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Career Opportunities in Economics Research and Development Consulting in Post Pandemic

The career opportunities in economics and development consulting is rather growing in the post-pandemic period. As this pandemic has brought economic slowdown, reduction in sales and consumption expenditures across the regions and nations. This has prompted for wider scale research and market study to assess this phenomena. The development consulting sector was also affected during the pandemic period and this workload needs to be carried further in the post pandemic period. In this blog I am going to enumerate career opportunities in above mentioned sectors in further detail.

The undergraduate courses in Economics and Business Economics discipline provide sufficient training and insights among students to start entry level jobs in market research, data driven analysis and scoping assessment provided by various companies, research wings of manufacturing companies and non-government organizations. The development consulting sectors open the door for entry in Business Development Area, Research Assistant, Assistant Manager Project and Project Associate. Similarly, the post-graduate courses in Economics and Management enable our students to challenges in these sectors as Research Manager, Project Manager, Project Fellow, Project Coordinator, and Research Consultant roles. Master’s in Business Administration students can explore specific research projects in their specialization domains of Human Resource, Marketing and Finance related researches. Policy based research and research think-tanks also provide job opportunities to post-graduate candidates in economics and management. Further, the nature and specifications of these jobs are different from traditional job opportunities.

In an ordinary search of “Market Research Analyst” to popular job portal lists 18,236 job openings across geographical regions and specialization domains. This search is dominated by 6,419 jobs in data science and 4260 in software engineering followed closely by Sales and Business Development (1552), BFSI, Investment (971), Marketing & Marketing Research (642), Consumer Support (522), Finance (516), Project Planning (425), Human Resource Management (378), and Project Management (352). Foreign Multinational Companies like; Accenture, Spice Work, BNY Mellon, IBM and others.

In development consulting sector, career opportunities for economics and business graduates are available at three levels; a) International b) National and c) Regional. There are 2600 live job opportunities are currently available for economics graduate at regional level in north Indian states. Students can start their career right after undergraduate degree as project assistant, Field Investigators, Data Analyst, and Program Manager in various development consulting projects. Post-graduate students can start their career as research assistant, research fellow, project coordinator and Data Manager. Students with Accounting and Finance major can also support project activity in their accounting and audit processes. Companies like KPMG, PWC, Ernst& Young, Boston Consulting Group, Grandthorton and several others are working in the are area of execution, planning and evaluation of development activities financed by respective government agencies along with national and international development financing units. These development finance units could be Asian Development Bank, DFID, USAID, UNDP, UNICEF, World Bank, IMF and similar such organizations.

What are the skills required in Market Research and Development Consulting Projects?

The skill sets required for career in these domains are slightly different from a regular and traditional careers. In almost all the market research projects and development projects persons are required with thorough knowledge of deductive and inductive reasoning as they would be required to apply it quite often at their work place. Let’s understand the inductive and deductive in a much simpler way. Students belonging to Medical Courses require four meals in a day and students belong to Para Medical Courses require only two meals in a day and at the max three meals in a day. If this information is given what logic one can deduct from it? There can be multiple inferences drawn from this information of two sentences. Now the challenge is who would get the most relevant inference out of these two sentences. If you are aspiring a career in market research you brain stimulus should be acting in planning the requirements of two sets of markets these two sets of students belong too. It’s not just about four meals in a day and three meals in a day it is complete different sets of goods they would be consuming given the pattern of food preferences. If someone is looking a career in development she would be deducting the economic class of these two sets of students. Their career choices are not determined by their cognitive abilities but incomes of their respective families. You would also identify the challenges of exceptions of economic class in these sets.

The second most sought after skill in both the career domains are networking skills. These networking skills are different from usual networking skills as one would require to place networked persons according to requirements and upgrade with their utility. Here is an example; most of the dataset required for market research are not easily accessible and even for easily accessible data sets the validity and reliability is a big issue for customised sample based researches. One would like to be networked with right set of people to address such issues.

Besides these skills, writing, comprehension and affinity to detail are must in these career domains.

Preparation for the market research and development consulting

The preparation for such kind of skills begin with school days and it gets consolidated with higher education. Students opting for economics, statistics, social work and business studies are getting better comprehension in these career domains relative to other subjects. Students from Engineering and Medical fields are are also required in Development consultancy as well as market research. This field is challenging as well as exciting for such persons who are looking to upgrade themselves with the changing context. The concept of lifelong learning is appropriate for such career domains as every new project open afresh canvas for learning and growth. Business consulting, Investment consulting are relatively more rewarding than the development consulting however, for the early career students development consulting can act as a Launchpad. Further, advancement in skills can lead to other consulting jobs.

For greater understanding in development consulting one must visit the websites of donor agencies.

Career Prospects in New-Age Journalism: Deconstructing the Need for News Content in the Post-Pandemic Era

Over the past one decade or so, we have been hearing about it, talking about it and experiencing it as well. Indeed, digital is the way forward in journalism. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, new media had emphatically established itself as the primary journalistic platform. If at all there was a tinge of doubt vis-à-vis the primacy of online news content, the pandemic sealed it for once and all.

However, we are not here to talk about digital journalism. Enough has been said about it and to the extent that anything in the given domain would prove unabashedly repetitive. Instead, what would be an infinitesimally better discourse is to talk about the changes that we are experiencing in the world of digital journalism over the past two years and how the changes have uncovered newer opportunities for prospective journalists. More particularly, we are talking about journalism career opportunities. Without any further ado, let us take a closer look:

YouTube Journalism: Many reputed and mainstream journalists including the likes of Barkha Dutt and Faye D’Souza have opened their YouTube channels that are constantly streaming news and views. In fact, going by the sheer content quality, it would not be an overstatement if we were to say that these YouTube channels are likely to replace the mainstream news channels very shortly. Owing to the fact that these YouTube channels are largely independent, the news that are being transmitted through these channels are largely unbiased and censorship-free. Given the scenario, young and bright journalists can think about opening their own YouTube channels instead of following the beaten track. One also needs to consider that the amount of investment that one needs to make to open such a channel is minimal.
Vlog and Podcast Journalism: Industry veterans often talk about how vlogs and podcasts are gaining in popularity with each passing day. Topical vlogs and independent podcast sites could be a great way for an upcoming journalist to leverage their knowledge and expertise. As alternative media is pushing its envelope, the content quality of these vlogs and podcast sites is improving at an exponential rate.
Freelance Mobile Journalism (MoJo): There have been umpteen discussions on mobile journalism or MoJo and the discussions keep getting intense. However, what everybody seems to have forgotten is the growth potential for freelance mobile journalism. Mobile news content has the capacity to make journalism a lot more encompassing that what is currently the case. As we are trudging through an economically depressed post-pandemic time, journalism of tomorrow will be largely mobile. Cheap technology and easy navigability of content will create all the difference.
Data Journalism: Moving ahead, data is set to be the key. Surfing through data and making sense out of it will become the most important skill for a journalist. Therefore, technology and numerical skills would distinguish a successful journalist from a not so successful one. When we talk about data, we also talk about the seamless and palatable representation of data.
Journalism through Infographics and Animation: In a world that has seen the unbelievable growth of technology, it is only natural that the traditional modes of news content delivery would cease to be effective. Therefore, text, photographs and videos are no longer enough to impress and hold audiences. One also needs infographics and animation clips to make a news package more incisive and consumable. Journalists who can create meaningful and impactful infographics and animation would be in high demand in the next few years.
Spatial Journalism: Before we discuss the possibilities in spatial journalism, we need to understand what it exactly is. Spatial journalism can be loosely defined as a novel form of journalism that juxtaposes the concepts of place, space and location into traditional journalistic practices. The location can be physical, augmented or virtual. It involves new storytelling formats such as the ones that include Augmented Realities (AR), Virtual Realities (VR) and Mixed Realities (MR). What is clear though is the primordial role of technology in the entire process. Subject to the fact that immersive storytelling has better chances of retaining news consumers, spatial journalism can be safely considered to be biggest thing in journalism.
Modular Journalism: Modular journalism is the practice of looking at a story not as a monolith but as a collection of bits and parts. The process of crafting a story by including only those parts that are consumable and interesting is called modular journalism. At a time when the attention time among news consumers is consistently shrinking and content creation is becoming increasingly difficult, modular journalism is set to be a panacea. Therefore, journalists who know the pulse of their audience and can accordingly create a story without bothering much about the older traditions in journalism are destined to be more successful than the rest.
Human Interest Journalism: Over a period of time, young and aspiring journalists have been made to believe that stories that encapsulate the pulse of the common people do not create much public interest. However, recent trends in journalism has proved it wrong. Therefore, empathetic storytellers who understand the finer nuances of humanity would be in demand. The pandemic has shown the vulnerability of the human race in the face of natural adversity and hence people throughout the world have started understanding the importance of documenting human frailties. This is a marked opportunity for young and sharp minds in journalism to explore storytelling with humanity at the core of it.
Health Journalism: With the pandemic having changed the dominant global discourse, health journalism and health journalists would continue to become increasingly more relevant. Therefore, young scribes who are interested in health journalism can ride the tide and become successful in practically no time.
Technology Journalism: With technology set to become even more encompassing in the days to come, journalists who understand technology have a greater chance of making it big in the news content market. In very simple terms, reportages that concern technology would become the norm.

Journalism, as we know it today, would significantly transform in the next few years. The most important thing is to comprehend the pulse of this change and act accordingly. If a prospective journalist can do that, there will be no looking back for her/ him.

This blog encompasses the changing lens of digital journalism and tries to provide information pertaining to career prospects in the broader domain of journalism for upcoming and aspiring scribes. Just in case you find this blog useful and relevant, please make it a point to share it with as many people as you like for them to know the contemporary nuances in journalism and related career opportunities.

COVID impact, new trends and research in Civil Engineering and Construction

For the last two and half years, people of this planet have experienced a pandemic situation due to outbreak of Novel Corona virus. As per the situation, there is scarcely any country that has remained unchanged by the harshness of this virus. Our country is not an exception from this pandemic. Sometimes positivity rate of Corona Virus came down but suddenly it has started a reverse flow towards higher positivity during the last three waves happened till date. Not only the human lives but most of the commercial activities also had been suffering by the pandemic. Some industries might had overcome the pandemic situation but most of them faced much difficulties and obviously construction engineering sector was also in the list.

The construction industry and civil engineering add mainly to the Indian economy. The unfavourable situation due to pandemic has caused all construction projects to come to an end suddenly but the jobs in design sectors were managed by work from home. Construction industry, the main pillar of the national economy had faced a long challenge like regulatory burden under environmental laws which had coupled with the pandemic. Subsequently lockdown imposed to deal with the situation restricting the movement of people, gatherings and strictly maintaining social distance. All these had made a tremendous effect in Indian economy and construction industry has been halted throughout the country.

In India, the dilemma for the Civil engineering sector is high and it is infuriated and hard to treat with as there is no standard format of contracts for construction sector. There could be immense variations in particular state of affairs of a Construction and Engineering contract. Although, there is standard forms of construction and engineering contracts by International Federation of Consulting Engineers, Institution of Civil Engineers and Indian Institute of Architects but at that times they are eagerly settled and hence it lost uniformity.

In most of the construction and engineering, contracts parties generally mention the time of completion of works. Due to Novel Corona Virus, workers did not feel safe to work in the construction site and they returned to their home leaving their job. So, many of the projects were not completed in stipulated period and the contractor became a defaulter. In some cases, contractors had to pay compensation for delay in completing the project.

Government of India declared closing of all universities, colleges and schools. The whole education system suffered a lot due to the situation and came to a worst situation. To Cope with the situation, online classes were started but by the method, teacher was unable to identify the effective attendance of a particular student for the entire class session but one good thing is that there is no loss of time for to and fro during online classes and as most of the time students remain at home, they can easily join some other online activities like attending in Webinar, others Professional course etc. to improve their knowledge and skill . In case of normal situation when the students would attend classes physically, it would not be possible for them to attend such courses which even conducting from abroad also.

But online system had disadvantage also. It was not possible exactly to evaluate a student in the online examination as some of students took help of open book, open study materials, internet search and help from friends during examination time. Some students received participation certificate of Webinar without attending attentively.

As a result, some changes happened in Civil Engineering and Construction sector to adopt the situation. Earlier contractors in the sites would to hire many labours to complete the project. But due to pandemic, contractors hired less number of labours and used many machineries in construction works. Ready mix concrete was brought from Batching plant instead of producing concrete at site. Digital system, like Building Information Modelling and integrated project management platforms were already recognized as digital building blocks for the construction industry. Also, repetitive and dangerous works that people want to avoid means implementation of automation can support the industry’s labour and skills crisis. At that moment, robotic automation deals enormous possibility to increase output, efficiency and flexibility of construction process throughout the construction industry, as well as to automate the fabrication of modular houses, robotic welding and material handling on construction sites, robot 3D printing of structures. As well as building the industry safer and more cost efficient, robots are recuperating sustainability and dropping environmental impact by enhancing recycling by means of cutting waste. Robots can produce safer construction by managing heavy loads, working in unsafe locations and enabling safer ways of construction. With the industry producing increased environmental pollution and the need for more cost-effective structures, robotic automation reduces waste by improving quality, which is important when it’s approximated that up to a quarter of materials out of total materials transported to a construction site leaves as waste. With automation and digital technology, Engineers can also design waste out at the beginning of a project through effective Building Information Modelling and construction processes.

Very renowned Universities like us designed Smart Lab by which student can watch a live demonstration of all parts of a particular experiment. Virtual Internship was also arranged for the student. In Virtual Internship, the video of Construction site works were shown to students by the Senior executives of the company. The conduction of recruitment drive was also easier as it was done online. Students had not missed even any event as all were organised by online mode. By using of digital library, students were able to view and download books, journals. Research activities were not stopped also during the pandemic situation. Researcher provided priority on Analytical research than Descriptive research in the current situation and also changed the area of research to suit Analytical research.

In a concluding remark, Every problem has a best solution; you just need to discover it.

Further Studies

Significance of Computer Science Engineering in a COVID-19 infested Era

Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus from December 2019 till date, the whole world is adversely impacted by the induced pandemic which has forced on every form of the established system, a drastic change in the day-to-day lives of the people belonging to different strata of the society. The socio-economic setup that was prevalent throughout the world, is already significantly shattered, and hence calls for the conceiving as well as establishing a new system wherein the various functionalities may ensure the smooth and orderly execution of different aspects of the human society can be reinstated keeping in mind the robustness of this system against a pandemic like situation such as these.

This COVID-19 infested pandemic has exposed major loopholes and faulty perceptions regarding the various domains like, healthcare sector, financial institutions & bodies, educational establishments, research & developments bodies as well as public welfare organizations, as a result of which the whole world community stands not just clueless but also helpless in grappling with the current catastrophe.

a) Impact of Covid on the domain

The viral outbreak at a massive global scale has forced governments across the world to impose hard lockdowns and travel restrictions thereby compelling the shutdown of offices that offer varied services related to several sectors. Furthermore, at an individual level, people need to maintain a safe distance and be physically covered (especially facial areas) at maximum times when outside. This has invariably impacted interpersonal communication greatly.

Considering all the above factors, a computer/smartphone device, internet connectivity and a relatively stable power supply has come to the rescue of people in many ways. Professionals associated with the computer science & engineering domain are able to maintain various sorts of data in large bulks securely and meticulously with the help of different technologies. Furthermore, with the advent and development of the internet infrastructure, an abundance of virtual space can be created and managed for warehousing these data. Various applications are these days widely used via handheld devices to serve day-to-day purposes like product or food delivery, cab or train booking, hotel booking, seat reservation at any event, online academic courses, online mails, messaging and meeting and so on.

With this current pandemic prevailing all over, the usage of the above online applications is greatly amplified as these software-based utility tools are proving to be beneficial in running the various sectors simply while sitting at home. More and more people are continually seeking online services and demanding applications that will make it possible in every way to handle various business or commercial activities, smoothen the functioning of the education and healthcare sector and providing real-time support to travel as well as transport services. Even in the entertainment industry and also crime investigation & forensics, complex application development with easy user-friendly outlooks are ever-growing.

In short, the computer science & information technology domain has invariably become even more lucrative, prospective and ever-growing field as the pandemic has forced majority of the services to go “online”. Interestingly, a number of professions has by this time become obsolete and many individuals lost their jobs except for some cases such as this domain. These days the most important and valued element is data on various things and this data is available in such large quantities that it needs organized storage and management. While attempting to find a robust and effective solution to the COVID-19 virus, several amounts of data are being recorded and used. Efficient handling and accessing of such data is thus necessitated which is realized by the applications developed by various professionals who are experts in the computer science field.

b) New trends

As mentioned earlier, several sectors across the world are either closed down or grappling to survive by somehow managing to lift their face up the troubled waters of the pandemic crisis. An interesting trend of relying on online services is being noticed among such sectors.

Education: With almost all academic institutions physically shut down, this sector has shifted to online mode of admission, lecture delivery, examination conduction, assignment delivery, subject-wise note sharing and student evaluation. These activities require the support of some multimedia-enabled devices having a camera, microphone and speaker, online document preparing web services, and virtual (cloud-based) storage space. There has emerged a vogue of online coaching and academic preparation via the use of mobile apps like Byju’s Classes, Unacademy and so on which have reduced the dependency on availing tutors. Altogether, all these necessitate the development of software-based applications that require the expertise of domain professionals.

Healthcare: Currently as the majority of the professionals in this sector are the frontline ‘warriors’ in this battle against the pandemic, naturally, they are highly exposed and vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus attack. Despite the extreme precautions taken, most of them even are losing their lives to this deadly virus given the highly contagious environment they are working in. This has led to a fear of psychosis among the general public to avoid visiting the doctors and other medical professionals for a routine health checkup. As a result, the growing demand for online health checkup from home has led many software and app developers to build such dedicated applications that aid in routine healthcare and delivery of medicines. Some of the prominent apps operating in India are DoctorOnDemand and PharmEasy.

Business, Commerce, Banking & Industry: Several commercial and industrial workplaces are physically shut thereby causing losses and job cuts. A growing need has propped up for automation of industrial machinery and online support to various financial services as well as transactions, remote ordering, selling and purchasing, delivery of items. Some of these applications are realized by popular app services like Yono app (State bank of India), PolicyBazaar, Amazon, Flipkart, Paytm, Myntra.

c) Areas of research

Unlike other domains where research and development include extensive needs for laboratory or enterprise-level facilities and field works, pursuing research in the computer science domain requires just three things at home: a good quality computer system/workstation, internet connection and access to research-level online repositories. There are several open-source development tools that can be downloaded and utilized for effective research. Some of the major domains where computer science has pervaded are Medical science, genetics & genomics, microbiology, transport technologies, core industrial & engineering, basic sciences. Researchers under this domain by sheer knowledge of Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning and Deep Learning are gradually succeeding in presenting automated models for determining the nature and spread of the COVID-19 virus. Although the concept of Artificial Intelligence is not new (coined in 1956 by John McCarthy), the extensive development and the need for massive automation across several fields has uplifted the status of this concept that has led to enhanced research in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning and Deep Learning. In short, a professional equipped with such domain knowledge easily feels valued and almost indispensable across several multi-disciplinary fields.

Career Prospects for Master of Computer Application (MCA)

Why should you pursue MCA?

Master of Computer Application (MCA) is a professional post-graduation degree program of duration two years. This program is a perfect blend of domain-specific knowledge and industry-standard application. Students can opt for the MCA program if they have successfully completed a Bachelor degree in Computer Application or any relevant bachelor’s degree in computers as a subject. This program provides all-around development of students in the computer application domain with the help of modern technical and industry-specific skills.

Eligibility Criteria for MCA

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Application is the prerequisite for pursuing MCA.

Graduates from other streams like Commerce, Arts, Science, and Computer Science as well are also considered eligible to get admission in the MCA program.

Scope of MCA in India

MCA candidates are in great demand in the Indian job sector currently. They have the opportunity to work in the public sector as well as in the private sector. Right now, India is considered to be one of the growing IT destinations of the world. MCA has a lot of scope in India considering our nation’s penchant for IT. MCA is considered as one of the technical and professional degrees, leading to a successful and bright career.

Career and Job Opportunities after completing MCA

Adamas University is providing the best career opportunities to students by enhancing their IT and soft skills at the nascent stage. This is the most promising factor for each and every pupil. Adamas University nurtures pupil’s skill set very minutely and provides a clear visualization to each student as per their skill set. It moves forward their career in the right direction and paves the way for them to contribute to the growth of the technical domain.

Some of the job roles after MCA degree to consider:

1. Software Development

If software development is the driving factor for an aspirant, it would be perfect for the aspirant to pursue an MCA degree.

2. Hardware and Networking

Hardware and networking are one of emerging sectors nowadays. If we do a reality check, it can be found that hardware engineers grab jobs more quickly as there is a scarcity of networking professionals.

3. Software Consultancy

It is one of the booming professions nowadays, hence most of the aspirants can go for freelancing and consultant job to make their career successful.

4. Computer System Analyst

It is one of the demanding career options of any software industry as computer systems are used in most of the industries today.

5. Project Manager

Project Manager is another lucrative job profile after MCA completion which enables an aspirant to supervise a team of IT professionals working under them.

How to select a good institution offering MCA

As a first step, students should select the proper institution which offers MCA. So, students must ensure that they are doing this course from the right Institution to extract the best out of their education. In this perspective, Adamas University is the right decision as it is one of the best private universities in India which ranked in the Times Engineering Survey 2019. Here, we list down some of the parameters to be considered why you should choose Adamas University as your destination.

Top 5 parameters of Adamas University that will help you to move forward in your career:

1. Curriculum

The curriculum adopted in MCA is designed according to industry-standard skills. It covers core Computer Science related papers in the first year of study along with advanced and emerging subjects in the final year of study. Adamas University delivers one of the most well-crafted MCA curriculum which will equip you with the right mix of industry-standard and corporate skills.

2. Faculty Profile

Adamas University boasts of its experienced and qualified faculty strength to impart quality education to the students. They mentor their students with care to show them the right path. A good teacher can nurture the best minds in the world with sound attributes. So, Faculty Profile is an influential parameter that validates the decision of choosing Adamas University as a student’s career destination.

3. Placements

Here at Adamas University, an impressive number of students get placed every year. A lot of renowned organizations or companies visit our campus like HCL, Cognizant, INFOSYS, JARO Education, WIPRO and many more. The placement drives are organized and managed by the specialized Career Development Cell of the university.

4. Your Destination

Your destination is the result of your detailed and informed decision-making process. Though you have decided up your mindset to make your career in MCA, it is must to have precise thinking of which college you would choose. Adamas University quenches your thirst for knowledge and shapes your career for a better future.

A gateway to clean and green energy

India’s economic revival post the two-and-a-half-month lockdown period could be channelized into searching for cleaner sources of energy that would benefit both nature and its inhabitants. To start with, the central government should look for ways to utilize abundant solar energy available in most parts of the country. In this case, the focal point should be to energise the nearly 39,000 non-electrified healthcare centres as well as numerous primary and secondary schools in the Indian countryside.

As of now, the Indian government hands out heavy subsidies to the fossil fuels sector. Instead of this, in an effort to kick-start the much needed clean energy revolution, the government may transfer the subsidies to the renewable energy sector, thereby enabling it to take small strides that could lead to giant leaps in the coming decades. United Nations climate body chief Patricia Espinosa said on April 22, “With this restart, a window of hope and opportunity opens, an opportunity for nations to green their recovery packages and shape the 21st-century economy in ways that are clean, green, healthy, safe and more resilient”. In fact, India’s own energy research centres, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), echoed similar views. A research fellow at CEEW, Karthik Ganesan, said, “There is a phenomenal opportunity for India in re-thinking if there is a better way of spending these (coal and oil and gas) subsidies to make them investment-worthy”.

Utilization

The present realities exhibit that organization enrichments for limitless power have trebled over the last five years to Rs 9,930 crore in 2019 from Rs 3,224 crore in 2014, as it were, driven by India’s assurance of setting up plants that could help generate an estimated 175 Giga Watt (GW) by 2022, according to the CEED report. In comparison, India spent more than Rs 80,000 crore towards subsidies for the coal, oil and gas industry. It is, therefore, apparent that, at present, India is spending an enormous amount of money towards non-renewable energy sources, which needs to change soon. In fact, the subsidies for the non-renewable sources exceed by seven times when compared to the renewable sources. Unless this is reversed, it will be extremely difficult to promote clean energy in India.

As of now, 56% of India’s electricity needs are generated from coal, 36% from oil and gas while about 3% is obtained from cleaner sources. However, India has made rapid strides in terms of utilizing renewable sources of energy – Renewables now amount to around 20% of India’s total installed power capacity, up from just 13% in 2014.

A good time to promote the use of renewable energy is now, after the resumption of industrial activities, post removal of lockdown, in an effort to meet any shortfall through renewable energy. Decisions and strategies made now will define the future since the benefits from these decisions will be visible only after 1-2 decades from now. Therefore, judicious use of fossil fuels on one hand and aggressive promotion of renewables are a good way forward.

Volatility of fossil fuels

Industries that are mostly run from power generated by coal and other fossil fuels had a period of nearly 10-15 years that were quite stressful. Case in point is the underperformance of the Indian coal-mining and coal-fired companies. In December 2018, Greenpeace reported an average loss of 10% per year from 2013, costing a total of Rs 25,000 crore in losses.

One among several research set-ups that study the usage and financial benefits of renewable energy source, Matt Gray from Carbon Tracker estimated the economic feasibility of countries that have invested their energy dependence on coal and also in order to recover from the effects of the lockdown imposed by COVID-19. In fact, he specifically cautions India against using coal to spur its industries back after the lockdown and cites a reason for it to support his claim. In India, 2% of the current 222 GW coal fleet is running at a loss; an additional 66 GW is in the pipeline anyway 23% of this will enter the market with a negative cash flow, the Carbon Tracker report said. Matt Gray’s report also adds, “51 per cent of operating coal power costs more to run than building new renewables”.

Setting up the renewable energy network

In order to effectively distribute the benefits of renewable energy, small units of solar power supply units may be supplied to small and medium scale industries as well as small residences in towns and cities. On the other hand, in remote rural areas of the country, electricity generated from solar cells could be used to power small rural schools, hospitals, etc. Although relatively higher initial capital costs tend to deter people from using solar or other renewable energy, funding for these may be allotted from government agencies as well as from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds in order to popularize such schemes. In fact, massive funding schemes, called KUSUM (meant to promote solar pumps), have been launched in order to promote the use of solar power in far-reaching areas of the country.

Some caveats must also be mentioned which deal with strengthening the existing electricity grid so that the grids are able to absorb the introduction of electricity supply from renewable energy sources. Moreover, it may take at least a few years before tangible benefits from renewable energy are financially visible. In addition, adequate training needs to be provided to workers who would be at the forefront of this massive changeover from conventional energy sources to unconventional sources. Ultimately, these actions could help steer India towards a path of recovery, make the air cleaner and, make sure that the inhabitants may experience clean, breathable air in the recent future.

Worldwide coal use in power generation must fall 80% below the 2010 levels by 2030 in order to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, as per an examination conducted by the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The hitherto unexpected benefits obtained from a prolonged near-global lockdown will go to a complete waste unless coal and fossil fuel usage is limited and more and more renewable energy sources are promoted at an aggressive rate. It would only be possible if more countries realise the benefits as well as the urgency of the situation in tackling the disastrous effects of global warming and, therefore, take necessary steps that can mitigate damages done to the environment from unabated use of fossil fuels.

Communication Management-Influence, persuade, manage and control the flow of communication

Commenting on language, Federico Fellini, the acclaimed Italian film director once said “A different language is a different vision of life”. The same goes for communication. An embodiment of human emotions manifested through diverse means and tools – advertisement, public relations (PR), corporate communications and so on. How can you control free-flowing human emotions? Like a bridge that tames a river to attain productive outcome, communication management controls the flow of information both online and offline through systematic planning, implementation and monitoring of all channels of intra and inter-organizational communication to achieve an efficient system of communication dissemination.

MBA in Communication Management program offered by the Department of Communication Management, Adamas University, Kolkata, trains its students on the ways to design corporate communication strategies and devising internal and external communications directives. Our program is designed and delivered according to the 40:60 Educational Model, where the classroom teaching constitutes 40 per cent while the remaining 60 per cent is field-based training. How does our media education system cater to the dynamic world of communication? Let’s explore more.

As we are aware, Covid 19 has indeed impacted the communication and media ecosystem globally like never before. The revenue of traditional media houses is dwindling. Execution and administrative work will now mostly be done by artificial intelligence (AI). Clients are demanding from agencies creative insights and strategies. This adds to already existing conditions of increased noise, lesser attention span, media cacophony, diversified media, ever-increasing influencer list and the fast-evolving social media. The complexity of media ecosystem has just increased manifold.

The success of public relations or any communication professionals will depend on achieving measurable business impact. The pre-pandemic and post-pandemic expectations from industry and professionals may vary widely. Customer “sensitivity” that is undoubtedly is on an all-time high remains vigilant about the cause and statements from influencers and ambassadors of a brand. Here comes equipping our students with adequate and relevant skills. The MBA in Communication Management program promotes ethical consideration, compassionate outlook, and socially responsible approach among the learners. We mentor 24×7. Online study materials, videos and exercises are available round the clock. Our well-entrenched network facilitates regular networking of students with distinguished industry professionals. Workshops and training sessions are regularly conducted by experts from the industry. The learners participate in national and international seminars and conferences. Internships, industry visit and familiarization tours/visits to relevant facilities enhance their skills.

We believe in Experiential Learning – a process of learning through experience, and is more specifically defined as “learning through reflection on doing”. Experiential learning, participative learning and problem-solving methodologies are used to nurture the leaders of tomorrow.

Our Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) enable efficient interactions among students, faculty members and other stakeholders. Likewise, through Capacity-building, we “develop and strengthen” the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organizations and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in a fast-changing world. “As a part of Skill development, we actively (1) identify skill gaps, and (2) develop and hone those skills.

Awareness of trends in technology as a skill refers to being mindful of the technology that is recently becoming popular and is readily accepted in the market or industry. Ideal technology trend awareness skills mean a person’s ability to either correspond to the industry-wide technology adoption or surpass it, which is our endeavour is to inculcate knowledge of technology in our students.

Our focus is research-oriented. The communications industry is dynamic and ever-evolving. Our focus includes research relating to situations and techniques to address the same.

Industry Orientation sits at the core of our courses at MBA in Communication Management. Many of our mentors and advisory board members are respected figures in the industry. Internships and industry-sponsored projects by students are compulsory. Our trainees are continuously exposed to the best practices, points of view and perspectives.

Entrepreneurship is the spirit of the day, and our program actively encourages the objective of entrepreneurship that inculcates competence to succeed in the market and confidence to create new ventures, and jobs in the economy.

Our constant endeavour is to advance the agenda of Global Standards and Outreach. Our curriculum follows best-in-class global standards. We have a mix of faculty members from academia and the industry with extensive international exposure. International tie-ups and regular connections through specially designed events are our speciality.

Whether its Consumer Behaviour, Brand Management, Communication Management & Experiential Marketing or Entertainment Media Revenues or any subjects that you choose from the bouquet of the subjects that we offer – our program comes with courses like Human Resource Management, Economics, Finance, Information Technology and Soft skills to transform you into a complete professional.

Our placements and internships include compulsory industry internship. Reputed news organizations from across the country and abroad hire the passed-out trainees. The salaries offered to passed-out trainees are at par with the best in the industry.

What are you waiting for? Join MBA in Communication Management and experience the world of difference.

Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology: A Guide to Skilled Technicians

What is Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology (BSc MLT) Program?
Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology (BSc MLT) is an undergraduate course of 3 years, which is divided into six semesters (two semesters per academic year). It is a paramedical program that offers practical and theoretical knowledge related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of various kinds of ailments and health problems through various clinical laboratory tests. Students will get an exposure regarding how to perform the analysis of different body fluids during their course of study which includes haematological, bacteriological, immunological, chemical, histopathological and microscopical evaluation.

Admission Criteria:
Students must have scored a minimum of 55% marks in their higher secondary examination in science stream and should have Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology as their compulsory subjects in 12th standard to be eligible for admission. Adamas University offering BSc MLT courses provides admission to the students on the basis of entrance examination conducted by the institute. However, students are also eligible for direct admission based on merit.

Objectives:
The main objective of the course is to provide a comprehensive knowledge to the students with respect to various techniques of testing that are conducted as a part of diagnosis of various diseases such as blood test, blood typing, urine analysis and other tests without any errors. The course includes the study of diagnosing a disease by utilizing a clinical laboratory. It also involves a proper analysis of the reports of laboratory tests required to treat a particular disease using the best medical procedures and facilities. In the modern era of medical science, treatment for any disease is completely reliant on the diagnostic tests performed in the laboratory. This highlights the significance of this program in the medical and health sector. For various job positions after completion of this course, the average annual salary ranges from INR 2 Lakhs to 6 lakhs per annum. However, the salary keeps on increasing with experience and expertise.

Course Highlights:
• Program- Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
• Abbreviation- BSc MLT
• Level- Graduate
• Duration- 3 year
• Eligibility- 10+2 from any recognized education board
• Admission Process- Entrance exam and merit-based
• Possible Job Positions- Medical Laboratory Technician, Medical Laboratory Technologist, Clinical Laboratory Technician, Lab Technologist, Biochemist, Phlebotomist, Medical Phlebotomist, Clinical Laboratory Technologist, etc.
• Expected Average Salary- INR 2 lakhs to 6 lakhs per annum.

Why study BSc MLT?
BSc MLT is one of the perfect courses for those students who want to make themselves skilled professionals in medical field because in this course the students will go through the relevant training and gain the required skill set to work efficiently in medical sector. Medical science is one of the finest areas which is in high demand and a career in the same is chosen by candidates with an interest in the healthcare sector. Medical lab technicians play a crucial role in the conduction of various activities related to the diagnostic and pathology laboratories. BSc MLT syllabus consists of subjects that inculcate the skills in the students required to handle advanced equipments so as to perform accurate laboratory tests. This course empowers the students to go for various educational, hospital, governmental sectors as they can run a laboratory, consultancy services as well as health care centres. This enables the graduates to opt for higher degree programs in various specializations which can include any of the following:
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Nuclear Medicine Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Imaging Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Nuclear Medicine Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Lab Technology
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Lab Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Imaging Technology.

Scope:
Graduates have immense opportunities to establish their career in different spheres after completion of the course. The academic and technical proficiencies of the technician determine the job opportunities in this area. Graduates have numerous scope of working as Phlebotomist, Medical Laboratory Technologist, Clinical Laboratory Technician, Lab Technologist, Biochemist and Medical Phlebotomist, Clinical Laboratory Technologist, Medical Laboratory Technician. A skilled and efficient graduate in this field is liable to acquire challenging positions in different hospitals in public or private sectors such as emergency centres, blood donor centres, laboratories, etc.

The scope of this course is very wide. After BSc MLT course, candidates have ample of great opportunities in many fields anywhere in the world. The scope linked to the course includes the following:
• A career in this field is amongst the most challenging and satisfying careers in today’s market. Everyday, a technician/technologist gets to learn something new, which is great for their career.
• A number of Medical Laboratory Technicians can find employment in pathology labs, research labs, urology labs, pharmaceutical sector, hospitals and in many other areas.
• Apart from the above opportunities, an aspirant can also pursue a career in the education field as a lecturer. With passing years, the course has multiplied in terms of what a student learns during the course, thereby multiplying the scope as well. The scope has significantly expanded and a number of opportunities have been on the rise.
• The Medical Laboratory Technology field includes areas such as blood banking, clinical chemistry, haematology, immunology, microbiology, cytotechnology, urine analysis, blood sampling, etc. There are innumerable fields that can serve as suitable career options for the graduates.
• BSc MLT provides ample job opportunities in the healthcare sector. Every hospital and healthcare sector needs clinical lab technicians to detect problems and diseases affecting the patients. Hence, it is creating more job opportunities for the graduates of BSc MLT. Medical Laboratory Technology profession has a positive impact on people’s health.

#AU4CHANGE: A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT WITH PARTICIPATORY AND COLLECTIVE LEARNING

Covid-19 is no longer just a virus-induced infectious disease. It is much more than that. In fact, it wouldn’t be an overstatement if we were to dub it as an unprecedented phenomenon. While acknowledging its disastrous consequences, we should have no qualms in accepting that it has been the biggest catalyst of instantaneous changes that we have encountered in our daily lives. As the second wave of the disease continues to ravage India, our lifestyles have turned upside down.

The sweeping changes due to Covid-19 have gripped all areas of human life. The field of academics has been one of the biggest areas of change. The nature of the virus is such that it requires people to stay indoors and interact with each other virtually. Thus, technology-mediated virtual learning has become the alternative for physical learning. Classroom-centric learning has given way to app-based remote learning.

Although, online interactions constitute the only way to continue learning at this juncture, the absence of personal touches and the monotony of continuously sitting in front of the computers have created a peculiar negative inertia among learners. Across the world, the euphoria that was associated with online learning towards the beginning of the pandemic is hardly there. Teachers, therefore, are having a tough time maintaining the interest level of the learners.

Like every other academic across the globe, yours truly, being a humble media teacher at the School of Media and Communication (SOMC) under the Kolkata-based Adamas University (AU), was finding it an uphill task to retain learners’ attention during online classes. It was contingent on me to try an alternative mechanism. This is where I thought I would pass the buck to the learners themselves so that the intensity and quantum of their involvement could be significantly enhanced.

On an experimental basis, I applied this decided reversal of roles for a course entitled ‘Contemporary Media Issues’, which is taught to the fourth-semester students of Bachelor of Arts [B.A. (Honours)] in Journalism and Mass Communication (J.M.C.). According to the deal that I had with the students, the entire class of 45 students was divided into three groups. Each group was given the responsibility to take care of two modules out of a total of six that were included in the course curriculum. Each group has a name, a captain and a vice-captain. Therefore, on a given instructional day, the captain of the assigned group would pick up a topic from the two decided modules and initiate the discussion. It is worthwhile to mention that the captain of a group is responsible for informing the topic in advance to me so that I can also prepare accordingly. During the class, each member of the assigned group would speak for a certain amount of time so that the entire topic is covered in a nutshell. I would also add my inputs to the discussion and invite members from other groups to contribute their ideas.

Initially, the quality of discussions wasn’t up to the mark and many learners couldn’t express their ideas owing to an inability to speak English. However, with sustained motivations, learners slowly started coming out of their shells. With some confidence, now I can say that the classes are a lot more interactive than what was the case earlier.

Additionally, each group is responsible for finding out all the resources pertaining to their assigned modules and distributing the same amongst all the learners. Not only does it enhance the researching skills of the learners, it also significantly adds to their repertoire of knowledge.

This technique had a significant bearing on enhancing the collective attendance of the learners. Additionally, all of them felt responsible for the course thereby inspiring collective learning. Learning essentially needs to be a democratic process and this procedure significantly added to the democratic fervour.

Participatory and group learning is the order of the day. As a teacher, it was my honest attempt to introduce the same at my school.

While depression among learners is at an all-time high subject to an uncertain future and reduced career opportunities, it is equally true that teachers have an inescapable responsibility to uplift their spirit. I am sure that a little bit of innovation can go a long way in reviving the confidence of learners on the teaching-learning process. The rest, they say, is history.

Why Computer Science?

“The Computer was born to solve the problem that did not exist before” – Bill Gates.

As a machine reduces the work effort, so does a computer for a typical complex computation. Computer science forces you to deal with a problem in a slightly different way which is a skill that can be applied to life itself. In the era of data, a computer is the most indispensable thing we can think of. Computer science gives you an opportunity in working and understanding hands-on the aspect of data.

Computer Science is the study of principles and the use of computers. The classical areas for a computer science course include discrete mathematics, data structure, theory of computation, compiler design, analysis and designing of Algorithm. The advanced study includes artificial intelligence (AI), computer networks and security, database management systems, computer vision and graphics, numerical analysis, software engineering, bioinformatics.

Apart from this, a computer engineer is supposed to be known as a fluent coder. Coding is the ‘Bread and Butter’ for all computer engineers. Programming or coding is an intriguing sector as it gives us the superpower to regulate computer programs on the go. The main goal for a computer engineer is to make a problem understandable to a machine so that it could solve the problem obligingly. The fluency and smoothness of an application are solely based on the way you design the code. C, the mother of all programming languages, is a general-purpose programming language that is extremely popular, simple, and flexible to use. It helps a programmer to build the base of designing a program. It is a structured programming language that is machine-independent and extensively used to write various applications, Operating Systems like Windows, and many other complex programs like Oracle database, Git, Python interpreter, and more. Java, a high-level programming language, is also the most popular language for its design structure using object-oriented concepts (OOP). When it comes to the web, Java is unparallel. Most of the web-based applications are based on java. Apart from this, there are several programming languages like c++, python, Matlab, R to name a few.

There are innumerable and varied specialization and career options for a computer engineer. After completing his/her B.Tech degree a student may get absorbed in the software industry or may opt for higher studies. There are multiple sub-division and specializations in Computer Engineering which require applications in various sectors. Student can also pursue B.Tech degree in various applied fields:

AI/ML: Artificial Intelligence (AI) are emerging fields that will shape and dominate the future of this universe. Data is one of the most important assets of a company or government agency. It helps us to predict the future based on past experiences. AI has the potential to vastly change the way that humans interact, not only with the digital world but also with each other, through their work and other socioeconomic institutions – for better or for worse. A vast volume of data can be analysed by using a smart alternative, Machine Learning. It can produce an accurate result by designing a fast and efficient model for real-time data.
Blockchain: The duration of the course for B.Tech with specialization in blockchain is four years. Blockchain is currently booming and one of the most popular technologies that have invaded to almost every industry in the world. The world is changing its shape towards cryptocurrency. In near future, Bitcoin will be one of the popular transaction media. The main technology behind this is the blockchain. The technology will help the student to learn different algorithms and to curate the bitcoin on their own.
Cyber Security: Cybersecurity provides an expertise insight analysis on global security threats. In the world of web, to provide a secure web service is one of the main goals. The course on Cyber Security will help to learn different algorithms along with the expertization on ethical hacking, penetration testing, digital forensics. There are immense career avenues open for specialization in cybersecurity. This includes Security software developer, security analyst, security architect etc.
M.Tech Degree in Computer Science: Apart from doing graduation and going for an early job, a student may go for a master’s degree in computer science and engineering along with the specialized degree discussed above.

With the knowledge and concept in the domain, a computer science engineer can be eligible for an immense variety of job opportunities. Some of them are jotted below:

Computer Science engineers are the primary resource of the software industry. With a sound concept in the subject, a student can crack any of the big houses easily.
Government sectors such as I.S.R.O, B.H.E.L, etc are recruiting computer science engineers having a good GATE score.
Interdisciplinary research is a new trend for Computer Science students. Inter-disciplinary subjects such as IoT, Bioinformatics provides a huge contribution in research for computer science students.
Apart from interdisciplinary research, mainstream research in computer science also provides a huge scope for the student both nationally and internationally.

As a computer science engineer, there are plenty of opportunities in Government sectors as well as private sectors. A focused, sincere and conceptual student has all the possibilities to touch the sky.