Your counsellor replies

I’m a Plus Two (arts) student and would like to pursue a career in fine arts. Please advise.
Shalini Pradhan, Pune

You should write the Intermediate Grade Drawing Exam. This will qualify you to apply for the five-year integrated bachelor of fine arts (BFA) programme. This course offers excellent prospects for employment as media spending is increasing and ad agencies are always on the lookout for creative people. Some reputed schools offering BFA are J.J School of Arts, Bombay; Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Baroda; College of Art, New Delhi; J.J. Institute of Applied Arts, Bombay; Government College of Arts and Crafts, Madras; College of Art, Chandigarh; College of Art, Lucknow and Faculty of Fine Arts, Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi. After acquiring a BFA degree, you could press on to pursue advanced diploma programmes in visual communications or textile design at the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad.

Can I get a loan in the US for my postgraduate studies?
Deepa Patel, Ahmedabad

You could get a loan in the US under the International Student Loan Programme if you can persuade a creditworthy US citizen or permanent resident to co-sign or guarantee your loan. The interest rates for such loans are around four percent and the repayment period is 25 years. You can visit www.iefc.com for more information.

After my Plus Two (science) I would like to study marine engineering. Which colleges offer this course and what are their eligibility criteria?
Dilip Banerjee, Kolkata

Degree programmes in marine engineering are offered by the Marine Engineering and Research Institute, Kolkata (www.merical.ac.in); Tolani Maritime Institute (TMI), Pune (www.tolani.edu); R.L. Institute of Nautical Sciences, Madurai (www. rlinstitutes.com); PVPP College of Engineering, Mumbai (www.netcamp uspccoe.org); M.H. Saboo Siddik Polytechnic, Mumbai; and the Maharashtra Academy of Naval Education and Training, Pune (www.mitpune.com/manet).

The minimum eligibility requirement is successful completion of class XII in physics, chemistry and maths. Colour blindness is not acceptable but glasses up to plus/ minus 2.5 are allowed. Much weightage is given to physical fitness.

I’m in second year B.Sc (information technology). I would like to acquire an MCA (Master of computer applications) degree. Does JNU Delhi or any of the IITs offer MCA? Also do I need to be a maths graduate to do this course?
Sridhar Iyer, Bangalore

MCA from JNU (www.jnu.ac.in) does not require graduation in maths. Eligibility requirements for MCA at IIT Roorkee (www.iitr.ac.in), the only IIT which offers MCA, is a bachelor’s degree with maths or BCA with an average of 60 percent for general category candidates (55 percent for SC/ST candidates). You could also apply to any one of the National Institutes of Technology. They require you to write the NIMCET.

Moreover keep a lookout for admission notifications in daily newspapers. You will find that you can apply for MCA at quite a few reputable institutions/ universities.

I’m in third year BA and want to pursue a career in library sciences. Please advise.
Sheena Mhatre, Mumbai

A graduate in any discipline is eligible to apply for the one-year bachelor of library science or bachelor of library and information science (BLISc) programmes. This can be followed up with a one-year Master’s in library and information science.

In Mumbai, the University of Mumbai (University Library at Kalina campus) and SNDT Women’s University, Churchgate campus offer programmes in library sciences. Admissions are in May-June. Several other universities offer this study programme while IGNOU and some others also offer it through distance education.

However please note that the changed electronic environment of the 21st century will demand technical, IT and managerial skills of successful library science professionals.

I’m in class XII (science) and interested in a career in microbiology. What are the career prospects in this field?
Nalini D’Souza, Panjim

Microbiologists enjoy a wide range of job opportunities in medical research, food, agriculture and pharmaceutical industries, hospitals, research institutes and universities. They also play a vital role in the biotechnology industry which involves fermentation, recombinant DNA technology and molecular biology. These job opportunities can be best explored after acquisition of a Master’s degree, or preferably a doctorate. So you have to think beyond B.Sc before you consider microbiology as a career. The best option is to enroll in B.Sc (microbiology) and if you find the course interesting, you could pursue an M.Sc and/ or Ph D in the subject.

What are career prospects for chemical engineers? Does one need to study biology in Plus Two to study chemical engineering?
Arun Kohli, New Delhi

You could apply for a B.Sc chemical engineering programme if you have physics, chemistry and maths as subjects in Plus Two. A chemical engineering degree offers excellent scope for employment, especially in chemical and allied products and pharmaceuticals corporates and in energy, water, food and beverages, oil and gas, process plants and equipment, biotechnology and consultancy organisations.

I’m an MBA (marketing) and would like to do a Ph D in the same subject. Which institutes offer a doctorate in this subject?
Amit Jain, Bhopal

Several business schools offer the option of a Ph D in marketing. You could apply to the fellow programme in management with specialisation in marketing at IIM-Ahmedabad (www. iimahd.er.net.in/programmesdfpm.htm), IIM-Calcutta (www.iimcal.ac.in) and IIM-Lucknow (www.iiml.ac.in). A fellowship at IIM-A covers all academic and living expenses. In addition students are entitled to a stipend of Rs.96,000 per annum.