Fashion Designing

Introduction

Fashion design is the applied art devoted to the designing of clothing and lifestyle accessories. This art is influenced by cultural and social attitudes and has evolved over time and place. Fashion designing has come a long way from the designer clothes worn by the royalty of the ancient world to the haute couture products of the present.

Fashion designing is one of the most lucrative, appealing, glamorous and exciting career options in today's world. If you have a penchant for creativity, style and originality, a career in fashion designing is the one tailor made for you. On one hand, the fashion industry satisfies both the creative fancies and the materialistic needs of the people. On the other hand, it promises glamour, fame, success and a high pay package to the talented people.

However, it is also a demanding career, as fashion designers need to combine their creativity with managerial skills to sustain in this industry. Thus, if you can create magic with colours, shapes and designs, then just obtain a professional course to begin a successful career in the alluring world of fashion designing.

Step-by-Step

To start a career as a fashion designer, two types of qualifications are required, that is, natural and acquired.

• Natural: this skill set would comprise of a decent aesthetic sense, colour expertise, good taste and sense of trends and fashion. An eye for detail, knowledge of fabrics and so on is a big plus for those serious about a career as a fashion designer.

• Acquired skills would be a qualification from a decent, recognized fashion Institute. You can enrol for either a full-time course or a part time certificate course. Students usually take these up after their 10+2 level. Not that the courses are not available for graduates or people with higher qualification. There are several short-term certificate courses that are offered by the same fashion institutes for super specialization, on part-time basis. These courses equip you with technical and creative thinking skills.

Start Early

The word ‘fashion’ immediately conjures up images of glitz and glamour. The onset of the International fashion market in India has given an impetus to the fashion industry which has emerged as the booming industry and a career as a fashion designer is like a pot of gold. So, many young people who are attracted by these attributes decide to foray into the fashion industry.

While the academic requirements are not very high, you need considerable aptitude and talent to be labelled “designer” material. You must be highly creative to combine colours, shades and textures and express your ideas through sketches.

Your race for admission into a reputed fashion school will begin straight after school. Subjects like drawing, painting, home science and computer graphics will develop your creativity.

By the time you finish the course you will have mastered the step-by-step making of a garment: from designing to pattern making, production and even marketing.

Is it the right career for me?

A career in fashion designing is right for you if you are talented and exude style in everything you do. You must also possess the ability be original and creative and love to make people look good.
Further, you must be creative enough to combine colours, shades and textures and express your ideas through sketches. You must also visualise new design, patters, garments and accessories and enjoy working with fabrics and accessories.

If you have all this and more in you then you are all, set to step into the arena of fashion designing.

What would it Cost Me?

The fee structure varies from institution to institution. However, on an average you will have to dish out more than Rs. 45,000 per annum to complete a course in Fashion Designing from a reputed institution.

Funding/Scholarship

Some fashion academies extend merit based scholarships.  These scholarships usually waive off payment of tuition fee only. These waivers continue in the subsequent year(s) on the condition that the awardees academic performance meets the prescribed standards of achievement.

The criterion of these scholarship programmes is based on the annual income of the eligible student’s parental annual income. There are a few scholarships sponsored by reputed companies for meritorious and financially deserving students. Scholarship awardees also get educational loan facility to cover other payable fee and expenses.

Job Prospect

In India, the fashion industry has just begun to come of age, as it is still in its fledgling stage. This industry offers plenty of opportunities for talented hard working and enthusiastic people. Prospects for fashion design graduates are pretty good thanks to the huge and still growing demand for “designer wear” and the equally outsized quantity of exports.

After successful completion of the course, you can remain self employed. Alternatively, several export houses, garment store chains, textile mills, leather companies, boutiques, fashion show organizers, jewellery houses and media houses recruit professionals interested in a career in fashion designing.

Pay Packet

The Starting monthly package can be around Rs.10, 000 to Rs.15, 000. With experience, you will acquire maturity in designing skills and a few years down the line your salary would be in the range of Rs.30, 000 to Rs.40, 000 per month. Of course, if you become a reputed designer you could demand the world.

Great fashion designers salary always shows an upward moving trend. However, hard work and a conscious effort to update the latest trends in the fashion industry are imperative.

Demand and Supply

Economically India is progressing rapidly today with even better future prospects. Therefore, the country is today witnessing rapid growth in many sectors which includes the fashion industry.

Indian fashion is gaining a lot of popularity abroad because of cheap labour and excellent craftsmanship. Many top Indian designers are now catering to this growing international demand for quality fashion products and accessories. In addition, for the demand for Indian garments, designer saris and textiles are also of great demand.

Many individuals choose careers in fashion designing today as there are many areas of work and countless opportunities within this field.

Market Watch

The scope for fashion design jobs in India is immense as Indians have increasingly become more fashion conscious and seek to enhance it in every way. Clothing companies need to hire people in a variety of jobs, ranging from fashion designers, textile designers, models, retailers, buyers and merchandisers, to provide end-to-end solutions to their clients.

According to a recent study, the India’s fashion designing industry aims to grow to Rs.1, 000 crores from the current to Rs.180 crores within the next 5 to 10 years.

International Focus

Better prospectus both in terms of salary and growth of fashion design jobs is enormous and extends beyond India’s markets to international markets too. Indian fashion designers are doing very well in almost all countries and hence the scope has broadened for students of fashion designing. 

Fashion designers such as Ritu Beri, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal, Satya Paul and Tarun Tahiliani are known worldwide. Many Institutions provide training to potential fashion designers to expand their talent and become entrepreneurs in the fashion world. The India Fashion Week has become an international fashion event, with buyers from international stores making an appearance to transact business.

With more and more Indians dressing up and focused on looking good, there is an increasing awareness about fashion in India. The Indian fashion industry is booming. The domestic Indian Textile market is worth $25 billion today and growing at an annual rate of 15-20%.

Mega Malls are mushrooming all over. The Retail sector is witnessing a virtual explosion with the Ambanis, Mittals, Birlas and now, the Tatas making a foray in this sector. The fashion market will require thousands of trained professionals in the fields of design, management, communication and technology.

Positives/Negatives

+ives
• The scope of fashion design is such that it’s cut out for success.
• There are some glamorous aspects to this business, you may get to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, but reaching there is absolute hard work.

-ives
• Fashion designers need a lot of experience and hence they have to work as assistant for any reputed fashion design firm in the initial phase.
• You might want to set up your own studio but you will need a lot of money or have to find investors who are ready to invest in your studio.
• Unless you have some hands on experience, it is hard to get investors.

Different roles, different names

As a professional fashion designer, you can work in areas like designer wear production, fashion marketing, planning and concept management. Then there is fashion media, design production management, fashion accessory design, quality control and promotion of brands.

You can also work as a designated costume designer, fashion consultant, personal stylist, technical designer, graphic designer, production pattern maker or a fashion coordinator.

Other roles include: apparel production manager, fabric buyer, fabric quality control manager, show room sales representative, illustrator, cutting assistant and outside sales representative. Those interested in a career in fashion designing can also become entrepreneurs and form their own companies.

Top Companies

1. Fashion houses run by top fashion designers such as: Abu Jani, JJ Valaya, Manish Malhotra, Neeta Lulla, Rina Dhaka, Ritu Beri, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal,  Sandeep Khosla, Tarun Tahiliani and so on.

2. Top notch garment and textile export houses

3. Textile and fabric manufacturing units

4. Exclusive and branded fashion showrooms

Tips for getting Hired

1. Make a great portfolio that showcases your creative talents

2. Apprenticeship under a well-known designer is desirable for getting hired in this industry

3. Thoroughly research the market before making a foray into it

4. Do freelancing for fashion houses and boutiques

5. Be creative, exclusive and innovative

6. Don’t be impulsive and impatient

7. Don’t get disheartened by rejections, understand your drawbacks and work on it

8. Start affordable and once you have proved yourself, you can go for the stars

Acting and Modelling

Introduction

These job profiles bring vivid images of glitz, glamour and fame. Successful professionals associated with these profiles are constantly spending their working hours under the proverbial limelight. Did you guess what professional roles we are talking about here? Here is another hint. What’s more, these career options are considered the most sought after professions by the youth in our country these days. A good break in either of these professions is not only a dream come true but it can also raise your status to that of a social icon. Your name and fame will cross international boundaries. Yes, you guessed it right! We are talking about acting and modelling.

Acting: Though Bollywood, the Mecca of the Indian film industry, is considered the ultimate goal of the upcoming actors, you can kick start your career in acting by getting a break on TV channels. These channels are growing in numbers and exploding with mega serials, reality shows, game shows and various count downs. All this brings in a lot of opportunities for upcoming actors to showcase their acting talent. You can also become a stage artist for which you need to complete an academic stint at the National School of Drama. There are many institutions offering acting courses all over India.

Modelling: An unforeseen boom in the ad and fashion industry has created a huge and continual demand for fresh models. Every company needs glamorous models to start and endorse a variety of products or to flash the creations of fashion designers. Moreover modelling is a very alluring field with innumerable opportunities to travel and earn handsome money. Models also get to meet people from different walks of life. An established model can get a handsome pay for every assignment they do. All these aspects have made modelling a desirable, attractive and lucrative career for the youth in our county.

Modelling can be roughly categorised into print modelling, ramp modelling and television modelling.

Step-by-Step

Acting:  There are ample career opportunities for aspiring actors and actresses but since more and more youngsters want to get into this field, it has made this field all the more competitive. It is not so easy to get into this field. What is further difficult is to sustain yourself in this field for a long and a prosperous career and for that you need to have a lot of patience, a strong belief in yourself and last but not the least, you need to polish your acting skills, which can be done by taking up a professional course. There are many institutions in our country which provide degree and diploma courses in drama and acting.

To give your career a kick start in acting you can take up an acting course, there are various short and long term courses available in several educational institutions all over India. “Well begun is half done”, therefore a good start is very important in this career and a good start doesn’t necessarily mean a Bollywood break, you can initiate with doing an  advertisement or getting a role in a TV serial, hosting a show or working in a theatre as a stage artist.

If you get a break in the  film industry you should consider yourself lucky, all you will have to do is give your best, qualification will not matter much, all that will be considered is your acting skills and hard work.

Modelling: Openings in this field will simply overwhelm you. With endless options also come cut-throat competition, unpredictable work schedule and stress. Endurance and patience play a very important role in survival and growth in this field.

As a model, you have to learn on the job as there is no particular training available in this field. There are very few training schools opened by former models in cities like Mumbai and Delhi. These schools train you in grooming, developing personality, make up tips and help you spruce up your self confidence. Apart from these courses, you need good links in the modelling world to get the right break to get an entry into this glamorous domain.

There is no definite qualification or age limit or any type of course required to take up modelling as a profession. You can start by making a good portfolio and handing it out to various fashion houses or advertising agencies.

Modelling assures glamour and good pay packages at the same time. Earlier fashion industry was one of the few industries where women earned more than men but nowadays this career has become promising for men too.

Start Early

Acting: This is one talent that is easily recognised even from early childhood. Try to participate in school functions and events where you can showcase and flaunt your talent to people around you. As you reach higher classes, try to get the lead role in school and college functions. Also, parents must encourage such kids to participate in various talent hunt and acting contests. 

Modelling: You must posses the beauty and charm of a model. Try to take part in fashion shows and theatrical productions both at the school and the college level. Exposure to photo shoots from an early age will give you confidence to do the same once you take up modelling as your preferred career in life.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

Acting: A stupendous acting talent is absolutely essential. However, this talent has to be tagged with other qualities like coordinated movements, a well modulated voice, a propensity for dancing and a good sense of rhythm. Further you must possess the ability to do different roles and with different sets of emotions without flaw. If you think you have all these qualities along with self-confidence and optimistic thinking, then this is a right career for you.

Modelling: It is a very competitive career. You must have the stamina alongside patience and perseverance to withstand hectic schedules. Other essential qualities which are hunted in an upcoming model are a healthy complexion, good height, and good body structure. Last but not the least, you must be photogenic. If you possess these traits then modelling is an ideal career option for you.

What would it Cost Me?

Acting: There are various institutions all over India that offer short term as well as long term programs in acting.  The fee structure for these course can vary from anywhere Rs.35,000 and Rs.1,50,000.

Modelling: There are very few modelling courses available and most of the reputed ones are confined to Mumbai and Delhi. Fees for these courses starts from Rs.20,000-Rs.25,000.

Funding/Scholarship

Acting: Some institutes offer scholarship on a need-cum- merit basis.

Modelling: Alas! No scholarships are available in this field.

Job Prospects

Acting: To find a good break and be successful in this career, good luck, timing and good personal networking plays a very important role. There a range of career options for those seeking to make their mark in the entertainment industry. As an actor, you can work for various theatre productions or even work for TV or radio channels. Then you have the option to show your talent as a stage actor, appear in private videos and TV shows and commercials.

Modelling: There is no shortage for modelling jobs in the fashion and the advertising industries.

Pay Packet

Acting: A stage actor can get somewhere around Rs.1,000 to Rs. 10,000 per show. This largely depends upon the scale of the show, kind of role, production house and moreover the kind of viewers. An experienced TV actor can approximately earn between Rs.10,000 to Rs.2, 00,000 per episode whereas a new comer can get Rs.2, 000 to Rs.10,000 depending on the role.

A film actor in India can earn a handsome pay and it can vary from actor to actor depending on kind of role you get and the type of banner you are working for. The payment keeps on increasing with experience and popularity. A debutant can earn roughly about Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 50 lakhs for a lead role for a single movie. And an established actor can ask for the king ransom that goes into multi crores.

Modelling: Pay usually depends upon the organisers and as to how esteemed the fashion show is. A low budget fashion shows pays about Rs 5,000 to Rs.10000 per show. An established model can expect around Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 per fashion show. Reputed magazines pay around Rs.15,000 to Rs. 25,000. Print ads pay according to the number of photographs being printed. Billboard advertisement also shells out sound money for models.

Demand and Supply

Acting: There is a high demand for new talent in this field. In fact the demand and supply of new acting talent is quite high in our country where successful cine starts are looked upon as demigods. You have to be extremely talented to get into this field. That is one part of the equation. Once you get into this industry you continually need to retain a place for yourself because there is huge demand for actors but the supply is equally plentiful.

Modelling: There is no demand for high education qualification to get into this field. Physical attributes are more important so if you have what is required, the fashion world will open doors for you. There is abundant job availability in this field. With the rise in advertising, the demand for fresh faces is evermore increasing.

Market Watch

Acting: The movie and television industry put together made a turnover of about Rs.109.3 billion in 2008. This industry is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 9.1%, which is expected to result in a turnover of Rs.168.6 billion by the year 2013.

These developments have lead to the growth of multiplex screens and superior incursion of home video. Furthermore, recent times have witnessed a sharp rise in the number of TV channels. All these aspects have in turn made acting a promising career option for youngsters with star struck eyes.

Modelling: The Indian economy has logged in appreciable growth in spite of the global economic crisis. This has resulted in the increase in consumerism, which in turn has boosted the advertising industry, electronic media, fashion, cosmetic and textile industries. These developments have opened innumerable options for new faces in modelling and made modelling career even more attractive and lucrative.

International Focus

Acting: The Indian entertainment market is one of the largest in size not only in terms of production but also in monetary terms. Hollywood production houses like Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Sony pictures and so on are planning to set shops in India, thereby giving Indian actors international recognition.

If you are a versatile actor and have a good command over English language you can try your luck in Hollywood too. Talented bollywood actors like Kabir Bedi, Om Puri, Roshan Seth, Saeed Jaffri, Gulshan Grover, Nasseruddin Shah, Ashwaria Rai and few others have made their presence felt in various Hollywood productions.

Modelling: Growth in the fashion and textile industry has bought international recognition. As a model, once established, you can get an opportunity to work for international fashion shows. You might even get to endorse an international brand.

Positives/Negatives

+ives
Acting:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Excellent remuneration is offered to talented people. And with experience, an actor can demand according to their star and market value.
• There are innumerable mediums open to work for a talented actor.  You can work for stage, radio, TV, films, videos and so on.
• There is no retirement age in this field.
• Popularity of cine stars is not confined to national borders.

Modelling:
• It’s a glamorous and lucrative profession.
• You get tremendous opportunities to travel and meet people.

-ives

Acting:
• An extremely busy work schedule often affects normal family life.
• Media interference affects the private life of cine stars.
• Due to too much of competition opportunities can be lost in the blink of an eye.

Modelling:
• It is a short-term career as there is immense cut-throat competition amongst models to vie for prestigious assignments.
• Models have to face a very hectic schedule and often withstand tremendous physical and mental stress.

Different Roles, Different Names

Acting: Anchoring, working for an advertisement, comparing or hosting a show, chat shows, working for TV serials, reality shows and films are the different roles an actor can play.

Modelling: As a model you can feature in advertisement or music videos, act in TV serials and advertisement films. You can also do still, ramp, live or print modelling. As a successful model, you can even become a brand ambassador and endorse a bevy of products and services.

Top Companies

Acting:
Top banners you can look forward to be a part of are as follows:
1. Star TV
2. Pritish Nandi Communications
3. Cinevista
4. Sahara one Media and Entertainment Ltd
5. Saregama India Ltd
6. UTV Software Communication Ltd
7. Balaji Telefilms Ltd
8. Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd

Modelling:
Popular modelling agencies in India you can look forward to be a part of are as follows:
1. Face 1
2. Ozone Models Management
3. Catwalk
4. Platinum Models
5. Glitz, the Ramp
6. Mayrose Management Services in Mumbai
7. The Tina Factor
8. The Bridge
9. Aditi Modelling Service
10. Passion EC 191
11. Profiles Estd

Tips for Getting Hired

Acting:
1. Enhance and polish your talent by going to an acting school as it will teach you various other aspects of the industry.
2. You can enter into acting by working in the advertisement industry.
3. Working for ads and TV serials or commercials will help you get noticed and bag some acting assignments.
4. You can start off working as a theatre actor and then move on to other areas of acting.

Modelling:
1. There is no hard and fast rule for a model to do any sort of training to get into this field. As a model you are expected to learn on the job but training will help you develop your overall personality along with shaping your modelling talent.
2. Getting an attractive portfolio made by a professional photographer and then showing it to various ad agencies, model co-ordinating agencies and fashion designers will help.
3. Participate in various beauty contests or other contests sponsored by print magazines or cosmetic companies.

Animation

Introduction

Who can forget the cute and martial arts obsessed Panda who taught us that self-belief can help us scale great heights or for that matter the ever charming and fascinating world of Narnia! Blockbuster movies such as Kung Fu Panda, The Chronicles of Narnia, Wall-E, Coraline, Up, Bolt, Ice Age and Monsters vs. Aliens are striking examples of the miracle that is animation. Animation industry has boundless scope for those who love to create magic.

In spite of the recent global economic crises, animation industry across the world has continued to grow at a rapid pace. In India too, despite its late entry, the animation industry is on the path of expansion and ready to experience a prolonged period of boom. What is more exciting is the fact that this industry would give employment to thousands of prospective 2-D and 3-D animators every year. This boom is further going to be fuelled by the outsourcing of animation project work by Disney and other animation giants to India.

The field of animation is sometimes misunderstood with cartooning. Cartooning is simply drawing caricatures of characters with some distinct subtleties to make the character evoke a sense of comedy. On the other hand, animation is the art of breathing life into these characters. Animation is the art with which inanimate objects are brought to life with the help of various modern computer based sequencing techniques.

Step-by-Step

The best way to pursue a career in animation is by getting a graduate degree or diploma in animation. But a graduate degree in animation is not very prevalent in India yet and only very few institutes offer this course at present. On the other hand, a host of institutes are offering diploma courses in animation. A Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA) is also a very important course to step in the animation arena. A bachelor’s degree in animation and the BFA are three-year courses whereas the diploma course in animation varies in the range of six-months to one- and-a-half-years.

For doing a diploma or degree in animation, the eligibility criteria includes a 10+2 from a recognised board with at least 45% marks.

Start Early

There are no special subjects that are needed to be studied at this level. But aptitude in sketching, drawing and deep interest in computers is always considered essential to gain entry into the animation industry.

It would be very appropriate to study fine arts at the college level and Bachelor in Fine Arts is an ideal way to give career in animation a big push. If, however, you are not pursuing fine arts but are instead pursuing some other stream, there are still chances to chalk out a career in animation. In such a situation, you must have an attitude and passion to excel in animation.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

If you have oodles of creativity, then yes, this is the right career option for you. For being a good animator you need to possess a great deal of zeal and imagination. You must be good at drawing and sketching. An understanding of human, bird and animal expressions and movement is very important part of animation as it will help you express the characters you create in the most appropriate way.

Furthermore, you should have good visualisation skills and flair for using colours. Patience, hard work and dedication towards your work are also a must for this job profile. Animation is a multitasking job so for that you need to work as a team, therefore, you need to have good communication skills. So if you have the above skills and a keen interest to explore this creative art, this is the career for you.

What would it Cost Me?

Depending upon the institution and the course you select the fee can cost you anything between Rs.50,000 to Rs.2,00,000.

Funding/Scholarship

A boom in the animation industry in India has boosted the career prospects and has encouraged many institutions to offer scholarships to talented individuals. Aptech Arena extends the Kala Srishti Scholarship programme to its meritorious students. The UD School of Animation, Hyderabad, offers the DiiA (Diversity in India Animation) Scholarship programme, which supports and promotes women to take up a career in animation.

Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC) provides scholarships to meritorious students annually on the basis of a creativity test that is followed by an interview.

Job Prospects

Job prospects for animators are rising at a very fast pace thanks to the boom in the entertainment and gaming industry. Animation with time has got a good hold over movies, television and advertising industries due to the excessive use of special effects. Full length animation movies are in great demand. A single animation film requires as many as 500 animators, which means huge employment opportunities. Animation is one of the concrete, lucrative and demanding career options which serves both entertainment and education (e-learning) industries alike.

Pay Packet

Animation is a satisfying and lucrative profession and is attracting youngsters in droves towards it. Professionals new to this industry generally work in the capacity of junior animators in animation studios and production houses. The starting pay package of these animators can be in a range or Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000 per month.

Within a span of three to five years you can become a senior animator and command a monthly salary as much as Rs.30,000 to Rs.40,000. If you are really creative and have been a part of some innovative projects you can bag a pay cheque in excess of Rs.55,000.

Demand and Supply

Animation is one of the fastest growing career options in our country these days. The want for more and more skilled animators has brought about a rise in job opportunities and ascended the demand for animation as a lucrative career option. The demand has exceeded the supply as the animation industry requires more than 30,000 professionals every year.

Market Watch

The animation industry, which was once dominated by the West, has found a new hub in India. Among all the Asian countries, India has got the potential and the creative juices to produce world class animations. Although, the animation industry is a relatively new comer to India, this industry is all set to experience a period of unprecedented boom.

Television, film and advertising industry all have an insatiable demand for animations and special effects. Further, India, steeped in rich cultural heritage and mythology coupled with the technology know-how, is ready to produce full-length animation movies and short animation features. 

However, this boom would not only be confined to the animation industry but also spill over to the mobile and computer gaming industries. All this means more and more jobs for 2-D and 3-D animators and an increasing international recognition of Indian animators.

International Focus

The Indian animation industry is on the move. Western animation companies support India for outsourcing animation because of India’s good foundation of communicating in the English language, cost benefits and great infrastructure of state-of-the-art studios.

Big names in animation like Fun Bag Animation, Warner Brothers, Industrial Light and Magic and Disney are now exploring India to produce their animation movies on a co-production basis.

Positives/Negatives

+ives

•    The global animation industry is huge and as an animation artist, you have great
scope both in India and abroad.

•    Animation as a profession is very lucrative.


-ives

•    Working for long hours is one of the stressful situations an animator has to face most of the time during their career.

Different Roles, Different Names

• Given below are the different roles of professionals in the animation industry:
• In-between animator – This is a beginner’s position in the animation industry where you can learn almost all the basics of animation.

• Modeller – A person having strong knowledge of form, volume and anatomy. They make models for animation.

• Background artist – The job is to paint the background of the characters in the project.
• Layout artist – Person who decides the lighting and camera angles and sketches the background design for the animation.
• Story Broad Artist – People with strong drawing skills are hired as storyboard artists and their job is to visualise a series of events from one animation frame to another.
• Clean- up Artist – Assistant to the animator, whose work is to trace the animator’s rough drawing and to check the accuracy and consistency of a design.
• Scanner operator – Job is to scan the clean up artist’s drawings.
• Compositor – Job is to bring all the different characters and backgrounds in to a single animation frame.
• Character animator – They bring characters to life and generally have knowledge of traditional animation and stop-motion animation.
• Special effect artist – Combine live-action footage with computer generated imagery.
• Digital ink and paint artist – Their duty is to add colours to each frame.
• Key frame animator – Primary job is to draws the pictures of a movement’s beginning and end.
• Lighting artist – Create variations of shade, colour intensity and shadows.
• Image Editor – Bring together the various audio-visual components of an animation film.
• Rendering artist – Combine models, textures, animation, lighting and to produce the correct blend in the form of individual frames of animation.
• 2-D Animator – They create a very high volume of separate drawings that define an animated sequence.
• Texture Artist – They create a surface to the 3-D modelled character, object or environment.
• Rigging artist – Take the modelled, textured 3-D character or object and set it up with a skeletal system or joints, this helps the 3-D character to talk or move fluidly and correctly.
• 3-D animator –  Take the sculpted, textured and rigged 3-D model and put life into it. This is done by putting in order the key frames in such a way that they appear to be lifelike and in motion.

Top Companies

Given below is the list of top companies in the field of Animation:

1.    Toonz Animation India
2.    Pentamedia Graphics
3.    Maya Entertainment
4.    UTV Toonz
5.    Heart Entertainment
6.    Padmalaya Telefilms
7.    Nipuna Services Ltd
8.    Jadoo Works
9.    Crest Communications
10.    Silvertoon Studio, Mumbai

Tips for Getting Hired

1.    A professional course in the field is a must.
2.    Get a high-end computer with an advanced graphic card and some development tools; make a demo presenting all the practical skills that the employers seek.
3.    Preparing a strong portfolio of work is very essential to get a job in Animation.
4.    Apply to as many companies as possible.

Food Processing

Introduction

Food processing is a modern practice that improves distributional efficiency and enhances the marketing of the food products. It is considered as a branch of food science, where a set of methods and techniques are used to transform raw ingredients into food for safe consumption by humans or animals. Though food processing existed even during prehistoric period, the technology input to enhance preservation of food, flavour, etc and to reduce the toxins in the food product is relatively new and has revolutionised the entire food industry.

Step-by-Step

Though some jobs in food processing may not require a person to possess specific qualification in food processing, a certificate or diploma definitely adds to the curriculum vitae. The first step to get into food processing industry is to pass 10+2 with physics, chemistry and biology as it is the minimum qualification for most of the courses in food processing. Most colleges offering courses in food processing conduct entrance exams to admit students.

Start Early

As is true with any other career, it is important to have the right aptitude to make a successful career in food processing. Sincere candidates start preparing for various entrance exams soon after 10th exam. Understanding various requirements of the industry and analysing the aptitude and set of skills necessary to survive in food processing sector is compulsory for any youngster looking to explore the avenue.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat) analysis is necessary before opting for a career in food processing industry. It is necessary to judge whether you are prepared to work in this challenging sector which is still at a nascent stage, although it has a bright future. The food processing industry offers extensive range of job opportunities for varied range of professionals: managers, food technologists, engineering graduates; therefore, a professional willing to explore his career in it definitely can look for right designation.
It is important to analyse the nature of work in food processing segment, it can even involve preparation of raw materials like cleaning of the raw material, chopping, blanching, crushing, mixing, cooking of the food item, adding preservatives, final packaging, etc. Whether the candidate would be able to handle these processes should be decided at an early stage to rule out future dilemma.

What would it Cost Me?

Various professional courses in food processing such as BSc in home science or BSc in food technology have high fees structure. The fee usually depends on the kind of institute and its infrastructure. Similarly, specialisation in food processing such as sugar alcohol, bakery, oil, fruits, vegetables, etc requires considerable money.

Funding/Scholarship

A number of scholarships are available to candidates willing to study food processing in India and abroad. NAARM ICAR Senior Research Fellowship and Ramalingaswami Fellowship are the two major scholarships for candidates willing to study food processing and who wish to do further research. Similarly, Agri Biotech Foundation - ABF PhD Fellowships in Agricultural Biotechnology can be availed which help in funding of education in food processing. SK Patil Loan Scholarships and JN Tata Endowment Scholarships are offered on the merit and requirement basis. Besides the scholarships, a number of financial organisations offer low interest education loan to deserving candidates.

Job Prospects

Despite the fact that food processing industry in India is at developing stage, it offers exponential career opportunities to trained professionals in food processing as there are nearly 500 million middle and upper class consumers and food processing companies do not want to miss the opportunity. Moreover, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries has ambitious plan to set up more than 500 food parks across India in every parliamentary constituency so that a real food revolution can be brought about and employment can be generated.

With aptitude to work and requisite skills one can find employment in companies, food research laboratories, catering companies, food wholesalers, hospitals, restaurants etc. Higher education and special qualification helps in getting attractive position within the food processing sector. Qualification in home science and specialisations in food technology, nutrition or food services management can help you climb up the ladder in the industry. Similarly, certification in dietetics, applied nutrition, food science and preservation helps candidates advance in career.

Pay Packet

Food processing industry offers compensation depending upon educational qualification, skills, work experience and contribution in the production process. Location of the food processing unit matters a lot in salary offered to candidates; however, professionals working in food processing units in metro cities earn attractive salaries. An entry level professional can earn salary Rs 8000 – 12,000. Similarly, those with work experience can earn Rs 15,000 – 25,000. Senior management persons with years of experience behind them can pocket very high salaries.

Demand and Supply

A significant mismatch in demand and supply of trained professionals in food processing industry implies that there is ample scope for anyone who wishes to make a career in food industry. With the setting up of new processing units a number of professionals such as bakers, trimmers, fish cutters, slaughterers, meat packers, food batch makers, food cooking machine operators, etc are required in substantial numbers; however, there is dearth of all these professionals.

Market Watch

Food processing industry in India has a very potent market for consumer food including pasta, breads, cakes, pastries, biscuits, soft drinks, beer, alcohol beverages, corn flakes, ready to eat and ready to cook products, cocoa products, mineral and packaged water, etc. This shows that in coming decades a boom can be expected in the sector with immense demand of trained professionals.

The Food Corporation of India requires numerous bacteriologists, toxicologists, professionals trained in packaging technology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, etc. Similarly, Modern Food Corporation recruits professionals who can process and market products such as bread, fruit juices, edible oils, soft drink, etc. A number of units of North-Eastern Agricultural Marketing Corporation have come up which require food processing and marketing professionals in large numbers for various positions.

International Focus

Western countries and the USA have developed food processing units which in fact pioneered the concept of food processing with technological input. Food processing companies based in the US and Europe hire candidates with skills and qualification in food processing technology and students from India for their skills and hard work can get attractive jobs in various food processing companies in these countries.

Positives/Negatives

Whereas food processing industry offers attractive job opportunities, it requires specific qualities and personality traits. The industry is in a developing stage and has a lot of potential. Salary packages are attractive. But there is no scope for egotism as a highly trained professional may have to supervise different processes and work with employees who are otherwise not very talented. Odd timings can also not be ruled out. Therefore, there are pros and cons of working in food processing industry. Despite the efforts new food processing units are not coming in pan-India basis therefore, quality jobs are centred majorly in metro cities.

Different Roles, Different Names

Like any industry, food industry too offers varied range of roles and positions to professionals.
Research Scientists: Research scientists work towards enhancing yield, flavour, nutritive value, etc. of packaged food so that they have greater acceptance among consumers.
Food technologists: The fundamental work of food technologist is to offer techniques for preservation, conservation and processing of food items to be packaged. Additionally, they check the compliance of procedure during the food processing and ensure that there is no contamination and adulteration. Ensuring top quality nutritional value in the food products by putting quality raw materials is an additional job for a food technologist.
Engineers: The food processing industry is so broad that it employs the services of various engineers for planning, designing, improving and maintaining the entire processing system of a unit.
Organic Chemists: Qualified professionals in organic chemistry working in food processing industry ensure that there is proper method to convert raw materials to processed food.
Biochemists: Looking after the flavour, texture, storage, quality of packaged food products, biochemists ensure that there is nothing the consumers have to complain about.
Analytical Chemists: Working as quality analyst and checker, analytical chemists ensure prime quality packaging of foods and beverages.
Home Economists: Ensuring congruency of the instructions on the containers and the food products contained in it is the job of home economists.
Managers and accountants: Besides technical professionals, non-technical jobs such as managers and accountants work towards the management of the processing unit and in the supervision of the production process.

Top Companies

Some of the leading food processing companies in India have come up in joint collaboration with MNCs operating in India. While companies from developed nations provide technical expertise, Indian firms offer cheap labour and production centres. Leading food processing companies in India include:

• Amul
• Godrej Industrial Limited
• Dabur India Ltd
• PepsiCo India Holdings
• Nestle India Pvt Ltd
• Britannia Industries Ltd
• ITC Limited
• Parle Products Pvt Ltd
• Agro Tech Foods
• Perfetti India Ltd
• Cadbury India Ltd
• Hindustan Lever Limited
• Milkfood
• MTR Foods limited
• Gits Food Products Pvt Ltd

Tips for Getting Hired

The expanding food processing sector offers extremely attractive employment opportunities to those who possess technical qualification in food processing. However, there are specific requirements which are needed to get hired from top notch food processing firms. Some tips can be:
o Early start to study food processing can be beneficial in getting a job at early age and for that one should start preparing for various entrance exams conducted soon after 10+2.
o Possessing some soft skills such as being conscientious, meticulous, organizational, cleanliness and hygiene focused, prudent and hard working can give edge over rest of candidates.
o There is no match for technical acumen in food processing; therefore, candidates possessing excellent domain knowledge always have higher employability.

Institutes

Despite the fact that it is a new discipline, various universities and institutes in India offer comprehensive range of courses in food process and food technology to students looking for making a career in it. Some of the leading institutes are as follows:

• National Sugar Institute: Located in Kanpur, Chennai and Calcutta, it offers internship program in sugar technology and sugar engineering as well as diploma program in industrial fermentation and alcohol technology to candidates.
• National Dairy Research Institute: With two centres at Karnal and Bangalore, it offers BSc in quality control in dairy processing and BTech in dairy technology.
• MS University, Vadodara

• Gujarat and Central Food Technology Research Institute, Mysore

• Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Himachal Pradesh

• Fruit Technology Institute, Lucknow

• Central Institute of Fisheries Education
• IGNOU

Mechanical Engineering

Introduction

Mechanical engineering is one of the oldest branches of engineering. It is also referred to as the ‘mother’ branch of engineering. Another appealing feature of mechanical engineering is that the application base of this field of study is extremely broad and diverse. Almost all inventions during the ancient period and a vast majority in the modern era are direct contributions of one or the other application of mechanics.
Traditionally, mechanical engineers have to deal with concepts such as mechanics, thermodynamics, robotics, kinematics, structural analysis, fluid mechanics and many others. These concepts are applied in the process of designing state-of-the-art manufacturing units, different types of motor vehicles, aircraft and aerospace parts and a vast assortment of industrial machinery. Mechanical engineers also contribute in the development of various engines, power plant equipment, heating and cooling systems and other simple and complex machinery. Mechanical engineers not only design new mechanical systems but they are also responsible for testing, maintaining and manufacturing them.
The aforementioned are the conventional roles and responsibilities of mechanical engineers. However, times have changed. Nowadays the scope of mechanical engineering is expanding beyond its traditional boundaries. Mechanical engineers are focussing their attention towards new areas of research such as nanotechnology, development of composite materials, biomedical applications, environmental conservation, etc.
The ever increasing scope of this particular job profile now requires professionals to get into financial and marketing aspects of product development and even into people and resource management. All in all mechanical engineering offers a wide bouquet of job options to students who are looking for a stable and stimulating career.

Step-by-Step

Passing 10+2 with PCM (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics) is the first step you take towards becoming a professional mechanical engineer. To be eligible for a graduate programme (BE/BTech) in a college, you should have scored at least 50% marks and 60% for being eligible for IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) in 10+2 with PCM as subjects. After this, you can sit for various entrance examinations such as:
•  The Joint Entrance Examination for IITs (IITJEE) for admission to various IITs
•  All-India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE) for admission to various National Institutes of Technology or regional engineering colleges
Apart from these, there are hundreds of engineering colleges across the length and breadth of the country where you can get into a graduate programme in mechanical engineering. Some of these colleges conduct their own entrance exams whereas some accept AIEEE scores.
You can also opt for a diploma in engineering from a polytechnic. For obtaining a diploma, the basic eligibility is completion of Class 10 with 50% marks. The duration of these diploma courses is three-years for regular and four-years for part-time study.
You can also go for an associate membership qualification from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, which is considered at par with the diploma earned from a state run polytechnic or a university degree. Another option is to earn a similar qualification offered by the Institution of Engineering (India). Diploma holders can also get direct entry into the second year of a graduate program (lateral entry).
After successful completion of the graduate program, you can go for the two-year masters program in mechanical engineering or ME/MTech. If you are interested in pursuing a post-graduate programme in mechanical engineering from any of the IITs, then you must appear for the Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineers (GATE).
These days many engineering colleges are offering a dual (BE/BTech and ME/MTech) programmes. Some other institutions are offering a combination of an engineering degree along with a management programme.
In case you are interested in further studies, you can go do a PhD or even opt for a management degree from a reputed business school.

Start Early

To make mechanical engineering your chosen career path, you must have affinity for the way different machines function. This trait can be observed from early childhood when children try to tinker around with different machinery in their immediate vicinity. Such kids often tend to take apart mechanical toys, clocks, bicycles and then they try to assemble them back again.
These children are so innovative that they may even try to make new things. Here, parents have a special role to play. They must understand that the child possesses an inquisitive mind that is interested in gaining knowledge about machinery and not in breaking or destroying things. Parents must encourage the child’s curiosity to know more about different gadgets and machines in and around the house.
During schooling, the quest to play around with machinery increases all the more. This curiosity often culminates with the child opting for science with the PCM subject combination.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

Like other career paths, the entry into this particular branch of engineering also requires you to possess certain basic traits. First and foremost, you must have a penchant for mechanical components and machinery and how these machines work. Then you must be good at physics, chemistry and mathematics. You must also have skills such as an analytical bent of mind, logical reasoning and problem solving.
Further, you must have immense patience, physical strength, ability to work for long hours and an inventive spirit that are essential ingredients for becoming a successful mechanical engineer.

What would it Cost Me?

A graduate programme from a private engineering institution will cost you anywhere between Rs.50,000 to Rs.2,00,000 annually. However, in a reputed government run establishment such as the Indian institute of Technology (IIT) or any regional engineering college, you will have to pay an annual fees in the range of anywhere between Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000.

Funding/Scholarship

Educational institutes offering programmes in mechanical engineering generally extend scholarships to students from socially and economically backward classes. For example, IITs waive off the complete tuition fees for students belonging to the socially backward communities. Scholarships, freeships, stipends and financial assistance are also provided to students on the basis of merit and other qualifying criteria.

Job Prospect

Since mechanical engineering is the broadest of all engineering fields, the job prospects on offer for skilled mechanical engineers are aplenty and unending. Mechanical engineers are required to design, test, manufacture, install, operate and maintain a wide array of machines and mechanical systems that are used in countless industries. These professionals can find employment both in the government and private sector undertakings.
Major industries that employ mechanical engineers include automobiles, space research, aeronautical, energy and utilities, air conditioning, bio-mechanical industry. Other major employers include giant manufacturing plants, air conditioning and refrigeration industry, turbine manufacturing plants, oil and gas exploration and refining industries and the agricultural sector.
In the government sector, mechanical engineers can provide their knowledge to various government run projects in the role of technical experts and consultants. They can also work in private engineering companies that provide technical consultancy to both government and corporate firms.
These engineers can also hold high managerial positions in government as well as private sector organisations according to their field of expertise and educational qualifications.

Pay Packet

Mechanical engineering offers a wide variety of career opportunities to job aspirants. The average monthly salary of mechanical engineers who are new to this profession is approximately in the range between Rs.10,000 and Rs.25,000. Good campus placements can fetch even better packages for deserving students. Mechanical engineers who hold a post-graduate degree from a reputed academic institute tend to get better offers than diploma and degree holders.
From here on the annual pay packet depends on a number of factors such as the skill set possessed, experience, expertise, the employer, nature of roles and responsibilities, etc. Highly skilled mechanical engineers can easily command pay packets as high as Rs 40-45 lacs per annum.

Demand and Supply

There is great demand for skilled mechanical engineers in different segments of the industry. Their expertise is required in traditional manufacturing industries such as automobiles, aviation, shipping, aerospace, power plants and machinery manufacturing. In recent times, the services of expert mechanical engineers have even been sought in fields such as nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, energy conservation and environmental engineering.
There is also great requirement for mechanical engineer consultants who have management skills along with technical proficiency. The primary role of such professionals is to manage both technology and people and firms that provide engineering consultancy require them.
Various engineering colleges and polytechnics across the country are doing their best to meet the burgeoning demand of skilled mechanical engineering professionals.

Market Watch

The job market for mechanical engineers is perennial. Even the vagaries of the global economic crisis could not knock out the demand for these professionals in the Indian job market. Although some branches of mechanical engineering went out of focus during the meltdown period, the overall situation was much better as compared with other careers. On the brighter side, things are getting back to normal and this evergreen career path is again gaining coin amongst career aspirants as it did during the pre-meltdown years.
In fact, this is a period of resurgence for mechanical engineers. They not only have countless options in the industrial sector but they can also make foray into new realms of technology and even get into management and technical consultancy.
According to a survey, mechanical engineering is amongst the most sought after branches of engineering preferred by students seeking admission to various technical institutes across India in the recent years.

International Focus

Highly qualified professionals from this field, such as post-graduates from various IITs, often seek suitable employment in foreign countries. It is not that only highly qualified mechanical engineers get opportunity to work abroad. If you are employed in a multinational company, you may also get the chance to work on offshore projects

Positives/Negatives

+ives
•  There are umpteen job openings and you will not remain unemployed
•  Constant involvement in the development of new components, gadgets and machines
•  Innovative contribution to the new frontiers of science such as nanotechnology, biomedical engineering and environmental sciences
•  Not hit by recession or global economic meltdown
-ives
•  Working conditions can be adverse at times
•  Deadlines and work pressure can exact a heavy toll on the body and mind
•  Physically strenuous and not for the weak

Different Roles, Different Names

Mechanical engineering is considered the ‘mother’ of all branches of engineering. In this context the roles and responsibilities held by a mechanical engineer are different and depend on their area of specialisation and the industry they are working for.
In broad terms, the job profile of mechanical engineers can be classified into the following functional segments:
•  Research and Development (R&D): Engineers whose role is to do research and then plan for new machines and their constituent parts.
•  Design: Professionals whose responsibility is to draft technical drawings, manually or with the aid of computers.
•  Production: Engineers who supervise the manufacturing of mechanical components and machines.
•  Analysis and testing: Engineers who analyse and test different types of machines and their parts to ensure that they function flawlessly.
•  Installation: Professionals who install machines and mechanical parts at the client location.
•  Maintenance: Engineers whose primary role is to ensure that machinery is working as per specifications.

Top Companies

1.  Automobile and auto part manufacturers
2.  Aerospace industry
3.  Various Government sector undertakings
4.  Aviation companies
5.  Steel plants
6.  Thermal plants and gas turbine manufacturers
7.  Air conditioning and refrigeration industry
8.  Shipping industry
9.  Engineering consultancies
10. Armed forces

Tips for Getting Hired

1.  It is advisable to earn a post-graduate degree in this field
2.  Computer proficiency is a must these days
3.  You must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
4.  A management degree further brightens your career prospects.

Biotechnology

Introduction

The applications of this branch of science are vast and simply mind-boggling. On one hand, it caters to the industrial sector such as food and beverages industry, textiles industry, biological products, medicines and pharmaceuticals while on the other hand this branch of science caters to the requirements of agriculture, animal husbandry, nutrition and environmental conservation. The list is a long and an envious one.

What’s more, the branch of science we are talking about is in itself not confined or bound as a single discipline. Rather it is an interdisciplinary branch of science that is rapidly gaining significance and opportunities for youngsters who want to explore the new frontiers of science are immense. The name of the discipline is Biotechnology.

Although, the name may suggest that this branch of science is steeped in biology but this is not the case. Apart from biology, this branch of science also assimilates diverse subjects like physics, chemistry and mathematics. Furthermore, engineering applications are also an integral constituent of biotechnology.

The concepts derived from this dissimilar mix of sciences are applied to biological matter, generally living cells, for developing new and improved biological and industrial products. Most of the work done by professionals engaged in biotechnology is concerned with research and development work in various laboratories.

Students are showing tremendous interest in biotechnology. The primary reason behind this interest emerges from the fact that the technical and procedural application of biotechnology touches a vast array of disciplines. This in turn opens a lot many job portals for students who are seeking a stable career in their life. Biotechnology, along with its many sub-fields, finds use in so many applications that many new fields have and are being derived from within it.

Step-by-Step

In opting for a specialised profession such as biotechnology, you must plan your career right from your school days. In this context, the combination of subjects of study at the 10+2 level must primarily include Biology, Chemistry, Physics and even Mathematics. Once you have finished schooling you can opt for a suitable undergraduate program (BSc, BE, BTech) in Biotechnology from various academic institutions spread across the country. The duration of a BSc program in biotechnology is three years whereas it is four years for BE and BTech courses.

The eligibility criterion for getting into an undergraduate program varies from one institution to another. In some colleges the eligibility criteria includes a 10+2 with 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. In some other institutions, the 10+2 pass percentage required is 55%. Whereas some colleges consider physics, chemistry and biology combination of subjects as a basic entry level qualification and others take into account the physics, chemistry and mathematics combination. Once this eligibility criterion is met, you can get admission in to BSc programs.

However, for many undergraduate courses in biotechnology you need to sit for common engineering entrance exams such as:
•  The Joint Entrance Examination for IITs (IITJEE): for admission to various IITs
•  All-India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE): for admission to various National Institutes of Technology or regional engineering colleges

Other than these common entrance examinations, engineering institutions offering undergraduate programs conduct their own entrance examinations. The result of these entrances will allow you get admission to an undergraduate course in biotechnology in reputed engineering colleges.

Once you have earned a graduate degree in this field you can go for the master’s level (MSc, ME, MTech). For a Masters in Biotechnology, you should either have a graduate degree in biotechnology or in any subject that is related to biological sciences. A graduate degree in subjects such as biochemistry, biology, botany, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacy, veterinary sciences or zoology is acceptable for an entry into a post-graduate program in biotechnology.

Apart from undergraduate programs, many colleges and universities offer five and five-and-a-half year integrate programs (BTech/MTech) for students. It should be kept in mind that a post-graduate qualification in biotechnology is a must to enter the profitable and ever-expanding field of biotechnical applications.

As it is a blend of numerous disciplines, you have to do a specialisation in a number of fields. Some of the common areas of research include fields like: Agriculture and Agricultural Development, Animal Husbandry, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Botany, Dairy Technology, Environmental Protection, Fishery Development, Genetics, Horticulture, Medicine, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Tissue Culture and Zoology.

After post-graduation, you can apply for a doctoral program and from then on if need be, immerse yourself in post-doctoral research.  Here, it is important to point out that a majority of students prefer to do their PhD and post-doctoral research from foreign universities.

Start Early

To follow biotechnology as a preferred profession, you must have a sound grounding in science from the early school days. You must have keen interest in various branches of science not just for study sake or for obtaining good grades. Rather, you must have a keen perception to understand scientific applications and even keep pace with the latest news from the scientific world.

Once you are through with 10+2, you must either opt for an undergraduate course in biotechnology or any subject that is directly or indirectly related to biological sciences. Remember a masters degree is a must to make a successful career in the domain of biotechnology.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

Important traits for getting into this domain are a high degree of intelligence and a general aptitude for science and scientific applications.

Since biotechnology is redefining the boundaries of science, to become a part of such an innovative field you must posses an inherent attitude of originality and imagination. Other skills that will sail you through a successful and a fulfilling career in this path-breaking area are perseverance, immense patience, analytical proficiency, ability to work for long hours, team spirit and communication skills.

What would it Cost Me?

A typical course in biotechnology can annually cost you anywhere between Rs 20,000 to Rs 2,00,000 or above depending on the college you study.

Usually, government and regional colleges that select students through tough entrance exams charge less as compared to programs offered by private owned colleges.

Funding/Scholarship

Various academic institutions and universities offer scholarships to deserving students who perform extraordinarily in the entrance test and post-entrance  interviews. However, easy loans are available from banks for students to pursue their academics. The money borrowed may be returned after a student gets a job.

For instance, State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank, State Bank of Mysore and Bank of Baroda are some popular banks that offer attractive loans to students. These loans include library fees, book purchases, travel expenses and often allow students to purchase computers, accessories and scientific instruments required to complete their work.

Job Prospects

Biotechnology assimilates in itself a number of disciplines. Further, there is a great demand for biotechnical experts in countless industries and sectors. The following are applications where biotechnological techniques are used extensively:
• Agriculture
• Animal Husbandry
• Environment Conservation
• Genetic Engineering
• Health Care
• Medicine
• Industrial Research and Development

Career opportunities for students in biotechnology abound. Those specialising in different sub-disciplines of this field can easily find jobs in both private and government sector undertakings. If you have acquired a post-graduate degree in biotechnology then you can easily find a suitable position in a number of industries.

Major recruiters include industries engaged in processing and developing agricultural and biological products, bio-processing industries, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. There are ample opportunities in industries producing healthcare products, textile industry, cosmetics and organisations engaged in different types of industrial research and development.

These days a growing number of qualified biotechnical professionals are engaged by different industries for environment protection activities and for the safe disposal of hazardous materials.

Pay Packet

Like any other job profile, the pay packet largely depends on your academic qualification, your area of specialisation and the institution from where you have earned your degree. Fresh graduates in this field can generally bag a monthly salary in the range of Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000.

It has been observed that candidates with a Masters degree in Biotechnology get a better starting salary as compared with students who just have a graduate degree in this field. With an increase in the level of experience, there is abundant scope for getting fatter pay cheques in this exciting and inspiring profession.

Demand and Supply

A number of factors determine the demand of professionals from this interdisciplinary field. India primarily being an agrarian economy, requires professionals who can improve agrarian practices and optimise agricultural output. The growing population of the country requires improved life sciences related products and medicines. This in turn fuels the demand for an increased research and development of vaccines, medicines, tissue culture methods and so on.

There is a steady demand for these professionals in numerous organisations engaged in different types of industrial research and development. On the supply side, technical colleges are trying their best to meet the growing demand for qualified professionals.

One major problem faced on the demand side is that a vast majority of students who are engaged in cutting edge research often tend to leave India to complete their research projects. Moreover, once these students complete their research work they tend to stay and work abroad.

Market Watch

Biotechnology has been making steady progress in last decade and a half. More than half of the earnings from this industry currently come from exports and the trend is expected to remain the same in the coming years.

Although, students doing research work in this field have a tendency to work in foreign countries, yet there is huge potential for students who wish to stay and work in India. According to a recent survey, India is stated to become an international focal point for development of biotechnology.

The areas where biotechnology has grown in India includes Agricultural Biotechnology, Animal Husbandry, Bioinformatics, Bio fertilizers and Dairy development. Growth has also been seen in the area of Bio-resource Development, Plant Biology, Marine Biotechnology, Microbiology, Genetic research.

The changes in the patent regime along with the initiatives taken by the government are expected to bear fruit. All this will lead to a rapid growth and expansion of biotechnological industries in the country.

International Focus

At the international level, India has started making its presence felt in the domain of biotechnology. However, there is tremendous scope for graduate and post-graduate students from this field especially in the United States and in European countries.

A large number of post-graduate students and research scholars tend to move out of India to complete their higher studies. Furthermore, these students prefer to seek employment in the country where they complete their studies or research projects.

Positives/Negatives

+ves:
• This is an upcoming and constantly growing science and has worldwide scope especially in terms of research.

• The scope for research is very wide and efficient work gets fast acclamation within multinationals.

• If you succeed in clearing the tests and interviews, it is assumed you are the right fit for the profession.

-ves:

• The number of seats for biotechnology courses is very limited across colleges in comparison with subjects such as physics, chemistry or biology.

• The testing and interviewing processes usually are difficult and one has to be technically expert.

• The number of companies employing biotechnology students is less when compared with number of companies hiring IT professionals or finance professionals.

• You will have to put in a lot of hard work which can be frustrating at times.

• This is not a profession for people who want to make fast buck but for people who are looking for a long and a well charted career.

Different roles, different names

Biotechnology, as the name suggests is the technology of biology and the scope of both put together. On the one hand, it has concepts from biology explored in depth. On the other hand, this subject explores the impact and the influence of technology on the subject matter. The subject is quite similar to Bioinformatics, which explores biological information in depth using analytical and scientific tools.

Top Companies

Some companies to work with:
1. Biocon
2. Serum Institute of India
3. Panacea Biotech
4. Mahyco Monsanto Biotech
5. Rasi Seeds
6. Novo Nordisk
7. Aventis
8. Indian Immunologicals
9. Venkateshwara Hatcheries
10. Ranbaxy
11. Dr. Reddy’s Labs
12. Piramal Healthcare.
Overall, these are some of the major names in Indian biotechnological industry which extensively use biotechnological processes and techniques to develop and innovate products and processes.

Tips for Getting Hired

1. Apply to at least five to ten top companies to have options for selecting the best job offer out of the ones received.

2. Carry proof of your technical expertise and assure as much as possible that you will be an asset to the company that hires you.

3. Demand a reasonable salary as in the beginning, your focus must be to learn how the industry works, overall.

4. Explore all the possible learning and development opportunities that the companies you have applied to, will provide you. This will help you in choosing the best out of all the offers received.

Insurance

Introduction

Insurance is an agreement between the insurer and the insured, where the latter pays a certain amount of money known as the premium on a monthly or annual basis. The former in turn commits that a large amount of amount of money would be paid to the insured in case of an adversity.. It is better to have an insurance as it helps bail out of  difficult situations like someone in the family falling sick or in case of an accident or robbery.  Insurance companies have different policies for almost any kind of situation one could imagine. The most popular forms of Insurance policies sold by companies are Life Insurance, Travel Insurance, Vehicle Insurance, Health or Mediclaim Insurance and Home Insurance. There are several government bodies viz. Life Insurance Corporation, National Insurance Company and private companies such as ICICI Prudential, Max New York, Birla Sun Life, Bajaj Allianz, and Tata AIG amongst others, which sell Insurance policies.

Step-by-Step

As a student, you may want to take up Insurance as a career after graduation. However, a few students prefer to take up the subject after twelfth standard itself. Several companies these days offer part-time jobs to students after school. Although, it is recommended that you finish college and then pursue a Master’s in Insurance Management to be thorough with the subject.
The following is the course content that a Master’s Degree in Insurance broadly offers;
1.    Principles and Practices of Life and General Insurance
2.    Life and Non Life Insurance Domains
3.    Insurance Laws
4.    Life Insurance Underwriting and Risk Management
5.    Liability of Insurance and Life Insurance Claims
6.    Reinsurance and Life Insurance Products
The aim and objective of this study is to introduce you thoroughly to the various facets of Insurance.

Start Early

If you have an aptitude for people skills, selling skills and are passionate about solving people’s problems and providing them financial security, then Insurance is your way. However, you must not choose Insurance as a career merely for the sake of  making money. Instead, the importance of Insurance   the real world must be understood at the very outset.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

As a student, in college or after having completed school, if you feel you have good selling skills and people skills, then Insurance most definitely is the right subject for you. You may join one of the popular Insurance companies as an Insurance Agent or a Sales Executive- Insurance. For this, you will need to clear the agent exam conducted by IRDA (Insurance Regulatory Authority of India). After working for a few years you can look forward to becoming an Insurance Manager.
There are primarily two skills required for taking up Insurance as a career option: First is the ability to easily befriend people. The second important skill required is the ability to see their problems clearly and make them understand the need for insurance. You can clearly explain to them that Insurance provides a safe cover for any untoward events that may occur in future. At least money-wise, Insurance can make people feel secure.

What would it Cost Me?

The average annual fee of the MBA Insurance program can vary from Rs 1.0 lacto Rs2.0 lacs depending on the university and school you choose. Some of the best Insurance schools in India include ICFAI, NIA and Birla Institute of Management besides several others which provide distance education courses, diploma programmes and regular courses as well.

Funding/Scholarship

There are no separate loans available for Insurance courses alone as such. However, working professionals may study through their company sponsorships. Similarly, education loans of up to Rs. 7.5 lacs are available through banks such as State Bank of India.

Job Prospects

The job prospects for an Insurance professional are increasing day by day. You may join as an Insurance agent where your main responsibilities would include selling insurance policies to people. For this task, you would be given target amounts, which you will have to earn through premiums. On a commission basis, you will be compensated in turn. Other jobs include Sales Manager- Insurance wherein you would handle a team of Insurance agents for selling Insurance policies. Besides, you may join as an Insurance Underwriter as well.

Pay Packet

The pay package of a fresher in an insurance company varies approximately from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 30,000. For higher positions, you may look upto Rs. 1 lac per month. If you have passed out of prestigious B-Schools after completing your Master of Business Administration in Insurance, you may expect a higher salary during the first job itself.

Demand and Supply

Insurance professionals are highly in demand these days. According to statistics, only 14% of world population has been covered by Insurance professionals, which means there is much potential in the 86% population that is still untapped. So basically, the demand is much higher when compared with the supply. What is needed is people with passion for the subject and business acumen. As they say, “Insurance is a subject matter of solicitation”. So clearly, a lot of revenue can be generated using this field if the policies and systems are laid fair and correct.

Market Watch

In the past few years, several popular Insurance companies such as Max New York, ICICI Lombard, Bajaj Allianz and others have come up with new policies to attract buyers. Most of the policies are reliable and of benefit to public. The market has only seen an upswing for the Insurance industry except during the slowdown of 2009, when there was a steep decline in financial position of all top companies.

International Focus

Insurance is a very popular method of securing one’s finances, assets, life and properties. The sector is highly trusted and systematic in developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. In India, the systems are developing and will take some time to gain importance. However, companies such as LIC (Life Insurance Corporation of India Ltd.) and GIC (General Insurance Company of India Ltd.) are two of the most trusted companies. Besides these, all private companies work under the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA) Act.

Positives/Negatives

+ives:

• The industry growth is on an upsurge. The opportunities are increasing day by day for people with strong people skills and selling skills.

• The overall industry growth is assumed to touch an all time high in the coming years. Insurance is seen as the career of the future for students et al.

• There are several professional institutes such as NIA in Pune that provide excellent courses in Insurance for students. Besides, there are institutes such as Birla Schools and ICFAI that provide different courses to students, both regular and distance education-wise.

-ives:

• The students or Insurance professionals need high convincing skills to persuade people in buying insurance policies. Sometimes, this may be disliked.
• There are several companies venturing into this business day by day. For instance, Reliance is one recent company to have ventured into Insurance business. Due to this, sometimes it may be difficult to trust the reliability of the organization.

Different Roles, Different Names

Insurance can be sold with different names but ultimately the aim is to insure somebody against untoward incidents such as accidents, thefts and natural calamities. The different types of insurance policies include Life Insurance, Health and Mediclaim Insurance, Home Insurance and Vehicle Insurance to name a few.

Top Companies

On the job front, based on random statistical information, the following are the top 10 Insurance companies in India:
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, ICICI Lombard General Insurance, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, Birla Sunlife Insurance, Tata AIG General Insurance, New India Assurance Co., Iffco Tokyo General Insurance, Oriental Insurance Co., and HDFC Standard Life Insurance.

Tips for Getting Hired

You may follow the below mentioned tips to get selected as an Insurance professional after completing your bachelor’s or master’s degree in Insurance:

1. Check the websites of the best Insurance companies for the job openings and apply for the same.
2. Develop an excellent friend and contact circle to avail their reference in future for negotiating in Insurance deals.
3. Read necessary books on selling skills, business etiquette and business communication.
4. Upgrade yourself with latest world Insurance scenario and new strategies that aren being introduced.
5. Update yourself with the various laws and regulations such as IRDA act and the following amendments that may be applicable to Insurance policies.
6. Update yourself with the top-notch finance companies and their stock exchange status so that you can plan your selling and negotiating accordingly.