Twenty-two colleges from eight districts in the state took part in Master Mind 2012, an annual event dedicated to the development of employability skills in students. Aimed at arts and science students, the day-long event was split into three stages that tested their current affairs, group discussion skills, and their capacity to face a stress interview.
“The first stage, India Quiz, is a written test of the students' knowledge in current affairs. The idea is to promote the habit of keeping abreast with the latest happenings around the world,” said Prof.G.Balakrishnan, chief panellist for the day. Adding that this was the ninth consecutive Master Mind to be held in the city, he said that the event was attended by 166 students.
The 60 students who qualified for the next round were engaged in a session of group discussion that let them explore its dynamics like the five roles (initiator, information giver, information seeker, moderator and summeriser) and the types of participants (aggressive, passive and assertive). “The group discussion, titled ‘We learn to fly when we walk with the giants', was a confidence-building measure for students from rural and government colleges,” said Mr. Balakrishnan. The session encouraged the students to be assertive participants rather than aggressive or passive ones. The12 finalists were tested for endurance at the stress interview round, with questions being based on what they filled into a self-assessment form. The form covered aspects like their greatest achievement, strengths and weaknesses, role model and where they envisioned themselves in the year 2018.
The six-member panel that interviewed the finalists consisted of Prof. Balakrishnan, the chief panellist, P.V. Devaraj, John Louis, T. Shadina, T. K. Sridhar and Yamuna Sridhar. While questioning the finalists in a setting that simulated a real life interview, they also gave participants fundamental pointers on how to handle the interview. “The importance of establishing eye contact with all the members of the panel, without making it look too contrived, the difference between being talkative and being communicative and the ways in which you addressed the panellists and apologised were some of the tips given. The first prize of Rs. 2,500 was won by K.A. Mahalakshmi from Cauvery College for Women, while B. Rinaldo from St. Joseph's College and A.H. Mohamed Imran from Jammal Mohammad College won the second and third prizes of Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 1,500 respectively. The event was sponsored by Archana Sweets and Café.
