Project on Shree Cement Ltd.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I take this opportunity to present my gratitude to all who helped me during the course of the project for their aspiring guidance, invaluably constructive criticism and kind advice throughout the project work. I am sincerely grateful to them for sharing their sincere and revealing views on a number of issues related to the project. I express my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Gopal Tripathi for their support & guidance at SHREE CEMENT LTD. I would also like to thank my project external guide Mr. R. K. Shrivastava and all the people who provided me with the required facilities of working conditions conducive for my project work. PREFACE As we are stepping into the 21st century with the era of modernization & globalization, organizations are seeking to bring continuous improvement and required changes in all fields of activities. One key area is to build a pleasant working environment within the organization and to study the behavior of the employees for the purpose of identifying the scope of improvement in the organizational effectiveness. The main objective of this project is to get the hands on experience of the office and management and various systems and procedures on effective working. INDEX Table of Contents S. No. Contents 1. Acknowledgment 2. Preface 3. Company Profile 4. Vision of the company 5. Research Methodology 6. Objective of Recruitment & Selection 7. Importance of Recruitment & Selection 8. Recruitment – The Challenges 9. Sources of Recruitment 10. Recent Trends in Recruitment 11. Recruitment Policy of Shree Cement Ltd. 12. Selection – The Challenges 13. Selection Process at Shree Cement Ltd. 14. Probation And Confirmation 15. Training and Development 16. Conclusions 17. Bibliography COMPANY PROFILE BACKGROUND:- Over the last decade, a significant change in business environment has caused organizations around the world to transform their business model in order to maintain leadership. This change is hyper-competition – a state that renders traditional competitive advantage unsustainable. Rapid product introductions to battle the pressures of commoditization is impacting organizational bottom line faster than ever before. Shree Cement Ltd. is an energy conscious & environment friendly business organization. Having Nine Directors on its board under the chairmanship of Shri. B. G. Bangur, the policy decisions are taken under the guidance of Shri. H. M. Bangur, Managing Director. Shri. M. K. Singhi, Executive Director of the Company, is looking after all day- to- day affairs. The company is managed by qualified professionals with broad vision who are committed to maintain high standards of quality & leadership to serve the customers to their fullest satisfaction. The board consists of eminent persons with considerable professional expertise in industry and field such as banking, law, marketing & finance. Shree cement a leading cement manufacturer of North India, has been participating in the infrastructure transformation for India for over two decades. It started operation in 1985 and has been growing over since. Its manufacturing units are located in Beawer, Ras in Rajasthan. It also has grinding unit at Khuskera near Gurgaon. It has 3 brands under its portfolio viz. Shree Ultra Jung Rodhak cement, Bangur Cement and Tuff cement. Its record of steady profitability and healthy operating margin was maintain in 2007-08 as well. It registered a growth of 51% in net sales which stood us at rs. 2065. 7 cr in 2007-08. Its net profit increase by 47% to rs. 260. 37 cr. During the year. Shree always strives to sustain it reputation as a respected corporate citizen. Its acknowledges that is operation have multiple impacts on the environment and communities in which it operates. Its business strategies and performance demonstrate a high level of commitment to preservation of environment and soci al development apart from economic success. HISTORY OF COMPANY:- 1979 – The Company was incorporated on 25th October, at Jaipur. The Company was promoted by members of the Bangur family and others. Shree Digvijay Cement Co. Ltd. , Graphite India, Ltd. and Fort Gloster Industries, Ltd. took active part in the promotion of the Company. The Company manufacture's cement & cement products. †¢ To reduce fuel and power consumption, the Company adopted the latest dry process, four stage preheater precalcination technology of clinkerisation and air swept roller mill grinding system for raw material and coal grinding. †¢ The Company entered into agreement with F. L. Smith & Co. A/s Copenhagen, a designer and manufacture of cement plants, its associates F. L. Smith & CIA. Espanola S. A. Madrid and with Larsen & Toubro Ltd. , Mumbai for the supply of plant equipment and services for the proposed project. 1984 – 70 No. of equity shares subscribed for by the signatories to the Memorandum of Association. In Oct. /Nov. 1, 53, 99,930 No. of equity shares issued of which 1, 06, 99,930 shares reserved for firm allotment as follows: †¢ 48,00,000 shares to Shree DigVijay Cemen t Co. Ltd. ; †¢ 11, 00,000 shares each to Graphite India, Ltd. and Fort Gloster Industries, Ltd. And †¢ 36, 99,930 shares to Directors, their friends etc. Including upto 25, 00,000 shares to NRIs With repatriation rights. The balance 47, 00,000 shares offered to the public of which 18, 80,000 shares offered for allotment on preferential basis to Non-Residents. 1985 – Commercial production commenced from 1st May. 1986 – A diesel generating set of 13. 6 MW was installed for captive power generation 1987 – 46, 00,000 shares issued to financial institutions in conversion of loans. 1991 – Production of clinker and cement declined due to a major shut down of the plant for implementation of modernization/renovation/modification work. †¢ The Company undertook to set up a new cement plant of 0. million †¢ TPA capacity in Rajasthan †¢ 7, 96,000 No. of Equity shares issued to financial institution in conversion of loan. 1992 – 36,00,000 shares allotted to FLT Ltd. a wholly owned subsidiary of P. L. Smith & Co. Denmark under financial collaboration agreement. 1993 – The Company undertook a scheme of implementing second stage of its licensed capacity to incr ease its capacity to 3300 tones per day. †¢ The Company issued 21975 – 16% each with equity warrants and these will be converted as per institutional guidelines. †¢ 2, 40,021 shares issued in pursuance of scheme of Amalgamation. 994 – The Company issued 10, 00,000-16% Secured Redeemable NCD of Rs 100 each on private placement basis. †¢ A scheme of amalgamation of an existing leasing and finance Company with the Company was prepared for undertaking leasing activities and other financial services on large scale. †¢ M/s. Mannakrishna Investment, Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Company. 1995 – The Company undertook the implementation of new unit of 124 MT capacities per annum named Raj Cement. †¢ 43,95,000 No. of Equity shares on surrender of detachable optional share warrants attached with 16% unsubscribed non-Convertible Debentures of 100 each. 996 – The Company commissioned its second cement plant – Raj Cement with a capacity of 12. 4 lakh tones per annum in Beawer. †¢ 58, 06,204 rights shares issued (prem. Rs 10 per share) in the prop. 1:5. 1998 – Shree Cement, the Calcutta-based PD-BG Bangur group company, has decided to issue preference shares aggregating Rs 15 crore to mobilize long-term funds. †¢ Shree Cement's expansion in capacity by 12. 4 lakh tones at the new unit in Beawer has made it a leading cement manufacturer in North India. †¢ IC RA has downgraded the rating of the NCD programme of Shree Cement Ltd (SCL) from LAA to LA. The Rs 372-crore 1. 25 million tonne cement plant near Ajmer was commissioned during the year after considerable delay due to an explosion in the electro-static precipitator. †¢ Shree Cements has an installed capacity to produce up to two million tones of cement per annum in Rajasthan and has an equity capital of about Rs. 34 crores. 1999 – The company has been awarded the first prize for energy conservation in 1998 in the cement sector. â⠂¬ ¢ SCL, belonging to the house of Bangur’s, is one of the largest cement manufacturers in North India, having the installed capacity of 2 million tones. Its plants are located in Rajasthan. The new plant was set up at Beawer with the capacity of 1. 24 million tpa in Rajasthan. †¢ Unit I and Unit II of the company receives National Award for ‘Best Electrical Energy Performance' and ‘Best Thermal Energy Performance' in the Cement Industry for the year 2000-01. †¢ Decides to change the Accounting year to April – March each year and accordingly the current year is only for nine months. †¢ Appoints Mr. M K Singhi as the Executive Director of Shree Cements. In pursuance to the IDBI, companies approve for early redemption of privately placed under noted cumulative redeemable preference shares. †¢ Change in Management Structure: Mr. B G Bangur re-appointed as executive chairman and Shri H M Bangur re-appointed as the Managing Director for a period of five years. 2003 – Members approve for the delisting of its shares from 4 stock exchanges of Jaipur, Kolkota, Delhi and Chennai exchanges. †¢ C onfers the Runner up National Safety Award by the Ministry of Labour, GOI, in recognition of outstanding performance in Industrial Safety achieving longest accident free period. Receives permission for delisting of shares from Delhi Stock Exchange. †¢ The company has been conferred National Award for Excellence in Energy Management 2003 instituted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre. †¢ -Delisting of equity shares from Madras Stock Exchange Association Ltd. 2004- Company conferred ‘BEST PRODUCITY AWARD-2003' by the Rajasthan state Productivity Council in recognition of productivity measures and productivity improvements achieved. Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Jaipur presents ‘RCCI Excellence Award' to Shree Cement Ltd in recognition of Overall Best Corporate Governance Practices and Disclosures in Annual Report among all companies having registered office in Rajasthan. †¢ -Delist from The Ca lcutta Stock Exchange Association Ltd (CSE). 2007- Shree Cement Ltd has appointed Shri. Amitabha Ghosh as Director of the Company w. e. f. May 14, 2007. PHILOSOPHY:- †¢ Let noble thoughts come to us from all over the world. – Rig-Veda Shree Cement Ltd is a professionally managed company. The company always believes in complete transparency and discharge of the fiduciary responsibilities which has been assumed by Directors as well as by the Senior Management Executives and/or Staff. Therefore in order to ensure the continuity thereof though, not written but otherwise ingrained, the Board of Directors has approved of the following Code of Conduct for all Directors as well as for the Senior Management Executive and/or personnel and other employees. VISION:- †¢ To sustain its reputation as the most efficient cement manufacturer in the world. †¢ To drive down costs through innovative plant practices. To increase the awareness of superior product quality through a realistic and convincing communication process with consumers. †¢ To strengthen realizations through intelligent brand building. BUSINESS ETHICS:- †¢ Enforce good corporate governance practices. †¢ Inculcate integrity of conduct. †¢ Ensure transparency and credibility in communicatio n. †¢ Remain accountable to all stakeholders. †¢ Encourage socially responsible behavior. [pic] METHODOLOGY The cement industry is marked with a high level of attrition and therefore recruitment process becomes a crucial function of the  organization. At Shree Cement Ltd. , recruitment is  all time high  during May-June and Oct-Nov. The recruitment  is high during these months due to the fact that March and September are half year closing and  business  is high during Jan-Mar. Thus it is only after March that people move out of the  companies. Since my summer training was in the months of May-June, it gave me the opportunity of involving myself directly with  the recruitment  process and analyzing the process so that suitable recommendations can be given. This project is centered on identifying best hiring practices in the  cement industries. It therefore requires great amount of  research  work. The methodology adopted was planned in advance so as to collect data in the most organized way. My area of focus was  the recruitment  and selection n training particularly at Shree Cement Ltd. I was directly involved with  the recruitment  for candidates for the production profile. I was particularly involved with the sourcing of candidates for the regions such as M. P, U. P and Rajasthan. Before any task was undertaken, we were asked to go through the HR policies of Shree Cement Ltd. o that we get a better understanding of the process followed by them. †¢ The first task was to understand the various job profiles for which recruitment was to be done. †¢ The next step was to explore the various job portals to search for suitable candidates for the job profile. †¢ Once the search criteria were put, candidates went through a telephonic interview to validate the information mentioned in their resume. †¢ A candidate matching the desired profile was then lined for the first round of Face to Face interview in their respective cities. Firstly  the candidate  had filled up the personal data form(pdf). †¢ Then the candidates  INTERVIEW EVALUATION SHEET  Ã‚  which is provided by interviewer was crosschecked by the HR team. If they think that  the candidate was good to hire or not. †¢ When a candidate cleared his first round, he is then made to take an  aptitude test. We created the  aptitude test. It the HR department, which has the exclusive rights to assign test, test codes to the candidates. Each code was unique and could be used only once by a candidate. †¢ Once  the candidate  completed his first assessment, his scores were checked. If he cleared his cut-off he was given another test. †¢ Since we received many resumes, it was essential that a  database  be maintained to keep a track. It was convenient method than to  stock  up piles of papers. SCL has their own  database  , They update all the records of the new joinees in that tracker. That database containes all the information of a candidate such as name, contact number, location etc. †¢ The external guide maintained a regular updating of the  database. †¢ Understanding what kinds of  database  are maintained and how they help in keeping a record. They maintaining a track of test codes given, the  database  for employee referrals,  Database  for the resumes received through mails and response of advertisement. RESEARCH  METHODOLOGY Date Source Primary  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  : –  Through Personal Interviews Secondary  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : –  Through Internet, Journals, New s papers and Misc. Sample Area: – Work had done in Beawer regional Office. Sample procedure: – Random sampling. PROJECT SCHEDULE :- First week  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  : – Training program from the company. Second week  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : – Collecting the primary and secondary data. Third and Fourth week  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  : – Study Recruitment & Selection Process Fifth week  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  : – Analysis of Data Collection. Sixth week  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  : – Final Report preparation and presentation OBJECTIVES OF THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION Every task is undertaken with an objective. Without any objective a task is rendered meaningless. The main objectives of this are: †¢ Attract and encourage more and more candidates to apply in the organization. †¢ Create a talent pool of candidates to enable the selection of best candidates for the organization. †¢ Determine present and future requirements of the organization in conjunction with its personnel planning and job analysis activities. IMPORTANCE OF THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION †¢ Recruitment is the process which links the employers with the employees. †¢ Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost. †¢ Help increase the success rate of selection process by decreasing number of visibly under qualified or overqualified job applicants. †¢ Help reduce the probability that job applicants once recruited and selected will leave the organization only after a short period of time. †¢ Meet the organizations legal and social obligations regarding the composition of its workforce. Begin identifying and preparing potential job applicants who will be appropriate candidates. †¢ Increase organization and individual effectiveness of various recruiting techniques and sources for all types of job applicants RECRUITMENT Recruitment is the discovering of the potential applicants for the actual and anticipated organizational vacancies. This being the critical factor, any organization has to have we ll defined policies & practices aligned with the organization’s mission and vision since it injects fresh blood in the organization. Organizations work hard to find and attract capable applicants. Their methods depend upon the situations since there is no best recruiting technique. However, the job descriptions and specifications are essential tools, especially for the management in large organizations. THE CHALLENGES: ? Attract people with multi-dimensional experiences and skills ? Infuse fresh blood at every level of the organization ? Develop a culture that attracts people to the company ? Locate people whose personalities fit the company’s values ? Devise methodologies for assessing psychological traits ? Induct outsiders with new perspective to lead the company Search for talent globally, and not just within the country ? Design entry pay that competes on quality, and not quantum ? Anticipate and find people for positions that do not exist yet The process of identification of different sources of personnel is known as recruitment. Recruitment is a process of searching the candidates for employment and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organizations Recruitm ent is a process of searching the candidates for employment and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organizations. It is a linking activity that brings together those offering jobs and those seeking jobs. Recruitment refers to the attempt of getting interested applicants and creating a pool of prospective employees so that the management can select the right person for the right job from this pool. Recruitment process precedes the selection process, that is, selection of right candidates for various positions in the organization. PROCESS It is a positive process as it attracts suitable applicants to apply for available jobs. The Process of recruitment: ? Identifies the different sources of labor supply ? Assesses their viability ? Choose the most suitable source or sources Invites applications from the perspective candidates for the vacant jobs. The aims of recruitment are: ? To obtain a pool of suitable candidates for vacant posts ? To use and be seen to use a fair process ? To ensure that all recruitment activities contribute to company goals and a desirable company image ? To conduct recruitment activities in an efficient and cost-effective manner FACTORS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT Ther e are many factors that limit or affect the recruitment policy of an organization. The important factors are: ? Size of the organization and the kinds of human resources required. Effect of past recruitment efforts. ? Nature of Workforce market in the region. ? Working conditions, wages and other benefits offered by other concerns. ? Social and political environment. ? Legal obligations created by various statutes RECRUITMENT POLICY STATEMENT In its recruitment activities, the company will: ? Advertise all vacancies internally, ? Reply to every job applicant without any delay, ? Inform job applicants the basic details and job conditions of every job advertised, ? Process all applications with efficiency and courtesy, ? Seek candidates on the basis of their qualifications, ? Aim to ensure that every person invited for interview will be given a fair and thorough hearing ? The company will not: Discriminate unfairly against potential applicants on the basis of sex, race, religion, caste, etc. ; ? Knowingly make any false or exaggerated claims in its recruitment literature or job advertisements. SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT [pic] The various sources of recruitment are basically grouped into two categories: ? Internal Recruitment (recruitment from within the enterprise) Transfer Promotion Employee referral ? External Recruitment (recruitment from outside) Advertisement Management consultant Educational institute Employment agencies Casual caller E-recruitment Although recruiting may bring to mind employment agencies and classified ads, current employees are often your largest source of recruits. Some surveys even indicated that up to 90% of all management positions are filled internally. Filling open positions with inside candidates has several advantages. Employees see that competence is rewarded and morale and performance may thus be enhanced. Having already been with your firm for some time, inside candidates may be more committed to company goals and less likely to leave. Promotion from within can boost employee commitment and provide managers a longer-term perspective when making business decisions. It may also be safer to promote employees from within, since you're likely to have a more accurate assessment of the person's skills than you would otherwise. Inside candidates may also require less orientation and training than outsiders. Yet promotion from within can also backfire. Employees who apply for jobs and don't get them may become discontented; informing unsuccessful applicants as to why they were rejected and what remedial actions they might take to be more successful in the future is thus essential. Similarly, many employers require managers to post job openings and interview all inside candidates. Yet the manager often knows ahead of time exactly whom he or she wants to hire, and requiring the person to interview a stream of unsuspecting inside candidates is therefore a waste of time for all concerned. Groups may also not be as satisfied when their new boss is appointed from within their own ranks as when he or she is a newcomer; sometimes, for instance, it is difficult for the newly chosen leader to shake off the reputation of being â€Å"one of the gang†. A. INTERNAL RECRUITMENT ? Promotions and Transfers This is a method of filling vacancies from within through transfers and promotions. A transfer is a lateral movement within the same grade, from one job to another. It may lead to changes in duties and responsibilities, working conditions, etc. , but not necessarily salary. Promotion, on the other hand, involves movement of employee from a lower level position to a higher-level position accompanied by (usually) changes in duties, responsibilities, status and value. Organizations generally prepare badli lists or a central pool of persons from which vacancies can be filled for manual jobs. Such persons are usually passed on to various departments, depending on internal requirements. If a person remains on such rolls for 240 days or more, he gets the status of a permanent employee as per the Industrial Disputes Act and is therefore entitled to all relevant benefits, including provident fund, gratuity, retrenchment compensation. Filling vacancies in higher jobs from within the organization has a benefit of motivating the existing employees. It has a great psychological impact over the employees because a promotion at the higher level may lead to a chain of promotions at lower levels in the organizations. Job Posting Job posting is another way of hiring people from within. In this method, the organization publicizes job openings on bulletin boards, electronic media and similar outlets. One of the important advantages of this method is that it offers a chance to highly qualified applicants working within the company to look for growth opportunities within the company witho ut looking for greener pastures outside. ? Employee Referrals Employee referral means using personal contacts to locate job opportunities. It is a recommendation from a current employee regarding a job applicant. The logic behind employee referral is that â€Å"it takes one to know one†. Employees working in the organization, in this case, are encouraged to recommend the names of their friends working in other organizations for a possible vacancy in the near future. In fact, this has become a popular way of recruiting people in the highly competitive Information Technology industry nowadays. Companies offer rich rewards also to employees whose recommendations are accepted – after the routine screening and examining process is over – and job offers extended to the suggested candidates. As a goodwill gesture, companies also consider the names recommended by unions from time to time. POSSIBLE BENEFITS AND COSTS OF EMPLOYEE REFERRALS ? Recommender gives a realistic picture about the job. The applicant can weigh the pros and cons carefully before handing over the CV The applicant is more likely to accept an offer if one is made and once employed, to have a higher job survival. ? It's an excellent means of locating potential employees in those hard-to-fill positions. The recommender earns a reward and the company can avoid expensive recruiting search – in case the candidate gets selected. Recommenders may confuse friendship with job competence. Factors such as bias, nepotism, and eagerness to see their friends in the company may come in the way of hiring a suitable candidate. ADVANTAGES OF USING INTERNAL SOURCES Filling vacancies in higher jobs within the organization or through internal transfers has various advantages such as: ? Employees are motivated to impro ve their performance. ? Moral of the employees is increased. ? Industrial peace prevails in the enterprise because of promotional avenues. ? Filling of jobs internally is cheaper as compared to getting candidates from external sources. A promotion at higher levels my led to a chain of promotion at lower levels in the organization. This motivates employees to improve their performance through learning and practice. ? Transfer or job rotation is a tool of training the employees to prepare them for higher jobs. ? Transfer has the benefit of shifting workforce from the surplus departments to those where there is shortage of staff. DRAWBACKS OF INTERNAL SOURCES Internal sources of recruitment have certain drawbacks such as: ? When vacancies are filled through internal promotions, the scope for fresh talent is reduced. The employees may become lethargic if they are sure of time bound promotions. ? The spirit of competition among the employees may be hampered. ? Frequent transfers of emplo yees may reduce the overall productivity of the organization. EXTERNAL SOURCES Every enterprise has to tap external sources for various positions. Running enterprises have to recruit employees from outside for filling the positions whose specifications cannot be met by the present employees and for meeting the additional requirements of manpower. Companies commonly use the following external sources of recruitment: Media Advertisements: Advertisements in newspapers or trade and professional journals are generally used. The advantage of advertising is that more information about the organization, job description and job specifications can be given in advertisements to allow self screening by the prospective candidates. ? Management Consultants: Management consultancy firm helps the organizations to recruit technical, professional and managerial personnel. They used to specialize in middle level and top-level executive, but today they even help firms in recruiting fresh graduates & po stgraduates in the industry. Educational Institutes: Educational institutes at all levels offer opportunities for recruiting recent graduates. Most educational institutes operate placement services where prospective employers can review credentials and interview graduates. ? Recommendations: One of the best sources for individuals who perform effectively on the job is recommendation for the current employee. An employee will rarely recommend someone unless he or she believes that the individual can perform adequately. The recommended often gives applicants more realistic information about the job than any other source. Casual Callers : The organizations that are regarded as good employers draw a steady stream of unsolicited applicants in their offices. This serves as a valuable source of manpower. The merit of this source of recruitment is that it avoids the costs of recruiting workforce from other sources. ADVANTAGES OF USING EXTERNAL SOURCES The merits of external sources of recru itment are: ? Qualified Personnel: By using external sources of recruitment, the management can make qualified and trained people to apply for vacant jobs in the organization. ? Wider Choice: When vacancies are advertised widely, a large number of applicants from outside the organization apply. The management has a wider choice while selecting the people for employment. ? Fresh Talent: The insiders may have limited talents. External Sources facilitate infusion of fresh blood with new ideas into the enterprise. This will improve the overall working of the enterprise. ? Competitive Spirit: If a company can tap external sources, the existing staff will have to compete with the outsiders. They will work harder to show better performance. DRAWBACKS OF EXTERNAL SOURCES The demerits of filling vacancies from external sources of recruitment are: Dissatisfaction among Existing Staff: External recruitment may lead to dissatisfaction and frustration among existing employees. They may feel that their chances of promotion are reduced. ? Lengthy Process: Recruitment from outside takes long time. The business has to notify the vacancies and wait for applications to initiate the selection process. ? Uncertain Response: Here candidates from outside may not be suitable for the enterprise. There is no guarantee that the enterprise will be able to attract right kind of people from external sources. OTHER SOURSES In the search for particular types of applicants, nontraditional sources should be considered. For example, Employ the Handicapped associations can be a source of highly motivated workers; a forty-plus club can be an excellent source of mature and experienced workers etc. Recruiting Sources Used by Skill and Level SKILL/LEVEL RECRUITING SOURCE Unskilled, Semiskilled & Skilled Informal Contacts Walk-ins Public Employment Agencies Professional Employees Informal Contacts Internal Search Managerial Level Walk-ins Private Employment Agencies Public Employment Agencies RECENT TRENDS IN RECRUITMENT ? Outsourcing Under this arrangement company may draw the required personnel from the outsourcing firms or agencies or commission basis rather than offering them employment. This is also called leasing of human resources. The outsourcing irms develop their human resource pools by employing people for them and make available the personnel to various companies (called clients) as per their needs. The outsourcing firms get payment for their services to their clients and give salary directly to the personnel. The personnel deputed by the outsourcing agencies with the clients are not the employees of the clients. They continue to be on the payroll of their employees, that is, the outsourcing agencies. Several outsourcing companies or agenc ies have come up which supply human resources of various categories to their clients. A company in need of employees of certain categories can approach an outsourcing company and avail the services of it human resources. The advantages of getting human resources through the outsourcing agencies are: 1. The companies need not plan for human resources much in advance. They can get human resources on lease basis from an outsourcing agency. 2. The companies are free from industrial relations problems as human resources take on lease are not their employees. 3. The companies can dispense with this category of employees immediately after the work is over. ? Poaching or Raiding Poaching means employing a competent and experienced person already working in another reputed company, which might be a rival in the industry. A company can attract talent from another firm by offering attractive pay packages and other terms and conditions. Whatever may be the means used to raid rival firms for potential candidates, it is often seen as an unethical practice and not openly talked about. In fact, raiding has become a challenge for human resource managers of modern organization. ? Website or e-Recruitment Many big organizations use Internet as a source of recruitment. They advertise the job vacancies through the worldwide web (www). The job seekers send their applications or Curriculum Vitae, CV; through e-mail using Internet, which can be drawn by the prospective employer depending upon their requirements. RECRUITMENT POLICY OF SHREE CEMENT LTD. OBJECTIVE: ? To accomplish the company to plan its manpower requirements in order to meet the organizational objectives and needs. ? To obtain and retain the right human resource material of appropriate skills, knowledge, aptitude and merit which will enable the company to grow and develop into a premier consultancy organization. MODES OF SOURCING: Internal sourcing is more widely used in practice as compared to external sourcing. Except in the lowermost grades, where direct recruitment is unavoidable, there is no specific quota for recruitment from outside. The company provides opportunity for its employees to grow from within the organization by acquiring the necessary qualification, skills, knowledge and training. Even so the company recruits from the open market to positions for which suitable candidates are not available either internally or on deputation from the other organizations like the Indian Railways etc according to job requirements. Deputation: The very nature of the business of the company requires that it should staff the organization with the experienced personnel from the Indian Railways or public undertakings in respect of a number of positions. The terms and conditions of deputation of employees to Naukri. com are decided in accordance with the rules of the central government and in consultation with the parent organization in case of the others. Re-Employment & Appointment Of The Consultants: In respect of certain special jobs requiring services of retired officers and staff of government or Naukri. om, the company may re-employ suitable persons belonging to this category for specified periods, subject to such re-employment being in accordance with the government’s and/or the company’s policy and orders. In order to meet the specific job requirements of limited duration which cannot be handled by the company’s regular staff for want of expertise or shortage of manpower and with the sp ecific approval of the director/ managing director/ board of directors, the company may appoint consultants/ advisors on the basis of the guidelines laid down by the board of directors / Railway board. Employment Exchanges: The recruitment to the posts up to the pay level of Rs 8000/ or other equivalent level are made through the employment exchanges ( compulsory notification of vacancies) Act, 1956 while considering the candidates recommended by the employment exchange personnel engaged on casual / temporary / ad-hoc/ contractual basis are also considered. Advertisement: The advertisement for a vacancy is drafted in consultation with the concerned departmental head, as and when it is to be released. The advertisement should indicate the job title, qualification experience, age limit and other salient aspects of the job and also the pay scale, allowances and the benefits afforded by the company. The planned advertisements are generally released in the national dailies, but depending upon the location, they are also released in regional / local dailies. Example of advertisement |Example of Job Advertisement | |Junior marketing manager | |Our company is a modern fast growing young business. We are expanding sales to India a bid to | |catch new opportunities for cement sales there. We have many branches to our business nation wide | |and have built up a good reputation within our field of trade. | |We are looking for a dynamic, confident person who is willing to travel and work on his/her own | |behalf. You will need excellent communication skills and diplomatic views and be able to project | |yourself clearly and politely in a positive manor. | |You must have been in an executive sales position previously and have had at least 0-3 years | |selling experience. Preferably in cement sales, candidate must MBA/PGDM marketing qualified. | |The job involves extensive travel around north India with  sales meeting to be held every 2 months. | | | |Salary is 200000-300000 per annum. T. A. AND HOLIDAY ALLOWANCES. Training will be given. | |Apply in writing To; shree cement Ltd. Bangur nagar beawar Ajmer (Raj. ) | |  Closing date†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. | Campus Recruitment: Campus recruitment is carried out from time to time to induct fresh talent in the organization from selected institutes. Recruitment for the posts of engineers is also made through campus interviews to meet the urgent requirements of the company. Institutes: Well established technical institutes and engineering colleges are selected by the competent authority are chosen and an association is maintained on a long-term basis. Process: ? Campus visits: visits are scheduled to the technical institutions and engineering colleges during the placement season. Teams of senior officers are deputed to these institutes and colleges for campus recruitment. ? Such of the applicants so screened as per the laid down criteria and found qualified are being called for appearing in the written test or interview to be conducted by the nominated selection board. ? All such recruits are required to serve the companies for a minimum period of three years. They are also required to execute a bond of Rs one lac in this regard and submit one surety. SELECTION PROCESS THE CHALLENGES: ? Selection is a critical process ? Locating The Right Person Requires a huge investment of money to get right types of people. ? Structure of Selection Process that helps companies to test for fit ? Employment Tests to rightly judge the capabilities of candidates ? Selecting people who possess the ability and qualifications to perform the jobs. Selection involves a series of steps by which the candidates are screened for choosing the most suitable persons for vacant posts. The process of selection leads to employment of persons who possess the ability and qualifications to perform the jobs, which have fallen vacant in an organization. The process of selection divides the candidates for employment into two categories, namely, those who will be offered employment and those who will not be. The basic purpose of the selection process is to choose right type of candidates to man various positions in the organization. In order to achieve this purpose, a well-organized selection procedure involves many steps and at each step, unsuitable candidates are rejected. Both recruitment and selection are the two phases of the employment process. Recruitment being the first phase envisages taking decisions on the choice of tapping the sources of workforce supply. Selection is the second phase, which involves giving various types of test to the candidates and interviewing them in order to select the suitable candidates only. SIGNIFICANCE OF SELECTION PROCESS Selection is a critical process these days because it requires a huge investment of money to get right types of people. If the right types of persons are not chosen, it will lead to huge loss of the employer in term of time, effort and money. Therefore it is essential to devise a suitable selection procedure. Each step in the selection procedure should help in getting more and more information about the applicants to facilitate decision-making in the area of selection. The benefits of selecting right kind of people for various jobs are as follows: ? Proper selection and placement of personnel go a long way towards building up a stable workforce. It will keep the rates of employee turnover low. ? Competent employees show higher efficiency and enable the organization to achieve its objectives effectively. When people get jobs of their taste and choice, they get higher job satisfaction & in turn result into a part of a contended workforce for the organization People involved in the selection process are: †¢ HR Department †¢ Respective department head. †¢ Respective divisional head. What Selection Is All About? All selection activities, from the initial screening interview to the physical examination if required, exist for the purpose of making effective selection decisions. Each activity is a step in the process that forms predictive exercise-managerial decision makers seeking to predict which job applicants will be successful if hired. In actuality, the selection process represents an effort to balance the objectives of evaluating and attracting. SIGNIFICANCE OF SELECTION PROCESS Selection is a critical process these days because it requires a huge investment of money to get right types of people. If the right types of persons are not chosen, it will lead to huge loss of the employer in term of time, effort and money. Therefore it is essential to devise a suitable selection procedure. Each step in the selection procedure should help in getting more and more information about the applicants to facilitate decision-making in the area of selection. The benefits of selecting right kind of people for various jobs are as follows: ? Proper selection and placement of personnel go a long way towards building up a stable workforce. It will keep the rates of employee turnover low. ? Competent employees show higher efficiency and enable the organization to achieve its objectives effectively. When people get jobs of their taste and choice, they get higher job satisfaction & in turn result into a part of a contended workforce for the organization. SELECTION PROCESS COMPRISES OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS: 1. Receipt of Applications: It is the first step in the process of selection process. The application form gives preliminary information about the candidate and assists the interviewer in formulating the questions to obtain more information about the candidate. 2. Scrutiny of Application: All those who have applied for the job may not be suitable for it so the HR department carries out a proper scrutiny of applications to select the candidates to be called for preliminary interview. 3. Preliminary Interview by HR Department: The HR department takes this interview. The candidates are asked about their qualifications, experience, interest, residence, age etc. Those whose qualification and does not match are rejected. . Interview taken by the person from the particular department: here they ask about the work experience; why he/she left the earlier job, ask about his/her background etc. The interviewer matches the job specification, qualification, ability to work under stress etc. At this level rejection are made if the interviewer does not find the candidate suitable fo r the job. 5. Interview by HR and Department Head: At this level, the HR & department head, both take interview of the selected candidates to know more about them. It is a very friendly conversation with them including specialized questions. The HR head tell the interviewee about the company, its mission, objectives and responsibilities of the job, which have applied for, salary, compensation, etc. 6. Placement and Orientation: Orientation and placement of Naukri. com covers the activities involved in introducing the new employees to the organization and to his or her work unit. It familiarize new employee with the ’s objectives, history, procedures, and rules, communicate relevant personnel policies such as hours of work, pay procedures, overtime requirements, provide a tour of the company’s physical facilities and introduce him to his superior and co-workers. SELECTION PROCESS AT SCL ? Receiving Applications Whenever there is a vacancy, it is advertised or enquiries are made from the suitable sources, and applications are received from the candidates. ? Screening of Application: All the applicants received in response to recruitment notification are scrutinized for the purpose of screening and short-listing the candidates who should be called for the selection. The company restricts selection to the more meritorious of the applicants through an appropriate process of initial screening. ? Selection Committee: Selection committee is constituted under the orders of the managing director or any other officer to whom the power to constitute such committees for the purpose of conducting the written tests and/ or interviews. The selection committee decides the actual scheme of the tests/ interview depending upon the requirements of the job for which recruitment is made. ? Selection Employment Interview: A minimum of 60% marks in the aggregate and also in the performance at the written test and interview is required to enable the candidates to be finally selected. The selection committee recommends the panel of successful candidates in order to the Board of directors as the case may be for employment. The main purposes of an employment interview are: – To find out the suitability of the candidate, – To seek more information about the candidate, and – To give candidate accurate picture of a job with details of term & conditions and some idea of organization’s policies. Employment Interview may consist of number of rounds of interview with various interviewers ? Checking References A referee is potentially an important source of information about a candidate’s ability and personality if he/she holds a responsible position in some organization or has been an employer of the candidate ? Medical Checkup: An important part of the selection process is also to ensure the employee is free from all kind of diseases that can hamper his work. For this purpose, every short listed candidate goes through a medical check-up to ensure his physical fitness. The pre-employment physical examination or medical test of a candidate is an important step in the selection procedure. Medical examination as part of selection procedure depends entirely upon the kind of jobs to be offered to the candidates. For instance some industries do not take up medical examinations of the candidates at all. ? Letter Of Appointment: After the candidate has cleared all the hurdles in the selection procedure, he/se is formally appointed by issuing an appointment letter by concluding with him/her a service agreement. Generally in all organizations, the candidates are not appointed on permanent basis because it is better to try them for few months on the job itself. Thus all candidates have a probation period & candidates are expected to show their worth during the probation period to get permanent employment in the particular organization. CLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT TESTS & INTERVIEWS Employment Tests ? Intelligence Tests: These tests are used to judge the mental capacity of the applicants. They measure the individual learning abilities, i. e. , the ability to catch or understand instructions and also ability to make decision and judgment. These tests are used in the selection of personnel for almost every kind of job from the unskilled to the skilled one. Aptitude Tests: Aptitude means the potential that an individual has for learning and skills required to a job efficiently. They measure an applicant’s capacity and his potential for development. ? Proficiency Tests: Proficiency Tests are those, which are designed to measure the skills already acquired by the individuals. A proficiency test takes a sample of individual’s behavi or, which is designed as replica of the actual work situation. ? Interest Tests: Interest tests identify patterns of interest that is areas in which the individual shows special concern, fascination & involvement. These tests will suggest what types of jobs may be satisfying to the employees. ? Personality Tests: Personality test probes the qualities of the personality as a whole, the combination of aptitude, interest and usual mood & temperament. Employment Interviews The nature of employment interviews varies from firm to firm. It may be conducted in the following forms: ? Patterned or Structured Interview: In this interview, a series of questions, which can illuminate the significant aspects of the applicant’s background, are standardized in advance. During the interview, the standardized questions are asked as they are written; the order may vary but not the phrasing of the questions. ? Unstructured or Non-directed Interview: The interviewer does not ask direct & specific questions. He/she creates an atmosphere in which the candidate feels free to talk on the subject selected by the interviewer. ? Preliminary or Background information Interview: This type of interview is conducted when the history of the applicant has to be known in terms of his experience, education, health, interest & so on. It is more or less a preliminary interview. ? Stress Interview: The applicant is intentionally put under a stress by interrupting him, criticizing his/her viewpoint and keeping silent after he has finished speaking. ? Group Interview: It is an interview of a number of applicants in a group. The interviewers can see reactions of the applicants in dealing with each other. It is used where it is essential to know how the candidates behave in a group. PROBATION AND CONFIRMATION PROBATION PERIOD: All initial appointments in the company as a result of direct recruitment in accordance with the rules (except those of a temporary, ad-hoc, casual or contractual nature and those on foreign service or deputation terms from govt. or other undertakings) are on probation for a period of one year. During the period of probation, an employee is liable to be discharged from the service of the company without assigning any reason at the sole direction of the management. The period of the probation may be extended or curtailed in the individual cases by the competent authority on the merits of each case. During the period of probation, the employees are required to undergo such training as is called by the requirements of their jobs. Successful completion of the probation and the prescribed training course will make the employee eligible for regularization and confirmation in the company’s employment. CONFIRMATION: The personnel division screens the probationers in an appropriate manner and obtains and notifies the approval of the competent authority for the regularization/ confirmation of individual direct recruits. | | | | | |SERIAL NO. |ACTIVITY/ PROCEDURE | | | | |1. Technical scrutiny of applications | | | | |2. |Approval for calling eligible candidates for written tests and interviews | | | | |3. |Dispatch of call letters | | | | |4. Selection of candidates called for interview | | | | |5. |Medical check-up | | | | |6. Dispatch of appointment letters | | | | |7. |Joining at | TRAINING – A TOOL FOR SUCCESS We know that successful candidates placed on the jobs need training to perform their duties effectively. Workers must be trained to operate machines, reduce scrap and avoid accidents. It is not only the workers who need training. Supervisors, managers and executives also need to be developed in order to enable them to grow and acquire maturity of thought and action. Training and development constitute an ongoing process in any organization. This chapter is devoted to a detailed discussion on the nature and process of training and development in a typical industrial establishment. Training could be compared to this metaphor – if I miss one meal in a day, then I will starve to death. The survival of the organization requires development throughout the ranks in order to survive, while training makes the organization more effective and efficient in its day-to-day operations. As a brief review of terms, training involves an expert working with learners to transfer to them certain areas of knowledge or skills to improve in their current jobs. Development is a broad, ongoing multi-faceted set of activities (training activities among them) to bring someone or an organization up to another threshold of performance, often to perform some job or new role in the future. Training is the formal and systematic modification of behavior through learning which occurs as a result of education, instruction, development and planned experience. † Development is any learning activity, which is directed towards future, needs rather than present needs, and which is concerned more with career growth than immediate performance. Training is the hallmark of good management. Today tec hnical training is no longer enough, employees also need skills in the team building, decision making and communication. As competition demands better service, employees increasingly require customer service training. Competent employees do not remain competent forever. Due to the ever-changing business environment and market conditions, their skills become obsolete. Thus organizations spend billions of rupees on their training programs so as to upgrade the skills and knowledge of their employees in order to have an edge over its competitors and to gain profits. Training programs are directed towards improving job performance of the employees. Intensified competition, technological changes and the need for improved productivity are motivating the management to increase their expenditure on training. People at all levels in the organization need to undergo training to be able to deliver the best results. Training, Development, and Education HRD programs are divided into three main categories: Training, Development, and Education. Although some organizations lump all learning under â€Å"Training† or â€Å"Training and Development,† dividing it into three distinct categories makes the desired goals and objects more meaningful and precise. Training is the acquisition of technology, which permits employees to perform their present job to standards. It improves human performance on the job the employee is presently doing or is being hired to do. Also, it is given when new technology in introduced into the workplace. Education is training people to do a different job. It is often given to people who have been identified as being promotable, being considered for a new job either lateral or upward, or to increase their potential. Unlike training, which can be fully evaluated immediately upon the learners returning to work, education can only be completely evaluated when the learners move on to their future jobs or tasks. We can test them on what they learned while in training, but we cannot be fully satisfied with the evaluation until we see how well they perform their new jobs. Development is training people to acquire new horizons, technologies, or viewpoints. It enables leaders to guide their organizations onto new expectations by being proactive rather than reactive. It enables workers to create better products, faster services, and more competitive organizations. It is learning for growth of the individual, but not related to a specific present or future job. Unlike training and education, which can be completely evaluated, development cannot always be fully evaluated. This does not mean that we should abandon development programs, as helping people to grow and develop is what keeps an organization in the cutting edge of competitive environments. Development can be considered the forefront of what many now call the Learning Organization. Development involves changes in an organism that are systematic, organized, and successive and are thought to serve an adaptive function. EMPLOYEE TRAINING For the new employees, on-the-job training is given. The new employees are being exposed to the practical job under the guidance of the old co- worker and its immediate superior. Training and output go hand in hand. For the existing employees, a workshop is conducted to make them aware of the new technology or new system to be used. In that workshop they are taught how to use the new machine (if introduced), they are told about the benefits of using the new technology etc. Also they follow is cross training, when implemented horizontally, upward and downward. Department heads, assistants and employees can cross-train either within the department or in different departments. With support, employees can have a day's training in the role of department heads (â€Å"King for the Day†). A department head can take a General Manager's role in his absence. It is a part of their yearly training and covers all positions and departments. Beginning with the supervisory level it must filter down to entry-level positions. This technique achieves the following objectives:    ? Prevents stagnation ? Offers learning and opportunities for professional development ? Rejuvenates all departments ? Improves understanding of different departments and the company as a whole ? Leads to better coordination and teamwork ? Erases differences, antagonism and unhealthy competition ? Increases knowledge, know-how, skills and work performance ? Improves overall motivation ? Enables sharing of organisational goals and objectives CONCEPT OF TRAINING MEANING: Training & development refers to the imparting of specific skills, abilities and knowledge to an employee. Development refers to those learning opportunities designed to help the employees. Development is not primary skill oriented. Instead, it provides general knowledge and attitudes that will be helpful to employees in higher positions. TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT NEED: Training Need = Standard Performance – Actual Performance INPUTS IN TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT: 1. Skills 2. Education 3. Development 4. Ethics 5. Attitudinal changes ? Skills: A worker needs skills to operate machines and other equipments with the least damage and scrap. Employees, particularly supervisors and executives, need interpersonal skills popularly known as the people skills. ? Education: The purpose of the education is to teach the theoretical concepts and develop a sense off reasoning and development. Education is training people to do a different job. It is often given to people who have been identified as being promotable, being considered for a new job either lateral or upward, or to increase their potential. Unlike training, which can be fully evaluated immediately upon the learners returning to work, education can only be completely evaluated when the learners move on to their future jobs or tasks. We can test them on what they learned while in training, but we cannot be fully satisfied with the evaluation until we see how well they perform their new jobs. ? Development: Development is training people to acquire new horizons, technologies, or viewpoints. It enables leaders to guide their organizations onto new expectations by being proactive rather than reactive. It enables workers to create better products, faster services, and more competitive organizations. It is learning for growth of the individual, but not related to a specific present or future job. Unlike training and education, which can be completely evaluated, development cannot always be fully evaluated. This does not mean that we should abandon development programs, as helping people to grow and develop is what keeps an organization in the cutting edge of competitive environments. Development can be considered the forefront of what many now call the Learning Organization. Development involves changes in an organism that are systematic, organized, and successive and are thought to serve an adaptive function. ? Ethics: There is a need for imparting greater ethical organization to a training development program. There is no denial of the fact that the ethics are largely ignored in businesses. ? Attitudinal changes: Attitudes represent feeling and beliefs of individuals towards others. The negative attitudes of the employees must be changed through training and development programs. IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Training and development is of vital importance in the success of any organization 1. Training provides greater stability, flexibility and capacity for growth in an organization 2. Scrap and damages to machinery and equipment can be avoided or minimized through training. 3. Training serves as an efficient source of recruitment. 4. Training is an investment in HR with a promise of better returns in future. Training and development programs, as was pointed out earlier, help remove performance deficiencies in employees. This is particularly true when – The deficiency is caused by a lack of ability rather than a lack of motivation to perform, †¢ The individuals involved have the aptitude and motivation need to learn to do the job better, and †¢ Supervisors and peers are supportive of the desired behaviors. There is greater stability, flexibility and capacity for growth in an organization. Training contributes to employs contribute t o the stay with the organization. Growth renders stability to the workforce. Further, trained employees tend to stay with the organization. They seldom leave the company. Training makes the employees versatile in operations. All rounder can be transferred to any job. Flexibility is therefore ensured. Growth indicates prosperity, which is reflected in increased profits form year to year. Who else but well-trained employees can contribute to the prosperity of an enterprise? Accidents, scrap and damage to machinery and equipment can be avoided or minimized through training. Even dissatisfaction, complaints, absenteeism, and turnover can be reduced if employees are trained well. Future needs of employees will be met through training and development programs. Organizations take fresh diploma holders or graduates as apprentices or management trainees. They are absorbed after course completion. Training serves as an effective source of recruitment. Training is an investment in HR with a promise of better returns in future. THE PURPOSE OF T

It Takes Two to Tango- But Who Took the First Step Essay

It was a very controversial arrest that rang not just within the locality of Massachusetts but has echoed as an international dispute. What we are talking about in here is the contentious arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates by Sgt James Crowley together with other Cambridge police officers. The incident that relives the heat of the racism discussions happened 16th of July 2009 in Ware Streets, Cambridge, Massachusetts when a 911 call prompted the Cambridge Police Department about two males who seemed to be prowlers trying to break into one of the residences in the said place. The police officers responded to this alarming call from Lucia Whalen which led to the arrest of Professor Gates. (Trujillo) It is not surprising to hear two different tales from two different authors. What happened between police officers responding and the professor’s arrest is a story of a split version. In one hand Sgt Crowley and the rest of the team who responded to this very particular incident reasoned out that the detainment was due to â€Å"disorderly conduct† of Mr. Gates. For the party this would be sufficient enough to justify the arrest of the professor despite the fact that he was able to identify himself as the owner of the place he was reported to be breaking in. On the other hand Professor Henry Louis Gates strongly believed that a noticeable issue of racism was behind his arrest. This confrontation disturbed the public for several gray areas can be found in the story. People of course are divided by their own opinions regarding this matter. Who is right and who is wrong? Who acted accordingly and who delineated from what is proper? This issue reminds me of a cliche that is indeed of great value-it takes two to tango. Never was there an instance where a fire is ignited by a single force alone. What happened in Massachusetts in Professor Gate’s home shouldn’t have taken place if both of them analyzed the situation in the most critical manner. However even tough it’s true that it takes two to tango; we always have to remember that someone has to take the first step always. According to the news police officers reported that Professor Gates shouted at them and inculpated them with being racially biased officers. (Fox News) Moreover, police reports said that Gates displayed rough behavior with them with his strong belief that everything is all about his color and even warned the officers that they do not know who they are messing with. (Thompson) With these alleged display of behavior we definitely can say that Professor Gate really was moving and acting with his emotions in his head. It is always a weakness for someone to cling with his or her emotional outrages if he or she wanted to be critical in thinking for he or she demarcates him/herself from reason. Professor Gates is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor who is also cradling the responsibility of being the Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University. This highly-acclaimed cultural critic also is the editor-in-chief of the online magazine centering on the interests of African American people. Studies) Having these entire in mind we can say that professor Gates really must be sensitive about the issue of race and racial discrimination. Thus having a seemingly first hand experience of it would definitely ignite a hot temper. Maybe things would have gotten a different way if Professor Gates was able to recognize his own biases and assumptions in reference to the point of view of the cops. This is a prerequisite for self awareness that is nee ded for one to be critically mindful. Also weighing of the scope and gravity of evidences would have helped Professor Gates in handling the situation in a lighter way. The main concern that has led Sgt James Crowley and team to the doorsteps of Professor Gates was the alleged burglary and although it wasn’t a smooth flowing type of talking the fact that the professor was able to identify himself as the resident of the place should have ended everything. However, it did not. Being accused of stealing something that belonged to you wouldn’t make you feel okay. Instinct would definitely trigger a negative emotion that might lead to series of acts that aren’t mindful at all. Sgt Crowley could have saved a better encounter with the professor if he was able to control his seemingly egotistical judgment and if he has been open to several other ways of understanding the entire situation. Moreover, if Sgt Crowley was also able to recognize emotional whims before he acted upon the situation, things should have gone differently. It is the two sides of the coin that this article is looking at. If you ask me who between the two let their ego move them, well it’s both of them. And for who made the first step, maybe it doesn’t matter for they both let a disturbing dance reach the international stage that even President Obama have had something to say. In response to a question thrown on him regarding Professor Gate’s arrest, President Obama mentioned three interesting comments. â€Å"But I think it’s not fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry. No. 2, the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. And No. what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately, and that’s just a fact. † (Fox News) This comment also generated a controversy around the international arena. Cops not just in Massachusetts reacted negatively on what Obama said in the conference. Good thing the president knew what to do. The â€Å"beer summit,† which was a talk initiated by the President himself to end the dispute and issue for once has cooled both parties and solved the problems. Fox News) Both parties were held together after the conversation at the White House and Professor Gates who previously is planning a lawsuit against Sgt Crowley is no longer talking about this after being able to know Sgt Crowley better with the help of the invitation for a conversation by the president. Moreover in an email to Boston Globe, Gates stated that he was ready to move on pass that arresting experience. With a cooler head Gates even identified his experience to be adding up to the history of race relations in the entire America. (Fox News) Sgt James Crowley continued being silent about the issue even after the talk over beers in the White House. After the incident, all ends well. Everyone is back doing their own profession. It is really important to keep in mind that actions moved by emotional outrage wouldn’t serve anything nice at all. It is indeed being in the height of an emotion that we would least do decision making and talking. Self restraint will be the best guide if we know how to master it. People are certainly different creatures for two reasons; emotion and reason. Both are powerful thus it can make us or break us if we wouldn’t know how to control them. A person who can control his or her emotion and who knows how to use reason is unlikely to be involved in problematic situation such as this incident. I believe that both Professor Gates and Sgt Crowley know how to handle the situation. I think they both know what to do and what not to do in that very scenario it is just that the emotional height and egotistical concerns reigned more rather than reason. And there started the problem which actually could have been prevented if both take even just a few seconds to think before they have acted. This might be easier said than done but it is ideal. It is not perfection that we want; it is just all about maximizing the capability of man over his or her emotions. In every situation we always wanted to do the right thing, we always wanted to be critical so as to lessen any mistakes in the decisions we make or words we say or things we do. Being critical though is not an easy task; it takes a lot of maturity and open-mindedness, rationality and judgment. In addition to this, it needs practice-continuous practice for it to be a habit. Professor Gates and Sgt Crowley both have a contribution to why that incident occurred in the first place thus having an equal share of a kind of publicity whether positive or negative that would leave a mark in their lives as they leave marks in human’s history.

Birth regulations and Family Planning in China

Birth regulations and Family Planning in China Chinas Birth Regulations Are Justified What would you think if someone told you that you werent allowed to exercise one of your basic human rights? How would you feel if someone told you that you werent allowed to have another child? Many people would be outraged. China is a country with a severe over population problem. In order to combat the problem, the Chinese government has instituted family planning policies which regulate citizens permission to have multiple children. Before one jumps to the conclusion that family planning inhibits peoples rights, it is necessary to fully understand the benefits it has had on Chinas overpopulation problem. Family planning is justified because it has effectively regulated over-rapid population growth, promoted positive changes in peoples thoughts on marriage, birth and family, and has aided development of Chinas economy and living standards. For those unfamiliar with the family planning regulations, the following is taken from a U.S. Department of State report, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor: The State Family Planning Commission formulates and implements policies with assistance from the Family Planning Association, which has 83 million members in 1.02 million branches. Chinese demographers at an October conference predicted that the population would reach almost 1.56 billion in the year 2044 if the current fertility rate continued. Most estimated fertility at 2.1 births per womanindicating that the one-child policy is not applied to the majority of Chinese couples. Couples in urban areas are most affected, seldom receiving permission to have more than one child, although the Government maintains that urban couples who themselves were only children may now receive permission to have two children. Outside the cities, exceptions to the one-child policy are becoming the norm. The average number of children per family in rural areas, where 70 percent of the people live, is slightly over two. In rural areas, couples are allowed to have a second child if the first is a girl, an exception that takes into account both the demands of farm labor and the traditional preference for boys. Some ethnic minorities, such as Muslim Uyghurs and Tibetans, are subject to less stringent population controls. Minorities in some rural areas are permitted to have as many as four children. In remote areas, such as rural Tibet, there are no effective limits at all. (U.S. State Dept, 1) Family planning has, since its very beginning, regulated over-rapid population growth in China. The idea behind family planning is that couples should have only one child, thus reducing the birth rate that reached as high as 5.8 children per couple in the 1970s. Since 1987, China has had various regulations regarding family planning, but they have all steered toward the policy that only one child be born per couple, with exceptions in rural areas. A study done by the US Population Institute said that of the more than one thousand couples visited (during the study) who qualified to have more than one child, many decided not to do so. (Popline, 1) The leader of this organization, Warner Fornos, said that China has greatly changed its overall mind set regarding population since he first visited the country in the early 1980s. These changes include a sharp decline in population growth, improved economic conditions, success in poverty eradication efforts, empowerment of women and the list continues (Popline, 1). In a report released by the Information Office of the State Council in China, it it written that because Chinas current population and family planning program and policies have won understanding and support from the people, the fertility level of the population has steadily reduced and the trend of over-rapid population growth has been effectively checked along with the countrys economic and social development [which has also been checked effectively]. (China State Council, 1). It becomes apparent in these two reports that family planning has effectively reduced the over-rapid population growth rate in Chinese communities. Family planning has altered peoples thoughts regrading marriage, birth and family in China. the overall idea in China used to be that giving birth to a boy would be more economically worthwhile than having a girl. More children meant greater happiness. These ideas have, since family planning came into place, been slowly discarded. In the past, people would keep having babies until they were blessed with a boy. This practice is discouraged through family planning. Family planning has promoted growth and change in the minds of Chinese couples regarding these issues. The report from the State Council of China said that in 1990 the average family size was 3.96 persons, down from 4.84 persons in 1971. The report claims that the major reason for this reduction in family size is the institution of family planning, resulting in fewer births. (China State Council, 1) People in China are now moving toward the one child idea more and more. In Werner Fornos study, mentioned earlier, he quotes a villager in Liaoning Province who said, In our village, sixty-nine women are qualified to apply to have a second baby in accordance with the government policy, but only nine have expressed any interest. Fornos noted that young couples are now opting to marry later and have few children (Popline, 1). It is evident that family planning has effectively changed the mind set of the people regarding marriage and family. Family planning has, last but not least, aided in development of Chinas economy and living standards. Chinas main goals in family planning, with respect to the economy, is to make the speed of population growth lower than the speed of gross national product growth, thus eventually raising the per-capita level. The following statistics, given in the report from the State Council of China, will illustrate this fact: In the period between 1952 and 1978, the Gross Domestic product (GDP) increased 4.7 fold. However, the per-capita GDP increased only 2.8 fold. Between 1978 and 1994, China persisted in doing a good job with family planning. The GDP increased 4.2 fold and the per-capita GDP increased 3.4 fold. Compared with 1974, living standards in China have improved greatly. For most families, the basic needs of living, such as food, clothing, and shelter, were met. There has been great progress in China since family planning developed regarding the economic and living standards of the people. In studying the evidence given in this paper, one can surely begin to agree that the birth regulations in China are providing a positive effect on the Chinese. Family planning regulations, which were set up in an attempt to control the over rapid growth in population in Chinese communities, have been effective in doing just that. Family planning practices are justified because they have effectively regulated over-rapid population growth, promoted positive changes in peoples thoughts on marriage, birth and family, and have aided development of Chinas economy and living standards.

Comparison Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparison Critique - Essay Example rd (Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, presumably met Theseus in combat), he will wed her â€Å"with pomp, with triumph, and with reveling’ with a grand celebration to begin at once and last until the wedding. The order that was given to the youth to be in the merriment mood shows that there was overuse of authority to the people in the society who had little or nothing to say at all. This can be a good example of dictatorship. The kings are also known to be dictators in the countries that they rule because the leadership is inherited without giving much consideration to the leadership qualities (Bloom and Janyce 28). Egeus, an Athenian citizen, arrives at Theseuss palace with a crisis. Hes made plans for his daughter, Hermia, to marry Demetrius, but this other guy named Lysander has managed to steal his daughters heart. Now Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius. Egeus is outraged and wants Theseus to give Hermia the death sentence for her disobedience, per Athenian law. The marriage arrangements seem to have failed because the daughter refuses to marry the man that the king had chosen for her. This is an indication that the king does not accept to give other people a chance to make their own choice. He dictates even the family members a total dictatorial society (Shurin 195). Duke Theseus wants to be reasonable, so he advises Hermia to be a good girl and listen to her father. Hermia flat-out refuses, so Theseus gives her two alternative options: 1) accept the death penalty as punishment for disobedience, or 2) become a nun and remain a virgin forever. Hermia has four days to decide her fate. In the society, there are always advisors who will come to give advice on the basis that they care. They come to persuade someone to do something to please someone. Duke is such a person who is advising Hermia to wed someone who is not her choice but her conscience tells her not to. Sometimes it is good to follow someone’s conscience because it is always right on some situations

Formal Analytical Report Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Formal Analytical Report - Article Example However, people are nowadays failing at devoting sufficient time to their loved ones whereas, sex is dying out and humans of the advanced era are spending useless hours in the front of a shiny screen and they think that they are â€Å"socializing† but in reality they are hallucinating themselves for their better part of the day. The practice of socialization is supposed to be accompanied with strong emotions and happiness while, people were eager to meet each other (Jansen, Zhang, Sobel, & Chowdury, 2009). Humans had been writing letters to each other for centuries and that particular trend made them writers. The past generations were masters of articulating their thoughts into words because they were habitual of writing letters but nowadays things changed dramatically and each time honored human activity is getting done with the help of computers. The current generation is having thousands and thousands of friends on social networking sites but they do not know them personally and yet they think that they have buddies when in real sense they are alone. The loner in the past was aware of his or her loneliness and therefore, he or she devoted his or herself to arts, literature and painting. In this fashion their self awareness helped them in many regards (Mathisen & Einarsen, 2004). However, each of the humans living in this time is having multiple social media accounts and because of this reason, he or she presumes his or herself is an extrovert. The outbreak of an urge to be an extrovert is killing creativity in people because innovation and newness can come from the dark rooms of loners who dissolved themselves into their works and caused the world of intellect to move forward eventually. The youngsters’ minds are stuck up in socialization and they cannot possibly focus on their studies, jobs and work. The illusion of globalized networking is eating away the warmth of emotions which defined humans

The Patriot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Patriot - Essay Example Benjamin is made the leader of the Colonial Militia to fight a course for both his country and family. Story being told The director of the movie is basically trying to tell the story of commitment for one’s nation. The effectiveness of this lesson that the director was trying to put across could however be said to have been plagued by the fact that the commitment or otherwise theme of patriotism that the director was presenting was not based on personal or self conviction of the character who was made to play the role (Warhurst, 2007). This is because the sense of the character’s patriotism was called to task only because he had a personal family mission of vengeance to undertake. Watching the movie, it could be seen that the director chose the American Revolution of 1776 as the historical piece with which to tell the story because that is a piece of history that has a very strong bearing of the ordinary American to his or her origins of freedom and independence that h e or she enjoys today (Gauja, 2010). This means that the historic piece was selected as one that could appeal to the sense of American patriotism in a more touching way. Most important Moments depicting Director’s Story There is a common saying in local parlance that it is only a fool who doe not change his or her mind. This adage is used a very momentous scene by the director to depict the director’s story. This is because in the judgment of Benjamin Martin, nothing would have made him fight for his nation if he had not lost his son through events of the war. This was an important moment depicted in the film because the call for patriotism is most often not heeded by most American unless they have a sense of urgency to respond to it (Rubin, 2010). The director therefore used that moment to drum home to all countrymen and women that the need to stand and fight for one’s nation should be something that is innate and inspired by personal convection rather than cir cumstantial events and happenings. Present Research and Point of View presented in Movie Research on the actual American Revolution, shows that the director of the film did not depict the exact events of the revolution in the film. This is because there were critical aspects of the wars and acts of violence that are more aligned to the Nazis in the 1940 than to the American Revolution in the 1770s (Jaensch, 2008). The role that was played by the Nazis was therefore made to be played by the British in the film. This somewhat contradicts the point of view presented in the film. However, further research show that the theme of the director that depicts the fact that the patriotism of most Americans are provoked by circumstantial factors such as the need to retaliate in terrorism; rather than an innate call of commitment is true about present day America (Gauja, 2010). This could have been fixed if the director told the American Revolution story just as it was without having to create t he story from a fictional point of view. Personal Lessons and Further Recommendation Before watching the movie, I had no idea of how sophisticated the British rule over the American was. Indeed, to the extent that the British would fight till the drop of last blood to ensure that their colonization of the Americans remained intact means that the British saw America as a real treasure that

Perception Of Nature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Perception Of Nature - Essay Example For years, the imagination that all other organisms are less intelligent and incapable of expressing themselves in the same as humans may be utterly wrong. There seems to be an intelligent interconnection of nature between all its components. Science is a growing field whose previous conclusions have made us have a mindset of how nature should be. However, some of the findings that are coming up tend to disapprove the traditional notions. Therefore, there is an intelligent interconnection in nature amongst all its components. Nature is very intelligent and it is highly unlikely that one of its components can fully fathom of this intelligence. As noted by Marten (256), there are various perceptions that human having towards nature. He points out five common perceptions that people have considered nature. Looking at each one of them, there are valid basis in which it is established. However, these basis are not in any way conclusive. The interconnectivity of all the components of nature provides a platform in which understanding of nature becomes a bit more complex hence making humans incapable of having a full understanding of nature. However, through science humans have been able to grow their knowledge of nature bit by bit. Humans are part of the nature and to a large extent they have a limited scope of understanding the view of other components of nature. This makes its unreasonable to rely on the perception that humans have harbored over years about their supremacy and intelligence. Below is a good ex ample that demonstrates the capacity of other animals (elephants) to demonstrate some so called ‘human character.’ Empathy is a virtue that is highly prevalent among people and it is unimaginable that elephants too have this virtue. This worldview is based on the basic assumption that other animals are subject to our manipulation and hence they do not have their own discretion. This indicates that humans have for

The Bureaucratic Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Bureaucratic Model - Essay Example There are usually rules that govern the conduct of individuals at all levels, which are important in enhancing harmonious relations in the workplace and the maintenance of justice and equality not considering a person’s background. Lynn (1998) observes that consistency is maintained while on the other hand it is possible to avoid and deal with potential risks. People are safe guarded against injustices.Bureaucracy tends to help people to accomplish tasks in a well designed and organized way. In its perfect form, it can lead to efficiency in operations while on the other hand, people respect the rules involved and therefore it is possible to maintain high efficiency with minimal supervision. Farrell & Morris (1999) argue that the system presents people with chances to serve the nation and also to learn ways of coping with challenges. Honesty and reliability are the basis for bureaucracy and the members who are involved in the system are expected to maintain competence and to en sure that their clients’ needs are satisfied.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even though bureaucracy presents a systematized way of delivering services, it is associated with a number of inefficiencies. Seitel (2006) argues that for decisions to be implemented there are certain rigid procedures that have to be adhered to, which leaves no room for improvement. The public administration involves extensive write-ups and documentation, and is prone to hindrances due to red-tapes. India is one of the countries where bureaucracy is pronounced.

Explain how to establish and maintain a safe and supportive learning Essay

Explain how to establish and maintain a safe and supportive learning environment - Essay Example The physical needs of students are essential in that they enhance even the health of students. To ensure that they are met, one needs to ensure that the learners engage themselves in physical activities. This creates a relaxed environment and full participation from learners. The social need and learning needs come in handy. This is because while trying to meet their physical needs, the spirit of team comes in which requires them to interact social can even learn from each other freely. Ideas are created from themselves and each one feels the urge to participate openly. Adjustments in sitting positions in class can also be made according to the strengths of different students. Students with diverse positions are likely to boost each other as their strengths are placed differently so each one of the wills to learn from the other according to their areas of weakness.Teachers and students do not have much in common. This makes it hard for the teachers to build a rapport with their students. They should therefore be trained on educational psychology (Jane Thungu, 2008). Rapport does not result to learning but is a key to the good conditions of a learning environment. It can be built through respect. Respect is a two way traffic and therefore teachers and students must have it for each other. Teachers must also create an approachable atmosphere where the students are made free to consult. Honesty is a virtue in a learning environment. For students to learn they must be told clearly but not brutally of themselves. To build rapport teachers should look interested. Students must be able to tell that their teachers care about them and their learning. A sense of humor is also of importance. (Granitz N.A, 2009). Teachers have to make professional judgment on student through each course. They should therefore always ensure that the students know what is expected of them at the end of the course. Randomly assessing them is however of importance.

Amistad movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Amistad movie - Essay Example Before getting into the ship La Amistad, the Africans were first kept in Havana, Cuba slave market where buyers and sellers make a bid for the price of the slaves. This is a heart breaking scene because the people who guarded the Africans were also Africans. Their conditions were horrible and inhumane. In La Amistad, the Africans made a successful mutiny and killed every one of their captors except for two who dupe them into going to America instead of Africa. Their conditions however in that ship that transported them to Havana, Cuba and La Amistad were terrible. Probably, the security in La Amistad is a little lenient because Cinque was able to free himself from the shackles and took over the ship. But prior to that, they were treated worse than animals. It began when they first boarded the ship that abducted them from their homes in West Africa. Upon boarding, a whip greeted them and when they got restless, one of the officers of the ship took out his pistol and randomly shot the Africans and hit a woman dead. But that is not the most horrific sight of death. Before arriving in Havana, Cuba, there were undesirable slaves who were tied to a rope that has rocks as an anchor. The idea was to throw the rock-anchor at the bottom of the sea and with it are the slaves who are tied to the rope. It was a heart wrenching scene where actual human beings struggled not to go down with the rope. There was also this dramatic scene where a woman held a baby whose mother died a night before. At its backdrop were African women being molested and rape by the crew of the ship where some of the men were whipped to death. Seeing this, the woman was not able to take it anymore and fell herself off the ship together with the baby. The starvation also that the African endured was heartbreaking as they scrambled for the ration that was given to them. Their rations would

Samsung Analysis Essay Example for Free

Samsung Analysis Essay 1/Identify the ressources and competencies of an organization with which you are familiar using Exhibits 1 and 2 (WA). I decided to undertake an analysis of the Samsung company because I spend a full year in South-Korea, from july 2011 until august 2012. Hence, Samsung is an extremely important conglomerate in this country, working there is for many considered as a  « dream-job  » and furthemore produce as much as 20% as the country total exports. Samsung is well known for their electronic product created by the electronic subsidiaries of the company, Sansung Electronics. Their flagship phone, currently being the Samsung Galaxy S3 sold over 40 millions units. They produce TV, Computer, Display, semiconductors, Cameras But if Samsung is mainly known in the western countries for the Samsung Electronics subsidiaries, it is possible in Korea to live your whole life with Samsung products. Indeed, among the subsidiaries, we can find Samsung Life Insurance, Samsung Heavy Industries (mainly a shipbuilder subsidiarie), Samsung CT There is even some  « Samsung Cities  », like the Suwon Samsung Digital City. It is areas where only the Samsung employees and their families are allowed to get in. Here, there is appartment, school, hospital, entertainment, and everything ones need to lead a life, except that everybody around you is working for samsung. Indeed, Samsung is producing itself almost all the component the company need. So there is enourmous production needs, that lead to enourmous production site. Many of the Samsung employee have so no other choice than living on site with their family. If I am introducing this company that way, it is in order to help us understanding some of the most valuable asset of the company. Samsung has won the trust and the loyalty over thousand of workers who are willing to go the extra mile for the company. Korea is famous to have one of the longest work time in the world. Indeed, in most of the companies workers must be willing to do many hours. Samsung has the intangible benefit of an extremely flexible workforce. But not only flexible, this workforce is also particularly well educated, thanks to the korean education system, one of the hardest in the world. As we said earlier, working for Samsung is considered for many as a dream job, and Samsung workers are more willing than any other worker to go to the extra mile, because they receive a better treatment than other workers in similar Korea company as LG, etc. (In term of salary, but also in term of insurance, and retirement plan : we should not forget that Samsung is not only Samsung Electronics, but also Samsung Life Insurance, and so this company can offer excellent deal to their workers). There is also a prestige for working at Samsung. Consequently, Samsung can easily recruit the elite of Korean student, of Korean researchers, and this indeed is an extremely important competitive advantage other the competition. No company in Korea has this attractiveness, and outside Korea only Apple and Google might be able to have similar advantages. But Apple and Google are western companies, and this mean that not all of their workers agree to give their life to the company. They are certainly not as much loyal as Samsung worker, because Samsung has become part of Korea itself, a national pride. This allow Samsung to have an outstanding capabilities for bearing mass production of any given product at any time. Without the willingness of Samsung employees, the company would certainly not be nowadays worldwide number one top selling smartphone company, neither be able to produce high quality product and being recognized worldwide for their quality. 2/Undertake an analysis of the strategic capability of an organization with which you are familiar in order to identify which capabilities, if any meet the criteria of (a) value, (b) rarity, (c) robustness and (inimitability).

Socially Useful Productive Activity Essay Example for Free

Socially Useful Productive Activity Essay Even my NGO (Deepalaya) had apprehensions as to how much we will be able to contribute in such a short time span. But after going through the whole exercise I can say that this course will surely be one of the highlights of my two year PGDM. SUPA helped me create a bond with Deepalaya that will definitely last a lifetime. I always wanted an NGO that is involved in education, so Deepalaya was perfect choice. Not only had it made me sensitive towards people who are underprivileged it also gave me a sense of pride of being a part of a worthy cause. It was an eye-opener to see that so many things that we take for granted are a distant dream for the majority in our country. If my work changes the life of even one child I would consider these 22 days being worth every single second. So I take this opportunity to specially thank Prof. J. Philip, President XIME and Prof. S. D. Tyagaraj, Dean XIME for coming up with such an innovative and socially responsible course. I am surprised that XIME is the only management institute that offers such a course, after all it’s not just the corporate’ that require efficient management. In a country like ours where there is extreme inequality in the society it becomes absolutely imperative that people like us come forward and contribute in our own little way. Today management professionals are venturing into social welfare, I hope this XIME initiative gives a boost to this trend and that many more institute’ follow suit. When I pass out of XIME one and a half years from now and look back at the two years I spent here, I would rate SUPA above all the other courses that I studied. At this point I have to acknowledge a few people who made my involvement with Deepalaya fruitful; Mr. The answer came pretty quickly, it was ‘Education’. Education is the only cause that I could see myself joining because I consider it to be the difference between success and failure. In our country literacy rate is just 66%, which is way below what we are achieving for. I am not just talking about formal education but also professional as well as vocational education. These high levels of illiteracy create a workforce that is unskilled and is unable to achieve its maximum potential. It is the reason why education has been the focus of our government, with ‘Right to Education’ being a big step. Education gives you a platform from which you build a career for yourself and become a responsible citizen. ‘Money is a current asset but education is a fixed one that gives dividends in the long run’. So finding an NGO with its roots deep into education was my primary focus. Once I decided on the cause, I started searching for an NGO in Delhi/NCR which serves the cause that is close to my heart. I have been lucky to be born in a family that could afford my education. So I was looking for an organization that helps in educating people who are not so lucky. Our course outlines that we have to get in touch with that other part of society. Deepalaya fit the bill perfectly as its primary focus was on education, especially child education. Every person you educate is a small effort in making a ‘self reliant’ society, which is Deepalaya’s motto. My own background check confirmed the credibility of the NGO so I didn’t think twice about sending an application. I am glad that it was accepted and I got a chance to make good friends and contribute to the society in my own personal way. SUPA Report: Denny Thomas Page 4 About Deepalaya Vision