Your counsellor repliesI‚ve just completed class X and will be enrolling in class XI (science). I‚m very keen on a career in astronomy. Please advise.Gautam Puri, BangaloreIn classes XI-XII you have to take physics, chemistry and mathematics as your combination. Usually astronomy or astrophysics is integrated into the B.Sc physics curriculum with a handful of universities offering it as a major. At the Master‚s level astronomy is often offered as a specialisation in the M.Sc physics programme. After a Master‚s degree in physics or the mathematical sciences, you could press on for a doctorate in astronomy. Reputed institutes where you can read for a Ph D include the Inter-University Centre for Astonomy and Astrophysics, Post Bag 4, Ganeshkind, Pune 411 007; Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore; National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), TIFR, Pune University Campus, PB No. 3, Ganeshkind, Pune 411 007; Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad. Career opportunities for astronomers to reach for the stars are plentiful because only a few opt for this profession.I‚m an engineer and interested in an MBA (finance) through correspondence. Can you suggest some study options?Nikhil Srinivas, ChennaiThe All India Management Association (AIMA) offers a postgraduate diploma in management (PGDM) with specialisations in insurance, human resource management (HRM), finance, marketing, operations and international business through distance learning. The precondition of admission is clearance of AIMA‚s Management Aptitude Test (MAT). The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) also offers an MBA with specialisation in HRM, finance, operations and marketing through correspondence. Admission is for students who have passed MAT. Both these study programmes are good. Another correspondence option is offered by the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Dnyangangotri, Near Gangapur Dam, Nasik 422 222 (www.yemou.com). The advantage of AIMA and IGNOU is that they have a countrywide network of study centres. Other universities/ institutions offering MBA programmes through correspondence also advertise in prominent dailies. I‚m in class XII and would like to qualify as a psychologist. Please advise.Pallavi Mukherjee, KolkataAfter finishing Plus Two enroll in a BA degree programme. Choose a college which offers a major in psychology. After that you need a Master‚s to qualify as a psychologist. At the Master‚s level, you could specialise in industrial/ clinical/ social/ counselling and allied fields. Qualified psychologists can pursue careers in teaching, clinical practice, research, psychological testing, or industrial counselling. Completing a Ph D will further improve your career prospects in teaching, research and consulting.I would like to pursue a degree programme in travel and tourism through distance education. Please provide details of study courses available.Neena Advani, Mumbai You could consider the bachelor of tourism studies (BTS) offered by IGNOU (www.ignou.ac.in). Simultaneously you could pursue IATA courses through home study or through IATA‚s authorised training centres. IATA (www.iata.org) study programmes are offered at four levels, one leading to the next. The highest level of training relates to opportunities in management and consulting. With BTS and IATA qualifications you will be well-equipped for attractive placements in the booming tourism and travel industry. You could also write to the University of Mumbai, Garware Institute of Career Education and Development, Vidyanagari, Kalina, Santacruz (E), Mumbai 400 098, for details of the tourism and travel industry courses it offers. Distance education is useful provided you are able to maintain a regular study schedule. You must make it a point to finish the courses in the allotted time without seeking extensions.I would like to become a pilot after my Plus Two next year. What study courses are available in India and abroad? What are the eligibility requirements and employment prospects?Surinder Singh, New DelhiTo qualify as a pilot, you must be over 17 years of age and should have completed Plus Two with physics and mathematics. Initial training of 60 hours leads to the award of a private pilot licence (PPL). PPL training is available in government sponsored flying clubs and private flying schools all over the country. After acquiring a PPL, you will have to study towards acquiring a commercial pilot licence (CPL) ‚ which requires clocking another 190 hours of flying time. While studying towards a CPL apart from completing the prescribed flying hours, you also have to write the examination conducted by the director general of civil aviation (DGCA). For all this you need to budget approximately Rs.15 lakh. Medical standards are strictly as per rules and regulations of the government of India. The premier flying training institute in the country is the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy (IGRUA), Fursatganj Airfield, Rae Bareli 229 302 (UP) (www.igrua.com) which offers a two-year course ab initio from PPL to CPL and a B.Sc (aviation). If you were to acquire a CPL from abroad and wanted to look for a job in India, you will still have to write the DGCA examination.I‚ll be graduating in physics next year and am good at numbers. What career options are available to me other than the sciences?Ashok Chavan, PuneGiven your facility with numbers you could consider an MCA, MBA, actuarial science, operations research and related courses. Admission into MBA and MCA courses require you to clear entrance examinations.I‚m in class XI (science) and am interested in aerospace engineering, with a view to working in NASA. I‚m a brilliant student and have always topped my class. Please advise.Ravi Nair, CochinYour performance in Plus Two will give you a clear idea whether a career in science is in line with your abilities or not. If so, you can plan for a degree in aerospace or aeronautical engineering in India followed by postgraduate studies in the subject in a premier US university. In India the most reputed aerospace engineering programmes are offered by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), admission for which is through the IIT Joint Entrance Examination. Admission into a Master‚s degree programme in the US is possible with an engineering degree in any branch (not just aerospace or aeronautical engineering). NASA offers educational opportunities, fellowships, etc for students enrolled in a related programme in a US university. To find out about NASA‚s educational opportunities log on to www. education.nasa.gov.