SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Young India lacks soft skills: Survey

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Young India lacks soft skills: Survey: White Paper India’s demographic dividend – its young population – is in danger of becoming a liability. By a conservative estimate, ...

Young India lacks soft skills: Survey

White Paper

India’s demographic dividend – its young population – is in danger of becoming a liability. By a conservative estimate, more than one-third of the millions that graduate each year are unemployable.

A survey of 303 employers across the country by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) in 2010 found a majority of graduates lacked adequate “soft skills” to be employed in the industry.

Only about one-third employers were satisfied with the communication ability of their employees and about 26 per cent with their employees’ writing ability. If this trend continues, the prospects for the 1.4 billion youth estimated to enter the work force by 2020, and consequently for the economy, look anything but promising.

An April 6 report in the Wall Street Journal highlighted this growing mismatch between the labour force and the skill set available.

“India graduates millions but too few are fit to hire,” the report says. “Engineering colleges in India now have seats for 1.5 million students, nearly four times the 39,000 available in 2000. But 75 per cent of technical graduates and more than 85 per cent of general students are unemployable”.

Narendra Jadhav, Planning Commission member in-charge of education and former vice-chancellor of Pune University, agrees. “Survey after survey has shown that 33 per cent of our graduates are unemployable,” he said. “The quality of teaching on our campuses is outdated. They do not follow the latest market demands. Added to that is the student’s level of learning, but most crucial is the lack of communication skills,” he added.

The Ficci survey found that only 26 per cent employers are satisfied with their employees’ ability to communicate in English, “the most widely used professionally communicated language”.

According to the survey of decision-makers in the country, which included top CEOs, MDs and human resource directors, the importance of “soft skills” in today’s employment landscape cannot be overemphasised. Though of late, the human resource development ministry appears to have woken up to the fact that ‘skill development’ is an area that needs urgent attention in our education system. But experts say the focus of the programme is still skewed – it still focuses only on vocational education, missing out ‘soft skills’ training.

Source:India Today Article

Peace of Mind - How to attain it?

Peace of mind is the most sought after 'commodity' in human life. It appears that most of us are in a state of perpetual restlessness. On analyzing the causes of this restlessness, Shri Gyan Rajhans has ventured to find for ten solutions that need to be followed religiously if we are serious about achieving perfect peace of mind.

1. Do not interfere in others' business

Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others' affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic, and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This kind of attitude on our part denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God, for God has created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because they are prompted to do so by the Divine within them. There is God to look after everything. Why are you bothered? Mind your own business and you will have your peace.

2. Forget and forgive

This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often nurture ill feeling inside our heart for the person who insults or harms us. We forget that the insult or injury was done to us once but by nourishing the grievance we go on excavating the wound forever. Therefore it is essential that we cultivate the art of forgiving and forgetting. Believe in the justice of God and the doctrine of Karma. Let Him judge the act of the one who insulted you. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forget, forgive, and march on.

3. Do not crave for recognition

This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motive. They may praise you today because you are rich and have power but no sooner you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and start criticizing you.

Moreover, no one is perfect. Then why do you value the words of praise of another mortal like you? Why do you crave for recognition? Believe in yourself. People's praises do not last long. Do your duties ethically and sincerely and leave the rest to God.

4. Do not be jealous

We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know you work harder than your colleagues in the office but they get promotions, you do not. You started a business several years ago but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. Should you be jealous? No, remember everybody's life is shaped by his previous Karma that has now become his destiny. If you are destined to be rich, not all the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere, but will only give you restlessness.

5. Change yourself according to the environment

If you try to change the environment single handedly, the chances are you may fail. Instead, change yourself to suit the environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has remained unfriendly for you, will mysteriously appear to be congenial and harmonious.

6. Endure what cannot be cured

This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations and accidents that are beyond our control. We must learn to endure them cheerfully thinking, "God will it so, so be it". God's logic is beyond our comprehension. Believe it and you will gain in patience, in inner strength, in will power.

7. Do not bite more than you can chew

This maxim should be always remembered. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable to carry out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. Spend your free time on prayers, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind, which make you restless. Fewer the thoughts, greater is the peace of mind.

8. Meditate regularly

Meditation makes the mind thoughtless. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour every day, you will tend to become calm during the remaining twenty-three and a half hours. Your mind will not be disturbed as much as before. This will increase your efficiency and you will turn out more work in less time.

9. Never leave the mind vacant

An empty mind is devil's workshop. All evil deeds start in the mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. You must decide what you value more - money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even if you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting of God's name (japa).

10. Do not procrastinate and never regret

Do not waste time in wondering "should I or shouldn't I?" Days, weeks, months and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Always remember God has His own plan too. Value your time and do things. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can rectify your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET! Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Take it as the will of God. You do not have the power to alter the course of God's will. Why cry?

May God help you remain at peace......

commandments for every personal Interview (PI)

Commandments for every personal interview

Even after months of preparation, some candidates do not perform well inside the interview room. The trick is to follow the below commandments practice them during mock interview sessions diligently. You are sure to crack the personal interview.

·         Whenever the interviewer asks any questions, listen carefully. Do not interrupt him midway. Ask for a clarification if the question is not clear. Wait a second or two before you answer. And don't dive into the answer!

·         Speak clearly. Don't speak very slowly. Be loud enough so that the interviewers don't have to strain their ears.

·         Brevity is the hallmark of a good communicator. An over-talkative or verbose person is disliked and misjudged instantly, so keep it short.

·         If you don't know an answer, be honest. The interviewer will respect your integrity and honesty. Never exaggerate.

·         Never boast about your achievements. Don't be overconfident -- it is often misinterpreted by interviewers for arrogance.

·         Don't get into an argument with the interviewer on any topic. Restrain yourself, please!

·         Project enthusiasm. The interviewer usually pays more attention if you display enthusiasm in whatever you say.

·         Maintain a cheerful disposition throughout the interview, because a pleasant countenance holds the interviewers' interest.

·         Maintain perfect eye contact with all panel members; make sure you address them all. This shows your self-confidence and honesty.

·         Feel free to ask questions if necessary. It is quite in order and much appreciated by interviewers.

·         Last but not the least, be natural. Many interviewees adopt a stance that is not their natural self. Interviewers find it amusing when a candidate launches into a new accent that s/he cannot sustain consistently through the interview or adopts a mannerism that is inconsistent with their own personality.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Interpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day to communicate and interact with other people, individually and in groups.
 
Interpersonal skills include not only how we communicate with others, but also our confidence, and our ability to listen and understand. Problem solving, decision making and personal stress management are also considered interpersonal skills.

People with strong interpersonal skills are usually more successful in both their professional and personal lives. They are perceived us as more calm, confident and charismatic, qualities that are often endearing or appealing to others. Being more aware of your interpersonal skills can help you improve and develop them. We provide an extensive library of articles to help you learn about and improve your interpersonal skills.

ANGER CONTROL MANAGEMENT

Anger is a powerful emotion. If it isn’t handled appropriately, it may have destructive results for both you and your loved ones. Uncontrolled anger can lead to arguments, physical fights, physical abuse, and assault & self-harm. On the other hand, well-managed anger can be a useful emotion that motivates you to make positive changes.

The physical effects:
Anger triggers the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. Other emotions that trigger this response include fear, excitement and anxiety. The adrenal glands flood the body with stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. The brain shunts blood away from the gut and towards the muscles, in preparation for physical exertion. Heart rate, blood pressure and respiration increase, the body temperature rises and the skin perspires. The mind is sharpened and focused.

Health problems
The constant flood of stress chemicals and associated metabolic changes that accompany recurrent unmanaged anger can eventually cause harm to many different systems of the body. Some of the short and long-term health problems that have been linked to unmanaged anger include:

• Headache
• Digestion problems, such as abdominal pain
• Insomnia
• Increased anxiety
• Depression
• High blood pressure
• Skin problems, such as eczema
• Heart attack
• Stroke.

Unhelpful ways to deal with anger
Many people express their anger in inappropriate and harmful ways, including:

• Anger explosions – some people have very little control over their anger and tend to explode in rages. Raging anger may lead to physical abuse or violence. A person who doesn’t control their temper can isolate themselves from family and friends. Some people who fly into rages have low self-esteem, and use their anger as a way to manipulate others and feel powerful.
• Anger repression – some people consider that anger is an inappropriate or ‘bad’ emotion, and choose to suppress it. However, bottled anger often turns into depression and anxiety. Some people vent their bottled anger at innocent parties, such as children or pets.

Expressing anger in healthy ways
Suggestions on how to express your anger in healthy ways include:

• If you feel out of control, walk away from the situation temporarily, until you cool down.
• Recognize and accept the emotion as normal and part of life.
• Try to pinpoint the exact reasons why you feel angry.
• Once you have identified the problem, consider coming up with different strategies on how to remedy the situation.
• Do something physical, such as going for a run or playing sport.

Suggestions for long-term anger management
The way you typically express anger may take some time to modify. Suggestions include:

• Keep a diary of your anger outbursts, to try and understand how and why you get mad.
• Consider assertiveness training, or learning about techniques of conflict resolution.
• Learn relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga.
• See a counsellor or psychologist if you still feel angry about events that occurred in your past.
• Take regular exercise.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the process of applying reasoned and disciplined thinking to a subject. To do well in your studies you need to think 'critically' about the things you have read, seen or heard. Acquiring critical thinking skills helps you to develop more reasoned arguments and draw out the inferences that you need to use in your assignments, projects and examination questions.

These skills are essential if you want to obtain high grades in your university study and, like other skills, they improve with practice.

The stages to critical thinking

The stages and skills involved in critical thinking can be seen as an eight-step stairway to high grades. As your thinking skills develop in depth and complexity, your other study skills will also improve.

1. Process - Take in the information (i.e. in what you have read, heard, seen or done).
2. Understand - Comprehend the key points, assumptions, arguments and evidence presented.
3. Analyse - Examine how these key components fit together and relate to each other.
4. Compare - Explore the similarities, differences between the ideas you are reading about.
5. Synthesise - Bring together different sources of information to serve an argument or idea you are constructing. Make logical connections between the different sources that help you shape and support your ideas.
6. Evaluate - Assess the worth of an idea in terms of its relevance to your needs, the evidence on which it is based and how it relates to other pertinent ideas.
7. Apply - Transfer the understanding you have gained from your critical evaluation and use in response to questions, assignments and projects.
8. Justify - Use critical thinking to develop arguments, draw conclusions, make inferences and identify implications.