IP University to setup a design institute

The Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (popularly known IP University), Delhi is setting up an Institute of design at its East campus which will be Asia's biggest centre of its kind said Dr A K Walia, minister for higher education, government of NCT of Delhi.

Walia was addressing the ninth convocation of the University at its Dwarka campus on Monday, he also said that at a time public private partnership(PPP) model is not working so well is other countries, IP University has set an example of success of this model of governance.

In his address Lt Governor of Delhi and chancellor of the University, Tejendra Khanna said that academic ambiance plays vital role in the growth of any academic institution besides good teachers, receptive students and state-of-the-art infrastructure. "Domain knowledge combined with human values is need of hours. Learning is a life long process," he said.

Delivering the convocation address, chairman of Tata Communication Limited, Subodh Bhargava said "As far as learning process is concerned, we will always be a student through out our life. We can learn many things from our life and experiences. Values are those boundaries within which we think and ponder. Some values do not change even with time like honesty, empathy for others, compassion etc. We should be realistic as well optimistic for our growth."

Vice chancellor of IP University, D K Bandyopadhyay, informed on the occasion that the University is planning to start three new centres of studies in the University- Centre of Study of Indigenous Literature, Centre for Film and Culture Studies and Centre for Development and Planning. "There are three types of skills that are needed in this century- cognitive skills such as analytical and critical thinking, non-cognitive skills such as attitude like honesty, team work, leadership etc, technical skills such as accountancy, tourism, IT, management, construction among others."

In all 15,945 students of the university were awarded degree on the occasion and 67 students were conferred with Gold Medals(including Essar Power Gold Medal). 15 students were awarded with plaque/citation for their exemplary performance(for obtaining 90% and more marks) in studies. Moreover, 21 students of the University were conferred with PhD degree on the occasion.

More students opting for specialised courses now

Micro-specialisation, cutthroat competition and multiple course options offer the new generation of graduates a range of career choices beyond traditional options. Following their class XII boards, an increasing number of students are opting for specialised courses that focus on developing specific skill-sets for emerging careers in various sectors.

Retail India is considered as one of the top 10 rising retail markets in the world. As a fast growing industry, there is a demand for nearly 3.25 million trained professionals in this field, both in India and abroad. Aspirants in this sector can consider pursuing Bachelor of Business Administration (retail marketing) as an option.

The BBA programme charts the basics of retail as a business along with an indepth study of retail marketing. Successful BBA graduates can pursue jobs in supply chains, supermarkets etc. Retail managers are required in manufacturing companies as well and are also hired by companies such as insurance and banking to sell their commodities directly to customers.

Entertainment The 2011 FICCI- KPMG report states that the media and entertainment industry is expected to grow steadily over the next five years and that the industry is looking at tapping newer target segments, geographies and mediums, while tapping the potential of the existing ones. Entertainment today has gone beyond the traditional modes of entertainment — radio, television, theatre — to incorporate newer forms of technologies.

Freshers entering the industry have many job opportunities in technical as well as non-technical areas. Technical jobs for freshers include video, audio and light engineering, among others, and non-technical jobs include stage crew to manage stage co-ordination during an event, make-up and costumes, department sales and marketing, human resource, finance, engineering and housekeeping.

Designing The field of designing opens doors to various specialisations such as animation, interior designing, product designing, web designing, graphic designing, etc. Each specialisation can be a promising career option for talented and creative individuals. For instance, according to recent reports, the Indian animation industry is poised to grow by about 23%, while the Indian gaming industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32% by 2014. Both industries are likely to provide ample job options.

A strong sense of aesthetics, innovation, drawing and fine arts are some of the key skills that an aspirant in this field must possess. Various institutes across the country offer courses in designing.

Pharmacy The Indian pharmaceutical industry, with over 750,000 chemist shops, handles revenue of Rs 90,000 crore and is one of the fastest growing industries in India with a CAGR of over 13% in the last five years. The various areas that students can explore after graduation can broadly be categorised as medical pharmacists, retail pharmacists, industrial pharmacists and research pharmacist. To become a pharmacist, you have to clear class XII boards with a background in science. After completing a diploma in pharmacy, you have to undergo mandatory practical training for 500 hours in a government dispensary/hospital to get registered under the pharmacy council. For a BA in Pharmacy, you have to undergo two months of industrial training in production/quality control, though not mandatory.