Your Counsellor RepliesI‚ve completed my B.Com and am currently studying for the CA (chartered accountancy) exam. I also want to pursue some other study programmes (CS, M.Com, etc). Which qualification when combined with CA certification will give me an edge in the job market?Shekhar Rao, BangaloreIf you want to qualify as a chartered accountant, your energies and focus should be solely on excelling in the CA exam because the demands of the mandatory articleship and CA studies are sufficiently daunting. But if you feel you can manage to add to your academic qualifications, you could consider CS, CWA or M.Com. Chartered accountants who are rank holders and have completed their articleship from reputed organi-sations usually get the best entry level placements. Many CAs also pursue an MBA from reputed B-schools to avail the facility of campus recruitment.I‚ll be completing my B.Sc (physics and chemistry) next year. Which course should I pursue after graduation ‚ an M.Sc in biotechnology or MBA in biotechnology?Nalini Gupta, New Delhi MBA after B.Sc or M.Sc will qualify you for a career in all industries. On the other hand an MBA (biotechnology) will qualify you specifically for the biotech and related industries. This qualification is focused on a particular sector of specialised research and applications and hence job opportunities are limited. Finally, if security and placements happen to be your priorities, focus on institutions which attract established recruiters.I need information on IATA courses. Please advise.Shalini Singh, ChandigarhThe IATA/UFTAA (international travel and tourism training) programme is a four-level career path through foundation, consultancy, management and senior management courses. IATA/ UFTAA training courses are based on an independent, home-study method with a complete training kit including training manuals and study publications. This programme is offered in more than 240 IATA/ UFTAA authorised training centres (ATCs) around the world. These centres set their own tuition fees and course structure but the examination papers are based on IATA/ UTFAA course content. Career opportunities are better for those who have higher levels of training. If you do not find it practical to study for the IATA courses on your own, you should consider any of the ATCs (log on to www.iata.org/ps/training/uftaa_ foundation.htm).I‚m in class XII (arts) and would like to pursue a career in publicity design. Please advise.Deepak Sule, PuneThe best study programme in this field is the bachelor of fine arts degree course offered by several universities in the country or the National Institute of Design‚s (NID) graduate diploma course. Both are of four years duration and open to applicants after Plus Two. You still have time to apply for admission. To learn about NID‚s postgrad courses visit (www.nid.edu). Alternatively you can enroll in commercial art diploma programmes offered by private training institutes. Entry into these programmes requires artistic aptitude. If the formal training route isn‚t appealing and you have a reasonably well compiled portfolio of sketches, try to approach prospective employers directly. If your work is good you could land some freelance assignments. After working on several projects you can decide whether publicity design is a suitable career for you.I‚m a Plus Two (science) student and wish to pursue a career in veterinary science. Please provide information about entrance exams for Maharashtra and other states. What is the minimum percentage required to secure admission into a veterinary college? Ruby Sethna, MumbaiAdmission into B.V.Sc & A.H. (bachelor of veterinary science and animal husbandry) courses in veterinary colleges affiliated to the Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Seminary Hills, Nagpur 440 006, is open. Students who have passed class XII or equivalent with physics, chemistry and biology and the MH-CET (Maharashtra Common Entrance Test) of the same year are eligible for admission. You can learn more about the B.V.Sc. & A.H course from the Bombay Veterinary College, Parel, Mumbai 400 012. For details of MH-CET visit www.dmar.org. Admission to veterinary colleges in other states is based on their own regional requirements. However, you could write the All India Common Entrance Exam (usually held in May every year) for the 15 percent seats reserved for ‚Ëœoutsiders‚. Students from any part of the country who have cleared Plus Two with at least 50 percent in physics, chemistry, math and English (40 percent for SC/ST and other special category of students as specified by the government of India) are eligible to write the exam. You should have completed 17 years of age. The public notification is usually in December.I would like information about the Armed Forces Medical Colleges (AFMC). How does one get admission into it?Sridhar Iyengar, ChennaiThe Armed Forces Medical College conducts an all-India entrance test for admission into its MBBS programme. The press notification for admission usually appears in December-January. Unmarried candidates who have cleared Plus Two/ pre-professional/ premedical exam or equivalent in the first attempt with English, physics, chemistry and biology securing not less than 60 percent in each of these subjects and 50 percent in English can apply. Moreover applicants should have passed an exam in maths of matriculation standard and be over 17 years but less than 22 years as on December 11 of the year of admission. The entrance examination is a two-hour paper posing objective type questions in biology, chemistry, physics, logic, reasoning and English language and comprehension.On the basis of their performance in the written test, candidates are shortlisted for an interview at AFMC, Pune. Subsequently two merit lists are prepared for admission ‚ for boys and girls separately. Selected candidates are required to execute a bond to serve as commissioned officers in the Armed Forces Medical Services after graduation. AFMC also offers postgraduate courses for service officers. Only foreign students and those with non-service liability have to pay tuition fees and hostel rent.I‚m a bright student and will be completing my B.Sc next year. I‚m keen on doing M.Sc in astronomy. Please give me information on the courses available.Sachin Sule, PunePostgraduate study programmes in astronomy are offered by Punjab University, Patiala 147 002; Osmania University, Hyderabad 500 007; Birla Planetarium, Kolkata and Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530 003.