I have completed B.Sc (CBZ) with 73 per cent and I am planning to pursue M.Sc. Give me some suggestions to continue my education. At this juncture I am not interested in teaching.

Smitha Kambali

You have taken to decision to pursue M.Sc. Go ahead, with intent to make the grade and succeed. What you need to decide is what area of study you would be interested in. The goal that you have visualised for yourself should be primary.

Go ahead with a focused mindset and you are sure to succeed in the field selected by choice and not by chance. Identify the areas that you would want to pursue the M.Sc. in and get to the nuances before you decide to enrol.

I am a graduate in Journalism and Psychology from Bangalore. I am at this juncture confused about higher studies. I am also having thoughts of taking up animal psychology, but I did not find colleges in India. On the other side, I want to get into audio-visual journalism but confused about finding an affordable college.

Sudeep Muthyala

Every student goes through this syndrome. You feel at some point that what you have studied is either not useful or does not have any value for your future. You had taken a decision to take up Journalism and Psychology; you even completed the programme. Delinking yourself from the program/programmes at this juncture will only create confusion.

Another question that you should ask yourself is, can I pursue a programme in animal psychology? Is there feasibility for this? Do you have the basic qualification to go through the programme if one is available? In the present condition, these questions will place in a dilemma in your mind.

You have decided, on one side, to pursue Audio-Visual Journalism; go for it. One of the places where you can pursue this programme is the Convergence Institute of Media, Management and Information Technology Studies (COMMITS) (www.commits.edu.in). Contact the institute and get to know the programmes and carry on with your dream.

My sister has finished Plus Two. She is in a dilemma on which career to pursue. If it is engineering, she is concerned with the work pressure it brings. She is also not sure whether she should opt for the three-year B.Sc. or two-year M.Sc. or five-year Integrated PG programme. Please suggest the best plan.

Akbar Ahmed

Your sister must go through all the aspects of study and understand what is in store for her in the future. She needs to decide for herself to ensure success in whatever programme she chooses. Every course/programme has its pros and cons.

These days, the options that students have are plentiful but one needs to plan well. Having a mindset before pursuing a programme will prove negative. Planning and strategising at this juncture is advisable. Peers within the family and friends and teachers should give her the confidence to take the right decision.

Sometime ago you had answered a question on doing M.Sc. in Mathematics. My classmates and teachers had discussed it. Can you repeat the answer? Our results are expected in the next few days.

Poornima

If you are genuinely interested in Mathematics you must pursue a regular programme from the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) (www.isibang.ac.in) which will add value to your repertoire. The ISI conducts the Master of Mathematics (two-year) programme and offers advanced-level training.

Based on the optional that one selects, the learners will be exposed to Probability Theory and Theoretical Computer Science. You can look at the detailed brochure to assess the feel-good factors of the programme.

You can also connect to the following centres of excellence for more information:

Chennai Mathematical Institute (www.cmi.ac.in), 92, G.N. Chetty Road, T. Nagar, Chennai-600 017.

Institute of Mathematical Sciences (www.imsc.res.in), Taramani, Chennai- 600 113.

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) (www.tifr.res.in), Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai-400 005.

I am interested in pursuing the Post-Graduate Diploma in Software Technology (PGDST) offered by C-DAC, a government body. Please provide some information and bring a career change in my life.

Hari

The PGDST is a one-year programme (part-time) and it covers programming, data structures, algorithms, operating systems, computer architecture, database management, computer networks, and object-oriented programming. Admission is open to any graduate.

The PGDST is designed to prepare the participants to deal with situations in which things threaten to change faster than one can assimilate them. The approach adopted has evolved over a number of years.

This approach primarily ensures that the participant: learns the basics of the craft in the field of software technology, is provided with the best foundation for a good software professional, i.e. a solid knowledge of those things that underpin every development technology, no matter how different or how advanced, and is equipped with the capabilities to understand the fundamentals irrespective of the programming methodology, language, the development platform, the software tools, etc.

You should contact the Course Administrator, CDAC, 68, Electronic City, Bangalore-561 229. E-mail: crsadmin@ncb.ernet.in

CDAC also conducts the Full-Time Advanced Post-Graduate Diploma in Software Technology (FPGDST) which is of 50 weeks duration.

I am a student of Plus Two (ISC), presently in 11th standard; I want to become a physicist. I would like to go through the engineering curriculum rather than the Bachelor of Science mode. Please suggest a good course in engineering that would help me for a career in research in Pure Physics or Atomic Physics.

Dalip Tiwari

A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena spanning all length scales: from the sub-atomic particles from which all ordinary matter is made (particle physics) to the behaviour of the material universe as a whole (cosmology).

There are numerous branches of physics and each has its corresponding specialists. The undergraduate curriculum generally includes the following range of courses viz., Theoretical Physics, Astronomy, Electricity, Optics, Quantum Physics, Nuclear Physics and Solid State Physics. At a later stage you can specialise in the areas of Astrophysics, Atomic Physics, Molecular Physics, Bio Physics, Chemical Physics, Geo Physics, Material Science, Nuclear Physics, Particle Physics, and Plasma Physics.

At the engineering level (viz., Bachelor of Technology or Engineering) the Universities do not have programmes that focus on Physics but have a compulsory paper that will take you through the basics. Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore-560 012 (www.physics.iisc.ernet.in) is a wonderful place to be in.

You can pursue the Integrated programme leading to Ph.D. after graduation.

The areas of research are exponential. You can contact the Chairman of the Department on Ph: 2293 2315. E-mail: chairman@physics.iisc.ernet.in

Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) (www.jncasr.ac.in) is another place that is worth considering. You should contact The Coordinator, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur P.O., Bangalore-560 064. E-mail: academic@jncasr.ac.in

Many feel that the study of pure sciences has come to a halt because of the applied sciences viz., Biochemistry, Biotechnology, MicrobBiology and other areas of specialisation.

One finds that students like you would help in rekindling the need to pursue pure sciences.