Can't discount TISS
Tata Institute of Social Sciences: Mumbai.
THE PERSONNEL Management and Industrial Relations course at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, is highly valued by recruiters. Take a look at the placements and you will find companies from banking, manufacturing, IT, ITES, FMCG and manufacturing visit the campus. What is it that makes this course an attractive choice?
"This is a highly industry-oriented course," says Chitra Iyer, who passed out recently,working at Tata Motors, Mumbai. "We have four semesters and in every semester we have fieldwork assignments.
"In the first semester I did a project for BPCL on competency mapping and in the next I studied human resource issues in business process outsourcing organisations," she says. This kind of exposure actually shortens the learning cycle when one reaches the industry.
"The institute sees to it that you get adequate exposure to different industries such as manufacturing, banking, IT, FMCG, etc. Two days in a week, you are attached to a company to study the issues and work on projects given by them", says Sandeep Olakar, also from the same batch, with ICICI, Mumbai.
These assignments are in addition to the summer and winter projects, which are routine. He says: "We have an excellent library and a very strong alumni."
Summer camps
Sandeep mentions a project with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) as a pre-requisite for the degree. During this NGO block assignment, students organised summer camps, recruited social workers and carried out any need-based assignments entrusted to them.
What kind of students is the institute looking for? Abhijit Gangopadhyay, Professor and Head Department of Personnel Management and Industrial Relations, TISS, says: "We look for both quantitative and qualitative skills in the applicants. We want a person who is reflective, can think out of the box, has managerial potential, is not a clone and someone who can always add value."
Entrance examination
The entrance examination has an essay test, a logical ability test, a group discussion and a personal interview. What is put to test in the essay test is your ability to express your point of view on current socio-economic and business issues..
The aptitude test would be for about 20 minutes. There would be 40 questions on mathematics, logical ability and English.
One mark would be deducted for every wrong answer. Group discussion topics would be selected from social, economic, industrial and corporate issues, says Professor Gangopadhyay.
The interview would assess the sensitivity to and awareness of the candidates of personnel management issues. Therefore questions could be from "personnel and human resource management areas."
The interview would also give the candidates a chance to learn about the course so that they can make an informed decision prior to joining.
Chitra says: "There is no set pattern for interviews. They asked me as to how I spent my holidays in Goa and then went to the difference between the IMF and the World Bank." Ask Sandeep and you find him advising you to know your undergraduate subject thoroughly.
In addition, you maybe asked personal questions such as what are your strengths, and weaknesses and why you want to join the course.
PG specialisation courses
TISS HAS just announced its postgraduate specialisation programmes for 2005-07:
Master of Arts in Social Work has five specialisations to choose from. 1. Criminology and Correctional Administration, 2. Family and Child Welfare, 3. Medical and Psychiatric SocialWork, 4. Social Welfare Administration, and 5. Urban and Rural Community Development.
Master of Arts in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations. Master of Health Administration and Master of Hospital Administration.
Graduates with 50 per cent marks are eligible to take the entrance test. Students who would complete their final year Bachelor's Degree by June 26, 2005 are eligible. The total assessment is for 200 marks. The parameters: 1. Academic background (30 marks), though academic achievement would not be the only criterion. 2. An essay test (60 marks). This would test the ability of a candidate to express his point of view on current issues through written analysis in English in 45 minutes. 3. Group Discussion (40 marks). This would assess the communication skills and awareness on social, political and economic issues in 20 minutes. Those who qualify in the written test and the group discussion would be called for a personal interview the next day (70 marks).
Last date for issue of forms by post: 24-01-2005. Last date for receipt of forms at the institute by post and in person: 31-01-2005. Test/Interviews: 6 to 16-06-2005. Commencement of the academic session: 27-06-2005. For more details log on to www.tiss.edu.
By Puja S. Navin
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