My Science School

I am a student of class XII and my problem is that I have a low concentration level. No matter what I do, the study-hard phase doesn’t last more than a few days. Then I can’t put my mind to studies. Please give me some tips to improve my memory as well.

 

If you can concentrate for a few days very well, you can do so for many more days. The ‘study-hard’ phase that you talk about is indeed strenuous and hence, continues only for a few days, after which exhaustion sets in. The best way to handle this is study hard consistently, with adequate rest in between. Normally, a person can work with full concentration for about one to two hours, after which he needs a break. After studying with full concentration for a certain period of time, you find that your grasp of the subject is not as good as it was, or some external environment etc distracts you. At this point, stop studying and take a break of five to seven minutes. This way you will feel fresh and study with concentration. As for improving memory you can do the following:

• Read a lesson once fully and understand the underlying theme clearly.


• Then divide the lesson into six or seven units, which are complete in themselves.


• Now start reading these smaller units with comprehension and extract the main theme out.


• Make a few questions on the passage that you have studied and try answering them.


• Write out what you have learnt and see if you have covered all the points.


• Go over the written material with the book material and fill in the gaps.

If you go through all the above seven steps, you will see tremendous improvement in your memory power.

 

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My problem is that I lose my temper very easily. I am also rude to people at home and at school. Needles to say, no one likes that kind of behavior and my mother stops talking to me altogether for several days on end. I want to improve. How do I do that? Are my parents responsible for my behavior?

 

Remember that your mind is yours and you alone can have control over it. If you really do not want to be rude or lose your temper, it is in your hands to do so. However, I have a few tips to offer which, if you practice seriously and with commitment, can help you get a grip over your temper. Normally, one gets angry in response to some development. When  something happens that normally makes you lose your temper, don’t react immediately, but count backwards from five to zero, then close your eyes and take a deep breath five times. Then open your eyes and you will find that the immediate urge to respond with anger would have disappeared and you too will feel  somewhat calmer within. Practice these few steps by imagining a frustrating or anger-inducing situation. After a few weeks you will find that you are able to control your temper considerably.

 

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Student do feel intimidated by the thought of landing in an alien land. Most institutes have an airport welcome arrangement. A representative of the institutes receives the student from the airport and then takes him to the university and the temporary accommodation, ensuring that students feels at home. Then there is the international office that assists students in finding appropriate accommodation, providing details on relative costs. The international office helps the foreign student get in touch with fellow students keen to share accommodation. The change in study patterns would need some preparation. Foreign universities expect students to be analytical in their approach.

Instead of just applying formulae and information, you will be expected to reason out and come up with a theory of your own. Critical thinking and questioning is appreciated, unlike in India where reproduction of classroom lectures could also fetch your marks.

Zero in on an institute with tremendous caution. Select an accredited institute. Check its credentials and performance in the subject of your choice. See if you can afford the costs involved.

 

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How can I choose other subjects along with biotechnology?

On the face of it, yes, your interests are varied. Therefore, it is natural for you to be confused. But one can already see a synergy-all your pet subjects except for photography revolve around the living world, flora and fauna. If you retain all these interests along with the one subject area that you choose, it might actually turn to your advantage. Even photography might prove to be a big help in your research work. If you are very keen to take up biotechnology, and are weak in mathematics, you can take up life sciences at graduation level in college, say botany or zoology. That way mathematics will not be hindrance. After three years of graduation, you can sit for the All-India entrance exam conducted by JNU, New Delhi, for participating universities all over the country. While your subject area will be biotechnology, you will still be able to contribute to veterinary science or forestry or maybe even herpetology through your research in biotechnology.

 

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I want to join the Indian Forest Service. Is a course in forest management essential for that? Please give details.

Qualification in forest management is not essential for entry to Indian Forest Service (IFS). The Union Public Service Commission, that recruits candidates to the service, considers graduation in botany, zoology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, statistics, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and veterinary science. The exam notification comes in February and the examination is held in August, every year.

You will have to appear for two compulsory subjects i.e., English and general knowledge, two optional subjects. Certain combinations are not allowed in the exam, like agricultural and animal husbandry.

Besides the written exam and interview, one has to appear for a physical fitness test. Make candidates have to walk a distance of 25 kilometers in four hours, and female candidates have to cover 14 kilometers in the same time.

After a training schedule in Indian Forest College, Dehra Dun, and at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy, Mussourie, one is appointed as assistant conservator of forests.

 

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I am in my second year. If I want to join the police services, what subjects should I take up, and how should I prepare for the entrance exam?

Recruitment to the Indian Police Services is done by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), over two stages: preliminary, or qualifying stage; and the main stage. This entrance test is common for IAS, IPS and IFS, P&T, and a host of other central government services.

The choice of subject at graduation level or the choice of the optional subject for the examination doesn’t make a difference for selection to the IPS. Many students choose new subjects thinking that certain subjects are more scoring. But it’s usually better to opt for a subject you have been studying all along.

Since you won’t have much time after the results of the preliminary exams are announced, it would be better if you start preparation for prelims and the main examination simultaneously.

 The preliminary exam is objective type, and has two sections: General studies of 150 marks and one optional subject of 450 marks. For general studies, you should read thoroughly NCERT books of history, economics, political science and geography for classes XI and XII. You should read, at least, one newspaper everyday, maintain a diary and make entries in different sections like sports, state, politics, economy and so on. Go through the dairy regularly. In fact, you should begin this exercise from this year itself.

For the optional, select the subject that you would be taking for the main exam. In each topic of that subject, get to the basics, so that you can answer the objective-type questions of the prelims, as well as the subjective queries in the main exam. For the mains, you should develop the habit of writing long answers and improve your written expressions. This is important for the two optional subjects that you will have to take up, as well as English, regional language, as well as the essay that you will have to attempt. Show your answers to a lecturer and get feedback. At the interview stage, your power of judgement and your understanding of the world around you will be assessed

There are chances though, that in the next few years there will be radical changes in the entrance method, following the recommendations of the Alagh Committee to UPSC. It’s possible tat by the time you do apply, the subject-specific tests may have been replaced by psychometric tests.

 

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I am a student of class XII and I am keen to learn a foreign language. What is the appropriate stage to learn a foreign language? Can one get a job on the basis of a foreign language?

 

From the perspective of knowing a different country or culture, you can start learning a foreign language as early as class V. your age will not prevent you from grasping the basics of a foreign language. Early learning encourages one to move beyond mere literacy and read the original works of literature. In fact, institutes like Max Mueller Bhawan (for German) and Alliance Francaise (for French) rather than follow a translation approach, encourage you to communicate in the new language from day one.

However, from the job perspective, it is better to study a language once you are clear about your career objectives. Direct job opportunities in foreign languages are limited to teaching at school and college-level or at foreign language institutes. You can also take up translation. But as a translator, the chances are that you will come across more work for translating personal documents or instruction material for some machine. The more challenging task of translating literary works will be available only if you are exceedingly good at the language.

Then there is the job of interpretation. The new age economy is opening up avenues for interpreters, who have good spoken language and communication skills, in travel and tourism, hospitality, public relations, event management, and so on. However, in most jobs, foreign language is a time-consuming and costly affair. You will tend to forget it if you do not constantly practice that language or use its vocabulary regularly.

 

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I have appeared for the standard X Board exams and hope to study science and clear the MBBS entrance exam. Please tell me how to prepare for the various prestigious medical entrance exams. Should I join a NEET preparatory coaching class?

 

Start preparing for the medical entrance examination right after standard X. you need to equip yourself with the textbooks of classes XI and XII, a few extra theory books (for that extra edge)and MCQ (multiple choice questions) books. Students worry about studying simultaneously for medicine and the Board exams will harm their Board results. These fears are unfounded. After all, mastering the CBSE course means that you have cracked 70 to 80 per cent of the NEET. It is only the remaining 20 to 30 per cent that requires extra work through the help of additional books. So how do you go about preparing for a medical entrance exam? Well, choose a topic. Read about it in the CBSE textbook. Then study the topic with the help of additional theory books to enlarge your knowledge base.

At the end of the exercise, solve the multiple choice questions. Even if you have perfected the standard XI fundamentals, revise them during the summer holidays preceding class XII and during all holidays. This will reduce the pressure in the crucial last one month between the class XII exams and the NEET. Don’t start off with the additional theory books. Self-study is advocated to avoid wastage of time and energy. In case you feel the need for extra coaching either through regular class or correspondence, choose the institute with care and caution. Enquire about the institute’s faculty and performance and speak to former and current students of that institute.

Adopt a systematic and rigorous study regime. What is needed is a virtual combing operation. Leave nothing to doubt or luck. Leave no topic untouched and no MCQ unsolved.

 

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I am a second-year arts student. For quite some time I have been confused about what career to take up but am now gradually coming round to the idea that management would be quite an exciting proposition. My problem is that I am pretty bad at mathematics. What should I do? I have scored average grades in mathematics at the standard IX and X levels. Do you think I can improve my mathematics within a year?

You have enough time to practice and improve your mathematics. Proficiency in mathematics is definitely required for the Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section of the Common Admission Test (CAT) of the IIMs and for the entrance tests of other B-schools. QA covers high school mathematics. QA tests check for threshold quantitative skills that are needed to be an effective manager.

You need to be clear about number theory, percentages, ratio and proportion, profit and loss, geometry, mensuration, basic algebra, quadratic equations, and permutation and combinations. Start off by learning the basics such as tables up to 30, squares, cubes, square roots and reciprocals. Practice the art of mental calculations. Go through your high school books, and try solving all the exercises.

Consult a friend who has been good at mathematics and ask him for more practice books. You could also make that friend your mentor. If you have the time, you could join a reputed coaching institute for that organized effort and consistent practice.

 

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What are the subjects needed to become a librarian? In addition to the school and college libraries, where else can a librarian find employment?

Other than the school and college libraries, there are specialist libraries that meet the need  for  advanced research in subjects as varied as music and medicine. Take the example of the New Delhi-based Lalit Kala Academy library that has a collection on music, dance and theatre traditions of India. Gandhi Darshan, in New Delhi, has a huge library on Gandhian studies, the Capital’s National Museum has a library on history and civilizations. Even college libraries have specialized categories depending on the nature of the institute. So the collection of material at a medical college library will be different from that of an engineering college. Then, of course, there are the public libraries for students and people in general, like the libraries of the British Council and the Indian Council for Historical Research. You can take the plunge after graduating from any stream and by pursuing the one-year bachelor of library science (BLIS). After that, you could pursue on MLIS and even an M.Phil and PhD. Here are some of the universities that offer a degree/PG diploma in library science

• Aligarh Muslim University, Department of Library & Information Science, Aligarh.


• Banaras Hindu University, Department of Library & Information Science, Varanasi.


• Jawaharlal Nehru Library, Department of Library & Information Science, Mumbai.


• University of Delhi, Department of Library & Information Science, Delhi.


• Indira Gandhi National Open School, Department of Library & Information Science, Delhi (through distance mode).

 

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What qualifications should I possess in order to become an airline pilot? What is the career scope of a pilot?

The job of an airline pilot offers a glamorous lifestyle with great salaries and the opportunities to travel. But becoming a pilot is also a very expensive proposition. You have to get a commercial pilot’s license (CPL) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Only those who have done science with PCM at the +2 are eligible to apply.

You have to register 250 flying hours with a flying club like Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Academy, Rae Bareli; Pinjore Aviation Club, Ambala; and School of Aviation Science and Technology, Safdarjang Airport, New Delhi, and clear a set of exams, before you are given the license. You can get the CPL from abroad too and get it converted to the Indian pilot license. While getting into Air India or Indian Airlines may not be that easy, a number of private and foreign airlines do offer attractive salaries to their pilots-starting from Rs 45,000 for  trainee pilot to Rs 165,000 for confirmed pilots. Initially, you have to work as a co-pilot and it’s only with experience that you are given the command of a flight.

However, the course is very expensive, around Rs five lakh. To check your suitability for the job, ask yourself whether you are capable of quick thinking, can you keep calm during a crisis, whether you have quick reflexes, are you comfortable working with machines, how physically fit are you. It’s an erratic life-you have to report at unearthly hours, be away from home for days on end. so in all likelihood, you will watch Diwali festivities from your cockpit, rather than from the courtyard of your home.

 

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What is the eligibility criteria and procedure for becoming a fighter pilot

aptitude test and why is it a necessary prerequisite for all candidates?

There are two entry levels for the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force: Straight after completion of your 10+2 with physics, chemistry and mathematics (PCM), with a minimum of 65 percent marks. You can apply to the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, where army and navy recruits receive a three year training. An additional 18-month training will be impaired at the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad; Alternatively, on graduating in mathematics, physics and/or chemistry, you can seek recruitment through the Combined Defence Services examination. Once you clear this examination you will be sent to  service of your choice.

Do remember that irrespective of the entry-level, you need to be at least 5 feet 8 inches in height and have to appear for the pilot aptitude battery test. This test gauges your reflexes-so vital to a life and death situation. Unfortunately, those who fail the pilot aptitude battery test will not be allowed to reappear. There is no second attempt. However, one could still be considered for ground duties.

 

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I want to make a career in acting. I tried to find about a place where I could learn acting, but in vain. Please give me all the information. Also, how good is the scope in acting, or is TV the only option after actors?

Most youngsters today enroll for an acting course because it opens avenues in the TV and the film world. A good grounding in acting is desired for success in TV and films, because an acting school teaches you clarity of language, dictation, body movements and variations in expressions.

Also. Making a living solely out of theatre is very difficult. A better approach is to take up some good productions on TV.

The National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, is the hub of theatre activity in India. It has a three-year course, admission to which is granted after graduation. The list of NSD alumni is the who’s who of acting in India from Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah to Manoj Bajpai and Ashutosh Rana. In fact, the NSD course is equivalent to post-graduation, after which you are eligible to apply for an MPhil and teach in an Indian university. Admission to the three-year post-graduate diploma course is on the basis of a week-long workshop at NBSD.

You can contact the registrar, National School of Drama, Bahawalpur House, Bhagwan Das Road, New Delhi for admission details.

Bharatendu Natya Academy, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow offers a two year diploma course in theatre.

Admission is on the basis of an audition and aptitude test, in June.

Universities like Osmania University in Hyderabad, Madurai Kamraj University, Devi Ahilya University in Indore and Maharaj Sayajirao University in Baroda conduct PG courses.

 

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I have appeared for my standard X boards this year and aspire to become a war journalist for a TV channel. Please tell me which subjects I should opt for the 10+2 level, and in college. Also, which college should I join after 10+2. What qualities should a person have to become a good journalist?

It’s good to see that you are focused and have very clear goals. However, there is no permanent vocation like war journalism. As a TV journalist you will need to cover all kinds of happenings, perhaps war too.

You could either do a general degree course in the sciences or arts, go on to doing a post-graduate diploma in TV journalism, and then take the plunge. Meanwhile, subscribe to defence journals, read books on war history, visit the archives to see TV reportage on war, watch TV shows on wars and stuff the internet on related subjects.

If you are keen to take the plunge right now, join a degree course in journalism, which is offered by a number  of modules in the course, TV module being one of them. While doing your course, you can join a local news media organization to get a hang of how the media works. Since you are based in Nasik, you might have  to think in terns of moving to a metro for better opportunities in TV.

Since you are keen o joining the electronic media, you need to be fluent in a spoken language-Hindi, English or any regional language. You also need to be presentable. You need to have a nose for news. The media is a very competitive place and it’s who gets the story first that matters. Take a cue from Anita Pratap, who has been there right in the heat of the Afghan war, and was the first TV journalist to report from the Siachen Glaciet. The working hours may definitely be odd and that you will need to be daring and gutsy.

 

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Dietetics and nutrition are now stepping-stones to high-profile careers in the government, with foreign agencies, at hospitals, schools, colleges, health centers and even in the media. Dietetics is the study of balanced food and helps in identifying the food value of different items and problems arising out of their deficiency. Meaningful job opportunities exist in the field of research, treatment and cure, and community nutrition.

Government and foreign agencies, and hospitals run research  projects. A host of community-based projects are functioning with the help of government and foreign aid. International agencies like the World Food Programme have operations across the globe and recruit nutritionists for the planning and implementation of their programmes. Multinationals like Kellogs and Nestle require nutritionists for their research and quality control departments. Hospitals require dieticians to plan menus for patients and keep a quality check on the canteen food. Fitness centers in cities also employ dieticians on their panels. Niche publications and newspapers too devote a lot of space to health and nutrition, hence the scope for writing on such themes. Of course, one can also teach the topic at a school or college.

 

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