I am a B.Com final year student. I want to pursue BBA through correspondence or distance mode. Please tell me which college or university is offering this course.

Narendar Kumar

B.Com (Bachelor of Commerce) and BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) fall under the category of Under-Graduate (after Plus 2) programmes. The curriculum gets juxtaposed in both the programmes. If your intent is to pursue the finer aspects of Business Administration/Management, you will be eligible to pursue the Master of Business Administration (MBA) which is a postgraduation programme. You can pursue MBA in the regular (campus) mode (duration: two years) and even as a learner under the distance learning programme (DLP).

If you browse the website of the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) (www.aicte-india.org) and get to the hyperlink of http://www.aicte-india.org/engpgedu.htm you can access all the Management programmes are being run in the country and plan for the future.

I graduated in B.E. Mechanical Engineering in 2003. At this juncture, I am not working. I am interested in Psychology. I have a passion for the subject and I want to make a career out of it. I have decided to pursue Master's Degree in Psychology through the distance mode. Please inform me which Universities offer this subject. I want to know the job prospects in the field. I would also like to know if I would be eligible for the UGC-NET and apply for Lectureship.

Vijay Sirsi

A good number of Universities offer the programme in the Distance Learning format.

Annamalai University (www.annamalaiuniversity.ac.in) offers the two-year M.Sc in Applied Psychology (ctudy centre: Bangalore: 547/1, R.V. Road, Near Vijay College, Bangalore-4) (Directorate of Distance Education, Annamalainagar-608002).

Acharya Nagarjuna University (www.anucde.com) offers the two-year M.A. in Psychology.

University of Madras (www.unom.ac.in) offers the two-year M.A. in Psychology.

On completion of the postgraduation programmes you will be eligible for the UGC-NET examination. However, there will be an age restriction for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).

On the opportunities front, considering that you are already an Engineer, you should get back to the corporate world and with the experience of technology and psychology, you will be an asset in the fields of Human Resources, Organisational Development and Change and even Training which is very pertinent to the corporate life of today. The academic fraternity will open up a new world of teaching, wherein you can contribute to the success of other learners and stay on top of the learning curve.

I am studying B.Sc (second year). I am interested in Astrophysics. Please give me a list of good institutes where I can study.

Sri Laxmi

Astrophysics is a branch of Astronomy that deals with the physics of the Universe, which also includes the physical properties viz., luminosity, density, and temperature of celestial objects such as stars, galaxies, etc. Astrophysics incorporates within itself the disciplines of mechanics, electromagnetism, statistical mechanics, relativity, and other areas of study in Physics. Astrophysics study takes place at the levels of postgraduation and research (Ph.D. and post-doctoral).

The institutes that you can contact are:

Indian Institute of Astrophysics (www.iiap.res.in), II Block, Koramangala, Bangalore

Physics and Centre for High Energy Physics (PS) (http://www.physics.iisc.ernet.in/acadprog-integphd.php), IISc, Bangalore ( Integrated Ph.D. programme after B.Sc)

Why are chartered accountants, engineers etc. who have prior work experience given better job profiles and higher salaries than freshers during B-school placements?

Anupama Chamuah

Experience is very important to the corporate world today. Hence, when placements happen in the B-schools, the students with work experience and those who have qualified as CAs, Engineers stand a better chance. Most of the B-schools overseas take students on the basis of experience. In India too, this facet is on the raise; though experience is not mandated. An MBA (Finance) student from a B-school and who is a CA stands a better chance than a learner who would have joined the B-School as a fresher on completion of graduation. The same applies to those students who have an Engineering degree as well.

However, the above should not deter a fresher. He should compete with the experienced with better scores, good project study (final project), better communication and the ability to understand and comprehend managerial nuances and facets and create a positive impression and deliver to the recruiters who come for placements.

I am studying PUC (II) and Statistics is one of the subjects that I have taken. Please advice me on further studies and the subject that I should take so that they help me with the jobs.

Prajna S.

You have not provided the details of the subjects that you have taken to help us to assess what action you will need to take. However, one aspect is very clear; you have selected Statistics by choice. The opportunities are plenty; and you can get to a multitude of areas in the corporate level.

You can get to the areas of Statistics and IT at the graduation level and even make efforts to join the Indian Statistical Institute (Bangalore Chapter: www.isibang.ac.in) to get to the best of the knowledge base in Statistics. You have opportunities in the government and private sector. The Statistical Service is a good option. In the private sector, market research organisations will take learners with a background of Statistics for the operations. If interested, you can also take up teaching opportunities. Consultants and consultancies have definite scope for those with a background in Statistics. You also have options in Business Television Channels where Statisticians would be required for the finer aspects of Economics, Trading and similar activities. Since the world of today is IT savvy, this blend will help you augment your skills.

I want the address of the Archaeology School in Delhi. My friend from overseas needs it.

Jayakar