CBSE has launched the second phase of its counselling programme, aimed at helping students deal with anxiety and possible stress connected with the examination results. Students can seek help by telephone, and an interactive voice response system (IVRS) has also been made available. Information is available on the CBSE website as well. The helplines will be operational till June 4, said an announcement by the board.

For the first time, the CBSE had this year introduced a centralised system with a toll free number- 1800 11 7002, which could be accessed from any part of the country.

The operators will answer general queries and also put students in touch with counsellors if they need counselling. As many as 40 principals, trained counsellors from CBSE affiliated government and private schools, psychologists and social scientists will attend calls from 8 a.m. to midnight.

Thirty seven of them are located in Delhi, Noida, Chandigarh, Meerut, Jaipur, Faridabad, Bhubaneswar, Vishakhapatnam, Jamnagar, Jabalpur, Coimbatore, Bhopal, Nagpur, Bangalore, Guwahati, Kerala, Ludhiana, Bhilai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Hosur and Pune. Besides these, there are three overseas centres — Dubai, Doha-Qatar and Kuwait.

The IVRS facility can be accessed through BSNL (landline and mobile) 1250102 (except in Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra) Airtel (landline) 1250102 and Reliance 55500102. Members of the public can also log on to the CBSE website and interact with the chairman on exam-related matters. The Director (Academic) and Controller of Examinations, CBSE can also be contacted for online counselling at: diracad.cbse@yahoo.co.in, mcsharma2007@rediffmail.com. The CBSE website also has detailed information on dealing with anxiety and examination-related stress.

Excerpts from an interview with Latha Pillai, Pro Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU:

What are the new courses that the IGNOU will offer from the coming academic year? Are there any specific reasons for introducing them?

IGNOU will be offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Psychology, and certificate, diploma and master's programmes in Performing Arts and Theatre Arts.

The programme in Performing and Theatre Arts will be on-campus at the IGNOU as well as select theatre/dance schools across the country. Other additions are a programme on Diabetic Care for Community Workers, a certificate programme in Community Skills for BPOs and M.Sc. in Counselling and Family Therapy.

Ant announcement was made recently about IGNOU and Tamil Nadu ICT Academy considering collaboration in the area of teacher training. How do you think the IGNOU can contribute?

Over the years, IGNOU has developed a large number of training programmes for teachers ranging from the pre-primary level to Master's in Education.

In order to enhance the competencies of teachers, both pre-service and in-service, IGNOU has established Institutes for Competency Advancement of Teachers. An interaction with the Tamil Nadu ICT Academy will he held in the first week of May. Through the collaboration, IGNOU will offer specific modules in technology-enabled education and use of ICT in specific subject domains.

The programmes of the Academy could also be supplemented with modules from IGNOU to package the learning into either Certificate-level or Diploma-level programmes.

IGNOU seems to be making a conscious attempt to introduce practical components in many of its courses. Is this an attempt to make distance education programmes more valid in the industry?

IGNOU has incorporated practical/project work as an integral part of most of its programmes. In the recent past, this emphasis is being reiterated in view of the importance of skill-based education.

The recent partnerships with industry have also established the need for students to have relevant practical training.

Does IGNOU have a mechanism to track placements of its students?

Efforts to track placement of students happens but in a rather informal and isolated manner. While there is a need to have a stronger database of alumni, probably because of the fact that many of our students are already working, a mature system has not yet evolved.

What are IGNOU's plans for the next year?

IGNOU feels strongly committed to contribute to the national agenda of enhancing the gross enrolment ratio and also the National Skills Development Mission.

While a number of innovative ways of reaching out to the remotest parts through mobile study centres, partnership with credible NGOs, and mainstreaming school drop-outs are being undertaken for enhancing GER, the scheme of community colleges and vocational education is also being emphasised.

When the Class XII results are out, students immediately shift gears and speed up their search for the right course and institution.

With the aim of helping such students and parents zero in on the right course, The Hindu Education Plus will organise its annual fair on May 21 and 22 at Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam.

Sponsored by VIT University, Vellore, the event would feature a detailed pre-counselling session, sponsored by P.B. College of Engineering, to look at feasible options in engineering, how students need to prepare themselves for the counselling and how they should make that final, vital decision on the course, branch and college. The session would feature eminent professionals in the area and also provide students an opportunity to interact with them in the question and answer session that would follow.

This will be followed by ‘IT Edge', a panel discussion that would seek to analyse the scope and different options in the IT sector. It is sponsored by DO-IT.

Day two of the fair will begin with ‘Board the Board', a seminar on management studies, followed by the ‘Psycho Profiling Test' offered by Bodhi. A special session ‘OFFBEAT', sponsored by AMET University, dedicated to non-traditional courses will follow.

Entry to the fair is free.

The five-year integrated postgraduate programmes of Bharathidasan University have been serving the purpose of attracting bright Plus Two students. With six constituent departments — Plant Science, Animal Science, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, and Biochemistry — the School of Life Sciences that offers five-years Integrated M.Sc. programme was recently recognised as a ‘Centre for Excellence in Life Sciences' by the Government of Tamil Nadu with a Rs. 1 crore-grant.

The M.Sc. programme being offered successfully for over two decades now is recognised by the Central and State governments; candidates become eligible to appear for Civil service examinations of Central and State Governments, SLET, NET and TRB, M.V. Rao, Programme Co-ordinator, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, said.

Attributing the success of the programme to competent teachers and a conducive atmosphere, Dr. Rao said the School was well equipped with the latest sophisticated instruments and other infrastructure.

The School of Life Sciences has produced many Ph.Ds, with the support of the departments of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, English and Tamil. The speciality of the semester-system and CBCS-pattern programme is that it includes as many as 53 courses of study, which are all taught at postgraduate level, and a project work done at the last semester.

The core papers of the programme constitute Biodiversity of microbes, flora and fauna, Systems Physiology of microbes, plants and animals, Genetics and Breeding, Plant Tissue Culture, Animal Cell Culture, Cell and Molecular Biology, Molecular Genetics, Genetic Engineering, Biomolecules, Enzymology, Metabolic Regulation, Signal Transduction, Bioinstrumentation, Ecology, Endocrinology, Immunology, Microbial Diseases and Diagnostics, Clinical Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Computer Programing, Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Modelling and Drug Design, Developmental Biology. Besides these core courses, advanced courses in biotechnological aspects of plant, animal and microbial systems such as genetically-modified organisms / products, Stem Cell Technology, Cancer Biology, Bioprocess Technology etc. are offered from Seventh semester onwards.

Students are admitted to the programme based on the total marks secured by them in Biology / Botany and Zoology in Plus Two and on their score in a national-level entrance test, conducted by the School.

Many students who went out of the portals of the School of Life Sciences are either well placed in highly-reputed educational or research establishments or pursuing higher studies or research abroad or in renowned institutions in India, Dr. Rao said.

The School of Life Sciences has a separate library with more than 6,000 books catering to the requirements of the M.Sc. students. For more details, contact Dr. Rao at 954312407061 / 9442147460 or through email: mvrao_456@yahoo.co.in.

Integrated M.A. in History

Likewise, the university's Department of History has been offering five-year Integrated M.A. in History since last year for Plus Two students of any group.

The newly-revised subjects introduced by the UPSC for preliminary and main examinations such as Indian Polity, Public Administration, Human Rights and Social Justice have been incorporated in the five-year Integrated Syllabus, N. Rajendran, Dean of Arts, and Head, Department of History, said.

The coaching in research methods and techniques as part of the course enables students to pursue Ph.D with ease after completing their M.A. An M.A. qualification in the Integrated five-year History course makes the candidates eligible for taking up jobs of Assistant Professors, archaeologists, museum curators, epigraphists, journalists, translators, and tour operators and guides, Dr. Rajendran said.

Students will have an opportunity to interact with renowned scholars and resource persons from various esteemed institutions like the IIT, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Osmania University, and ISRO, during the various national seminars and workshops.

Along with the five-year course, students can pursue diploma, and certificate courses on Human Rights and Nehruvian Thoughts concurrently.

The Department also offers two-year M.A. in History for candidates with any degree.

If the first step is not right, then everything ends up wrong. There are some common FAQ among students and parents:-

What are the various courses available?

Generally the undergraduate courses are divided into three major categories, Engineering, Medical and Arts and science. The various courses are:

Engineering: The most popular in the engineering courses are Aeronautical Engineering, Automobile Engineering, Bioinformatics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, Information Technology, Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Nanotechnology, Petroleum Engineering, and Architecture .

Medical and Paramedical:

MBBS: The most glamorous course available today. Doctor's profession involves a lot of hard work with good degree of dedication.

Dentistry: It is the art and science of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of conditions, deceases and disorder of the oral cavity, the maxillofacial region and its associated structures as it relates to human body.

Nursing: One of the noblest professions in the world. Nursing is not confined just to patient care but a range and variety of subjects have made nursing very demanding.

Pharmacy: It has a close link with life sciences. Pharmacology is the science of drugs, their discovery and uses.

Physiotherapy; It deals with the study of scientific procedures used in the treatment of patient with disability, decease or injury to achieve and maintain functional rehabilitation.

Medical Laboratory Technology: Involves the production of medical technologist. These professionals get involved in practical and technical work to aid correct diagnosis and in the functioning of biochemical laboratories.

Arts and Science Course:

Conventional Science courses: These include Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Mathematics, Environmental science, Geology, Geography, Food science etc.

Interdisciplinary Courses: These courses originated from the convergence of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer. The courses include Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology, Microbiology etc.

Business Administration: BBM & MBA are the courses available under business administration. These courses have great demand due to high job opportunities.

Conventional Arts Courses: This includes English, Economics, History, Political Science, Social work, Psychology, Mass communication, Languages, Civics etc.

Commerce: B.Com, M.Com, B.Com (CA) & M.Com (CA) are the courses under commerce.

Computer-related courses: Computer related courses have a demand due to the application of computers in all sectors and jobs. Various courses under this section are BCA,MCA, B,Sc. & M.Sc. Computer Science, B.Sc .& M.Sc. IT etc.

Education: B.Ed and M.Ed are the courses which are widely been recognized.

2. Which course should I select?

Most of us select a course which is of high demandbecause majority of students got placements during the last academic year. By evaluating the record of the placement, parents and students select a course. But, this kind of selection is totally wrong.

The job market is based on demand and supply.

A particular course which has a high placement requirement may lose its fame in the future. We should see what course shall be of high demand when the student completes the course.

Hence, one should select a course which will have huge demand in the future.