Studying the secret of stars

Q: I am keen on studying astrophysics. Which are the best institutes to do it from?

Shashi Kamal Chakraborty

A: Astrophysicists study the behaviour of astronomical phenomena. It includes the study of plasma kinetics, stellar physics, radiation transfer theory, mathematical modelling, galactic structure theory, etc. Shivaji University, Kolhapur, is the only one to offer astrophysics at the BSc level. However, astrophysics is taught at the MSc level at many universities.

Birla Institute of Astronomy and Planetarium Sciences (BIAPS), Calcutta, offers a six-month postgraduate diploma in astronomy and planetarium sciences. The eligibility is a BSc (hons) or a masters with at least two of the following ? physics, chemistry, mathematics, statistics or geology.

M.P. Birla Planetarium, 96 Jawaharlal Road, Calcutta, offers a postgraduate diploma in astronomy and planetary sciences.

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, also offers a course. You can look up their website (www.iisc.ernet.in) for more details.

National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), (www.tifr.res.in/~gsch) offers research programmes in astrophysics and astronomy. The eligibility is a MSc in (physics/astrophyics/applied maths/physical chemistry. The selection is by a test, followed by an interview.

Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, (IUCAA) (www.iucaa.ernet.in) also offers a MTech in astrophysics as well as a PhD in astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, quantum physics and experimental and theoretical physics.

Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS), Pilani, offers a MPhil in astronomy and planetarium sciences in collaboration with BIAPS (Birla Institute of Astronomy and Planetarium Sciences) Calcutta.

Options aplenty with an MCA

Q: I will be completing BCA this year. What would be my options after doing an MCA?

R. Basu

A: With an MCA degree, you could be any of the following — an analyst programmer, CAD/CAM technician, computer consultant, web developer, web master, computer operations manager, security analyst, software services representative, systems analyst, systems design specialist, etc.

A majority of these jobs requires competence in systems analysis (SA). The SA is a professional problem solver who analyses the different sets of manual procedures in use in an organisation and replaces them with computerised processes. Expertise and flair in technologies such as mobile computing, embedded or telecom software, VLSI design, GPS and information security which are the other hot areas, should boost your prospects further.

Clinical research is the field to be in

Q: I am a final year student of BPharma and want to do a MSc in clinical research. Where can I pursue it and what are the prospects?

Artra Saha

A: A fledgling industry in India so far, clinical research is all set to take off. India offers a large patient base with a diverse gene pool on which broad-based clinical trials can be validated. Also, over 20 Indian and foreign clinical research companies have launched operations in India in the past four years. Opportunities in outsourced clinical trials are also expected to proliferate.

And the only impediment preventing the industry from expanding is a severe shortage of clinical research associates familiar with complex chemical synthesis. Thus, there is an increasing demand for skilled professionals who can design, code, conduct and report clinical trials with a clear understanding of good lab practices.

Due to a shortage of qualified clinical researchers, poaching within the industry is rampant. And it is not just the clinical research organisations that are on a hiring spree but pharma giants like Eli Lilly and Pfizer too are dipping into the same talent pool for their in-house clinical trials. Thus, this is one of the best career options to pursue.

The Academy of Clinical Excellence launched by Bombay College of Pharmacy in collaboration with Pfizer and Suven Pharma offers short-term as well as six-months full-time courses for clinical research professionals. Pune University’s Bioinformatics Centre has also launched a one-semester certificate course in clinical research and data management. You can log on to http://www.bioinfo.ernet.in for more details.

However, before making a dash for them, you must understand that there is no unified evaluation of courses in this field as the precise skill-sets are yet to be defined by the industry. Also, there is no benchmarking of their quality as the initial batches are yet to enter the job market.

For the top positions, companies prefer MDs in (pharmacology/medicine) with a few years of relevant work experience. Participation in the International Conference for Harmonisation ? Good Clinical Practices (ICH-GCP) and Company Standard Operating Procedures will add value to your CV.

If you plan to go abroad, then countries like USA and UK offer full time courses in chemistry and pharmacology.