactic pedagogic methods of instruction where significant alternatives abound. These are important issues.
The National Health Policy (1983) of theGovernment of India provided direction to restructuring the curriculum. Undergraduate medical education was to aim at training a Primary Care Physician capable of providing essential health care services to the rural population - one who is capable of diagnosing and treating common ailments of the community. In 1986, a consortium of Indian medical schools was formed. The consortium adopted an Inquiry Driven Strategy for Innovation in Medical Education and addressed the key issues of evolving a revised curriculum, defining the departmental objectives, classifying the course content as ‘Must Know’ and ‘Desirable to Know’, formulating Educational Objectives, and compiling a list of essential skills required for a Competent Primary Care Physician. The Medical Council of India (MCI)organized a National Workshop in 1992 for debating a Need Based Curriculum for Undergraduate Medical Education. The year 1997 is a major landmark in the history of Medical Education in India. The Government of India, on the recommendation of the MCI, promulgated the “Regulations on Graduate Medical Education” through a gazette notification. The MCI guidelines stipulate that undergraduate medical education should be oriented towards health and community as opposed to disease and hospital. It recognizes ‘Health for all’ as a national goal and health right of all citizens. The graduate must develop humanistic qualities in discharging professional obligations and be able to function as leader of the health team in urban and rural settings He must be competent to diagnose and manage common ailments and must be familiar with National Health Programmes and receive adequate training in maternal and child health care, management and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, sanitation and water supply, and health education of the community. Students’ training must aim at inculcating
scientific temper, logical and scientific reasoning, clarity of expression, and ability to gather and analyze information. Methods aimed at fostering self-directed learning and lifelong learning must be part of the teachinglearning process with greater emphasis on learning in small groups and didactic lectures should not exceed a third of the hours allocated to a subject. In a major restructuring, Phase I of the undergraduate medical course was reduced to one year. It requires integration among traditional subject areas using problem based learning approach and calls for horizontal integration among these subjects. Teaching of basic science subjects should be
clinically oriented and the student should receive additional learning experiences in these subjects during clinical years to ensure vertical integration. Student assessment should be by objective methods and student activities documented in logbooks and used for providing formative feedback.

Trends in medical education!

From the era of Susruta and Charaka, wherein devout disciples learnt the art and science of healing in ancient Guru Kulas, we are now in an age of rolling out modern day physicians along a conveyor belt. Medical students are not receiving the kind of one-to-one attention that was once the hallmark of medical education, neither during the teaching laboratories of the basic science years nor during the clerkships in the clinical years. Very few faculty spend much time teaching medical students. Medical educators must realize that no other institution in society is permitted to provide education and training leading to licensure to practice medicine. Rather than a change in the curriculum, what is needed right now is a change on those who govern and participate in undergraduate medical education.


The way medicine is taught and learnt has changed beyond recognition. Technology of education has undergone tremendous change. Further, the revolution in information technology has placed the advances of medical research at the doorstep of the common man. This has profound implications for the practicing physician. In a world that is becoming increasingly quality conscious, physicians have a moral, and maybe even legal in the foreseeable future, obligation to stay updated and deliver the best available care to their patients. Does the current system of medical education equip the product emerging from the portals of a medical school with the skills required to be a lifelong, self-directed learner? The answer to that question cannot be an emphatic affirmative. Basic medical education strives to produce a pluripotential individual who can move with ease into a number of different specialized programs. The end of medical school is not the end of medical education. Although, much effort has gone into reforming the undergraduate curriculum, the area that needs real attention is of ensuring that the physician continues to acquire new knowledge and skills long after his formal medical training is completed. The following sections will focus on two issues – practice of Evidence Based Medicine and Continuation of Medical Education - that impinge the practice of medicine and maintenance of competence of physicians in the new millennium in our country. A brief description of the market forces affecting medical education and curricular changes initiated over the last few years would precede them.

Medical education and market forces!!

Current health care delivery and finance systems are threatening medical education. Monitorization of the health care system and medical education has stimulated increased competition for fiscal resources. Medical education costs money while clinical care and research generate income.2 Investments in research and privatization of health care have relegated teaching of medical students to a secondary activity.3 The frustration levels among faculty who joined universities to teach medical students and be part of an environment that valued the learning process are rising. Faculty is being hired primarily for their research productivity or for their ability to deliver patient care services. Additionally, teachers of medical students rarely receive formal training in teaching, education, or assessment of learners. Most faculty who
teach are unaware of the literature on cognitive psychology, adult learning and the development of mastery and expertise. New faculty relies on imitation, trial and error, osmosis, and luck for obtaining educational skills. The rewards and recognition for research and patient care are substantive (financial) while those for teaching and education are much fewer. It must be realized that teaching medical students is central to the mission of medical schools.1 It is education that distinguishes a medical school from a research institute, clinic, or hospital.

Evolution of Medical Ethics

An extension lecture on ‘Evolution of Medical Ethics’ was held at J N Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, under the aegis of Department of Forensic Medicine. Prof. T. D. Dogra, Chairman Department of Forensic Medicine and Former Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, while delivering the lecture traced genesis and evolution of the concept of moral principles in ethics. He said, these principles are eternal and hence existed in the life of human being. He further stated that ethics is necessary for human existence. That is the reason, man in spite of being a defenseless creature, is superior in this planet, and dominating over other species that have highly evolved senses and feeling of self-awareness. He gave several examples in this direction. Man has quality of imagination, idea and action as well as power of thinking, expression, self-propagation and self-preservation. Due to intense sense of compassion, man needs peaceful coexistence even with several conflicts of interest. He further elaborated that man born after World War II is luckiest person in this planet. Prof. Dogra explained the Ontological and Deontological theory of various stalwart philosophers such as Kant, Jeremy Benthem, W D Ross and Sartre.
Introducing the guest speaker, Prof S J Rizvi, Chairman, Department of Forensic Medicine, said that Prof. T D Dogra is a man of immense qualities. He is a guide, philosopher and a source of inspiration for many students and co-workers.
Prof. Rizvi further said that ethics took centuries to develop from tribes to well developed nations. Ethical codes are also subject to evolution. During the process these codes were affected by religious philosophy, scientific and biological revolutions. She said that Indian civilization is one of the oldest civilizations of the world and it has contributed a lot to the medical ethics as propounded by ancient religious scriptures such as Manusmriti and Vedas have descriptions of various courses related to medical ethics.
Prof Ashraf Malik, Principal and Chief Medical Superintendent, J N Medical College and Hospital, presented vote of thanks and insisted that such lectures should regularly be organized in the college. Highlighting the importance of the topic of the lecture Prof. Malik spoke at length. He said Ethics is a branch of philosophy which seeks to address questions about morality, such as how a moral outcome can be achieved in a specific situation (applied ethics), how moral values should be determined (normative ethics) and what moral values people actually abide by.
Highlighting the history of thought development on medical ethics, Prof. Ashraf Malik said that historically, Western medical ethics may be traced to guidelines on the duty of physicians such as the Hippocratic oath, in the medieval and early modern period, the field is indebted to Muslim physicians such as Ishaq Bin Ali Rahawi (who wrote theConduct of a Physician, the first book dedicated to medical ethics) and Muhammad Ibn Zakariya ar-Razi (known as Rhazes in the West). The British Doctor Thomas Percival (1740-1804) of Manchester wrote about “medical jurisprudence” and reportedly coined the phrase “medical ethics.”
Prof. Malik stressed that values such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, dignity, truthfulness and honesty be adopted.
The programme was conducted by Dr. Sadiya Saeed. A large number of teachers and students attended the lecture including Prof. Abu Qamar Siddiqui (Dean Faculty of Medicine), Prof Usha Singhal, Prof. Jawed Usmani, Dr. Munawwer Hussain, Prof D K Agarwal, Prof Abida Malik, Prof Haroon Subhan Khan, Prof Shahid Siddiqui, Prof R R Sukul, Prof R Sharma, Dr. Imran Ghani, Dr. Masood Siddiqui, Dr. Tamkin Rabbani and Dr Syed Ziaur Rahman.

What causes stress and how to deal with it!!!

What causes it?
In the case of exam results time it may be: Pressure from parents and relatives to do well The need to get high grades to get on track for the career you really want (be it medicine, journalism or mechanics) Uncertainty on what to do next - "There are so many options, what if I make the wrong choice?" The whole process of everything changing in your life - friends and yourself maybe moving away, your daily and weekly structure will be totally different The thing to remember is that while all of these fears and concerns are completely natural (all your mates are probably feeling exactly the same whether they let on or not) if you are getting yourself really worked up you need to try and relax.
How do I deal with it?
If you are suffering from stress try some of the following ways to calm down and chill out: Try to make time for yourself away from work to wind down. For example relaxing in a warm bubble bath, listening to soothing music and shutting out the world for a while. Take time for your mind and body to relax. Methods can include reading, meditation and yoga. Take time to exercise. Regular and frequent exercise is a good stress reducer. Eat well, skipping meals will deplete your energy and leave you drained. Talk to your family and friends. Make time to see your mates, it will help you unwind and let you unburden any problems.

Stress and Symptoms!

What is stress?
Stress is the reaction people have to excessive demands or pressures, such as passing exams. You may find it difficult to cope with tasks, responsibilities or other types of pressures or you might get anxious trying to meet such demands. This could be seen in you worrying excessively about getting results or about what you will do afterwards. Not only does it mess with your mind, it could also be affecting your physical health.

What are the symptoms?
1) Difficulty getting to sleep or difficulty waking up in the morning.
2) Constant fatigue .Forgetfulness .
3) Aches and pains for no apparent reason.
4) Poor appetite .
5) Social withdrawal.
6) Loss of interest in activities.
7) Increased anxiety and irritability.
8) "Flying off the handle" .
9) Increased heart rate .
10) 'Migraines/headaches.
11) Blurred vision .
12) Dizziness .

Everyone has bad days but if you've noticed three or more of the above symptoms and you've experienced them for some weeks you may need to do something about your stress levels. Visit your local GP to rule out other possible reasons for the symptoms such as depression. If you think you may be suffering from stress it is worth visiting your GP for a check up. Stressed out people have higher blood pressure, and where stress-levels hit boiling point sufferers are at a higher risk of death from any cause than their more chilled out colleagues. They are also prone to heart disease, colitis (inflammation of the bowels), thyroid disorders, and ulcers.

Tips to overcome Anxiety!!



1) Make a time table for a regular study or revision of minimum 6-8 hours daily. Do not study at a stretch, take a few minutes break.
2) Time management is very important. Learn to time yourself simulate examination situations while practicing.
3) Writing practice should be done by solving different questions.
4) Relaxation-practice deep breathing , yoga or any other relaxation technique to improve concentration.
5) Quickest and most effective way of eliminating stress is to shut down your eyes and take deep breaths.
6) As far as possible continue with the normal routine of sleeping and eating .
7) A balanced diet will boost energy.
8) Regular and moderate exercises reduce stress by relaxing tensed muscles.
9) Take help of the teachers and parents from time to time.
10) Believe in yourself and prepare well.
11) Never fear exams, avoid panic.and most important, do not worry about your results. Give your best shots and move over.
12) Students may also practice from the Sample Question Papers brought out by the CBSE, Marking Schemes performance analysis which analysis common mistakes committed by the students and provides remedial measures.

"Active" Study Strategies

When studying, you can WRITE you could
Make a chapter study Review Card ( Use an index card: include special vocabulary, main ideas, examples, key events and people, causes, result and so on )
Make and use a set of flashcards ( vocabulary and definition, math problems and solutions, questions and answers and so on),
Make list of related information by categories ( causes results, important event or concepts, main ideas examples, key people and so on and recite them,
Draw a diagram, map a sketch, or a chart; do this from memory and check your notes or books for accuracy,
Write questions you think will be on the test and recite the answers, Create a mnemonic to remember, information ( such as please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, used for order of operations in solving an equation - Parenthesis - Exponent - Multiply - Divide - Add - Subract )
Graphic Organizers: Graphic organizers and semantic maps ( word maps ) which offer a visual representation of ideas. When students organize and design these maps, they apply important analytical skills as they think about how ideas are interrelated. Abstract information is put into concrete and visual form which can be pictured in one's mind and more readily retrieved later.
When Studying, you can VISUALIZE You Could
Your eyes and " picture in your mind" any chart, diagram, word, map event, time period, scene, experiment or character (from a Story) that you are trying to remember.

All you need is planning, books and coaching!!


Planning

This seems to be a boring and sometimes even unyielding a task but it can make you or break your preparations. Plan your studies on a monthly or weelky basis. Write your schedule at a place from where you can readily retrieve it. Take into account all the interruptions (like functions, gatherings and the like). Make your plan in a way that you complete your syllabus at least 2 months before the exams. Why? Read on. Also, each morning set yourself goals that you seek to achieve and then work hard to achieve them.

Books

Be selective in choosing the books. Never go in for more than 2 books for a subject/topic. And do not get intimidated by the bulk of the study material. If you plan well and remain selective, you’ll complete all of it. Read from the standard recommended books and take advice on buying books from peers and relatives but go for only one book as the main line of attack for concepts building and one another for extra reference or problems. Always try to complete a book rather than leaving three incomplete. If you are preparing for CBSE PMT, select books which will give you enough practice in subjective questions especially numericals. Solving objective types is easier but the hard stuff is where the losers stop!

Coaching

This is a highly situation specific topic. Always think a hundred times before taking admission. Will it be of real help? If yes, will it help you in an area where you can’t help yourself? Will it take too much time? Are you going in because you don’t want to miss out? Read my review on coaching institutions if you need more help.

Job vacancy at naukri.com!


With thousands of job vacanciesfor qualified engineers on Naukri.com, India’s No.1 job site, engineering courses have become the launch pad to a successful career.
There is a demand for qualified engineers in top companies across India and abroad. Pursuing an engineering course can make you eligible for these lucrative jobs. India has a large number of Engineering Institutions covering different engineering streams. These institutes are spread all over the country and are governed either by the State governments or the Central Bodies.The admission to these engineering education and training institutions is largely done on the basis of entrance examinations conducted by the entrance examination conducting board of the state, country or the respective institutes.The responsibility of successfully conducting these entrance examinations at different levels is jointly carried out by polytechnics, engineering colleges and universities in close cooperation with department of technical education and the designated government or other agencies.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Engineering -Assess your Aptitude

Answer the simple questions in Yes/No, to assess your engineering aptitude:
1. Math and Science are boring subjects.
2. You are not curious about how things work.
3. You do not look for doing things in a new way.
4. A gift says “Assembly required”, you put it aside.
5. You don’t enjoy working on computers and playing video games.
6. You hate solving mazes and jigsaw puzzles.
7. People around avoid your decision and opinion.
8. It’s always difficult for you to express yourself clearly in a precise fashion.
9. You hate doing things in an independent way.
10. You avoid reasoning out things and issues.
Remarks:Every ‘YES’ carries 1 point. More the points you score, less is your engineering aptitude.

Important Engineering Institutes

The traditional system of imparting knowledge was organized for the first time in the year 1847 AD, with the establishment of Roorkee College. A hundred years later, after India’s independence, engineering institute of national importance-the IITs were established to produce technical experts, who could steer the developmental process of the nascent India. IIT Kharagpur was the first of the seven IITs we have today. Many Regional and State Engineering colleges were also established to provide impetus to an all-round development of the country.The advent of globalization and liberalization in the early 90s brought revolution in field of Information Technology. To keep pace with the process of globalization it became imperative to boost up the IT sector of the country that was still in the process of development. Thus Institutes of Information Technologies were established to produce manpower, trained to expedite the IT sector of the country.NNE for the convenience of the aspirants has compiled a list of all the IITs, NITs, IIITs and the State/Regional Engineering Colleges of the country.

IITs
IIT Chennai
IIT Delhi
IIT Guwahati
IIT Kanpur
IIT Kharagpur
IIT Mumbai
IIT Roorkee

NITs

NIT Agartala
MNIT Allahabad
MANIT Bhopal
NIT Calicut
NIT Durgapur
NIT Hamirpur
MNIT Jaipur
NIT Jalandhar
NIT Jamshedpur
NIT Karnataka
NIT Kurukshetra
VNIT Nagpur
NIT Patna
NIT Rourkela
NIT Silchar
NIT Srinagar
SVNIT Surat
NIT Tiruchirapalli
NIT Warangal
NIT Raipur

IIITs

IIIT Allahabad
IIIT Bangalore
IIITDM Jabalpur
IIITGM Gwalior
IIITM Kerala
IIIT Hyderabad

We could fall, simply from bad health

We could fall, simply from bad health
You might recall that the Roman Empire did sort of the same thing. It's amazing what a bit of heavy metal in the plumbing will do for a city. In the case of ancient Rome, the lead poisoning drove the citizens (and their leaders) mad. But today, instead of poisoning ourselves with lead, we are poisoning ourselves with food additives. We are doing it consciously. We know it's happening. It isn't a mystery, but we are allowing it to happen because the special interest groups are running the country; they are arm-twisting these politicians who don't have the courage to stand up and do what's right for the people.
If we don't make some changes fast, we're going to get past the point of sanity. We may be past that point already. We're going to get to a point where maybe 60 or 70 percent of the people in this country are diseased and beyond the ability to think. How do you run a democracy when 60 or 70 percent of the people don't have the presence of mind to even vote rationally? How do you run a democracy like that? Well, you don't. It's gone. It's basically run by the special interest groups, just a few people in power who are acting like it's a democracy. I think that's actually where we are today.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe we can turn this around, but I don't see any indication of it. I don't see any honest discussion of health care reform, do you? Look around out there! We don't see people talking about health care reform and saying, "We need to address the health: We need to ban dangerous food ingredients. We need to teach people about sunlight and water. We need to educate mothers on how to have good nutrition for their children.

We could fall, simply from bad health

We could fall, simply from bad health
You might recall that the Roman Empire did sort of the same thing. It's amazing what a bit of heavy metal in the plumbing will do for a city. In the case of ancient Rome, the lead poisoning drove the citizens (and their leaders) mad. But today, instead of poisoning ourselves with lead, we are poisoning ourselves with food additives. We are doing it consciously. We know it's happening. It isn't a mystery, but we are allowing it to happen because the special interest groups are running the country; they are arm-twisting these politicians who don't have the courage to stand up and do what's right for the people.
If we don't make some changes fast, we're going to get past the point of sanity. We may be past that point already. We're going to get to a point where maybe 60 or 70 percent of the people in this country are diseased and beyond the ability to think. How do you run a democracy when 60 or 70 percent of the people don't have the presence of mind to even vote rationally? How do you run a democracy like that? Well, you don't. It's gone. It's basically run by the special interest groups, just a few people in power who are acting like it's a democracy. I think that's actually where we are today.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe we can turn this around, but I don't see any indication of it. I don't see any honest discussion of health care reform, do you? Look around out there! We don't see people talking about health care reform and saying, "We need to address the health: We need to ban dangerous food ingredients. We need to teach people about sunlight and water. We need to educate mothers on how to have good nutrition for their children.

Medicine - Study & Training

Young men and women who desire to choose a career of a doctor have to face a long, difficult, and extensive training period. It is a competitive course, and highly motivated students with a good academic record can compete. Students must know that for all those who aspire for this prestigious and noble profession, there are not enough training places in medical colleges. But for the students who have high potential, various medical specialities in the best professional institutes are available in our country. All such prospective doctors must have the ability and perseverance to complete the required years of study. Those interested in the medical profession must take a decision after class 10 and study Physics, Chemistry and Biology at the +2 level.
There are medical colleges in every State. While some are controlled by Central or State Governments, others are administered by municipal and private bodies. Admissions are through competitive entrance exams or marks obtained in the qualifying exam. A large percentage of students fail to qualify the final examination in their first attempt. Doctors who graduate are awarded an M.B.B.S. degree and are general physicians. Their job entails regular clinical work-examining patients, diagnosing, prescribing and administering treatment. They make referrals of cases to specialist doctors.
Medicine
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Graduate medical education offers a bachelor’s degree qualification known an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) to aspiring candidates. The course is 4½ years of classroom study followed by a year of rotating internship that is a total of 5½ years. The 4½ years of medical class room study is broken down into 3 phases of 18 months each. Each professional, as it is called, is of 18 months duration and is divided into 3 semesters of 6 months each. There is a test/exam called as Semester exam after the end of each semester. Examinations are held at the end of each ‘professional’ and they are called Professional I or II or final examination. Last 1½ years i.e. third professional is devoted to monthly clinical work in the wards and departments of the hospital. In all there are 3 professional examinations, followed by practical and clinical examinations. 50 per cent marks are required to be procured in each subject both in written, oral and practical. The success, rate of passing MBBS in one attempt in all the three professional parts is , however, only 70 per cent and this is the optimal aggregate.
Post graduation MD/MS/DM/MCh
Post graduation and super specialisation today is the need of the hour and 65-70 percent of all MBBS graduates try for post graduate qualification rather than going in for a job or practice. However, it is during internship that a student is able to decide his field of interests. His choice is based on large choice of subjects studied during MBBS - Surgery, Medicine, Microbiology, Dermatology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Otolaryngology, Biochemistry, Radiology, Opthalmology, Pathology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Physiology, Anatomy and Preventive Medicine etc. After specialisation there is a choice of further super specialisation as Neurosurgeon, Paediatric surgeon, Cardiologist, Nephrologist, Gastroenterologist, Cardiothoracic surgeon, Genito-urinary surgeon, Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon.
Bio-informatics, Implant Materials and Prosthesis, genetic Engineering, Immunotechnology, Telemedicine, Biophysics, Bio mechanics, Bio materials, Nutritional Science, Biomedical Simulation, Cryobiology are some recent trends and developments in the field of Medical Sciences. The human genome project has opened up new vistas in the prevention, detection and cure of human diseases with molecular precision ushering in the medical researcher
National Board of Examinations (NBE)
The NBE offers postgraduate specialist training through select medical colleges in India , abroad and through almost 200 accredited institutions imparting medical education at different levels and specialisms. After specified training a Diplomat of National Board is awarded. Diplomat is equivalent to postgraduate qualification such as MD/MS or DM/ MCh. The Board confers a DNB is several broad specialities. The exam is held in 2 parts - primary and final. The Primary exam is open to medical graduates on completion of internship. Postgraduates and Diploma holders in any specialities are exempted from the the Primary exam and can take the final exam directly.

AIPMT Exam Pattern and Application Procedure

Exam Pattern
The Preliminary Examination would consist of one paper containing 200 objective typequestions (four options with single correct answer) from Physics, Chemistry and Biology(Botany & Zoology) to be answered on the specially designed machine-gradable sheetusing Ball Point Pen only. The duration of paper would be 3 hours. Final Examination: (Only for those who qualify in the Preliminary Examination).The Final Examination would consist of two papers each of 2 hours duration. Paper-1 would contain questions from Physics and Chemistry and Paper-2 would contain questions from Biology (Botany & Zoology).The Final Examination will have conventional (non-objective) type of questions to be answered in the Answer Book supplied.
Application Procedure
A candidate seeking admission to the Entrance Examination is required to send his/her application in the prescribed form, available with the prospectus. The Application Form duly filled-in alongwith other documents, if any, should be sent to:THE DEPUTY SECRETARY (AIPMT UNIT), CBSE,SHIKSHA KENDRA, 2, COMMUNITY CENTRE,PREET VIHAR, DELHI-110 301The application must be by Registered Post/Speed Post only in the printed envelope supplied by the Board so as to reach positively before the closing date. The Application Form will not be received personally from candidates in any case.

Medical Exams

Medical education focuses on study, diagnosis and treatment of a patient, who has a health concern and who seeks a physician’s help. Studying medicine requires that the student is inquisitive, analytical, like to communicate with people and is good at sciences particularly biology, chemistry and physics.
The undergraduate degree offered for medical study in India is MBBS. It is a four and half year’s course followed by one year of Compulsory Rotating Residential Internship. The MBBS degree has four stages. The first stage is a foundation course where the student learns the basic principles of communication, ethics and problem based learning. In the second stage the student learns the basic sciences of Anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. In the third stage the student learns about pharmacology, pathology, microbiology and forensic medicine. In the fourth stage the subjects that are covered are ophthalmology, community medicine, general medicine, pediatrics, surgery, orthopedic surgery, obstetrics & gynecology.
There are two essential traits that are essential to become a successful medical practitioner. The first one is Inductive Reasoning, the knack for quickly seeing connections between unlike phenomena. Inductive reasoning helps in isolating the cause of an ailment or quickly arriving at a theory to explain the relationship between various symptoms. The second one is Structural Visualization, the knack for working with three dimensional concepts easily and quickly. Structural Visualization helps in visualizing the spatial relations between organs and understanding the effects of molecular chemical process on human anatomy. Medical entrance tests try to assess these qualities in a candidate.
In order to obtain a medical seat a candidate should take the entrance tests at All India Level or State Level. Most of the medical entrance exams have duration from 2 – 3 1/2 hour and gauges the student’s subjective knowledge in the subjects of physics, chemistry, biology and also general knowledge. The types of questions are multiple objective type, subjective type, assertion and reasoning type. The nature of these questions is both theoretical and numerical or calculation based.

Friday, August 14, 2009

How to be an Engineer!

If you are not a "genius” hard-work can help you attain your goal. To be an Engineer One should excel in problem solving and if one does not, should try to do so. Because Engineers spend much of their time in solving problems. Enrich your problem solving know-how by practicing Math, Physics and Chemistry numerical as much as possible.Admission to the Engineering course in India demands 10+2 qualification. One is supposed to write entrance examination conducted at all India level to get entry to the premier institutes of India. There are seven Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) viz, Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee, 20 National Institute of Technologies (NITs), couple of IIITs and several private institutes are engaged in the task of grooming engineers.The Joint Engineering Examination (JEE) and the All India Entrance examination (AIEEE) are the gateways to IITs and the NITs and the IIITs respectively

Going by the ratio of number of aspirants and the total number of seats offered by the premier institutes across the country one has to put in lots of hard work since class eleventh onwards. The aspirant should have thorough understanding of the syllabus and the nature of the questions asked in the entrance examination to have a right approach to the preparation of the examination coaching institutes also come handy for the students who don’t have access to the resources.

WHY Engineering as a stream

Any act of yours, bringing tangible change in the society, would undoubtedly bring a sense of satisfaction and feeling of pride. What if, besides the quotient of satisfaction and feeling of pride you also earn a handsome amount and reputation in the society?A career in the field of engineering provides just that.Engineering is amongst the few professions where creativity and ingenuity knows no bounds. Moreover if you are the one among those who look for challenging opportunities than probably, engineering is the most ideal profession to opt for. As an aerospace engineer you have the chance of developing cryogenics technology badly needed for the country to make advances in the space research, as a Civil Engineer you have the opportunity of developing earth quake resistant houses and as an electrical engineer the challenge lies in developing superconductors. The list is endless.In a similar fashion every stream of engineering has lots of such opportunities and challenges. And if you are the one looking for opportunities where creativity and imagination are the tools to mitigate the challenges then you ought to be an Engineer.

Rewards and Opportunities

Job Satisfaction
Studies show that, by far, the most important cause of dissatisfaction among the working people is the job dissatisfaction. Thus, it is important to find a career that provides job satisfaction. After all, one has to spend good part of his/her life at work station and if the place you work delivers content and satisfaction you are bound to grow in a better way with each passing day.

Variety of Career Opportunities
Neil Armstrong, Jimmy Carter, and Alfred Hitchcock, an astronaut, a president, and one a filmmaker – from different streams of occupation all together but a commonality, they all started with an engineering education.
Engineering as a profession offers a wide range of career possibilities. From the design of fighter planes to that of pacemakers for hearts from boring holes deep in the earth for the petrochemicals to steeping at mars, engineers play the pivotal role.

Challenging Work
Engineering is all about fixing things so as to make the object serve its purpose in the best possible and efficient way. From the flying machine of the Wright brothers to the stealth bombers the range of improvement and development is enormous. Here lies the challenge. Challenge is not only about visualizing the development and improvement but also in performing it.

Intellectual Development
Engineering as a profession is function of creativity and ingenuity. Its more about developing the best possible option. This in turn involves great utilization of your mental faculties as compared to the professions where practice and pattern aid a lot in performing the job.

Contribute to Society
No one can deny the contribution of society in one’s own development but few bother to contribute for the same. Engineering as a carrier provides lots of opportunity to this end too. A civil engineer can design models for easing out traffic congestion. A software engineer can develop cheap and user friendly software for the disabled, an electrical engineer can devise ways and means for optimum utilization of electricity. All in the interest of the society and ones own career.

Financial Security
While financial security should not be the only reason for choosing a career in engineering, if you decide to become an engineer you will be well paid. Engineering graduates receive one of the highest starting salaries of any discipline.

Prestige
Engineers play an important role in the development of the nation and add to its international stature in a big way. And in this pursuit, one also earns a reputed place in the society.

Professional Environment
As an engineer, you will work in a professional environment where creativity and intellect are on the top priority. Working in such an environment with creative and intellectual colleagues is rewarding in itself.

AICTE permits second shifts at engineering colleges

With an aim to make technical education more accessible, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has allowed engineering colleges across the country to start second shifts from the forthcoming academic session.The institutes offering technical education have been asked to submit applications for launching the second shifts and offering courses accordingly.
"This will lead to an increase in the intake of students of the existing institutes. As a result, more students will get engineering education," said a senior HRD Ministry official.As per the guidelines prepared by AICTE, co-educational institutions having four years of standing and women institutes having three years of standing will be allowed to start the second shifts.Co-educational institutions in the states, in which the number of seats available in engineering institutions per lakh population is less than the all India average, are permitted to run second shifts.An official release from AICTE said, “There has been phenomenal growth of technical institutions during the past three decades, which has however resulted in a regional imbalance in the technical education system in the Country. In order to overcome the regional imbalance, it may be necessary to permit second shift in an existing engineering college in those states where the number of seats available in engineering colleges per lakh of population is less than all India average without additional investment and also to utilize the existing resources in optimal manner and to minimize the cost of education”.These states include Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal."But women institutes from any part of the country can start such shifts," the official added.

NBA revises criterion for accreditation of technical institutions

New Delhi: The National Board of Accreditation (NBA), established by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), has revised the procedures and criteria for accreditation of technical institutions.The new procedures and criteria of accreditation will be effective from January 01, 2009.
NBA Announcement
The revised guidelines and format in respect of the accreditation process for the Degree level programmes in Engineering and Technology are available on NBA website: www.nba-aicte.ernet.in.The NBA has been established by AICTE for proper planning, coordinated development and regulation of technical education in India.The NBA has become a provisional member of the prestigious Washington Accord on June 20, 2007 and is expected to become full-fledged member of the Washington Accord in the next biennial meeting of the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) scheduled in June 2009.

Indian engineering graduates still root for IT - Study

Never mind that the IT industry is going through a bad phase following global recession. It continues to be a preferred career option for the majority of Indian engineering students, says a new study.
A study, released on Tuesday, was conducted among 4,352 final engineering students across 151 engineering colleges, including the premier Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), and found that 43 percent of students still prefer working in the IT sector.
"The charm of the IT sector has not faded. Students prefer IT for its MNC culture, opportunities to work with technically sound professionals with cutting edge technology, training and growth opportunities," said Vatsala Pant, associate director, Consumer Research, The Nielsen Company, which conducted the study.
The automobile and automobile ancillary, telecom, energy - oil and gas, infrastructure and real estate and power sectors were the other preferred choices for engineering graduates.
"The fact that many of the top companies with huge turnovers hail from the IT sector furthers their choice," said Pant. The Nielsen Campus Track T-Schools study was conducted in February and March 2009.
However, the choice of IT sector among students recorded a seven percent drop compared to last year.
"The global economic crisis has decreased the overall students' preference for management consultancies, financial sector followed by the IT sector. Sectors less affected by the downturn are infrastructure, and automobile and automobile ancillary," said Pant.
The survey also tracked the attitudes of students towards companies as prospective employers.
"The soon-to-be engineers want to work for a technically sound company when they pass out. They want to work on sophisticated and state of the art technology, where there is good learning on the job and want to work in a growing industry, where they get hands on exposure to projects," said Pant.
Nanotechnology is being perceived as the industry of the future with 12 percent voting for it followed by IT services (11 percent), and power (nine percent), energy - oil and gas (eight percent) and telecom (six percent).
"Graduates today are looking at honing their skills in their first job. They want to practice what they learnt theoretically in their course. You have to be a master of your skill to succeed in today's competitive environment and this sends students in search of advanced technology that provides good learning on the job," said Pant.
Half of the batch of 2010 plans to move out of their first job in three years or less, with 51 percent citing higher studies as a reason for leaving.
"Better career opportunities, better salary, better designation and job satisfaction are some other reasons for students deciding to move out of the first job. Among those keen to pursue higher studies, 69 percent intend to do an MBA," said Pant.

Clinical engineering


Clinical engineering is a specialty within Biomedical engineering responsible primarily for applying and implementing medical technology to optimize healthcare delivery. Roles of clinical engineers include training and supervising biomedical equipment technicians (BMETs), working with governmental regulators on hospital inspections/audits, and serving as technological consultants for other hospital staff (i.e. physicians, administrators, I.T., etc.). Clinical engineers also advise medical device producers regarding prospective design improvements based on clinical experiences, as well as monitor the progression of the state-of-the-art in order to redirect hospital procurement patterns accordingly.
Their inherent focus on practical implementation of technology has tended to keep them oriented more towards incremental-level redesigns and reconfigurations, as opposed to "revolutionary" R&D or cutting-edge ideas that would be many years from clinical adoptability; however, there is nonetheless an effort to expand this time-horizon over which clinical engineers can influence the trajectory of biomedical innovation. In their various roles, they form a sort of "bridge" between product originators and end-users, by combining the perspectives of being both close to the point-of-use ("front lines"), while also trained in product and process design. Clinical Engineering departments at large hospitals will sometimes hire not just biomedical engineers, but also industrial/systems engineers to help address operations research, human factors, cost analyses, safety, etc.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Importance of old question papers

Cracking old question papers is a very good exercise and every student should do it regularly. It not only gives you an idea about the trends in the exams, it also gives you a lot of confidence.Solve the questions in the specified time only and try to score as much as possible. After doing the papers look for the common mistakes (I call it silly mistakes).Every student has a peculiar way of repeating these type of mistakes like not reading the whole question, confusion in questions having "all except", confusion in similar looking words etc.By good practice of solving papers again and again you can win over these silly mistakes and mind you by only minimizing these mistakes you can score a lot more in entrance tests, example- if you divide the types of questions in any entrance test like aipmt/aippg/iit-jee/aiims/afmc/aieee etc ,about 60 -70% questions are very easy questions and even an average student can crack them easily,nearly 20% are the tough ones which only some extra ordinary students can answer and rest 10 to 20 % questions are only for very brilliant or topper students but if we consider the cutoff merit or selection range of marks its always somewhere near 60-70% which means even if you are not a brilliant student or a topper you can crack the test with just minimizing your silly mistakes.

AIIMS/CBSE/AFMC/AIPMT/IIT-JEE/AIEEE /AIPPG - Preparation tips


Art of learning

Why do we study so much?
what is the purpose of revising the same topics again and again? because the immediate goal of studying is to remember the facts and to sharpen the ability to recall them at once when needed, you are probably never more aware of this than when sitting in an examination.,how can you forget that for competitive entrance tests like pre medical or pre engineering tests there are tons and tons of information that we have to remember and to recall every bit of it all at once at the time of examination.So many different subjects, hundreds of chapters and countless topics, you have to recall each and every bit of the information at the D-day and too 100% accurate in a very limited time…..is it a mission impossible or what?Well guys if you are running in this race you are running to win it don’t you? And nothing is impossible if you have a strong will power and a proper guidance.


Success in these entrance exams becomes very easy once you understand the basic fact that your ability to recall information is determined by the way you study the material in the first place i.e. your preparation technique…. I call it your study style, your success in these examinations is greatly affected by your study style.You must have seen many guys working so hard and studying all the time day or night in the reading rooms or libraries but at the end...their Result is even below averageso to get successful in these exams you have to develop the right technique.Simply hard work alone is not enough to get success in these tests.According to various researches, in our brain learning takes place most effectively when data is processed in small pockets spread out overtime.


So, to remember what you study, take information in smaller chunks at a time, many times, like if you study for 10 hours a day make 5 divisions of 2 hours each and study different subjects in each of the division (with a mandatory break in between).Try to learn small information at a time and make a habit of revising it again and again...revision makes your concept hard and strong.


The best way to get a strong start on effective learning is to complete all assignments, reading, understanding etc before the class,it can be your regular college class or a coaching class.Make yourself familiar with the concept before the main lecture then attend the class and take thorough notes,followed by reviewing and editing your notes as soon as possible after the class. This way you can get a better understanding of the concept and your main lecture will work as a revision of the topic.And this way you will go far ahead of your colleagues.If you prepare yourself in this manner, studying for an examination should be largely a matter of systematic revisions only.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Preparation for medical entrance


The medical entrance in India is one of the most difficult examinations. It needs a lot of hard work, determination and tons of good luck to get a seat in this competition. Limited seats and unlimited candidates, So it’s not the matter of just performing outstandingly but you have to perform better than the others. I call it selection by means of non rejection. The aim of such examination is to reject almost all of the candidates and to select only those who escape this rejection. To get your selves among those lucky ones is a hard task and you have to crack it DON’T YOU?So the first step in the preparation is your determination. Make a do or die attitude, secondly make a plan of what to study and how to study. For medical entrance your preparation for every subject should be high class. Take the syllabus of the respective subject and prepare all the given topis (syllabus based study) .its good to consult many good books to prepare a topic, it helps in easy understanding but it can also confuse you some times. So make a rule of making one book as your main reference book like for all India PMT its NCERT books. After preparing the topic make it strong by group discussions, test series, multiple choice questions etc .do all the available test series and MCQS related to the topic and also practice to do it under strict time control. Dear out of thousand students if only one is getting the seat what does it mean? It doesn’t mean he was the best among all others. He was not the most intelligent one but he was surely smart enough to secure the seat and to be such smart you need some skills. Time management is one of them. there are many questions in the competition which are very easy and any body can answer it rightly but only those who took minimum time succeeds so try to be one of them .Always rememberProper hardwork in the right direction is the real key to success

How to overcome exam blues


COME February-March, everybody gets worked up, especially parents, teachers, and students. Who amongst them are most affected is hard to say, because it differs, based on the mental make-up of each of them. This is the season of advice, which students get unsolicited from all corners. Caught in the vortex of the collective frenzy, any student will be at the end of his tether. How can a student overcome this exam-phobia and face it calmly, and confidently, and come out not just unscathed, but really victorious?
To begin with, we must all know that hypersensitivity to anything is not desirable, and that includes exams. Being too anxious, concerned or worried is not a state of mind suitable for exams. The best state of mind is a quiet confidence that is borne out by adequate preparation to face the exam. Undue anxiety is counter-productive. Fear, more imaginary than real will sap the energy that is to be used for intelligent learning. Stress, up to a certain level acts as a motivation to study. But undue stress can bog you down. There are cases of students who become too nervous during exams. They cut down on their sleep and food, and get into a desperate mode of study. These are likely to be dangerous. The human brain functions best when the mind is calm and the body is healthy. Giving up sleep and food in the run up to the exam is a recipe for disaster.
A well-planned schedule and a steady routine, aided by a calm mind, provide the best backdrop for effective preparation for exams. Start studying. No work will be done, unless it is started. Extending the same logic, we can say that any work will be done if it is started. So the important first step is to start studying. Once you start, you get interested, and you become more confident and more interested. Do not ever look back.
Now, the question is, what should be done. Concentrate on what remains to be done, and how best you can do it. Thus the crucial question that makes the whole difference is `getting started'. Performing well in exams does not necessarily mean that the student is more intelligent than the others. More often than not, it is because they have a better sense of planning and organisation about their study. In other words they are better organised. Such people take into account the time available, consider the relative difficulty level of each subject, and allot a time frame for each subject.
During `study holidays' as they are popularly known, a timetable has to be drawn up by every student. This self-drawn timetable should be religiously observed. A student's earnestness is best tested in the observance of this timetable. A student who is truthful to his/her own timetable will be successful.
You need a frame of mind to study well. Effective study calls for absolute concentration. This requires a thorough cleaning up of your mind. Do steer clear of all those unwanted, unhelpful thoughts, which take away your attention while trying to study. While TV viewing is a good pastime, it is the most dangerous distracter for a student preparing for an exam. Students can make a list of distracters and vow to keep them at bay. One example would be long telephone conversations with friends. Study holidays are meant for serious individual effort.
In most of the cases, combined studies end up as combined chat sessions. However, there is no harm in seeking clarifications from friends or teachers, when a real need arises. Sharing of information and discussion of topics are certainly good academic exercises, but not on the eve of the exams when time is at a premium. Those who own computers with an Internet connection ought to be on their guard. Internet, though a veritable source of valuable information, has chances to distract youth. Avoid Internet like a plague during the exam season.
The time, duration and place of study are also matters of personal choice. What is very important, however, is choosing a calm and quiet place, conducive to serious study, and absolute concentration, away from all possible distractions. Some students want to study behind closed doors. This is not a good idea, because chances are that one sleeps off, or goes on to some other distracters. In any case, even if you are in your own study room, do not lock the door. One must study for a few hours and then take a short break and relax. It is very important that one relaxes now and then, especially when one grows weary and tired.
Reading and writing should go hand-in-hand while preparing for exams. A subject like maths particularly is not to be read like other subjects. Problems in maths will have to be worked out, again and again to learn them thoroughly. Note making for other subjects has several advantages. The notes will be of great help on the eve of the exam, when one will not have time to read the entire portion. Note making also helps keep one's mind on tract. Writing practice helps acquire speed when appearing for the exams. The human mind is very capricious. It can just refuse to toe the line, and has the tendency to wander off. One of the methods to hold the mind's attention on a given task is to read aloud. It is the best mnemonic (memory skill) device. Loud reading, however, should not become a habit, to the total exclusion of silent reading. When there are other children also studying at home, reading aloud can pose problems, and in that case reading may have to be regulated by restricting the time or changing the location of reading. Repetition can obviously be wearisome, but necessary. Preparing for exams is basically an exercise in repetition. The more we read, the more we absorb. The more we write, the stronger our memory. Reading, writing, and memorising over and over again are the only means to perform better in exams.
Whether we like it or not, exams are here to stay, and memory has tremendous value in exams. The only sensible option is to face them head-on, by studying well, and repeatedly, with a self-imposed punishing schedule, till every part of the syllabus is at our fingertips. When we reach that stage, or near about it, we will become confident. Let us not forget that exams are a test of our confidence, as much as it is that of our knowledge.
"Nothing succeeds like success." For this, the very first condition is the will to succeed. We need to have the determination to succeed against all odds, a desire to perform the best in the exams. An unshakable determination followed up with unflinching perseverance is the secret behind the success of every individual. There is no shortcut to success, except hard work.
Every serious student must be prepared to put in real hard work for the exams. It is a fact that the human brain can be most receptive during pressing circumstances, like exams. It can receive vast amounts of knowledge and retain them. The brain co-operates very well. Why don't you co-operate too? It is never too late, if only you started. So start now.

Careers in Civil Engineering


Considered as one of the oldest engineering disciplines, Civil Engineering involves planning, designing and executing structural works. The profession deals with a wide variety of engineering tasks including designing, supervision and construction activities of public works like roads, bridges, tunnels, buildings, airports, dams, water works, sewage systems, ports etc. and offers a multitude of challenging career opportunities.
A civil engineer is responsible for planning and designing a project, constructing the project to the required scale, and maintenance of the product. A civil engineer requires not only a high standard of engineering knowledge but also supervisory and administrative skills. The planning part of their work involves site investigation, feasibility studies, creating solutions to complications that may occur and the actual designing of structures. They have to work with the guidelines of the local government authority and get plans approved by the relevant authority. They may prepare cost estimates and set construction schedules. Construction work involves dealing with clients, architects, government officials, contactors and the supervision of work according to standards. Their work also involves the maintenance and repair of the project.
The major specialisations within civil engineering are structural, water resources, environmental, construction, transportation, geo-technical engineering etc. On most projects, civil engineers work in teams or in coordination with many other engineers. They can find work as a supervisor of a construction site or a managerial position or in design, research as well as teaching in government services or private concerns. They can also work as independent consultants.
Renumeration
The earnings depend on the industries employing civil engineers such as Central or State government departments or private concerns. In India, a bachelor's degree candidate in civil engineering can receive a starting salary of Rs.4000 up to Rs 7500 approximately with 2-3 years experience. With more experience or as an established independent consultant one could earn more. Most employers prefer candidates with Computer (Autocad) knowledge.
Companies abroad in Singapore, UAE etc pay Rs 15000-20,000 approximately for candidates with 2-3 years experience. In USA, according to a 2001 salary survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, a bachelor's degree candidate as an initial salary offers averaging $40,616 a year, master's degree candidates received an average offer of $44,080, and Ph.D. candidates were offered $62,280.

Aeronautical Engineers - Job Prospects


Aeronautical Engineers work with one of the most technologically advanced branches of engineering. The main thrust in this area is on design and development of aircrafts to space and satellite research. Jobs are available with the national, international, public and private Airline Services as well as aircraft-manufacturing units.
Job opportunities for an Aeronautical Engineer in India, lies with various airlines like Air India, Indian Airlines, Helicopter Corporation of India and flying clubs, private airlines and government owned air service and aircraft manufacturers like the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) with its factories at Bangalore, Nashik, Koraput, Kanpur etc. Defense Research and Development Laboratories, National Aeronautical Lab (NAL), Aeronautical Development Establishment, Civil Aviation Department etc. The Defence services and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) also happen to be two major employers.
Initially, candidates begin work as graduate engineer trainees or junior Engineers. Keeping in view their performance, academic background and aptitude, they are placed for training in the aircraft maintenance/overhaul or support section. On completion of training they are placed as assistant aircraft engineers or assistant technical officers. They have to clear departmental examinations for further promotions. They may advance to administrative or executive positions or become consultants. Aeronautical engineers are assisted by aircraft mechanics in maintenance of aircraft frame, engine, electrical system and other ancillary fittings
Eligibility & Course Area
To be an aeronautical engineer one should have a graduate degree (B.E/B.Tech.) or at least a diploma in Aeronautics. The degree and postgraduate degree courses are offered by the engineering colleges and Institutes of Technology (IITs), and the diploma courses are available at polytechnics.
The basic eligibility criteria for a BE / B.Tech is 10+2 or equivalent examination, with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and must have a fairly high percentage of marks in the aggregate. One must also pass the qualifying exam JEE (Joint Entrance Exam) conducted by the IIT's.
Selection : Selection to the graduate courses ( BE / B.Tech ) is based on merit i.e the marks secured in the final exams of 10+2 and through entrance exams. Entrance to the IIT's is through 'JEE' (Joint Entrance Exam) and for other institutions through their own separate entrance exams and other state level and national level exams. Most of the institutes conducting engineering courses in Aeronautics consider JEE score as the qualifying grade.
There is also the Associate Membership Examination of the Institute of Engineers (AMIE), which enables working people in the private and public sector, or diploma holders to acquire a Bachelor's engineering degree through distance education by studying the syllabus and appearing for the Associate membership examination of the Institute of Engineers (AMIE) conducted by ASI ('The Aeronautical Society of India'). This degree is equivalent to aeronautical engineering degree. Those with a degree in electronics, mathematics or physics can also find opportunities in this area.
Some Institutes offer postgraduate (M Tech) and Doctoral (Ph D) programmes in Aeronautics. The Madras Institute of Technology offers a three year Graduate Programme in Aeronautical Engineering for B Sc students, subject to their having passed Maths and Physics at the graduation stage. The Indian Institute of Science (IIS), Bangalore has M Tech and Ph D programmes in aeronautics.
Duration : The duration is four years, ending with a degree recognised by the ministry of education, government of India. The diploma courses are of 2-3 years duration.

Electronics Engineering- Job Prospectus



An electronics engineer can get a job in Central Government, State Governments and their sponsored corporations in public enterprises and the private organizations like All India Radio, Indian Telephone Industries, MTNL, National Physical Laboratories, AIR, Civil Aviation Department; Post and Telegraph Department; Co-ordination Department, National Physical Laboratory, Bharat Electronics Limited, Development Centers in various States etc. dealing in manufacture, sales and services of electronics consumer goods and appliances. Electronics engineers are also absorbed into the entertainment transmission industry, research establishments, and defense. They can also take up teaching and research in one of the many engineering colleges in India or abroad


Career Options


As an Electronic Engineer, entry for junior posts in the Government departments is by direct recruitment through advertisements in newspapers. Selection to Gazetted posts is through the competitive examinations conducted by Union and State Public Service Commission. UPSC conducts an Engineering Service Examination (Telecommunication and Electronics Engineering group) annually for vacancies in Central Engineering Services and various State Public Service commissions conduct their own competitive Exams for vacancies in State engineering services.
In the Defence Services, young engineers start as Second Lieutenants. For selection into the Defence Services- Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, applications are invited through National dailies and Employment News.
Similarly vacancies in the private and public sector are advertised through leading daily newspapers of the country and the Employment News. Mostly the candidates are interviewed after thorough scrutiny of their basic inputs and the selections are made on merit. Central Electronics Ltd., Indian Railways, Atomic Energy Commission, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Directorate General Posts and Telegraphs Departments etc are some of the prospective employers in the field. Electronic Engineers can start their own business by manufacture electronic parts, goods and components. He can also start a repair or assembly shop for television receivers, amplifiers, recording equipment etc. Since electronics is a labour intensive and talent -oriented field, it gives high returns for a given initial investment. Loan facilities are offered by banks and Small Scale Industries Development Corporations for starting a business.