Your Counsellor Replies

Your Counsellor RepliesI‚m in class XII (science) and keen on a career in aerospace engineering. Which colleges in India offer this programme? Is it possible to get admission into NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and MIT in the US?Suhas Rene, PuneThe six Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) offer the best aerospace engineering study programmes. Other colleges affiliated to Anna University (www.annauniv.edu) and Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh (using AIEEE scores) also offer programmes in aerospace engineering.After you have completed an engin-eering degree in India, you could pursue postgraduate studies in American universities. A degree in mechanical or electronic engineering is certainly useful when applying to graduate engineering schools in the US like MIT, Stanford, California Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Purdue University etc, which offer excellent aerospace engineering study programmes. It‚s best to apply for NASA programmes while studying in the US. Ultimately, it‚s your brilliant academic performance and single-minded pursuit of goals which will determine admission into prestigious organisations.After completing my B.Com I would like to pursue a career in insurance. Should I study for an MBA with specialisation in insurance or can you suggest some specialist courses in insurance?Neha Patel, AhmedabadGiven the annual growth rates of the insurance sector, an MBA in insurance is a fast track career option. You could enquire about the MBA programme offered by the National Insurance Academy, Balewadi, Baner Road, NIA, Pune 411 045 (www.niapune. com). Other insurance study courses include advanced diploma in risk and insurance management (ADRIM) and diploma in insurance operations management (DIOM) offered by the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Insurance Centre, V.L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle, W Mumbai 400 056 (www.nmims.edu). A one year certified insurance consultant‚s programme is also offered at Tata-AIG Academy of Excellence, Tata AIG Life Insurance Co. Ltd, 24 Homi Mody Street, Mumbai 400 001. Moreover the Insurance Institute of India, Universal Insurance Bldg., 6th Floor, Sir P.M. Road, Mumbai 400 001 (www.insuranceinstituteofindia.com) conducts qualifying examinations at three basic levels: licentiate, associateship and fellowship for insurance professionals.What is bioinformatics? Please provide details of courses offered in this subject at the postgraduate level. Venkat Narayan, TrivandrumBioinformatics is intrinsic to biotechnology. It is the union of the biological and computer sciences. One-year postgraduate diplomas, two year Masters degrees and one year advanced diploma programmes in bioinformatics are offered by several universities in India. Admission is usually on the basis of performance in entrance tests. Among the prominent universities offering postgraduate programmes in bioinformatics are Pune University (www.unipune.ernet.in); Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (www.jnu.ac.in); Bioinformatics Centre, School of Biotechnology, Madurai Kamaraj University, Palkalai Nagar, Madurai 625021; Pondicherry University, R.V. Nagar, Pondicherry 605 014; University of Calcutta‚s department of biophysics, molecular biology and genetics; faculty for postgraduate studies in science, technology and agriculture, University College of Science, 92, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata 700 009; Bharathiar University, Coimbatore (www.bharathiaruni.org); Bharatidasan University, Tiruchirapalli 620 024; Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biology, Bangalore (www.ibab.ac.in); University of Hyderabad (www.uohyd.ernet.in); SIES Indian Institute of Environment Management, Navi Mumbai (www. siescolleges.com; www.sies.eeim.org); Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneshwar 751 003 and Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Tameka, Hyderabad 570 007 (www.iictindia.org). Bioinformatics graduates usually find employment in research and development organisations and in academic positions. I‚m doing my Plus Two (physics, chemistry and maths) and want to qualify as an automobile designer. How do I achieve my ambition?Dinesh Chawla, New DelhiAfter passing your Plus Two exam, the best option will be to pursue a degree in automobile engineering followed by a postgrad programme in automobile design. At the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad you could study product design after Plus Two in any stream. You could also try for admission into the two-year postgrad Master of Design programmes in industrial design of IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi, IISc-Bangalore and IIT-Kanpur by writing the Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED). The eligibility criterion is a bachelor‚s degree or equivalent in engineering, architecture or design, interior design, or bachelor of fine arts (professional courses in applied art/ fine arts) or GD Art (five year professional course).I‚m in class XII (science) and interested in cosmology as a career. Please advise. Nikhil Iyer, ChennaiCosmology is the branch of astronomy which deals with the structure and evolution of the universe. Modern cosmology studies began in the 1920s with the discovery that the universe is expanding and that it all began with the ‚Ëœbig bang‚. If you want to chart a career path in astronomy and related subjects, the starting point is a B.Sc degree with physics as a subsidiary since you will rarely find astronomy offered as a subject at the undergraduate level. A Ph D is the usual requirement to become a cosmo-logist, since most of the work tends to be related to research and development.After completing my Plus Two (science) next year, I would like to pursue a career in optometry. Please advise.Nirmala Rao, BangaloreAfter completing Plus Two (science), you will be eligible for admission into the four year bachelor‚s degree programme in optometry offered by the following colleges: Lotus College of Optometry, 13th North South Road, JVPD, Opp. Juhu Bus Terminus, Mumbai 400 049 (formerly HHK College of Optometry); Bharati Vidya-peeth‚s Medical College, Katraj Dhankawadi, Pune 411 043; College of Optometry and Opthalmic Sciences, Bohora Park, Gangapur Road, Nashik 422 002; L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034; All India Institute of Optometrical Sciences, 14/3 A Gariahat Road, Kolkata 700 019 and Elite School of Optometry, C. U. Shah Opthalmic Postgraduate Training Centre, Medical Research Foundation, 18 College Road, Chennai 600 006. There is usually an entrance test for admission. The optical trade needs more than 10,000 optometrists to service customers, so career prospects are very good.