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The Maharaja's College is one of the biggest centres of learning and higher education in Kerala, India. Located in the heart of Cochin city, it is spread over a campus of 10 acres (40,000 m²) on the banks of Vembanad Lake. Blanketed by tall and rare species of trees, its campus features a mix of old and modern architecture and covers a total area of 19,525 m², providing infrastructural facilities for the 19 departments of the college.

This multidisciplinary centre of higher learning had its humble beginnings as a single room English school started by Royal Kingdom of Cochin in 1845 "to impart such instruction to the students as would enable them to converse with Englishmen without the aid of an interpreter". The school was upgraded to a college in 1875 and in June 1925 the college acquired its present name. The college provided instruction in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, History and Economics; it was affiliated with Madras University. At that time there were two hostels and physical education, literary and science associations functioning in full swing. Sir C V Raman and Dr S Radhakrishnan were among the speakers at the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 1925.

The first PG course was started in 1947 in the Department of Chemistry, which already had research facilities holding to M.Sc and Ph.D. Following the integration of Cochin and Travancore states, the college was transferred from Madras to Travancore University in 1949. The student body grew from 500 in 1925 to 2,802 in 1998; the teaching faculty saw a parallel increase from 21 to 195.

History

The Maharaja's College is one of the biggest centres of learning and higher education in Kerala, India. Located in the heart of Cochin city, it is spread over a campus of 10 acres (40,000 m²) on the banks of Vembanad Lake. Blanketed by tall and rare species of trees, its campus features a mix of old and modern architecture and covers a total area of 19,525 m², providing infrastructural facilities for the 19 departments of the college.

This multidisciplinary centre of higher learning had its humble beginnings as a single room English school started by Royal Kingdom of Cochin in 1845 "to impart such instruction to the students as would enable them to converse with Englishmen without the aid of an interpreter". The school was upgraded to a college in 1875 and in June 1925 the college acquired its present name. The college provided instruction in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, History and Economics; it was affiliated with Madras University. At that time there were two hostels and physical education, literary and science associations functioning in full swing. Sir C V Raman and Dr S Radhakrishnan were among the speakers at the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 1925.

The first PG course was started in 1947 in the Department of Chemistry, which already had research facilities holding to M.Sc and Ph.D. Following the integration of Cochin and Travancore states, the college was transferred from Madras to Travancore University in 1949. The student body grew from 500 in 1925 to 2,802 in 1998; the teaching faculty saw a parallel increase from 21 to 195.

Myth

Myth, within a religious framework, is a typically anonymous counter-narrative that enables humans to come to terms with the enigmas and abstruse occurrences of life, especially death. It places our lives in a larger setting, offers explanations to bizarre phenomena, tries to reveal invariants of the world and gives us a sense (against all the evidence to the contrary) that life has meaning and value. The importance of the myth lies in the way in which it encapsulates and expresses beliefs and values shared by, and definitive of, a particular cultural group.

Modern scholars view myths not only as primitive attempts at science but as discourses steeped in psychological functions, sociological applications and even philosophical speculations. Myth, thus, is not about opting out of this world but about living more intensely within it. Motif of death, fear of extinction, rebirth, resurrection, explanations of our origins, genealogy, inseparability from ritual, plane that transcends human experience, normativeness, invisible parallel world, reinforcement of ancient educative values, heterogeneity and plasticity are the defining traits of most myths. Mythology often springs from profound anxiety about essentially practical problems that cannot be assuaged by purely logical arguments. Naturally, it fails if it speaks of a reality that is too transcendent or concentrates exclusively on the supernatural; it remains vital only if it is primarily concerned with humanity.

In secular and educated circles, myths can be snippets of conventional wisdom, popular concepts, dominant images, pervasive symbols and political narratives. There are hundreds of hardly religious figures which more heavily impact on and mould collective psyche. Myths, whether religious or secular, can logically be regarded variously as an active social force and as attempts to resolve philosophical dialectics between being and nonbeing. They are often ways through which individuals learn how to adjust to social roles and subject positions. Mythological materials can be seedbeds of new metaphors for comprehending and changing societies. They provide perspectival ways of possible realizations of communal, artistic, and individual growth and fulfillment.

Mythologies are like the lenses in our variously tinted spectacles of sensory and cognitive perception. We code our universe with mythic figures and stories. In popular culture, ideological implications arise when myths are reified in such ways as to reinforce political or religious values, or when certain sets of mythological figures are considered a society’s primary models for gender or power relations. They repeatedly surface because of the long history they trail as representing important sociocultural values. Though myths do not directly and explicitly figure in popular culture expressions, they are often lodged beneath the glitz and glamour of mainstreams movies, soap operas, television shows and of course advertisements.

WHY DON’T I GET THROUGH THIS NET?

Tough question.

If the NET is a sieve and you a sugar lump trying to squeeze through it, the first condition to hit the warm water beneath is you must be tiny enough to go through the mesh. In other words, you must reorient and reinvent yourself to fit into the framework of the test. This is true in the case of any examination. Often what matters more is your adaptability to the system rather than the actual knowledge you possess. For example you are trying your luck in English. You get hold of a novel—say, The Guide by R.K.Narayan—and wallow in it. You live with Raju, dance with Rosie and fume with Marco. You procure long and pedantic critical writings and painstakingly digest them. You even go to the extent of carefully watching the film adaptation and sit up late reflecting on the fiction-film interface. Then while scanning the question paper find yourself thoroughly floored: THE YEAR IN WHICH THE GUIDE WAS PUBLISHED? In your scholastic zeal, that is something you did not care to check out. So, dear friends, before plunging into the test, stop and look around to get a feel of questions. After grasping the general tone and tenor, start preparation.

Make sure the bits and pieces of information you have are authentic and accurate. In every discipline there are terms that resemble others, but without any connection in between. Antony and Cleopatra is a Shakespearean tragedy while Caesar and Cleopatra belongs to George Bernard Shaw.

Be comprehensive. You can kick off the game from any corner but try to ensure nothing has been left unturned. After locating the year J.M. Keyne wrote Indian Currency and Finance, dig for more: his politics, work, theories and most importantly the extent of his success in predicting the future of our financial odyssey.

About language. Be readable and legible. That does not mean you generate painfully short and uniform sentences by stringing together a handful of words every time. On the contrary use jargon and register whenever necessary. For instance, how many words does it take to paraphrase the pithy expression “Tatas lacked first-mover advantage in mobile phone industry”? Or would not it be better so describe /z/ as a ‘voiced’ sound than to say “when we pronounce /z/ our vocal chords vibrate”? In short apt vocabulary is a must. Remember you are not talking to toddlers but seasoned teachers who know what is what and who is who.

Does luck play a part? Perhaps. But you can’t wait for Lady Luck to amble along and pick you up!!

NET: FAQs

National Eligibility Test (NET) basically attempts to determine eligibility for lectureship and the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) for Indian nationals in order to ensure quality teaching and research. While the National Educational Testing Bureau of University Grants Commission (UGC) conducts test in humanities, arts, languages, commerce, and computer science, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) does the same in science. JRF, along with the test to determine awardees, was launched way back in 1984. The first NET was conducted in 1989, two decades ago.

AM I ELIGIBLE TO ATTEMPT NET?

If you have scored 55% or equivalent in your postgraduate degree from a university recognized by the UGC and belong to the general category, yes. In the case of SC, ST, PH and VH candidates, the ceiling is 50% or equivalent.

CAN STUDENTS APPLY?

If you have already appeared for the exam or are going to do so, you definitely give a go. But remember, you have to fulfill the requisite criterion within two years from the date of the NET result to receive the certificate. If that does not happen, you are disqualified even if you have actually scored enough for a pass.

ARE THERE EXEMPTIONS?

Of course there are. But always remember this is a slippery zone as rules keep on changing, often without notice. For the time, those with an M. Phi or Ph.D from a recognized university can jump the fence though those with M.Phil. are eligible to teach only at the undergraduate level.

If you have cleared the State Eligibility Test (SET) accredited by UGC for eligibility for lectureship held prior to 1st June 2002, you are exempted. For SET held from 1st June 2002 onwards, the qualified candidates are eligible to apply for the post of lecturer only in the universities/ colleges belonging to the state from where they have cleared their SET.

AM I IN THE RIGHT AGE BAND?

If you are eyeing on JRF, you should not exceed 28 as on 01.12.2009; in the case of SC/ST/OBC/PH/VH categories and to women applicants, there is a relaxation of five years. Similarly relaxation will also be provided to the candidates having research experience, limited to the period spent on research in the relevant/related subject of post-graduation degree, subject to a maximum of 5 years, on production of a certificate from appropriate authority. Three years’ relaxation in age will be permissible to the candidates possessing L.L.M. Degree. Though you can avail of relaxation on different categories, the total period should not exceed five years under any circumstances.

In the case of lectureship there is no age ceiling.

UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION

NET FOR HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

SCHEME AND SYLLABUS

CODE NO.: 00

PAPER-I

SUBJECT: GENERAL PAPER ON TEACHING AND

RESEARCH APTITUDE

The main objective is to assess the teaching and research capabilities of the
candidates. Therefore, the test is aimed at assessing the teaching and
genera1 research aptitude as well as their awareness. They are expected to
possess and exhibit cognitive abilities. Cognitive abilities include
comprehension, analysis, evaluation, understanding the structure of
arguments and deductive and inductive reasoning. The candidates are also
expected to have a general awareness and knowledge of sources of
information. They should be aware of interaction between people,
environment and natural resources and their impact on quality of life.
The details are given in the following sections:

NOTE:

i) Each section gets equal weight age: five questions and 10 marks from each
section.

ii) Whenever pictorial questions are set for the sighted candidates a
passage followed by equal number of questions should be set for the
visually handicapped candidates.

I. Teaching Aptitude

• Teaching: Nature, objectives, characteristics and basic requirements;
• Learner's characteristics;
• Factors affecting teaching;
• Methods of teaching;
• Teaching aids;
• Evaluation systems.

II Research Aptitude

• Research: Meaning, characteristics and types;
• Steps of research;
• Methods of research;
• Research Ethics;
• Paper, article, workshop, seminar, conference and symposium;
• Thesis writing: its characteristics and format.

III. Reading Comprehension

• A passage to be set with questions to be answered.

IV. Communication

• Communication: Nature, characteristics, types, barriers and effective
  classroom communication.

V. Reasoning (Including Mathematical)

• Number series; letter series; codes;
• Relationships; classification.

VI. Logical Reasoning

• Understanding the structure of arguments;
• Evaluating and distinguishing deductive and inductive reasoning;
• Verbal analogies: Word analogy- Applied analogy;
• Verbal classification;
• Reasoning Logical Diagrams : Simple diagrammatic relationship, multi diagrammatic
• relationship;
• Venn diagram; Analytical Reasoning.

VII. Data Interpretation

• Sources, acquisition and interpretation of data;.
• Quantitative and qualitative data;
• Graphical representation and mapping of data.

VIII. Information and Communication Technology (lCT)

• ICT: meaning, advantages, disadvantages and uses;
• General abbreviations and terminology;
• Basics of internet and e-mailing.

IX. People and Environment

• People and environment interaction;
• Sources of pollution;
• Pollutants and their impact on human life, exploitation of natural and energy resources;
• Natural hazards and mitigation

x. Higher Education System: Governance, Polity And Administration

• Structure of the institutions for higher learning and research in India;
• formal and distance education; professional/technical and general education;
• Value education:
• Governance, polity and administration; concept, institutions and their interactions.