Earn and learn online, tcyonline style

April 5, 2008 at 7:24 am · Filed under Edu-News, Teachers, Career Counseling

Shifting gears to move with the changing times, the modern student in the country today prefers to supplement his classroom education with online learning, be it his regular exam preparation for school or college, or any competitive exam.

At the same time, ‘not-so-computer-savvy’ students are getting jittery following the recent announcement of elite CAT going online next year. Such students are feeling a sense of insecurity and are making hectic efforts to learn net-surfing fast.

The broadband internet has made e-learning the modern buzzword and the students are taking a full advantage of free downloadable tests made available by www.tcyonline.com, the largest student-teacher platform in the country.

It is worth noting that the website is fast moving towards its target of 100,000 enrolments. On an average over 6000 students visit the site daily and are being benefited in their exam preparations, be it for IELTS , Medical or MBA.

Scores of free downloadable tests are available on the website for school and college examinations apart from some competitive tests being held in the country from time to time. These practice tests help the student in not only assessing his or her level before the actual exam, but are a wonderful way to benchmark himself or herself with anybody and anywhere in country.

The company is also making long strides through its two programs called ‘BetterThink’ and ‘STEPS’ in imparting quality education to the students and trouble-shooting their problems with the help of Live support by subject-experts and technical experts at tcyonline.com.

Boon for teachers:

Tcyonline.com is a real bonanza for teachers as well. An ‘attractive’ revenue model for teachers, launched about couple of months back, has evoked an ‘overwhelming’ response from the teaching community nationwide. Hundreds of satisfied teachers are uploading their tests on this unique website and are being financially benefited.

“This largest teacher-student platform in the country is a real boon for teachers because now they can earn a life-long income through our website,” said Mr. Kamal Wadhera, the CEO of tcyonline.com, an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY).

“Surpassing our all expectations, more and more teachers are flocking to this democratic platform every day and earning a handsome income,” the CEO said.

This education company launched this unique platform mainly for teachers to enable them earn a steady monthly income by uploading their content on the website.

Since the launch of this platform about couple of months back, over 1500 teachers have registered themselves on the site and are making ‘good’ money.

The encouraging part of the whole exercise is teachers are getting used to uploading their content on the website, thanks to the technical support offered by tcyonline.com experts.

Mr. Javed Ahmed, an IT professional-turned-online teacher from Hyderabad, who started uploading his MBA tests about two months back, is a happy man today thanks to the initiative by this website. “I couldn’t imagine teachers can make such easy money until I came across this website while net-surfing one fine morning. Basically I am an IT guy but money through uploading tests has really supplemented my income,” he said.

Mr. Ahmed, however, suggested that the financial gains of online-teachers like him should be based on number of downloads. “It’s a wonderful side-income for teachers and I would suggest other teachers, especially the retired ones, to come to the site to earn some good money,” he added.

For a blogger-turned-online teacher from a small city off Mumbai, Mr. Rajiv Vashisht, this website has come as a ‘good lucrative business’. He has uploaded quite a good number of MBA and English tests since the last one month. Mr Vashisht is of the view the tests should be ‘better categorized’ for the convenience of the students and the payment system for the teachers should be further streamlined.

Mr. Manoj Dogra, an online teacher from Himachal Pradesh, is all praise for this ‘totally unique’ website. “While other websites charge money, to my knowledge tcyonline.com is the only website which is totally free for the teachers and the students,” he said. Mr. Dogra, who is also running his own coaching institute for competitive exams like MBA suggested that the tests should be in a ‘more systematic order’ for the convenience of the students.

For the uninitiated, this unique concept is a real windfall for the teachers because now they can start earning through this website right from the day one as they can get their works published even if it is a couple of tests. Just with an effort of three-four hours on a single test, a teacher can make good money and can also keep track of his earnings in very transparent platform.

tcyonline is currently paying a good amount to the teachers as per each test uploaded. On top of that, they are also making money since the students have started attempting these tests. So, in a way they can turn their one-time effort into a life-long earning. This website is very particular about the originality of the content but does not bind them for an exclusive content.

About tcyonline.com:

Tcyonline.com is an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY). Founded in 1998, TCY provides college level test preparation and school level supplemental education services. The company serves almost all the sections of student community, through classroom teaching, and online mode; from K-12 to students preparing for competitive exams. TCY is present at 34 locations, and is tying up with more like-minded individuals and businesses, to further extend its footprint across the country.

TCYonline.com Challenge Zone

ne 20, 2008 at 4:22 am · Filed under Edu-schools, Edu-News, TCYonline, Tests Preparation, Teacher-Student Platform

The real way of exam preparation

NEW DELHI, June 20 - TCYonline.com, India’s number one web-portal for teachers and students, today launched the ‘Challenge Zone’ – a unique testing competitive tool — on its website which takes pride in having more than 1.15 lakh enrolled students and 3600 registered teachers across the country.

This free ‘challenge’ is something the students have always imagined but never had a chance to experience it anywhere. “The idea behind this initiative is to give a required boost to student-benchmarking through this thrilling learning experience, “ said Mr. Kamal Wadhera, the CEO of TCY, while launching this state-of-the-art ‘testing tool’, meticulously prepared by TCYonline.com experts with their decade-long experience. “I must say, no student can ill-afford to miss this testing tool,” he added.

“It is something we probably needed but never knew it could happen”, was the common feeling among a bunch of test-takers we spoke to during ‘test-rides’.

“Our experience tells that students desperately need such tools for customised testing but they don’t know what they need. It’s like what Henry Ford said,” If I’d asked people what they wanted, they would have asked for a better horse…” Drawing such a comparison of what the world’s motor-car giant, Henry Ford, had once said, Mr. Wadhera observed that the modern student couldn’t have asked for more.

Better benchmarking being the key to better scores, thanks to education portals like www.tcyonline.com, today a student in the country is in a better position to judge himself with anybody, anywhere and anytime. Touted as the success mantra by online education pundits, this ‘testing tool’ is sure to take students’ scores to dizzy heights, thereby giving them a great morale-boost.

This online unique competition puts a student on a sound pedestal, in full cruise-control. Now he can even choose to play a host. He can either ‘throw’ an on-the-spot challenge or schedule it at a later convenient time. Forming internet groups and scoring over each other is all set to be the in-thing in the Indian education arena. This Challenge Zone is just a beautiful beginning towards TCYonline.com’s objective of giving a new meaning to student-benchmarking in India.

The methodology: Just imagine, on a particular day and time an MBA aspirant in Chandigarh decides to benchmark himself against four other such aspirants in different parts of the country, say in Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. All he has to do is log on, select a test, invite his opponents, schedule his time and date. And, there you go!

“The beauty of this whole testing exercise is that a student can keep track of his performance (with onscreen score display) by controlling his speed and accuracy,” the CEO added. This is akin to keeping a tab on your running-mate.

Even inviting other students to the site, who are not online at that time, is as simple as sending a simple SMS. Students with the same goal can compete with each other. The benefits of this ‘challenge’ are many which include choice of better peers, better test, better time and better speed.

At the end of the test all the participants, including the host, will be able to see their scores on a scoreboard which will give them an idea as to where they stand and in what areas they have to improve upon. This testing tool may also shatter many of their false hopes that they might have developed during their course preparation.

The student might feel he is good in one subject but to his shock and dismay may face a stark reality like, “Oh, my God, I am nowhere as compared to that guy in Chennai.” Chances are he would work harder and overshoot his own goals. Now, that’s the beauty of this whole cerebral exercise. Want to jump on the bandwagon and take a ‘joy-ride’?

Salient features:-
• Ultimate form of customization
• Better peer choice
• Flexible time, better tests
• Self-motivating learning thrill
• Healthy competition for mutual benefit

About TCYonline.com:-
www.tcyonline.com is an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY). Founded in 1998, TCY provides college level test preparation and school level supplemental education services. The company serves almost all the sections of student community, through classroom teaching, and online mode; from K-12 to students preparing for competitive exams. TCY is present at 36 locations, and is tying up with more like-minded individuals and businesses, to further extend its footprint across the country.

CBSE exams: A cakewalk with tcyonline.com

As the mercury plummets, and the countdown begins to the Board exams, some of the students are really getting ‘chilly’ down their spines. Yes, the testing times are here again and most of the students are losing sleep over the very thought of it. There may be others silently praying for a miracle!

On the flip side, it is also true that the Gen Next has come of age. After coming to grips with hard ground realities, fighting parental pressure to perform, students have now got down to some serious business. Since the modern-day students are net-savvy, their exam preparation too goes hi-tech.

‘Smart study’ being the success secret, a majority of them goes in for online tests. These tests have been made available free of cost by tcyonline.com, India’s first education networking platform. Exam preparation has become a lot easier, leading to better results.

In a bid to boost their confidence level for their Central Board of Secondary Examination Class IX and X exams, www.tcyonline.com has gone whole hog with free online practice tests for the students. So, no more butterflies in your little stomachs.

Completely aligned with CBSE syllabus, these scientifically designed 30-minute tests would help shoot away students’ examination blues. These tests comprise 40 probing questions that would analyze their knowledge and aptitude.

“Hundreds of man-years have been spent in preparing these tests, starting from school programs like test papers for CBSE to Medical and Engineering”, according to tcyonline.com CEO, Mr. Kamal Wadhera.

“These tests would help ‘scientifically streamline’ students’ preparation, identify their grey areas and gauge their right progress. Once they take these online tests, the students would get a fair idea of their comparative rankings and topics to be revised. This is because the education portal also provides the detailed analyses sheet with correct answers.”

Mr. Wadhera advised the students to ‘consolidate’ their preparation without getting nervous when they are just over a fortnight away from the D-day. “They should come to our portal and discuss their preparation strategies with other students. Also, a little bit of benchmarking would help to a large extent,” the CEO opined.

It is worth noting that fine-tuned with students’ academic tastes and computing skills, these tests have really stood the test of time and got rave reviews from parents and teachers as well. Launched about three months back, they are gaining popularity between the student and academic fraternity alike. This unique education portal will cross the 1, 00,000 enrolment mark soon.

According to experts, a student taking more tests will feel more confident, cerebrally fighting fit to take the bull (exam) by its horn. Moreover, such a better-prepared student is bound to improve his cut-offs. We do not think there is any better way to shoot away your exam blues.

It is notable that cutting across geographical barriers, age groups and peer pressure, broadband has really broadened modern student’s mental horizons today. The best possible content is available now at the click of a mouse, whether a student is in a metro, a tier B-City or a remote place. No wonder, student’s benchmarking and analytics have catapulted to a different level. Today, he is in a better position to prepare for the forthcoming Board exams.

About tcyonline.com

Tcyonline.com is an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY). Founded in 1998, TCY provides college level test preparation and school level supplemental education services. The company serves almost all the sections of student community, through classroom teaching, and online mode; from K-12 to students preparing for competitive exams. TCY is present at 31 locations, and is tying up with more like-minded individuals and businesses, to further extend its footprint across the country.

“It’s no BPO play for American kids”

January 16, 2008 at 9:29 am · Filed under Etutoring

Kamal Wadhera is the founder and CEO of tcyonline.com . The company specializes in school programs and standardized test preparation; provides LIVE online homework help through one-on-one tutoring. One of the leading educational organizations in India, tcyonline.com is gaining a foothold in North America with its unique online tutoring budgeted plans. The company is mapping out top US cities through its prospective affiliates with the just launched attractive ‘zero-investment’ model plan. Wadhera touches upon the Affiliate Business Model of tcyonline.com

Excerpts from the interview with R.M.S. Atwal

Q. There are already a host of tutoring players in the American market. How different is tcyonline.com from them?

I categorize these players primarily into two parts; the companies delivering the services from within the US and outside. While a majority of the American companies is providing these services to the end customers (school-kids) at highly prohibitive prices, the same job is being done by offshore companies, like us, at a much lesser cost, thereby putting lesser burden on the parents. We have an edge over the US companies because we provide great value for money. On top of that, our results speak for themselves. Today, with over 250,000 hours of total tutoring experience and over 1000 US students already tutored in the last two years, we are at a much stronger position. Our old students testify for us because we have made considerable difference in their lives. Our tutors have helped improve their grades a lot. Now we have a series of great results to show during the last two years that have made both students and parents very satisfied. Many of our students are repeat students. They were earlier with us in the lower grades and are still with us in their higher grades. The student satisfaction has really pushed the enrolments. That, I think, is something encouraging for us.

Q. But how different are you from the BPO industry?

I don’t see it as an outsourcing venture. Ours is purely an educational venture. The only difference is that it (education) is happening over the Net and the end-customer is sitting 10,000 miles away. So, it’s not at all a BPO play for us. Ninety per cent of the companies that had mushroomed in this sector thinking it as BPO sector have vanished. It’s a pure and serious education play. The challenges in the US are different as kids have more distractions there. With over nine years of experience in education and over two years in e-tutoring US kids, we are very comfortable handling these issues. If you see the BPOs, their only plank is cost arbitrage, irrespective of the quality of services. But you can’t afford to do that with kids’ education. You can’t cut corners on any aspect. Over here we have been following a unique five-step approach since the day one. Our academic counselors monitor our tutors so that at no point of time anything is compromised in the entire delivery process. So, this is like teaching one-on-one in a classroom, and certainly it’s not another BPO business.

Q. Some of the Americans are not happy with the outsourcing services. Here you are dealing with school kids. Don’t you think your responsibility increases manifold?

Definitely. I would say this is a very sensitive area. The reasons behind outsourcing services (not doing well) were slightly different. Accent was one problem and customer service was another. Coming to schools, we have to be very careful. for example, who the tutor is, what he talks, how good his presentation is, how caring and passionate he is, how well he can relate to the problem of the child, etc. At all times, he has to be very patient. He can’t afford to lose his patience and his interaction with the child has to be very soft and encouraging. So, we train them in all aspects before they go live.

Q. Your new Affiliate Business Model sounds good on paper. How realistic is your ‘zero investment’ offer?

We have rolled out this plan after considerable amount of research on existing services, other choices in front of the customer, pain points, gaps in the market, etc. This is one aspect of the venture. Secondly, we have considerable experience in the Indian market in terms of franchising and handling affiliates. So, as far as our systems and replication of our services are concerned, we are comfortable on that. If there are any hiccups, we will overcome them as our team is humble and quick to learn. Regarding zero investment offer, it’s not a classroom setting for our affiliates. We are not replicating our delivery i.e. they don’t have to deliver the services on our behalf. They just have to enroll students and delivery is from our end. In the Indian market, when we are franchising our classroom services, we do charge a considerable amount of licensing fee and security. Our affiliates in the US and Canada would be primarily counseling and enroling students. So we don’t want to burden them unnecessarily.

Q. What are your expectations from this model?

Well, we have very realistic expectations. It should pick up very fast because education is a great pain for any parent in the world and the US is no different. With the budgeted K-12 school programs we will make private supplementary education effective and affordable, and reach out to an average American household. We need somebody representing us close to the end customer so that we understand him better. That’s where affiliates come in. It’s a win-win situation for the end-customer as well as the affiliate. So, if both are satisfied in this chain, we are bound to succeed.

Q. Who all could be interested to become your affiliates and what benefits can they expect from you?

Educators, publishers, tutoring companies, home business owners, individuals or businesses with an interest in the education sector would be keen to become our affiliates. They could be people who have had some academic connection in the past, either in a teaching capacity or school administration. Since they know this field a little, it would be easier for them to understand the whole concept and be successful earlier in this venture. Now, talking about benefits, we have seen that working in this sector is much more satisfying than working for any other venture. If you put in the same kind of energy one feels much more satisfied at the end of the day. Secondly, the financial rewards from this model are so handsome that anybody would love to be associated with us.

Q. What’s the foundation of your tutoring program and how scalable is it?

I do not know whether scalable is the right word over here but definitely everything is at its place: huge content repository for K-12 for all grades, topics and the states. The foundation has already been laid. All the inputs required for state curricula alignment are already in place. Now it is just a matter of enrolling students and delivering the services to them. Talking of the delivery side, our team is very strong. Our tutors are kind, patient and give individual attention to child. I would like to mention here that our tutors are always supervised by academic counselors who are also very experienced. I do not see any hurdle in our scalability.

Q. So, where do you see tcyonline.com down the line, say in the next three years from now?

We have quite optimistic and big plans for the future. We see tens of thousands of students enrolling with us for homework help, test preparation and High School Programs in every state of the US. Our affiliates’ services would be extended throughout the country after we establish our offices in four to five major cities of the US.

Online coaching for entrance tests

January 22, 2008 at 5:11 am · Filed under GMAT

The Tribune

January 22, 2008

By Sanjeev Singh Bariana

If you cannot afford tuition fee to assess your potential for entry into a management course, GMAT or GRE, take a simple online test at the tcyonline.com website and plan for your future. The test can be attempted free of cost. In a novel endeavour, Top Careers and You, a Ludhiana-based company, which provides coaching classes for a range of entrance tests, including MBA, MCA, GRE, GMAT, SAT and law courses, has launched the site recently. Within a short span of a little more than a couple of months, the enrollment figure has crossed 40,000.

Giving the details, Kamal Wadhera, Chief Executive Officer, said benchmarking is a key issue in planning for any entrance examination today. Benchmarking done by individual coaching classes don’t give the correct standing of a candidate vis-à-vis students in other institutes. “Thus, we decided to create a common pool where a student could make his comparisons with students all over the country.”

Wadhera said, “We have exposed students online to all our contents in our eight years’ experience. We have taken a big risk, however, the initial response tells that the site will save our financial interests as well while giving quality offer of assessment to students. As far as our financial gains are concerned, we have been approached by certain institutes for their online advertisements. We are looking into the matter and in case we get decent return, we might also make free the expert coaching classes which we will provide at a level higher than the entry level. Students will have a liberty to choose their levels.”

It is also possible for students to pick any section of the testing material like IQ, general knowledge or numbers to estimate their potential based on the standings that the computer result would offer. The site allows teachers, or just passionate mentors and writers, to share their questions and tutorials with thousands of students by uploading their content in any format.

“We are working out the details of financial costs of Value-Added Services (VAS) under which students will have the option to choose tests, based on their preparation levels. Just clarifying on front of payments by students, our institute will offer free online testing to all students who want to check their standings in the general merit at the national level before joining expert coaching. The exercise will save a lot of time and money and also tell students their actual standing before they choose to commence their journey in preparing for any entrance examination,” Wadhera added.

HOW CAN ONE START SPEAKING ENGLISH?

February 8, 2008 at 5:36 am · Filed under MBA, GD/Interview

Any course for learning a language has a focus that deals with one or more of its different aspects or the ways in which a language is used i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing. No doubt, when it comes to learning a language, all these skills relate to one another in one way or the other that focus on any one of these will naturally cover the other areas as well; but different learners face different problems.. For example, there may be an individual who has quite a flare for writing but unable to speak confidently.

In this article we’ll consider some of the methods and procedures that can help a learner. We generally come across such students, at the beginning level, who bother too much about the slang. Firstly, it is necessary to make this fact clear that, in speaking, slang matters the least. As a matter of fact, today the number of non-native users of English language is much more than that of the native users. So, it is time to get rid of the feeling that slang is something fashionable and unavoidable. However, it is definitely beneficial to understand slang for many reasons in the sense that knowledge of slang will help a reader to understand the style of writing and speaking followed by users in different geographical regions. Secondly, some of the beginners also have a craze for using heavy sounding words. When one talks to such people, it seems as if they are walking dictionaries.

Another pitfall that the beginners tend to worry about is the ACCENT.

To put it in brief, the best is what is understood the best. So long as, others do not face any difficulty while listening to you, accent does not matter. No doubt, the correct and clear pronunciation of all the sounds is an area of concern. Any non -native speaker of an international language must work on his particular problem sounds in order to reach a level of proficiency where listener of any origin or nationality is able to communicate with him without any difficulty.
Learning International Phonetic Alphabet not only helps to produce different sounds correctly and effortlessly but also distinguish between similar sounding vowels and consonants. Generally, people do not realize the importance of being particular about the pronunciation of words. Here are some tips that a beginner may find helpful in learning English as a second language.

1. “Speak, Speak & Speak “

At this level, the best tool for any learner of English language is that he/she misses no chance of being in conversation with others at any cost. Make sure that you use this language for most part of the day and for different communication purposes. Listening is also important at this time as it helps the learner acquire a greater understanding of a language.
Learning a language is a two way process.

LISTENING………………………………◄
INPUT
READING………………………………◄

►…………………………………..SPEAKING
OUTPUT
►…………………………………..WRITING

The more carefully you listen to other speakers, the more accurate your own speech will be. Secondly, being a regular listener of some selected radio programs will surely help you. The best thing about radio is that our listening process is not disrupted by the constantly flashing visuals on the screen as in case of the TV and it does suffice the learner’s purpose of listening carefully. Besides, watching popular English TV shows and movies is also beneficial. Reading is another key area. It’s but natural for any well read learner to have a fairer chance of knowing more about a certain topic or situation which automatically enables him/her to for longer durations and that too with great confidence. Reading story books at the initial stage is a good option especially for the poor readers.

For those who feel too much hesitant to express themselves at the initial stage; writing the key words or the hints proves to be beneficial. In case you don’t have someone to talk to, for most part of the day, do not idle away your time, instead prepare a list of general questions like What are you currently doing, your career plans or your home town etc. and write down the responses in your notebook. Keep your eyes open to those colorful, attractive and informative sign boards all along your way as they keep you updated about what’s new?

The next step is to take help of some lessons in English language or join such classes to learn the fundamentals of grammar and improve your speaking skills. These tutorials must include activities like general conversation, dialogues, discussions and debates on various issues or current events. Along with these activities of speaking; attempting various work books for basic and functional grammar is also necessary. Solve the practice exercises that focus on particular problem areas or the usage of different parts of speech.

Gradually, when you would begin to feel more confident about your speaking skills as compared to your performance in the past; you’ll discover a new problem and say to yourself “I need more words!”

The next step, therefore, is to build up a good vocabulary. Though it’s a lifelong and unending process, yet a little more focused effort can bring a great change. Try out maintaining a diary everyday, write down all the new words that you come across, look for the meanings in the Dictionary and also form exemplary sentences for each word. Read newspapers and magazines. Different sections of such publications keep you informed about the vocabulary in current usage.

Further, if possible make e-pals amongst the native speakers via internet. There are various communities that you may join and talk to. This will not only enhance your communication skills, but also enables you to grasp the correct pronunciation and the native accent of the language. Visiting an English speaking country, if possible, would surely improve your understanding of the native culture, literature and social life in general which can act as the final step of the process of learning English language.

4 phonetic alphabet.

5 Work on one problem sound at a time./ Read slowly concentrating on the pronunciation of particular words. Record yourself, keep the tape and record yourself later, have you improved? Don’t be shy - ask a friend to listen to the tape too.

6 Read short stories out loud and try to see, say and hear the

7 Talk to friends who are also learning English. Go out together for coffee and only speak English to each other

• You can find ePals on the Internet!
• Visit an Irish / English / Australian theme pub. Often, the waiters and waitresses come from English-speaking countries, the menu is often in English too!
• You can find pen pals through specialist magazines. See my Resources Page for details of a few.

Join an English club or conversation group. Around the world there are many English speaking clubs, these clubs aren’t just for expats but for people interested in the English way of life. They are friendly and fun. For a list of English clubs click here. Check magazines as well as your phone book, your local newspaper and your local university. Or if there isn’t one in your area - start one! Place an advertisement in your newspaper for people interested in starting a group or go to Meetup

Don’t be scared of Math: Usha

February 20, 2008 at 7:31 am · Filed under Edu-News, Career Counseling

The right aptitude and career-goals, coupled with self-knowledge, can give the students a cutting edge in this modern competitive world, according to a noted career expert and the Director of Delhi-based ‘Career Smart’, Ms. Usha Albuquerque. In a rendezvous with tcyonline.com in the Capital, Ms. Albuquerque advised the students to be ‘career-smart’ rather than just career-conscious. Ignorance is not bliss today.

Ms Albuquerque applauded the website’s teacher-student platform and the efforts being made to reach out to students and help them make career decisions. It is worth noting that tcyonline.com will cross the 100,000-enrolment mark within the next couple of months. Stressing on the need for a ‘pragmatic approach’ towards modern career-goals, she said, “Students should be a little more realistic when it comes to choosing a career. They can aim for the stars but should pick up career-goals which are achievable.” Revealing the five success mantras of successful people, Ms. Albuquerque said the modern youth should have clear objectives in front of him on his aptitude, personality, interests, skills and academics. Elaborating further, she said while aptitudes and abilities are innate, the student should explore the career environment and select the one that would suit his kind of personality. Ms. Albuquerque said general courses like BA/BSc do not give the students a clear picture. They should use these graduation years to ‘groom’ themselves for the career option they have in mind, by taking up internships in the fields they wish to explore. The students should also attend workshops and seminars during vacations to fortify their mental faculties for bigger challenges ahead. She said this would not only help them in the career field but otherwise also in life which is full of challenges. Just one wrong choice, even a wrong subject stream after Class X, can push a student down and out. That can prove too dear to him throughout his life. Asked as to how a student should decide on a stream after class X, Ms Albuquerque said, a stream largely depends on the career goals he has set for himself. “The students should have a broad idea of the stream they want to get into. Most of the students and their parents believe taking up science subjects give students a wider choice. But this may not be so, if a student is unable to handle science, and is not interested in the careers that require a science background. The right choice at the right time is more important for the child.” Blowing out some common misconceptions about science subjects she said, “Its not that the one who selects sciences is more successful than others. You do not have to choose Science to prove a point. The X scores cannot be the deciding factor for choosing science in +2. Class X science is at a basic level which most students can handle well, whereas, science in +2 is at a much higher level, and students without strong logical and numerical abilities will not be able to handle. ” She advised the students to keep their options open all the time. “Don’t be scared of Maths as it can prove to be always useful in life,” she said. Asked to suggest some career options for women coming fresh out of colleges and universities, Albuquerque said women today are taking up careers that they would not have thought of twenty years back. “The mindset has changed and women are taking up all available options, including the Defense services. Now, they are as ambitious as men,” she opined. “But, what is important is their career goal. Can they pursue the chosen career after marriage? Though this is a personal aspect, but should be kept in mind while deciding on a long term career goal.” Talking about career counseling as a career option for the modern youth she lamented that since there is not much money in this profession, the career does not find much favour with the students today after coming out of colleges and universities.

What is ‘Higher Order Thinking Skills’ (HOTS)?

February 23, 2008 at 12:47 pm · Filed under Edu-schools

Viji Raj

‘Higher Order Thinking Skills’ was introduced as an educational agenda in the publication of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives in 1956. Thereafter, it has gone through several modifications.

Bloom and his team of authors classified the thinking skills into six areas:

• Knowledge
• Comprehension
• Application
• Analysis
• Synthesis
• Evaluation

The CBSE used these components in the previous examinations too. But this is the first time that they have reserved marks for these questions. In fact, loosely stating, almost all the questions asked by the CBSE in the paper would fit into one of these skills. So you need not worry. An analysis of the CBSE sample paper would tell you that there is an increase in the application based and reasoning based questions. Everything else will remain the same.

However, it would be worth while to know more about the typical question frame work for all the six areas mentioned above.

Knowledge This is about learning and recalling information from your text book and surroundings.

Typical questions of this type would be :

• Define, Describe
• List down, Name
• When, Where
• Tabulate, Identify etc.

Comprehension This is about drawing inferences from what you have read. The question may ask you to grasp the meaning, infer the causes and make predictions.

Typical question types are

• Explain / Discuss
• Compare / Contrast
• What will happen if
• Why does it happen so

Application This is about using the information that you have acquired in new situations to solve problems.

Typical question types are

• Numerical problems
• Apply / Illustrate
• Classify, etc.

Analysis This section is about seeing patterns in what you study and recognizing the implications.

The typical question types would be

• Arrange / Separate
• Classify / Compare
• Explain why

Synthesis This is your ability to draw conclusions from given facts and generalizations.

The question types are

• What if
• How will you design / plan
• What do you infer from

Evaluation This is about assessing the merit of what you have learnt, knowing its uses, and limitations; giving out reasoned arguments, etc.

The typical question types are

• Recommend / Judge
• What do you conclude
• Rank in the order of

From this discussion, it would be obvious that you are already prepared for most of the HOTS questions. So please don’t worry. Face the examination boldly.

Test yourself with this free Mock CAT

Source Rediff

Come Sunday, November 18, and many of you will be taking the Common Admission Test. A good score in the test is your ticket to the best B-Schools in the country.

To help you perform better, we offer CAT strategies and tips as well as live chats with trainers every week.

• Share your CAT experiences!

Now, Get Ahead, in collaboration with Top Careers and You, an organisation that trains CAT aspirants, brings you a FREE sample CAT paper, with answers and an analysis for every answer.

All you need to do is download the questions and the answers and take the test.

• Sample CAT questionnaire
• Sample CAT answers and analysis

What's More!
Do not worry if you have not prepared short notes for the final revision. Experts at Top Careers & You have done this for you. You may download the chapter-wise short notes from www.tcyonline.com. Take advantage and stay prepared!

Mock tests for MBA/ GRE/ SAT

Source Rediff

What: Top Careers and You is conducting an online test series for MBA/ GRE/ SAT aspirants.

Details

~ The MBA section will include the following:

• Quantitative Aptitude: Tests on commercial and higher mathematics.
• Verbal Ability: Tests your reading comprehension, English usage, grammar and vocabulary.
• Reasoning: Tests your logical and analytical skills with mathematical, critical and logical games and visual reasoning.
• Data Analysis: Tests on data interpretation and data sufficiency.
• Online Mock Test Series.

~ The GRE and SAT sections will include the following:

• Verbal Ability
• Quantitative Aptitude

How to apply

~ To register, visit http://www.tcyonline.com/.

Web site: http://www.tcyonline.com/

GRE: FAQs on sections and scoring

Source rediff

Yesterday we looked at FAQs regarding the basics of the GRE and what it's all about. Today, Atul Prashar, examination expert from TCYonline, takes a closer look at the various sections of the GRE and scoring patterns.
What are the recently introduced changes in the GRE pattern? How are they going to affect test takers?GRE test takers experienced the new question types introduced in November. The introduction of new question types in the Sentence Completion and Quantitative sections was a well planned and systematic move by the Education Testing Service (ETS) after their withdrawal of the proposed sudden and big changes in April 2007 worldwide earlier.
The changes occurred in the form of (at most) one question each (either there will be one question of new type or none) in the Quantitative reasoning and Verbal reasoning modules of the test. The following table summarises the changes:

Implications~ In the quantitative section, the format of the required answer has undergone a change. That is, instead of clicking on the right answer choice from the multiple choices, the test taker will type the answer in the box provided. The implication is that the test taker has to be doubly sure of the answer because there will be no answer choices in the question.
~ The change in RCs is a welcome change. The students will now be able to find the relevant text in the highlighted form and spotting the right piece of information for answering questions will become easier than it was earlier.
~ Earlier the test takers were able to guess out the answer by simply working out one best fit. They could also proceed by trial and error. They cannot indulge in any such speculation any longer.
There will now be three options available for each blank and each set is independent of the others. What is worse, there is no partial credit even if the test taker is able to get the right fits for two blanks, but not for the third. In effect this becomes a set of two or three inter-related questions, each of which has to be answered right if credit is to be received.
How should one strategise the preparation for Quantitative reasoning section?Here's a summary of the strategies required for tackling GRE's quantitative comparison section with following points:~ Assumption is the greatest enemy in GRE Quant. It is very important not to assume anything. Restricting yourself to the given hypothesis is the only good way to avoid the trap in the question.
~ The focus should be on comparing the answer choices rather than doing lengthy calculations.
~ The answer format is a standard one and practicing it well saves time and energy in the actual GRE.
~ The questions in this section have common mathematical traps; hence it is recommended that one should re-check and confirm the answer before registering it.
What is the most effective way to build a great vocabulary?Our TCYonline expert suggests three strategies for the same:
(A) Imagination: This method requires the learner to attach an image with the word. In other words, symbolising a word is the key here.
(B) Association: Here, the skill to associate the given words with the known words plays a vital role. Association is highly effective if used carefully. The words can be associated by their structure, usage, meaning and pronunciation
(C) Vernaculisation: This technique is one of my most preferred when it comes to learning new words for which you cannot find any imaginary or associative source. Vernaculisation is simply the technique that our experts derived when they found out that an easy way to learn a particular word was to relate it to something that one could use in one's mother tongue.
How to manage the time factor in the Reading Comprehension section of the Verbal reasoning section?RC questions are never based on the TOTAL contents of the passage; they are rather based on the main idea(s) or gist of the individual stanzas. So the strategy is not to read for words, but for ideas. The solution lies in reading with varying speeds: rushing through the chaff, but slowing down at the grain (main and/or supplementary idea).
Moreover, bear the central idea in mind while answering the questions, because the right answers will revolve round the main idea and will concatenate. Also look for extreme answers and half-truths as they are more likely to be distracters.
What is the most challenging component of GRE and what should be done to manage it effectively?The most challenging component of GRE is the fact that it is a Computer Adaptive Test. That is, the test adapts itself to the test taker's intelligence. Moreover, the individual score per question decreases as one advances in the test and one can not move to the next question unless s/he answers the previous one.
What worsens the situation is the fact that all the questions are important to be attempted and an un-attempted question bears huge penalties.
The best way to counter this challenge is the fact that each kind of question is important and efforts must be made to make sure that the initial questions of each kind are marked correct.
Taking more and more simulated tests is the key to master this skill. Another important input is to make sure that you have understood and practiced the concepts well before taking the simulated tests. You may find thousands of such tests on www.TCYonline.com.
What is AWA and how much is it important?AWA stands for Analytical Writing Assessment. It is the test taker's ability to think critically at the given situation or problem and write using one's analytical abilities together with the proficiency in the language. It is graded on the scale of 6.
The AWA section has recently got a fillip from the ETS and the universities as the standard format to compare the level and appropriateness of the language used in the admission documentation with that in the analytical writing tasks in the GRE. This is done to ensure that student do not take help to have their SOPs, essay and other documentation prepared solely by the professionals �that otherwise is expected to reflect the individual's original ideas and thoughts.
What is a fairly good, a bad and an excellent score in GRE?There is no good or bad GRE score. Moreover, GRE is not the sole admission criterion as discussed earlier. Everything depends upon the universities one is applying for.
If the target university requires 1370 or above in GRE, one has to aim for 1370 and above. For him 1370 is the excellent score. However, for admission to top 10 universities of the USA, one has to aim for 1400 and above together with a good and aggressive academic record and sound documentation.
Part I: Top GRE FAQs answered!
Further queries related to the GRE can be addressed to Atul Prashar at atul@tcyonline.com. Visit www.tcyonline.com for FREE online and downloadable tests related to GRE, GMAT, SAT and CAT.

Free online CAT course by tcyonline.com

February 4, 2008 at 11:40 am · Filed under MBA, CAT
With e-learning being the modern buzzword, preparation for Common Admission Test (CAT) too goes digital and online free, thanks to an initiative by tcyonline.com that has made this facility possible for the MBA aspirants.
Following an ‘overwhelming’ response from the students to its CAT-2008 free online course launched about a month back, the company has launched its next free course-batch to ‘augment’ students’ classroom learning experience.
The initial batches received so much response against the available 250 seats that the company had to start another free batch. Speed being the key factor for an entry to coveted IIMs and other B-schools in the country, tcyonline.com initially started with speed and vocabulary buildup. Tailor-made to the needs of an average student, audio lectures are supplemented by continuous assessment through plenty of online tests.
Elaborating on the course concept, the CEO of tcyonline.com, Mr. Kamal Wadhera, said, “It’s all about best benchmarking and augmenting classroom learning. Once a student takes these online tests, he would be in a better position to judge himself and know his grey areas.
“We are providing a wonderful platform to students through which they can interact with other students and teachers anytime and anywhere in the country. I don’t think there can be a better way to prepare for CAT,” Mr. Wadhera added.
This unique course, the first of its kind in the country, is also backed by live online technical support and subject-wise online help by CAT experts. Equal stress is being laid on Quant and Verbal Aptitude, Data Analysis, and Logical Reasoning.
Course salient features:
• Vocabulary and speed reading buildup• Digital audio lectures and online tests• Live online technical support• Subject-wise backing by CAT experts• Downloadable topic-wise notes.• Test-wise analysis and nationwide ranking• Mock CATs and previous year’s original papers
It is worth noting that mock tests and original papers of the other exams like FMS, SNAP, XAT are also available on the website. There are also online business awareness quizzes for IIFT, SNAP, IRMA and MAT.
CAT experts advise the students to first work on their basics and graduate to mock and chapter-wise tests after two-three months. Since there is always a surprise element in a CAT exam, keeping in view a steady shift from formula-based to reasoning-based questions during the last couple of years, these types of online tests can better prepare them to face any eventuality.
About tcyonline.com
Tcyonline.com is an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY), an education company engaged since 1998 in test preparation and supplemental education in India and abroad, through various modes of delivery: classroom teaching, online testing, and online tutoring. The company serves almost all the sections of student community; from K-12 to students preparing for MBA, GMAT, GRE, SAT, TOEFL, LAW etc. TCY is tying up with more like-minded individuals and businesses to further extend its footprint across the country.

HOW CAN ONE START SPEAKING ENGLISH?

February 8, 2008 at 5:36 am · Filed under MBA, GD/Interview
Any course for learning a language has a focus that deals with one or more of its different aspects or the ways in which a language is used i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing. No doubt, when it comes to learning a language, all these skills relate to one another in one way or the other that focus on any one of these will naturally cover the other areas as well; but different learners face different problems.. For example, there may be an individual who has quite a flare for writing but unable to speak confidently.
In this article we’ll consider some of the methods and procedures that can help a learner. We generally come across such students, at the beginning level, who bother too much about the slang. Firstly, it is necessary to make this fact clear that, in speaking, slang matters the least. As a matter of fact, today the number of non-native users of English language is much more than that of the native users. So, it is time to get rid of the feeling that slang is something fashionable and unavoidable. However, it is definitely beneficial to understand slang for many reasons in the sense that knowledge of slang will help a reader to understand the style of writing and speaking followed by users in different geographical regions. Secondly, some of the beginners also have a craze for using heavy sounding words. When one talks to such people, it seems as if they are walking dictionaries.
Another pitfall that the beginners tend to worry about is the ACCENT.
To put it in brief, the best is what is understood the best. So long as, others do not face any difficulty while listening to you, accent does not matter. No doubt, the correct and clear pronunciation of all the sounds is an area of concern. Any non -native speaker of an international language must work on his particular problem sounds in order to reach a level of proficiency where listener of any origin or nationality is able to communicate with him without any difficulty.Learning International Phonetic Alphabet not only helps to produce different sounds correctly and effortlessly but also distinguish between similar sounding vowels and consonants. Generally, people do not realize the importance of being particular about the pronunciation of words. Here are some tips that a beginner may find helpful in learning English as a second language.
“Speak, Speak & Speak “
At this level, the best tool for any learner of English language is that he/she misses no chance of being in conversation with others at any cost. Make sure that you use this language for most part of the day and for different communication purposes. Listening is also important at this time as it helps the learner acquire a greater understanding of a language.Learning a language is a two way process.
LISTENING………………………………◄INPUTREADING………………………………◄
►…………………………………..SPEAKINGOUTPUT►…………………………………..WRITING
The more carefully you listen to other speakers, the more accurate your own speech will be. Secondly, being a regular listener of some selected radio programs will surely help you. The best thing about radio is that our listening process is not disrupted by the constantly flashing visuals on the screen as in case of the TV and it does suffice the learner’s purpose of listening carefully. Besides, watching popular English TV shows and movies is also beneficial. Reading is another key area. It’s but natural for any well read learner to have a fairer chance of knowing more about a certain topic or situation which automatically enables him/her to for longer durations and that too with great confidence. Reading story books at the initial stage is a good option especially for the poor readers.
For those who feel too much hesitant to express themselves at the initial stage; writing the key words or the hints proves to be beneficial. In case you don’t have someone to talk to, for most part of the day, do not idle away your time, instead prepare a list of general questions like What are you currently doing, your career plans or your home town etc. and write down the responses in your notebook. Keep your eyes open to those colorful, attractive and informative sign boards all along your way as they keep you updated about what’s new?
The next step is to take help of some lessons in English language or join such classes to learn the fundamentals of grammar and improve your speaking skills. These tutorials must include activities like general conversation, dialogues, discussions and debates on various issues or current events. Along with these activities of speaking; attempting various work books for basic and functional grammar is also necessary. Solve the practice exercises that focus on particular problem areas or the usage of different parts of speech.
Gradually, when you would begin to feel more confident about your speaking skills as compared to your performance in the past; you’ll discover a new problem and say to yourself “I need more words!”
The next step, therefore, is to build up a good vocabulary. Though it’s a lifelong and unending process, yet a little more focused effort can bring a great change. Try out maintaining a diary everyday, write down all the new words that you come across, look for the meanings in the Dictionary and also form exemplary sentences for each word. Read newspapers and magazines. Different sections of such publications keep you informed about the vocabulary in current usage.
Further, if possible make e-pals amongst the native speakers via internet. There are various communities that you may join and talk to. This will not only enhance your communication skills, but also enables you to grasp the correct pronunciation and the native accent of the language. Visiting an English speaking country, if possible, would surely improve your understanding of the native culture, literature and social life in general which can act as the final step of the process of learning English language.
4 phonetic alphabet.
5 Work on one problem sound at a time./ Read slowly concentrating on the pronunciation of particular words. Record yourself, keep the tape and record yourself later, have you improved? Don’t be shy - ask a friend to listen to the tape too.
6 Read short stories out loud and try to see, say and hear the
7 Talk to friends who are also learning English. Go out together for coffee and only speak English to each other
You can find ePals on the Internet!
Visit an Irish / English / Australian theme pub. Often, the waiters and waitresses come from English-speaking countries, the menu is often in English too!
You can find pen pals through specialist magazines. See my Resources Page for details of a few.
Join an English club or conversation group. Around the world there are many English speaking clubs, these clubs aren’t just for expats but for people interested in the English way of life. They are friendly and fun. For a list of English clubs click here. Check magazines as well as your phone book, your local newspaper and your local university. Or if there isn’t one in your area - start one! Place an advertisement in your newspaper for people interested in starting a group or go to

CBSE exams: A cakewalk with tcyonline.com

February 11, 2008 at 5:48 am · Filed under MBA, CBSE
As the mercury plummets, and the countdown begins to the Board exams, some of the students are really getting ‘chilly’ down their spines. Yes, the testing times are here again and most of the students are losing sleep over the very thought of it. There may be others silently praying for a miracle!
On the flip side, it is also true that the Gen Next has come of age. After coming to grips with hard ground realities, fighting parental pressure to perform, students have now got down to some serious business. Since the modern-day students are net-savvy, their exam preparation too goes hi-tech.
‘Smart study’ being the success secret, a majority of them goes in for online tests. These tests have been made available free of cost by tcyonline.com, India’s first education networking platform. Exam preparation has become a lot easier, leading to better results.
In a bid to boost their confidence level for their Central Board of Secondary Examination Class IX and X exams, www.tcyonline.com has gone whole hog with free online practice tests for the students. So, no more butterflies in your little stomachs.
Completely aligned with CBSE syllabus, these scientifically designed 30-minute tests would help shoot away students’ examination blues. These tests comprise 40 probing questions that would analyze their knowledge and aptitude.
“Hundreds of man-years have been spent in preparing these tests, starting from school programs like test papers for CBSE to Medical and Engineering”, according to tcyonline.com CEO, Mr. Kamal Wadhera.
“These tests would help ‘scientifically streamline’ students’ preparation, identify their grey areas and gauge their right progress. Once they take these online tests, the students would get a fair idea of their comparative rankings and topics to be revised. This is because the education portal also provides the detailed analyses sheet with correct answers.”
Mr. Wadhera advised the students to ‘consolidate’ their preparation without getting nervous when they are just over a fortnight away from the D-day. “They should come to our portal and discuss their preparation strategies with other students. Also, a little bit of benchmarking would help to a large extent,” the CEO opined.
It is worth noting that fine-tuned with students’ academic tastes and computing skills, these tests have really stood the test of time and got rave reviews from parents and teachers as well. Launched about three months back, they are gaining popularity between the student and academic fraternity alike. This unique education portal will cross the 1, 00,000 enrolment mark soon.
According to experts, a student taking more tests will feel more confident, cerebrally fighting fit to take the bull (exam) by its horn. Moreover, such a better-prepared student is bound to improve his cut-offs. We do not think there is any better way to shoot away your exam blues.
It is notable that cutting across geographical barriers, age groups and peer pressure, broadband has really broadened modern student’s mental horizons today. The best possible content is available now at the click of a mouse, whether a student is in a metro, a tier B-City or a remote place. No wonder, student’s benchmarking and analytics have catapulted to a different level. Today, he is in a better position to prepare for the forthcoming Board exams.
About tcyonline.com
Tcyonline.com is an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY). Founded in 1998, TCY provides college level test preparation and school level supplemental education services. The company serves almost all the sections of student community, through classroom teaching, and online mode; from K-12 to students preparing for competitive exams. TCY is present at 31 locations, and is tying up with more like-minded individuals and businesses, to further extend its footprint across the country.

Board toppers to feature on CBSE website

February 15, 2008 at 5:10 am · Filed under Edu-News

NDTVThursday, February 14, 2008 (New Delhi)With the board exams just two weeks away, the CBSE has announced what students can expect in the boards this year. The board has said that 20 per cent of the question paper will have short, one-mark questions.
Answer sheets of students who topped their papers last year will be put up on the CBSE website. Students who fail in just one subject will get five chances to clear the paper instead of four turns that they got till last year.
And about the controversial counselling helplines, the board has said that so far 2, 616 students have called asking for help, many of them are boys.

Don’t be scared of Math: Usha

February 20, 2008 at 7:31 am · Filed under Edu-News, Career Counseling


The right aptitude and career-goals, coupled with self-knowledge, can give the students a cutting edge in this modern competitive world, according to a noted career expert and the Director of Delhi-based ‘Career Smart’, Ms. Usha Albuquerque.
In a rendezvous with tcyonline.com in the Capital, Ms. Albuquerque advised the students to be ‘career-smart’ rather than just career-conscious. Ignorance is not bliss today.
Ms Albuquerque applauded the website’s teacher-student platform and the efforts being made to reach out to students and help them make career decisions.
It is worth noting that tcyonline.com will cross the 100,000-enrolment mark within the next couple of months.
Stressing on the need for a ‘pragmatic approach’ towards modern career-goals, she said, “Students should be a little more realistic when it comes to choosing a career. They can aim for the stars but should pick up career-goals which are achievable.”
Revealing the five success mantras of successful people, Ms. Albuquerque said the modern youth should have clear objectives in front of him on his aptitude, personality, interests, skills and academics. Elaborating further, she said while aptitudes and abilities are innate, the student should explore the career environment and select the one that would suit his kind of personality.
Ms. Albuquerque said general courses like BA/BSc do not give the students a clear picture. They should use these graduation years to ‘groom’ themselves for the career option they have in mind, by taking up internships in the fields they wish to explore.
The students should also attend workshops and seminars during vacations to fortify their mental faculties for bigger challenges ahead. She said this would not only help them in the career field but otherwise also in life which is full of challenges.
Just one wrong choice, even a wrong subject stream after Class X, can push a student down and out. That can prove too dear to him throughout his life.
Asked as to how a student should decide on a stream after class X, Ms Albuquerque said, a stream largely depends on the career goals he has set for himself. “The students should have a broad idea of the stream they want to get into. Most of the students and their parents believe taking up science subjects give students a wider choice. But this may not be so, if a student is unable to handle science, and is not interested in the careers that require a science background. The right choice at the right time is more important for the child.”
Blowing out some common misconceptions about science subjects she said, “Its not that the one who selects sciences is more successful than others. You do not have to choose Science to prove a point. The X scores cannot be the deciding factor for choosing science in +2. Class X science is at a basic level which most students can handle well, whereas, science in +2 is at a much higher level, and students without strong logical and numerical abilities will not be able to handle. ”
She advised the students to keep their options open all the time. “Don’t be scared of Maths as it can prove to be always useful in life,” she said.
Asked to suggest some career options for women coming fresh out of colleges and universities, Albuquerque said women today are taking up careers that they would not have thought of twenty years back. “The mindset has changed and women are taking up all available options, including the Defense services. Now, they are as ambitious as men,” she opined.
“But, what is important is their career goal. Can they pursue the chosen career after marriage? Though this is a personal aspect, but should be kept in mind while deciding on a long term career goal.”
Talking about career counseling as a career option for the modern youth she lamented that since there is not much money in this profession, the career does not find much favour with the students today after coming out of colleges and universities.

26 ‘Stepsians’ clear NTSE first phase

March 1, 2008 at 12:34 pm · Filed under NTSE, Edu-schools, STEPS
Maintaining its rich tradition of excellence in school supplemental education in northern India, twenty-six ‘Stepsians’ of tcyonline.com have cleared the first phase of the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE), conducted in November last year.
The NTSE, one of the prestigious competitive examinations held in the country, is conducted by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) for the students of class VIII and X. The test is divided into two parts: Mental Ability (MAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
The students were trained for the examination by ‘STEPS’, a division of Top Careers & You (TCY), the leaders in test preparation in northern India. Tcyonline.com, the online initiative of the company is the largest teacher-student platform in India.It may be noted that scores of tests for the NTSE exam are available free on the website, www.tcyonline.com. These tests in Math and English are downloadable and help in giving the student a fair idea as to where he stands before the actual exam. They also help him in benchmarking himself with other students anywhere in the country.
Thirteen students from the Ludhiana region, seven from the Chandigarh region and five from the Jammu region have cleared the test in ‘flying colours’.The students were in all appreciation of the efforts being made by the teachers of ‘STEPS’ who, they feel, have played an ‘excellent’ role in bringing out the best in them.
“STEPS proved a total hit for me and it gave me an edge over many other students. The teachers revived my interests in apparently boring subjects like chemistry, physics and advanced math. This created an inexplicable yearning to know more which ultimately helped me clear the first level of NTSE,” said Kanika of class X.
For Tushar Chhabra, also of class X, clearing the first phase of NTSE has given him a lot of confidence which, he thinks, would ultimately take him to the interview stage. He said the teachers at STEPS have helped him realize his full potential.
The list of successful students:
From Chandigarh: Naina Khanna and Paramdeep Singh (both Bhavan Vidalaya); Annahat Gill (Carmel Convent school); Sahil Bansal, Bijoy Singh, Aditya Bansal and Varun Syal (all St. John’s High school).
From Ludhiana: Ankush Aggarwal, Divjot Singh,Harleen Kaur, Kanav, Kanavpreet Singh, Kanika, Pranav, Rajat, Shlok, Sukaran Singh, Tegbir Singh, Tushar and Uparika.
From Jammu: Nalin Jain, Sahil Chatta, Shravan Tickoo, Mubashir and Gurleen Kaur. It may be noted that ‘STEPS’, has been imparting training to NTSE aspirants since 2003. The purpose of the NTSE is to identify brilliant students at the end of Classes VIII and X and give them financial assistance to attain good education. NCERT gives the successful candidates a study scholarship until Ph D level.
Benefits to the students in taking tcyonline.com practice tests for NTSE:
Round the clock availability, seven days a week
15 hours of NTSE testing
FREE usage
Saves travel time and money
Free online help for support
Upto 1000 NTSE level questions available
Answer keys and automatic scoring provided
STEPS prepares students for tenth standard board exams and other talent hunt competitions like Olympiad. It has been into NTSE training for over six years now. Students are being trained through physical classrooms postal, and online mode with tcyonline.com. So far, scores of students have passed out with flying colours.
STEPS has been striving for excellence bringing out the best results year after year by designing, maintaining and constantly updating “quality systems” backed by emerging technologies.
Tcyonline.com provides a common platform for students and teachers to facilitate better interaction among them. It is also building a team of quality people in creating a learning environment for continuous individual and organizational growth.
About tcyonline.com
Tcyonline.com is an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY). Founded in 1998, TCY provides college level test preparation and school level supplemental education services. The company serves almost all the sections of student community, through classroom teaching, and online mode; from K-12 to students preparing for competitive exams. TCY is present at 32 locations, and is tying up with more like-minded individuals and businesses, to further extend its footprint across the country.

26 ‘Stepsians’ clear NTSE first phase

March 1, 2008 at 12:34 pm · Filed under NTSE, Edu-schools, STEPS
Maintaining its rich tradition of excellence in school supplemental education in northern India, twenty-six ‘Stepsians’ of tcyonline.com have cleared the first phase of the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE), conducted in November last year.
The NTSE, one of the prestigious competitive examinations held in the country, is conducted by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) for the students of class VIII and X. The test is divided into two parts: Mental Ability (MAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
The students were trained for the examination by ‘STEPS’, a division of Top Careers & You (TCY), the leaders in test preparation in northern India. Tcyonline.com, the online initiative of the company is the largest teacher-student platform in India.It may be noted that scores of tests for the NTSE exam are available free on the website, www.tcyonline.com. These tests in Math and English are downloadable and help in giving the student a fair idea as to where he stands before the actual exam. They also help him in benchmarking himself with other students anywhere in the country.
Thirteen students from the Ludhiana region, seven from the Chandigarh region and five from the Jammu region have cleared the test in ‘flying colours’.The students were in all appreciation of the efforts being made by the teachers of ‘STEPS’ who, they feel, have played an ‘excellent’ role in bringing out the best in them.
“STEPS proved a total hit for me and it gave me an edge over many other students. The teachers revived my interests in apparently boring subjects like chemistry, physics and advanced math. This created an inexplicable yearning to know more which ultimately helped me clear the first level of NTSE,” said Kanika of class X.
For Tushar Chhabra, also of class X, clearing the first phase of NTSE has given him a lot of confidence which, he thinks, would ultimately take him to the interview stage. He said the teachers at STEPS have helped him realize his full potential.
The list of successful students:
From Chandigarh: Naina Khanna and Paramdeep Singh (both Bhavan Vidalaya); Annahat Gill (Carmel Convent school); Sahil Bansal, Bijoy Singh, Aditya Bansal and Varun Syal (all St. John’s High school).
From Ludhiana: Ankush Aggarwal, Divjot Singh,Harleen Kaur, Kanav, Kanavpreet Singh, Kanika, Pranav, Rajat, Shlok, Sukaran Singh, Tegbir Singh, Tushar and Uparika.
From Jammu: Nalin Jain, Sahil Chatta, Shravan Tickoo, Mubashir and Gurleen Kaur. It may be noted that ‘STEPS’, has been imparting training to NTSE aspirants since 2003. The purpose of the NTSE is to identify brilliant students at the end of Classes VIII and X and give them financial assistance to attain good education. NCERT gives the successful candidates a study scholarship until Ph D level.
Benefits to the students in taking tcyonline.com practice tests for NTSE:
Round the clock availability, seven days a week
15 hours of NTSE testing
FREE usage
Saves travel time and money
Free online help for support
Upto 1000 NTSE level questions available
Answer keys and automatic scoring provided
STEPS prepares students for tenth standard board exams and other talent hunt competitions like Olympiad. It has been into NTSE training for over six years now. Students are being trained through physical classrooms postal, and online mode with tcyonline.com. So far, scores of students have passed out with flying colours.
STEPS has been striving for excellence bringing out the best results year after year by designing, maintaining and constantly updating “quality systems” backed by emerging technologies.
Tcyonline.com provides a common platform for students and teachers to facilitate better interaction among them. It is also building a team of quality people in creating a learning environment for continuous individual and organizational growth.
About tcyonline.comTcyonline.com is an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY). Founded in 1998, TCY provides college level test preparation and school level supplemental education services. The company serves almost all the sections of student community, through classroom teaching, and online mode; from K-12 to students preparing for competitive exams. TCY is present at 32 locations, and is tying up with more like-minded individuals and businesses, to further extend its footprint across the country.

4-Day study plan for Science

March 15, 2008 at 4:01 am · Filed under Edu-schools
NOW, TIME FOR CLINICAL PRECISION
By: Viji Raj_____________________________________
CBSE Class X Science exam is on March 25. For most of the class X students, this would be their last exam. After Mathematics, Science is considered as the second toughest. However, you can score very well in this exam, if you are well prepared. TCYonline experts have selected some important topics for the readers of Rediff.com to be revised from the chapters given in the NCERT textbook, for preparation.
DAY 1
Acids Bases and Salts
Reasoning questions based from every day experienceSome typical questions may include• Why acids are not stored in metallic containers• Qns on digestive system / tooth decay• Qns related to neutralization in milk• Baking soda in food and fire extinguisher• Reaction with indicatorsUses and properties of plaster of Paris and gypsumBleaching powder working and chemical natureWhat happens when type of questions.Strong acids and weak acids and their pH value.
Effects of Current
• Definitions of potential and potential difference• Ohm’s law – its statements and graph.• Comparing resistances using V – I graphs.• Current and voltage in circuits.• Numerical problems.-Related to bending of wire of resistance of wire-Series and parallel circuits-Power dissipation in series and parallel combination of devices.-Problems related to choice of fuse.-Problem related to choice of fuse.-Problem related to consumption of electrical power.
Magnetic effect
• Magnetic field lines due to various configurations of wires and coils.• Strength of magnetic field and factors affecting it.• Solenoid as a permanent and temporary magnet.• Force on current carrying conductor activity.• Fleming’s left hand rule – problems.• Definition, nature and applications of emi
• Induction of potential difference, how is it produced.• Difference between direct current and alternating current• Advantages of AC current over DC.• Overloading, shortcircuit, earthwire etc.• Domestic circuit diagram.
• Some important chemical compounds
• Soaps – nature, synthesis and working• Micelle formation.• How are they different from detergents?• What are the chemicals that are added to soaps to obtain desire charterstics.
DAY 2Carbon and its compounds• Types of bonding in carbon• Saturated and Unsaturated Hydrocarbons• Properties of Alcohols• Properties of carboxylic Acids• Questions based on identifying compounds based on given properties
Metals and Non–Metals• Differentiating metals and non–metals• Basic Metallurgic Processes• Metals showing anomalous behavior (e.g. the metal which is a liquid at roomtemperature)• Properties and Uses of metals along with reactions• Bonding in metals and non–metals
Light–1• Images and their nature• Image formation in concave mirror• Understanding of focus, focal length, aperture etc.• Laws of refraction• Refractive index comparisons between media• Image formation in convex lensPeriodic classification of elements• Predicting position in periodic table based on properties.• Predicting properties based on position in periodic table.• Limitations of Mendeleev’s table• How modern periodic table is improved upon Mendeleev’s periodic table?• Breakthroughs achieved by Mendeleev’s table.
DAY – 3
Light–2 • Accommodation in eye with the help of eye lens• Problems in visionMyopia• Causes with ray diagram• Correction with ray diagramHypermetropia• Causes with ray diagram.• Correction with ray diagram.Prestyopia• Cause and correction• Applications of-Concave mirror-Convex mirror-Convex lens-Concave lensCauses of refraction and related effectsNumerical problems related to velocity of light and relative and absolute indicesWhy do stars twinkle and why do they appear risen up?What is the cause of dispersion and related atmospheric phenomenon?What is scattering and related atmospheric phenomenon?
Our environment Major environment problems along with their solutions.Ozone depletion.Bio–degradability of wastes and other pollutants.
Life Processes – 1Basic concepts related toNutrition in plants and animals.Respiration in plants and animals.Transportation in plants and animals.Excretion in plants and animals.
Control and Coordination•Tropic movements related questions.•Major plant hormones and their actions (voluntary, involuntary and reflex actions).•Animal hormones•Description of the nervous system with function of each part.
DAY – 4
Conservation and management of natural resourcesCoal and petroleumChipko AndolanForest and wild lifeLegal perspectives
Life Processes – 2Reproduction in plants and animals.Methods of family planning.HIV / AIDSWomen and child health.Heredity and EvolutionMeaning of heredityBasic concepts of evolution.Natural ResourcesAdvantages and limitations of big damsAlternatives to big dams.Water harvesting.
Sources of EnergyFossil fuelsSolar energy –– Advantages and disadvantages.Bio gas Energy –– Advantages and disadvantages.Wind Energy –– Advantages and disadvantages.Tidal Energy –– Advantages and disadvantages.Nuclear Energy –– Advantages and disadvantages.Renewable and non–renewable energy.
So, boys and girls, it’s the time to fire your all cylinders and show the examiner what you have learnt the whole year.
Good luck!

TCY launches ‘blended learning’ in North India

April 21, 2008 at 3:52 am · Filed under TCYonline, Virtual Classroom, TCY Franchises
In a bid to give the best of both worlds to its students – classroom teaching and online education – India’s premier education services organization, Top Careers & You (TCY) has launched ‘blended learning’ at its all 34 centres in Northern India.
“The idea is to standardize our delivery process through ‘virtual classrooms’ at our centres so that the students can get better education. Now any student can take admission anywhere and would get the best lectures on any subject,” said Mr. Kamal Wadhera, the CEO of TCY.
This unique education concept would help the students, teachers and franchisees at one go. Under this a student sitting anywhere in the country, in classroom or at home, can avail the facility of best lectures delivered by subject-experts.
Elaborating on the concept, Mr. Wadhera said, “This blended education is an extension of our distance language program for our students. Now, thanks to modern technology, we can make use of the services of our best subject-experts at any of our centres. With this new facility a lecture would be flashed live at all the centres.”
According to academic experts, the explosion of knowledge today has changed the very texture of what is learnt and how it is learnt. So, the concept of virtual classrooms is a manifestation of this knowledge revolution.
But what exactly is the ‘virtual classroom’ concept?
India is quite new to this concept created in the virtual space. Its goals are to improve an access to advanced educational experiences by allowing students and teachers participate in remote learning communities using personal computers. On top of that, the objective is to improve the quality and effectiveness of education by using computer to support a collaborative learning process. It is a platform which provides complete freedom of learning.
Some salient features:
Works in Flash format; no downloads
Two-way live audio/video delivery
Whiteboard with Math tools
Synchronous content-sharing
Excel files and videos
Records all sessions to be played back
As the web has added a new facet to knowledge and connectivity, the ‘virtual classroom’ uses the same phase to add a new dimension to knowledge and its acquisition.
It is worth noting that since its modest beginning in the year 1998, TCY has been providing college level test preparation and school level supplemental education services. The company serves almost all the sections of student community, through classroom teaching, and online mode; from K-12 to students preparing for competitive exams like MBA, MCA, GMAT, GRE, etc.
The modern buzzword:Today, the modern student prefers to supplement his classroom education with online learning, be it his regular exam preparation for school or college, or any competitive exam.The broadband internet has made e-learning the modern buzzword and the students are taking full advantage of free downloadable tests made available by http://www.mail2web.com/cgi-bin/redir.asp?lid=0&newsite=http://www.tcyonline.com, the largest student-teacher platform in the country.The website is fast moving towards its target of 100,000 enrolments. On an average over 5000 students visit the site daily and are being benefited in their exam preparations, be it for IELTS, Medical or MBA.Scores of free tests are available on the website for school and college examinations apart from some competitive tests being held in the country from time to time. These practice tests help the student not only assess his or her level before the actual exam, but are a wonderful way to benchmark himself or herself with anybody and anywhere in country.TCYonline is also making long strides through its twin programs, ‘BetterThink’ and ‘STEPS, in imparting quality education to the students. Its subject-experts and technical experts are also trouble-shooting students’ problems at live support.
About tcyonline.com:Tcyonline.com is an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY). Founded in 1998, TCY provides college level test preparation and school level supplemental education services. The company serves almost all the sections of student community, through classroom teaching, and online mode; from K-12 to students preparing for competitive exams. TCY is present at 34 locations, and is tying up with more like-minded individuals and businesses, to further extend its footprint across the country.