Q: I am studying in Class XII and have taken up science with maths. However, I am confused about the course I should graduate in. Should I opt for maths (honours) or statistics (honours)? I am keen on maths but have been told that doing statistics will fetch me better jobs. Is that true?

Anwar Wahid

A: If you have a knack for maths then go ahead and study maths in a good college. If you do well in mathematics then more options would be open for you than if you studied statistics.

Father Manipadam Provincial delegate for Don Bosco Youth Services, Calcutta

Q: I have heard that many BPO companies employ engineering graduates but I fail to understand how a person from civil or mechanical engineering could fit into those companies. What is the nature of their work?

Rohan Pandey

A: A variety of tasks are performed in a BPO company. These companies employ people from different backgrounds. Most of the employees have no use for the subjects that they had studied.

Many people prefer to take up a job in a BPO rather than wait for a suitable job to turn up. All that you need for a job in a BPO is the ability to speak English fluently. The rest of the training — how to sell a product and other Internet-related and communication skills — is imparted by the BPOs themselves.

Basically, most people who work in a BPO just sell products. They deal in e-commerce. So basically Internet skills, speaking and telecommunication skills are all that you require until you are promoted to a managerial position.

Most young people are attracted to the BPO sector due to the fantastic salaries offered. The job is highly taxing, both mentally and physically. In fact, most people can’t survive in the BPO sector for long and are soon on the lookout for a job in their area of specialisation.