I am working in a private sector bank for the past nine years. I had taken your guidance about four years ago and completed CAIIB as well. I was even promoted. I have understood that getting into the IT spectrum will help one to make a more challenging career and I am keen to get into the new sphere. I understand that core banking does provide ample opportunities in the IT space. Please guide me.

Nitin

Banking sector is one segment of business that has grown by leaps and bounds, not only in India but also overseas. Core sector operations help one get to the nuances of banking.

Core banking solutions are applications on a platform enabling a phased, strategic approach that is intended to allow banks to improve operations, reduce costs, and be prepared for growth. Implementing a modular, component-based enterprise solution facilitates integration with a bank's existing technologies. An overall service-oriented architecture (SOA) helps banks reduce the risk that can result from manual data entry and out-of-date information, increases management information and review, and avoids the potential disruption to business caused by replacing entire systems (Wikipedia).

By now you would have realised that many software applications are being put to use by banks worldwide. The Indian IT system has thrown up a few products that are popular worldwide, viz., TCS BaNCS (TATA Consultancy Services), Finacle (Infosys Technologies), and Intellect Core (Polaris Software Lab Limited). Some of the other global companies have banking software and solutions on offer, viz., SAP Transactional Banking (SAP AG), FLEXCUBE (Oracle Financial Services Software, earlier i-Flex Solutions), Alnova Financial Solutions (Accenture/Alnova), and TEMENOS T24 (Temenos Group), to mention a few.

Getting into the arena of the software mentioned will surely help you to get into the IT technology space and also the Sales and Pre-Sales arena in the Banking, Financial Service and Insurance (BFSI) domain. Once in the IT domain of banking, the focus per se will change to process, planning, patents, products, product re-engineering etc.

I am in final year B.E. (E and C department) in an autonomous engineering college. My present aggregate is 63 per cent for the three years. I feel a little low as other have scored in the 80s and 90s and will be placed in good companies. Do you think I have a future in the corporate business? Should I pursue additional courses?

Shailesh Kumar

Not all achievers in the corporate world are rank students or ones who excelled in academics. In fact some of them were dropouts, backbenchers, and criticised by teachers. Even Albert Einstein was criticised by his Mathematics teacher, and was considered a dud. But then we know where Einstein has reached. Do not undermine yourself; you will have to create a mark for yourself and succeed.

No doubt percentages matter in today's corporate world. With a first class you can make it to the top and get to the best of corporate jobs. Today, additional courses/add-on programmes have their own unique features to add to the repertoire. Pursuing add-on programmes of your choice will help in the competitive world of today. You should identify courses that suit your specialisation and work on them. You should also create opportunities to update the certifications once new versions are present. You should pursue a good final project which will help you to acquire the requisite knowledge and benefit in the form of placement. Your placement cell will help you in this endeavour.

I have decided to appear for the UGC-NET scheduled at the end of the year. My PG subject is History. Kindly advice the books to be read.

Nupur

By now you would have had a look at the History syllabi of the UGC-NET examination. If you have not as yet seen the syllabi, it is available on the following hyperlink http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/syllabus.html.

You can start your preparation even before the notification is issued. We are sure that in your postgraduation, you would have studied different aspects of History. Hence, your job to assess the syllabi becomes easier.

In the area of history and archaeology, the best source of information in Bangalore would be the Mythic Library, located opposite Reserve Bank of India on Nrupathunga Road. You can walk into the library and access books of the area of study in the syllabi.

The UGC-NET does not expect the student to be theoretical, it expects the student to be in the knowhow of the pertinent aspects, and one should also know how the issues are to be put in a perspective.

Some of the important books that you could read:

1. The Wonder that was India Volume I, A.L. Basham

2. The Wonder that was India Volume II, S.A.A. Rizvi

3. The History of India Volume I, Romila Thapar

4. The History of India Volume II, Percival Spear

These would be the general books that are read by any student of Indian History. Besides these, you should also read the History books that are prescribed for the 10th, 11th and 12th CBSE students for they take you to the fundamentals of the dynamics of History and the syllabi that is covered in the UGC-NET.

Marketing has been considered as a good specialisation in MBA. What would you suggest? Could you give me information about the scope of the same? Is any training required before joining an organisation.

Sadhana Shenoy

Strategy is the key to any business. Innovation is the other device that helps the key to function. Both these get together in the area of marketing. Some of the best marketers are the ones who have not had any exposure in any B-school. Marketing is beyond the four principles of product, price, promotion and place. In fact, you should raise above the normal and come out with innovative ideas.

You should pursue a good final project in a company that will give a lot of scope and help you to accompany the tasks and facets related to marketing. In the B-schools of today, there are ample opportunities to specialise in two areas of study; you should make all efforts to select a good combination and ensure that the benefits reach out to you.

I have completed +2 (PCMB) in the CBSE stream. I am given to understand that Pondicherry Engineering College is a centre of excellence and I would like to pursue education there. Please give me the contact address.

Ganesh Girivasan

The Union Territory of Puducherry (earlier Pondicherry) has educational institutions that have created a niche for themselves as centres of excellence. At the Pondicherry Engineering College, admission to B.Tech. is centralised and a Joint Entrance Test (JET) is conducted by the Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC), Government of Pondicherry.

Admission is based on the qualifying examination (Plus Two) marks (of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry) and JET score. You can choose any one the following faculties: Civil, Mechanical, Electronics and Communication, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Electronics, Instrumentation, Chemical and Information Technology. A total of 85 per cent of the seats will be allotted to the candidates from the Union Territory of Puducherry and the remaining will be allotted among the candidates from other States and Union Territories.

Those who want to join the first semester of the B.Tech. course should have a pass in the first attempt in Plus Two or equivalent examination with a minimum of 50 per cent marks (each) in Mathematics, Physics and any one of the following optional subjects: Chemistry/Biotechnology/Computer Science/Biology (Botany & Zoology).

Candidates from the General Merit stream are given two opportunities and those from the SC/ST stream get three attempts. For more details you can write to the Coordinator, Centralised Admission Committee, JET, Pondicherry Engineering College, Puducherry-605 014.