Exploring TISS Programs: Which Master's Degree Aligns with Your Career Goals?

jay.ghoniya
jay.ghoniya
'HR must be different'

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: HR is not just about hiring and firing anymore. It's increasingly becoming an integral part of the core business, as the people factor has a direct reflection on the market competitiveness of enterprises. "Globalisation, technology developments, and changing customer and employee needs have thrown open a new breed of challenges for HR managers, thereby impacting a sea change in the entire fabric of conventional HR," said Dave Ulrich, educator and management guru and faculty at Michigan Ross School of Business. "To respond to increased demands, HR professionals must redefine and improve performance and enhance their competencies," Ulrich said. He saw the impact of economic globalisation to be more pronounced in countries like India and China, the world's largest labour markets. Addressing a large audience of HR professionals from across verticals at a Times Ascent organised event on 'HR Value Proposition: New competencies for the HR professional' here on Friday, Ulrich said, "Today, the job of HR is to create value, and proper communication with employees is critical for this value creation."

Unlike conventional practices, HR should allow people to work on projects that are demanding, unpredictable, and ambiguous, as many enjoy such challenges. Again, all HR strategies have to be directly linked to the core business of the company and its customers' interests. HR policies should encourage clear employee succession plans, conducive work environment, and a sense of ownership. "Employees should be taught 'spiritual' discipline, and HR should inculcate modesty, integrity, forgiveness, humility, mercy, mutual respect, and charity, qualities that are key in a work environment," Ulrich said.

Earlier, speaking at the seminar, Arun Arora of the Times Group said, "Multi-tasking is bringing innovation and also compulsion to demolish the boundary walls between departments. This puts a lot of pressure on HR professionals who must stand above and add value to the organisation."

The event was sponsored by Pune-based Indira Group of Institutes, SAP, and Zydus.
jay.ghoniya
Capitalism: An economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit.

Socialism: A system where the distribution of wealth is controlled by the community. The community owns the means of production.

Communism: Seeks a socialist state and aims to establish equality in the distribution of wealth, among other goals.

Marxism: According to Marx, the transition from a capitalistic to a socialistic society will take time. There will be a transitional period where there is a revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat.

According to Marxism, capitalism is a system based on the exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie (the "capitalists" who own and control the means of production). This exploitation occurs when workers, who own no means of production themselves, must seek jobs to survive. They are hired by a capitalist, work for them, produce goods or services, which then become the property of the capitalist. The capitalist sells these goods or services, keeping a portion of the wealth produced as profit. Marxists argue that new wealth is created through labor, and exploitation occurs when someone gains wealth without working for it, leading to the exploitation of workers.

Leninism: Lenin argued that the proletariat can achieve successful revolutionary consciousness through a Communist Party comprising full-time professional revolutionaries. He believed in democratic centralism, where Communist Party officials are elected democratically, and all party members must adhere to their decisions once elected. Leninism holds that capitalism can only be overthrown through revolutionary means, rejecting reformist approaches like Fabianism and democratic socialism.

The goal of a Leninist party is to overthrow the existing government by force, seize power on behalf of the proletariat, and establish a dictatorship of the proletariat. The party aims to educate the proletariat to remove false consciousness instilled by the bourgeoisie, such as religion and nationalism. The dictatorship of the proletariat is envisioned to be governed by a decentralized system of proletarian direct democracy, with workers holding political power through local councils known as soviets.

Communist governments in India include Kerala and West Bengal, while globally, countries like Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, China, Chile, and Russia have leftist governments.

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Listed below are a few links that could be useful:

Ministers (Cabinet + State) -[LIST OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS](http://cabsec.nic.in)

Trade Unions in India -[List of trade unions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_trade_unions#India)

SEZs in India - [SEZ India](http://sezindia.nic.in)

More on SEZs around the World - [Special Economic Zone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Economic_Zone)

Nandigram SEZ Controversy - [Nandigram SEZ controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandigram_SEZ_controversy)

Naxalites - [Naxalite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxalites)

Armed Forces (Special Powers Act) - [Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Forces_%28Special_Powers%29_Act%2C_1958)

Clemenceau (an old topic that attracted significant attention) - [Clemenceau (R 9 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FS_Clemenceau_%28R_98%29)
jay.ghoniya
Ram, we are just 2 months into the business of learning HR, so I pretty much know very little. But we can definitely have an idea of what HR does in any firm and why an applicant at this particular juncture (say no experience/2+/4+ years of work experience) wants to pursue the course.

To start with, HR is like a doctor in a hospital, who has to balance the management on one side and the employees on the other. Just as the doctor has to tread carefully along his diagnosis of the patient while not scaring the patient. Thoughts can follow on this.

Hi all, let's pour our thoughts on a very common topic of the day: executive compensation - views and counterviews.

Why should the prime minister take the CII meeting as a platform to trumpet the last few fangs of the socialist leanings available in the government policies? Though the splurge in the salaries is not for everyone, the masses affected by such inequitable distribution are not known clearly (don't know the stats), the issue can still be studied across sectors and still leave for the boardroom to decide if the CEO needs a higher salary than the present figures.

As the primary motive of any enterprise is to make a profit, the garnering of the same should be allowed in India, though with caution and not at the cost of deprivation of others (non-executive employees) in the organization.

Hi all, thanks for the initiative taken by starting this thread. TISS procedure is such an enigma for all the applicants that it really needs some information before actually appearing in the exam and the rest of the TISS selection procedure.

Well, I did apply for TISS for the 2006-08 session, and it was that year when the written exams started. Earlier, there was a written test, but it used to happen in the TISS campus. I was selected for the interview and GD, and my whole experience after GD & PI was good. GD was as usual a collection of 10-12 people sitting together and sharing their thoughts, and PI was as usual a panel of three professors sitting and observing a candidate.

My whole interpretation of the TISS procedure was that TISS actually wants those individuals who are inclined towards the HR course not for high salaries but for the actual love of Human Resources. You need to prove it then and there that your motive is not to earn high salaries in some IT company; instead, you love this course so much that you can even take up a job which is only for quenching your thirst to make human resources contribute more towards this society.

I personally noticed that the TISS panel was not very much interested in getting IT professionals into the college, and they were even pointing it out at the salary column during the interview (you will have to fill up your salary in the interview form, in case you are a professional). They always said, "Why do you want to get into a generalist role after working in a focused field like technology and at the same time you will not get this kind of salary" (don't know why they said that).

After a few days, the results were out, and I was not selected. But then I felt as if I was not totally prepared for the TISS interview. That's why I wanted to appear for TISS only after some more experience in the corporate field. Hence, I didn't appear for the TISS last year.

And now after a good break and some more experience, I am thinking of applying for TISS again.

Few points I would like to bring to your notice before the TISS forms are out for the coming academic session:

1. TISS gives a lot of importance to things you do in terms of charity and as part of the NGO activities. So, if it's possible for you to get involved in such a thing, please devote some time to such activities - it will help you a lot.

2. In case you are an IT professional, then be ready with the answers to such questions - Why do you want to leave the technology field? Why do you think the HR course is best for you after working in technology? What made you think that the HR course is best for you? And finally, a shocker - Do you really think that an HR person contributes to business? TISS panel doesn't believe that an HR person can actually contribute to business (during the interview, they really argue hard against HR roles in workplaces - they have a long list of negativities for business created by HR people).

3. They will try to make a match between the biography you write in the application form and the person sitting in front of the panel. In fact, If I remember well, there was a person who was constantly reading my biography, always listening to my answers, and jotting down some one-liners every now and then.

4. Know everything about your workplace/company, your native city, and the reasons behind things you have done in your life until now.

The above points are just the pointers I can provide you from my failed experience. These points will take a lot of time to prepare, and you actually have enough time to prepare for all these points.

Lastly, I will suggest that getting into TISS actually needs a TISS-type personality, and getting in touch with a TISS-type personality (current and ex-student) will help you the most. Also, reading things related to HR will actually help you. Seniors can really be helpful in getting the names of such books.

Hope my post is helpful to everyone.

Thanks & Regards,

Sarsij
jay.ghoniya
However, I would like to clear certain points out here.

TISS doesn't have any special inclination towards IT or the non-IT guys; just to bring to your attention, we have a good mix of IT and non-IT professionals. The non-IT category includes sectors like Manufacturing, Education, NGOs, Research and Development (Government), Shipping, Media, Financial Consultancies, etc. IT and non-IT professionals are evenly balanced in terms of numbers.

TISS might give importance to your involvement in charity and NGO activities when you apply to the Master's in Social Work (MSW) course. If you have experience with an NGO or charity, you may be asked why not pursue MSW instead of HRM & LR. It doesn't mean that one should not engage in charity or be involved with an NGO. Your approach in the interview makes all the difference.

"Why are you leaving your sector and coming to HR?" - I think this question is not limited to people in the IT sector but applies to others as well.

Regarding the argument about HR people and their contribution to business, and the list of negatives about HR, it is just to assess your composure and focus towards HR. In fact, what I have learned is that even a person from the lowest rung of the organization contributes to the business in their own ways, and HR is a much bigger function.
jay.ghoniya
Executive Compensation: Views and Counterviews

You can find the full text of the speech by our PM here: <link outdated-removed>

You can find the editorial in The Hindu on the same topic here: The Hindu: Opinion/Leader Page Articles: CEOs and the Wealth of Notions

I will post my comments on this soon.

Ram

HR Functions do suck... especially if your job is to prepare the List of Holidays, conduct exit interviews, issue HR letters for opening bank accounts, or simply distribute letters.

But the point is that every MBA job function will have something similar, or every sector has comparable tasks. So why blame only HR jobs?

I am an engineering graduate working in core technology, but there are aspects like testing and documentation that turn me off. At times, I feel like criticizing the organization and giving my seniors a big kick. However, these are part of my life and the domain I work in. The same applies to every domain.

For instance, Sales Guys have to meet their targets by any means necessary and often have to persuade customers. I have interacted with marketing professionals at reputed banks, and they face challenges regularly. I have even raised my voice at a few customer relations managers. If you focus on the negatives, you might end up achieving nothing. This world is not an ideal place; it rewards those who believe in survival of the fittest. Instead of dwelling on the negatives, develop skills to overcome challenges and progress.

I have a senior working at Hewitt, and he is very satisfied with his experience. He has become a consultant dealing with mergers and acquisitions.

We all have our perspectives, but we should avoid generalizing. Some individuals find immense satisfaction in helping others in the workplace as HR professionals. Try to find interest in your work, and your perspective may change to appreciate the positive aspects of the job profile.

Hey, I am not generalizing about HR. Some HR functions are good, but some can be very monotonous and may not require intellectual input. In fact, attrition is high at Hewitt (I contributed to that as well) and employee engagement scores indicate that too. Nevertheless, Hewitt is considered the best in the HR world and offers excellent profiles for postgraduates in HR.

So, the main point I am trying to convey is that before targeting TISS, it is crucial to introspect your interests and see if HR aligns with them. TISS offers an M.A. in HR, not a general MBA degree or diploma!

Every job involves a level of monotony, but to sustain yourself and remain satisfied, you must have an interest in it.

Sugandha

True! But I believe almost everyone in India who plans for an MBA generally dreams of an Investment Banking career during preparation days. Later, they settle for the fact that the competition is intense, and even securing admission is a significant achievement. This is especially true when considering exams like CAT, JMET, and other national-level exams. However, when aiming for focused institutes like XLRI and TISS, most individuals aspire to secure a seat in the HR course and envision themselves in HR roles.

While I agree that it is essential to understand the roles and responsibilities of HR professionals before pursuing such a course, I encourage contemplating whether an MBA degree is truly necessary or if the allure of an MBA is what attracts you.

Thank you for your post, and let's exclude Hewitt from this discussion. It's not appropriate to discuss the negative aspects of any organization in public.

Thanks again!
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