For this module, Brainvisa.com has entered into an exclusive tie-up with the country's foremost career counselling institute, the Institute of Career Studies (ICS), whose professionally developed and successfully tested career development programme has already benefited more than 100,000 students over the last 15 years.

Through a unique combination of both online and offline technologies, the students are required to undergo a comprehensive and rigorous test, comprising 199 questions spread over nine tests. These tests help to identify a student's aptitude, interest and learning style. They include Logic Aptitude, Office Administration, Business Aptitude, Numerical Aptitude, Social Aptitude, Design Aptitude, Mechanical Aptitude, Interest Identification Exercise and Learning Style Inventory.

The data generated is analysed using software developed inhouse by Brainvisa with the expertise of ICS. This software ``understands'' every individual's aptitude, learning style and interest and guides him accordingly in making a career choice. This will be supplemented with e-mail and offline support. Dr Amrita Dass, founder-director, Institute of Career Studies (ICS), says, ``Brainvisa.com is an excellent example of how proven career counselling models can be effectively transferred to exciting new-age technologies such as the Internet, which offer us the scope to reach and counsel many more students in a much shorter time.''

According to Supam Maheshwari, CEO, Brainvisa Technologies Pvt, Ltd, ``There is a growing demand among parents, teachers and students for scientific career guidance at an early age. This is particularly relevant in India where a stream of study once chosen, cannot be easily changed. Our career counselling service seeks to bridge this void by providing individuals with insights and clarity into their ideal career choice and we are very encouraged by the overwhelming response we have received so far.''

``Just in case your reaction is that there already are a host of education sites, let me emphasise that Brainvisa is India's first E2C site that offers career counselling and guidance, aptitude building and entrance exam preparation,'' says Dass.

In the one month since Brainvisa began its seed marketing, 50 schools across India have signed on for the counselling service and 5,000 students have already benefited, says Dass. Prominent schools that have signed up with Brainvisa.com include Bishop Cotton, Doon, Mayo College and Welham Boys and Girls.

``We realised that counselling (so many) students ourselves was not humanly possible,'' says Dass. ``So the next step we took was to train teachers in counselling. Today, we have trained teachers from 25 leading schools of Kerala in using the Brainvisa software. These teachers represent almost 10,000 students in the state. Our endeavour is to reach out to students across the country, and not just city schools, but rural ones too. We got a major response from places like Bihar and Guwahati.''

The Brainvisa career counselling service is on offer for a nominal subscription fee of Rs 350 per student per year, through schools all over India.

``We offer not only online counselling, but offline too,'' Dass explains. She adds that it is not only children in class twelve who want counselling, they have received a surprising number of queries from students in class eight.

While there are several sites that offer similar services, Brainvisa's USP is that it guides and empowers students to identify and prepare for their ideal career choice based on personal aptitude and pace of learning, which means that it not only helps them discover their strengths and weaknesses, but also helps them to prepare for competitive entrance exams in keeping with their pace of learning, explains Dass.